Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-18S6. 267
The course of the First Parish was for many years unbroken by any
theological combat, and the ministry, begun in unseemly contention,
progressed in almost prosaic prosperity. The nearest approach to
trouble was an episode of the year 1766. It was at the close of
March. The congregation were joining in the usual hymn, when
Jedediah Bliss, a tanner, began reading aloud, to the great scandal
of the whole church. After the service Edward Pynchon held a long
conference with Mr. Bliss, and attempted to disabuse his mind of
sundry vicious and in-everend notions. Bliss was an eccentric man,
and liouest, but lacking in judgment, and rather coarse-fibred withal.
He was familiarly known as " J eddy Bliss." Any man or woman
who was a " leetle queer " Avas locally characterized as " Jeddy."
Edward Pynchon, a brother of Dr. Charles Pynchon, with all the
prestige of family, official prominence, and Christian character, could
make no lasting impression upon Jedediah Bliss ;
and two other mem-
bers of the congregation were brought in, but with no better success.
Accordingly Mr. Bliss was debarred from Christian privileges " till
gospel satisfaction is made for s'' offense." Some months later
(Sept., 1767), Mr. Bliss told the people gathered at lecture that he
would like to make a confession of his offence of disturbing public
worship by reading during the singing : but it was promptly voted to
adhere " to the antient Practice of receiving confessions of Publick
offences only before the Congregation." A year later Mr. Bliss car-
ried his point so far as to secure an agreement that Mr. Breck should
read his confession to the congregation, and so the wanderer was
" restored to charity."
In 1762 the petition of the Fourth Parish for a township was first
denied, then re-considered, and re-denied with some feeling. In less
than a year Worthington and Dwight were commissioned to oppose
the petition of Hardwick, Greenwich, and other towns for a new
county out of eastern Hampshire. In this year, however, little Wil-
hraham obtained its incorporation in spite of the Centre ; and it may be
said, by way of bringing the thread of that history down to this