USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > Services at the celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the First church in Cambridge, February 7- 14, 1886 > Part 1
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3
250TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE
1636-1886
GC 974.402 C14fr 1925506
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00085 0831
5
SERVICES
AT THE CELEBRATION OF THE
Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE,
FEBRUARY 7-14, 1886.
SERVICES
AT THE CELEBRATION
OF THE
Two hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE,
FEBRUARY 7-14, 1886.
CAMBRIDGE : JOHN WILSON AND SON. CAniversity Press. 1886.
1925506
CONTENTS.
PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS
II
PAGE
SERMON BY REV. ALEXANDER MCKENZIE, D.D., IN THE SHEPARD MEMORIAL CHURCH, FEB. 7, 1886 . 27
Afternoon Service in the first Parish Church.
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS BY HON. CHARLES THEODORE
RUSSELL .
63
ADDRESS BY REV. ALEXANDER MCKENZIE, D.D. 68
ADDRESS BY HON. WILLIAM E. RUSSELL 80
ADDRESS BY HON. OLIVER W. HOLMES, JR. 88
ADDRESS BY REV. FREDERIC H. HEDGE, D.D. 92
Evening Service in the Shepard Memorial Church.
ADDRESS BY REV. EDWARD H. HALL 99
ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT CHARLES W. ELIOT III
REMARKS BY DR. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES ON READ- ING HIS HYMN I20
. ADDRESS BY HON. HORATIO G. PARKER I22
ADDRESS BY REV. NATHANIEL G. CLARK, D.D.
127
8
CONTENTS.
Letters.
LETTER FROM HON. ROBERT C. WINTHROP
I33
LETTER FROM REV. GEORGE LEON WALKER, D.D.
I34
LETTER FROM REV. GEORGE L. PRENTISS, D.D. . I35
I37
LETTER FROM REV. KINSLEY TWINING, D.D.
I37
LETTER FROM REV. LYMAN ABBOTT, D.D. .
138
LETTER FROM PROF. EGBERT C. SMYTH, D.D.
I39
LETTER FROM SAMUEL JAMES BRIDGE, EsQ. I39
LETTER FROM REV. JOHN W. DODGE 140
LETTER FROM REV. WILLIAM ORR . 140
LETTER FROM HON. JAMES M. W. HALL
14I
LETTER FROM WILLIAM H. WHITMORE, ESQ. 143
PAGE
LETTER FROM CHARLES F. ADAMS, JR., EsQ.
SERMON BY REV. EDWARD H. HALL, IN THE FIRST PARISH CHURCH, FEB. 14, 1886 149
PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS.
2
PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS.
AT a meeting of the Parish Committee of the First Parish in Cambridge, held Dec. 14, 1885, the following vote was passed :-
" That, in behalf of the First Parish, we cordially invite the Shepard Congregational Society to unite with us in a celebration of the approaching two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of our common ancestor, Thomas Shepard."
To this the following reply was received : -
" At a meeting of the Prudential Committee held Dec. 20, 1885, it was voted 'that, in behalf of the Shepard Congregational Society, we cordially accept the invitation of the First Parish to unite with them in a celebration of the approaching two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of our common ancestor, Thomas Shepard.'"
In pursuance of the above correspondence, the Committees of the two parishes met in the vestry of the First Parish Church, Dec. 30, 1885, and de- termined upon the general plan of the celebration,
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FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
leaving all the arrangements in charge of a special Committee to be appointed by the two pastors.
At the hands of this Committee the plans were gradually matured, and it was finally decided that both churches should be open for the celebration, and that commemorative services should be held in the afternoon and evening, with a social gathering and collation between. The day chosen for the com- memoration was that mentioned by Governor Win- throp as the date of the assembly held at Newtown for organizing the church under Thomas Shepard. This was Feb. 1, 1636; of which the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, allowing for the change from old style to new, would be Feb. II, 1886. As it was found impracticable to observe the exact anniversary, the following day, Feb. 12, 1886, was selected in its stead.
These plans were carried out with entire success, despite the cloudy skies. Rain fell in torrents from morning till night, yet both churches were filled by eager congregations. Opening services were held in the afternoon in the First Parish Church, fol- lowed by a social gathering and collation in the commodious chapel and anterooms of the Shepard Memorial Church, where the invited guests were hospitably received by members of the two congre- gations. The celebration was brought to a close by evening services in the Shepard Church.
[ FORM OF INVITATION.]
1636
The First Church in Cambridge. 1886
To
Sir :
You are invited to participate in the Celebration of the
Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniverfary of The Organization of the Firft Church in Cambridge,
Under THOMAS SHEPARD, February 11, 1636.
Commemorative Services will be held on Friday, February 12, 1886, in the First Parifh Church at three o'clock, and in the Shepard Memorial Church at half-paft Seven o'clock, P. M. Between thefe fervices there will be a Social Reunion in the Chapel of the Shepard Memorial Church.
Cordially yours,
EDWARD H. HALL, J. T. G. NICHOLS, ARTHUR E. JONES, Committee of the First Parish.
ALEXANDER MCKENZIE, GEORGE S. SAUNDERS, CHARLES W. MUNROE, Committee of the Shepard Congregational Society.
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, January, 1886.
Please reply to J. T. G. NICHOLS, M.D., Cambridge.
14
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
COMMITTEES.
Chairman of the Day. HON. CHARLES THEODORE RUSSELL.
GENERAL COMMITTEE.
FIRST PARISH.
Rev. E. H. HALL.
President C. W. ELIOT.
Dr. J. T. G. NICHOLS.
Mr. WILLIAM M. VAUGHAN.
Mr. FRANCIS L. CHAPMAN.
Mr. FRANKLIN PERRIN.
Mr. JOHN S. GANNETT.
Mr. ARTHUR E. JONES.
Mr. J. A. HENSHAW.
Prof. FRANCIS G. PEABODY.
Mr. WILLIAM T. PIPER.
Mr. JOHN HOLMES.
Mr. W. W. NEWELL.
Mr. CHARLES DEANE.
Rev. Dr. F. H. HEDGE.
Mr. A. A. WHITNEY.
Mr. JUSTIN WINSOR.
Mr. CHARLES C. READ.
Mr. EPES S. DIXWELL.
Mr. A. M. HOWE.
Mrs. F. L. CHAPMAN.
Mr. WALTER S. SWAN.
Mrs. M. E. SIMMONS.
Miss JULIA E. WATSON.
Mrs. HENRY W. PAINE.
Mrs. FRANKLIN PERRIN.
Mrs. WILLIAM READ.
Mrs. W. S. SWAN.
SHEPARD CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
Rev. ALEXANDER MCKENZIE, D.D. Mr. CALEB H. WARNER. Hon. CHARLES THEODORE RUSSELL. Mr. GEORGE S. SAUNDERS.
Hon. JAMES M. W. HALL.
Mr. CHARLES W. MUNROE.
Prof. ASA GRAY. Mr. FRANCIS FLINT.
Prof. E. N. HORSFORD. Mr. GEORGE B. ROBERTS.
Hon. HORATIO G. PARKER.
Mr. CHARLES F. STRATTON.
Hon. S. S. SLEEPER.
15
250TH ANNIVERSARY.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
-
Committee of Arrangements.
Rev. E. H. HALL. Dr. J. T. G. NICHOLS, Sec.
ARTHUR E. JONES, Esq.
Rev. ALEXANDER MCKENZIE, D.D. Mr. CHARLES W. MUNROE. Mr. GEORGE S. SAUNDERS.
On Invitations and Printing.
Rev. Mr. HALL.
Rev. Dr. MCKENZIE.
On Finance.
Dr. NICHOLS. Mr. SAUNDERS.
On Music and Collation.
Mr. JONES. Mr. MUNROE.
Committee of Ladies to have the Direction of the Collation.
FROM THE FIRST PARISH.
Mrs. M E. SIMMONS.
Mrs. HENRY W. PAINE.
Mrs. WILLIAM READ.
Mrs. F. L. CHAPMAN. Mrs. FRANKLIN PERRIN Miss JULIA E. WATSON.
FROM THE SHEPARD CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
Mrs. ALEXANDER MCKENZIE. Mrs. GEORGE S. SAUNDERS. Miss IRENE F. SANGER.
Mrs. J. HENRY THAYER. Mrs. FRANCIS FLINT. Miss SARAH ROPES.
16
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
USHERS.
AT THE FIRST PARISH CHURCH.
A. M. HOWE. SAMUEL A. ELIOT.
EDMUND A. WHITMAN.
HENRY A. NICHOLS.
AT THE SHEPARD MEMORIAL CHURCH.
GEORGE H. CUSHMAN.
WILLIAM E. SAUNDERS.
GEORGE E. SAUNDERS.
GEORGE B. HENSHAW.
CHARLES S. HANKS.
ROBERT T. OSGOOD.
At a meeting of the Executive Committee held on Saturday, Feb. 20, it was voted that the thanks of the two parishes be communicated to the sev- eral gentlemen who had taken part in the servi- ces, and that copies of their addresses be requested for publication in permanent form. It was also determined to print the sermons preached in the two churches on the Sundays preceding and follow- ing the anniversary.
[ PROGRAMME OF THE SERVICES.]
1636.
1 886.
ORDER OF SERVICES
The Two hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary AT
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE
First Church in Cambridge,
Under THOMAS SHEPARD, February 11, 1636.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1886.
3
FIRST PARISH CHURCH,
AT THREE O'CLOCK, P. M.
I. ORGAN VOLUNTARY.
II. ANTHEM.
PSALM cvii. 8; cxlv. 15, 16 .- Garrett.
PRAISE ye the Lord for His goodness, and declare the wonders that He doeth for the children of men.
The eyes of all wait on Thee, O Lord, and Thou givest them meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and fillest all things living with plenteousness.
III. READING OF SCRIPTURES. REV. GEORGE W. BRIGGS, D.D.
IV. PRAYER. REV. CHARLES F. THWING.
V. ANTHEM. PSALM xxvii. 8, 11, 16. - Smart.
HEARKEN unto my voice, O Lord, when I cry unto Thee. Have mercy upon me and hear me : for Thou hast been my succor; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Oh, tarry thou the Lord's leisure. Be strong, and He shall comfort thine heart, and put thou thy trust in the Lord.
VI. PSALM 91. From Sternhold and Hopkins. - Tune : "Dundee." H E that within the secret place of God most high doth dwell, Under the shadow of his grace he shall be safe and well.
Thou art my hope and my stronghold, I to the Lord will say ; My God he is, in him will I my whole affiance stay.
He shall defend thee from the snare the which the hunter laid,
And from the deadly plague and care whereof thou art afraid.
For why? O Lord, I only rest, and fix my hope on thee ; In the most high I put my trust, my sure defence is he.
VII. INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. HON. CHARLES THEODORE RUSSELL.
VIII. ADDRESS. REV. ALEXANDER MCKENZIE, D.D.
IX. ADDRESS. HON. WILLIAM E. RUSSELL, Mayor.
X. ANTHEM.
PSALM c. I ; ciii. 8-13. - Martin.
OH come before His presence with singing.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering and of great mercy. He will not alway be chiding, neither keepeth He His anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses.
For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.
Look how wide also the east is from the west, so far hath He set our sins from us.
Like as a father pitieth his own children, so is the Lord merciful to them that fear Him.
XI. ADDRESS. HON. OLIVER W. HOLMES, JR.
XII. ADDRESS.
REV. FREDERIC H. HEDGE, D.D.
XIII. PRAYER.
-
XIV. PSALM 106.
From Sternhold and Hopkins. - Tune : " St. Martin's."
PRAISE ye the Lord, for he is good, his mercy lasts alway : Who can express his noble acts, or all his praise display ?
They blessed are that judgments keep, and justly do. alway : With favor of thy people, Lord, remember me, I pray.
Save us, O Lord, thou art our God, we do thee humbly pray ; And from among the heathen folk, Lord, gather us away.
That we may triumph and rejoice in thy most holy name : That we may glory in thy praise, and sounding of thy fame.
The Lord, the God of Israel, be blessed evermore : Let all the people say, Amen, praise ye the Lord therefore.
XV. BENEDICTION.
SHEPARD MEMORIAL CHURCH,
AT HALF-PAST SEVEN O'CLOCK, P. M.
I. ORGAN VOLUNTARY. MR. W. M. RICHARDSON.
II. ANTHEM. "Oh, sing unto the Lord."
III. READING OF THE SCRIPTURES. 2 REV. DAVID N. BEACH.
IV. PRAYER. PROF. FRANCIS G. PEABODY.
V. PSALM 23.
From Sternhold and Hopkins. - Tune : "Marlow.
M Y Shepherd is the living Lord, nothing therefore I need : In pastures fair with waters calm, he setteth me to feed. He did convert and glad my soul, and brought my mind in frame,
To walk in paths of righteousness for his most holy Name.
Yea, tho' I walk in vale of death, yet will I fear no ill :
Thy rod and staff do comfort me, for thou art with me still. And in the presence of my foes my table thou shalt spread : Thou shalt, O Lord, fill full my cup, and wilt anoint my head.
Through all my life thy favour is so frankly shew'd to me, That in thy house forevermore my dwelling-place shall be.
VI. ADDRESS.
REV. EDWARD H. HALL.
VII. ADDRESS. PRESIDENT CHARLES W. ELIOT.
VIII. READING OF LETTERS.
From Hon. ROBERT C. WINTHROP, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Jr., Esq., SAMUEL J. BRIDGE, Esq., Rev. GEORGE L. WALKER, D.D., Hon. JAMES M. W. HALL.
IX. HYMN. - THE WORD OF PROMISE, (by supposition) An Hymn set forth to be sung by the Great Assembly at Newtown, Mo. 12. 1. 1636.
[Written by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, eldest son of REV. ABIEL HOLMES, eighth pastor of the First Church.]
L ORD, Thou haft led us as of old Thine Arm led forth the chofen Race Through Foes that raged, through Floods that roll'd, To Canaan's far off Dwelling-place.
Here is Thy bounteous Table fpread, Thy Manna falls on every Field, Thy Grace our hungering Souls hath fed, Thy Might hath been our Spear and Shield.
Lift high Thy Buckler, Lord of Hofts ! Guard Thou Thy Servants, Sons and Sires, While on the Godlefs heathen Coafts They light Thine Ifrael's Altar-fires !
The falvage Wildernefs remote Shall hear Thy Works and Wonders fung ;
So from the Rock that Mofes fmote The Fountain of the Defart fprung.
Soon fhall the flumbering Morn awake, From wandering Stars of Errour freed, When Chrift the Bread of Heaven fhall break For Saints that own a common Creed.
The Walls that fence His Flocks apart Shall crack and crumble in Decay, And every Tongue and every Heart Shall welcome in the new-born Day.
Then fhall His glorious Church rejoice His Word of Promife to recall, - ONE SHELTERING FOLD, ONE SHEPHERD'S VOICE, ONE GOD AND FATHER OVER ALL!
X. ADDRESS.
HON. HORATIO G. PARKER.
XI. ADDRESS.
REV. NATHANIEL G. CLARK, D.D.
XII. HYMN.
BY THE REV. ABIEL HOLMES, D.D.
Tune : "St. Ann's."
G REAT God ! Thou heard'st our fathers' prayer, When, o'er the ocean brought, They, with a patriarchal care, A sanctuary sought.
Hither Thy guidance led their feet, - Here was their first abode :
And here, where now their children meet, They found a place for God.
Thy flock, Immanuel, here was fed, In pastures green and fair ; Beside still waters gently led, And Thine the shepherd's care.
Here may the church Thy cause maintain, Thy truth with peace and love, Till her last earth-born live again With the first-born above.
XIII. PRAYER.
XIV. BENEDICTION.
The Honorable CHARLES THEODORE RUSSELL will preside over these Commemorative Exercises.
THE FOURTH MEETING-HOUSE, ERECTED ON WATCH-HOUSE HILL, IN 1756.
SERMON
REV. ALEXANDER MCKENZIE, D.D., BY
IN THE
Shepard Memorial Church,
FEB. 7, 1886.
4
SERMON.
THAT HE MIGHT PRESENT IT TO HIMSELF A GLORIOUS CHURCH, NOT HAVING SPOT, OR WRINKLE, OR ANY SUCH THING; BUT THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH. - Ephe- sians v. 27.
TT was with this verse that this church was formed. The words express the purpose of Christ who " loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." Into this divine purpose Thomas Shepard and his friends had en- tered. They had crossed the great and wide sea " for the sake of the Name." Let me read to you his words, as we have them still in his "little booke ": "And so the Lord after many sad storms and wearisome days and many longings to see the shore, the Lord brought us to the sight of it upon Oct. 2, Anno 1635, and upon Oct. the 3d we arrived with my wife, child, brother Samuel, Mr. Harlaken- den, Mr. Cooke, etc., at Boston, with rejoicing in our God after a longsome voyage, my deare wive's great desire being now fulfilled, which was to leave me in safety from the hands of my enemies and
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FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
among God's people, and also the child under God's precious ordinances."
Where this company would make a home they did not know. It was very convenient for them, that at the time of their coming the church which was here, in Newtown, was about to change its place. I read again from the "little booke ": " My- selfe and those that came with me found many houses empty and many persons willing to sell, and here our company bought off their houses to dwell in until we should see another place fit to remoove unto, but having bin here some time diverse of our brethren did desire to sit still and not to remoove farther, partly because of the fellowship of the churches, partly because they thought their lives were short and remoovals to near plantations full of troubles, partly because they found sufficient for themselves and their company. Hereupon there was a purpose to enter into church fellowship, which we did the yeare after about the end of the winter."
On the first day of February, in the year of the Lord 1636, their desire was fulfilled. I must now read, without abridgment, the account given by a man who was undoubtedly present when this was done. In the journal of the first Governor of the Colony it is written: -
" Mr. Shepard, a godly minister, come lately out of England, and divers other good christians, intend- ing to raise a church body, came and acquainted the magistrates therewith, who gave their approbation.
250TH ANNIVERSARY. 29
They also sent to all the neighbouring churches for their elders to give their assistance at a certain day at Newtown, when they should constitute their body. Accordingly at this day there met a great assembly, where the proceeding was as followeth.
" Mr. Shepherd and two others who were after to be chosen to office, sat together in the elders seat; then the elder of them began with prayer, after this Mr. Shepherd prayed with deep confession of sin, &c. and exercised out of Eph. v. that he might make it to himself a holy, &c. and also opened the cause of their meeting. Then the elder desired to know of the churches assembled what number were need- ful to make a church, and how they ought to pro- ceed in this action. Whereupon some of the ancient ministers conferring shortly together gave answer, - That the scripture did not set down any certain rule for the number, three (they thought) were too few, because by Matt. xviii. an appeal was allowed from three, but that seven might be a fit number ; and for their proceeding they advised, that such as were to join should make confession of their faith, and declare what work of grace the Lord had wrought in them, which accordingly they did, Mr. Shepherd first, then four others, then the elder and one who was to be deacon (who had also prayed) and another member; then the covenant was read, and they all gave a solemn assent to it. Then the elder desired of the churches, that if they did ap- prove them to be a church, they would give them the right hand of fellowship. Whereupon Mr.
.
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FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
Cotton (upon short speech with some other near him), in the name of the churches, gave his hand to the elder, with a short speech of their assent, and desired the peace of the Lord's presence to be with them. Then Mr. Shepherd made an exhortation to the rest of his body about the nature of their cov- enant, and to stand firm to it, and commended them to the Lord in a most heavenly prayer. Then the elder told the assembly that they were intended to choose Mr. Shepherd for their pastor (by the name of the brother who had exercised) and desired the churches that if they had anything to except against him, they would impart it to them before the day of ordination. Then he gave the churches thanks for their assistance, and so left them to the Lord."
In this simple, reasonable, reverent manner this church entered upon a career which has already continued for two hundred and fifty years. It was the union of men and women who were of one character and purpose, and who were living to- gether, in a covenant which expressed their devo- tion to Christ and their "mutual love and respect each to other," after the rational method of the New Testament, and with the approval and fellowship of the churches which were around them. The form of their covenant has not been preserved. It was probably the same with that of the First Church in Boston. That is the covenant under which we are living now. It is thought that it was written by Governor Winthrop. Concerning it and its adoption across the river, the present distinguished
3I
250TH ANNIVERSARY.
representative of that name has recently said : " That old covenant is one under which any man might well be willing to live and to die. . . . Beyond all doubt, that day, that service, that covenant, settled the question that Congregationalism was to be the pre- vailing order, and for a long time the only order, in early New England. Nor, let me add, have I ever doubted for a moment that Congregationalism was the best and the only mode of planting and propagating Christianity in this part of the country in those old Puritan times."
" Those old Puritan times "! What were they ? Our eminent historian has written : " Civilized New England is the child of English Puritanism. The spirit of Puritanism was no creation of the sixteenth century. It is as old as the truth and manliness of England." England was remote from Rome, and its people had another history, another language, and another temper. To the authority and tenets of the Papacy they never rendered so abject an allegiance as their neighbors on the mainland. They had been trained in the ways of liberty and manliness out of the Book which is light and life. The Bible had been given them in Saxon, and in their own tongue had been read in their churches. The Norman brought in more of the ways of Rome, but required only a divided allegiance to the southern power. " The Morning Star of the Ref- ormation " rose over England when John Wycliffe appeared. He was born in 1324, Martin Luther in 1483. The germ of the sixteenth century was in
32
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
the fourteenth. The people were tired of the inter- lopers from the Continent, and the abuses which came in with them. Wycliffe taught them to hate the doctrine which they taught and represented. His writings were read by the people with such effect that it was said every other man was a Lollard. The reform of religion was in the air. Persecution, which was severe, could not silence the people, or overcome the demand for purer teaching and purer teachers. But, in any event, England could never be easy under foreign control. Henry VIII., with the consent of Parliament, made himself the " Defender of the Faith," and the Head of the Church. That was in 1534. The clergy and the people favored this change and the reforms which came with it. It was some advantage to have the Church freed from Papal control, and placed under an English King. Beyond that, little
was gained by this movement. Tyranny and op- pression remained very much the same. Ecclesias- tical affairs were in the hands of the King and the nobility. They ruled, and the people were expected to submit. To enforce this were explicit statutes, and enough martyrdoms to prove their force. There were some who refused to submit. They demanded more than had been gained. They wanted a larger reformation. From the nature of their demand they were called Puritans. They ob- jected to the Romish rites which had been retained, and especially to the vestments, which seemed to them a relic of the superstition which had clothed
33
250TH ANNIVERSARY.
the priest with supernatural authority and power. It was not the government to which they objected, but that which it stood for. Their sons did not throw the tea overboard because it was tea, or resist the Stamp Act because it put a bit of paper on their goods. What did the thing mean, and what did it portend ? If it was a small thing to resist, it was a small thing to insist upon. It was neither, and they all knew it. Men who were eminent among the clergy protested against the remains of a sys- tem from which the Church and the land ought to be free.
I need not trace the course of events under Edward VI., and the reforms which opened prisons, destroyed images, removed altars and candles, re- stored preaching to its place, and put the English Bible in every church; or under Mary, who wrote her name and the record of her reign in blood. Elizabeth granted a measure of reformation, and be- yond that demanded conformity, - the conformity which had been refused, - conformity to the eccle- siastical statutes and practices which, as the Puri- tans held, had no sanction in Scripture and no defence in reason or right. With all her might she tried to enforce her will. Clergymen were thrust from their places, and many were sent to prison for refusing to do what they could not do. The Court of High Commission was set up, and the cruelty of the English Inquisition turned against as good men, as loyal, as patriotic, as England ever knew. In Italy or Spain this might have accomplished its
34
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
intent. In England it was as powerless as the sea which battled with its cliffs. Presently men came to think that the very constitution of the Church was wrong. They compared it with the New Tes- tament, and found no warrant for it. They soon demanded a reconstruction of the Church after the original models. But they retained the idea of a national church, independent like the nation, and, like the nation, including all the people. The steps in the progress of Puritan thought are distinctly marked. They protested against the Papal control and the men who would enforce it. Then, against Papal doctrines also. Then, against Papal usages. Finally, against the Papal theory which made the Church subordinate to the State and obliged to sub- mit to its behest. Freed from an Italian pope, they denied the authority of an English pope, though he was their crowned king. Liberty, Reform, Purity, Religion, were their conjoined and successive words. The Puritans proposed to remain in the Church, and there to work for its improvement. To what they deemed wrong they would not conform, but they would not leave the Church. There were some who could wait no longer. They believed in "Reformation without tarrying." They with- drew from the Church, its organization and its ceremonies, and in private houses maintained wor- ship and observed the ordinances of religion after the way which seemed to them "more excellent." They had little to guide them but the New Testa- ment, and to that they committed themselves and
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