Deacon Asa Bennett

From the "Making of America" series on line: This was taken from condensed excerpts of a "discourse" on the Baptist Church in Homer, written by Asa Bennett's brother, Rev. Alfred Bennett, in 1844. That same article was used by the writer of the "Memoir of Rev. Alfred Bennett", quoted below.

"Deacon Asa Bennett was born Mansfield, CT, July 10, 1778. His education was strictly moral. He was taught early to fear God and to attend to the external duties of religion. The parental prayer & instruction bestowed upon his youthful mind exerted a salutatory influence upon his subsequent life. At about the age of 16 he embraced the Christian religion & in 1800 evinced his catholicity of spirit by joining the Baptist Church in Hampton, CT. He removed to Homer in 1803 & united with the Baptist Church in 1806 and became an active & influential member. Early in 1807 he was chosen to be deacon, though not ordained until 1815. His Christian character was well calculated to command respect veneration & most eminently fitted him for the high duties of Deacon, which relation he sustained to the church until the insatiate archer, Death, sped his shaft and the venerable pillar was called to his eternal home. His house was a "home for the preachers" and a place for the people of God to meet. He gathered in and built up souls who will no doubt mingle their joys with his in heaven. He was affable & courteous & in all the benevolent associations of the day, he demonstrated a zealous & enterprising spirit. His chief study seemed to be the eternal welfare of his brethren. While his hands were dispensing blessings, his fervent prayers were ascending to the Throne of Grace for the redemption of his fellow beings. He was the subject of a long & severe affliction but up to the hour of dissolution, he evinced all the powers of patience & resignation to the will of his Divine Preserver.

From ELDER BENNETTS MEMORIAL BOOK:

He was a Deacon of Homer Baptist Church for many years. He was the county Superintendent of the Poor, for a long time. He was a farmer & a pioneer, coming to Homer, Cortland Co, soon after 1800. He arrived with $1000.00 in cash and had the First 4 Wheel Carriage in Homer. The youngest son Rev. Asa Bennett was prepared for the ministry, but died of Tuberculosis, as did daughter, Chloe, and two other children.

Asa Bennett is shown in Homer, Cortland Co, New York on the 1820 census.

From "John Grow of Ipswich"

Asa Bennett was a farmer. He received religious training, the effects of which were manifested in youth by a strict regard for the Sabbath, the worship of God, attention to the Scriptures, obedience to parents, and in habits of sobriety and decorum. . In March, 1780, he was baptized & joined the Baptist Church in Hampton, CT. In Feb. 1807 he was elected deacon, which position he held to the satisfaction of his church until ordained in 1815. His activity, zeal, piety & usefulness were evident and conspicuous. He seldom failed to effect a resolution among conflicting parties when salutary counsel, gentle reproof, humble supplication or affectionate entreaties. Many had occasion to remember his as a healer of the breach and a restoration to the true path. He devoted much time in visiting house to house, praying with families and attending conference & prayer meetings. He had a happy talent in the government of the church and judicious & prudent discipline thereof. (From the Baptist Register 1825)

The dying hours of Deacon Asa Bennett, which were eminently characteristic of his active life, are thus described in the language of his brother, Rev. Alfred: (From Memoirs of Rev. Alfred Bennett: pub 1852)

"For months before he died, he wished to hear no conversation upon things earthly; he would say, I have done with these things; they afford me no entertainment; talk on death, judgement, heaven, eternity; these things I am approaching, and these are all-important to me and others also."  Much useful instruction was from time to time communicated by him:  the following remarks will serve as a specimen.  "At on time he said to a pastor of a church who had for some months been laid up from his pulpit labors, 'If you ever do get able to preach again, be faithful to God, and deal with souls in earnest; urge upon the people the necessity of personal, practical, holiness.  Many hope while they have lived stupid encumbered lives, with the cares of this world, that when they come to be sick and die, they shall enjoy religion.  Tell them that affliction, sickness, and death will not give comfort, or secure to them any evidence of their good estate.  It is the Spirit and love of God in the heart which will give this, and that must be secured by a life devoted to God in holy obedience through Jesus Christ.  Men will die as they live; the character is formed for heaven or hell in life, not in death.  Tell sinners to repent and believe the Gospel; urge the necessity of it; exhibit the holiness of the law of God; hold up the glorious character of the crucified Redeemer in the Gospel." 

The "discourse" on the Baptists written by Rev. Bennett in 1844 gives a few more details about Deacon Asa's life & death: "At one time, some of the church visited him, and spent some time in singing hymns, one of which was "From whence doth this union arise", the the last stanza, the words delighted him much, "And all his bright glory shall see". It was his favorite hymn; but it seemed new to him then upon his deathbed. "I am," said he, "going into that glory immediately - it is near - it does not seem to be at arms length, no, it is here right before me!" The special savor of this lasted with him several days!

He himself requested Eld T. Purinton, of Truxton, to preach his funeral sermon, with this injunction, that he should preach Christ & not Deacon Bennett! Elder complied with this request & preached his funeral sermon an appropriate impressive discourse, from 1st Cor 1:23 - "We preach Christ & him crucified!"

From "History of McLean Baptist Church":

"The Baptist Church of McLean was organized as the Baptist Church of Christ in Moscow on the 8th of January, 824. A number of men of the Baptist faith and order in the southeast part of the town of Groton and the northeast part of the town of Dryden, took into consideration the forming of a Visible Church of Christ of the Calvinistic Baptist order in this vicinity, and appointed Saturday, September 23, 1823, for a day of consultation.

At that first recorded meeting of those who afterward formed the organization, the committee voting to prosecute the design consisted of Amos Hart, Ithamer Whipple, and Alvin Baily, chosen to draft a code of articles of faith and practice. These articles and the covenant, which were substantially the same as those of the old Homer church, were drawn up i the home of Jospeh Hart, and a month later they were accepted as being "according to our faith".

Accordingly on January 8th, 1824, the Council met at the village school house. Rev. Alfred Bennett, of the Homer church, was chosen Moderator and Edward W. Martin of the Lansing and Groton church, Clerk. Among the other delegates were Deacon Asa Bennett, Oliver Steadman, Judge John Keep from the Homer Church, Elder Ebenezer Andrews from the Locke Church, and Elder Stutely Carr, from Etna. After deliberation it was voted to give the brethren fellowship as a church in Gospel order; to be known by the name of the Baptist church of Christ in Moscow village. Alfred Bennett then preached the sermon for the day and Elder Andrews gave the hand of fellowship.

The church was organized at this time with thirty three members, fourteen male and nineteen female, twenty seven of whom came from Groton church and five from Homer. Their names are as follows:

Amos Hart, Ruth Hart

Ithamer Whipple, Lydia Whipple,

Lucinda Niles

Jesse Stout, Abigail Stout,

Joseph Hart, Susanna Hart

Peter Stout, Waite Stout

David Whipple, Polly Whipple

Fanny Hart

Charles Stout, Mary Stout, Uri Stout

Nathaniel Layton,

Joseph Hart, Theodosia Hart

Jesse Updike, Hannah Updike, Ebenezer Updike

Sarah Wilcox

Joel Whipple, Elizabeth Whipple,

Umphrey H. Whipple, Florina Whipple

Oliver Calkins

Betsey Frances

Ruth Andres,

Sally Davis

Huldah Carmer

History of Homer records the History of the Baptist Church in Homer.

As early as 1808 the society voted to meet on a given day to improve themselves in singing; from that time forward a few of the members devoted their indefatigable efforts to raising the standard of the church music. From 1811 to 1821 was a period of remarkable prosperity to the church, the number of members increasing from sixty eight to over four hundred. In 1820 there was a revival which added to the number largely; but towards the close of the year the little community suffered irreparable loss to its Christian workers in the death of Rev. Elnathan Walker, of the Presbyterian Church, and not long after, the death of Deacons Jacob Hobart and Asa Bennett, and John Keep.

Beginning on the eastern seaboard, people like Alfred Bennett contributed to the rapid growth of Baptist churches in New York during the early 19th century. Bennett, circa 1802, cleared forest, planted crops and gathered neighbors for worship. Feeling unfit for the ministry due to his lack of education, Bennett resisted the call as pastor for several years. But the congregation urged him to assume leadership. He finally agreed, taking the role but not accepting payment, continuing to support himself and his family by farming. He baptized 770 people during his 24-year ministry (The History of Baptists in the Middle States by Henry C. Vedder, American Baptist Publication Society, Philadelphia, 1898, p. 130).

The typical Baptist preacher of the early frontier came from the ranks of the people. He farmed six days a week, held special meetings and preached on Sundays and other days. He had little education but was not lacking in zeal (Religion on the American Frontier: The Baptists 1783-1830 by William Warren Sweet, Henry Holt & Company, New York City, 1931, p. 36).

Without benefit of missionary societies, Baptist churches grew and spread west because of evangelistic lay people. "This evangelization was the work of men who were not sent forth, but went forth to preach in obedience to a divine call" (Vedder, p. 320).

Ashford Baptist Association, (CT)

HISTORICAL DISCOURSE

By Rev. Charles Willett, 1874

Alfred Bennett was a pioneer, literally and ministerially, in Central New York, then a vast, almost unbroken wilderness. There he toiled as a frontier farmer, and preached in the wilderness as another John the Baptist, and like him baptized a large number, -- as many as 126 as the fruit of one revival season -- and all of them he baptized where there was much water. But he became more widely known as a collecting agent for the old Triennial Convention. His annual visits to his native State, on his agency, some of us will never forget. He was a remarkable man in prayer. Often when he was praying large numbers were melted to tears. No one who united in it, will ever forget the prayer he offered in the old Mulberry Street Tabernacle, New York, in behalf of Dr. Judson, who was present in feeble health, having a few weeks before buried his wife in St. Helena. The church became literally a Bochim -- a place of weeping. Similar scenes were enacted on other occasions, especially when his son Cephas was set apart as a missionary printer for Burmah. Thank God for Alfred Bennett.

    His brother Alvin was a devoted and useful minister of the gospel for many years, but not possessed of as great natural abilities as Alfred. I might add, that another of this family -- Asa -- filled the office of a deacon well in Homer, New York; was in fact a main pillar in the Baptist church in that town for many years. And still another -- Sarah -- was the able, faithful, and useful wife of Rev. Wm. Palmer. 

16 Nov 1825

Obituary.

   Deacon Asa BENNET is no more! He departed this life on the 9th inst., in the 48th year of his age. He has left an affectionate wife and 3 children. His funeral solemnities were attended on the 11th, by a numerous assembly, convened to pay the last tribute of repect to the remains of one whom they highly esteemed, and whoes death they deplored. The deceased had previously requested Elder Thomas PURINGTON, of Truxton, to preach his funeral sermon, with this injunction, That he should preach Christ and not Deacon BENNET. With this request the Elder complied, and elivered on the occasion an appropriate discourse, from 1st Cor.i.23 - "We preach Christ crucified."

   The character and worth of the deceased are so well known, that a very minute detail of his virtues would, in this place, be inexpedient; but some public and respectable notice is due to his memory, and will doubtless meet the wishes of his numerous friends.

Deacon BENNET has been an inhabitant of this town for about 20 years; during which period, he has uniformly sustained the character of an honest and respectable citizen. He was industrious and economical in business, punctual to his engagements, enterprising and persevering in his undertakings, sound in judgment, grave and civil in his deportment, and so affable and familiarin his manners as to render his society inviting and pleasant. He was often appointed to places of trust, in town and society concerns, the duties of which he discharged with fidelity and punctuality. But the most excellent part of his character is yet to be noticed. He early in life made a public profession of religion, and ever adorned his profession by a concistency of character; showing his faith by his works. His pious, but tempered zeal in the cause of his Divine Master, prompted him to constant activity in duty; especially in times of revivals of religion, in which he always appeared to take a deep interest. Such were the qualifications which rendered him one of the main pillars in the Baptist church, of which he was a member, and by which his loss must be most sensibly felt. He was a friend to the benevolent operations of the day, and especially in the circulation of the Scriptures among the destitute, and was an efficient member in the society formed for that purpose, in this county.

   In his last sickness, with which he lingered for more than a year, his Christian character shone with peculiar lustre. For him death had no terrors. In the fore part of his illness, his mind was somewhat clouded; but those clouds were soon disipated, and he became calm and tranquil, his soul being stayed on God. In this calm and placid state of mind he continued; enjoying more and more sensible manifestations of the divine presence, until the closing scene; when with joyful anticipations of that heavenly felicity on which he was about to enter, he fell asleep.