USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the church in Brattle street, Boston > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
" The next day the provost came to my shop. I not being there, he left word, that he came for the apparatus of the pulpit, supposing the curtains and cushions were there. The provost, the same day, came again. I chose not to be there. He left orders to send him the aforesaid, and swore most bitterly, that if I did not send them he would split the door open ; and accordingly I hear the same was forced open ; and that if Dr. Cooper and Dr Warren were there, he would break their heads, and would drag me in the gutter, etc.
" This being Saturday afternoon, I chose not to be seen. Spent the evening at Major Phillip's ; consulted with a few friends, advised still to be as much out of the way as possible. Dr. Eliot invited me to come very early in the morning, (being Lord's day,) and breakfast with him, and also dine ; which I did and returned home after nine at night ; found a sergeant with a letter had been twice at the house for me. Thus ends a Sabbath, which, exclusive of the insults and perplexities before mentioned, has been a good day to me.
" P. S. Capt. Erving and myself, being the only persons of the Committee remaining in town, I acquainted him of the demand of the General, who advised me, that, if the Gen- eral insisted on the delivery of the key, to deliver the same. The next week several of our parish thought proper to peti- tion the General. I advised with Foster Hutchinson, Esq., who thought it very proper, and accordingly, at my desire, he drew a petition, but upon further consideration, and hear- ing of the opinion of the General, he thought it best not to present it."
107
BRATTLE STREET CHURCH.
could not be removed without letting down the roof. " So the pillars saved us," writes Deacon Newell in his journal. But the escape of the church from desecration was only temporary. On the 27th of October, says the journal just quoted, " the Old South was taken possession of for a riding-school and our church for a bar- racks." Messrs. Gove and Newell, the deacons, were permitted to take down the pews and case up the pulpit and the columns. It was thus occupied as a barrack during the remainder of the siege. This desecration of the churches of Boston was a wanton and unnecessary outrage. It is some evidence of progress even in the con- duct of war, that except on the most compulsory necessity such a thing would not be done now. Had our army, in their recent possession of Mex- ico, pursued the same course in regard to the churches of that city, every newspaper published
in the English tongue would have rung with strong condemnation of the sacrilege. General Gage's head-quarters were opposite the church. He told his neighbor and our parishioner, Mr. Turell, that he had no fear for his troops while they were within such walls. The cannon-ball, which is now to be seen over the front door, struck the tower at that point, on the night before the evacuation. It knocked out a few bricks and fell to the ground, was picked up by Mr.
108
THE HISTORY OF
Turell, and preserved by the family. When the church was repaired, in 1825, it was inserted, by order of the Standing Committee, in the spot where it struck.
The British troops left the church in such a filthy and defaced condition, that the work of cleaning, repairing, and replacing the pews oc- cupied several weeks. Mr. Bowdoin advanced the money for this, and subsequently a special tax of eighteen shillings on each pew was levied to meet the expense. The house was first opened for public worship, after the evacuation, on the 19th of May .* The services of that day must
The last days of the siege are thus noticed in Deacon Newell's journal.
" March 12th. This day and night quiet. The soldiers shut up in their barracks, except some who are about plunder- ing. The wind high at northwest; the inhabitants greatly distressed through fear that the town would be set on fire by the soldiers.
" 13th. Wednesday. The inhabitants in the utmost dis- tress thro' fear of the town being destroyed by the soldiery. A party of New York carpenters with their axes going through the town breaking open houses, etc. Soldiers and sailors plundering houses, ships, warehouses, etc. One person suf- fered four thousand pounds sterling by his shipping being cut to pieces, etc. Another five thousand do., by salt wan- tonly thrown into the river.
" 14th. Thursday. The same as above, except somewhat restrained by the General.
" 15th. Friday. The General sent to the selectmen and desired their immediate attendance, which we did accord- ingly. It was to acquaint us that, as he was about retreating
!
i
a
t
d b fi
W
fr i CO I ti a 0
h
1
1
t
i
1
109
BRATTLE STREET CHURCH.
have been deeply interesting to the regathered flock and pastor, and it is a matter of regret that we have no account of it in the records.
from the town, his advice was for all the inhabitants to keep in their houses, and tho' his orders were to injure no one, he could not be answerable for the irregularities of his troops. The General told us that the Fury man-of-war would con- tinue in the harbor till the fleet sailed, loaded with carcases and combustibles, that in case the king's troops met with any obstruction in their retreat, he should set fire to the town, which he wished to avoid. That he thought it his duty to destroy much of the property in the town, to prevent its being useful to the support of the rebel army. The General further said to us, that whoever had suffered in this respect (who were not rebels) it was probable that on application to the government they would be considered. That letters had passed between him and Mr. Washington. That however insignificant the character" (title ?) " of his Excellency, which to him was very trifling, it ought not to be given to any but by the authority of the king. He observed the direc- tion of our letter to him was His Excellency, General Wash- ington, which he did not approve ; nor of whatever intelli- gence had been given to the rebels, though in his letters to him he did not charge him with being a rebel. He further said, he had nothing against the selectmen, which if he had, he should certainly have taken notice of it. The General told us that the troops would embark this day, - was told by General Robinson it would be about three o'clock. The regi- ments all mustered, some of them marched down the wharf. Guards and chevaux-de-frise were placed in the main streets and wharves, in order to secure the retreat of the out sentries. Several of the principal streets through which they were to pass were filled with hogsheads, etc., large limbs of trees from the Mall, to prevent a pursuit of the Continental army. They manifestly appeared to be fearful of an attack. The wind proved unfavorable and prevented their embarking. They
ch
rs r. ly y
ne st
ed jal ed ed
ch of Co
he d, pot
d
g
at
f-
110
THE HISTORY OF
Not long after this, in November, 1778, by the will of Lydia Hancock, the society came into possession of the house in Court Street, which has since been occupied as a parsonage by their successive ministers. As the conditions of this bequest are often asked about, and are likely to be more and more canvassed, as the unsuitable- ness of the spot for a clerical residence becomes more and more manifest, I give them in the words of the will, which are, - " I give and bequeathe unto Messrs. Timothy Newell, Isaac Smith, and Ebenezer Storer, present deacons of the church in Brattle Street in Boston, whereof the Rev. Mr. Samuel Cooper is minister, and to their suc- cessors in that office, all that brick dwelling-house and land situated in Queen Street, lately im- proved by my honored father, Daniel Henchman, Esq., as his mansion-house, to hold the same at and immediately upon the decease of my said mother, unto the said Timothy Newell, Isaac Smith, and Ebenezer Storer, and to the deacons
returned to their quarters. Soon after, several houses were on fire. The night passed off tolerably quiet.
" 16th. Saturday. Rain ; great distress, plundering, etc., etc.
" 17th. Lord's day. This morning at three o'clock, the troops began to move. Guards, chevaux-de-frise, crow feet, strewed in the streets to prevent being pursued. They were all em- barked about nine o'clock, and the whole fleet came to sail. Every vessel they did not carry off, they rendered unfit for use. Not even a boat left."
111
BRATTLE STREET CHURCH.
of the said church for the time being, for ever, upon this express condition and limitation, that is to say, that the minister or eldest minister of said church shall constantly reside and dwell in said house, during such time as he is minister of said church ; and in case the same is not improved for this use only, I then declare this bequest to be void, and of no force, and order that said house and land then revert to my estate, and I give the same to my nephew, John Hancock, Esq., and to his heirs for ever." By the same will the church also received a bequest of one hundred pounds, the income to be annually appropriated to the relief of the poor. The church voted, " That this society receives these pious, charita- ble, and generous bequests with great respect and gratitude to the memory of that excellent woman, Madam Lydia Hancock, who was for many years a member of the church in Brattle Street, an ornament to the Christian profession, and an amiable pattern of piety and virtue."
Worthy was she, undoubtedly, to have this said of her, and her memory should be cherished by us with reverence and gratitude. Her inten- tions, so far as we and all who have preceded and all who may come after us, since her time, are concerned, was generous and noble. The estate in Court Street was a splendid gift for the use of the pastor of the church, and no clergy-
d
1
.
112
THE HISTORY OF
man of the town was housed in such comfort and style as Dr. Cooper, when he first moved into it. It is, however, to be regretted, that her lawyer was not wise enough to remind her, that a per- petual entail of real estate for special uses, in a town destined to grow and expand, was likely in the end to become a public nuisance, and convert what was meant for a charity into an inconven- ience, if not an imposition. The intention of Lydia Hancock is clear. She meant that the deacons of Brattle Street Church should always have and hold in their possession for ever, in trust for the use of the minister, a suitable, convenient, agree- able, and proper place of residence. She meant to deprive them of the power to convert this residence to other uses, or to turn it over to the parish for them to make it a source of income ; and for this purpose, and, so far as can be ascer- tained, this purpose only, attached the penalty of forfeiture to the condition, that the minister should reside in the house. Through no fault of the trustees of the parish, or of the occupant of the house, her intention has wellnigh failed, and will fail more and more as time rolls on and the city changes. I cannot but think that there is, I am sure that there ought to be, somewhere in the community, some remedy, - some power that can so interpret the instrument, the will, as to prevent a forfeiture, which was never expected nor de-
S a F a a P f
f 0
C n
S
de
e VI i C 0 8 m
R
tr u of
113
BRATTLE STREET CHURCH.
sired, from causes which were never anticipated, and therefore not guarded against ; and so inter- pret it also, without injustice to any parties living, and with great justice to the memory of the dead, as to permit an intention clear, manifest, and per- petually charitable, to be carried out fully, faith- fully, and for ever.
These are all the events of moment directly af- fecting the external interests of the parish, that occurred during Dr. Cooper's ministry. It is common to represent the period embraced by his ministry, and extending somewhat beyond it, - the last half of the last century, - as a time of spiritual declension throughout the country. I find it so spoken of in nearly all the pamphlets and docu- ments that I have had occasion or opportunity to examine. Complaints are made of the decay of vital piety, of a want of zealous personal interest in religion, of the creeping in among ministers and congregations of Arian and Arminian sentiments, of a general laxity of faith and practice. So general are these complaints, that I suppose we must admit that there was some foundation for them. The old French war, the war of the Revolution, and all the political excitements, troubles, and momentous events of the times, undoubtedly had a tendency to engross the minds of men, and withdraw their attention, if not from religion as the controlling rule of life, at least
8
1
t IS e
t . a S d e
r · a
m ne an nt
of d e e
1
114
THE HISTORY OF
from much interest in its administration, and the questions about its forms and the disputes about doctrines, which the clergy might agitate. I can- not but think, however, that there was something of the power of religion, - a large measure of religious faith and principle, of the spirit of self- sacrifice and of obedience to high convictions of duty, in the generation that carried the country through the struggles of the Revolution. I am not disposed to admit that that struggle was suc- cessfully achieved by a generation of men, spirit- ually dead, whose hearts were destitute of the higher incentives of religious faith.
So far as our own society is concerned, I in- cline to the opinion, that, with the exception of the period when it was scattered abroad during the siege, it was generally in a good spiritual con- dition. There was no unusual deadness. The list of baptisms and of additions to the church, imperfect as it probably is, shows that the ordi- nances were by no means disregarded. This edifice, this splendid temple, erected for the worship of Almighty God, which, if it have rivals, has not been surpassed by any thing that has since been built in the town, - this costly, solemn, and substantial church, which, if it be left untouched by the hand of man, will bid defiance for centuries to the hand of time, - this could not have been built by a society spiritually dead, un-
ty b m h D to P SE a
t
a S
d
1 0
0
e
f C f
a
a V
115
BRATTLE STREET CHURCH.
der a ministry cold, lax, lifeless, inefficient. It may be true, that the men who gathered here Sun- day after Sunday, with the pastor who led in their devotions, were all men deeply interested and largely concerned in public affairs, taking a zeal- ous and active part as patriots in the great con- test in which their country was engaged ; but it is also true, that here, in this house and these ser- vices, their patriotism gathered inspiration, and received the spirit and principles that guided its action. This temple, which is a conclusive and satisfactory evidence of the strength, the wealth, and resources of the parish, is also an evidence, equally conclusive and satisfactory, of the spirit and power of the faith which could direct that wealth and strength to noble and godly uses.
Dr. Cooper, who had been for some time in feeble health, died suddenly, on the 29th of De- cember, 1783, at the age of fifty-eight. His funeral was attended with every show of solemni- ty and sorrow that the times authorized, and both by the parish and by the public generally many marks of affection and respect were manifested to his memory. The funeral sermon, preached by Dr. Clarke of the First Church, was published, together with several obituary notices which ap- peared in the newspapers of the day. These speak in the strongest terms of his public services and his private virtues, of his rare gifts and graces
of ing
The ch, di- bis the are
that
tly, left ince not un-
of If- of ry m C. it- he
e t 1.
116
THE HISTORY OF
as a patriot, a gentleman, a scholar, and a Chris- tian divine. One or two passages from Dr. Clarke's sermon will give some idea of the esti- mation in which he was held by his contempo- raries.
"Justly," he says, "should I incur the cen- sure of his friends, and greatly should I injure the memory of Dr. Cooper, should I not say, he was a peculiar ornament to this religious society. His talents as a minister were conspicuous to all ; and they have met with universal applause. You know with what plainness, and at the same time with what elegance, he displayed the grace of the
Gospel. You know with what brilliancy of style he adorned the moral virtues, and how power- fully he recommended them to universal practice. When the joys of a better world employed his discourse, can you ever forget the elevated strains in which he described them ? And his prayers, - surely they must be remembered, when his qualifications for the other duties of his office and his many shining accomplishments are forgotten. If those who constantly attended upon his minis- try are not warmed with the love of virtue ; if they are not charmed with the beauty of holiness, if they are not transported with the free grace of the Gospel, must they not blame their own insen- sibility ? Remember, therefore, how you have seen, and heard, and hold fast, and repent."
117
BRATTLE STREET CHURCH.
Again he says, -" The people of his charge are not the only persons who mourn this event. The death of their honorable pastor is a general calamity. It is severely felt by all our societies ; and by that, in a particular manner, which has been so long united with this church in a stated lecture. It is felt by this town, which gloried in him no less as a citizen than a minister of the Gospel. It is felt by the University to whose honor and interests he was passionately devoted. His death will be lamented by this Com- monwealth, and most sincerely by some of the first characters in it ; for with them he was inti- mately connected, and they distinguished him by every public token of respect. In one word, his death will be a common loss to these American States ; for as a patriot he was no less cele- brated than as a divine."
An obituary notice, written probably by Gov- ernor Sullivan, speaks of his character and ser- vices in equally strong terms of eulogy. From this obituary we learn that his illness was of a nature which precluded much conversation. When he could speak, he expressed his perfect submission to the will of God, said "that his hopes and consolations sprang from a belief of those evangelical truths which he had preached to others," and " declared his great satisfaction in seeing his country in peace, and possessed of freedom and independence."
118
THE HISTORY OF
Unquestionably, it would seem, from all that can be learned of Dr. Cooper, that he possessed in a high degree a rare combination of those qualities which make a man eminently popular and useful in his day. In personal appearance he was un- commonly dignified and pleasing. He had "a most melodious voice," and a natural ease, grace, and fluency both in speaking and writing. To great acuteness and versatility of mind, he added a capacity of severe and patient application. Coming upon the stage at a time when it had not ceased to be admitted that the clerical office gave a right and an opportunity to its incumbent to mingle largely in public affairs, and exert what influence he could in their direction, and at a time, also, when the emergencies of these affairs naturally called forth all the energies and awa- kened all the interest that any one could put into them, or feel in them, he became one of the most prominent public men of his day, and, as the inti- mate and confidential friend of some of the lead- ing patriots of the Revolution, exerted an influ- ence which can now hardly be estimated or un- derstood. " It was to him," says Dr. Pal- frey, " that the famous letters of Hutchinson were transmitted, which kindled such a flame against the English ministry and their govern- ment ; and among the writings that alternately stimulated and checked the public mind, in that
119
BRATTLE STREET CHURCH.
season of stormy excitement, there were perhaps none of greater efficiency than those of Dr. Cooper. If other hands launched the lightning, his guided the cloud." As had been the case with his two predecessors, Dr. Cooper was chosen President of the College, and his election was approved by the Board of Overseers, at a . meeting held February 10th, 1774. Before the meeting was dissolved, a note was received from him, declining to engage in the duties of the sta- tion to which he had been invited.
But though thus prominent and active as a public man, he was not negligent or faithless as a Christian minister ; at least I can find no trace of any re- proach of this sort .* In the eyes of his contem-
* All that I have ever seen which by implication could be construed as sustaining the contrary of what is here ex- pressed, is the following amusing anecdote, which may be found in Tudor's Life of James Otis.
" Dr. Cooper, who was a man of accomplished manners and fond of society, was able, by the aid of his fine talents, to dispense with some of the severe study that others engaged in. This, however, did not escape the envy and malice of the world, and it was said, in a kind of petulant and absurd exaggeration, that he used to walk to the South End of a Saturday, and, if he saw a man riding into town in a black coat, would stop and ask him to preach the next day. Dr. Chauncy was a close student, very absent, and very irritable. On these traits in the character of the two clergymen, a ser- vant of Dr. Chauncy laid a scheme for obtaining a particular object of his master. Scipio went into his master's study one morning to receive some directions, which the Doctor
at a 5 · 0 st
e, ed D. ot 7e
les ful
· .
·
1
.
lan
120
THE HISTORY OF
poraries, and in all the obituary notices that were written of him, the halo of patriotism that encircles
having given, resumed his writing, but the servant still re- mained. The master looking up a few minutes afterwards, and supposing he had just come in, said, ' Scipio, what do you want ?' 'I want a new coat, Massa.' ' Well, go to Mrs. Chauncy and tell her to give you one of my old coats'; and was again absorbed in his studies. The servant remained fixed. After several repetitions of this question and answer, the negro says he is afraid to wear another black coat, and when pressed for the reason of his fear, and threatened with punishment if he does not instantly disclose it, he answers, ' Well, Massa, you make ine tell, but I know you be angry. I 'fraid, Massa, if I wear another black coat, Dr. Cooper ask me to preach for him.' This unexpected termination realized the servant's calculation; his irritated master burst into a laugh. 'Go, you rascal, get my hat and cane, and tell Mrs. Chauncy she may give you a coat of any color, a red one if you choose.' Away went the negro to his mistress, and the Doctor to tell the story to his friend, Dr. Cooper."
This anecdote has very much the appearance of being the in-' vention of some good story-teller of the day ; even if true, and fairly illustrative of character, it only intimates that Dr. Cooper sought what occasional aid he could obtain in services which unaided he never neglected. The number of his published occasional sermons shows that he was accustomed to look at every public event in its connection with the pulpit, and to use it to give interest and efficacy to the services of Sunday. That he gave as much attention and laid out the whole strength and power of his mind in preparations for the pulpit to the extent he would have done had he been less of a public character, may well be doubted; but there is no authentic evidence that he was negligent in these preparations, or in any of the immediate and appropriate duties of his profes- sion.
121
BRATTLE STREET CHURCH.
his name is always embalmed in the odor of sanc- tity, and the same pen that eulogizes in strongest terms his character and services as a patriot and statesman, does equal honor to his fidelity and devotedness as a Christian teacher and pastor. Certain it is that his society was prosperous, and his preaching attended with interest and edifica- tion by as large a number of the distinguished citizens of the town as worshipped at any other church ; and my predecessor, whose competency to judge in the matter will not be questioned, says that "his published sermons, methodical, elaborate, animated, and impressive, would cer- tainly be ranked, in this better day of pulpit elo- quence, as productions of unusual merit." After his death, the society appointed a committee to select and publish a volume from his ser- mons. But the manuscripts were found to be in a condition which would not permit of pos- thumous publication without great injustice to his memory. In Governor Sullivan's obituary notice, already quoted, his religious sentiments are described as "rational and catholic, being drawn from the Gospel of Christ," and his ser- mons as avoiding " those nice and needless dis- tinctions which had too often proved detrimental to Christian love and union." In theology, Dr. Cooper was undoubtedly one of the moderately liberal men of his day. A monody published in
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.