Chapter 6 - First Baptist Church of Bellingham

Elnathan Wight was born about 1715 at Medfield, Ma. His father, Joseph Wight moved his family to Bellingham sometime after 1720. His early life was the hard life of the son of a farmer. Long hours were spent assisting his father feeding the animals, working in the fields, and doing whatever else was needed to survive in the wilderness of Bellingham.
 

Wight's name is found in town records on the tax lists and as the elected Hog Reive in 1743. His early education was sparse, there was no formal school in the town, except for periodic schoolmasters hired infrequently for short periods. At the age of 23, he was a signer of the first Church covenant.
 

Wight's personal life and early beliefs are not known until 1745 when he began to keep a diary, which has since been lost. Some of the entries were used in a short Bellingham history in 1822:
 

"Nothing farther is known of him [Elnathan Wight] till 1745. At that time he began to keep a diary, which he continued nearly ten years. From this it appears that he had had thoughts of preaching before he commenced his diary. Jan 11, 1746, he writes that he had just heard of the success of the pretender to the British throne, by which he was led to fear the triumph of popery, and that persecution would follow. This led him to regret that he had not before entered the work of the Lord. Soon afterwards he was much tried on the subject of elevating himself to the work of the ministry. Being convinced of the necessity of education to the minister of the gospel, he thought it his duty to devote himself to his entering on the work. In contemplating this subject, he had many discouragements to meet. He knew that money must be expended, with little hope of receiving any thing like a remuneration for his expenditures. He knew also that the prospect of being supported by his labours as a preacher were very small.
 

"In these trials, he sought advice from ministers in the vicinity; but they refused to give him the direction and encouragement he desired and needed, because he did not agree with them on the mode and subjects of baptism. This was peculiarly afflicting to him, as he had none of his own denomination with whom he could consult. He was induced, from these circumstances, to lay his case with peculiar earnestness before God, his only hope and guide; and from him he received the wisdom he needed. He commenced his studies some time this year [1746], under the Rev. Mr. Graham, of Southborough, Mass. where he pursued them for more than three years. The languages and theology seem to have occupied most of the time. Mr. Graham was to him a friend and a father.
 

"Towards the close of the year 1749, he wished to obtain a license to preach. This he sought from Presbyterian or Congregational ministers; but they refused to license him. When he found he could not be licensed in this way, he, by the advice of Mr. Graham and some others, set out on a journey to New Jersey, to obtain his desire from Baptist ministers; but he found obstructions in the way, and finally returned without reaching the place of his destination.
 

"Soon after his return, he succeeded in obtaining from Pedobaptist ministers what he had before sought in vain. This was probably through the kindness of Mr. Graham, as he had for a long time been his friend. After he was licensed, he delayed to commence preaching for some time; and when he approached the time that he was to begin, his feelings were much depressed, and his fears very great. He preached his first sermon March 4, 1750; and notwithstanding his previous fears, when he came to preach, he found much composure and satisfaction."
 

On May 28, 1750, Wight was requested to preach to the Church for one month "upon living as a probation". "Voted that Eliphelet Holbrook and Eliezer Hayward bee the two men and the said Holbrook and Hayward went to M^r Wight and discours^t with M^r Wight and M^r Wight consented thereto."
 

The probation was satisfactory, for on June 23, 1750, the Church met "to proceed upon ways and means for the call and settelment of M^r Elnathan Wight in the pastoral charge ove the sd Church".
 

"& then it was 2^dly Voted unanimously that application be made to M^r Elnathan Wight to accept of the sd pastoral charge over us, to preach the everlasting Gospel and to administer the ordinances among us agreeabel to our confession of Faith and Church order.
 

"3^dly Voted that wee will keep up and maintain a free contribution for and towards the support and maintanance of M^r Elnathan Wight in the work of the ministry among us.
 

4^thly that two of the Brethren namely Jonathan Thomson and Eliphelet Holbrook bee a committy to wait upon M^rElnathan Wight upon the Subject matter of the Church's call as bove contained."
 

Wight did not immediately reply, but in August the Church received the following acceptance:
 

"Bellingham August the 27^th 1750
 

"Beloved brethren seeing it has pleased god (as I hope) to incline your hearts to invite me to take the pastoral charge over you to preach the Everlasting gospel and to administer the ordinances of Christ among you agreeable to our Confesion of Faith &:
 

"I think it my Duty, to accept your call Desiring Intirely to depend upon the grace of God which is in Christ Jesus. to enable me faithfully to Discharge Every Duty in that relation. Knowing that of myself I am in no measure sufficient for these things. I am willing to spend and bee spent for you, if it may be for the futherance of the Gospel. I desire your fervant prayers for me that God would furnish me with ministerial gifts and make me faithful in Every thing, which he may call me to. I remain your unworthy servant and Brother in the faith, and fellowship of the Gospel.
 

Elnathan Wight"
 

With the appointment of a minister, the Church needed more formal documentation to present in order to have their pastor ordained. Toward that end, a new covenant was drawn up and on October 15, 1750, adopted.
 

"Memorandum The Articles of Faith and Church Discipline which we the united Brethren and Sisters of the Baptist Church of Christ at Bellingham, do solemnly profess to Believe and to b e ruled and governed by under our Lord Jesus Christ, glorious and Supreme head of the Church, are Contained at Large in a printed Declaration put forth by the Baptist Churches in England of the Calvinistic persuasion, intitled a Confession of Faith put forth by the Elders and Brethren of many Congregations of Christians, Baptised upon Confession of theri Faith in London and the Country, The which we have not leisure at present herein to Transcribe at Lengrth, but we do unanimously Assent, Consent and fully conclude and agree to adhere and be Governed by the Sacred Scriptures principally, and by the said printed Confession subordinately as the Rule and Standard of our Faith, Practice and Church Discipline. Moreover we have concluded it to be Expedient to draw up and Record the following Church covenant for the Information, perusaal and subscription of all such Baptised Believers whose harts the Lord may incline to join with us.
 

Viz. to, The Church Covenant as followeth
 

We whose names are hereafter here written. Viz sone that it hath pleased God through the riches of his Grace to call out of Darkness into his marvellous Light and to reveal his son in us where by we Believe that the Lord is our God, and haveing shewn unto us our duty and priviledge as Believers, not only to seperate from the world, both as to doctrine and practice, and worship, but also to congregate and embody ourselves into Church state, and being through Grace well sartisfyed concerning our mutual nearness to the Lord, and Standing together in Christ and being brought in some blessed measure into oneness of Spirit, being Baptised by one spirit in one body, and being agreed in the great and sublime Lord, and to one another by the will of God, to walk together as a Church of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospel and in the observance and practice of the Laws and ordinances, which Christ hath appointed his new testament Churches to be in the practice of, so far as he hath or Shall Enlighten us into the Knowledge of our Duty and privilege and as the Lord shall please to help us we will frequently assemble our selves together as a Chruch of Christ, to attend upon our Lord in the service of his house, especially every Lords Day, and as we Shall be enabled by his Grace and conducted by his Spirit we will stand up together for the Truth and Cause of Christ, against all opposition raised thereto by the world and by Carnal professers and by the same help we will wath over one another in the Lord. And as we shall be under the Conduct of JEHOVAH - we will Keep the Doors of Gods house or Church open always to Believers in Christ, who are sound in Faith about the Salvation of Gods Elect, as it is by the Fathers Grace through the sons Redemtion, and as our God will help us, We wil keep them always as a Testimony of our Cordial belief of those former Doctrins of Faith, contained in the printed Declaration afore referred to in the introduction preceeding this covenant, and of our holy Resolution in the Strength of Grace, to stand and walk together in the fellowship of the Gospel, we call not only Heaven and Earth to witness but we also Subscribe the same with our hands:
 

 

On the 14th of January 1755 the ordination was finally undertaken. Reverend Ephraim Bound, Deacon Joseph Collins, Eleazer Kingsbury and William Plimpton from the Baptist Church in Boston and Reverend Ebenezer Moulton, Deacon Jeremiah and Nathan Munger of the Baptist Church in Brimfield were present to participate. Rev. Moulton presided as Moderator and Rev. Bound was Scribe. Rev. Bound's description of the proceedings are the only record and were copied into the church book. (It if unclear of Rev. Bound wrote into the book or someone later copied it in.)
 

"then come under consideration their articles of Faith and their maner of Dissipline & their Chh Covenant and after mature Consideration the Counsel voted that their articles ware sound, their Dissipline Regular and their Church Covenant Scriptual.
 

"it being then late in the evening the Counsel ajourned til nine of the clock the next morning.
 

"Wednesday morning January 15 the Counsel being come together they proceeded the Call given M^r Wight by the Chh and his answer in the affermitive and the question being put to both partys wheather they continued of the same mind. They declared they did.
 

"the Counsel then proceeded to Examin M^r Wight concerning his Experimental of Knolege of Christ and the way of Salvation by him & also Concerning his ministeral qualifycation and his Internal Call to the work of the mistry in all which M^r Wight gave the Councel full sarttisfaction.
 

"these things being all ajusted the Councel agreed to proceed to the ordination of M^r Wight and voted 1^st that M^rWight should preach the ordination Sermon himself. 2^ly that the Revn^d M^r Moulton should give M^r Wight his sollom charge. 3^rd that the Revn^d M^r Bound give M^r Wight the wright hand of fellowship."
 

"then the Councel and Chh proceeded to the meetinghouse and the selemnity Began with a prayer made by M^rBound which was followed by a sutabol Sermon from 2 Corin: 5 & 20 preach^d by M^r Wight after which M^rMoulton pray at the Imposition of hands and gave M^r Wight a very sutabel and solem Charge and then M^r Bound pray^d and gave the Reight hand of Fellowship after which the Reven^d M^r Wight named and reed a psalm for the Congregation to sing sutabel to the ocation after which he gave the Blessing and the Solemnity Ended and the Whol was Carried on with Decency Solemnity and in good order.
 

A true cop^y Attest^d Ephraim Bound Scribe"
 

Shortly after the ordination the Church selected Joseph Wight and Peter Thomson as Deacons. Communion was to be held four times a year, the first Sundays of April, July, October and January.
 

Peter Thomson was not to serve as Deacon for long. After his selection, he entered the colonial army and was sent to upstate New York to fight. (A battle of the French and Indian War) Thomson was wounded and died soon thereafter. Has legacy of three pounds to the Church was used to purchase "Table Vessels that is two tankers, four cups or Bakers and a platter and a Table Cloath and a napkin: and also voted that the Remainder of the money left besides the vessels and Cloath and napkin shall be laid out towards a pillow for the pulpit: also voted that Eleazer Hayward and Ebenezer Holbrook shall serve as a Committy to Lay out the Churches money as the above said votes for the Tabel."
 

Rev. Wight was married August 13, 1754 to Abigail Blood, a widow. They had one daughter, who died in childhood, and two sons, Nathan and Eliab.
 

Sixty years after his death Rev. Fisher, then pastor of the Bellingham Baptist Church described Wight as:
 

"Mr. Wight's person was about the middle size, rather spare, and of a good figure. Over his temper, which was naturally quick and irascible, he gained an ascendancy which made him a pleasant and instructive companion. He was a studious man. Most if not all his sermons were written out, and he generally read them. They were full of good sense, and very doctrinal. But notwithstanding his studiousness, he laboured much with his own hands.
 

"His support was always small, amounting at the most to about forty or fifty dollars annually. His views of doctrine were highly Calvinistick, though not Antinomian. On the subject of addressing the calls of the gospel to sinners in general, he agreed with those who hold what has been called general atonement. In regard to the mode and subjects of baptism, he was a Baptist. It is necessary, however, to observe that he held to open communion, especially in the fore part of his ministry. He tried much to unite the Congregationalists and Baptists, thinking, as he says, that the Baptists were uncharitable in refusing to commune with those who were members of Congregational churches. But his exertions were unavailing: he found to his disappointment that his Pedobaptist brethren in general were not so anxious to commune with the Baptists as he supposed.--Whether Mr. Wight retained his views on communion till his death is unknown, as nothing on that subject is found in his papers or on the records of the church after his ordination. It is most probable, however, that when he found his object was unattainable, he gave it up, or at least ceased to exert himself to obtain what he desired. The church changed their views on the subject, either in his lifetime or afterwards, the time when being unknown.
 

"Mr. Wight was a very conscientious man, and of distinguished piety, as is evident from his diary, and the inscription placed over his door -- "I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house, appointed for all living." If at any time he had indulged in lightness, improper feelings or actions, he soon repented, and very deeply. He felt much for sinners, and had much conviction of the constant and universal presence of God. His life was embittered by many painful circumstances, which occasioned him much depression of mind. Although his congregation was sometimes full, yet at others he had to preach to a few. Several were added to the church during his ministry, but no considerable revival took place under his labours. In his day, Mr. Wight sustained the character of a steadfast, able, enlightened, and evangelical preacher. His name will doubtless be had in affectionate remembrance long after we shall be laid in the dust."
 

On November 6, 1761, Elnathan Wight died of dysentary at the age of 46. He was buried in the North Bellingham Cemetary under the inscription:
 

"While you are standing here to read

Prepare for Death with care & speed

For sure it is that you must die

And hasten to Eternity.

Prepare for Death he often said

Who in this silent Grave is laid."
 

Wight's widow Abigail remarried a few years later to Nathan Mann of Franklin. After his death in 1780, she returned to Bellingham and upon her death at 85, she was buried next to Wight. Their son Nathan moved to New York. Eliab lived his life in Bellingham, serving his father's church throughout his life.