Norwich, June 15th, 1845
NANCY:
These words are from the Gospel commonly called Matthew: “There {that is, on the mountain to which Jesus had directed them} the disciples saw the Risen Christ and fell down in homage and worshiped... but some doubted.” (Matthew 28:17).
[It should be noted this Sermon happened at a service in West Park, Norwich, New York. The current buildings which house the services of worship of the United Church of Christ, First Congregational border the park as does the Chenango County Courthouse. The Rev. Nancy Hale introduced the situation. The Rev. Mr. David Spiegel played the part of the Rev. Mr. Charles Johnson, the Pastor of the First Baptist Church. The Rev. Mr. Joseph Connolly played the part of the Rev. Mr. William Mason Richards, the Pastor of what was at that time known as the First Congregational Church.]
NANCY:
I need to ask you to use your imagination and paint a picture in your mind of what I am about to describe. You are here in Norwich, right where you find yourself now, except for one thing. The year is not 2014. The year is 1845. The date is the same as it is today. It is June the 15th. As it happens June the 15th, 1845 was also a Sunday. Yes, incredible as it seems, June the 15th, 1845 was also on a Sunday. But because you should be thinking that you are here in 1845, I ask that you put any modern sounds you might be hearing, like cars or horns out of you head. This is 1845. There are no cars. In 1845 the Chenango County Courthouse is already eight years old. [Nancy points to that building.] In 1845 the building in which the members of the First Baptist Church celebrate worship today, this building right here [Nancy points to the First Baptist Church], is in the process of being built. It is, in fact, nearing completion. This is a change in location for the Baptists, who had been conducting worship in a building on what is currently the East Park. From this time in 1845 right to the present day the building in which they worship will be and is across the way from the Congregationalists. The Congregational Meeting House is located on the same footprint as the current worship space. [Nancy points toward that building.] But it is not the same building. The structure in which the Congregationalists meet in 1845 is a building made of wood. It was built in 1819. It will burn down in 1860 and be replaced the following year by the brick structure in which their current worship space now resides. The Chenango Canal is also fairly new. The canal opened the same year as the courthouse, 1837. It will close in 1878 due to competition from the railroad. One more thing: in what you are about to hear, there will be a reference to a school 23 miles north on the canal. That school was then known as Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution. Today we know it as Colgate University.
That’s probably all you need to know to paint a picture in your mind of what is about to take place. And what is it which is about to take place? The pastor of the First Baptist Church in 1845, Charles Johnson, and the Pastor of the First Congregational Church in 1845, William Mason Richards, are about to meet here, between the two churches, for a little talk after their respective Sunday Services. One thing to note: we did not have a big enough budget to buy elaborate costumes, so you need to imagine these two pastors in period dress. And now, the talk between the two pastors.
JOE:
Mr. Johnson! Mr. Johnson! My, but it is good to see you. How is it going? ....the building... is it coming along on time?
DAVID:
Well, it seems to be, Mr. Richards. I guess people in this area learned a lot about working with stone when they built the courthouse and that canal. You do realize that not only the courthouse but all the 116 locks up and down the canal are made of stone.
JOE:
Oh, my yes. That blessed canal. If I was not a man of the cloth I would be using some pretty vile and harsh words about the canal.
DAVID:
My word, whatever do you mean? The canal is wonderful! It brought jobs to the county. It provides a fast, efficient way for our produce and our manufactured items to get to market— places as far away as New York City and Philadelphia! And, you know what the canal did? The canal has put Hamilton on the map. And you know what’s in Hamilton, do you not?
JOE:
Yes, yes, yes. I know.
DAVID:
Well, then say it!
JOE:
I shall not say it. I will not say it.
DAVID:
Then I shall. It put the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution on the map. And, you know... it’s a Baptist School!
JOE:
Yes, yes, yes. The Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution— it’s a Baptist School. And Harvard and Yale are Congregational Schools.
DAVID:
Well, as far away from here as Harvard and Yale are, they might as well be in Europe. The Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution— imagine— it’s just 23 miles from here. And it’s a Baptist School. (Slight pause.) But tell me Mr. Richards, why is it you don’t like the canal, given the fine attributes I just outlined.
JOE:
It... it... it... smells.
DAVID:
That’s it? That’s your only complaint? It smells?
JOE:
I live my life by this rule: if it smells, something is rotten. If something is rotten something is wrong. As a man of the cloth, I mean to root out wrong. (Slight pause.) And besides, the canal will close.
DAVID:
The canal will close? Heaven forbid!
JOE:
You’ve heard of these things they call iron horses?
DAVID:
I’ve heard of them. I even rode on one.
JOE:
They will replace the canal.
DAVID:
I doubt it. Binghamton— and that’s a really big town— Binghamton does not even have any of those iron horses things yet. And it probably never will. Besides, I doubt they will ever amount to anything.
JOE:
Mark my word— in about 30 years time the iron horse will replace the canal.
DAVID:
You can’t be serious. I doubt that very much.
JOE:
And why do you doubt it? How can you doubt it? The iron horse represents change. You can’t stop change, you know. You can corral change; you can bend it, if you are diligent. No, you can’t stop change. But change can be forged into progress.
DAVID:
Iron horses are not progress.
JOE:
Whatever do you mean?
DAVID:
You just heard me say I’ve taken a ride on one of these iron horses, did you not?
JOE:
Why, yes I did.
DAVID:
Well then, the reason I say iron horses will not work, the reason I say iron horses are not a path to progress is the same reason you say you don’t like the canal.
JOE:
What are you getting at?
DAVID:
Have you ever taken a ride on an iron horse?
JOE:
Well, no.
DAVID:
They smell.
JOE:
They what?
DAVID:
They smell. They belch smoke; they snort coal dust; they exhale soot. And, when you ride one of these iron horse things, you can’t help but breathe in all that smoke, all that dust, all that soot. After I finished the ride I took and got off that dang contraption and not only did I smell of collected grime but I coughed and I coughed and I coughed for hours. Never again shall I even think about taking a ride on one of those contraptions. Give me a canal boat any day— quiet, calm, tranquil.
JOE:
Except when the horses and mules bray. But mark my word, the canal shall be a thing of the past very soon. The canal is not the way of progress. The canal sits in the way of progress.
DAVID:
But the canal is quiet. It’s calm. It’s tranquil. It’s even quick. It’s only 12 hours to Binghamton, five days to New York City. Now, that’s real progress. (Slight pause.)
JOE:
So tell me, what do your people think about progress? What do they think about the future? And whether or not they see an iron horse on the horizon, do they have.... doubts?
DAVID:
Doubts? Doubts about what?
JOE:
Doubts about the future.
DAVID:
How could we possibly have doubts? We’re putting up an edifice made of stone. This building will last forever.
JOE:
That’s what the Pharaohs did. They put up stone buildings. That’s what the Pharaohs said: ‘it will last forever.’ I like good solid wood buildings.
DAVID:
Wood does burn, you know. And I thought you were the one in favor of progress. Buildings of stone and brick and mortar— it’s the wave of the future. It’s the way to go. Stone is a symbol of progress. Stone is a symbol of change. The only question is will we, indeed, can we harness change? (Slight pause.)
JOE:
Maybe that’s the place from which doubt arises. I think we humans don’t like change. We like to be comfortable, quiet, tranquil. We like to be set in our ways. And we clearly don’t like doubt.
DAVID:
Well, you know what it says in Matthew 28: “...the disciples saw the Risen Christ and fell down in homage and worshiped... but some doubted.” Perhaps the disciples were simply comfortable and did not like the idea of change.
JOE:
Yes, but in that same Matthew passage right after those words, you know what the Risen Christ says? “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Abba, God, and of the Only Begotten One, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to carry out everything I have instructed. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
DAVID:
Well, perhaps that is the real difference between change and progress. Christ clearly instructed us to do. So, doing is our call! And, therefore, if change is a constant, it’s clear that the thing we can do and should do is to engage change and bend it, mold it until change does become progress.
JOE:
Yes, my friend, and when change is engaged, when change becomes progress, doubt is not banished. Doubt, indeed, is a necessary aspect of faith. To doubt is to be human. Therefore, if we don’t doubt, if we lack doubt, we lack faith. We have no faith. But, when we engage the world and all of the change the world brings, then doubt is still present. And when we engage the world doubt can be and is overcome. (Slight pause.)
DAVID:
Mr. Richards, I am always glad when I see you. We have such stimulating chats.
JOE:
Mr. Johnson, I am always glad to see you, since I know we are working toward the same goal: we work for the good of the people in this fair place called Norwich and we work toward the real goal of progress— that the realm of God is present in this place and in this time. (Slight pause.)
DAVID:
So, do you think that will be true— that we work for the good of the people of Norwich and that the real goal is progress toward the realm of God in— I don’t know— pick a date, pick a year— let’s say in the year 2014— in 2014 will it still be true?
JOE:
Of course it will be true. It will be true if we remain friends in Christ, one in Christ. If we are friends in Christ, one in Christ, then all things are possible. And, I might add, remaining friends in Christ? I firmly believe that’s the only thing that shall never change.
DAVID:
Amen.
JOE:
And again, amen.
06/15/2014
A Union Service of Worship in West Park with First Baptist Church, the United Church of Christ, First Congregational and the Broad Street United Methodist Church in Celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the First Baptist Church and the 200th Anniversary of the United Church of Christ, First Congregational Followed by a Sharing a Meal.
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