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QUESTIONS ON THE WAY OF LIFE.

This series of "Questions" is designed to meet the earnest inquiries of our young people, as they face the real demands of the religious life.

The Fourth Question, "What is required of me?" is prepared by Rev. Herbert Mott. Other questions in the series, by different writers, are:

"Can I make God real ?"

"Can I follow Jesus?"

"How shall I pray?".

Each "Question" will be republished in very small leaflet form, especially intended for the church porch, and can be ordered from the Unitarian, 10 cents per dozen, 50 cents per one hundred.

THE FOURTH QUESTION.

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF ME?

I. I am required "to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God."

In this single sentence is summed up the teachings of the greatest religious leaders of the world, Jew and Gentile, Christian and Pagan.

II. Common sense, personal experience, and the testimony of the wisest minds, all bear witness to its truth.

What would happen if every one neglected these things? There can be little doubt that misery and disorder would be the result.

III. When I recall the events of my own life, I find those periods were the happiest when justice and mercy and faith were present; those the unhappiest, when justice and mercy and faith were absent.

Yet it is not an easy requirement.

V. It is equally difficult to love mercy.

Mercy, I presume, means generous forbearance, forgiveness, patience, kindness, tenderness, charitableness.

1 may do all these from a sense of duty, and that is excellent; yet it is not enough. I am required to become so filled with admiration of patience, forbearance, charitableness, as to prefer them, to delight in them, to love them.

VI. Perhaps the hardest requirement of all is to walk humbly with God.

Whatever disaster, sorrow, misfortune, overtakes me, still to recognize God's wisdom, without repining to submit to his will, without rebellion to yield to him my personal desires and present hopes, this is to walk humbly with God. And when I am smarting under undeserved reproach, or am bowed beneath misfortune which has come through no fault of my own, it is very difficult to walk humbly with God.

VII. Yet this is my appointed work, my

IV. It is difficult to do justly; that is, immediate duty; and I shall certainly fail righteously.

When I reckon over faithfully the events of a single day, I have to acknowledge that, though I may have done many things smartly, sagaciously, prudently, I have done very few things disinterestedly, righteously, justly.

in it unless I try my best.

And I must try my best; for to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God, is not a course I can take or leave as I choose: it is not permissive, it is imperative; it is REQUIRED of me.

OUR CHURCHES.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY, TAUNTON, MASS.

"How like a bit of Old England!" is an expression often heard from strangers who for the first time catch a glimpse of the old stone meeting-house of the First Congregational Society of Taunton, Mass.

This impression of Old England is frequently strengthened by a longer acquaintance with the town and its people. Just why such an English flavor has been preserved would be hard to tell, for our story is like the story of other New England towns settled in the seventeenth century.

It was in 1635 or 1636 that a band of Puritans from South-western England crossed the Atlantic, and stopped awhile in Dorchester. In the records of Dorchester Parish, Meeting-house Hill, under the date June 6, 1636, occurs the name of Richard Williams. This Richard Williams was one of the first purchasers of Taunton, and is called the father of the town. This date in the Dorchester records is the first positive date that we have for our history of the Taunton church; for in 1838 a most disastrous fire in the Taunton court-house destroyed both church and town records. The original Articles of Faith and the original Church Covenant have been recopied into later records; and Rev. Charles H. Brigham recopied the records of Rev. Thomas Clap, covering the years from 1729 to 1738. There is also a copy of Lechford's account of the first ordination. Beyond this, we have to make up our story, in great part, from 1636 to 1780, from tradition and the collateral records of Dorchester, Plymouth, and other colonial towns.

The church was organized in 1637: the town dates from June 4, 1639, when delegates were sent to Plymouth from Cohannet. Richard Williams and his companions set apart a piece of land (now about two acres) for a meeting-house; and the present building, the fourth, stands upon the same enclosure in the centre of the town. We have never been obliged to move on or give way to business blocks, and "fathers tell it to their sons" that here the Church of Christ of Taunton built their first meeting-house. It was probably built of logs, about 1647,

a little earlier than the Plymouth people built their first meeting-house. Henry Andrews, the builder, received for pay the old calf-pasture, so called. All the men in the settlement, minister as well as laymen, no doubt, lent a helping hand in building, cheered and warmed by good old Jamaica

rum.

Could we appear for a moment upon the scene on the first Sabbath morning after the completion of the meeting-house, we should see the little log house with a row of houses down Dean Street, on the river bank, within the traditional half-mile of the meeting-house. In solemn procession, fathers and mothers at the head and children following walked to the meeting-house,-the Williamses, the Deans, the Halls, and the Crossmans,—just as their descendants to-day of the same name walk on a Sunday morning toward the same spot, hallowed by the memories and associations of two centuries and a half. The men in that early procession were armed to protect the women and children from the Indians. Upon the door of the meeting-house there was probably posted the notice how each one was to be seated, the men and women each by themselves, the girls and boys apart. Whether that first seating was satisfactory or not, we shall never know; but we feel quite sure that the girls and boys had a dreary time. Richard Williams and Walter Dean were the first deacons, Rev. William Hooke first minister, and Rev. Nicholas Street first teacher.

In 1729 the second meeting-house was built. On June 1, 1789, we find on the church records a petition to the selectmen of Taunton for a warrant for a meeting of the Congregational inhabitants of Taunton to meet in the old public meeting-house on the first Monday in July, to see if the Congregational inhabitants will vote either to repair the old public meeting-house or build a new one. And, in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the constables are notified to post the notice upon the door of the old public meeting-house to warn the Congregational inhabitants to attend the meeting. After many long and earnest prayers to God for direction, it was voted to build a new meeting-house. This third building was after the third style of New England church architecture, so well typified by the Old

South of Boston. During the five years that were occupied in building this meeting-house, public meetings and services were held in the court-house by special permission. Mr. Bulfinch's name appears on the plan for seating the people, and we may infer that he was the architect of the building. Money for the building was raised by selling the pews at public vendue. This building was not enclosed; for church members complain of sheep lying down on the steps, and a committee is appointed to notify field-drivers that sheep must be kept off the steps of the meeting-house. This building was moved to Spring Street in 1827 or 1830, and was in use until a few years ago, when it was torn down. It was found that some of the timbers were the same used in the original building, as it was the custom in the olden time to give the builder, among other things, the old meeting-house. On Jan. 10, 1791, it was voted to incorporate the society under the name "First Congregational Society of Taunton."

Our present meeting-house, the fourth, was dedicated by Rev. Luther Hamilton on Oct. 7, 1830. The building is of stone, surrounded by evergreens and graceful elms. The town at this time made a new survey of the land, and the present grounds were hedged in by the society. In 1877 Mrs. Sarah L. King left a legacy to build and keep in repair the massive stone wall which now surrounds the grounds. In 1869 an addition was made to the building and a chapel built. In 1888 the meeting-house and chapel were renovated and redecorated. We are very fond and proud of our old public meeting-house, with Gothic windows, flat roof, Norman tower with Saxon battlements. No one can doubt for a moment that this meeting-house is a house of God, and it sheds abroad an atmosphere of peace and quietness equal to some of the cathedrals of the Old World.

Rev. William Hooke, first minister of the Church of Christ of Taunton, was born in Southampton, England, June 28, 1601. After receiving his degree of A.M. from Oxford, he entered the Church of England, but left his vicarage to take up his lot with the freemen of New England. It was in the year 1637 that Mr. Hooke was ordained over the handful of women and men who

had settled in the wilderness. According to the fashion of the age, Rev. Nicholas Street was settled as first teacher at the same time. If we can accept collateral records as true, Rev. John Wilson of Boston and Rev. Richard Mather of Dorchester were present to assist at the ordination. For seven or eight years Mr. Hooke ministered to his flock, and then accepted a call to New Haven. On his return to England in 1656 he was appointed domestic chaplain in the house of Cromwell. After the Restoration he remained in obscurity until his death in London, March 21, 1677. We may judge of the liberality of Mr. Hooke by the fact that he refused to join in any of the persecutions of the Bay Colony; and he was well fitted by birth, education, and life-service to take his place among the other ministers of the old first parishes of New England.

Rev. Nicholas Street, the colleague and successor of Mr. Hooke, served the church of Taunton as teacher and minister for twenty years; and then he, too, accepted a call to New Haven, where he died April 22, 1674. Rev. George Shove, third minister, was ordained Nov. 17, 1665, and remained in Taunton until his death April 21, 1687. For forty years, from 1687 to 1727, Rev. Samuel Danforth filled the place of minister and teacher. His views on church music are on record, he being in favor of singing in the churches. He learned the Indian language and prepared an Indian dictionary. The Plain Burying-ground, so called, was a gift of Danforth to the town; and here he was himself laid to rest after long and faithful service.

Rev. Thomas Clap, who was minister from 1729 to 1738, disturbed some of his people by calling meetings without giving notice of the subject under discussion. So the good people discussed the question,. "Ought a minister to call a church meeting without telling why the meeting was called?" It was voted "that it was best for religious peace and unity and a happy means for preventing evil consequences which might arise if the church knew the subject of discussion." "Why don't people go to church ?" was often a subject of discussion, and the delinquents were called upon to give good and sufficient reasons for non-attend

ance.

Rev. Josiah Crocker of Yarmouth was settled in 1742. He was dismissed in 1765, but remained in Taunton until his death in 1774.

Rev. Caleb Barnum will ever be remembered as our minister who gave his life for his country. He was settled in 1769, and died in 1776. On hearing the news of the battle of Lexington, he not only bade his people to go, but went himself, and died, leaving these words for his people to remember: "I have no doubts concerning the justice and goodness of that cause; and, had I a thousand lives, they should all be willingly laid down in it."

Rev. Elias Jones, of Halifax, N.S., was settled in 1777, as the eighth minister, and dismissed in 1778. On April 18, 1780, after solemn and earnest prayers to Almighty God for direction, the church voted to call Rev. Ephraim Judson; and a committee was appointed to see if the town would agree to help pay the minister's salary. For ten years Mr. Judson ministered to the people of Taunton, but was finally dismissed by council with apparently the best feelings on all sides. Our church records begin in 1780, and were carefully kept by Mr. Judson while he remained in Taunton. Very blunt and straightforward was Mr. Judson, but possessing an unusual vein of humor, judging from some of the stories that have come down. He used to caution the boys in the gallery not to make so much noise, for they would wake the old folks below. He had the reputation of being lazy, and preached sitting down, and on hot summer days, so they say, would give out long psalms; and, while the congregation was "piously perspiring and fuguing," he would go out under the trees to cool himself, thus escaping both heat and singing. "Why don't people go to church?" was a question that troubled Mr. Judson greatly. Meetings were called to discuss the question. Meetings were adjourned be cause it rained. But no final decision was arrived at in regard to what to do with people who did not go to church. Judson witnessed the beginning of the division between church and society. The church wanted him, but the town would not pay his salary. So a council of the neighboring towns was called to settle the question. Mr. Judson was dismissed with

Mr.

recommendations; but a large majority of church members withdrew, leaving three men and one woman at the old meetinghouse. These four, with the society, held the property, and were known as the First Congregational Society of Taunton. On May 2, 1793, it was voted to introduce the reading of the Holy Bible on each Lord's Day.

Rev. John Foster, who followed Mr. Judson, was settled May 16, 1792, and remained until 1799. He was succeeded by Rev. John Pipon, of blessed memory, who served the society for twenty-one years, and died deeply lamented. Mr. Pipon's salary was four hundred dollars a year and the improvement of the parsonage farm on Winthrop Street. Rev. Luther Hamilton, who was minister from 1821 to 1832, was the first to preach strictly Unitarian doctrines. Rev. Andrew Bigelow's pastorate lasted from 1833 to 1842. Mr. Bigelow was the last of the old-time ministers whom we always associate with the ideas of long sermons, long prayers, and catechising.

Rev. Charles H. Brigham came to Taunton March 27, 1844. He remained in Taunton until 1866, when he accepted the appointment of Unitarian preacher at Anu Arbor, Mich. Rev. Fielder Israel remained from 1869 to 1872; Rev. Eli Fay, from 1873 to 1876; Rev. Frederick Meakin, from 1878 to 1882; Rev. Thomas G. Milsted, from 1883 to 1886. The present minister, Rev. John P. Forbes, was settled in 1887. Nineteen ministers, during the two hundred and sixty years of the existence of this church, have ministered unto the people.

Taunton is one of the historic towns of the Old Colony of Massachusetts, whose boundary lines were laid out by Captain Myles Standish, and at one time covered an area of nearly one hundred thousand acres, including the towns of Easton, Mansfield, Norton, Dighton, Berkley, Raynham, within her borders. And here in Taunton still lives the mother church of all this extensive region, more vigorous to-day than any of the forty churches which now occupy the territory once filled by the one church; and here the children of the early Puritans, from generation to generation, for two hundred and sixty years, have sustained without any outside assistance a church of God. And to-day the society in

the old meeting-house stands self-supporting and without debt, the most liberally supported parish in the town. For the first century and a half it stood alone, for miles around, as a representative of civil and religious freedom as understood by the Puritan; for the last three-quarters of a century it has again stood alone, but steadfast, not only in the town, but for miles around, as a representative of liberal Christianity, as understood by Unitarians. In spite of differences in theology, the Unitarians have always been welcome in the town; and their minister "the patriarch," as he is called-is accorded first place in virtue of representing the old First Parish. Our sister cities, Fall River and New Bedford, have far outstripped us in population and wealth; but the Taunton church, as the oldest in Bristol County, has a unique history of its own. The influence for good that has been spread abroad by this one liberal church can never be told in words. The general public still claims a hold upon the old meeting-house; nor has the present generation outlived the hospitable traditions of the past, and the use of the old meeting-house and grounds is still freely granted for public occasions. On hot summer days the footsore and weary traveller still rests and cools himself under the grateful shade of our trees. Standing thus amidst traditions centuries old and looked up to for leadership in all that is truest and best, the society is placed in the position of noblesse oblige. Nor is this position easy to fill: nothing but eternal vigilance on the part of both minister and people enables the society to hold the title "First," both by inheritance and present SARAH B. WILLIAMS.

worth.

Taunton, Mass.

ZWINGLI.

(Born January 1, 1484.)

Ulric Zwingli represents the first stage of the Reformed Church in Switzerland. He began what Calvin and others completed. He died in the prime of life, a patriot and martyr on the battlefield, when his work seemed to be but half done. His importance is historical rather than doctrinal. He

was the most liberal among the reformers, but lacked the genius, depth, and vigor of Luther and Calvin. He held opinions on the sacraments, on original sin (as a disorder rather than a state of guilt), on the salvation of all infants, and on that of the noble heathen, which then appeared radically dangerous and profane. He could conceive of a broad and free Christian union, consistent with doctrinal differences and denominational distinctions. He was a patriotic republican, frank, honorable, incorruptible, cheerful, courteous, and affable. He took an active part in all the public affairs of Switzerland, and labored to free it from foreign influence, misgovernment, and im morality. He began at Einsiedeln in 1516, and more effectively at Zurich in 1519, to preach his conception of Christ from the New Testament. Then followed his attacks on the corruptions of Rome; and the Reformation was introduced step by step in Zurich, where he exercised a controlling influence, and in the greater part of German Switzerland, until its progress was suddenly checked by the catastrophe at Cappel in 1531.

Zwingli was scarcely two months younger than Luther, who survived him fifteen years. Both were educated and ordained in the Roman Church, and became innocently and providentially reformers of that Church. Both were men of strong mind, heroic character, fervent piety, and commanding influence over the people. Both were good scholars, great divines, fond of poetry and music. Both labored independently for the same great cause of evangelical Protestantism, the one on a smaller, the other on a larger field. But their endowment, their training, and their conversion to Protestantism were different. Zwingli had less prejudice, more practical common sense, clear discrimination, sober judgment, selfcontrol, courtesy and polish, - Luther more productive genius, poetic imagination, overpowering eloquence, mystic depth, fire and passion, and was in every way a richer and stronger, though rougher and wilder nature. Zwingli's eyes were opened by the reading of the Greek Testament, which he carefully copied with his own hand, and by the humanistic learning of his friend Erasmus; while Luther passed through the ascetic struggles of monastic life till he found

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