USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > History of the town of Plymouth, from its first settlement in 1620, to the present time : with a concise history of the aborigines of New England, and their wars with the English, &c. > Part 28
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ed, more than in disputable points of doctrine and opinions. That they were utterly opposed to all human injunctions and restrictions in the worship of God, will abundantly appear from the whole tenor of their history and conduct. Although they disclaimed the name of Brownists, they maintained, in common with that sect, 'that every christian congregation ought to be governed by its own laws, without depending on the jurisdiction of bishops, or being subject to the authority of synods, presby- teries, or any ecclesiastical assembly, composed of the deputies from different churches.'
A congregational church is a company of professed christ- ians possessing the exclusive right of self-government in mat- ters of religion, and so far independent as to be amenable to no earthly tribunal for the exercise of its rights and prerogatives. Its rights are to form its own terms of agreement, its own con- stitutions of doctrine, its own laws of discipline, accountable only to the great Head of all christian churches.
In Prince's Chronology we have the following summary of the religious tenets of the Plymouthean Fathers. They main- tained that the inspired scriptures only contain the true religion, and especially, that nothing is to be accounted the Protestant religion respecting either faith or worship, but what is taught in them; and that every man has a right of judging for himself, of trying doctrines by them, and worshipping according to his ap- prehension of the meaning of them. Their officers were, 1. Pastors, or teaching Elders, who have the power of overseeing, teaching, administering the sacraments, and of ruling; and are therefore to be maintained. 2. Ruling elders, who are to help the pastor in overseeing and ruling. 3. Deacons, who are to take care of the treasure of the church; to distribute for the support of the pastor, the supply of the needy, and the propa- gation of religion; and to minister at the Lord's table.
In the year 1624, a minister, by name John Lyford, was sent over to be the pastor of this church, but he proved unworthy of confidence and regard. . He manifested a perverse and factious spirit, and, forming a connexion with John Oldham, equally perverse, they created great disturbance and unhappi- ness in the church and among the people A particular history of these transactions may be found in page 62, of this volume.
In August, 1629, thirty-five families of the Leyden church arrived at Plymouth; and on the 8th of May, 1630, another portion of about sixty in number arrived. They were received with great joy, and the expenses of their transportation were paid gratuitously by the undertakers, and they were supported from the public stores for more than a year. No minister was 23
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settled over this church till the year 1629, when Mr. Ralph Smith, a man of ordinary capacity, having found his way to Plymouth, and being a pious, honest-minded man, was received and ordained the first pastor of the first church in Plymouth. He continued in that station five or six years, when, from his own sense of incapacity, and the persuasions of the people, he resigned his pastoral office. The next who officiated in the sacred office in that church, though not ordained, was the cel- ebrated Roger Williams. This gentleman had been liberally educated, and for a term a pupil of Sir Edward Coke, the illus- trious English lawyer. Mr. Williams possessed brilliant tal- ents, and great acquirements. He resided as minister at Ply- mouth about three years, from 1631; but, by his eccentricity of opinions, and, as supposed, unsound doctrines, his life and conversation became odious to the puritans; and, being him- self discontented, he was, by his own request, dismissed to the church at Salem. The subsequent history of this extraordina- ry character belongs not to this town, and must be sought for elsewhere .* Mr. John Norton, a man of great worth, came over from England in 1636, and preached one winter at Ply- mouth; and declining to settle, although earnestly desired, he soon after settled at Ipswich, and was, after the death of Rev. Mr. Cotton, translated to Boston, where he was distinguished as a learned divine. Shortly after the dismission of Mr. Smith, in 1636, the Rev. John Rayner was ordained his successor. He was a person of great humility, worth, and piety. The Rev. Charles Chauncy arrived at Plymouth about the last of De- cember, 1637, being a non-conformist from England. He be- came an assistant in the ministry to Mr. Rayner, and continued here about three years, when, in 1641, he removed to Scituate, and was elected pastor of the church in that place, where he remained till November 27, 1654, when he was inaugurated as President of Harvard College. Mr. Chauncy was greatly and justly admired, and was strongly urged to settle in conjunction with Mr. Rayner, but he declined on account of some disagree- ment in point of doctrine, he having imbibed anabaptist princi- ples. The church and people were so warmly attached to him, that every possible effort was made to prevail on him to become their ordained pastor, but he declined every proposition to that effect. He would baptize by immersion only. To obviate the
* Mr. Williams is entitled to the honor of being the first and only man of his time, who boldly asserted and advocated the great cause of religious toleration. He sternly supported the opinion, 'that an universal liberty of. conscience ought to be allowed to all, in reli- gious matters.'
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objection, it was proposed that he should be permitted to bap- tize in both forms, but still he declined. At the birth of his twin sons while at Plymouth, Mr. Robert Hicks presented to the youngest, Elnathan, 50 acres of land, as a mark of his at- tachment to the parent. These twins, Nathaniel and Elnathan, were baptized at Scituate, in December, 1641, by immersion; from the coldness of the water one of them swooned away. In the history of Scituate, by Rev. Mr. Deane, the singular character of Mr. Chauncy is fully delineated. 'President Chauncy,' says Rev. Dr. Eliot, in his Biographical Diction- ary, ' as professor of Greek and Hebrew, had no superior, and might have had any preferment in the national church, if he had become subservient to the views of archbishop Laud.'
' A more learned man than Mr. Chauncy was not to be found among the fathers in New England. He was well skilled in many oriental languages, but especially in the Hebrew, which he knew by close study, and by conversing with a few who re- sided at the same house.' While at Scituate, he was involved in ecclesiastical controversy, but as president of Harvard Col- lege his brilliant services and high reputation will ever be grate- fully remembered. President Chauncy left six sons, all of whom were educated at Harvard College, and all were preach- ers .* Governor Carver and Dr. S. Fuller had been chosen the deacons of this church while in Holland; after their deaths their places were supplied by Richard Masterson and Thomas Blossom, both of whom died about the year 1630.
In the year 1632, a new church set off from Plymouth church, was formed at Duxbury, and another was soon after organized at Green's harbor, in Marshfield.
In 1641, an ordinance passed the General Court, that no injunction should be put on any church or church member, as_ to doctrine, worship or discipline, whether for substance or cir- cumstance, beside the command of the bible. About the year 1643 or 1644, many of the inhabitants having left the town by reason of the barrenness of the place, and others contemplating a removal, serious apprehensions arose that the church would soon be dissolved. It was therefore proposed, that the whole should remove bodily, and Nauset (Eastham) was chosen as
* It was for a time the practice in congregational ordinations for laymen to bear a part in the solemnities by laying on hands. Dr. Eliot, in his Biographical Dictionary, gives us the following anec- dote. When Israel Chauncy, son of the President, was ordained min- ister of Stratford in Connecticut, in 1665, one of the lay brothers, in laying on hands, forgot to take off his mitten, and this was ridiculed by the Episcopalians by styling it the leather mitten ordination.
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the place for settlement. But on further consideration, the plan was relinquished; but a part of the church agreed to pay for the whole purchase, which had been made in the church's name, and proceeded to establish a new church at Eastham, which is the third branch from the ancient church; and thus was this poor church, (say the records,) left like an ancient mother grown old, and forsaken of her children, in regard of their bodily presence and personal helpfulness; her ancient members being most of them worn away by death, and those of later times being like children translated into other families; and she like a widow, left only to trust in God. Thus she, that had made many rich, became herself poor. (See page 87.)
On the 16th of April, 1644, the church and society were most grievously afflicted by the death of William Brewster, their ruling elder and kind benefactor. The life of this excellent man was by a kind Providence protracted to the 84th year of his age. His sacrifices in the puritan cause were eminently con- spicuous. His perils and sufferings, however trying, were equalled by his humility and patient resignation. Mr. Brewster was born in England in 1560, and educated at the university of Cambridge. He was a man of considerable abilities and learn- ing, and of eminent piety. Though well qualified for the pas- toral office, yet his great diffidence would not allow him to un- dertake the duties of it. In the destitute state, however, of the Plymouth church, his public services as elder were highly sat- isfactory and useful. In his discourse he was discriminating, yet pathetic; in the government of the church, as ruling elder, he was resolute, yet conciliatory.
After leaving the university he entered into the service of William Davison, Queen Elizabeth's ambassador to Scotland and Holland ; who found him so capable and faithful, that he reposed the utmost confidence in him. He esteemed him as his son and made him his confidential friend. Davison, while negotiating with the United Provinces, entrusted him with the keys of Flushing, and the states of Holland were so sensible of his merit, as to present him with the ornament of a golden chain. When Davison incurred the hypocritical displeasure of the arbitrary Queen, and was by her reduced to a state of utter ruin and poverty, Mr. Brewster remained his steadfast friend, and gave him all the assistance of which he was capable. Be- ing thoroughly disgusted with the forms, ceremonies and cor- ruptions in the established church, he withdrew from its com- munion and united with Mr. Clifton and Mr. Robinson, and their newly formed society met on the Lord's day, at Brew- ster's house, and at his expense. He was appointed a ruling
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elder, and he came over with the minority of Mr. Robinson's church, and suffered all the hardships attending their settlement in this wilderness, and partook with them of labor, hunger and watching; and he was always ready for any duty or suffering to which he was called. For many months together, he had, through necessity, lived without bread; having nothing but fish for his sustenance, and sometimes was destitute of that. He enjoyed a healthy old age, and was able to continue his eccle- siastical functions, and his field labor, till within a few days of his death, and was confined to his bed but one day. He left an excellent library for that day, valued at £43, as appraised by Governor Bradford, Mr. Prince and Rev. Mr. Rayner. The whole number of volumes was 275, of which 64 were in the learned languages.
Elder Brewster's two eldest daughters, Patience and Fear, were left in Leyden, and arrived in the Ann in 1624. Mr. Robinson writes to hirn from Leyden, ' I hope Mistress Brew- ster's weak and decayed health will have some repairing by the coming of her daughters, and the provisions in this and the other ships sent .- (Plym. Ch. Records.) Patience was, soon after her arrival, married to Mr. Thomas Prince, and, before 1627, Fear was married to Mr. Isaac Allerton .* In the divi- sion of the cattle in 1627, Elder Brewster was at the head of lot No. 5. As his wife is not mentioned, it may be presumed that she was not living at that time. His sons and unmarried daugh- ters, contained in that list, are Love, a son, Wristling, Jona- than, Lucretia, William, and Mary. It would appear, there- fore, that he had eight children, two of whom, it is supposed, were born in this country. These were probably the two last in the list, William and Mary. In an award made August 1645, by William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Prince and Miles Standish, between Jonathan Brewster and Love Brewster, they are mentioned as the only surviving sons of Elder Brew- ster. ( Colony Records, i. 199.) There are many descendants from this respectable stock who still reside in Duxbury, Kings- ton, and Plymouth. When the south part of Harwich was separately incorporated, in 1803, it received the name of Brew- ster, in honor of the venerable pilgrim. A brig was launched in Plymouth, in 1822, and received the name of Elder Brew- ster.
* In one of the voyages from Plymouth to Massachusetts, when Elder Brewster and Isaac Allerton were on board, the three Brew- sters were named in honor of the elder, and point Allerton on Nan- tasket for Mr. Allerton.
23*
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The Rev. Dr. Belknap published an interesting biographical sketch of Elder Brewster; and a very ample character of him, written, as Judge Davis supposes, by secretary Morton, is found in the records of the first church in Plymouth. This is copied into the late edition of the Memorial, and also into the valuable history of the Old Colony, by the Hon. Francis Bay- lies; from this last production I extract the following elegant paragraph. ' With the most submissive patience he bore the novel and trying hardships to which his old age was subjected, lived abstemiously, and, after having been in his youth the com- panion of ministers of state, the representative of his sovereign, familiar with the magnificence of courts, and the possessor of a fortune sufficient not only for the comforts but the elegancies of life, this humble puritan labored steadily with his own hands in the fields for daily subsistence. Yet he possessed that happy elasticity of mind which could accommodate itself with cheer- fulness to all circumstances; destitute of meat, of fish and of bread, over his simple meal of clams, would he return thanks to the Lord that he could suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.' By his removal to Leyden with Robinson's church, he sacrificed the most of his estate .* About four or five years after Mr. Brewster's decease, the church made choice of Mr. Thomas Cushman, as his successor in the office of ruling elder; he was the son of Mr. Robert Cushman, who has been frequently mentioned in these pages, as eminently useful in the transaction of the various concerns of the colony. The son inheriting the same spirit as the father, and well qualified by gifts and graces, proved a great blessing to the church; assisting Mr. Rayner, as Mr. Brewster had done
The following note was presented to our pastor by Hon. Judge Davis.
' When Elder Brewster resided in Holland, among other modes of exertion for obtaining a livelihood, we are informed that "he set up printing, (by the help of some friends ) and so had employment enough.' Having lately met with a copy of Cartwright's Commentaries on the Book of Proverbs, which appeared to have been printed at the El- der's Leyden press, or to have been published by him, in that city, in the year 1617, I ask leave, with respect and filial regard, to pre- sent the volume to the First Church in Plymouth, to be carefully kept by their pastor, Rev. James Kendall, D. D., and by succeeding pastors of that ancient church, with whom the memory of Elder Brewster is peculiarly and deservedly precious.'
' Boston, Nov. 20th, 1828.'
This volume is in Latin, and contains 1513 pages, large octavo.
Another copy of the above work is in the library of the Pilgrim Society presented by the relict of the late Judge William Cushing.
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before him: it being the professed principle, in this church, to choose none for governing elders, but such as are able to teach.
In the year 1654 the church was deprived of their estimable pastor, Mr. Rayner, after very acceptable services for about eighteen years. His character as a preacher of the gospel, and a wise orderer of church affairs, is described by his cotempora- ries in a most advantageous point of view. The dissolution of the connexion was occasioned by the reduced state of the church and by an existing prejudice against a learned ministry by means of secretaries, then spreading through the country. In fact, the troubles and difficulties which this church were called to encounter, were innumerable and almost insupportable; but it was founded on a rock, and sustained by Almighty power. 'Mr. Rayner,' say the church records, 'was richly accom- plished with such gifts and qualifications as were befitting his place and calling: being wise, faithful, grave, sober, and a lov- er of good men, not greedy of the matters of the world,' &c. He dissolved his connection with the church in November, 1654, to the great regret of the church and people, and was afterwards settled at Dover, N. H., where he remained until his death, in 1669.
In 1648, a meeting house was erected in Plymouth; no di- mensions are given, but a bell was attached to it.
In 1634, that ruthless persecutor of puritans, Archbishop Laud, obtained a commission from King Charles I., wherein he, together with the Archbishop of York, and ten more of the minions of Laud, some of whom were papists, were empow- ered to revoke all the charters, letters patent, and rescripts- royal, before granted from the crown to the several colonies and plantations; and to make such laws and constitutions as to them should seem meet, to remove and displace the several governors and rulers of those colonies, for causes which to them should seem lawful, and others in their stead to constitute, and punish those of them that were culpable, by mulcts and fines, or banishment from those places they had governed; or otherwise to punish, according to the degree of their offence. To remove any of those colonists as well as their rulers, causing them to return to England, or commanding them to other places assigned, as according to their sound discretions should seem necessary; and to constitute judges and magistrates, political and civil, for civil causes, and to fix upon them such a form of government, as to five or more of them should seem expedient. And also to make laws and constitutions, ecclesiastical, and to ordain spiritual courts, to determine on the form and manner of proceeding in the same, and the method of appeals, &c. To
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assign congruent portions, tythes, oblations, and other things for the maintenance of the clergy, and to make provision against the violation of any of their constitutions by imposing penalties, by imprisonment, and, if the quality of the offence require it, by deprivation of members of life, to be inflicted, &c. This arbitrary commission, subjecting the country to abject slavery, is recorded at large by Secretary Morton in the church records, that 'after ages may improve it, as an experiment of God's goodness in preventing its taking effect, to the destruc- tion of the Plymouth and other New England churches. There is no mention throughout this arbitrary commission that the laws and ordinances to be enacted by them should be conform- able to the laws of England. In pursuance of the aforesaid commission, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, was, by the Archbishop's favor, constituted General Governor of the country. But Mr. Edward Winslow, being then an agent in England for the col- · onies, by his indefatigable endeavors, aided by the influence of some great men, the storm was happily diverted. Mr. Winslow however, shared their vengeance by being committed to the Fleet prison, where he remained about seventeen weeks .* Had the commission been carried into execution, the Plymouth church, and all others in the colonies, must have been entirely annihilated. The great perplexities and troubles occasioned by
*The facts were these. The mischievous Thomas Morton, whose turbulent conduct at Mount Wollaston, is noticed in the N. E. Me- morial, was employed by Archbishop Laud and others to complain against the colonists before the lord's commissioners for plantations, to which Mr. Winslow presented a counter statement, which was received as satisfactory. Morton was reproved, and others censured for countenancing him. This excited the ire of the Archbishop ; who was induced to avenge himself on Mr. Winslow, personally, alleging, that, being a layman, he had assumed the ministerial office in teaching publicly in the church, and in solemnizing marriages. Morton being produced as evidence, testified to the facts. Mr. Winslow replied, that sometimes, when destitute of a minister, he did exercise his gift to help the edification of his brethren, when better means could not be had ; and as to the second charge, he ac- knowledged that he had married some, but as a magistrate, not as a minister ; that marriage was a civil ordinance, and he nowhere found in the word of God that it was confined to the ministry ; that neces- sity obliged them to it, having for a long time together at first no minister ; that the thing itself was no novelty in the reformed church- es, he himself having been married by the magistrate in Holland, in their State House. These replies availed not, and the archbishop, by ' vehemement importunity, procured their Lordship's consent to his commitment, upon these and other like charges.'
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the new sect of quakers obtruding themselves about the year 1650 and 1660, have already been detailed in a preceding page. The synod of 1662, decided, that all baptised persons were to be considered members of the church, and if not scandalous in their lives, admitted to all its privileges, except a participa- tion of the Lord's supper. This decision was acquiesced in, by the Plymouth church, and most of those of New England. But by some it was contended, that this division was departing from the ancient strictness in admitting persons to the Lord's supper, and abandoning the principles, that particular churches ought to consist of regenerate persons only. It gave rise to what has been commonly called the Halfway Covenant, which was deemed a declension from, and indifference to vital religion. The provision, that none should have the right of freemen but those who were members of some church, was attended with some serious consequences; it prepared the way, in some in- stances, for corruption in doctrine and practice, and operated to the injury of churches, and the detriment of the cause of religion. No examination for church membership could, in all cases, de- tect the real motive for the application, and the desire for the enjoyment of civil privileges might be concealed under the veil of religion. Church membership being a qualification for the privileges of freemen, was a source of great dissatisfaction, and was discontinued, partly in 1664, and entirely about 1686. In the years from 1664 to 1666, Mr. James Williams and Mr. William Brimsmead officiated as the ministers of Plymouth, but made no permanent settlement.
1667 .- November 30th. Mr. John Cotton, Jr., son of the famous John Cotton, of the first church of Christ in Boston, commenced his ministerial duties in Plymouth, and on June 30th, 1669, was ordained over the first church in this place, having transferred his church membership from Boston. The churches represented were Barnstable, Marshfield, Weymouth, and Duxbury. Elder Thomas Cushman gave the charge, and the aged Mr. John Howland was appointed by the church to join in imposition of hands. The Rev. Mr. Walley made a sol- emn prayer, and the Rev. Mr. Torrey gave the right hand of fellowship. The ruling elder, with the pastor, made it their first special work to pass through the whole town, from family to fam- ily, to inquire into the state of souls, &c. At Mr. Cotton's first settlement, there were resident in the place 47 church members, in full communion, and on August 1st, Mr. Robert Finney and Mr. Ephraim Morton were chosen deacons, and were ordained by the elders. . In January following, the church agreed to begin monthly church meetings for religious conference, which were
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