USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the Old South church (Third church) Boston, 1669-1884, Vol. III > Part 29
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The God of peace direct you to a good and happy issuing of this great affaire, which you have so candidly begun, and cover all the fail- ings of his people under the robe of Christ's Righteousnesse, graunt- ing unto us all the blessings of the Gospel of peace, and to yourselves the Blessednesse of peace-makers :
So pray, Worshipfull, Reverend, and Beloved : your Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ SAMUEL WILLARD in the name and with the free and full vote of the brethren of the third gathered church in Boston
To the Rev. Mr. James Allen,
teacher and Mr. John Wiswall, ruling elder, of the first gathered church in Boston. These
To be communicated to the church.1
To this response, the First Church, at a meeting held May 7, adopted the following rejoinder : -
1 [These letters appear in Mr. Emer- son's Ilistory of the First Church, and in the notes to Dr. Wisner's Historical Sermons. In printing Mr. Willard's
letter, we have followed the draft in his own handwriting, which is on the files of the Old South. The variations are slight and unimportant.]
*
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HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Honoured, Worshipfull, Reverend, Beloved in the Lord :
We have received your return by the worshipfull Mr. John Hull esqr. and the reverend Mr. Samuel Willard, to our motion to hear, wherein you express your thankful reception and full concurrence with · the condition of accommodation therein mentioned, which we declare to be acceptable to us. And, wherein our sinful infirmities have been grievous to you or any of your church, we mutually ask forgiveness of God and you. And desire all offences we judge have been given us, may be forgiven and forgotten, desiring to forgive others, even as we believe God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us.
And we further entreat, that both our motion and your return and this conclusion may be recorded with you, as it shall be with us, in memory of a happy issue of our uncomfortable dispute and the way of our peace.
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is most well pleasing in his sight,
So pray, Honoured, Reverend, Beloved : your brethren in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, . JAMES ALLEN JOHN WISWALL . with the full and unani- mous consent of the brethren.
Cotton Mather thus writes of the reconciliation of the two churches : -
Indeed, for a considerable while, tho' the good men on both sides really Loved, Respected, and Honoured one another, yet thro' some unhappy misunderstandings in certain particular Persons, the Com- municants of these two particular Churches in Boston, like the two distinguish'd Rivers, not mixing, tho' running between the same Banks, held not Communion with one another at the Table of the Lord : but in two sevens of Years, that Breach was healed, and unto the general Joy of the Christians in the neighbourhood, both the Churches kept a Solemn Day together, wherein, Lamenting the In- firmities that had attended their former Contentions, they gave Thanks to the Great Peace-Maker for effecting this Joyful Reconciliation. The Schism was not so long lived, as that which happened at Antioch, about the Ordination of a Minister ; whereof, Theodoret says, it en- dured Fourscore and Five Years.1
1 [Magnalia, Book V. p. 83. The Rev. went to Boston fast and thanksgiving of Peter Thacher writes : " 14. 7. 1682. I the first and third Churches who are re-
247
DEATH OF JOHN HULL.
One third of the dissenting brethren of 1669, who would have rejoiced to see this reconciliation and to participate in it, " died without the sight." Mr. Thacher and Elder Raynsford had been transferred to the church invisible and indivisible; and the following brethren also had been called home, in the order in which we give their names : Peter Oliver, Richard Trewsdale, William Salter, Hezekiah Usher, William Davis, Benjamin Gibbs, Benjamin Thurston, John Morse, and Thomas Savage. On the other hand, Mr. Davenport and Elder Penn, and many of the brethren of the First Church, had passed into the imme- diate presence of their Lord. May we not think that in the upper air there had been no renewal of the strife of earth, but, rather, that a happy reconciliation had been reached there, long before the surviving members of the two churches had sheathed their carnal weapons ?
John Hull closed his honorable and useful life October I, 1683.1 Six days later, Mr. Willard preached his funeral ser- mon from Numbers xxiii. IO, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his," and bore the follow- ing testimony to his character and worth : -
They are little things to be put into the account, and weigh but light in the commendations we have to give him, to say this government hath lost a magistrate; this town hath lost a good benefactor; this church hath lost an honourable member; his company hath lost a worthy captain ; his family hath lost a loving and kind husband, father, master ; the poor have lost a liberal and merciful friend ; that nature had furnished him with a sweet and affable disposition and even united. Mr. Allen preached in the fore- noon, Mr. Willard in the afternoon."
Benjamin Walker writes in his diary : " May 18 1730 First church meet to con- sider whither they will Inlarge their principals (viz) to baptize children that their parents were not in communion, and to lay aside making public state- ments." The Half-way Covenant was not recognized by the First Church until March 3, 1731. The Second Church, admitted a member under it, for the first time, January 15, 1693, and for the last time in 1786.]
1 John Hull was born at Market Har- borough, Leicestershire, December 18, 1624, and came to New England in his eleventh year, with his father, Robert Hull. He was married to Judith Quincy,
by Governor Winthrop, May 1, 1647. A few months before his death, June 20, 1683, he wrote to his agent, Mr. Thomas Glover, in London, to advance £500 on his account to Mr. Joseph Dudley and Mr. John Richards, the agents of the colony, "to buy our peaceable enjoy- ment of men, though the Lord hath freely lent us the so long enjoyment," -- that is to say, to be given to Charles II. in exchange for favors expected.
The Rev. Peter Thacher writes : " Oct. 5, 1683. My dear and I went to Boston to Capt. Hull's funerall, and as the magis- trates and ministers were in his great room the summer [a horizontal beam or girder] crakt thro' and the flower sunk an inch under us. I had a scarfe and gloves."
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HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
temper ; that Providence had given him a prosperous and flourishing portion of this world's goods ; that the love and respect of the people had lifted him up to places of honour and preferment. This, this, outshines them all, that he was a saint upon earth ; that he lived like a saint here, and died the precious death of a saint, and now has gone to rest with the saints in glory. This has raised those relics of his above common dust, and made them precious dust. When conscience of duty stimulated me to perform my part of his exequies, and put me upon it to do him honour, methoughts justice required, and envy itself would not nibble at, this character ; and, if the tree be to be known by its fruits, his works shall praise him in the gates.
The more we know of John Hull, the more we are led to admire the vigor of his mind and the strength of his religious character. He could not have had many advantages in early life, but he became a thoroughly trained merchant, and he was able to hold his own with liberally educated men. His note- books show him to have been well read in the classics. The papers which we are able to trace to his pen, during the con- troversy with the First Church, are among the best in style and expression that have come down to us from that period. His diligence as an annalist was exceptional ; and it is probable that we are indebted largely to his example and influence for the invaluable diaries of his son-in-law, Samuel Sewall.
CHAPTER V.
1683-1696.
THE INTER-CHARTER PERIOD. - WITCHCRAFT.
O N the 23d of October, 1683, Joseph Dudley and John Richards arrived from England with the intelligence that a blow which had long threatened the colony had been struck, and that a writ had been issued, which, as Dr. Palfrey says, " summoned it to stand for the defence of its political existence and of the liberty and property of its people, at the bar of a court in London." During the same week, Edward Randolph landed in Boston with the notification of the quo warranto, which he presented to the governor and General Court. In the midst of the consternation which followed, a public fast was held, of which the Rev. Peter Thacher has left us an account : -
9 Nov. 1683 I went to Boston was at the fast of the generall Court and Elders ; Mr. Willard preached Prov. 16. 3. which was his text. [Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be
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HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
established.] then prayed and Mr. Adams went to prayer then Mr. Increase Mather preached Rev. 3. 10 [Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of tempta- tion, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.] Mr. Torry concluded with prayer. wee sang 46 ps. and soe concluded about two a Clock in the afternoon. Wee Eat a bit of cake and drank a glasse of wine and then the governor pro- pounded two cases of Conscience to the Elders and requested their help therein. In order to the facilitating of the work of the generall Court who met about the [quo warranto] which was out against the patent, and the ministers considering of it together at Mr. Willards did conclude that if the patent was forfeited by law, then it was best to resigne it up to his majesty for such regulation as might make it most fit for his majesty's service, that soe the Essentialls of the patent might be continued, and the patent continued.
A " Declaration " from the king was made known to the people, that if the colony, before prosecution, would yield full submission to his pleasure, he would regulate their charter for his service and their good, and with no further alterations than should be necessary for the support of the government here. The governor and a majority of the assistants voted an humble address to his majesty, saying that they would not contend with him in a course of law, as they relied on the gracious intima- tion of his purpose to regulate and modify the charter, and not to annul it. This action seems to have had the approval of Mr. Willard and most of the elders ; but Increase Mather was op- posed to it, and under his lead the deputies refused to agree to the address. Hutchinson says that if this vote of the assist- ants had received the concurrence of the deputies, " it is doubt- ful whether the consequent administration of government would have been less arbitrary than it was upon the judgment against the charter, but, upon the Revolution, they might have reas- sumed their charter, as Rhode Island and Connecticut did their respective charters, - there having been no judgment against them." 1
The proceedings by quo warranto were dropped, and a new suit was begun in the Court of Chancery. On the 18th of June, 1684, a decree was entered vacating the charter, and on the 23d of October next following this was made final. More than a year and a half passed, however, before Edward Randolph returned with an exemplification of the judgment, and with commissions for the officers of a new government.
1 Mem. Hist. of Boston, vol. i. pp. 374, 375.
25I
A FAST AT JUDGE SEWALL'S.
In 1685 Cotton Mather was ordained as colleague pastor with his father over the Second or North Church.
Sabbath May 3rd, a letter read from the N.[orth] Church wherein Mr. Willard and Messengers desired to be sent in order to ordain Mr. Cotton Mather, Pastor of that Church ; signed, Increase Mather, at the desire and order of the Church. The Governour [Simon Brad- street] and self with the Deacons [Peter Brackett and Jacob Eliot], nominated to goe.1
Wednesday, May 13. 1685. Mr. Cotton Mather is ordained Pastor by his Father, who said, My Son Cotton Mather, and in's sermon spake of Aaron's Garments being put on Eleazer, intimating he knew not but that God might now call him out of the world. Mr. Eliot [of Roxbury] gave the Right Hand of Fellowship, calling him a Lover of Jesus Christ. (Sewall.)
A few days later, at a fast observed at the house of Samuel Sewall, we see all the ministers of the three churches taking part together. The Rev. Joshua Moodey, of Portsmouth, hav- ing been driven away from his church by the persecutions of Governor Cranfield, of New Hampshire, was acting as an assist- ant to Mr. Allen. The venerable John Eliot offered prayer on this interesting occasion.
Friday May 22d 1685, had a private Fast : the Magistrates of this town with their Wives here. Mr. Eliot prayed, Mr. Willard preached. I am afraid of Thy judgments - Text Mother [Mrs. Hull] gave. Mr. Allen prayed ; cessation half an hour. Mr. Cotton Mather prayed ; Mr. Mather preached Ps. 79,9. Mr. Moodey prayed about an hour and half ; Sung the 79th Psalm from the 8th to the End : distributed some Biskets, and Beer, Cider, Wine. The Lord hear in Heaven his dwelling place. (Sewall.)
On the 27th of May, at a General Court, the following proc- lamation for a public fast was agreed upon : -
1 [In the records of the Second Church, Dr. Increase Mather says: "2d month, 5th day 1685. The brethren stayed in the meeting-house and unanimously con- sented, that the 13th day of May should be the day for my son Cotton's ordination as their pastor; and that letters should be sent to the two churches in Boston, to Charlestown, Cambridge, Roxbury, Dorchester, to desire them to send their messengers to give us the right hand of fellowship ; that Mr. Allen and Mr. Wil- lard should be desired to join with my-
self in imposing hands." - Two Dis- courses by the Rev. Henry Ware, Jr. (1821), p. 49. The italics are Dr. Ware's. "May it not be hoped that the next attempted change in our polity will be either the disuse of ecclesiastical coun- cils altogether, except in cases where the fellowship of the churches is mainly to be expressed, as in the settlement and dis- mission of pastors, and the gathering of churches, or their employment merely as referces ?" - Ilist. Sketch, by Dr. Joseph S. Clark, p. 283. The italics are ours.]
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HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
This Court having taken into their serious consideration, that in respect of afflictive Sicknesses in many Places, and some Threatenings of Scarcity as to our necessary food, and upon other Accounts also, we are under solemn Frowns of the Divine Providence ; being like- wise sensible, that the People of God in other parts of the World are in a low Estate,
Do therefore appoint the Sixteenth day of July next, to be set apart as a Day of publick Humiliation by Fasting and Prayer throughout this Colony, exhorting all who are the Lord's Remembrancers, to give Him no rest, till Isai. 62. 7. He establish and make Jerusalem a Praise in the Earth : And do hereby prohibit the Inhabitants of this Jurisdiction all servile Labour upon the said Day.
The sentence " upon other accounts also " was as direct a reference, perhaps, as it was thought best by the magistrates to make to the political troubles then threatening the colony.
We have intimations at this time of the occasional presence of Quakers in the town and in the meeting-houses :-
Thorsday June 18. A Quaker comes to the Governour and speaks of a Message he had which was to shew the great calamities of Fire and Sword that would suddenly come on New England. Would fain have spoken in the Meeting house, but was prevented.
Sabbath, June 21, 1685. Mr. Solomon Stoddard preaches in the Afternoon from Gal. 5. 17. shewing that there is a principle of Godli- ness in every true Believer ; and how it differs from Moral Vertue &c. Some little disturbance by a Quaker about the time of Baptism. (Sewall.)
As we have seen, the church voted, February 14, 1678, that candidates for admission to membership should be excused, when they desired it, from the reading of their "relation " before the . Church and congregation. The church now decided that hence- forward persons might be admitted to membership in the pres- ence of the Church only.
[1685 August 14.] At night Mr. Willard, Eliot Jacob, Robert Walker, Frary, Nathaniel Oliver, Benjamin Davis meet here to discourse. Be- cause the two last named desire to come into the Church without mak- ing any Relation at all ; or having Mr. Willard report the Substance of what they said to him.1
1 [Benjamin Davis was one of the founders, 1699, and Nathaniel Oliver, one of the first members, of Brattle Street Church. In organizing that church, it was determined, among other matters,
" to lay aside the relation of experiences which are imposed in other churches, in order to the admission of persons to the Lord's table." Mr. Davis was a deacon in Brattle Street Church.]
253
REGULATION OF SEATS.
This day [Friday] August 28. is a Church Meeting at which 'tis con- sented that Persons may be taken in, the Church only being present, and not the Congregation : at the same time Mr. Benjamin Davis, Mr. Nathaniel Oliver, and Mr. Samuel Checkly were propounded.
Sabbath-day, September 13, 1685. Mr. Benjamin Davis, Nathaniel Oliver, Samuel Checkly and his wife [a daughter of Joshua Scottow] are received into the Church, which is a Sabbath or two sooner than I expected. The Lord's Supper not being to be administered till Octo- ber 4th. Samuel Checkly had most in's Relation : two wear Perriwigs : viz : Davis, Checkly. (Sewall.)
The following is from the church records : -
At a church meeting. Octob. 26, 1685. Some expositions presented to the Church about Regulation of seats in the Meeting House ; espe- cially Pews.
I. That these are not to be counted, (though built at private men's Charges), to be an Inheritance in Fee-simple ; because not so in- tended by the grantors, nor any record or evidence for it pleadable by the grantee, but many living witnesses to the Contrary.
2. It is but equal that they who built the seats should enjoy them, as long as they ordinarily attend the Assembly in publick worship, and their Children after them, or so many of them as they shall leave their interest to or shall (in case they have not determined it, and there be need of it) be appointed by the order of the Overseers of the Seats, deputed by the Church.
3. If such Parents dy in the Infancy of their children, the Overseers shall no farther give liberty to any of sitting in their seat, than with condition to relinquish it agen, when such children are come to age and demand their right.
4. It is both illegall, unequall, and contrary to the true intention of the grant of the Pews, for an owner, when he removes, or shall have no more use of his Seat to sit in himself, to sell or give his right to whom he sees meet, without the approbation of the Overseers ; both . because it is contrary to the intendment of the first grant, and opens a door to confusion, and so the most unworthy may be preferred before the most deserving.
5. If such builder, leaving the house, requires his charge, the Over- seers shall order his re-imbursement by the Church, which they shall either receive agen for the church, of such whom they agen grant it to, or referre it to the Churches dispose, as they in prudence shall see meet.
6. Where two families are equally interested in one seat, and there falls out difference between them about their seat, or sitting, the said Overseers are empowered to issue the controversy ; and if the par- ties concerned will not submit to their determination, they shall, if
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HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Church members, be lyable to Answer it to the Church, if otherwise to the Civill authority.1
7. For the further managing of this affair we commend to the Over- seers.
I. That they take an account of the Pews and the present pro- prietors, who either have themselves built, or are the Children of such, in lawfull possession.
2. That when any seat, so considered, is vacant, they do not pres- ently dispose of it, till they first enquire whether there be not some person or persons, to whom, on the foresaid grounds, there may be speciall Reason to determine it.
3. That they be desired to grant no more pews, without the appro- bation of the Church.
These were deliberated upon, and voted by the church, Oct : 26. 85.
The same time the worshipfull Samuel Sewall Esq was chosen to join with Mr. Jno Joyliffe and Capt. Joshua Scotto, and Capt. Wm. Geresh in the oversight of the seats.2
In November of the same year Theophilus Frary was ordained deacon, having been elected to the office several months before.
[Sabbath, November 8, 1685.] In the Afternoon Mr. Willard Or- dained our Brother Theophilus Frary to the Office of a Deacon. Declared his Acceptance January 1Ith first, and now again. Pro- pounded it to the Congregation at Noon : Then in Even propounded if any of the Church or other had to object they might speak : Then took the Church's Vote, then called him up to the Pulpit, laid his Hand on's Head, and said I ordain Thee &.c., gave Him his charge, then Prayed, and sung the 2d part of the 84th Psalm. Four Children Baptised before the Ordination. Thomas Eyre; William [Colman], Eliza [Landon], Joseph [Belknap]. So God in some measure is build- ing our House when pulling down others. (Sewall.)
The ministers of the colony had fixed upon the 3d of December as a day for public thanksgiving, and Mr. Willard called on Samuel Sewall to ask him to obtain the official appro- bation of Governor Bradstreet. The governor hesitated, and proposed to submit the question to his council. The trouble
1 [The sixth vote, attested by Samuel Checkley, is to be found in Mass. Ar- chives, vol. ii. p. 39.]
2 [Sewall tells us of one of the first cases which came before the overseers for adjustment January 25, 1685-6 : "Mrs. Harris and Baker present their mutual offences against each other as to
their seating before Mr. Willard and the Overseers."
The disputants were probably Rebecca wife of Thomas Harris, and Mary Baker.
Mr. Joyliffe died November 23, 1701. " He had been blind, and laboured un- der many infirmities for a long time." (Sewall.)]
255
A COUNCIL AT MALDEN.
was with the terms of the proclamation which it would be neces- sary to issue : "The difficulty of printing an Order is, lest by putting in, or leaving out, we offend England." The proclama- tion should give specific reasons for the observance of the day, and it was not desirable to express those reasons. It was suggested, therefore, whether it would not be convenient for the churches to observe the day without an " Order from Authority as usual." Here the matter rested, so far as the authorities were concerned, and the ministers went forward upon their own responsibility.
Sabbath-day, November 15 1685. In the Afternoon Mary Smith, Widow, Mr. Wheelwright's Grandchild, was taken into Church ; then Mr. Willard mentioned what the Elders had done as to a Thanks- giving, and propounded to the Church that we might have one on the First Thorsday in December : because had Fasted, and God had gra- ciously answered our Prayers ; so should meet Him in the same place to give Thanks for that, and any other Providence that hath passed before us. Silence gave Consent, no one speaking. (Sewall.)
A council was held at Malden, April 7, 1686, to which the South Church was invited. Deacon Eliot and Samuel Sewall were chosen to accompany Mr. Willard, as delegates.
March 28. Letter read from Maldon, directed to the three Churches in Boston, desiring Council respecting their Pastor, Mr. Tho. Chiever, who is charged with scandalous immoralities, for which hath not given satisfaction.1 Mr. Eliot and my self to accompany Mr. Willard thither next Wednesday come Sennight, 7th April.
April 7. Get up about 4 mane to go and accompany Mr. Willard to Maldon, went most by Water, some by Land. Those that went by Water were landed at Switzer's Point, then went two miles on foot. (Sewall.)
The next entry on the church records is as follows : --
At a Church meeting May 25, 1686.
Voted that the worshipfull Richard Wharton Esqr shall have a pew granted him for his family in the meeting house before the pew of Mrs. Mary Dudley, and up to the pulpit stairs, and that the Overseers of the seats be desired, with the advice of the Deacons, to lay it out
1 [The Rev. Thomas Cheever was son of the famous schoolmaster, Ezekiel Cheever. He was ordained July 27, 1681. Charges against him were made and sustained before a council, and he was dismissed May 20, 1686. He after-
wards regained the public confidence, and was ordained pastor of the church in Chelsea in 1715, where he continued for about thirty-five years, dying at the age of ninety-one. (Eds. of the Sewall Papers.)]
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