USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Annals of King's Chapel from the Puritan age of New England to the present day > Part 7
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"' If it is your desire that the said vote be now signed by the Wardens in your behalf, please to signify it.'
" The proprietors, as before, unanimously lifted up their right hands.
" The Senior Warden, then addressing Mr. Freeman, said : ' Rev. Sir, it appears by the vote in favor of your ordination that you are law- fully chosen ; it is expected that you now declare your acceptance of the choice.'
" Mr. Freeman then read and presented to the Senior Warden the following, subscribed by him ; viz., -
""'To the Wardens, vestry, proprietors, and congregation of the Chapel or First Episcopal Church in Boston.
"' Brethren, with cheerfulness and gratitude I accept your election and ordination, which I believe to be valid and apostolic. And I pray God to enable me to preach the word, and to administer the ordinances of religion in such a manner as that I may promote his glory, the honor of the Redeemer, and your spiritual edification.
' JAMES FREEMAN.'
" The Senior Warden then delivered to Mr. Freeman a copy of the ordaining vote, signed by the Wardens; and laying his hand on Mr. Freeman, said, -
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"' I do then, as Senior Warden of this church, by virtue of the au- thority delegated to me, in the presence of Almighty God and before these witnesses, declare you, the Rev. James Freeman, to be the Rector, Minister, Priest, Pastor, public Teacher, and teaching Elder of this Epis- copal church ; in testimony whereof I deliver you this book [delivering him a Bible], containing the holy oracles of Almighty God, enjoining a due observance of all the precepts contained therein, particularly those which respect the duty and office of a Minister of Jesus Christ. And the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord lift up the light of his coun- tenance upon you, and give you peace now and for evermore.'
" The whole Assembly, as one man, spontaneously and emphatically pronounced Amen.
"The Rev. Mr. Freeman then read the second ordaining prayer, and after an anthem was sung by the choir, preached on the duties and offices of a Christian minister. Another anthem then closed the Evening Service." 1
Of course the protest was received too late for deliberate action upon it, unless the Wardens and Vestry had regarded it as of sufficient validity and force to warrant an arbitrary change of the arrangements that had been announced and anticipated. In the course of the ensuing week the Wardens prepared a vin- dication of the proceedings of the society, which we copy as giving the most authentic record of the actual state of opinion and feeling among its members.
" The Wardens of the Chapel, being two of the undoubted proprietors of it, think themselves called upon to vindicate the conduct of that church respecting the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Freeman on the last Lord's day. They would have been happy if some of the former pro- prietors had not thus obliged them to appear in public ; but the forego- ing protest, being of such a nature as to mislead the public at large, obliges them to display the impropriety of it. At the same time, from the respect due to some persons whose names appear in the protest, they are very unwilling to hurt their feelings, which must necessarily be done in the following remarks.
" Before they enter on the merits of the cause, it will not be amiss to go over the names and circumstances of the Protestors, and leave the world to judge of the expediency or propriety of their acting in this matter at all. Previous to their dissent, a Committee from their body called on the Senior Warden, desiring information respecting the ordina- tion. This desire being made known to the vestry, they empowered a Committee to wait upon them and to furnish them with a copy of the votes relative to the business, among which votes there was one ex- pressly forbidding any votes by proxy. Notwithstanding this, five proxies
1 Greenwood's History, pp. 192-194.
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have appeared in behalf of those whose local situation and circumstances do not at present admit of their voting. The dissentient Committee were at the same time informed that if any objections lay against our proced- ure, a meeting should be called, and they heard upon the subject before the time fixed for the ordination. No such meeting was desired, and the ordination accordingly took place. On Saturday evening previous to the ordination, another Committee called on the Wardens and pre- sented the protest, which was on the next day after service laid before the church and congregation, and dismissed by an unanimous vote, for reasons which will be given. Now let us see who the Protestors are, and what right they had to make this protest, and how far their right extended.
" The Protestors consist of 17 in number, five of whom we conceive had no right to protest at all, for although the agents who appear for them may be their lawful attorneys in secular matters, yet we do not believe it probable that they can be competent judges of their opinions on mat- ters of faith ; and there is quite as much reason to think that some of them at least would unite with us in opinion, as that others would unite with the Dissentients. For instance, how does Mr. Ivers or Dr. Lloyd know that Mr. Trecothick and Mr. Vassall would not join in the ordina- tion? As, however, it is very improbable that Mr. Trecothick, who is settled in business in London, and has a family and connections there, will ever come to this country, except on a visit, this vote can hardly be reckoned. The same may be said of Mr. Henry Lloyd, whose departure we most sincerely lament, Mr. L. Deblois, and Mr. Leddell. Where, then, could be the necessity of applying to these gentlemen for their opinion ? Or must a church in this country be deprived of the benefit of the holy ordinances, lest the mode of administering them should not be agreeable to some of its brethren at a distance? However, to gratify our dissentient brethren, we will admit the votes of these five. The next person we shall mention is Mr. James Apthorp, of Braintree, a gentleman who left this town several years ago, and joined himself to the church at Braintree, and who, although he was upon the spot when Mr. Freeman was chosen Minister of the Chapel, and had heard of the amendments making in the Liturgy, yet never appeared to disapprove of them ; and yet he and all the other proprietors were desired in public prints to ap- pear and show cause, if any, why the church should not proceed to the business which they have since transacted. With how much propriety, therefore, he appears in the above protest, the candid will judge. The next three persons we mention are Mrs. Forbes, Mr. Dehon, and Mr. Nazro, neither of whom have worshipped at the Chapel since 1775, al- though they are worthy proprietors, but have continued to worship at Trinity Church previous to any alteration in our service. We have now mentioned eight persons out of the seventeen of whose right to interfere we leave to the decision of the public. Of the remainder we might ex- cept against Mrs. Box as an elderly lady who has been unable to attend
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public worship for several years past ; and to Mr. Haskins and Mr. Wil- liams as having voted for many of the alterations. As we do not recol- lect whether Mr. Ivers and Mr. Box voted for the alterations, we shall not include them in that number. With respect to Madam Apthorp and Mr. Vincent, they have frequently worshipped with us since the alterations were made, and therefore cannot be presumed to object on that account, but only on account of the mode of ordination.
" The last person to be mentioned is Mr. Gilbert Deblois, a gentleman who, having so lately returned among us, we fear has not had time to pay sufficient attention to the alterations, but who, we hope, when he has done it, will make us happy in returning with his family to our Christian communion. Now let us see how many of the old proprietors, those, we mean, who were such before the war, are still remaining with us. Of these, as it appears by the church books, there are twenty-four, who, without mentioning any other persons, being a large majority, are fully justified in taking upon them the conduct and management of the church. But besides these there are twenty other persons who, having joined them- selves to the church by purchasing pews and becoming proprietors, have an undoubted right to give their assent and vote in church transactions. We might go on and reckon a great number of other respectable per- sons who, by occupying pews and statedly paying their dues, have like- wise a right of voting; and of these old and new proprietors and occupiers, not one dissenting voice was heard respecting the ordination.
" We will now enter upon the merits of the protest itself. The protest begins thus : ' Whereas certain persons, calling themselves a majority of the proprietors of the Stone Chapel,' did, etc. We acknowledge this to be true ; and whereas this majority consisted of at least five, if not six, to one of the proprietors, no man in his senses will assert that they had not a just right so to do. But what have they done? 'They have declared that the pews of a number of the original proprietors are forfeit on account of their absence.' But the Protestors do not say that these forfeitures are just, by the very tenor of the deeds; nor do they say that there is a standing vote of this church that if any of said proprie- tors, either by themselves or their special attorney, apply within a certain time, they shall be reimbursed the expenses of their pews, after deduct- ing the arrears due upon them; nor have they given the reason for this step, which was to defray the necessary expenses of repairs of dam- ages incurred during the war, and the time in which the church lay unimproved, and to finish the building. They further say that those pews 'have been sold to persons who never were of the Episcopal Church.' This is a very extraordinary remark. We would wish to know if in the Episcopal Church, or elsewhere, any person whose life and conversation was blameless, was ever prevented from joming any particular society, or becoming the proprietor of a pew, provided there was room for him, and he able to make good his purchase. We have always believed that the Episcopal Church displayed a liberality in this
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respect which was truly commendable. And when a person has once become a purchaser, we wish to know by what authority he can be pro- hibited from giving his vote in any case whatever, and whether such a proprietor's vote is not as valid as even the first and most respectable of its Founders? We are not able to find any record of this church from its foundation, which prohibits the sale of pews to persons of any persua- sion whatever ; and the old proprietors of the church, we doubt not, are so far from disapproving of the sale of pews to the late purchasers that it would make them happy to dispose of as many more to persons of equal merit. We would ask these Protestors if they do not wish from their hearts that the Episcopal Church in general might grow? And how is it to grow, if not by additions from other churches? But look at the other Episcopal Churches in this town : of whom do the far greater part of them consist, but of those who were educated in another persuasion ? And are they allowed to have no vote at all? But this matter is too futile for serious discussion.
" The Protestors next say that 'these new proprietors have introduced a Liturgy different from any now used in the United States.' 'This asser- tion is on many accounts very extraordinary. Before any alteration was made in the Liturgy, was it not considered at a meeting of the members whether any alterations in the service were necessary? Was it not voted in the affirmative by Messrs. Haskins and Williams? Was not a Committee then appointed to inquire what alterations were necessary? Did not that Committee consist of persons who have always been of the Church? How then can it be said to have been done by the new proprietors ? This is a subterfuge too little to be offered to the public in a matter of such importance. Further, was there not an unanimous vote at the first meeting of the Committee, before any business was acted upon, that it was still the opinion of the Committee that some alterations were neces- sary? We pledge our word to the public for the truth of the affirmative of these queries, and also that Messrs. Haskins and Williams voted per- . sonally for many of these alterations, though not all. And now because the business has not terminated exactly to their minds, they appear thus openly against the Church. However, as we greatly respect these gen- tlemen as worthy, conscientious men, we will not wound their feelings by saying more on this part of our subject.
"We come now to the last article to be taken notice of, which is that 'we have introduced articles of faith which in their opinion are unscrip- tural and heretical, and have thereby deprived many of the proprietors of their property in the house, and the privilege of worshipping God therein according to the dictates of their consciences.' As to depriving them of their property, the Church never had a thought of doing it. We shall be very happy in having them join with us in religious worship ; but if they cannot do this, they may still retain, or doubtless dispose of their property in the Church to great advantage. As to the introduction of any articles of faith, the charge is totally without foundation. We have
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no articles of faith but the Apostles' Creed. It is true some parts of that are omitted, and for these omissions all the members of the Com- mittee voted, Mr. Haskins and Mr. Williams not excepted. That the world, however, may know what those tenets and articles are which are so unscriptural, we hereby declare that we worship and adore one only living and true God, the parent of mankind, the bountiful Giver of all Good ; that we offer our adorations to him in the name of his dearly beloved Son, the Redeemer of mankind ; and that we expect and hope for pardon and acceptance and eternal happiness only through the mercies of God in Jesus Christ. And if this is the doctrine which they call heresy, we profess thus to worship the God of our fathers." 1
In December, 1787, a handbill was put into circulation, and by Mr. Freeman's request reprinted in "The Massachusetts Cen- tinel"2 of Wednesday, Jan. 2, 1788, expressive of the sentiments of a portion of the Episcopal clergy, in the following terms : -
W THEREAS a certain Congregation in Bofton, calling themfelves the firft EPISCOPAL Church in faid town, have, in an irregu- lar and unconftitutional manner, introduced a Liturgy effentially differing from any ufed in the Epifcopal Churches in this Commonwealth, and in the United States, not to mention the proteftant Epifcopal Church in general ; and have alfo affumed to themfelves a power, unprecedented in faid Church, of feparating to the work of the Miniftry, Mr. James Freeman, who has for fome time paft been their Reader, and of them- felves have authorized, or pretendedly authorized him, to adminifter the Sacraments of Baptifm and the Lord's Supper ; and at the fame time, moft inconfiftently and abfurdly take to themfelves the name and ftyle of an Epifcopal Church.
WE the Minifters of the proteftant Epifcopal Church, whofe names are underwritten, do hereby declare the proceedings of faid Congrega- tion, ufually meeting at the Stone Chapel in Bofton, to be irregular, unconftitutional, diametrically oppofite to every principle adopted in any Epifcopal Church ; fubverfive of all order and regularity, and preg- nant with Confequences fatal to the Interefts of Religion. And we do hereby, and in this public manner, proteft againft the aforefaid Proceed- ings, to the end that all thofe of our Communion, wherever difperfed, may be cautioned againft receiving faid Reader or Preacher (Mr. James Freeman) as a Clergyman of our Church, or holding any Communion with him as fuch, and may be induced to look upon his Congregation in the light, in which it ought to be looked upon, by all true Epifcopalians.
Edward Bafs, of St. Paul's Church, Newbury-Port. Nathanael Fifher, St. Peter's Church, Salem. Samuel Parker, Trinity Church, Bofton. Thomas Fitch Oliver, St. Michael's Church, Marblehead. William Montague, Chrift's Church, Bofton. John C. Ogden, Queen's Chapel, Portfmouth, N. Hampfhire. December, 1787.
1 Greenwood's History, pp. 185-192. (p. 136), and the Salem Mercury for
2 See also the issue of Jan. 12, 1788 Jan. 8, 1788.
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The Episcopal clergy in Massachusetts were not indeed at that time numerous; yet that it should have been necessary to go out of the State in order to procure a sixth signature, indicates on the part of some of the ministers, if not sympathy, at least a lack of strong antipathy, with reference to the trans- actions of King's Chapel, which a few years later would have encountered a vigorous, earnest, and unanimous protest. It is very certain that those proceedings were far from seeming so abnormal then as they would have really been after the organiza- tion of the Protestant Episcopal Church of America and of the Diocese of Massachusetts.
Mr. Freeman's ordination was the subject of no little adverse criticism at the outset, but was defended with great ability by Dr. Belknap, and was practically regarded and treated as suffi- cient and valid by the Congregational ministers of Boston, with- out any exception that remains on record. It certainly was so considered by Mr. Eckley, whose church represented the re- puted orthodoxy of the time. No clergyman of that period can have had a ministry more prosperous than Mr. Freeman's. His society grew in numbers till there was no room for further in- crease. There seems not to have been a breath of dissatisfac- tion, or on the part of his congregation anything short of entire confidence, unflagging interest in his public services, gratitude for his pastoral fidelity, affection for a character that could not but be loved, and a respect which deepened into reverence earlier and faster than added years might have claimed. In his reli- gious opinions he dissented from most of the liberal clergy in his neighborhood. He was not an Arian, yet not a Humanitarian, in the low sense of the word. He evidently recognized in Christ all of the Divine that could be made human. His sermons had a generous range of subjects, within, but never beyond, the legiti- mate scope of the Christian pulpit. They were largely ethical ; but their morality had its source, authority, example, and in- spiration in the Gospel. They were in the purest English, in a style of simple elegance, stimulating to thought, feeling, and conscience ; earnest, while unimpassioned, and enriched and en- livened by condensed and epigrammatic maxims and sentiments such as might have flowed from the pen of a baptized Franklin. They of course had the advantage of an audience that would at all events have gone to church ; but they were such discourses as in a period of more lax Sabbath observance would have drawn and kept full congregations.
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At the same time Mr. Freeman took an active part in various forms of public service. He was a member of the first School Committee (apart from the Board of Selectmen) ever chosen in Boston, and was among the foremost of those whose skilled labor gave to the Boston Public School system a shape which had further need only of development and growth. He was one of the founders of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and contributed largely to its published Proceedings. He was among the early members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In the outside world, as among his own flock, he was regarded as possessed of a practical wisdom never at fault, and Rev. Dr. Walker -himself thus endowed to a marvellous degree - was wont to speak of Dr. Freeman as the wisest man he ever knew. While in gift and deed he was generous and help- ful to the full measure of his ability, in his manners and in his social intercourse there was a graceful and gracious benignity which made his presence and conversation welcome among all sorts and conditions of people. Simple, sincere, and rigidly truth- ful, he was never unmindful of the rights or the feelings of those who differed from him, and while firm in his own convictions and free in their utterance, he claimed for others the privilege which he was never willing to surrender for himself. As he grew old, he sought and always won the attachment of young persons, especially of young ministers, who enjoyed his society, were profited by his counsel, and made him happy by their merited success. He loved children, and they were always drawn to him as by an attraction of affinity. He was on terms of the closest intimacy with men and ministers of all denomina- tions, and with none more than with the saintly Cheverus, the Roman Catholic Bishop. He had the good sense and sound judgment which led him to despise, with an emphasis of con- tempt as intense as righteous, the bigotry of his own co-religion- ists. He is quoted as having said : "Sterne complains of the cant of criticism. I think the cant of liberality worse than that. I have a neighbor who comes and entertains me in that way, abusing the Orthodox by the hour, and all the time boasting of his liberality."
In 1788 Mr. Freeman married Martha (Curtis), the widow of Samuel Clarke. He had no children ; but he adopted his wife's only son ; and her grandson, Rev. James Freeman Clarke, D.D., was brought up, for the most part, in his family, and was indebted to him for example, instruction, and influence which he deemed worthy of lifelong and eternal gratitude.1
1 See Dr. Clarke's poem printed on p. 625, post.
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Mr. Freeman performed the entire duties of his office for more than thirty years. In 1805, Rev. (afterwards Professor) Joseph Mckean, then of Milton, was invited to a colleague pastorship, but declined.1 In 1808, Mr. Samuel Cary accepted a similar in- vitation, and was ordained on the first day of the following year.2 At the time of his fatal illness in 1815, Dr. Freeman 3 resumed the sole pastorate, and continued to discharge its duties till 1824, when Rev. F. W. P. Greenwood was installed as assistant- minister. In 1826, Dr. Freeman became so far enfeebled as to suspend his services as preacher and pastor, and was never after- ward able to resume them. He from that time lived wholly at what had long been his summer residence in Newton. At the annual meeting of the Proprietors on Easter Monday, 1827, the following votes were passed unanimously : -
" Voted, That the Proprietors of this Church entertain great affection and respect for the Revd Dr. Freeman, and fully appreciate his long and valuable labours as senior Pastor of this Church ; and they lament that he'is at present withheld from their wishes, being disabled by the dis- pensation of Providence from officiating in his pastoral labours over them. And the Proprietors feel themselves bound, equally by duty and inclination, to provide for him an honourable and comfortable mainten- ance during the remainder of his life. Therefore it is
"Voted, That the Proprietors of this Church will pay to the Revd Dr. Freeman quarterly, during his life, a salary of $1500 per annum, and will take measures for supplying the Pulpit during his disability at their own expense."
This provision was then very much larger than it seems now. It was fully equal, in amount and in purchasing power, to the average salary paid by the most prosperous churches of the city and neighborhood. . The proprietors at the same time voted to supply the pulpit for half of each Sunday's services at their own expense. Dr. Freeman lived after his retirement for nine years, in frequent suffering, but always cheerful, with his mental vigor
1 In 1803, before Joseph Stevens Buckminster began to preach, measures were taken to secure his settlement as assistant minister at King's Chapel. Mr. Freeman was connected with him by marriage, had become strongly at- tached to him, and was very earnestly desirous of his service in this more inti- mate relation. Mr. Buckminster seems to have been no less solicitous to accept the office ; but was induced to relinquish all thought of it by the urgent remnon-
strances of his father, who, himself a strong Calvinist, was greatly grieved by his son's leaning toward a more liberal faith, and could not tolerate his accept- ance of a charge which would have so clearly defined his theological position.
2 Mr Cary's ministry will be the sub- ject of a separate chapter.
3 In ISI1, Mr. Freeman received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Har- vard College.
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