Memoir of the life and character of Rev. Joseph Vaill, late pastor of the church of Christ in Hadlyme

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Preface

The characters of men remain behind them after they have left the world. The good and faithful may continue to do good by their example and moral influence beyond the period of their mortal lives and after they have gone to their reward.

It is with a view to perpetuate the example and influence of a laborious and faithful minister of the Gospel, that the following Memoir is given to the public. It has not been the design of the compiler, to furnish a biographical sketch to attract the admiration of readers, nor to accord with the taste of the age, in requiring that which is wonderful and uncommon and marvellous in a memoir ; but it has been his design to present the subeet of the following memoir in a true light — to exhibit him just as he was in his life, in plain narrative, without embellishments of style or figures of rhetoric.

He has not entered on this service, without the solicitation of friends, nor without the advice of Ministerial Brethren. The impression was extensive among the numerous friends and acquaintances of Mr. Vail], after his decease, that a brief memoir of his life would be useful to the cause of Christ, and that some record of his faithful services, and ministerial and Christian graces should be preserved for the benefit of the living. How far the compiler has succeeded in this humble attempt to give a true portraiture of the character of this beloved

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IV PREFACE.

and venerable minister of Christ, he leaves it to the reader to say.

He commits the volume to the Providence of God, and submits it to an impartial Christian public, with hope and with prayer to God, that so far as read, it will perpetuate the example of this faithful servant of the Lord, for the encouragement of Christians and Christian ministers in duty, and awaken interest in all classes of readers in the concerns of salvation, and thus prove instrumental in advancing the interests of true religion in the world.

The Compiler.

East Haddam, August 14th, 1839.

Contents

CH APTER I.

Page.

His parentage. Birth. Early education. Manner of life up to the age of twenty one years. Dealings of God with him during this period. 13

Chapter II

Plan for obtaining an education. Difficulties in entering on it. Leaves home for Dartmouth College. His journey. Safe arrival. Description of the place. Finds Mr. J. O. Begins to labor. Commences the study of Latin. Privations and hardships. Enters College. Continues to reside at the Mills and labor. Recites regularly with his class in College. Whole period of his residence at the Mills. Account of his religious state. Joins the College Church. 21

CHAPTE R III.

Goes to room in College. Instructs the Canadian boys. Experiences sickness. Leaves College for a time. College exercises interrupted. Returns to College. Has charge of Mores' School. Again leaves College. Returns. Finds embarrassments. Graduates with his class. Acknowledge the goodness of God in carry ing him through. Studies Theology. Licensed to preach. Invited to Hadlyme. Receives ordination. .... 32

Enters on the Pastoral office. Time of declension. Half-way covenant. Pastoral labors Interest in Children. His oversight of his people. Attention to the afflicted. Doctrinal views. Imporance of sound doctrine. Punctuality. Character of his preaching. Its influence. His fidelity acknowledged. . . . 45

VI

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V.

His marriage. A happy connection. Fidelity of his companion. Success in the government and education of their children. Industry and economy. Devoted to the instruction of youth. Extracts from his journal. Death of his companion. Extracts from his letters. Affectionate respect shown him by his children. . 53

C HAPTE R VI.

His natural shrewdness. His feelings in regard to this trait in his character. Powers of conversation. Poetical talent. Extracts from his poetry. Notice of his publications. Sermon at the ordination of his younger son— extracts. Sermon at the ordination of his elder son — extracts

CH APTE R VII.

Extracts from his Journal, illustrating his personal piety.

CHAPTER VIII.

Extracts from his Journal continued. — Birth-day reflections. Anniversary of his ordination. New Year's reflections. Parochial calls. Spirit of the world. Religious education of children. Parental neglect. Two infidels. Modern mode of settling ministers exceptionable. Hasty admissions to the Church. Young converts 105

CH APTE R IX.

Extracts from his Journal continued. — His despondence. Trials and discouragements. Thinks of asking for a dismission. The Church conformed to the world. Meets with opposition aa school visiter. Commits his cause to God. Low state of Religion. The ministry attended with trials. Faults of ministers and of church-members. Reformation desirable. Addresses the Church on their renewal of covenant. 127

C HAPTE R X.

Extracts from his journal continued — miscellaneous, from a few of his letters — miscellaneous.

Extracts

CONTENTS. Vll

C HAPTER X I.

His missionary spirit. His missions. Observance of the monthly concert of prayer. Atiachment to the cause of missions. Gives up his eldest son to be a missionary. Dismission of this son from the people of his charge. Parting address to his son and his family 167

CHAPTER XII.

His spirit as a revival preacher. His want of apparent success no proof of his unfaithfulness. If tried by the rule of some modern preachers, he would be found deficient in piety. Erroneous extremes in regard to revivals. Revivals under his ministry. His interest in them. Good fruits. Thankfulness for them. Readiness to promote them 181

CHAPTER XIII.

Interest in objects of benevolence. Life member of two Benevolent Societies. Efforts in the temperance cause. Results among his own people. Extracts from a Temperance Address. Extracts from a private letter to an acquaintance 194

CHAPTER XIV.

Settlement of a Colleague. Retires from active service. Unexpected removal to Killingworth. Farewell address to his people. Occasional labors and visits after his removal. Useful to the close of life 205

CHAPTER XV.

His last sickness. Death. Funeral. Extracts from the sermon preached at his funeral. Notices of his life and character, as sketched by different persons. Closing remarks. . . . 217

MEMOIR

CHAPTER I.

His parentage. Birth. Early education. Manner of life up to the age of twenty-one years. Dealings of God with him during this period.

The Rev. Joseph Vaill, the subject of the following memoir, was born at Litchfield, Connecticut, July 14th 1751. His father, Mr. Joseph Vaill, was the son of Mr. Daniel Vaill, who resided at Southold, on Long Island. His mother, Jerusha Vaill, was the daughter of Mr. William Beck, who removed from Hartford to Litchfield, at an early period in the settlement of that town.

His parents were both members of the Congregational church in Litchfield. As visible believers, they were upright, and consistent in their walk, and respectable in their standing in society. They early instructed their child- 2 ren in the truths of religion, and taught them by precept and example, to respect the word and worship of God. Joseph was their eldest son. His childhood and youth were passed under the parental roof. The advantages for early education at that period, were inconsiderable in comparison with those of the present time. Those of the common school and of the family were all that this son enjoyed, until he attained to the age of twenty-one years. He was a sober and obedient child, and an industrious and moral youth. His parents calculated on his remaining with them after he should become of lawful age to act for himself; and that, as he had been brought up to labor on a farm, he would follow the occupation of farming as his chosen employment for life. But Providence had designs in regard to this son which were not, at that time, made known to his parents, which would disappoint their expectations in a manner afflictive to them, at first ; — yet in which they acquiesced ; — and they were permitted to live to see their son conducted in a way in life very different from that which they had marked out for him.

The following sketches of his early history, and of the influence of religious truth in his experience in early life, are from a manuscript written by himself in the latter part of his life.

The manuscript is entitled " Some account of my early life and of the dealings of God with me."

" I was early taught to read, and sent to school, in the summer, to a female teacher when about four years of age, and to a male teacher in the fall and winter, until I was fourteen or fifteen years of age. But, in consequence of the want of suitable skill and management of school teachers in general of that day, and my inclination to play, I gained but an incorrect knowledge of several branches of learning to what I ought to have gained in that period. I was, however, viewed as good a reader and speller as almost any one of my standing.

" I early experienced serious impressions of the Divine Spirit at times, and especially when I heard some awakening discourse. I well remember the tender and anxious feelings which were produced in my mind when not more than five years of age by the solemn and affecting address of a pious school-mistress, on the proceedings of the judgment of the last day, as recorded in the latter part of the twenty-fifth Chapter of Matthew's Gospel.

" By means of early religious instruction and tenderness of conscience, I was kept back from many of those vices which were common to some of my playmates — such as quarrelling, lying, calling wicked names, and especially from profane swearing. When I was about the age of seven or eight years, I was much affected when any person of my acquaintance died, and I underwent many fearful apprehensions in view of death, lest I should die in my unprepared condition, and be forever miserable. I was often, in sleep, greatly alarmed by frightful dreams about death, and the world's coming to an end, and the scenes of the judgment day, and I awoke at times, in great bitterness of spirit, and attempted to pray, and continued distressed for a few hours, and then my fears would subside for the time. The same was true in sickness ; and whenever my health was impaired, I felt alarmed lest I should die. There was in my mind, from very early life, a great natural dread of death, aside from my conscious unpreparedness for death."

" My mind was more or less exercised from year to year, until I grew to a state of manhood ; and I had many seasons of seriousness in which I read the Bible and other religious Books, and attempted to pray frequently. In some of these seasons I began to indulge hope that I had reformed my life, and that 1 loved religious duties, and was about setting out in earnest for the kingdom of heaven ; yet afterwards, being led to associate with loose com-

EEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 17

panions, I was left to grieve away the Spirit, and soon returned to my former careless course of life. I have often thought that if I had lived when there was a season of awakening and revival of religion, and had told my exercises to others, they would have numbered me among the hopeful converts. And from my long acquaintance and experience in such seasons, I have witnessed many such superficial conversions, which prove as did several of mine, like the morning cloud, and early dew, which vanish before the sun.

"For a part of the time, when I was from fourteen to twenty years of age, I fell into a criminal abuse of the Sabbath, by indulging in levity of behavior, and unbecoming conversation in going to the place of worship, and in the intermission, by mingling in company with light and vain youth. Though my conscience frequently reproved me for thus profaning this sacred day, and I often, on the morning of the Sabbath, resolved that I would be upon my guard against this sin which so easily beset me, yet when I came to meet my light companions, I was wont to break over my resolutions. As I had been instructed from early life, in the necessity of a change of heart, and had read accounts of revivals of religion, I grew up with a fixed belief, that unless I should be converted, 2*

I must perish forever. This thought caused in me, fearful apprehensions of dying and going to judgment in an unconverted state. I was greatly alarmed in time of a thunder storm ; as I feared I should be struck dead by the lightning and sent to hell in a moment. The illumination of the heavens by remarkable northern lights, at that period struck me with terror, lest it should be a token that the conflagration of the world was about to follow ; and under this impression, I was induced to pray and to alter my sinful course for a time. When about seventeen years of age, I was alarmed by the sudden surprising death of one of my intimate acquaintance, who was instantly killed by a loaded cart's passing over his body. He had been such an irreligious and profane youth, that I feared he had gone to hell. This awful Providence excited me to a more diligent attention to the concerns of my own soul. I prayed more and read the Scriptures more diligently ; and thought more on religious subjects for a number of weeks. But I gradually lost the impressions of this Providence, and relapsed into my former impenitent course.

" I frequently lotted out, in my mind, to be more happy in some future period of my life, by obtaining wealth, or by settling in the world ; — but the thought that I should be a miserable creature, should I continue destitute of religion, would at once, destroy all my anticipated happiness.

" When I was about twenty years of age, being confined by lameness for a considerable time, I attended diligently to reading the Bible, and other religious books, and betook myself more constantly to secret prayer, and drew up a number of resolutions to devote my life to the service of Christ. About this time, I began to think of attempting to gain an education with a view of being qualified for the Gospel ministry. But my resolutions were made in my own strength ; and I yielded to temptation, and lost, in a measure my serious impressions. Thus I lived in an unsettled and undecided state of mind, and found myself to increase in hardness of heart; for in many respects, what would greatly affect me, when in younger life, would now have little or no impression on my mind, though I believe my concern for my soul became more rational than formerly.

" Before I set out to procure a College education, my inclination to join young people in their amusements and parties of pleasure grew less, until I wholly forsook their vain amusements. But during all this time, I had but a little sense of the totally depraved state, and desperate wickedness of my heart, and of my inability to help or save myself. As the Spirit of God continued to strive with me, notwithstanding all my relapses, broken resolutions and aggravated abuses of God's forbearing mercy, I lived an uncomfortable life. I was not happy in the things of the world, nor was my conscience at ease."

The reader has now seen the subject of this memoir passing on in life, Under a religious early education, and the strivings of God's Spirit, to the age of twenty-one years, without gaining any satisfactory evidence that he was a child of God. The temptations which assail young people are essentially the same in every age. The influence of irreligious companions proved to him a temptation to violate the Sabbath. Children should be early taught to avoid the influence, and to shun the example of such as have no respect for the Sabbath, nor serious concern for their own salvation.

BEV. JOSEPH VAILL. 21

CHAPTER II.

Plan for obtaining an education. Difficulties in entering on it. Leaves home for Dartmouth College. His journey. Safe arrival. Description of the place. Finds Mr. J. O. Begins to labor. Commences the study of Latin. Privations and hardships. Enters College. Continues to reside at the Mills and labor. Recites regularly with his class in College. Whole period of his residence at the Mills. Account of his religious state. Joins the College Church.

"Sometime in the month of June 1772, a plan was proposed by Mr. J. O., who had removed the preceding year, into the neighborhood of Dartmouth College, for several young men to procure a College education, and to defray their expenses, by tending a saw-mill and grist-mill, the property of the College, which he had taken to run on shares. A brother of Mr. O. had before this, become a member of Dartmouth College. 1 had been thinking of a public education for some time, and had been desirous of obtaining one ; but no way seemed to be open to me for it. Two of my acquaintance concluded to make trial of Mr. O's plan, and I felt inclined to join them in this new and arduous enterprize. But numerous and seemingly insurmountable difficulties lay in the way : As my father was considerably advanced in life, (turned of fifty) and had no other son except one who was then an infant about six months old, and had involved himself in debt to a considerable amount, for the purchase of a suitable settlement for me that I might live near to him. He had seven daughters, most of whom were dependent on him ; and on learning my plan to leave home for the purpose of acquiring an education, my parents started such strong objections, that I felt it to be my duty, at first, to give it up. Still the subject was on my mind continually through the summer, and I was not satisfied to abandon it. At length, I signified by letter, to Mr. J. O., my desire to go and pursue his proposed plan, and received an answer from him in the forepart of September, which fixed my determination to go forward. My father offered me one half of his property, if I would relinquish the idea of leaving him, and remain on the farm ; but I replied that I had rather give up my claims to any part of his estate than not go. My friends, in general, regarded it as a visionary and wild undertaking which would soon be given up in despair ; and dissuaded me all in their power.

" My father told me that, as I was of age, he had no legal right to control me, and should leave me to do as I thought best. He did not refuse to assist me so far as he was able ; yet he was not in circumstances to afford me much pecuniary aid. Having made the best preparation I could under my circumstances, I set out, with three others, for Dartmouth College, Sept. 28th, 1772. I took my axe with me, and such articles of clothing and a few such books as were most necessary.

" Four of us started in company, taking one small horse with us, on which the youngest and most feeble of our company rode most of the way. Three of us travelled on foot, and for part of two days, each footman swung his pack, soldier-like. But, at length we contrived to place our packs on our horse. The distance we were to travel was computed to be one hundred and eighty miles. I had only about fifteen shillings in money in my pocket to bear my expenses on the journey ; and as this proved insufficient, I received some more from one of our company. We travelled, on an average, about thirty miles a day. I had never before been twenty miles from home, nor gone on foot a whole day at a time. I became excessively weary, and at times almost ready to lie down in the street. On the third day, as we went from Hartford, on the east side of Connecticut

River, we reached the Chickopee River in Massachusetts ; and finding the bridge gone, three of us forded this river. One rode the horse over, and ascertained that it was not dangerous, on account of its depth. We pulled off our stockings and shoes, and waded across, a distance of about ten rods. The water was cold, the stream rapid, and the bottom covered with sharp and slippery stones. We reached Claremont,"in New Hampshire, on Saturday night, and put up at a small tavern, over the Sabbath, on the beach of Sugar River. The Landlord was an Episcopalian. A meeting was held at his house on the Sabbath. On Monday, Oct* 5th, we reached the College Mills.

" The Mills were one mile south from the College. They stood on a large brook, and near to them, was an interval of fifteen or twenty acres of land, which interval was nearly surrounded on one side by a high hill of a semicircular form, which extended from North East, to South West. This hill was thickly covered with forest trees. The road from the Mills to the College, after about sixty rods of level land, passed directly up this hill which was about one fourth of a mile from the bottom to the top, and thence through a hemlock swamp, nearly half a mile in width, before it reached the plain on which the College stood.

" We found Mr. J. O., living alone in a small framed unfinished house, which had been built for the residence of the man who should tend the College Mills. A more solitary and romantic situation can seldom be found. The howling of wild beasts, and the plaintive notes of the owl, greatly added to the gloominess of the night season. Mr. O., was supplied with some provisions and utensils, sufficient for one who lived in his solitary condition. His lodging was a, box made of boards, called a bunk, with a ticken filled with pine shavings, and a sufficient covering of Indian blankets. For the first week we strangers took each one a blanket and slept upon the floor ; — but in a short time we furnished ourselves with bunks and straw beds, and with utensils sufficient to take our meals in a more decent manner.

" The first four or five weeks we spent in tending the mills, and in clearing away the trees near our house, which furnished a supply of fuel for the winter. One of our company soon gave up the idea of studying, and returned to Connecticut before winter. Three of us now entered on the study of the Latin Grammar, and continued to pursue our studies through the winter. Our tutor was a brother of Mr. J. 0. y who was a member of the Sophomore Class in College. We gave him his board for his service in teaching us ; — and we had no other instructor till we entered College. During the first winter, we studied in our cold house, and used pine knots to burn for lights, instead of candles, for a part of the time. I lodged in the chamber, with one of my class-mates. We ascended a ladder placed in our small entry. My pillow was a duffed great coat, and our covering narrow Indian blankets. We did our own cooking and washing until the latter part of March, w T hen a young married couple came from Connecticut, and lived in our house, and superintended our domestic concerns. Having repaired a small cottage near by, built in part of logs, we removed into that to study and lodge, where we remained during the next summer, suffering many inconveniences, and undergoing many privations.

" On the return of spring in 1773, as soon as the ice dissolved, we resumed our sawing. We sawed about sixty thousand feet of pine boards, and stuck them up. We also tended the grist mill in our turns. We had one dollar per thousand for sawing and stacking the boards, and half the toll for grinding. We also burned over several acres of ground, and cleared them for tillage, — we sowed a part with clover seed for mowing and pasture, and planted yearly about one acre of corn, besides our garden.

REV. JOSEPH VAtLL. 27

Our corn-field was never plowed. We employed our hoes in planting the corn, and we dug our field when the corn was up, with our hoes. The first spring after we commenced our settlement there, the measles broke out in our family, and proved fatal in the case of one of our number, who was thrown into a quick consumption, which terminated his life in about six weeks. This was an afflictive Providence to us all.

" In the first summer, we built a new convenient house. One of our number and myself constructed the chimney ; and for want of cattle, we backed the stones from several rods distance. The mantle-tree stone, two of us carried on our shoulders nearly a mile ; and the jamb-stones, we backed some distance. By the time we had finished our house, which was in September, my health was very much reduced ; and I experienced a severe attack of the dysentery, attended with a burning fever ; and for several days, my life was greatly threatened. But through a merciful Providence, I was at length restored to health. Thus, I continued to labor and study for two years, before I, with one of the company, entered College. My hardships were excessive, and especially in the spring, when, after studying through the winter, we turned out in the latter part of March, two of us at a time, and tended the saw-mill for about six weeks together. In the second spring we sawed about seventy thousand feet of boards; and in the third about ninety thousand. We made it our rule to saw every evening, except Saturday and Sabbath evenings, till ten o'clock, and in the mean time, some one, in his turn, tended the grist-mill.

" About two years after we began our enterprise, two young men from Massachusetts joined us, one of whom brought on an excellent cow, which furnished us with milk and butter for most of the year, and greatly contributed to our living more comfortably.

" After I entered college, I went twice a day to recite with my class in College, which made me four miles travel each day. We recited to our Tutor immediately after morning prayers, and again at eleven o'clock ; and some part of the time we had three recitations in a day. In the winter, we rose frequently at five o'clock,and in the shortest days at six o'clock, and having united in morning prayer in our family, I set off for College, having to face the North West wind, which was cold and piercing in that climate; and not unfrequently, I had to break my path through a new fall of snow, a foot in depth or more. Considering the severity of the winters in that cold region, it w r as marvelous that I did not freeze my limbs, or perish with the cold, especially as I was but thinly clothed for that climate. After my admission to College, I tended the saw-mill about six weeks in the spring, which was chiefly vacation ; and in summer, in addition to going to College twice or three times a day, I made it my rule to labor about three hours in the field or garden, or some other kind of manual labor. I had scarcely a moment's leisure from one day, week and month to another. My hardships were excessive, and especially in the Spring, in tending the saw-mill. I was frequently exposed to being drenched with water when mending the trough or buckets of the water-wheel ; and in one instance, I experienced a narrow escape from being torn in pieces by the saw.

" I continued at the mills and pursued my studies and labors until the month of June 1777, when I was in my Junior year, which completed the term of about four years and a half.

" As I have before observed, my attention to the things of religion became more rational and permanent, before I left home ; — and my design when I set out to procure an education, was that I might be prepared for the work of the ministry. This object I kept continually in view, after I entered on the prosecution of my plan. My mind was habitually impressed with the importance of living a religious life, I daily kept up secret prayer, and paid a greater attention to reading and hearing the word. I gained more clear and satisfactory views of the doctrines of the Gospel, and of the nature of regeneration, and Christian exercises from the discourses of our President, Dr. Eleazer Wheelock. About this time, I recollect that I had for a short time, some very comforting viewa of the glory of God's character, and divine things ; and perceived a sensible alteration in my feelings. I found myself frequently in the exercise of ejaculatory prayer when studying my lessons. But these new views and feelings were followed by great spiritual darkness, and with such a deep sense of my sinfulness and great unworthiness that I dared not indulge so much as a faint hope that I was converted. Thus I remained for nearly two years in a very uncomfortable state, I still kept up, daily, my secret devotions, but had great conflicts from my inbred corruptions, and could take no comfort in things of this world, nor but little in the things of religion. I had many fears, at times, lest I had committed the unpardonable sin, from all of which my mind was at length freed. Thus, for a long season, while I resided at the mills, I was sifted and tried in every corner of my heart.