Misplaced Pages

#611388

99-583: The Zadock Taft House is a historic house at 115 South Main Street in Uxbridge, Massachusetts . Probably built in the 18th century, it received its present Greek Revival styling in the 1840s or 1850s. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The Zadock Taft House stands south of the center of Uxbridge, on the west side of South Main Street just north of its junction with Newell Road. It

198-423: A malaria outbreak here in 1896 that led to firsts in the control of malaria as a mosquito-borne infection. Uxbridge led Massachusetts in robberies for a quarter of the year in 1922, and the town voted to hire its first nighttime police patrolman. Bog iron and three iron forges marked the colonial era, with the inception of large-scale industries beginning around 1775. Examples of this development can be seen in

297-477: A revival of religion and piety . The blending of these three traditions would produce an evangelical Protestantism that placed greater importance "on seasons of revival, or outpourings of the Holy Spirit , and on converted sinners experiencing God's love personally." In the 1710s and 1720s, revivals became more frequent among New England Congregationalists. These early revivals remained local affairs due to

396-890: A "little revolution" to meet family needs. The nearest MBTA Commuter Rail stops are Forge Park/495 on the Franklin/Foxboro Line and Grafton and Worcester on the Framingham/Worcester Line , 15 miles away. The Providence and Worcester Railroad freight line passes through Uxbridge. Highways in Uxbridge include Route 146 , Route 16 , Route 122 , Route 98 and Route 146A . TF Green State Airport Warwick - Providence, RI , Worcester Regional Airport , and Boston Logan International Airport have commercial flights. Hopedale Airport , 7.2 miles (11.6 km) away, and Worcester Regional Airport have general aviation. A private air strip, Sky Glen Airport on Quaker Highway,

495-802: A District Courthouse but no gaol. Local schools include the Earl D. Taft Early Learning Center (Pre-K–3), Whitin Intermediate School (4–7), Uxbridge High School (8–12), and Our Lady of the Valley Regional. Uxbridge is also a member of one of the thirteen towns of the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational School District. Uxbridge students in eighth grade have the opportunity to apply to Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School , serving grades 9–12. The New York Times called Uxbridge education reforms

594-712: A Moravian small group called the Fetter Lane Society . In May 1738, Wesley attended a Moravian meeting on Aldersgate Street, where he felt spiritually transformed during a reading of Martin Luther 's preface to the Epistle to the Romans . Wesley recounted that "I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine , and saved me from

693-451: A cautious approach to this issue, neither encouraging nor discouraging these responses, but they recognized that people might express their conviction in different ways. The conviction stage lasted so long because potential converts were waiting to find evidence of regeneration in their lives. The revivalists believed regeneration, or the new birth, was not simply an outward profession of faith or conformity to Christianity. They believed it

792-538: A famous reunion). Capron 's wooden mill survived a 2007 fire at the Bernat Mill . Stanley mill is being restored while Waucantuck Mill was mostly razed. In 2013 multiple fires again affected the town, including a historic bank building and a Quaker home from the early 1800s. See National historic sites . Five bands of the original indigenous Nipmuck people live in the Worcester County region today. In 2017,

891-664: A first for colonial women . Seth and Joseph Read and Simeon Wheelock joined Committees of Correspondence . Baxter Hall was a Minuteman drummer. Seth Read fought at Bunker Hill . Washington stopped at Reed's tavern, en route to command the Continental Army . Samuel Spring was one of the first chaplains of the American Revolution . Deborah Sampson enlisted as "Robert Shurtlieff of Uxbridge". Shays' Rebellion also began here, and Governor John Hancock quelled Uxbridge riots. Simeon Wheelock died protecting

990-616: A greater belief in God's glory than in self-glorification. Similar experiences would appear in most of the major revivals of the 18th century. Edwards wrote an account of the Northampton revival, A Faithful Narrative , which was published in England through the efforts of prominent evangelicals John Guyse and Isaac Watts . The publication of his account made Edwards a celebrity in Britain and influenced

1089-838: A large outdoor crowd from the courthouse steps. He then preached in many Presbyterian churches. From Philadelphia, Whitefield traveled to New York and then to the South. In the Middle Colonies, he was popular in the Dutch and German communities as well as among the British. Lutheran pastor Henry Muhlenberg told of a German woman who heard Whitefield preach and, though she spoke no English, later said she had never before been so edified. In 1740, Whitefield began touring New England. He landed in Newport, Rhode Island, on September 14, 1740, and preached several times in

SECTION 10

#1733105707612

1188-490: A leading role in American evangelicalism for the next century. Christianity • Protestantism The Great Awakening was not the first time that Protestant churches had experienced revival; however, it was the first time a common evangelical identity had emerged based on a fairly uniform understanding of salvation , preaching the gospel , and conversion . Revival theology focused on the way of salvation —the stages by which

1287-415: A new $ 9.25 million fire station was completed on Main Street next to Town Hall. Voters approved the 14,365 square-foot station in 2015. The station has five bays to accommodate modern fire trucks, a radio and server room for computer and phone servers. The second floor includes a fitness room, kitchen, and showers for staff. The station is located in the historic district, and was built in consultation with

1386-575: A person receives Christian faith and then expresses that faith in the way they live. The major figures of the Great Awakening, such as George Whitefield , Jonathan Edwards , Gilbert Tennent , Jonathan Dickinson , and Samuel Davies , were moderate evangelicals who preached a pietistic form of Calvinism heavily influenced by the Puritan tradition, which held that religion was not only an intellectual exercise but also had to be felt and experienced in

1485-512: A population of 14,162 at the 2020 United States Census . John Eliot started Nipmuc Praying Indian villages. Several praying Indian towns included Waentug (or Wacentug) and “Rice City” (later settled as Mendon.) “Great John”, sold Squimshepauk plantation to settlers in September of 1663, "for 24 pound Ster". Mendon began in 1667, and burned in King Phillips War . Nipmuck joined

1584-453: A prestigious New England prep school. Uxbridge voted against the smallpox vaccine . Samuel Willard treated smallpox victims, was a forerunner of modern psychiatry, and ran the first hospital for mental illness in America. Vital records recorded many infant deaths, the smallpox death of Selectman Joseph Richardson , "Quincy", "dysentary", and tuberculosis deaths. Leonard White recorded

1683-556: A seminary called the Log College , where he trained nearly 20 Presbyterian revivalists for the ministry, including his three sons and Samuel Blair . While pastoring a church in New Jersey, Gilbert Tennent became acquainted with Dutch Reformed minister Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen . Historian Sydney Ahlstrom described Frelinghuysen as "an important herald, if not the father of the Great Awakening". A pietist, Frelinghuysen believed in

1782-402: A sense of deep personal conviction about their need for salvation by Jesus Christ and fostered introspection and commitment to a new standard of personal morality. Revival theology stressed that religious conversion was not only intellectual assent to correct Christian doctrine but had to be a " new birth " experienced in the heart. Revivalists also taught that receiving assurance of salvation

1881-445: A strong impulse towards interdenominational unity among the various Protestant denominations. Evangelicals considered the new birth to be "a bond of fellowship that transcended disagreements on fine points of doctrine and polity", allowing Anglicans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and others to cooperate across denominational lines. While divisions between the Old and New Lights remained,

1980-437: A time when Enlightenment rationalism and Arminian theology were popular among some Congregational clergy, Edwards held to traditional Calvinist doctrine. He understood conversion to be the experience of moving from spiritual deadness to joy in the knowledge of one's election (that one had been chosen by God for salvation). While a Christian might have several conversion moments as part of this process, Edwards believed there

2079-406: Is a 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -story wood-frame structure, with a side-gable roof, two interior brick chimneys, and a clapboarded exterior. A single-story porch extends across the front facade. The building corners are pilastered, and the main entrance is framed by sidelight windows, pilasters and a corniced entablature. Windows are rectangular sash, with slightly capped lintels above. The land on which

SECTION 20

#1733105707612

2178-663: Is estimated in New England that in the churches there were about one-third each of New Lights, Old Lights, and those who saw both sides as valid. The Awakening aroused a wave of separatist feeling within the Congregational churches of New England. Around 100 Separatist congregations were organized throughout the region by Strict Congregationalists . Objecting to the Halfway Covenant , Strict Congregationalists required evidence of conversion for church membership and also objected to

2277-495: Is still listed on FAA sites, though the map location shows it within a dense industrial park, and at its peak of operations, it saw very low traffic. Tri-River Family Health Center ( University of Massachusetts Medical School ) offers primary care. Milford Regional , Landmark Medical Center , hospices and long term care are nearby or local. First Great Awakening Building on the foundations of older traditions— Puritanism , Pietism , and Presbyterianism —major leaders of

2376-768: The Church of England , and Methodism would develop out of the ministries of Whitefield and Wesley. In the American colonies, the Awakening caused the Congregational and Presbyterian churches to split, while strengthening both the Methodist and Baptist denominations. It had little immediate impact on most Lutherans , Quakers , and non-Protestants, but later gave rise to a schism among Quakers that persists to this day. Evangelical preachers "sought to include every person in conversion, regardless of gender, race, and status". Throughout

2475-560: The Civil War , World War I , World War II , the nurse corps , and the first Air Force dress uniforms, dubbed "Uxbridge Blue". Time magazine covered Uxbridge Worsted's proposed buyout to be the top US woolen company. The largest plant of one of the largest US yarn companies, Bernat Yarn , was located here from the 1960s to the 1980s. A historic company called Information Services operated from Uxbridge, and managed subscription services for The New Republic , among other publications, in

2574-563: The Lutheran and Reformed churches of continental Europe. Pietism emphasized heartfelt religious faith in reaction to an overly intellectual Protestant scholasticism perceived as spiritually dry. Significantly, the Pietists placed less emphasis on traditional doctrinal divisions between Protestant churches, focusing rather on religious experience and affections. Pietism prepared Europe for revival, and it usually occurred in areas where pietism

2673-702: The Rhode Island towns of Burrillville and North Smithfield . A USDA hardiness zone 5 continental climate prevails with snowfall extremes from November to April. The highest recorded temperature was 104 F, in July 1975, and the lowest, −25 F in January 1957. The 2010 United States Census population was 13,457, representing a growth rate of 20.6%, with 5,056 households, a density rate of 166.31 units per square mile. 95.7% were White , 1.7% Asian , 0.90% Hispanic , 0.3% African American , and 1.4% other. Population density

2772-545: The Sacrament long, yet I never knew what true religion was" until he read Scougal. From that point on, Whitefield sought a new birth. After a period of spiritual struggle, Whitefield experienced conversion during Lent in 1735. In 1736, he began preaching in Bristol and London . His preaching attracted large crowds who were drawn to his simple message of the necessity of the new birth as well as by his manner of delivery. His style

2871-555: The Southern New England Trunkline Trail (which has the interesting SNETT stone chamber south of Lee pond), West Hill Dam , a 567-acre wildlife refuge , parcels of the Metacomet Land Trust, and Cormier Woods . 60 Federalist homes were added to 54 national and 375 state-listed historic sites, including Georgian Elmshade (where War Secretary Alphonso Taft had recounted local family history at

2970-743: The Springfield Armory . Seth Reed was instrumental in adding " E pluribus unum " to U.S. coins . Washington slept here on his Inaugural tour while traveling the Middle Post Road . Quakers including Richard Mowry migrated here from Smithfield, Rhode Island , and built mills, railroads, houses , tools and Conestoga wagon wheels. Southwick's store housed the Social and Instructive Library. Friends Meetinghouse , next to Moses Farnum 's farm, had prominent abolitionists Abby Kelley Foster and Effingham Capron as members. Capron led

3069-781: The Welsh Methodist revival . The origins of revivalism in Scotland stretch back to the 1620s. The attempts by the Stuart Kings to impose bishops on the Church of Scotland led to national protests in the form of the Covenanters . In addition, radical Presbyterian clergy held outdoor conventicles throughout southern and western Scotland, centered on the communion season . These revivals would also spread to Ulster and feature "marathon extemporaneous preaching and excessive popular enthusiasm." In

Zadock Taft House - Misplaced Pages Continue

3168-406: The burning of books by religious authors such as John Flavel and Increase Mather . Following the intervention of two pro-revival " New Light " ministers, Davenport's mental state apparently improved, and he published a retraction of his earlier excesses. Whitefield, Tennent, and Davenport would be followed by a number of both clerical and lay itinerants. However, the Awakening in New England

3267-567: The creation of the world, God determined who would be saved (the elect) on the basis of his own choosing. The preaching of these doctrines resulted in the convicted feeling both guilty and totally helpless, since God was in complete control over whether they would be saved or not. Revivalists counseled those under conviction to apply the means of grace to their lives. These were spiritual disciplines such as prayer , Bible study, church attendance, and personal moral improvement. While no human action could produce saving faith, revivalists taught that

3366-566: The established religion , whereas in the religiously tolerant Middle Colonies , the Quakers , Dutch Reformed , Anglican , Presbyterian , Lutheran , Congregational , and Baptist churches all competed with each other on equal terms. In the Southern Colonies , the Anglican Church was officially established, though there were significant numbers of Baptists, Quakers, and Presbyterians. At

3465-506: The heart . This moderate revival theology consisted of a three-stage process. The first stage was conviction of sin , which was spiritual preparation for faith by God's law and the means of grace . The second stage was conversion, in which a person experienced spiritual illumination, repentance , and faith. The third stage was consolation , which was searching for and receiving assurance of salvation . This process generally takes place over an extended period of time. Conviction of sin

3564-640: The laity increased, especially among the town's young people. Edwards wrote to Boston minister Benjamin Colman that the town "never was so full of Love, nor so full of Joy, nor so full of distress as it has lately been. ... I never saw the Christian spirit in Love to Enemies so exemplified, in all my Life as I have seen it within this half-year." The revival ultimately spread to 25 communities in western Massachusetts and central Connecticut until it began to wane in 1737. At

3663-1024: The 1750s and 1760s. The Great Awakening aggravated existing conflicts within the Protestant churches, often leading to schisms between supporters of revival, known as "New Lights", and opponents of revival, known as "Old Lights". The Old Lights saw the religious enthusiasm and itinerant preaching unleashed by the Awakening as disruptive to church order, preferring formal worship and a settled, university-educated ministry. They mocked revivalists as being ignorant, heterodox , or con artists . New Lights accused Old Lights of being more concerned with social status than with saving souls and even questioned whether some Old Light ministers were even converted. They also supported itinerant ministers who disregarded parish boundaries. Congregationalists in New England experienced 98 schisms, which in Connecticut also affected which group would be considered "official" for tax purposes. It

3762-770: The 1830s. Innovations included power looms , vertical integration of wool to clothing, cashmere wool -synthetic blends, "wash and wear", yarn spinning techniques, and latch hook kits. Villages included mills, shops, worker housing, and farms. Wm. Arnold's Ironstone cotton mill, later made Kentucky Blue Jeans, and Seth Read's gristmill, later housed Bay State Arms . Hecla and Wheelockville housed American Woolen , Waucantuck Mill , Hilena Lowell 's shoe factory, and Draper Corporation . Daniel Day , Jerry Wheelock , and Luke Taft used water-powered mills. Moses Taft 's ( Central Woolen ) operated continuously making Civil War cloth. North Uxbridge housed Clapp's 1810 cotton mill, Chandler Taft's and Richard Sayles ' Rivulet Mill ,

3861-605: The 18th century, the Evangelical Revival was led by ministers such as Ebenezer Erskine , William M'Culloch (the minister who presided over the Cambuslang Work of 1742), and James Robe (minister at Kilsyth ). A substantial number of Church of Scotland ministers held evangelical views. In the early 18th century, the Thirteen Colonies were religiously diverse. In New England , the Congregational churches were

3960-472: The 2023 Season. The town is 30.4 square miles (79 km ), of which 0.8 square miles (2.1 km ), or 2.74%, is water. It is situated 39.77 miles (64.00 km) southwest of Boston , 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Worcester , and 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Providence . Elevations range from 200 feet (61 m) to 577 feet (176 m) above sea level. It borders Douglas , Mendon , Millville , Northbridge , and Sutton, Massachusetts , plus

4059-581: The 450 member local anti-slavery society. Brister Pierce, formerly a slave in Uxbridge, was a signer of an 1835 petition to Congress demanding abolition of slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia . Local influences from the First and Second Great Awakenings can be seen with the early Congregational and Quaker traditions. The Tafts built the Middle Post Road 's Blackstone River bridge in 1709. " Teamsters " drove horse "team" freight wagons on

Zadock Taft House - Misplaced Pages Continue

4158-740: The Anglican church. He then moved on to Boston, Massachusetts, where he spent a week. There were prayers at King's Chapel (at the time an Anglican church) and preaching at Brattle Street Church and South Church . On September 20, Whitefield preached at First Church and then outside of it to about 8,000 people who could not gain entrance. The next day, he preached outdoors again to about 15,000 people. On Tuesday, he preached at Second Church and on Wednesday at Harvard University . After traveling as far as Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he returned to Boston on October 12 to preach to 30,000 people before continuing his tour. Whitefield then traveled to Northampton at

4257-444: The Awakening. Samuel Blair described such responses to his preaching in 1740: "Several would be overcome and fainting ; others deeply sobbing, hardly able to contain, others crying in a most dolorous manner, many others more silently weeping. ... And sometimes the soul exercises of some, thought comparatively but very few, would so far affect their bodies, as to occasion some strange, unusual bodily motions." Moderate evangelicals took

4356-460: The Hands of an Angry God " is an example of such preaching. As Calvinists, revivalists also preached the doctrines of original sin and unconditional election . Due to the fall of man , humans are naturally inclined to rebel against God and are unable to initiate or merit salvation, according to the doctrine of original sin. Unconditional election relates to the doctrine of predestination —that before

4455-685: The New Lights became less radical over time, and evangelicalism became more mainstream. By 1758, the Old Side–New Side split in the Presbyterian Church had been healed, and the two factions had reunited. In part, this was due to the growth of the New Side and the numerical decline of the Old Side. In 1741, the pro-revival party had around 22 ministers, but this number had increased to 73 by 1758. While

4554-630: The North American colonies, especially in the South , the revival movement increased the number of African slaves and free blacks who were exposed to (and subsequently converted to) Christianity. It also inspired the founding of new missionary societies, such as the Baptist Missionary Society in 1792. Historian Sydney E. Ahlstrom sees the Great Awakening as part of a "great international Protestant upheaval" that also created Pietism in

4653-791: The Reason why Congregations have been so dead, is because dead Men preach to them." Whitefield met Gilbert Tennent on Staten Island and asked him to preach in Boston to continue the revival there. Tennent accepted and, in December, began a three-month-long preaching tour throughout New England. Besides Boston, Tennent preached in towns throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Like Whitefield's, Tennent's preaching produced large crowds, many conversions, and much controversy. While antirevivalists such as Timothy Cutler heavily criticized Tennent's preaching, most of Boston's ministers were supportive. Tennent

4752-464: The Soul of Man (the latter work was a favorite of Puritans ). Scougal wrote that many people mistakenly understood Christianity to be "Orthodox Notions and Opinions", "external Duties" or "rapturous Heats and extatic Devotion". Rather, Scougal wrote, "True Religion is an Union of the Soul with God ... It is Christ formed within us ." Whitefield wrote that "though I had fasted, watched and prayed, and received

4851-574: The Uxbridge Historic District Commission. The old post office and fire station were demolished to make room for the new station. Context Architecture was the designer. The McCluskey School parking lot and former Bernat Mill site were used for Netflix film crews setup in 2021. The Uxbridge High Spartans won the 2023 Division 7 Superbowl at Gillette Stadium with an undefeated record The Uxbridge High Spartans Field Hockey Team clinched its third consecutive state championship in

4950-578: The Worcester-Providence stage route. The Blackstone Canal brought horse-drawn barges to Providence through Uxbridge for overnight stops. The "crossroads village" was a junction on the Underground Railroad . The P&W Railroad ended canal traffic in 1848. A 1732 vote "set up a school for ye town of Uxbridge". A grammar school was followed by 13 one-room district school houses, built for $ 2000 in 1797. Uxbridge Academy (1818) became

5049-622: The anti-revival "Old Side" and the pro-revival "New Side". At issue was the place of revivalism in American Presbyterianism, specifically the "relation between doctrinal orthodoxy and experimental knowledge of Christ." The New Side, led by Gilbert Tennent and Jonathan Dickinson, believed that strict adherence to orthodoxy was meaningless if one lacked a personal religious experience, a sentiment expressed in Tennent's 1739 sermon "The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry". Whitefield's tour had helped

SECTION 50

#1733105707612

5148-419: The conversion experience, which typically lasted several days or weeks under the guidance of a trained pastor. True conversion began when the mind opened to a new awareness and love of the gospel message. Following this illumination, converts placed their faith in Christ, depending on him alone for salvation. At the same time, a hatred of sin and a commitment to eliminate it from the heart would take hold, setting

5247-695: The fervor of the Awakening would fade, the acceptance of revivalism and insistence on personal conversion would remain recurring features in 18th- and 19th-century Presbyterianism. The Great Awakening inspired the creation of evangelical educational institutions. In 1746, New Side Presbyterians founded what would become Princeton University . In 1754, the efforts of Eleazar Wheelock led to what would become Dartmouth College , originally established to train Native American boys for missionary work among their own people. While initially resistant, well-established Yale University came to embrace revivalism and played

5346-408: The foundation for a life of repentance or turning away from sin. Revivalists distinguished true conversion (which was motivated by love of God and hatred of sin) from false conversion (which was motivated by fear of hell ). True conversion meant that a person was among the elect, but even a person with saving faith might doubt his election and salvation. Revivalists taught that assurance of salvation

5445-406: The gospel promises to everyone in their audiences, without stressing that God redeems only those elected for salvation"—was contrary to these notions. While they preached indiscriminately, however, revivalists continued to affirm Calvinist doctrines of election and predestination. Another issue that had to be addressed was the intense physical and emotional reactions to conviction experienced during

5544-406: The gospel, and other Christian virtues . It was not enough, however, to simply reflect on past experiences. Revivalists taught that assurance could only be gained by actively seeking to grow in grace and holiness through mortification of sin and using the means of grace. In Religious Affections , the last sign addressed by Edwards was "Christian practice", and it was this sign to which he gave

5643-669: The granite quarry, and Rogerson's village . Crown and Eagle Mill was "a masterpiece of early industrial architecture". Blanchard's granite quarry provided curb stones to New York City , the Statue of Liberty and regional public works projects. Peter Rawson Taft 's grandson, William Howard Taft , visited Samuel Taft House . John Sr. , Effingham and John W. Capron 's mill pioneered US satinets and woolen power looms. Charles A. Root, Edward Bachman, and Harold Walter expanded Bachman-Uxbridge , and exhibited leadership in women's fashion. The company manufactured US Army uniforms for

5742-524: The grounds that he was a religious enthusiast . In response, he began open-air field preaching in the mining community of Kingswood, near Bristol. Open-air preaching was common in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, but it was unheard of in England. Further, Whitefield violated protocol by preaching in another priest's parish without permission. Within a week, he was preaching to crowds of 10,000. By March, Whitefield had moved on to preach elsewhere. By May, he

5841-527: The group enjoyed a religious revival. Soon, the community became a refuge for other Protestants as well, including German Lutherans, Reformed Christians, and Anabaptists . The church began to grow, and Moravian societies would be established in England, where they would help foster the Evangelical Revival as well. Christianity • Protestantism While known as the Great Awakening in the United States,

5940-446: The growing revival movement in that nation. A Faithful Narrative would become a model on which other revivals would be conducted. George Whitefield first came to America in 1738 to serve at Christ Church in Savannah and found Bethesda Orphanage . Whitefield returned to the Colonies in November 1739. His first stop was in Philadelphia, where he initially preached at Christ Church , Philadelphia's Anglican Church, and then preached to

6039-407: The house stands has a long association with the locally prominent Taft family. As early as 1708 it was the farm of Joseph Taft, who helped oversee construction of Uxbridge's first meetinghouse in 1728–30. It is unclear from the documentary record whether the present house is a surviving element of Joseph Taft's farm, or if it was built by a later 18th-century generation. It is shown on an 1855 map of

SECTION 60

#1733105707612

6138-475: The invitation of Jonathan Edwards. He preached twice in the parish church, and Edwards was so moved that he wept. He then spent time in New Haven, Connecticut, where he preached at Yale University. From there, he traveled down the coast, reaching New York on October 29. Whitefield's assessment of New England's churches and clergy prior to his intervention was negative. "I am verily persuaded," he wrote, "the Generality of Preachers talk of an unknown, unfelt Christ. And

6237-414: The lack of coverage in print media . The first revival to receive widespread publicity was that precipitated by an earthquake in 1727. As they began to be publicized more widely, revivals transformed from merely local to regional and transatlantic events. In the 1720s and 1730s, an evangelical party took shape in the Presbyterian churches of the Middle Colonies, led by William Tennent , Sr. He established

6336-437: The last half of the 18th century. By 1804, there were over 300 Baptist churches in New England. This growth was primarily due to an influx of former New Light Congregationalists who became convinced of Baptist doctrines, such as believer's baptism . In some cases, entire Separatist congregations accepted Baptist beliefs. As revivalism spread through the Presbyterian churches, the Old Side–New Side Controversy broke out between

6435-398: The later 20th century. State and national parks developed around mills and rivers were restored. The Great Gatsby (1974) and Oliver's Story (1978) were filmed locally including at Stanley Woolen Mill . The Blackstone Valley National Historic Park contains the 1,000-acre (4.0 km ) Blackstone Canal Heritage State Park , 9 miles (14 km) of the Blackstone River Greenway ,

6534-519: The law of sin and death." Wesley understood his Aldersgate experience to be an evangelical conversion, and it provided him with the assurance he had been seeking. Afterwards, he traveled to Herrnhut and met Zinzendorf in person. John Wesley returned to England in September 1738. Both John and Charles preached in London churches. Whitefield stayed in Georgia for three months to establish Bethesda Orphanage before returning to England in December. While enjoying success, Whitefield's itinerant preaching

6633-437: The means of grace might make conversion more likely. Revival preaching was controversial among Calvinists. Because Calvinists believed in election and predestination, some thought it inappropriate to preach to strangers that they could repent and receive salvation. For some, such preaching was only acceptable within their own churches and communities. The revivalists use of "indiscriminate" evangelism—the "practice of extending

6732-465: The movement is referred to as the Evangelical Revival in Britain. In England, the major leaders of the Evangelical Revival were three Anglican priests: the brothers John and Charles Wesley and their friend George Whitefield . Together, they founded what would become Methodism . They had been members of a religious society at Oxford University called the Holy Club and "Methodists" due to their methodical piety and rigorous asceticism . This society

6831-416: The native uprising, and many died. Western Mendon became Uxbridge in 1727, and Farnum House held the first town meeting . John Adams ’ uncle, Nathan Webb , was the first called minister of the colony's first new Congregational church in the Great Awakening . The American Taft family origins are intertwined with Uxbridge and Mendon . Lydia Taft reportedly voted in the 1756 town meeting, considered as

6930-444: The necessity of personal conversion and living a holy life. The revivals he led in the Raritan Valley were "forerunners" of the Great Awakening in the Middle Colonies. Under Frelinghuysen's influence, Tennent came to believe that a definite conversion experience followed by assurance of salvation was the key mark of a Christian. By 1729, Tennent was seeing signs of revival in the Presbyterian churches of New Brunswick and Staten Island. At

7029-628: The opportunity to recruit followers to the movement. Faced with growing evangelistic and pastoral responsibilities, Wesley and Whitefield appointed lay preachers and leaders. Methodist preachers focused particularly on evangelizing people who had been "neglected" by the established Church of England. Wesley and his assistant preachers organized the new converts into Methodist societies. These societies were divided into groups called classes —intimate meetings where individuals were encouraged to confess their sins to one another and to build each other up. They also took part in love feasts , which allowed for

7128-425: The peak of revivalism established him as the primary founder of the Methodist movement. By the time of Wesley's death in 1791, there were an estimated 71,668 Methodists in England and 43,265 in America. The Evangelical Revival first broke out in Wales. In 1735, Howell Harris and Daniel Rowland experienced a religious conversion and began preaching to large crowds throughout South Wales . Their preaching initiated

7227-606: The revival party grow but only worsened the controversy. When the Presbyterian Synod of Philadelphia met in May 1741, the Old Side expelled the New Side, which then reorganized itself into the Synod of New York . Historian John Howard Smith noted that the Great Awakening made sectarianism an essential characteristic of American Christianity. While the Awakening divided many Protestant churches between Old and New Lights, it also unleashed

7326-403: The revival such as George Whitefield , John Wesley , and Jonathan Edwards articulated a theology of revival and salvation that transcended denominational boundaries and helped forge a common evangelical identity. Revivalists added to the doctrinal imperatives of Reformation Protestantism an emphasis on providential outpourings of the Holy Spirit . Extemporaneous preaching gave listeners

7425-529: The same time, Gilbert's brothers, William and John, oversaw a revival in Freehold, New Jersey. The most influential evangelical revival was the Northampton revival of 1734–1735, under the leadership of Congregational minister Jonathan Edwards . In the fall of 1734, Edwards preached a sermon series on justification by faith alone , and the community's response was extraordinary. Signs of religious commitment among

7524-542: The same time, church membership was low because it had failed to keep up with population growth, and the influence of Enlightenment rationalism was leading many people to turn to atheism , Deism , Unitarianism , and Universalism . The churches in New England had fallen into a "staid and routine formalism in which experiential faith had been a reality to only a scattered few." In response to these trends, ministers influenced by New England Puritanism , Scots-Irish Presbyterianism , and European Pietism began calling for

7623-507: The semi-presbyterian Saybrook Platform , which they felt infringed on congregational autonomy. Because they threatened Congregationalist uniformity, the Separatists were persecuted, and in Connecticut they were denied the same legal toleration enjoyed by Baptists, Quakers, and Anglicans. The Baptists benefited the most from the Great Awakening. Although numerically small before the outbreak of revival, Baptist churches experienced growth during

7722-465: The sharing of testimony , a key feature of early Methodism. Growth in numbers and increasing hostility impressed upon the revival converts a deep sense of their corporate identity. Three teachings that Methodists saw as the foundation of Christian faith were: The evangelicals responded vigorously to opposition—both literary criticism and even mob violence —and thrived despite the attacks against them. John Wesley's organizational skills during and after

7821-526: The town in its present configuration. It was acquired in the 1860s by Zadock Taft, a great-grandson of Joseph, who owned several industrial concerns in the area, including a half interest in the Rivulet Mill Complex . Uxbridge, Massachusetts Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts , United States, first colonized in 1662 and incorporated in 1727. It was originally part of

7920-651: The town of Mendon , and named for the Earl of Uxbridge . The town is located 36 mi (58 km) southwest of Boston and 15 mi (24 km) south-southeast of Worcester , at the midpoint of the Blackstone Valley National Historic Park . The historical society notes that Uxbridge is the "Heart of The Blackstone Valley" and is also known as "the Cradle of the Industrial Revolution". Uxbridge

8019-506: The work of Richard Mowry , who built and marketed equipment to manufacture woolen, linen, or cotton cloth, and gristmills , sawmills , distilleries, and large industries. Daniel Day built the first woolen mill in 1809. By 1855, 560 local workers made 2,500,000 yards (2,300,000 m) of cloth (14,204 miles (22,859 km)). Uxbridge reached a peak of over twenty different industrial mills. A small silver vein at Scadden, in southwest Uxbridge, led to unsuccessful commercial mining in

8118-610: Was 3.9%, lower than the state average . Uxbridge has a Board of Selectmen and town meeting government. Local government granted the first woman in America the right to vote , nixed a smallpox vaccine in 1775, and defied the Massachusetts Secretary of State by approving women jurors. The 2009 Board of Health made Uxbridge the third community in the US to ban tobacco sales in pharmacies, but later reversed this. State agencies control county elected offices, and Uxbridge has

8217-410: Was 442.66 people/ mile (170.77/km ). Per capita income was $ 24,540, and 4.7% fell below the poverty line . There were 9,959 registered voters in 2010. High tech, services, distribution, life sciences, hospitality, local government, education and tourism offer local jobs. A 618,000 square feet (57,400 m2) distribution center serves Fortune 500 BJ's Wholesale Club 's, northern division. Unemployment

8316-462: Was a greater emphasis on prayer and devotional reading, and the Puritan ideal of converted church membership was revived. It is estimated that between 20,000 and 50,000 new members were admitted to New England's Congregational churches even as expectations for members increased. By 1745, the Awakening had begun to wane. Revivals would continue to spread to the southern backcountry and slave communities in

8415-519: Was a normal expectation in the Christian life. While the Evangelical Revival united evangelicals across various denominations around shared beliefs, it also led to division in existing churches between those who supported the revivals and those who did not. Opponents accused the revivals of fostering disorder and fanaticism within the churches by enabling uneducated, itinerant preachers and encouraging religious enthusiasm . In England, evangelical Anglicans would grow into an important constituency within

8514-625: Was a prominent Textile center in the American Industrial Revolution . Two Quakers served as national leaders in the American anti-slavery movement . Uxbridge "weaves a tapestry of early America ". Indigenous Nipmuc people near "Wacentug" or “Waentug” (river bend), deeded land to 17th-century settlers. Uxbridge reportedly granted rights to America's first colonial woman voter, Lydia Taft , and approved Massachusetts first women jurors. The first hospital for mental illness in America

8613-481: Was a single point in time when God regenerated an individual, even if the exact moment could not be pinpointed. The Northampton revival featured instances of what critics called enthusiasm but what supporters believed were signs of the Holy Spirit. Services became more emotional, and some people had visions and mystical experiences. Edwards cautiously defended these experiences as long as they led individuals to

8712-458: Was an instantaneous, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, providing someone with "a new awareness of the beauty of Christ, new desires to love God, and a firm commitment to follow God's holy law." The reality of regeneration was discerned through self-examination, and while it occurred instantly, a convert might only gradually realize it had occurred. Regeneration was always accompanied by saving faith, repentance, and love for God—all aspects of

8811-644: Was controversial. Many pulpits were closed to him, and he had to struggle against Anglicans who opposed the Methodists and the "doctrine of the New Birth". Whitefield wrote of his opponents, "I am fully convinced there is a fundamental difference between us and them. They believe only an outward Christ, we further believe that He must be inwardly formed in our hearts also." In February 1739, parish priests in Bath and Bristol refused to allow Whitefield to preach in their churches on

8910-612: Was dramatic, and his preaching appealed to his audience's emotions. At times, he wept or impersonated Bible characters. By the time he left England for the colony of Georgia in December 1737, Whitefield had become a celebrity . John Wesley left for Georgia in October 1735 to become a missionary for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge . Wesley made contact with members of the Moravian Church, led by August Gottlieb Spangenberg . Wesley

9009-778: Was followed in the summer of 1741 by itinerant minister James Davenport , who proved to be more controversial than either Tennent or Whitefield. His rants and attacks against "unconverted" ministers inspired much opposition, and he was arrested in Connecticut for violating a law against itinerant preaching. At his trial, he was found mentally ill and deported to Long Island. Soon after, he arrived in Boston and resumed his fanatical preaching, only to once again be declared insane and expelled. The last of Davenport's radical episodes took place in March 1743 in New London, when he ordered his followers to burn wigs, cloaks, rings, and other vanities. He also ordered

9108-521: Was impressed by their faith and piety, especially their belief that it was normal for a Christian to have assurance of faith. The failure of his mission and encounters with the Moravians led Wesley to question his own faith. He wrote in his journal, "I, who went to America to convert others, was never myself converted to God." Back in London, Wesley became friends with Moravian minister Peter Boehler and joined

9207-555: Was modeled on the collegia pietatis ( cell groups ) used by pietists for Bible study , prayer, and accountability. All three men experienced a spiritual crisis in which they sought true conversion and assurance of faith . George Whitefield joined the Holy Club in 1733 and, under the influence of Charles Wesley, read German pietist August Hermann Francke 's Against the Fear of Man and Scottish theologian Henry Scougal 's The Life of God in

9306-617: Was preaching to London crowds of 50,000. He left his followers in Bristol in the care of John Wesley. Whitefield's notoriety was increased through the use of newspaper advertisements to promote his revivals. Wesley was at first uneasy about preaching outdoors, as it was contrary to his high-church sense of decency. Eventually, however, Wesley changed his mind, claiming that "all the world [is] my parish". On April 2, 1739, Wesley preached to about 3,000 people near Bristol. From then on, he continued to preach wherever he could gather an assembly, taking

9405-469: Was primarily sustained by the efforts of parish ministers. Sometimes revival would be initiated by regular preaching or the customary pulpit exchanges between two ministers. Through their efforts, New England experienced a "great and general Awakening" between 1740 and 1743, characterized by a greater interest in religious experience, widespread emotional preaching, and intense emotional reactions accompanying conversion, including fainting and weeping. There

9504-419: Was reportedly established here. Deborah Sampson posed as an Uxbridge soldier, and fought in the American Revolution . A 140-year legacy of manufacturing military uniforms and clothing began with 1820 power looms . Uxbridge became famous for woolen cashmeres . "Uxbridge Blue", was the first US Air Force Dress Uniform. BJ's Wholesale Club distribution warehouse is a major employer today. Uxbridge had

9603-466: Was strong. The most important leader of the Awakening in central Europe was Nicolaus Zinzendorf , a Saxon noble who studied under Pietist leader August Hermann Francke at Halle University . In 1722, Zinzendorf invited members of the Moravian Church to live and worship on his estates, establishing a community at Herrnhut . The Moravians came to Herrnhut as refugees, but under Zinzendorf's guidance,

9702-411: Was the product of Christian maturity and sanctification . Converts were encouraged to seek assurance through self-examination of their own spiritual progress. The treatise Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards was written to help converts examine themselves for the presence of genuine "religious affections" or spiritual desires, such as selfless love of God, certitude in the divine inspiration of

9801-437: Was the stage that prepared someone to receive salvation, and this stage often lasted weeks or months. When under conviction, nonbelievers realized they were guilty of sin and under divine condemnation and subsequently faced feelings of sorrow and anguish. When revivalists preached, they emphasized God's moral law to highlight the holiness of God and to spark conviction in the unconverted. Jonathan Edwards' sermon " Sinners in

#611388