USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Roxbury > History of the First Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts, 1630-1904 > Part 2
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In the words of Mr. Winters, who wrote from the English point of view :
As a pioneer and reformer, Eliot stands prominent among the settlers and founders of the New World, surrounded and supported by a galaxy of Essex Nonconformists of the purest type. It is well known that there is no county in Old England that can claim precedence of Essex for honest and intrepid men, especially those of the Reformation age, who, for the sake of truth and liberty, endured the tortures of the rack and fagot; and others of a later period feared not to exercise the right of conscience and private judg- ment in things agreeable to their religious impressions, until overcome by the heat of persecution, they were necessitated to cross the stormy Atlantic in search of a home in the dreary wilds of the Far West.
The First Church in Roxbury, whose influence was to become great and far-reaching, was the sixth to be gathered by the emigrants to New England, being preceded by those of Plymouth (1620), Salem (1629), Dorchester (1630), Boston (1630), and Watertown (1630). A company of the men who arrived in Winthrop's fleet in 1630, sat down in Roxbury, and these, with others who came later in the same year and in 1631, were the founders of our church.
Under the charge of Deacon George Alcock they first joined themselves to the church in Dorchester, until such
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time as God should give them opportunity to be a church among themselves. In 1630 they were taxed for the main- tenance of the ministers at Charlestown and Boston. The beginning of a church was usually considered to date from the signing of the covenant and the ordaining of the first pastor, but, unfortunately, the covenant of our church cannot be found, though we have the date of the ordination of the first pastor. Rev. Amos Adams notes in the church book that the church was gathered in 1632. On the other hand the words under the clock in the gallery of the present Meeting House built in 1804, and placed there by an unknown hand, say, "This church was gathered in 1631," and Captain Johnson in "Wonder Working Providence" heads the paragraph on Roxbury, "The Fift Church of Christ gathered at Roxbury 1631." But Johnson did not always agree with other authorities as to the date of organization.
To have been without a church, both in the sense of a gathering and a building, must have been very trying to the settlers, and we may infer that while worshipping in Dorchester, they constantly kept in mind their own aspirations, and discussed among themselves their hopes and plans.
Judging from the history of other churches of the time, in all probability the covenant was signed when the first meeting house was built and ready for occupancy, and the first Pastor, Rev. Thomas Welde, ordained, in the month of July, 1632.
During that year another band of emigrants arrived and these were the friends of John Eliot, coming chiefly from Nazing and the adjoining parishes. Before leaving England, Eliot had engaged with a select number of his pious and Christian friends that if they should come into these parts
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before he should be in a pastoral care of any other people, he would give himself to them and be for their service. It happened that these friends transplanted themselves hither the year after he came, and chose their habitations in Roxbury, and it was no doubt through their influence with the church which had already settled Mr. Welde as Pastor, that John Eliot was called to be their Teacher, and he was ordained Nov. 5, 1632.
We have no record of the appearance nor the size of the first meeting house, but Captain Johnson in his "Wonder Working Providence " tells us, in speaking of Roxbury :
Their streetes are large, and some fayre houses, yet have they built their House for Church assembly, destitute and unbeautified with other buildings. The Church of Christ here is increased to about 120 persons, their first Teaching Elder called to office is Mr. Eliot, a yong man, at his comming thither of a cheerfull spirit, walking unblameable, of a godly conversation, apt to teach, as by his indefatigable paines both with his own flock, and the poore Indians doth appeare, whose language he learned purposely to helpe them to the knowledge of God in Christ, frequently Preaching in their Wigwams, and Catechizing their children.
The building was undoubtedly small and oblong and at first without shingles or plaster, with a thatched roof, and without gallery, pew or spire. Probably similar to Dedham in dimensions, that being thirty-six feet long, twenty feet wide and twelve feet high.
In other towns the inhabitants were called to meeting by beat of drum, and no doubt this custom prevailed here.
The people sat on plain benches, men and women apart, on their respective sides of the house, while the boys had a place separate from both with a tything man to keep them in order. Two services were held on Sunday, in the morning and afternoon, with a short interval between. They con- sisted of first a prayer by the Pastor, then the reading and expounding of scripture by the Teacher, then the singing of a
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psalm in a metrical version without instrumental accom- paniment, which was dictated or lined by the Ruling Elder, and a sermon of which the approved length was an hour, measured by an hour glass which stood upon the pulpit. The services concluded with a prayer and a blessing from the teacher.
Cotton Mather describes the Officers of the Church as follows:
The office of pastor and teacher appears to be distinct. The pastor's special work is to attend to exortation and therein to administer a word of wisdom; the teacher is to attend to doctrine and therein to administer a word of knowledge; and either of them to administer the seals of that cove- nant unto the dispensation whereof they are alike called; as also to execute the censures being but a kind of application of the word the preaching of which together with the application thereof they are alike charged withal. Forasmuch as both pastors and teachers are given by Christ, for the per- fecting of the saints, and edifying of his body, which saints and body of Christ is his church, and therefore we account pastors and teachers to be both of them church officers, and not the pastor for the church and the teacher only for the schools, tho' this we gladly acknowledge that schools are both lawful, profitable and necessary for the training up of such in good literature or learning as may afterwards be called forth into office of pastor or teacher in the church.
The ruling elder's office is distinct from the office of pastor and teacher. The ruling elders are not so called to exclude the pastors and teachers from ruling, because ruling and governing is common to these with the other, whereas attending to preach and teach the word is peculiar unto the former.
The ruling elder's work is to join with the pastor and teacher in those acts of spiritual rule which are distinct from the ministry of the word and sacra- ments committed to them of which sort these be as followeth.
1. To open and shut the doors of God's house by the admission of members approved by the church, by ordination of officers chosen by the church and by excommunication of notorious and obstinate offenders renounced by the church, and by restoring of penitents forgiven by the church.
2. To call the church together when there is occasion and seasonably to dismiss them again.
3. To prepare matters in private that in publick they may be carried an end with less trouble and more speedy dispatch.
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4. To moderate the carriage of all matters in the church assembled, as to propound matters to the church. To order the season of speech and silence and to pronounce sentence according to the mind of Christ with the consent of the church.
5. To be guides and leaders to the church in all matters whatsoever par- taining to church administrations and actions.
6. To see that none in the church live inordinately, out of rank and place without a calling or idlely in their calling.
7. To prevent and heal such offences in life or in doctrine as might corrupt the church.
8. To feed the flock of God with a word of admonition.
9. And as they shall be sent for to visit and pray over their sick brethren.
10. And at other times as opportunity shall serve thereunto.
The office of a deacon is instituted in the church by the Lord Jesus: Sometimes they are called helps. The scriptures telleth us how they should be qualified. Grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre. They must first be proved, and then use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. The office and work of a deacon is to receive the offerings of the church, gifts given to the church and to keep the treasury of the church and therewith to serve the tables, which the church is to provide for: as the Lord's table, the table of the minis- ters, and of such as are in necessity, to whom they are to distribute in simplicity.
The office therefore being limited unto the care of the temporal good things of the church, it extends not to the attendance upon and administra- tion of the spiritual things thereof, as the word and sacraments and the like.
The ordinance of the apostle and practice of the church, commends the Lord's day as a fit time for the contributions of the saints.
At first ministers were provided for by voluntary con- tributions, but soon other methods were employed and the salary was raised by taxation or in other ways. In the earliest times ministers were ordained by officers of the church, but later other churches were asked to assist.
Children were baptised in the meeting house, generally on the next Sunday after their birth. Ministers did not officiate at marriages and no religious service took place at the burial of the dead.
Persons were admitted to the church after owning the
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covenant, but not always at once to full communion. And often they were excommunicated for some offence and upon repentance received again into the church. In those days the discipline of the church was severe and even the min- isters were not exempt.
Lechford in "Plain Dealings" tells us:
That the most persons at New England are not admitted of their church, and therefore are not freemen, and when they come to be tried there, be it for life or limb name or estate, or whatsoever, they must be tried and judged too by those of the church who are in a sort their adversaries.
A slight relaxation was admitted in a few years by which non-members were empowered to serve as jurymen and to vote at town meetings in laying down taxes and choosing selectmen, but the severe policy was retained as a whole until 1665.
A lecture was regularly preached on some secular day of every week. All the established periodical festivals, Christ- mas, Easter, etc., were disregarded, but fast days and days of public thanksgiving or humiliation were frequent and religiously kept.
In 1634, it being found that the four lectures did spend too much time, the ministers with the advice of the magis- trates, and with the consent of their congregations did agree to reduce them to two days. Mr. Warham at Dorchester one 4th day of the week, and Mr. Welde at Roxbury the next 4th day.
In 1634 at a meeting of the Assistants it was then informed us how Mr. Eliot, the teacher of the church of Roxbury, had taken occasion in a sermon, to speak of the peace with the Pekods, and to lay some blame upon the ministry for pro- ceeding therein, without consent of the people, and for other failings as he conceived, we took order that he should be dealt with by Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker and Mr. Welde.
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After the conference with Mr. Eliot he was brought to acknowledge his error.
Oct. 7, 1636 the General Court met here having adjourned from Cambridge on account of the small-pox.
In regard to the followers of Ann Hutchinson in 1637, Winthrop says, "the town of Roxbury is required to take order for the safe custody of Mrs. Hutchinson" and it is said that she was committed to the personal care of Joseph Weld, the brother of the minister. The church at Roxbury dealt with divers of their members (who had their hands to the petition in regard to Mrs. Hutchinson) and spent many days in public meetings to have them to see their sin, in that, as in also in the corrupt opinions, which they held, but could not prevail with them. So they proceeded to two or three admonitions, and when all was in vain, they cast them out of the church. In their dealings with them they took some of them in plain lies, and other foul distempers.
All town business was transacted in the mecting house, and all matters relating to the church were acted upon in town meeting.
Maverick, in his description of New England, says, in speaking of Roxbury, "by farming is their most subsistence." William Ward says, "The inhabitants being all very rich."
The church prospered under the united labors of Mr. Welde and Mr. Eliot, and they worked together in harmony until Mr. Welde returned to England in 1641, and the church was without a Pastor until Rev. Mr. Samuel Danforth was ordained Sept. 24, 1650.
Sept. 1, 1644 Wee had a solemn and public fast throughout ye jurisdiction.
The relation and interest of the members of this church to the "Free Schoole in Roxburie," now more generally known as the "Roxbury Latin School," can best be told by what
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is found in the document of the earliest date in possession of the Trustees and dated "last of August, 1645."
Whereas the Inhabitantes of Roxbury in consideration of their relligeous care of posteritie, have taken into consideration how necessarie the education of theire children in Literature will be to fitt them for public service, both in Church and Commonwealthe, in succeding ages. They therefore unani- mously have consented and agreed to erect a free schoole in the said Towne of Roxburie, and to allow Twenty pounds per annum to the Schoolemaster, to bee raised out of the Messuages and part of the Lands of the severall donors (Inhabitantes of the said Towne) in severall proportions as hereafter followeth under theire handes. And for the well ordering thereof they have chosen and elected seven Feoffees who shall have power to putt in or remove the Schoolemaster, etc.
The Feoffees were John Eliot, Joseph Weld, John Johnson, John Roberts, Joshua Hewes, Isaac Morrell, Thomas Lambe. Among the founders of this school were Rev. Thomas Welde, our former Pastor, Rev. John Eliot, our Teacher, Presiding Elder Heath, Deacon Parke, Deacon Eliot, Deacon Paison and of the Founders of our church, John Johnson, Thomas Lambe, William Dennison, Francis Smith, John Leavens, also Mr. Thomas Dudley and Daniel Gookin. Thomas Bell, a member of our church, gave his real estate to the support of the School and in his will mentions that the Minister and two head officers of the said Church at Roxbury and their successors should hold his estate in trust only for the maintenance of a schoolemaster and free schoole for the teaching and instructing of poore mens children at Roxbury, aforesaid forever, and to and for no other use, intent or purpose whatsoever. And from that day to this the minister and two senior Deacons of this church have always been members of the Board of Trustees.
In 1646 the Meeting House was put in safe repaire.
March 17, 1649/50 a collection for ye poor distressed church at Bahamah & yr was about 28 pounds gathered in our little congregation.
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In 1654 the town voted to build two galleries and that the selectmen see to it, and in 1656 the ends were clapboarded. Mr. Eliot and Mr. Danforth were each of them allowed £60, per annum, paid generally in corn or otherwise to their content, cleared in accounts ordinarily once in the year, they both having estate in corn and cattle.
Certain propositions agreed upon and voted in ye church ye 24 of 8mo 1658.
1. Infants, either of whose immediate perents are in church-covenant, do confederate in their parents and therefore are members of ye church, and ye church ought to take care that they be duly instructed in the grounds of religion, and be trained up under ye tuition of ye ordinances.
2. The seed of ye church being thus trained up for Thrift, it is their duety when grown to yeares of discretion to owne the covenant their made in their parents and (being orderly called thereunto) personally, publickly and solemnely to avouch ye Lord in an ecclesiacticall way to be their God accord- ing to the covenant of Grace, and to submit themselves to ye power and government of Christ in his church.
3. Such of ye seed of ye church as understand ye grounds of religion, are not scandelous and have solemnly owned ye covenant in their own persons wherein they give up themselves and their children unto ye Lord, their children ought to have baptism administered unto them.
4. Though ye persons forementioned owne ye covenant according to ye premises, yet before they are admitted unto full communion, i.e. to ye Lords Supper and to voting, they must so hold forth their faith and evantances unto ye judgment of charity, by way of confession, as it may appear unto ye church yt they are able to examine themselves and to discern ye Lords body and to judge spiritually of spirituall things.
5. Such as being orderly called to owne ye covenant, if after church admonition and other due means with patience used, they shall refuse ye performance of this great duty or in case they shall notwithstanding like meanes applied, any otherwise continue scandalous, they ought to be cut off from ye church.
The vote passed in these words:
Upon many agitations of disquisitions amongst ourselves, upon much advice and counsell and especially that of ye first Synod at Cambridge (1647) and ye late councill at Boston (1657) and after more than ten years time of consideration about these points in hand. we, ye church of Roxbury
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are at last come up to this resolution that we judge in our consciences yt those 5 propositions are agreeable to ye truth of God and rules, wch we now are to walk by.
On the 30th January 1659/60 it was left to the selectmen to repair the Meeting House and to do as they please for the strength, warmth and beauty of said house, namely, that the house is to be shingled and also two galleries built, with three seats in a gallery, one at the one end of the house and the other at the other end. Also the house to be plastered within side with plaster and haire; also for the seting out of the house, that some pinakle or other ornament be set upon each end of the house; also the bell to be removed in some convenient place for the benefit of the town, and the charge to be borne by the several inhabitance by way of a rate. For which work Lieut. John Remington is to have twenty-two pounds; more, if the worke deserveth more; lesse, if the work deserveth lesse.
In 1659 John Chandler was to have 50 shillings a year for ringing the bell and sweeping and 3 pounds if he would "keep ye doore bowlted," and he continued to serve until 1669.
The 5 of ye (5) 1659. This day the Teaching and Ruling Elders of our church, as messengers of ye church mett at Roxbury, with ye messengers of other churches, for to heare the Indeans make a relation of the work of God upon ther soull; at wch time ther weer six made ther relation in the Indian tongue & repeated by Mr. Eliat in Englesh witt- nessed unto ye truth of his translation by Mr. Pearson of Long Island and Goodman ffolgier of Martin's Vinyard; & Mr. Eliat's own son. (This is recorded in the Dorchester church records as well as the following.)
The first of ye (11) 60 ther was also a fast kept at Roxbury on ther lecture day.
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At a Town Meeting Jan. 15, 1665/6 it is stated, "the same day it being a complaint of several of the Inhabitance that they wanted convenient Rome to sit in the Meeting House to their edification by reason of the disturbance the boys make in the Gallery, and the voat of the Towne is such they desire the selectmen to advise with the elders about removing the boys, or building some other Gallery, or making another paier stayers or doing anything that may be the best Good for the whole."
8th. 9 m. 1665 a solemn thanksgiving.
22. 9 m. 1665 A solemn Fast in reference to ye sickness in England.
In Jan. 1666/7, "it was voated for making more Rome in the Meeting House, that there should be another seate added to the men's Gallery, and it was left by the same voate to the selectmen, together with the advice of the elders, to consider of the making another paier stayers to the said gallery, or doeing anything else that way as may conduce to the good of the whole body for the end above expressed."
April 6, 1666. All the churches in this jurisdiction kept a solemn day of Fasting and Prayer.
John Alcocke in his will dated May 10, 1666, says, "I give to ye church of Xt in Roxbury £3 to buy them a good wine boule. "
Ist mo 21. 1666/7. This day our church made a collection for Mr. Wigglesworth £4 17s.
8th 2 mo 1667. Our church made a collection for the relief of our brethren and countrymen who were reduced to extremities at Cape Feare. The sum was about seven pounds.
In 1669 William Cleaves was appointed sexton and served until 1677.
1670 4 mo 20 day. A solemn conference of 6 churches,
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viz: ye elders and messengers of ye First Church in Boston, of Roxbury, of Dorchester, Weymouth, Cambridge and Watertown, met at Braintree at ye request of ye church there, for ye hearing and ye healing of their divisions and distractions, in reference to ye choice of Teaching Elders amongst them.
On Dec. 16, 1672, the Selectmen made a church rate for the payment of the Elders which amounted to £120.12.3 and the surplus was left in the hands of the Deacons.
In this Meeting House the people worshipped for forty years. Many of the first settlers were dead or had moved away and their children were now heads of families.
The population of the town having increased to such an extent that a larger house of worship was necessary and this Meeting House being constantly in need of repairs, on Decem- . ber 10, 1672, there was a full towne meeting in consultation about repairing of the meeting-house and it was, " after much debate with love and condescending one to another, con- cluded by voate to build a nue meeting-house as near the other as conveniently may be," provided it exceed not ten rods from this spot where it now stands. A committee was chosen to have charge of this important affair some time during the following year and in 1674 this building was torn down and a new meeting-house erected.
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REV. MR. THOMAS WELDE
REV. MR. THOMAS WELDE
THOMAS WELDE was born in Terling, four miles west of Witham in Essex county, England. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, receiving the degree of A.B. in 1613, and A.M. in 1618 and then settled in the ministry in his native place. Here he received into his family the Rev. Thomas Shepard six months before the latter took his degree at Cambridge, and later when the persecutions of Archbishop Laud were driving many across the water, Welde and Shepard consulted together whether it were best to let such a swine root up God's plant in Essex and not give him some check. But they both incurred the penalties, of the laws against non- conformists and followed their brethren to New England.
Welde arrived in Boston in the William and Francis, June 5, 1632, and after many importunings and days of humiliation by those of Boston and Roxbury, to seek the Lord for Mr. Welde, his disposing, and the advice of those at Plymouth being taken, at length he resolved to sit doen with them at Roxbury and was ordained Pastor of this church in July, 1632.
He took the oath of freeman Nov. 6, 1632.
Mr. Welde was valiant in the faith, a defender of the truth and of the churches in this land both in the pulpit and with his pen. His own honest convictions and principles led him to take an active part in religious controversies. He was very popular with the Magistrates and was often consulted in political matters. He was one of the chief inquisitors at the trial of Ann Hutchinson, who, after her conviction, was banished and her followers disarmed.
In 1639 he assisted his colleague and Richard Mather in making the New England version of the Psalms. In 1641
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the colony thought fit to send a commission to England to negotiate various matters, and their choice fell upon Mr. Welde, Hugh Peters and William Hibbens. The Court so moved the church of Roxbury for Mr. Welde that after some time of consideration they freely yielded. He went by the way of Newfoundland, where he preached to the seamen and thence took passage to England in a fishing vessel.
Mr. Hibbens returned home within a year, but Mr. Welde and Mr. Peters prolonged their stay until they seem to have suffered no little suspicion from the General Court. In Oct., 1645, the Court adopted a vote "that Mr. Peters and Mr. Welde, having been long absent, may understand the Court's mind, that they desire their presence here and speedy return." But neither came. Mr. Welde was after- wards settled over St. Mary's Church at Gateshead in the bishoprick of Durham opposite Newcastle.
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