USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the Old South church (Third church) Boston, 1669-1884, Vol. I > Part 34
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Samuel Sewall, sensible of the reiterated strokes of God upon him- self and family ; and being sensible, that as to the Guilt contracted upon the opening of the late Commission of Oyer and Terminer at Salem (to which the order for this Day relates) he is, upon many ac- counts, more concerned than any that he knows of, Desires to take the Blame and shame of it, Asking pardon of men, And especially desiring prayers that God, who has an Unlimited Authority, would pardon that sin and all other his sins ; personal and Relative : And according to his infinite Benignity, and Sovereignty, Not Visit the sin of him, or of any other, upon himself or any of his, nor upon the Land : But that He would powerfully defend him against all Tempta- tions to Sin, for the future ; and vouchsafe him the efficacious, saving Conduct of his Word and Spirit.
The good judge stood, as this solemn confession was read by his minister in his behalf, and bowed at its close. In all his dis- tinguished career he was never so great as at that moment. All present, we think, must have been moved as they saw this man,
293
DEATH OF JACOB ELIOT.
prominent in their membership, this honorable councillor and judge, publicly acknowledging his sin and humbly imploring pardon, human and divine.
The moral heroism of Judge Sewall's penitential act becomes the more conspicuous as we remember that he had eight asso- ciates on the Special Commission, all religious men, no one of whom thought it his duty to follow his example, or to announce publicly in any way that he regretted his part in the fatal assize. It is said that the chief justice, Stoughton, on being told what one of his brethren had done, remarked that for himself, when he sat in judgment, he had the fear of God before his eyes, and gave his opinion according to the best of his understanding ; and although afterward it might appear that he had been in error, he saw no necessity for a public acknowledgment. It should be added that Stoughton's conduct in relation to the witchcraft trials detracted nothing from the popularity which he always enjoyed.
The only entries upon the church records between July, 1688, and the autumn of 1693, are the following : -
Feb. 5 '92. Elisabeth Monk restored from church censure.1
June 4 '93 Jacob Eliot, Margaret Pond and Margaret Cox rec- onciled to the church.
We have no means of learning what had taken place which made it necessary for Deacon Jacob Eliot to become reconciled to the church, but are glad that the occasion of strife, whatever it was, was now taken out of the way, for he lived less than three months from this time. He came home sick from Muddy River (Brookline) on Saturday, the 12th of August, died early in the morning of the following Wednesday, and was buried in the Granary Burying-ground on Thursday. Judge Sewall refers to his death in a very beautiful and touching manner : -
Tis a sudden and very sore Blow to the South Church, a Loss hardly repaired. On the Sabbath, Mr. Willard being in before me, I did not 1 [Elizabeth, widow of John Wood- been a private marriage on the 2d of June of the year before. Sewall further says (February 5, 1692-3) that she was restored, "having made a satisfactory confession." Her name nowhere ap- pears on the church register, and but for her having been under discipline the fact of her membership would not now be known. The same is true of three or four others.] mansey, married, secondly, George Monk ; he kept a tavern, and occupied at one time the mansion house of Major Walley, in what is now Milk Street. Sewall says: May 8, 1688: " Discourse with Mrs. Woodmancy as to her pre- tended Marriage, which Mr. Willard, Eliot, Frary and Self find to be nothing at all." She claimed that there had
294
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
mind D[eacon] Eliot's absence, and wondered I heard not his voice beginning the Psalm, and Capt. Frary waited when I should begin it. We shall hardly get another such a sweet Singer as we have lost. He was one of the most Serviceable Men in Boston, condescending to his friends. One of the best and most respectfull Friends I had in the world. Lord awaken us. Scarce a Man was so universally known as He. Dyed in the 61. year of 's Age. Was one of the first that was born in Boston.
Sabbath August 20. Mr. Willard propounds a Church Meeting on Friday next 3 P. M. that may elect a Deacon or two, Capt. Frary not being able to officiat at the Lord's Table, which we are invited to this day sennight. (Sewall.)
Judge Sewall spent the week following in the Narragansett country, so that we do not know what took place at the meet- ing on the 25th of August, further than that no choice was then made. The church records give us the action reached two or three months later : -
October 15. 93. Mr. Samuel Checkly and Mr. Nath. Williams were elected for Deacons.
November 24. 93. Upon the refusal of Mr. Samuel Checkly, Mr. James Hill was elected for a Deacon.1
December 7. 93. The church voted to give 200{ out of their treas- ury to the children of Samuel Willard.2
The last entry stands without explanation, but we have before us a subscription-paper, bearing the same date, from which it appears that in addition to the appropriation of £200 from the treasury of the church, personal contributions were made by the members, amounting to £336, the whole being in recogni- tion of Mr. Willard's faithful labors in the pastorate.
1 [Mr. Checkley was chosen again and accepted the office, probably after the death of Deacon Frary, as the church records refer to him as one of the dea- cons October 17, 1703. Judge Sewall, in his Diary, mentions him as a deacon un- der the following dates : August 21, 1710, July 5, 1714, and December 6, 1724. The News-Letter, in announcing his death, which took place December 27, 1738, speaks of him as a deacon in the South Church, and gives the date of his election as in the text, October 15, 1693.] 2 [Mr. Willard had a large number of children, - six by his first wife, and four- teen during his ministry in the South Church. When this testimonial was
raised, his eldest daughter, Abigail, was to be married soon, and his son Josiah was to enter college the following year. He graduated in 1698. Another son, Richard, was admitted to Harvard Col- lege June 29, 1697, and on the same day went to the river to bathe, and was drowned. A few days later, Mr. Willard preached a sermon at a meeting at the house of Mr. Francis Burroughs, from the text, "But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps; " and the les- son he drew from it was, that they who would always be in readiness for Christ's uncertain coming must see that they have grace in their hearts, and that they always keep it in exercise.]
295
A SUBSCRIPTION FOR MR. WILLARD.
BOSTON, Dec' 7th 1693
Wee the Subscribers haveing had Large Experience of the Faithfull and Painfull Labours of the Reverend Mr. Samuel Willard in the work of the Ministry among Us, and being sensible of the Obligation we lye under both to God and him. for so great a blessing, and being desireous to express our Acknowledgment thereof in makeing some further pro- vision for the Support of his Familie and numerous Issue, Doe here- fore freely contribute and give the several summes of Money here- under mentioned against our Respective Names to be paid to and intrusted in the hands of One or more of the Contributors, as shall be agreed by the Major part of the Subscribers, to be accounted ac- cording to the several summs given by them to be Improved, Em- ploy'd and distributed to and for the uses herein mentioned and no other, That is to say : the Value of [ ] in money or plate, to be forthwith presented to Mrs. Eunice Willard Wife of the said Mr. Samuel Willard, in testimony of Our respects to her, to be her own forever. And all the remainder of the said Money to be be- stowed shared and divided to and among All the Children of the said Mr. Willard, part and part alike, at such time and times respectively, as any of them shall be marryed, or otherwise disposed of, for settle- ment to be at their own finding ; with a proportionable part of the Improvement and Increase made of said money unto that time. But all the proffits and Increase of so much as is the proportion of the Children by Mrs. Eunice Willard from and after the death of the said Mr. Willard to be Imployed and disposed of from time to time for and towards the maintainance and education of such his children as shall be then under age and a charge to his Estate. Except after the Death of said Mr. Samuel Willard, by the soveraign disposing of God Mrs. Willard and her Children should be brought to such straits as to need part, or all of the principal belonging to them for their maintenance and education, then it shall be free for the persons now chosen by the Church, to relieve them out of the principal also as to them shall be Judged inost convenient.1
1 [The signatures are as follows : -
Samuel Sewall, {20. Peter Sergeant, 20. Edward Bromfield, 12. John Eyre, 12. Simeon Stoddard, 20. Francis Burroughs, 15. Nath. Oliver, 12. An- drew Belcher, 10. John Borland, 10. Wm. Clarke, 7. Thos. Cooper, 6. Saml. Checkley, 10. John Campbell, 6. Theop. Frary, 5. Danl. Allen, 6. Thos. Clarke, 6. John Boult, 8. John Joyliffe, 5. Danl. Miner, 5. Nathl. Williams, 6. Jno. Pool, 6. Benj. Alford, 5. Thos. B --- , 6. Benj. Walker, 9. Jno. Conney, 5. Saml. Phillips, 3. Jacob Maleyn 3. Robt. Gibbs, 3. Jas. Pemberton, 2.10/. Jo-
seph Belknap, 2.10/. Benj. Pemberton, 3. Saml. Wentworth, 3. Benj. Gallop, 3. Duncan Campbell, 3. Elizur Holyoke, 2. John Wing, (not paid, 3.) Joseph Briscoe, 3. Jno. Bennet, 3. Mary Ar- dell, 6. Eliezer Moody, 6. James Smith, 4. David Jeffries, 7. John Maxwell, 5. Thomas Savage, 6. Thos. Prince, 2.10/. Geo. Ellistone, 2. Simon Daniel, 3. James Barton, 3. Robt. Gutterage, 3. Jos. Downeing, 2. Jos. Rogers, 1.10/. Jos. Elliott, 2. Geo. Kallender, 3. Gustavus Hamilton, 6. By an unknown hand 8. In all, 4336. Church Stock, {200. Total, £ 536.]
296
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Sabbath, March 17. Is a very sore Storm of Snow. When After- noon Exercise is over, Mr. Willard stays the Church and Major Wal- ley, Capt. Williams and Checkly are chose to accompany our Pastor to Salem-Village on the 3d of April next ; that Church calling a Coun- cill. to see if can put an end to their contentions. (Sewall.)
The council at Salem Village deserves more than a passing reference. The prosecution and execution of the unhappy per- sons in that place charged with witchcraft had been relent- lessly pressed by the minister, the Rev. Samuel Parris, and when the reaction came the relatives and friends of those who had suffered through him were determined that he should leave the church. The men of influence were generally on his side, so that he was able for a time to withstand the opposition against him : but as the light came to be thrown upon his course of action, and as a result of the high-handed and overbearing way in which he undertook to deal with those who were calling him to account, the tide began to turn and to set strongly against him. He resisted the demand for a mutual council as long as he could, and when obliged to yield this point he in- sisted that certain churches of whose influence he was afraid, particularly the First and Third of Boston, and the church in Ipswich, should not be embraced in the call. As he and the dissatisfied brethren could not agree upon the churches to be invited, he and his church decided to call an ex parte council, and it is this to which reference is made in Judge Sewall's diary as above quoted. But his plan of finding refuge in an ex parte council was, as Mr. Upham says, utterly frustrated. He himself records that the "reverend elders in the Bay accounted it advisable" that the First and Third Churches in Boston should be added to the council. "They wrote to him to that effect, and he had to comply. This brought James Allen and Samuel Willard into the council, and determined the character of the Result, which, coming from a tribunal called by him to adjudicate the case, and hearing only such evidence as he laid before it, so far as it bore against him, was decisive and fatal."
The council met at Salem Village on the 3d of April ; the min- isters present, besides Mr. Allen and Mr. Willard, were the Rev. Increase Mather and the Rev. Cotton Mather, of the North Church, Boston, the Rev. Samuel Phillips, and the Rev. Edward l'ayson, of Rowley, and the Rev. Samuel Torrey, of Weymouth. Dr. Increase Mather was moderator. In the Result Mr. Parris was effusively praised, as is sometimes the case even in these
297
COUNCIL AT SALEM VILLAGE.
days when an unsuccessful or unpopular minister is to be bowed out of his parish. The first and last paragraphs of the paper, however, in which the council gave its opinion, with all their circumlocution, and with all the qualifications of the interven- ing sentences, left no doubt in the minds of the parties inter- ested as to what the judgment of the representatives of the churches really was. They were in these words : -
I. We judge that, albeit in the late and the dark time of the confu- sions, wherein Satan had obtained a more than ordinary liberty to be sifting of this plantation, there were sundry unwarrantable and uncom- fortable steps taken by Mr. Samuel Parris, the pastor of the church in Salem Village, then under the hurrying distractions of amazing afflic- tions ; yet the said Mr. Parris, by the good hand of God brought unto a better sense of things, hath so fully expressed it, that a Christian charity may and should receive satisfaction therewith.
VI. If the distempers in Salem Village should be (which God for- bid !) so incurable, that Mr. Parris, after all, find that he cannot, with any comfort and service, continue in his present station, his removal from thence will not expose him unto any hard character with us, nor, we hope, with the rest of the people of God among whom we live.1
Mr. Parris did not vacate his pulpit without a further strug- gle, but there were some resolute men in his parish to whom at length he had to yield. Of one of them Mr. Upham says : "His dauntless son did not follow the wolf through the deep and dark recesses of his den with a more determined resolution than that with which Joseph Putnam pursued Samuel Parris through the windings of the law, until he ferreted him out, and rid the village of him forever." In the summer of 1697, the inferior Court of Common Pleas, before which Mr. Parris car- ried the case, ordered that the matter in controversy between him and the inhabitants of Salem Village should be referred to arbitrators for decision. The arbitrators were Wait Winthrop, Elisha Cooke, and Samuel Sewall, and they decided that a cer- tain sum for arrearages of salary and for his right and interest in the ministerial house and land should be paid to Mr. Parris, and that he should be forthwith dismissed. The parish raised the required sum with great alacrity, we are told, and he soon after left the place.2
1 [This Result is printed in full, with the signatures of the council, including those of Mr. Willard and Messrs. Check- ley, Walley, and Williams, of the Third
Church, in Upham's Salem Witchcraft, vol. ii. pp. 551-553.]
2 The Rev. Deodat Lawson preached for a time at Salem Village, and a ser-
4
298
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
We have the following entries upon the church records, and then they are silent for nearly four years : -
At a church meeting March 20. 1693-4,
Voted that Captain Sewal and Mr. Theophilus Frary, be empowered to agree with the relations, or executors of Mr. Jno. Sanforth,1 about a certain house and land, bequeathed by said Sanforth to the South church ; and to give or make to him or them a sufficient conveyance of any title which this Church hath of claim to said house and land by vertue of such will.
SAML WILLARD.
At a church meeting June 10. 1694,
Voted that the one half of the long seats in the meeting house at the west end, before the pews of Mr. Bromfield and Mr. Savage, be altered for the making of two pews. and accordingly disposed of by the overseers of the seats.
SAML WILLARD.
Reports of incursions by the hostile Indians reached the town from time to time. On the 27th of July, 1694, Groton was again attacked, twenty-one persons were killed, and thirteen were carried into captivity. On the 23d of August the Third Church kept "a solemn day of humiliation," and Mr. Willard preached a sermon, which was printed ; his subject was " Refor- mation the great Duty of an afflicted People, setting forth the Sin and Danger there is in Neglecting of it, under the contin- ued and repeated Judgments of God." Judge Sewall and Major Penn Townsend had gone to Albany on public business.
mon of his (March 24. 1692 ) entitled Christ's Fidelity the only Shield against Satan's Malignity, was printed. He afterward settled at Scituate, as the third minister of the Second Church there. He became a member of the Third Church, Boston, in 16So, and continued in the membership until he moved to Scitu- ate. Savage says that if he had joined the Second instead of the Third Church when he came to Boston, there would be more about him in the Magnalia.
1 [John Sanford, schoolmaster, was un- doubtedly a member of the church, al- though his name does not appear on the register. He died February 10, 1676-7, and provided in his will that at the death of his wife his house, with the land on which it stood, should go to the South Church.
February 15, 1677. "In the thors- day even Mr. Smith of Hingham speaks to me to solicit that his son, and my former Bedfellow, Henry Smith, might obtain Mr. Sanfords House and authority therein to teach School." " Friday morn Feb. 16. I go to Mrs. Sanford and (by her hint) to Mr. Frary, one of the overseers, who gave me some encouragement, and said that within a day or two, I should have an Answer. Wrote a letter to Mr. Smith that Frary had given an encouraging answer, and that I thought no Delay was to be made least the Scholars should be lodged else- where. Feb. 18. The seats full of Schol- ars brought in by a Stranger who took Mr. Sanfords place : this I knew not of before." (Sewall.) Mrs. Sanford and Timothy Wheeler were the executors.]
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299
THE REV. BENJAMIN WADSWORTH.
On the Sth of September, 1696, Mr. Benjamin Wadsworth was ordained and installed as colleague pastor of the First Church. He was the third with whom Mr. Allen was associated in his long pastorate, and there was to be a fourth, the Rev. Thomas Bridge. Mr. Allen had two assistants also, Mr. Moo- dey and Mr. Bailey. Mr. Wadsworth "was inducted by the neighbouring ministers, with a formality hitherto unpractised in the land." The churches invited were the North and South of Boston, and those in Charlestown, Dorchester, and Roxbury.
Septr S. Mr. Benja Wadsworth is ordain'd pastor of the First Church. Mr. Allin gave the charge, Mr. I. Mather gave the Right Hand of Fellowship : Spake notably of some young men who had apostatized from New England principles, contrary to the Light of their education : was glad that he [Mr. Wadsworth] was of another spirit. Mr. Willard was one who joined in laying on of hands. (Sewall.)
A few days later, religious services were held by the authori- ties in the town-house, with special reference to an expedition which had just been sent to the New Hampshire coast against the French. Mr. Willard preached the sermon, and what he said in reference to the witchcraft trials doubtless led to the order for the public fast in the following January, to which we have already referred.
September 16. Keep a day of Prayer in the East end of the Town- House, Governor, Council and Assembly. Mr. Morton begun with Prayer, Mr. Allin pray'd, Mr. Willard preached - If God be with us who can be against us ? - Spake smartly at last about the Salem Witchcrafts, and that no order had been suffer'd to come forth by Authority to ask Gods pardon. Mr. Torrey pray'd, Mr. Moodey ; both excellently : All pray'd hard for the persons gon forth in the expedition.
October 3. Mr. Joseph Baxter lodges here, being to preach for Mr. Willard on the Sabbath : Deacon Frary came to me on Friday ; told me Mr. Willard put him upon getting help on the fifth day at even, because disappointed of Mr. [John] Sparhawk. He sent that even to Braintrey ; but for fear of failing rode thether himself on Sixth- day morn and secured Him : After the meeting at Brother Wheelers, came and told me of it, and earnestly proposed to me that He might lodge at my house ; which I thought I could not avoid except I would shut my doors against one of Christ's servants ; which I also inclin'd to, only was afraid lest som should take offence. And my Library was convenient for Him.1 (Sewall.)
1 [Joseph Baxter, Harvard College, was ordained there as soon as he came 1693, was called to Medfield in 1695, and of age, in 1697.]
300
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
The South Church was invited at this time to the formation of a church at Lexington, then called Cambridge North-Farms. The pastor-designate, the Rev. Benjamin Estabrook, was Mr. Willard's son-in-law.
October 21. A church is gathered at Cambridge North-farms : No Relations made, but a Covenant sign'd and voted by ten brethren dismiss'd from the churches of Cambridge, Watertown, Woburn, Con- cord for this work. Being declar'd to be a church, they chose Mr. Benj. Estabrooks their Pastor, who had made a good Sermon from Jer. 3. 15. Mr. Estabrooks, the father, managed this, having pray'd ex- cellently : Mr. Willard gave the charge ; Mr. Fox the Right Hand of Fellowship. Sung part of the 4 Ps. From the 9th verse to the end, O God, our Thoughts. Mr. Stone and Fisk thanked me for my Assist- ance. Cambridge was sent to though had no Teaching officer ; they sent Elder Clark, Hasting Remmington.
Nov. 25. Mr. Wm. Brattle was Ordained at Cambridge. He and Mr. Mather, the President, preached. Twas first order'd that Mr. Brattle should not preach, but many being troubled at it, twas after- ward altered. Mr. Brattle also procured the Church to order that Elder Clark [the ruling elder] should not lay his hand on's head when he was ordain'd ; and he refrain'd accordingly. So that Deacon Gill coming home, said he liked all very well except the Bill of Exclusion.1 (Sewall.)
1 [Mr. Brattle owned the covenant at the Third Church in 16So, the year of his graduation, became a communicant in 1684, and took dismission to Cambridge.
A new meeting-house was built in 1706, and Mr. Brattle's first sermon in it (Oc- tober 13) was from the text : " IIoliness becometh thy house, O Lord, forever."]
CHAPTER VI.
1696-1707.
A PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT. - THE PRESIDENCY OF HARVARD COLLEGE.
M R. WILLARD had been minister of the church twenty years ; the duties of the pastorate were various and exacting, and the time seemed to have come for the settlement of a colleague. The matter had been under consideration several months, and Mr. Willard had proposed the name of a young man, a recent graduate of Harvard College and a son of James Pemberton, one of the founders of the church. Some of the congregation would have liked to give a call to the Rev. John Bailey, who, having resigned his charge at Water- town, was preaching with Mr. Allen and Mr. Wadsworth at the First Church. He had preached as an assistant to Mr. Willard a few years before, and was much beloved by the people. It was well, however, that the choice of the South Church did not fall upon him at this time, for he died on the 12th of December, 1697. He breathed his last on a Sunday afternoon on which he was to have occupied Mr. Willard's pulpit. He had begun a sermon from the text, Ps. xxxi. 5 : " Into thy hand I commit my spirit," but did not live to complete it. Cotton Mather took the words for the subject of his funeral discourse, preached a few days later to a "great assembly, though a very cold day."
The Rev. Simon Bradstreet had also been thought of as a colleague for Mr. Willard. He was a grandson of the governor of the same name, and a graduate of Harvard College in the class of 1693. He was called to Charlestown, as the successor of Mr. Morton, and was ordained there October 26, 1698.1
1 " He was a man of great learning, strong mind, and lively imagination ; but in the latter part of his life became so hypochondriacal that he was afraid to preach in the pulpit, from an impression that he should die there. In conse- quence of this he delivered his sermons in the deacons' seat ; they were generally
extempore, and pervaded with the melan- choly which attached so morbidly to his own mind. His style of preaching was rather practical than doctrinal -for the most part upon the state of man and the vanity of the world ; and this, together with his fondness for Tillotson's sermons, exposed him to the charge of Arminian-
302
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Mr. Willard's mind seems to have been set upon Mr. Pem- berton, and he was unable, perhaps, to do justice to the quali- fications of any one else. As it was a colleague and not a suc- cessor who was to be settled, he was entitled to consideration in the matter, and some earnestness on his part may well be excused. Judge Sewall's diary gives us the private history of what was said and done at this juncture : 1
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