USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the Old South church (Third church) Boston, 1669-1884, Vol. II > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
Voted, That said Committee shall consist of five members of the Church and four of the Congregation for the ensuing year.
273
DETERMINATION TO BUILD.
The following persons were declared to be chosen Vizt. John Sweet- ser, William Homes, Samuel Coverly, Ephraim Copeland, Daniel Bowen,1 John Winslow, Thomas Dawes Jun. Andrew Oliver and Wil- liam Scollay.
Voted, That there be a Committee of five to examine into the State of the Society's funds, and report the sums of Monies and their differ- ent appropriations. The following persons were chosen, John Wins- low, William Scollay, John Sweetser, Thomas Dawes Junr. and Joseph Peirce.
Voted, That the meeting be adjourned to such time as the Commit- tee to examine into the State of the funds shall appoint, and the said Committee is requested to make report as soon as possible
Jos : ECKLEY.2
April 22. 1800.
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation met at the desire of the Committee chosen to examine the State of the Funds.
The Committee made the following Report.
" Boston 18th April. Your Committee appointed to examine into the State of the funds of the Old South Church and Congregation, to en- deavour to find from what source they have arisen, and the intentions of the donors, have attended that business, and beg leave to report, that on examining, they find them to have arisen as follows -
[Here follows a statement of particulars, showing the total of £880. II. o.]
1 [For an account of Daniel Bowen, proprietor of the Columbian Museum, and his portrait, see a monograph on his nephew, Abel Bowen, the wood engraver, in the Collections of the Bostonian Soci- ety, vol. i. No. 2, pp. 31, 32.]
2 [The opinion of Mr. (afterward Chief Justice) Theophilus Parsons was as follows : -
Mary Norton by her Deed executed April 1, 1669 conveyed a lot of land in Boston to Thomas Savage and others and their associates who are now the Old South Society in Boston, to them, their heirs and successors forever, for the erecting an house of public worship, and also a parsonage House for their Ministers, and for the accommodation of the parsonage and also of the Meeting house with convenient passages - And for no other use, intent or purpose whatso- ever. The Grantees entred under the said conveyance, and they and their succes- sors have ever since been seized of the
premises. On the same they erected a Meeting house and two parsonage houses. One of the Parsonage houses has been down for some Years, and the site of it is vacant ground.
Question. Can the Society erect buildings or stores on that vacant site, .to let out for the purpose of applying the Rents for the Support of Public Worship, and for the benefit of said So- ciety.
Answer. As the conveyance is to the Grantees their Heirs and Successors for- ever, without any words of condition or limitation annexed to the fee, it is my clear opinion that the Society may erect the buildings or stores, aforesaid, for the said purposes, - that the words " and for no other use, intent or purpose whatso- ever " contain only a direction, a deviation from which will not defeat the title of the Society. (Signed)
THEOP. PARSONS.
March 14. 1800.]
274
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
" This was in possession 1766 and at Interest, and has been used ever since. The war coming on in about nine Years after this time, and the monies remaining during that period must have accumulated considerably. After peace came in the money was generally called in and invested into public funds, where it now remains and is as fol- lows, Vizt.
Massachusetts Bank Shares, 16 at $500 each .
$8000.00
Forty two and } Shares Union Bank @ $8 340.00
Saml Hinkley & Co Bond 416.66
Three p ct. Stock
4935.75
Eight p ct Stock
600.00
Five and & p ct Stock .
1000.00
Massachusetts State Note 5 p ct
709.37
Deferred Stock of the United States
60.93
" All which is Submitted p Order
$16,062.71
JNO. WINSLOW, Chairman "
Voted, That so much of the monies in the hands of the Treasurer belonging to them as Church and Congregation be borrowed and im- proved by erecting the Five Brick Buildings on the Land belonging to them agreeable to a vote passed the 3d of April last.
Voted, That a special Committee of five be balloted for, to contract for and procure the materials necessary for building the Stores. Mr. Andrew Oliver and Samuel Coverly were appointed to receive and count the Votes.
It appeared that the following persons were chosen on this Commit- tee, Vizt. The Hon. Thomas Dawes Senr. William Phillips Jun. Esq. John Sweetser Esq. Gen. John Winslow, and Col. William Scollay.
Voted, That the Committee of Nine persons, five of the Church and four of the Congregation have the same powers as their Committee was possessed of in 1787.
Voted, That a Committee of five, three of the Church and two of the Congregation, be desired to apply to the Trustees - The Minis- ter and Deacons, for the loan of the sum necessary to defray the expences of building the Stores. Joseph Peirce, John Sweetser, Samuel Coverly, John Winslow and William Scollay were chosen.
JOSEPH ECKLEY.
May 11th 1800.
At a meeting of the brethren of the Church and Congregation,
Voted, That the Committee appointed on the 22d April last to bor- row monies of the Minister and Deacons to defray the expences of erecting stores on the Society's land be hereby discharged from that duty, and it is
,
275
THE MEANS FOR BUILDING.
Voted, That the Minister and Deacons be requested, and they are hereby authorized, to pay and deliver from the money of the Church and Congregation to the Committee of Contractors appointed on the 22d of April and to any other Committee that may be employ'd to erect said Stores, all such sums of money as may from time to time, be found necessary by such Committees for building said Stores ; said Committee rendering regular Accounts thereof to said Minister and Deacons, so that it may appear how much of said money shall be transferred and charged from their present situation to the property in said stores. And whatever money shall be so paid and delivered shall be considered as having been duly accounted for by said Minis- ter and Deacons, the present Trustees thereof. And the said Minister and Deacons shall at all times be entitled to receive so much of the rents and income of said Stores as shall amount to 6 p Ct per annum upon the moneys they shall pay and deliver as aforesaid, to the end that they may be enabled to appropriate the same in like manner as the Interest of said monies has heretofore been appropriated, accord- ing to the pious intentions of the donors thereof.
And as it is highly probable that the rents and incomes of said Stores will exceed the rate of 6 p Ct per annum upon said monies, by reason that the value of the land will be added to the value of the Stores, it is therefore Voted, That whatever rents and income said Stores shall produce over and above the legal interest on said monies, shall go into the hands of the Treasurer distinct from any other funds of the Society, and shall be used and applied for the purposes set forth in the Committee's report of 20th March last, and which was accepted the 3d day of April last, in such manner as the Church and Congregation shall from time to time vote and determine ; or for such other ecclesiastical purposes as they shall order.
Whereas on the 3d day of April last the Society came into the reso- lution of building Five Stores according to a plan exhibited by the Hon. Thomas Dawes Esq.
Voted, That in the article of the Depth of said Stores, proposed in said plan to be forty feet, the Committee for erecting the Buildings be authorised to make an alteration if on further consideration they shall Judge it proper. JOSEPH ECKLEY.
Sabbath Day 21 Septr. 1800.
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation stayed after the ser- vice in the Afternoon and agreed to meet on Tuesday the 23 Inst. at 4 O'Clock PM. in order to act on some business relating to the New Stores, now almost completed, and also to consider the subject con- tained in a Report to be made by the Annual Committee respecting the Singing. JOSEPH ECKLEY.
276
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Septr. 23. 1800.
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation met according to appointment. John Sweetser was chosen Moderator and John Wins- low Clerk of the meeting.
The Committee reported that the money raised for carrying on the Singing of the Society, by subscription is 188 Dollars, the Accounts settled up to the 7th Inst have taken that sum except $9. 38 cents which now remains in Mr. Coverly's hands.1
Voted, that the Standing Committee (the Annual Committee of nine) be directed to agree with Mr. Jennison, either for once or twice a week as they shall see best, for Six months to come, and they be directed to draw on the Treasurer, for the expenses of the same to be paid out of the funds of the Society that are or may be in his hands.
Voted, That it is the opinion of the Brethren of the Church and Congregation that the powers already vested in the standing Com- mittee extend to the letting the New Stores erected upon the Society's land, and that they are hereby requested and directed to attend to the same business conformably to the directions of the Society."
Voted, That the Standing Committee shall not permit any person or persons to occupy either or any of the New Stores belonging to the Society, unless Bonds shall be first given to the Treasurer for the use of the Society for the punctual payment of the Rent Quarterly with sufficient security in the opinion of the same Committee or a Sub Committee appointed for that purpose from their own body.
Voted, That the Standing Committee be authorized to lease either or any of the New Stores or any part of the land belonging to the Society for one or more Years as they shall think most for the benefit of the Society.
Voted, That the Standing Committee proceed respecting the Taxes due on the Pews agreeable to the method that has been pointed out, or as they shall think best. JNO. SWEETSER Moderator.
Att. Jno, Winslow Clk.
March 31, 1801
At a legal meeting of the Society the Hon. Thomas Dawes was chosen Moderator and John Winslow Esqr Clerk.
The Standing Committee made the following Report -
Your Committee chosen in April last have examined the State of the Pews in the South Society -find due the Society by the owners of Pews the Ist January 1801 the sum of Eleven hundred and Twenty seven Dollars 58 Cents, since which time there has been paid seventy seven Dollars 93 Cents which leaves a ballance now due of One Thousand and forty nine dollars, sixty five Cents. It appears to your
1 [The brethren had voted on the 31st
of January, "to open a new subscription
for the purpose of instructing the youth in the Society in Psalmody."]
277
PROVISION FOR LETTING PEWS.
Committee that many of said Pews have run out and of course revert to the Society agreeable to the Deeds given. The Amount of such Pews so run out, if sold at the Rates affixed to them at the original prices will be equal to the sum of Six hundred and eighty Dollars, the remaining sums may be partly Collected if a committee should be appointed for that purpose.
Your Committee would recommend that every Pew in said Meeting house which is not occupied by the Owner, should be let by either your Yearly Committee or by a Committee chosen for that purpose, who should be directed to take from under the hands of the person hiring, something to this effect,
Boston. . . . I the Subscriber do acknowledge to have hired Pew No -in the South Brick meeting house in Marlborough Street ; for the use of which Pew I bind myself, my Heirs, Executors and Admin- istrators to pay every Lords day . .. while occupied by me, or till I deliver up the same to the Committee of said Society.
All which is submitted to the consideration of the proprietors, p Order of the Committee. JNO. SWEETSER Chairman.
BOSTON 25 March 1801
Voted, That the standing Committee be appointed to wait on all delinquents and request a settlement of the ballances which appear due from their Pews, and report of their doings at the adjournment to the 9th of April, being the annual Fast Day.
THOMAS DAWES Moderator.
Jno Winslow Clk.
April 9th. 1801
At a meeting of the Brethren of the Society held by adjournment, the Committee report that their Sub Committee had waited on Col. Waters, who has proposed to assign to the Society the following Pews as a discharge for the Taxes due on Pew No 44, up to the first of January 1801, Vizt Pew No 47 and 51 on the lower floor valued at fifty Dollars each - Pew No 95 in the Gallery valued at Thirty Dollars, and Pew No 124 in the Gallery, valued at Ten Dollars, which shall be received as his ballance up to the first of January 1801.
Voted, That the Society accept the proposals and direct the busi- ness to be done accordingly.
Voted, That the standing Committee for the present year be John Sweetser, Samuel Coverly, Thomas Dawes Junr. William Homes, Ne- hemiah Somes, John Winslow, William Scollay, Andrew Oliver and John M. Lane.
Voted, That the Standing Committee be authorized and directed to make sale of all the Pews that are run out, as soon as possible.
Voted, That Benjamin Clark, Samuel Salisbury and Joseph Peirce be a Committee to examine the Accounts of the Treasurer, and the
278
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Accounts of John Winslow for building the five Stores called South Row.
Voted, That the Committee of the Society be authorized to agree with the Master to conduct the singing for six months to come.
Voted, That this meeting be adjourned to 28th April 1801.
THOMAS DAWES Moderator.
Jno. Winslow Clk.
April 28. 1801
At a meeting of the Society held by adjournment, The Report of the Committee on the Treasurers and on Mr. Winslow's Accounts was read and is as follows -
The Committee appointed to examine the Accounts of the Treas- urer of the South Society and those of the Treasurer of the Committee for building the Stores now called South Row, Report, that they have attended to the business and find the Accounts to have been correctly kept and the following to be the Statement thereof in Treasurer Phillips hands, Vizt.
Securities of various denominations in the Treasurers hands
Nominal $15,781.61
Securities belonging to Legacies given for
the Quarterly Charity Meeting whereof the Interest is occasionally distributed
1,807.39
Note. The particular species of Securities which compose the first mentioned sum of $15,781.61 are as follows, vizt.
16 shares in the Massachusetts Bank, nominal value $8000. [The specie value of the other securities represented by the amount of $15,781.6I was $5;221.40, but we omit the particulars. We also omit a statement of sundry balances in the hands of the Treasurer, amount- ing to $1,358.93.]
Statement of John Winslow Esq. - Account for building the Stores. Amount of Accounts which he has paid which are well vouched $14,065.90
Amount of Cash he received from William Phillips Esq. $14,000.00
Do for Lumber Old post &c sold 40.10 Ballance due John Winslow 25.80 $14,065.90
All which is submitted by
BENJN CLARK
SAML. SALISBURY Committee. Jos : PEIRCE
BOSTON, Apl. 25. 1801
Voted, That the Report of the Committee on the Treasurers and Mr. Winslows Accounts be accepted.
279
DEATH OF JOHN SWEETSER.
Voted, That the Standing Committee be authorized to contract for and put up a fence at the South Corner of the Steeple, to the south- west corner of the Building to prevent nuisances, and they be further directed to continue the brick pavement from the New Stores to the Steeple Door.
Voted, That the monies that have, or that may arise from the Rent of the New Stores, be appropriated to the extinguishing the ballance of the Debt due for the building the said Stores after the sale of the several species of Securities which the Treasurer is hereby authorized to dispose of belonging to the Church and Congregation in his hands - the specie value of which is supposed to be Five thousand, Two hundred and Twenty one Dollars and forty Cents.
Voted, That the Treasurer of the Society be and he hereby is author- ized and impower'd to pay to the Rev. Dr. Eckley, as a grant to him over and above his stated Salary, on Account of the late rise of pro- visions the Sum of Five hundred Dollars, out of the monies arising from the sale of the Pews that are forfeited to the Society.
THOMAS DAWES Moderator
Jno. Winslow Clk.
Thanksgiving Day 26 Novr. 1801.
On notification, the Brethren of the Church and Congregation stayed after the Assembly was dismissed.
The Committee reported that they had made sale of a Number of Pews which had been forfeited to the Society agreeable to their Vote of 9th April last. The sumn produced was six hundred and Thirty Dollars. Four hundred and Eighty eight had been paid to the Treas- urer to enable him to present to the Rev. Doctor Eckley, Five hundred Dollars agreeably to their Vote ; and there now remains in the Com- mittees hands, One Hundred and forty two Dollars.
Voted, That the monies in the Committees hands be paid over to the Treasurer and that he be directed to present to the Rev. Dr. Eckley One hundred and thirteen Dollars and thirty-three Cents to make the sum of One thousand Dollars for each year 1799 and 1800 inclusive. THOMAS DAWES Moderator.
Jno. Winslow Clk.
Mr. John Sweetser, chairman of the standing committee, died on the last day of the year 1801. He had been for a long time an active member of the congregation, but he did not become a member of the church until 1789, when he transferred his mem- bership from the Second Church ; his wife had been a member of the Old South since 1766.
In this town on Thursday evening last, after a distressing sickness, which he bore with the fortitude and resignation of a Christian, John
280
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Sweetser Esq. aged 75. To paint the amiable virtues which he emi- nently possessed would require the pen of a panegyrist ; to those who knew him, it would be superfluous ; - and to those who had not the pleasure of his acquaintance, the sincere sorrow of all his friends will prove the best comment on his virtues.1
He was buried from " his mansion house in Newbury Street," on Monday the 4th of January ; and on Lord's Day, January IO, Dr. Eckley preached his funeral sermon from Rev. xxi. 5 : " And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new."
Sabbath Day 4th. April 1802
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation stayed after the ser- vice in the Afternoon. The following letter was communicated.
BOSTON 30th March 1802
REV. DOCTOR ECKLEY Dear Sir
The rapid progress in the Sickness of my late Friend and Husband, prevented the accomplishment of a design of which you were by him particularly informed. You were also acquainted with my hearty con- currence in the proposal at the time of his indisposition. From re- spect to the declared Will of my departed Friend, in connection with my own sentiments and wishes, I now enclose to you for the Old South Church and Congregation the Sum of Six Hundred Dollars in order to purchase a large and handsome Glass Chandelier for their accom- modation in the seasons of Evening Worship - provided it be agree- able to the Society to accept the same for this purpose.
With Sentiments of Esteem I am Revd Sir Your Sincere Friend
CATHARINE SWEETSER.
Voted, To accept the afore mentioned Six Hundred Dollars for the purpose Specified in the Letter.
Voted, That the Minister and Deacons be a Committee to wait on Mrs. Sweetser, and express to her the thanks of the Society for the generous donation.
JOSEPH ECKLEY.
Fast Day 8th April 1802.
The annual Committee presented the following report which was read -
The Committee of the South Church and Congregation chosen for
Mr. Sweetser left no children. His nephew, John Sweetser Lillie, was a constant attendant with his family at the
1 [Ind. Chron. January 4, 1802. Old South until his death in 1842, and his grand-niece, Catharine P. A. Lillie, was a member of the church from 1842 until her death in 1886.]
28I
THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION.
the last year having attended the business of the Society beg leave to report - that they have expended for the singing from April 1801 to April 1. 1802 Two hundred and Ninety One Dollars and 14 Cents, also the further sum of Two hundred Sixty three Dollars 37 Cents for completing the paving and for the New Fence at the West End of the Meeting House agreeably to the directions of the Society to said Com- mittee in April 1801, all which accounts are in the said Committees books, and are now ready for inspection.
WM HOMES Chairman.
Voted, That the report of the Committee be accepted.
Voted, To proceed to the choice of a Committee for the present Year, and William Phillips, Josiah Waters and Andrew Oliver were chosen to count and sort the Votes.
William Homes, Samuel Coverly, Hon. Thomas Dawes Jun. Nehe- miah Somes, William Breed, John Winslow, William Scollay, Andrew Oliver and Abraham Wild 1 were declared Chosen.
Voted, That Mr. Benjamin Clark, Samuel Salisbury, John Winslow, Joseph Peirce and Thomas Dawes Jun be a Committee to examine the Treasurers Accounts.
Voted, That the Rev. Dr. Eckley, Hon. Thomas Dawe's Senr. Samuel Salisbury and William Phillips Junr. Esqrs. be a Committee to purchase and properly suspend in the Meeting House the Chande- lier presented by the late John Sweetser.
Voted, That the Annual Committee be added to the Committee last chosen.
Voted, That the annual Committee be directed to examine what repairs are necessary to be done on the meeting house and the Rev. Doctor Eckley's house, and report the probable expence that will attend the same as soon as may be.
Voted, That the Committee be directed to make inquiry what the several Societys in Town have given their Rev'd Pastors for the five years last past - also what has been paid their Revd Pastor over and above his Salary for the same term of time.
Voted, That the singing be continued for six months to come.
JOSEPH ECKLEY.
Jno. Winslow Clk.2
In the month of July, 1802, a convention met in Northampton and organized the General Association of Massachusetts " upon a basis, substantially the same as the present, and recommended
1 [Abraham Wild was a merchant on Eustis Wharf, and a member of the ar- tillery company. He died in 1820. His son, of the same name, graduated at Harvard College in 1809, became a law- yer, and died in 1825.]
2 [There is no record of the proceed- ings of the church and congregation between April 8, 1802, and April 4, 1805. These records were kept for many years by General Winslow. The church records were kept by the pastor.]
282
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
it to the eight district associations therein represented. But even of these eight, only five sent delegates to the first two meetings. For various and opposite reasons the recommenda- tion was received with indifference or distrust by most of the ministers throughout the State." The friends of the measure, not discouraged, brought it before the convention of Congre- gational ministers in 1804, and a committee was appointed, of which President Willard was chairman, to correspond with all the district associations and to collect their views. From this correspondence, which has been preserved, two things, says Dr. Joseph S. Clark, are made evident : "first, that the General Association originated with the friends of evangelical religion, and was designed to strengthen their influence; second, that the anti-evangelical party were well aware of this, and took ground accordingly. All approved of a closer union and greater har- mony among the ministers of Christ; but ' considering the state of religious opinions,' said one of the associations, 'the proposed measure for promoting harmony will be more likely to interrupt than to cement and perpetuate our union.' Said another, 'should the object of the motion in part be to agree upon some general uniformity in the articles of our faith, uniformity in our churches to certain rules and modes of discipline, there would be a vain attempt to do what never can be accomplished in the present age by all the wit, wisdom and goodness of man.'"
The Boston Association adopted a paper, May 5, 1805, in opposition to the plan. After expressing its approval of the "sentiments in which the proposal appears to have originated," - "in that the Christian harmony and friendly cooperation of the ministers of the gospel are concerns of high mutual ben- efit, and conduce generally to increase their usefulness in the church of God," -- it proceeds to express its disbelief in the efficacy of the plan to promote either harmony or usefulness; as to cooperation, it considers the annual convention as sufficient for " mutual encouragement and assistance," the several asso- ciations as "highly conducive to the improvement, solace and excitement of individuals," and ecclesiastical councils as "a profitable and edifying communion " for ministers and churches. The result of endeavors to agree upon a doctrinal basis would be the " erection of barriers between those who at present are not formally separated," while " the bonds of union would be strengthened between those only who are already sufficiently cemented."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.