USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Manual of the Second church, Dorchester (Boston, Mass.) ; including the covenant and a list of its members from its organization, January 1, 1808 until January 1, 1883 > Part 3
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Mr. Robert Sutherland Miss Janet M. S. Sutherland + Mrs. Susan L. Swan Mrs. Helen M. Swan Miss Eliza Jane Sweeney Miss Susan E. Sylvester
Miss Angie Thaxter Mr. Arthur W. Tice Mrs. Julia M. Tice
Mrs. Caroline S. Tolman Miss Rachel Tolman Miss Ann Tolman Mrs. Mary A. Tolman Mr. Charles F. Tolman
Mrs. Annie E. Tolman Mr. Jonas P. Tolman Mrs. Sarah Tolman Miss Henrietta E. Tolman Miss Hannah B. Tolman Miss Mary E. Tolman Mrs. Mary Tolman Miss Emeline L. Tolman Miss Elizabeth Tolman Dea. Elbridge Torrey Mrs. Alice W. Torrey Mr. George W. Towle Mrs. Caroline M. Towle Miss Lydia E. Towle Mrs. Sarah Townsend Mrs. Cordelia Tremlett Miss A. A. Trufant Mr. James Tucker Mrs. Mary A. Tucker Mr. J. Alfred Tucker Mr. William A. Tucker Mrs. Bessie F. Tucker Miss Sarah F. Tucker Mrs. Elizabeth P. Tucker Mrs. Leonora W. Tuttle Miss Susan S. Tyler
Mr. S. N. Ufford Mrs. Mary E. Ufford Mr. Charles A. Ufford Mr. Walter S. Ufford
Miss Mary Vandervoort Mr. Thomas M. Vinson Mrs. E. E. H. Vinson Miss Ellen H. Vinson Miss M. Adelaide Vinson Mr. George Vose Mrs. Abby V. Vose Miss Fannie L. Vose Miss Catharine S. Vose
Mrs. Lydia V. Wales Mr. B. Reed Wales Mrs. Augusta Wales Miss Ann M. Wales Miss Ella S. Wales Mrs. E. A. W. Wales Mr. William Q. Wales Miss Lizzie A. Wales Mr. Edward A. Walker Mrs. Elizabeth Watt Mrs. Joanna M. Wheeler Mrs. Adelaide R. Wheeler Mrs. Abby G. Whitney t Mr. Leavitt Whittier t Mr. Joshua H. Wilder Mrs. Elizabeth A. Wilder Miss Sarah E. Wilder Miss Anna A. Wilder Miss Emma R. Wilder Mrs. Julia B. Wilder Miss Mimie R. Wilder Miss Grace S. Wilder Mr. Edward B. Wilder Mr. Samuel Williams Mrs. Charlotte B. Williams Mr. Benjamin W. Williams
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Mrs. Annie R. Williams Mrs. H. W. Wilson t Miss Alice K. Wilson t Miss Eliza Withington Mrs. Elizabeth Withington t Miss Mary Withington t Miss Louisa Withington t Mr. Frank Wood
Mrs. Annie M. Wood Mr. George F. Woodman t
Mr. Edmund S. Young Mrs. Cordelia R. Young
Mrs. Charlotte S. Zarega i
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
THE town of Dorchester was settled in 1630, by a company of Christians, who, with their pastors, Rev. John Warham and Rev. John Maverick, emigrated from England for the enjoyment of greater civil and religious privileges. In 1636 Mr. Maverick died, and Mr. Warham, with most of his church, removed to Windsor, Connecticut.
Previous to their departure a new church (still ex- isting as the First Church) was formed, under the pas- toral care of Rev. Richard Mather.
The original Covenant of that church is here inserted, as having historical interest, and because it shows the origin of many of the phrases incorporated into the present Covenant of the Second Church : -
" Dorchester, ye 23d day of ye 6th month, 1636.
"We whose names are subscribed, being called of God to join ourselves together in Church communion, from our hearts acknowledging our own unworthiness of such a privilege or of the least of GOD's mercies, and likewise acknowledging our disability to keep covenant with GOD or to perform any spiritual duty which GOD calleth us unto, unless the Lord do enable us thereunto by his Spirit dwelling in us, do, in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord, and in trust and confidence of his free grace assisting us, freely covenant and bind ourselves solemnly, in the presence of GOD himself, his holy
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angels, and all his servants here present, that we will, by his grace assisting us, endeavor constantly to walk together as a right ordered Congregation or Church, according to all the holy rules of a church body, rightly established, so far as we do already know it to be our duty, or shall further understand it out of GOD's holy Word : - promising first, and above all, to cleave unto Him as our chief and only good, and to our Lord Jesus Christ as our only spiritual husband and Lord, and our only High Priest and Prophet and King. And for the furthering of us to keep this blessed communion with GOD, and with his Son Jesus Christ, and to grow up more fully herein, we do likewise promise, by his grace assisting us, to endeavor the establishing among our- selves of all his holy ordinances which God hath ap- pointed for his Churches here on earth, and to observe all and every of them in such sort as shall be most agreeable to his will, opposing to the utmost of our power whatsoever is contrary thereunto, and bewailing from our hearts our own neglect thereof in former time, and our polluting ourselves therein with any sinful in- ventions of men.
" And, lastly, we do hereby covenant and promise to further to our utmost power the best spiritual good of each other, and of all and every one that may become members of this Congregation, by mutual instruction, reprehension, exhortation. consolation, and spiritual watchfulness over one another for good; and to be subject, in and for the Lord, to all the administrations and censures of the Congregation, so far as the same shall be guided according to the rules of God's holy Word.
"Of the integrity of our hearts herein, we call GOD, the searcher of all hearts, to witness, beseeching him
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so to bless us in this and all other enterprises, as we shall sincerely endeavor, by the assistance of his grace, to observe this holy covenant; and all the branches of it, inviolably forever ; and where we shall fail, for to wait on the Lord Jesus for pardon, and for acceptance, and for healing, for his name's sake."
1825686
During the ministry of Rev. Dr. Harris, the eighth pastor of the First Church, it became necessary, on account of the increasing population of the town, to form a second society. A meeting-house was built, and dedicated October 30, 1806. On the Ist of January, 1808, the Second Church, consisting of sixty-four mem- bers, all from the First Church, was duly organized ; and on the 7th of December following, Rev. John Codman was ordained pastor.
His ministry was long and successful. In the early part of it there were difficulties, arising from a differ- ence in doctrinal sentiment, between the pastor and a portion of the church and society, which led to the calling of two ecclesiastical councils, and, at last, to the withdrawal of about twenty members, in 1813. The subsequent years were marked by remarkable harmony and prosperity. In 1827, fifty-four, in 1840, thirty- three, and in 1842, thirty-five were added to the Church upon profession of faith. In 1829 twenty-one members were dismissed, and formed into a new church in the south part of the town, which took the name of the Village Church.
On the 23d of December, 1847, Dr. Codman died, after an illness of a few weeks, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, and the fortieth of his ministry. The records show that he attended six hundred and forty- nine funerals ; solemnized two hundred and ninety-five
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marriages ; baptized seven hundred and eighty three persons, seven hundred and two of whom were infants ; and was permitted to welcome to the fellowship of the Church, six hundred and thirty-nine members, four hundred and eighty-two of whom were received by profession. Of those who were connected with the Church at his ordination, only eleven remained at the time of his death.
Before his last illness, Dr. Codman had secured the assistance of Rev. James H. Means, who entered upon his duties on the last Sabbath in which Dr. Codman preached, and was ordained and installed as the second pastor of the Church, July 13, 1848. His pastorate continued for over thirty years of uninterrupted pros- perity, so that the Church has the remarkable record of having had but two pastors in seventy years. In 1864, exhausted with labor, Dr. Means endeavored to lay down his work ; but the people generously insisted upon his taking an extended vacation, during which, for twelve months, they enjoyed the services of Rev. James G. Vose, D.D., now of Providence. In the autumn of 1878 Dr. Means was constrained, by impaired health, to tender his resignation, which was accepted with great reluctance and abundant expressions of affection and confidence. His pastorate ended Dec. 31, 1878. During its continuance, four hundred and eighty-three members were received to the church, of whom three hundred and four joined on profession of their faith. Baptism was administered to two hundred and thirty- nine infants and ninety-three adults. Five hundred and ninety-four funerals were attended and two hun- dred and fifty-five weddings solemnized. Only fifty- seven resident members remained in 1878 who were members when his pastorate began. In 1877 thirty-
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nine were added to the Church by profession. During the Civil War, from the congregation at large thirty-six enlisted in the army, of whom seven were church-mem- bers ; and ten were killed, or died as the result of ser- vice.
On the 8th of April, 1879, Rev. Edward N. Packard, of Evanston, Ill., was installed pastor, after receiving a unanimous call from the Church and parish.
From the beginning, one thousand two hundred and seventy-seven have been connected with the Church, of whom eight hundred and twelve have here first pro- fessed their faith. Fourteen of its members have entered the ministry. The present membership is three hundred and eighty-five, of whom forty-five are non- resident. This manual is issued at the seventy fifth anniversary of the formation of the Church, Jan. 1, 1883.
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MEMORANDA.
THE Church was built by a private company, and dedicated Oct. 30, 1806. .
The Second Parish was formed by vote of the town of Dorchester, June 19, 1807.
The Second Church was organized by a council, Jan. 1, 1808.
Rev John Codman, D.D., ordained pastor, Dec. 7, 1808. Died Dec. 23, 1847.
Rev. James H. Means, D.D., ordained pastor, July 13, 1848. Resigned, Dec. 31, 1878.
Rev. Edward N. Packard installed pastor, April 8, 1879.
Dorchester annexed to Boston, 1870.
Sabbath-School organized May 31, 1818.
OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.
Pastor. REV. EDWARD N. PACKARD. Residence, Melville Avenue.
Beacons.
JAMES C. SHARP. ELBRIDGE TORREY. ELLIS HOUGHTON. ELIJAH CUTLER.
Committee. The Pastor and Deacons, together with MAXWELL LOWRY. B. C. HARDWICK. GEORGE VOSE.
Clerk.
WILLIAM D. BRIGHAM.
Treasurer.
AMASA DAVENPORT.
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THE SABBATH-SCHOOL.
Organized May 31, 1818.
Superintendents.
EDWARD SHARP 1818-1824; 1830-1856
JEREMY DRAKE . 1824-1826
CHARLES HOWE 1826-1847
JAMES C. SHARP 1853-1868
ELBRIDGE TORREY 1868-1873
JOSEPH T. RIPLEY . 1873-1874
J. HENRY BROOKS 1874-1876
THOMAS W. BICKNELL 1876-1879
JOHN WORCESTER FIELD
1879-
Officers.
JOHN W. FIELD Superintendent.
EVERETT H. SHARP 1ss't Superintendent.
HENRY P. PRONK Treasurer.
MISS EMELINE L. TOLMAN Librarian.
MAXWELL LOWRY, Jr. Ass't Librarian.
JOHN L. BOWLES Secretary.
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Teachers.
Mr. Thomas W. Bicknell
Mrs. Amelia D. Bicknell
Mrs. Annie M. Wood
Mrs. Mary E. Packard
Mr. Calvin G. Hutchinson
Mr. Frank Wood
Mrs. Mary J. Benson Miss Ellen Carruth
Mr. Laurin A. Bumpus
Miss Miriam B. Means
Mr. Edward L. Suffern
Miss E. Maria Harriman
Mr. Henry A. Parker
Miss Josie A. Jones
Mr. William D. Brigham
Miss Carrie F. Barker
Mr. Fred. H. Mansfield
Miss Eliza M. Robinson
Mr. Albert W. Casey
Miss M. Agnes Reid
Mr. J. Henry Blanchard
Miss Henrietta E. Tolman
Mr. Frank L. Gage
Miss Ellen P. Sampson
Mr. John L. Bowles
Mrs. Margaret T. Blanchard
Mrs. A. Maria Preston
Mrs. Augusta A. Wales
PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.
Mrs. Lucy P. Pronk | Miss Georgiana Goodale Miss Emma Goodale
Total membership of the Sunday-School. four hundred and nineteen.
Mr. Maxwell Lowry
Mr. Benjamin W. Williams
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APPOINTMENTS.
PREACHING every Sabbath at 10.30 A. M. and 7.30 P. M.
THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER on the after- noon of the first Sabbaths in January, March, May, July, September, and November. The preparatory lecture on the Friday evening preceding.
PRAYER-MEETING Friday evenings.
MISSIONARY CONCERT on the Friday following the first Sabbath of the month.
YOUNG PEOPLE'S MEETING Sabbath evening before the public service, at half-past six o'clock.
THE SABBATH-SCHOOL meets from 12 to I o'clock. On the first Sabbath evening of each month a Sabbath- School concert, or prayer-meeting, takes the place of preaching.
MONTHLY SOCIABLES, during the winter and spring, on the second Thursday of the month.
A LIBRARY FOR ADULTS is open every Sabbath morn- ing before worship. Annual subscription, 25 cents.
" CHILDREN'S DAY" is observed in June.
STRANGERS removing to this vicinity ought to be sought out and assured of a cordial welcome to our homes and our pews. The Pastor asks to be informed of new-comers, and of families where, on account of sickness, or any special reason, his visits are desired.
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