USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Chelsea > Documentary history of Chelsea : including the Boston precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624-1824, vol 2 > Part 21
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ffirst, We sent a Notification to the Church of Christ in Wen- ham on the 15th of this instant, wherein was set forth, that the Delegation of the sd five Churches, formerly mett in the Town of Wenham at Mr Samuel Kimbal's on 29th of July last, to super- vise the case of Mr William Rogers, relating to the Suspension he was under from the sd Church in Wenham, did then & there find & declare, that the Admonition dispensed by the sd 2ª Church in Ipswich to the sd Church in Wenham, in order to the restoration of the sd Rogers was just, & also the sd Church in Wenham was in the sd Notification Directed to attend on the Delegation now mett, but the sd Church refusing to submit to the sd Notification, & still persisting in their Obstinacy, We now in the name of Christ, & in right of the Churches we represent, proceed to draw up a more
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for [mal] and final Result in the case; we therfore declare our judgment & sentence in ye following articles.
first, That the Management of the 24 Church in Ipswich towards the Church in Wenham is well & sufficiently founded in the Canon of these Churches, and the process of ye sd Church is to be justified from what the Platform of our Church discipline says about the third way of Communion of Churches, & therefore the sd process is agreable to the way of Ordfer | and fends greatly to the promo- tion of Union, peace, truth, holiness & mutual edification in, and to the establishment of the Churches, and is a laudable & proper example for ns, & all other Churches in the Consociation, to fol- low, and imitate one towards another in such like case.
Secondly. We therefore condemn the Church in Wenham for slighting & rejecting the Process, & method taken with them by the sd 2ª Church in Ipswich; the sd Church in Wenham hafvel thereby put high contempt upon the Constitution of these Churches, notwithstanding they did so solemnly & publickly upon the Pacification, promise 18 for the future to Submit to the third way of Communion in the Platform, & by their sd contempt have begun such a rupture & breach in their alliance & gospel order, which, if not check't & stopt in time, tends to the utter ruine and subversion of the Noble frame & constitution of these famous. ancient, & flourishing Churches. And therefore we farther declare that our judgment is, that the sd Church in Wenham, they contin- uing in fellowship with these Churches, & all other Churches in this grand Association, are bound by the Canon at their utmost peril to Submit to such a method when taken with them by any Neighbour Sister Church upon such or the like sufficient cause.
Thirdly. Thus having abundant reason to justify the 2ª Church in Ipswich in their proceeding & having fully supervised the case of sd M' William Rogers, we do now in Concert with the sd Church declare, that ye sd Mr Rogers has not given any just offence to the sd Church of Wenham, by any groundless or injurious charge against his Pastor, on 31st of jannary 1716/17 in those words of Opposition for which he was Suspended, in that they were suthi- ciently evidenced unto ns to be true. Therefore we now more for- mally & publickly Justify the sd Admonition dispensed on the 19th of May 1719 by the sd Church in Ipswich to the Church in Wenham, in favour of sd Mr Rogers as abovesd :
18 There seems to have been some difficulty before, which was " paei- fieated " by the Weuham church promising to submit to commune in the way of discipline; but that it had not kept its promise. Possibly this refers to the renewal of the covenant after the synod of 1679. H. M. Dexter, Congregationalism as seen in its Literature, 477-480.
VOL. II. - 14
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ffourthly. In consideration, that the sd Church in Wenham hath all along manifested great Obstinacy, & now also after due patience & long waiting for their Compliance, the sd Church still continue very inflexible & obstinate, therefore in the Name of Christ & of the several Churches we represent, these presents are to set forthi & declare, that we the sª Delegation having joyned our selves do in concert, execute, set on, and second the sª Admonition, & for that end do now advise, direct, & Admonish the sd our much pitied & greatly beloved Sister Church in Wenham, that after such a long & unjust delay, they do now release their sd brother William Rogers from the sd suspension, and restore him to Communion with the sd Church in Wenham, & by all due means & brotherly deportment towards him establish him in the persuasion of their brotherly love to him; and also we still continue to advise the sd Mr Rogers, upon the Churches receiving him to their fellowship, that he suppress all hard resentments towards his Pastour, & brethren, notwithstanding the unkindnesses & injustice he has met with from them: 12: rom: 1: cor: 13: And for the present relief of sd Mr Rogers, while the sd Church shall deliberate, we grant a permit to the sd Rogers for Occasional Communion with any of our Churches. ffinally thus hoping our sd beloved Sister Church in Wenham, will well consider, how they have swerved from the rule of Charity & justice in the case of their sd brother Rogers, & also revise what ruptures they have made in the Order of these Churches, & also we hope & pray that the Grace of God may be sufficient for them, and influence their minds under the present awfull crisis they are reduced to, and dispose & bow their hearts to comply with their duty, in the reasonable & just direc- tions that we have laid before them, & so prevent those other more terrible parts of the process which remain yet to be fulfilled; but if not, God assisting, we are resolved to execute the same, & that by pursuing every step to a final issue according to the direction of our Platform.
Voted. nemine non eonsentiente
John Wise moderatour. Wenham: Octob: 1st: 1719.
We the Delegates of five Churches, (the Church of York being not here, the weather being bad) having mett at this time by Ad- journment at the house of Mr Samuel Kimbal in Wenham abovsd, and our Sister Church in Wenham remaining very obstinate, & still continuing to resist the regular Process carried on against them in the case of Mr William Rogers; having found on the 29th of July last, & then declared the Admonition dispensed by the 2ª Church in Ipswich to the sª Church in Wenham to be just, from
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CHAP. XXVII] FORMATION OF A CHURCH
the sence of duty incumbent on us, & faithfulness to Christ, & his Churches, and a due regard to justice we have seconded, & this day farther achministred the sd Admonition to the sd our Sister Church in Wenham, as does more fully appear in the Instrument of Execution we have published against the sd Church, reference thereto being had. And farthermore considering how much the well being of these Churches doth depend upon the careful con- dnet, wise & good management of this important business, which God in his holy & wise providence hath at this juncture devolved on the Churches we represent, & nextly on our selves, we now in due form make a farther pause, & shall still wait a convenient space of time for the Submission of the sd Church in Wenham, expecting their complying with their duty, as set forth in so Ad- monition, that has been reinforced, seconded, & published against thein as abovesd. And moreover considering at what distance several of us dwell, & also that the time of the year is hastning on, that may make it more difficult for travel, we therefore judge it meet to make some suitable precaution in the business, that is to say, if the sd Church in Wenham shall fully, & in due time comply with the sd Admonition, then the Delegation of the sd five Churches is dissolved; but if not, we shall continue in being as a represen- tative body, God helping of us, & shall proceed with the process, & our next step will be to draw up & publish our forbearing Com- minion with the sd Church of Wenham for our sd five Churches : & then we shall farther also do & perform such other acts as are agreable with the canon & government of these Churches, in order to, & in hope of the repentance & full compliance of the sd Church in Wenham. And for the future we leave the affair, as it is now stated, to the conduet & management of the Delegates of the three Nearest Churches in the sd Delegation to draw up in form what may be farther needfull, & transmit the same to the Delegates. of the other Churches concerned for their approbation, & also if there be Occasion for it, to determine on time & place when, & where a grand Council of Churches 19 shall be Convened, as the Platform doth dircet; and also to fix the member of Churches. & who shall be Cited through the whole Consociation, in order to the Definitive sentence in this case. And moreover before we dis- miss this present Session, we declare, that upon issuing ont the Sentence of forbearing Communion with the Church of Wenham
" This " grand Council " may have been an " occasional Synod " to be called agreeably to the Cambridge Platform of 1649, which contemplated invoking the civil power to enforce its decisions. Sce Palfrey. New Eng- land, ii. 184, 185 [also The Platform of Church Discipline, 1649, chap. XV. § 2; chap. xvii. § 9, in Mather's Magnalia, Book v].
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for our sd five Churches, which God prevent, if it be his holy will, by bowing the hearts of our sd Dear Sister Church to a compli- ance; but if otherwise, & the sd Sentence be pronounced by us as above is provided, then we think due care should be taken to grant Occasional Communion to other innocent Members of the sd Church of Wenhamn, & especially such as do, & have born due Testimony against the Corruptness & Obstinacy of the foresd Church of Wenham, they signifying & setting forth that they have so done, & this Provision is made for the ease of the innocent, until the Grand Convention of Churches shall be made in this case, & then to proceed to a more full Renunciation of all right of Relation to, & acts of ffellowship, as the Platform doth more expressly direet to, with the sd Church. ffinally we the sd Dele- gation, having made the best provision we can in so great a Con- cern, do now leave it to the sd three Churches as abovesd to take care in all points for the future, & to do what is meett according to their best, discretion in the case relating to the sd Church of Wenham and the sd Mr Rogers, & to give to the Delegates of the other two Churches an account of things from time to time for their approbation, before any thing of moment as abovesd be fully Executed.
Voted nemine non consentiente John Wise moderatour.
A copy of the result, which the Delegation had unanimously voted & published, was sent by several of the Members of the Delegation, to the R:d Mr Gerrish Pastour of the Church of Wenham, & left with his wife, he not being to be spoke with by them.
The sd M" Gerrish refused to communicate to his Church the result of the Delegation, & see whither they were willing in compliance therewith to restore their brother Mr Rogers, which was justly grievous & dissatisfactory to many of his Church.
On the sixth of January following the sd Mr Gerrish died, the dif- ference in Wenham not made up. After the death of Mr Gerrish, the Church found their difference not being made up was a barr to their Obtaining another Minister, & thereupon began to en- deavour to put an end to their long continued difference, & after some meetings & essays at last at a Church meeting they voted to restore Mr Rogers to their Communion, & to revoke what had pas[t] in the Church formerly against him, & that an account of their doings should be sent to Rd Mr Wise, moderatour of the Delegation or Council that last met at Wenham, under the hand of Mr Prescot, whom the Church of Wenham had chose to be Mod- eratour of their Church meetings & to keep their Church records till they had a Pastour settled, and that seeing the end is obtained,
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which was aimed at by their process, & Mr Rogers restored that they would now cease all farther steps: &c: After Rd Mr Wise received an account of the Church in Wenham's restoring Mr Rogers to their fellowship, he communicated the same to the Delegates of the 5 Churches who declared their acceptance, & so a period put to any farther steps: and the Delegation was de- clared dissolved.20
To ye Rd Mr Thomas Cheever Pastour of the Church of Christ at Rumny-marish.
January 14th 1719/20
Honoured Rev! & Beloved.
It having pleased the most Glorious Head of the Church, after, as we hope, our most earnest, humble & Solemn Supplications unto him, on a day of fasting & prayer for his gracious Guidance & Assistance, in a matter of so great importance, to Direct us of the New-North-Church in Boston by a very considerable Majority of Votes, to Invite the Rev! Mr Peter Thacher late of Weymouth, to the Pastoral Office among us, and to Incline him to accept of our Invitation. We have agreed upon Wednesday the 24th of this
20 Though the proceedings of the Wenham Council are connected with Chelsea history only by the presence of the pastor and delegates of the Rumney Marsh church I have given them to show the spirit of those days. As I have already said, from the beginning of the colony even to recent times the union of the church and state was intimate. The platform above referred to was adopted by a synod of churches convened by an act of the General Court; and this fact gave its results something of the effect of legal enactments. So that an " admonition " of the Wenham church by a council regularly convened and proceeding according to the platform was something more than a brutum fulmen; and a persistent disregard thereof might have been followed by serious consequences. How far it would have endangered the legal status of the church, I cannot say; but a church and pastor under excommunication would have been in an extremely im- pleasant predicament. The ordinance of baptism was regarded as of vital importance to the child's welfare, both here and hereafter. But would it be valid and efficacious if administered by a pastor, whose refusal to com- mune in the " third way of communion," the communion of discipline, bad led to his excommunication ? This would have been ouly one of many un- pleasant consequences, not lightly to be incurred.
It is scarcely necessary to add that the union of church and state no longer continues, having been abolished in 1834. The town formerly stoo.l in the same relation to the church as the " society " does now. The church called the minister, and the town coneurred or non-coneurred at its pleas- ure. The town voted the salary, and the settlement, which was for life. became a legal charge upon the town. Churches could not be formed at pleasure, but legislative authority was required. When more than one was needed in any town, it was divided into precinets, and these became legal corporations for religious purposes.
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present January (God willing) to fix him in the full Exercise of sd Office among us. We therefore humbly & earnestly intreat the Presence of your Rev! Pastour with such Messengers, as you shall think proper to send with him, to Concurr with the Elders & Messengers of Several other Churches in Exercising such Acts of Communion with us, as the Solemnity of the Occasion inay call for.
We earnestly ask your Prayers, that Grace, mercy, & peace from God our Father, & from Our Lord Jesus Christ may be multiplied upon us, & upon our Offspring, & with our humble besceching the Throne of Grace, that the same inestimable blessings may descend on you in a most plentiful manner.
We Subscribe Yours in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel.
To the Revd Mr Thomas Cheever to be Communicated. the desire of the Church
John Webb, in the name and at
You are desired to meet at the
Pastours house by Nine of the clock
in the Morning.
I communicated this letter to the Church on 17th jan : who readily complied with the desire of Our Sister Church and chose L:t John Floyd, Mr William Hassey, & M" John Chamberlane to ac- company me and concurr with the other Church or Churches that should attend that service.
True copy. Attest Thomas Cheever Pastor.
After our return I acquainted the Brethren, whom I sent for to my house, and who gave me a meeting all except two or three, with what we had done as to the installing ye Rev! Mr Peter Thacher in the Pastoral Office at the New-North Church, together with the reasons for our doings therein,21 who declared their ap- probation of the same. Attest Thomas Cheever Pastour.
21 [This installation led to a division of the New North Church, and the founding of the New Brick Church. It was the old dispute over the right of a minister to change his pastorate. The bitterness had been great, and on an appeal from the dissatisfied members, who threatened to sccede, the pastors of Boston advised the church to delay the installation, and call a council to settle their differences. (The letter was printed in 1720 in “ An Account of the Reasons " why fifty members, ten of whom were "in full communion," opposed the settlement of Rev. Peter Thacher, pp. 21-27.) Notwithstanding this advice, the account continucs, the New North Church invited to an ordaining council the churches of Dorchester, Charlestown, Cambridge, Salem, Milton, and Rumney Marsh. The dissatisfied brethren . sent a protest to the same churches (printed, ibid., pp. 29-33). Judge Sew- all describes the installation in his diary January 28, 1719/20: " It seems
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CHAP. XXVII]
1720. June: 17th. A Church meeting to choose a Deacon, one or more : What was done the former meeting, June : 3ª was
only Mr. Thacher of Milton and Mr. Chiever of Romney-Marsh acted in the Installment of Mr. Thacher. For though Mr. Fisk was here with his Dele- gats; two of them, Mr. Lynde and Mr. Osgood (3 came not; C'ol. Browne, Daniel Epes esqr., Mr. Timothy Linda1) yet the church had limited them so that they saw not canse to Act. And Mr. Thacher is his Unkle. It seems there was a long and shamefull Tumultnons disturbance in the Meeting-house. Mr. Thacher of Milton pray'd, Mr. Thacher of Weymouth preach'd from P'sal. 57.2. I will ery - After the church had voted him the Pastor, and Mr. Thacher had accepted; Mr. Chiever declar'd him to be the l'astor of that church. No Psalm was sung. Col. Taylor, Townsend, Fitch, Secretary were there. Mr. Leverett acted not because Mr. Apleton the Pastor was not present. And none from Charlestown." ( Diary, iii. 242.) The dissatisfied brethren described it picturesquely in their Account. " When the Council ( that is to say, the Messengers of Romney-Marsh ) were come together at the House of Mr. Webb," the dissatisfied brethren entered a protest, and also in the meeting-house they made " vehement Protesta- tions against what was a doing," and demanded a Conneil. " But the first thing done was, That One who had no pretence to act as a Moderator there, proposed unto the Brethren of the Church, who were for Mr. Thacher, whether they renew'd their Choice of him for their Pastor, which they signified by Lifting np their Hands; and Mr. Thacher declared his Acceptance of it. And so the Man declar'd him their Pastor, without any Prayer, or any Charge, or any thing else that belonged unto such a Sacred Affair. After long Debates, and inneh Confusion, Leave was obtained for a short Prayer, and Sermon. And this passed for an Ordina- tion." Rev. Inerease Mather in a leaflet of three pages entitled "A Further Testimony against the Seandalous Proceedings of the New-North Church in Boston " ( Boston Public Library, ** G 376.40) bore testimony as follows :
" An Ordination or Instalment of a Minister in Boston, in which the Ministers of the Town could not in Conscience be Concerned; and in which the Churches sent unto to give them the Right Hand of Fellowship, have some, if not the most of them, refused to send their Messengers; And in which after the Ordination, there was no Right Hand of Fellowship given, And in which there was no Solemn Charge given to the Person Ordained or Installed, And in which there was no Express Ordination-Prayer. is a Nullity and no Ordination, but an heinous Transgression of the Third Commanchnent; The like to which was never before known in Neu- England, no, nor in the Christian World. . . . They have offended Christ in a refusing the help of a Couneil, when earnestly advised to it by all the Ministers of God in Boston. . . . This I who have been an Unworthy Servant of Christ in the work of the Gospel for more than Fifty Eight Ycars in Boston . . . being now Aged, and expecting every Day to be called out of this World, account it my Duty to lcare this as my Dying Testimony with the Churches in New-England. Increase Mather." Sce also " A Vin- dieation of the New-North-Church in Boston." signed by Caleb Lyman. John Barret, and John Dixwell. No charge of unfitness was brought against Rev. Peter Thacher, and his settlement was warmly advocated by Rev. John Webb, one of the two Boston pastors who had assisted in the
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ICHAP. XXVII
dropped because of great uneasiness; it was in the first place carried by a unanimous Vote to choose but one Deacon at present : and when their Votes were brought in, there was not a Majority the first time for any person : when their Votes were brought in ye 2d time : our brother Mr John Chamberlane was chosen by the Majority of Voters, Attest Thomas Cheever Pastour.
Nov: 7th At a Church meeting to choose another Deacon to be joyned with Deacon John Chamberlane; When their Votes were brought in, our brother Mr William Hassy 22 was chosen by a Majority of Votes & voters: our brother Chamberlane was not present, it was therfore proposed & assented to by the Church, that their accepting the Churches call to sd Office should be manifested by their sitting in the Deacons seat. And whereas at the last Church meeting there was discourse about making some allowance to the Deacons for their trouble yearly, as also to make allowance to the Churches Delegates sent to Wenham & to Boston &c. Deacon Tuttle declared openly that he desired nothing for the time he had 'served the Church in the office of Deacon. After which it was unanimously Voted that no allowance should be made to the Deacons nor to any others out of the Church-Stock but with the knowledge & consent of the Church, & that the Deacons should give account of their doings in their Office unto the Church once in a year, to prevent any dissatisfactions or mistakes.
Attest Thomas Cheever Pastour
Dec : 20. A Church meeting, in which the Church Covenant was read, showing that we fixed upon Congregational principles. according to the Platform sett forth by these Churches, in which both the power of the Elders, and the liberty of the Brethren are so sett out, as that no Church act is compleat & perfected without the consent of both : when it was put to Vote, whither the Church did consent to and were willing to abide by the sd first settlement & Covenant, there was an unanimous consent mani- fested by lifting up the hand. Afterward upon debate with refer- ence to the former Church meeting, notwithstanding it appeared that Mr William Hassy had a Major Vote to the Office of a Deacon, because of the fierce opposition made by three or four of the Brethren ; upon the motion of another Brother, that we might for the present rest contented with but one Deacon viz: Mr John Chamberlane, till spirits were better composed; to prevent far-
installation of Rev. Thomas Cheever at Rumney Marsh in 1715. Joshua Cheever, son of Rev. Thomas Cheever, was one of the founders of the New North Church, and later a deacon. ] 22 [Supra, vol. i. pp. 242, 244.]
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ther Contention & for peace it was Voted that Mr Chamberlane should serve alone in the Office of a Deacon for the present, and passed with but little opposition : and the sd Deacon Chamberlane declared his acceptance for the present, & agreed to go to receive the Churches Vessels & stock, if any, of Deacon John Tuttle.
Attest Thomas Cheever Pastour
A copy of Deacon Chamberlane's receipt given to Deacon Tuttle.
Received of Deacon John Tuttle, the vessels belonging to the Church at Rumny-marish, being two flagons, six cups, & two platters, with the table-cloth, & a bottle; as also the Church stock, being three pounds, seventeen shillings & six pence in bills, & eleven shillings ten pence half penny in pennys & half pence, amounting in the whole to 41 : 99 : 4412, I say received for the use of the Church, this 2d day of ffebruary, 1732.
₱ me John Chamberling a true copy. Attest Thomas Cheever Pastour.
17 23. Feb : 20!h : Deacon Chamberlane laid his accounts before L' John Floyd. Mr Ww Hassy, & Mr Sam' Watts who was ap- pointed by ye Church, to assist me in attending that service, accord- ing to a former Vote of the Church : Novemb : 7th: 1721 : and the Churches stoek in his hands appeared to be five pounds eighteen shillings & eight penee. Attest Thomas Cheever. pastour.
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