Leaves From Local History
An Old Church Document
Call of Society Cilica to Mr. Joel Chapin, May 1798
Chenango Telegraph, Nov. 20, 1873
Mr. A. Converse, of Bainbridge, has furnished the Republican with the following curious and ancient document, being the "call of the southwest part of the Society Cilicia to Mr. Joel Chapin." Bainbridge was formerly Jerico, and included the present towns Bainbridge, Afton, Coventry and Greene. The "Call" reads as follows:
To Mr. Joel Chapin,
Sir, as Trustees of the religious society of Cilicia we wish to address you upon a subject of great importance, the settling of a gospel minister. Your labors among us for several months past having met the general approbation of your hearers, we do, in behalf of the Church and Covenanters of the south-west part of the religious society of Cilicia, invite you to take, by ordination, the pastoral charge of the above mentioned part of said society, and to preach with us one half the time, viz. every second Sabbath. The meeting to be held at some convenient place at or near an equal distance from the south line of Jerico, to a point, half way between Heth Kelsey's and Ruben Kirby's measuring the road as it now runs on the south-east side of the river.
The following are the conditions which we offer as a salary and settlement.
As a salary, we do jointly and severally promise to pay you, for the four first years, one hundred dollars a year, and for every year succeeding, one hundred and twenty-five dollars so long as you shall remain our minister.
The payment to be made at the time and in the manner following. Two-thirds to be paid in wheat, rye or corn, on or before the first day of February, in each year, at the money price.
And we do promise that you shall actually receive, each year, sixteen bushels of good wheat, and twenty of corn. The price of which shall not exceed, for each bushel of wheat, nine shillings, and for each bushel of corn, five shillings; and as much lower as the cash price shall be when it shall become due. The above quantity of wheat and corn to be a part of the aforesaid two-thirds of your yearly salary.
The other third of the salary to be paid in money, on, or before the first day of June, in each year.
And as a settlement we will pay you one hundred and sixty-six dollars and one third of a dollar at the time and in the manner following, viz. the one-half in the first year, the other the second year. One-third of each year's payment to be in good boards, one third in merchantable grain, and one third in money. The boards of each year's payment to be delivered by the first of March, on the river bank, where you shall choose, and at money price. The grain of each year's payment, by the first of February, at money prices, and the cash by the first of June in each year.
The above promises, respecting the yearly salary, are made upon the following conditions, viz: That if the number of covenanters who have signed the general covenant to raise Mr. Chapin's support, should be diminished by death, or by removal out of this society, and no others should join, so that they could not fulfill their covenants without distressing themselves; and we, together with the concurrence of Mr. Chapin, should call a small council of ministers and delegates, and they should advise to a separation between him and us, then this covenant shall become void, and of none effect.
To the faithful performance of the above promises and engagements we do jointly and severally bind ourselves, and our successors in office of Trustees; and until others shall be lawfully chosen in our room, and do accept.
In witness whereof we have here-unto set our hands and affixed the seal of our society, in Jerico, this twenty-fourth day of May in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight.
Trustees of So. Society
Samuel Hinman
Reuben Kirby
Israel Smith
Abijah Stevens
Jared Redfield
Wm. Gutherie
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