USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the Old South church (Third church) Boston, 1669-1884, Vol. II > Part 34
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Voted, That Deacon Samuel Salisbury, Joseph Peirce and John Winslow be a Committee to examine the Treasurers Accounts and to report at the next meeting.
Voted - Motion made and seconded that when this meeting ad- journ, it adjourn to this day week at 4 O'Clock P. M. to meet in this place, and the Rev. Doctor Eckley be requested to give notice of the same, the next Lords day after divine service in the Afternoon.
Present at this meeting 22.
Monday April 13 [20] 1807.
Meet agreeable to adjournment. The Committee chosen to exam- ine the Treasurers Accounts beg leave to report that they find the Accounts right cast and well vouched, and in the Hands of the Treas- urer -
[We omit the details of the report.]
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312
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Voted, The report of the Committee be accepted.
Voted, That the Treasurer be desired and he is hereby Authorized to pay the Ballance of Interest due to the Church and Congregation to the first of October next, out of the income of the Stores when received, and that at the end of every quarter year afterward, he pay to the minister and Deacons, Trustees for the distribution of said Interest money, the quarters Interest being $78.67} Cents as the same may be- come due and payable out of the income arising from said Stores.
Voted, The Treasurer be requested and directed to pay to the Rev. Doctor Eckley in addition to his Yearly Sallary Six Hundred and Six Dollars 67 Cents, which is equal to twenty five Dollars p Sabbath.
Moved and Seconded, That a Committee of three from this Church and Society be appointed as an advising Committee to confer with the signers of a remonstrance or protest dated 26 of Nov. A. D. 1806, or such as they shall appoint, upon the subject matter of said remon- strance or protest, and which said remonstrance or protest was signed by William Homes, a Member of this Church, and sundry other per- sons, and was communicated to a meeting of this Church and Society the first of December last - and said Committee after said Confer- ence are to report their proceedings to this Church and Society at their next meeting.
Voted, That Deacon Salisbury, Benjamin Whitman and Deacon Phillips be the Committee for the above purpose.
Voted, This meeting be dissolved, and it is dissolved accordingly.
Attest J. WINSLOW Clk. True Copy.
To the Pew Proprietors and Pew Holders in the Old South Meet- ing House in Boston. -
We the undersigned, members in regular standing and full com- munion with the Old South (or third) Church of Christ in Boston, understanding that you have, at a meeting called by your Secretary, voted to pull down the ministerial house built by this Church, and also to erect one or more houses on the land belonging thereto, with- out the consent or the authority thereof - and that your meeting stands adjourned for the purpose of devising means and receiving plans to carry these votes into effect ; we feel it a duty incumbent on us, deeply impressed with the impropriety and injustice of your assum- ing the controul and management of the property exclusively belong- ing to this Church, to notify you of what we confidently believe to be the rights, privileges and just claims of this Church ; and in the exer- cise of which, no other body can justly interfere, - and to protest against your proceedings relative to the same.
From the Deeds of Mrs. Mary Norton dated the Ist of April A. D. 1669, and the 30th of June A. D. 1677, conveying the land on which the meeting house and ministerial house stand and adjoining
313
A REMONSTRANCE.
thereto, to Capt. Thomas Savage and others, and "to such as they should associate unto them in Church fellowship," and to their suc- cessors forever, for the erecting a Meeting house and ministerial house, it appears incontestibly evident, that this property was given to, and invested in this Church, of which the grantees were members in full communion ; and also from the last will and testament of Mrs. Norton, duly proved the first of February A. D. 1678, in which she bequeathed "to the third Church of Christ in Boston," all the land under and adjoining the New Stores, recently erected and fronting on Marlborough Street, it is equally clear, that this Church are legally entitled to and have vested in it, this last described property and all the buildings thereon ; and in conformity to these gifts and bequests, as special trusts confided to the Church, which cannot be aliened or committed to any other body, have been the proceedings of this Church from its first foundation, - and especially in the erecting the present ministerial house A. D. 1705, which was done by the sole di- rection of the Church, and the appropriation of its funds, beyond voluntary subscriptions ; as this Church is thus intrusted by its benev- olent and pious Benefactress with all the estate above mentioned, for the most important purposes - and has discharged the trust reposed in it hitherto - we conscientiously believe it a dereliction of princi- ciples, which ought to influence every breast, and the neglect of a duty incumbent on this Church, and ourselves as members of it, not to protest against any violation of this trust so reposed, and also not to use our utmost endeavour to discharge it.
From these motives, we solemnly protest against your pulling down the ministerial house belonging to this Church, as also against your proceeding to erect any other buildings on the Church's land, and your appropriating any of the rents, income or funds of this Church, for this or any other purpose whatever - and hereby declare our fixed determination to endeavour that this Church shall, whenever Divine providence afford a favourable season, call upon all persons to ac- count for all the property belonging thereto, which shall come into their hands, and be disposed of, without proper authority from this Church - at the same time we assure you, we are not unmindfull or unacquainted with the usage and rights of this Society, and are willing and desirous that the congregation or pew proprietors should enjoy all the privileges at any time belonging to them, - but these do not extend to Church property, or the discharge of a trust committed to it.
Whatever privileges of choosing a standing Committee, in conjunc- tion with the Church, to superintend the prudential concerns of this society, and of meeting to decide upon the expediency of laying ad- ditional assessments on the pews, have been heretofore enjoyed by the congregation, or are secured to the proprietors by the deeds of
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HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
their pews, we disclaim any wish to infringe or interrupt them in the full possession and enjoyment of ; beyond these, we conceive belong solely to the Church ; because all was the gift and bequest of its bene- factors, and not the acquisition or purchase of the pew proprietors - whose money, as the consideration for their pews, was merely the amount paid for the repairs of the meeting house in the Year 1782.
If necessary to repair the Old or build a new ministerial house, we shall cheerfully attend to this important business, and are ready as Church members, at a Church meeting, to appropriate the property of the Church, as far as may be expedient to that purpose, but shall never virtually surrender our exclusive rights as such, by accepting any invitation to submit the management and appropriation of the Church's property contrary, to the true intent of the sacred trust re- posed in it.
We have been thus explicit, from a sense of duty and the remain- ing hope you will not longer continue open the breach unhappily made between us. We wish for peace consistent with righteousness, and shall joyfully embrace every advance towards it, consistent with the sacred trusts committed and the consequent duties required of us, as Members of this Church.
BOSTON November 26th 1806
WILLIAM HOMES JOSIAH BUMSTEAD ELISHA HUNT
JOSEPH BURGE WM. THURSTON
SAML. BREWER
JERE : BUMSTEAD
EBENEZER WATERS JOHN FENNO
WILLIAM HASLETT
JOSIAH VINTON JUN. THOMAS BUMSTEAD
BENJ : COCKS JNO. E. TYLER WILLIAM BREED
J. BUMSTEAD JUN.
DANIEL BOWEN THOMAS LAMSON 1
BOSTON April 1807
Sir,
The Brethren of the Old South or third Church who protested, have appointed a Committee in the expectation that a like measure will be adopted by the brethren against whom they protested, to con- fer with such committee as may be appointed on their part, and to agree on measures to effect a reconciliation.
Yours Affectionately
(signed) WM. HOMES.
MR. SAML. COVERLY
to be communicated.
At a meeting of the Old South Church and Congregation, August 10. 1807 -
On motion made and seconded, Voted, That the Hon. Thomas Dawes Esq. be Moderator, - Josiah Vinton Junr. Secretary.
1 [We have copied this protest from the original, which is on file.]
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AN ADJUSTMENT.
The Advising Committee appointed April 13, 1807, then reported as follows -
"The Advising Committee, appointed by the Old South Church and Society, to confer with the signers of a Remonstrance or Protest, dated the 26th of November, 1806, or such as they should appoint, upon the subject matter of said Remonstrance or Protest - have at- tended to that service; and having had several conferences with Brothers William Homes, Josiah Vinton Junr. William Thurston and Jeremiah Bumstead, who were a Committee appointed by said Pro- testors or Remonstrants for the purpose of said Conference -
"With great pleasure we ask leave to Report, that we find said Homes, Vinton, Thurston and Bumstead, and those they represent, friendly disposed towards the best Interest of said Church and So- ciety, and with dispositions to bury all misunderstandings, if any have existed, inconsistent with the harmony and Interest of said Church and Society. They do agree with us in opinion, that as it respects the Interest, Property, Rights and Privileges of the said Church and Society, or Congregation - and the method in which the Prudential affairs of said Church and Society shall be managed in future - the same shall remain, exist, be exercised, used, improved and managed, in the same way as the same have heretofore been done, in and by said Church and Congregation or Society, prior to the Year of Our Lord eighteen hundred.
" All which is submitted.
" SAMUEL SALISBURY p. order."
On Motion made and seconded, the above Report was read and accepted unanimously, and voted to be recorded accordingly.
Then on Motion made and seconded, Voted that this Meeting be adjourned to Thursday of next week, August 20, at 4 o Clock P. M. and that the Minister be requested to give notice of said adjournment, and request a punctual attendance of the members of said Church and Congregation, as matters of considerable importance will then be brought forward, relative to said Church and Society.
THOMAS DAWES Moderator.
Attest Josiah Vinton Jr. Secy.
In this adjustment of a long-standing difficulty, there was more than appears upon the surface. The abandonment of any innovations which had come into the management of the tem- poralities of the church since the close of the eighteenth cen- tury was not the only concession made to the disaffected breth- ren. These brethren, as we judge, had not been in full sympathy with the policy of William Phillips, Samuel Salisbury, Thomas Dawes, and other influential men in the church and congrega-
316
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
tion ; but this was not all. Evidently, they were not altogether satisfied with Dr. Eckley, who was, perhaps, theologically too conservative for them ; and to meet this feeling, it was arranged by and between the two committees in conference, that steps should be taken towards the settlement of another minister, who should be a man of more positive and pronounced evan- gelical views. But in carrying this arrangement into effect the remonstrants committed themselves to something that would be considered by many as even more dangerous than that which had been the occasion of their protest, for they allowed the church and congregation to take the initiative in the call of a colleague pastor. When it was proposed to call Mr. Bacon and Mr. Hunt to the pastorate in 1770, several of the brethren ex- pressed the opinion "that it was the undoubted right and priv- ilege of the Church to lead in such an affair ; " and when it was observed that the practice in some cases had been otherwise, they replied that their practicing wrong heretofore was no rea- son why they should continue in such a practice, "which might be attended with consequences very prejudicial to the interests of true religion." 1
Thursday, August 20, 1807
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation met agreably to ad- journment.
On Motion made and seconded, Voted,
That it is the desire of this Church and Congregation that another Minister should be settled, as a Colleague Pastor with the Rev. Dr. Joseph Eckley. Passed Unanimously.
Voted, That the Deacons of this Church be and hereby are ap- pointed a Committee to take such measures as they may think proper, to carry the preceeding vote into effect. Passed Unanimously.
It was then moved that the sense of this Church and Congregation be now taken, whether the Character and Preaching of the Rev. Mr. Huntington, so far as they are at present acquainted with him, are agreable to them?
And that sense was then taken by vote, and passed in the affirma- tive.
Voted, That this Meeting be now dissolved.
Josiah Vinton Jr. Secy.
THOMAS DAWES, Mod.
Present 29 members.
It is to be observed that the committee appointed at this meeting consisted of the deacons of the church.
1 See ante, vol. ii. p. 133.
Joshua Huntington
317
THE REV. JOSHUA HUNTINGTON.
The following is the Copy of the Letter sent to Mr. Huntington -
BOSTON 26 August 1807.
Sir,
Inclosed is a Copy of Votes of the Brethren of the South Church and Congregation in Marlboro' Street in Boston relative to the Set- tling of a Colleague pastor with our present worthy minister the Rev- erend Doctor Eckley.
As you are particularly named in one of those resolves, we have now the pleasure of requesting you to come and preach with us for such time as may be mutually agreeable, and that we may hear you further than we have done.
At the same time we think it our duty to inform you, that should other Gentlemen offer as Candidates, we may be induced to hear them also, before we decide upon a Connection so important as that which must subsist between a Minister and his people.
We are, Sir, your friends in Christ,
THOS DAWES SAML SALISBURY Deacons of said Church.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS
REV. JOSHUA HUNTINGTON, New London.
BOSTON 12 Septr. 1807
Sir,
The following is copy of a letter sent you the latter part of last month, with a Copy of Votes inclosed. Having received no answer, I think it my duty in the absence of the other Deacons who are on a Journey to send you this Duplicate, that on their Return, we may be enabled to make some report to the Society.
I am Sir, respectfully Yours
THOS DAWES.
REV. MR. HUNTINGTON
to the Care of Gen. Huntington N. London State of Connecticut.
Mr. Huntington was a son of General Jedidiah Huntington, who graduated at Harvard College in 1763, in the same class as Josiah Quincy, the patriot, John Jeffries, and Benjamin Dol- beare, and who served with distinction through the Revolution- ary war. General Huntington was appointed by President Washington in 1789 to the collectorship of customs at New London, the port of entry for eastern Connecticut and the Con- necticut river, and he held this position for nearly thirty years. His son Joshua graduated at Yale College in 1804, and studied theology under Dr. Dwight, the Rev. Asahel Hooker, of Goshen,
318
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Connecticut, and Dr. Morse, of Charlestown. It was undoubt- edly by the intervention of Dr. Morse that he was brought to the notice of the people of the Old South. During the year in which he preached, more or less, in Boston, before his settle- ment, he was thought of in connection with several vacant parishes.
Sabbath Day 7th February 1808.
A meeting of the Brethren of the Church was holden after the pub- lic services of the day, for the purpose of considering the expediency of appointing some time for the expression of their minds relating to the election of the Rev : Joshua Huntington, who by the desire of the Church and Congregation had been preaching several months on pro- bation for settlement as Colleague with the present Pastor.
Voted that Monday of the present week, - 3 o'Clock P. M. be assigned for the proposed meeting. Adjourned to that time.
JOSEPH ECKLEY.
Monday 8 February 1808.
At a meeting of the Brethren of the Church - Present, the Rev : Dr. Eckley, Moderator - Deacons Samuel Salisbury and William Phillips - Messrs. Isaac Pierce, Jeremiah Bumstead, Samuel Coverly, William Haslett, William Homes, Nehemiah Somes, Samuel Foster, Joseph Pierce, Ebenezer Dorr, James Foster, Josiah Bumstead, Josiah Vinton, Samuel Brewer, Elisha Hunt, Edward Phillips, John E. Tyler, Benjamin Cox, Joseph Burge, Samuel Harris, Thomas Lamson, Theo- philus Lyon, Nathaniel Foster, Jeremiah Bumstead Junr, William Thurston, 27.
After prayer by the Moderator for direction, - Voted that a Secre- tary be chosen on this occasion. Mr. William Thurston was elected.
The Moderator then informed the Brethren that as the time had expired for which the Rev : Mr. Joshua Huntington had been engaged to preach on probation with a view to settlement as Colleague Pastor, he had been desired by the Deacons to appoint the meeting of the Brethren holden on the preceeding day ; which meeting had been ad- journed to the present time, for the expression of their minds on the subject proposed.
On motion of Deacon Phillips, Voted that the Brethren will now proceed to give in their Votes by Yeas and Nays, whether they will make choice of the Rev : Mr. Joshua Huntington as Colleague Pastor with the Rev : Dr. Eckley.
In pursuance of this Vote, the Church proceeded to a choice ; when, on counting the Votes, it appeared there were Twenty five Yeas, and One Nay.
Mr. Huntington was accordingly declared to be chosen by the above
319
MR. HUNTINGTON CALLED.
large majority. In this choice ; the Rev. Doctor Eckley declared his concurrence.
Deacon Phillips then informed the Church, that Deacon Dawes (who was confined by sickness) had requested him to express his approbation of the proposed choice of Mr. Huntington.
Voted That Deacons Salisbury and Phillips, Messrs. Thurston, Coverly and Homes, be a Committee to request a meeting of the Con- gregation, on Friday next at 3 o'Clock P. M. at the Meeting House, that the choice of the Church may be laid before them for their con- currence.
Voted That the Committee aforenamed, wait on Mr. Huntington, and request him to continue to preach with our Rev : Pastor for two Sabbaths next ensuing.
The meeting was then dissolved.
Copy of the record made and attested by the Secretary, William Thurston.
JOSEPH ECKLEY.
At a Meeting of the Brethren of the Old South Church and Con- gregation, on Friday the 12th of February A. D. 1808 at 3 O'Clk P M.
Rev. Doctor Eckley Moderator.
After prayer to God, - it was
Voted, That William Thurston be chosen Secretary.
Voted, That the Secretary read the proceedings of the Brethren of the Church on Monday last, (in consequence of which this meeting was held,) which were read, and
Voted, We will now take the question by yeas and nays, whether we concur with the Church, in the choice of the Revd Mr. Joshua Huntington, as Colleague Pastor with the Rev. Doctor Eckley.
The question was then taken, when it appeared the whole number of votes were fifty four, of which fifty one were yeas and three nays.
The Moderator then declared the vote to be in the affirmative, by a large majority.
Voted, That a Committee of three from the Congregation be ap- pointed to join the Committee of the Church, to request Mr. Hunting- ton to preach with our Revd Pastor for two Sabbaths next ensuing.
Voted, That Benjamin Whitman Esqr. Mr. Abraham Wild and John Winslow Esqr be of this Committee.
Voted, That a Committee of seven, four of the Church and three of the Congregation, be chosen to devise ways and means for the support of the Revd Mr. Huntington, if he should settle with us, and report at the next meeting.
Voted, That Deacons Phillips and Salisbury, Messrs Dorr and Coverly, of the Church, and Benjamin Whitman, John Winslow Esqrs and Mr. Abraham Wild, of the Congregation, compose this committee.
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HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Voted, That this meeting be adjourned to Friday next (19th inst) 3 O clk PM. to meet at this place.
A true Record JOSEPH ECKLEY Moderator.
Attest Wm. Thurston Secy.
Present 54 members.
At a meeting of the Brethren of the Old South Church and Con- gregation on Friday the 19th of February A. D. 1808, by adjournment from 12th inst. -
Voted, That Deacon Phillips preside as Moderator.
The proceedings of the last meeting were then called for and read by the Secretary, after which Deacon Phillips, Chairman of the Com- mittee of ways and means, appointed the last meeting, reported, that the following vote be recommended to be passed -
Voted, That there be allowed and paid by this Society to the Rev. Joseph Eckley, our pastor, Twenty five Dollars per week, in future as his Salary, so long as his pastoral relation shall continue with this Church and Society, and in addition thereto that this Society will con- tinue to furnish him with a house and his fireing, as they have hereto- fore done, the above provision and salary is in lieu of the salary and provision heretofore made for him, - which passed unanimously. And also further reported as follows, viz.
Your Committee recommend that there be paid to the Revd Mr. Joshua Huntington, fifteen Dollars for each Sabbath that he has preached to this Society as a Candidate, and the same to continue untill said Huntington is ordained as Colleague Pastor with the Rev. Doctor Eckley.
Art. 2nd. Also that there be allowed and paid to the Rev. Mr. Joshua Huntington, Twenty five Dollars pr week, as a Salary, so long as Mr. Huntington's pastoral relation shall continue with this Church and Congregation, and that whenever Mr. Huntington shall change his situation in life, and have a family, this Society will procure for him a house, and find him his wood necessary for his fireing, in addition and to be a part of his said Salary ; the above compensation and Salary being the same which this Society are under obligations to allow their present worthy and beloved Pastor, the Rev Doctor Eckley, agree- able to their vote of this day.
Art. 3rd. Also your Committee are of opinion, that there is nothing more necessary to meet all the demands against the Society, than to raise the Taxes on the Pews, one hundred per cent. from the present tax, there will then be left, in the hands of the Treasurer, a small sinking fund, towards building, or repairing the house, stores or meet- ing house, if necessary.
P Order of the Committee.
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A LARGER PULPIT NEEDED.
Voted, That the consideration of the above report be taken by articles. Unanimously.
Voted, The first article be accepted. Unanimously Voted.
Voted, That the second article be accepted.
Voted, That the third article be not accepted.
Voted, That fifty per cent. advance be added to the present taxes on the pews, commencing next Sabbath.
Voted, That a Committee of five be appointed to acquaint Mr. Huntington with the proceedings of this Church and Congregation, relative to his preaching for us and settlement with us as Colleague Pastor with the Revd Doctor Eckley, and request him to continue preaching with our Revd Pastor, till he gives his answer to the call for settlement, and his ordination, if he accepts.
Voted, That Deacon Phillips, Messrs. Nehemiah Somes, Jonathan Harris, William Homes and John Winslow be of this Committee.
Voted, That the same Committee wait upon the Rev. Doctor Eckley, and notify him of the vote of this meeting relative to his Salary.
Voted, This Meeting be dissolved.
A true record WM. PHILLIPS Moderator
Attest Wm. Thurston Secy.
Present 44 members.
Sabbath afternoon 21 Feby. 1808
At a meeting of the Brethren of the Church after the public services of the day -
Voted that a Committee of this Church be chosen to wait on the Rev : Mr. Joshua Huntington, and inform him of the election which the Church has made of him as Colleague Pastor with the Rev : Dr. Eckley.
Voted that this Committee consist of Five. The following persons were chosen - The Rev : Dr. Eckley, Deacon Samuel Salisbury, Dea- con William Phillips, Mr. Ebenezer Dorr, Mr. William Homes.
JOSEPH ECKLEY.
At a Meeting of the Brethren of the Old South Church and Con- gregation, on Monday March 14th A. D. 1808,-
Voted, That Deacon Phillips preside as Moderator.
Voted, That William Thurston officiate as Secretary.
The Moderator then read a communication from the Standing com- mittee, recommending "that a new Pulpit be built in the Old South meeting house, and that provision be made for a publick dinner to be given on the day of the ordination of Mr. Huntington, as Colleague Pastor, should he accept the invitation to settle with us, and that the money necessary for these objects be raised by voluntary subscription."
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