A History of First Church in Pembroke: 1708-1908

This briefing document reviews the main themes and key details from H. W. Litchfield s The First Church in Pembroke: 1708-1908, published in 1908 for the church s bicentennial.

Early Years and Establishment:

The book paints a vivid picture of Pembroke’s humble beginnings in the early 18th century: A bleak and arid moorland, barren save for the brown poverty-grass and a growth of hardy savins deriving meagre support from the poor soil and stormbеaten air until the year 1700 such was the site now known as Pembroke Centre. In 1708, the first meeting house, a small structure, was built, marking the start of organized religious life in the community.

Reverend Daniel Lewis and Church Growth:

The arrival of Reverend Daniel Lewis in 1712 marked a significant turning point. The town granted him a homestead, and during his forty-year ministry, the church witnessed considerable expansion. A new meeting house was constructed in 1726 to accommodate the growing congregation, financed in part through pew sales. Litchfield describes the commitment of early parishioners: To this place Sunday after Sunday, winter and summer, year in and year out, came the faithful band to twist their aching toes in decorous silence during the lengthy prayer and still longer sermon.

Reverend Lewis emerges as a strict but beloved figure, shaping the religious and moral landscape of the community: The Reverend Daniel Lewis was at first little inclined to soften the hard dogmas of salvation for the elect and eternal damnation for the many. Trained in a strict though for those days liberal school of theology, he showed himself in the pulpit a staunch disciple of Calvin.

Parish Divisions and the Rise of West Parish:

As Pembroke grew, geographical separation led to the establishment of West Parish in 1746. This division, though initially met with resistance, ultimately strengthened the religious landscape of the area.

Reverend Thomas Smith and the American Revolution:

Reverend Thomas Smith, who succeeded Lewis in 1754, further solidified the church s position in the community. His ministry coincided with the turbulent years leading up to the American Revolution. Significantly, the East Meeting House, the heart of the First Church, served as a platform for political discourse and the articulation of colonial grievances.

The 1765 Stamp Act meeting held in the meeting house exemplifies the church’s role in fomenting revolutionary sentiment: Years passed; the Stamp Act was repealed, but a series of oppressive measures followed in its train, until at last public opinion would endure no more. This meeting led to a resolution that foreshadowed the Declaration of Independence in its rejection of British oppression.

Later Pastors and the Evolution of the Church:

Litchfield provides concise profiles of the ministers who followed Smith, including Reverend Kilborn Whitman, Reverend James Hawley, and Reverend Morrill Allen, highlighting their contributions and the challenges they faced.

The Importance of the Meeting House:

The meeting house served not only as a place of worship but also as the center of civic life. Town meetings were held there, reflecting the close relationship between church and state in early New England. Litchfield describes the gradual separation of the two entities: Parish Committees were instructed to admonish the Selectmen that the Town s stock of powder must be removed from the Meeting House. The construction of a new meeting house in 1836 further symbolized the evolution of Pembroke s social and religious landscape.

Conclusion:

Litchfield’s "The First Church in Pembroke" provides a valuable chronicle of the church’s first two hundred years. The narrative illuminates the evolution of the church itself and the role it played in shaping the religious, social, and political identity of Pembroke. From its humble beginnings to its status as a cornerstone of the community, the First Church’s history is inextricably intertwined with the development of Pembroke as a whole.