USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the Old South church (Third church) Boston, 1669-1884, Vol. I > Part 40
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Lord's Day, Augt. 20. Mr. Joseph Sewall preaches for Mr. Pem- berton, from Ps. 73. 28. But it is good for me to draw near unto God : stood a little above an hour. Before we went out of the seat, Majr Genl [Wait Winthrop] congratulated me on account of my son ; said he had done Pie et Docte. In the Afternoon, Mr. Pemberton traced much of his Discourse in his Prayer.
Augt. 21. The Deacons come and deliver him 20s. Col. Check- ley very cheerfully congratulated me on account of my Son's very good Sermon. Capt. Hill congratulated me, coming in first. (Sewall.)
1 See ante, p. 329.
6
348
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Three years later this young man was ordained and installed as Mr. Pemberton's colleague.1
Novemr. 19. Mr. Pemberton preaches from Gen. 33. 5. And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy Servant. Bap- tis'd his Son [born on the 17th] having named him William. (Sewall.)
At this time Judge Sewall had a serious falling out with his minister, which, happily, was not of long duration. It grew chiefly out of the old controversy between the Mathers and the Brattles. The former claimed that they had been libelled in some pamphlets recently published ; and Judge Sewall and Mr. Bromfield, whose sympathies had been decidedly on the other side, felt it to be their duty as magistrates to issue warrants to bring the authors into a justice's court, where, although they were defended by Mr. Thomas Brattle, they were fined and bound over to the Sessions. On the same day, Mr. Pemberton, having come to Judge Sewall's house by invitation, to meet the president of the college and Mr. Sergeant at dinner, at once attacked his host with the remark, What, you have been hold- ing a court to-day ! An explanation was offered, but this did not satisfy Mr. Pemberton, who proceeded to denounce the Mathers "with extraordinary vehemency," saying, "If the Mathers ordered it, I would shoot him thorow." The judge told him he was in a passion, which he denied, and the rejoinder
1 The following paper, addressed to Society and your Humble Servants to the overseers of seats, has been pre- Command served : - JOSHUA HINCHY.
BOSTON, Sepr 4th 1710
Wee the Subscribers being under some Inconveniency for Want of accomma- dations in the South Church for our Wives and being Willing to be at the Cost of makeing those accomadations that are Nessesary, - Provided your Honours with the other Gentlemen of the Committy, would please to grant us our Request, which is to Have the lib- erty to add to the ffront of the Womens galleries Soe much In bredth as to make room for one teer of Chairs. In Each Seat, the persons Now owning the Seats to possess the front and Second Ranke of Chairs our Wives to Have the Backe part to them selves - Which adition Will make Room for Eighteen persons more, and be Noe Inconveniency to Noe Body but oblidge us Who are freinds to the
JAMES BLISS
STEPHEN GREENLEAF
SAMLL GREENLEAFE
THOS DAWS
JOIIN FLACK
THOS SALTER
RICHID HALL
SAMLL SALTER
MR PELL ye painter
HENERY IlOWELL
DAVID CRAIGG ROBT PATTASHALL
JOSIAH FFRANKLIN THOMAS CHAMBERLIN
To the Gentlemen that are of the Committy for Seating persons In the South Church.
This request was granted April 6, 1711.
349
FUDGE SEWALL AND HIS MINISTER.
was made to him, " So much the worse." He then upbraided the judge very plainly "with partiality," to which charge the answer was made that his carriage was "neither becoming a scholar nor minister." The president said that the governor had been "barbarously treated " by Dr. Cotton Mather, to which the judge replied that that matter had been under consideration before the Council. Judge Sewall in his diary adds : "The Truth is I was surpris'd to see my self insulted with such ex- traordinary Fierceness, by my Pastor, just when I had been vindicating two worthy Embassadors of Christ (his own usual Phrase) from most villanous libels." After dinner, when they were all on their way to the Council Chamber in the Town Hall, to attend a meeting of the Commissioners of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Mr. Pemberton renewed the dis- pute with the judge, and with so much warmth that Mr. Ser- geant, who was walking in front with the president, turned back to still them in the street.
On the next Sunday, in the afternoon, Mr. Pemberton or- dered the first five verses of the 58th Psalm to be sung. Sew- all says: "I think if I had been in his place, and had been kindly and tenderly affectioned, I should not have done it at this time. Another Psalm might have suited his Subject as well as the 5th verse of this.1 Tis certain, one may make Libels of David's Psalms ; and if a person be abused, there is no Rem- edy : I desire to leave it to God who can and will Judge Right- eously." A few days later Sewall went to see his minister, to expostulate with him, but there was no reconciliation at that time. He was particular, however, to call on Mrs. Pemberton,
1 [The editors of Sewall's Diary, be- ing in doubt as to whether the Bay Psalm Book or Tate and Brady's version was then in use at the South Church, quote from both, as follows.
In the former, the fourth and fifth verses of the 53th Psalm are thus ren- dered : -
Their poyson's like serpents poyson ; they like deafe Aspe, her care that stops. Though charmer wisely charme, his voice she will not heare.
Tate and Brady thus render the five verses : -
Speak, O ye Judges of the Earth if just your Sentence be :
Or must not Innocence appeal to Heav'n from your Decree ?
Your wicked Hearts and Judgments are alike by Malice sway'd ; Your griping Hands, by weighty Bribes, to Violence betrayed.
To Virtue, strangers from the Womb their Infant Steps went wrong : They prattled Slander, and in Lyes employ'd their lisping Tongue.
No Serpent of parch'd Afric's Breed doth ranker Poison bear ; The drowsy Adder will as soon unlock his sullen Ear.
Unmov'd by good Advice, and deaf as Adders they remain ;
From whom the skilful Charmer's Voice can no attention gain.]
·
350
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
to inquire for the baby, and to give a "tip " to the nurse. On the first Sunday in January, having ascertained that it would be Mr. Wadsworth's turn to administer the Communion at the First Church, he attended service there all day. On the 23d of the same month he records : "Mr. Pemberton visits us and prays Excellently." The breach was healed.
Lord's Day Feb 4. 1710-11 Mr. Joseph Sewall preaches for Mr. Colman p. m : prays for Col. Foster. Mr. Pemberton Prays for him.1
Feb. 5. Joseph returns to the College.
Feb. IS. Joseph preaches at the North [meeting-house].
Feb. 19 Returns to Cambridge. Capt. Atwood comes after his going away, brings 20s. ; speaks very favourably of my Son.
March 2. Joseph comes to Town ; this morning Mr. Pemberton's desire that he should preach for him was told him by Mr. Flint, which comply'd with, though he was to preach at Mrs. Bridghams in the evening.
March 4. To my apprehension God assists my Son remarkably in prayer and preaching. I hope tis an Answer of my prayer last Mid- week. Preaches again in the Evening.
March 6. Joseph visits Mr. Pemberton.
April 15. Mr. Pemberton is indisposed as was administring the Lord's Supper. Had so much of a Fever as to keep him at home in the Afternoon, by which means Mr. Holyoke was alone. (Sewall.)
The reference in the last sentence quoted is to the Rev. Ed- ward Holyoke, a graduate of the college in 1705, and afterward, from 1737 to 1769, its president. He was preaching from time to time for Mr. Pemberton, and was one of those who were thought of for the colleagueship. He became minister of the Second Church in Marblehead in 1716.
One of the great fires of Boston occurred in the autumn of 17II. " It broke out in an old Tenement within a back Yard in Cornhill, near the First Meeting-house, occasioned by the carelessness of a poor Scottish Woman, by using Fire near a parcel of Ocum, Chips and other combustible Rubbish." 2
1 [This was Colonel John Foster, an Church, Mr. Tho. Bridge pray'd, Mr. eminent merchant and a member of the Council, who died Feb. 9, 1710-11.]
2 News-Letter ; Drake's History and Antiquities of Boston, p. 541. The build- ing in which the fire began was owned by Ephraim Savage. The Old Meeting- House and Town House had had a nar- row escape a few years before. Sewall says, August, 1704: "At the South
Pemberton preach'd : just as had done his Sermon and stood up to pray, a Cry of Fire was made, by which means the Assembly was broken up, but it pleas'd God the Fire was wonderfully Quench'd. The wind was Southwardly, so that if it had proceeded from the Tavern Ancor [the Blue Anchor], probably the old Meeting House and Townhouse must
35I
THE FIRST CHURCH BURNT OUT.
Hutchinson says it began in or near Williams's Court. " All the houses on both sides of Cornhill [Washington Street], from School Street to what is called the stone-shop in Dock-square, all the upper part of King Street on the south and north side, together with the Town-House, and what was called the Old Meeting-house above it, were consumed to ashes."
The South Church was prompt to offer hospitality to its brethren of the First Church in their trouble, and it opened its doors to them, not for separate services, but for worship and the administration of the Sacraments in common fellowship.
Sunday, Oct 7. Mr. Pemberton stays the Church, who vote to have the Pastors of the First Church to officiat with us alternatly in Preaching and administering the Sacraments : and to be recompensed as our Minister. (Sewall.)
We have to depend upon the records of the First Church for the precise form in which this action was taken, and for the letter of Mr. Pemberton in which it was communicated.
BOSTON, October 12, 1711.
Reverend Gentlemen
The Church of Christ which I stand related to having considered the present dispersion of your flock thro' the holy hand of God in the late desolation of their meeting-house, thought it a proper and necessary expression of their Christian love and Regards to your selves and flock to pass the Votes, a coppy of which I now send you, according to their desire, which you may communicate to your church if you think proper. The Votes were passed with the greatest una- nimity and readiness. It will be to the last degree pleasing to us to have the advantage of your gifts and graces in every article desired. The last Vote, which invites you to administer the special Ordinances with us in your turn, we hope will be agreeable to your Church ; for sure we are it is a point of fellowship which is Justifiable by the first and stricktest principles of these Churches.
The alwise God has holy ends which he is carrying on by the pres- ent dark dispensation your people are under; and if it may but be serviceable to advance the spirit of [unity among these churches of] Christ in this Towne, whereby we shall be better qualifyed for the society of the Assembly of the First born above, wee shall all have reason to bless and adore the Holy Providence of Heaven.
May our gracious God speedily and peaceably repair your desola- tions, building up and beautifying your church with greater measures
have been consumed and a great part of the Town beside. Ministers express'd great Thankfulness in the Afternoon for
this Deliverance. Dr. Incr. Mather pray'd, Mr. Willard preach'd and then pray'd."
352
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
of his Holy Spirit ; may all under your charge be your crown and joy in the day of Christ. This, Reverend Brethren, shall be allwayes the prayer of your affectionate Brother
EBENR PEMBERTON.
At the meeting of the church in the South part of Boston October 7th It was Voted That the Rev. Mr. Bridge and Mr. Wadsworth, Pas- tors of the first Church in Boston be desired, during the present dis- persion of their fflock, to carry on alternately one halfe of the work of preaching in this Congregation.
That the Deacons of this Church make the same weekly allowance to them for this service that they do to our own pastor.
That the Reverend Mr. Bridge and Mr. Wadsworth be desired, also, to take their turns in the Administration of Baptism and the Lord's supper with us.
EBENR PEMBERTON.1
A similar invitation came from the Brattle Street Church, and both were accepted ; the members of the scattered congrega- tion divided their attendance between the two meeting-houses, and their ministers performed half the services in each. This arrangement continued for a year and a half, until the comple- tion of a new meeting-house for the First Church upon the old site.
Octobr 11. Fifth-day, Fast. A collection was made for sufferers by the Fire ; Two Hundred Sixty odd pounds gathered at the South church, the oldest Meetinghouse in Town.2
Octob. 28. Joseph preaches for Mr. Colman, who is at Salem ; Reads the Scripture. Mr. Pemberton prays largely for the Lieut Govr [William Tailer], that God would make him a Blessing like his predecessor, meaning Mr. Stoughton. Mr. Wadsworth p. m. pray'd for the Govr, Lt Govr, and all in Authority ; Baptis'd 2 children. (Sewall.)
Dec. IS. The Old Church keeps this Day as a Day of Fasting and prayr, that God would sanctify the late desolating judgment, and prosper them in building a New House for their Publick Worship.8 (J. Sewall.)
1 [In printing this letter, we have fol- lowed Ellis's History, pp. 168, 169. Dr. Wisner prints it with very slight varia- tions from the above. Mr. Emerson prints it in his History, p. 158, and says that it " embalms in the memory of First Church the piety, good sense, and sym- pathy of a Pemberton."]
2 [This fast was observed in all the churches, and about {700 were collected. The bell of the South meeting-house
was rung until the new house of the First Church was built. At a meeting of the selectmen, October 15, 17II, it was ordered that Mr. Williams "with the leave of Mr. Pemberton's church do ring that bell at nine at night and five in the morning."]
3 [These services were probably held in the South meeting-house, as Mr. Pem- berton took part in the afternoon. We quote from the Rev. Joseph Sewall's
353
DEATH OF JOHN WALLEY.
Decem. 23. Very sharp Weather ; yet serene, and had a comforta- ble day : Mr. Pemberton administred the Lord's Supper. Mr. Bridge baptized John Grice.
Decem. 31. Major Walley has prayer at his house respecting his Foot ; began between 2 and 3 p. m. Mr. Pemberton first, Mr. Bridge, Mr. Colman. Mr. Wadsworth, Dr. C. Mather. Mr. Wadsworth in- sisted pretty much, that several in the room might dy before Major Walley ; all of them might. Dr. C. Mather very near the Conclusion of his Prayer, said, Probably, some remarkable person in the room might dye before Major Walley. Major Walley was easy all the time of the exercise, had not one Twinging pain. (Sewall.)
Major Walley died January 11, 1711-12. Judge Sewall says of him : " He was a good Neighbour, a publick spirited Man, a Purchaser and principal Settler of Bristol." He held important military and judicial positions. Quincy says of him, in connec- tion with the expedition against Quebec in 1690 : " He was sub- jected, like all unsuccessful commanders, to the suspicion of mis- conduct. But although he solicited an investigation, none was granted. Public opinion finally settled into a firm conviction that the causes of the failure were insufficiency of preparation and ignorance of the difficulty of the attempt, rather than want of courage and talent in the commander."1 Mr. Pemberton preached his funeral sermon, which was printed under the title, A True Servant of his Generation Characterized.
Mr. Joseph Sewall had been preaching in Salem,2 and he now received a call to become the pastor in the new precinct therc. Judge Sewall went to Cambridge, to consult with the president of the college and Mr. Brattle ; they did not advise an acceptance of the call. Drs. Increase and Cotton Mather and Mr. Pemberton advised against it, and it was declined on the 8th of January, when a committee, consisting of Captain Gardiner, the younger, Mr. Felton, and Mr. Foster, came to Boston to urge it. Mr.
MS. Diary for the years 1711-1716, be- of a descendant, Samuel Hurd Walley, longing to Professor Edward E. Salis- bury, of New Haven, who has given us every opportunity for examining it.]
1 Hlist. of Harv. Univ., vol. i. pp. 422, 423. Major Walley bequeathed £100 to Harvard College, to be applied to the support of "scholars devoted to the ministry." His father was the Rev. Thomas Walley, of Barnstable, who was called on his tombstone " that blessed son of peace." In the funeral sermon
preached at the Old South, November 25, 1877, Dr. Manning said of this inscrip- tion : "The words could hardly be truer there than they would be at the fresh made grave at Mount Auburn."
2 Mr. Sewall preached for the new parish in Salem on Sunday, December 9, from Heb. vii. 25, and 2 Cor. iv. 17; and on Wednesday, December 12, he preached the lecture for Mr. Noyes, from John xiv. 27.
354
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Sewall says in his diary : "I declined it, though not without pain. Their expressions of love and respect were truly affect- ing and extraordinary. . . . The differences at Salem, the diffi- culty of calling a church, the distance of the place from my friends, the suddenness of the thing, among other considerations sway'd with me." 1
Mr. Sewall records a fire on the 12th, when "Gray's Baker House and Kitchen, most of Brightman's House were consum'd." This was not very far from the South meeting-house, in Bishop's Lane, now Hawley Street.2
Midweek. Febr. 27. Fast at the South-church in order to call a Minister. Mr. Colman began with Prayer, Mr. Pemberton Preach'd excellently ; Mr. Wadsworth pray'd. p. m. Dr. Cotton Mather pray'd Excellently : Dr. Incr. Mather preach'd a very good sermon, Mr. Bridge pray'd. Sung 2 first Staves 67. Ps. Dr. Mather gave the Blessing. Great Auditory.
Midweek, March, 19th. Church Meeting ; each gave in one vote : I alleg'd twas fit to give two votes, seeing Two were to be Nominated ; But Mr. Pemberton stood for the first and twas carried : Mr. Joseph Stephens had 19. Written Votes ; Mr. Joseph Sewall 44. Mr. Flint, 4. Mr. Holyoke, 2. Before voting, Capt. Belchar mov'd it might be kept secret what Number each had ; I oppos'd it as a Novel [nov- elty] ; and should not know whether any had above two votes ; some others seconded me ; and that was best. (Sewall.) .
The South Church came to a Vote today. The agreement was that those Two who were highest in the votes should be in nomination. Mr. Stevens had nineteen votes, I had forty four, which were all but six. Lord direct in that affair. Things were carried on, as it is said, amicably and peacably. (J. Sewall.)
Mr. Sewall had been preaching, in the mean time, for Dr. In- crease Mather at the North Church, for Mr. Brattle at Cam- bridge, and at Charlestown and Watertown.
Lord's Day March 23. Heard Mr. Eels [at Scituate]. Rain'd hard last night and somthing this day ; Thin Meeting.
Midweek, April, 2. Congregational Meeting at South-Church. What the Church had done in their Nomination, was by a Silential Vote Approved. The Money left in Æneas Salter's hand, is to be
1 [Benjamin Prescott, Harv. Coll., 1709, accepted a call to the Middle District, Salem, and was ordained there Septem- ber 23, 1713.]
2 At a meeting of the selectmen, Jan- uary 21, 1711-12, it was voted "That
three groce of pailes Sutable to be used in case of the breaking out of Fire, be provided at the Townes Charge, and that Mr. Daniell Oliver and Capt. Oliver Noyes be desired to procure the Same." - Town Records.
-
355
A COLLEAGUE PASTOR CHOSEN.
improv'd in making a Tomb for the South-church Ministry. I was not at the Meeting ; because Some had given out that they would have both the persons Nominated. I went to Mr. Pemberton's before-hand and intimated to him ; that Such debates might happen that I might not know well how to demean myself, and therefore had thoughts of not being at the Meeting. Speaking of Mr. Eels, and enquiring how he preach'd, I Comended him ; and Mr. Pemberton upon it, with a very remarkable Aer Said. his Pupils could do worthily, he was one of them. I gave no occasion at all for that Air.1
Sixth-day, April, 25th. Church-Meeting in the Afternoon : Mr. Pemberton enquired whether were ready to proceed ; Answer'd Affirm- atively. Whether would goe by a majority, or two Thirds : were for a Majority as the usual way. Voted by papers ; Mr. Joseph Stevens had Twenty votes ; Mr. Joseph Sewall, Forty seven. Mr. Pemberton pray'd earnestly for them both. Mr. Commissary [Belcher] sent his vote seal'd up. Major Genl [Winthrop] is at New-London.
April, 26. Mr. Pemberton prays with Joseph [who had been brought home from Cambridge, sick, a few days before].
April, 27. Mr. Wadsworth prays very much for him as Elected ; and Mr. Pemberton p. m.
Lord's Day, May, 4th 1712. Mr. Pemberton speaks to the Congre- gation, and by a Silential Vote, Mr. David Jeffries, Col. Thomas Sav- age, and Capt. John Gerrish are appointed to join with the Churches Messengers to acquaint Mr. Joseph Sewall with his Election.
Wednesday, May 7. Between 6 and 7. Mr. Sergeant, Mr. Brom- field, Capt. Hill, Capt. Williams, Col. Checkley, Major Fitch, Lt Col. Savage, and Capt. Gerrish, come and acquaint my Son with the Churches Election. He acknowledges the Honor done him, sensi- ble of the weightiness of the Work, and asks time to consider of it. (Sewall.)
Mr. Sergeant said there was a more than common agreement in it, or to that effect. . . . Messrs. Stoddard, Jeffries, Phillips were ap- pointed, but did not come. (J. Sewall.)
The question of the settlement of a colleague pastor, which had been on the minds of the members of the church for four or five years, was now decided. It is not easy, in making choice of a pastor, to approximate closely to unanimity, much less to reach it absolutely. In the present case, although Mr. Joseph Sewall had a decided majority, he lacked two of a two thirds vote, in the meeting at which the nominations were made, and
1 [The Rev. Nathanael Eells was a many years the minister at Scituate, and we shall have occasion to refer to him in connection with the revival period, 1740-1744.]
member of the class of 1699, one of the classes taught by Mr. Pemberton when he was tutor at Cambridge ; he was for
356
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
he had only two more than two thirds in the meeting at which the election took place. The friends of Mr. Stevens were so strongly in his favor, that after the choice of the church had been narrowed down to two candidates, it was proposed by some to arrange the matter by settling both. Whether Mr. Pemberton would have preferred Mr. Stevens to Mr. Sewall, we cannot say positively, but, evidently, he was not very earnestly in favor of the latter. The old feeling of mutual confidence between himself and Judge Sewall may not have been fully restored, and he may also have had misgivings about accepting as his colleague the son of one of the most influential members of the church. It may not have occurred to him, in this connec- tion, that he himself was a child of the church over which, as a young man, he was settled as colleague pastor ; but it should be said that his father had never been as prominent in the mem- bership as Judge Sewall was, and, further, that he had died four or five years before his son's ordination. We are inclined to think that Mr. Belcher, and perhaps Mr. Winthrop and some other influential men, preferred Mr. Stevens. Be this as it may, the minority acquiesced in the choice of the majority, and when the time for ordination came the young man was kindly welcomed by all to the church whose beloved minister he was to be for more than half a century. There was some delay in his formal acceptance of the call, owing to an illness he had at this time. Partly, perhaps, because of the state of his health, but mainly for another reason, as we shall see, he was not or- dained until sixteen months after the call was given. Once since then, in the history of the church, it has waited more than a year for the man of its choice.
May 12. I visited Mr. Pemberton and He exprest himself as well satisfied in the choice which the Church hath made, and told me He should doe his utmost to make my life easy &c. Lord help me to doe my duty to him, if I settle in that Church, and let us be united in love, and a desire to advance thy glory among thy people. (J. Sewall.)
Mr. Sewall was to preach on the Ist of June, but he had been taken ill on the Wednesday preceding, and had been obliged to leave the meeting-house during the preaching of the Election sermon. He was very ill for several weeks.1
1 Judge Sewall's record on Artillery [the annual] Dinner; because of my Election Day, June 2, shows the ten- Son's incapacity to feed, I refus'd to derness of nis heart: " Mr. Thacher of Feast. Mr. Sam. Carter din'd with us at home." Weymouth preaches : I refrain going to
357
MR. SEWALL ACCEPTS THE CALL.
Lord's Day July, 27. Mr. Joseph Sewall goes to Meeting in the Fore-Noon : Note was, Joseph Sewall being, after long Sickness, in some good measure Restored, desires thanks may be given to God ; and begs Prayers, that he may profit by the Affliction, and may have his Health perfected and Confirmed.
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