Memoirs of eminent preachers in the Freewill Baptist denomination

Preface

The design of this book is to preserve, in a more durable form, brief but characteristic sketches of eminent deceased Freewill Baptist ministers. That it includes all who occupied prominent positions in the church and ministry, it is not pretended. Neither is it claimed that the selections have, in every case, been the most judicious. The history of some, especially the early "fathers," which would be interesting, can not be obtained ; hence, their history is necessarily passed over in silence ; but their record is on high.

These memoirs, however, embrace the names of some of the first and most distinguished pioneer preachers in the denomination, giving vivjxl accounts of their life-long experiences and labors in the ministry. Some of them were permitted to enjoy a long and useful ministry, while others were cut down in the morning of life, and in the beginning of their usefulness. Grouped together are those, too, who possessed different traits of character — the amiable, mild, child-like disciple of Christ, and the heroic, courageous veteran of the cross. In natural and acquired endowments, the most striking contrasts are observable. Some were illiterate, though possessing strong powers of intellect ; some were classically educated ; some possessed, physically speaking, robust constitutions, capable of enduring the hardships incident to their calling; some, on the other hand, had delicate health, which often incapacitated them from active service. Yet all were, more or less, blessed by the great Head of the church, and accomplished an incalculable amount of good.

A recital of the experiences and sufferings, toils and sacrifices, failures and successes of those gone before, can not fail

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IV PEEFACE.

to be instructive and useful to the ministry of the present day. Times have changed, opinions have changed; yet the work that God requires of his ministers is essentially the same. To be successful in the vineyard, it requires the same labor, and the same spirit of devotion to the cause of Christ. It is believed, also, that private members of the church will receive profit from the perusal of these pages; and, to the young especially, this work is commended as worthy of their consideration.

For the materials of which this work is composed, we are principally indebted to the publications of the Freewill Baptist Printing Establishment. Several of the memoirs, however, were written expressly for the work, while several of the others have undergone more or less modification. Free use has been made of contributed articles, and the writer has been indisposed to assume a relation to their contents much different from that of an editor; but, so numerous are the sources whence information has been derived, that it is impracticable to give due credit in every instance. Suffice it, therefore, to say, that we are under special obligations to all, from whom we have, in any way, received aid in the prosecution of the work.

SELAH HIBBAED BARRETT.

Rutland Ohio, January 1, 1874.

Benjamin Burleigh Smiti

EMINENT PREACHERS.

Chapter I. Benjamin Randall

The Randall family was of English origin. Sometime after the year 1700, a Mr. Randall, born in England, came to New Castle, New Hampshire, an island at the mouth of Piscataqua River, containing four hundred and fifty-eight acres. It was early settled, and was a part of Portsmouth until 1693, when it was incorporated as a separate town. Before this time it was called Great Island. It was formerly a place of considerable business, containing several stores and some public buildings. There some of the Provincial Governors, Judges, and other officers resided. There the Provincial Assembly held their sessions, and there, too, was the main fort for the defense of Portsmouth. Much of the land is rough and rocky, but the soil is productive.

Benjamin Randall, son of the above, was born in this place, January 13, 1726. He married Miss Marden, also born in New Castle, October 17, 1730. He was a sea-captain ; but at a late period in life moved to Ossipee, where he died, June 21, 1790, aged sixty-four, and was buried in New Durham. They had several children. One daughter lived in

Ossipee, another in Standish, Maine, and another in Effingham, New Hampshire. A son, named Jacob, resided in Saco. Another was Rev. Benjamin Randall, the subject of this sketch and founder of the Freewill Baptist Denomination, who was born in New Castle, February 7, 1749.

Although common schools were established in every town in New Hampshire, they were of a low grade compared with those of the present day. As Captain Randall was unable to send his children abroad to be educated, Benjamin's opportunities for early literary pursuits were rather limited. But possessing a faculty for acquiring knowledge, he overcame these obstacles, and through dint of application, he obtained what was then called a good mercantile education.

When not more than nine years of age, he accompanied his father to sea, and, for nine years following, this was his principal employment. But his tastes and inclinations led him in a different direction, and he at length became so disgusted with seafaring life that he entreated his father to put him to a trade. His request was granted, and at the age of eighteen he engaged, as an apprentice, with a sailmaker in Portsmouth, which was then the largest town in the State. He remained here three years, carefully improving the advantages afforded him. When twenty-one years of age, he returned to New Castle, and the next year, 1771, he was married to Miss Joanna Oram, a daughter of Mr. Robert Oram, a native of England, but now a resident of Kittery, Maine, just across the river from New Castle.

Such was his early and religious training that he was the subject of strong religious impressions. He never indulged in profanity ; for it was repulsive to his high sense of propriety. He observed stated seasons for fasting and prayer, and was a regular attendant on Sabbath worship. True, he sometimes engaged in dancing and other amusements; but he often saw the folly of his life and the emptiness of his religion. The reprovings of a guilty conscience often deterred him from his acts of devotion. Again, he would strive to live more circumspectly, and engage with more fervency in what he regarded religious duties; and thought himself, at least, in a hopeful way for heaven.

In the year 1770, that world-renowned servant of God, George Whitefield, made his last visit to America, and preached in Portsmouth. Randall, though much prejudiced against him, went to hear him, and the result was that he was much stirred up with opposition to him, his heart becoming more hardened with unbelief. But a few days after, upon the announcement of Whitefield's sudden death, at Newburyport, deep conviction fastened upon Randall's heart, which terminated in true repentance and conversion. He had enrapturing views of God as his friend, of Christ as his Savior, of the atonement as free and full. He gave glory to God, and great peace filled his soul. This great change took place in his mind and feelings on the 15th of October, 1770.

The family altar was erected, and in November, 1772, he and his wife united with the Congregational

Church of his native town. In the course of three or four years, they had three children christened ; but, at length, finding the church in a corrupt state, and, on the whole, opposed to the life and power of religion, he with a few others set up a separate meeting. But his spirit was greatly crushed when he heard it reported, "Randall wants to be a preacher."

Being convinced, in spite of his early education, that believers only were proper subjects of baptism and that by immersion, and, becoming dissatisfied with some of the doctrines of this church, he separated himself from it in 1775. He now felt it his duty to be baptized; but there was no one in the vicinity to administer the ordinance. Some ten miles westerly, in Stratham, Dr. Shepherd, of Brentwood, was preaching and baptizing. At first Randall proposed to go there and attend to the ordinance ; but finding others in New Castle who wished baptism, it was proposed to send for an administrator. Then learning that "William Hooper was to be ordained in Berwick, Maine, he with John Trefethren, a confidential friend, went some twenty miles to the ordination. After the service, which was on the 14th of August, 1776, Randall and three others were baptized, all of whom became ministers. The place of baptism was Salmon Falls River, near where is now Great Falls Village.

Randall, now twenty-seven years of age, was in the full vigor and strength of manhood. Great was his happiness in submitting to this heaven -appointed rite. There was light from above and joy below, while the prayers of many devout hearts ascended

BENJAMIN EANDALL. 11

on high. The waters were lovely ; the waterfall, a little way off, seemed to praise God ; the birds, in the forest around, sang sweetly ; but those baptized praised more effectually. Randall joined the Baptist Church in Berwick, then comprising what is now the town with North Berwick and South Berwick.

Randall's administrator, Rev. "William Hooper, was a native of Berwick, and was the first minister ordained as a Baptist in Maine. He preached some in Berwick, and much in Madbury, New Hampshire, where he died in 1827, aged eighty-two. It may be said that his family was Levitical, several being ministers. His brother James was a Baptist minister forty years at Paris, Maine. Rev. William Hooper's son, Noah, born in Berwick, was pastor at Cape Elizabeth and Lisbon, Maine, and then was stated supply in different places. A son of his is Rev. Noah Hooper, pastor of the Baptist Church in Exeter, New Hampshire, and has been a preacher nearly forty years. About two hundred and fifty years of service, in all, followed the baptism of Randall and its connections, and is still unfinished in the person of Mr. Hooper, of Exeter, not reckoning one or two ministers who were descendants of Mr. Randall. That baptism at Berwick, Maine, was a glorious one, wide-spread and far-reaching in its results.

Returning to New Castle, Randall continued his meetings, though not attempting to preach. But it was not long before he felt convictions of duty to enter the ministry. His own insufficiency and the great sanctity of the work led him to dismiss this subject. Again, when he realized the deplorable condition of the world, the call was, "Go thou and preach the kingdom of God." It was said to him, at the close of one of their social meetings, " Brother Randall, I am tired of hearing you read old sermons; if you can not preach to us, do leave off reading old sermons and read the Bible." This was a rebuke. At the next meeting he complied with the request. He read a portion of the thirteenth chapter of John, which involuntarily led him to make some suggestive remarks. The next day he was not a little surprised to learn that it was said, " Randall preached last night."

To remove, if possible, all occasion for such remarks, at the next meeting he undertook to read one of Dr. Watts's printed sermons. He says, "As I read, I began to die ; and the more I read, the more I felt my life departing, till I dared not read another line, lest the Lord would leave me to hardness of heart and blindness of mind." Laying the book aside, he at once confessed his neglect of duty, and said, " Now, by the grace of God, I am resolved to be obedient, and give myself up to his service as long as I live." This was probably the last sermon he ever attempted to read in public.

Having made a written covenant with the Lord, and a consecration of himself to Christ, he entered at once in his Master's service, preaching almost daily for several weeks, which, in the spring of 1777, resulted in a glorious revival, in which thirty were converted. But this great success, in his first attempts to preach the gospel, did not shield the young preacher from persecution and danger. More than once his life was threatened, and a brick, thrown from an unknown hand, barely missed his head. While preaching in a neighboring town, a mob assembled before the door; but this did not deter Randall from preaching. A drenching shower cooled their zeal, and the mob finally dispersed without accomplishing their purposes.

In the early part of 1777, several persons from New Durham heard Randall preach at Madbury, New Hampshire, and gave him a pressing invitation to go to their town and preach with them. With this invitation he shortly after complied. His preaching had an effect to awaken the people to the importance of religion. Many of the inhabitants were very solicitous for him to move to their place and settle with them ; at this time he gave them no encouragement. The ensuing fall, he visited them again. The request was renewed for him to settle in the town, to which he expressed a willingness on his part, could he be persuaded it was duty. Accordingly a day of fasting and prayer was observed concerning this matter. All became " satisfied that the thing proceeded from the Lord." Proposals of settlement were then made to him by a committee chosen for that purpose. Randall answered them that he would go; but said a he would hear nothing about their proposals, for he never intended to be confined to any people, but meant to be every person's minister."

In March, 1778, he moved to New Durham. Its location is in Strafford County, near the easterly border of New Hampshire, about twenty-five miles northerly of Dover, and forty-five miles north-easterly of Concord, the State capital. In extent it is somewhat large compared with many towns in the section, embracing 23,625 acres ; but there never has been any considerable village, and the population has never come quite up to 1,200. At the time of Randall's removal, the township contained only about three hundred inhabitants, mostly in humble dwellings, scattered in the openings that had been made in the forest. Rev. Nathaniel Porter, ordained by the Congregationalists in 1773, had preached there four years. He was a graduate of Harvard College, was a Doctor of Divinity, and died in Conway in 1836, aged ninety-one. He was a hard worker in a new country, and wrote his sermons evenings by the light of pitch-wood. But for three years the people had been destitute of ministerial labor.

When the time came to make preparations for a crop, one of the inhabitants gave Randall the privilege of clearing up a certain portion of burnt land, and of raising what he could from it. He accepted this offer, though altogether unacquainted with farming, his trade being that of sail-making and tailoring. In the meantime he purchased about thirty acres of land on the ridge, where he lived and died. The people subscribed considerable toward paying for it ; but, when time for payment came, it is said that hardly any of the subscription was paid. Hence, Randall had to turn out the corn which he had raised for his family, to pay toward his land. He did not get enough to fully liquidate this debt, beside his annual expenses, short of ten or twelve years perhaps.

Bunyan speaks of the world as a wilderness. The preaching of John the Baptist was in the wilderness of Judea. New Durham was a wilderness when Mr. Randall moved there. There was no village nearer than Dover. That town then had about 1,700 inhabitants, one church, and a society of Quakers. Concord, now the capital, had about 1,200 inhabitants, and one church. The towns around New Durham were but thinly settled.

Behold, then, Randall "preaching in the wilderness," passing like an angel of light from one place to another, and crying, " Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low ; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Glorious work ; the highest of all callings ; interesting in the sight of God and angels. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings ; that publisheth peace ; that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth ! "

At length, while in the midst of his most active labors, he was called to order by his brethren for not preaching the doctrines of John Calvin, upon which he had considered but very little, as these doctrines had not been in dispute among them. But as the call of the gospel was to all, and that God was not willing that any should perish, the same love constrained him to go forth, and call upon all men to come to Christ and be saved. He was called on three or four times, to answer for his errors, and on one occasion the debate lasted two days. On the last day of the meeting, the leading minister made public declaration of non-fellowship with Randall's principles, to which Randall replied, that it made no difference with him so long as he knew that the Lord owned him.

Thus the division openly and publicly took place. It is obvious that it was nothing of Randall's seeking; but that he was driven to the necessity either of embracing Calvinism, — the odious sentiments of which he could not honestly believe, — or of taking a stand by himself. He chose the latter. Ministers and private brethren not only heard but discussed this matter, taking sides as their views and the Word of God accorded.

In the early part of 1779, a church which had been formed in Loudon and Canterbury, New Hampshire, protested against Calvinian election. In the same year a church was organized in Barrington, mostly composed of brethren of liberal sentiments, standing as a branch of Berwick Church. Randall, having applied to the Berwick Church for a regular dismission, and no notice being taken of his request, now considered himself at liberty to act as he saw fit. In March, 1780, he united with the church in Barrington, and April 5, he was ordained as an evangelist by Revs. Tosier Lord and Edward Lock.

Mr. Randall had resided in New Durham more than two years before the first Freewill Baptist Church was formed. He was in labors abundant ; much of the Divine presence was felt; but the progress of free sentiments had not been rapid. The time came, at length, when it was judged advisable to organize. A meeting was appointed for this purpose, June 30, 1780. There was no meeting-house in town at the time, unless one had been erected at the Corner, two miles or more from the home of Randall and the seat of his operations.

According to our best information, the organization took place in a dwelling now standing half a mile south of the Ridge, in the valley. It is a double-house, one story high. It never has had much paint on the outside, nor much, if any, within. The room in which Mr. Randall organized was about sixteen feet square. No plastering was ever put upon it, but ceiled on the sides and even overhead. Large braces, supporting the beams, were in full view ; but the fore-plane had been used to good advantage. The dimensions of the old fire-place were visible. The floor was of pitch-pine plank, fastened down with wood pins, made for inch auger holes. It was said that this floor had been there from the beginning. It was smooth, and the whole had an air of neatness.

The organization was effected in this room by adopting articles of faith and a covenant. Mr. Randall recorded that, "All, in solemn prayer and supplication to the Lord, covenanted together in the fear of God, and signed our names." Their names were Benjamin Randall, Robert Boody, Nathaniel 2*

Buzzell, Joseph Boody, Judith Chartel, Margery Boody, and Mary Buzzell.

The day of week, on which the church was constituted, was Saturday. The next meeting for church business was held September 2, when four others joined the little band, and Mr. Randall was chosen Clerk. He served till near the close of his life, and but few church records have appeared to better advantage. Robert Boody was also chosen Deacon. November 5, two more were received; May 17, 1781, fourteen united.' These appear to have been the statistics for the first year. June 30, 1781, was the anniversary of the organization. Seven constituted the church at the organization, — four males, and three females. Added afterward twenty, — seven males, and thirteen females. Membership at the end of the year, twenty-seven. It was a small beginning, and severe trials followed ; but the vine flourished, and in time was much increased.

Mr. Randall, having come out from other sects, and preaching a general atonement and free grace, had great opposition. He was not always able to answer the arguments drawn from the Scriptures in opposition to the doctrines he preached, and this with other things drew him into great trial. He made earnest prayer to God. In July, 1780, in great distress he walked away from his dwelling a number of rods, and sat down on a rock in the midst of a piece of corn. Here, as he prayed, the Divine presence overshadowed him. He was shown that he must give up completely the doctrines of men, — every thing worldly, and be purified and refined wholly. He yielded, and said that at once the flaming power of God filled his soul. The Scriptures were opened to his understanding, and saw that all was harmony in the universal love of God to man and a general atonement. This special exercise lasted, as he judged, an hour and a half. To the praise of God, he afterward said, it completely ended all trial relative to those particular subjects.

It seems that Mr. Randall, at the time of his separation from the Calvinistic party, knew nothing of the General Baptists in England, nor of those of the Southern States. Had that been the case, no doubt he would have fallen in with them, so that all who embraced the doctrine of a general atonement would have had but one distinctive appellation. But as it was, he, with his associates, were left, either to take some name of their own choice, or to receive such as their opponents might be induced to throw after them. To the former course, he manifested a great reluctance, being strongly opposed to party names, and considering the real church as all one. They called their church the "Church of Christ" simply, using the appellation Baptist and Antipedobaptist, however, occasionally, to distinguish themselves from those more particularly opposed to them.

When the churches came to associate in Quarterly Meeting, for many years they called their association the " Baptist Quarterly Meeting." But, as they differed materially, in doctrine and practice, from other Baptists, and thus formed a distinct sect, some distinctive appellation, when speaking of them, had of necessity to be used. Their opponents were far from manifesting a reluctance to giving them appellations. Hence, through stigma, they threw after them the names, " New-Lights," " Randallites," etc. As Randall held that God had made a general provision for the salvation of all men, and insisted upon this idea, as a fundamental point of doctrine, the name "General Provisioners" at length came somewhat extensively into vogue. This the brethren sometimes used officially. The term, " New Durham Connection, " was occasionally used. But, as the brethren contended strenuously that man's will is left free to choose or refuse salvation when offered to him by the gospel, they were derided with the name " Freewillers." This name becoming pretty generally used, the connection finally adopted it, leaving off the ers. This final settlement of the name did not take place till twenty-four years after the commencement of the denomination ; and then necessity drove them to it. And further, party names are not what makes the great distinctions in the religious world, but the different views that have obtained.

In the year 1780, Randall visited Little Falls,— Hollis, Maine, — and preached among the people. It appears that the Lord very signally blessed his labors. A reformation commenced and spread to some extent ; as the fruits of which a church of one hundred members was embodied. But it was Randall's lot to meet with opposition here as well as in other places. The enemies of God could not bear the idea of having their ranks thus thinned out. Hence,

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they determined to do what they could to stop the work of God. On one occasion in particular, while Mr. R. was performing the ordinance of baptism, clubs were thrown at him with great fury. But, by reason of the interference of some of the bystanders, he received no injury. He was also preserved after coming out of the water, from being violently beaten and perhaps losing his life, by several friends. All this, however, did not put down the work. Such arguments, which Satan often uses to sustain his cause, could have but little influence in the minds of the more candid and intelligent.

In September, 1781, Mr. R., in company with a brother from Saco River, visited the Kennebec country. His first meeting was at Georgetown, Parker's Island, so called, September 31. The prospect of a revival was so good, that they had a meeting, in the same place, the next day. The power of the Lord was manifested among the people. Many were struck under powerful conviction, and the work resulted in a very glorious reformation. Mr. R., the next day, visited Woolwich, "where he found a number of precious Christians, who were longing for the coming of the Lord with power." When, in his first meeting, he mentioned the words of his text, Canticles i, 7, 8, "the power of God seemed to accompany them to the hearts of the saints, and a marvelous season ensued." The followers of Christ " praised the Lord in a wonderful manner."

On the next day crowds of people came together^ to see what strange things were happening in their place. But. on hearing the thrilling appeals that fell from Randall's lips, "the most carnal were struck, and cried for mercy ; and the work spread with mighty power, through the vicinity." At the close, he baptized five. He remarks that there were not more than three in the assembly of three hundred present, who had seen an individual immersed. He still further thinks that immersion had not, before that occasion, been performed east of North Yarmouth. On the Sabbath following, a number experienced a change of heart in the meeting. After the close of the exercises, they repaired to the water, and he baptized several candidates, and, on retiring to the house, organized them into a church. Opposition visibly manifested itself; but it was all to no purpose j the work spread powerfully.

In 1783, Mr. R. made a tour among the Eastern churches. lie found them generally in prosperity ; large additions had been made to some ; union prevailed. He went as far as New Castle, on Damariscotta River ; also, over into Bristol. At these places, revivals commenced. He, on his return, stopped and held meetings at New Meadows, in Brunswick. Here the eifect of his preaching was such that almost the whole assembly at times would be crying aloud, some for mercy, and some rejoicing. The people wished Randall to stop and preach in the meeting-house on the Sabbath, to which he consented. But the minister of the place refused, and would not even consent for Randall to sit in the pulpit with him; hence, he sat in a pew and heard. But he preached in the evening at a private house, — Peacon Snow's. The people assembled in crowds; the meeting held till three o'clock in the morning. And such was the effect of it, that the minister above alluded to, notwithstanding all his opposition, was constrained to cry out with the rest. A deaf and dumb man was present, and manifested great distress of mind, after which he became calm, and made striking signs of happiness. Harpswell was also visited, where great success attended the Word ; quite a number were converted and baptized.

Those who know how eminent Mr. Randall was in seeking propriety, system, and good order in all he did, will readily suppose that he was great as an organizer. Few, if any, who have ever founded a denomination, have excelled him in this respect. The first organizations were called Monthly Meetings. Hence, when Randall baptized persons in towns near New Durham, he recorded that he added them to the New Durham Monthly Meeting. The Monthly Meetings were in part churches, and after a time were called so.

In 1783, three years after the first church was formed, he devised the plan of Quarterly Meetings. It was in the autumn, and he was returning from an eastern journey, and at Hollis, Maine, attended a sort of Convention called for the purpose, when he laid his plan before the brethren. It was readily adopted, and, on the first Saturday and Sabbath in December following, the first was held in that place, which Mr. R. attended. He recorded in his journal : "It was a most glorious time of the power of God." The second Quarterly Meeting was held in March, 1784, in New Gloucester, Maine. " It was," he records, "a marvelous and wonderful meeting. Sinners were awakened, and saints rejoiced much in God." The third was held in June, at Randall's house, in New Durham. He wrote: "It was a refreshing season." The fourth was in September, at Woolwich, Maine. " The brethren in all that section," wrote he, "were much engaged, and there was an increase of the work of God. Glory to the King of kings." These were the Quarterly Meetings for the first year they were held.