ORTHODOX CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN GRANTVILLE, NOW THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN WELLESLEY HILLS
On December 24, 1846, a meeting was held at the house of the Rev. Harvey Newcomb, at which were present, Mr. Ncwcomb, Reuel Ware, John Batchelder, Reuben Ware, Dexter Ware, Fitzwilliam Rogers and Charles Noyes. Mr. Newcomb was the moderator and Mr. Rogers was the clerk, and with John Batchelder they were appointed ‘to draw up articles of Confession of Faith & Covenant, and Ecclesiastical Principles & rules’. At an adjourned meeting on the 28th a committee of six was chosen to arrange for dismission from the Church in the West Precinct, and they adjourned to January 7, 1847, but no meeting was held on the 7th. A day of ‘Fasting and Prayer’ was observed at the house of Mr. Newcomb on January 21, the morning being set aside for private devotions, and the afternoon and evening for meetings. On this day the Confession of Faith, the Covenant and the rules were adopted, and the Church named the Orthodox Congregational Church in Grantville. The following were dismissed from the West Church to form the new one:—William H. Adams, Mary A. Adams, Hannah D. Pettingill, H. Elizabeth Pettingill, John Batchelder, Rebecca S. Batchelder, Dexter Ware, Mary C. Ware, Rebecca A. Ware, Mary Jane Dix, George Smith, Eunice Smith, Charles Noyes, Sarah B. Noyes, Abigail Smith, Reuben Ware, Lydia P. Ware, Louisa M. Ware, Fitzwilliam Rogers, Mary C. Rogers, Reuel Ware, Hannah Ware, A. Elizabeth Ware, L. Emeline Ware, R. Willard Ware, Susan Winship, Harvey Newcomb and Alithea A. Newcomb, twenty-eight in all. This list is dated December 14, 1846, and with the addition of the names of Silas G. Williams and Mary Williams, who were received from the First Church in Newton on January 24, 1847, includes the thirty original members of this Church. A Council was held at the house of the Rev. Mr. Adams on January 27, with the Rev. Lyman Gilbert of West Newton as moderator, and the Rev. Samuel Hunt of Natick as the scribe, but the majority of the delegates from the nine Churches represented decided that it was unwise to organize a Church then.
On February 3, 1847, those desiring a Church in Grantville submitted to the West Church a lengthy argument, in three divisions, showing why the decision of the Council should not be considered as conclusive, and asking for another Council, which was held at Mr. Adams’s on February 24, with the Rev. Jacob Ide, D.D., of West Medway, as moderator, and the Rev. Mr. Hunt as the scribe. This Council reversed the finding of the previous one, and organized the Church that afternoon. The services were as follows: Prayer by the Rev. Sewell Harding of East Medway, Sermon by the Rev. Joseph Haven, Jr., of Brookline, from ‘ 1st. of Timothy, 3d. C. and 15th. v.,’ Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Hunt, Recognition by the Rev. Dr. Ide, and the Right Hand of Fellowship by the Rev. Lyman Gilbert. Six Churches were represented in this Council. At a meeting of the Church March 5, with Mr. Newcomb as moderator, it was voted to obtain a record book, and that the clerk, Mr. Rogers, should procure a Communion Service for the next Sabbath. At an adjourned meeting, October 6, the Rev. Mr. Adams and the deacons were directed to extend to Mr. Newcomb the call which the Church had voted to give him on September 23, and which he accepted on November 15.1 He was installed on December 9, when ten Churches were represented, and the Rev. Dr. Ide and the Rev. Mr. Hunt again served as moderator and scribe respectively. Prayer was offered by Dr. Ide, the Invocation and Reading of the Scriptures was by the Rev. Andrew Bigelow, Introductory Prayer by the Rev. John W. Allen of Wayland, Sermon by the Rev. Nehemiah Adams, D.D., of Essex Street Church, Boston, Installing Prayer by the Rev. Lyman Gilbert, Charge by Dr. Ide, Right Hand of Fellowship by the Rev. Edward Dowse of ‘Sherburne,’ Address to the People by the Rev. Joseph Haven, Jr., Concluding Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Hunt, and the Benediction by the Pastor. On January 13, 1848, Silas Williams and the deacons were chosen a Committee on ‘Religious Instruction’, which became one of the regular annual committees, as was the “Committee of Enquiry and Discipline’. On March 2, 1848, a ‘Fast’ was observed.
The house which Mr. Newcomb built in 1848, and where he lived, is now (1911) the home of Richard Cunningham. At a meeting of the Church on March 16 the pastor was the moderator, as usual, and it was voted to make application to the Middlesex South Conference. The Rev. Mr. Newcomb, the Rev. Mr. Adams and Deacon Batchelder were appointed to superintend the printing of the Confession of Faith and the Covenant At this time the Communion was celebrated once in two months. In a letter dated October 22, 1849, the Rev. Mr. Newcomb asked for a Council, as there appeared to be some dissatisfaction, although the Church then voted by a large majority that they were desirous that he should remain with them. The Council met November 8, five Churches being represented, and their decision was that Mr. Newcomb had better ‘seek another field of usefulness’, which he did, and on June 20,
1850, the Rev. William Barrows was called by the Church. On July 1 Deacon Batchelder, Silas Williams and Elbridge Gardner were chosen a committee to join with the Parish Committee in extending the call to Mr. Barrows, who accepted on July 12, and on August 22 the Council met, with seven Churches represented, and two additional ministers present. The Rev. Constantine Blodgett of Pawtucket was the moderator, and the Rev. Mr. Newcomb was the scribe. The sermon was preached by the Rev. George Richards of the Central Church in Boston. On March 13, 1851, it was voted to add to the Communion Service, and Brother Henry Robinson was to procure the new vessels. A record was made of the first death that occurred in this Church, which was that of Dexter Ware, who was killed by the cars at Grantville station on October 20, 1851, and whose funeral was held in the Church the 23 d. The first case of discipline was heard in 1851, but the accused was mildly dealt with. This Church has always contributed liberally toward denominational objects, and in 1854 gave $134.23, in 1867 $236.60, and in 1873 $275.56. On January 22, 1856, Mr. Barrows was dismissed at his own request by a Council, and on July 16 the Church called the Rev. Edward S. Atwood, who accepted on August 13, and was ordained by a Council October 23. The Society had concurred with the Church on July 29, and had chosen Marshall S. Scudder, Flavius J. Lake and Henry S. Batchelder to join with the deacons and William H. Nye, representing the Church, in extending the call. At the ordination Professor William G. T. Shedd of Andover preached the Sermon. On March 29, 1859, a Council decided that Mr. Atwood ought to remain, and withdraw a proffered resignation, which he did, but was dismissed by a Council held on September 21, 1864. On December 20 the Rev. William R. Eastman was asked to supply the pulpit, and June 13, 1865, he was called by this Church, but declined. On May 6, 1867, the Rev. Charles H. Williams was called, accepted on June 3, and was ordained by a Council July 25. In giving the call the Church was represented by Marshall S. Scudder, Joseph E. Fiske and Charles T. Wilder, and the Society by Ellsworth Torrey, Henry S. Batchelder and George W. Moulton. At the Installation the Sermon was preached by Professor Roswell D. Hitchcock, D.D. The Rev. Mr. Williams resigned November 7, 1868, and the Rev. James M. Hubbard was called by the Church on December 7, accepted on the 18th, and was installed by a Council on the 29th, when a sermon was preached by the Rev. Joshua W. Wellman, D.D. The committee on behalf of the Church consisted of Mr. Scudder, the Rev. William S. Smith and Captain Fiske, and the Society was represented by Reuel Ware, Henry A. Ball, Henry S. Batchelder and George D. Ware. There is a gap in the records, which are resumed in pencil in the latter portion of the same volume. The first meeting of the Church thus recorded was the annual meeting on March 9, 1871…”
Reference Data:
History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911, by George Kuhn Clarke, 1912, page 271-5
