USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the First church in Boston, 1630-1880 > Part 20
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3 The term " Standing Committee of the Church and Congregation " is first applied July 10, 1744.
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the church thought best to pass a vote in order to sanction its propriety.
In 1740 George Whitefield first visited Boston. On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 21, 1740, the famous revivalist preached his first sermon in " Mr. Foxcroft's . meeting-house," and on Thursday, September 25, de- livered the lecture. The influence of his preaching was marvellous. The size of his audiences, and the striking effects which he wrought upon them, sufficiently attest the power of his eloquence. At times the meeting-houses could not contain the vast numbers which flocked to hear him, so that he was forced to preach in the open air. " The converts of the 'Great Awakening,' in which he was so promi- nent, were numbered by tens of thousands. If our figures were precise, they would but slightly express the influence of this wonderful movement. The thoughts of all the people were stirred for good or ill, and an abiding impression was made upon the minds and hearts of the communities which knew its presence and its power. It stands as a marked feature in the history of the times."
Opinions were divided as to the benefits to be derived from such preaching. Of the two ministers of First Church, the elder (Foxcroft) wrote what he called an " Apology " for Whitefield, which does not disclose any particular bias in his favor, but insists that he is entitled to a hearing. Chauncy, on the other hand, was opposed to allowing him even this privilege, on the ground that he unduly excited his
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hearers and disturbed the order of the churches. The two associates differed very pleasantly on this subject, no suggestion of the slightest approach to a quarrel over it appearing from any source. The wide divergence of opinion between two such com- petent critics shows how difficult it is to form a fair estimate of the effects which revivals have upon the community. So many qualifications enter into the calculation that it is hard to say, in any particular instance, whether the result shows a preponderance of good or of evil.
But if carefully weighed and considered, the visits of Whitefield will be found to have left behind good rather than bad influences. Germs of reli- gion were quickened which, in spite of undue ex- citement, worked in the minds and hearts of the less emotional and better educated classes, and ex- panded into larger growths. His preaching, in other words, served to modify the harsh doctrines of the old school, and suggest more liberal ones in their place ; to quicken that steady growth from the too conservative to the more liberal, and hence, when properly restrained, more progressive forms of religion.
For the next ten years or more, the church is chiefly concerned with matters of business. The state of the currency, which largely consisted of province bills, made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to settle upon any fixed sum for the support of the ministry. In consequence of this
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uncertainty the pastors had been compelled a short time before to address a severe letter to the church, asking them to " pitch upon some method " for the proper supply of themselves and families with the necessaries of life. The church, after hearing the letter read, appointed a committee to consider the matter, and their report in favor of a larger supply for that purpose was fully adopted at a subsequent meeting.
The rule requiring a person to make a "relation " before qualification to become a church member could be granted, was modified at this time (Lord's day, Feb"y 15, 1756), so as to allow the applicant to exhibit a "Confession of faith." "Accordingly, Capt G- [Jeremy Green], the first male admitted since the Alteration, exhibited a Confession of his Faith."
The first attempt to form a choir was made at an annual meeting of the church on Tuesday, July II, 1758. "It being suggested that a number of the Brethren, who were skilful singers, sitting together in some convenient place, would greatly tend to rec- tify our singing on the Lord's day, and render that part of Divine Worship more agreeable, it was Voted that the Committee appoint the Persons and Place."
The practice of "lineing out " the psalms (reading them out line after line, or two lines together, before singing, for the benefit of those without books, or the ability to read, as the case might be) prevailed
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in some parts of New England even after the Revo- lution. But about the year 1720 singing societies began to be formed ; and out of these the modern system obtained a foothold in many quarters. The new method met with decided opposition in country parishes, but in the larger towns, and in Boston especially, was carried out with little trouble.
First Church seems to have been one of the first to offer encouragement to the new practice. "On July 14, 1761, it was further voted that the 'large committee' be desired to think of some method to encourage and revive the Spirit of Singing in this Church."
" Aug. 24, Voted, that a number of the best Sing- ers among us be desired to sit together in some convenient place in the Meeting House; that read; ing of the Psalms on the Sabbath day be omitted ; and that a committee be appointed to confer with the pastor as to the introduction of a new version of the psalms."
On " Aug. 9, 1761, it was voted to introduce the version of the psalms called Tate and Brady, with such supplement of Dr. Watts' hymns as our pastors shall think proper."
For nine years after the death of Foxcroft, Dr. Chauncy remained without a colleague. During that period, partly covered by the siege of Boston, the record is very meagre.
The number of admissions during the forty-two years ending with 1769 was one hundred and
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[1711-85.
eighty-one, fifty-three of whom were males, and one hundred and twenty-eight females. In the same time one thousand and forty-nine children were baptized, five hundred and forty-four of whom were males, and five hundred and five were females.1
In 1772 Brattle Street Society attended services in the Old Brick, while they pulled down their old meeting-house and rebuilt on the same spot. The invitation was accepted May 4, 1772, and a vote of thanks returned July 13, 1773. From July 12, 1774, to July 14, 1776, the record affords no entries. On Aug. 13, 1776, at a meeting of the church and congregation it was " voted that all the Leaden weights of the Windows of this Church be delivered to the Commissary of this Collony, upon Condition Iron Weights be placed in their stead & the difference paid in Cash." This is the only ref- erence to civil affairs at this period which the church record furnishes. Dr. Chauncy was obliged to leave Boston during the siege. Thursday Lecture, which had been suspended during that interval, was, on the departure of the British troops from Boston, at once resumed. On Thursday, March 28, 1776, the Gazette said : -
"We hear that on the last Lord's day the Rev. Mr. Bridge, of Chelmsford, preached a most animating dis- course from those words in the 2d of Kings vii. 7: 'Where- fore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as
1 Emerson's History of First Church, ISo.
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it was, and fled for their life.' This passage of Scripture is a good description of the late flight of our ministerial enemies, for they left their tents, and their horses, and a number of tories for asses."
The succeeding paper (April 4) says : -
" Thursday last the lecture,1 which was established and has been observed from the first settlement of Boston with- out interruption until within these few months past, was opened by the Rev. Dr. Eliot. His Excellency, General Washington, the other General officers, and their suites, having been previously invited, met in the Council Cham- ber, from whence, preceded by the sheriff with his wand, attended by the members of the Council who had had the small-pox, the Committee of the House of Representa- tives, the Selectmen, the Clergy, and many other gentle- men, they repar'd to the Old Brick Meeting House, where an excellent and well adapted discourse was delivered from the 33d chap. Isaiah, 20 verses.
" After Divine service was ended, his Excellency, at- tended and accompanied as before, returned to the Coun- cil Chamber, from whence they proceeded to the Bunch of Grapes Tavern, where an elegant dinner was provided at the public expense; after which many proper and very pertinent toasts were drank. Joy and gratitude sat on every countenance and smiled in every eye. The whole was conducted and concluded to the satisfaction of all."
On January 19, 1778, the church unanimously chose John Clarke to be their pastor; and on Jan-
1 The importance which once attached to the Thursday Lecture, when the pupils of the public schools were dismissed, and people generally sus- pended business, in order to attend the observance in the old church, might easily form the subject of a separate chapter. Dr. Frothingham gives a charming sketch of the time-honored institution in his "Shade of the Past " (infra, 301). See also " Discourse delivered on Occasion of resuming the Thursday Lecture, Dec. 14, 1843," by Rev. R. C. Waterston.
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uary 25 the congregation unanimously approved the choice. Dr. Chauncy, who had just passed the fiftieth year of his ministry, and was now old and feeble. continued in office as long as he lived.
On " July S, 1778, M. John Clark, agreeably to a vote of this Church, was ordained Colleage Pastor with Dr. Chauncy, by the laying on of the hands of a number of the Pastors from other Churches, deputed to this work by the venerable Council convened upon this occasion at the call of this church.
" CHARLES CHAUNCY, Pastor."
LIFE OF .CLARKE.
John Clarke, son of John and Sarah Clarke, was born at Portsmouth, N. H., April 13, 1755. His mother was a daughter of Deacon Timothy Picker- ing, and sister of Colonel Timothy Pickering.
After a long residence at Portsmouth the family removed to Salem, where his father, who was by oc- cupation a sea-captain, received an appointment as clerk in a public office. The son was remarkable at an early age for good behavior and scholarly tastes. He entered the Boston Public Latin School with the class of 1761, which included, among others. Thomas Aston Coffin, Bart., and William Eustis, the well-known governor of Massachusetts. He went to Harvard at the age of fifteen, graduating in the class of 1774. During his college course he gained the good esteem which belongs to well- ordered conduct and superior scholarship. His tutor,
1711-85.] JOHN CLARKE. 209
Mr. Willard, afterwards president, said of him, that "perhaps there never was a student who passed through the University and went into the world with a fairer reputation, and few with more solid and useful acquirements." He received the degree of M. A. (in course) in 1777. After graduating he taught a few pupils, but devoted his leisure hours to the study of divinity. He carly acquired a good reputation as a preacher, and had not long to wait before the First Church in Boston gave him a call to become the colleague of Dr. Chauncy. That ven- erable preacher welcomed him with great kindness, and they continued together in friendly association until the death of the former. Clarke then remained sole pastor until his labors also were ended.
Like several of his predecessors, Clarke died of apoplexy. As he was preaching in his own pulpit on the afternoon of Sunday, April 1, 1798, he was attacked by this malady and fell backward. He re- vived a little, but could only say "my friends," when he sunk again. He was then conveyed to his own house, soon became insensible, and expired at three o'clock the next morning (April 2), at the age of forty-two, and in the twenty-first year of his minis- try. Dr. Thacher preached his funeral sermon, Fri- day, April 6,' from 2 Sam. i. 26. President Willard
1 " The Committee of the First Church in Boston request the several soci- eties of which the late Mr. Clark was a member, and also his friends and connections in general, to attend his funeral on Friday next. The procession will move from his late dwelling-house, in Summer Street, precisely at three o'clock, P. M." - Columbian Centinel, Wednesday, April 4, 1798.
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also delivered a memorial discourse before his late congregation the following Sunday, in which he pays a glowing tribute to his friend. Two octavo volumes of Clarke's sermons were published after his death.1 His degree of D. D. was conferred by Edinburgh University. His chief work was an "Answer to the Question, 'Why are you a Christian?'" It went through several editions, both here and in England. Another little book entitled " Letters to a Student at the University of Cambridge" (understood to be his cousin, Hon. John Pickering) would be of ex- cellent service even to the present undergraduate. Besides these there were published, during his life- time, three funeral sermons, the last on his col- league, Chauncy, and a discourse before the Humane Society of Massachusetts.
Dr. Clarke was in some respects just the opposite of his aged colleague. His style of composition and manner of delivery were more elaborate than those of Dr. Chauncy. He cultivated the fine arts to a greater degree than his associate (though not to the neglect of his profession), and was a member of the
1 Jeremy Belknap delivered a sermon at Thursday Lecture which Dr. John Pierce says was " doubtless suggested by the then recent death of his be- loved friend, the Rev. Dr. John Clarke," and is copied into his Memoirs. Ile adds, " my impressions on hearing which I shall retain while memory lasts." - Letter from John Pierce to Miss Belknap, dated Brookline, 20th March, 18.45. MS. in Hist. Soc. Coll.
For notice of Clarke's death, see letter from the Rev. Samuel Miller, D. D., of New York, to the Rev. Dr. John Eliot, dated New York, April 16, 1798. He says : " I was sorry to hear this day of Dr. Clarke's death. Alas ! how fleet- ing is life ! you have sustained a heavy loss. I have valued few men more upon a short acquaintance than him." Hist. Soc. Coll. MS. C. 41, F.
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chief literary and religious societies in the Boston of his day. He was one of the founders and a coun- sellor of the American Academy of Arts and Sci- ences, a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, a trustee of the Humane Society, and one of the original projectors of the Boston Library. He prepared his sermons with great care, never writing more than one a week, and generally fin- ishing that before Thursday Lecture. On this account his discourses sometimes lacked. that brill- iancy of effect which is more apt to accompany- less labored productions. His manner of speaking was plaintive and pathetic, and well adapted to fu- neral occasions. His public prayers were prepared and memorized with great care. As a pastor his visits were frequent and most delightful, though of short duration. Instead of a general scattering on the part of the younger members of the household when they saw him coming, - as was too often the case in those days when the minister was making his parish calls, - the whole family was always glad to be present and listen to his cheery con- versation.
In his religious views Dr. Clarke was understood to be an Arian ; but, like so many other liberal min- isters of that period, he rather rested in the "nega- tive conviction that the doctrine of the Trinity is not a Scripture doctrine, than in any positive view of the subject." In the early part of his ministry he inclined to the doctrine of final restoration as laid down by
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Dr. Chauncy, but in the latter part preserved strict silence on that subject. On one occasion (so Clarke himself relates) a stern old Calvinist, who had been listening to his preaching, went out of the church in disgust, saying: " Beans in a bladder; no food to- day for poor, perishing souls." His favorite author was John Taylor, of Norwich. To illustrate the difference between his temperament and that of Dr. Chauncy, the following story is told. It was the. custom in that day for the Boston ministers to preach in regular turns on Sunday evenings to the poor people in the workhouse. The inmates of that institution, both male and female, were sen- tenced to imprisonment and labor, according to the nature of their offences, and in extreme cases to the penalties of the whipping-post. Mr. Clarke, when called upon to preach, "in the very fulness of his gentleness and courtesy, addressing himself chiefly to the frailer portion of his hearers, exhibited for his text and their instruction a part of Solomon's description of a virtuous woman, industriously at work with her maidens, and presiding gracefully over her household: 'She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff,' Proverbs xxxi. 19. When Dr. Chauncy came, - fixing his re- gards chiefly upon the male portion of his audience, and not suffering from any excess of sympathy with the other, - he preached from the words of the Apostle to the Thessalonians: 'If any will not work, neither shall he cat.'"
John Planke
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In personal appearance Dr. Clarke is described as "a little above the middle height ; about five feet nine to ten inches. He was rather strongly built, and was somewhat inclined to corpulency, but only enough so to round off handsomely the person. His complexion was sallow, but not indicative of ill health. His face was rather long; his forehead of middling height and broad; his eyes dark grey, and animated in conversation ; his check bones rather prominent ; his nose somewhat long, but straight and hand- somely formed; his mouth rather wide, and his lips thick, but his teeth good, and his chin strong and well formed. The general aspect of his counte- nance was calm and placid, but it was often lighted up, especially when he was conversing with young people, with uncommon vivacity." In social accom- plishments he was facile princeps among the clergy- men of Boston. His melodious voice and sweet and pleasant manners were in marked contrast to the set and formal ways of some of his elder breth- ren in the ministry. His youth, too, was by no means a drawback to his other accomplishments. In short, without any sacrifice of honesty on his part, he found a place in the hearts of all classes and all ages by his courteous demeanor, and by the gentle and loving influences which always accompa- nied his presence.
Dr. Clarke married Esther, daughter of Timothy Orne, of Salem. She lived to be over ninety, but for the latter part of her life entirely broken in
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mind. They had four children, -two sons and two daughters.
Distinctions as to sex and quality were still, to a certain extent, recognized in seating the congrega- tion. The men and women did not sit separately (as was the custom of the Old South Church at this period), but there were a few long seats, as they were called, which were known as " men seats " and " women seats," and reserved for the humbler sort of people, probably the servants of the proprietors.
For six months (namely, from' September, 1784,' to March, 1785), while the meeting-house was being. repaired and extensively altered, First Church ac- cepted the kind invitation of Brattle Street Church to join with them in worship.
The first book of records contains no entries be- yond the year 1785, with the exception of those relating to baptisms, which are recorded in that volume in an unbroken line from 1630 to 1848. That portion of the volume, nearly one half of its whole contents, is a study in itself, and full of in- terest to one who reads between the lines. One entry will suffice by way of illustration : " On the 6th of ye Irth Moneth [1638], Fathergone, ye sonne of o' gone Brother Willyam Dyneley [was bap- tized]," which contains the sad story of the birth of a son following hard upon the news of the death of his father, who had perished in a severe snow-storm between Boston and Roxbury. The grief of the mother is said to have hastened the delivery of the
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child, and caused her to commemorate in his name the sad bereavement.
In the nine years ending with 1778,1 seventeen persons were admitted to communion, three of whom were males and fourteen females. During the six- teen years ending in 1785, the number of baptisms was one hundred and fifty, of which seventy-four were males and seventy-six females.
1 It is unknown how many persons were admitted during the next seven years ending with 1785. The record shows twenty-four blank pages.
CHAPTER VI.
1786-ISI4.
JOHN CLARKE, WILLIAM EMERSON, JOHN ABBOT.
Organ Music in First Church. - Single Ministry. - Theological Changes. - Week-Day Lectures. - Thursday Lecture. - Com- munion and Baptism. - Invitation of Mr. Emerson. -- Sketch of Mr. Emerson. - Ilis Theology. - Visit to his Son, Ralph Waldo Emerson. - Church Discipline. - Building of a New Meeting- House on Chauncy Place. - Description of the Old Brick. - Surviving Worshippers in that House. - John Lovejoy Abbot, his brief Ministry and early Death.
TT was once said that there were but three kinds of beings whom God had endowed with animal sensation who were not charmed with the harmony of music; and they were the Devil, a Quaker, and an Ass. That the fathers of our congregation would have taken serious exception to this remark, in so far as it applies to the use of instrumental music in the worship of God, will appear from the following. The church had been anxious for some time to secure an organ to put in their place of worship, and for this purpose had repeatedly requested £500 from Mr. Brand Hollis, of London. Instead of obliging them with the money, however, he caused a small tract against the use of instrumental
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music in the worship of God to be published and sent to Dr. Chauncy. The title of the tract is here given in full: " A Tractate on Church Music: being an extract from the Reverend and Learned Mr. Pierce's Vindication of the Dissenters. The Chris- tian religion shines brightest in its own dress; and to paint it is but to deform it. Dr. Nichol's De- fence of the Church of England. London, 1786." The dedication on the inside of the page reads : " This Tractate on Church Music is inscribed to the Reverend Doctor Chauncy and the Reverend Mr. John Clark, the Ministers; and to the several mem- bers of the First Congregational Dissenting Church in Boston in America." To give an idea of the contents the opening lines are quoted : -
" The subject before us may be resolved into a question, which, simple and uncompounded, is no other than whether it be fit and proper to introduce the use of instrumental music into the public worship of almighty God, as being able to excite in us devout and spiritual affections? Plain singing is universally admitted to be at once capable of raising and improving sentiments of rational piety and devotion, and is commanded in the New Testament. Where the heart and understanding are so intimately in- terested, like every other united act of praise, it is calcu- lated to produce a good effect. But the addition of instrumental music should seem more calculated to divert and dissipate the pious affections of a reasonable service than to fix them upon their proper objects.
" And if express authority be pleaded in its behalf, such authority should be proved by other evidences than a gen- eral command concerning singing. It is not enough to
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say that musical instruments are able to stir and cheer our minds; for it is not lawful for us to bring into use such things, of our own heads, into God's worship. Who knows not that wine has the like virtue to cheer men's minds and warm their affections? And yet it is unlawful to use it in the worship of God, except where it is commanded, in the Lord's supper. Vain, therefore, are these and such like allegations upon this head. And unless it can be proved that our minds are carried toward spiritual and heavenly things by some hidden virtue that nature has given to these musical instruments, or by a certain divine grace accompanying them, as God's own institutions, there is really nothing said to the purpose." .
Letters of approval from Drs. Price and Kippis are subjoined to the pamphlet, Price fearing a " devi- ation from the simplicity of Christian worship" in the use of instrumental music, and Kippis finding " no foundation in the New Testament" for such practice. That the church had an organ before this tract appeared, and were only anxious to purchase a new one, would seem to follow from a vote that was passed in 1786, allowing Mr. John Greenleaf the sum of £30 for past services as organist. But the precise date when this first instrument was intro- duced is unknown. Shaw says: " In this church [the Old Brick] was introduced the first organ ever admitted into a Congregational church in this town." Probably the first instrument, was only hired, as no mention of the purchase of an organ occurs until 1786. In 1789 " a motion to remove the organ from the society by making sale thereof" was lost by a
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