Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/33

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CHURCHES IN HOPKINTON.
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a great revival in 1793. The walls of a new church were enclosed in 1795, but the edifice was not completed till at least twenty years after. This house was very much like most of the country meeting-houses built at the time, being huge, square, high, and galleried. It stood on a spot of ground northerly opposite the house of Mr. Jonathan French, near the convergence of a number of roads, near the foot of the southern slope of Putney's Hill. The Baptist church suffered at length from internal doctrinal dissensions. At first, the members of this church were committed to no special Christian doctrine except such as are held in general by all Baptists. In time, they began to discuss the subtler themes clustering around Calvinism and Arminianism. A division of sentiments arose. The controversy reached its height about the year 1822, when the Rev. Michael Carlton, a pronounced Calvinist, became pastor of the church. In 1823, the scism between the Calvinists and Arminians resulted in a separation. Deacon Jonathan Fowler led off a large party which formed the nucleus of the present Free Baptist church. Since then, the two Baptist bodies have held on in their unmolested ways. In 1831, the Calvinists built a new church, of modern country style, in the westerly part of Hopkinton village, about a mile east of their old place of worship. Their new church was framed out of the timbers of the old West Congregational meeting-house. The old Baptist meeting-house was taken in bulk or in parts to Concord, where it formed a part of a new structure. The Baptist church in Hopkinton village was neatly repaired in 1854. A combined parsonage and vestry was erected nearly opposite the church in 1869.

The Calvinist Baptist church, in common with others, has felt the depressing effects of the later changes in the tide of population, though more and less than some. Its congregation has diminished. It has had important donations. The widow of the late Samuel Smith, about 1808, left a generous benefit to this church. Its cabinet organ was given in 1871 by Geo. H. Crowell, of Brattleboro, Vt. Its bell was a present by Mrs. Sarah Jones, of Hopkinton, in 1876. The list of pastors of this church is as follows:—Elder Elisha Andrews, settled in 1795; preached half the time for three years. For seventeen years after the church was supplied mostly by its deacons. Elder Abner Jones settled in 1815; resigned in 1821. Michael Carlton, ordained June 27, 1822; resigned September 14, 1832. Rev. A. J. Foss, installed March 27. 1833; remained 3 years. L. B. Cole, M. D., ordained and installed April 18, 1837; remained two years. Rev. Samuel Cooke, May 19, 1839; remained six years. King S. Hall, no date of ordination; resigned September 28, 1851. Rev. Samuel J. Carr, March 14, 1852; remained four years. Rev. J. E. Brown, April 2, 1857; resigned September 7, 1862. C. W. Burnham, ordained October 14, 1863; last Sunday in August, 1871. Rev. Abraham Snyder, January 1, 1872; resigned Dec. 27, 1874. William S. Tucker, Sept. 28. 1875.


THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

In 1800, Hopkinton had advanced to a position of wealth and influence. Social beliefs and forms were multiplying in proportion. In the village were many families of distinction. A large number of these were Episcopalians by faith or practice. There was also a quota of Episcopalians among the farming population. About this time, or later, also, a number of prominent families came over to the Episcopalians from the Calvinists. In 1803,an Episcopalian society, called Christ's Church, was organized, worshipping in the Court House. The Rev. Samuel Meade was the superintendent of this movement. Rev. William Montague, Rev. Robert Fowle, Rt. Rev. Alexander Griswold, and many others, officiated for Christ's Church for longer or shorter periods. In 1826, Rev. Moses B. Chase became the rector. During his leadership important changes took place. A new parish was formed. In 1827 it was incorporated under the name of St. Andrew's Church. The first wardens were John Harris and William Little. The first vestrymen were Matthew Harvey, Horace Chase, Nathaniel Curtis and J. M. Stanley. A new stone