History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;
History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654; History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;
74 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1737. a seating committee of three persons was negatived, and the former number of five was adopted. This committee was composed of " John Stoddard, Esq, Ebenezer Pumroy, Esq, Timothy Dwight, Esq, Samuel Mather, and .Dea. Sam- uel Allyn," They were instructed to "draw up their Scheam or Piatt for Seating of the meeting House and present it to the Town," for approval. On this committee were some of the leading citizens of the town, and yet so important was the matter deemed, that their work was to be supervised by the people. In December the town refused to allow men and their wives to be seated together. The Seating Com- At the samc meeting it was voted that mittee Instructed, the committcc appointed at the November meeting should be established and contin- ued, and instructions were to be given them "for their di- rection and conduct in prosecuting the design of seating the meeting house." The meeting then adjourned for four days, during which time the following rules for their guidance were concocted : — " 1. Voted That in Seating the new meeting House the Committee have Respect principally to men's estate. "3. To have Regard to men's Age. " 3. Voted that Some Regard and Respect to men's usefullness, but in a less Degree." In these instructions wealth was the first consideration, then age, and lastly intellect, ability, and usefulness in the community. Heretofore age had been deemed of the most importance, and estate of secondary consequence. In several other towns, some of which have already been enumerated, age and usefulness were placed before wealth. At this adjourned meeting a committee, consisting of six persons, was ajjpointed to "estimate the pews and seats.'' In other words they were to " dignify "* the seats, appraise their social value, that the seaters might make no errors in placing their occupants. The plan of mingling the sexes was again brought forward and disposed of in the following manner : "The Question was put whether the Committee be forbidden to Seat men & their wives together. Especially Such as Incline to Sit together ; It passed in the Negative."' Under this qualified consent the committee
1~»' J NEW MEETING-HOUSE. 75 proceeded to seat married people together in the pews, but upon the benches in the center of the house the men were placed on one side of the broad aisle, and their wives on the other. In some cases husbands were seated in a pew and wives on a Ijench. Plans of Sittings. A plan of the sittings, containing the name of each occupant, in all probability the one adopted in December, 1737, is here reproduced, but it bears no date. The arrangement of pews and seats is identical with that of 1750, which has also been preserved ; no change having been made on the ground floor of the building till some years later. On this plan are the names of several persons, known to have died in 1738, while on another plan, also without date, they are omitted. It con- tains the names of nearly six hundred persons. First Occupation of The uew house of worship was occupied the New Meeting- early in the year 1738, though it was not wholly completed till the following j^ear. It was never formally dedicated, for it was not then the custom to set apart the meeting-house for none other than religious services. Meetings for military, civil, political, as well as ecclesiastical purposes, were held within its portals. ^ Before the uew building was ready for oc- Serious Accident in the old Meeting- cupaucy its Special need was emphasized in a most striking manner. A serious ac- cident, most remarkable in its consequences, occurred in the old meeting-house.^ On Sunday, March 13, 1737, during the morning service, the front gallery fell. The build- ing, too small for the large congregation worshipping there, was filled in every part. The first great revival under the pastorate of Jonathan Edwards, during which more than three hundred members were added to the church, had not 1 "Holiness of places, "' says Cotton Mather, writing in 1726. " is no more believed in among them [the Xew England churches] than it was in the days of Clemens Alexandrianus, who says that every place is holy where we receive the knowledge of God." 3 The above account of this catastrophe is compiled from a letter describing it, written by Rev. Jonathan Edward.-*, under date of March 19, 1737 ; from Dea. Ebenezer Hunt's Journal, and from an account published in the Boston Weekly News Let- ter of March 24, 1737.
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74 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1737.<br />
a seat<strong>in</strong>g committee <strong>of</strong> three persons was negatived, and<br />
the former number <strong>of</strong> five was adopted. This committee<br />
was composed <strong>of</strong> " John Stoddard, Esq, Ebenezer Pumroy,<br />
Esq, Timothy Dwight, Esq, Samuel Mather, and .Dea. Sam-<br />
uel Allyn," They were <strong>in</strong>structed to "draw up their<br />
Scheam or Piatt for Seat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the meet<strong>in</strong>g House and present<br />
it to the Town," for approval. On this committee<br />
were some <strong>of</strong> the lead<strong>in</strong>g citizens <strong>of</strong> the town, and yet so<br />
important was the matter deemed, that their work was to<br />
be supervised by the people. In December the town refused<br />
to allow men and their wives to be seated together.<br />
The Seat<strong>in</strong>g Com- At the samc meet<strong>in</strong>g it was voted that<br />
mittee Instructed, the committcc appo<strong>in</strong>ted at the November<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>g should be established and cont<strong>in</strong>-<br />
ued, and <strong>in</strong>structions were to be given them "for their di-<br />
rection and conduct <strong>in</strong> prosecut<strong>in</strong>g the design <strong>of</strong> seat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the meet<strong>in</strong>g house." The meet<strong>in</strong>g then adjourned for four<br />
days, dur<strong>in</strong>g which time the follow<strong>in</strong>g rules for their guidance<br />
were concocted : —<br />
" 1. Voted That <strong>in</strong> Seat<strong>in</strong>g the new meet<strong>in</strong>g House the Committee<br />
have Respect pr<strong>in</strong>cipally to men's estate.<br />
"3. To have Regard to men's Age.<br />
" 3. Voted that Some Regard and Respect to men's usefullness, but<br />
<strong>in</strong> a less Degree."<br />
In these <strong>in</strong>structions wealth was the first consideration,<br />
then age, and lastly <strong>in</strong>tellect, ability, and usefulness <strong>in</strong> the<br />
community. Heret<strong>of</strong>ore age had been deemed <strong>of</strong> the most<br />
importance, and estate <strong>of</strong> secondary consequence. In several<br />
other towns, some <strong>of</strong> which have already been enumerated,<br />
age and usefulness were placed before wealth.<br />
At this adjourned meet<strong>in</strong>g a committee, consist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> six<br />
persons, was ajjpo<strong>in</strong>ted to "estimate the pews and seats.''<br />
In other words they were to " dignify "*<br />
the seats, appraise<br />
their social value, that the seaters might make no errors <strong>in</strong><br />
plac<strong>in</strong>g their occupants. The plan <strong>of</strong> m<strong>in</strong>gl<strong>in</strong>g the sexes<br />
was aga<strong>in</strong> brought forward and disposed <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
manner : "The Question was put whether the Committee<br />
be forbidden to Seat men & their wives together.<br />
Especially Such as Incl<strong>in</strong>e to Sit together ; It passed <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Negative."' Under this qualified consent the committee
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