USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Roxbury > History of the First Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts, 1630-1904 > Part 4
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Mr. Eliot had wished for a long time to establish a town, modeled after a particular plan that he had in his own mind. We should have supposed that he would have fixed on Nonantum as the spot for his first town of "Praying Indians." Some considerable improvements had already been made at this station. But he had certain insuperable objections to making this the site of his model town. The territory was
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REV. MR. JOHN ELIOT
too small. They were surrounded by English neighbors, many of whom exerted a bad influence upon them. He wished to remove them into the interior, so that they should not have much connection with the white people, and that there might be room to gather a large body of Indians into a society. He wished to make a fair experiment of civilizing the Indians. If he could be successful in forming one well governed, Christianized town, he hoped to form many more after the same model. The converts at Nonantum wished very much to be organized on Mr. Eliot's plan. He went out several times to explore the woods, to find a proper location. He did not find a place that suited his wishes. On returning from one of these exploring tours, he stopped on the way, retired behind a rock and asked divine direction. While he was gone out to hunt for a location, his Indians at home were asking God to guide and direct him. Some of the Indians that were in company with him mentioned a place, the description of which pleased him. Upon a careful survey, he fixed on that spot as the future location of his town. This place he afterwards called Natick. Gookin has very particularly described the mode of laying out the town. The Indians removed from Nonantum to Natick in 1651. The town Natick in the Indian language means a place of hills. It consisted of three long streets; two on the Boston side of the river, and one on the other. To each house was attached a piece of ground. Most of the houses were built after the Indian fashion. One large house was erected in the English style, the lower apartment of which was employed as a schoolroom in the week, and as a place of worship on the Lord's day. Afterwards they partitioned off a small bedroom for Mr. Eliot to sleep in, when he visited them. They also erected a fort and enclosed it with a stockade. Mr. Eliot encouraged them to build a foot
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bridge over the river so as to connect the different parts of the town. This was a great work for them; but it stood the spring floods, while a bridge built by the English at Medfield was carried away. This bridge was eighty feet long and nine feet high in the middle. When they had finished it, Eliot called them together and asked them if they wanted pay for their labor. They replied, "no." It was built for their own benefit and not for his. They built a meeting house, fifty by twenty-five and twelve feet between the joists. This was built almost exclusively by themselves. An English carpenter helped them a day or two.
After the settlement of the town Mr. Eliot proceeded to organize a eivil government according to his own views. He took as the basis of his government the advice which Jethro gave to Moses, "Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." Exodus xviii, 21. In compliance with this counsel, about one hundred of them held an assembly and chose one ruler of the hundred, two rulers of fifty and ten rulers of ten. After the rulers of ten were chosen, they placed themselves in order, and every individual arranged himself under the one whom he chose. After the establish- ment of this town he continued to visit and preach to them as often as circumstances would admit. At this distance of time, it is not possible to ascertain definitely the progress that they made in the arts of living, or in the knowledge and practice of religion. There is sufficient evidence left behind to show that Eliot was not an enthusiast as it respected their religion. Although the appearance of some was very favor- able, yet he continued for a long time to keep them in the situation of catechumens. He proceeded very slowly in
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REV. MR. JOHN ELIOT
gathering them into a church estate. He began to preach to them in 1646, but did not organize them into a church until 1660.
He made a missionary tour every fortnight, planted a number of churches, and visited all the Indians in Massa- chusetts and Plymouth colonies, pursuing his way as far as Cape Cod in the East to the rocky hillsides of Brookfield in the West. Mr. Eliot was one of the most useful preachers in New England. No minister saw his exertions attended with greater effects. He spoke from the abundance of his heart, and his sermons, being free from that labored display of learning, from the quibbles and quaint turns with which most discourses were at that time infected, were acceptable in all the churches. So much was he endeared to his own people that they continued his salary after he had offered to resign it, and when he was unable to preach; and the youth were in the habit of visiting him, calling him their father and friend. Such attentions chased away the gloom which usually hangs over the head of the aged and cheered the evening of his life. His moral and religious character was as excellent as his ministerial qualifications were great. He carried his good principles with him in every situation, viewing all things in reference to God. He habitually lifted up his heart for a blessing upon every person whom he met and when he went into a family he would sometimes call the youth to him that he might lay his hands upon them and give them his benediction. Such was his charity, that he gave to the poor Indians most of his salary of fifty pounds, which he received annually from the society for propagating the gospel.
So remarkable was he for his charities, that on one occasion when the parish treasurer paid him the money due for his salary, he tied the ends of a handkerchief, into which he put
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it, in as many hard knots as he could, to prevent him from giving away the money before he should reach home. The good man immediately went to the house of a sick and neces- sitous family and told them that God had sent them some relief. Being welcomed by the sufferers with tears of grati- tude, he began to untie the knots. After many fruitless efforts, and impatient of the perplexity and delay, he gave the handkerchief and all the money to the mother of the family, saying, "Here, my dear, take it; I believe the Lord designs it all for you."
In his principles of church government he was attached to the Congregational order. Yet he contended earnestly for frequent synods or councils, as necessary for the preser- vation of union, for the suppression of dangerous opinions and heresies, for the correction of abuses, and the healing of divisions. In one of his treatises he proposed four orders of councils, the congregational, provincial, national and ecumenical. He thought that every particular church should have ruling elders to assist the minister in the duties of government and instruction. In his admissions to the church he required of the candidates some evidence that they were truly Christians, renewed in their hearts by the Spirit of God. He withstood the attempts which were made to change the old practice of giving a relation of the work of divine grace, which practice, in his view, honored the Saviour, and produced an intimate union among his disciples. He could not, in conscience, give the cup of the Lord to anyone who did not give some evidence of being a sincere Christian. With all his excellencies he had some singularities and strange notions. He had a most deep-rooted prejudice against wigs. He preached against the custom of wearing them; he prayed against it; he attributed to it the evils which overwhelmed the country. He thought, as Dr. Cotton
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REV. MR. JOHN ELIOT
Mather, who himself wore a wig, informs us, "that for men to wear their hair with a luxurious, delicate, feminine pro- lixity, or to disfigure themselves with hair, which was none of their own, but above all, for ministers of the gospel to ruffle it in excesses of this kind," was an enormous sin. But fashion would bear sway, notwithstanding his remonstrances, and he finally ceased to complain, saying, "the lust is become
insuperable." His prejudice against tobacco was as strong as his aversion to wigs; but in contempt of all his admonitions the hairless head would be adorned with curls of foreign growth and the pipe would send up volumes of smoke. In his old age, not long before his death, he used to say that he was shortly going to heaven and would carry a deal of good news with him; he would carry tidings to the old founders of New England, that our churches still remained and that their number was continually increasing. 1195040
It was with joy that he received Mr. Walter as his col- league in 1688. When he was bending under his infirmities and could no longer visit the Indians, he persuaded a num- ber of families to send their negro servants to him once a week, that he might instruct them in the truths of God.
On the day of his death he was found teaching the alphabet to an Indian child at his bedside. "Why not rest from your labors now ?" said a friend. "Because," replied the vener- able man, "I have prayed to God to render me useful in my sphere and he has heard my prayer, for now that I can no longer preach he leaves me still strength enough to teach this poor child his alphabet."
He died May 20, 1690, saying that all his labors were poor and small, and exhorting those who surrounded his bed to pray. His last words were, "Welcome joy." There is no portrait of him extant.
Mr. Eliot published several letters in a work entitled,
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"The Glorious Progress of the Gospel among the Indians, etc." 1649; Tears of Repentance, in conjunction with Mr. Mayhew 1653; a Late and Further Manifestation of the Progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians, etc., 1659; a Brief Narrative of the Progress of the Gospel, etc., 1670. A work of his entitled, "The Christian Commonwealth, etc." was published in England about the year 1660, written nine or ten years before. When it was received in Massa- chusetts, the Governor and Council, viewing it as full of seditious principles against all established governments, especially against the monarchy of their native country, re- quired Mr. Eliot to make a recantation, which he accordingly did, acknowledging, that government by kings, lords and commons was not anti-Christian. The book was suppressed. A copy is in Colonel Aspinwall's collection of books relating to America. In 1661, he published his translation of the New Testament into the Indian tongue; second edition, 1680, and in 1663, his immense work, the translation of the whole Bible, in 4to. entitled, "Mamusse Wunneetupana- tamwe Up-Biblum God naneeswe Nukkone Testament Kah Wonk Wusku Testament." A second edition was printed in 1685, revised by Mr. Cotton, and both of them were printed in Cambridge, Mass. The longest word is in Mark 1:40,
WUTAPPESITTUKQUSSUNNOOHWEHTUNKQUOH,
"kneeling down to him."
A PORTION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER TRANSLATED INTO THE INDIAN LANGUAGE.
Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdom come
Nooshun Keesukqut Quttianata munach Koowesuonh Pergan- moonch Kukketarsootamoonch.
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REV. MR. JOHN ELIOT
Mr. Eliot also published, "Jews in America," 1660, in- ยท tended to prove that the Indians were descendants of the Jews; an Indian grammar, 1666; a new edition, with notes by Du Ponceau and introduction by J. Pickering, 8 volumes, 1822; also in 2d (Mass.) Historical Collections, ninth volume; The Logic Primer, for the use of the Indians, 1672; the Psalms, translated into Indian meter, and a catechism, annexed to the edition of the New Testament, in 1680; a translation of The Practice of Piety, of Baxter's Call to the Unconverted, and of several of Shepard's works; the Har- mony of the Gospels, in English, 4to., 1678; the Divine Management of Gospel Churches by the Ordinance of Coun- cils, designed for the reconciliation of the Presbyterians and Congregationalists. Nine of his letters to Sir Robert Boyle are in the 3d volume of the Historical Collections, and his account of Indian churches in the ninth volume. His " Christian Commonwealth," is in Historical Collections, 3d series, volume nine.
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REV. MR. SAMUEL DANFORTH
SAMUEL DANFORTH, the second pastor of this church, was the sixth child and second son of Nicholas and Elizabeth - Danforth, and was baptized 17th Oct., 1626, in Fram- lingham, Suffolk County, England. His mother died in 1629, and in 1634 his father emigrated to New England, with all his children, and settled in Cambridge. Cotton Mather speaks of him as:
A gentleman of such estate and repute in the world, that it cost him a considerable sum to escape the Knighthood which King Charles the First imposed on all of so much per annum, and of such figure and esteem in the church that he procured that famous lecture at Framlingham, where he had a fine manor, which was kept by many noted ministers. When the Laudian fury scored them he came to New England.
He died in 1638 and committed young Samuel to the care of Rev. Mr. Shepard, the minister in Cambridge who proved a kind patron unto him. Samuel was graduated at Harvard College in the class of 1643 and was made the second Fellow, his class being the second class that was graduated from that college. From his being early appointed one of the officers of instruction, we may infer that his rank as a scholar was high. He was also a member of the corporation, and, to the extent of his means, a donor to the college. On May 10, 1648, he was admitted to the freedom of the colony. Rev. Mr. Welde having returned to England the church at Rox- bury invited Mr. Danforth to become a colleague to Mr. Eliot whose evangelical employments abroad among the Indians made a colleague at home very necessary. On May 12, 1650, he was dismissed from the Cambridge church and recom- mended and admitted to the First Church of Roxbury. He was ordained pastor of this church Sept. 24, 1650.
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REV. MR. SAMUEL DANFORTH
"On the 11th of the 9th mo. 1651," says the town record, "there was voted a levy upon all the inhabitants for the raysing of 50 pounds, towards the building or buying of an house for Mr. Danforth, our pastor." This was nine years prior to his purchase of Capt. Joseph Weld's house in the town street near that of John Eliot, in which he finally resided. Here he continued until his decease, and no tempta- tions arising, either from the incompetency of the salary allowed him to support an hospitable family, or from the provocation which unworthy men in the neighborhood some- times tried him withal, could persuade him to accept of motions, which were made unto him, to remove into more comfortable settlements; but keeping his eye on the great man's motto, prudens qui patiens, he continued in his Roxbury station for three years more than thrice seven together.
Evidence of his uncomfortable proximity to the Grey- hound Tavern is also seen in the fact that he exerted his influence to have such persons only keep houses of public entertainment as would "keep good order and manners in them," and when from his study window he saw any town dwellers trifling there, he would go over and chide them away. What with the venerable apostle Eliot on one side and the godly Danforth upon the other, the tavern roisterers would seem to have been under a pretty thorough surveillance.
In early life he devoted some time to scientific pursuits, especially to astronomy. He published almanacs for several years, some of which were considered valuable for the chrono- logical tables they contained.
That part of the diary in the church records written by him is filled with accounts of comets, earthquakes, prodigies, and other phenomena of nature. He particularly mentions the following in the year 1664.
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Nov. 17. About this time there appeared a Comet in ye Heavens the first time I saw it wch was ye 5th of 10 m. It appeared a little below the Crows Bill in Hydra in ye Tropick of Capricorn or neer to it. on ye 18th day it appeared in Canis Major 2 degrees below ye Tropick. On ye 19th day I observed it to passe on ye upper star in ye Hares foot about 2 degrees & } above the tropick. It continued till Feb. 4.
He maintained that a comet is a heavenly body moving according to defined laws, and that its appearance is por- tentous.
The sermons, with which he fed his flock, were elaborate and substantial; he was a notable text-man, and one who had more than forty or fifty scriptures distinctly quoted in one discourse; but he much recommended himself by keeping close to his main text, and avoiding all remote excursions and vagaries; and there was much notice taken of it, and though he was a very judicious preacher, yet he was therewithal so affectionate that he rarely, if ever, ended a sermon without weeping. On the Lord's days in the forenoons he expounded the books of the Old Testament; in the afternoons, he dis- coursed on the body of divinity, and many occasional subjects, and some chapters in the Epistle to the Romans, until the year 1661, and then he began to handle the harmony of the four Evangelists. He also preached a monthly lecture, and on many private occasions, at meetings of Christians in families of the faithful. But instead of ever venturing upon any extemporaneous performances, it was his manner to write his sermons twice over, and it was in a fair long hand that he wrote them, he then committed every word to memory and his memory was so tenacious that it was never known to fail him. His utterance was free, clear and giving much in a little time. As a pastor he was unwearied in his attentions to his parishioners, visiting faithfully the sick and afflicted. There is no theological publication of his, except we con- sider his election sermon as such, which is a recognition of
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New England's errand into the wilderness. It was delivered in 1670.
After his contraction, according to the Old usage of New England, unto Mary, the Virtuous Daughter of the Reverend Mr. John and Elizabeth (Mansfield) Wilson, the first minister of Boston, whereat Mr. Cotton preached the sermon, he was married Nov. 5, 1651, and was blessed with twelve children. Two of his sons became eminent divines in this State. Rev. John Danforth was minister of Dorchester from 1682 to 1730, Rev. Samuel Danforth was minister of Taunton from 1688 to 1727. Danforth died Nov. 19, 1674, after an illness of only six days, contracting a fever while on a journey. In the church record under the same date Eliot writes this touching passage :
"Our Rev. pastor, Mr. Samuel Danforth, sweetly rested from his labors. It pleased the Lord to brighten his passage to glory. He greatly increased in the power of his ministry, especially the last summer. He cordially joined with me in maintaining the peace of the churches. We consulted together about beautifying the house of God with ruling elders, and to order the congregation into the primitive way of collections." "My brother Danforth," said he, "made the most glorious end that I ever saw."
He was thus eulogized in verse:
Mighty in scripture, searching out the sense, All the hard things of it unfolding thence; He lived each truth, his faith, love, tenderness, None can to th' life as did his life express. Our minds with gospel his rich lecture fed, Luke and his life at once are finished. Our new-built church now suffers, too, by this, Larger its windows, but its Lights are less.
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RULING ELDERS
MR. JOHN MILLER was educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he took his A.B. in 1627, and in the "Magnalia" is included by Mather in his " first classics." He came to New England in 1634 with his wife Lydia and son John. Freeman May 22, 1639. While in Roxbury he was chosen to the office of a Ruling Elder of this church. From 1639 to 1641 he was an assistant to the Rev. Ezekiel Rogers at Rowley. He returned to Roxbury at various intervals and probably preached when any temporary need existed. He died, in Groton, June 12, 1663.
MR. ISAAC HEATH was born in Nazing, England, in 1585, and came to this country late in 1635, aged 50, in company with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Elizabeth. He settled in Roxbury and his homestead and farm of three acres were near what is now the southwest corner of Washington and Vernon Streets. Freeman May 25, 1636. He was by trade a harness-maker and was one of the principal founders of the Free Schoole. Deputy 1637-8. About 1637 he was chosen by his townsmen to the office of a Ruling Elder of this church, a special recognition of his prudence, wisdom and godliness. This office placed him in intimate relation with Eliot, who consulted him in all his plans and difficulties. He assisted Eliot in his Indian labors, accompanying him in his toilsome expeditions through the wilderness and expounded the gospel to the natives. In the meeting house he occupied an elevated scat between the deacons' seat and the pulpit and continued in office through life. He died, in Roxbury, Jan. 21, 1660/1.
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DEACONS
DEACONS
MR. GEORGE ALCOCK came with the first company in 1630. He left his only son in England. His wife, a sister of Rev. Thomas Hooker, died soon after he came to this land. When the people of Rocksbrough joyned to the church at Dorchester, "until such time as God should give them opportunity to be a church among themselves," he was by the church chosen to be a Deakon, especially to regard the brethren at Rocksborough. And after he had adjoyned himself to this church at Rocksborough, he was ordained a Deacon of this church in 1632. He made two voyages to England upon just calling thereunto, wherein he had much experience of God's preservation and blessing. He brought over his son John and also a wife, by whom he had his second son Samuel. He was a physician. Freeman, Oct. 19, 1630. Deputy to the First General Court, May 14, 1634. He lived in a good and godly sort, and died in the end of the 10th month 1640, and left a good savor behind him, the poor of the church much bewailing his loss.
MR. WILLIAM PARKE (PARKES) was born in England in 1604 and came to this country February 1630/1 a single man, and was one of the first in the church at Rocksbrough. Freeman, May 18, 1631, and ordained a Deacon of this church in 1632. He married Martha Holgrave of Salem and lived on the North side of the road to Dorchester. He was a man of influence and wealth, of pregnant understanding and useful in his place. Deputy to the General Court for thirty- three years, & often selectman. One of the original donors of the "Free Schoole" and also a Trustee. He died May 10, 1683, aged 79 years.
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MR. PHILIP ELIOT, son of Bennett and Lettese (Aggar) Eliot and brother of Rev. John Eliot, our Teacher, was bap- tised April 25, 1602, in Nazing, England, and came to this country in 1635 with his wife Elizabeth (Ferian) Eliot, whom he had married in 1621 in Nazing. Freeman, May 25, 1636. He was probably ordained a Deacon of this Church in 1640 in place of Deacon Alcock, who died that year. He was a man of peace & very faithful, he was many years in the office of a Deakon wh he discharged faithfully. In his latter years he was very lively, usefull & active for God, & his cause. The Lord gave him so much acceptanc in the hearts of the people yt he dyed under many of the offices of trust yt are usually put upon men of his rank, for, besides his office of a Deakon, he was a Deputy to the Gen. Court, Comissioner for the govnmt of the towne, one of the 5 men to order the prudential affairs of the towne & chosen to be Feofee of the Publike Schoole in Roxbury. One of the original donors of the Free Schoole. He died 22/8/1657.
MR. GILES PAISON (PAYSON) baptised in Nazing May 14, 1609, was one of the Nazing emigrants and 26 years old when he embarked for New England April 3, 1635 in the "Hope- well"; a single man when he came to Roxbury. He married Elizabeth Dowell, a maide servant. Freeman, April 18, 1637. One of the original donors of the Free Schoole and also a Trustee. He held many town offices. He was elected & called to ye office of a Deacon 14 (11m.) 1671 & ye Sabbath following, 21. 11. 1671 he was solemnly ordained, by prayer and imposition of ye hands of ye Elders, Deacon of this church. He died Jan. 28, 1688/9.
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FOUNDERS
FOUNDERS
WILLIAM PINCHON, came in the first company, 1630, as one of the Assistants of the Company, and he was chosen to that office annually until he left Roxbury, and again in later years. His wife died soon after he landed and he married (2) Mrs. Frances Samford of Dorchester. When so many removed to the Connecticut river he went with them and planted at a place called Agawan, now Springfield. He was recommended to the church at Winsor until such time as it should please God to provide that they might enter into church estate among themselves.
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