USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the First church in Boston, 1630-1880 > Part 11
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2. " Though a private member might ask a question publicly, after sermon, for information; yet this ought to be very wisely and sparingly done, and that with leave of the elders; but questions of reference ( then in use) where- by the doctrines delivered were reproved, and the elders reproached, and that with bitterness, was utterly con- demned.
3. " That a person refusing to come to the assembly, to abide the censure of the church, might be proceeded against though absent; yet it was held better that the magistrates' help were called for, to compel him to be present.
4. " That a member differing from the rest of the church in any.opinion, which was not fundamental, ought not for that to forsake the ordinances there; and if such did desire dismission to any other church, which was of his opinion, and did it for that end, the church whereof he was ought to deny it for the same end." ,
" 22."] Adjourned sine die. A motion made by the Governor to consider about the maintenance of the ministers according to the rule of the gospel was dismissed, "lest it should be said, that this assembly was gathered for their private advantage."
ך".26 " Mr. Davenport preached a sermon on " Unity."
" 8. 12.] A day of thanksgiving kept in all the churches for our victories against the Pequods, and for the success of the assembly; but, by reason of this latter, some of Boston would not be present at the publick exercises."
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FIRST CHURCH IN BOSTON.
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Effectual measures were now taken to root out the opinions which had caused so much alarm in the colony. For this purpose the authors of the mischief were first banished.
In spite of the sympathy felt for the views of Mrs. Hutchinson by most of the members of the old church, what was regarded as her inconsiderate behavior at last drove the court to take extreme measures to be rid of her. Mr. Wheelwright, still persisting in his "errours," was disfranchised and banished.1
William Aspinwall and John Coggeshall, both deputies for Boston and sympathizers with Mr. Wheelwright, the former having drawn up and signed a remonstrance in his favor, also suffered the same penalty.
Of the others who signed this petition, some seventy in all, Captain Underhill and five or six more were disfranchised, and the rest disarmed.
Mrs. Hutchinson was first admonished, in hopes that that would convince her of error, and persuade her to make satisfaction; but, still persisting, she was finally cast out.2
1 He was released from banishment in 1644, and before he died, in 16So, became the oldest minister in the colony.
2 Church Records, 10.
The following is a copy of the order of court above referred to : " Whereas the opinions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people here in New Eng- land, insomuch as there is just cause of suspicion that they, as others in Germany in former times, may, upon some revelation, make some sudden inruption upon those that differ from them in judgment; for prevention whereof it is ordered that all those whose names are underwritten shall (upon
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The following is the record : -
"The 22th of ye jst Moneth, 1638. Anne the wife of o' Brother Willyam Hutchinson, having on ye 15th of this Moneth beene openly in Publique Congregation admon- ished of sundry Erro's held by her, was on ye same 22th day Cast out of ye Church for impenitently p.sisting in a manifest lye then expressed by her in open Con- gregation."
She seemed to glory in her martyrdom ; and it was not until a warrant was issued by the Governor requiring her to leave the jurisdiction before the end of the month that she finally departed. But it was a long time before the church ceased to be troubled by her and her sect. After leaving these parts, she first went to Rhode Island, but subsequently removed to the main-land opposite Long Island, where, five or six years later, with all her family but one son and one daughter,' she was murdered by the Indians, - forming a fearful climax to her eventful career.
During her stay in Rhode Island Mrs. Hutchin- son gathered about her all the disaffected spirits in the community. Rhode Island was then a harbor- age for religious outcasts.
warning given or left at their dwelling-houses) before the thirtieth day of this month of November, deliver in at Mr. Cane's [ Keayne's] house, at Boston, all such guns, pistols, swords, powder, shot, and match as they shall be own- ers of, or have in their custody, upon pain of ten pounds for every default to be made thereof." - Court Records, Vol. I. 207. A like penalty was en- joined, if any of those thus disarmed should purchase any arms or amniu- nition. Life of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, by George E. Ellis, in Sparks's American Biography, Vol. VI. 298.
1 The son remained behind in Boston ; but the daughter was carried into captivity.
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Here she attempted to establish a church of her own " in a disordered way," which became a thorn to the Boston congregation.
" Upon a fast, which was observed in Massachusetts Dec. 13, 1638, on account of prevailing sicknesses and heresies and the general declining of professors to the world, Mr. Cotton bewailed the state of things, and reviewed the whole controversy caused by Mrs. Hutchinson. He gave, doubtless, a perfectly true and candid statement of his part in it, and complained that his own name had been abused, and his opin- ions perverted, and himself made a cloak by seducers and heretics. Doctrines bearing only a resemblance to those which he had preached had been taught, and then ascribed to him, for the sake of entrapping others, but denied by their authors to himself, when he had expostulated with them. He acknowledged the justice of the sentence of banishment against the leaders in the mischief, without naming them ; but he recommended that those whom they had misled should be dealt with by the church, or imprisoned, or fined, instead of being banished, as this extreme punishment would sever them from all religious privileges, and lead them into worse heresies. The teacher doubtless suggested, at the same time, some church proceedings in reference to those at the Island."1 Strange mishaps to Mrs. Hutchinson, and one Mrs. Dyer, a devoted follower, afterwards hanged in Boston as a Quaker, form the subject of
1 Life of Mrs. Hutchinson, in Sparks's American Biography, Vol. VI. 171.
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a minute discussion by Winthrop. He regards the strange malformations with which they labored as a special visitation for the sins they had committed. But, in the former case at least, they can be satisfac- torily explained as the natural result of the " fears and tossings to and fro," - an event of not infrequent occurrence in medical experience.
" The church in Boston concluded, upon sending a depu- tation of its members to the Island, to make one more attempt to reclaim Mrs. Hutchinson and her followers. Mr. Welde says that ' four men of a lovely and winning spirit' were sent on this errand; but by the record1 it appears that only three went, namely, Captain Edward Gibbons, Mr. William Hibbins, and Mr. John Oliver. An account of their mission is extant in manuscript; and as our (church) histories contain no similar details of acts of church discipline, it is here given entire. The return was made in the meeting-house, after Mr. Cotton had finished his usual public exposition, March 16, 1640.2
" Pastor. Those three brethren that were sent by the church to those wandering sheep at the Island, being now returned, accordinge to the custom of the churches and ser- vants of God in the Scripture, when they did returne, they gave an account to the church of God's dealinge with them, the passages of his providences, and how God car-
1 Church Records, 12.
2 The account of this mission was copied with great care and precision from Keayne's Journal by George E. Ellis, and appeared for the first time in print in his Life of Anne Hutchinson, before referred to. The original manu- script is preserved in the Mass. Hist. Soc. Library.
Captain Robert Keayne was a man of wealth and position. He was a brother-in-law of Wilson, and the founder and first commander of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. He died 23: 1 : 56, leaving the longest will (158 folio pages) to be found in the Suffolk Probate Registry. Soon after his admonition, as before referred to (ante; 19), he was reconciled to the church, and restored to full communion.
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ried them alonge; it is expected of the church that some one of you, or all of you one after another, should declare the same, that the church may have matter to praise God with you.
" Brother IIibbins. We think it our duty to give an ac- count to the church of God's dealinge with us in our journey out and in, and of the success of our business when we came to our journey's end, at the Island. The second day . of the weeke we reached the first night to Mount Wollis- tone, where we were refreshed at our brother Savage's house, whereby we were comfortably fitted for our journey the next day, in which, by the good mercy of God and the help of your prayers, God did accompany us with season- able weather.
" And in our journey the first observable providence of God that presented itself to our view, and especially to my own observation, which was in providing for me a com- fortable lodging that second night, which was the thing I most feared, because I never was used to lie without a bed. There was one that met us in the way that came from Cohannet [Taunton], who had a house to himself, and he, of his own accord, did give us leave to lodge and abide in his house that night, where, myself especially, and all of us, had comfortable lodging for that night, which was a great refreshing to us, and a deliverance from my fear.
"The next providence of God that fell out in our jour- ney was some manifestations of God's hand against us; for being the fourth day, to pass over a river [Taunton River] in a canoe, in which was eight of us, our canoe did hang upon a tree, to our very great danger, the water running swiftly away. Now, my ignorance was such that I feared no danger, though those who had more skill saw we were in imminent danger. Here our God delivered us.
" But now, we coming safe over the water, it pleased God to exercise us much in the loss of our brother Oliver, whose company we missed and did not perceive it, he fall-
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ing into Mr. Luttall's company, that was agoing the way to the Island; then they lost their way. And as our hearts were full of fear and care for our brother, so was his for us. The fear was increased on both sides because there fell a great snow, and very hard weather upon it, and it was to our great rejoicing when we met one another again in health and safety, according to the good hand of our God, that was upon us in our journey, and that they had been exposed to much danger in that cold season for want of a fire, and all means to make it, had not the Lord, beyond expectation, provided for them to bring forth a little powder through the shot of the piece. Now the fifth day we were to go over another river, where we were in great danger, our canoe falling upon a rock, which, had not some of our brethren, more skilful, stepped out off the rock and put off the canoc, our danger had been very great. But God brought us safe at last, on the sixth day, viz. the 28th day of the 12th month, to our great rejoicing.
" Brother Oliver. Now for the success of our journey to our brethren at the Island. We acquainted them with our purpose in coming, and desired that they would pro- cure us a meeting that day ; but, for reasons in their own breast, and because of the snow, they did not think meet then to give us a meeting. But the next day they prom- ised and did give us a meeting, - Mr. Aspinwall, our Brother Baulston, Brother Sanfoard, and others, - and we delivered our message and the church's letter, which they read and gave us satisfactory answers. The next day we went to Portsmouth [North Town], where, being enter- tained at our brother Cogshall's house, we desired them to procure us a meeting to deliver our message and the church's letter. But when we expected a meeting Mr. Cogshall sent us word that, by reason of a civil meeting, that was before appointed. But, for a meeting, they did not know what power one church hath over another church, and they denied our commission, and refused to let our letter be
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read. And they conceive one church hath not power over the members of another church, and do not think they are tied to us by our covenant. And so were we fain to take all their answers by going to their several houses. Mr. Hutchinson told us. he was more nearly tied to his wife than to the church ; he thought her to be a dear saint and servant of God. We came then to Mrs. Hutchinson, and told her that we had a message to do to her from the Lord, and from our church. She answered, ' There are lords many and gods many, but I acknowledge but one Lord. Which Lord do you mean?' We answered, 'We came in the name of but one Lord, and that is God.' 'Then,' saith she, 'so far we agree ; and when we do agree let it be set down.' Then we told her, 'We had a message to her from the church of Christ in Boston." She replied, ' She knew no church but one.' We told her, 'In Scripture the Holy Ghost calls them churches.' She said, 'Christ had but one spouse.' We told her, 'He had in some sort as many spouses as saints.' But for our church, she would not acknowledge it any church of Christ.
" Mr. Cotton. Time being far spent, it will not be season- able to speak much. We bless God with our brethren for their protection in their journey, asunder and together. We find they have faithfully and wisely discharged the trust and care put upon them."
The teacher then proceeds to consider the "an- swers of our brethren at the Island." He arrives at the conclusion that it is better to bear a little longer with all, except the excommunicate. But as for them " that will not hear the church, let them be to you as a heathen and a publican."
The same journal also contains the following in- formation about Francis Hutchinson, who had been admonished by Boston Church July 20, 1640, be-
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cause he declined to vote for the admonition of his mother : -
" Francis Hutchinson, living at the Island, or Ports- mouth, with his father and mother, so that he cannot frequent the church, nor the church discharge her duty in watching over him; desired, by a letter to the church, that we would dismiss him, to God and to the word of his grace, seeing he knew of no church there to be dismissed to.
" It was answered by our teacher, and consented to by the church, that there was no rule in Scripture for such a dismission. We may recommend him to God, and may dismiss him to the word of his grace, when there is any such word there to dismiss him to, but not till then, seeing the covenant of the church is an everlasting covenant; and no church hath power, when God hath added any member to the church and tied him, to release him, but to another church. And though we cannot perform all our duties to him so far off, yet some we may."
The pastor then proceeded to draw analogies from the custom of the church of Jerusalem, requiring allegiance of those who dwelt at Rome and Ethi- opia, and other remote places.1
About this time a young minister named Collins espoused the new cause. In a letter to some one at Boston he is said to have " charged all our churches and ministers to be anti-Christian, and many other reproachful speeches, terming our king 'King of Babylon,' and sought to possess the people's hearts with evil thoughts of our government and of our churches."
1 " The formal reply of Mr. Cotton in the name of Boston Church (Hutch- inson Papers, Mass. Hist. Coll., 2d series, Vol. X. 184) agrees with this report." - GEO. E. ELLIS.
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" Collins and Francis Hutchinson made a visit to Boston in the summer of 1641, and were imme- diately and forcibly brought before the Governor and council and elders, the former to answer for his letter," and the latter for reviling the church in Boston. " They were imprisoned until Collins should pay a fine of one hundred pounds, and his companion a fine'of fifty pounds." Winthrop says : --
"We assessed the fines the higher, partly that by occa- sion thereof they might be the longer kept in from doing harm ( for they were kept close prisoners), and also because that family had put the country to so much charge in the Synod and other occasions, to the value of $500 at least ; but after, because the winter drew on and the prison was inconvenient, we abated them to $40 and $20. But they seemed not willing to pay anything. They refused to come to the church assemblies, except they were led, and so they came duly. At last we took their own bonds for their fine, and so dismissed them."
They were forbidden, on their release, to return to the jurisdiction, under pain of death. Nevertheless they found some sympathy in the church ; and even the constable who had the charge of them was fined for his favor to them.
"1638. Mo. 6. 25."] The court called upon the . ministers to rebuke the prevailing extravagance in dress and following new fashions; but small suc- cess attended their efforts, as some of the ministers' wives were to a certain extent responsible for the practice.
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" Sber."] About two years before, Mr. Bernard, an English minister, of Batcomb, in Somersetshire, had sent over two manuscripts, one to the magis- trates and another to the elders, which were directed against their way of forming churches. The elders had been so busy, by reason of the troubles growing out of the dealings with Mrs. Hutchinson, as not to find time to reply to them. Mr. Cotton now per- formed that service, and also answered another book in support of common prayer.
A person of very different character and morals from those of Mrs. Hutchinson, but at the same time a disturber of church order and discipline, was one Captain Underhill. A good soldier, and of great ser- vice against the Indians, he was frequently called to account for his loose behavior and improper speeches. As an instance of the latter, on his return from Eng- land he was heard to say " that we were zealous here, as the Scribes and Pharisees were, and as Paul was before his conversion." He attempted to deny this; but, on being confronted with a good witness, this and something more was proved against him. He told how " he had lain under a spirit of bondage and a legal way five years, and could get no assur- ance, till at length, as he was taking a pipe of tobacco, the Spirit set home an absolute promise of free grace, with such assurance and joy as he never since doubted of his good estate, neither should he, though he should fall into sin." For this and other offences he was banished.
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" On the Lord's day following he made a speech in the assembly, showing that, as the Lord was pleased to convert Paul as he was in persecuting, so he might manifest himself to him as he was taking the moderate use of the creature called tobacco. He professed, withal, that he knew not wherein he had deserved the sentence of the court, and that he was sure that Christ was his. The elders reproved him for this speech ; and Mr. Cotton told him that, . . . although God doth often lay a man under a spirit of bondage when he is walking in sin, as Paul was, yet he never sends such a spirit of comfort but in an ordinance, as he did to the same Paul by Ananias; and ergo advised him well to examine the revelation and joy which he had."
" 1638 (10). 6.] Dorothy Talbye was hanged at Boston for murdering her own daughter, a child of three years old. She had been a member of the church of Salem, and of good esteem for godliness; but falling at difference with her husband, through melancholy or spiritual delusions, she sometimes attempted to kill him and her children and herself, by refusing meat, saying that it was so revealed to her. After dealing with her, the church finally cast her out. She then behaved better for a short time; but finally, 'she was so possessed with Satan that he persuaded her (by his delusions, which she listened to as revelations from God) to break the neck of her own child, that she might free it from future misery.' She did not confess the indictment ' till the governor told her she should be pressed to death.' ' Mr. Wilson went with her to the place of execution, but could do no good with her.'" 1
" 13.] The devil would never cease to disturb our peace, and to raise up instruments one after another. Amongst the rest, there was a woman in Salem, one Oliver his wife, who
1 There is a curious resemblance between the state of mind apparent in this poor creature and that of one Freeman, of Pocasset, who was indicted in the year 1879 at Plymouth, Mass., for killing his child, as he said, under a divine revelation. Freeman was committed to an asylum as insane.
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had suffered somewhat in England for refusing to bow at the name of Jesus, though otherwise she was conformable to all their orders. She was (for ability of speech and ap- pearance of zeal and devotion) far before Mrs. Hutchinson, and so the fitter instrument to have done hurt, but that she was poor and had little acquaintance." She kept her tongue a-wagging till finally " she had a cleft stick put on it half an hour for reproaching the elders."
" (II) 30."7 The devil seemed to be active also at Weymouth, where Mr. Lenthall, late of England, and an imbiber of Mrs. Hutchinson's opinions, had settled. Mr. Cotton was appointed to treat with him and convince him of his errors. He finally retracted ; but some of his followers, notably one Britton, were fined or whipped.1
"1639 (3.) 2.] Mr. Cotton, preaching out of the. 8 of Kings, 8, taught that, when magistrates are forced to pro- vide for the maintenance of ministers, then the churches are in a declining condition. Then he showed that the ministers' maintenance should be by voluntary contribu- tion, not by lands, or revenues, or tithes; for these have always been accompanied with pride, contention, and sloth."
The church censure of Mr. Keayne has already been alluded to. The following false principles and rules for trading were deduced from his case. Some of the former were : -
" I. That a man might sell as dear as he can, and buy as cheap as he can.
1 " Lechford says of Britton that 'he was whipped eleven stripes;' and his guilt is by that author represented as 'saying that some of the ministers in the Bay were Brownists.'" - WINTHROP'S Journal, Vol. 1. 289, note.
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"2. If a man lose by casualty of sea in some of his com- modities, he may raise the price of the rest.
" 3. That he may sell as he bought, though he paid too dear, and though the commodity be fallen.
"4. That, as a man may take the advantage of his own skill or ability, so he may of another's ignorance or neces- sity.
" 5. Where one gives time for payment, he is to take like recompense of one as of another."
Rules for trading : -
" 1. A man may not sell above the current price, i. e. such a price as is usual in the time and place, and as another (who knows the worth of the commodity) would give for it if he had occasion to use it; as that is called current money which every man will take.
"2. When a man loseth in his commodity for want of skill, he must look at it as his own fault or cross, and there- fore must not lay it upon another.
" 3. Where a man loseth by casualty of sea, or, &c., it is a loss cast upon himself by providence, and he may not ease himself of it by casting it upon another; for so a man should seem to provide against all providences, that he should never lose; but where there is a scarcity of the commodity, there men may raise their price; for now it is a hand of God upon the commodity, and not the person.
" 4. A man may not ask any more for his commodity than his selling price, as Ephron to Abraham, the land is worth thus much."
Some of the church wanted to excommunicate Keayne, but, as the record shows, he was let off with a simple admonition.1
In the year 1640 the congregation set about build-
1 Ante, Chap. I. 20.
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ing a new meeting-house, the old one being dilapi- dated and too small. Winthrop says they sold away the old one, and agreed to build another, which workmen undertook to set up for {600.1 " Three hundred they had for the old," and the rest was to be gathered by voluntary contributions, as other charges were." There was some contention about selecting a site, the tradespeople preferring the proximity of the market-place, while others advo- cated the green (which was the Governor's first lot, situated on the corner of what are now Milk and Washington Streets, being a part of the Old South Society estate). The tradesmen prevailed, and the church was finally erected on Cornhill Square, where the Old Brick that succeeded it used to stand.3
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