USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > History of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts : from its earliest settlement to 1832; and of the adjoining towns, Bedford, Acton, Lincoln, and Carlisle; containing various notices of county and state history not before published. > Part 15
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > History of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts : from its earliest settlement to 1832 : and of the adjoining towns, Bedford, Acton, Lincoln, and Carlisle > Part 15
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In May, 1791, Duncan Ingraham of Concord, Aaron Brown of Groton, Zaccheus Wright of Westford, Charles Whitman of Stow, Jonas Brooks of Acton, and John Minott of Chelmsford, the representatives from those towns, petitioned the legislature to have Concord made the only shire town in the county ; and that accommodations for the safe keeping of the public records be made in the new court-house proposed to be erected there by the county. An order of notice passed on this petition, May 9, 1792, but here ended the proceedings on this subject.
The county buildings at Cambridge had become so much out of repair, that the authorities began, in 1812, to consider the subject of erecting new ones. This was a favorable time to at- tempt again to have the county offices removed to Concord. January 16, 1812, the town chose Samuel Hoar, Jr., Joseph Barrett, and Jonas Lee, Esquires, to draft a petition to the legis- lature for this object. The following was reported and accepted ; and the same committee, with the addition of Messrs. Tilly Mer- rick, Isaac Hurd, Jonas Buttrick, Francis Jarvis, and Benjamin Prescott, Jr., were chosen to sign and present it to the legislature.
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
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" To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
" The inhabitants of the town of Concord, in the county of Middlesex, humbly show, that the existing laws, requiring some of the sessions of the courts for said county to be holden in said Concord, and others in Cambridge in said county, are in their execution attended with many inconveniences. The clerk of said courts is required to transport a large number of dockets and other papers from his office in Cambridge to Concord, when the courts are to hold a session in the latter place ; delays are often pro- duced in the trial of causes by the unforeseen demand of papers, in the public offices, at a distance from the place of trial ; a large bill of costs is annually created to said county by the transporta- tion of prisoners, from one of those towns to the other, for trial ; parties, jurors, and witnesses, when the courts sit at Cambridge, are drawn to one extremity of the county to attend the trial of causes ; much useless expense to said county is created, not only in building, but in the frequent repairing two court-houses and two jails. The court-house and jail in Cambridge are now old and decayed, and unfit to answer the purposes for which they were built ; and others, if the courts are hereafter to be holden there, must soon be erected.
" Your memorialists further represent, that said Concord is nearly in the centre of said county, and that a court-house and jail in said town have recently been erected at a considerable expense, which are commodious and sufficient for the use of said county ; that in the court-house in Concord, convenient rooms for all public offices for said county may be fitted up at a trifling expense, in which the public records may be deposited more safely than in their present situation.
" Wherefore your memorialists pray, that said Concord may be made the shire town of said county, and that all the courts for said county may in future be holden in said town of Concord. And as in duty bound will ever pray."
Orders of notice were passed on this petition, and sent to all the towns in the county. Twelve towns in the lower part of the county, containing 19,559 inhabitants, voted in favor of Cam- bridge ; and thirty-two towns, containing 23,233 inhabitants, in favor of Concord ; and petitioned the legislature accordingly.
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All these efforts, however, were unavailing, and the Court of Ses- sions finally determined to build at Cambridge. It then became a question of great interest to each party, whether these buildings should be at Old Cambridge or Lechmere Point. The agents for each of those places appeared before the Court of Sessions, and made public offers of the encouragement they would afford, in case their wishes should be preferred ; and several times bid upon each other. At length Messrs. Craigie, Otis, and Coolidge, agents for Lechmere Point, made a private, written proposition, which was not disclosed in open court, agreeing to give the land and $24,000 in money ; and it was determined in their favor at an adjourned session, October 19, 1813. The agents for the town of Cambridge preferred a petition to the legislature, in which they state at length the arguments for preferring Old Cam- bridge to the Point, and praying the interference of the legisla- ture in their favor. An order of notice passed January 18, 1814. They had offered the land and 5,000. At the same session, Messrs. Joseph Hosmer, Jonas Lee, and Tilly Merrick, agents for the town of Concord, petitioned again in favor of that town. But these petitions were in vain ; the legislature did not interfere definitely and the decision of the Court of Sessions in favor of the Point was adhered to; subjecting the inhabitants to have the greater part of the business transacted at one extremity, instead of the centre of the county.
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
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CHAPTER X.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Organization of the Church. - Installation of the Rev. 'Mr. Bulkeley and Mr. Jones. - Church .Covenant. - Proceedings of the Church. - Notice of the Rev. Mr. Jones. - Letters of the Rev. Mr. Bulkeley, and Notice of his Life and Writings. - Rev. Edward Bulkeley. - Rev. Joseph Estabrook. -- Rev. John Whiting.
EMBARRASSMENT attends any attempt to prepare the early history of the church in Concord. No records are preserved during the first hundred years of its existence ; and such facts only can be given, during this long and interesting period, as can be gleaned from early historians, ancient manuscripts, and family records. By careful and laborious researches, I am fortunately enabled to supply some important information.
This church was organized at Cambridge, July 5, 1636 ; and was the thirteenth established in the colony.1 The meeting was called by the Rev. Peter Bulkeley,2 and the Rev. John Jones, who, with others, had previously begun the settlement at Con- cord. The governor and deputy-governor were invited to be present on the occasion, but, because they supposed there was an informality in the invitation, at variance with their over-precise notions of etiquette, they did not attend. " They sent word, three days before, to the governor and deputy, to desire their presence ; but they took it in ill part, and thought not fit to go, because they had not come to them before, as they ought to have done and as others had done before, to acquaint them with their purpose."
On the 6th of April, 1637, the church " kept a day of hu- miliation " at Cambridge, preparatory to the ordination, or installa- tion, of Mr. Bulkeley, whom they chose teacher, and of Mr. Jones, whom they chose pastor. Delegates were present from most of the churches in the colony to assist in this ordination ; but, says Winthrop, " the governor, and Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Wheelwright, and the two ruling elders of Boston, and the rest of that church which were of any note, did none of them come to this meeting. The reason was conceived to be, because they counted these as
1 Winthrop, vol. i. p. 95. See also pp. 189 and 217.
2 'This name is also spelt Bulkley, Bulkly, and Buckly. The Rev. Peter and his family wrote it Bulkeley, which orthography I have followed.
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legal preachers, and therefore would not give approbation to their ordination." One of the delegates from Salem proposed a ques- tion which led to the adoption of the following opinions. Such' as had been clergymen in England, and received ordination in the established church by the bishop, were to be respected as having there legally sustained the office of ministers by the call of the people ; and such ordination was considered valid here. But for receiving this ordination by the bishop they ought to humble themselves, acknowledge their sin, and repent. Having come to . this country, they should not consider themselves regular minis- ters until called by another church. When thus elected, they were to be considered as ministers even before ordination.1
No man had a greater aversion to Episcopacy than Mr. Bulke- ley, as his writings most fully show. There was, however, some difference in opinion between him and some of the leading men in the colony. He was supposed to attach too much importance to good works, though from his letters and treatise on the Covenant the supposition appears to be without foundation. The ostensible reason assigned for not giving approbation to his ordination was, that he was considered a legal preacher, - one who was for a covenant of works instead of a covenant of grace, or one who held to the doctrines of the law in distinction from the doctrines of grace. The former were denominated Legalists, and the latter Antino- mians. The discussion of this question produced great excitement
1 Some historians, for whose opinion I have great respect, have asserted, that the first settlers of Massachusetts were Episcopalians. But this, as it seems to me, if true at all, can be so only in a very limited sense. The colonists regarded Episcopacy with abhorrence, and looked with jealousy on the least appearance of propagating it in this American wilderness. They came here to get rid of Episcopacy ; and if they did not cease to be Episcopalians when they refused to conform to the ceremonies of the " mother church," when, it may be asked, did they cease to be Episco- palians? They lived Non-conformists in England, and were Congregation- alists on their arrival in America. They acknowledged a respect to the church of England as their mother, but being free children they set up for themselves in ways of their own choosing, - pure Congregationalists. Their ministers even considered it a sin, to have received their ordination from such a mother. It might be equally proper to call a Congregation- alist, who had chosen to adopt the peculiar ceremonies of the Baptist church, a Congregationalist after he was really a Baptist ; and in the same manner of any other change from one denomination to another.
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and alienation ; and all classes of society joined in it.1 It probably influenced the gentlemen invited to this ordination. I have a long letter before me, written by Mr. Bulkeley before his ordination, to the Rev. Mr. Cotton, of Boston, in which this subject is dis- cussed in his usual logical style. Its great length prevents its inser- tion here. In a postscript he says, "I should have acquainted you yesterday, that the ordination of the elders of the church of Concord is to be on Wednesday come sevenight. It is to be here at New-Town. I pray take notice of it. If it be necessary to give any other notice to other persons, or in any other way, we would not be wanting therein for avoiding of offence. And I have spoken also to Mr. Wilson." The distinguished reputation of Mr. Bulkeley, of noble family, a man of wealth, a scholar and divine, might have excited the envy of his fellow clergymen. ' He however received their approbation ; and, on the 30th of the fol- lowing August, was chosen one of the moderators of the first great ecclesiastical council, or synod, of the colony, which was then held in Cambridge. Winthrop mentions the Rev. Mr. Hooker as also a moderator. This assembly was attended by nearly all the clergy and magistrates, and many other distinguished lay- men of the colony. It continued in session twenty-four days, and examined and condemned eighty-two opinions which had crept into the churches, " some blasphemous, others erroneous, and all unsafe."
Among other old family papers, transmitted from an early mem- ber of the church, is the following, endorsed " Concord Church Covenant, which was adopted by them." Though without signa- tures or date, it has internal evidence of authenticity, and of being the first church covenant. The orthography only is altered.
" Considering the instability and inconstancy of our hearts in cleaving to the Lord in that which is good, we do bind ourselves one with another this day before the Lord, that we will endeavour, by the grace of God assisting us, henceforward to walk as be- cometh the people of God, according to the gospel of our Lord -
1 Neal, in his "History of New England," informs us, that this question was agitated even by the soldiers composing the army sent against the Pequots, in 1636; and that they had to stop in the wilderness and settle the question, whether they were in a covenant of works, or a covenant of grace, before they could proceed !
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Jesus Christ. And more particularly we do promise and cove- nant before the Lord, that, whereas he hath of his great goodness brought us from under the yoke and burdening of men's traditions to the precious liberty of his ordinances, which we now do enjoy, we will, according to our places and callings, stand for the main- tenance of this liberty to our utmost endeavour, and not return to any human ordinances from which we are escaped. And we further covenant to subject ourselves to every ordinance of Christ, which he shall please to make known to us to be his will. Also we do take him to be our only Priest to instruct us, our only High Priest to make peace with the Father for us ; so we will set him up as our King and Sovereign to command us, to rule in us and reign over us by the help of his word and Spirit. And that we may the better be kept in an holy subjection to him and his will, we will watch over each other in the Lord, admonishing one another, both to prevent the evils into which we might fall, and to recover ourselves out of those that we have been overtaken with, not suffering any raging pollution or spiritual uncleanness amongst us, but labor to cast it forth by the power which Christ hath given to his church. And further, considering that we are members one of another, and have civil respect, and are liable to be oppressed and devoured one of another ; and considering also the increase of this evil, daily getting strength through the abound- ing of self-love so mightily prevailing in us ; we do therefore here solemnly promise before the Lord, that we will carefully avoid all oppression, griping, and hard dealing, and walk in peace, love, mercy, and equity, towards each other, doing to others as we would they should do to us. And in testimony of our willing assent to this covenant we have hereunto subscribed our names."
" Letchford's Plain Dealing" mentions the church in Concord as the first one in the colony which had adopted the practice of catechizing children. Mather says, this was one of the constant exercises of the Sabbath. All the unmarried people were required to answer questions, after which expositions and applications were made by Mr. Bulkeley to the whole congregation. This exer- cise was, however, soon after adopted in other churches.
The church was numerous soon after its organization, and con- tinued some time in harmony.1 But the unexpected pecuniary
1 One case of discipline is mentioned by the Hon. James Savage, in his
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
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difficulties of the town, occasioned by its peculiar local situation and its condition at that time, induced many to remove, which rendered it difficult for the remainder to support two ministers ; Mr. Bulke- ley's salary as teacher being £70 per annum. Some difficul- ties arose in the church on this account. The subject of a sepa- ration was often discussed ; and on the 28th of July, 1642, " some of the elders went to Concord, being sent for by the church there to advise with them about the maintenance of their elders, &c. They found them wavering about removal, not finding their plan-
valuable notes on Winthrop (vol. i. p. 289), of Ambrose Martin, who was fined £10, " and counselled to go to Mr. Mather to be instructed by him," for calling the church covenant " a stinking carrion and a human inven- tion," and uttering some other impudent expressions. The following petition, containing the original signatures of the first two pastors and several members of the church, relates to him.
"To the Honoured Court. The Petition of the church of Concord in behalfe of our brother Mr. Ambrose Martin.
" Your humble Petitioners do intreate, that whereas some years ago our said brother Mr. Martin was fined by the Court for some unadvised speeches uttered against the church-covenant, for which he was fined £10, and had to the value of £20 by distress taken from him, of which £20 there is one halfe remayning in the hands of the country to this day, which £10 he cannot be persuaded to accept of, unless he may have the whole restored to him (which we doe impute unto his infirmitye and weak- ness.) We now considering the great decay of his estate, and the ne- cessityes (if not extremityes) which the familye is come unto, we entreat that this honored Court would please to pittye his necessitous condition, and remit unto him the whole fine which was layd upon him, without which he cannot be perswaded to receive that which is due to him. Wherein if this honoured Court shall please to grant this our petition, we shall be bound to prayse God for your tender compassion toward this our poor brother.
Peter Bulkeley,
Luke Potter,
John Jones,
Joseph Wheeler,
Richard Griffin, Thomas Foxe,
Simon Willard, William Busse,
Robert Merriam, Henry Farwell,
Thomas Wheeler, James Hosmer,
George Wheeler, Robert Fletcher,
John Graves."
" The 5th of the 4th month, 1644. The case appears to the mages- treates to be now past help through his own obstinacye; but for the overplus upon sale of the distresse he or his wife may have it when they will call for it.
Jo : ENDECOTT, Gov."
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tation answerable to their expectation, and the maintenance of two elders too heavy a burden for them. The elders' advice was, that they should continue and wait upon God, and be help- ful to their elders in labor and what they could, and all to be ordered by the deacons, (whose office had not formerly been im- proved this way amongst them,) and that the elders should be content with what means the church was able at present to afford them, and if either of them should be called to some other place, then to advise with other churches about their removal." 1
The advice of this council was followed a short time; but about October, 1644, a separation took place, and Mr. Jones removed to Fairfield, Connecticut. Mather gives the following account of this affair in his own peculiar style. Upon Mr. Bulke- ley " pressing a piece of charity, disagreeable to the will of the ruling elder, there was occasioned an unhappy discord in the church of Concord ; which was at last healed by their calling in the help of a council, and the ruling elder's [Mr. Jones] abdica- tion. Of the temptations which occurred on these occasions, Mr. Bulkeley would say, 'he thereby came, 1. To know more of God. 2. To know more of himself. 3. To know more of men.' Peace being thus restored, the small things in the church there increased in the hands of their faithful Bulkeley, until he was translated into the regions which afford nothing but concord and glory ; leaving his well-fed flock in the wilderness under the pas- toral scare of his worthy son Mr. Edward Bulkeley."
The Rev. JOHN JONES was born, educated, and regularly or- dained as a preacher of the gospel, in England ; but at what place is not known. He arrived in New England, October 2, 1635,2 with the Rev. Mr. Shepard, afterwards of Cambridge, and the Rev. John Wilson of Boston. After remaining as the col- league pastor of the church in Concord about eight years, he re- moved with part of his society to Fairfield, and there undertook the charge of a newly organized church, where he spent the re- mainder of his life. He attained an age exceeding " three score and ten," and died about 1664. Few records are preserved con- cerning this early, devoted friend to the cause of Christian liberty, or concerning his family. Tradition gives him a highly respectable
1 Winthrop, vol. ii. p. 73.
2 Shepard's Journal.
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character. He left six children. John was graduated at Harvard College in 1643 ; and Eliphalet, another son born in this town, January 9, 1640, studied divinity, and was the first minister of Huntington, L. I., where he died about 100 years old.
After the removal of Mr. Jones, the sole care of the church devolved on Mr. Bulkeley for the remaining fourteen years of his life. At this time, according to Johnson, it contained about seventy communicants ; but none of its proceedings have been transmitted to us. The following letters of Mr. Bulkeley are deemed worthy of publication.
" To his dear and loving friend, Mr. Shepard, Pastor of the Church att Cambridge.
" DEAR SR. - I hear the Lord hath so far strengthened you, as that you were the last Lord's day at the assembly. The L. go on with the work of his goodness towards you. Being that now the Lord hath enabled you thus far, I desire a word or two from you, what you judge concerning the teacher in a congre- gation, whether the administration of discipline and sacraments doe equally belong unto him with the pastor, and whether he ought therein equally to interest himself. I would also desire you to add a word more concerning this, viz. what you mean by the execution of discipline, when you distinguish it from the power. We have had speech sometimes concerning the churches' power in matters of discipline, wherein you seemed to put the power itself into the hands of the church, but to reserve the execution to the eldership. Here also I would see what you comprehend under the word execution. I would gladly hear how the com- mon affairs of the churches stand with you. I am here shut up, and do neither see nor hear.1 Write me what you know. Let me alsoe understand which way Mr. Phillips doth incline, whether towards you or otherwise ; and which way Mr. Rogers is like to turn, whether to stay in these parts or goe into Coniticote [Con- necticut]. I wrote to you not long agoe advising you to consider quid valent humeri. I know not whether you received that let-
1 Mr. Bulkeley often laments his situation. In a letter to the Rev. Mr. Cotton, dated December 17, 1640, he says " I lose much in this retired wil- derness in which I live ; but the Lord will at last lighten my candle. In the mean while, help us with some of that which God hath imparted unto you."
1
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ter. The Lord in mercy bless all our labours to his churches' good. Remember my love to Mrs. Shepard with Mrs. Herlak- enden. Grace be with you all.
" Yours in Christ Jesus, " Febr. 12, 1639."
P. BULKELEY.
" To his reverend and loving friend Mr. Cotton, Teacher of the Church at Boston.
" REVEREND IN THE L. - These are to desire you to convey this letter inclosed in one of your own to Boston. I do the rather send it to you, because I suppose those you commit your letters to, will be careful of the delivery, and this letter concerns matters of some moment, in regard whereof I desire you to take the more notice of it, and convey it by a safe hand. If the business concerning Virginia be finished, I desire to know how it stands ; or if not finished, what is intended or thought upon. My wife hath bin ill ever since our coming home, but now, I thank the Lord, begins to recover. This day she began to go down into the house. Remember her in your prayers, and us all. And so with both our loves to yourself and Mrs. Cotton, I leave you with all yours to the Lord's rich goodness and grace, resting yours ever in him.
" Sept. 26, 1642. PET : BULKELEY."
" To the Reverend his honoured friend Mr. Cotton, Teacher of the Church at Boston, give these.
" REVEREND IN THE LORD,
" Some other things I am full of, but will not write with paper and ink ; only in a word I bless God for what I hear, how the Lord doth fill your ministry-with abundance of grace, life, and power, to the exceeding joy of those that are true-hearted to- wards the Lord. But withall I stand amazed and wonder att God's forbearance, considering what I hear in another kind ; which I doe also believe to be true in some parts ; true I mean, as done and spoken by some, though untrue, in respect of any cause given on your part. Truly, Sir, it is to me a wonder, that the earth swallows not up such wretches, or that fire comes not downe from heaven to consume them. The L. hath a number
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of holy and humble ones here amongst us [in the country gen- erally], for whose sakes he doth spare, and will spare long ; but were it not for such a remnant, we should see the L. would make quick work amongst us. Shall I tell you what I think to be the ground of all this insolency which discovers itself in the speach of men ? Truly I cannot ascribe it so much to any out- ward thing, as to the putting of too much liberty and power into the hands of the multitude, which they are too weak to manage, many growing conceited, proud, arrogant, self-sufficient, as want- ing nothing. And I am persuaded, that except there be some means used to change the course of things in this point, our churches will grow more corrupt day by day ; and tumult will arise hardly to be stilled. Remember the former days which you had in old Boston, where though (through the Lord's blessing upon your labours) there was an increase daily added to your church, yet the number of professors is far more here, than it was there. But answer me, which place was better governed ? Where matters were swayed there by your wisdom and counsel, matters went on with strength and power for good. But here, where the heady or headless multitude have gotten the power into their hands, there is insolency and confusion. And I know not how it can be avoided in this way, unless we should make the doors of the church narrower. This we have warrant for from the word ; which course, if it should be taken, would bring its inconveniency also in another kind. But of these things no more. Only I pray the L. to heal the evils of the places and times we live in, and remove that woful contempt of his gospel which doth abound. · O what mischief doth one proud, lofty spirit that is in reputation for understanding, amongst a number of others that are weak ; and some of both such there are in every place. But our comfort is, God's end and work shall go forward. Some shall be converted, some hardened. The God of mercy carry on his work in our hearts and hands to the glorifying of his rich grace in Christ Jesus. I pray remember my harty love to good Mrs. Cotton; thanking her for her kind remembrance of my little ones. I pray God give us both to see his grace increasing in those that he hath continued towards us. Farewell, dearly beloved and honoured in the Lord, comfort yourself in him, who is most ready to be found in time of need. In him I rest. Yours ever, " April 4, 1650. PET : BULKELEY.
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