Memoir of Elder Abner Jones

Preface

When a man's biography is given to the world, the public asks, " what has he done and where is the good ?" In answer, the writer of this unpretending " Memoir," has only to say, that the great public has no concern in the affair at all. This little book is written for a limited circle, and is nothing more than a simple story of a plain and good man told in a homely way.

The subject of this " Memoir" was not extensively known beyond the pale of his own denomination. There, however, his memory is precious in all hearts, as his presence ever gave delight, when he walked among them a father, patriarch, and minister of God. Thousands, as their eyes run over these pages, will call to mind his comely and cheerful presence, his cordial and affectionate greeting, and the music of a voice so

VI PREFACE.

sweet that it seemed tuned by the Spirit for the Father's praise. To such, I trust, the labor that has been bestowed upon this work will be appreciated, and I would indulge the hope that they wilL find here the transcript of the man whom all who knew him, loved and delighted to honor.

For the great world beside, this book will have few charms. No effort has been made to ingratiate it Its criticism cannot reach it, for it is only a " family souvenir" and its sanctuary may not be invaded.

Here and there, however, will be found one, loving all and hoping ever, who will catch the spirit of these pages, and will be edified and instructed. These are of the true household of faith, and will here find a brother. Would there were more.

It is well known in the denomination whose first preacher Elder Jones was, that he sent out a pamphlet, early in his ministry, containing a brief account of his early life and religious experience, promising, at some future period, to continue the auto-biography. To this end he kept a regular journal, a part of which he revised a short time before his decease, with the intention of giving it to the public. He was not permitted, however, to

PREFACE. Vll

accomplish it, and left the completion of the task, on his death-bed, to the hands of his son, the writer of this "Memoir.*"

According to the ability God has given him, he has discharged the duty, and now dedicates the little work to the members of the " Christian Connexion" in the United States, hoping that his labor may prove acceptable to them in general, and valuable to the many personal friends of El- •der Jones scattered throughout the whole " Israel of God."

The Journal of Eider Jones was far from being perfect. In some instances whole years are wanting, which the writer has been compelled to fill up from memory, or such help as may have come to hand. There may be, as a consequence, some slight anachronisms, and some few incidents in his life omitted, which those who knew him, might expect and wish to see. If so the writer will be most happy to be informed of the same, and will gladly incorporate them into succeeding editions.

The book has been compiled amidst the pressure of many avocations, which is the only apology for the any inaccuracies apparent in it. If another edition should be demanded, these will be corrected.

VllI PREFACE.

The writer hopes that the likeness of Elder Jones will render this volume doubly dear to those who were in the habit of beholding his " dear familiar face." It has been procured at an expense, which nothing but the strong desire uniformly expressed that it should adorn the book, would have induced.

In conclusion the writer would say that the filial task just concluded has been as pleasing as it was arduous. No mere pecuniary considerations would ever have prompted the task, — it has been done in obedience to the dying wishes of a kind and loving father, and the demand of his many friends, to either of which he would have felt under obligation to respond. That it may prove an acceptable offering on the Altar of Piety, subserve the interests of true religion in the Earth, and prove a blessing to countless hearts, is the earnest prayer of

THE AUTHOR.

Brighton, Mass. Jan. 1, 1842.

MEMOIR.

The subject of this biography, Elder Abner Jones, was born in Royalston, in Massachusetts, on the 2Sth of April, 1772. His father was a native of the same State, and his mother first drew in the breath of life in the sister State of Rhode Island. They were plain farmers, such as the then new interior of New England every where revealed. They were both pious Baptists, and his father occasionally lead the devotions and exhorted at prayer and conference meetings.

Elder Jones often spoke of his father and mother with great affection, and remembered to his dying day, the faithful and kind admonitions of his childhood, albeit theirs was a stern and rigid piety, if we may judge from his first religious impressions. I take the following from the commencement of his "Journal," as illustrative of this fact.

" During the earliest years of my life, among the many religious thoughts which forced themselves on my mind, the strongest and most often 1 repeated were those respecting my future existence. These were occasioned by my father's prayers and admonitions— but more particularly the latter. I can remember of having seasons when alone, before I was eight years old, in which I was much concerned about my soul."

In 1790, his father, who seems to have been afflicted with a sense of oppression not dissimilar to that which troubled the celebrated Daniel Boon, of emigrating memory, finding his limits infringed — or, in my father's words, " wishing to enlarge his borders, — made a second remove, which I shall allow him to describe in his own way.

" When I was in my eighth year, my father removed into a town called Bridgewater, in the State of Vermont, in the county of Windsor. My father's was the first family that moved into the town ; it was therefore entirely a wilderness, excepting a small house spot, where the trees were cleared away, together with a few other trees such as were suitable for erecting a sort of shelter, which was called a log house. It was in the month of March when my father and family arrived at our new habitation. Our house was erected without either plank, joist, boards, shingles, stone, brick, nails or glass ; but was built wholly of logs, bark, boughs and wooden pegs in the room of nails. The snow then was about four feet deep, and the weather extremely cold ; and many trees within reach of the house ; we were two miles also, from neighbors. We were favored, however, with warm clothing, and solid provision, and enough of it ; although our house and furniture, were not quite so delicate as some. The great plenty of wood which was nigh, was easily collected into a large heap before one end of the house, (the greater part of which was open) and set on fire ; thus it was kept day and night, until the weather grew warm. What little household furniture we had in our new habitation, was drawn two miles on band-sleds, by men on snowshoes. This made a path sufficiently hard for my mother, and such of the children as were not able to assist in drawing the hand-sleds, to follow after. The object which stimulated my father to move at this period was, that he might make sugar on his own land ; which was done by extracting sap from maple trees, and boiling it into sugar. This must be done in the months of March and April."

There could be, of course, nothing of note to record in the history of my father's minority. He appears never to have been without more or less of strong and deep religious impressions.

For the edification o such as may feel desirious to know the workings of his mind during his early life, I shall transcribe in this place such extracts from his journal as will be sufficient for this purpose.

" But to return to the situation of my mind. I know not a better similitude than the wilderness in which I then dwelt ; uncultivated, and inhabited by the wild beasts of prey; dreary and melancholy."

A dreadful event occurred just at this time, in which a man was accidentally shot by his intimate friend, while hunting deer. As may well be supposed, in a population so sparse, a tremendous excitement was created which ended in a Ci revival of religion so general, that it seemed there was not a person come to years of reflection, who did not share in it, and many were brought out of darkness into God's marvellous light."

" I remember", he continues, " of having my attention more than usually called up to the concerns of my soul, in the above mentioned reformation ; by hearing Mr Benjamin Burch speak about death, judgment and eternity. Although I was only nine years old, the pride of my heart was so great, that I was ashamed to let any one know, that I felt concerned about my soul ;

neither could I bear to have any one see me weeping. I now felt the need of religion more than ever I had done before. I was fully con* vinced that I must be born again or be damned. I used frequently to resort to secret prayer. The place which I choose for this purpose, was at the foot of a rock, where it seemed there was a place carved put on purpose for me to kneel down in.

" About this time there came a man by the name of Snow into these parts, who was a baptist preacher, or rather an exhorter. He had a meeting appointed one evening about a quarter of a mile from my father's, which I attended. As I was going, I remember of trying to pray that God would have mercy on me. I felt particularly desirous that I might get some good that evening. I do not remember ever to have had such a desire before. When I arrived every thing seemed overspread with gloominess and darkness, and every thing of a religious nature appeared melancholy ; and I do not remember, that the thought ever passed my mind that religion yielded any joy, or peace. All the advantage I thought of, was that it would save my soul from eternal misery ; and on that account I felt desirous to obtain it ; feeling fully satisfied of my lost, undone condition. It appeared to me as though for a moment I was lost, and then every thing appeared new. I really thought that the preacher had entirely altered his suhject from something that was melancholy, to something joyful and happy. The following thoughts passed through my mind in swift succession. What is this ? It is something entirely new ; it makes me completely happy ; I wish to enjoy it forever. After the speaker had done, my father rose and gave a word of exhortation, as I had often heard him before, and which always until that time, seemed to fill my mind with gloom. But I really thought my father spoke as he never had before, for it appeared to be glorious. I did not at that time think the alteration was in me, but thought it was in my father. The unspeakable joy and peace which I then felt, I cannot describe. I was completely happy, and wished for nothing more. The fear of being miserable, was entirely gone from my mind ; and the dreary gloom that before rested on my mind, bad vanished away. All this time T had no idea what it was, that caused this change in my mind. From whence it came, and whither it went, I could not tell. I had no thought that I was converted. My mind remained in this situation, for a number of days, not knowing what these things meant.

" At length one day, as I was passing from the house to the barn, these words came to me with great force. c For this my Son was dead, and is alive again ; was lost, and is found,' Luke xv. 24. This was the first passage of scripture, that was ever set home to my heart. It seemed to open, and explain to my understanding, how I had been dead in sin, and made alive in Christ ; and also how I had been lost, but was now found of Christ as a Saviour. From that moment, a hope sprang up in my soul of eternal life.

" In this situation, I passed a number of months, enjoying calmness and peace, the greater part of the time. In those days, the gospel was to me truly a joyful sound, and I thought I knew it, and felt the blessing of it. ' Blessed is the people, that know the joyful sound.' Psalm Ixxxix. 15. The joy that I felt in my soul under the sound of the gospel, may be judged of by those who have felt the same."

His state of mind was now very similar to what might be supposed, when we take into view his tender age, and the peculiar views of religion which were kept constantly before his mind. Sometimes rapturously excited, as he gathered the evidence of the great change which he had undergone ; and then wrapt in deep melancholy under the fear that he was deceived and had deceived others. He had made known his feelings to his mother, and a pious neighbor, from whose conversation and advice he gained much comfort and strength.

u While I was thus relating the dealings of the L6rd with me, I felt the divine love kindling in my soul ; and I believe they enjoyed the same, whose minds had been exercised much in the same way. At this time, I beliete I experienced what Paul has written, Romans x. 10, l For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.' This wras the first time that I ever confessed Christ before men, in any degree ; and a great blessing I found to my soul. I think my joy was made full at that time, and I felt the love which I enjoyed at the first."

Shortly after this the duty of baptism seems to have been deeply impressed on his mind. H<e shrunk, however, from the u cross," and fell back into a dark and bewildered state of soul, when, in his own language, " he was many times nearly in despair. This wTas darkness that might be felt."

The exercises of his mind, were, for a child remarkable, and show him to have been, even then, possessed of an unusually susceptible temperament. I should not dwell upon this period of his life so long, were it not that here may be had the key which opens the sources of those peculiar traits which mark his riper character.

I shall therefore allow him to speak in his own language here, of a circumstance which ever after left a deep impression on his mind, and to which he often alluded in his preaching and conversation with those who were of a gloomy turn of mind and inclined to despondency. He was at the time he speaks of, about 14 years of age.

u On a certain day, (I think it was in the month of June) in the forenoon, a travelling preacher had a meeting appointed in Woodstock, about three miles from my father's. I attended the meeting, but found no relief to my mind. I returned home as usual, and ate dinner, after which I went into the field in order to hoe some corn. While I was contemplating my deplorable case, as sudden as the lightning, it appeared to me that ray soul was eternally undone. It came upon me with such force, that I firmly believed it, and now for the first time, I was entirely deprived of hope, I really thought that I had begun my eternal, endless.

despairing misery. I dropped my hoe as suddenly (it appears to me) as though I had been shot. I never expected to lift my hand again, to perform any part on the stage of life. I knew that I yet had a mortal body to drop into dust ; yet this appeared nothing. It does appear to me, if God's awful voice had pronounced the sentence, c depart ye cursed' I could not have felt the weight of it more than I did. The thoughts of mercy were not in all my thoughts. It did not so much as come into my mind, to ask for mercy ; neither do I remember as I had any inclination to ask for it. I viewed myself in the yawning jaws of eternal despair.

"It is not possible for me to give the reader a just idea of the anguish of my soul ; it was unspeakably terrible. I had not the least idea, of any injustice in my condemnation, nor did I feel any enmity in my heart against God.

" In this distressing situation, I repaired to the house in order to tell my mother what had befallen me. When I came to the door, I heard a man conversing, who was as I thought, no friend to religion ; I therefore turned my course up stairs, and threw myself on the bed, for about the space of half an hour, as near as I can judge, although to me it seemed more like two hours than half of one. While I thus lay on the bed, I endeavored to think of some bodily pain or torture, to compare my distress unto, but I could think of nothing. After the man was gone, I rushed down stairs and threw myself into my mother's arms, exclaiming c lam going right to htlV My mother, with a blessed smile, made answer, ' I hope not, my son. Remember this, For this my son which once was dead is alive again ; was lost and is found.' These blessed words revived my mind a little, and I again indulged that hope that my poor soul was not utterly lost. The immense relief afforded by this thought it is wholly out of my power to describe."

A few years after this, he lost his father, who died of quick consumption. This circumstance brought back to the paternal roof, the elder son, who was a wild, thoughtless young man. He seems to have proved a.great stumblingblock to Abner, who loved him with great affection, and confided much in his superior shrewdness and experience. Indeed two brothers could be scarcely less alike. The younger, thoughtful, almost timid, confiding, and deeply tinctured with religious enthusiasm — the elder, careless, confident, bold and irreligious. Their early education had been alike, the effect on each as different as could well be. Abner was baptised into the spirit of the household, his elder brother, irksome under the restraints of home, and hating the cause of those restraints, and not discriminating between the blessed spirit of religion, and an imperfect and faulty manifestation of it, had left the paternal roof, and among strangers and opposers, had imbibed a thorough contempt for religion itself. Elder Jones speaks of him as " a great disputant in theology, and a great despiser of experimental religion." One of his first efforts after his return, was to infuse his skepticism and irreligious views and feelings, into the pliant mind of his younger brother. He so far succeeded as to draw him away from . his religious life, and even to shake his faith in his own religious experience.

Two years thus passed. A great famine in the strange land where he dwelt, in which his soul knew no real peace. Thus he speaks of it, " In this situation, I did then, and so do I now, consider myself one of the unhappiest of mankind. Oftentimes in the midst of my folly, I felt the reprovings of God's spirit. I remember having the following reflections in my mind, at a certain ball, while I stood up and was preparing for the dance. What a fool am I. I have taken more satisfaction in one quarter of an hour's enjoyment in religion, than I could in this scene of vanity, if I could enjoy it to eternity. This thought struck me so forcibly that I could scarce perform my part, but to get rid of it, I carried on the higher ; and thus grieved the blessed spirit."

Many were the compunctious visitations of conscience he endured. He describes the struggle of his soul as terrible. But the flesh prevailed and he gave up himself to the unlimited pursuit of pleasure, and wealth. He had now reached the last years of his minority, and seems to have been possessed with the idea that he was destined to be rich ; and he determined to accomplish his destiny. He therefore entered into various speculations and engaged in various enterprises which promised much. But every thing he touched withered, and every project failed. Once severe and protracted sickness interrupted his purposes. At another time, he met with a serious accident which maimed him for life. So all his plans were frustrated. Dispirited, broken down in health and with pockets utterly empty, with a soul as famishing as Pharaoh's lean kine, he bent his steps homeward, where instead of the father he had loved, a stranger met him at the threshold, — for his mother had married a second husband in his

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absence. Here he felt constrained to seek some employment and finally decided on teaching school. It would be indeed a singular choice, in these days, for a young man, scarcely 19 years of age, who had never had but six weeks schooling in his life. But he succeeded and kept to the entire satisfaction of his employers, for nearly a year.

It was during this school, that his soul was again brought to itself, and he concluded after a severe struggle to consecrate himself once more to Him who had died for him, and washed him in his regenerating blood. No sooner had he found deliverence, than his former impressions of baptism returned. Along with this came the impression that he should one day have to preach. " These thoughts" he says, "I treated as temptations, and drove them Jfom my mind as much as possible ; they however followed me almost continually." He felt it his duty to bear public testimony, and in conference and prayer meetings felt obliged to exhort and pray. He also prayed in his school. Thus far he was willing, but the thought of preaching was exceedingly painful, and he would never allow himself to think it possible that he should ever become a preacher.

On the ninth of June, A. D. 1793, he was

ABNER JONES. Zo

baptised by Elder Elisha Ransom, of Woodstock, Vt.

Finding that his health was impaired, he relinquished his school and took a journey on foot to the seaboard ; calling on his way on relatives and acquaintances, and meeting many devoted and engaged Christians.

On his return he was summoned to the death-bed of his erring and thoughtless brother, whom he loved as Jonathan did Saul. He found him indeed near his end, and suffering all the horrors of a guilty conscience. He bewailed his irreligion, and blamed himself in severest terms for his opposition to religion. " I think," says the younger of the elder brother, u his lamentation for mispent life exceeded every thing of the kind that I ever heard. I shall therefore add some few of the many heart-rending sentences which this dying man uttered.

" c I am like Balaam, I want to die the death of the righteous, but I dare not so much as lift my eyes to heaven for mercy ; I dare not offer a few of my last hours to his service, when I have spent all my days in sinning against him. There is no mercy for me. Oh ! how I have misimproved all my privileges of going to meeting, and despised the best of men. Now I would give all the world, if I had it, for one opportunity of attending such a meeting as I have before despised. 0, my brother, if I only had what you have, it would be enough, but there is no mercy for me. Here I am in distress, I have lain here until my skin is worn off my body in a number of places. A few more hours will eternally close all my happiness, and I shall awake in hell. Who can dwell with devouring fire ? who can inhabit everlasting burnings ?' "

He found relief, however, before he died, and closed his eyes in peace.

It was about this time, when the subject of this memoir was near twenty-one years of age, that he was led to inquire, " if I must preach, what shall I preach ?" He was far from being satisfied with the views or creed of his brethren, and he had never settled it in his own mind what Christianity was. He therefore determined to give the whole subject a careful and serious investigation. He accordingly took the bible, and that alone, and without consulting any individual, or receiving sympathy from any living being, commenced a prayerful and careful examination of the sacred pages. The process and result of this undertaking we shall presently see.

Previous to this time he had entertained thoughts of studying medicine. Nor did he relinquish the idea at this time. Although he was impressed with the thought that he should one day become a preacher, he had no idea at all of preaching at present. He supposed that his duty would be to exhort and pray whenever and wherever his lot should be cast, and this was all the public testimony he expected for the present to be called upon to make. Indeed, although a good deal troubled concerning his duty in this respect, he all along, at times, treated the impressions on his mind relating to preaching, as delusions, or, worse, temptations of the devil. At any rate, he decided to pursue the study of medicine, wisely concluding that it could do him no harm, and might be of great service to him. Although his opportunities for enriching his mind had been very limited, he was nevertheless early fired with a desire to be learned in books and the sciences. He had a great love for books — this love only increased with his years — - and he deemed the labor bestowed on the most prosaic and heavy as well repaid by the knowledge Which he gleaned from them. I recollect hearing him say that he never read but one book from which he did not gather enough to reward the toil. This taste and desire for knowledge supplied the want of means, so that at the age now spoken of, he was altogether in advance of 2 his companions. He thought, too, that he could at the same time carry on his investigations of the bible. Certain it is he decided at once, that he could never preach until he was fully satisfied in his own mind ichat he should preach.

For two years he followed up this plan, studying medicine, rather as a relaxation, and making his great study the word of God. During this period he enjoyed much peace of mind and used often to bear public testimony of his faith. He made very inconsiderable progress in medicine, as he was compelled, during these two years to teach a school for a livelihood. In the course of this time his religious views underwent an entire modification — perhaps I should better express his condition of mind by saying, disintegration ; for he seems to have settled but one thing to his own satisfaction, and that was, that the whole system of theology in which he had been educated was erroneous. He had been troubled for a long time about the irreconcilable points of doctrine, which, he says, he nevertheless thought must be true.

u I felt my mind," he says> " much tried about what my brethren called the great, mysterious doctrines of the gospel, viz : Election, Reprobation, Decrees, &c. I plainly discovered that they preached complete contradictions on the subject ; and I read that no lie is of the truth ; and contradictions must be lies. Thus my mind was in great perplexity concerning these things. This caused me to review them, and compare them by the scriptures of truth. In short I took a review of all that I had professed to believe before, and I found I had embraced many things without proper examination. I then came to a determination to believe and practice just what I found required in thebible, and no more. There was a baptist minister who occasionally preached with us, who often made use of the following expression. £ I wil have nothing but for which I can bring thus saith the Lord, and thus it is written.' This led me to compare what he preached and practised with the scriptures.

" The first thing that struck me, was the name of our denomination, viz : Baptist. When I had searched the New Testament through, to my great astonishment, I could not find the denomination of baptist mentioned in the whole of it. I only found John the baptist, or baptiser ; he is the only one called a baptist in all the New Testament. Christ did not call his disciples baptists ; the christian churches in the apostles5 time were not called baptists. Christ called his disciples brethren and friends. In the time of the apostles, the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. After this examination, I denied the name of baptist, and so I have continued to do unto this day. I was then willing to own the names disciple, friend, and Christian, unto which I still hold.