USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the Old South church (Third church) Boston, 1669-1884, Vol. I > Part 64
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In the midst of all this excitement, the church was consider- ing the question of discipline, and inquiring how it might raise the standard of Christian living in its membership. One result was the appointment of a standing committee, some of whose functions were to be similar to those of the church committee of the present day.
At a Church Meeting July 14. 1746.
Whereas there has been a Proposal made for the revival of our Church-Discipline, and for assisting the Pastors in the Exercise there- of, and in other Emergencies,
Voted, That there be a Committee chosen to take this Matter into their mature Consideration, and make Report to the Church on Mon- day August 4. next at 10 a-clock A. M.
Voted, That the Honble John Osborne, Ez. Lewis, Josiah Willard, Anthony Stoddard Samuel Welles Esqs. and the Deacons, together with our Pastors, be the said Committee. JOSEPH SEWALL.
Augt. 4. The Meeting was so thin that we further adjourned it to the roth instant.
Lord's Day Augt 10. 1746.
The Church stay'd : the Report of the Committee was read and accepted, and is as follows ; viz.
The Committee chosen by the South Church in Boston, July 14.
576
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
1,46, to consider the Proposal made for the revival of our Church- Discipline ; Report as follows ;
Whereas the Watch and Discipline of this Church have been too much neglected ; We purpose by the help of God, more carefully to attend our duty in watching over one another in love, and with a Spirit of meekness, agreeable to our solemn Covenant-Engagements :
And whereas there may difficulties arise relating to our Discipline, and help be needed, either in a more private way of healing offences, or in preparing matters for the Cognizance of the Church where it may be necessary, and in other Emergencies ;
It is Proposed, that there be a Committee chosen from among our Brethren to advise with our Pastors and be helpful to them in the matters above said : The said Committee to consist of five Persons, and to be chosen annually.
Voted, That the Church proceed to the choice of said committee, Lord's Day Augt. 24. Instant, after the public-Exercises P. M. and that the choice be made by written Votes.
Lord's Day Augt 24. 1746.
The Hon. Ezekiel Lewis, Josiah Willard, Deacon Henchman and Mr. Edward Bromfield, were chosen by written votes.
The Lord's Day following, Augt. 31. Coll. Winslow was chosen by written votes. JOSEPH SEWALL
Lord's Day Novr 16. 1746
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stay'd, and Voted
That there be a Collection for Charitable and pious Uses on the Anniversary Thanksgiving next, Novr 27. Instant : And that the Rest of the Congregation be notified of this Vote, and desired to assist in said Collection
JOSEPH SEWALL
Novr. 27. Public Thanksgiving, Collected. Unappropriated . .
£176. 16. 0
Appropriated
For the Charitable and Pious Fund £ 21. 0. 0 For the chh. of Tiverton, towards Mr. Cam- bell's support, . £ 14. 0. 0
For Mr. Willoughby,1 13. 0. 0
For the Widow Simpson 3. 00. 0
For the Widow Holland 2. 10. 0
For the Widow Morse 2. 10. 0
232. 16. 0
1 [Francis Willoughby, grandson of - the early friend of the South Church, the deputy governor of the same name, - was born September 28, 1672. He
577
"THE SALVATIONS OF GOD IN 1746."
Mr. Prince preached the sermon on this occasion, from which we have already quoted, "The Salvations of God in 1746," - perhaps the most celebrated of all his patriotic utterances. His text was Exodus xiv. 13 : "Stand still, and see the salva- tion of the Lord." The opening paragraph, on which the doc- trine of the sermon was founded, and to which the historical passages gave ample illustration, was as follows : -
The existence of an absolutely perfect Being, which we call the Deity, unavoidably infers his absolutely perfect Providence, exactly answerable to the absolute perfection of his nature. For as his un- derstanding is absolutely perfect, it must needs eternally have seen all things possible to be and come to pass, both by his influence and per- mission : And as, out of all these possibilities, his absolutely perfect wisdom must needs select those to come into existence which are fittest (all things perfectly considered) to be effected and permitted; the same wisdom will eternally direct him, both in creating, support- ing. over-ruling and permitting, in a perfect correspondence with his absolutely perfect foresight.
Lord's Day, Jan'y 11. 1746-7 The Brethren of the Church and Congregation stay'd and Voted,
That the Deacons be empower'd to lay out one hundred and fifty Pounds of the collection for Charitable and pious uses, for the relief of the Poor of this Church and Congregation, in Wood and other Necessaries of life.
A letter was then read from the Church and Society in Tiverton, asking our Charitable assistance towards purchasing Land for the sup- port of the Ministry among them :
In answer to which, It was agreed that said Letter should be read before the Congregation next Lord's Day P. M. ; and that such as were disposed, should be desired to make their offerings the Lord's day after, with their weekly contribution :
had two children by his first wife, Be- thiah Gedney, born in Salem, before 1710. Ile was representative in 1713. In 1716, he married, as his second wife, Sarah, daughter of the Hon. John Wal- ley, and widow of Charles Chauncy, merchant ; she died in 1726. In 1733, when three market-places were estab- lished in the town, Mr. Willoughby was chosen "Clerk of the Market for the Space at or near the Great Tree at the South end by Mr. Eliots." In 1734 he was placed on the committee with Thom-
as Fitch, Edward Hutchinson, Jacob Wendell, Nathanael Cunningham, and others, to erect a market-house on land leased from Jonathan Willis. He served as clerk of the market at the South End until 1737, when he was chosen overseer of the granary (where Park Street Church now stands), in place of the late Jonathan Williams. He held this office for several years at an annual salary of £100, but, as we suppose, had lost it when he began to receive aid from the South Church.]
578
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
The Letter was read accordingly, Jany. IS, - And Jan'y 25. 1746-7, there was collected, for the use aforesaid £170. o. 6
Feby I. was added 2. o. 6 6. 12. 10
Since added
178. 13. 10
JOSEPH SEWALL.
Lord's day March 29. 1747.
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation stay'd and Voted,
That the Deacons expend the remainder of the Collection for Char- itable and pious Uses for the relief of the Poor of this Church and Congregation, in Wood and other Necessaries of life.
JOSEPH SEWALL.
There is no record of the collection made on the Anniversary Fast Day in the spring of 1747.
Mr. Jonathan Mayhew was ordained pastor of the West Church on the 17th of June, as the successor of Mr. Hooper. This church and its first minister do not seem to have been in full sympathy with the other churches and ministers in the town ; and when Mr. Mayhew was settled they were not repre- sented in the proceedings. The ordination was to take place on the 20th of May ; but of the five churches invited to be in attendance on that day, - Mr. Mayhew's at Tisbury, Mr. Gay's at Hingham, Mr. Appleton's at Cambridge, the First Church, Boston, and the Church in Brattle Street, Boston, -only the Cambridge and Hingham churches were represented. Mr. Mayhew, of Tisbury, was no doubt detained by some accident ; but there must have been a weighty reason for the declination of the two Boston churches which had been invited, as well as for the non-invitation of the other churches in the town. Only two churches being in attendance, not " the major part of those that were invited, the reverend pastors thought it advisable not to proceed, and advised the church to apply to other churches." In the second invitation no Boston church was included ; to the churches of Tisbury, Hingham, and Cambridge were added those of Mr. Hancock at Lexington, Mr. Smith at Weymouth, Mr. Cotton at Newton, Mr. Cook at Sudbury, Mr. Cook at Me- notomy, Mr. Bryant at Braintree, and Mr. Prescott at Salem Village, all of which accepted and attended on the 17th of June. Four others which had been invited did not attend.1 The ser-
1 The churches which were invited, Williams at Watertown, Mr. Clarke at but did not appear, were those of Mr. Salem Village, Mr. Sparhawk at Salem,
579
DR. CHAUNCY AND MR. MAYHEW.
mon was preached by Mr. Gay, of Hingham ; the charge was given by the Rev. Experience Mayhew, the venerable father of the pastor-elect ; and the right hand of fellowship was extended by Mr. Prescott, of Salem Village.
The foregoing list of names is interesting as showing the theo- logical divergence which at this time existed among the Con- gregational clergy of Massachusetts, and which was determined for the most part by the line of separation drawn in the White- field controversy. Mr. Appleton and Mr. Cotton had received Mr. Whitefield cordially on his first visit, and had rejoiced in the great revival of that period ; but they had been frightened by the extravagances of those who had come after him, and had now taken a position of quasi hostility to him. Mr. Hancock, Mr. Gay, and Mr. Smith, from the first, had been able to see nothing in the revival to praise, but everything to deprecate. No one of the others, unless we except Mr. Experience May- hew, had ever committed himself to the side of Mr. Whitefield and the revival. But this does not explain the absence of Dr. Chauncy, and other pastors in Boston who were more or less in sympathy with him ; and we must infer either that it was under- stood that the churches to which they ministered were not in accord with them on this issue, or that Mr. Mayhew held certain opinions which it was known that they could not approve. Mr. Mayhew did not accept the doctrine of the Trinity, although, Dr. Lowell says, in the faith of other doctrines, that of the atonement among them, "he was most firm and steady." On the other hand, Dr. Chauncy was probably a Trinitarian, but he rejected the doctrines of a limited atonement and reprobation.1 Any such differences, however, did not long keep them apart from each other, or from their brethren ; and their sturdy indepen-
and Mr. Rogers at Littleton. We have taken our facts in relation to Mr. May- hew's ordination from Dr. Lowell's IIis- torical Sermon, December 31, 1820.
1 Dr. Lowell says that the friends who knew Dr. Mayhew best described him as " a man of real piety and true devotion, an upright, sincere disciple of Jesus Christ." "He was not an advocate for the sentiments of Luther or Calvin, but for primitive Christianity, a zealous con- tender for the faith once delivered to the saints, not receiving the doctrines of grace as taught at the reformation, but
the doctrines of grace as revealed in the Holy Scriptures."
Dr. Frothingham, writing of Dr. Chauncy's theological views, does not affirm positively that he was not a Trin- itarian. His words are: "As to the doctrine of the Trinity, though the sub- ject had not risen into controversy in his day, I have always supposed that he was non- Nicene on that point. Such a sup- position would certainly correspond best with the general complexion of his reli- gious opinions." - Ellis's History of the First Church, p. 193.
-
580
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
dence and persistent and powerful opposition both to hierarchy and monarchy, in the years then approaching, will ever be re- membered in New England in the history of religious and civil liberty.
At a Meeting of the Church and Congregation July 6. 1747.
Whereas the Church and Congregation at a Meeting May 5. 1740 Voted that a subscription be taken in order to raise for each of our Rev'd Pastors, nine pounds per week in Bills of Credit, composed with silver at 29 sh per ounce, the value whereof the Deacons have made to them from time to time till Novr 2. last: And Whereas the Necessaries of life as well as the price of Silver, are now, and have been for some months past so advanced that fifteen pounds of our present Currency will not purchase more than nine pounds would, at the time said vote was pass'd ; Therefore Voted
That the Deacons be directed to make good to each of our Rev'd Pastors, the sum of fifteen pounds O. Tenor, per week, for the cur- rent year, beginning Novr. I. last, and that the Church and Congrega- tion be notified hereof, the next Lord's day, and desired to advance their contributions proportionably for this purpose.
The Report of the Committee for auditing the Deacons' Accounts is as follows,
" The Committee to whom was referr'd the Consideration of the Deacons' Accounts, having had the perusal of their account belong- ing to Church and Congregation, have maturely consider'd and exam- in'd the same from Augt. 1722 to the 31st of March last ; and Report that they find a Ballance of ninety seven pounds, nineteen shillings, Old Tenor, in favour of the Church and Congregation then remaining in their hands, which they carry to a new Book :
Which is humbly submitted by
EZE. LEWIS ANTHO. STODDARD."
Boston, May 20, 1747
Voted unanimously to accept said account. JOSEPH SEWALL.
When Mr. Mayhew was settled at the West Church his sal- ary was fixed at fifteen pounds a week, old tenor ; while preach- ing as a candidate he had received eight pounds a week. There had been much suffering among the ministers of the province because of the fluctuating nature of the currency. Dr. Chauncy, in his Election Sermon in 1747, dwelt upon the injustice of this ; and the rebuke was so little relished by the legislature that it hesitated about publishing the sermon, according to custom. At about the same time he and Mr. Foxcroft addressed a severe letter to their congregation, asking them to "pitch upon some method " for the proper supply of themselves and
581
DEATH OF DR. COLMAN.
families with the necessaries of life. It was referred to a com- mittee for consideration, and led to a satisfactory readjustment of their stipend.1 The action of the brethren of the South Church, July 6, was undoubtedly prompted, in part at least, by Dr. Chauncy's sermon.
The devoted missionary, David Brainerd, made a visit to Boston in the summer of 1747, staying with Mr. Edward Brom- field at his house in Beacon Street.2 He was most cordially received by the good people of the town ; but he was in the last stages of consumption, and died soon after at Northampton. On Sunday, July 19, he worshipped with the South Church. He wrote in his journal : " I was just able to attend public wor- ship, being carried to the house of God in a chaise. Heard Dr. Sewall preach in the forenoon ; partook of the Lord's Supper at this time. . . . In the afternoon, heard Mr. Prince preach. I saw more of God in the wisdom discovered in the plan of man's redemption, than I saw of any other of his perfections, through the whole day." On the following day he bade farewell to his kind Boston friends.3
The excellent Dr. Colman died August 29, aged seventy- three. He was received by many with suspicion and coldness when he returned to his native town at the beginning of the century to take the pulpit at Brattle Street, but he lived down all prejudice, and won to an exceptional degree the confidence and affectionate regard of the whole community.4 His rela-
1 Ellis's History of the First Church, pp. 189, 190, 203, 204.
2 Mr. Bromfield built the first house in Beacon Street, at or near what is now Freeman Place. (See the cut at the head of this chapter.) It stood very high, and commanded a fine view. Here the third Edward Bromfield was born in 1723, and died in 1746. He joined the South Church in 1741, and graduated at Harvard College in 1742. He was the first person in America to make a micro- scope, grinding and polishing his own lenses ; and if he had lived, he would undoubtedly have achieved great dis- tinction in science. Mr. Prince said of him: "From his childhood he was thoughtful, calm, easy, modest, of tender affections, dutiful to his superiors, and kind to all about him. As he grew up these agreeable qualities ripened in him ;
and he appeared very ingenious, observ- ant, curious, penetrating, especially in works of nature, in mechanical con- trivances, and manual operations, which increased upon his studying the mathe- matical sciences, as also in searching into the truths of divine revelation, and into the nature of genuine experimental piety."
After Mr. Bromfield's death, his inan- sion was bought and occupied by his son-in-law, William Phillips, and later it was occupied by his great-grandson, Jonathan Phillips. See Mem. Hist. of Boston, vol. ii. p. 521.
3 Mr. Brainerd's ordination sermon was preached by the Rev. Ebenezer Pemberton, then of New York, after- ward of Boston.
4 Dr. Lothrop says of Dr. Colman : "Firm without obstinacy, conciliatory
582
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
tions with the ministers of the South Church were always intimate.
The South Church participated in the services of ordination at the Old North, September 3, 1747, when the Rev. Samuel Checkley was installed there as colleague with Mr. Gee. Mr. Checkley was son of the first minister of the New South, and grandson of the deacon of the Old South, both of the same name. Dr. Ware says that he was distinguished "for a peculiar sort of eloquence, and an uncommon felicity in the devotional service of public worship." Mr. Gee died in 1748.
Lord's Day Septr. 20. 1747.
The Brethren of the church were stayed ; and by written votes chose the same Committee, whose Names are mentioned above [see August 24, 1746] for the year ensuing. JOSEPH SEWALL.
Lord's Day, November 15. 1747. p. m.
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation stayed and Voted,
That there be a Collection for Charitable and pious uses on the Anniversary Thanksgiving next, viz. November 26. current ; and that the Rest of the congregation be publickly notified of this vote next Lord's Day, and desired to assist in the said collection.
THOMAS PRINCE.
Public Thanksgiving Novr 26. 1747.
Collected,
For the Char. and Pious Fund . . £15. 0. 0
For the Rev. Mr. Cambell of Tiverton 6. o. o
For the Widow Morse 6. o. o
For Mr. Francis Willoughby 4. 0. 0
For the Widow Holland 3. o. o
For the Widow Thwing 2. 0. 0
For the Widow Rouse
1. 10. 0
37. 10. 0
Unappropriated, for Char. and pious uses
228. 9. 8
Total .
265. 19. 8
To which are added
23. 10. 0
289. 9. 8
without compromise, dignified without pride or pretension, a polished gentle- man in his manners, a patient student and thorough scholar in his learning, enlarged, penetrating, comprehensive in his views and principles as a man, sin- cere, benevolent, devout in his faith and feelings as a Christian and a pastor, he was admirably fitted to take charge of
the new church, and carry out with mingled wisdom, firmness and gentle- ness the customs and principles which it had adopted, and to him do we greatly owe it, that the most important of these customs and principles received at last the approval and adoption of most of the New England Congregational churches. - Ilist. of the Ch. in Brattle St., p. 97.
583
ELECTION OF SEATERS.
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stay'd, Lords Day Decr. 6. 1747.
And Voted. I. That the Deacons be empower'd to expend two hun- dred pounds O. T. of the Collection for Charitable and pious uses, for the relief of the poor in this Church and Congregation, in Wood and other Necessaries of life
2. That twenty Pounds of said collection be laid out in Bibles and other Books of Piety ; and given by our Pastors to proper objects of such a charity.
At a Meeting of the South Church and Congregation, 18 Jany 1747-S.
Voted, That there be seven Seaters chosen to stand for one year, and until further order, and upon counting and sorting the votes brought in for this purpose, the following Persons appear'd to be chosen ; viz. Ezekiel Lewis, Edward Winslow, Joshua Winslow, Francis Borland Esqrs. Mr. Timothy Prout, Mr. Edward Bromfield, Thomas Hubbard Esq.
Voted, That the said Seaters advance seventy five per cent on the prime cost of such Pews as they shall hereafter dispose of, until further order ; the advanced sum to be paid to the last Owner, if an original Proprietor ; or otherwise to be proportion'd by the Seaters between the last Owner and the former Owner or Owners.
Voted, That twenty pounds, old tenour, per week, be paid to each of our Rev'd pastors for one year next ensuing.
Voted, That there be a Committee appointed to value the several Pews and seats in the House, and consider the circumstances of the Proprietors ; and make report what is reasonable each Person or Seat should pay weekly for support of the Ministry : And that a subscrip- tion in consequence thereof be offered to the several Pew holders or other Proprietors, in order to subject themselves and their seats to such tax.
The Committee appointed were Messrs. Lewis, Oliver, Hubbard, Eliot, Walker, Tyng and Traile.1
1 [There were several Scotch families in the South Church, among them those of Bethune, Vans, Traill and Scollay. John Traill, with his wife Mary, entered the membership August 24, 1735. HIe was born in Westness, in the island of Rowsay, one of the Orkneys, February 5, 1694; he became a prosperous busi- ness man in Boston, and died intestate, in the autumn of 1749. His widow ad- ministered on his estate, Abiel Walley and Thomas Hubbard being her bonds- men. In the inventory we notice, inter alia, four hundred ounces of wrought
silver, books on history and divinity, a pew in the South meeting-house, and a note of hand of John Groat of the Ork- neys. Mr. Traill had no children, and one half of the property went to his nephews and nieces. One of the former was Robert Traill ; he married Mary Whipple of Portsmouth, N. H. Their daughter, Mary, married Keith Spence, also from the Orkneys; and their daugh- ter, Harriet Brackett Spence, became the wife, in 1806, of the Rev. Charles Lowell, for more than fifty years pastor of the West Church, Boston.]
584
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
The Meeting was then adjourned to Monday 25. Inst. 10 aclock A. M.
Then met and Voted,
Voted. That Messrs. Kneeland, Cushing and Seth Foster be desired to wait on the absent Brethren with the Assessment and Subscription prepared by the Committee.
Voted, That the Deacons be desired to keep an account of the several sums contributed for the support of the Public Worship, by the respective Pewholders or others who shall mark the same ; that it may be known by the Church and Congregation whenever they shall desire it.
JOSEPH SEWALL.
Lord's Day April 17. 1748.
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stay'd, and Voted ;
That there be a Collection for charitable and pious uses on the Anniversary Fast next, April 28. Current ; and that the Rest of the Congregation be notified of this vote next Lord's day, and desired to assist in said collection.
Lord's Day, April 17. 1748.
The Brethren of the Church were stayed, and a Letter readd from the Church in Salem, lately under the pastoral care of the Rev'd Mr. S. Fiske, now of the Rev'd Mr. D. Leavitt testifying against the mis- conduct of their Brethren from whom we had withdrawn communion, for their refusing methods of peace &c. And a letter from said Brethren acknowledging their offence, and asking Forgiveness and reconciliation.
Upon which the church Voted to take off the sentence of Non- Comniunion, and restore those Brethren to their Charity. And a Letter was written to said church to signify the same, signed by the Pastors.1 JOSEPH SEWALL.
Public Fast April 28, 1748.
Collected.
For the char. and pious Fund
5. O. o
Rev. Mr. Cambell
4. 0. 0
Mr. Willoughby 9. 0. 0
Widow Arnold
I. O. O
19. 0. 0
Unappropriated
. 188. 6. 0
207. 6. 0
JOSEPH SEWALL.
1 [This was the Third Church in in the pastorate in 1745 by the Rev. Salem, founded in 1735 by Mr. Fisk and Dudley Leavitt, Harv. Coll. 1739. his adherents. Mr. Fisk was succeeded
Dr. Ware says: " It is not until Oc-
585
THE SECOND CHURCH IN IPSWICH.
Lord's Day July 10. 1748.
The Brethren of the Church were stayed, and a Letter readd from the Second Church in Ipswich desiring our Assistance in Council, and Voted, one of the Deacons, Messrs. Thacher, Loring and Eliot, with our Pastors, or one of them were chosen to goe as Messengers from this Church. JOSEPH SEWALL.
There had been serious trouble in the Second Church of Ipswich (now Essex) for several years. In 1741 some of the members became disaffected towards their minister, the Rev. Theophilus Pickering, because of his want of interest in the revival. In 1744 they preferred formal charges against him to the church, and failing to obtain satisfaction they withdrew from its communion and began to hold religious services by themselves. In 1746 the Second Church called an ex parte council for advice, which judged that the "aggrieved brethren " had received harsh treatment in certain particulars, but it found "no just cause of offence " affecting Mr. Pickering's orthodoxy and ministerial character. The conduct of the brethren in with- drawing from the church, setting up a separate meeting, and inviting persons of doubtful character, coming to them in a dis- orderly manner, to teach them from time to time, was pronounced unjustifiable ; although "great tenderness and even long-suffer- ing " were recommended to the church in its dealing with them. Peace, however, could not be restored between the parties, and the separating brethren proceeded to the formation of a new church -the Fourth - and called Mr. John Cleaveland, who had been preaching for them and previously to the Separatist Church in Boston, to settle with them as their minister. He was ordained February 25, 1747. The churches which assisted on the occasion were the First of Ipswich, and the Second of Kittery, delegates from other churches invited being detained by the inclemency of the weather. "The action of the First Church in this particular was resented by the Second Church, and made the ground, first, of an offer by the Second Church to call a mutual council. A council being declined by the First Church, letters subsequently passed between the churches, ending with an admonition to the former from the Second Church. To this admonitory letter the First Church replied,
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