USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the church in Brattle street, Boston > Part 6
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After this address, the question being put, whether they should now proceed to ballot for the election of one into the pastoral office, " every hand was lift up with appearing great alacrity
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and gravity." The ballot resulted in the elec- tion of Samuel Cooper, who accepted the invita- tion. The same conditions were granted to him as had been previously granted to his father, namely, that his ordination should be postponed for a year, during which time he should be ex- pected to preach but once a fortnight. His ordi- nation was in fact postponed nearly a year and a half, and then took place apparently amid some diversity of opinion, though upon what points the diversity arose cannot now be ascertained.
Under date of the 25th of March, 1745, Dr. Colman records, " The congregation met, and the meeting being opened with prayer by the pastor, after more than an hour's debate, it was voted, That the ordination of Mr. Samuel Cooper be in the month of May ensuing, by the will of God, and on Wednesday, the 21st of said month, the reverend pastor desiring Mr. Cooper, in the name of this meeting, on the second or third Lord's day from this date, to give a confession of his faith in the public assembly." Probably it was the latter clause of this vote that gave occasion for the debate. The Great Awakening of 1740 had largely subsided, and a natural reac- tion in religious opinion and feeling had begun. It was feared, perhaps, by many of the friends of his father still remaining in the parish, that young Cooper's creed was not so strict and
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sharply defined as it ought to be. To ascertain this fact, and if possible bring him up to the orthodox standard and confirm him in it, was probably the object of those who insisted upon a confession of faith, while the more liberal part of the parish were satisfied from the general tone and character of his preaching, which they had now heard for more than a year, and did not wish for a more full exposition of his opinions ; or perhaps they regarded the demand for it to be an imposition upon his liberty. The demand was made, however, and answered. "On Lord's day, April 6th," writes Dr. Colman in the rec- ords, " Mr. Cooper gave in a sermon a confession of his faith to the general satisfaction of the audi- ence," and on the 21st of the following month of May he was ordained by a council composed of the churches of Boston, Charlestown, and Cam- bridge.
In relation to this ordination I find on our rec- ords a vote which, on account of its bearing upo the principles of Congregationalism and the light it throws upon the ecclesiastical usages of our fathers, is of sufficient importance, perhaps, to be noticed. At the present day, in our portion of the Congregational body, an ecclesiastical coun- cil being called to ordain a minister, when the proper stage in the proceedings is reached, some one nominates a particular individual (commonly
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one whom it is previously understood is prepared for the service), and moves that he be appointed and authorized to present the fellowship of the churches on the occasion. It is then moved that the assignment which has been made of the other parts of the ordination service be approved by the council ; that is, it is understood that the council have no voice, authority, or right to determine who shall perform any of the different ordaining services, other than that which relates exclusively to themselves, namely, the expression of their fel- lowship. On the other hand, it is contended by some that a council, being called for ordination, has the whole matter in its hands, and may make any arrangement or assignment of parts that it chooses ; that it is not a matter of right on the . part of the church or the candidate to appoint them beforehand ; that this is done for convenience only, and for convenience the appointment is ap- proved by the council, though it would always be at its discretion and within its power to make any change. In relation to Mr. Cooper's ordination I find that our church voted, " That in case the reverend pastor, Dr. Colman, should find himself disabled by the infirmities of age or bodily weak- ness to preside in the proposed ordination, pray, and give the charge with the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery, then he be desired to request the Rev. Dr. Sewall, in the name of the
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church, to preside and lead in that part of the solemnity." This service Dr. Sewall subse- quently performed. This shows, at least, what our church at that time thought of its rights, and to what a limited extent it considered a discre- tionary power attached to the council.
Samuel Cooper entered upon his ministry as pastor of Brattle Street Church under as favora- ble circumstances as could well fall to the lot of any one. He was the son of a former minister, not long deceased, of whom the most grateful and honored recollections were cherished in the hearts of many, who stood ready to transfer to the son all the affection and reverence they had felt for the father. He was greatly beloved by the senior pastor, and was his especial favorite and choice among the candidates from among whom an election was to be made. Dr. Colman pretty distinctly intimated this by saying in a sermon, preached near the time the election was to be made, " God forbid that I should cease to pray for you, that another Cooper (I mean one like the deceased) be set over you in the Lord, a man of learning, parts, and powers, such as this place so much wants and calls for." For a year and a half he had the benefit of Dr. Colman's advice, council, and encouragement, in making him fully acquainted with the parish and his duties ; and in addition to substantial learning and parts, he
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possessed a rare combination of popular gifts and qualities, which secured him an eminently suc- cessful and useful ministry.
We are compelled, however, to resort to other sources than the records of the church during his pastorship to learn any thing of the condition and progress of our affairs. Twenty lines on one half- page of the records, and about as many more on a loose sheet of paper, comprise all that stands re- corded in his own hand of his ministry of thirty- nine years' duration. The loose sheet is simply an account of three or four meetings of the con- gregation, which resulted in the adoption of a new edition of Tate and Brady, with an appendix composed chiefly of selections from Watts, as the hymn-book to be used in public worship, and all the information given us on the half- page in the records is, that the society wor- shipped for the first time in the new church on the 24th of July, 1773, and that the resignation of Deacon Storer was accepted August 1st of that year, " with the full approbation on the part of the church of his conduct in his office." In the handwriting of Dr. Thacher, who to his other eminent graces added that of method and order, there is a list of the baptisms administered, the marriages solemnized, and the admissions to the church made during Dr. Cooper's ministry. This list purports to have been copied from
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the late pastor's interleaved almanacs. It is some apology for Dr. Cooper's neglect of the records, that the above period of his ministry was a time of political trouble, agitation, and excite- ment ; that he was a zealous patriot of his day, and took a lively interest in public affairs. It is a further apology, also, and the real excuse, I imagine, with which he quieted his own con- science, that not many years after his settlement, in consequence of a law authorizing the collection of funds for the support of public worship by a tax upon pews, the meetings and doings of the proprietors began to be recorded in a separate volume. From these records, the earlier vol- umes of which, through the kindness of the clerk of the proprietors, I have been permitted to ex- amine, we can gather every thing of interest affecting the temporal affairs and success or pros- perity of the parish, and from this can infer some- thing as to its spiritual state.
Of the events affecting the interests of the parish which occurred during Dr. Cooper's min- istry, one of the most important, undoubtedly, was the erection of this house of worship, which in itself is a monument honorable to the picty of those who built it, an evidence of their zeal for religion, and of their readiness to contribute of their substance for its support. The old church, originally erected by the undertakers in 1699,
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was built of wood. It had a tower and bell on the west end, and a door on the south side, op- posite to which was the pulpit. The pews were square, and the house was constructed with two galleries, so that, though a smaller building, its general plan resembled that of the " Old South " of the present day. Its window-frames were of iron. It had never been painted inside or outside. It had been considerably enlarged during the ministry of Mr. William Cooper, and as late as 1766, additional pews were constructed to meet the wants of the society. It had now been built over seventy years, and withal had nothing very pleasing in its external appearance or in- ternal accommodations, and nothing very striking connected with it, unless it were a memorable hour-glass for the pulpit, which is said to have been a foot high, inclosed in a gilded or brass frame. The records say that, at the sale of the old house, this hour-glass " was reserved for the use of the society," but what became of it cannot be ascertained.
The first distinct movement towards the erec- tion of a new church appears from the records to have been made in 1772, by John Hancock, through a letter to the standing committee, in which he offered to contribute largely towards the object, if the congregation would determine to build. This letter was dated February 6th. On
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the 12th of that month the parish held a meet- ing, and voted unanimously to build a new church, and appointed the requisite committee to decide upon plans, procure subscriptions, make con- tracts, &c. The important question, then, and the only one whose decision affects us at all at the present day, related to the location. Should the new church be erected in Brattle Close, upon the site of the old one ? At that time the society did not own on this spot land sufficient for a church of the dimensions required and con- templated. If erected here, more land must be purchased to enlarge the lot. While the com- mittee were making investigations upon this point, they received the following noble letter from Mr. James Bowdoin : -
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" To the Gentlemen of the Committee of the Soci- ety under the Pastoral Care of the Rev. Dr. Cooper : -
"GENTLEMEN, - As many persons of our society, as well as others, appear desirous that the new meeting-house should be erected on the estate belonging to me fronting Tremont Street, and it being desirable that the peace and harmony at present subsisting in the society should not be interrupted or hazarded, I beg leave to make the following proposal ; that for a pew in the new house, and in lieu of my subscription, I would
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give the materials of the building now on the said estate, the bricks and stones of which, I imagine, would be worth, for the new house, two hundred pounds sterling ; and with respect to the land, which nothing less than five hundred pounds sterling would purchase, I would make a present of it to the society for building the new house upon.
" This proposal, however, as I wish all our proceedings might be with the utmost unanimity, is on condition that the subscribers and the society generally agree to and fully acquiesce with it. Sincerely wishing the happiness of the society, I am, with great regard, Gentlemen, your obedient servant,
" JAMES BOWDOIN. " Boston, March 3d, 1772."
This proposal, with a plan of the land, &c., was immediately laid before the society, "and after considerable debate and a division thereon, it appeared that there was a considerable majority for building on the old spot in Brattle Street." So Mr. Bowdoin's proposal and generous gift were rejected, the society ordering, that his " let- ter be entered upon the church records, where- by the memory of it may be transmitted to pos- terity in honor of so liberal a benefactor," - and, we may now add, in evidence of the misjudgment
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of those who rejected its proposal. In our history of one hundred and fifty years, no vote has been passed so unfortunate, no decision made so un- wise, as this. The site offered for the new church was one of the most eligible that could have been selected in the whole town, the estate in question forming the corner of Tremont and Howard Streets, fronting for a considerable distance upon both of them. A church built there would have been on high ground, with an open space all around it. It would have been upon one of the public streets, yet somewhat back from it, and easily and pleasantly accessible from all quarters. It might have been so placed as to exhibit a front view for some distance down Hanover Street, and architecturally have been a conspicuous or- nament to the city. The value of the land on which the old church stood, and the cost of what was needed to enlarge the lot, may be fairly esti- mated at one third or one half the sum of Mr. Bowdoin's estimation of his offer ; so that, in re- jecting that offer, the society rejected a most eligible site for their church, and, at the same time, a diminution of about five thousand dol- lars in the cost of its construction. The decis- ion, therefore, under the circumstances, seems most singular and unaccountable. No further light is thrown upon it from the records. No ac- count is given of the debate, nor of the arguments
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offered, to lead to the conclusion of the majority. It is a tradition which has come down to me from several sources, that the vote against accepting Mr. Bowdoin's offer was carried by the personal influence of John Hancock, who was in favor of rebuilding upon the old spot, - the spot chosen by their fathers, and now for so many years consecrated to the worship of Almighty God. Whether made by Mr. Hancock, or some other person, it was probably some such appeal to sympathies and associations connected with the old spot, that induced the parish to reject an offer so manifestly favorable as that made by Mr. Bow- doin. It is not surprising that such an appeal should have prevailed.
But by whatever influence it was done, Mr. Bowdoin's offer was rejected, and the parish de- termined to build upon the old spot. The plan being determined upon, and the contracts made, the society, having been previously invited to worship, while their house was building, with the First Church, assembled for the last time in the old church on the 10th of May, 1772.
" The building of churches," says Dr. Pal- frey, in his notes, "was a less simple operation in those times than the present. This was en- gaged in as a very serious enterprise." He then gives the following particulars in relation to its erection.
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" The old house was taken down, and the ground cleared, between May 14th and 18th. Mr. Copely and Major Dawes presented plans for the new building. The former was rejected on account of the expense. The latter was adopted. June 23d, the corner stone was laid by Major Thomas Dawes, the architect, in the foundation at the southwest corner of the house, having this inscription,
" June 23d, 1772.
S. COOPER, D. D., Minister.
The day after laying the corner-stone, some of the committee, taking into consideration what was proper to be done with a stone taken out of the southeast corner of the original building, having the inscription Benjamin Walker thereon, ordered the figures 1699 to be added thereto, being the year that the first meeting-house in Brattle Street was founded, and then the stone was laid in the foundation of the southeast corner of the new house. The name of the Hon. John Hancock, Esq., was inscribed on one of the rustic quoins [of Connecticut stone] at the southwest corner of the new building.
" While the house was erecting, the building committee had their office in the southeast cham- ber of the house in Brattle Square, then occupied
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by Mrs. Turell. By the autumn they had ex- hausted their funds, and were largely in debt. A subscription for pews was accordingly opened, each subscriber advancing not less than £ 30. The house cost £ 8,000. The most valuable pews were appraised at £ 50. When it was oc- cupied several remained unsold, and there was still a debt of £750 to the mechanics, which was not paid off till the ministry of Dr. Thacher. There were seventy-five ' free gift ' sub- scribers. The most liberal subscriptions were those of Governor Hancock and Governor Bow- doin. The latter gave £ 200. The former gave £ 1,000, reserving to himself ' the particular dis- position of the sum and the beginning and com- pleting a mahogany pulpit, with its full furniture, a mahogany deacon's seat and communion table, under his own direction, and the providing for the accommodation of poor widows and others be- longing to the society, who are reputable persons and unable to furnish themselves with seats, &c.' In addition to this he gave a bell. A temporary pine pulpit was first erected, that which was en- gaged by him of Mr. Crafts not being finished when the house was occupied.
" Some approximation to an estimate of the size of the society, at this period, may be made from the circumstance, that eighty-one voters are recorded by name to have been present at a meet-
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ing in 1773, and it is added that there were sev- eral others."
The society met for the first time in this build- ing on the 25th of July, 1773. But they were not long permitted to enjoy it unmolested, and worship in it in peace and quietness. The troubles of the Revolution came on. The con- gregational clergy were to a man full of the fire of patriotism, and strenuous supporters of the cause of the Colonies. No class. of citizens were more deeply interested or more efficient. By their prayers, their sermons, their conversa- tion, their influence, and their example, they endeavored to the utmost to sustain the courage and firmness of the people, to uphold the cause of liberty, and secure the deliverance of their country. In efforts of this kind Dr. Cooper had been conspicuous, and had thereby rendered himself obnoxious to the Provincial authorities and to the soldiers quartered in the town.
" On the 16th of April, 1775," writes Dr. Cooper, in a journal, some fragments of which have been preserved and which I have been per- mitted to see, " the troubles in Boston increas- ing, and having received several menaces and in- sults, particularly at Mrs. Davis's from an officer, I left Boston by the advice of friends, and came with my wife to Mr. Savage's, at Weston, design- ing to ride in the country for the recruiting of my
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health, and to return to Boston in a few weeks, where I left my dear child, all my plate, books, furniture, and so forth." He made Weston his head-quarters for several days, riding about on horseback to the neighboring towns. He was at Lexington, and dined with the Rev. Mr. Clarke, the minister, in company with Mrs. Hancock, the day before the battle. Immediately after that event, Boston was shut up and besieged by the Colonial troops, and Dr. Cooper did not return till after the evacuation, March 17th, 1776. I have been unable to learn where he passed this period. The minister absent, and most of the congregation dispersed, religious services were not regularly held after the 16th of April, 1775, though they were occasionally held during the summer.
In a journal of Timothy Newell, deacon of this church, covering the period of the siege, the original, or a copy of which, now in the posses- sion of our fellow-worshipper, Stephen P. Fuller, I have been permitted to examine, we find notices of several events of interest to us, which occur- red at that time.
On the 15th of September, 1775, General Gage gave leave to a Scotch clergyman, whose char- acter was in no very good repute, to preach in the town on the next Sunday. Application was accordingly made to Deacon Newell for the use
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of Dr. Cooper's church for the service. For the accommodation of the few worshippers of Brattle Street Church remaining in town, ar- rangements had been made for Dr. Eliot to preach there the next Sunday. Deacon New- ell, therefore, declined to accede to the re- quest, or rather the demand, and refused to deliver the keys of the church to the applicants, who had an order from General Gates to that ef- fect. He waited upon the General and expostu- lated with him on the subject. He insisted that the man proposed was of infamous character, and that it was an insult to the society to ask for the church for his use, and urged him to with- draw the order he had given. General Gage prom- ised to reconsider the matter ; but in twenty minutes after Deacon Newell withdrew he was waited upon by the provost, with a peremptory order for him to deliver the key immediately, which he accordingly did .*
* In the journal alluded to, Deacon Newell gives the follow- ing full account of this matter.
"14th September, 1775. Messrs. Auchinclosh, Morrison, and another person came to me, as three Scotchmen had been before. They showed me a paper directed to me, setting forth, that the Rev. Mr. - was permitted, by his Ex- cellency Gen. Gage, to preach, and desired he may have the use of Dr. Cooper's meeting-house, signed by about thirty Scotchmen and others, viz ...... etc. I desired they would leave the paper for my consideration. They did not choose I should keep it, and began to urge their having the house.
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On the 13th of October, the house was in- spected by Colonel Birch, with a view to make it
For answer, I told them, I looked upon it a high insult to that society, their proposing it, and turned my back upon them and so left them.
" P. M. Messrs. Black, Dixon, and Hunter came and told me his Excellency the General had consented they should have our meeting-house, and desired I would deliver them the key. I told them, when I see such an order I should know how to proceed. One said to me. So, you refuse to deliver the key? I answered, with an emotion of resent- ment, Yes, I do.
" 15th. As I was attending a funeral, the provost, Mr. Cunningham, came to me, and told me it was his Excel- lency, the General's command I should immediately deliver him the key of Dr. Cooper's meeting-house; I replied, I must see the Governor. He told me he would not see me till I had delivered the key. He left me in a great rage, and swore he would immediately go and break open the doors. I left the funeral, and proceeded to the Governor's, calling upon Capt. Erving to go with me. He excused himself, and so I went alone. 'The Governor received me civilly. I addressed myself to him, and most earnestly entreated him, that he would be pleased to withdraw his order, urging that Dr. Eliot, in order to accommodate our people, was to preach in said meeting-house the next Sabbath, or the Sabbath after, and that the person they proposed was a man of infamous character, which had it been otherwise, I should not oppose it, etc., and I desired his Excellency would consider of it. He told me he would, and that I might keep the key, and if he sent for it, he expected that I would deliver it. So left him. I had not been, I believe, twenty minutes from him, before the provost came, with a written order to deliver the key immediately, which I did accordingly. When I first urged the Governor to excuse my delivering the key, for the reasons given, he replied, that a number of creditable persons
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a riding-school for dragoons, but this design was abandoned when it was found that the pillars
had applied to him, and he saw no reason why that house should not be made use of as well as any other. Gen. Robinson (when I mentioned the preacher being of an in- famous character) said he knew no harm of the man ; but this he knew, that he had left a very bad service, and taken up with a good one.
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