USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Plymouth church records, 1620-1859 > Part 37
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1 P. [59] of the text, or p. 350 of this volume.
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352
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME II
not being willing to make any recantation, The Church Voted almost unanimously (20 Members present, all but 2 Voted) that they could not contentedly communicate with him at ye Lords Table. [61] 1776 Church Records
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Whereupon Deacon Foster desireing further time to think upon the affair, & that there might be an Opportunity for a fuller Meeting, the Church readily consented that the meeting be adjournª for fur- ther time for mutual Deliberation, without proceeding to any formal Suspension of him from Communion. Accordingly ye meeting was adjournd by Agreement, to the 2ª Wednesday in October next y" 9th day. to meet in ye Meeting house at & Clock P M. The meeting was opened with Prayer, & concluded wth prayer & ye Blessing.
N. B. The Pastor being necessarily absent, on a Journey, upon ye said 9th of October, (to which time ye Church Meeting was ad- journd) the Church did not meet on said Day. Thus the Affair re- mains to be concluded if Providence permit, at some future Meeting, to be appointed or warnd anew.
Dec" 17th This Day died, greatly lamented, Deacon John Torrey, of the Smallpox Aged 59 Years. A man of Goodness, singular In- tegrity & Uprightness - an Ornament to the Church, a great Bless- ing to ye Town, & a most able, zealous Friend to the Liberties of this distressd & bleeding Country. May God sanctify such a sore Bereavement to this people, & especially to this Church!
1777. Jan" 5th Lords Day Evening, Notifyd the Brethren of ye Chh to meet on Wednesday next, to consider of ye Expediency of choosing one or more persons to the office of Deacons in this Church, - To meet in the Meeting house at 2 Clock PM.
Jan" 8th Wednesday. The Church met according to Notification - And after Prayer - The Question was put whither the Chh will now proceed to the Choice of one or more Deacons - Whereupon
1. Voted unanimously to proceed.
2. Voted, (that by reason of y" Death of our dear Brother Deacon Torrey, & y. Age & Infirmities of our worthy Brother Dr Bartlett) to choose two Deacons.
The Brethren were then desired to bring in their written Votes - When our Brethren Silvanus Bartlett & William Crombie were chosen by a great Majority - whereupon, the Chh made y Choice unani- mous, by a following Vote. - The Brethren chosen, requested some
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353
DEATH OF DEACON THOMAS FOSTER, 1777
time to consider of y. Affair. The Meeting conducted wth entire Love & harmony, & concludd wth Pray"
Lord's Day Jan" 19th At Noon, informa the Congregation of the Choice the Chh had made of ye above persons to ye Office of Deacons, & that our Brother Silv" Bartlett desired to be excused from sd Ofice, purely & only on Acct of bodily Infirmity & Loss of Voice, in a gr Measure. Our Brother William Crombie consenting, was then publickly desired that he would, in Token of his Acceptance, take his Place in y. Deacon's Seat in the Afternoon, which he did. The Chh was notifyd to meet again on Tuesday next, in ye meetinghouse for the Choice of another Deacon. [62 1] 1777 Church Records
Jan" 21"t Tuesday.' The Church met according to Notification & the question being put whither the Chh would at this time proceed, to ye choice of a Deacon, Voted in ye Affirmative. Then the Brethren Vote brot in their written Votes, & our Brother Lemuel Bartlett was chosen by a majority of Votes. He thot it his duty to excuse himself, on account of his Years, &c but was desired to take the matter under Consideration for a while, which he yielded to. - Then the Church voted, that as Deacon Crombie, our former Chorister, had left ye usual Singer's Seat, on account of his being Chosen a Deacon, that our brother Jesse Churchill, & Mess"" Andrew Crosswell, Sam' Sher- man & William Bartlett y. 3ª be desired to act as Choristers in ye publick worship, as occasion shall require.
The Meeting was adjourned to next Wednesday fortnight, viz the 5th of February ensuing, to meet in ye meet house, at 2 Clock P M. The Meeting was opened & concluded wth Prayer, & the Blessing.
Jan 23d This day, died Deacon Thomas Foster, of the Small Pox aged 78 & was buryd by the Hospital, near to Deacon Torrey. A surprizing Providence, ! two Deacons of this Church have dyd within a Month, of this terrible Disease. The first, viz Dr Torrey, was in- noculated, but twas thot he had previously taken it, ye natural way. The other catched it, but had no knowledge how or when.
May this Church be enabled wisely to improve such a mysterious Dispensation.
1 This page is not numbered in the original.
' Written over "Wednesday."
" Mr. Robbins wrote "7," no doubt intending to insert a second figure when he ascertained Mr. Foster's age.
354
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME II
Feb" 5th Wednesday. The Church met according to Adjournment for the Purpose of choosing another Deacon, our Brother Lemuel Bartlett having previously declined accepting ye Choice, on Account of his Age & frequent Infirmities, especially a Deafness which he is often affected with. The Church therefore, after ye meeting was opened by Prayer,
Voted 1 To proceed at this Time to ye Choice of another Deacon. - And upon bringing in their Votes, it appeared they were much divided - & after a 2ª & 3ª Trial, no one being chosen, it was moved that ye Meeting be adjournª some time, for further Consideration, in hopes, by Conferring together, ye Brethren may be more united at ye next meeting. Accordingly The meeting was, by Vote, ad- journd 3 Weeks - to meet again in the meet" house on Wednesday yo 26th instant, at 2 Clock P M [68] 1777 &c Church Records
Vote
At the same Meeting the Church chose Deacon Crombie for their Treasurer, & desired him, by Vote, to recieve the Church Vessels Account book &c &c and to provide for the Sacrament in future.
Vote
The Meeting was then concluded with Prayer & ye Blessing. May ye good Spirit of God give Wisdom & Unity to this Church to direct & govern them in ye important affair now under their Consideration, & in his merciful Providence lead us to the Choice of such a person for ye Office of a Deacon, as shall be an Ornament to the Church, & act in that Capacity to y. Glory of God & y. Edification of this Church!
Febr 23ª Lord's day. Stayd the Chh after Meeting, when it was unanimously aggreed that the Chh Meeting, which was to have been next Wednesday, should be adjourned without Day, on account of the difficulty of coming to any Choice of a Deacon, at present. And it was accordingly adjournª without Day .?
1780 Febr 6th Lords Day. Stayd y. Chh at Night, & informed them that Complaint had been made to 'me of several Members of this Chh walking very disorderly in absenting themselves habitually from publick Worship, as well as from ye Ordinance of ye holy Supper - which has given great Occasion of Reproach & brot a Scandal on y. Chh - Whereupon ye Church voted that Br° Thomas Mayhew
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Vote
1 Here the figure "1" is crossed out.
* No meetings were recorded between June 30, 1772, and 'February 5, 1775, nor between February 23, 1777, and February 6, 1780: cf. pp. 342-345, above.
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355
CHARGES AGAINST BENJAMIN CHURCHILL, 1780
& Deacon Cromby, with the Pastor be a Comittee of ye Chh to go & discourse with those Members who walk not according to gospel Rule, & endeavor to bring them to a Sense of y" Sin1 & Duty - & make Report to ye Church.
March. 30th Being Lecture Day, Stay' y' Chh after Service, re- ported to them ye Reasons which ye several delinquent Members gave to ye above Committee, for their absenting themselves &c all of whom, except Benjamin Churchill promised to use ye Gospel Method for ye Removal of y. Difficulties yt were in y" Minds, & to return to their Duty. - which ye Chh was satisfyd with for yo Present. - With respect to Benje Churchill, the Church Voted, That Our Brethren Daniel Diman & John Cobb be a Comittee to go & discourse further with him, endeavouring to bring him to a Sense of his Sin & Duty; he having absented for more than a twelve Month, both from Meeting & from yo Ordinance of ye Supper - upon no other Reason (as he inform' y. other Comittee) than because the people of y Town in general treated him with Contempt - calling him a Tory &c If this Comittee shod be 2 unsuccessful in their En- deavors with him - the Church then Voted that the Pastor be de- sired to send him a written Citation, or Summons to appear before ye Church at y" next Meeting, & answer for his Conduct.
Lords Day Noon - Apr1 23. Stayd ye Chh to know y" Minds concerning ye Request of our Sister Mercy Foster, that her Grand- child, (whose Mother Priscilla Foster is deceased) now under her sole Care, may be baptizd - As it has been done before in like Cases there was no Objection, & Silence was taken for their Consent, & y Child to be baptize accordingly this Afternoon Turn over [64] 1780 Church Records
Lords Day June 18.1780. Notifyd the Brethren to meet tomorrow 10 Clock A M to consider y Cases of those delinquent Members, mentiond in ye preceed" page & also, of y. Expediency of choosing one or more Deacons, as Deacon Bartlett thro bodily Indisposition rarely attends, & D" Crombie, infirm of late - The Chh met ac- cordingly June 19th & after Consultation, Voted a Committee be chosen Chh met on to go & discourse once more with ye offending Brethren, & endeav" June 19th to bring them to a Sense of their Sin & Duty - when The Pastor,
1 The first letter in this word has been altered.
" This word has been altered.
1
356
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME II
Vote
with Lemuel Bartlett & Sam1 Battles were chosen for yª purpose. The Choice of Deacons, with ye Request of John Goodwins Wife, de- siring Baptism for her Husbands Children, were postponed to ye next Meet", which was voted to be on Tuesday the 11th of July next at 3 Clock P M so adjournd to yt time. Opend & concluded with Prayer.
Lords Day Ev" July 9th Notifyd the Brethren of y Chh meet" which was proposed to be on Tuesday next, but as the Pastor was engagd on a Journey the beginning of this Week, he requested them to meet tomorrow, July 10th, for ye aforesd Purposes.
July 10th The Church met, generally - & with respect to the Cases of those Members who have walkª disorderly, the Committe chosen reported that they had discoursed with them, & some seemed to be sensible of their Error & promised to reform - But Benjamin Churchill appearing still obstinate the Church Voted, that the Pastor be desired once more to cite him to appear at the next Church Meet", & let him know that if he refuses, they shall proceed according to the Rules of Cx against obstinate Offenders. With regard to Nath' Morton's Case of Difference between him & Amaziah Churchill, the Chh chose our Brethren John Cotton, Lem' Bartlett with the Pastor, a Committee to endeavour the Healing of that Breach, by getting y" Parties together, & such Evidences as may be procured, & so attempt to bring about a Reconciliation.
The Church did not see Light yet to come to the Choice of a Deacon - but expressd that it is their Desire, for ye present that Deacon Diman of the 3d Church, who constantly meets with us, would assist occasionally in that Office, as Need may require.
Adjournª this Meet" without Day, to be calld by ye Pastor anew when it shall appear requisite, for ye purposes aforesd Began & concluded with Prayer, & y. Blessing.
Octobr 8. Lords Day Ev", Stayª y. Chh & propose to them, a Meet" of y. Chh this Week on ye Above Affairs - Br° Cotton, being necessarily engaged desired another might be added to y Committee - Accord ly chose Deacon Cromby to join wth ye above Comittee in discoursing with ye Brethren aforementioned, & notifyd y Chh to meet on Thursday next.
October 12th The Chh met, very generally, & taking ye proposed Matters into their Serious Consideration, (after Prayer to God), they came to yo following Votes -
Votes
357
CHARGES AGAINST VARIOUS MEMBERS, 1780
Vote 1. Whereas there has been an unchristian Animosity & Quarrel between our Brethren Nath' Morton & Amaziah Churchill, & the Chh have taken Several Measures to accommodate ye Differ- ence, but to no purpose, Voted that unless the Parties shall make up the Breach before the [651] the next Chh Meeting, they be both suspended from special Ordinances untill they do.
Vote 2ª The Church also voted, that whereas our Brother Benj. Churchill in Addition to his other Sins, of long & habitual Absenting himself from all the Ordinances of ye Gospel, evil Carriage in divers other Respects, treating the Committees of ye Chh who have been sent to discourse with & try to bring him to Repentance &c &c has now, twice cast Contempt upon the Authority of Christ in his house, by refusing when able, to attend upon the Chh at their Meetings, when cited regularly to appear before them, he be, herefor suspended from all special Ordinances & Communion with ye Chh & publickly admonished.
Vote 3ª Voted that ye Chh cannot consent to accept of a private Confession before ye Chh only, from our Brother Silas Morton, as the Sin he stands charged with, of Drunkenness, & other bad be- havior, is public - that he therefore be allowed time to consider of ye Matter, of a public Confession till ye next Meeting of y. Church.
Vote 4. That the Reasons alledged by our Brother Jesse Churchill, against Brother Theoph" Cotton, for his uneasiness with him, in the Discharge of his Military Office towards him, sometime past, are not well grounded or satisfactory to ye Church. Therefore, upon a Motion, Voted -
Vote 5. That our Brethren Thomas Mayhew, Deacon Crombie, Eben' Cobb, Sam1 Battles & Daniel Diman, be a Comittee of ye Chh to discourse with sd Churchill to endeavor to convince him of ye unjustifiableness of his absenting himself on ye above Account. -Then adjourned the Meeting to Monday the 30th instant. 2 Clock P M. Concluded with Prayer & the Blessing.
NB. The Pastor being necessarily absent out of Town on ye Day to which ye Chh Meeting was adjourned, they did not meet, as was proposed.
1781. Jan' 7th Lords Day Evening Notifyª y Chh to meet at
1 At the top of p. [65] is written "1780 & 81 Church Records."
" Written over another word.
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358
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME II
y. Meet" house Tuesday next at 2, Afternoon, to consider further of the Matters abovementioned.
Tuesday Jan' 9th The Church met, but so few, on account of y bad Weather that they concluded not to act upon ye Affairs before them, but postpone them to a future Meeting, which is to be notifyd by ye Pastor.
Lords day. Jan" 28. Notifyª y. Brethren to meet on Wednesday next, at the Pastor's house, (by Reason of the Season) to consider of the matters lying before them.
Wednesday Jan' 31. The Church met, generally, at the Pastors house; & after Prayer, & Consultation upon the Matters lying before them, came to the following Determinations -
Vote 1. - Voted, that inasmuch as our Brother Benjamin Chur- chill has to the Grief & Astonishment of all ye Chh, added Con- tempt & Obstinacy to all his other Sins, not only by refusing, when cited several times, to appear before ye Church, but of late con- temptuously refusing, when warned, to attend an Admonition in public, That ye Pastor send him a written Admonition, & make the same known to the Congregation in publick together with his Be- havior, & y. Grounds & Reasons of the Churche's Procedure against him.
Vote 2. Voted to choose a Committee to acquaint our Brother Silas Morton, that ye Church still adhere to their last Vote respect" him, & that they expect he will make a public Confession, or must be suspended from Comunion. Voted - That our Brethren Theô Cotton & John Cobb be said Committee.
With regard to our Brother Jesse Churchill, he being present, after much Conversation, he engages to return to his Duty & attend on all Ordinances upon which the Church were satisfyed. [66}] 1781 Church Records
Voted 3. Also, considering the Case of Amaziah Churchill, he declaring his Adherence to what he did at a late Conference before the Churches Committee, viz, that he was willing to make up yª Matter with Nath1 Morton, upon the Terms then aggreed on, which were thot satisfactory by y. Committee at that Time - And Nath! Morton alone appearing to fall from the Aggrement - The Chh voted to reconsider their Vote of ye Octr 12th last so far as it respects
1 This page is not numbered in the original.
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359
JOSEPH BARKER ORDAINED AT MIDDLEBORO, 1781
sd Churchill & that he be not suspended from Communion for ye present.
Vote. 4. Whereas our Sisters Sarah Withrell (formerly Jackson) & Fear Goodwin Wife of John Goodwin, have requested Leave to bring the Children of their Husbands, not their own, to Baptism their Husbands not being Members in full Communion - the Church having repeatedly for Months past had the same under Consideration, & Advice being had, by their Desire, of a Number of the Ministers of y. Churches of Christ around us, occasionally, who all gave it as their Opinion, that the Persons in Question had an un- doubted Right to bring these Children to Baptism, - The Church Voted, very harmoniously, that their Request be granted & that the said Children be baptize on Acct of their sd Mothers in Law.
The Meeting adjourned to no particular Day. - then Prayer & y· Blessing.
Lords Day March 4th 1781. Agreable to the Vote of ye Chh at their last Meeting, the Pastor sent to our Brother Benje Churchill, " a written Admonition," & this Day, at the Close of public Worship, (conformably to their Vote) acquainted the Congregation with his unchristian Conduct & the Grounds of the Church's Proceeding to admonish & suspend him from special Ordinances, & read to them the Admonition that was sent him, at which there appeared great Solemnity & much Affection in the Congregation. O that it may be blessed as a Means of Good to him & Other's!
Nov" 25th Lords Day Evening. Read to the Church, a Letter Missive from the first Chh in Middleboro, desiring the Presence & Assistance of this Chh by their Pastor & Delegates, at ye Ordina- tion of M' Joseph Barker on the 5th of next Month - & the Chh voted to comply - & chose Thomas Mayhew, Deacon Crombie & Voted. Ebenezer Cobb y first, Delegates to represent y Church.
Dec" 5th The Ordination Council met at y. Precinct House in Middleb. first Precinct, & after Examination of ye Candidate, y* Council unanimously voted to proceed to ye Ordination. Revª MF Turner 1 of Middleboro 2 began with Prayer, the Pastor of this Chh preachª from John 15.5. " Without me ye can do Nothing." Revd Mª Shaw of Bridgw" prayd & gave ye Charge, Revª M" Le Baron of
1 Written over "Shaw."
* Written over "Bridgewater."
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360
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME II
Rochester prayd after y. Charge, & Revª M' Judson of Taunton gave the Right Hand of Fellowship - a great Solemnity & becom- ing Decency was apparent thro ye whole Transaction. May God make their Pastor a rich & lasting Bless" to y" & y" Children. [67] 1782 Church Records.
Jan"y 13. Lords Day Evening, Notifyª the Brethren to meet at the Pastor's House next Wednesday, at 2 Clock P M. in order to consider & determine what further Steps are to be taken with Several Members that walk disorderly.
Wednesd. Jan" 16th The Chh met, & after Prayer to God, entered upon ye Consideration of Benja Churchills Case, who still absents himself wholly, & for Years, from all Ordinances, & treats the Church with Contempt &c as before mentioned - The Chh sent for him to attend at this Meeting, but he refused, under pretext that he had not had sufficient Notice - but engaged that if the Chh wod appoint another Time, he would attend - to which the Chh, (that they might manifest Long suffering towards him before they proceed to extremity) consented. - Then proceeded to Silas Mortons Case, who had been previously notifyd to appear at this Meeting, but neglected to come. And as he still persists in refusing to make a public Confession of his Sins, & has for many Months past wholly neglected to attend the public Worship of God, & been repeatedly seen intoxicated wth strong Drink, of late The Chh unanimously gave their Voice that he should be suspended from all special Ordi- nances & publickly admonished.
Voted. That Brother Nath' Shurtleff & Deacon Crombie be a Comittee to go & discourse wth our Sister Patience Burgiss, & know y. Cause of her long absenting herself from ye house of God, & other Conduct disorderly, which is reported of her, viz Spending her Earn- ings by labor, to intemperate purposes.
Voted. Also that the Pastor, with Bro Tho' Mayhew & D" Crombie be a Comittee to endeavor the healing of the Difficulty that subsists between our Brethren Nath" Morton & Amaziah Churchill, which is not yet made up.
The Pastor, with Br" Tho' Mayhew, D" Crombie & David Lothrop are again desired to hear & endeav" to heal the Uneasiness that also subsists between our Br° Amaz & Jesse Churchill-'As Jesse Ch" still complains of hard treatment from sª Amaziah Churchill.
Vote
BENJAMIN CHURCHILL AND SILAS MORTON DISCIPLINED, 1782 361
Then voted to adjourn this Meeting to Tuesday ye 5th of Febr next to meet at ye same place. - Concluded wth Prayer & the Blessing.
Febr 5th 1782. The Church met (in a full Chh meeting) according to Adjournment, & proceeded to consider first the Case of our Brother Benjamin Churchill who had promised the last Meeting, to attend at this, being previously notifyd to attend at this time, but did not come, nor give any sufficient reason in ye Churches Mind, for not coming - Whereupon the Church unanimously came to the following solemn Vote, expressd, not by lifting up ye hand, as in other Cases, but by each Member giving his Voice singulatim, "That whereas our Brother Benjamin Churchill, has for a long time even. several Years wilfully & habitually neglected ye public Worship & all the Ordinances of Gods house, & the Church have used every Method of gentle Expostulation, Advice & Entreaty, both by pri- vate Members & Comittees frequently chosen for that purpose, to endeav" to bring him to a Sense of his Sin & to recover him to his Duty, & all to no purpose, but he has added Contempt of ye Church & y authority of J Christ in his house, by constantly refusing to attend at Chh Meetings when desired, Whereupon ye Church were constraind to proceed to a formal Vote to publickly admonish him & to suspend him from special Ordinances, in hopes he might hereby be brot to Repentance [68 1] but he still remains incorrigible & re- fuses to return, Wherefore this Church, as bound in Duty, & by the Laws of Jesus Christ, do solemnly Vote & Declare, in Manner be- forementiond, that " Unless the sd Benj" Churchill shall manifest his Repentance by public Confession of his Sins, within three Months from this Time, he shall then, in ye Name & by the Authority of Jesus Christ in his Church, be publickly Excommunicated & declared to be no longer in Visible Relation to the Church & Visible Kingdom of Christ."
Voted - Also that Whereas our Brother Silas Morton has re- fused to attend in public Worship, when notifyª regularly thereto, in order to recieve public Admonition, agreable to y. Vote of the Chh at their last Meet", the Pastor be desired to send him a written Admonition.
The Committees chosen y" last Meeting, then reported, that our Sister Patience Burgiss acknowledges her fault in absenting herself from Ordinances, pleads Poverty & Want of suitable Clothes, &
1 At the top of p. [68] is written "1782 Chh Records."
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME II
promises to use her Endeav"" to provide herself with them, & speedily to attend her Duty. That the Differences between the several Brethren mentiond were, by the Blessing of God on the Endeavors of y. Comittees, very happily accommodated, & each promised to live in brotherly Love.1
N.B. See Page 71 ' for ye reason of this Erasement.8
Vote
The Church also, at this time, Voted that the Suspension be taken off from Brother Nathaniel Morton, which was Voted at a former Church Meeting, on Octob' 12.1780. the Cause thereof happily ceasing.
Voto
Lords Day April 21. 1782. At the Close of the publick Worship our Brother Benjamin Churchill appeard & in a public Manner hum- bled himself before God & his people by a Confession of his Sins & his disorderly Walking (as recorded heretofore) - Whereupon The Church Voted that the Sentence of Suspension be removed & he be restored to Charity & to ye Communion of his Brethren in all Ordinances, a Word of Exhortation was then given him to walk humbly, penitently & softly before God all his Days - then Prayer - & y Blessing. The Lord accept of & pardon & save him for Cxª sake
Oct" 6th Lords Day - Read a Letter Missive from ye Chh in Wareham desiring y. Assistance of this Chh by their Pastor & Dele- gates, at ye Ordination of M' Noble Everitt to ye Pastoral Office over them, on ye 16th of this Month. The Chh Voted to comply - & chose Deacon Crombie & Silvanus Bartlett to represent yo Church on ye occasion.
Oct" 16. The Council met & ordain' M' Everitt. Revª ME Robbins of Norfolk in Connecticutt began with Prayer - Mr Knap of Winchester preachd fr. 2. Tim. 4.6.7.8. M. Howland of Plim- ton prayd & gave ye Charge - M' Le Baron prayª after ye Charge, & ye Pastor of this Chh gave ye Right Hand of Fellowship. [69] 1783 Church Records
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