USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Medford > History of the town of Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1630, to the present time, 1855 > Part 22
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" Sept. 19, 1724: This answer was considered, accepted, and fully complied withal by the church and town." Twenty pounds were voted to defray the expenses of the ordination, and ten pounds voted as additional salary, - making it one hundred pounds per annum.
The record of his ordination we have in Mr. Turell's own hand, thus : -
" Nov. 25, 1724: This day was set apart as a day of fasting and prayer, in order to separate and ordain me to the ministerial office. The reverend elders sent to assist in the solemn action were the fol- lowing ; viz., the Rev. Dr. Cotton Mather, the Rev. Mr. John Han- cock, the Rev. Mr. Benjamin Colman, the Rev. Mr. Simon Bradstreet, the Rev. Mr. Richard Brown, the Rev. Mr. John Fox, the Rev. Mr. Nathaniel Appleton, the Rev. Mr. William Cooper,
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the Rev. Mr. Joshua Gee, the Rev. Mr. Joseph Emerson, and the Rev. Mr. Hull Abbot. Four of these reverend elders were absent ; seil., the Rev. Dr. C. Mather, the Rev. S. Bradstreet, the Rev. R. Brown, and the Rev. J. Fox. The rest, being present, at the house of Brother John Bradshaw, formed themselves into a council, and, hay- ing distributed the several parts of the work, went to the place of pub- lie worship, where the Rev. Mr. William Cooper began with prayer. Prayer being ended, the Rev. Mr. Benjamin Colman preached an excellent sermon from these words, Second Corinthians iv. 1 : ' We, then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.' This being done, the Rev. Mr. Hancock proceeded to ordination, - Mr. Colman, Mr. Appleton, and Mr. Cooper joining in the imposition of hands. After this, the Rev. Mr. Appleton gave me the right hand of fellowship. We then sung the first part of the sixty-eighth Psalm ; and so concluded with giving the blessing."
From these church records, we learn that entire unanimity prevailed in the election of Mr. Turell ; which is another proof of the pacific and useful ministry of his predecessor. We do not find any examination of the character or creed of the pastor elect by the ordaining council, nor is any charge given to him touching doctrine or discipline. Our fathers seemed to rely on the sufficiency of the Scriptures, and the right of private judgment.
Thus Medford was provided with its second minister ; and all prospects scemed auspicious. Very few events of an extra- ordinary character occurred in the ministry of Mr. Turell.
In order to procure the privilege of Christian baptismn for their children, parents, who were not members of the church, were required to " own the covenant," as it was called ; that is, they stood up in the midst of the congregation, on Sunday, and the minister asked them if they believed the Bible to be the word of God, and would promise to take it as their rule of faith and practice. If they answered affirmatively, then he administered baptism to them or their children. This order, called the half-way covenant, was established in the Medford church in Mr. Porter's ministry, and was re-affirmed Dec. 2, 1724.
" Mr. Thomas Hall was chosen deacon, 1726."
" June 18, 1731 : Mr. Benjamin Willis was chosen deacon in the room of Brother Thomas Willis, deceased."
It appears from the church records, that some members wished a more definite rule and searching scrutiny respecting the admission of communicants, and therefore revived the
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 225
idea of a " hand-vote " in the church on each case. This was discussed in a special meeting ; and the record says : -
" April 8, 1743: Benjamin Tufts's petition considered, and his request denied for a handy-vote."
Nov. 30, 1744, the subject was again discussed, and a dif- ferent result reached. The vote of July 20, 1714, abolishing the hand-vote, was modified thus : Voted " that the reverend pastor be desired to call for an handy-vote at the admission of members for the future, excepting when the persons to be admitted plead that they are in opinion or judgment for a silential vote." This step backwards in church discipline seemed nullified by the adroit introduction of the concluding proviso.
" May 9, 1755: Brothers Samuel Brooks and Jonathan Brad- shaw were chosen deacons, unanimously. Samuel Brooks, Esq., declined ; Brother Bradshaw accepted.
" Aug. 31, 1755 : Received a folio Bible from the Hon. T. Royal, and voted thanks.
"1759 : Voted to read the Scriptures in the congregation."
What reason our ancestors could give for not reading the word of God in the sabbath services, we cannot imagine. In 1720, Mr. Holmes says : -
" Why this practice should be discontinued by any of the disciples of Jesus, I see no reason. I am persuaded it cannot be alleged to be any part of our reformation from Popish superstition."
"1759 : Chose Brother Ebenezer Brooks a deacon, unanimously.
" March 24, 1767 : Brothers Isaac Warren and Samuel Kidder were chosen deacons.
" March 7, 1763 : Deacon Benjamin Willis, Deacon Jonathan Bradshaw, Deacon Ebenezer Brooks, Dr. Simon Tufts, Captain Caleb Brooks, Stephen Hall, Esq., Samuel Brooks, Esq., Mr. Sa- muel Angier, and Mr. Hugh Floyd, were chosen a Committee to treat with Rev. Mr. Turell, relating to the singing of Tate and Brady's Version of the Psalms in the congregation, instead of the common version now sung, and are to make report at the next May meeting."
This Committee report to resign Dunster's version, and to - adopt Tate and Brady's.
At the above meeting, a Committee was chosen to prepare a place for all the singers to sit together in the meeting- house ; the chorister choosing the singers, and "the Select- men approbating them."
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" Sept. 3, 1767 : At a church meeting, the brethren unanimously agreed to sing Dr. Brady and Mr. Tate's version of the Psalms in the forenoon of the Lord's Day (only), and the New England ver- sion in the afternoon, for six months ; and, if no objection shall be made to it, then to sing Dr. Brady and Mr. Tate's version for the future." " April, 17, 1768: No objection being made, we began this day to sing them."
These few copies of the church records comprise all the facts touching the action of the Medford church during Mr. Turell's ministry. They show a period of remarkable peace, in agreeable contrast with the sharp divisions of an earlier time. The following facts, gathered from various sources, are interesting, as they show us the ideas and conduct of our fathers.
April 26, 1730 : Mr. Turell preached a sensible and timely discourse in favor of inoculation for the smallpox.
Aug. 7, 1730 : Catechism day, Friday, Mr. Turell preached a sermon to the children, after he had questioned each one from the catechism. This annual exercise, or rather annual fright, served to recommend religion to the young much as a dose of medicine foreshadowed health.
" March 5, 1739: Captain Ebenezer Brooks, Mr. John Willis, and Mr. Jonathan Watson, chosen a Committee to report what is necessary to be done to Mr. Turell's fences."
When the Rev. George Whitefield, of England, came to this country, as a missionary of the cross, to wake up the dead churches, and pour the breath of life into the clergy, he spoke as one who had authority to blow the trumpet of doom. He returned to England, in 1741, for a visit, but left behind him followers who had neither his wisdom, nor his eloquence, nor his piety. Against these preachers many good men arrayed themselves, and Mr. Turell among the rest. He published, 1742, a pamphlet called " A Direction to my Peo- ple in Relation to the Present Times." In this book, he calls on his people to distinguish between the fervors of their excited imaginations and the still small voice of God's effectual grace ; he also cautions them against believing in multitudi- nous meetings as the best places for true gospel learning and Christian piety ; he furthermore suggests the expediency of not narrating their religious experiences, for fear that spiritual pride will take the place of humility ; he openly blames those preachers who travel about, and, without being asked, go and act the bishop in other men's dioceses. In this pam-
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phlet, Mr. Turell names " thirteen particulars ; " or, in other words, objections to the "new-light movement." The censorious spirit ; the representing assurance to be the essence of saving faith, and that, without this assurance, none should come to the Lord's table ; the false witness of the Spirit ; the insecurity of dreams, spiritual visions, and impulses ; preach- ing without study ; esteeming unconverted ministers as use- less ; the preaching and praying of women in public ; the want of decent order in public worship ; the over-estimate of sudden light and comfort in the soul; and the singing of unauthorized hymns in unauthorized places, - all these are spoken of as objectionable features in the Whitefield regene- rating processes. Mr. Turell expresses an ardent zeal in every true work of God's Spirit, and as jealous a caution against every counterfeit work. It is very clear that the revival times woke up the slumbering energies of the Med- ford preacher, and caused him to think and write and preach and print better than he had ever done before.
His pamphlet called out a sharp and well-reasoned answer, under this title : " A Letter from the Rev. Mr. Croswell to the Rev. Mr. Turell, in answer to his Direction to his Peo- ple. Boston, 1742." He takes up the several " particulars " in order, and, in many of them, demolishes Mr. Turell's con- clusions ; while, in others, he is mastered by superior force. Where Mr. Turell objects to ministers preaching without notes, Mr. Croswell replies, and says : "The more any of us improve in the divine life, the less paper we shall want in order to preach the gospel." Mr. Croswell concludes his reply with these words : -
" I look upon your little pamphlet to be more infectious and poi- sonous than the French prophets, 'the trial of Mr. Whitefield's spirit,' or any other pamphlet of this kind we have been infected with. That God may grant repentance to you for writing it, and to others for spreading it abroad, especially to ministers who have given them about in their own parishes, is the hearty prayer of your well-wisher and humble servant, Andrew Croswell."
This attack and others moved Mr. Turell to further expres- sions of opinion ; and he published, in 1742, another pam- plet, entitled -
" Mr. Turell's Dialogue between a Minister and his Neighbor about the Times. To which is added, An Answer to Mr. John Lee's Remarks on a Passage in the Preface of his Direction to his People, &c."
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
This pamphlet is written with more care than the first, and in a sweeter spirit. The Neighbor is made to ask all the important questions touching the great issues then before the community, and the Minister sets himself to answer methodically every inquiry. In his preface, he says : -
"I have cast the discourse into this dialogistical mould to render it more agreeable to the lower ranks of men, for whose benefit it is chiefly designed."
It defines what is a true work of God's grace, and what are the proofs of it, and then contrasts these with the coun- terfeit exhibitions. Speaking of the mental agonies of some persons under conviction, he says : " Distraction, or a deprivation of reason, is far from being serviceable to reli- gion." Of the spiritual manifestations of those days, he speaks under the heads of dreams, visions, and impulses ; and he says : -
" I have shown my dislike of them, because all such things evi- dently lead us from the word of God, the only rule by which we can judge of this work or of our own state. I see no reason why we should look for such things under the present dispensation. I have ever taught you that the Bible is a perfect rule of faith and man- ners, - a more sure word of prophecy. We are safe while we adhere to it; but we know not into whose hands we fall when we give heed to fancies and impressions."
He also speaks of sudden screamings and raptures, and says : -
" Some of the first screamings in these parts on the sabbath were under my preaching, and they have been repeated ; but, Mr. Henry says, Satan gets possession by the senses and passions, Christ by the understanding."
He writes with warmth against itinerant preachers going, unasked, to hold meetings in other ministers' parishes. Against the public preaching of women he quotes those emphatic texts of St. Paul ; and against " hymns of human composition " is very severe. He does not speak ill of our poet-laureate of the church, Dr. Watts; but thinks that " mere human composures " may introduce heresy. He ends thus : -
" Be not offended at these things, or prejudiced against the genuine work of God, from disorders and irregularities that arise among us : be sure to put in for a share of the spiritual blessings
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so liberally bestowed at this day. Give yourself to prayer, to read- ing and hearing the word, to meditation, self-examination ; and let nothing satisfy you short of a whole Christ and a whole salvation. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you."
Feb. 5, 1743 : Mr. Turell preached a strong sermon against the Separatists, from Isa. xlix. 4. William Hall and wife walked out of the meeting-house during the delivery of the sermon ; whereupon Mr. Turell, before the congrega- tion, immediately pronounced Mrs. Hall a Separatist. If the preacher knew that Mrs. Hall was the Eve in this obliquity, he showed his sense in not blaming her husband. This insurrectionary movement disclosed two things : first, that Mr. Turell fearlessly preached what he thought was needed by the times ; and, secondly, that some people did not pin their faith upon their minister's sleeve, but thought for them- selves, and acted accordingly. We can imagine how much raw wonder and sly surmise an event of this kind must have awakened in some quarters. On this account, Mr. Turell, on the next Sunday, preached the two sermons he first preached in Medford; and, on the succeeding Sunday, he repeated the two sermons he preached immediately after his ordination, nineteen years before. In these discourses, doubtless, were found ample vindications of the extraordinary course he had pursued.
Mr. Turell wrote against witchcraft, and his printed pam- phlet (Hist. Col., 2d series, vol. x. p. 6) contains statements sufficiently marvellous and revolting. The opinions and feelings of the writer may be best gathered from his "intro- duction." It is as follows : -
" Although I am as far as any one from holding or maintaining the doctrine of the Sadducees, and firmly believe the existence of spirits, an invisible world, and particularly the agency of Satan and his instruments in afflicting and tormenting the children of men (when permitted by God) ; yet I fear the world has been wretchedly imposed upon by relations of such matters. Tricks and legerdemain have been fathered upon Satan, and others falsely reputed as being in covenant with him, by ignorant and designing people, in which they were not so immediately concerned. Many things have been dubbed witchcraft, and called the works of the devil, which were nothing more than the contrivances of the children of men, who are wise to do evil, and who, upon strict examination, might have been detected. There are some books in the world, filled with stories of witchcrafts, apparitions, haunted houses, &c., to which we owe no more faith than to the tales of fairies and other idle romances.
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
Where one relation is exactly according to truth, there are two, at least, that are wholly the fruit of wild imagination, or intolerably mixed with deceit and falsehood. Hence some have taken occasion to doubt of, and deny the existence of, spirits and an invisible world; and others, to turn all that wise men say or write about them into ridicule. "Tis a pity the world has been so credulous, and furnished these sceptics with matters to make sport of. At the same time, it is a thing horrid to think of, that we should be imposed upon by false relations, and our understandings daily affronted by lies. It certainly would have been a singular kindness, if those who have been instrumental in detecting falsehoods of this nature, espe- cially causes of pretended witchcraft, had been careful, and had taken and emitted authentic accounts of them, from time to time, which might have proved an happy means of preventing the like, or stop- ping the progress. When I consider this, and what every one owes to his own generation and to posterity, I reckon myself obliged to offer a story, full of remarkable circumstances, which was the subject of much discourse and debate in the day of it, and has lately, by the wonderful providence of God and his most powerful mercy, been brought to light, and unfolded. I trust it may be of some service to the world, and therefore commend it to the divine blessing.
" E. T."
The book relates, minutely, the strange actions of two sis- ters, who wished to be considered witches, and who were sufficiently successful in feints and falsehoods to gain general credence of their claims. They lived at Littleton, and, , after being discovered, refuted, and exposed, came to Med- ford. Here they conducted well, and all witchery was over. Sept. 14, 1728, the eldest, E-h, asked admission to the church. Her history was not known, and she was "pro- pounded." The next Sunday Mr. Turell preached on lying ; and so graphically did he depict her former habits in this respect, that she was conscience-smitten, and came to him immediately and made confession of the whole. Her narrative is very interesting, and her penitence seemed to be sincere. Mr. Turell required her to make public confes- sion of her sin before the church, and then to refer her case to the brethren. She made the public confession, assuring them of her sincere repentance, and her resolution to walk worthily of the holy vocation she now promised to adopt. The church believed in her sincerity ; and she was admitted to full communion, and proved herself a humble, devout, and accepted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
At the close of the pamphlet, Mr. Turell gives two pages of excellent counsel to the churches, to parents and children,
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and to all, very susceptible temperaments. Among other things, he says : -
" Truth is the food of an immortal soul. Feed not any longer on the fabulous husks of falsehood. Never use any of the devil's play- things. The horse-shoe is a vain thing, and has no natural ten- dency to keep off witches or evil spirits. Be warned against all such trading with the devil."
Although this form of evil has passed away, we have not got rid of the thing itself. In modern guises, we have witches who carry their divining hazel ; and we have demons, with Beelzebub to preside.
June 3, 1744 : A violent earthquake occurred on this day (Sunday). " It came," says Mr. Seccomb, " when the first morning prayer was about half done. The people were much surprised ; many screeched, and many ran out of meeting ; and Mr. Turell left off prayer until it was over, and the peo- ple a little composed ; and then he began again, and finished the exercise." We are not surprised at the deep agitation of the assembly, who probably believed that such extraordinary manifestations of natural laws were special interpositions of a vindictive Providence. We like their finishing the service.
Sept. 23, 1744 : Mr. Turell preached two sermons from Second Corinthians ii. 11, " because Ebenezer Francis allowed one Adams, a roving preacher, to come and preach at his house, against the will of Mr. Turell and a great num- ber of the brethren, who are much offended at him and his preaching, now and heretofore." We are a little surprised at a result of this event, mentioned in the record that follows the notice ; viz., "The sacrament was put off on this ac- count." Was this event greater than the earthquake ?
From 1730 to 1750, there were, on an average, from twenty-five to thirty baptisms in each year. From ten to twenty persons annually joined the church. In the year 1747, there was no one admitted ; and this forms the one exception in Mr. Turell's ministry.
In 1747, a female sexton was chosen to ring the bell and sweep the meeting-house. Salary, twenty-two pounds (old tenor) per annum.
Of church-members, 63 are male, 87 female, residing in Medford; occasional, 15 : total, 165.
" May 18, 1774 : Voted that Mr. Turell should have three hun-
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dred pounds (old tenor) as annual salary, in order to make his salary now equal to what it was when he settled among us."
May 15, 1749 : Mr. Turell's salary was raised to five hun- dred pounds (old tenor). These votes reveal the perilous changes in the value of money, which then so perplexed and distressed the colonies. It made it necessary to vote the minister's salary each year : accordingly, in 1751, we find the salary stated in the new, or, as it was sometimes called, the middle tenor, £73. 6s. 8d.
It was the custom of those days to introduce domestic joys and sorrows into the pulpit. A slave, named Sharper, and owned by Mr. Turell, was very ill, and his master preached on the Sabbath from these words : "My servant lieth at home sick." Sharper died just as the sermon was ended. When Mr. Turell wooed and won the beautiful Miss Jane Colman, daughter of Rev. Dr. Colman, of Boston, whose graceful form and brilliant eye allured one's attention from the exceeding brunette in her complexion, he preached on the first Sabbath after his marriage from this text : Cant. i. 5: " I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusa- · lem." Mr. Turell lost the children he had by his first wife. His second wife was Miss Lucy Dudley, by whom he had no children ; and his third wife was Mrs. Devenport. He died childless. On the occasion of his "publishment " to Mrs. Devenport, Sept. 28, 1735, he preached from Cant. iii. 3: "Saw ye him (her) whom my soul loveth ?" On the Sabbath after his marriage, he preached from Cant. v. 16: " He (she) is altogether lovely. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." Mr. Turell was not more fond of good company, good wine, and good din- ners, than most people of his day; and to them it did not seem strange that he should preach from Cant. v. 1 : " Eat, O friends ; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." Among the preachers of that time, there was some rivalship of ingenuity in extracting godly morals and even Christian doctrines from Solomon's epithalamium. It is true that rich jewels are sometimes found in very unpromising places. Mrs. Turell, whose poetic invitation to the country, like Horace's, speaks of motives, has these lines : -
" To please the taste, no rich Burgundian wine In crystal glasses on my sideboard shine ; - No wine, but what does from my apples flow, My frugal house on any can bestow."
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Mr. Turell was not pleased with the conduct of the popular Whitefield, and did not scruple to say so. Mr. Turell Tufts, son of Dr. Simon Tufts, writes thus concerning this sub- ject : -
" There were some zealots in Medford, who were desirous that their minister should invite Mr. Whitefield to preach in his pulpit; but he opposed it strongly ; and, to justify himself, he preached a sermon from this text : ' I will magnify my office.' And I remem- ber, on a day when Drs. Thatcher and Osgood dined with my father, he read some striking passages to them from that sermon ; and they said that it was probably the best sermon that Mr. Turell ever delivered."
When Mr. Turell was ill, Mr. Whitefield did get into his pulpit. Oct. 7, 1770, Mr. Turell preached a sermon on the death of Mr. Whitefield, from this text : "Verily, every man at his best estate is altogether vanity."
April 18, 1768 : The number of church-members was 49 males, and 74 females ; total, 123.
March 7, 1774: "Voted, that the singers have the two hind seats of the women's seats below ; " and the Committee shall designate who shall occupy said seats.
May 20, 1776 : " Voted, that the singers have one-half of the three front seats in the women's gallery, next to the women."
Age, with its accompaniments, gathered upon the pastor ; and he was frequently obliged to ask assistance from the young preachers of the college, who cheerfully bestowed the " labor of love." As he, was known to possess some pro- perty, the town voted the annual salary of £80 with less zeal than they should. May 14, 1772, the vote stood 18 yeas, and 14 nays ; but, as Mr. Turell was unwell, they voted £50 to supply the pulpit. May 24, 1773 : Mr. Turell continues sick, and the following is " Voted, unanimously, to grant the Rev. Mr. Turell the sum of £66. 13s. 4d., annually, for his salary during his continuance in the ministry in said town."
In September, 1774, he received a colleague, on whom the chief labor devolved, and for four years enjoyed his release from ministerial anxieties. On the 5th December, 1778, he died of old age, having reached the seventy-seventh year of his life, and the fifty-fourth of his ministry. He was buried on the 8th. " Mr. Lawrence prayed ; the President of Harvard Col- lege, Rev. Mr. Cushing, Rev. Mr. Clark, and Rev. Mr. Wood- ward, bore the pall." The following Sunday, Mr. Osgood
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