17 Progress 1787-90

17 - PROGRESS 1787-1790

DURING the time covered by this chapter the young denomination under the leadership of Mr. Randall was steadily and healthily increasing. As had been hoped, the Quarterly Meeting system was working harmoniously. Its sessions had large attendance, and there was always good preaching and devout worship, and there radiated forth evangelistic influences which reached far into the country surrounding the localities that entertained the delegates. The sessions, with the quarterly letters to the churches, were educating the people in matters pertaining to union, doctrine, and usage. With peace, plenty, equal rights, and just laws, what a paradise this world might be! But the golden age of such a state, if it is to be on earth, waits upon the slow widening of men’s thoughts "with the process of the suns."

About the time under consideration a few cases of irregularity developed among the churches. Cases that should have been settled in churches where they originated, were, at this early period, taken to the Quarterly Meeting for adjustment. As illustrative of methods pursued in discipline by the early fathers, a few cases are given. In a case of slight deflection, the offender was. simply admonished. That being well received, and a promise given to amend, the matter dropped. In another case, David Young and family had accused Jeremiah Dow of certain criminal acts. In vindication, Dow had taken out a warrant for defamation against Young. Investigation proved the charges to be untrue. Settled, by having the accusing family severally confess, and the accused withdraw his warrant. From several other methods of harmonizing discordant elements, but one is here selected, and that because it was. found to be so effective that it was afterward frequently resorted to. It appears that Hibbard and Dunton, both good men, had a case of difference which they regarded sufficiently serious to be submitted to Quarterly Meeting for settlement. After a statement of the grievance before the conference, Brother Coombs expressed a conviction that, should the conference resolve itself into a prayer-meeting, and commit the whole matter to God, he would soon restore harmony. The conference did as Brother Coombs suggested, and results were as he prophesied.

Mr. Randall was very forbearing. He had that charity which suffers long and is kind. But he had withal high ideals as to church consistency, and where persuasion failed he could be stern in rebuke. In the constituency of the early churches were several former schoolmasters; and the majority agreed with them that good discipline was an important factor of all good government; hence, where transgressors resisted conciliatory efforts for their reform, the purity of the church demanded extreme measures. After offenders had been dealt with according to scriptural methods, if they were still incorrigible they were regretfully but promptly excluded. The establishment of a Quarterly Meeting emergency fund had been decided upon. At a later session the question was asked as to the manner of raising it. The laconic answer of the conference was, "By free contributions." This was simple and sure; so simple that some may at this time think it indicated a lack of ability to plan a complicated system of church finance. But if it be borne in mind that this was long before the invention of some devices now in vogue for raising church and benevolent funds, charitable allowance may be made.

We must admit that these people were a bit old-fashioned in their notions as to their proper relations to God and each other. They were pretty well acquainted with an old-fashioned Book, and its teachings probably colored their Judgment. Maybe some of them remembered a call for offerings, and the response, as recorded in an old, old story, which runs thus: "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take, my offering. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made him willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service."

Whatever the source of inspiration, a respectable emergency fund was raised and sustained "by free contributions." That too, during years when our country was struggling through the most depressing financial experiences it has ever known. To anticipate, it may be said here that for many years, and until better civic and ecclesiastical government obtained, this fund did incalculable good, along lines first seen in, vision by its founder, Benjamin Randall. In the early part of 1787, Mr. Randall made an extensive tour through the western section of New Hampshire. As usual, revivals attended his evangelistic efforts, which, in some cases, developed into churches, while elsewhere existent churches were strengthened by large additions.

During this period additions were made to the ministry by the ordination of Nathan Merrill and J. McCarson. At Bristol, Maine, twenty were baptized and a church organized. Buxton asked for the ordination of a candidate and admission to the Quarterly Meeting.

Mr. Randall closes his record for 1787 by a brief review and reflections suggested thereby. He entered this record:

I was rejoiced at hearing of the revival of religion all through the country, east and west. Blessed be the Lord! May all the messengers come like doves, each with an olive leaf. Great harmony has prevailed in the business transactions. Large numbers have been added to the churches The church at Weeks Corner, Maine, had for the first time invited the Quarterly Meeting. Notice had been sent to surrounding towns. Anticipation had been thoroughly aroused. With some there was ’ probably a large element of curiosity. They had heard of a Free Baptist Quarterly Meeting and wanted to see what it was like. With many, as the sequel proved, there was a deep hungering and thirsting for spiritual betterment. On the morning of the first day the people of that section looked out over a level of snow, below which fences and other landmarks had modestly sunk out of sight. The most prominent objects in view were the big drifts which blockaded all highways leading to Weeks Corner. Conditions in evidence answered in most respects to a description of New England given by a Southerner, who visited this country for the first time in midwinter. He said that what impressed him most was the piled-up condition of things here: "The hills were piled above the plains; the mountains above the hills-the rocks above the mountains; the snow above the rocks; the wind above the snow and cold above everything." But those sturdy New Englanders were not to be daunted by anything so trifling as a snow-storm;, the snow retarded, but did not prevent, a large attendance. Churches were well represented, reports were encouraging, business was disposed of with harmony and dispatch, devotional meetings were well sustained, and preaching was attended with much demonstration of divine power.

Soon after the session got fairly under way there were evidences of an approaching revival. Christians were moved to intercessory prayer, and sinners began to confess their desire for salvation. The work went on with much power till a goodly number from various parts of the town, and beyond, were rejoicing over a new-born hope. A transcript from Mr. Randall’s journal is of interest here: The season seemed to me to be almost heaven. While I was preaching from Ephesians 4:30, the power of God attended, a great number were struck to the heart and cried for mercy. Then, when I was preaching again from Hebrews 10:3, the same was repeated. At communion the impressiveness was so great as to be almost unendurable. The house seemed much like being full of angels. ^"Oh, come, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!" On the twenty-first of June, 1790, Mr. Randall was summoned by a message to go in haste to see his father at Ossipee, twenty-two miles distant, in what proved to be the last sickness. He reached the bedside just in time to witness his father’s departure. Though too late to receive a final benediction, he was comforted by the remembrance of the excellent life his parent had lived. The remains were borne to New Durham on a horse-litter. Impressive funeral services were held at the house of Elder Randall, who preached the sermon of the occasion from Psalms 37:37 : "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." Then the venerable form of Captain Randall, followed by a large and sympathetic procession, was laid to rest in the family burying-ground.