Historic Hadley by Alice Morehouse Walker

Author:Alice Morehouse Walker [Walker, Alice Morehouse]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Geschichte
Publisher: Jazzybee Verlag
Published: 2019-05-19T22:00:00+00:00

III. Rev. John Woodbridge and His Successors

Rev. Samuel Hopkins, now aged and infirm, was no longer able to write and deliver those long and learned sermons, so the committee requested him to relinquish a part of his salary, and in 1810 engaged Rev. John Woodbridge for $500 a year as long as Dr. Hopkins lived, together with fifteen cords of wood while he remained single, and thirty cords after he should marry. But the venerable pastor's work was almost done, and soon a great company from all the country round assembled in the meeting-house to pay the last tribute of respect to his memory. Dr. Joseph Lyman preached his funeral sermon, and his people escorted his body to the grave. Four ministers, Lyman of Hatfield, Wells of Whately, Williams of Northampton, and Parsons of Amherst, with Governor Strong and Deacon Ebenezer Hunt of Northampton, acted as pallbearers. Thus they buried Rev. Samuel Hopkins, minister in Hadley for fifty-seven years.

President Timothy Dwight of New Haven inspected the new meeting-house soon after its completion, and described it as a " handsome structure, superior to any other in this country." There in the middle of the broad street, on the historic site occupied by its predecessor, this stately building stood during the years following, while imperceptibly the center of population moved toward the east. The west street people did not care to go so far to church, and so as in olden time "dissensions arose" which in 1840 culminated in removing the meeting-house bodily and placing it in its present location. The solid structure, evidently built after a more substantial fashion than its predecessor, showed no signs of spreading when raised from its foundations, but traveled along in a dignified fashion, and when it reached its destination settled itself to stay.

But though the meeting-house stood firm, many representatives of the old settlers were in a state of turmoil and excitement and felt that they could not worship God in the new location. The shades of Parson Russell and his old-time congregation cried out in very protest and would not be appeased. April 1, 1841, Jacob Smith and ninety others asked to be dismissed that they might form another church. Then came a time of councils and discussions and disagreements and disputes. The perplexed ministers, convened in a private house, suggested that the seceders be allowed to worship by themselves for a time, with the hope of reconciliation. President Humphrey of Amherst College went over to see what he could do, and advised that the disgruntled persons be dismissed, which was accordingly done. Then with the help of an ex-parte council these modern " withdrawers " organized, July 15, 1841, at 2 p. m., the Russell church in Hadley, its members being eighteen men and forty-one women, dismissed by the First church as in good standing, and thirty-one others " being in good standing last June." The Russell meeting-house was erected on West Street, and its pews, built by individuals, are to-day the property

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