at all in the substance of the things." Yet in specifying these differences, they say, "We choose none for governing elders but such as are apt to teach.'" "Their elders are annual, &c., ours perpetual." "Our elders administer their office publicly, theirs more privately." These are the only matters of difference between themselves and.the French Reformed Churches, to which they refer in connection with the form of government or the constitution of the individual church. That this distinction between the pastor and ruling elder was one not merely of name, is obvious from a variety of evidence. After the branch of the Leyden Church, which had removed to Plymouth, had remained some years without a pastor, waiting the arrival of Mr. Robinson, Brewster, the ruling elder, and a man eminently apt to teach," wished to know of Mr. Robinson whether it were permissible for him to administer the Sacraments. The reply of Robinson: is "Now touching the question propounded by you, I judge it not lawful for you, being a ruling elder (as Rom. xii, 7, 8, and 1 Tim., v, 17), opposed to the elders that teach and exhort and labor in word and doctrine, to which the sacraments are annexed, to administer them, nor convenient if it were lawful." Again, in his reply to Bernard, he says, "The contrary to that which you affirm is to be seen of all men in our Confession of Faith, Art. 34, wherein it is held, that no sacraments are to be administered until pastors or teachers be ordained to their office."" Still again he says: "We believe and confess that the elders which Christ hath left in His Church are to govern the same in all things, provided always the nature of ecclesiastical government be not exceeded, according to the laws by Him prescribed, and that the brethren are most straitly bound to obey them." And once more to the same purport, he holds that "the flock, both severally and jointly, is to obey them that have the oversite over them." In accordance with such views the Leyden Church was constituted. They were of course reflected in the Constitution of the Plymouth Church in this country. As to the church in Salem, Hubbard says there is no small evidence that they took their model from the Plymouth Church. To its constitution and covenant reference was often made. Mr. Cotton's charge at Hampton was that they should take advice of them at Plymouth, and Gov. Winslow wrote of others, "they will do nothing without our advice." Baillie says, the settlers did "agree to model themselves after Mr. Robinson's pattern," and Cotton speaks of "the Plymouth Church helping the first comers in their theory, by hearing and discovering their practice at Plymouth." The only point which we find specified in regard to which the other churches diverged from those of Plymouth, is that "they of Massachusetts choose mere ruling elders that is, as not necessarily apt to teach,'- and gave them authoritative power." It would seem therefore that in the Leyden Church we are to find the recognized model of the early New England churches. The Cambridge Platform (1648) thus recognizes the Presbyterian Constitution of the Church. It says: "Of elders, some attend chiefly to the ministry of the Word, as the pastors and teachers; others attend especially unto rule, who are therefore called ruling elders." Again: "The ruling elder's office is distinct from the office of pastor and teacher." His "work is, to join with the pastor in those acts of spiritual rule which are distinct from the ministry of the Word and Sacraments." Among the specified duties, are admission of members; convening the church; "preparing matters in private" for "more speedy dispatch," &c. The government of the Church, moreover, is according to the Platform, vested in its Presbytery" of elders. "The Holy Ghost frequently-yea always where it mentioned Church rule and Church government, ascribeth it to elders." This government of the Church is a mixed Government,' but in respect of the Presbytery and the power committed unto them, it is an aristocracy." 66 In accordance with these principles the greater part of the early New England churches were established. In Plymouth Colony the choice was not, as 11. * * in Massachusetts, of mere ruling elders, but of those that were "apt to teach." In New Haven several of the principal men called in Scripture phraseology "the seven pillars" - constituted an eldership which was the base or nucleus of the Church. "It was the opinion of the principal divines who first settled New England and Connecticut," so Trumbull remarks, "that in every church completely organized, there was a pastor, teacher, ruling elder, and deacons. These distinct offices they imagined were clearly taught in these passages: Rom., xii, 7; 1 Cor., xii, 28; 1 Tim., v, 17; and Eph., iv, From this they argued the duty of all churches, which were able, to be thus furnished. In this manner were the churches of Hartford, Windsor, New Haven, and other towns organized. The churches which were not able to support a pastor and teachers, had their ruling elders and deacons. The business of the ruling elder was to assist the pastor in the government of the church. He was particularly set apart to watch over all its members, to prepare and bring forward all cases of discipline," &c. "It was the general opinion that elders ought to lay on hands in ordination, if there were a Presbytery in the church, but if there were not, the church might appoint some other elders or brethren to that service." As late as 1670, upon the organization of the second church in Hartford, one of the main principles of Congregational Church order is stated to be "that the power of guidance, or leading, belongs only to the eldership, and the power of judgment, consent, or privilege, belongs to the fraternity of brethren in full communion." Of the importance of the eldership, Hooker speaks in very emphatic language: The elders must have a Church within a Church, if they would preserve the peace of the Church." Nor would he allow questions to be discussed before the whole body, till the proper course had been resolved upon in the Presbytery, or session of the elders. In these later days, the Congregational churches seem to be tending toward a return to the custom of the earlier church in this respect. Certain churches in the West have elected ruling elders, and the subject is now commanding much attention in the Congregational denomination (Ed). Page 209. The Patent of the Town of Windsor. (State Archives MSS., Towns and Lands. Vol. 1, p. 222.) Whereas the Generall Court of Conecticot have formerly granted the proprietors Inhabitants of ye towne of Windsore all those lauds both upland & meadow, within those abuttments uppon Hartford bounds by ye great River, where ye fence of their meadow stood & to run as ye sd fence runns till it meets with a red oake tree marked for ye bounds standing within ye neck [of] fence in Thos Butler's land, and from ye tree it runs a westerly line till it meets with ye brick hill Swamp & then it runs due North half a mile till it comes neere to ye head of ye brick hill Swampe, & from thence westerly till it meets with farmington bounds & abutts west on farmington and Symsbury bonnds & North in ye Commons & it extendeth from Hartford bounds on ye South, North to a tree marked neere ye great River two miles above a brooke known by ye name of Kettle brooke. On ye east side of Conecticot River it abutts on a great elme on ye south side of Podunk River & runs Easterly three miles & then south half a mile & from ye half miles' end it runs East five miles & abutts on ye Commons on ye East from sayd Hartford bounds, ye whole breadth till it extendeth two miles above ye forenamed Kettell brooke, both on ye East & west side of Conecticot River, ye sd Lands having been by purchase or otherwise lawfully obtained of ye Indian native proprietors. And whereas the proprietors ye fore sde Inhabitants of Windsor, in the Colony of Conecticot, have made application to ye Governor & Company of ye sayd Colony of Conecticot assembled in Court, May 25, 1685, that they may have a pattent for ye confirmation of ye afore sd Land soe purchased & granted to them as afore sd & wch they have stood siezed & quietly possessed of for many yeares late past wth out interuption; Now for a more full confirmation of ye aforesaid tract of land as it is butted & bounded aforesde unto ye pr gent proprietors of ye sde towneship of Windsor, in their possession & enjoyment of ye prmises Know ye yt ye gde Governor and company assembled in Generall Court according unto ye Commission granted to them by his Majestie in his Charter have given, granted & by these presents do give, grant, ratifie & confirme unto Captn Benj: Newberry, Capt Daniell Clarke, Lut Thomas Allyn, Mr Henry Wolcot, Mr. Thomas Bissell, Sent Mr. George Griswold & Mr. John Moore & ye rest of ye sde prsent proprietors of ye township of Windsor, their heirs, successors & assigns for ever, ye fore sde prell of land as it is butted & bounded, together wth all ye woods, meadows, pastures, ponds, waters, riverets, lands, fishing, huntings, fowlings mines, mineralls, quarries & pretiose stone uppon or within ye sde tract of Land & all other proffits & commodities thereon belonging or in any wise appertayning, & doe alsoe grant unto ye afore sde [names of the patentees, above, repeated] & ye rest of ye proprietors inhabitants of Windsor, their heirs, successors and assigns forever yt ye afore sd tract of land shall be for ever hereafter deemed, reputed & be an in intire township of it selfe. To have & to hold ye sde tract of land & prmises wth all & singular their appurtenances, together with ye privilege & inmomities & franchises herein given & granted into ye sde [names repeated as above] & others ye prsent proprietors, Inhabitants of Windsor, their heirs successors and assigns, forever & to ye only proper use and behoofe of ye sd [names repeated as above] & other proprietors, Inhabitants of Windsor, their heirs successors and assigns, acording to ye tenor of East Greenwitch in Kent in free & common soccage & not in capitte nor by knight's service, they to make improvements of ye same as they are capeable according to ye custome of ye country, yielding, rendering & paying therefor to our Sovereign Lord ye King his heirs, successors & assigns, his dues according to Charter. In witness whereof we have caused ye seale of ye Colony to be hereunto affixed this 26 day of or Sovereign Lord JAMES ye Second of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King defender of the faith, &c. ROBERT TREAT, Governor. pr order of ye Generall Court, signed by John Allyn, Secretary pr order of ye Governor & company of ye Colony of Conecticot. Signed by JOHN ALLYN, Secretary. Entered in ye publiq Records, Lib. II, fol: 141: 142. December 1, 1685. Mr. JOHN ALLYN, Secretary. This above written is a true copy taken out of ye originall & compared, March 7: 1697-8, by me, HENRY WOLCOT, Register. The Petition of Inhabitants on the east side of the Great River, 1680. (Copied from the State Archives). To The Honored The Gen1 Assembly of ye Colony of Connecticott now sitting in Hartford: The Humble Petition of Sundry proprietors and Inhabitants of Lands on the East side of Connecticott River in the Townshipp of Windsor, Shows, et cetera. That whereas by the good providence of God who hath appointed all men ye bounds of their Habitations, and his blessing upon us, your Petitioners. have their lands and many of us having dwellings on the East side of the Great River, and are increased to very considerable number of Persons. And there being a continual accession of families to that side of the River, likely yet more to increase the number of Dwellings etc; And it having pleased this Hon Assembly at a late Session to Grant an addition of five miles to our town, or former bounds, for ye Incouragement and accomodating of a Plantation there; and also to take notice by a committee (formerly) of the capacity of that place for such end, and were by their return well (assured) satisfied that with be aforesaid addition it would be well furnished both as to meadow and upland for a Particular township. Your petitioners by long experience having proved the difficulty of attending the Public Worship of God, at so great a distance from having the Great River always to pass, and that in every Great peril both by Storms in Summer and Ice in winter and finding it also impossible to have the weaker persons in their families along with them to the ordinances of God as is their duty and desire. And considering also how ready this Hond Court hath been to forward the wealth of the People in those and such like respects, we are upon these Premises both necessitated and Incouraged Humbly to Petition the Hond Assembly to Grant that all those lands on the said East side Connecticott River, at present in the township of Windsor, may hence forward be a distinct and particular township; and that the Inhabitants & Proprietors of those lands and that place may be by your authority invested with the Power and Privileges of a Particular township, or Plantation, for the Settling the Ordinances of God in his Public Worship there and the attendance of such other public occasions, &c. and duties as shall attending to your regulations be put upon us - which as we hope will be much to the Glory of God, Our Edification with our family and beyond what we now enjoy so also an Increase of our outward prosperity and an Inabling us to be more serviceable to the Public weal of this Colony, which that we may obtain we shall for this Hond Court ever pray, etc. May 13, 1680. Joseph Skinner Thomas Newell Samuel Baker Samuel Grant Thomas Burnham John Gaylord, Jr John Gaylord, Sr. Humphrey Prior Samuel Cross John Loomis John Moses John Porter, M. D. No. 6. Page 249. Early Records of the East Windsor Church. (Collected from the private papers of its first pastor, Rev. TIMOTHY EDWARDS.) The Covenant that those have owned that are under Church watch in ye Second Church of Christ in Windsor. You do now sollemly in the presence of ye most Great and dreadfull God, the Holy Angells, and this Assembly, avouch the Eternall Jehovah, one God in three persons, ye Father, ye Son, and ye Holy Ghost, to be your God; viz, you Own him to be the Living and the true God, and desire to Choose him to be, & promise that by his grace you will Serve him as your God, by Seeking of, and waiting upon him for his grace in his Ordinances, and in the Constant and diligent Improvement of all his appointed means, and by faithfully and conscientiously endeavouring to avoid all Sin, and yield Obedience to all his Commandments. And you also acknowledge yt you are by nature Children of Wrath, being born into the World in a State of Sin and misery; and that there is no way to obtain Mercy, and Salvation, but Only by faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Eternall Son of God, and the alone Saviour of Sinners, in whom you desire to trust for eternal Life & Salvation and promise that by his grace you will above all earthly things Labour to make Sure of an Interest in his Righteousness and that he may be your Lord, and Saviour, that so you may be found in him, at the great day, and not in your Sins or your own Righteousness, And you also now Sollemnly promise and bind yourselves to Submit to his Government, In this Church, and by God's help to walk with his People therein in all things according to the Rules of the Gospell. |