USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register > Part 28
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believe that only believers and their seed ought to be received into the church by that sacrament; hence profane unbeliev- ers are not to be received into the church. And that the seed are to be received, that of Paul is elear, -else your children were unholy; hence, if holy, let them be of- fered to God ; let children come to me. And as children, so those that come to mature age ought to be received into the church by baptism. And eoneerning the outward elements, something there is con- cerning sprinkling in the Seripture ; hence not offended when it is used." - Shepard's MS. Confessions.
3 Probably Mr. Mitchell was the " min- 2 Magnalia, Book iv., eh. iv., § 10. To ister" then engaged in administering the the lasting honor of Mitchell and Dun-
ordinanee of baptism.
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that, on that day, " Mr. Dunster spake to the congregation in the time of the public ordinance, to the interruption thereof, without leave, which was also aggravated in that he being desired by the Elder to forbear and not to interrupt an ordinance of Christ, yet notwithstanding he proceeded in way of complaint to the congre- gation, saying I am forbidden to speak that in Christ's name which I would have testified. And in his following speeches, he asserted as his testimony in the name of Christ these things : 1. That the subjects of baptism were visible, penitent believers, and they only, by virtue of any rule, example or any other light in the new Testament. 2. That there was an action now to be done which was not according to the institution of Christ. 3. That the exposition, as it had been held forth, was not the mind of Christ. 4. That the covenant of Abraham is not a ground for baptism ; no, not after the institution thereof. 5. That there were such corruptions stealing into the church, which every faith- ful Christian ought to bear witness against. The Court ordered that Mr. Henry Dunster, according to Eccleast. Law, page 19. at the next Lecture at Cambridge should (by such magistrates as should then be present) be publicly admonished, and give bond for his good behaviour.
" Mr. Henry Dunster acknowledged that he had spoken these particulars above named, and said that he owned them and that he would stand by them in the fear of God; and after farther debate he gave in his answer in writing as followeth : April 4th 1655. I answer to the presentment of the grand jury : - I an- swer, first, that I am not conscious that I did or said any thing contemptuously or in open contempt of God's word or messengers, and therefore I am not guilty of the breach of that Law, page 19, as I conceive. For the particulars that were charged against me, the terms, words, or expressions, wherein they are presented to the honored Court, I own not, being not accurately the same that were spoken, especially the 1st, 4th, and 5th ; but the matter or purport of them I spake. I also acknowledged, and do, that for the manner they were not seasonably spoken; but for the matter, I conceived then, and so do still, that I spake the truth in the fear of God, and dare not deny the same or go from it, until the Lord otherwise teach me; and this I pray the honored Court to take for mine answer. As for any words or expressions that in mixed or broken conference, interrogations by sundry persons propounded and mine answers interrupted before they have been fully expressed, I heartily and humbly pray you, mine honored
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
Judges, as you desire to find mercy with our gracious Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ, that you will be pleased to give the most can- did and christian construction, if any were amiss, seeing charity thinketh no evil, and seeing by interruptions they were not per- fected, and especially since my sickness yesternight my mind and expressions are not in a capacity to be so clear and distinct as usually ; that therefore no lapse in expression, proceeding from the aforesaid grounds or mere natural infirmity may be improved against your humble servant and afflicted brother,
HENRY DUNSTER."
It is reported by his biographers, that Mr. Mitchell was a Fellow of Harvard College, 1650, a member of the Synod which assembled at Boston in 1662, and very frequently employed on ecclesiastical councils and in resolving questions propounded by the General Court ; and that, while he was much younger than inany of his associates, great deference was paid to his skill and judgment. The famous Baxter is reported to have said, " If an Ecumenical Council could be obtained, Mr. Mitchell were worthy to be its moderator." But his labors, and trials, and enjoyments, in the work of the ministry, came to a sudden termination July 9, 1668, when a violent fever destroyed his life. Although, while living, his name was renowned in the church, it is not found in- scribed on any monumental stone, to denote the spot where his body was laid. There are circumstances, however, which render it highly probable that the bones found under the slab which bears the name of President Dunster are in fact the bones of Mitchell. They are briefly as follows: About thirty years ago, a desire was entertained to erect some memorial of Dunster. The place of his sepulture was unknown, but it was assumed to be underneath an ancient slab from which the inscription had dis- appeared. This assumption is said to have been grounded on two facts, which were supposed to point more directly to Dunster than to any other person - 1. It was perceived that this slab was of a peculiar stone, probably imported, and unlike any others in the cemetery except two, which bore respectively the names of President Chauncy and President Oakes, who died during the same half century. 2. There were found, not very far from this slab, two headstones, inscribed with the names of President Dunster's great-grandchildren. The subsequent. proceedings are related by Palfrey : --
" His grave, in the old ' God's Acre,' near the halls of Harvard
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College, was opened July 1, 1846, when the President and Fel- lows renewed the tablet over it. The remains were found lying six feet below the surface, in a brick vault which was covered with irregularly shaped flag-stones of slate about three inches thick. The coarse cotton or linen shroud which enveloped them had apparently been saturated with some substance, probably resinous, which prevented it from closely fitting the body. Be- tween it and the remains of the coffin was found a large quantity of common tansy, in seed, a portion of which had evidently been pulled up by the roots. The skeleton appeared to be that of a person of middle size ; but it was not measured, as the extremities of the bones of the arms and thighs had perished, as well as por- tions of the cancellated structure of these and of some other bones. The configuration of the skull, which was in good preservation, was such as to the phrenologists indicates qualities, both moral and intellectual, of a superior order. The hair, which appeared to have retained its proper place, was long behind, covering thickly the whole head, and coming down upon the forehead. This, as well as the beard, which upon the upper lip and chin was about half an inch long, was of a light brown color. The eyebrows were thick, and nearly met each other.1
The foregoing description indicates the remains of some emi- nent person. But are they the remains of Dunster ? or, are they not rather the remains of Mitchell ? It is no disparage- ment to Dunster to assume that Mitchell was fully his equal, botlı intellectually and morally ; so that the skull might seem as characteristic of the one as of the other. The character of the grave and memorial slab is more suitable to Mitchell than to Dunster, because, 1. Dunster left a small estate, deeply involved in debt, and there is no evidence that his widow was able, or that the corporation of the College was disposed, to provide for him such an expensive sepulchre ; but, on the other hand, Mitch- ell died in the meridian of his fame, and left a plentiful estate, so that his widow was able thus to honor him, unless (which is more probable) his church insisted on defraying the expense.2 2. The peculiar slab, similar, it is said, only to those which cover the remains of Chauncy, who died in 1672, and Oakes, who died in 1681, would more probably be placed over the grave of Mitch-
1 Hist. New Eng., ii. 534.
2 The church, which long made a gen- erous allowance to the widow of their beloved pastor, and was able to send a special messenger to England, to invite
his successor, (and another to accompany him hither,) surely would not grudge him an honorable burial and a conspicu- ous stone of remembrance.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
ell, who died in 1668, than over that of Dunster, who died nine years earlier, in 1659. But if the structure and adornments of the grave point to Mitchell rather than to Dunster, much more its contents. For what conceivable reason should the coffin of Dunster have been stuffed with tansy, or his body wrapped in cerecloth ? He died in February, when the frost might reason- ably be expected to arrest decomposition and prevent any nox- ious or offensive effluvia from his body. Morton, indeed, says, " his body was embalmed and removed unto Cambridge; " but it may reasonably be doubted whether the process was very thorough or complete at that season of the year. On the con- trary, Mitchell died in midsummer, and under circumstances re- quiring the utmost precaution against discomfort and danger. Mather says, " Mr. Mitchell had, from a principle of godliness, used himself to bodily exercise ; nevertheless lie found it would not wholly free him from an ill habit of body. Of extreme lean, he grew extreme fat ; and at last, in an extreme hot season, a fever arrested lıim." 1 This was a case loudly calling for cere- cloth and tansy ; and the proof is preserved that such cloth was actually used. In the old Financial Record of the Church is found this memorandum of disbursement : " To goodman Orton of Charlestown for making a terpalning 2 to wrap Mr. Michell, and for doing something to his coffing that way 48." And what would be more natural than to adopt the custom, which cer- tainly prevailed in the country in the early part of even the present century, of placing tansy in and around the coffin, to counteract the effect of unpleasant odors ? The contents of the grave described by Palfrey were precisely what we might expect to find in the grave of Mitchell, and what we should not expect to find in the grave of Dunster ; namely, the cerecloth or tarpau- ling, which was necessary, and is known to have been used in the one case, but not known to have been either necessary or used in the other, and the tansy, which was in season, fragrant, and adapted to its purpose, in the one case, and out of season, com- paratively unfragrant, and useless in the other. On the whole, it seems highly probable that the monumental slab, on which is inscribed the name of President Dunster, actually covers the re- mains of Rev. Jonathan Mitchell.3 It may be added, if this be
.
1 Magnalia, Book iv., ch. iv., § 16.
2 Tarpauling, cloth smeared with tar.
8 The name of this eminent man is spelled Mitchel on the College Catalogue ; I write it Mitchell, because, in several au-
tographs which I have seen, it was uni- formly so written by himself; and it was written in the same form by his two sons, Samuel (H. C. 1681), and Jonathan (H. C. 1687).
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
really the grave of Mitchell, the remains of Shepard probably rest near it, because the widow of these two pastors, as well as their bereaved and grateful church, would naturally desire that their bodies should rest near each other. It may also be safely supposed that Dunster was buried near the same spot ; for where could his friends desire to place his body rather than near that of his former pastor and beloved co-laborer, Mr. Shep- ard, the only clergyman who had previously been laid to his rest in that cemetery ? This supposition is to some extent rendered more probable by the proximity of the graves of the great- grandchildren.
For three years after the death of Mr. Mitchell, the church remained destitute of a pastor ; during which time President Chauncy appears to have partially performed the duties of that office. The committee appointed by the town for that purpose voted, Dec. 20, 1669, that "fifty pounds be paid to Mr. Chauncy and such as labor among us in preaching the word," and " thirty pounds to Mistris Mitchell," and Dec. 23, 1670, forty-five pounds were in like manner granted to Mr. Chauncy, and thirty pounds to Mrs. Mitchell.1 In the mean time the town and church were not idle or inactive. Thus it is recorded, Feb. 8, 1668-9. " For catechising the youth of this town; Elder Champney, Mr. Oakes, are appointed for those on the south side the Bridge. Elder Wiswall, Mr. Jackson, and John Jackson, for those at the new church. Deacon Stone, and Deacon Chesholme, for those at the remote farms. Lt. Winship, William Dixon and Francis Whitmore for those on west side Winottime. Deacon Stone and Deacon Cooper, for those families on the west side the common, and for Watertowne lane, as far towards the town as Samuel Hastings.2 Thomas Danforth and Thomas Fox, for those fami- lies on the east side the common. Richard Jackson and Mr. Stedman, for those families on the west side of the town : Cap- tain Gookin and Elder Frost, for those families on the east side of the town ; - Water Street, leading from the meeting-house to the waterside being the partition." Again, May 10, 1669, " The Selectmen, taking into consideration, upon the complaint of some of the idleness and carelessness of sundry persons in the time of public worship, upon the Sabbath day, by keeping with- out the meeting-house, and there unprofitably spending their
1 Similar gratuities were granted to Mrs. Mitehell, from year to year, as late as 1687.
2 That is, to Ash Street.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
time, whereby God's name is dishonored, - they do order, for the time being, that the Constable shall set a ward of one man during the time of public worship, one in the forenoon and another in the afternoon, to look unto such persons, that they do attend upon the public worship of God, that God's name and worship be not neglected nor profaned by the evil miscarriage of such persons."
Hitherto the pastors of the churchi had dwelt in their own houses ; but now it was determined to erect a house, at the pub- lic expense, as a parsonage. July 5, 1669, " Voted on the affirmative, that the Selectmen and Deacons, and Richard Jack- son, and Mr. Stedman, and Mr. Angier, are appointed a commit- tee, to take present care to purchase or build a convenient house for the entertainment of the minister that the Lord may please to send us to make up the breach that his afflicting providence hath made in this place ; and that the charge thereof be levied on the inhabitants as is usnal in proportioning the maintenance of the ministry." Afterwards a different method of payment was adopted. Sept. 9, 1669, " At a church meeting, to consider about the selling of the church's farm at Bilrica, for the building of a house for the ministry, it was voted on the affirmative, that the said farm should be sold and improvement made of it for the building of a house for the ministry."1 In the old Financial Record of the Church a particular statement is made that "a committee was chosen for that purpose, which tooke care for the same, and to that ende bought fower akers of land of widdow Beale to set the house upon, and in the yeare 1670 theare was a house earected upon the sayd land of 36 foote long and 30 foote broad ; this house to remayne the churchis and to be the dwell- ing place of such a minister and officer as the Lord shall be pleased to supply us withall, during the time hee shall supply that place amongst us.2 The chargis layd out for the purchas of the land and building of the house and barne, inclosing the orchyard and other accommodations to it :
" The purchas of the land in cash 402. 08. 0d The building and finishing the house 263. 5. 6
The building the barne,
42. 0. 0
1 It was sold Nov. 12, 1669, to Richard Daniels, for .£220.
2 This house stood on the northerly
side of Harvard Street, two or three hundred feet easterly from Plympton Street.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
'The inclosing the orchyard and yards, and re- payering the fencis, building an office-house, and planting the orchyard with trees, and seeling some part of the house and laying a duble floore on sume part of it,
27. 1. 10
" In the yeere 1676, the hall and hall-chamber were sealed, and another floore of bords was layed upon the chichin chamber. The perticular chargis : -
" 20 bushells of lime and the feching it 11. 18. 84 800 of larth, 68. 8ª. a bushel of hayer, 18 0. 7. 8
3 peckes of shreds, 18. 6ª ; lamblack, 8ª 0. 2. 2
3560 nailes, 88. 10}d 0. 8. 10}
The mason's worke 1. 4. 0
For brickes, and sand, and help to brick the kichen 4. 6. 4} "
Other disbursements at this period were : -
March 6. 1668-9. "To Deacon Stone by a pair of shooes and a pound of suger, because the deacon had silver though they cost him 48 6ª, had but
Feb. 4, 1670. " Payd in silver, by the apoyntment of the commitee for the mynister house unto the deputie governor, Mr. Francis Willoughby, by Deacon Stone and Thomas Chesholm, as appears by his discharg wch Deacon Stone hath, for the discharg of Mr. Michells funarall the sum of eight pounds thirteen shillings six pence. I say the sum of
The events connected with the induction of Mr. Oakes to the pastorate are minutely detailed in the ancient record : "An ac- count of seaverall providencis of God to the Church of Cambrigd, after the death of that reverant and eminent man Mr. Jonathan Micthell pastor of the church of Cambrigd whoe departed this life July th 9, 1668, and the actings of the church for supply in the ministry. The church, sume time after gave Mr. William Stoutton a call, but they were denied, but after sume time of seek- inge God by prayer the Lord was pleased to guide the church to make theare application to Mr. Urian Oakes in old England which to further the same theare was a letter sent from the church with a mesenger namly Mr. William Maning with a letter alsoe sent by seaverall magistats and ministers to invite him to come over and be an oficer amongst us which he after counsill and advice did except but devine providence ded hinder him for that yeere by reason of a sickness the Lord was pleased to visit his wife withall
04. 38. 6ª.
81.13. 6ª
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
and afterward tooke her away by death which hindered him for that yeere. The church the next yeere renewed againe thear call to him by another letter but then he was hindered by an ague that he was long visited withall in the yeere 1670. Thease providencis interposing the church was in doupt wheather to waight any longer but after sume debate the church was willing to waight till the spring in the yeere 1671 and then had an answer early in the yeere of his purpose to come over that sumer which was acomplished by the good providence of God hee ariving in New England July th 3, 1671, and finding good acceptance both by the church and towne and in the country and joined a member with our church and was ordained pastur of our church November the eight 1671."
Mr. Oakes was received with demonstrations of joy. "At a meeting of the church and town July the 17th 1671. - 1. To acknowledge thankfulness to Mr. Oakes for his great love and self-denial in parting with his friends and concerns in England to come over to us. 2. To manifest unto him the continuance of the earnest and affectionate desires of the church and people that, as soon as well may be, he would please to join in fellow- ship here, in order to his settlement and becoming a pastor to this church. 3. To intreat him forthwith to consent to remove himself and family into the house prepared for the ministry. 4. That the deacons be furnished and enabled to provide for his accommodation at the charge of the church and town, and dis- tribute the same seasonably for the comfort of him and his family. 5. That half a year's payment forthwith be made by every one, according to their yearly payment to the ministry ; and the one half of it to be paid in money, and the other in such pay as is suitable to the end intended. All these particulars were voted on the affirmative." The church and town united in keeping " the 17th day of January 1676 a day of thanksgiving" that the loss sustained by Mr. Mitchell's death was thus supplied. The expense attending the removal of Mr. Oakes, including the ser- vices of a special messenger sent to accompany him hither, was defrayed by the church. " August the 9th 1671. Delivered to William Manning sixty pounds in silver to pay Mr. Prout toward the transportation of Mr. Urian Oakes his familie and goods, and other disbursements and for John Taylor his passage, I say payed him the just sume of 60'. 0. 0. Let it be taken notice of that Mr. Prout dos demaund thirteen pounds more due to him." This balance was subsequently paid, as appears by the account :
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
" Disbursed for Mr. Oakes transportation from Old England with his family 737." Also a gratuity was given to the messenger. Out of the legacy of £20 bequeathed to the church by Hezekiah Usher, who died in 1676, there was given " to Jolin Taylor five pound, hee being in sume streights by reason of a dept in Eng- land he goeing to accompany our pastor to New England it was the ocation of it."
An additional glimpse of the customs of that period is obtained from the following " Account of the disbursements for the ordi- nation of Mr. Urian Oakes pastor of the church of Cambrigd, being the 8 of November, 1671.
" It. 3 bushells of wheate 02. 15. 0d
It. 2 bushells } of malt 0.10. 0
It. 4 gallons of wine
0. 18. 0
It. for beefe 1. 10. 0
It. for mutton 1. 4.0
It. for 301 of butter 0. 15. 0
It. for foules 0. 14. 9
. It. for suger, spice, and frute, and other small things 1. 0. 0
1.
It. for labour 8. 6
It. for washing the table lining
0. 6. 0
It. for woode 78 0. 7. 0
It. suit 71b, 38 bread 6ª 0. 9. 0
9. 17.3"
" Gathered by contribution of the church the saboth before ₹ 41. 78. 1ª. the ordination for the sayde occasion
" And the remainder of the charge was defrayed out of the weekly contribution 5. 10. 2
9. 17.3"
As a further illustration of the customs, the following items are inserted : -
" Eldar Frost liing a longe time weake with others of his familly alsoe having the ague at the same time the church see meete to make a contribution for liis relefe upon June 16, 1672. The sume gathered was in cash 7. 4. 9 and in other pay 2. 5. 8." 1675. " For a new hour-glass for the meeting-house, 0. 1. 0"
" October tlie 22, 1676. The contribution was for Ensigne Samuell Green in the time of his sicknes and his family alsoe being sicke there was contributed in cash 10. 5. 7 and in bills 3. 7. 6."
" November 2d 1679. The contribution upon the saboth day
18
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
was for the reliefe of the family of John Gibson they being in a low condition they being visited with the small pox and under many wants. The sum contributed in cash was six pound nine- teen shillings and fower pence. This contribution was disposed of as followeth :
" To doctor Oliver for fisicke 31. 10. 0d
To Mr. Angier for things in his sicknes 0. 4. 0
To Mr. Stedman for things in his sicknes 0. 7. 6
To sister Belsher for wine for his funerall 0. 7.0
To two nurses that tended him in his sicknes 1. 4. 0
To Hana Arington for nursing 0.10. 0
To Jeremiah Holman's daughter for nursing 0. 6. 0
For bords for his coffin 0. 2. 6
To John Palfree for making of his coffin 0. 4. 0
To old goodman Gibson in cash 0. 4. 4
6. 19. 4."
Like his predecessors, Mr. Oakes died when he was yet com- paratively a young man. He had long been subject to a quartan ague ; but his life was terminated by fever July 25, 1681, in the fiftieth year of his age. His death was as sudden and unexpected as that of Mr. Mitchell. "He was arrested with a malignant fever which presently put an end unto his days in this world. . . . When he had lain sick about a day or two, and not so long as to give the people of God opportunity to pray for his re- covery, his church coming together with expectation to have the Lord's Supper on the Lord's day administered unto them, to their horror found the pangs of death seizing their pastor that should have broken to them the bread of life."1 The last ten years of his life were years of trial, mental excitement, and severe labor, partly in the proper work of the ministry, and partly resulting from his connection with the College.2 Within a year after his ordination as pastor of the church in Cambridge, he was elected Fellow of Harvard College, which office he (together with three of his associates, Thomas Shepard, Joseph Brown, and John Richardson) very soon resigned, under somewhat questionable circumstances. The overseers of the College requested them to resume the office ; but they declined, until March 15, 1674-5, the day on which President Hoar sent in his resignation. "On the same day, Oakes and Shepard took their seats as members of the
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