Historical Sketch

from the 1875 Manual of the

Very soon after the settlement of the place, and previous to the act of incorporation, although the people were few, Mr. Samuel Mann, a worthy and pious minister of the gospel, was procured, in order that they might have the word of God regularly preached to them. The place was erected into a township by the name of Wrentham, on the 15th of October,1673. There were sixteen families in the town when it was incorporated.

It appears from authentic records (Rev. Bean's Century Sermon) that "the first settlers of this place were in general a religious sort of people, who regarded the truth and ways of God, mutual assistance, and brotherly love."-- Mr. Mann continued his ministerial labors among them until March 30th, 1676, when he and the other inhabitants were obliged to leave on account of an Indian war, commonly known as King Philip's War. During their absence all their dwellings were burned except two, but no lives were lost.

On the 21st of August, 1680, most of the old inhabitants returned to Wrentham, and resumed their settlements. At their earnest request Mr. Mann returned with them; having refused an urgent call to settle in the work or the ministry in the town of Milton, through his great affection for the people of this place. Having resumed his labors, he preached to them until April 13, 1692, on which day The Original Congregational Church of Christ in Wrentham was gathered and formed. He was ordained on the same day, and preached his own ordination sermon from 1 Cor. 4 : 2.

The Church, at the time of its organization, consisted of ten persons; whose names were as follows:--

On the first of May, 1692, sixteen persons were baptized. Sometime in the month of October, 1699, the house of the Rec. Samuel Mann was consumed by fire. This occurrence occasioned a blank, in the history of the Church, of seven years and a half. The Rev. Mr. Mann died May 22, 1719, in the seventy-second year of his age, forty-ninth of his ministry, and about twenty-seven years after his ordination. He was born in Cambridge, Mass., and graduated at Harvard College in 1665. He was, in the opinion of the best judges of his time, "not only a very good, but a very great and learned man." During his ministry there does not appear to have been any distinguished revival of religion. From April 28, 1700, to the time of his death, forty-one persons were admitted into the Church, and two hundred and fifteen baptized.

The Church was destitute of a settled ministry a little less than seven months. On the 5th of December, 1719, the Rev. Henry Messinger was ordained. He died March 30, 1750, after a very short illness, in the fifty-fifth year of his age and thirty-second of his ministry. He preached within one or two Sabbaths of his decease. He is said to have maintained" the character of a plain, faithful, affectionate, and profitable preacher;" and, though of a feeble constitution, was also abundant in labours among the people of his charge. During his ministry there appear to have been two revivals of religion, In 1728 thirty members were admitted and sixty-one baptized. May 26th fourteen were baptized. In the year 1741 eighty-five were admitted, ninety-nine baptized. May 24th eleven were admitted. July 19th seventeen were admitted, and, on the 26th, fourteen more. This was the era of the revivals in New England, under the preaching of Whitefield and his associates.

Three hundred and twenty-six was the whole number admitted; eight hundred and seventy-one, the whole number baptized, while Rev. Mr. Messinger was minister.

The west part of Wrentham, now Franklin, having become a distinct parish, twenty-four members were regularly dismissed, and embodied into a Church in that place, Feb. 16, 1738. Ten pounds were voted to them, by this Church, with which to purchase their first communion vessels. There first minister was the Rev. Elias Haven. He was succeeded by the Rev. Caleb Barnum, and he again by Rev. Nathaniel Emmons, D.D., who was settled there while the town was yet a part of Wrentham.

After the death of Rev. Mr. Messinger the Church in this place was left destitute only about nine months. The Rev. Joseph Bean, of Cambridge, Mass., was his successor. He was ordained Dec. 5, 1750, and died Dec. 12, 1784, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, and thirty-fifth of his ministry. He was greatly beloved by his people, and to this day his memory is fondly cherished. The following Epitaph is on his tombstone:--

		"Near half an age, with every good man's praise,
		 Among his flock ye Shepherd passed his days,
		 The friend, ye comfort of ye sick and poor;
		 Want never knock'd unheeded at his door.
		 Oft when his duty called, disease and pain
		 Strove to confine him, but they strive in vain.
		 All moan his death; his virtues long they try'd; 
		 They knew not how they lov'd him till he dy'd."

Two hundred and seventeen was the whole number admitted; seven hundred and ninety-nine, the whole number baptized, during the ministry of Rev. Mr. Bean.

On May 6, 1779, eighteen members were dismissed, on order to be embodied into a Church, with others in Foxborough.

The Rev. Adoniram Judson next received a call from the Church and Society to settle with them in the work of the ministry. He gave an answer in the negative. The Church was destitute of a settled ministry from Dec. 12, 1784, to May 25, 1786, a period of nearly eighteen months. At the last date, the Rev. David Avery was installed pastor.

On account of difficulties and dissatisfaction which existed between the Church and Society and Mr. Avery, he was dismissed, by advice of Council, April 21,1794. He was minister of the Church nearly eight years. He is admitted on all hands to have been a man of superior talents, but some thought him deficient in prudence. Twenty-nine persons were admitted members, and ninety-seven baptized, during his ministry. From the time of his dismission, to the settlement of another pastor, eighteen were admitted members, and twenty-nine baptized.

A number of the members of the Church, adhering to Rev. Mr. Avery, formed themselves into a distinct Church in the north part of the town. The Rev. John Cleveland was installed their pastor, in June,1798. After his death, the Rev. Mr. Field was settled over them. He was succeeded by Rev. Moses Thatcher, under whose ministry a division took place in the Church. Another denomination have now obtained the old house of worship. The two divisions of the Church have been reunited, and, under the name of "The Union Church," now worship in a neat new edifice, under the ministrations of the Rev. Tyler Thatcher.

After Rev. Mr. Avery's dismission, this Church was destitute of a sedttled minister from April 21, 1794, to June 12, 1799, a period of more tnan five years. The Rev. Elisha Fisk was ordained at the time last mentioned. In the latter part of the month of October, 1804, a serious attention to religion began and continued to April of the following year. On the 7th of April, 1805, twenty-one members were added to the Church, and eleven baptized. June 2d ten were added. During that year fifty-one were added to the Church, and one hundred and one were baptized. No special revival occurred again until July 1815, when a serious attention began, which soon increased, and continued until the commencement of the next year. In the years 1815 and 1816 sixty-four were added to the Church, and ninety-two baptized. In 1815, Oct. 1st, nine were added to the Church. Dec. 3d nineteen were added. In 1816, Feb. 4th, fourteen were added. Aug. 4th eight were admitted.

A revival of religion was enjoyed in the year 1821, as the fruits of which thirty were added to the Church, June 3d of that year. During the whole year forty-three were added, and twenty-six baptized.

In 1832 there was another season of special religious interest; and on the 3d of June thirty-six were added to the Church. Fifty-eight joined in the course of the year, and forty-one were baptized.

In the year 1842 the Rev. Mr. Fisk having been settled many years, and feeling the need of assistance in performing the great and increasing amount of ministerial labor in the Church and Society, made known his wished that a colleague might be settled with him. Accordingly, on the 19th of July, 1843, the Church gave Mr. Hoarse James a call, in which the Society concurred. He accepted it, and was ordained Nov.1, 1843.

The whole number of those admitted to the Church during Rev. Mr. Fisk's ministry, as sole pastor, is four hundred and thirty-two. The whole number baptized in the same period is six hundred and ninety-nine. All but three of the present members of the Church have joined it under his ministrations.

Under the present joint pastorship twelve have been received onto the Church, and eleven have been baptized.

The whole number admitted into the Church since its establishment, up to April 13, 1845 is 1,315, and the whole number of baptisms is 3,118, besides those admitted and baptized during seven years and a half of the Rev. Mr. Mann's ministry. The number of these cannot now be ascertained, as the Church records were destroyed when his house was consumed by fire.

The number of members now belonging to the Church, April 13, 1845, istwo hundred and fourteen.

Particular mention has thus been made of the numbers admitted to the Church at the different periods of its history, for the purpose of exhibiting the dealings of God with this branch of his Zion; and of encouraging in our minds a grateful remembrance of his sovereign mercy.

It will be perceived, from the foregoing "sketch," that Infant Baptism,and the duty which it involves of training up children under the ample provisions of the Covenant of Grace, are fully recognized in the system of faith, as they have ever been in the general practice of this Church. But baptisms under the "Half-way Covenant," as it is called, have never been known among us.

The first Meeting-house was built between the years 1681 and 1684,--about ten years before the Church was formed. The second house of worship was built in 1721. The third was erected during the years 1765 and 1766; and the first meeting for public worship held in it was on the 19th of October, 1766. The present church edifice was built in 1834, and was dedicated to the worship of God, Sept. 24th, of the same year. A sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Fisk, from John 4 : 24.

From an early period in the history of this Church down to the present day, Religious Fasts have been kept from time to time. These have been fasts on account of the state of the seasons, the calamities of prevailing sickness, or of war, and also on account of the declining and low state of religion.

The Original Congregational Church of Christ in Wrentham has now existed just one hundred and fifty-three years. During this period it has been destitute of a settled ministry only eight years in all. It has had but six pastors. The average length of the ministry of the first five of them falls a little short of thirty -four years. One of these was dismissed after a ministry of eight years; and the average, for the otherfour, is forty years and a half!

(The historical sketch thus far is taken from the MANUAL published in 1845.)

The pastorate of the Rev. Horace James closed Jan. 19th, 1853. He was dismissed that he might take charge of a Church in Worcester, Mass. He carried with him the confidence and affection of the Church and congregation to whom he had ministered more than nine years.

There were two other pastors:--Rev. William L. Ropes, installed Sept. 14th, 1853, dismissed July 1st, 1862; and Rev. Charles L. Mills, installed Feb. 10th, 1863, dismissed April 14th, 1865. Both these pastors were held in high esteem by the Church, and in their dismissal retained its entire confidence.

Rev. W. R. Tompkins became acting pastor of the Church Oct. 15th, 1866, and is still discharging the duties of that office.

The whole number of admissions to the Church since its organization is 3,379.