USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Roxbury > History of the First Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts, 1630-1904 > Part 7
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There does not seem to be any evidence in the church records that anything was accomplished toward purchasing a new bell since the subject was first acted upon in 1689, until 1711 when the town took active measures and voted to procure a new one and gave orders to Mr. William Clarke concerning it, which are as follows:
ROXBURY the 16th of December, 1711.
Mr. William Clarke you being bound for England in Her Majesties Ship "Norwich" on board of which ship we have a cask of Bell mettle marked on one head W. C. and on the other 3 c 2.11 hereby consigned to yourself the Receipt for which you allso have. We desire you'l please to dispose of as follows:
On your arrival at Plimoth or Portsmouth if the "Norwich" proceed no farther towards London we desire you to Land it at either of these ports and if you can neither dispose of it there to good advantage nor have it new Runn at the usual price please to order it to be carried by land and when it arrives at London you'le please to procure a good sound Bell of 3 hundred weight at least by the disposal of our mettal and advancing what is proper on the different of Cast and uncast mettle or having our mettle new cast which done you'le please to pay for the casting thereof for which you have a Bill of Exchange of Ten pounds sterling on Mr. James Duglas merchant of London out of which take any of the above charges after which we desire you'le take the first safe opportunity either by any of the Queens ships or other good merchant ship with convoy bound to this place and ship it on board consigned to any of us allways taking care either to enter it at the Custom house as a ship Bell or in cask as other wrought mettal that it may be safe, and if after you have effected this matter we remain anything in your debt we shall see to the punctual payment thereof. We have nothing further to add, not doubting of your utmost care and good management we wish you a good voyage and safe return and remain your most humble and faithful servants.
WILLIAM DUDLEY SAMUEL RUGGLES JOHN MAYO.
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In March, 1717, a committee, consisting of Mr. Edward Dorr, Mr. Jacob Pepper, Capt. Stephen Williams, Richard Hall, Sen., and Mr. Robert Calef, was chosen to seat persons in the meeting house and in order to meet the general desire they were to have respect to the age and estate of all in their seating of them.
Att a church meeting held the first day of March 1717/8 it was unanimously agreed and voted as follows:
1. That it was necessary to chuse some meet person for an assistant to our reverend pastor.
2. It was agreed and voted to chuse such assistant att the present meeting. Accordingly the votes being brought in and counted, every vote was for Mr. Thomas Walter, son of the reverend pastor.
3. The said church chose and appointed the deacons a committee to acquaint Mr. Walter herewith, and inform the inhabitants of the town in their next meeting with the church's doings, in order for their future pro- ceeding.
"May 13, 1718. The town (having had legal warning) meet to chuse a representative, and to consider of a settle- ment for Mr. Thomas Walter. Voted that there should be sixty pounds raised for Mr. Walter, as encouragement to his settling among us."
Rev. Mr. Thomas Walter was ordained Pastor, Oct. 19, 1718.
At a meeting held Aug. 7, 1727, it was voted:
(1) That for the future it shall suffice to have the relations of such as are propounded for the communion read before the church only.
(2) Whereas there are or may be sundry persons among us Desirous of Church fellowship who cannot be Persuaded to make a Public Rotation and Really scruple the doing it off whose profession and Good conversation we may have such Testimony as in a Judgement of Charity to think them well qualified for the sacrament of the Lord Supper.
Resolved That if any Person who stands propounded to the communion of this church whose Profession is according to Godliness and of a blameless conversation that Really scruples the making Public Relation before the church in order to admission and shall signify such their scruple to the Rev. Pastor giving him at the same time such satisfaction as yt he may Recommend
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them to our communion in that case this church will not Insist upon the Public Rotations of such persons. But the Rev. Pastor may proceed to take ye Vote of the Church for their admission upon their Renewing the Covenant as usual.
In 1727/8 persons who have windows in their pues on the lower floor shall maintain the glass belonging to them and pews becoming vacant to be disposed of by the Society.
Paul Dudley, afterwards Chief Justice of Massachusetts, was a benefactor to this church as was his father before him, and Feb. 24, 1728/9, first showed his liberality by giving to the Deacons to take care of, the sum of Fifty pounds in money the Principal to be from time to time Let and kept out on good security and that the yearly interest was to be applied as follows, That at all times hereafter the Relict or widow of the minister of the church shall be entitled to the sole benefit of the yearly profits or Interest during her widdowhood and in case there be no such widow to be bestowed on any one, two or three (but no more) of the said church, that may stand in need thereof, from time to time at the discretion of the Deacons, taking his advice as long as he lived and after his decease the advice of the minister of the 2d Church for the time being. He wished so long as Mrs. Rebecca Walter, the widow of the late Rev. Mr. Thomas Walter, remained his widow that she should have twenty shillings per annum, being a part of the Interest. In case Madam Walter, the present pastor's wife, should survive her husband and her daughter-in-law remain likewise a widow he wished the mother to have two thirds and the daughter one third of the yearly profits.
It seems that the congregation was at times disturbed by noise the boys made, and in March, 1730, it was voted "That all Boys under the age of 14 years shall be restrained from going up into the Galleries in time of Public Worship."
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The boys' seats had some years before been granted to members of the congregation to make them pews, but as nothing had evidently been accomplished, in 1732 Joseph Heath and his brother Samuel asked to have the committee, appointed for seating the Meeting house, directed to lay out their Father's right to a pew in that place adjoining Mr. Gore's Pew. At the same time Sarah Williams, Mary Shed, Elizabeth Williams, Elizabeth Craft and Hannah Ruggles were given permission to fit up the hind seat in the Womens' Front gallery to sit in.
In 1732 another benefactor to this church appeared in the person of Mrs. Dorothy Williams, wife of Samuel Williams, and formerly the wife of William Denison, late of Roxbury, gentleman, who in accordance with the will of her former husband, as she had been the sole legatee, raised the sum of Two hundred pounds by the sale of a piece of land in Rox- bury which was part of the Real Estate of the said William Denison and also, as was expressed in the will, with the advice of Reverd Mr. Nehemiah Walter, and committed it to and lodged in the hands of John Mayo, cordwainer, John Payson and Edward Ruggles, ycomen, Deacons of the First Church of Christ in Roxbury and their successors in office to be by them or the major part of them let out upon good security at their discretion (but not in sums under Twenty pounds) and the annual income or yearly Interest to be applied for and towards the support and maintenance of the Reverd Mr. Nehemiah Walter, Pastor of the First Church, and the Reverd Mr. Ebenezer Thayer, Pastor of the Second Church in Roxbury, and their successors in the Pastoral office of the said churches (according to the present con- stitution of the churches in New England) in Proportion as follows: Three-quarter parts of the annual interest or income to be to and for the benefit of the Reverend Mr.
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Nehemiah Walter for and during the term of his natural life and from and after his death to and for the benefit of his successors in the church and office aforesaid, the other quarter part to be to and for the benefit of the Reverend Mr. Ebenezer Thayer for and during the term of his natural life and his successors in the office aforesaid in the Second Church in Roxbury. The above gift was formerly accepted by Deacon John Payson and Deacon Edward Ruggles, Dec. 19, 1732.
The yearly expense for the support of the church was somewhat different each year. In 1736 £100 was voted for the pastor's rate, for the cost of procuring firewood for Mr. Walter (which was cut on the common until the supply gave out); ringing the bell and taking care of the meeting house £22, for procuring help for Mr. Walter in the work of the ministry £52, and £13 for other expenses. A Committee was appointed each year for many years to procure help for our Rev. Pastor.
In 1734 the precinct at the West End of the town levied a tax on several persons and estates in this precinct, so a com- mittee, appointed for that purpose, were instructed to assert the line of this precinct and to take all due care to prevent the said persons being oppressed by obtaining a settlement of the line according to the bounds contained in the petition the inhabitants of the West End were set off by in 1706. This affair was finally adjusted the next year and the town was divided by a line showing who should be considered members of this church and who of the West End.
In March, 1736, the subject of building a new meeting house was first taken up and its position considered as to whether it should be built on the same spot as this one or between it and the house of Mr. Samuel Gridley somewhat north of this one. One of the spots suggested was between
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Mr. Gridley's Barn and the West corner of his Orchard as near the fence as conveniently may be.
Honble Paul Dudley, Coll. Heath, Coll. Lamb, Mr. Shed, Capt. Ruggles, Mr. Eleazer Williams, Mr. Nathaniel Craft, Mr. Ebenezer Pierpont, Mr. Ebenezer Newel, John Sumner, Capt. Mayo, Mr. Isaac Curtis and Mr. Joseph Warren were chosen a committee to lay before the Precinct at their next meeting the Plan of a New Meeting House, also how and in what manner the said Building shall be effected, particularly the Dimentions of it, the Number of Pews to be in it with the Charge of the whole Building as near as they can judge and that they agrce upon the Dimentions of the Pews and the value of them, as well those to be Built on the Floor as those to be Built in the Galleries, so as to reach in the whole the sum of One Thousand Pounds, and that they agree upon some just and equal method for the disposing of the pews.
The question was raised as to how the money to build a new meeting house might be obtained, and a committee con- sisting of Capt. Isaac Williams, Capt. Joseph Ruggles, Col. Joshua Lamb, Col. Joseph Heath, Mr. Eleazer Williams and Mr. Ebenezer Pierpont was chosen to present a sub- seription for that purpose.
It was finally decided that the New Meeting House should be built Northward of the Place where the Old Meeting House stands not exceeding Four Rods, and that it was to be 62 feet long, 42 feet wide, the Posts about 26 feet high, 38 pews on the floor, one tier of galleries and a Steeple at the West end. Number of pews to be built in Galleries shall not exceed 12 nor be under 8 at £10 each.
It was also decided that a Rate be made upon the Poles and Estates of the Inhabitants of the Precinct to Raise Eight Hundred Pounds and the subscriptions to be laid aside.
Then it was Proposed that no Pew or Pews be sold or
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alienated by the persons that first have them, or their suc- cessors, without first making the offer thereof to the Precinct or the Committee, they Have or shall Chose for that Purpose giving at least one Month's Notice thereof, and in case the Precinct or their Committee will repay to such Person or Persons the Money Paid for such Pew they shall Have it to Dispose of to some other suitable Person as they shall see Meet; but in case the Precinct or their Committee Refuse the offer, then the owner or Proprietor of such Pew may Dispose of it at Pleasure. That the First Offer of the Pews be made to such Persons as are of Character and Substance, and who in probability may be judged likely to Support in good proportion the charge of the Ministry and Meeting House in the Precinct; and in case of any competition or Equality as to Persons or to Families, then Regard to be had to such Persons or Families or their Descendants as were among the Antient Worthy Families of this End of the Town who were Remarkable for their Character and Support of Religion among us. In case there should not appear a sufficient number of Persons and Families Qualified as aforesd to take the Pews at such a Price as shall be set upon them, then the offer to be made to Such Persons as will Pay for them, Provided they are likewise persons of good Sub- stance and likely to Contribute a good Proportion to the charge of the Ministry in time to come and are of good Reputation and Sober conversation. A Committee was chosen to Dispose of the Pews in the Method above noted and consisted of the Honble Judge Dudley, Joseph Heath, Esq., John Sumner, Mr. Ebenezer Pierpont, Maj. John Bowles, Esq., Mr. Shubael Seaver, Mr. Eleazer Williams, Mr. Samuel Williams, Mr. James Shed, Capt. Joseph Ruggles, Capt. Samuel Stevens, Mr. John Ruggles, Mr. Ebenezer Newell, Mr. William Cheany and Coll. Joshua Lamb.
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It was also voted that Twelve Hundred Pounds be Raised by the Pews for the Building of the New Meeting House and also that seven Persons be chosen to effect the Business of Building, and they were to be Capt. Joseph Ruggles, Mr. Ebenezer Pierpont, John Sumner, Coll. Joseph Heath, Esq., Capt. Edward Dorr, Mr. James Shed and Mr. Samuel Gore. Capt. Dorr refused to serve and Mr. John Holbrook was appointed to serve in his Room. Capt. John Richardson was appointed on above committee in the Room of Mr. John Sumner who moved out of town. The above com- mittee was given Power to Agree with One Person or more to Build it by the Great and not by Days Work. Also they were not to exceed the space of Three Years until the whole be Finished; this was cut down to two years from Feb. 1738/9. In March 1738/9 another attempt was made to have it built on the Northerly side of the Country Road near Deacon Sam'l Gridley's orchard but it was frustrated. Deacon John Payson (Jr.) was already set off to the West Precinct.
It had already been voted that Paul Dudley, Esq., have the Liberty of Purchasing the two feet more or less overplus of the Pews on the east side of the pulpit, he paying therefor in proportion to his Pew, and that the two feet more or less on the West side of the Pulpit shall be for the use of the Precinct. As it had all along been concluded that the Wall pews should have but six feet front each and it having been suggested that as they are Described in the plan there will be Some breakage in Some of the ranges of those pews which the Community Desire to have the advantage of, it was therefor voted that the proprietors in each range have liberty to Divide the same between them, except what was already granted to Judge Dudley, provided they should be obliged to pay to the precinct Treasurer, for the use of the Com- mittee for building, a further sum in proportion to the several
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prizes already set on their pews in each range respectively. And he that refuses so to oblige himself shall forfeit his part of said breakage to the rest of the proprietors in the same range. It was also decided that stairs going up into the galleries be made in the steeple and one porch of the meeting house, and that two pews be added on the floor in the corners formerly projected for the stairs. The pews were all Drawn except five in the galleries.
In April, 1740, the sum of £60 was voted to be raised to provide for a Raising Entertainment.
It was also voted that as soon as the cells of the new meeting house were framed that then the old house should be pulled down.
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REV. MR. NEHEMIAH WALTER
NEHEMIAH WALTER was the Son of worthy Parents, who originally came from Lancafhire in England. He had his Birth in Ireland fometime in December 1663. And there was initiated in Grammar-Learning at one of their beft Schools, where he diftinguifh'd himfelf by his Proficiency: particularly in the Latin Tongue, which by that Time he was 13 years old, he was fuch a Mafter of, as to be capable of readily converfing in it, which he often had Opportunity to do, with Popifh Scholars in his Neighbourhood, who had learnt to fpeak it rather more fluently, by Rote; and in his Difputes with them, he found it a fingular Advantage to him, that he had such frequent Occafion to tax them of falfe Grammar, and cou'd cite them to the Rule: which ferv'd to put them to the Blufh or at leaft bring them to a Paufe, and to give him Leafure to recollect his Thoughts.
Sometime in (or perhaps a little before) the Year 1680 when the Prevalence of Popery greatly threatned Ireland, his Father Mr. Thomas Walter removed thence, and came over to New England; bringing with him this his hopeful Son. Here he was firft put to learn a Trade: but it was foon found, his Genius lay quite another Way and inclined him wholly to Letters.
His Book was his Delight. Accordingly, with a View to perfect his School-Education, and prepare him for the College, he was committed to the Care of the famous Mr. Cheever, then Mafter of the Publick Grammar School in Bofton; who, upon a fhort Examination and Experiment, return'd him to his Father, with a great Encomium, pronoun- cing him already ftock'd with Claffick Learning, and abundantly furnifh'd to enter upon Academical Studies.
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In the 17th Year of his Age, he was admitted into Harvard College, A.D. 1680, when the very learned Mr. Oakes was Prefident, and Mr. Daniel Gookin and Mr. Samuel Andrews, Fellows: though the former of thefe soon removing, waf fucceeded by Mr. John Cotton, afterwards Minifter of Hampton; who always mention'd Mr. Walter's Name with peculiar Affection and Refpect, and wou'd frequently take occafion to fpeak of his fingular Progrefs in Learning while a Student at Cambridge, with much Applaufe.
Anno 1684, he commenc'd Batchelor of Arts; and Mafter in 1687. In the Interim, Mr. Nelson, a noted Merchant in Bofton, who had a great Intereft and Trade with the French at Port Royal (now Annapolis) in Nova Scotia, made him the Offer of a Voyage with him thither, in order to learn their Language; which Invitation he gratefully accepted. And the more fpcedily to effect his Defign, prefently on his Arrival he retired from the Fort, that he might be out of all Englifh Converfation, and fojourn'd for feveral Months in a private Gentleman's Family at a Diftance, where he could hear nothing fpoken but in the Language he was aiming to acquire. It was a fober and (in the Romifh way) a religious Family : the Heads of which he was wont to fpeak of with great Gratitude for their handfom Treatment of him, and to exprefs his charitable Hopes concerning them, as really pious, upon the Obfervations he had made of them. - After paffing a few Months there, he return'd very much a Mafter of the Language; in which he afterwards more fully perfected himfelf by reading of French Authors, and by frequently conferring with fome Proteftant Refugees of that Nation; a fmall Affembly of whom fubfifted for many years (and till very lately) at Bofton, to which in the Abfence of their Paftor, he has fometimes preached, in their own Tongue, to their Edification; though at the fame Time he declin'd
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praying with them in it, perhaps from a modeft Sufpicion of his own Sufficiency for doing this either extempore or me- moriter, and not chufing to read a written Form .- But he was certainly able to difcourfe very promptly in the French Language, and good Judges have faid, with great Propriety. His Knowledge of that Tongue he accounted a vaft Privilege, which he frequently mentioned with Thankfulnefs to God; particularly as it gave him the Opportunity of confulting many valuable inftructive Books, that otherwife he muft have been unacquainted with: and accordingly his well- furnifh'd Library confifted, in great Part, of Proteftant Authors in the French Language; among whom thofe famous Divines, Meffieurs Claude and Placett were fingularly valu'd by him.
Returned from his Travels, he purfued his Studies at College, for feveral Years with clofe Application; difcovering a laudable Thirft after Increafe in all ufeful Literature, and giving Proofs of his Induftry and Ingenuity, by his exemplary Proficience in the liberal Arts and Sciences. - He had a great Command of the Latin Tongue, became a Critick in the Greek, and had a good Infight into the Hebrew: attain'd to a confiderable Acquaintance with Philofophical Inquiries; and in fhort, poffefs'd a happy Fund both of human and divine Learning. - He was indeed much of a Humanift; though Divinity rather was his Favourite Study. He bore fo fuperior a Figure among the Scholars of his Day, that in their Debates upon any Point, whether Philological, or Theological, ftill He was appeal'd to, and his Opinion was wont to be generally decifive. - It reflected a Luftre on his Character, that the memorable Mr. Elijah Corlet, Mafter of the Grammar School in Cambridge, ufed to exprefs a diftinguifhing Value for him, by employing him to officiate at Times in the Care of his School, when obliged to be abient
An ELEGIACK VERSE, On the Death
Of the Fras and ProfounIG KAM MARIA Nand RHETORICIAN,
Mr. ELIT AH CORLET
SCHOOLMASTER of CAMBRIDGE, Who De.cafed Anno .Itatis 77. Feb. 24, 1687,
N Roman Feet my ltumbling Mufe declines To walk unto his Grave, left by her Fall She trefpafs, in accotting of his Head With undefctved breach. In jingling Ryt me She thinks it not convenient to Dance Upon his Sacred flerfe : hut meurafal Steps It Metrically nrder'd, the computes
The moft becoming ot this Tragick Scene.
Could Heav'nsignifie Ball (whofc boundlef, Wcrab Millions of Haming Find's Joes ingult ) From Candle's doll and oleaginous Transfufed Beams, a glowing Atom draw, Which might a fuper added Luftre give Jato its conick Rayes; then might our Verfe 'Swell with impregnant boperoformyty forte Some rich Difplay of Corlet's Vertues rare. But this Herculean Labour fote'd we deem Not fecond to Impoffibilities.
This preffes hard our tim'rous heart wherce Hows A Torrent of amazing Fears, whofe WVaucs Bode Univerfal Deluge to that Verfe That dares pretend to equalize his Fame. Creep then, poor Rythmes, and like a timid Hure Encircle his rich Vault, then gently fquatt Upon his Grave the Center there proclaim Tho' he fubfide, yet his abounding Worth Does infiniecly Superfede thy Layes.
Tell to the World what Dowries Nature fhowi'd Into his large capacious Soul ; almoft - 2 Profufe in large Donations; yer kind Art Still adds unto the ftore, ftriving to reach Perfection's Top, during a mortal ftate. Sagacious Nature, provident that nought Of her difpenfed bounty truftrate prove, Boyls up this Font of Learning to an head, Which-over. topping of its Banks the gl'des Through Nature's Conduit-jipes into the Soil Of tender Yourb, which gaping fuchs it in, Like thirtty Stars Bright Ehebus's liquid light. A Matter of his Trade, whole Art could Square Pillars of tooted Grength whofe shoulders naught,
--
A Common Wealth upheld. Aboliab-like Divinety qualin J w.th curious Skill To carve out Temple work, and cloath the Priest With facred Robes, adapted for the Ufe Of Functions fo divine.
Rivers of bløqueme like Acitar How'd From his Vaft Oucan, where a fully might '. Surfeit with diaughis of Roman Eloquence. Immortal Outes (whole guiden mouth we're blew A hluft defit'd with indifpufed Speech) Sufpelling his own parts, rarely pronounc'd His Chcroncan lines, until& theyatouch'd This Lydsur Lapis CORLET : then approv'd They're Eloquence proof alteem'd, and challeng'd The Roman Tribe of Orators to Ipend Their fabriley, and piesce their kopke's Eyes Into their very bottom .-
Had Grecian Dialect and Roman Tongue Surviv'd this Age within their native Soyl, Endlefs had heen their Feud ; Athens and Rome Had fer their Tully's and L'emophones to fight With Swords brandifh'd with fhining Eloquen. c For to decide the Controverfe, and prove To whom by right Great CORLET did pertain This proving unfuccefstul, nought can quench Their flaming zeal, fave by (Col. Jos like) . Erecting his large Statue, whofe proud feet Might fix their Station on the Pinacles Of each of thefe Metropolies of Art. Nor were his Parts exclufive of his Zeal In ferving his rich Donor. No Serpent .. Bearing a fulgent Jewel in his Creft, While curfed Poifon fteeps his venom'd heart. But Grace the Crown of all fhone like a Sun Fix't in the Center of that Microcefm. Blown to the full, perfum'd with lacted fmell, This Rower Heaven pluckt. When Nardrer To Too fecble grown to hear fuch ponderous fruit Plijab's Chariot horn on Seraph's wings, Mounts with the Treasure to the port of Blfs.
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