He made
enemies, and his enemies promoted disturbances. Efforts were made to
dissolve the connection. Hubbard having been settled for life, these
efforts were ineffectual. Finally his salary was withheld and the
house was closed against him. Sunday after Sunday, morning and
afternoon, Hubbard would walk from the parsonage to the meetinghouse,
try the doors and then return home. As long as the doors were open, I
attended the services--the congregation diminishing until the pews were
given up to the boys and those who attended from curiosity. One
morning the seats of the singers were vacant, and Hubbard read the hymn
commencing: "Let those refuse to sing, who never knew their God."
That was the last, or near the last of his Sunday services.
As the controversy went on, the members of the parish withdrew, until
the only one remaining who possessed any property was an uncle of mine,
Timothy Marshall. He lived in the easterly part of the town, and he
was a Universalist in opinion. He owned a small farm and a sawmill on
the Mulpus Brook. His chief delights were reading, discussing
political and religious questions, and gathering information in the
department of the natural sciences. He associated a good deal with Dr.
Bard, but he never accepted Bard's views of the Bible. He had
continued with the old society from indisposition to disturb himself
rather than from sympathy with its teachings, or regard for its
interests.
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