USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Scituate > History and records of St. Andrew's Protestant Episcopal Church, of Scituate, Mass., 1725-1811, of Hanover, Mass., 1811-1903, and other items of historical interest, being Volume II of the church and cemetery records of Hanover, Mass > Part 13
USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Hanover > History and records of St. Andrew's Protestant Episcopal Church, of Scituate, Mass., 1725-1811, of Hanover, Mass., 1811-1903, and other items of historical interest, being Volume II of the church and cemetery records of Hanover, Mass > Part 13
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Shortly before his death he published "Sketch of Phillips Brooks in his character as Bishop." It is, perhaps, the most intimate sketch of the late Bishop which has appeared.
Dr. Brooks died at Boston Feb'y 21, 1900. Funeral services were held on Feb'y 22, 1900, in the church of St. John the
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Evangelist, Boston. conducted by the Rev. Dr. Chambre of Lowell, the Rev. Dr. Frisbie of the Church of the Advent, Bos- ton, and the Rev. Dr. Field, the Rector of the church. The final prayers and benediction were pronounced by Bishop Lawrence. The interment was at Pittsfield, Mass.
Dr. Brooks was survived by his widow and a son, William Gray Brooks, a member of the Suffolk Bar, and at the time of writing a student in the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania.
The Reverend Frank Somerville Harraden succeeded to the Rectorate on May 1. 1889.
Mr. Harraden is a native of Concord, N. H., and graduated at Trinity College, Hartford, in 1867. He received the degree of M. A. in 1870. From 1867 to 1874 he was Head Master of Ury House School for boys at Philadelphia and was ordained to the Diaconate in 1872 by Bishop Niles of New Hampshire and to the Priesthood in 1876. He became Rector of Trinity church, Tilton, N. H., where he remained two years. In 1878 and 1879 he was Rector of St. John's church in East Boston. Subse- quently, until 1881, he was connected with the Episcopal City Mission in Boston, and from that time until his call to St. Andrew's he ministered to the Parishes of St. John's at Framing- ham and St. Paul's at Natick in the Diocese of Massachusetts.
Under the worthy successor of so many earnest and faithful ministers the prosperity of the parish has continued to increase.
Linking the past and the present, may St. Andrew's retain undiminished its influence as a beneficent and uplifting force in the community for many years to come.
CHAPTER VII.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH CONCLUDED FROM
CHAPTER VI. ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM VARIOUS SOURCES OBTAINED AFTER THE FIRST CHAPTERS HAD GONE TO PRESS.
T HE following references to the Church which appear in other works, although they do not afford material for a con- secutive narrative, present interesting facts as to parts of its earlier history as well as information concerning some of the rectors and can appropriately appear with the published records.
Deane, in the History of Scituate, records that the invitation to Rev. Dr. Timothy Cutler was extended by Lieutenant Damon, whose relations with the Reverend Mr. Bourn, of the North Meeting House where the service was held, were not harmoni- ous, and that possession of the Meeting House for that purpose was taken without the consent of the proper authority. (His- tory of Scituate by Samuel Deane, Boston, 1831 p. 35.)
Criticism and opposition were provoked, and an acccount of the service in the " Boston Gazette," referring to the number and respectability of the audience, drew forth a statement by a Scituate gentleman to the " Boston News Letter " denying that any of the principal inhabitants of the town had invited the Doctor, and declaring "that only three men of Scituate, a number of disappointed men from neighboring towns, and about forty school boys were present."
Dr. Cutler, always firm and zealous in asserting and maintain- ing the dignity of his church, addressed to the Council, a · memorial (See Council Records, September 2. 1725) complain- ing of a notice in No. 1170 of the News Letter, " published by authority," which in this connection remarked sarcastically, "However by the way this shows the Doctor's fervent zeal and
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indefatigable pains to make proselytes to ye cause, and promote ceremonies by destroying substantials in religion." He there- fore prayed that "Such reparation may be made to the charac- ter and protection afforded by the Church of England in this, as well as in all other instances." The paper, in consequence, received a rebuke from the Governor and Council on the ground that its action was presumptuous and meddlesome, and it was required to discontinue the words "Published by Authority" from its heading. (Annals of King's Chapel Vol. I p. 34 ) *
For a time there appears to have been some doubt of the sup- port of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Assurance of assistance was essential to the existence of the church and delay was disheartening and discouraging.
Dr. Cutler wrote to Dr. Gray November 8, 1734 (see Church Docs. Mass. p. 673) " Mr. Davenport is just returned, and brings us the sad news of the uncertainty of the Society's countenancing any new missions. When this takes air it will give a sad damp to the Church among us."
However, in the "abstract " annexed to the sermon preached by Dr. Maddox before the Society in 1733 there is the follow- ing announcement : "The Society have this year very much increased the number of their missions upon the earnest peti- tions of the principal inhabitants of each place, representing . . . . the . .. rising generation . . .. as never having seen, nay scarce heard, anything of the publick worship of God, and the administration of the sacraments. . . . The Society have there- fore sent . . the Rev. Mr. Davenport to Scituate, in New England," "where " remarks the historian of King's Chapel, "for a century there had been an uninterrupted succession of faithful ministers, and were then two Congregational Churches, each with a worthy pastor." (Annals of King's Chapel Vol. I, page 472.)
The first Rector of the Church, naturally, will always remain an interesting figure in its history, and the plan of the present chapter affords an opportunity to extend the sketch of Mr.
* Annals of King's Chapel by Henry Wilder Foote; in two volumes; Boston, 1882.
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Davenport contained in the address of the Rev'd Dr. Brooks by the addition of the material which has been secured since the opening chapter of these records was printed.
The Reverend Addington Davenport graduated at Harvard 1719, and had grown up in the Brattle Square Church. He was a grandson of Eleazer Davenport, mariner and sea captain, who married Rebecca, daughter of Mr. Isaac Addington (ad- mitted member of First Church, Boston 13th day of 4th month, 1640 ; married Anne Leverett ) She was a sister of the Hon. Isaac Addington, clerk of the Council of Safety after Andros' overthrow in April, 1689; Secretary of the Province from June 1690 until his death; Judge of the Court of Common Pleas ; Chief Justice of the Superior Court, and Judge of the Probate Court of Suffolk. He died March 19, 1714-15 Aet. 70 years, I month, 27 days.
" Their son, Addington Davenport, born Aug. 3, 1670 gradu- ated from Harvard College in 1689, after which he travelled extensively and returned to Boston and was Register of Deeds for the County of Suffolk. Afterwards he sustained some of the most responsible offices in the Government : was Clerk of the House of Representatives, of the Supreme Court and Court of Common Pleas; a member of the Council, and in 1715 was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Judicial Court, which office he held untill his death. He was one of the " undertakers" of Brattle Street Church. He married in November, 1698, Elizabeth Wainwright, daughter of John Wainwright of Ipswich, and Elizabeth Norton, his wife. He died April 2, 1736. By his will he gives upon the decease of his wife, "two fourth parts, or a double portion " of his Real Estate in Boston to his "son, Addington Davenport, his Heirs and Assigns forever." (N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Reg. 4. 11 I.) Sewall records :
" Oct. 13, 1729, Judge Davenport comes to me and speaks to me on behalf of Mr. Addington Davenport, his eldest son, that he might have lib- erty to wait upon Jane Hirst " (daughter of Judge Sewall's daughter Eliza- beth) " now at my house in way of courtship. He told me he would deal
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by him as his eldest son, and more than so. Intended to build a house where his uncle Addington dwelt, for him ; and that he should have his Pue in the Old Meeting House."
He married (1) Dec. 23, 1729 (by Rev. Joseph Sewall) Jane, fourth daughter of Grove Hirst, merchant, of Boston. She died before 1738, and he married (2) May 9, 1738 Anne, daughter of Benjamin Faneuil, deceased. She was a sister of Peter Faneuil, and died Nov. 15, 1744. He died Sept. 8, 1746. -
The register of King's Chapel contains the following : "1738-May 9-Ad- dington Davenport and Anne Faneuil." (Annals of King's Chapel I, p. 523.)
The Christ Church Register of Baptism contains the following : " 1733, July 8, Jane, daughter to the Reverend Mr. Addington Davenport and Jane his wife."
His will, made Feb. 1, 1744-45 when he was " bound to sea " contains the following clauses :
" First and principally, I commend my soul to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, humbly beseeching him to pardon all my Sins and prepare me for his Heavenly Kingdom, and my body to the Earth or Seas as it shall please Almighty God, in a firm faith of its future Resurrection by the power of my blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
He bequeaths to his daughters "Jane and Elizabeth " £2500 apiece to be taken out of the Bank of England, if they see cause when they arrive at the age of twenty-four years, severally."
All the residue of his Estate, Real and Personal, he bequeaths to his "Only son Addington Davenport and his heirs forever." He appoints his " worthy friend " William Price, Cabinet Maker, one of his daughters' guardians. His son Addington, "Mer- chant," died at Portsmouth, Feb. 24, 1761 in his 29th year. He perhaps went there to live on account of the neighborhood of his aunt, Lady Mary Pepperell, who resided in Kittery. His father's library was bequeathed to him, and was probably sold in Ports- mouth, as many books with his autograph were procured there, and are now in the library of the late Rev. Charles Burroughs, D. D. With him the family name became extinct in his branch
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of it. . Fuller particulars of the family are given in N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Reg. 4-111-116. The will of the last Addington Davenport is given in N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Reg. 4-351. The inventory is such as would belong to a wealthy person. Among the articles are, " 2 dozen Silver Handled Knives and Forks and Case, I Organ, I Negro Boy." (Annals of King's Chapel, Vol. 1, 481 and 482.
Mr. Davenport was also a cousin of the Rev. Samuel Cooper, Dr. Chauncy says, "Mr. Davenport, who married my first wife's sister, declared for the Church and went over for Orders upon this pretence,-"That it was a certain fact that Episcopacy, in the appointed sense, was the form of government in the Church from the time of the Apostles, and down along through all suc- cessive ages.". (See Sketch of Eminent Men of New England in Mass. Hist. Coll. 10-161.)
Samuel Sewall Jr. wrote in his interleaved almanac, (N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Reg. 16, 71,) " 1730, Nov. 25th, Couz. Adding- ton Davenport Goe on Board Capt. Shepherdson To Sale for England. On the 12th instant I hear he partook at the Church of England in Dr. Cutler's Church and on the 19th He and his wife went to Church there. It is said he goes to take Orders to be a Church of England Parson."
Among the records of King's Chapel, Boston, is the follow- ing :--
Oct. 11, 1733. Voted. that the Brass Stand for the hour glass be lent to the Church of Scituate, as also three Diaper Napkins, provided the Reverend Addington Davenport, their minister, gives his note to Return the same to the Church war- dens of this Church for the time being, whensoever this Church shall see meet to demand them. (Annals of King's Chapel, Vol. 1, Page 422.)
In the first chapter allusion has been made to the fact that the ministrations of the Reverend Charles Brockwell, the second rector, were not acceptable to the parishioners of the church. They expressed their emotions in a petition to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel on January 22, 1738 as follows :
!
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"So it is for upwards of these four months past the Rev'd Mr. Brakwell our Minister, without the least previous intimation to us or provocation from us hath removed to Salem and left us desolate so that our holy Church is now become the scorn and sport of our dissenting neighbors.
"We have in high estimation the ministerial character and we ever honor'd Mr. Brakwell as the gift of the Society to our Infant Church ; and as he has given us the most solemn assur- ances that he will never in the least by any representation ex- pose us to the loss of the Society's favor (the greatest temporal evil that can befall us), so we shall continue to treat him with all tenderness and respect; and are therefore silent on this or any other part of his conduct however surprising and grievous to us." (See Church Doc. Mass. pa. 320.)
Mr. Commissary Price also wrote to the Secretary
Nov. 16, 1738.
* Mr. Brockwell has made many grievous complaints of the hardships and rude treatment he has met with from this congre- gation at Scituate which I believe are not without some founda- tion. His complaint backed with a letter from the Church Wardens of Scituate, declaring that they would rather lose the Mission than Mr. Brockwell should be their minister, were laid before the clergy at their annual meeting where it was unani- mously allowed that upon the account of Mr. Brockwell's bad state of health and ill temper of his people he might be more serviceable in the duties of his profession at Salem till the Soci- ety's pleasure should be further known."
The letter from the Church Wardens to which the Commis- sary refers is as follows (See Church Docs. Mass. pp. 322-327) : " To the reuerd clargies of the episcopal order which do dowel at Boston or at braintree : reuerd Sirs, the great consernt we are in will not permit us to daylays any longer to aquoint you. that our unhapy division cause as it were a consumtion of our unfortunate Church which dothe waste much to the satisfaction of our adversaries that are round about us ; which confusion we are in can not but be to the dishonour of God and to our pro-
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fesion, and to the discomfort of those which would with all callmness of mind to bear the cross of the dificulty we meet with, which some of us do calles it an entolairable yoke, saying that. they would rather loose the mission then reuerd Mr. Brakwel should abide with us. We which are greatly consernt of this great disorder cannot but be sensible that it will continue so long as the said reuerd Mr. brakwel remain with us; but we are full persuaded that his reamoval from us would mouch contribute to the glory of God among us and to the restoration of the flourishing and prosperity of this church as 'it was not long sense." (Annals King's Chapel Vol. II pa. 24 and 25.)
The mission at Salem to which Mr. Brockwell was assigned afterward became St. Peter's Church and there he remained un- til his resignation on November 27, 1746, when, it is probable, he assumed the duties of his position at King's Chapel.
Mr. Brockwell was born in England and his early labors were probably in that country and doubtless accompanied by hard conditions which may have developed the characteristics which interfered with his influence at Scituate, and later provoked a prolonged controversy as to the respective rights and privileges of the Rector and himself under the terms of his commission as assistant minister at King's Chapel.
The records of the Chapel contain a full account of this con- troversy and it appears that Mr. Brockwell maintained his con- tention with spirit and determination but in the end was obliged to yield.
Disappointment and misfortune seem to have followed him. He wrote to the Bishop of London. (See Church Docs. Mass. P. 441.)
Boston, N. Engl'd. Jan'y 21, 1752.
**** " As to myself my Lord. my circumstances grow daily worse and worse: and as an addition to my misfortunes I last Saturday lost my only Negro who but 9 months ago cost me £35 Sterl. ; so that within 12 months I have lost 2 Negros who cost me £70. Sterl. which, together with the outstanding year's salary must prodigiously embarras my affairs soon to my utter ruin.
..
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I have a poor wife violently afflicted with the rheumatism and both lying under the disorders consequent to advancing years and she desirous of returning home from the gloomy prospect that presents should she survive-poverty and age in a strange land ; in England she has some friends to relieve these distresses, but here, alas ! she has none. So that in your Lordship's gift any equivalent should offer in any obscure corner of your Diocese, it should be meer charity to bestow it upon a poor un- fortunate man, that never coveted riches, nor with all his most diligent application could escape poverty, extreme poverty."
" Amid these forlorn circumstances the King's Lecturer did not flinch from his post in the pulpit when the Rector fled from the small pox terror."
(See annals of King's Chapel, Vol. II p. 107.)
The last mention of Mr. Brockwell in the Records of King's Chapel is the following :
" At a Vestry of King's Chapel held at the House of the Revd. Mr. Caner on Wednesday Augt. 20th 1755 Calld on Acct of the. Death of the Reverd. M !. Charles Brockwell who died on said day at 10 a Clock in the Morning --
Voted That the Revd. M !. Brockwell's Funeral Expences be paid by Subscription and that the Senior Church Warden pro- vide for the same in as frugal and decent manner as possible."
The Register of Burials records :-
1755, Aug. 22 Revd. Charles Brockwell, Preacher Assistant at King's Chapel 59 years. (Annals King's Chapel Vol. II p. 34.)
Mr. Brockwell was interested in other things outside his church. He was an ardent Freemason. A visitor to Boston Oct. 10, 1750 "went to Mr. Stones, where Lodge was held and Parson Brockwell Presided in the Chair." (See Capt. F. Goe- let's visit to America in 1746-50 N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Reg. XXIV. 55) (Annals King's Chapel, Vol. II p. 33.)
The only Sermon published by him is one addressed to that Fraternity, recommending "Brotherly Love" in which he says "Whoever is an Upright Mason can neither be an Atheist, Deist or Libertine. I have had the Honour of being a
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member of this Ancient and Honourable Society many years, have sustained many of its offices and can and do aver, in this sacred place and before the Grand ARCHITECT of the World, that I never could observe aught therein but what was justifiable and commendable according to the strictest rules of society."
The full title is "Brotherly Love Recommended in a SERMON Preached before the Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted MASONS in CHRIST Church BOSTON, on Wednes- day the 27th of December 1749. By Charles Brockwell A. M., His Majesty's Chaplain in Boston. Published at the Request of the SOCIETY.
"Illud amicitiae sanctum et venerabile nomen.
"In amicitiam coeant et foedera jungant. Virgil.
Ovid.
"Boston, 1750."
(Annals King's Chapel, Vol. II pa. 33.)
From the following extract from the Records of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts for the year 1743 it may be inferred that the Church had been without the stated ministrations of a clergyman since the departure of Mr. Brockwell. "The Society hath ventured further to reestablish a mission at Scituate upon the representation and earnest request of the inhabitants of Scituate in behalf of themselves and the adjacent towns of Hanover, Pembroke and Marshfield and upon the Rev. Mr. Davenport's (some time since the Soci- ety's Missionary there, but now the Minister of Trinity Church, Boston) charitable and generous donation of the house in which he resided there with the outhouses, barn and seven acres of land to the Society for the use of the Minister at Scituate for- ever and they have appointed to this mission the Rev. Ebenezer Thompson, M. A. educated in the independent way at Yale Col- lege in Connecticut, but for some years past very laborious and doing all good offices in his power towards promoting the inter- ests of religion and the advancement of the Church in those parts according to the united testimony of the Missionaries of
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the Society, after his having passed the proper examination and his having been ordained deacon and priest here in England and Mr. Thompson is by this time settled to good purpose in his mission."
The number of Missionaries and Schoolmasters at this time in New England in the employ of the Society was 21. The grant to Mr. Thompson was £40. The amount paid to all of them for their yearly service was £1120. The whole number of Missionaries and teachers in the different states in the employ of the Society was 66 and the whole amount appropri- ated was £3160. To each Missionary the Society granted £10 worth of books for a library and £5 worth of small tracts to be distributed among the parishioners.
"The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts " obtained a Royal Charter from William III on June 16, 170I.
The circumstances which called the Society into existence are stated in the Charter to be-"That in many colonies the pro- visions made for ministers is very mean-That many colonies are wholly destitute of a maintenance for ministers and the pub- lic worship of God-That for want of such maintenance many of the King's subjects are without the administration of God's Word and Sacraments and seem to be abandoned to atheism and infidelity." The early Presidents were the successive Arch- bishops of Canterbury and all the Bishops of the United Church of England and Ireland were Vice Presidents. The Corpora- tión is charged to elect into its own body from time to time such persons as are thought " beneficial to its charitable designs."
When the Society was incorporated in 1701 its work was found to consist of three great branches -" the care and instruc- tion of our own people settled in the colonies ; the conversion of the Indian natives; the conversion of the Negro slaves."
The first Missionaries of the Society, the Rev'd George Keith and the Rev'd Patrick Gordon sailed from England on the 24th of April 1702 and landed at Boston on June II. Up to 1783 the American colonies which at that time separated
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from England were the principal fields of the Society's labors. The support of the Society was then withdrawn but the seed sown sprang up and bore good fruit.
Its operations were afterwards carried on among the colonists and heathen in British North America, the West Indies, Africa, Asia and Australasia. The principle of the Society is to assist in forming churches in destitute places not to maintain them per- manently anywhere with grants of funds.
The following statement of an interesting fact appears in Mr. Cutler's Anniversary Sermon :
"On the feast of the Epiphany 1755 the Rev. E. Thompson preached in the Court House in Plymouth which was the first time the service of the Church of England was ever performed in Plymouth. The High Sheriff of the County and the Chief Magistrate with about three hundred others were present.".
Among those who temporarily officiated during the vacancy. in the rectorship which existed after the resignation . of Mr. Goldsmith in 1816 were the Reverend Benjamin Bosworth Smith and the Reverend Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright. Both afterwards became eminent and influential in the councils of the church : the former was the first Bishop of Kentucky and from 1868 until his death, President of the House of Bishops the latter was Provisional Bishop of the Diocese of New York: and also served for many years as Secretary of the House of Bishops. Sketches of these distinguished clergymen are pub- lished in Appleton's "Encyclopedia of American Biography" and in, view of the circumstances, seem worthy of reproduction in connection with the church records.
Reverend Benjamin Bosworth Smith was born at Bristol, R. I., June 13, 1794 and died in New York City, May 31, 1884. He was graduated at Brown University in 1816 and although of Congregational - parentage he studied for the ministry of the Episcopal Church. He was ordained deacon in St. Michael's Church, Bristol, R. I., April 23, 1817 by Bishop Griswold and priest in St. Michael's Church, Marblehead, on June 24, 1818 by the same bishop. His earliest work was in Marblehead
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for two years after which he became rector of St. George's Church, Accomack County, Va., and two years later rector of Zion Church of Charlestown (now W. Va.) with charge of the church in Shepherdstown. In 1823 he removed to Vermont and became rector of St. Stephen's Church, Middlebury ; in 1828 he assumed charge of Grace Church Mission in Philadel- phia and in 1830 accepted the rectorship of Christ Church, Lex- ington, Ky., which he held until 1837. While in Vermont he was editor of "The Episcopal Register" and subsequently in Philadelphia conducted "The Episcopal Recorder." In 1833 he received the degree of S. T. D. from Geneva (now Hobart) College and that of L. L. D. from Griswold College, Iowa, in 1870 and from Brown University in 1872. He was elected first Bishop of Kentucky and was consecrated in St. Paul's Chapel, New York City, Oct. 31, 1832. On the death of Bishop Hop- kins in 1868 he became Presiding Bishop. From 1872 owing to infirmities due to advanced age he was allowed to reside out of the limits of his diocese and in January 1875 was furnished with an assistant. In addition to his contributions as editor to church journalism Bishop Smith published " Five Charges to the Clergy" of his Diocese : "Saturday Evening-or Thoughts on the Progress of the Plan of Salvation" (New York 1876) and " Apostolic Succession : Facts Which Prove that a Ministry Appointed by Christ Himself Involves this Position." (1884.)
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