The Dedham Decision

In 1818, Alvin Lamson, a recent Harvard Divinity School graduate, was called as the new minister by the Parish (all the male voters of the town). However, members of the church voted by a majority of two that they were not ready to call a minister. The church majority with majority withdrew from the Parish, taking the communion silver and other property with them. The remaining minority then sued the withdrawn majority for the return of the removed property. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that the portion of the church that remained with the Parish should retain the property, even though it was the minority of church members. This was the famous “Dedham Decision”. The minority constituted the First Church in Dedham and the dissenting members formed a new society, the Allin Church (now Congregational) across the street. Nevertheless it took over a century for all of the communion silver, made by some of America’s earliest silver smiths, to emerge from various hiding places within the town of Dedham. By the end of Alvan Lamson’s ministry the separation of First Church from the Town of Dedham was complete, and he was the last minister to be called by the town.

During the tenure of Lamson’s 42-year ministry, extensive changes were made to the Meetinghouse that now had its new entrance on the church green. Rumor has it that the entrance was changed so that the parishioners did not have to see the Allin Church and their former church fellows as the Exited the Meeting House. In 1878 First Church celebrated its 250th anniversary, which included several join celebrations with the Allin Church, all animosity having long since been forgotten.

Alvan Lamson espoused the religious liberalism that would lead to the growth of Unitarianism in subsequent decades. Lamson also encouraged the establishment of the Church School.