USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Billerica > History of Billerica, Massachusetts, with a Genealogical register > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61
1
158
HISTORY OF BILLERICA.
expect; and on ye other side, as you will approve yorselves faithful to Jesus X., and to the soule of ye sd Jonathan, we doe looke you should, and hope you will, orderly remove matters of just offence, if any there be, or seasonably and regularly enforme us.
** Seriously we doe desire you would not slight (as we dare not con- clude you will) this, or Addresse vnto you, by a silent Answer, or by retarding a returne to vs from you, but that you would let us, within a short time, heare from you, and for the interim we commend you to ye Guidance of ye good Spirit of God and rest, Yors &c.
"CHELMSFORD, 29 of 11, '59."
"12 of 2, '61. Also about Jon : Daford: when voted that we should proceed to tryal with him, in order to his joining. A Testimony vnder Mr. Whiting's. Wm. French, Jam : Parker's hand being Redd." A month later. "12 of 3, '61. On this day Jonath. Dafford joyned in covenant with this ch, promising to attend ye Rule & order of ye Gospel, as touching joyning the ch at Billerica, if once gathered, or else to remove his station to this or some other Towne where a church shall bee." Mr. Danforth kept his promise and took letters of dismission to the church in Billerica. ·· 15 : 11 : 65 .**
The formation of a church was felt by the fathers of New Eng- land to be serious business, not to be lightly or hastily undertaken : and the importance of membership was viewed in the same light. We can not read this record between the lines without suspecting some difference of opinion among these Billerica men, and that the delay of the church organization is partially explained by that fact. To the valuable record of the Chelmsford pastor we are indebted for fuller light on this subject. The church in Billerica was organized, 1663, November 11; but the accounts of the town treasurer2 inti- mate the presence of a council here in the April previous. Of this hitherto mysterious council, its object and result, Mr. Fiske fortu- nately gives us the full story. His record brings out the fact that Billerica was agitated by the question, so seriously disturbing the churches of the day, respecting the relation of baptized children to the church, and whether they could acquire, by infant baptism alone. the rights of citizenship in the State.
The Chelmsford record is as follows : --
·· Billerica's case.
"On 12 of 24, 63, we received lets fro Mr Whiting & ye Breth" for ye Pastor & Brethren to joyne with ye other messengers of X8 in counsell to be given ym about yre proceeding to Xs state. Bro. Burge being chosen with ye pastr. Attendance was accordingly thr given on 27th of 2ª, as appoynted, whr met us the messengers of ye X of Ooburne: but Cambr
2 See ante, p. 70.
159
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
& Watertowne messengers ca not, being as seemd by Lrs Hindred by Pryd. The messengers of ye 2 sd Xs beforesd, being prsent, were desired by ye Breth of Billericay, notwithstanding. to hr ye case & if possibly to help ym; Accordingly, it was Attended upon the desire, & on the 2d day, being the sitting day, Mr. Whiting & the rest. on both apprehensions, met. But we could not co to state ye qu between them till the Afternoon. So after we had made many assaies with them togethr & aprte. At length finding: 1. That yr was a willingness & desire on both prtes, to joyne together in ye worke of gathering a X & carrying on of ye ordin : amongst them, notwithstanding ye differance of yr Apprhensions aboute Children's state in ye X concerning ye [?] 2. That ye dissenting brethren to Mr. Whiting's prte had declared thereof :
"1. That y' childr of parents in full coion were to be Baptized.
"2. yes children, being baptized, are vnder the care of ye Church, wch is to see to yr pious [nurture?] in ye heart & feare of God. & to be cate- chized. &c. Onely so' of ym would not have ym vnder ye powr of ye X to be censured, tho so' of ym yielded it yt [?] now members, & might be ex- co'icated if deserving, only ys could not convey any right of membersh to y' Childr, nor could thr childr be reputed membrs. vnless yr imediate puts were in full coion vpon this account. The following question being drawne vp & p'posed, was consented to, on all hands, to be The Question."
"The Copy of ye qu : & Answer given by ye Counsel to the Billericay . Brethren is as follows : 28 of 24, 63, Billeriey.
"Qu. Suppose an equall number of persons differing in thr opinions aboute childrens intereste in the Church (both Infants & Adult) & both willing to practice their Opinion : How may such psons Joyne together according to a Rule & live together in church state according to a Rule? "A. We conceive as followeth :
"1. That the two dissenting parties doe each of them choose equally (suppose fower). each of ym of yrowne App'hensions, to be the matter of ye foundation. 2. That these all mutually & joyntly doe take & give satisfaction. each to other, touching there meetnes vnto this greate worke. as in all other Respts. 3. That if there app any just cause of laying by any one of these vpon the forest account. that then One othr pson be chosen. according to ye first Pposal, in his Roome: 4. That each trouble not the Other as to the matter of there apprhension aboute the question betweene them, othrwise than by a Meeke, Brotherly & modest reasoning out the case of difference by the Word of God, as occasion is offered, for the mutual help one of another. 5. That the matter of difference as to the case of children simply beco no barr or lett to any, othrwise fitt to be received in, or added to them.
"Postser. And we doe hope, thro the Lord's help, that if you can thus joyne in all Brotherly love & goe on together in the due exercise of the same Love. forbearance & Tenderness: you may longe continew to- gether with the Lord's blessed prsence in the midst of you. eleering up his will & way more fully to you in his owne season : when we shall pray for on yor Behalves.
·· Subscribed : JO: FFISKE. THO: CARTER. EDW. JOHNSON. Jo". BURGE."
The men who were interested in and moved by such questions as these had mental powers of no mean order. It is not easy for us fully to understand their position, but it does not become us to underestimate them or smile at their difficulties. They were dealing at first hand with fundamental problems of church and state, and
160
HISTORY OF BILLERICA.
they had not the light of two hundred and fifty years' experience to guide them. This possible church, outlined by the April council, smacks suspiciously of Presbyterian eldership and authority. It can hardly be the same as the foundation which was actually laid six months later. Again the Chelmsford record aids us :-
"11 of 9, 63, Billerica.
"Messengers fro ys ch. attended ye ch. gathering at Billericay where they all made a Relatio of ye worke of grace & consented in a written pro- fession of faith; & Mr. Whiting ordayned pastor. ye day comfortable.
The assembling of this council and its proceedings must have formed a notable day in the lives of the fathers. It will help us revive the memory of the scene, if we recall the names of those who were likely to have composed it.
Roxbury was represented certainly by its junior pastor, Samuel Danforth. He was the colleague of John Eliot, the devout and active Indian missionary, whose marvellous translation of the Bible into the language of the Indians was printed that very year. His labors among the natives at Wamesit must often have led him through Billerica, and it is pleasant to think that he also was prob- ably present. Lynn must have sent her pastor, Samuel Whiting, Sen .. the father of our candidate. And the mother church at Cam- bridge would not fail to share with her pastor, Jonathan Mitchel, in the joys of the day. Chelmsford, which had received as settlers a church already organized, with its pastor, John Fiske, gave gladly the hand of fellowship to a nearer sister. Concord, Woburn, and Andover would complete the circle of neighboring churches, and their pastors were Peter Bulkley, the cousin of Mr. Whiting's mother, Thomas Carter, and Francis Dane. The first minister of Boston, John Wilson, may have been present with his church ; and Thomas Shepard, who had been Mr. Whiting's classmate at Harvard College, as pastor of Charlestown. Malden, Reading, and Watertown would make up twelve churches, and their, pastors were Michael Wiggles- worth, the poet, John Brock, the devout, and John Sherman, the eminent mathematician.
Whether all these were present or not, it was a grave and rev- erend council which convened here on that November day. Our old town perhaps never had a more notable assembly. The candidate was most carefully examined in his doctrine and experience. He would have occasion to exercise all the logical skill acquired in his
161
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
Harvard training and displayed in his graduating thesis, on the question, "An detur Maximum et Minimum in Natura." There was at least one sermon, and the organization of the church at the same time may have required another ; and, if the custom of a later day then obtained, the candidate preached his own ordaining sermon. The possible duration of these public services is suggested in the Woburn experience. There, when the church was organized, Mr. 'Symmes introduced the services and "continued in prayer and preaching about the space of four or five hours." What would follow such an introduction we may imagine ! Whatever the order or length of the services, that little thatched meeting-house was well filled by a congregation too much interested, as well as too devout, to betray weariness or to thank their descendants for sympathy.
It is due to this first and eminent pastor of Billerica that we glance at the home and influences which had aided in moulding his character. They will help us to understand better, not only this man himself, but others of his charge, fathers of the town. Rev. Samuel Whiting, of Lynn, was the father of our Samuel. Like John Cotton, of Boston, he gave the name of the English town in which he was first pastor to his New England home. His father, John Whiting, and two of his brothers were mayors of the English Boston, and warm friends of their pastor, John Cotton, in whose Puritan convictions they shared. Samuel Whiting was born, 1597, November 20, and took the degrees of A. B. and A. M. at Emanuel College, Cambridge, 1616 and 1620. Receiving orders, 'he was three years a family chaplain, and then installed at Lynn Regis, in Norfolk. Here, after three years, his earnestness and independence made him obnoxious to the Bishop of Norwich, and charges of non- conformity were made against him. But the death of King James relieved him, and . the Bishop was willing to promise his friend the Earl of Lincoln, who interceded for him, that he would no further worry him, in case he would begone out of his diocese where he could not reach him." He therefore removed to Skirbeck, near Boston his old home. Here he labored for some years, not less faithful to his non-conformist principles on account of persecution, until the pressure of the times under Charles drove him forth, as it did Cotton, Hooker, and so many of the noblest and best men and women of England, in search of peace and "freedom to worship God," in America.
While living at Skirbeck Mr. Whiting married, 1629, August 6,
.
162
HISTORY OF BILLERICA.
his second wife, Elizabeth St. John, and here our Samuel, her eldest child, was born, 1633, March 25. His mother was of a family still older and more notable. She was the daughter of the Right Hon. Oliver St. John, a member of Parliament. Her brother Oliver married a cousin of Oliver Cromwell, and was one of the first lawyers and most progressive men of England. He defended John Hampden in the great case in which he resisted the King, on the question of the payment of ship money, and made that name immortal among the defenders of liberty. Later he became, under Cromwell, the Lord Chief Justice of England.
His sister, Mrs. Whiting, added grace to her name by the beauty of her person and the worth of her character. Her noble and gentle blood proved its true quality, by the faithfulness with which she performed the duty and bore the hardships of her position as the wife of the humble country minister. Her rank and wealth did not bind any fetters around the freedom of their religious convictions ; and when the Puritan minister would leave all that must have .made England dear, she was ready to face the hardships and perils of the wilderness with him and prove herself his true helpmeet. Coming of such a stock, from such a home, with the best training which the times had to give, the young pastor of Billerica was qualified to magnify his office and make his mark upon the rising town.
No records of the church are in existence until the settlement of the third pastor, in 1747, and on what basis of doctrine or covenant it was organized we know not. A renewal of covenant took place at that time, and it is sufficiently probable that the covenant then used, and found in the first book of the church's records which has been preserved, was identical with that which was adopted by the fathers. It is as follows :-
"The Covenant of the Church of Christ in Billerica.
"We, the Church of Christ in Billerica, hoping it will have a tendency the better to preserve peace and Order among us, and cause us to be more circumspect in our walk and conversation, renewedly to covenant with God and one another, thereby binding ourselves by an act of our own to walk in the way of God's commandments, being sensible of our proneness to backslide; Tho we are unworthy of such a transaction. yet Renouncing all confidence in our Selves and Relying on Christ alone for help, do cove- nant as follows, viz:
"We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Inspiration of God, and promise by the Help of the Divine Spirit to govern our Selves, both as to faith and practice, according to that perfect
163
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
Rule; and we also engage to walk together as a Ch of Christ according to all those holy Rules of the Gospel respecting a particular Church of Christ, so far as God hath or shall reveal to us his mind in that respect.
"We do accordingly Recognize the Covenant of Grace, in which we acknowledge our Selves professedly devoted to the fear and service of God, Our Supreme Lord, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, the High Priest, Prophet, and King of his Church. unto whose Conduct we submit ourselves, on whom alone we wait and hope for Grace and glory. to whom we bind ourselves in an Everlasting Covenant never to be broken.
·· We likewise give our Selves up one to another as fellow members of one Body in brotherly Love and holy Watebfulness over one another. for mutual Edification. and to Subject our Selves to all the Holy administrations appointed by him who is the Head of his Church, dispensed according to the Rules of the Gospell. and to give our constant attendance on all the Publick Ordinances of Christ's Institution; Walking orderly as becometh Saints.
‘: We do likewise acknowledge our Posterity to be included with us in the Gospel Covenant, and, Blessing God for so Rich a favour, do promise to bring them up in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord, with the greatest care; and to acknowledge them in their Covenant Relation accord- ing to the Rules of the Gospel.
"Furthermore, we promise to be careful to, our utmost to keep up all the Ordinances of the Gospel among us. and to admit to our Communion all Such as shall desire to Join themselves to us. If in a Judgment of Charity we can be satisfied they are qualified therefor. And to walk in all Regular and due Communion with other Churches of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And now. since we have thus bound ourselves in Covenant to God and to one another, may the good Lord pity us and pardon our frailties ; Humble us out of all confidence in our Selves; and may the grace of Christ. which is sufficient for us, be afforded unto us; and he who is the great Shepherd of our souls Lead us into the paths of Truth and Righteousness for his Name's sake. and at the last Receive us all into his heavenly Kingdom. Amen.
"BILLERICA, August 14, 1747."
"The Church met. having been Regularly notified & warned, & unani- mously voted and testified their consent to the aforewritten Covenant, and their Resolution to adhere to and govern themselves by it.
· Test. SAMUELL RUGGLES, Pastor."
The last clause suggests the influence of the question which early agitated the churches, as to the terms of communion and church membership. At the beginning, in New England, only members of the church could vote or hold office. This fact did not result from the bigotry of the fathers. It would be as reasonable to reproach them for not having invented the steam-engine or discovered the circulation of the blood. Church membership was everywhere the
164
HISTORY OF BILLERICA.
rule of civil privileges. The very occasion of their trouble was, the extension, before unknown, which they were giving to those privileges and the right of suffrage as a factor of their new Common- wealth. In England the practice was to baptize all children in infancy, and regard all as church members who had not been excommunicated. Persons appointed to office, civil or military, must " qualify" by receiving the communion in the church, and many received it for this purpose and neglected it for every other. The fathers had been educated in this school and had no experience in any differing from it. It was to them a large and doubtful assumption that civil privileges in the Christian State they were rearing could be safely extended to non-communicants. But their spiritual enlighten- ment convinced them that to sprinkle an infant with water did not make him a child of God, and they could not recognize the disciple- ship of those who gave, in mature years, no "credible evidence of regeneration." They were thus brought into practical difficulty. A generation of baptized children were coming to maturity, many of whom had not united with the churches and were by that fact excluded from rights and duties in which their activity was important to the common welfare. Moreover, the children of these non-com- municants were growing up without baptism, which, in the mother country, they would have received. What was to be done? The debates grew earnest and serious, and the result was the calling of a synod by the General Court, consisting of the elders and messengers from all the churches. This was held in 1662, and Samuel Whiting, the father, was a moderator of the body and had much influence in shaping its result. What is known as the Half-Way Covenant was the fruit of these deliberations. Some of the ablest divines in the synod opposed, but the majority decided : "5th. Church. members, who were admitted in minority, understanding the doctrine of faith and publicly professing their assent thereto ; not scandalous in life and solemnly owning the covenant before the church wherein they give up themselves and their children to the Lord and subject them- selves to the government of Christ in the church, their children are to be baptized."
On this compromise the practice of the church in Billerica rested. In fifty years of Dr. Cumings's ministry he admitted one hundred and ninety-nine persons to the Half-Way Covenant and three hundred and seven to full communion. The practiec fell into neglect ; there is no record of its formal discontinuance.
165
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
From the' Town Records we glean items illustrative of the religious life of the church and its relations with its pastor.
The first sexton was William Haile.
"12: 12: 62. by order & advise of ye Townsmen, I did agree [John Parker was clerk and first ‹townsman,' or selectman, and speaks in the first person] with Willi Haill to keep ye meeting-house clean for 1 year for 20s. Also he doth ingadge to digg ye graves for such persons as shall dye in this Town, he being payd for ye same 18 pr. a grave. or more, if it doe apere to be worth more. as the Nater of the digging shall require or the season of the year shall fall out. to hinder him in the work by frost or the like, then the said Willi is to have a hand to help him if Need require."
This service he continued to discharge until 1668, in which year he died. John Trull succeeded him. A list of curious interest is
"The Rate for Mr. Whiting's maintenance for ye year 63.
Ralph Hill 03: 12: 03 Willy Hamlett.
01:11: 00
Nathaniel Hill 03: 17: 06 John Parker 03: 17: 06
Captin Gookin's farme
03: 02: 00 Samuel Champneys 03: 02: 00
John ffrench 01: 11: 00
francies Wyman 01: 11: 00
George ffarley 03: 02: 00
John Wyman
01: 11: 00
Willo French
01: 11: 00
Samuel Kemp 00: 15: 06
William Chamberlin
01: 00: 08
Simon Croshey 01: 04: 10
Henery Jefts
01: 11: 00
Simon Bird 01: 11: 00
Eldr Richard Champney 03: 17: 06 John Stern 03: 02: 00
Thomas Foster 01: 04: 10
Daniell Shead
01: 04: 10
Christopher Webb
00: 18: 08
Benjamin Parker
01: 11: 00
Joseph Tompson
00: 15: 06
Thomas Pattin
01: 04: 10
Peeter Brackett
00: 15: 06
Jacob Brown 01: 04: 10
Captin Brackett
John Stern
Simon Crosby for
James Patterson 00: 18: 08
Kinsley's lot 01: 11: 00
John Rogers, Senr
01: 04: 10
Widdow Hubart 00: 18: 08
John Durant 00:07:09
James Kidder 01: 11: 00
Jonathan Danforth
01: 11: 00
John Kittrige 00: 15: 06
Golden More &
Joseph ffrench
01: 11: 00
Golden 10s, Joseph 1: 01
Roger Toothaere
00: 03: 00
John Poulter 01: 04: 10
John Baldwin 01:04: 10
John Marshall 00: 18: 08
John Trull 00: 18: 08
John Sheldon
01:11: 00
Willº Tay
01: 11: 00
John Brackett 00: 15: 06
Thomas Willice 00:07:09
Samuell Trull 00: 03: 00
Ja. ffrost 00: 15: 00
Sume is 71:01: S
71: 9: 0
"7: 9: 64. the Townsmen did agree that Mr. Whiting's maintenance shall be payd him acordinge to ye several sums above specified for ye yere 64."
Willo Haill 00: 07: 09
166
HISTORY OF BILLERICA.
The following are added in the handwriting of the succeeding clerk, William Tay ;-
Roger Toothaker Jhon Rogers Sa. Trull Jos. ffrench (?)
00-09-02
00-14-02
00-09-07
00-09-10
00-10-05
2-12-04
71-09- 0
74-01- 4
The last name is obscure ; it may be Ranalls, but is not found elsewhere. These payments of the minister's rates were often, perhaps commonly, made directly to the minister and his receipt taken ; a practice which might easily produce some confusion in the accounts of the town with him. When persons fell into arrears, in "clearing with Mr. Whiting," the case would be reported to the selectmen, as thus appears : -
"19. 9m 66. The selectmen do order and impower the constable to collect of severall ye inhabitance & proprietors amongst us those severall sumes of money, due to Mr. Whiting, our minister. according to a bill given in to the selectmen under Mr. Whiting's hand, for his yearly mainte- nance; and in case any person shall neglect or refuse to pay in ye same. acording to order to Mr. Whiting, then the constable shall distraine such persons for their areers, acording to law."
"29: 11m 67. In town meeting it was agreed that for the futer Mr. Whiting shall have all his corne paid in to him at such prises as the court shall set for ye country rate annually. Also it was farther declared that the towne had formerly agreed to give Mr. Whiting one pound of butter upon every milch cow, annually, in part of pay."
1670. " It is agreed that ye minister's rate should annually be comitted to the constable's care, as ye other town rates are."
In 1674, the town voted : -
"That in case ye constables be forced to distraine any pson or psons for their dues to Mr. Whiting." * * they " shall not take any lands or horse flesh, or anything that is not equivalent to wheat or other graine or porke at the country rate prise, both for the supply of Mr. Whiting's family and for the market, which is the specia mentioned in the towne covenant with Mr. Whiting * to be delivered at Mr. Whiting's house at their charge who are distrained.
" Also, Job Laine's proposition to abate him, añually, part of his dues to Mr. Whiting was propounded to the town, but not accepted."
167
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
The matter of arrears in salary occurs in the Records every three or four years, the constables receiving charge to see that delinquents "cleared with Mr. Whiting." In 1685, a list is given of forty persons whose arrears amount to £32, 18s., 10d.
At the town meeting, 1692-3, March 6 :-
"The Reverend Mr. Whiting propounded that the one part of the Covenant on the town's part with him had not in his aprehencion been fulfilled. the town haveing engadged above the seventy pound per annum for to ' better our pastour's maintenance as god should better our estates,' which had not yet bene done by any town act: for altho there had fre- quently bene over plus in the Rates. it had bene disposed of by the Towne for the payment of what anually could not be gotten; ye Reverend Mr. Whiting at the same time declared his readiness to comply with anything which was Rationall, and the town at the same time manifesting their thankful acknowledgement unto Mr. Whiting that had so far accepted what this pore place had been capable of doing for him," etc. * * "The town do agre to make good the severall Rates that have bene comitted unto the Reverend Mr. Samuell Whiting, in the severall sums as they have bene comitted unto him, ever since the beginning of eighty four. & to see that they are paid in unto Mr. Whiting upon the account of making good the other part of the covenant above or besides the seaventy pounds; & for the future we do engadge to alow Mr. Whiting his firewood. anually. above his seventy pound, in the same specie as before.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.