The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-16
POLITICS IN DR.. AUSTIN'S PULPIT
Tradition Relative to a
Church Member and a
Barrel of Cider.
(By Franklin P. Rice.)

lions to an early settlement of the ter
ritory comprising what is now Worces-
ter, it was emphasized THAT due care
be taken by the said committee that a
good minister of Gods word be placed
there as soon as may be, that such peo-
! pie as may there be planted may not
i've like lambs in large place." and a
liberal provision was made in>the allot-
ment of the land for the support of the
| church and minister.
But the actual realization of this pur-
pose was then half century in the flu
ture, permanent worship not being es-
| tablished until 1913.
Meetings were first held in a rude
structure of logs at or near the junction
of Franklin and Green streets. This
was probably the dwelling house of
James Rice, as there is a reference in
the town records to the use of that
building for religious purposes.
The first meeting house, which was
quilt on the site long occupied by the
historic Old South, was erected between
the years 1919 and 1874. The church
was organized and its first minister, the
Rev. Andrew Gardner, ordained in 1719
Thls trst minister was a singular per-
son, and his peculiarities brought him
into Difficulty with his people, In some
of his manifestations he resembled a
much later occupant Of the pulpit of the
Old South.
He was characterized as lacking chat
grave and sober demeanor which the
people of his time thought essential to
the sacredness of his office He was apt
to indulge in a levity of manner on the
sabbath which was not in keeping with
the solemnity of the day." It is said
that he had been known to go hunting
| on Sunday, so fond was he of the sport;
and he was guilty Of pranks and practi-
cal jokes unbecoring a clergyman. He
was dismissed in 1922
| About the time that the first church
was instituted an attempt was made to
establish worship in the place under
another form. In 1719 a, number of
| Scotch Presbyterian families from the
north of Ireland came to Worcester
with Rev. Edward Fitzgerald, and es-
| sayed to form a church. A meeting
house on the road that is now Lincoln
street was partially erected. but the
! other settlers assembled and demolish-
ed the half-built structure 1t is worthy
of note that the Presbyterian form was
not re-established in Worcester until
| 1886.
! The second minister of the town, the
Rev. Isaac Burr, was settled in 1725.
! He got along very nicely with his peo-
4 pie until the appearance of the great
revivalist preacher, Whitefeld in 1740,
| whose impassioned eloquence so stirred
his hearers that they We're nc, longer
! satisfied with the quiet and conserya-
tive manner of their pastor.
| Craving a more animated and rc1s-
| ing style of address than he was capa-
BILE of, and ministers outside who had
| become infatuated with the Whitefield
! fervor intermeddling to increase the
| dissatisfaction, the position Of the
| local minister was made uncomtorta-
BILE in the extreme Mr.. Burr, unwilling
to be rudely turned aside from his ac-
| customed course, disheartened ard
| broken in health, asked to be relieved
of his charge. He accordingly departed
! in 1745
For two years the town remained
| without minister. In the meantime
many candidates were heard bus much
/ difficulty was experienced in coming to
a decision, and in such a strait did the
| people find themselves that in 1746 a
day of fasting and prayer was appoint
/ ed to implore the divine direction in
the church's leading in the choice of q
| person to be ordained"
The aid and advice Of neighboring
| ministers and prominent divines were
asked to help the town and church out
| OF their trouble, but even these did not
for some time avail.
By this time the people evidently had
| recovered somewhat from it's White
| field fever, for it was voted that the
church would not thereafter counte-
| nance itinerant preachers 1t is singu-
| lar, however, that the minister next
settled should be one who was dis
missed from a pastorate just before for
I nf
opposite to that which compelled the
retirement of Mr.. Burr.
In l741 Worcester missed having ore
OF the great lights of later duy in
stalled in her pulpit, in choosing Thad-
deus Maccarty instead of Jonathan
Mayhem, both being candidates FOR the
vacant place at the same time. But II
not as brilliant as Mr.. Mayhem, Mr..
Maccarty was certainly as useful. and
Wen adapted to the work before him.
The pastorate of the Rev. Thaddeus
Maccarty, which began in 1747. was
brought to an end by his death in
lle4, and covered the troubled period of
the revolution. He was greatly re-
Spected while he lived and deeply la
mented when he died" which state
nent constitutes a sufficient eulogy for
any man.
He fully shared with his people in all
ical times in which he lived in Worces-
ter, and no serious disagreement ever
marred the confidence which existed
between minister and parishioners
Towards the close of his life, however
after he had become too feeble to Off
ciate with regularity, the introduction
of other preachers with Unitarian
sentiments probably caused him more
or less uneasiness.
1iffarpnrn Of of1fOinp 81
manner of singing psalms created con-
siderable unpleasant feeling, and was
the cause of q controversy in the
church and society that lasted over
fifty years. Whether the psalms should
be '1ined" by the deacons, which was
termed the usual way, or sung by
the congregation in the" ruleable" way,
was the great question which at times
agitated the whole town. The dramatic
scene which ended the music trouble is
graphically described by Lincoln in his
History of Worcester.
That the frolicsome propensities of
some of the younger members of the,
congregation were manifested at times
within the sacred precincts OF the
meeting house, the following extract
from the town records Is evidence:
Capt James Goodwin and Mr.. DAN
lei Bigelow, Jr., were chosen q COM
mittee to inspect the behavior of such
persons as tarry in the meeting house
on Sabbath day between meetings, and
If they shall discover any misbehavior
that they inform lawful authority of
the same that offenders may be pun
ished." i.
There is also tradition that a GER
tain prominent member of the church
kept under the pulpit barrel of cider,