Historical sketch of the Congregational church in Belchertown, Mass.

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Preface

In giving the following pages to the public through the press, a few introductory remarks seem to me appropriate. In the undertaking and progress of collecting materials comprised in this little volume, the thought of giving them to the public in this way never entered my mind. The labor was begun, in a limited way, many years since, and attended to only when other things did not press, as a paramount claim upon my time, and pursued to gratify my own curiosity, having a desire to learn who, in by-gone days, occupied the places we now occupy; whence they were, and what they were in condition, character and pursuits, in life's short pilgrimage. The more I gathered relating to them the greater was my desire to gather more, and extend it to their whole history, political, civil, religious, and social; and this, from all the sources within my reach, records, writings and orally,. carefully preserving all that seemed to aid me in attaining my object. Some six years since, in looking over my loose

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sheets, I found them more voluminous than I had supposed, and not a little chaotic. I saw that if they were ever to be of any use to anybody they must be arranged in a more systematic manner. This I did, by giving them the form of connected historical narrative. Some of the inhabitants here, knowing that I had such manuscripts, desired me to give them in the form of Lectures, to the people. This I did during the winter of 1846-7, taking such portions of them as were suited to such a course. After these lectures were closed, desires were repeatedly expresse,d to me to let them go to the public through the press, or particular parts of them, if the whole could not be given. Such requests were made by those connected with some of the public periodical journals of the day, as well as by others. I declined giving them, imagining that if the results of my labors would give interest or edification at any period of time, it could be so only in future years, to those that will live after us ; that the present generation would take little or no interest in the matter, more especially, as the settlement in this place was some seventy years later than that in some other towns in the County. Nothing has gone out from them through the

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press, except a short extract published in the "Historical and Genealogical Register," the April number, 1848, and that was furnished at the request of Rev. Dr. Coggswell, editor of that journal. A few months since, the Congregational Church in this place, whose history is sketched in these pages, took action on the subject, which appears from their vote in the following extract from the church records, which has been communicated to me. " It being known that the Hon. Mark Doolittle has at much expense of time and labor been gathering facts respecting the early history of the town, with notices of the first settlers, and a sketch of the Congregational Church from its organization to the present time, the publication of which might be desirable, the church appointed a committee of seven, including the pastor, to confer with Mr. Doolittle on this subject- The committee, reported, that conferring with Mr. Doolittle he expressed a readiness to make any disposal of his work which would meet the wishes of the community, and freely submitted his papers to their inspection. From a partial examination of them, they were satisfied that he had prosecuted his researches with great industry and fidelity, and had prepared a work of much interest and value, and in accordance with their recommendation, the church unanimously voted that Mr. Doolittle be re-

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spectfully requested to permit the results of his labors to be given to the public through the press ; it being understood, that as the author of the work, he alone is responsible for its statements and contents.

A true copy of the records of the church. Attest, Sam'l Wolcott."

Belchertown, Oct. 4, 1851.

This request of the Church, " unanimously" expressed, I cheerfully comply with. That portion of my collections contained in this volume relate, to a considerable extent, to the church, and the early religious interests of the place, though not exclusively to these. There is a tribute of respect due to the memory of those who established and sustained the ordinances of religion here, in the early settlement of the place, and we of this day should acknowledge it. In prosecuting my labors, I have found records and writings very few and scanty. I have derived assistance by communications with many individuals, both written and oral; I would express my acknowledgments to them for the aid received. To none am I under greater obligations than to Sylvester Judd, Esq.., of Northampton, in permitting me access to his very extensive collection of antique things. In the course of my inquiry, for facts relating to the past, I

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have been forcibly reminded of the truth of the common remark, that " we live in a day of progress." Truly it is so, and the progress is so rapid that it gives but a moment to witness passing events, and no time to turn a thought to the past. A considerate mind would seem to require some knowledge of the past, that it may the better direct its future movements ; especially so, as we derive[all the materials we can use as directories for the future from the store-house of the past. It is but by a careful survey of the past that we obtain a knowledge of the reality of things — things as they have existed — the truth of history. Truth is all that ever has or ever can benefit men in their existence, or their acts in any thing. There is the same connection between cause and effect now that there ever was. The laws of God's Providence governing the affairs of this world are uniform in their operations, equally so in the moral as in the physical world. The results of the moral influences in the formation of mind and character, are as uniform, and as well established, as any laws governing the movements of the heavenly bodies, or the changing seasons, and can be traced in their effects as surely as rain, sunshine, and genial summer breezes

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can be, in giving life and verdure to the vegetable kingdom.

A view of the past is both instructing and delightful. Ancient fashions, customs, usages of any sort, are not only objects of curiosity, but furnish substantial assistance to the mind in reasoning from the past to the future. He who would live usefully in the world, to any good purpose, must deal with principles, with facts and with men. There has been no period of the world's history more richly furnished with all these, and suited to our instruction, than that of the New England Fathers. The single, stern, unyielding puritanic trait that shone conspicuously in their character, regarding the claims of private judgment, the dictates of conscience, and the requirements of God's Laws, in defiance of all arbitrary despotic power, however marshalled and imposing, is to be the touch-stone for testing the moral and religious character of men in all future time, and like the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, destined to fill the whole earth, to achieve the final triumphs of the millennial year.

Mark Doolittle.

Belchertown, Nov., 1851.