The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion, Sermon 2
A CENTURY SERMON.
JOSHUA IV, 4—7.
Then Joſhua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Iſrael, out of every tribe a man. And Joſhua ſaid unto them, paſs over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midſt of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a ſtone upon his ſhoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Iſrael; That this may be a ſign among you, that when your children aſk their fathers in time to come, ſaying, what mean you by theſe ſtones? Then ye ſhall anſwer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, when it paſſed over Jordan the waters of Jordan were cut off; and theſe ſtones ſhall be for a memorial unto the children of Iſrael forever.
IT is a great truth, and highly important, that the ſame GOD who created the univerſe governs it. We have the fulleſt evidence that divine providence ſuperintends all human affairs: and that, as GOD is the author of all the good which is enjoyed or ſeen in this world, ſo there is no evil in the world and the LORD hath not done it. He forms the light and creates darkneſs, he makes peace and creates evil; the LORD does all theſe things. Nothing comes to paſs in the world, but by the ordering or permiſſion of divine providence. It would be well if we could always maintain a ſenſe of this great truth. But it is lamentably true, that we are very apt to look only at means and inſtruments, both in mercies and judgments, and take no notice of the hand that ſteers and conducts all things. I remember to have read a hiſtory of a voyage round the world, in which they who made it went through many and great perils and dangers, and were many times moſt marvelouſly delivered, and yet, which was a moſt unpardonable omiſſion, not the leaſt notice taken of GOD or providence. It is certainly our duty and wiſdom to be careful obſervers of the works of divine providence. The pſalmiſt, after mentioning ſome of the works of providence, ſays, Whoſo is wiſe and will obſerve theſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving kindneſs of the LORD. Pſal. 107. 43.
IT is profitable, not only to obſerve the occurrences of our own day, but to read hiſtory, and examine the records of paſt ages; to take notice of the dealings of divine providence toward former generations. And while we are reading, we ſhould not forget what the Apoſtle ſays when he had been ſpeaking of GOD'S dealings towards the ancient Jews. All theſe things happened unto them for enſamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1 Cor. 10. 10.
GOD'S dealings with the Jews are one continued ſeries of wonders: and great care was taken in the ſacred hiſtory, to tranſmit the knowledge of them to poſterity. They are not only regiſtered in the ſacred records, but God directed that there ſhould be ſome viſible ſigns, and laſting monuments erected, to perpetuate the memory of ſome of his mighty acts. Thus he inſtituted the paſſover, to be a memorial of the deliverance of his people out of their Egyptian bondage: and the LORD'S ſupper, to be an everlaſting memorial of the death of CHRIST, whereby we are delivered from bondage infinitely worſe than that of Egypt. And when he divided Jordan for his people to go over and take poſſeſſion of the promiſed land, he directed that a monument of ſtone ſhould be erected, to be a memorial of this miraculous event, and to tranſmit the knowledge of it down to lateſt poſterity, as we learn from our text.
PRESENT things ſo engage our attention that we are apt to forget the paſt; we therefore need ſome ſigns, ſome viſible ſigns, to be remembrancers to us. And it is well that they ſhould be durable ſigns; otherwiſe the knowledge of them will die, if not with the preſent, yet before many generations are paſt. The children of Iſrael therefore were directed to erect a monument of ſtone, materials which decay not with time, ſo that if their children in after ages ſhould aſk their fathers, what mean you by theſe ſtones, they might anſwer them, that the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, when it paſſed over Jordan: and theſe ſtones were deſigned to be a memorial of this event. The dividing of Jordan was a very notable miracle, and worthy to be kept in remembrance.
But not only the miraculous works of GOD, but many other works of divine providence, both merciful and corrective, are worthy to be had in everlaſting remembrance. There are no people but what, at one time or another, are the ſubjects of remarkable providence; ſome of remarkable judgments, others of ſignal mercies and deliverances: theſe ought to be carefully noticed in the time of them, and faithful annals kept of them, that ſo children may know what GOD did, for or againſt their fathers in their day. And it would be well that not only the facts themſelves ſhould be regiſtered, but the moral cauſes both of mercies and judgments traced out, as far as we are capable of underſtanding them.
And here lies the peculiar excellency of the ſacred hiſtory. Many profane hiſtorians give us a true and faithful account of the events which happened in the times of which they wrote; and perhaps they point out truly the way and manner in, and means by which theſe events were brought on: but the ſacred hiſtory, in addition to theſe, opens and explains to us the moral reaſons, why the great governor of the world conferred this public bleſſing, or granted this ſignal deliverance, or viſited his people with this ſore judgment. It is evident to every one who reads his bible, that GOD'S public dealing with the Jews was ſuited to their moral ſtate. If virtue generally prevailed among them, they flouriſhed and were happy; if vice and wickedneſs gained ground among them, they were viſited with judgments of one kind or another: and if one judgment was not ſufficient to reform them, GOD ſent more and heavier, and as he threatened, Levit. 26. puniſhed them ſeven times more for their ſins. When they reformed he lightened his hand; and when they proved finally incorrigible, he gave them up to utter ruin. And GOD has, I doubt not, dealt much in the ſame way with other nations of the world, though their hiſtorians have been too negligent of making obſervations. They have given a faithful narration of the notable events which have happened, of the ſignal mercies and deliverances received, and of the calamities ſuffered, and of the immediate inſtruments by which they were brought about: but, which I think to have been a very great neglect, the moral cauſes have not been attended to or noticed by them.
IF the moral ſtate of paſt ages had been carefully noticed, and the conſequent dealings of GOD with them faithfully tranſmitted down to poſterity, it would have been highly uſeful to us, and have had, by the bleſſing of GOD, happy influence upon our own moral conduct. When we obſerved that in a courſe of virtue, our fathers flouriſhed and were happy, it muſt afford a powerful motive to their children to imitate them in their virtues and tread in their ſteps. When we ſaw their failings and their ſufferings on that account, it would naturally tend to put us upon our guard, and make us watchful not to ſplit upon the ſame rock. When we ſaw how quick the bright morning of proſperity was ſometimes ſucceeded by a dark night of adverſity, and that hours of rejoicing were followed with days, yea months of mourning and weeping, one would ſuppoſe that we could not, in a time of proſperity, flatter ourſelves that our mountain ſtands ſtrong, and that we ſhall never be moved; that tomorrow ſhall be as this day and much more abundant: but that we ſhould live conſtantly dependent upon GOD; and that although we ſhould rejoice in a day of proſperity, yet we ſhould rejoice as tho' we rejoiced not. When we took notice of any ſignal appearances of heaven for our fathers, in conſequence of their application to GOD and return to him, it would afford a mighty encouragement to us, to ſecure an intereſt in his ſpecial love and favour; to cry to him in our ſtraits; and to make our peace with him by a ſincere repentance, & thorough reformation. When we read the accounts of the ſtraits, difficulties and dangers which our fathers underwent, and took notice how they were preſerved and carried through them, and delivered from them, it would afford the beſt ſecurity againſt ſinking and deſpondency in the day of trouble; it would tend to inſpire us with courage and fortitude in a time of difficulty and danger. And when we took notice how, when they were ready to faint, GOD ſupported them, and when they were in perplexities and knew not what to do, and had their eyes unto him, he appeared, and perhaps in ways unexpected, unthought of, brought deliverance to them, and ſurprized them with it, ſo that they were like men that dreamed; if any thing will, I ſhould think this would beget a firm unſhaken truſt in GOD, under the greateſt trials and dangers; and excite us to make GOD our refuge at all times, and repair to him, who is a preſent help in time of trouble: ſaying as in Hab. 3, 17, 18, 19. Although the fig-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall fruit be in the vine, though the labour of the olive ſhall fail; and the field ſhall yield no meat, and the flock ſhall be cut off from the field, and there ſhall be no herd in the ſtalls; yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the GOD of my ſalvation. The LORD GOD is my ſtrength, and he will make my feet like hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
THE ſtudy of hiſtory is very pleaſant. There are very few, who have not ſome curioſity to look back into paſt time, and make themſelves acquainted with what was done before they were born. And people in general are peculiarly entertained with the hiſtory of their own country; they are fond of knowing their own origin, and pleaſed to be informed of every little incident which befell their own progenitors. We view ourſelves as particularly concerned in the events which befell our parents; and though others may take no ſhare in them, yet children feel themſelves deeply intereſted in them.
I HAVE often heard it lamented, that no more care was taken in the firſt ſettlement of this country, to preſerve the memory of the early tranſactions of our forefathers, of the many hardſhips and difficulties they endured in this wilderneſs, of the perils and dangers they endured, of the ſignal deliverances granted to them, and of the diſtinguiſhing bleſſings conferred upon them, both of a ſpiritual and temporal nature. It cannot be expected that the hiſtory of a new and infant ſettlement would be filled with the accounts of ſuch armies, battles and revolutions as are to be found in the annals of ancient ſtates and great kingdoms. But however unentertaining a minute, particular hiſtory of New-England might be to ſtrangers and foreigners, yet it would be read with pleaſure by us, and it might be read with profit and advantage to us. And perhaps no country of the ſame age has afforded more remarkables than New-England has to ſpeak of.
IT is now not quite one hundred and fifty ſix years ſince our fathers firſt began to form a ſettlement at Plymouth. The firſt ſettlers were puritans, diſſatisfied with the eccleſiaſtical government of the church of England, and ſcrupulous of conforming to the ceremonies which were enjoined in their worſhip. For their non-conformity they were perſecuted in their Eccleſiaſtical Courts. To eſcape perſecution, they firſt fled to Holland, and continued ſome years at Leyden. Diſliking their ſituation there, they concluded to remove to America. In the ſummer of 1620 they ſet out on their voyage; and on the ninth of November diſcovered the land of Cape Cod. They had deſigned to form a ſettlement further to the ſouthward; but being brought hither, and the winter near at hand, they concluded to ſet down here. After beating about upon the coaſt for divers weeks, and finding no place which ſuited them to make a ſettlement in, they at length pitched upon Plymouth; and in the latter end of December they went to work to prepare ſhelter for themſelves, their families and goods.
IT is obſerved, as a ſmile of heaven upon them, that contrary to their own intentions they were brought hither: had they gone further ſouthward, as they intended, to Hudſon's River, the country was full of ſavages: but here, GOD had before prepared room for them, by a ſweeping peſtilence which had depopulated the country.
THERE were no more than one hundred and one ſouls, who arrived in the harbour of Cape Cod. Winter was now ſet in, and they were utterly unprovided with every accommodation: and no other Engliſh ſettlement on the continent, than a ſmall poor colony at Virginia; they ſix or ſeven hundred miles diſtant, and not able to afford them any help or relief. Under theſe circumſtances, they muſt have a moſt diſmal proſpect: Wherever they turned their eyes nothing but diſtreſs ſurrounded. However, liberty of conſcience was, with them, the grand object: they could not enjoy it in England; and if they might only enjoy it here, it would make amends for all; they therefore engaged with cheerfulneſs, in the new ſettlement, and underwent incredible hardſhips, with fortitude; ſoon were reduced to great ſtraits, and within five months, one half their number were dead.
BESIDES the natural increaſe, there were from time to time, ſome additions made to them, by the arrival of ſome of their friends from England. But although the increaſe was but ſmall, yet it is obſervable, that whereas divers other attempts had been before made, from purely ſecular views, to make ſettlements within what was then called North Virginia, they had failed; this ſmall colony, who were influenced by religious motives, ſtood their ground, and were ſlowly increaſing; though greatly diſtreſſed; at ſometimes threatened to be cut off by the Natives, at other times greatly ſtraitened for want of bread; if I miſtake not, never receiving any ſupplies from Europe from the very beginning.
THUS things went till the year 1628; when the conſul for New-England, having obtained a patent of the lands in the Maſſachuſetts-Bay, ſent Mr. Endicot, with his wife and a ſmall company, to begin a ſettlement at Salem. The next year, they ſent three ſhips full of paſſengers, amounting to between two and three hundred; and among them four miniſters: theſe ſafely arrived, and took up their habitation chiefly at Salem; though ſome of them ſoon removed to Charleſtown, and with them one of the miniſters.
IN the ſpring of the Year 1639, there ſailed from England 10 or 11 ſhips, ſome of them very large, filled with paſſengers of every uſeful occupation, with many live cattle. In this fleet, which ſafely arrived early in the ſummer, were many people of ſubſtance; among whom were Governor Winthrop, Deputy Governor Dudley, and many of the patentees of the colony: and I find that William Pynchon, Eſq. who was Treaſurer of the Colony, and father of this town of Springfield, was one among them. Mr. Hubbard, in his hiſtory, ſays, that about this time there was ſuch increaſe made, by the occaſion of many hundreds who every year flocked after them, that in five or ſix years there were twenty conſiderable towns built and peopled; and many of the towns firſt planted became ſo filled with inhabitants, that like bees they were ready to ſwarm into new plantations.
ONE of the ſwarms of which Mr. Hubbard ſpeaks, pitched in this town. It is ſtrange that any, in the then preſent ſtate of the country, ſhould be willing to be ſeparated ſo far from their brethren: but ſo early as May 1635, ſome of the inhabitants of Roxbury, Dorcheſter, New-Town and Watertown prayed the General Court, (then ſitting at New-Town, now called Cambridge) that they might have liberty to remove to Connecticut River. This was granted to them, provided they would continue under their juriſdiction. The grant is dated May 6th, 1635. In conſequence of this grant, the petitioners made their way, with their wives and children, into this wilderneſs, and laid the foundation of the towns of Weathersfield, Hartford, Windſor and Springfield.
THEY that planted themſelves down in this town came from Roxbury. It ſeems there were only eight men who came at firſt, one of which was the before-mentioned William Pynchon, Eſq. a pattentee of the colony. They were here early in the year 1636. They entered into covenant with each other, which covenant is now upon your public records; it is dated May 14th and ſigned by William Pynchon and ſeven others, who probably did not long continue here, as there is not, nor has been for many years, any of either of the names remaining among us. The firſt article in the covenant was, that they would, as ſoon as might be, provide a miniſter to carry on the work of GOD among them. Though they were thus few in number, in the midſt of the ſavages, not an Engliſh inhabitant within twenty miles, and they now beginning a ſettlement, yet they reſolved not to live without the Goſpel; an evidence of a true chriſtian zeal, which does honor to them, and is worthy the attention and imitation of others.
THEY began well, and GOD bleſſed their beginnings. Some of their friends ſoon followed them from Roxbury; and many of the progenitors of the preſent inhabitants were early here: inſomuch that, although at their firſt ſitting down, they did not think of having more than forty, or at fartheſt fifty families, yet I find by our public records, that in February 1664, there were no leſs than ſeventy three male inhabitants in the town. And according to their covenant, they did early ſupply themſelves with a worthy miniſter, the Rev. Mr. George Moxon, who had, before he came to America, received, ordination in the church of England.
AT what time a church was firſt gathered in the town, I cannot aſcertain; but it appears, by your records, that Mr. Moxon was in the town in the year 1637, and continued here with his family fifteen years, till in the year 1652; when Mr. Pynchon, the father of the town, having received ſome ill treatment from the province on account of his religious principles, he, with Capt. Smith his ſon in law, went to England, and with them went the miniſter of the town, the Rev. Mr. Moxon, never to return. This was a day of darkneſs with this town; I remember to have formerly heard ſome of the aged people, who had it from their forefathers ſay, that it went near to break up the ſettlement. But Mr. Pynchon left behind him a ſon, who was afterward a great bleſſing and very uſeful, not only here, but in the province. He lived to an advanced age, was had in the higheſt veneration by your fathers, and remembered by ſome who are now living.
AFTER Mr. Moxon's departure, this town was deſtitute of a ſettled miniſter nine years. Mr. Hooker (probably he who afterwards ſettled at Farmington) for ſome time preached to the people. One Mr. Thompſon alſo preached among them, ſome part of the time; ſo that they were not for this ſpace deſtitute of the goſpel. At length Mr. Peletiah Glover a native of Dorcheſter, came among them. I find by a note of Col. John Pynchon, that the firſt ſermon he preached in the town was on July 3d, 1659, from Jer. 4, 14. He continued officiating here till 1661, when he was ordained to the miniſtry of the town. Mr. Hubbard gives this character of Mr. Glover, that he was a great ſtudent, and much given to books. He lived in great harmony with your fathers, and highly eſteemed, till March 29, 1692, when he gave up his charge, and the ghoſt, and went to reſt.
IN his time that great calamity befel the town, which is the ſpecial occaſion of our aſſembling this day. From the beginning of the country, our fathers had much trouble from the natives. They were often threatening them, frequently commencing hoſtilities againſt them, and many were killed in one place and another; and indeed it is marvelous that they were not all deſtroyed. If it had not been the LORD who was on our ſide, now may New-England ſay, If it had not been the LORD who was on our ſide, when the Indians roſe up againſt us; then they had ſwallowed us up, when their wrath was kindled againſt us.
HOWEVER, it is to be obſerved, that the people on Connecticut River lived in great harmony and peace with their Indian neighbours, till about the year 1675: When Philip's Indians, (this Philip was a great warrior, and a bitter enemy to the Engliſh; his place of reſidence was at Mount Hope, now Briſtol) and thoſe called Nipnets, being driven from the lower parts of the province, came weſtward; and after deſtroying Brookfield, mixed themſelves with the Indians of this river, and ſoon diſaffected them to the Engliſh. The people of this town, and the towns above were alarmed, and began to fortify and prepare for their own defence. There were now ſettlements formed at Weſtfield, Hadley, Northampton, Hatfield, Deerfield and Northfield: though all weak and eſpecially the two latter.
THE Hadley Indians firſt of all, deſerted their fort and habitations, and joined the enemy. The Engliſh who were under Captains Lathrop and Bears, were ſo incenſed that they purſued them, and had a fight with them, at a place which was then, and is now called Sugar Loaf, oppoſite to the town of Sunderland; wherein nine or ten of the Engliſh were ſlain, and about twenty ſix Indians. About ſeven days after on the firſt of Sept. 1675 they beſet the town of Deerfield, killed one man, and laid moſt of the houſes in aſhes. Two or three days after, they made an attack upon Northfield, and killed nine or ten of the people; and the reſt hardly eſcaped into the garriſoned houſe. The next day, Capt. Bears with thirty ſix men was going to Northfield to ſecure the garriſon there, when, about three miles on this ſide the town, he was waylaid by the enemy, and himſelf and about twenty of his men were killed, the reſt flying back to Hadley. On the eighteenth of the ſame month, as Capt. Lathrop, with about eighty men, was guarding ſeveral carts, laden with corn and other goods, from Deerfield to Hadley, they were ſuddenly attacked, and almoſt all cut off, not above ſeven or eight eſcaping. On the ſpot where they were buried, at a place called Muddy-Brook, was erected a monument of ſtone, which now remains.
THESE things gave ſome alarm to the inhabitants of Springfield: though they were loath to diſtruſt their own Indians, with whom they had lived in great peace and amity for the ſpace of near forty years. However they were not wholly unprovided: they had ſome garriſons, though I believe, not more than three in the town. The inhabitants treated with the Indians, and received from them, the firmeſt aſſurance of their friendſhip: and the Indians gave ſome hoſtages as a ſecurity for their peaceable behaviour; which hoſtages were ſent to Hartford, there to remain. Theſe hoſtages made their eſcape; and three hundred of Philip's Men were ſecretly received into the Indian fort upon Long-Hill. Their deſigns againſt the town were revealed by a Windſor Indian whoſe name was Toto; tidings of which, were in all haſte ſent to Springfield in the night: otherwiſe the inhabitants of the town probably had been cut off, as well as their ſubſtance deſtroyed. The town was thrown into great conſternation, by the alarming advice from Windſor, and fled to their garriſons for ſafety. But two men, more unbelieving than the reſt, (on the morning of the 5th of October, 1675, according to old ſtile, now the 16th, this day one hundred years ſince) reſolved to go to the Indian fort▪ and ſee whether theſe things were ſo. They ſet out; but had not come to Mill-River, before the Indians fired upon them, killed one on the ſpot, and mortally wounded the other: However, he got back to a fort at the lower end of the ſtreet, and ſoon died. The Indians immediately ſet fire to the ungarriſoned houſes, and to the barns; and on that day laid almoſt the whole town in aſhes.
DEACON Burt, who was an eye witneſs, in a note made in the book of records, to perpetuate the memory of this melancholy event, ſays there were 29 dwelling houſes burnt; the number of barns he does not aſcertain. Major, afterwards Col. John Pynchon, who a few days before went to Hadley with a few ſoldiers to take care of the people in thoſe parts, in a letter which he wrote 15 days after the deſtruction of the town, to his ſon Joſeph then in England, gives a moſt melancholy account of their ſtate; he ſays there were about 30 or 32 dwelling houſes burnt, and 25 barns full of corn and hay▪ and that although his own dwelling houſe was ſpared, his mills and barns and out houſes were all conſumed, with all his corn and hay; ſo that he had nothing left for food for man or beaſt. This letter I have in my hands; and it breathes ſuch a quiet, ſubmiſſive, patient, excellent ſpirit, that were there time, I would read the whole of it to you. Doctor Mather ſays, there were above 30 dwelling houſes, and above 20 out houſes burnt. Mr. Hubbard ſays 32 houſes were conſumed. Whether any buildings in this part of the town, except the fortified houſes, were ſaved, I am uncertain. Major Treat ſoon came from Weſtfield for their aſſiſtance, but for want of boats, could not paſs the river. Major Pynchon with ſome forces from Hadley was with them as quick as poſſible, but too late to ſave the town.
BESIDES the two already mentioned, there was one woman killed, and ſeveral men wounded, one of which died ſoon after. There were ſome few inhabitants at Long-Meadow and I ſuppoſe ſome on the weſt ſide of the river; both theſe eſcaped.
IT is eaſy to ſee that this was a diſmal day with the forefathers of this town; that they were reduced to great diſtreſs. It came upon them at a ſeaſon when all the fruits of the earth were gathered in; ſo that their year's ſtock of proviſion was conſumed, and they had little or nothing left for man or beaſt; and none near them had any thing to ſpare to them. However, they did not faint: by the good providence of GOD they were carried through the winter. It was ſaid by the ancient people, that the following winter was remarkably favorable; inſomuch that they plowed their lands in the midſt of winter. The town was ſoon rebuilt and returned to its former ſtate; and has never ſince, ſuffered greatly by the Indians.
THERE was afterward a Leonard killed on the weſt ſide of the river; I ſuppoſe it was the father of thoſe of that name who now reſide there. At Pecowſick were ſix killed, the ſpring following the deſtruction of the town, three outright; two women with their children, who were captivated, were overtaken, and one woman with the children killed; the other woman wounded▪ but recovered, and lived to an advanced age. And within the memory of ſome of you, (July 26, 1708) three perſons were killed in one houſe, at Skipmug; and a fourth that was captivated was ſoon after killed, and a lad, Benjamin Wright. Beſides theſe, I do not know that the Indians have done any other miſchief, except wounding one or two perſons, and captivating a few.
THERE was, in the winter or ſpring following the deſtruction of the town, a youth of the name of Edward Stebbins, (the grandfather of ſome here preſent) taken captive by the Indians at Long-Meadow; which, becauſe it was attended with ſome important conſequences, I particularly mention. He was carried to the Indian headquarters, which were then at the falls in this river a few miles above Deerfield. This youth with another whoſe name was Gilbert, found means to make their eſcape, and gave notice of the Indians place of rendezvous, and of the ſecurity in which they lived. Whereupon Capt. Turner, who, I take it, had the command of the ſoldiers in the garriſons, and Capt. Holyoke of this town, collecting about 150 men, partly out of the garriſons and partly from among the inhabitants, went againſt them: and a little before break of day on the 19th of May, 1676, fell upon the Indians undiſcovered, fired into their wigwams, and killed many on the place, many others in their fright plunged into the river, were carried headlong down the falls, and periſhed in the waters; and many who took ſhelter under the bank of the river were killed with the ſwords of our men. Mr. Hubbard ſays, that Capt. Holyoke killed five here with his own hand. We loſt 38 men in this fight; and ſome of their priſoners afterward owned, that they loſt more than 300, ſome of them principal men, Sachems, and ſome of their beſt warriors. It is obſerved, that they never recovered this defeat, but their ruin immediately followed. In reward of this ſignal ſervice, a townſhip of land where the fight was, now called Bernardſton, was granted to their poſterity.
I cannot find that more than ten or twelve perſons have been killed by the Indians, within the limits of this town: ſave that Mr. Hubbard ſays, ſix or ſeven of our people, after our mills were burnt, going to a mill at Weſtfield, and going without arms, three of them were killed by the enemy. I have not been able to get any account who they were, nor any further account of this matter.
BUT the town has laboured under other, and grievous calamities at divers times. It is a grievous and mortal ſickneſs which is now among us, and has put many parents into mourning. In the year 1760 and 1761, we were viſited with a ſore fever, which took off many uſeful and valuable men, in the midſt of their uſefulneſs, and greatly weakened our ſtrength. But the moſt diſtreſſing time the town ever ſaw by reaſon of ſickneſs, was in the year 1683, eight years after the town was burnt, (which by the ancient people of the town, was called the ſickly winter) when a violent fever raged in the town, to that degree that there were ſcarcely enough well to tend the ſick; the public worſhip was for ſome time ſuſpended, and twenty grown perſons died. In the year 1711, there was alſo a mortal ſickneſs which in the winter ſeaſon raged here, greatly diſtreſſed the people, and carried off a number of the principal men. It was a diſtreſſing time with you in the year 1733, when your worthy Paſtor, and my Rev. Father and immediate predeceſſor, Mr. Brown, after having ſerved you in the work of the miniſtry forty years, died, and with him a number of worthy men. Mr. Brewer was ordained your miniſter May 16, 1693, and continued with you till Nov. 5th, 1733, when he departed this life.
To him, through the providence of GOD, I, though unworthy, ſucceeded. The firſt ſermon I preached was on the 26th of May, 1734. I received ordination January 27th, 1735, 6: And though exerciſed with much weakneſs and many infirmities, yet having obtained help from GOD, I continue until this time. I ſuppoſe, I have lived with you longer than either of my predeceſſors; and longer than any miniſter in any part of the town, except the Rev. Dr. Williams, who is here preſent in the 83d year of his age, and has nearly completed the 59th year of his miniſtry; in a comfortable ſtate of health, and full poſſeſſion of his intellectual powers, he promiſes to be uſeful for years yet to come.
SINCE my entrance into the miniſtry here 476 have died, 1034 have received baptiſm, 298 have been admitted to full communion; there are only four, who are now living and continue with us, that were communicants at the time of my ordination. My work is near to an end: may I aſk your prayers, that I may be uſeful while I live, faithful to death, and then receive the crown of life.
THIS town is now 131 years old. The firſt ſettlers expected that the town would contain only 50 families at the moſt: but I preſume there may be, at this day, 600 within the ancient limits of Springfield.
THE town was early divided into two pariſhes. In June 1698, a church was gathered in the 2d pariſh, and Mr. John Woodbridge ordained their Paſtor. He continued 20 years in the miniſtry, and died in June, 1718. To him ſucceeded the Rev. Samuel Hopkins, who was ordained paſtor June 1ſt, 1720, and died October 6, 1755: a truly worthy man, and much beloved and eſteemed. On the 25th day of the following Auguſt, the Rev. Joſeph Lathrop was ordained, paſtor of that church: he ſtill lives, and has entered upon the 20th year of his miniſtry.
ON Feb. 17, 1713, Long-Meadow was made a pariſh: on the 16th of October 1716 a church was gathered there, and the Rev. Stephen Williams was ordained their paſtor.
ON June 24th, 1741, a church was gathered in the fourth pariſh in Springfield; and the Rev. Noah Merick was ordained their paſtor. He is ſtill living. This pariſh was made a town in the year 1763.
ON Sept. 27, 1752, a church was gathered in a fifth pariſh in the town; and the Rev. John M'Kinſtry was ordained their paſtor.
ON Nov. 10, 1762, a church was gathered in a ſixth pariſh in Springfield; and on the 17th the Rev. Silvanus Griſwold was ordained their paſtor.
ABOUT two years ſince, another diſtrict was made in the town, by the name of Ludlow, which remains deſtitute of a ſettled miniſter. So that there are now, within the ancient limits of this town, ſeven worſhiping aſſemblies, beſides one who profeſs themſelves Baptiſts.
How greatly are we increaſed beyond the expectation of our forefathers? The firſt ſettlers of the town, were they now upon earth, might with propriety adopt the language of Jacob and ſay, with our ſtaves paſſed we through this wilderneſs, and now we are become, not two, but ſeven bands.
MAY we be ſuitably affected with all the dealings of divine providence towards our fathers and us, both merciful and corrective. We have mercies to ſpeak of as well as judgments: we have enjoyed the goſpel from the beginning; have had as much health as moſt towns; and perhaps no town has enjoyed more internal peace, with fewer interruptions, than the ancient town of Springfield. Though we have been divided into ſeveral pariſhes, for many years, and have had diſtinct intereſts; yet from my earlieſt acquaintance with the town, your fathers looked upon one another as brethren, and regard to the public intereſt was the governing principle. I have ever thought it a very happy circumſtance, that the leading men of this town have, from time to time, been not only men of ability, but really friendly, both to your civil and religious intereſts.
FOR my own part, I have ever eſteemed it a ſmile of Providence, that my lot was early caſt in the town of Springfield; and hope I may never have occaſion to change my ſentiments. I came here in my youth, not 21 years of age; and ſhall ever retain a grateful remembrance of the candor with which your fathers treated me, and many kind offices which they did me. But few of that generation remain. They are in the grave: and I cannot forbear droping a tear at the remembrance of them. They were a worthy ſet of people: but they are gone; and this place which has known them, ſhall know them no more. And the children are riſen up in the ſtead of their fathers: may you, my dear people, prove yourſelves worthy of ſuch anceſtors.
How ſhort is human life! How quick does one generation ſucceed another! there are now upon the ſtage, ſome of the eighth generation of the family of the Pynchons in 139 years. My brethren, former generations are paſſed away, and this preſent generation muſt ſoon follow them, and make way for others. Within a few years, every ſingle perſon in this aſſembly will be in the grave. It is extreme folly in us, to ſet our hearts upon a world we muſt ſo ſoon leave; and it is our higheſt wiſdom to lay up treaſure in heaven; and prepare for that eternal ſtate, which ſucceeds this ſhort life.
HOWEVER though we ſhould not be careful of the many things of this world, to the neglect of the one thing needful, yet our preſent proſperity and happineſs is not to be wholly overlooked. And we ought to carry our views beyond the time of our own continuance here, and confeſs the good and happineſs of thoſe who ſhall ſucceed us on the ſtage of life. If we regard the happineſs of poſterity, let us take care to give our children a religious education, and ſit them to act their part well upon the theatre of the world, after we are retired to reſt and ſleep with our faihers.
NEW-ENGLAND has ſeen days of proſperity; they have alſo had their ſeaſons of adverſity. In their troubles, they truſted in GOD, and he has repeatedly granted them ſignal deliverances. Our fathers greateſt troubles were from the Natives, who, by the inſtigation of the French were often infeſting our frontier ſettlements. And multitudes have died by their barbarous hands.
WHEN, by the bleſſing of GOD upon our arms, in the laſt war with France, Canady was ſubjected to the obedience of the Crown of Great-Britain, we were ready to flatter ourſelves that our troubles were at an end; and that now we ſhould enjoy continual ſunſhine and peace: but the clouds are ſoon gathered again. It is now a day of darkneſs, not only with New-England, but the cloud has overſpread all America: though we may expect to bear the weight of the ſtorm. Let us follow the good example of our pious progenitors: wait upon the LORD, and ſee to it that our ways pleaſe him, and we may hope that he will cauſe the enemies of America to be at peace with us.
End of the text · John Williams, The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion (1800)