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 C Qi R,
 
 FIRST SABBATH SCHOOL 
 
 IN 
 
 FRAMINGHAM, MASS., 
 FROM 1816 TO 1868; 
 
 WITH A 
 
 SKETCH OF THE RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 BY J. H. TEMPLE. 
 
 " The historian must first of all give an accurate record of facts in their jut 
 order; but if the Past is to speak persuasively to the Present, it must be to reani- 
 mated as to bring to view living men and scenes, that the imagination may be 
 enlisted and the pulse quickened." 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PBISTED FOR THE AUTHOR BY VVHIGHT & POTTER, 
 No. 4 SPKIXO LANE. 
 
 1868.
 
 Stack 
 
 PREFATORY NOTE. 
 
 hT 
 
 An attempt has been made to gather up, from the 
 scanty records existing, and from the memories of its 
 early founders, the history of a Sabbath school : to 
 trace the working of causes, and note their incidental 
 and full results. 
 
 That the effort to collect these scattered materials 
 was made none too soon, is apparent from the fact 
 that no public record is extant, and only one person 
 now living* has been found who can give the date of 
 the formation of the school. 
 
 Though the design is necessarily limited, and the 
 facts set forth have a strictly local value, yet, as 
 tracing the development of a common purpose, and 
 as a picture of the times when the Sabbath school 
 had its rise, perhaps this little book may possess an 
 interest beyond our own community. 
 
 The idea of gathering classes of children on the 
 Sabbath for catechetical and Biblical instruction, was 
 not a new one, a half century ago. Individuals, 
 moved by their own impulses, and by Christian prin- 
 ciple, had collected a few children at their houses, 
 or some convenient room, and taught them the Scrip- 
 
 * Mrs. Matthew Gibbs. 
 
 865576
 
 4 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 tures, and sought to lead them in the ways of piety. 
 Societies had, to some extent in this country, and 
 very generally in Great Britain, been formed to teach 
 the children of the poor the elements of reading and 
 religion on Sunday, because that was their only day 
 of leisure. 
 
 But the thought of collecting children into schools 
 on the Sabbath solely for religious instruction, and of 
 making these schools co-operative with public wor- 
 ship in the promotion of Scriptural knowledge and 
 godliness, had not taken intelligent and definite shape 
 in this country before 1814 or 1815. 
 
 Thus the school in Framingham was one of the 
 earliest parish schools established. And the history 
 of its formation and growth will be substantially the 
 history of the formation and growth of all our New 
 England Sabbath schools.
 
 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 1814. 
 
 The first steps towards gathering a class of 
 youth for religious instruction, in Framingham, 
 were taken by Miss Nancy Bent and Miss 
 Abagail Stone. 
 
 These young ladies, who were intimate 
 friends, mutually agreed to make an effort, 
 each in her own circle of acquaintances, to 
 establish a weekly meeting of children of both 
 sexes, for the special purpose of moral and 
 religious improvement. The leading object 
 was the study of the Bible. This was in the 
 summer of 1814. 
 
 Miss Stone formed a class of those living in 
 what is now the village of Saxonville, which 
 met on Saturday afternoons at the house of 
 her grandfather, Colonel Micah Stone.* How 
 many children joined the class, and from what 
 families, cannot be ascertained. 
 
 * The house stood on the corner, near the large elms, opposite 
 the counting-rooin of the Corporation.
 
 6 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 At the same time Miss Bent invited the chil- 
 dren of her neighbors to meet her at her 
 father's house, also on Saturday' afternoons. 
 The children of the Boynton, Abbott, Hastings, 
 and Herring families, and some others, to the 
 number of fourteen or fifteen, accepted the 
 invitation . 
 
 These children were from four to ten years 
 old. They would start from home soon after 
 dinner, taking their braiding, which was the 
 child's work of those days, and at which they 
 could keep busy without interfering with their 
 recitations. They were received at the old 
 mansion so shaded by spreading oaks and 
 fragrant locust trees with a cordial welcome, 
 which made the most timid feel quite at home. 
 
 Some had learned lessons from the Cate- 
 chism, others had committed single stanzas or 
 entire hymns from Watts' " Divine Songs," 
 and others verses of Scripture, which they in 
 turn recited, and received kind words of com- 
 mendation, and suggestion, and encourage- 
 ment, as the case required. 
 
 When the prepared lessons had been heard, 
 the teacher would tell them a story from the 
 Bible, or speak to them of personal religious 
 duty, and close the exercises with prayer.
 
 FORMATION. 7 
 
 These classes continued to meet, respectively 
 at Deacon Bent's and Colonel Stone's, through 
 the warm weather for two seasons ; and this 
 effort of these young ladies may properly be 
 regarded as the pioneer, if not the germ of the 
 Sabbath school. 
 
 1810. 
 
 The two years previous to 1816 were remark- 
 able for the special religious interest which 
 prevailed throughout the town. Between Sep- 
 tember, 1815, and September, 1816, fifty-three 
 were admitted into the Baptist church, and 
 between the summer of 1814 and the fall of 
 1816, sixty-nine joined the Congregational 
 church. The newly received members espe- 
 cially those in youth were not forward to take 
 a prominent part in public duties ; but such as 
 had made profession in previous years, and 
 received a new quickening from this gracious 
 visit of the Spirit, were ready to meet the new 
 calls of duty. 
 
 In the summer of 1816 Miss Abagail Bent 
 spent some weeks in Bath, N. H., where a Sab- 
 bath school was already in existence, and where 
 she had became warmly enlisted in the good 
 work. On her return, late in August, she per-
 
 8 HISTOKY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 haps suggested, certainly entered heartily into 
 a movement for starting a Sabbath school in 
 connection with the Congregational church. 
 
 This method of Christian labor was compar- 
 atively new in this country. The Sunday 
 schools of England were peculiar to her insti- 
 tutions, and were not a pattern for us. Only 
 isolated schools had been organized in this 
 State, and these mainly as individual enter- 
 prises, or charity schools. Probably not more 
 than nine parish schools had been instituted 
 before the summer of 1816, ours being the 
 tenth in the order of time. But the plan held 
 out sure promise of rich and good results, and 
 was readily taken hold of by those of congenial 
 spirit. 
 
 On Sabbath, the first day in September, 
 (1816,) a consultation was held, at which were 
 present Miss Abagail Bent, Miss Mary Brown, 
 (Mrs. Jonas Colburn,) Miss Martha Trow- 
 bridge, (Mrs. Matthew Gibbs,) Miss Mary 
 Haven, Mrs. Uriah Rice, and Mrs. Charles 
 Fiske ; when it was decided to collect a class 
 of girls, as a beginning of a Sabbath school. 
 
 Only ladies were present at this first consul- 
 tation. There was no public sentiment in 
 Framinghain in favor of the enterprise. Only 
 a few could be relied on to help it forward, as
 
 CLASS OF GIRLS. 9 
 
 only a few, who had a heart for it, were suffi- 
 ciently well educated and experienced in teach- 
 ing to take so public a position. But in the 
 consciousness of a good cause, these few quietly 
 set to work. No public notice was given. 
 Each invited her own particular friends ; and 
 on the next Sabbath September 8th at the 
 intermission of public worship, a considerable 
 number of girls was gathered in the Academy 
 Hall, (the brick building which was taken down 
 in 1837,) where they recited such lessons from 
 the Assembly's Shorter Catechism as they had 
 prepared, (most children were then taught the 
 Catechism at home very early in life, and could 
 recite it at pleasure,) or repeated hymns, or 
 Scripture verses. No separate classes were 
 formed at this time, and no lessons were 
 assigned ; but each studied what was suited to 
 her age, or taste, or her parents' wishes. Miss 
 Brown, Miss Trowbridge, and Miss Haven were 
 uniformly present, and took part in instructing 
 the children. Mrs. Fiske and two or three 
 other ladies was generally in attendance to 
 render aid, and give a moral support to the 
 enterprise. 
 
 Usually some male member of the church 
 would come in and open the exercises with
 
 10 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 prayer, but in the absence of these, Miss Brown 
 would perform the duty. 
 
 They continued to meet every Sabbath till 
 the coming on of winter. There was no fire 
 in the hall, and the little children found diffi- 
 culty in keeping warm. One of them says : 
 " I well recollect one very cold day, when I sat 
 shivering while one of the teachers went in 
 search of some man to open the school with 
 prayer. The minutes were very long till Dr. 
 Cotton came." 
 
 The Sabbath after the consultation already 
 mentioned, Miss Abagail Bent proposed to one 
 of the ladies interested, that they should collect 
 a class of boys in the old Town House. But 
 the proposal was declined, on the ground that 
 it was properly the duty of the male professors 
 to teach the lads. 
 
 Whether the suggestion was made to them 
 by Miss Bent is not known, but the men were 
 found ready to undertake their part of the 
 work. Abner Stone, Luther Haven, and Sam- 
 uel Murdock agreed to take charge of a class 
 of boys. 
 
 Notice was given from the pulpit, and on the 
 next Sabbath the third in September those 
 boys who had in part formed the class that met 
 the two previous seasons at Deacon Bent's,
 
 CLASS OP BOYS. 11 
 
 and a few others, collected at the Town 
 House, and a school was opened. 
 
 They continued to meet till about November 
 1st. Mr. Stone and Mr. Murdock heard the 
 older boys recite, and Miss Bent took charge of 
 the small ones. Miss Bent called her class into 
 the floor for recitation, after the manner of 
 common schools, the others remained in their 
 seats. 
 
 These children, like those in the Academy 
 Hall, prepared lessons in the Assembly's Cate- 
 chism, or learned hymns and portions of Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 Thus began our Sabbath school. 
 
 With so many discomforts and inconven- 
 iences, and so little that was attractive in their 
 surroundings, did these teachers and pupils 
 enter upon their new work. From so small 
 beginnings arose the system which has been 
 the source of invaluable blessings to so many 
 of us. 
 
 Neither place was intended for or adapted to 
 such a purpose. The Academy Hall occupied 
 nearly the whole upper story of the building 
 and was unfurnished, except with fixed seats- 
 without desks at the sides, and movable 
 benches without backs, to be used as occasion 
 required.
 
 12 HISTOEY SABBATH SCHOOL. ' 
 
 The old Town House built from materials 
 of the meeting-house taken down in 1808 was 
 still larger. The room embracing the entire 
 edifice was most forbidding and uncomfort- 
 able. The only inside finish was a ceiling of 
 boards up to the windows, and plastering with- 
 out painting. The whole interior was black- 
 ened by age ; the corners and window-caps 
 were covered with spiders' webs ; and the flies 
 and wasps had possession of the rattling win- 
 dows, when it was sufficiently warm. There 
 was neither fireplace nor stove. The seats 
 running lengthwise of the building were made 
 of oaken planks, very narrow, with hard pine 
 backs ; each range rising one step up an inclined 
 plane from the floor to the sides, and were so 
 high that the smaller children could not touch 
 the floor with their feet. There was a platform 
 across the east end of the floor, with a fixed 
 table in front, suitable for holding books and 
 papers. 
 
 The house, as its name implies, was owned 
 by the town, and was used by the inhabitants 
 for town meetings, and for military and politi- 
 cal purposes ; and consequently had none of 
 the sacred character and associations which 
 attach to a church or vestry, or even a school- 
 house.
 
 OPPOSITION. 13 
 
 The more prominent and influential boys did 
 not join the school, and looked with some con- 
 tempt on those whose parents required them to 
 attend. They would gather about the door 
 to tease those who went in, and sometimes 
 would disturb the quiet of the school by 
 throwing chips into the open door, so little 
 did they reverence the old house, and so little 
 did they care for religious things. 
 
 With our comfortable room, and convenient 
 arrangements, and sacred associations, we may 
 well look back with wonder to those days when 
 our fathers and mothers first went to the Sab- 
 bath school. And not unlikely some of us are 
 ready to conclude that we would not risk the 
 cold feet, and hard seats, and taunts of our 
 mates. 
 
 But our fathers and mothers however they 
 might have felt at the time do not now think 
 of their discomforts ; they are glad that they 
 took all the risks and suffered all the incon- 
 veniences. They learned the precious truths 
 of God's holy Word, and those lessons and 
 hymns which now they prize so much, which 
 they love to recall, and whose " meditation " is 
 so sweet. That was the gate by which they 
 entered " wisdom's ways," which are " pleas- 
 antness," and her paths which are " peace."
 
 14 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 And we may well dwell with grateful admi- 
 ration on this small beginning, this grain of 
 mustard-seed planted in the earth. Probably 
 not more than forty in all attended both depart- 
 ments this first season. But the teachers were 
 not discouraged. They started in faith, and 
 persevered in hope. 
 
 The Sabbath school was a new thing. The 
 schools in Beverly and Concord the first to be 
 formed in the State were started only six 
 years before. And while the motive was well 
 defined and worthy, and .the end desirable, the 
 idea was yet in a crude state ; the mode of 
 gaining the ends desired unsettled ; the rela- 
 tion of the Sabbath school to the church not at 
 all comprehended. No well-arranged system 
 of conducting Sabbath schools had been devised. 
 They were patterned somewhat after the com- 
 mon schools, which then were managed on no 
 accepted system, each teacher adopting his 
 own method of instruction. 
 
 And the popular sentiment had not become 
 enlisted in favor of Sabbath school instruction. 
 It was really against it. The leading families 
 stood aloof and looked with distrust on the 
 movement, and did not allow their children to 
 attend. Many good men were in doubt about 
 the wisdom of the experiment. The best men,
 
 OBJECTIONS. 15 
 
 in some instances, felt that it was to become 
 eventually a substitute for family religious 
 instruction, which had been a leading feature 
 of our New England society from the first, and 
 which was undoubtedly a prime element in 
 keeping alive the Puritan spirit and faith. 
 And added to this was the wide-spread convic- 
 tion among conscientious Christians, that the 
 labor of teaching a Sabbath school was contrary 
 to the spirit if not the letter of the fourth Com- 
 mandment. This conviction grew partly out 
 of the sacred regard for holy time then preva- 
 lent, and partly from the notion of the Sabbath 
 school derived from the schools in England 
 established by Robert Raikes, which were half 
 secular in their design, the elements of read- 
 ing being taught as well as the elements of 
 religion. 
 
 It required some self-denial to enlist in the 
 work in these circumstances. We must give 
 credit for some moral courage and some disin- 
 terested motives. We can readily believe that 
 a true Christian zeal, a desire to honor the 
 Saviour, actuated these teachers. We can 
 readily believe that it was God's good Spirit 
 which prompted the effort, and which gave it 
 success.
 
 16 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 The results were immediate, and were decided 
 enough to satisfy the most sanguine, and of a 
 character to fill the pious heart with joy. Most 
 of these teachers lived to see the assured suc- 
 cess of their plans, and to reap the first fruits 
 of their labors. They rejoiced in what they 
 were able to do to nurture the children of that 
 generation in " the fear of the Lord." They 
 had the satisfaction of welcoming many of these 
 lambs into the Saviour's fold, of sitting with 
 them in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 
 
 And many of these teachers and pupils 
 we fully believe are now sitting in the heavenly 
 places on Mount Zion above, are now study- 
 ing the great truths of God, brought first to 
 their notice in His revealed Word, which they 
 commenced to study in the Sabbath school ; 
 are now tracing out the wondrous plan of 
 Redemption through a crucified Saviour, in 
 whom they believed and through whom they 
 were saved ; are now receiving an hundred-fold 
 for the labors and sacrifices of their brief Chris- 
 tian life.
 
 SECOND YEAR. 17 
 
 1817. 
 
 In the spring of 1817, public notice was given 
 from the pulpit, and about the middle of May 
 the children of both sexes were gathered in the 
 Town House, and a regular school was opened. 
 The room had lost none of its forlorn appear- 
 ance, and gained no additional comforts. The 
 children clustered themselves in groups accord- 
 ing to previous acquaintance, the boys taking 
 the north and the girls the south side of the 
 room. In due time they were divided into 
 classes, partly according to age, and partly to 
 accommodate the number of teachers in attend- 
 ance. 
 
 Deacon Luther Haven was by general request 
 induced to act as Superintendent. 
 
 The teachers, in addition to those who took 
 hold the last fall, were Anna Haven, (Mrs. H. 
 G. Foster,) Nancy Gibbs, (Mrs. Aaron Bailey,) 
 Betsey Gibbs, (Mrs. Martin Rice,) Jane Walker, 
 (Mrs. Ebenezer Stone,) Abagail Stone, (Mrs. 
 Samuel Murdock,) and Mrs. Charles Fiske. 
 
 There were in all eight or nine classes, a 
 very pleasing advance on the state of things at 
 the first opening of the school in the previous 
 September. As some of the teachers were 
 absent during July and August, engaged as 
 2
 
 18 HISTOEY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 teachers in the public schools, the whole num- 
 ber on the list necessarily more than equals the 
 number of classes. And the deficiency of male 
 teachers made it necessary that several classes 
 of lads should be taught by females. 
 
 The younger classes studied Emerson's Cate- 
 chism, which was now introduced, and was 
 continued in use for not less than fifteen years. 
 The older classes studied Scripture lessons, the 
 Assembly's Catechism, or Cummings' Questions 
 on the historical parts of the New Testament. 
 
 A rule perhaps not expressly stated, but 
 certainly acted upon which had an important 
 influence in shaping the Sabbath school at this 
 early stage was, that only those of sufficient 
 education and age to qualify them to teach in 
 district schools, ought to be expected to become 
 teachers. This accounts for the absence of 
 some who would otherwise have taken an active 
 part in the school ; and it accounts for the 
 systematic and orderly arrangement which 
 obtained from the outset. After a few years, 
 from the increase of classes and other causes, 
 this rule was somewhat relaxed. 
 
 In many towns, when a Sabbath school was 
 first established, it was conducted without much 
 regard to order, and without a responsible 
 head. Each teacher and sometimes each
 
 SECOND YEAR. 19 
 
 scholar was' a law unto himself. When a 
 class had finished the lesson it was dismissed 
 and retired, thus causing more or less confu- 
 sion. In some instances, it is known that each 
 scholar was allowed to leave as soon as he had 
 said his verse or lesson, and not always in the 
 quietest manner ; and it would thus happen 
 that the attraction outside would quickly 
 become stronger than that in the class. No 
 interested attention was secured to instruction, 
 and at best the work was a set task which was 
 hurried through as rapidly as possible, and 
 probably left 110 very serious or pleasant impres- 
 sions on the mind. This, however, happened 
 a year or two later, after Sabbath schools 
 became more common, and were opened 
 because the tide of public sentiment set that 
 way. 
 
 But no such irregularity or want of system 
 characterized our school. There was general 
 decorum observed in assembling, the exercises 
 were opened with prayer, the school was con- 
 tinued about an hour, and was dismissed in 
 form. 
 
 The high personal character of the teachers 
 engaged, and the Christian motives which actu- 
 ated them, gave a tone and impulse to the 
 school, as well as imposed a healthful moral
 
 20 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 restraint, and made it in all respects an appro- 
 priate part of Sabbath labor. It was from the 
 outset, consecrated solely to moral and religious 
 instruction. 
 
 Dr. Kellogg from the first took a true inter- 
 est in the prosperity of the school, and gave it 
 his sanction and hearty support, and the benefit 
 of his judicious counsel ; though it was not, in 
 those days, regarded as a part of ministerial 
 duty to engage personally in Sabbath school 
 instruction. 
 
 In this second year most of the decidedly 
 religious families gave their influence in favor 
 of the school, and sent their young children. 
 
 It was a peculiar feature of the earliest move- 
 ment, that all concerned should regard it as 
 intended for young children. Those of four- 
 teen and upwards felt that they were too old 
 to become pupils, and thus parts of families 
 would be in the school, and parts would stand 
 aloof, often to the discouragement of those 
 who were almost too old to go, and yet not 
 quite exempt. Few of the boys especially- 
 remained in their classes after they reached 
 fifteen. And this feeling had its influence for 
 several years, perhaps till the youngest of the 
 earliest classes had grown up. So hard is it 
 to supplant opinions once adopted ; so vitally
 
 NO LIBRARY. 21 
 
 important is it that early impressions be right ; 
 so deeply do first habits take root in the heart. 
 
 In this and the few following years there was 
 no library for the use of the pupils. Says one 
 of the then teachers : " We had no library. 
 A collection would be taken once a year to pur- 
 chase books to be given as presents to the schol- 
 ars, each teacher selecting the books for his or 
 her class." Many of these little books received 
 as presents, are now in existence in the families 
 then connected with the school. They are of a 
 strictly evangelical character, and though some 
 of them were too abstract for the ready com- 
 prehension of young children, yet their influ- 
 ence on the taste, and aspirations, and moral 
 conclusions could not but be of a healthy and 
 elevating nature, in striking contrast with the 
 children's literature of the present day ! 
 
 The few books then in reach of families, was 
 a feature of the times which had its advantages 
 as well as its evils. The few were better read ; 
 the contents came before a mind less occupied 
 with facts and less filled with images ; the 
 truths set forth, by their singleness and dis- 
 tinctness, arrested attention and became incor- 
 porated in the moral life, and guided thought 
 and belief. And without a library to divide 
 the interest and time, the simple hymns com-
 
 22 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 mitted, or the Scripture verses, or the compre- 
 hensive answers in the Catechism, made a 
 permanent impression. The truths received 
 remained in contact with the mind till the next 
 Sabbath school lesson was learned. And a 
 library book especially if a fascinating story 
 would only have confused or partially effaced 
 the impression of that lesson. Both the text- 
 book and the library book being a part of the 
 Sabbath school, would have an equal value and 
 equal sacredness in the view of the unreasoning ' 
 child. Hence perhaps the library book may in 
 part nullify the effect of the lesson. 
 
 At any rate, the lessons recited in the Sab- 
 bath school in 1816, 1817 and 1818, became 
 fixed in the memory. The then children of 
 five, now the men and women of fifty-five, can 
 repeat the texts and hymns with readiness and 
 accuracy, while their efforts to recall the les- 
 sons learned in the common schools at the same 
 period are almost complete failures. So in 
 harmony with the deep cravings of the soul in 
 its earlier and purer life, are the simple and 
 vital revelations of God's Word ! So exactly 
 adapted is this Holy Word to the child and the 
 man ! So divine and benevolent was the pur- 
 pose of Him who gave this revelation as a
 
 STUDY OF THE BIBLE. 23 
 
 " light to the feet " and a " lamp to the path " 
 which leads to " life eternal." 
 
 As appears from the facts now gathered, the 
 original intention of our Sabbath school was 
 religious instruction. It was, primarily, to' 
 store the minds of children with the facts and 
 doctrines of the Bible. "Watts' " Divine Songs," 
 from which mothers and teachers selected the 
 hymns to be taught their little ones, were 
 strictly Scriptural in thought and language. 
 Emerson's Catechism, in both the doctrinal and 
 historical parts, was purely Scriptural. Direct 
 answers to almost every question might have 
 been given by quoting the inspired record, and 
 the reason for giving the answer in his own 
 language, appears to be for the sake of brevity 
 and convenience in studying the lesson. The 
 Assembly's Shorter Catechism, though broad in 
 its general design, was drawn directly from the 
 Bible, and was fortified at every step by Scrip- 
 ture quotations. Wilbur's Biblical Catechism 
 was composed of a series of questions, to be 
 answered by reciting verbatim, texts of Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 Such was the purpose and method of those 
 who founded the Sabbath school. To pass an 
 idle hour was not in their thought. To amuse 
 the children, and make the school attractive to
 
 24 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 their fancy and taste was not in the plan. The 
 principle of emulation, even, was little appealed 
 to. The auxiliary aid of music was not brought 
 in. The winning power of Christian love, and 
 the inherent value of the truths learned were 
 mainly relied on, to awaken and keep up inter- 
 est. They sought rather to be able to say to 
 their pupils, as Paul said to Timothy : " That 
 from a child thou hast known the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, which are able to make thee wise unto 
 salvation, through faith which is in Christ 
 Jesus." 
 
 1818. 
 
 Fortunately, the " Register of the Framing- 
 ham Sabbath school" for 1818, is still pre- 
 served. This register was made out in a neat 
 copy hand by Solomon Fay, who acted as Sec- 
 retary till his sudden death in 1820. 
 
 As it will refresh the memory of some who 
 were then pupils, and cannot fix the date of 
 their entrance to the school, nor recall the 
 names of their associates ; and as it will possess 
 permanent value to their friends and children 
 as a memento of the dead and the living ; and 
 as it will furnish a life-picture of the school of 
 that early day, the list of scholars is given 
 entire.
 
 THIRD YEAR. 25 
 
 Fanny Underwood, Emily Conant, Emeline 
 Stone, Catherine Parker, Relief Butler, Eliza 
 Hemenway, Mary F. Hemenway, Maria Stone, 
 Nancy Hill, Mary Harrington, Rebeckah But- 
 rick, Mary Gallot, Arethusa Underwood, 
 Miranda Belknap, Louisa Edgell, Sally Bel- 
 knap, Catherine Hemenway, Harriet Russell, 
 Emeline Hemenway, Nancy Hemenway, Almira 
 Hemenway, Lucy Winch, Mary Dadmun, Eliza 
 Dadmuu, Mary Moseman, Eliza Belknap, Aba- 
 gail Rice, Catherine Belknap, Eunice Bent, 
 Abagail Hunnewell, Eliza Ann Parker, Sephro- 
 nia Walker, Mary Childs,' Abagail Eames, Mary 
 Herring, Martha Smith, Lucinda Winch, Susan 
 Edmands, Martha Forrister, Frances Boyenton, 
 Sally Flagg, Martha E. Stone, Wealthy Taylor, 
 Emily Parker, Mary Boyenton, Helen C. Bell, 
 Anna Putnam, Eliza Wenzell, Mary W. Brack- 
 ett, Eliza Owen, Eleanor Belknap, Abby H. 
 Forrister, Martha Hastings, Mary Bailey, Mary 
 Abbott, Eliza C. Abbott, Mary Moulton, Louisa 
 Moulton, Harriet Herring, Catherine Peterson, 
 Eleanor Peterson, Sophia Rice, LncyThurston, 
 Eliza Belcher, Nancy Howe, Maria Brown, 
 Abagail Parmenter, Eleanor Goodenow, Lucy 
 C. Bent, Clarissa Belknap, Eveline Belknap, 
 Bathsheba Hemenway, Emily Larrabee, Grace 
 Goddard, Eliza Brackett, Harriet Hemenway,
 
 26 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 Elmira Jones, Emeline Bullard, Nelly Haven, 
 Sally "Winch, Elmira Stone, Emeline Hemen- 
 way, Sarah Stearns, Mary Ann Stearns, Mary 
 Putnam, Sally Daniels, Olive Grant, Deborah 
 Sawyer, Diantha Angier, Louisa Lovejoy, Eliza- 
 beth Haven, Olivia Butler, Harriet Hollo well, 
 Abagail Dudley, Catherine Winch, Emeline 
 Rugg, Jane Curtis, Lawson Davis, Thomas 
 Hastings, Jr., Eliphalet Hastings, Charles Her- 
 ring, Calvin Hemenway, Ephraim W. Edmands, 
 Henry L. Stone, Hiram Cheney, Dana Stone, 
 Hollis Hastings, George Haven, Eben Abbott, 
 Perkins Boyenton, Cyrus Abbott, William 
 Eames, William Brackett, William Dadmun, 
 Jr., Josiah Abbott, Jr., Gardner Edmands, 
 Richard W. Stearns, Aaron Hayden, Theodore 
 L. Hastings, Phineas Stone, Elliot H. Wescot, 
 John B. Dench, Stephen Hayden, Samuel For- 
 rister, Luke Rugg, David E. Brackett, Abner 
 Butrick, Archibald Bent, John Jones, Charles 
 Flagg, David K. Brackett, Joseph Cutting, 
 Horatio Stone, William Gallott, Almon Hem- 
 enway, William Hastings, 2d, Micah Newton, 
 Asa Stone, Henry L. Buckminster, Edward 
 Buckminster, Lothrop T. Richardson, Charles 
 0. Goodenow. 
 
 The whole number is one hundred and forty-
 
 RECITATIONS. 27 
 
 two, ninety-seven girls and forty-five boys, 
 ' indicating a rapid growth, and a general interest 
 on the part of parents. Deacon Luther Haven 
 was chosen Superintendent. The teachers were 
 Abner Stone, Samuel Murdock, Eben Eaton, 
 Abagail Bent, Mary Brown, Martha Trowbridge, 
 Mary Haven, Ann Haven, Nancy Gibbs, Betsey 
 Gibbs, Jane Walker, Abagail Sfrone, and Mrs. 
 Charles Fiske. 
 
 To show how the school was engaged this 
 season, and to complete this picture, the Super- 
 intendent's report, which was published in the 
 Boston Recorder, is subjoined : 
 
 " Framingham Sabbath School. The Sab- 
 bath school commenced for the season on the 
 20th of May, under the direction of a Super- 
 intendent and ten teachers, and closed the 
 20th of October, thus continuing in session 
 twenty-three Sabbaths. During this time there 
 were committed to memory and recited, answers 
 in Doctrinal Catechism, 1 ,676 ; Historical Cate- 
 chism, 1,646 ; Assembly's Shorter Catechism, 
 4,166 ; Wilbur's Catechism, 242 ; Baldwin's 
 Catechism, 92 ; Cumming's Questions, 8,409 ; 
 verses of Scripture, 5,984 ; stanzas of Hymns, 
 13,242, amounting in all to 35,457. Whole 
 number of scholars, 142 ; average number in
 
 28 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 attendance, 70. One girl, Nancy Hill, recited 
 1,048 verses of Scripture, 142 answers in Wil- 
 bur's Catechism, and 558 stanzas of Hymns. 
 Another, Emily Conant, recited 2,018 answers 
 in Cumming's Questions, 223 verses of Scrip- 
 ture, and 491 Hymns. Another, Fanny Under- 
 wood, recited 1,871 answers in Cumming's Ques- 
 tions, and 194 verses of Scripture. One girl, 
 Helen C. Bell, recited 1,461 Hymns. Six little 
 girls, Mary F. Hemenway, Arethusa Under- 
 wood, Nancy Hemenway, Almira Hemenway, 
 Mary Bailey and Sally Belknap, recited 3,344 
 Hymns. 
 
 " One hour only on each Sabbath was appro- 
 priated to the instruction of the children. 
 Their punctual attendance and good behavior 
 merited the approbation of both teachers and 
 parents, who earnestly pray, that the seed here 
 "sown may ere long spring up and bring forth 
 fruit to the glory of God. 
 
 " that Sabbath schools may soon be estab- 
 lished throughout the Christian world ! None 
 will ever lament engaging in this pleasing 
 employment ; the satisfaction they may derive 
 by instructing the youth in the first rudiments 
 of Christianity will repay them fourfold." 
 
 Up to this time, and for several years, indeed
 
 NO STOVES IN CHURCH. 29 
 
 until 1823 or 1824, the school was kept only 
 during the warmer months, opening in May and 
 closing before the first of November. This was 
 partly a matter of necessity, and partly a matter 
 of custom. None of the earliest schools were 
 kept through the winter. The children first 
 gathered into them could not be comfortably 
 provided for in the inclement weather. And 
 a custom thus established acquires a sort of 
 authority, which gives it force long after the 
 occasion for it has ceased. With us, it was 
 at first a matter of necessity to close in the 
 autumn, as there was no means of heating the 
 Town House. But in fact young children, and 
 many adults did not go to church regularly in 
 the winter, as there was no means of heating 
 the meeting-house. It was not till 1823, that 
 stoves were put up in Dr. Kellogg' s church. 
 The fathers and the boys kept warm as best 
 they could ; the mothers and the girls depended 
 on extra clothing and on foot-stoves, in which 
 live coals from the hearth were put before 
 leaving home. Most families living within two 
 miles went home at noon. Such as lived too 
 far to go home and return, would hire a " noon- 
 room " in the village, where they could eat 
 lunch, and put fresh coals in their foot-stoves, 
 and perhaps " hear and tell some new thing."
 
 30 HISTOEY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 1819. 
 
 To judge of the true standing of our Sabbath 
 school, we are not to bring it to the test of ideas 
 and methods of the present day, but to try it 
 by the standard of opinions then prevalent. It 
 might be greatly defective if compared with the 
 present school, and of superior excellence com- 
 pared with the schools of those days. 
 
 That we may form a correct estimate of the 
 school at the period under review, a brief 
 extract is made from an address to the churches 
 sent forth by the General Association of Massa- 
 chusetts in 1818, embodying the views of the 
 leading ministers in regard to Sabbath schools : 
 
 " The most successful methods of the relig- 
 ious instruction of children, we believe, are 
 Sabbath schools and Bible classes. Such is the 
 known and tried utility of these schools, that 
 no town or district should be without one, 
 where a pious and suitable teacher can be 
 procured. The manner of conducting these 
 schools is usually as follows : 'At each meeting 
 the youth have portions of Scripture, or cate- 
 chisms, or sacred hymns assigned them, to be 
 committed and rehearsed at the next meeting. 
 The children are divided into classes, a list of
 
 FOURTH YEAR. 31 
 
 their names is taken, and an account kept of 
 their good or bad performance. When they 
 have recited well a certain number of times 
 they are rewarded with a tract or small book, 
 where *it can be done with convenience. The 
 teacher occasionally puts to each child some 
 questions arising from the lesson, adapted to 
 his age and improvement. The meetings are 
 opened and closed with prayer, and, if practi- 
 cable, the children are taught to sing a hymn 
 at the close. 
 
 " Were this plan generally adopted, we are 
 fully persuaded that it would be attended with 
 the increasing smiles of Heaven upon the rising 
 generation. What they acquire from the 
 Divine Word, undr the enlightening and 
 renewing influences of the Holy Spirit, may be 
 the beginning of that fund of wisdom and 
 knowledge which are to be learned in the 
 school of heaven, in the presence of God and 
 the Lamb, and in the company of the spirits of 
 the just made perfect." 
 
 The number of scholars in the Sabbath school 
 this year was one hundred and nineteen, thirty- 
 two of whom were not in attendance last year, 
 showing a great change in the constituents of 
 the school. The novelty was wearing off, which
 
 32 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 undoubtedly accounts for some absences ; some 
 began to consider themselves too old to go 
 longer, and some left town. 
 
 Those who engaged as teachers for the first 
 time, were Ebenezer Stone, Edmond M>Capen, 
 Eliza Buckminster, (Mrs. Levi Eaton,) Nancy 
 Billiard, (Mrs. Otis Fairbanks.) 
 
 Deacon Luther Haven was Superintendent. 
 
 Among the older girls a class was formed in 
 Milner's Church History, as abridged by Miss 
 Rebeckah Eaton. Miss Buckminster took 
 charge of this class. 
 
 The new scholars this year were : Joanna 
 Law, Isabella Bent, Caroline Manson, Phebe 
 Hanson, Sally Cobb, Eunice Edgell, Nancy 
 Goodnow, Silvia Parmenter, Caroline Pratt, 
 Lucy Green, Cornelia Haynard, Susan Ben- 
 nett, Ann Goddard, Eliza Evers, Susan Cobb, 
 Pliny Fay, Eli Fay, Trowbridge Forrister, Peter 
 Brewer, Gilbert J. Childs, John A. Buttrick, 
 Calvin W. Angier, Albert Dadmun, Joseph 
 Phipps, Albert Dalrymple, Roswell P. Angier, 
 John T. Kittridge, William Conant, Henry W. 
 Hudson, Newell Butler, Henry R. Wheeler, 
 Diah L. Eames. 
 
 The number of answers recited in the differ- 
 ent catechisms was 6,743 ; Cumming's Ques- 
 tions, 2,829 ; Bible verses, 21,524 ; Hymns,
 
 FIFTH YEAR. 33 
 
 5,209 ; amounting in all to 36,305. As there 
 was a loss in numbers of 17 per cent, the net 
 gain over last year was 6,700 answers. The 
 pupils taking the highest rank were Emily 
 Conant, Fanny Underwood, Emeline Stone, 
 Catherine Parker, Eliza Hemenway, Mary F. 
 Hemenway, Maria Stone, Nancy Hill, Rebeckah 
 Buttrick, Abagail Parmenter, George Haven, 
 and Abner Buttrick. 
 
 182O. 
 
 Mr. Abner Stone, who helped form the 
 school, and had been a teacher from the first, 
 was chosen Superintendent. Additional teach- 
 ers : Matthew Gibbs, Nancy Kellogg, Elmira 
 Rice, (Mrs. Francis Bowers.) New scholars : 
 Susan Hastings, Abagail Fairbanks, Margaret 
 Thomson, Mary L. Temple, Angeline Eaton, 
 Mary Ann Alden, Betsey R. Hyde, Angeline 
 Forbes, Jerusia Parmenter, Clarissa Moulton, 
 Lowly Ann Howe, Lydia Roach, Sarah Moore, 
 Emily Hollowell, Martha , Eliza Hem- 
 enway, 2d, Peter Davis, Horatio Bartlett, 18. 
 The whole number in attendance this year was 
 93, 66 girls and 27 boys. The number of 
 answers recited in the various catechisms was 
 17,752 ; Cumming's Questions, 1,062 ; Hymns, 
 3
 
 34 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 10,196 ; verses of Scripture, 12,025 ; making 
 in all 41,035, equal to a net gain from last 
 year, after deducting the loss of scholars, of 
 10,000 answers. The scholars highest in rank 
 in recitations were Maria Stone, Rebeckah But- 
 trick, Miranda Belknap, Abby H. Forrister, 
 Mary L. Temple, Helen C. Bell, Mary W. 
 Brackett, Eleanor Belknap, Diantha Angier, 
 Betsey R. Hyde, Calvin W. Angier, Albert Dal- 
 rymple, Thomas Hastings, Jr., Ephraim W. 
 Edmands, Henry L. Stone, Hollis Hastings, 
 William Brackett. 
 
 A careful study of these statistics furnishes 
 a clew to the leading elements of the school. 
 It discloses the fact that the girls greatly 
 excelled the boys in the number of Scripture 
 verses recited, while the boys excelled the girls 
 in recitations in the catechisms. The highest 
 number of credit marks to any girl is 2,850, 
 to Nancy Hill, all for Bible verses ; the highest 
 number of credit marks to any boy is 877, 
 to William Brackett, 608 for answers in the 
 Assembly's Catechism, 43 Bible verses, 226 
 Hymns. 
 
 The increase in the amount of study, and 
 number of perfect lessons, is probably a true 
 index of the growth and efficiency of the school. 
 The number of pupils decreased in these three
 
 SIXTH YEAR. 35 
 
 years 33 per cent. ; while the number of lessons 
 recited increased 15 per cent. The teachers 
 and scholars were getting better acquainted ; 
 and where a class had a teacher whom they 
 had learned to respect and love, that teacher's 
 power to awaken interest and secure a large 
 amount of faithful study increased from year 
 to year. While the school was in any sense an 
 experiment, there were causes of friction and 
 depression on every hand, but when it became 
 well established, the moral and social influences 
 seemed to rally to its support, and directly to 
 raise its standard and quicken its life. 
 
 1 8 2 1 ' 2 2 . 
 
 Mr. Abner Stone was Superintendent of the 
 school for the years 1821 and '22. 
 
 So far as is known nothing of special interest 
 in the regular working of the school occurred 
 in these years. 
 
 Ezra Hemenway became connected with the 
 school as a teacher. The number of pupils 
 and the amount of work done cannot be ascer- 
 tained ; nor is the Superintendent's annual 
 report preserved. 
 
 It was in this latter year, probably, that the 
 first library for the use of the school was
 
 36 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. - 
 
 
 
 bought. A small sum of money was raised by 
 personal solicitation from the leading church- 
 members and others, and a selection made from 
 the comparatively limited number of children's 
 books then published. The library was com- 
 posed of small books, mostly in paper covers, 
 some of which might properly be called tracts. 
 The following list is a sample : Shepherd of 
 Salisbury Plain, Gooseberry Bush, Worlds Dis- 
 played, Pleasures of Piety in Youth, Little 
 Henry and his Bearer, New Testament Stories, 
 The Robber's Daughter, The Two Lambs, 
 Alfred and Galba. Hymns for Infant Minds. 
 
 This small library of small books was yet a 
 matter of great consequence to the school. It 
 was a good collection for those days. The 
 books were mostly new to the children, and 
 they were of an interesting character. They 
 were well written, and they were eagerly read. 
 Some were essays on religious truth or personal 
 duty, but to a considerable extent they were 
 simple narratives of facts, or unadorned biogra- 
 phies. They were such pictures of life as carry 
 internal evidence of reality, and this is always 
 pleasing to the young. Distorted views, and 
 extravagant notions, and highly colored sketches 
 are not relished till the taste has become per- 
 verted. The child craves the simple truth.
 
 FIRST LIBRARY. 37 
 
 The Dairyman's Daughter and the Shepherd of 
 Salisbury Plain, so natural in incident, and 
 direct in statement, and pure in style, such 
 homely pictures of homely life, have been read 
 with absorbing and tearful interest by tens of 
 thousands in the seventy years since they were 
 written ; they are as eagerly read by children 
 now, and they will continue to be read with 
 the same concentrated interest by tens of thou- 
 sands more, so long as the English language is 
 preserved in its purity. 
 
 The size of these books was no test of their 
 worth. Each of these small volumes contains 
 as much of fact and variety of incident, and 
 fresh thought, as the two hundred page religious 
 novel, or the diluted, well spiced story, which 
 now in our libraries take the places of these 
 simple narratives of common life. 
 
 There is no record to show on what system 
 the books were given out and returned. 
 
 In some cases, at this time, it was the custom 
 to give them out once a month, to be kept for 
 that length of time. In others, the books were 
 lent out as a reward of special merit. When 
 a pupil had been punctual in attendance, or 
 faithful in study and perfect in recitations, at 
 the end of a month, or once in two weeks, he 
 or she was entitled to a book from the library ;
 
 d8 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 and for superior excellence, two books were 
 allowed to be taken out. Thus the library was 
 made to serve the double purpose of a means 
 of improvement, and an incentive to fidelity and 
 careful study. 
 
 1823-'30. 
 
 Deacon Eben Eaton was chosen Superintend- 
 ent in 1823, and continued in office till 1830. 
 No records for these years have been preserved, 
 but the school appears to have gone on peace- 
 fully and prosperously. 
 
 There is always a period between sowing and 
 reaping, when there is a repetition of familiar 
 processes, and a sameness of labor, and a patient 
 waiting, which, though essential to vital growth 
 and healthy development, has not the charm of 
 novelty, and may be described in few words. 
 
 Such was this period in the history of our 
 Sabbath school. And that it was filled up with 
 watchful fidelity and patient, prayerful effort ; 
 that the classes were carefully instructed and 
 the interests of the school conscientiously pro- 
 moted, will appear in the results, when the time 
 of the ingatherings of autumn comes. 
 
 Those may be more prominent and seem to 
 deserve the highest honor, who plan and bring
 
 EIGHTH YEAR. 39 
 
 into successful action the elements of a great 
 achievement, but without the after skill and 
 endurance and persevering exertions, the begin- 
 ning would fail, and the enterprise come to 
 nought. 
 
 The new teachers in these years were Peter 
 Parker, Alexander Abbott, Lambert Allen, 
 Elbridge Bradbury, Asenath F. Eaton, Eliza- 
 beth Eaton, Eliza C. Abbott, Nancy Shepard, 
 Emily S. Bell, Eliza Wenzell, Abby H. For- 
 rister. 
 
 Those who joined the school as pupils at its 
 first opening in 1816, now began to take charge 
 of classes of little children. 
 
 During this period, adult classes began to 
 become a feature of Sabbath schools. It was 
 not in the original plan, but the system was 
 adapted to such an addition. Indeed, it was 
 not complete without it. No Sabbath school 
 can present a more beautiful spectacle than 
 that which embraces scholars of all ages, from 
 lisping infancy to hoary-headed age, " young 
 men and maidens, old men and children." 
 
 The Sabbath School Union, in the report for 
 1827, mentions the fact that large numbers of 
 young people were connecting themselves with 
 the schools of their respective parishes. 
 " Some, too, with locks blooming for the grave,
 
 40 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 said they would become Sabbath school schol- 
 ars, and in accents tremulous with emotion 
 gave thanks to God that they could now come 
 and enjoy the privilege with which he was 
 blessing their children." " In some towns," it 
 is said, in the report for 1828, " almost the 
 whole population from four to eighty-five years 
 of age have become members of the Sabbath 
 school." 
 
 In 1827 a class of young people of twenty and 
 upwards, was formed in our Sabbath school. 
 Moses Spofford, Electa Holdeii and others 
 joined it. Peter Parker was perhaps its first 
 teacher. This was probably the origin of the 
 Bible class which continued to meet under dif- 
 ferent teachers, and with varied interest for 
 many years. In 1829 it met during the warm 
 season in the Town House, before the morning 
 church service. In 1834 it met in the vestry 
 of the H. E. Society, on Sabbath evenings. At 
 first it- was composed of both sexes ; but after- 
 wards, from increase of numbers, it was divided 
 into two classes, one of males and one of 
 females. Ultimately it became an integral 
 part of the Sabbath school.
 
 REVIEW OF FOURTEEN YEARS. 41 
 
 1 8 2 9 ' 3 O . 
 
 We have now reached a period in the history 
 of our Sabbath school when we naturally begin 
 to look for the rounding up of primary results ; 
 when leading characteristics have acquired per- 
 manency ; when tests may be applied to the 
 past, and new and more enlarged plans be laid 
 for the future. 
 
 Every year has its seasons. Every life has 
 its stages, more or less marked, more or less 
 distinctive, each in some respects the sequence, 
 in some the counterpart, of other stages, but 
 all intimately connected, and together forming 
 one life. And every individual or associated 
 plan or organization has stages of development 
 and progress, when its active and passive agen- 
 cies work and rest, when one influence or set 
 of influences seem to be exhausted, and give 
 place to something more vital. And each stage 
 has its distinctive character, and may be studied 
 by itself, and also as a component part of the 
 whole. 
 
 Our school was such an organization. It 
 had now reached its fourteenth year. The 
 children of 1816 were no longer children, and 
 the school was no longer an experiment. It 
 had taken its place among the reliable religious 
 agencies, and had made a history.
 
 42 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 A general review of these fourteen years 
 brings out some points of interest not specially 
 dwelt upon in the preceding narrative. It was 
 a well-defined era, having its own mission to 
 accomplish. It comprised the period of the 
 gathering' and organization of Sabbath schools 
 in this country. Nothing like a systematic 
 and well-digested public effort on the part of 
 the church for the promotion of Sabbath schools 
 had been put forth previous to 1817. And the 
 twelve succeeding years had been devoted 
 mainly to the establishment, and increase of the 
 number of schools and scholars, and to fix the 
 true position of the Sabbath school as an auxil- 
 iary to public worship and pastoral labor. And 
 so much success had attended these efforts that 
 the Sabbath School Union was able to say in 
 its report for 1829 : " It is believed that a Sab- 
 bath school has been established in nearly every 
 religious society in the State which is connected 
 with the denominations united in the Union." 
 
 From this period onward the main effort of 
 the State society, and all engaged in the work, 
 was to elevate the character and enlarge the 
 influence of Sabbath schools, and provide a 
 suitable children's literature. 
 
 As regards our own school, looking back 
 from this date, the change was great. Indi-
 
 REVIEW OF FOURTEEN YEARS. 43 
 
 vidual scholars were left, but none of the earli- 
 est classes remained. Younger brothers and 
 sisters and new families had taken their places. 
 
 And of the first teachers, none remained. 
 Deacon Haven and Abner Stone were still 
 active members of the Sabbath School Society, 
 and ready for any duty that would promote the 
 prosperity of the school. One of the female 
 teachers had died, and of the others some were 
 married, and new duties demanded their time, 
 and some had removed from town. 
 
 But of that devoted band who started the 
 school, and carried it so successfully through 
 its infancy, none turned against it, or ceased 
 to love and cherish it. As a means of good, it 
 fully met their expectations. And while kept 
 from active participation in its duties by vari- 
 ous causes, it ever had their full sympathy and 
 their influence, and their counsels of matured 
 experience. 
 
 A point of interest, as incidental to our devel- 
 opment of the course of events, is the relation 
 of the studies pursued in the Sabbath school to 
 the general tone of religious sentiment in the 
 church. A general rule must be, that the 
 spirit of the one will correspond with the spirit 
 of the other. The life of one will reflect itself 
 in the life of the other. A prevalent formalism
 
 44 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 and accommodating spirit in the church, will 
 lead to a course of instruction lacking the ele- 
 ments of vital godliness. The prevalence of 
 pure evangelical doctrines will necessarily 
 secure the adoption of text-books of an evan- 
 gelical character. 
 
 This relation of cause and effect is well illus- 
 trated in our Sabbath school. The several 
 seasons of religious interest enjoyed by the 
 church during the eight years preceding the 
 fall of 1816, had greatly raised the standard of 
 Christian experience, and given unquestioned 
 supremacy to evangelical thought and belief. 
 The cross of Christ was " magnified " in the 
 faith and practice of the church. Hence the 
 prominence given in the Sabbath school to the 
 study of the Scriptures. Hence the introduc- 
 tion of Emerson's Catechism, and the continued 
 use of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, so 
 distinct in its enunciation of the leading doc- 
 trines of the Gospel. Hence it was only a 
 natural result that when the church and Pas- 
 tor, for Christ's sake, left the meeting-house of 
 their fathers, at the division of the parish in 
 182930, the entire Sabbath school went with 
 the church. 
 
 Although our school was one of the earliest 
 of the public enterprises of the kind under-
 
 FIRST FRUITS. 45 
 
 taken, jet its foundation proved to be well laid. 
 It was started by those of mature personal and 
 Christian character, and experience in teaching; 
 and was from the first fostered by the church 
 and pastor. And unlike the earlier individual 
 enterprises, and the first attempts in many 
 towns, it had no transition state to undergo ; it 
 pursued the course originally adopted, only 
 gaining new wisdom by experience, and taking 
 advantage of the progress of light and knowl- 
 edge. 
 
 But in pursuing its well defined objects, it 
 was now to occupy a new position and to realize 
 important and striking results. 
 
 The extensive revival of religion in the church 
 and congregation in 1830, had an intimate rela- 
 tion to the Sabbath school, both as cause and 
 effect. It could not but exert a marked influ- 
 ence in raising the standard of study and 
 instruction, and giving a higher tone of spirit- 
 ual life to teachers and pupils. The enlighten- 
 ing Spirit disclosed new methods and ends of 
 labor; and the renewed heart, glowing with the 
 love of Christ, joyfully accepted the new and 
 congenial duties. 
 
 And this revival had special significance as a 
 test of Sabbath school instruction ; as a seal of 
 God's favor on the study of His Word. " Ye
 
 46 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 shall know them by their fruits." It was the 
 time of the ingathering of harvest. Some " first 
 fruits " had been gathered earlier. Eight of 
 those connected with the Sabbath school had 
 been hopefully converted in previous years. 
 But now the seed sown brought forth abun- 
 dantly " after his kind." Of the one hundred 
 and forty-two who united with the church in 
 this and the following years, as the direct result 
 of this season of interest, sixty-six had been 
 teachers or pupils. 
 
 From this time forward our Sabbath school 
 has new points of interest, and new and wider 
 elements of power. It henceforth became the 
 dispenser as well as the receiver of good. It 
 took hi hand its own enterprises, which aimed 
 at results beyond itself. The spirit of Christian 
 charity once enkindled, gives birth to the spirit 
 of true benevolence, which in its turn awakens 
 and fosters the spirit of missions. As piety can 
 alone estimate its own worth, so it alone cau 
 measure its want, and see the motive to supply 
 this want. 
 
 Two of the members of our Sabbath school 
 were now preparing to go forth as missionaries 
 to the heathen ; carrying the fruits of Sabbath 
 school instruction ; carrying the fitness to teach 
 which comes of diligent learning, and becoming
 
 FIFTEENTH YEAR. 47 
 
 a living bond of sympathy between the school 
 and the darkened children of the East perishing 
 for lack of the bread of life. Thus new chan- 
 nels of thought and interest were opened; thus 
 inquiry was stimulated ; thus Christian activity 
 was concentrated on a well defined object ; thus 
 the reflex influence of fourteen years came 
 laden with blessings, and faith and hope and 
 sight were made partakers of the present joy 
 and were quickened for the labors of the future. 
 
 183O. 
 
 The Sabbath school was opened at the usual 
 time in the spring of this year, under its former 
 officers and teachers. During the spring and 
 summer it held its sessions in the Town House. 
 When the new meeting-house of the Hollis 
 Evangelical Society was completed the school 
 moved into the vestry ; and now, for the first 
 time in its history, it found a place of meeting 
 both convenient and comfortable. From this 
 time onward the Sabbath school was kept 
 through the entire year.
 
 48 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 1831. 
 
 In the spring of 183] the Sabbath school was 
 re-organized. C. F. W. Parkhurst was chosen 
 Secretary, and from this date records more or 
 less full have been kept. 
 
 Deacon Luther Haven was appointed Super- 
 intendent. The teachers were E. M. Capen, 
 Elihu White, Jr., Calvin Shepard, Jr., C. F. W. 
 Parkhurst, E. H. Warren, Alexander Abbott, 
 Curtis Parker, W. P. Temple, Mrs. Eunice 
 Capen, Sally Jones, Catherine Parker, Eliza C. 
 Abbott, Emily S. Bell, Lucy C. Bent, Almira 
 Walker. Eliza Wenzell, Eliza Ann Parker, Ann 
 Maria Buckminster, Emily Parker, Asenath F. 
 Eaton, Emily Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Abby 
 H. Forrister, Mary W. Boynton, Harriet N. 
 Shepard. More than half of these had been 
 pupils in the school in previous years. The 
 number of scholars was two hundred and fifty- 
 four, of whom one hundred were adults.
 
 A SOCIETY FORMED. 49 
 
 THE SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY. 
 
 It appears that a Society rather informal 
 was formed as early as 1818. Probably the 
 only organization was a request from the Super- 
 intendent and teachers to Solomon Fay, that 
 he would act as Secretary, to make out and 
 keep a register of the names and recitations of 
 the scholars. He had a natural taste, and 
 thorough qualifications for this work, as the 
 register will show. After his decease in 1820, 
 probably no one was found with like qualifica- 
 tions, who was specially interested in the school, 
 and no regular records were kept for several 
 years. But the form and name of the Society 
 were continued, as is shown by the inscription 
 in the books given as presents to the scholars 
 for good conduct and good recitations. It 
 comprised only the teachers ; and the only 
 action taken was the annual election of Superin- 
 tendent, who was also Secretary and Treasurer. 
 
 In 1825, the Massachusetts Sabbath School 
 Union was formed, (embracing the Baptist and 
 Congregational denominations,) consisting of 
 superintendents, teachers, and earnest friends 
 of the cause, with a view, among other things, 
 
 4
 
 50 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 " to stimulate and encourage each other in the 
 moral and religious instruction of children and 
 others." This Union formed a nucleus around 
 which the Sabbath schools gathered ; and by 
 an interchange of views, and comparison of 
 plans, and collating particular results, more 
 of uniformity and systematic management was 
 introduced, and a common mode of conducting 
 the schools was adopted. 
 
 A Society, auxiliary to this State Society, 
 was formed in Framingham, as early as 1826. 
 As the constitution and records are lost, no 
 specific account of the working of the Society 
 can be given. Probably it adopted substantially 
 the method hitherto pursued in the school ; 
 only acting as a recognized head, and doing by 
 formal vote, what had been done by common 
 consent. 
 
 In 1831, in order to infuse new life into the 
 school, and enlist more general support, the 
 constitution of the Society was revised, by a 
 committee appointed for the purpose. The 
 committee consisted of Deacon John Temple, 
 Patten Johnson, Ezra Hemenway, Deacon 
 Luther Haven, .and Edmund M. Capen. 
 
 By the new constitution, the Society still 
 continued auxiliary to the State Society. As 
 stated in the records, the special objects to be
 
 SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY. 51 
 
 kept in view were " to provide a suitable place 
 for the instruction of children and youth on the 
 Sabbath, and to raise funds for the establish- 
 ment of a library for the use of the school." 
 All interested in the object, by signing their 
 names, and paying twenty-five cents annually, 
 became members, and could vote in the choice 
 of officers. The officers of the Society appointed 
 the teachers ; and the teachers nominated a 
 Superintendent, who must be confirmed by the 
 officers. No book could be introduced into the 
 school without the consent of the officers. The 
 number of members enrolled was one hundred 
 and thirty-nine, embracing the most active 
 members of the church. 
 
 The general mode of conducting the exer- 
 cises was, 1. The school was opened with sing- 
 ing and prayer. 2. The teachers heard the 
 lessons of their respective classes. 3. Exer- 
 cises closed by singing. 4. On the last Sab- 
 bath of the month, the lessons recited during 
 the month were publicly reviewed by the Super- 
 intendent, or some one appointed by the Direc- 
 tors. 5. It was the duty of the Superintend- 
 ent, on all ordinary occasions, to request those 
 who were connected with the school to lead in 
 devotion, and take a part in the various other 
 exercises.
 
 52 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 In 1842, the constitution was again revised. 
 Committee, Rev. David Brigham, J. J. Mar- 
 shall and Marshall Conant. The connection 
 with the State Society was severed. The whole 
 control of the Sabbath school was vested in the 
 teachers and those pupils who were twenty-one 
 years of age and upwards. None others could 
 become members of the Society. The church 
 was no longer to have any voice in the man- 
 agement of the school. How the teachers were 
 appointed, does not appear. The number of 
 members enrolled was thirty-four. 
 
 In 1852, a committee, consisting of Carlos 
 Slafter, Deacon E. M. Capen, C. F. W. Park- 
 hurst, Deacon Eben Eaton, and Andrew Cool- 
 idge, was appointed to examine and revise the 
 constitution of the Society. 
 
 The most important change is indicated in 
 article 3 : " This Society shall consist of the 
 members of the church, and of such other indi- 
 viduals as shall sign the constitution," thus 
 restoring the school to its first position as the 
 child of the church. The Superintendent was 
 chosen by the Society. The board of officers 
 appointed the teachers. The only rule adopted 
 for conducting the school was, " The exercises 
 shall be opened with prayer, and closed with 
 singing." All other parts of the service were
 
 RELATION TO THE CHURCH. 53 
 
 left to the discretion of the Superintendent. 
 This constitution has continued in force to the 
 present day. 
 
 Without instituting any comparisons, which 
 might do injustice, it is probably safe to say, 
 that the enlightened sentiment of the real 
 friends and supporters of the Sabbath school 
 has settled down to the conclusion, that the 
 Sabbath school must hold an intimate relation 
 to the church ; that all its principles of action 
 must be in harmony with, and directly promo- 
 tive of, the doctrines and fellowship, and piety 
 of the church ; that in reality it must be under 
 the watch and care of the church. The formal 
 and recognized relation between the two must 
 be such, that the church is held responsible for 
 the conduct and results of the Sabbath school. 
 So intimately connected are both with the 
 religious interests of society ; so potent the 
 influences which cluster around each, and 
 extend to the families, and fireside counsels, 
 and home altars, that any antagonism in essen- 
 tials is fatal to one or the other or both. Indif- 
 ference on the part of the church will prove a 
 fetter on the progress of the Sabbath school. 
 As the mother to her child, so the church must 
 guard and foster and nurture, and cherish in 
 prayer and faith and love, the Sabbath school.
 
 54 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 ADULT DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Early in the year 1831, an adult department 
 was organized, separate from the juvenile 
 department, or Sabbath school proper. It met 
 in the audience-room of the church. It num- 
 bered about one hundred, and was divided into 
 classes of suitable size. Patten Johnson was 
 chosen Superintendent, and instructed a class. 
 The same question-book was used as in the 
 juvenile school. 
 
 This department was kept up as a distinct 
 school for five or six years. Patten Johnson 
 was Superintendent till 1835. Deacon Ezra 
 Hemenway was Superintendent from that date 
 till 1837 or '38, when the two schools were 
 merged in one. 
 
 In the opinion of those who took part in the 
 work, a separate department for adults worked 
 well, and accomplished its objects successfully. 
 It is easy to see the advantages of such a 
 department, in the general mode of manage- 
 ment, and adaptation of means. It is difficult 
 to meet the wants of youthful and mature 
 minds by any one method of instruction. The 
 statement and illustration of religious doctrine 
 needs to be varied to suit their different points 
 of view ; and it requires much skill and knowl-
 
 ADULT DEPARTMENT. 55 
 
 edge of human nature to adapt general remarks 
 equally to both old and young. And in awaken- 
 ing interest, and stimulating inquiry, different 
 methods are necessary. This is in part accom- 
 plished by classification, each teacher adapting 
 himself to the peculiar age and character of his 
 class. But all general exercises will fail to 
 interest equally the two extremes. And in 
 fact, the Superintendent, from the real neces- 
 sity of the case, will lay his plans, and conduct 
 the school, with almost exclusive reference to 
 the children. 
 
 On the other hand, it should be said, the 
 moral power of a school is greatly increased by 
 the presence of parents, and the aged church- 
 members. Their presence is itself an incite- 
 ment, and a restraint. The lesson has a higher 
 value to a child, if he knows that his father, 
 and perhaps his grandfather are studying and 
 reciting it with him. The Word of God has 
 higher significance and more sacredness, when 
 age and wisdom and scholarship gather with 
 infancy around it for instruction. If the child 
 sees the mature Christian thus earnestly search- 
 ing the Scriptures, to find " eternal life," a 
 sense of reality of weighty concern of imme- 
 diate obligation attaches to the study ; a sense 
 of the difficulties of the Christian life is gained ;
 
 56 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 a consciousness of the need of more than human 
 aid and strength, of the help of divine grace, 
 is awakened ; and thus the thoughts and pur- 
 poses are turned to Him, who is " the Way and 
 the Truth and the Life." 
 
 One most important result which followed 
 the establishment of this separate department, 
 was the enlistment for life of the fathers and 
 mothers in the Sabbath school. Now, after 
 thirty years, they the survivors are all in 
 their places in the classes, and as deeply inter- 
 ested as then in the study of the Bible. The 
 mantle of those who are "taken up" falls on 
 some one who at once fills the vacant seat. It 
 is a most interesting fact, that the proportion 
 between adults and children one hundred to 
 one hundred and sixty-six has been kept up 
 without essential variation from 1881 to the 
 present time. In 1859, the numbers were, 
 ninety-nine adults, and one hundred sixty-three 
 children. 
 
 And the first thing which strikes a stranger 
 on entering our school, is the crowded adult 
 classes. All the eagerness and all the zest of 
 youth are manifest in their attitude and man- 
 ner, as they scan the Sacred Oracles, and seek 
 for the mind of the Spirit. And the children 
 of these parents are uniformly punctual and
 
 INFANT CLASS. 57 
 
 constant in attendance ; while the children of 
 absent parents are irregular, and readily find 
 excuses for tardiness and absence. 
 
 Some of these adult classes use the common 
 question-book of the school, and some are Bible 
 classes, the choice being generally left to 
 themselves. 
 
 One teacher, Mr. P. H. Vose, has had charge 
 of a class without interruption, for thirty-three 
 years. And although in that time there have 
 been seventy different pupils connected with 
 the class, one of the original members now 
 remains. 
 
 INFANT DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Infant classes, in connection with, or as a 
 part of the Sabbath school, began to be formed 
 as early as 1827-28. The specific object was 
 to gather by themselves a considerable immber 
 of children, too young to study the regular les- 
 sons from the question-books, and teach them 
 the Lord's prayer, hymns, and Bible verses, 
 and exercise them in singing devotional songs, 
 and other general performances of a religious 
 nature. 
 
 The first infant class in our school, was estab- 
 lished by Miss Emeline Stone, in 1832. It was 
 conducted successfully by her for a number of
 
 58 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 years. Her successors have been, Martha Ann 
 Abbott, Abby H. Forrister, Susan M. Abbott, 
 Emeline Hemenway, Mrs. T. Forrister, Mrs. 
 0. Bennett, Mrs. Jones, Augusta March, Har- 
 riett March, C. E. Burnap, Harriett Williams, 
 F. Williams, Lucy P. Brown, Mary Marshall, 
 Grace Parker. 
 
 It has been till the present year, a separate 
 department, meeting in a room by itself. Two 
 classes, one of boys, and one of girls, have been 
 graduated from it into the Sabbath school, 
 every spring. The average number in this 
 department, for a series of years has been forty. 
 
 This is an interesting, and an important 
 branch of the Sabbath school. Probably it is 
 the most difficult class to teach, requiring tal- 
 ent and tact of a high order, and especially a 
 thorough knowledge of child nature, and a 
 loving, Christian heart. Quiet deportment, and 
 a good degree of interested attention, are neces- 
 sary to be secured, without great pressure of 
 visible restraint, or show of authority. No 
 exercise should be introduced for the sake of 
 mere amusement. The sacredness of the day 
 should be reciprocated in the feelings awakened, 
 and the impressions made by the lessons and 
 songs. All parts of the service should be 
 adapted to children, and designed to implant
 
 INFANT CLASS. 59 
 
 and nurture in them a reverence for God, a 
 sacred regard for holy things, and a dread of 
 sin. And it is ever to be borne in mind, that 
 it is not the amount of truth taught, not the 
 repetition of words, not the process of reason- 
 ing, not the urgent advice and warning ; but 
 the spirit in which instruction is given, and the 
 impression made on the heart of the child, 
 which are vital, and tell on the life. The win- 
 ning look of tenderness and sympathy is remem- 
 bered, long after the words are forgotten. A 
 devout spirit and a likeness to Jesus in the 
 teacher, will attract the young to Him better 
 than persuasive appeals. And if one clear idea 
 of the nature of holiness is imparted, and one 
 true desire for a holy heart is awakened in the 
 child, the teaching is effective. 
 
 Nowhere is there a greater liability to com- 
 mit errors, and by an injudicious presentation 
 of religious truth, poison the mind for life; 
 and on the other hand, nowhere does the 
 " meekness of wisdom," and the exhibition of 
 true piety, more surely bear much fruit. If for 
 any reason, the mother will excuse herself from. 
 the duty God has laid upon her, to teach the 
 infant lips to lisp prayer and praise to him, 
 and to turn the first thoughts and purposes of 
 life to the Saviour, then let this department of 
 Sabbath schools be sacredly cherished.
 
 60 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 SABBATH SCHOOL CONCERT. 
 
 The Sabbath school concert was observed in 
 our school as early as 1831. 
 
 The idea of this concert was evidently bor- 
 rowed from the missionary concert, which had 
 been observed in the churches since 1813. It 
 recognized the vital importance which attached 
 to the Sabbath school as a means of religious 
 education ; and the duty of tb^ church to offer 
 special prayer for the divine direction and 
 blessing. At first, it was a concert of prayer. 
 And the intention evidently was, that the mem- 
 bers of the church generally should gather with 
 the teachers and scholars, and thus publicly 
 identify themselves with the cause. 
 
 This, its original purpose, and the method by 
 which its founders sought to accomplish the 
 object, are to be borne in mind whenever we 
 would estimate the value of this concert, or 
 trace its history. The marked favor of God on 
 the Sabbath school, in the revivals which visited 
 the churches in 1830, not only indicated its 
 value as a means of grace, but clearly evinced 
 the duty of supplicating God's special blessing 
 on the institution continually. It was made
 
 S. S. CONCERT. 61 
 
 evident that this was one of the chosen means 
 by which He was building up and strengthening 
 His people in intelligence, and active benevo- 
 lence, as well as in numbers. And the great 
 good which had resulted from the missionary 
 concert, in imparting intelligent views of the 
 work of missions, and uniting the hearts of 
 Christians in true sympathy with the work, and 
 in the common offerings laid on the altar, 
 naturally suggested a similar monthly meeting 
 to gain knowledge, and awaken interest, and 
 unite all in offerings, and in intercessions for 
 the divine favor on the Sabbath school. 
 
 When first established, and for many years, 
 the concert was observed on the evening of the 
 second Sabbath in each month. Usually a 
 carefully prepared address was delivered by 
 the pastor, or some invited stranger, or one of 
 the officers, on a topic directly related to Sab- 
 bath schools. 
 
 In those years it was kept up with varied 
 interest. Sometimes the vestry would be well 
 filled, and " the spirit of grace and supplica- 
 tions " would be poured upon His people. 
 Sometimes only the school would be present ; 
 and the Superintendent and teachers would 
 yield to discouragement. The annual report 
 of the school for 1837, says : " The Sabbath
 
 62 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 school concert is observed, though with a slight 
 degree of interest on the part of the church," 
 indicating that the officers of the school felt 
 the need of the hearty co-operation and united 
 prayers of professed Christians. 
 
 In 1842, the time of holding the concert was 
 changed. It then was made to take the place 
 of the regular school recitations on the second 
 Sabbath noon of each month, and was con- 
 ducted by the officers of the school. It was 
 conducted much like an ordinary religious 
 meeting, singing, prayers, and addresses alter- 
 nating, only each part of the exercises had a 
 special bearing on the school. 
 
 The concert has been regularly observed till 
 the present time, though the mode of its man- 
 agement has greatly varied in different years. 
 Perhaps the most marked difference between 
 the present and former methods of conducting 
 it, is, that now the pupils are relied on to give 
 character and interest to the exercises, rather 
 than the officers and the church. Perhaps 
 now the custom is general, to have some sys- 
 tem of Scripture recitations, varied to suit 
 circumstances, and the discretion of the Super- 
 intendent. In some instances, an historical 
 fact, as the deluge, the offering of Isaac, the 
 captivities, the crucifixion, the conversion of
 
 S. S. CONCERT. 63 
 
 Paul ; or some topic, as the Sabbath, baptism, 
 is announced, and each scholar is expected to 
 commit a verse relating to the fact or topic. 
 In others, a word is given out, and the verses 
 to be recited are to contain this word. In some 
 cases a letter is named as the initial of the 
 selected passages. Sometimes a teacher is 
 designated to write an essay, or historical 
 sketch, or brief discussion of the doctrine or 
 topic or fact given out. In some schools, indi- 
 vidual pupils are called by name, and rise and 
 repeat their verse. In others, a class is desig- 
 nated, and the class rise, and each member in 
 turn recites his verse or paragraph. 
 
 The success of any method depends on the 
 ready and hearty zeal with which all co-operate 
 and do their part. Probably it is the experi- 
 ence of superintendents generally, that to 
 awaken and sustain an interest in the concert, 
 to make it really profitable to the school, is 
 one of the most difficult of his often difficult 
 duties.
 
 64 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 BENEVOLENT CONTRIBUTIONS. 
 
 Intimately associated with the rise of the 
 Sabbath school concert, was the custom of 
 taking up regular monthly contributions for 
 benevolent objects, in the Sabbath school. 
 Indeed this was a part of the original plan. 
 Effectual prayer and active benevolence are 
 always associated. It is difficult to separate 
 them. To supplicate God's blessing on a cause 
 which demands action, individual or associated, 
 implies a pledge to do what is requisite to fur- 
 ther the cause ; implies the consecration to 
 Him of what means one possesses that are 
 needed in advancing the cause. 
 
 Concerted prayer for the Sabbath school, by 
 the church, was a pledge of effort and sacrifice 
 in behalf of the Sabbath school. Gracious 
 blessings received in answer to prayer and faith- 
 ful labor, bound the recipients to requite those 
 bestowed favors, by efforts to extend the advan- 
 tages of Sabbath school instruction to the desti- 
 tute. The love of Christ implanted in the 
 heart prompts to Christ-like benevolence. It 
 is but half of goodness to be good ; to do good, 
 to impart to others what God so freely bestows,
 
 BENEVOLENCE. 00 
 
 is the larger half of goodness itself. Selfish- 
 ness keeps its treasures for their enjoyment ; 
 true goodness imparts them, in order to keep 
 them. And the enjoyment of the Christian 
 life consists essentially in offering that life a 
 sacrifice for others. 
 
 " The grace of giving," is a beautiful trait of 
 true childhood, as it is of true manhood. The 
 trivial gift bestowed with generous impulses 
 is most acceptable, and praiseworthy. The 
 penny, which might have been expended for 
 sweetmeats, bestowed with a look of love on the 
 deserving poor ; the little book, which is cher- 
 ished for its own sake, and given for Christ's 
 sake to a schoolmate who has no little books ; 
 the hour of play-time, devoted to reading the 
 Bible to a blind neighbor ; these are not costly 
 gifts ; but they are precious beyond all price. 
 They are the expression of traits which He 
 loves who looketh on the heart. They are 
 traits which our Saviour well delineates when 
 he says, " Of such is the kingdom of heaven." 
 
 To cultivate this spirit of charity, should be 
 one aim of all education ; as the best success 
 and the truest enjoyment of life are promoted 
 by it. And to inculcate and develop this spirit 
 should be a constant aim of Sabbath school 
 instruction. It is the spirit of the whole Bible ; 
 5
 
 66 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 it is pre-eminently the spirit of the gospel. 
 The love of God opens the heart ; and the gen- 
 erous heart opens the hands ; and the charity 
 small if the means are small, large if the 
 means are large bestowed for Christ's sake, 
 and consecrated by prayer, returns from its 
 mission, as an answer 'to that prayer, laden, 
 with sweet peace and hope to the soul. 
 
 It is only when this reflex influence of char- 
 ity is rightly comprehended, that the essential 
 need of bringing up children in the practice of 
 self-denial, and in habits of a generous consid- 
 eration of others, can be rightly comprehended, 
 and that this means of the best moral culture 
 will be thoughtfully improved by parents. 
 
 To contribute their little savings of money is 
 the common mode of benevolence ; though 
 kind actions, and self-denial, and unsought 
 sympathy, and the numerous ministrations of 
 generous love, in the home, and the school, and 
 in society, are alike valuable as gifts, and for 
 the imparting and receiving of joy. What con- 
 stitutes the essence of charity, is the cheerful 
 and hearty bestowment on others of what is 
 highly prized by us. God demanded of his 
 chosen people of old the offering of the "first- 
 fruits " of their fields and flocks, because they 
 were the most needed and the most valuable
 
 BENEVOLENCE. 67 
 
 to the possessor. He never accepts what is left, 
 after all our wants are supplied ; or what has 
 no intrinsic value to us. And the offering of 
 such things in charity brings no joy to the soul. 
 Every gift, then, laid on the human or the divine 
 altar, must needs be consecrated by love and 
 prayer ; and every gift must be in the best 
 sense a sacrifice. Hence the appropriateness 
 of a Sabbath school concert for prayer and 
 benevolent contributions. 
 
 Regular contributions for benevolent objects 
 were taken once a month, in our school, from 
 the time when the Sabbath school concert was 
 established. It has always been the avowed 
 purpose to distribute the avails of these collec- 
 tions in promoting the cause of Sabbath schools. 
 Some of the funds have been expended in 
 making the superintendents and teachers life 
 members of the Sabbath School Society, or the 
 American S. S. Union ; some portions have 
 been spent in the purchase of libraries for new 
 and destitute schools at the West, in Iowa and 
 Minnesota. Twenty dollars were sent to Mrs. 
 Schneider of Aintab, a former pupil and teacher 
 of the school, for the benefit of Sabbath schools 
 in Syria. 
 
 To 1858, the amount annually realized from 
 the monthly collections averaged $25. In
 
 68 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 1859, the plan was started of taking up penny 
 contributions on each Sabbath. The result has 
 been a large increase in the amount collected. 
 For the nine years that this plan has been in 
 operation, the amount has averaged $65 per 
 annum. This method is still practised. The 
 giving of a penny is entirely voluntary ; but 
 the number usually falls very little below the 
 total number of teachers and scholars present 
 on the day.
 
 SECOND LIBRARY. 69 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 The first collection of books for the use of 
 the school has been noticed. After the reor- 
 ganization in 1831, the library became an 
 important means of keeping up an interest, 
 and drawing in pupils. And at this date, a 
 large number of books designed for children, 
 had been published. 
 
 In 1830, the library comprised one hundred 
 and thirty-three volumes. Seventy-two vol- 
 umes were added in 1831 : one hundred and 
 twenty-two volumes were added in 1832 ; 
 eighty-five volumes in 1833. In this year a 
 thorough overhauling of the library was made ; 
 lost books were stricken from the catalogue ; 
 some re-bound, and all re-numbered. And the 
 renovated library was found to contain two 
 hundred and sixty-nine volumes. 
 
 Two hundred volumes were added in 1835. 
 In 1845, $75 was expended for new books. 
 In 1856, a new library was purchased, and a 
 part of the old one sent to a school at the West. 
 
 In 1859, the whole number of books was four 
 hundred and seventy-seven. In 1860, $120 
 was expended to purchase books for the library.
 
 70 HISTOEY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 In 1865, the number of volumes in the library 
 was five hundred and forty-eight. 
 
 In 1868, a part of the library was sent to 
 Minnesota, and the sum of $200 was raised to 
 add new books, making the number now in the 
 library five hundred and fifty-three. 
 
 Mode of managing the distribution of Books. 
 A printed catalogue is allowed lo eacli family 
 connected with the school. This list gives the 
 number of pages, as well as the title of the 
 book. Blank cards are furnished to each pupil, 
 containing his name and number, and ruled 
 with spaces for the title and number of the 
 book wanted ; on which each is expected to 
 designate several books, so that in case he does 
 not get his first choice at once, he may receive 
 a second choice, and have a chance to get the 
 other soon. The number of the book given 
 him is checked on the card, and also on the 
 librarian's corresponding list, the check to be 
 erased when the book is returned. Books are 
 given out on each Sabbath, one volume only to 
 a pupil ; and he is not entitled to another till 
 the first is returned.
 
 TABLE OP STATISTICS. 71 
 
 TABLE OF STATISTICS. 
 
 1818. Number of teachers, 10 ; number of 
 pupils, 142 ; average' attendance, 70. 
 
 1831. Number of teachers, 34 ; number of 
 pupils, 254. 
 
 1836. Number of teachers, 30 ; number of 
 pupils, 260, of whom 100 were adults. 
 
 1840. Twenty-seven members of the Sab- 
 bath school united with the church, by pro- 
 fession. 
 
 1859. Number of teachers, 22 ; number of 
 pupils, 262, of which 78 are between 15 and 
 30 years ; 21 are over 50 years. Sixty of the 
 pupils, and all the teachers are members of the 
 church. 
 
 1861. Number of teachers, 25 ; number of 
 pupils, 265 ; average attendance, 167 ; num- 
 ber over 15 years of age, 154 ; members of the 
 church, 108. 
 
 1863. Whole number of pupils, 272 ; 114 
 are members of the church, of whom, 36 have 
 indulged hope this year. 
 
 1864. Fourteen pupils professed religion. 
 
 1865. Number of teachers, 26 ; number of 
 pupils, 263 ; average attendance, 165. 
 
 1868. Twenty members of the Sabbath 
 school are indulging the Christian hope, since 
 the beginning of the year.
 
 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 LIST OF SUPERINTENDENTS. 
 
 Deacon LUTHER HAVEN, 1816-19, 1831, 5 years. 
 
 ABNER STONE, 1820-22, 3 years. 
 
 Deacon EBEN EATON, 1823-30, 1832, 
 
 1837-45, 18 years. 
 
 CALVIN SHEPARD, Jr., 1833, ... 1 year. 
 
 C. F. W. PARKHURST, 1834-3(3, . . 3 years. 
 
 JOHN J. MARSHALL, 1846, 1847, . . 2 years. 
 
 PATTEN JOHNSON, 1848-51, ... 4 years. 
 
 CARLOS SLAFTER, 1852, 1 year. 
 
 B. K. HAVEN, 1853, 1 year. 
 
 Deacon ANDREW COOLIDGE, 1854, 1857, 2 years. 
 
 B. F. WILSON, 1855, 1856, .... 2 years. 
 
 Deacon G. W. BIGELOW, 1858-63, . 6 years. 
 
 Deacon WILLIAM F. EAMES, 1864-67, 4 years. 
 Deacon ANDREW COOLIDGE, 1868.
 
 THE SCHOOL AS IT IS. 73 
 
 1868. 
 
 OFFICERS OF THE SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 Superintendent, Deacon Andrew Coolidge. 
 First Vice-President, Sewall Fisher. Second 
 Vice-President, John L. Sanger. Treasurer, 
 George A. Thompson. Secretary, George M. 
 Amsden. Librarians, Henry F. White, George 
 D. Bigelow. 
 
 Teacher of Infant Class, Grace Parker. 
 
 Class : Cora I. Lamson, Susan M. Young, 
 Theophilus H. Root, Frank Gibbs, Arthur K. 
 Stone, Neverson Hemenway, Emma E. Hagar, 
 Minnie N. Hagar, Frank E. Rice, Alice Hast- 
 ings, George H. Taylor, Willie F. Hosnier, 
 Albert J. Haven, Katie T. Blake, Gracia D. 
 Blake, Willie Harrington, Frank A. Young, 
 Walter W. Eames, Nattie M. Ladd, Wallace 
 Kendall, Laura A. Sanderson, Charles Otis. 
 
 Teacher of Bible Class, Susan Rebecca Eaton. 
 
 Class: Mrs. A. B. Tufts, Mrs. E. Conant, 
 Mrs. Grace G. Barnard, Mrs. Ilitty Gates, Mrs. 
 A. M. Parsons, Mrs. J. A. Hammond, Mrs. J. 
 M. Harrington, Mrs. E. Hemenway, Mrs. E. 
 Jones, Mrs. S. Fisher, Mrs. Laura Amsden, 
 Mrs. Leander Barber, Mrs. Mary Ann Smith, 
 Mrs. John Fenton, Mrs. Clara W. Morse, M.
 
 (4 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 Thompson, E. Thompson, Susan E. Edmands, 
 Mary Cutting, E. Bailey, Helen Barnard, Caro- 
 line E. Burnap, Mrs. C. Sanderson, Mrs. M. M. 
 Coolidge, Mrs. T. Garratt, Sally Jones, Mrs. C. 
 Baker, Sarah A. Temple, Mrs. Ellen B. Fair- 
 bank. 
 - Teacher, Doctor T. D. Chamberlain. 
 
 Class : Benj. K. Haven, George Nourse, 
 John Cutting, George A. Thompson, J. T. For- 
 rister, Frederic Coe, Leander Barber, Edmond 
 M. Capon, Josiah Gibbs, John L. Sanger, 
 George M. Amsden, George W. Bigelow, A. 
 
 D. Cloyes, Charles Trowbridge. 
 Teacher, J. D. Chamberlain. 
 
 Class : Mrs. Harriett Rice, Mrs. N. Hosmer, 
 
 Mrs. H. Sanger, Mrs. J. Gibbs, Mrs. A. Woods, 
 
 Mrs. P. H. Vose, Mrs. A. Pratt, C. E. Lincoln. 
 
 Teacher, Benj. F. Wilson. (P. H. Vose.) 
 
 Class : Mrs. E. G. Eaton, Mrs. Mary Stearns, 
 
 Mrs. Harriett Cloyes, Mrs. G. J. Childs, Mrs. 
 
 E. Rice, Mrs. Edwin Hastings, Mrs. T. Forris- 
 ter, Mrs. G. A. Trowbridge, Mrs. Henry Eames, 
 Mrs. Luther Eames, Mrs. John Forrister, Mrs. 
 Curtis Belcher, Mrs. Ellis D. Hall, Mrs. D. F. 
 Chad wick, Martha Merriam. 
 
 Teacher, William Symmes. 
 Class : A. Sidney Bull, Henry E. Warren, 
 Richard Briggs, Frederic Coe, Jr., Nathan
 
 THE SCHOOL AS IT IS. 75 
 
 Gates, Charles Smyth, Joseph Western, Edwin 
 Walkup, A. Cutting, T. Eaton, Ellis Hall, 
 Edw. Dodge. 
 
 Teacher, Mrs. J. Mann. 
 
 Class : George D. Bigelow, George Edw. 
 West, Charles Parsons, Lewis Russell, Frederic 
 B. Home, C. Sidney Eames, Alphonso Capen, 
 Henry F. White. 
 
 Teacher, Mrs. Mary B. Temple. 
 
 Class : Ann Maria Cutting, Sarah Cutting, 
 Susan Williams, Nettie Barnard, Carrie A. 
 West, Sarah A. Faucett, Abby Pratt, Maria 
 Pratt. 
 
 Teacher, Mrs. S. N. Brewer. 
 
 Class: Mary E. Temple, Mary Sanderson, 
 M. Isabel Eames, Abby Russell, Ann- M. Brig- 
 ham, Nancy Walkup, Ella W. Hastings, Hattie 
 E. Smith, Kittie Otis. 
 
 Teacher, Sewall Fisher. 
 
 Class : Lizzie Moore, Mary Briggs, Hattie 
 E. Rice, Lizzie Haven, Anna L. Sanger, Fanny 
 Eames, Anna L. West. 
 
 Teacher, Irene Poole. 
 
 Class : Mary L. B. Esty, Lizzie Hastings, 
 Cora Barrett, Anna Gibbs, Eva Bisbee. 
 
 Teacher, Emma Clark. 
 
 Class : Jenny Rice, Jenny Livermore, Minnie 
 Woods, Blanche Walkup, Lizzie Blake, Emma 
 E. Gates.
 
 76 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 Teacher, Ann Maria Eaton. 
 
 Class : J. Ada Smith, Susan E. Cloyes, Clara 
 Walkup, Ella Hemenway, Justina Ware, Addie 
 Lamson, Emma Eaton, Ada R. Smith, Cora 
 Moore, Ella Chadwick. 
 
 Teacher, Anna L. Hastings. 
 
 Class : Augusta Barber, Alice "West, Emily 
 Cloyes, Jessie Walkup, Ella Forrister, Abby 
 Wheeler, Ada Partridge, Fanny Hastings. 
 
 Teacher, Lizzie Stone. 
 
 Class : Hattie Jewell, Ada Washburn, Jenny 
 Hastings, M. Ella Smith, G. Winch, Ella F. 
 Belcher. 
 
 Teacher, (Sarah J. Russell.) Georgiana 
 Barnard. 
 
 Class : Willis Rowell, John H. Temple, 
 Charles Trowbridge, Frank Rowell, Horace 
 Chamberlain, Frank A. Walkup, Andrew 
 Belcher. 
 
 Teacher, Martha Bailey. 
 
 Class :' Waldo Howe, Franklin Howe, Arthur 
 Coe, Henry Coe, Eddie Harrington, Roger 
 Sherman, Waldo Johnson. 
 
 Teacher, Abby Kelley. 
 
 Class: William Trowbridge, Granville For- 
 rister, Thomas West, Thomas Hastings, Frank 
 Haven, Charles Williams, Frederic Esty.
 
 THE SCHOOL AS IT IS. T7 
 
 Teacher, Flora Williams. 
 
 Class : Eddy White, Josiah Hastings, Charles 
 Esty, Enos H. Bigelow, Frederic Hosmer, Alls- 
 ton Swan, Charles Taylor. 
 
 Teacher, Ellen M. Moore. 
 
 Class : Edward C. Smith, Alexander N. Esty, 
 Harry E. Swan, Elbridge C. Barber, Gardner 
 P. Hastings, Willie H. Lamson, Frank Coe. 
 
 Teacher, Mrs. Abby H. F. Russell. 
 
 Class : Sarah Gibbs, Angelina A. Chadwick, 
 L. Isabel Chadwick, Mary Cutting, Abby Cut- 
 ting, Mary E. Eaton, Hannah Sanderson. 
 
 Teacher, Ellen Stone. 
 
 Class : Lizzie A. Root, Georgianna Harring- 
 ton, Elberta Hemenway, Mary A. Eames, Lizzie 
 Bigelow, Kittee Esty, Mira Hagar, Jenny Ken- 
 dall, Emma Stone, Nettie Stone, Jennie Otis, 
 Lizzie Otis, Mary Parker. 
 
 Teacher, Louisa A. Eames. 
 
 Class : Edgar Harrington, Charles Lamson, 
 Joseph Weston, Fred. W. Young, Andrew 
 Belcher. 
 
 Teacher, Anna E. Johnson. 
 
 Class : Josephine Bennett, and six others. 
 
 The school meets in the audience-room of the 
 church, on Sabbath noons ; each session con- 
 tinuing forty-five minutes. The exercises are 
 opened with prayer and singing, and recitations
 
 78 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 from the Psalms, in concert ; and closed with 
 singing. 
 
 All the officers and teachers are members of 
 the church ; and eighty of the pupils are pro- 
 fessors or have indulged hope in the recent 
 revival. 
 
 Two of the classes are Bible classes. There 
 are five adult classes. The question-book now 
 in use is " Clark's Questions on the great 
 Truths of the Bible," the adults using No. 3, 
 the school proper using No. 2, and the infant 
 class using No. 1. 
 
 One of the teachers, Mrs. Abby H. F. Rus- 
 sell, aud one of the pupils, Mrs. Grace G. Bar- 
 nard, were members of the class which met in 
 the Academy Hall September 8, 1816. Deacon 
 E. M. Capen, now in the adult class, was a 
 teacher in the school in 1819. Thus is the half 
 century made a reality to us, by the living chain 
 which connects its two extremes ; and thus is 
 the proof furnished that the principles in which 
 the institution was founded have not needed 
 change, nor grown old, nor obsolete. The 
 same Holy Word is now the subject of study, 
 and the guide to Truth, and the lamp to show 
 the path to Life and Rest. Depending on the 
 same divine aid, the teachers now labor in 
 hope, and the scholars listen to the precepts of
 
 NURSERY OP THE CHURCH. 79 
 
 Him who said, " Suffer the little children to 
 come unto me ; for of such is the kingdom of 
 heaven." 
 
 Perhaps the true relation of the Sabbath 
 school to the church, is more obvious though 
 not more real when it is seen gathered in the 
 same sanctuary. The people gather in the 
 morning, and are led in worship, and in sacred 
 song, and Scripture meditation, by the pastor ; 
 with a brief interval, a large portion of the 
 same congregation are earnestly engaged with 
 their teachers, in studying " the great truths 
 of the Bible," and in prayer and praise ; then, 
 after another short recess, the assembly again 
 appears before God, lifting up the heart and 
 voice in supplications and praises, and inquiring 
 of the Sacred Oracles. It is a common pursuit 
 of a common end. The church provides for 
 and watches over the school ; and the school is 
 auxiliary to the church.; is in nurture for the 
 church. They are identified in interest, and 
 the school is eventually to become the church. 
 And the church discharges its duty to the 
 school only when it cherishes and supports it 
 with its whole heart. 
 
 And very grateful is the sight of this garden 
 of the Lord ; very precious are the offerings, of 
 the " first fruits " laid on His altar ; very cheer-
 
 80 HISTORY SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 ing are the hopes which God's promises insure. 
 " They that seek me early shall find me." 
 " Blessed are they that sow beside all waters." 
 
 And very striking is it, and emblematic of 
 our common sinfulness, to see the infant of 
 days and the hoary head, bowing together at 
 the same mercy-seat! Very beautiful, and 
 emblematic of the full provisions of the atone- 
 ment and mediation of the Son of God, and the 
 blessings in store for the believing soul, is it, 
 when the child and the parent and the grand- 
 parent he that is born in the house, and the 
 stranger meet On a common level, hearing 
 the words of the great Teacher ; looking to the 
 same precious blood for redemption ; owning 
 the same gracious covenant ; and, " if children, 
 then heirs: heirs of God, and joint-heirs with 
 Christ." 
 
 And from this review of fifty-two years, what 
 is the practical lesson taught ? How is the 
 Sabbath school to be made most effective for 
 its true ends ? By Christian love, and Christian 
 fidelity. Various methods have been devised 
 to awaken interest, and promote efficient and 
 harmonious work in the school ; but the true 
 secret may be summed up in a single expres- 
 sion, deep-toned piety in the officers and teach- 
 ers. They will gain the eye and the ear, and
 
 SECRET OF SUCCESS. 81 
 
 the heart of their pupils, when they come to 
 the school with their own hearts glowing with 
 the love of God, and alive to the worth of the 
 soul.
 
 82 IX MEMORIAM. 
 
 The sketches which follow, of four of the 
 founders of the Sabbath school, can scarcely 
 claim the title of memoirs ; they are rather 
 tributes of affectionate remembrance to former 
 teachers by surviving pupils, most of the mate- 
 rials being gathered from the memories of those 
 who were members of the school during the 
 first six years of its existence. 
 
 The purpose in publishing these tributes, is, 
 to show that Christian principle, arid faithful 
 Christian labor, even in a narrow and humble 
 sphere, result in great good, and bring much 
 honor to Christ. 
 
 ABNER STONE. 
 
 Mr. Stone may properly be called one of the 
 originators of the Sabbath school, though the 
 plan was suggested by, and the first class was 
 gathered by ladies. He gave his sanction and 
 support to the movement, and took part in 
 instructing a class of boys from the outset. 
 
 He belonged to a family bearing an hon- 
 ored name in Framingham. He was carefully 
 trained in childhood by an excellent mother,
 
 ABNER STONE. 83 
 
 who lived to see the precious fruit of her coun- 
 sel and influence. 
 
 He was educated at the Framingham Acad- 
 emy ; going through a thorough course of 
 English studies, and making considerable prog- 
 ress in the Latin language, with a view of 
 pursuing a collegiate education, which plan he 
 subsequently abandoned. It was this academic 
 course which fitted him for the prominent posi- 
 tion he held as a teacher in the Sabbath school. 
 The habits he had acquired, of careful thought, 
 and close investigation, and logical reasoning, 
 prepared him for a profitable study of the Scrip- 
 tures, and gave him aptness in proposing ques- 
 tions, and solving difficulties. 
 
 He had to struggle, through life, with a con- 
 stitutional bashfulness, which kept him silent 
 in public, before a large audience ; but before 
 his class, as in all more private consultations, 
 he was collected, and could give fit expression 
 to acceptable thoughts ; and his efficiency and 
 promptness in acting, where deeds could speak 
 as well as words, compensated, in a great 
 degree, for his constrained silence. 
 
 Mr. Stone was hopefully converted in the 
 revival of 1814-15. At this time he had 
 reached mature life, being thirty-seven years 
 old, which will account in part for the fact that
 
 84 ABNER STONE. 
 
 he could not overcome the early habit of shrink- 
 ing from public speaking, even in religious 
 meetings, though his growth in the Christian 
 graces was rapid and marked. 
 
 He entered into the work of the Christian 
 life with his whole heart, as his only way of 
 " redeeming the time." Clear in his views of 
 Scripture doctrines ; deeply conscientious ; 
 calm in judgment and broad in his observa- 
 tions, his counsels were entitled to, and always 
 received great weight. And his firmness of 
 purpose, when the path of duty was made 
 plain, made him a pillar in the church. So 
 reliable and earnest was he as a church mem- 
 ber, and so judicious and active a supporter of 
 the Sabbath school, as of every good work, that 
 when the new church was formed at Saxon- 
 ville, with which movement he was from loca- 
 tion identified, the pastor of the mother church 
 remarked, on his leaving, that " his right arm 
 was cut off." 
 
 He possessed a symmetrical and well-balanced 
 character. No one trait was prominent ; and 
 there was no essential trait lacking, to cause an 
 observable deficiency. If anything impressed 
 a close observer more than another, in his char- 
 acter, it was his guileless transparency. You 
 could see through him ; you felt, when in his
 
 ABNER STONE. 85 
 
 presence, that there was no dissembling, and no 
 concealment. The thorough subjugation of his 
 mental and moral powers to the law of Christ, 
 after his conversion ; the singular truthfulness 
 of his nature, which showed itself in all his life ; 
 the subdued yet earnest and devout spirit which 
 was a part of his daily walk and ways, were 
 always apparent, not because he sought to 
 exhibit them, but because they were his moral 
 life ; because they constituted himself. 
 
 And these powers and graces were set apart 
 to Christ and his church. This was the one 
 aim of his public Christian course. And this 
 singleness of purpose, coupled with a devout 
 spirit, and truthful nature, gave an even tenor 
 to his life, and consecrated that life to " what- 
 soever things are true, whatsoever things are 
 honest, whatsoever things arc just, whatsoever 
 things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, 
 whatsoever things are of good report." If 
 he did not give expression to the ecstasies of 
 Christian enjoyment, and the more demonstra- 
 tive experiences, he could speak of the love of 
 Christ, and a well-grounded hope of pardon. 
 If he never rose high in influence with his fel- 
 low men, he was never without influence ; and 
 this influence was beneficent, was conservative, 
 was attractive, was of a kind to win men to
 
 86 ABNER STONE. 
 
 the pleasant paths of wisdom and piety. For 
 piety in him, was a genial, inspiring power ; 
 pervading words and deeds ; giving color to 
 opinions and plans ; moulding social as well as 
 religious character. It led him to sympathize 
 with the sick and sorrowing, and to devote what 
 time and skill he had to their relief, cheerfully, 
 in season and out of season. Many a tear of 
 gratitude, taking the place of tears of sorrow 
 and suffering, has been his tribute and reward. 
 His reverence for the Sabbath, and love of 
 the sanctuary were marked traits of Mr. Stone's 
 character. Till the age of fifty-five, he resided 
 three miles from the church, but his place in the 
 house of God on the Sabbath was rarely vacant ; 
 and none engaged in worship, and received the 
 word of life more eagerly and gratefully than 
 he. When the church near his home at Saxon- 
 ville was formed in 1833, none prized the privi- 
 lege of ready access to Christian ordinances 
 more than he ; and none more faithfully 
 attended on all religious services. One who 
 was his pastor, says : " My intercourse with 
 Mr. Stone for the ten years of my ministry 
 there, was one of unbroken confidence and 
 felicity. His general simplicity, and I may say 
 transparency of character, were always a mat- 
 ter of intense study with me ; and to this day,
 
 ABNER STONE. 87 
 
 are my highest idea of a gospel, Scripture 
 righteousness. 
 
 " In every question of obvious duty, we 
 always knew where to find Mr. Stone. 
 
 " So settled and principled were his ideas of 
 sanctuary ordinances ; so constant his appear- 
 ance in the house of God, that we did not need 
 to ask if something serious was the matter, 
 when his seat was left vacant. Indeed I have 
 always felt, and often quoted his case as one of 
 God's genuine household ; not from any special 
 measure of gift, but from fulfilling 1 in the best 
 sense the measure thai was given him ; fulfilling 
 the stewardship of God's trust in the best intents 
 of probation." 
 
 In personal appearance, Mr. Stone was tall, 
 and slightly stooping, as of a man not in high 
 health. His features were regular, and his 
 countenance wore the expression of benignity 
 and gentle thoughts. Those who were his 
 pupils in the Sabbath school remember with 
 grateful interest, his pleasant voice, and the 
 quiet way in which he proposed questions and 
 gave instructions. Though not awed by his 
 presence, they were attracted by his manner. 
 There was an evident sincerity, and simple ear- 
 nestness, which touched the heart ; and the 
 clearness of his statements of truth carried con-
 
 88 ABNER STONE. 
 
 viction to the understanding. Thus his influ- 
 ence over his class was constraining rather than 
 impulsive ; and the effect of his teaching was 
 permanent. He is cherished by them with 
 warm regard. 
 
 By his fellow teachers he was held in high 
 esteem. Though not apt to obtrude his opin- 
 ions, lie always had an opinion, and was ready 
 to give it, when the case required ; and it was 
 uniformly found worthy of respect. He looked 
 at questions of duty and plans of action, from 
 a practical standpoint ; and his mind was 
 remarkably free from bias or prejudice. The 
 law of love was in his heart ; and he seemed 
 never to lose sight of the fact that he was one 
 of Christ's disciples. And when plans of action 
 were to be carried out, and wise counsels to be 
 transformed into deeds, none was found more 
 efficient than he. Quietly, but directly, and, 
 promptly, he did his part. And when the duty 
 was well discharged, and good results achieved, 
 he was not careful to claim any of the honor. 
 
 He was Superintendent of the Sabbath school 
 for two or three years, though he took the place 
 with some reluctance ; and discharged its 
 duties, as he did all duties, with singleness of 
 purpose, as unto Christ. 
 
 He lived to see the church and Sabbath
 
 ABAGAIL BENT. 89 
 
 school send out two considerable colonies, which 
 grew into important centres of influence. And 
 at his death, the mother church and the school 
 were both stronger, and had larger numbers 
 enrolled, than before sending forth the colonies. 
 " There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth." 
 He died February, 1859, at the ripe age of 
 eighty-one. The sweet savor of a gentle, 
 devout, godly life attaches to his memory. 
 
 ABAGAIL BENT. 
 
 Of the three young ladies Abagail Bent, 
 Martha Trowbridge and Mary Brown who 
 unitedly started the Sabbath school, it may be 
 difficult to decide which performed the more 
 important part of the work. But to Miss Bent 
 belongs the honor of taking the lead in suggest- 
 ing, and carrying into operation the devised 
 plan. Indeed she was by nature fitted to be a 
 leader in new enterprises. Of quick discern- 
 ment, and active temperament ; with her acqui- 
 sitions always at command, and self-reliant; 
 she was ready to act, when others had only pos- 
 sessed themselves of the means for forming a 
 wise judgment. And as the goodness of her 
 motive was unquestioned, and her plans feasible,
 
 90 ABAGAIL BENT. 
 
 it was common for them to be substantially 
 adopted. 
 
 She had seen the working of a Sabbath school 
 in Bath, N. EL, while engaged in teaching a 
 public school in that village, in previous years. 
 She may have assisted in this school, as the 
 Rev. Mr. Sutherland, its founder, was a valued 
 friend of her family. She at least had a knowl- 
 edge of his method of conducting his class ; 
 which could not fail to be of service in the 
 opening of our Sabbath school. 
 
 Miss Bent was left a half-orphan, by the death 
 of her mother, when eight years old. She had 
 good advantages for education, at the Framing- 
 ham Academy, and at Mrs. Rowson's school in 
 Newton. After completing her studies, she 
 taught school during the summer months, for 
 several years. She made a profession of religion 
 in 1805, when twenty-three years old. Her 
 thoughts were specially directed to her spiritual 
 interests, by a sermon preached by Rev. John 
 Brewer, in Dr. Kellogg's pulpit. " She went 
 home from meeting under deep conviction of 
 sin, feeling that she was lost, but unable to 
 find a .Saviour. She tried to pray ; but the 
 door of mercy seemed to be shut." Her dis- 
 tress and darkness lasted for a considerable 
 time, when she was enabled to cast herself
 
 ABAGAIL BENT. 91 
 
 unconditionally on the mercy of God in Jesus 
 Christ. Then light and peace came and filled 
 her soul, as it had been full of anguish and 
 forebodings. 
 
 This true and deep conviction of sin, which 
 she experienced, and which preceded her Chris- 
 tian hope, had an important influence on her 
 subsequent Christian life. Probably it is the 
 common experience of Christ's disciples, that 
 the deeper their sense of the guilt of sin, the 
 truer their joy at deliverance from its curse ; 
 the more they realize their helpless and undone 
 condition by nature, the more they appreciate 
 the recovering grace of God ; the clearer they 
 discover the plague of their own hearts, the 
 more attractive appears that holiness without 
 which none shall see the Lord. In other words, 
 there is a correspondence between the felt reali- 
 ties of a sinful and a regenerate state of the 
 soul ; and the pardoned sinner will prize and 
 magnify his Saviour, just in proportion as he 
 has felt his need of him. 
 
 Miss Bent found that she had much to strug- 
 gle against, in keeping her covenant vows. 
 She was naturally wild and impulsive ; and it 
 was not easy to maintain the meekness and 
 gentleness of Christ ; it was not easy to lay 
 aside old habits of feeling and thought and will,
 
 92 ABAGAIL BENT. 
 
 and be clothed with humility. Yet she was 
 fully sensible of her peculiar tendencies and 
 trials. " Sister Nancy," she would often say, 
 " can be a Christian with half the effort I can ! " 
 Yet she never excused herself for wrong doing 
 on the ground of natural disposition, and early 
 habits. She took blame to herself for whatever 
 in her heart or life, was contrary to the divine 
 requirements, and the spirit of her profession. 
 
 As a woman and a Christian, she had marked 
 individuality of character ; and was always her- 
 self. Perhaps the trait which first impressed 
 an observer, was her independence of character. 
 Her thoughts were her own, and her mode of 
 stating them was her own. She looked upon 
 life from her own point of vision ; and adopted 
 purposes and formed plans accordingly. Her 
 views of duty were in accordance with her 
 views of life. Ever faithful to her own settled 
 beliefs, she carried them into practice in her 
 own way. And this independence of thought 
 and opinion, rendered her sometimes liable to be 
 misunderstood ; perhaps sometimes appeared, 
 when seen in single acts, like confident forward- 
 ness. But actions are to be judged by their 
 motives and circumstances, rather than by com- 
 parison ; and each 'man is entitled to his indi- 
 viduality. In Miss Bent's case, there are two
 
 ABAGAIL BENT. 93 
 
 facts which are important as throwing light on 
 this matter, and that enable us to draw a right 
 conclusion. 1. She had a sound physical con- 
 stitution, and uniform good health, which gave 
 her moral life a higher tone and elasticity ; 
 and 2. by the loss of her mother in childhood, 
 she was thrown on her own resources, and 
 forced to rely much on herself. Thus robust 
 in health, she did not feel the need of help, as 
 the inv.alid child does, and could stand the 
 brunt in childhood's battles ; and at the facile 
 period when thoughts and feelings and tastes 
 take form, she had not the softening, restrain- 
 ing influence of a mother's love and authority. 
 And being the eldest of the family, she was 
 looked up to, and constantly bore some weight 
 of authority. That these circumstances should 
 give a lasting bias to character, is not sur- 
 prising. 
 
 Another noticeable feature in Miss Bent's 
 character was inherent strength, the strength 
 which comes of well defined opinions, and a 
 firm purpose. Deep feeling and prompt action 
 are inseparable. Thorough knowledge of one's 
 self and of God, and unfaltering trust in God, 
 are essential to Christian stability. Or to state 
 it more definitely, the strength of the Christian 
 character depends primarily on deep conviction
 
 94 ABAGAIL BENT. 
 
 of sin, and unfaltering faith in Christ. Man's 
 moral strength lies in a knowledge of his weak- 
 ness and a knowledge of his strength. And as 
 his weakness is sin, so his strength is Christ. 
 Hence Paul's paradox, " When I am weak, 
 then am I strong." And the weakness of sin 
 lies in its guilt, which is seen and felt only 
 through the enlightening and quickening of 
 conscience which is wrought hy the Spirit of 
 God. He only who comprehends the nature 
 of this guilt, realizes his desert of the penalty ; 
 and he only discerns the full meaning of the 
 cross of Christ, by whom he has redemption. 
 The man's views of Christ then depend on his 
 views of sin ; and faith is vital only when con- 
 viction is deep. Miss Bent's experiences, while 
 groping her way in darkness to the mercy-seat, 
 will account for the stability of her Christian 
 faith. 
 
 She had great force of character. She had 
 the nerve to look calmly at difficulties, to 
 study their nature, and to weigh their exact 
 power, and then to turn them aside, or over- 
 come them. Her fearless energy made moun- 
 tains appear no larger than mole-hills ; and 
 what was discouraging to others, was only an 
 exhilarating incitement to her. If an end was 
 good and desirable, there was always, with her,
 
 ABAGAIL BENT. 95 
 
 a way to secure it. And she could inspire in 
 others what she felt in herself. In 1806, a dear 
 friend of hers was left a widow in youth, and 
 was sick, a thousand miles away, in what was 
 then the Western wilderness ; but she persuaded 
 a brother of this friend to undertake a journey 
 thither, to bring the homesick consumptive 
 back to the parental roof. No sooner was a 
 class of girls gathered for the beginning of a 
 Sabbath school, than she set to work to gather 
 a class of boys. Indeed she could hardly wait 
 to finish any plan ; others could do that ; and 
 she must take hold of something new. And 
 perhaps for this reason, she had more to do with 
 the Sabbath school in its earlier years, and less 
 after it had gone into successful operation. 
 And perhaps, with her sanguine temperament, 
 she was over-urgent for results. " The hus- 
 bandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the 
 earth, and hath long patience for it, until he 
 receive the early and latter rain." She wanted 
 immediate results ; to reap the harvest, when 
 the seed was sown. But this made her an effi- 
 cient member of society, and of the church. 
 There is always need of, and a place for such ; 
 as there are always backward and doubting 
 ones enough to clog the wheels, and prevent 
 precipitancy.
 
 96 ABIGAIL BENT. 
 
 Her efficiency as a teacher in the Sabbath 
 school has been indicated by the preceding 
 analysis of her leading characteristics. Thor- 
 ough in her preparation of the lesson ; deeply 
 imbued herself with the spirit of the truths 
 taught ; she awakened and concentrated the 
 interest of her class. She was a thorough 
 teacher ; and, while under her instruction, her 
 class were thorough scholars. Few have the 
 faculty of gaining and holding the entire atten- 
 tion, and arresting the spirit of childhood at will, 
 and creating more vivid impressions and fixing 
 those impressions permanently, than Miss Bent. 
 Not only the sentiments expressed, but the 
 exact words used in her suggestions and instruc- 
 tions, are securely lodged in the memory of her 
 scholars ; and now, after fifty years, are recalled 
 and repeated with pleasure. They are worth 
 remembering, because of their intrinsic value ; 
 and for the sake of the Christian motive which 
 prompted them. Her method was direct ; her 
 aim single. She would lead the children, in 
 their earliest years, to the Saviour. Said one 
 of her early pupils, on hearing of her death, 
 " I have no doubt that she has gone to heaven, 
 for she has all her lifetime been trying to get 
 others there." 
 
 With the stronger elements, and intrepid
 
 ABAGAIL BENT. 97 
 
 courage, she united a sympathy and kindness 
 for the sick and afflicted, which knew no limit. 
 Several instances occurred, where friends or 
 strangers were thrown on her care, away from 
 their home ; and a mother could not have 
 watched over them more tenderly, nor grieved 
 more sincerely when they died. 
 
 Miss Bent had large opportunities for obser- 
 vation of life in some of its phases ; and her 
 activity in various religious and educational 
 enterprises, brought her in contact with people 
 of diverse and leading peculiarities and aims. 
 And her habit of estimating things by her own 
 standard, and the decided convictions by which 
 she was guided, naturally led her mind to draw 
 inferences and lessons, which had to her an 
 important value. And in mature life she 
 formed the plan of writing out these incidents 
 and lessons for the benefit of the young. She 
 commenced a series of publications, in the form 
 of narratives and biography, embodying indi- 
 vidual and family history, interspersed with 
 moral and religious reflections. She had sent 
 forth "The Happy Merchant," "The Foster 
 Family," " Conrad," and " Edith," published 
 by the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society ; 
 and left another similar volume ready for the 
 press, and one partly written. These books 
 
 7
 
 98 ABAGAIL BENT. 
 
 were well received by the Sabbath schools, for 
 whose libraries they were specially intended. 
 They are all narratives of real life, varied from 
 the actual occurrences only by fictitious names. 
 And they have the attraction which reality 
 always gives to depicted scenes. 
 
 As an author, she had skill in representing 
 quiet home life ; and in the fidelity to charac- 
 ter with which she gave conversations, especially 
 on religious topics. Perhaps she excelled in 
 describing the incidents, and grouping the indi- 
 viduals around the evening fireside, and in the 
 sick-room. Two thoughts were prominent in 
 her mind, and are in a great variety of ways 
 introduced into her pages, the preciousness of 
 the Bible, and the importance of beginning the 
 life of piety early. 
 
 Miss Bent died September 28, 1841, aged 
 fifty-nine years, in the midst of her work and 
 usefulness. She was sick but twelve days. 
 " Her disease was violent, and excruciating 
 beyond conception ; but her mind was calm 
 and tranquil. Having placed her hopes in 
 health, and indeed in youth, on the great aton- 
 ing- Sacrifice, she found in the trying hour that 
 she was not deceived. Her confidence in the 
 mediation of Jesus Christ was unusually strong, 
 and her death truly triumphant. Often during 

 
 DEACON LUTHER HAVEN. 99 
 
 the last hours, did she offer the prayer of the 
 dying martyr, ' Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' 
 Her last words were, ' Tell me, my soul, can 
 this be death ? ' " 
 
 DEACON LUTHER HAVEN. 
 
 
 
 Deacon Haven was early enlisted in the estab- 
 lishment of a Sabbath school in the Congrega- 
 tional society, and was chosen its first Superin- 
 tendent. This was due to his energy and prac- 
 tical wisdom, and prominent position in the 
 church and in the community, as well as his 
 devoted piety. Well educated, for the times, 
 always self-possessed, accustomed to public 
 speaking, and well versed in the truths of the 
 Bible, the selection was a fortunate one. He 
 gave an impress and character, and efficient 
 organization to the school, which carried it 
 through its first years, and insured a steady 
 and strong growth. What would have been an 
 experiment with some, was to him, with his 
 clear forecast, and firm will, and fertility of 
 resources, an assured certainty ; and with his 
 reverence for the Holy Scriptures, and thor- 
 ough conscientiousness, and religious principle, 
 the results of his efforts would redound to the 
 glory of God.
 
 100 DEACON LUTHEE HAVEN. 
 
 Deacon Haven sprung from a Framingham 
 ancestry, though he was born in Holliston. He 
 was brought up after the manner of the Calvin- 
 istic system of belief, and morals, in strict 
 integrity, and uprightness, and the fear of the 
 Lord. His mental powers were of a high 
 order ; his perceptions quick ; his convictions 
 deep ; his spirit fervent ; his powers of reason- 
 ing acute ; his conclusions practical and safe. 
 
 From his youth up, he was strictly observant 
 of the Sabbath, and constant in attendance on 
 public worship. But he had reached his forty- 
 fourth year, before he entertained the Chris- 
 tian's hope. In 1814, during the revival which 
 had been for some months in progress, while 
 listening to a sermon from the text, " Why 
 stand ye here all the day idle ? " the thought 
 came with intense force to his mind, that his 
 own day of life was fast spending, and he was 
 " idle " in God's work ; worse than idle in the 
 matter of his soul's salvation ; laying up wrath 
 instead of mercy. He felt that this call was to 
 him ; and he lost no time in speculations, and 
 trial of the expedients which the natural heart 
 suggests, but commenced to seek God at once, 
 and in earnest. If the day was far spent, and 
 the night at hand, so much the more was there 
 need of urgency and diligence. After a season
 
 DEACON LUTHER HAVEN. 101 
 
 of anxiety, and searching of heart, the blessed 
 Spirit of grace and consolation was revealed to 
 him, and he found peace in believing. He felt 
 the need, and saw clearly the grounds of justi- 
 fication by faith ; and built his hope of pardon 
 and full redemption on this sure foundation. 
 " Unto them that believe, he is precious." 
 
 "With his characteristic determination and 
 force of character, he set about the work of 
 the new life on which he had entered. The 
 doctrines of grace were to him incentives to 
 work out his own salvation with fear and trem- 
 bling. God working in him to will and to do, 
 was sufficient reason why he should will and 
 do ; why he should be wholly subservient to 
 the divine will ; why his life should testify of 
 the grace of God. His promptness and faith- 
 fulness, and earnest words of exhortation, at 
 the meetings for prayer and conference, were 
 especially prized by his pastor, Dr. Kellogg, 
 and are remembered with special interest by 
 those who were present ; remembered because 
 of their peculiar force and appropriateness ; and 
 because it had not been customary for laymen 
 to take an active part in such meetings. In 
 some churches, at this period, it was considered 
 out of place for any but the pastor to make an 
 exhortation, or attempt to explain the Scrip-
 
 102 DEACON LUTHER HAVEN. 
 
 tures. Indeed in many churches, at this period, 
 conference and prayer meetings were wholly 
 discarded. 
 
 At the time of his conversion, so late in life, 
 many habits of mind, and tastes, had become 
 fixed ; had become a second nature to him. 
 His style of thought, and ways of expressing 
 thought, could hardly be changed. His knowl- 
 edge of the world, and quick perception of 
 character, and skill in comparing and weighing 
 ostensible motives and purposes, had given a 
 peculiar pith and point to his methods of 
 expressing himself, and his criticisms of men 
 and manners. He had also naturally a keen 
 appreciation of the ludicrous in human conduct 
 and thought, and was remarkably quick and 
 felicitous at repartee. His generous heart 
 prompted a sparing use of these powers, but 
 he sometimes wounded deeply by liis incisive 
 thrusts. He abhorred all pretense and dissem- 
 bling, and 'loved truth and sincerity ; paid hom- 
 age to pure motives and sterling integrity. 
 
 That after forty years, customary views and 
 methods, and leading traits and habits should 
 retain their vitality, and turn the thoughts and 
 feelings in the old channels, is not strange. 
 And that they should sometimes cast reproach 
 on " the new man which after God is created
 
 DEACON LUTHER HAVEN. 103 
 
 in righteousness and true holiness," is accord- 
 ant with human experience. He did not feel 
 called upon to repress all these habitual 
 impulses, and cut his style of expression to 
 anybody's pattern ; he believed that their 
 indulgence within proper limits, is innocent, 
 and conducive to one's own and others' hap- 
 piness ; but he felt the need of watchfulness, 
 and often had to regret a stinging answer which 
 unconsciously escaped him. And he always 
 had more edge than polish ; more of the out- 
 spoken bluntness, and less of the gentleness of 
 Christ. 
 
 But his godly sincerity none doubted. And 
 where grave and serious concerns were at issue, 
 he saw nothing but the weighty reality ; where 
 wise counsels were necessary, he could concen- 
 trate all his powers ; where words were deeds, 
 his words were well chosen. In anxious delib- 
 erations for the well-being of the church, and 
 in carrying out measures for the extension of 
 pure and undefiled religion, his heart and mind 
 were enlisted, and he was governed by the spirit 
 of his divine Master. Moral obligation to God 
 was a first motive in his plans, and directed his 
 moral acts. If duty to God was plain, no other 
 questions required his thoughts. He ever had 
 a deep sense of God's goodness and long-suffer-
 
 104 DEACON LUTHER HA YEN. 
 
 ing, in sparing him, and waiting on him to be 
 gracious, while he was serving sin. And his 
 sense of the condescension of the Son of God in 
 giving his life a ransom, was sometimes almost 
 overpowering. His voice would become trem- 
 ulous from emotion, as he gave utterance in 
 prayer and exhortation, to his experiences of 
 loving-kindness, and his views of the merciful 
 dispensation, which received its finished efficacy 
 at the cross on Calvary. 
 
 When in 1816, the plan of opening a Sab- 
 bath school was suggested, Deacon Haven was 
 found ready for the work. As the method and 
 its details were yet to be settled, there was need 
 of forecast and constructive ability, as well as 
 zeal and hopefulness. He had habits of careful 
 observation, and a reflective mind, and the 
 calmness to look on all sides of a new subject, 
 before adopting a conclusion. He had the good 
 common sense that can see what is to be done, 
 and how best to do it. And what was pecu- 
 liarly necessary, he had the insight into char- 
 acter which enabled him to judge what parf 
 each .person associated with him could be relied 
 on to do ; to judge if the zeal of one would hold 
 out, and the doubts of another would be con- 
 vinced, and how the various opinions could be 
 harmonized. Without apparent effort, he would
 
 DEACON LUTHER HAVEN. 105 
 
 contrive to make the most of individuals ; to 
 give them the place they could fill with best 
 acceptance and advantage. And having broad 
 and generous aims, and a heart consecrated to 
 the cause, his plans and management as Super- 
 intendent, at this critical period, proved emi- 
 nently wise. Literally, he laid " the founda- 
 tions of many generations." 
 
 Perhaps the traits by which Deacon Haven 
 was most distinguished, were, the clearness and 
 precision of his views, and his unswerving 
 obedience to duty. His standard of Christian 
 character was well-defined, and elevated ; and 
 he tried himself and others by it ;. and con- 
 demned, as heartily in himself as in others, 
 neglects and deficiencies. The doctrines of the 
 gospel, as they presented themselves to his 
 mind for belief, took a definite form, and 
 arranged themselves in a harmonious system. 
 He was accustomed to study the Bible for him- 
 self, and knew its ewn grounds of truth, and 
 could give a reason of the hope that was in him. 
 Through all his Christian life, he " held fast 
 the form of sound words, in faith and love 
 which is in Christ Jesus." 
 
 And in action, convictions of right and duty 
 impelled and guided, and not the impulse of 
 mere feeling. This gave him his peculiar
 
 103 DEACON LUTHER HAVEN. 
 
 power ; gave him the elements of a positive 
 rather than a negative life ; gave him the force 
 of character, which makes its own way, and 
 leaves its own impression on society. 
 
 And the fact that he had decided and well 
 defined views, and yielded implicit obedience 
 to the right, to the dictates of his own con- 
 science, sometimes brought him into antago- 
 nism with others ; with friends as well as foes. 
 This always lays a man open to misconstruction 
 and unjust criticism. It is so common to study 
 the policy of plans and actions, that the bold 
 pursuit of right is not appreciated ; indeed, is 
 not understood. The strait and narrow way 
 which Christ trod, and which leadeth unto life 
 will always have few travellers, and they will 
 be " set at nought " as their leader was, and 
 will have little influence in the great world of 
 business, and distinction, and earthly reward. 
 
 With more of the impulsive element in his 
 character, and more of pliability, his popular- 
 ity would have been greater perhaps his 
 influence not more salutary. He whose life 
 attracts notice, and who makes an immediate 
 impression on society, is he who has quick sen- 
 sibility, and obeys the impulse of the moment. 
 He goes with a rush like the mountain torrent 
 from melting snows ; but his power ceases with
 
 DEACON LUTHER HAVEN. 107 
 
 his popularity, or his active life. The man who 
 makes the deepest and a lasting impression on 
 society, must have quick sensibility, but a 
 quicker conscience ; must be capable of being 
 deeply stirred and thoroughly aroused, but 
 through appeals to his judgment through the 
 apprehension of the understanding ; and must 
 act with energy and courage, but without 
 nervous excitement and transient emotion. 
 To flash forth like the meteor or lightning, 
 may only produce disturbance, perhaps destruc- 
 tion ; it is the steady light of the sun that 
 warms and invigorates, and brings the fruits to 
 perfection. 
 
 Deacon Haven retained his interest in the 
 Sabbath school, and was ever active in various 
 ways in its support ; and after a retirement of 
 eleven years was called a second time to the 
 superin tendency. 
 
 He loved the church, and sought its purity 
 and enlargement ; loved and cherished it in 
 prosperity and in perils ; stood by its doctrines 
 and discipline ; to the last " holding the Head," 
 and believing that " other foundation can no 
 man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 He died July 11, 1851, at the advanced age 
 of eighty-one. " Tho righteous shall be in 
 everlasting remembrance."
 
 108 MARY BROWN. 
 
 MARY BROWN. (MRS. JONAS COLBURN.) 
 
 Miss Brown was a native of this town, and 
 was educated at the Framingham Academy 
 and at Mr. Emerson's school in Byfield. 
 Though her father resided three miles from 
 the centre village, she boarded at home while 
 attending school, and was noted for her punctu- 
 ality and thorough scholarship. 
 
 After completing a course of English studies 
 at the academy, she went in 1812 to Canada, 
 where she spent four years in teaching. She 
 afterwards taught school in her own district in 
 Framingham, and in neighboring towns. 
 
 She was the subject of special religious con- 
 victions, and dated her hope of a gracious 
 change in the year 1813, when 22 years old. 
 
 She was married to Rev. Jonas Colburn in 
 1823, passing the next twenty years of her life 
 at Leverett and Stoneham, in this State, and at 
 Wells, Maine. 
 
 Miss Brown was in Framingham in the 
 autumn of 1816, and was present at the first 
 consultation in reference to opening a Sabbath 
 school, in which she felt a deep interest, and 
 readily undertook her share of the labor. She 
 was constantly present, and took part in teach- 
 ing the first class of girls gathered, and had
 
 MAEY BROWN. 109 
 
 charge of a class till her marriage in 1823, 
 except when absent teaching, or at school in 
 Byfield. 
 
 Her qualifications for instruction were supe- 
 rior, both of mind and character. With good 
 culture and a well-stored memory, she had a 
 remarkable faculty of attaching children to her 
 and gaining their good will. Possessing a 
 genial, sympathetic nature, and a kind of 
 intuitive perception of the most direct way to 
 a child's heart, she could inspire courage in 
 the timid, and help the hesitating over the 
 stumbling-blocks with so little seeming effort 
 that they scarcely knew they were helped, and 
 were surprised to find themselves reciting so 
 acceptably. She would succeed in establishing 
 a perfect understanding and acquaintance with 
 her class, in a brief time, and having won their 
 confidence would lead them along at her will. 
 She was equally at home with the little ones of 
 six, and the lads and misses of sixteen ; and 
 was equally successful in imparting instruction, 
 and acquiring a moral ascendency. 
 
 And this interest in the young, and power to 
 win their confidence, and to impress her own 
 thoughts upon their minds, continued through 
 life. One who knew her first when over fifty 
 years old, says, " My earliest recollections of
 
 110 MART BROWN. 
 
 Mrs. Colburn are of her sweet smile and win- 
 ning ways, as when quite a child I used to 
 visit at her house. I think I must have been 
 about seven years old. Even then, I remem- 
 ber, she often spoke to me of the love of Jesus 
 in such gentle tones as touched my childish 
 heart, and made an ineffaceable impression." 
 
 She knew her peculiar gift ; she felt that 
 this was a " talent " intrusted to her, and 
 sought to make it yield large gain to her Lord. 
 Hence this power was, after her conversion, 
 held subservient to, and directed by love to her 
 Savior. She endeavored to take advantage of 
 the confidence bestowed on her, to lead the 
 children to the truth, and to Him who is the 
 Way and the Truth and the Life. 
 
 Seen then with her natural endowments of 
 mind and heart ; or seen when to these were 
 added the graces of the Spirit, " everybody 
 loved her." To children and their parents, to 
 old and young alike, her presence was an inspi- 
 ration and a joy. 
 
 Miss Brown had naturally a high flow of 
 spirits, and great conversational powers. She 
 had ready humor, a playful fancy, a keen 
 appreciation of the beautiful, and a quick sym- 
 pathy, which, added to enough of confidence in 
 herself to make her master of her thoughts and
 
 MAEY BROWN. Ill 
 
 words, rendered her a most entertaining talker. 
 She would catch the spirit of the time and 
 place, and take the lead, or bear her part with 
 equal felicity. She had read much, and 
 remembered vividly the facts and incidents, 
 and could recall them when she wanted them 
 for use. 
 
 She had peculiar elasticity of mind. Her 
 thoughts would bound off from point to point, 
 like the antelope over the rocks and hills. And 
 yet it was not at random. She seemed to have 
 her fancy, and her memory, and her reasoning 
 powers, all in harness, and in hand, and to 
 press them to the race for the very joy of it. 
 Her own spirit received pleasure, while she 
 imparted pleasure to her friends. 
 
 This habit of entertaining her friends by her 
 conversational powers, in which she indulged 
 without restraint in youth, caused her much 
 anxiety in maturer life. She felt that her use- 
 fulness and happiness would be promoted, by 
 maintaining her youthful vivacity and sympa- 
 thy. The love for the beautiful, and the relish 
 of mental excitement, when mind meets mind, 
 and heart comes in contact with heart, and the 
 bright scintillations of thought and feeling are 
 evolved, were inwrought in her nature so 
 deeply, that to fetter her emotions and limit
 
 112 MARY BROWN. 
 
 their expression in words, was like obstructing 
 the life current. But to decide how far Chris- 
 tian principle should restrain and modify her 
 ruling passion ; to fix the dividing line between 
 safety and danger, was not easy. It cost her 
 many struggles and fears. And her closet 
 could probably testify to many an hour of 
 regrets and tears, consequent upon an evening 
 spent in social enjoyment, where she gave way 
 to the old time levity. 
 
 That reserve and a clouded brow are no part 
 of religion, is plain. That a cheerful spirit, 
 and the highest culture of the social nature, is 
 consistent with piety, is plain. That to be 
 *happy and to make others happy, is a part of 
 religion, is equally plain. That to keep one's 
 self young in impulses and feelings and hopes, 
 is promotive of one's influence over the young, 
 is unquestioned. That good sense, and quick 
 intelligence, and warm emotions, and a fit 
 method of expressing them, are parts of the 
 " talent" intrusted to the Christian, is unques- 
 tionable. But precisely where is the line 
 between innocent mirth, and hurtful levity ; 
 wherein reverence for God should restrain our 
 natural impulses ; how far the great realities 
 of moral obligation and immortality of sin 
 and holiness consist with social amusements,
 
 MARY BROWN. 113 
 
 and the trivial obligations of this fleeting life ; 
 at what point devotion to friends interferes with 
 devotion to God ; may well cause the consci- 
 entious Christian anxious inquiry. 
 
 And then the power of example, and the risk 
 that our example may be an " offence " to any ; 
 and that it may be misjudged, and give occa- 
 sion for false inferences in regard to ourselves, 
 and be made a justification for unrestrained 
 license of frivolity and worldly-mindedness in 
 others, is a sufficient reason why we should 
 " keep the door of our lips." Christians are 
 not always aware how closely they are watched, 
 even by those who have no doubt of their Chris- 
 tian character ; not so much, perhaps, from a 
 curiosity to see how a Christian acts, as from a 
 conviction that a Christian has no right to for- 
 get, even for a moment, his religious obliga- 
 tions. 
 
 Later in life, Mrs. Colburn showed in a 
 marked degree, the chastening effect of afflic- 
 tion, and the sadder realities of life. For there 
 is a shady side, as well as a cloud with a silver 
 lining, in the experience of most pastors' wives, 
 of most of Christ's chosen ones ; tests of one 
 or another natural or gracious affection ; that 
 the beauty of holiness may appear in His true 
 children. She could readily make and attach 
 8
 
 114 MARY BROWN. 
 
 to herself new friends ; but her best social 
 delights were in old friends, her heart rested 
 in the confidence and communion of tried and 
 congenial love. One of her peculiar trials was 
 the breaking up of friendships attendant on 
 removals from one parish to another. It was 
 a strain on her sensitive nature, which colder 
 hearts cannot understand. But sorest of all 
 was the death of her two dearly loved daugh- 
 ters, in their early infancy ; just when the 
 wealth of a mother's tenderness and affection 
 is poured out most freely, and the first artless 
 tokens of love returned, are revealed to a 
 mother's eye. 
 
 But the trial was a fire that purifies. There 
 was manifest a deeper spirituality ; and unfail- 
 ing faith in that precious love of the Saviour 
 towards her, which was the spring of her life, 
 supported her. And as her nature recovered 
 itself, a new and unwonted strength was appar- 
 ent ; a firmer hold on the divine promises ; a 
 clearer insight into the divine mercy ; a sweet 
 and loving nearness to him who took her little 
 ones ; a yearning, not to recall them, but to 
 meet them in his bosom. The old bounding 
 elasticity of spirits remained, as an essential 
 part of herself; but chastened, refined, conse- 
 crated. The playfulness of fancy, and thorough
 
 MAEY BROWN. 115 
 
 sympathy with the hearty mirth of childhood 
 remained ; but it was easier for her to fix the 
 limit to her feelings and words. 
 
 There is a mourning, that " will not be com- 
 forted," that buries itself in the grave with 
 the loved and lost ; a grief, which faints under 
 rebukes, which weakens and wastes, and 
 brings a premature oldness. And there is a 
 cherishing the memory of departed ones, espe- 
 cially of beloved children ; a keeping fresh the 
 feelings that centred in their life, and awakened 
 our hopes in them, that keeps our hearts as 
 young as when they died. Henceforth they are 
 to us just what they were then ; and we think 
 of them and ourselves as living together in the 
 charmed and changeless oasis ; the spring-time 
 has no summer ; the fragrant morning has no- 
 hot noon ; the opening rose remains a bud. 
 And this consecration of affection, of the 
 entwined ties of life ; this baptism into a new 
 experience, where our Heavenly Father took 
 his own, and left us his blessing, tracing with 
 his own finger on the rainbow of promise which 
 spanned the dark cloud, his name and pledge, 
 Jehovah-jireh, gives a tone and coloring to our 
 life and character ; is to the true Christian 
 the sanctification which cometh of God.
 
 116 MARY BROWN. 
 
 From this time forth, her interest in children 
 had a new element, and a new aim. The 
 thought, thus made a reality to her, that they 
 may be early called, inspired her to be faithful 
 in efforts to instruct them in the Bible, and to 
 win them to Christ. 
 
 Among the influences which gave a dis- 
 tinctive bent, and its completeness to the char- 
 acter of Mrs. Colburn, and developed her tastes, 
 and habits of thought, none was so important 
 as the Bible. 
 
 She heard it read by her father in his family, 
 who was very careful to enjoin a silent and 
 respectful attention ; and at the age of five 
 years, she commenced reading it in course. 
 And this custom she continued through life. 
 Probably not a day passed except in severe 
 sickness for sixty-two years> in which she did 
 not read from one to five chapters. 
 
 In early youth she was attracted by its histo- 
 ries and biographies ; and its rich imagery, and 
 sweet and sublime poetry, found answering har- 
 monies in her keen sensibility, and refined 
 mind. After she had tasted that the Lord is 
 gracious, and had drunk at the living foun- 
 tain, she read the Bible for its own sake, and 
 its Author's sake. She loved the inspired and 
 inspiring truths, the doctrines, the promises,
 
 MARY BROWN. 117 
 
 the plan of salvation, the immortality brought 
 to light, the revealed realities of this life and 
 the life to come, " more to be desired than 
 gold, yea, than much fine gold ; sweeter also 
 than honey and the honeycomb." 
 
 So truly did she appreciate the Holy Book, 
 so filled was her mind with its truths and facts, 
 so fully in sympathy was her heart with its 
 spirit and power, that she seemed unconsciously 
 to think in its language and images. 
 
 In conversation with friends and strangers, 
 on the common incidents and plans of life, as 
 well as on religious themes, a Scripture expres- 
 sion, as the medium of her thought, came as 
 naturally as her breathing. Her letters, which 
 her friends were wont to prize for their treas- 
 ures of affection, and kind interest, and fitness 
 of thought, abounded in allusions and quota- 
 tions from God's Word. 
 
 Says one of her most intimate friends, " The 
 Bible was her study and delight, and nothing 
 relieved weariness and alleviated sorrow like 
 a perusal of its pages." So familiar was she 
 with every part of the sacred volume, that 
 when any one read a chapter, she could prompt, 
 or correct, or go on if they stopped. 
 
 And she was well versed in the Assembly's 
 Shorter Catechism. She had learned it per-
 
 118 MARY BROWN. 
 
 fectly in childhood, and through life was accus- 
 tomed to repeat it the whole catechism to 
 herself every Saturday evening. This exercise 
 and her usual chapter in the Bible would bring 
 her feelings in unison with the holy rest of the 
 Sabbath. This little compendium of truth 
 probably expressed very nearly her religious 
 creed, as a clear statement of what the Scrip- 
 tures teach in regard to man's nature and 
 relations to God, and the plan of salvation. 
 
 It scarcely need be said, that a character 
 formed under the united influence and inspira- 
 tion of the Bible and Catechism, will possess 
 symmetry and strength, will have the elements 
 of a vigorous activity, and well-adjusted pro- 
 portions. There will be motive to arouse the 
 mental and moral faculties ; there will be ends 
 to gain, personal and social, high and noble ; 
 there are means supplied suited to strong and 
 enduring effort. With the grace of Christ in 
 the soul, and the glory of Christ to live for, 
 and following the light of the blessed Word 
 which shines in the heart as well as forward on 
 the path no power will be idle ; every power 
 will find its best development ; every power 
 will be in harmony with a regenerate life ; all 
 the powers will work together for good.
 
 MARY BROWN. 119 
 
 Her naturally quick perception and self-pos- 
 session, were of great advantage in the con- 
 scientious and faithful discharge of duty. Her 
 Christian thought and action had fitness, as well 
 as force and beauty. Having a zeal of God, 
 but not according to knowledge, is a weakness, 
 even in the sincere Christian ; and his tongue 
 often nullifies the power of his godly life, which 
 by itself would have a sweet savor of Christ. 
 
 And her superior endowments of mind fitted 
 her to exert an influence on the educated. 
 Perhaps few of her sex have had more success 
 in presenting truth to, and awakening the 
 conscience of students and men of thought. 
 She readily grasped principles and deeper 
 relations, and easily followed logical reasoning. 
 She had a relish for investigation, particularly 
 in theological studies, and was familiar with 
 the grounds and bearings of moral and relig- 
 ious truth. But she was most at home in the 
 thoughts and truths of the Bible ; these were 
 in her heart and memory, and she could use 
 them with great skill. And in her mouth, the 
 texts of Scripture were not suggestive of con- 
 troversy, but of personal concern and belief 
 " a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the 
 heart." Quickening and imparting strength 
 to her own soul, they spoke with vital force to
 
 120 MARY BROWN. 
 
 the souls of others. Thus could she influence 
 the will and heart, and lead to duty. Thus 
 her daily practice and daily delight were, to 
 bear witness to the truth, and recommend the 
 Son of God and His religion to all with whom 
 she was in any degree .conversant. 
 
 She did not wait for duty to come in her 
 way ; she sought it out, made inquiry of God 
 and of conscience for something to do which 
 should promote the welfare of souls. It was 
 not enough for her to lead those who were 
 seeking Him, to the Saviour ; but she went to 
 those who were standing afar off, and by all 
 her persuasive influence endeavored to win 
 them to faith and love. This was her idea of 
 Christian obligation, and the prompting of her 
 heart. And to such there is always enough to 
 do, and wisdom to do it, and " the joy of the 
 Lord is their strength." 
 
 Herein is the secret of a successful, happy, 
 Christian life. To wait on the Lord, as they 
 that watch for the morning, is to find Him a 
 present help. To take up the cross and follow 
 Christ, is to discover his sufficiency and infinite 
 worthiness, and to have his joy fulfilled in 
 themselves, and to find rest to their souls. 
 
 Religion brought forth largely in her its 
 gentle and characteristic fruits, a childlike
 
 MARY BROWN. 121 
 
 trust and assurance, and that nearness to God 
 which finds its best expression in prayer. Like 
 her of Bethany, she loved to sit at the feet of 
 Jesus, and hear his words. And every word 
 which he spoke was believed and cherished. 
 To her, faith was trust as well as belief; was 
 that insight and assurance which participates in 
 the life of Christ ; which daily partakes of the 
 heavenly manna ; which makes the joy and 
 purity of the future, present realities to the 
 soul. 
 
 She loved the sanctuary, as the place of 
 worship, and she loved the retirement of her 
 closet, as the place of communion with her 
 Saviour. She learned an important lesson on 
 the value of prayer in early life. Having 
 opened a school in the village of W. she found 
 her resources taxed, and her patience tried by 
 a number of turbulent spirits, and was almost 
 ready to give up in discouragement. Meeting 
 Mrs. S., a trusted friend, she said, " I'm 
 discouraged ! Those large rough boys don't 
 respect me, and I cannot manage them ! " 
 
 " Pray in your school, and they'll respect 
 you." 
 
 " Oh, I cannot ! " 
 
 " Try it, and see. Grace comes in the way 
 of duty when we need it."
 
 122 MARY BROWN. 
 
 On reflection she determined to try. She 
 opened the morning sessions of the school with 
 prayer ; and from that time, to her surprise 
 and joy, found that even the roughest were 
 respectful, and her authority was established. 
 
 An experience of this kind could not but 
 have a deep significance to one as observant of 
 the ways of God and man as was Miss Brown. 
 She was led into a great mystery, without see- 
 ing the hand that opened the door ; and found 
 it all light and well adjusted within ; found 
 that the divine purposes and prayer were not 
 antagonistic ; found that prayer was God's 
 medium of working out some of his purposes, 
 and blessing the soul that prays. She had no 
 occasion to look on the doctrinal side of this 
 duty. She had the " faith which works by 
 love ; " she found delight in holy communion ; 
 she found strength in waiting on God ; she 
 found " the secret of the Lord was with them 
 that fear him, and that he will show them his 
 covenant." 
 
 With maturer views and experiences of the 
 the Christian life, prayer became a vital element 
 of her piety ; and it was the way in which she 
 obtained spiritual blessings for herself and 
 others. As the dutiful child goes to its father 
 for proper favors, so she went to God not
 
 MARY BROWN. 123 
 
 alone in difficulty and danger, but always 
 whenever affection and reverence, as well ns 
 need prompted. The promise, " Ask, and ye 
 shall receive," had to her the same force as all 
 the Master's teachings. And in her own 
 spiritual needs she went to Him who could 
 help ; in the spiritual needs of her friends, 
 she carried them to Him who could help. 
 When she had urged personal duty and imme- 
 diate attention to religion on one brought 
 within her influence, she would carry the case 
 to God, and thenceforth fidelity and prayer 
 were co-operative, till the individual found par- 
 don at the cross, or passed beyond her reach. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Hitchcock, pastor of the College 
 Church where she attended, in his address at 
 her funeral, remarked that " he knew no person 
 who had done more for Amherst College, by 
 her prayers and efforts to bring young men to 
 Christ." 
 
 After leaving the settled pastoral life, Mr. and 
 Mrs. Colburn removed to Amherst, where she 
 passed seven or eight years, in duties as she 
 had opportunity, and enjoying the literary and 
 religious advantages of the place, and the 
 society of old friends 'and new. They were 
 active and blessed years to her.
 
 124 MARY BROWN. 
 
 They then spent three years in Framingham, 
 on the " old homestead " where Mrs. Collmrn 
 was born, and spent her childhood. But it was 
 iiot the old home. Thirty-five years had 
 wrought great changes. A generation had 
 passed away. Except her brother and a few 
 scattered families, all were strangers. The 
 Academy, and Town House, and Meeting- 
 House were gone. The old trees by the road- 
 side, under whose shade she had rested on the 
 way to school and to church, were cut down, 
 and the young ones in their stead had no grate- 
 ful associations and memories. 
 
 Besides, the location was not convenient to 
 religious and other privileges, which were to 
 her, " more than her necessary food." And 
 her failing health admonished her that it was 
 time to find a quiet retreat, and " set her house 
 in order." 
 
 Her parting with the scene of her childhood 
 as she realized it, a final parting was char- 
 acteristic. Says her sister : " It was arranged 
 that she should spend the last night at our 
 house, and leave us in the morning direct for 
 the cars. Mary came in the afternoon, and 
 staid to tea. She was cheerful and happy, and 
 quite herself, and said nothing of any change 
 of plan for the night. Just at sunset. I noticed
 
 MARY BROWN. 125 
 
 her standing at that east window looking 
 intently out, (the window commanded a full 
 view of the old home farm,) silent, I said, 
 ' Mary, what are you doing ? ' ; 
 
 " ' Taking my leave of my early home, and of 
 you all ! ' 
 
 " After looking long, she turned, saying, ' I 
 had better pass the night at the old place, and 
 leave from there in the morning. It will be as 
 much as I can bear. I shan't see you in the 
 morning. I have you all in my heart ! " ' And 
 with a kisg, she left her brother's hospitable 
 roof and kind family. 
 
 There is deep meaning, and moral beauty in 
 this silent leave-taking. Looking out at that 
 window, with all the faculties gathered up, and 
 the inner consciousness and reflective powers 
 concentrated, was living over again the past ; 
 was fixing the memories of that past and the 
 impressions of the present in one group ; and 
 associating the love of friends with the scenes 
 and proofs of that love. 
 
 This was Mrs. Colburn's only leave-taking. 
 She died alone, and was spared all the pangs of 
 parting with friends. 
 
 After an absence of five years, they returned 
 to Amherst, in the spring of 1857, to occupy a 
 house just purchased by Mr. C. ; and from this
 
 126 MARY BROWN. 
 
 time till the opening of summer, were busy in 
 fitting it up, and gathering those conveniences 
 and comforts and simple luxuries they had 
 need of. Here they had fixed their earthly 
 home ; and in the immediate neighborhood of 
 a few choice friends, and amid the refined soci- 
 ety, and pleasant associations of the village, 
 they expected to pass the evening of life. 
 
 Mrs. Colburn was sensible that her active 
 work was done ; and that her health was grad- 
 ually declining. She had some premonitory 
 symptoms of heart disease, whose liabilities she 
 well understood. But she had need to make 
 no special change in her plans, and no cause 
 for new solicitude. Heaven was near; and 
 Christ had tasted death for her. 
 
 During July, Mr. Colburn was supplying a 
 vacant pulpit in Connecticut, which rendered 
 it desirable for him to be absent through the 
 week. At his urgent request, she consented 
 that a young lady friend should come in and 
 pass the nights with her ; " Not," as she said, 
 " because I am lonely ; for my Saviour is 
 always present with me, and I am not afraid." 
 
 One very warm afternoon she was out making 
 calls on a few particular friends. Nothing 
 unusual was noticed in the state of her health, 
 further than the effect of the extreme heat.
 
 MARY BROWN. 127 
 
 Her spirits were buoyant, and her conversation 
 sparkling, full of pleasant fancies, and happy 
 turns of thought, and rich in spirituality. Her 
 cup of happiness seemed to be full, and running- 
 over. When about leaving the door of Mrs. 
 M., with whom her relations had been most 
 intimate, she said, with a half playful smile, 
 " Before you know it, I shall fly away," allud- 
 ing evidently to the Psalmist's wish, " that 
 I had wings like a dove, for then would I fly 
 away, and be at rest." She knew not that it 
 was prophetic, and that the prophecy was so 
 near its fulfilment. 
 
 The last call made before reaching her own 
 house, was protracted for an hour. She felt 
 specially at home in this family, because of 
 some early associations, and a similarity of 
 present condition. One of the daughters was 
 her companion, during the absence of her hus- 
 band. The presence of these girls, and her 
 desire to do them good, carried her mind back 
 to her own childhood. She recalled its bright 
 pictures of gayety and frolic, which were shaded 
 by the reflection that those first years, which 
 were offered so willingly to the world, belonged 
 to God. She spoke of her happy school days ; 
 of the living and the dead, passing with easy 
 transition from gay to grave. But her mind
 
 128 MARY BROWN. 
 
 dwelt with special pleasure on the kind provi- 
 dence of God, which in a number of instances, 
 had kept her when in danger; and on the 
 sovereign grace of God by which he had adopted 
 her as his child. Referring to the present, she 
 said : " I don't expect to live a great while. 
 No one enjoys life better than I do. I am set- 
 tled where I have long desired to pass a few 
 pleasant, quiet years. I like our new place, 
 and have just got the house fitted up to my 
 taste. I feel that I could enjoy many years in 
 it. But 1 hardly expect it." So was she par- 
 taking of the delights of Christian friendship, 
 and so was she resting in God, with the sweet 
 assurance which says, Thy will be dgiie ! 
 
 " Early in the evening," says her young 
 friend, " when I went to her house, I found 
 Mrs. C. seated in the door-way, listening to 
 music in the house opposite. She seemed 
 rested, and gave me her usual cordial recep- 
 tion, and we soon went into the sitting-room. 
 Her conversation this evening, was mainly on 
 religious subjects ; much of it relating to her 
 own experience and hopes. Among other 
 things, she said : ' I am now in my sixty- 
 seventh year, and I fiave read the Bible through 
 sixty-nine times twice with Scott's Notes 
 and am partly through the seventieth time.'
 
 MARY BROWN. 129 
 
 At bedtime,, as was our custom, I read a 
 chapter from the Bible, and she offered prayer. 
 The prayer I can never forget. The sweet, 
 loving spirit which pervaded her whole life was 
 evinced in her petitions, and expressions of 
 gratitude and trust. It seemed as if she was 
 standing on the threshold of heaven, talking 
 with her Saviour, so simple, and yet so earnest 
 was her pleading for herself and for others. 
 
 Bidding her good night, I went up stairs, as 
 she preferred sleeping alone. In the morning 
 she rose about six and called me, saying, " Do 
 not hasten, Mary, if you are tired ; but I knew 
 you wanted to finish your dress, and so called 
 you." As usual, she laid down again after 
 calling me. Going down stairs, I looked into 
 her room, to bid her good morning, but found 
 her sleeping quietly, her breathing as regular 
 as a child's. 
 
 At noon, Mrs. M. sent in a choice piece of 
 her own prepared dinner, thinking that Mrs. 
 Colburn might relish it. But the little girl 
 found her dead ! " 
 
 It seems that she had risen, and partly 
 dressed ; and perhaps feeling faint, had laid 
 down, and died. There had evidently been no 
 struggle, and no suffering. Her countenance 
 wore a sweet smile, as if she had heard the 
 
 9
 
 130 MARY BROWN. 
 
 Saviour's voice calling, " Come up higher ! " 
 and in the first joy of the summons, had sped 
 away. " Blessed are the dead which die in the 
 Lord from henceforth ; yea, saith the Spirit, 
 that they may rest from their labors ; and their 
 works do follow them."
 
 EISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 131 
 
 SKETCH OF THE RISE OF SAB- 
 BATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 [In most cases, pertaining to our own country, the facts 
 here given are taken from official statements published 
 at the time, by pastors and superintendents.] 
 
 1781. The first general system of Sunday 
 schools in England, grew out of the efforts of 
 Robert Raikes. In 1781, he established schools 
 in his native town of Gloucester ; and in a short 
 time they were extended to the principal cities 
 and towns. 
 
 The occasion, as well as the primary design 
 of these schools, are clearly set forth in the 
 following letter from Mr. Raikes to Colonel 
 Townley : 
 
 " The beginning of this scheme was entirely 
 owing to accident. Some business leading me, 
 one morning, into the suburbs of the city, 
 where the lowest of the people chiefly reside, 
 I was struck with concern at seeing a group of 
 children, wretchedly ragged, at play in the 
 street. I asked an inhabitant whether those 
 children belonged to that part of the town, and 
 lamented their misery and idleness. ' Ah !
 
 132 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 sir,' said the woman, ' could you take a view 
 of this part of the town on a Sunday, you would 
 be shocked indeed ; for then the street is filled 
 with multitudes of these wretches, who, released 
 on that day from employment, spend their time 
 in noise and riot, playing at chuck, and cursing 
 and swearing in a manner so horrid, as to con- 
 vey to any serious mind an idea of hell rather 
 than any other place.' 
 
 " This conversation suggested to me that it 
 would be at least a harmless attempt, if it were 
 productive of no good, should some little plan 
 be formed to check this deplorable profanation 
 of the Sabbath. 1 then inquired of the woman 
 if there were any decent, well-disposed women 
 in the neighborhood, who kept schools for 
 teaching to read. I presently was directed to 
 four. To them I applied, and made an agree- 
 ment with them to receive as many children as 
 I should send upon a Sunday, whom they were 
 to instruct in reading and in the Church Cate- 
 chism. For this, I engaged to pay them each 
 a shilling for their day's employment. 
 
 " I then waited on the clergyman, and 
 imparted to him my plan. He was' so much 
 satisfied with the idea, that he engaged to lend 
 his assistance, by going round to the schools on 
 a Sunday afternoon, to examine the progress
 
 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 133 
 
 that was made, and to enforce order and deco- 
 rum among such a set of little heathens. 
 
 " Tliis was the commencement of the plan. 
 It is now about three years since we began, 
 and I wish you were here to make inquiry into 
 the effect. A woman, who lives in a lane 
 where I had fixed a school, told me, some time 
 ago, that the place was quite a heaven upon 
 Sundays compared with what it used to be. 
 The numbers who have learned to read and say 
 their catechism are so great, that I am quite 
 astonished at it. Upon the Sunday afternoon 
 the mistresses take their scholars to church, a 
 place into which neither they nor their ances- 
 tors ever entered, with a view to the glory of 
 God. But, what is yet more extraordinary, 
 within this month these little ragamuffins have 
 iu great numbers taken it into their heads to 
 frequent the early morning prayers, which are 
 held every morning at the cathedral at seven 
 o'clock. I believe there were near fifty this 
 morning. They assemble at the house of one 
 of the mistresses, and walk before her to 
 church, two and two, in as much order as a 
 company of soldiers. I am generally at church, 
 and after service they all come round me to 
 make their bows, and, if any animosities have 
 arisen, to make their complaint. The great
 
 134 EISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 principle I inculcate is, to be kind and good- 
 natured to each other ; not to provoke one 
 another ; to be dutiful to their parents ; not to 
 offend God by cursing or swearing ; and such 
 little plain precepts as all may comprehend. 
 The success that has attended this scheme has 
 induced one or two of my friends to adopt the 
 plan, and set up Sunday schools in other parts 
 of the city ; and now a whole parish has taken 
 up the object, so that I flatter myself, in time 
 the good effects will appear so conspicuous as 
 to become generally adopted. The number of 
 children at present thus engaged on the Sab- 
 bath is between two and three hundred, and 
 they are increasing every week, as the benefit 
 is universally seen. I have endeavored to 
 engage the clergy of my acquaintance that 
 reside in their parishes. One has entered into 
 the scheme with great fervor. 
 
 " I cannot express to you the pleasure I 
 often receive in discovering genius and innate 
 good dispositions among this little multitude. 
 It is botanizing in human nature. I have 
 often, too, the satisfaction of receiving thanks 
 from parents, for the reformation they perceive 
 in their children. Often have I given them 
 kind admonitions, which I always do in the 
 mildest and gentlest manner. The going
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 185 
 
 among them, doing them little kindnesses, dis- 
 tributing trifling rewards, and ingratiating 
 myself with them, I hear, have given me an 
 ascendency greater than I ever could have 
 imagined ; for I am told by their mistresses 
 that they are very much afraid of my dis- 
 pleasure. If you ever pass through Gloucester, 
 I shall be happy to pay my respects to you, and 
 to show you the effects of this effort at civiliza- 
 tion. If the glory of God be promoted in any, 
 even the smallest degree, society must reap 
 some benefit. If good seed be sown in the 
 mind at an early period of human life, though 
 it shows not itself again for many years, it may 
 please God, at some future period, to cause it to 
 spring up, and bring forth a plenteous harvest. 
 " With regard to the rules adopted, I only 
 require that they come to the school on Sunday 
 as clean as possible. Many were at first 
 deterred because they wanted decent clothing ; 
 but I could not undertake to supply this defect. 
 I argue, therefore, if you can loiter about with- 
 out shoes and in a ragged coat, you may as 
 well come to school and learn what may tend 
 to your good, in that garb. I reject none on 
 that footing. All that I require, are clean 
 hands, clean face, and the hair combed ; if you 
 have no clean shirt, come in what you have on.
 
 136 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 The want of decent apparel, at first, kept great 
 numbers at a distance ; but they now begin to 
 grow wiser, and are all pressing to learn. I 
 have had the good luck to procure places for 
 some that were deserving, which has been of 
 great use. 
 
 " You will understand that these children 
 are from six years old to twelve or fourteen. 
 Boys and girls above this age, who have been 
 totally undisciplined, are generally too refrac- 
 tory for this government. A reformation in 
 society seems to me only practicable by estab- 
 lishing motives of duty, and practical habits of 
 order and decorum, at an early age. But 
 whither am I running ? I am ashamed to see 
 how much I have trespassed on your patience ; 
 but I thought the most complete idea of Sun- 
 day schools was to be conveyed to you by tell- 
 ing what first suggested the thought." 
 
 1782. Sabbath schools were established in 
 Scotland as early as 1782. As provision was 
 made for primary instruction for all classes, the 
 schools there were of strictly a religious char- 
 acter. " Scotland, has the honor, therefore, of 
 instituting the first Sabbath schools in Prot- 
 estant countries, for the purpose solely of relig- 
 ious instruction."
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 137 
 
 1791. Sabbath schools, after the plan of Mr. 
 Raikes, were first formed in Philadelphia, in 
 1791. 
 
 1794. A Sunday school was started in Pat- 
 erson, N. J., in 1794, by Sarah Colt, a little 
 girl eleven years of age. She collected the 
 children of the factories together, and taught 
 them from Sunday to Sunday, until she had as 
 many as sixty under her care. She was a 
 teacher for forty years. 
 
 1797. In 1797, a Sunday school, on the 
 same system, was established at Pawtucket, 
 R. I. It was commenced at the suggestion of 
 Samuel Slater, Esq., by Mr. Collier, a student 
 in Brown University. 
 
 This, and all the first Sabbath schools gath- 
 ered in New England, were individual enter- 
 prises. Those in the country towns were for 
 moral and religious instruction ; those in the 
 city, and seaboard towns, were patterned some- 
 what after the English system. 
 
 That there should be need to teach the chil- 
 dren of any class of our citizens in Massachu- 
 setts, the elements of education, in Sunday, or 
 charity schools, may seem strange to us, who 
 are wont to suppose that the system of free 
 schools was coeval with the establishment of 
 civil society. But as late as 1817, in Boston,
 
 138 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 says a well-informed writer, " Children are not 
 admitted into our town schools under seven 
 years of age, and not even then, unless they 
 can read without spelling, and well enough to 
 be classed ; by which regulation children of 
 those parents too poor to pay for private instruc- 
 tion, are inevitably cut off from that education 
 which in appearance is open to all. Hence, 
 the necessity of charity schools. And in every 
 view, the Sunday school, for combined instruc- 
 tion in reading and religion most directly and 
 effectually meets the want here described." 
 
 1805. The first Sabbath school in New Eng- 
 land, for the sole purpose of the religious 
 instruction of children, so far as is now known, 
 was established in Bath, N. H., in 1805. 
 Shortly before, the Rev. David Sutherland 
 (who had been engaged in early efforts to 
 found Sabbath schools in Scotland, his native 
 country,) was settled as pastor of the church in 
 Bath, and at once started a Sabbath school in 
 the principal village, which he conducted with 
 various success, and with very little aid from 
 others, for thirteen years. In 1817, a new 
 spirit was awakened, and other schools were 
 opened in different parts of the town. 
 
 1810. In 1810, Sabbath schools began to be 
 established in Massachusetts. In that year,
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 139 
 
 two schools were formed, one in Concord and 
 one in Beverly. 
 
 1810. The school in Concord was opened by 
 a young lady, Miss Sarah Ripley, daughter of 
 Rev. Dr. Ripley. She gathered a few children 
 upon Sabbath afternoons after church, at her 
 father's house, and taught them the Scriptures 
 and catechism. After this school had con- 
 tinued four or five years, through the warm 
 season, three pious young ladies opened a Sab- 
 bath school in a room at the house now (1868) 
 occupied by Mrs. Charles Davis, in. the centre 
 of the town. But the people generally did not 
 give their influence to the project ; and a regu- 
 lar Sabbath school was not organized till June, 
 1818 ; when a school of one hundred and thirty 
 pupils, and eleven teachers, four males and 
 seven females, was started. The grammar 
 school-master was Superintendent. 
 
 1810. The school in Beverly was commenced 
 by two young ladies, Joanna Prince and Han- 
 nah Hill. Miss Prince was teaching a day 
 school in a room of her mother's house. She 
 and Miss Hill opened a Sabbath school in her 
 school room. This school was held in the 
 morning, and after the afternoon service. 
 About thirty scholars attended the first season. 
 Some of the members were very zealous in
 
 140 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 learning to read, while others had long Scrip- 
 ture lessons to recite from memory. The 
 ladies continued their school, all by themselves, 
 with great success, for three years. After the 
 third t year the enterprise was taken up by oth- 
 ers, and a general school was established, in 
 which all the societies united. Soon, however, 
 separate parish schools were established. 
 
 1812. " The first Sabbath school in Boston 
 was established, by a lady, in 1812. While on 
 a visit to Beverly, in October of that year, she 
 heard of the school in that place, and although 
 she did not see it, she was at once impressed 
 with the importance of a similar one in Boston, 
 and on her return immediately commenced the 
 work.. This school was continued until the 
 year 1822. 
 
 " Charles W alley, Esq., having heard of the 
 enterprise of this lady, sent her a donation of 
 books for her school, consisting of six Bibles, 
 twelve New Testaments, twelve Watts' Shorter 
 Catechisms, twelve Watts' Divine Songs for 
 Children, and twelve Hymns for Infant Minds, 
 in all fifty- four volumes. This donation con- 
 stituted the first Sabbath school library in 
 Boston." 
 
 1812. In 1 812, a Sunday school was com- 
 menced in Brunswick, Me.
 
 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 141 
 
 1813. " In the winter of 1812-13, a Sabbath 
 school was formed in Salem, under the patron- 
 age of a company of ladies belonging to the 
 society of the Rev. Dr. Hopkins. The pupils 
 were placed under the tuition of a teacher of 
 a school of young ladies." 
 
 1813. In the course of the same year, 1813, 
 a school was opened at the Tabernacle church 
 in Salem. It was kept for one hour before the 
 afternoon service. Except one summer, it was 
 continued for five years, the number of teachers 
 varying from ten to twenty, and the scholars 
 from one hundred to two hundred. 
 
 1814. A Sabbath school was established in 
 Newburyport, in 1814, by Miss E. E. Carter, 
 and three other young ladies. As a prelimi- 
 nary step, one of them went to Dr. Samuel 
 Spring, and requested the use of his vestry. 
 The Doctor replied that he himself would have 
 no objection to the establishment of such a 
 school ; but he feared some of his good people 
 might think it to be too secular an employment 
 for the Sabbath. They however ventured to 
 occupy the vestry, and without aid or co-opera- 
 tion from the church, began their benevolent 
 undertaking. The first year, the number was 
 about one hundred. The school began after 
 public service in the afternoon, and occupied
 
 142 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 more than three hours. In 1815, the school 
 was intrusted to some members of Dr. Spring's 
 society, and two of the ladies commenced 
 another in a more destitute part of the town. 
 In the summer of this year, 1815, Miss Carter 
 started a Sabbath school at Kennebunkport, 
 Me. 
 
 1814. In June, 1814, two ladies of New 
 York opened in that city a Sabbath school for 
 adults and children, in which were collected 
 eighty or ninety pupils. 
 
 1814. In the same year, 1814, a Sabbath 
 school was established in Wilmington, Del. 
 
 1814. In the autumn of 1814, a school was 
 established at Cambridgeport, in connection 
 with Rev. Thomas B. Gannett's society. 
 
 1815. In 1815, the Salem Street or Christ 
 Church Sunday school in Boston was instituted. 
 This school attracted much public notice, and 
 was for a time supposed to be the first school 
 for religious instruction formed in the State. 
 In six months from its commencement, the 
 pupils numbered two hundred and fifty. It 
 continued to prosper for many years under the 
 supcrintendency of Mr. J. W. Ingraham. 
 
 1815. In the same year, 1815, Sabbath 
 schools were commenced in the Northern Lib- 
 erties of Philadelphia, which in a few months
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 148 
 
 contained no less than five hundred pupils. 
 In 1816 they were generally introduced, and 
 connected with most of the parishes in that 
 city. 
 
 1815. In May, 1815, Sunday schools were 
 formed in Newark, N. J. During the first sum- 
 mer the number of pupils gradually increased 
 to four hundred and forty, comprising all 
 classes, rich and poor. In 1816 the schools 
 were confined to the poor. 
 
 1816. A Sunday school was instituted in 
 Chillicothe, Ohio, in April, 1816, by two young 
 men, who agreed to bear equally the expense. 
 At first it was kept in a private room. In four 
 weeks it had so increased, that it was removed 
 to a large room in the upper story of the 
 Academy, and the list of pupils was swelled to 
 one hundred. 
 
 1816. In the spring of 1816, a few pious 
 females, desirous of promoting the religious 
 welfare of children, opened a Sabbath school 
 in Westborough, and continued it through two 
 seasons. In 1818 a society was formed, and a 
 large school organized. The young ladies to 
 whom the honor of this movement belongs 
 were Arethusa Brigham, Hannah Fay, Abagail 
 Gregory, Maria Brigham, and the two Misses 
 Bates.
 
 144 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 1816. A Sabbath school for the religious 
 instruction of children was opened in Cam- 
 bridge in 1816. Until 1818 it was small, and 
 limited in influence. Then several young 
 ladies offered their services as teachers, and a 
 young man took charge of the older boys, and 
 superintended the school. A large number 
 were gathered in, and the school was very 
 prosperous. 
 
 1816. The first Sabbath school was opened 
 in Providence, R. I., in 1816. 
 
 1816. A biblical and catechetical school 
 was instituted at Greensborough and Hardwick, 
 Yt., June 25, 1816. The number of children 
 under instruction the first year was three 
 hundred. 
 
 1816. A Sabbath school was opened in 
 Carlisle, Penn., early in the summer of 
 1816. 
 
 1816. In June 1816, the females of the 
 Third Baptist Church in Boston (Dr. Sharp's,) 
 formed a Sabbath school of about sixty pupils. 
 
 1816. In July a school was formed, also by 
 females, in the Second Baptist Church, consist- 
 ing of about fifty scholars. 
 
 1816. In August the females of the First 
 Baptist Church followed the example, and col- 
 lected a school of about thirty-five pupils.
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 145 
 
 1816. A Sabbath school, consisting of very 
 young children, was formed in Northampton 
 in 1816. 
 
 1816. In August, 1816, a Sabbath school 
 was opened by ladies in New London, Conn., 
 for children of both sexes. 
 
 1816. The Sabbath school in Framingham 
 was established in September, 1816, by Abagail 
 Bent, Martha Trowbridge, Mary Brown and 
 Mrs. Charles Fiske. 
 
 1816. A Sabbath school society was formed, 
 and a school established by the Rev. Dr. Morse 
 and members of the First Church in Charles- 
 town in October, 1816. Samuel F. B. Morse 
 was the first Superintendent ; and himself, Sid- 
 ney E. Morse, and John Todd, were among the 
 first teachers. 
 
 1816. A Sabbath school was established in 
 Savannah, Ga., in 1816. 
 
 The city of New York claims, and is proba- 
 bly entitled to the honor of having formed the 
 first society for the encouragement of Sabbath 
 schools in this country ; and this honor belongs 
 to ladies. " The Female Union Society for the 
 Promotion of Sabbath Schools," was organized 
 by ladies of the several denominations in that 
 city, convened by public notice, January 24, 
 10
 
 146 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 1816. Schools for the instruction of females 
 were immediately opened. 
 
 February 26, 1816, the gentlemen held a 
 meeting, and instituted the " New York Sun- 
 day School Union." Schools for boys were 
 immediately put in operation ; and during the 
 first year sixteen hundred pupils entered these 
 schools. 
 
 Later in the same year, 1816, " The Boston 
 Society for the Moral and Religious Instruction 
 of the Poor " was organized, which early turned 
 its attention to the establishment of Sabbath 
 schools. The first school under its auspices 
 was opened May 11, 1817, in the Mason Street 
 school-house ; and the second, June 15th, in 
 the School Street school-house. Five hundred 
 children were gathered into these schools the 
 first season ; and in a few years it had under 
 its care in the city fourteen schools. 
 
 The era of Sabbath schools, as public insti- 
 tutions under the sanction of, and auxiliary to 
 the church, in New England, dates its com- 
 mencement with 1816. The previous efforts 
 were individual, and preliminary ; and though 
 'essential as a preparation, and test of means, 
 and first attempts, were limited in influence. 
 The plan was gradually getting together its 
 elements ; and fixing its rules ; and awakening
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 147 
 
 interest ; and overcoming prejudices ; and 
 developing its capabilities. 
 
 How much the plan had to encounter, we of 
 the present generation are scarcely able to 
 understand. 
 
 The causes which delayed the establishment 
 of Sabbath schools in New England, were, 
 1. The settled belief that family religious 
 instruction on the Sabbath, was a plain duty, 
 made such, alike by parental responsibility, 
 and the teaching of the Bible ; and 2. A wide- 
 spread conviction that the labor of teaching a 
 Sabbath school was contrary to the spirit of the 
 fourth commandment. This conviction was a 
 natural sequence of the regard for the Sabbath 
 as holy time, which prevailed at the opening of 
 the century ; and was strengthened by the well- 
 known secular character of the English Sunday 
 schools. The case is well put in the following 
 extract from a letter of Sidney E. Morse, Esq. : 
 " At that time, 1816, good people in Massachu- 
 setts regarded Sabbath schools as fitted only 
 for the children of the poor, in such cities as 
 London and New York, where the ignorant 
 and vicious parents neglected the religious edu- 
 cation of their offspring, and where no adequate 
 provision was made for secular instruction 
 during the week. In Massachusetts, where
 
 148 BISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 ample provision was made by law " (though 
 not always by the local authorities) " for teach- 
 ing every child to read and write on week-days, 
 and where parents were presumed to devote a 
 part of every Sabbath to the religious instruc- 
 tion of their children, Sabbath schools, it was 
 thought, would be entirely out of place. Some 
 of the best men that I saw at my father's* at 
 that time, maintained that it would be actually 
 a profanation of the Sabbath to open a school 
 on the Lord's Day, as it would be doing work 
 on that holy day which the fourth command- 
 ment requires to be done on the other days of 
 the week." 
 
 The causes which led to their general open- 
 ing in 1816-18, were : (1.) the good results 
 which had attended the formation of classes by 
 individuals and committees in many towns ; 
 (2.) the extensive revivals which visited the 
 churches, and awakened Christian activity, and 
 enlarged Christian thought in 1814-16 ; and 
 (3.) the influence of one who came upon the 
 stage of active life " for such a time as this." 
 
 The man who first comprehended this sub- 
 ject in its religious bearings, and to whom, 
 more than any other, the merit of awakening 
 and giving wise direction to Christian sentiment 
 
 * Rev. Jedediah Morse, D. D., of Charlestown.
 
 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 149 
 
 in relation to the real importance and true 
 relation of Sabbath schools, is the late Rev. 
 Ward Stafford,* then city missionary in New 
 York. It was through his influence that the 
 New York societies were formed early in 1816 ; 
 and it was a visit he made to Massachusetts 
 in the summer of that year, which led to the 
 formation of the Boston Society, before named. 
 He enlisted such men as Rev. Dr. Morse, 
 Deacon Josiah Salisbury, Sereno E. Dwight, 
 William Jenks, John Todd all then, or sub- 
 sequently " men of renown " in the Sabbath 
 school enterprise, who at once began to operate 
 on public sentiment. The Boston Society, of 
 which the Rev. William Jenks was Secretary, 
 prepared and sent forth a circular address to 
 all the large towns in the State, in the spring of 
 1817. This address set forth the true object 
 
 * Sixty-two years ago Ward Stafford was a poor farmer's boy 
 in New Hampshire. Becoming hopefully pious, he was placed at 
 Phillips Academy in Andover, with only the expectation to become 
 fitted for the duties of a country schoolmaster. A son of the Rev. 
 Dr. Morse, of Charlestown, becoming acquainted with him, and 
 appreciating his talents and Christian spirit, mentioned his case to 
 his lather, who at once solicited subscriptions in his behalf, and 
 obtained of Deacon Josiah Salisbury and others, the sum of $700. 
 With this money, young Stafford was educated at Yale College, 
 where he graduated in 1812, with the second honor in his class, 
 although am mg his competitors were such men as Hon. George 
 Bliss, and Hon.. John Davis.
 
 150 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 and desirableness of Sabbath schools ; and con- 
 tained a well digested plan of organizing and 
 conducting them. And it was this circular 
 which led to the formation of Sabbath schools 
 so generally throughout New England in 1818. 
 
 The Sabbath school was now a recognized 
 institution ; but it was yet in its infancy : what 
 it would be, did not yet appear. 
 
 The number of schools organized in 181 T, so 
 far as is known, was not great ; and the prog- 
 ress of the cause followed no regular law of 
 outgrowth. Schools would spring up in differ- 
 ent localities ; usually the result of the efforts 
 
 of some individual, whose heart was alive to 
 
 \ 
 
 benevolent Christian action, and whose means 
 of information were superior to his or her 
 neighbors. 
 
 In estimating this fact of the slow growth of 
 the plan of Sabbath schools, it is to be remem- 
 bered, that a half century ago, the means of 
 circulating general intelligence were very lim- 
 ited. Up to 1816, there was no weekly relig- 
 ious newspaper printed in this country. " The 
 Boston Recorder," the first of this class of 
 papers, was started January, 1816 ; and the 
 interest in such an enterprise was so small, and 
 the desire for religious intelligence so limited, 
 that at the end of the year the list of subscri- 
 bers numbered only 1,300.
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 151 
 
 1817. 
 
 The list, already given, of Sabbath schools 
 formed up to the close of 1816, is probably 
 nearly complete. The list for 1817 will be less 
 full ; and the cases given are selected to show 
 the similarity of movement by which all the 
 early schools were gathered, and the common 
 difficulties they all had to encounter. 
 
 " Braintree, April, 1817. Early in spring, 
 the expediency of introducing a Sabbath school 
 was suggested ; but like other prudent folk we 
 were afraid of new things, and had some seri- 
 ous qualms of conscience lest we should violate 
 the fourth commandment, by doing on the Sab- 
 bath that which belongs exclusively to the other 
 six days of the week. However, when we 
 found that nothing would be taught but cate- 
 chisms, the Word of God, and hymns, a few of 
 us consented, and the school was opened the 
 third Sabbath in April, with fifteen scholars, 
 four teachers, and a Superintendent." 
 
 A Sabbath school in connection with the First 
 Baptist Society in Framingham was opened, this 
 year, by Abagail and Deborah Melleu, and 
 Emily Parkhurst. 
 
 A school Was gathered by young ladies, in 
 Watertown, in the spring of this year.
 
 152 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 " In Royalston, Mass., in the summer of 1817, 
 a few young ladies endeavored to form a Cate- 
 chetical Society on Mr. Wilbur's plan. It 
 however soon became a Sabbath school, 
 instructed by three young ladies, who had 
 from twenty-five to thirty pupils, all females. 
 Very little encouragement was afforded the 
 school. In 1818, small schools were kept in 
 four school districts, instructed by six females. 
 In all the schools there were about sixty-five 
 scholars. In 1819, a school was kept in the 
 meeting-house, during the interval of public 
 worship, under the direction of a Superintend- 
 ent and twenty-five teachers. About one hun- 
 dred and twenty-five children were constant in 
 attendance, and fifty others were present more 
 or less of the time. Besides this school, there 
 were two others in districts remote from the 
 centre, in which about fifty children received 
 instruction from six teachers." 
 
 " A Sabbath school was instituted in Chat- 
 ham (New Concord Society), New York, the 
 second Sabbath in July, 1817, under circum- 
 stances peculiarly embarrassing. No efficient 
 plan of instruction was then known. Many of 
 the children lived at a distance from the place 
 of meeting ; most, of both parents and children, 
 were ignorant of its nature and tendency ; some
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 153 
 
 entertained doubts of its propriety ; by some it 
 was treated with ridicule ; while others exerted 
 their influence to dissuade children from attend- 
 ing. Under all these forbidding circumstances, 
 a school of one hundred and sixty different 
 scholars was gathered, with an average attend- 
 ance of ninety. One hour each Sabbath was 
 devoted to instruction. Besides those who 
 were taught to read, there were committed to 
 memory and recited in sixteen Sabbaths, four 
 thousand five hundred answers in the Assem- 
 bly's Catechism, one thousand nine hundred 
 Divine Songs and Hymns, and fourteen thou- 
 sand six hundred and eighty verses of Scripture. 
 The general effect of the school has been great. 
 There has been an observance of the Sabbath 
 by the children, hitherto unknown in this 
 place." JACOB T. BENEDICT. 
 
 " On the llth of May> 1817, three Sabbath 
 schools were organized in Marietta, Ohio : one 
 at BuelPs school-room, under the superintend- 
 ence of William Slocumb ; one at the Mus- 
 kingum Academy, under the care of Mr. E. 
 Huntington ; and one at Point Harmar, under 
 the charge of Dr. John Cotton. To each of 
 these schools several young ladies and gentle- 
 men were attached as assistant teachers. In 
 the three schools learners were admitted, con-
 
 154 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 sisting of children, male and female, adults, 
 and people of color. The scholars have been 
 employed in reading the Scriptures, committing 
 portions to memory, and such other lessons as 
 are usually taught in such institutions. Several 
 commenced with the alphabet. The schools 
 were continued twenty Sabbaths." 
 
 1818. 
 
 The great majority of the Sabbath schools in 
 New England were formed in the year 1818. 
 
 In the spring of this year schools were 
 opened at Natick (the second Sabbath in April,) 
 Dover, West Needham, Medway, Medfield, 
 Sherborn, Holliston, Dunstable, Groton (three 
 schools,) Marblehead (a Sabbath School Union 
 formed,) Lynn, Reading, Topsfield, Manches- 
 ter, Athol, Warwick, Northfield, Roxbury, 
 (Rev. Mr. Bradford's parish,) Northwood, N. 
 H., St. Johnsbury, Yt., (three schools,) Glouces- 
 ter, (first Sabbath in May, with twenty-nine 
 teachers and three hundred and thirty scholars 
 average,) Hamilton, (May,) North Bridgewater, 
 (May, with one hundred and eighty-three 
 pupils,) Warner, N. H., (May,) Thctford, Yt., 
 (the church voted to establish Sabbath schools
 
 RISE OF SABBATH SCHOOLS. 155 
 
 in ten different school districts, which com- 
 menced May 17,) Newton Lower Falls, (May 
 18, with eight teachers and sixty-four scholars, 
 all very small children ;) in June, at Farming- 
 ton, Conn, (first Sabbath,) South Danvers, 
 Woburn, Pittsfield, Vt., Stockbridge, Vt., (two 
 schools,) Bridgewater, Vt., (two schools,) Han- 
 cock, Vt., (in the last named four towns the 
 schools were organized by Rev. Justin Par- 
 sons ;) in July, at Conway, (July 12, with two 
 hundred scholars and a large Bible class, ~) 
 Bedford, (with eighty-seven scholars, from six 
 to eighteen, under a superintendent and eight 
 teachers ;) in August, at Dover, N. H., (August 
 16, with one hundred and ten pupils,) Danvers 
 at Danville, Vt., September 20. 
 
 As sufficient facts have been presented to 
 show that the Sabbath school had now taken a 
 well defined position among the religious 
 agencies of the Church, this list necessarily 
 incomplete- is here closed. 
 
 For several years, the recognized head, and 
 authority, in matters pertaining to Sabbath 
 schools, were the three Societies The New 
 York Sunday School Union, The Philadelphia 
 Sunday and Adult School Union, and The Bos- 
 ton Society for the Instruction of the Poor 
 each operating in its own local sphere.
 
 156 RISE OP SABBATH SCHOOLS. 
 
 Iii 1824, The American Sunday School 
 Union was formed ; intended to embrace all 
 the Unions then existing among evangelical 
 denominations. In 1825, The Massachusetts 
 Sabbath School Union auxiliary to the Amer- 
 can Sunday School Union was formed. 
 
 To these societies, and their natural out- 
 growths, the country is indebted to its Sabbath 
 school libraries, and question books, and Journ- 
 als, and books of song, and other vitalizing 
 agencies ; till the " little one has become a 
 thousand ; " and the church cannot say to the 
 Sabbath school, " I have no need of thoe," nor 
 the Sabbath school to the church, " I have no 
 need of you." 
 
 [COFTRIGHT SECURED.]
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 157 
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Preface, 3 
 
 Saturday Afternoon Classes, 5 
 
 Formation of Sabbath School, 7 
 
 Second year, 17 
 
 Third year, 24 
 
 Fourth year, 30 
 
 Fifth year, 33 
 
 Sixth and seventh years, 35 
 
 Eighth to fifteenth years, 38 
 
 Review of fourteen years, 41 
 
 Fifteenth year, 47 
 
 Sixteeenth year, 48 
 
 Sabbath School Society, 1818-1868, 49 
 
 Adult Department, 54 
 
 Infant Department, 57 
 
 Sabbath School Concert, 60 
 
 Benevolent Contributions, 64 
 
 The Library, 69 
 
 General Statistics, 71 
 
 List of Superintendents, 72 
 
 The School as it is, . . . . ' . . . .73 
 
 Memoirs : Abner Stone, 82 
 
 Abagail Bent, 89 
 
 Luther Haven, 99 
 
 Mary Brown, 108 
 
 The Rise of Sabbath Schools, 131 
 
 In England, 131 
 
 Scotland, 136 
 
 America: Philadelphia, 137 
 
 Paterson, N. J., 137 
 
 Pawtucket, R. I , 137 
 
 In New England: Bath, N. H., 138 
 
 Concord, Mass., 139
 
 158 TABLE OP CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Beverly, Mass., 139 
 
 Boston, 140 
 
 Brunswick, Me., 140 
 
 Salem, 141 
 
 Salem, Tabernacle Church, 141 
 
 Newburyport, 141 
 
 Kennebunkport, Me., 142 
 
 New York City, 142 
 
 Wilmington, Del., 142 
 
 Cambridgeport, 142 
 
 Boston, Salem Street Church, 142 
 
 Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, 142 
 
 Newark, N. J., 143 
 
 Chillicothe^Ohio, 143 
 
 Westborough, 143 
 
 Cambridge, 144 
 
 Providence, R. I., 144 
 
 Greensborough, Vt., 144 
 
 Carlisle, Penn., 144 
 
 Boston, 3d Baptist Church 144 
 
 Boston, 2d Baptist Church, 144 
 
 Boston, 1st Baptist Church, 144 
 
 Northampton, 145 
 
 New London, Ct., 145 
 
 Framingham, .......... 145 
 
 Charles-town, 1st Church, 145 
 
 Savannah, Ga., 145 
 
 Sabbath School Union, N. Y., 145 
 
 Boston Society for Instruction of Poor, 146 
 
 Era of Sabbath Schools, 146 
 
 Rev. Ward Stafford, 149 
 
 Braintree, . . 151 
 
 Framingham, 1st Baptist Society, 151 
 
 Watertown, . 151 
 
 Royalston, Mass., 152 
 
 Chatham, N. Y., 152 
 
 Marietta, Ohio, 153 
 
 List of Sabbath schools formed in 1818, .... 154
 
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