USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register > Part 29
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1 Mather's Magnalia, Book iv., ch. v., Oakes, see Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 173-185, and Mckenzie's Lectures, 120- § 8.
2 For a more extended notice of Mr. 127.
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Corporation, and the seat Dr. Hoar had quitted was given to the Rev. Mr. Oakes." He hesitated to accept the office, but at length consented to perform its duties as President pro tem., which he continued to do for five years ; when, having been again elected, he was installed into the office of President on Commencement Day, in August, 1680, less than a year before his death.1
Ancient writers uniformly represent Oakes as a skilful and dili- gent teacher. The college was in a disorganized condition when he assumed its management, and required the most cautious and judicious guidance. This, together with the labor of instruction, was sufficient, it would seem, to tax his mental energy to the utmost, especially in connection with his various duties to his church and parish. But in addition to all this, his mind was disturbed by the consciousness that his opposition to President' Hoar was regarded by many as the result of disappointed ambi- tion, it being suspected that he coveted the presidency when it was vacated by the death of Chauncy, that he was offended when it was given to Hoar, and that he hoped yet to obtain it if his riva! could be displaced. Mr. Oakes had other trials, more closely connected with his pastoral office. Intense political excitement prevailed in regard to encroachments by the British Government
on the Charter, which, not long after the death of Oakes, was utterly subverted and abrogated. Intense religious excitement also prevailed in consequence of the renewed activity of those dreaded disturbers of the public peace, the Anabaptists and Quak- ers, who were encouraged thereto by the British Government. To this excited state of the public mind Rev. Samuel Danforth alluded in a letter addressed to his brother, Thomas Danforth, March 31, 1670: " The truth is, matters are so circumstanced that a man can hardly come into any company and enter into any discourse, but before he is aware he finds himself in the like fan and sieve as that wherein Satan winnowed Peter in the high priest's hall." 2 On the same subject the " Freemen of Cam- bridge " addressed a long memorial to the General Court, dated June 3, 1671 (just one month before the arrival of Oakes from England), in which they say : -
" After the experience of the Lord's goodness in giving a good issue to many other temptations wherewith in his wisdom he hath seen meet to exercise his people and churches here, it is
1 Quincy's History of Harvard College,
2 Mass. IIist. Soc. Proc., 1873-1875, p. i. 34-38, and Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 306. 180.
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none of the least trials to the faith and patience of his poor ser- vants that which at present is upon us, viz., the Lord's judicial hand is delivering up many among us to their own heart's lusts, that they can boldly, with a presumptuous high hand, give defi- ance to the Lord's holy institutions and ordinances, to his dear ministers, despising the word of the Lord in their mouths, and refusing to obey them that have the rule over them in the Lord, as is more especially the practice of the Quakers, Anabaptists, and Familists, that are of late risen up among us, and in these wicked practices do they continue notwithstanding all the means that have been used for their conviction, and wholesome laws of this jurisdiction prohibiting them therein. And if, by their in- corrigible hardiness, they can at last weary out God's ministers, casting dirt and reproach on their persons, doctrine, and holy ad- ministrations, which they well know will soon stick and easily prevail to cause the word of God by them dispensed to be unprof- itable, and also shall perceive that there are some, who, thoughi they declare not themselves to own their corrupt opinions and to allow their wicked practices, yet can plead for their liberty and implicitly at least make their reflections to the reproach of the godly zeal of the authority here established, (seeking to reform such exorbitant practices), and thereby so weaken their hands that they wax feeble in that great work of the Lord, they hope then that the day shall be theirs ; but sure it is, if it be their day, it will be a black and dark night, as with the Lord's people, so also with his truth and holy institutions, (examples whereof are not a few in Eccl. histories), the upholding whereof in purity and power, and the conveying of the same in pure streams down to our posterity, as it was the main end of the first planters, as is before declared, so it cannot but be the earnest desire and en- deavor of every Christian soul. Be pleased, therefore, honorable sirs, to accept our tender of humble thankfulness as to the Lord, so also to your honored selves, who, under God are the walls of this our Jerusalem, for all your pious endeavors and holy zeal (tempered with much tenderness, as well becometh christians) against those highhanded and presumptuous sinners. And it is our humble petition to this honored Court, that the laws here es- tablished against the wicked practices of those obstinate offenders may be fully executed, all discontentments that may tend to give any discouragement thereto notwithstanding ; we being well as- sured that the tolerating of them will add to the catalogue of those things that he whose eyes are as a flaming fire in the midst
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of his churches will soon espy and be offended with us for, as is by himself affirmed, Rev. ii. 14, 20; but on the contrary it is very pleasing when his people do hate those things that his soul doth hate, as appears in the 6th verse of that chapter."1
Mr. Oakes expressed his opinion concerning these exciting subjects in an Election Sermon, May 7, 1673 : " They that are weary of and disaffected to this government that God hath estab- lished among us, and shall betray and give up the civil interest of New England, will have more to answer for than they are aware of. He is a madman that will hope for the continuance of "our spiritual liberties, if the wall of our civil government be once broken down. Those beasts that break down the hedge of our civil government do not design or do it merely because they are angry with the hedge, but because they would break in and de- vour all that is precious and dear to us. The change of our gov- ernment will inevitably introduce a sad change in our churches. To divide what God hath conjoined, viz., civil and ecclesiastical liberties, to deliver up civil and yet hope to keep spiritual liber- ties, is folly in its exaltation." Again, " The loud outcry of some is for liberty of conscience ; that they may hold and practice what they will in religion. This is the Diana of some men, and great is the Diana of the Libertines of this age. I remember Julian the Apostate, that malicious and implacable enemy to Christianity have observed that the Christian religion prospered the more for the severe persecution in Dioclesian's time, and that the Christians grew up thicker and faster for being mowed down with the scythe of bloody enemies. He did for a while abstain from severities against the Christians, and suffered all men to use what religion they would ; and Austin saith of it, Libertatem perditionis permisit, he gave men liberty to destroy themselves. Such is that liberty of conscience, even a liberty of perdition, that some men are so unconscionably clamorous for. But remem- ber, that as long as you have liberty to walk in the faith and order of the Gospel, and may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty, you have as much liberty of conscience as Paul desired under any government. 1 Tim. ii. 1. 2. He that is allowed without molestation to walk with God, and serve him with all good conscience, hath liberty enough. Never com- plain when that is your condition, that you may be as good as you will. Oh take heed in all societies, and in all respects, of an inordinate and undue affectation of liberty. The latter end of it
1 Mass. Arch., x. 58.
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will be bondage and slavery." " I look upon an unbounded tol- eration as the first born of all abominations. If this should be once born and brought forth among us, you may call it Gad, and give the same reason that she did of the name of lier son, Gen. xxx. 11, Behold a troop cometh, even a troop of all manner of abominations. This would be not only to open the wicket, but to fling open the great gate for the ready admission and reception of all abominable heresies." 1
In the ancient Record-book, Deacon Cooper continues his " ac- count of seaverall providencis of God to the church of Cambrigd " as follows : " Mr. Oakes our pastor being chosen to be presi- dent of the Colegd about a yeere before his death it pleased the Lord to guide our church to give Mr. Nathanill Gookin a call to bee helpfull in the ministry in order to call him to office in time convenient which sume time after our pasturs death our church ded give hime a call to the office of pastor which call he ded ex- cept of and was ordained pastor of our church November 15th, 1682. Alsoe theare weare ordained the same day two Ruling Elders of our church, namly, Deacon John Stone, and Mr. Jonas Clarke to the ofice of Ruling Elders." By the same hand we have an account of the expense attending Mr. Gookin's ordina- tion, and the manner in which that expense was defrayed : -
" Provision for 80 persons 91. 108. 0d
For burnt wine 14. sugar 28. brandy 6ª. before diner 1. 2. 6 Wine for the mesengers in the morning 0. 16. 2 The chargis for the cakes for the mesingers ! 0.
8. 5 wheate flower 78. 8ª rose-water 9d
121h of currans 68 151b of suger 48. 8ª 0. 10.
8
A pound of lofe suger 18 east 6ª Spice 58. 6ª milke 17ª 0. 6. 11
0. 1. 6
Ten pound of butter 58 a cheese 48 0. 9. 0
61. of porke 13. 6ª 0. 1. 6
Hay for the horsis 58 helpe to tende the horsis 28 0. 7. 0 Half an ounce of cloves 6ª 0. 0. 6
13. 14. 2
" How it was produced the pay for the charge of Mr. Gookins ordination in maner as followeth : -
" Payed to John Jackson by cash in his hand 51. 08. 0d
Payed to John Jackson out of the contribution upon the saboth dayes 57 28 a part of the saide contribution being otherwayes disposed of then to the minister before Mr. Gookins ordination by the order of the church. -
5. 2. 0
1 Pages 49-54.
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More payed to John Jackson out of Thomas Beales 12. 8. 0d legacy toward the ordination by Walter Hastins More payed by Walter Hastins toward the ordina- 1. 10. 6 tion of widow Beales legacy
By John Cooper 118 a cheese, 4. 0. 15. 0
By butter and hay and milke this 158. was payed by money that was in my hand."
13. 15. 6
Little is known of Mr. Gookin's personal history. His ministry was short, but it extended over a troublous political period, em- bracing the abrogation of the charter, the usurpation of the gov- ernment by Andros as the agent of arbitrary power, and the rev- olution which reinstated the old charter-magistrates. Although his father, Major-general Gookin, was one of the most sturdy defenders of popular rights against the encroachments of tyranny, and his brother, Capt. Samuel Gookin, was an active participant in the struggle, sometimes on the one side and sometimes on the other, Mr. Gookin is not known to have turned aside from his pastoral duties, or to have taken any part in the political conflict. He was a Fellow of Harvard College, but probably did not act as a tutor after taking the entire charge of the church. Short as was the life of his predecessors, his own was even more brief, - lack- ing two months of thirty-four years. His pastorate was alnost precisely as long as that of Mr. Oakes, -nearly ten years.1 The ancient record says, " Mr. Nathaniel Gookin, our pastor, departed this life 7 day of August 1692, being the Sabbath day at night, about nine or ten o'clock at night. Elder Clark de- parted this life 14 January 99 or 1700, being the Sabbath day. Our pastor Mr. Nathaniel Gookin's wife Hannah died 14 day of May 1702, and was buried 16 day of May at the town's charge." 2 During Mr. Gookin's ministry, the church continued to " remem- ber the poor." Contributions were taken for Joseph Graves, in 1683, Moses Eyers, in 1684, and Thomas Gould, in 1685, sev- erally in " Turkey Slavery ;" for poor Frenchimen, in 1686, who fled here for shelter ; and in 1692 for " York captives with the Indians." In 1686, seven pounds were contributed for the relief
1 Dr. Holmes says : " The shortness of Journal says, "Mr. Joseph Eliot comes in and tells me the amazing news of the Rev. Mr. Nathaniel Gookin's being dead : 'tis even as sudden to me as Mr. Oakes' death. He was one of our best ministers, and one of the best friends I had left." Mr. Gookin's ministry, and the imperfee- tion of the early records of the church, leave us very deficient in the means of obtaining his history and character." Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., vii. 54. But we have this testimony of his worth by one of his con- 2 The orthography of this record is ex- temporaries : Judge Sewall in his MS. traordinarily vicions, and is here corrected.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
of John Parker at the " Village," whose house had been burned. " June 3, 1683. The contribution upon the Saboth day was for the releefe of widdow Crackbon and her sone, hee being dis- tracted. The sume contributed in cash was 81. 13s., and in other pay, by Maior Gookin a bl. of rie and a bl. of malt, 78. 6ª. ; by Thomas Androwes, 28. ; by Sharabiah Kibby, 28. ; by Simond Gates, 43." Again : " Jan. 12, 1689. Theare was a contribution for widdow Arrington and her family they being under the aflicting hand of God, her sonns weare taken away by death and her daughter and a grandchilde. The sum in cash was 61. 188. The sum in common pay was 11. 28. 6ª."
While Mr. Gookin was laboring as an assistant to Mr. Oakes, the County Court required certain statistical returns from the several towns in the county, concerning the number of families and taxable polls, schools, tything-men, and the amount of com- pensation paid to the pastors of the several churches. The Cam- bridge Committee made report, March 30, 1680, as follows : -
" The number of our families, according to our nearest com- putation, is one hundred and twenty-one. The number of our persons,1 according to our nearest computation, is one hundred and sixty-nine. The annual allowance to our reverend pastor in money is about 511 ; in goods and provisions about 78', 13. Sum is 129' 138 0d; with his dwelling in the house built for the ministry, with four acres of land adjoining thereunto; also about twenty load of wood annually carried to his house." It was voted, June 28, 1680, " that the maintenance that is annually allowed to the ministry, Mr. Nathanill Gookin shall have one hundred pounds thereof for this present year, and the remainder to be paid to Mr. Oakes." After Mr. Gookin's deatlı, the town voted, May 13, 1695, " to give to the next minister that the church and town shall settle among them ninety pounds per annum, in money, so long as he shall carry on the work of the ministry in Cambridge; " and, Jan. 23, 1712-3, " voted, that the sum of ten pounds per annum be added to the salary of the ministry in this part of the town, instead of the annual custom of carting of wood; so that the said salary is one hundred pounds per annum." The nominal salary remained unchanged until the close of Dr. Appleton's long ministry, more than seventy years afterwards ; but it was the custom, for many years, to give the pastor " a considerable quan- tity of wood gratis, some years between thirty and forty loads,
1 Ratable polls, or males sixteen years of age.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
sometimes above forty loads."1 A reasonable allowance was made, also, for the depreciation of values, during the Revolution- ary War. Provision was made which resulted in the creation of a fund for the maintenance of the ministry. June 28, 1680, " Voted and agreed, that five hundred acres of the remote lands, lying between Oburne, Concord, and our head-line, shall be laid out for the use and benefit of the ministry of this town and place, and to remain to that use forever." In 1718, this land was sold, and of the proceeds one hundred and thirty pounds were expended on the Parsonage, and the remainder was in- vested in a fund, whereof two thirds of the interest should be paid annually to the pastor of the church, and the remaining third part should be added to the principal. It is understood that this fund recently amounted to more than twenty thousand dollars.
It was Mr. Gookin's lot to witness another division of his parish. In 1682, the " Farmers," as those were called who dwelt in what is now the town of Lexington, petitioned to be set off as a separate parish, " in order to provide for themselves a person that may be meet and able to dispense unto them the word of God ; " representing that they were " seated at a great distance, the nearest of them above five miles (some of them six, some eight, some nine, if not ten miles), from the public place of meeting to worship God in the town that we appertain unto." This petition was opposed by Cambridge, and was not granted by the General Court. It was renewed in 1684, when it met a similar fate. The request was finally granted, Dec. 15, 1691; and although a church was not organized, separate from the mother church, until nearly five years later, Rev. Benjamin Estabrook was engaged to preach one year in the parish, com- mencing May 1, 1692. He was ordained Oct. 21, 1696, and died July 22, 1697.
After the death of Mr. Gookin, more than four years elapsed before the ordination of his successor. In the meantime more than thirty ministers preached in the Cambridge pulpit, of whom Samuel Angier, William Brattle, and Increase Mather, preached more frequently than any other. The compensation to the preachers was ten shillings for each sermon ; and generally one person preached in the forenoon, and another in the afternoon. The commendable generosity of one eminent preacher is re- corded by Deacon Hastings : " Mr. Increase Mather preached
1 Church Record.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
much in the time of our vacancy ; and he gave his to Mrs. Han- nah Gookin, widow, and it was paid her and for entertaining the minister that preached with us."1 The generosity of the parish ought also to be held in remembrance. The expense of Mr. Mitchell's funeral was defrayed by the parish, and donations were made to his widow (who was also widow of the former pas- tor, Mr. Shepard), as long as she lived. Mr. Oakes left no widow, and the College assumed the charge of his funeral, as in the case of their former President, Mr. Chauncy. The town (which was the parish) voted, Nov. 14, 1692, " to pay the ex- pense and defray the charge of our Pastor Gookin's funeral charges, which amounted to about eighteen pounds in money :" and the continuance of the same benevolence is indicated by a vote, March 10, 1700-1, "that Mrs. Hannah Gookin should be paid three pounds, to pay the rent of her house this present year." The account is fittingly closed by the record under date of May 15, 1702 : " Voted, that the selectmen take care that Mrs. Hannah Gookin be decently buried at the charge of the inhabi- tants belonging to this meeting-house, and the charge of said funeral be added to the town rate granted this year."
Rev. William Brattle, born at Boston, November, 1662, H. C. 1680, Tutor and Fellow of the College 1692, one of the first two on whom the College conferred the degree of Bachelor of Divin- ity, 1692, who had supplied the pulpit occasionally since Mr. Gookin's death and constantly since March 25, 1696, was or- dained pastor of the church Nov. 25, 1696. From this time a regular church record was made, which has been preserved in good condition. At the commencement of this record, Mr. Brattle says he " succeeded the Rev. Mr. Nathaniel Gookin, and was ordained a minister of Jesus Christ and a pastor to the flock at Cambridge, Nov. 25, 1696, per the Rev. Mr. Inc. Mather. The Rev. Mr. Morton, Mr. Allin, and Mr. Willard laid on hands. The Rev. Mr. Sam1. Willard gave the right hand of fellowship. . .. . Deo sit gloria. Amen." The proceedings at this ordination seem to have been misapprehended by some historians. President Quincy says that Brattle " gave immediate evidence of his dispo- sition to set himself free from some customs of the established Congregational Church. He preached at his own ordination, and forbade an elder, because he was a layman, to lay his hand upon his head during the ceremony. Both were deviations from the established practice of the early Congregational Churches." 2
1 Church Record ; orthography revised. 2 History of Harvard University, i. 88, 89.
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And he quotes the remark of Judge Sewall : " It was, at first, ordered that Mr. Brattle should not preach. But many being troubled at it, 'twas afterward altered." 1 Instead of deviating from the established custom, Mr. Brattle, in fact, conformed to it by preaching at his own ordination, though he earnestly desired to be excused from that service. In proof that it was not unusual for a pastor to preach his own ordination sermon, it is sufficient to quote two examples, which occurred near the same time and in this immediate vicinity. Rev. Thomas Shepard, grandson of the first pastor of this church, was ordained at Charlestown, May 5, 1680. " Mr. Shepard was ordained by Mr. Sherman of Watertown, and received the right hand of fellowship from Pres- ident Oakes. He preached his own Ordination Sermon, and took his text from Hebrews, xiii. 20, That great Shepherd of the sheep. Another sermon was preached on this occasion, from Ezekiel xxxiii. 7, Son of man, I have set thee a watchman." 2 Rev. Benjamin Estabrook was ordained at Lexington, Oct. 21, 1696, exactly five weeks before the ordination of Mr. Brattle. Judge Sewall describes the exercises thus : " A church is gath- ered at Cambridge North Farms. No relations made, but a covenant signed and voted by ten brethren, dismissed from the churches of Cambridge, Watertown, Woburn, Concord, for this work. Being declared to be a church, they chose Mr. Benjamin Estabrooks their pastor, who had made a good sermon from Jer. iii. 15. Mr. Estabrooks, the father, managed this, having prayed excellently. Mr. Willard gave the charge ; Mr. Fox the right hand of Fellowship."3 These examples are sufficient to show that Mr. Brattle did not depart from an established Congrega- tional custom, by preaching at his own ordination. On the con- trary, he conformed to the custoni, not willingly, but in deference to the wislies of others. In the Library of the Massachusetts Historical Society is preserved a manuscript letter from Mr. Brattle to Rev. Rowland Cotton of Sandwich, dated Nov. 6, 1696, in which he says : " I wrote to your good father the last week, and therein acquainted him and yourself, &c., that the or- dination at Cambridge is designed (God willing) 25 this instant. Shall be glad to see you and others my friends, and in the mean- time entreat your good wishes. I trust the Reverend Presi- dent will preach the ordination-sermon ; it is my hearty desire,
1 History of Harvard University, i. 489.
2 Frothingham's History of Charles- town, p. 192.
8 Sewall's MS. Journal.
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and that which must be, otherwise I shall have great dissatisfac- tion in my own mind, it being, according to my best light, most proper that, when there is time but for one sermon on such days, some grave Divine, and not the young Candidate, should give the said sermon." As a compromise, Mr. Brattle preached to gratify those who adhered to the custom, and in compliance with his earnest desire Dr. Mather preached, as appears by the dea- cou's record of the services.
In one matter, Mr. Brattle early adopted a practice, then re- cently introduced, at variance with the established usage. He obtained a vote of the church that public relations of experience should not be required of candidates for admission to member- ship ; 1 and that the question upon admission should no longer be taken by " manual vote," but silence should be considered as- sent. This gave dissatisfaction to Deputy-governor Danforth and others : whereupon, - " At a church meeting at Mr. Bord- man's house, May 4, 1697, - (1) Then propounded to Mr. Dan- forth and the whole body of the brethren who had remonstrated as to the votes of the church passed March 11, '96-7, at the house of deacon Hastings, whether, if I would condescend so far as to let something be communicated to the church by myself, or the Elder, wherein I received satisfaction from those who ask communion with us, as to their spiritual fitness for it, and this to be done at some time before or when they are to be admitted as I shall judge best, and this to remain so long as the peace of the church requires it, - they would then be satisfied, and give no further trouble : - This proposal was consented nnto by them all, no one expressing his dissent. (2) Then propounded to them whether, if the way and manner of taking the Church's consent, whether by handy vote, or silence, or any other indifferent sign, be left to the discretion of the Elders, this would be to their satis- faction : - to this, likewise, their consent was given, and no one expressed his dissatisfaction. Upon which I promised that, so long as the peace of the Church called for it, I would observe what I had now propounded to them for the accommodating the differences which had been among us." 2
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