USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the Old South church (Third church) Boston, 1669-1884, Vol. III > Part 66
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To the Rev. Messrs. Joseph Sewall and Thomas Prince, Pastors of the South Church in Boston, to be communicated to said church
THOMAS FILLEBROWN, JAMES DAVENPORT, Committee NATHANIEL PROCTER
In the Name and at the Desire of the Church.
Mr. Croswell also sent a letter, from which we quote the open- ing paragraphs : -
My Fathers and Brethren,
The great freedom you have lately taken with my name and char- acter in representing me, by a Letter to my People, and to an Eccle- siastical Council, as a minister very dangerous to the souls of men, whereby you did what lay in your power, to stop my mouth from preaching the glorious Gospel of the blessed God ; will at least, ex- cuse the freedom I take in writing you this letter.
As soon as I heard you were taking counsel together against me, by your committee, I went and told Jesus : I poured out my com- plaints before him, I showed before him my trouble; and was enabled so entirely to put over my cause into his hands, that from that time, though I was not thoughtless, I was no more distressed about the event, than if I had only heard you were consulting together against some other man, whom I knew nothing of.
However, though I stayed myself upon my God, and was kept in perfect peace ; it was my constant cry at the Throne of Grace, that I might learn all those lessons which I ought to learn from such an ex- traordinary proceedure against me ; and particularly that I might be brought so low, that whereinsoever I was blameworthy, I might be willing to confess and to give glory to God. God heard this prayer - and accordingly, when I answered for myself, I did not perceive the least disposition to hide or cover, but owned I had been out of the way ; and that many expressions in my pamphlets were too sarcastical and cutting, and had cut me since a great many times. Nay, I took a sweet pleasure in making these confessions ; because by bearing tes- timony against myself, I bore testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ.
And from the same principle, I trust, of magnifying Christ, whatever
596
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
it costs me, I now declare, that if you will take the pains to shew me the particular passages in my books, which you apprehend, bear too hard upon ministers in general, or Boston ministers in particular ; wherein the word of God appears against me, I will give you a written, or, if you please a printed recantation.
But this very principle which makes me with delight, condemn my- self for every word I have printed, which don't savour of a gospel- spirit, keeps me from condemning myself for any doctrines, because I verily believe them to be the truths of the gospel.
He goes on to explain and defend his views on justification and sanctification, and, before he closes, administers this rebuke to the South Church and its ministers : -
Nay, let me leave this one word with you to think upon, viz. That you cannot reasonably expect much of the presence of Christ in your assemblies, while Mr. Whitefield and other godly Ministers, who occa- sionally come to Boston, are industriously kept out.
Mr. Croswell's disappointment and irritation, in view of the opposition which he met on his removal to Boston, should be accepted, perhaps, as an excuse for this unjust remark ; for he must have known that Dr. Sewall and Mr. Prince had been from the first among the warmest and most valued friends and ad- visers of Mr. Whitefield. Dr. Sewall, in the annual conven- tion of 1743, had led the minority in calling for a proper rec- ognition in the "Testimony " of the recent revival ; and Mr. Prince, in his writings in the Christian History, has preserved for all time the most accurate and sympathetic record we have of the work of grace of that period in the various churches of New England. That the South Church was one of the only two churches in the town invited to the installation shows that its attitude was regarded as not unfriendly to the general religious movement which the new church was supposed to represent. The trouble was that its pastors and their brother ministers discriminated between Mr. Whitefield and many of those who followed him and who shared his zeal but not his power. It is very doubtful whether any organized opposition would have met the great revivalist on his second visit to New England had it not been for these men, towards whose extravagances he was himself only too lenient.1 It is a question whether even Mr.
1 Mr. Whitefield wrote to Dr. Colman, September 24, 1742 : " I go on preaching the cross and the Redeemer, and desire to say as little as possible about others,
lest I should divert people's minds from the simplicity of the gospel. I have often found that opposing, instead of hurting, makes erroneous people more consider.
597
COUNCIL AT MEDFIELD.
Tennent's coming to Boston, which was at Mr. Whitefield's suggestion, was an unmixed good ; certainly, Mr. Davenport's coming was an unmixed evil.
It does not appear that the South Church and its ministers replied to any of these communications ; they had accomplished their object, which was to protest, and not to enter into a con- troversy. The new church bought the Huguenot Meeting- House, in School Street,1 and continued in existence until the death of Mr. Croswell, in 1785.
Octr. 16. 1748. Lord's Day.
The Brethren were stay'd, And the Hon. John Osborne, Ezekiel Lewis, Josiah Willard Esqrs Deacon Hubbard and Mr. Edward Brom- field were chosen to be the Committee for the year ensuing.
JOSEPH SEWALL.
Lord's Day, Octr. 23. 1748
Church stay'd. Letter read from the Church in Medfield, desiring our Assistance in Council. Granted, and one of the Deacons, and Messrs Thomas Paine and Andrew Eliot were chosen as Messengers.2
able. This made me wish the Boston ministers would not say so much about the exhorters. It will only set the peo- ple more upon following them."
1 The French Protestant church, in January, 1704-5, bought of James Mears, hatter (a member of the South Church), a piece of land in School House Lane, now School Street, and ten or eleven years later a small brick meeting- house was erected on it. This is the property which was sold to Mr. Cros- well's congregation. Subsequently, it passed into the hands of the Roman Catholics, and mass was said there for the first time November 2, 1788. See Memorial History of Boston, vol. ii. pp. 253, 254.
2 [The Rev. Jonathan Townsend, Harv. Coll. 1741, was ordained as the successor of Mr. Baxter, October 23, 1745. There was some dissatisfaction with the selection, " which grew into a permanent disaffection." In 1746, “ sev- eral dissatisfied brethren asked to be dismissed to the second church in Wrentham. This was refused, and they then asked that a council be called to
adjust the differences between them and the church. This was also refused. It seems that these brethren had charged that the church had broken covenant in regard to discipline, but in what par- ticulars is not known." In 1747, “the church voted that those who have charged the church with a breach of covenant should come no more to the communion till satisfaction was made for the injury done by the charge. This was defined, by vote, to mean exclusion from sitting at the Lord's table, and taking any part in church action." In 1748, " the num- ber of dissatisfied church members was increasing, and the church finally voted to call a council. Some matters in dis- pute had been laid before the council called at the time of Mr. Townsend's ordination. The church now did not wish to have those matters reopened. As a result of the council. the platform of church discipline agreed upon at Cambridge in 1648 was accepted; and one of the disaffected, William Plimpton, was received back to fellowship." - Tilden's History of the Town of Medfield, pp. 136-138.]
598
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Lord's Day, Novr 13. 1748
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stayed ; and Voted,
I. That the Deacons be empower'd to expend the whole of the last Collection which is not appropriated, for the relief of the poor of this Church and Congregation.
2. That there be a Collection for Charitable and pious uses, on the Anniversary Thanksgiving Nov. 24 current ; and that the Rest of the Congregation be notified of this Vote next Lord's Day, and desir'd to assist in said Collection.
J. SEWALL.
Lord's Day Nov. 20. Church stay'd. Letter read from the East Precinct in Attleborough desiring our Assistance in the Gathering of a church there, and in ordaining Mr. Peter Thacher Pastor. Granted, and Messrs Oxenbridge Thacher and Joseph Jackson were chosen Messengers. JOSEPH SEWALL.
The East Church, Attleborough, was organized November 30. Mr. Thacher, who had been preaching statedly to the con- gregation for five years, was eldest son of the Rev. Peter Thacher, of Middleborough, and a great-grandson of the Rev. Thomas Thacher. His mother was a sister of Mr. Prince. Mr. Oxenbridge Thacher was an uncle of the pastor-elect ; he was a graduate of Harvard College, in the class of 1698, had been a preacher, and later was a prominent citizen of Boston, select- man and representative.
Public Thanksgiving Novr 24. 1748
Collected
To the pious and Charitable Fund . £10. 0. 0
Rev. Mr. Spencer .
IO. o. o
Mr. White of Nantucket
5.
.
0. 0
Minister of Freetown
I. O.
Widow Arnold
·
2. O. o
Widows Thwing and Rouse
3. 0. 0
3I. O. O
Unappropriated
229. 12. 8
260. 12. 8
Since added
To the Rev. Mr. Cambell of Tiverton
IO. O
Mr. Brett of Freetown IO. O
Lord's Day March 12. 1748-9
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stayed ; and Voted,
599
A DAY OF PRAYER.
That the Deacons be empower'd to expend the whole of the last un- appropriated Collection, for the relief of the poor of this church and congregation ; which they apprehend will be sufficient till the next Fall : And whereas it was necessary that sundry repairs should be made on the Meeting-House and Fences, and on the Ministerial House in which Dr. Sewall dwells, to the amount of about £400. O. T.,
Voted That there be a Collection on the Anniversary Fast, March 23, Instant, P. M. towards defraying said charges ; and that the Rest of the Congregation be notified of this Vote next Lord's Day, and desir'd to assist in said Collection. J. SEWALL.
March 19 1748-9 Lord's Day.
The Church was stayed ; And James Bow, negro, was admonish'd and suspended from the communion of this Church upon account of a course of gross Lying, Promise Breaking, and fraudulent Dealing.
JOSEPH SEWALL.
Anniversary Fast March 23 1748-9
Collected for the uses aforesaid [March 12] £186. 7. II
Lord's Day April 16. 1749
The church was stayed, and the following Proposal was made and generally agreed to ; viz :
Having taken into serious consideration the lamentable decay of the Power of Godliness, and our own unfruitfulness under the means of Grace ;
Voted, that Tuesday the second of May next, be observed by us as a Day of Prayer with Fasting, to humble ourselves before God, and seek to Him to revive His work among us and His people by pouring out His Spirit from on High upon us and our offspring ; And that the Congregation be notified and be desired to join with us in the religious exercises of said Day.
The second of May (1749) was accordingly observed by us as a Day of Prayer with Fasting. JOSEPH SEWALL.
The admissions to the church had been very few for several years, nor was there much advance in the number until 1756.
At a Meeting of the Church and Congregation, May 22 1749,
Voted, That Messrs. Oliver, Walker and Cushing be a Committee to receive from the Deacons an account of the weekly contributions since the subscription of the Pew holders Jan 13. 1747, for the support of the public-Worship, and make report to the Church and Congrega- tion of any deficiency in the Payment of said subscription : And whereas, the sum of £737. O. T. is now wanted to lay in Wood for the Rev'd Ministers, and to repair the Meeting House; that said Com- mittee make an assessment of said sum upon the said deficient per-
600
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
sons, and the remainders on the several Pewholders and others in the same proportion as the former assessment was made both upon their Pews and Persons, or as near as may be, and offer the same at the Adjournment of this meeting, with the Preamble of a Subscription ; that each person may give his consent to the Payment of the sum assess'd upon him.
Voted, The same allowance to the Ministers [twenty pounds, old tenor, a week] for another year compleat.
Voted, That the Deacons be impowered to receive the Sum of £500. O. T. left to the poor of the Church and Congregation by Mr. Nath. Cunningham deceas'd, and give a full discharge, with the acknowledgments of this Church and Congregation for so generous a Benefaction.
Voted, That the Committee of Seaters be impowered to make a suitable number of Wall-Pews in the lower Gallery, at the West End of the Meeting House, to set a price upon them, and a weekly tax as a condition of the Proprietors holding the same.
Voted, That 20/s O. T. per week, be allow'd the sexton for the year ensuing.
Adjourned.
July 10. 1749
Voted -That Messrs. Ox. Thacher Esq. T. Paine, J. Prince and W. Taylor, be a Committee to wait upon the absent Brethren with the subscription prepar'd and now laid before the Church and Congrega- tion, in order to raise the sum of £700. O. T. for purchasing Wood, repairing the Meeting House, and discharging debts already contracted for the service of the Society ; and that the said Committee take with them the list of such of the Brethren as are by the Deacons rendred deficient in their contributions, and labor to collect the deficiency of such as shall appear to them to be in arrears ; and pay the money col- lected into the Hands of the Deacons, to be applied to the uses afore- said.
And that Col. Winslow and Mr. Foster be desired to advise and assist in repairing the Meeting House. J. SEWALL.
On the 24th of August a general thanksgiving was observed throughout the province, "for the extraordinary reviving rains, after the most distressing drought which have [sic] been known among us in the memory of any living." Mr. Prince preached from Psalm cvii. 33-35, on the Natural and Moral Govern- ment and Agency of God in Droughts and Rains. This sermon was printed, and passed through two or three editions, one of which was inscribed to the Royal Society. We quote two or three paragraphs : -
601
THE DROUGHT OF 1749.
Let us remember how greatly he distressed us in the late most ex- traordinary long, extream, destroying Drought, and in many Places Swarms of various Sorts of Insects devouring all before them. I have met with none that remembers the like Distress. The first Crop of Hay which was our chief, yea with many the sole Dependance, to support the Cattle for our five Months foddering Season, so far cut off ; that most of the people had but a Fourth Part, many but a Fifth, many but a Tenth of what they us'd to mow ; and many none at all, being oblig'd to turn their Cattle into their only mowing Ground to keep them from perishing: And how affecting was it to see them empty, pining and go lowing about for want of Food; their Owners pittying, but unable to help them .. .
Let us never forget our great Extremity, our growing Difficulties, our threatning Dangers ; our affecting Prospect of loosing half our Stocks ; being oblig'd to send not only five Hundred Miles to Pensyl- vania, but even to England above three Thousand, neither of which was ever done before, for Hay, to save some of our Cattle alive ; - Yea the Prospect of more distressing Want of Bread for Ourselves and Children ; neither having it, nor wherewith to purchase it.
Let us remember how awful the Displeasure of God appeared ; and how we humbled ourselves before Him, fasted, confess'd our Sins, and cried for Mercy. Thursday June 15, was our Day of general Fasting and Prayer throughout the Province
And now behold in what a wonderous Manner, he has heard and answered ; given us gentle and moderate Showers, almost every other Day, with most suitable Intervals of warm Weather, revived many of those Fruits of the Earth which seemed irrecoverable, causing them surprizingly to flourish, that we are like them that Dream ; destroying the devouring Insects, and even giving the Hopes of a plenteous Harvest !
Lord's Day, Sept. 10 and by Adjournment, Sept. 24. 1749
The Brethren of the Church stayed, And the Hon. Josiah Willard, Deacon Hubbard, Oxenbridge Thacher Esqrs Mr. Hugh Vans and Mr. Jonathan Loring, were chosen to be the Committee for the year ensuing. JOSEPH SEWALL.
Lord's Day Octr. 1, 1749.
The Brethren stayed, when a Letter was communicated from the Church in Shrewsbury, desiring our Assistance in Council. Granted. Messengers chosen, One of the Deacons and Mr. Oxenbridge Thacher.1
J. SEWALL.
1 [The Rev. Job Cushing was minister of Shrewsbury at this time. There had been differences of opinion among the members there for many years, on the
subject of church discipline, and at length a council was called to harmonize them. Of the eight churches invited, six " met on the 11th of October, 1749, and, on
602
HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH.
Lord's Day Novr 5. 1749.
The Brethren of the Church and Congregation stayed, and Voted,
That there be a Collection for Charitable and pious uses on the Anniversary Thanksgiving Novr. 16. Current: and that the Rest of the Congregation be notified of this Vote next Lord's Day, and be desir'd to assist in said Collection.
J. SEWALL. Thanksgiving Novr. 16. 1749. Collected 242. II .. 8
the evening of the 13th, gave a result and read it to the brethren. It was left with them, and on the 30th of October the church, by a vote, accepted it."
Nothing further respecting the proceed- ings of this council can be gleaned from the record. - Ward's Hist. of the Town of Shrewsbury, p. 172.]
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