08 Randall Moves to New Durham 1778
8 - RANDALL MOVES TO NEW DURHAM 1778
DURING the summer of 1777 Mr. Randall commenced traveling farther into country places on preaching tours. He labored considerably in Madbury and adjacent places, and saw a goodly number converted. On one of these excursions certain men from New Durham heard him, and extended an invitation for him to visit that place and preach to their people. In compliance, he shortly after bent his course thither. As he went, he preached at intervening towns, and saw rich displays of God’s converting grace in several of them. But his own description of that journey justifies its reproduction:
It was a wonderful Journey. Wherever I went the blessed Master was with me. The power of God fell on old and young. Sinners were crying for mercy, and many were led to rejoice in God all through Barrington. But some opposed me in great rage, called a after me, reviled, threatened, but the Lord , preserved me.
It appears that the part of the town where Randall’s labors were most particularly blessed was then called Crown Point, but since Strafford Corner. Reverend Hooper, of Berwick, soon followed Randall, baptizing the converts and gathering them into a branch of his church.
Mr. Randall’s preaching at New Durham caused quite an awakening among the people. One result was that they united in extending a call to him to move into the town and become their minister. To this solicitation, however, at the time, he gave no encouragement. During the fall, after his return from an eastern journey, Mr. Randall again visited New Durham. Finding the people still urgent in their request before made, he answered them that, could he know it to be God’s will, he would comply.
After a meeting of fasting and prayer for divine guidance, all came to the conclusion that "the thing proceeded from the Lord." Hence, the citizens, by a committee, waited on him, with proposals for settlement. This was a proposal that Mr. Randall become the settled minister of the town, to spend his life there, and that his salary be paid from the town treasury, as was the custom in the case of the regular clergy of the times. To this committee Mr. Randall gave an affirmative answer as to his locating in town, but made it clear that he could not consider further conditions of settlement; that it was not his purpose to confine his ministrations wholly to one locality, but to hold himself at liberty to serve others withal, as God might direct. In accordance with a few simple details, mutually agreed upon, the matter was settled.
Mr. Randall, with his family, left New Castle March 23, 1778, and arrived at his destined home on the twenty-sixth of the same month. Thus he settled for life, making New Durham the base of his subsequent ministrations.
New Durham is located about twenty-five miles from Concord, in a northeasterly direction. It was granted to proprietors in 1759 and incorporated in 1764. It was first settled in about 1762, largely by people from Durham, New Hampshire, hence it took the name New Durham. It is said that the original grant included what is now the town of Alton.
Mr. Randall was the second minister to locate in the town, Nathaniel Porter, D. D., a Congregationalist, having been his predecessor. Doctor Porter served awhile as chaplain in the Revolutionary army, but on returning demanded that the people pay him the same as though he had not been absent. They regarded the demand as unjust; and for this, or other reasons, he resigned.
While Mr. Porter was in New Durham the people built a meeting-house. This became a part of Mr. Randall’s New Durham inheritance. Since Randall’s time it has been remodeled into a town house, and as such it still stands. Mr. Randall located his home on what is called "The Ridge." This elevation covers a panoramic view, combining great beauty and grandeur. The western outlook is somewhat limited by beautiful wooded hills. Away in the north, some hundred miles distant, appears Mount Washington, with his head towering among the clouds, and looking down with undisputed majesty upon his humbler fellows, which, as sentinels, stand about him. The intervening space is beautifully diversified with hills and dales, hamlets and villages, running waters and lakes. To the southeast the prospect stretches as far as the eye can reach, giving a view of the lower towns. And at favorable times the view covers a long reach of the coast and ships far out at sea. In his arrangements with the citizens of New Durham, Mr. Randall gave his first recorded protest against the legal mode of settling ministers then in vogue. He would have no man taxed or compelled to contribute for his support. He would have everything pertaining to worship and religioussupport left to the volition of the people. For the accomplishment of this end he had determined to do what he could. Though only one, his voice should be heard and his example set in that direction. We are by no means to infer by this that he ignored the teachings of the Scriptures respecting the support of the gospel ministry. But rather, like Paul who, from present necessity, and perhaps more from the corrective power of example, wrought, in a few cases, at his handicraft, so Mr. Randall decided upon his present course simply as a temporary matter, to be changed as Providence might indicate.
Mr. Randall had a good trade, and later a small farm. To one or both of these he resorted as necessity required, but so managed as to secure time for study and extensive evangelistic work.