USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Some account of the early history and present state of the town of Quincy, in the commonwealth of Massachusetts > Part 4
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There is every reason to believe that Wollaston was a man of prin- ciple, and that he shared in that religious feeling which made a part of the being of our forefathers. Had he remained here and settled down with his colony, he would no doubt have shortly established a church. Morton, indeed, complains that the ill-will of the settlers against himself, arose from his own deep piety, and from his being accustomed to read the prayers of the church of England, in his
*The establishment of the Thursday Lecture in Boston, is a fair instance of the at- tention our Fathers paid to religion, in the early days of New-England. This was attended by all classes and conditions of men, from almost every part of the State. It was thought but an exercise of duty, to walk from Salem, in the morning, attend the Lecture, and return home at night. And when this is considered, it will hardly appear strange, that the good people of Braintree were constant in their attendance. I am told, it was the invariable custom of a certain farmer, in this place, to put his wallet round his neck, with two large boxes of butter. walk to Boston. sell his butter. attend the lecture. and retum in the afternoon.
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family, as " every good man should." No doubt mnuch unchristian spirit was shown by the Puritans towards those who professed to be of the church of England, from whose persecutions they themselves had just escaped, and that there was much in their conduct which no circumstances and no condition could warrant. The principles of tol- eration were neither well understood nor acknowledged for many years after the landing of the pilgrims. They were in some measure tinctured by the very spirit they had abhorred and fled from. It is said of Mr. Dudley, Deputy Governor of Massachusetts,* "that he died with a copy of verses in his pocket, wrote with his own hand, and that the following two lines made part of it.
" Let men of God in Court and Churches watch O'er such as do a toleration hatch."
But I believe we shall all be ready to say that in the present case cause enough can be found in the character of Morton, for the course which was pursued against him, without resorting to the pretence which he himself has urged.
As may naturally be expected, we have no account of a church existing here during Morton's residence. No account is given of any thing like one, till after the place had become re-settled by those gentlemen who took farms here. Even the few who had then taken up their abode here, had a minister among them sometime before they had formed themselves into a church. As early as 1636, when Mrs. Hutchinson, by her religious zeal, proved the cause of so much excitement in Boston, one Mr. Wheelwright, who was connected with her in religious opinions, and who was also the source of some diffi- culty there, came out and preached to the people of the Mount. Mr. Wheelwright was a popular man, and gained many followers while in Boston; but when the question came to be decided whether he should become a teacher in the church of Boston, as many wished he should, Mr. Cotton observed f "that though he thought reverendly of his godliness and abilities, so as he should be content to live under such a ministry, yet seeing he was apt to raise doubtful disputations, he could not consent to choose him to that place: whereupon the church gave way that he might be called to a new church, to be gathered at Mount Wollaston, near Braintrey."
That he did in fact preach here, appears by the following. " The former Governor and Mr. Coddington, being discontented that the people had left them out of all public service, gave further proof of it in the congregation, for they refused to set in the magistrates' seat, where Mr. Vane had always sitten since his first arrival, and went and set with the deacons, although the Governor sent to desire them to come unto him, and upon the day of the general fast, they went from Boston to keep the day at the Mount, with Mr. Wheelwright."
§ " The Rev. Mr. Wheelright preached some time to this part of the church, and town of Boston, and acquired some possessions here."
All this was before any regular Church had been formed. The formation of a church, in those days of rigid religious sentiment, was always prior to the incorporation of the town. "The inhabitants of
*See Hutchinson, Vol. I. p. 95, note. . |This written by a later hand
: Winthrop's Journal. p. 128.
OHancock's Cent. Serm. p 21
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Boston, who had taken their farms and lots at Mount Wollaston, find- ing it very burdensome to have their business so far off, desired to gather a church there. Many meetings were about it. The great lett was in regard, it was given to Boston for upholding the town and church there, which end would be frustrated by the removal of so many chief men as would go thither. For helping of this it was propounded that such as dwelt there should pay six pence the acre yearly for such land as lay within a mile of the water and three pence for that which lay further off."
This was in 1636-It was not until 1639, that the Church was gathered. In one of the old books of the church, a record is made to this effect: "The first church of Christ, in Braintrey, was embo- died 16th Sept. 1639, it being Lord's day." Winthrop thus notices it. " 17th 7th mo. 1639. So this day they gathered a church after the usual manner, and chose one Mr. Tomson, a very gracious, sin- cere man, and Mr. Flint, a godly man also, their ministers."
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Though the place had been settled thus early, on account of the difficulties which occurred, the church can hardly be classed among the very first that were formed. It was the fifteenth fin order.
Mr. Thompsont and Mr. Flints were the first ministers of the
*Winthrop's Journal, p. 188.
tSome of the old historians, among whoin is Gorges, in giving the order of the Churches, make this the twentieth, and I suppose Mr. Hancock followed their order. But I choose to follow that given by Hon. James Savage, in his valuable notes to Winthrop's Journal, Vol. I. p. 94, to which the reader is referred. The old historial- were exceedingly wanting in accuracy, on many important points.
¿ It may be worth while to mention, that the house in which Mr. Thompson lived, stood nearly opposite the house of the present minister, in what is now often called the Thompson lot, and which was always known by that name formerly. The re- mains of the cellar, which was under his house, are to be seen to this day. His well. also, since filled up, may be distinguished. It was under the large pear tree, in the above mentioned Thompson Lot.
'This house was afterwards owned by one Thompson, a descendant of the minister. who was, by trade; a tailor. There is an anecdote, relating to him, and a certain lady, then distinguished in the town for her hatred of all fashions, which she termed " useless foppery and finery." The anecdote may serve to explain his being after- wards called petticoat Thompson.
The ladies of those days wore rich broadcloth petticoats, often trimmed with still richer lace. This good lady came to Thompson, the tailor, with broadeloth, for the petticoat, and very wide gold lace. for the trinining. " How's this, good madam?" said the tailor; " You are not a friend to the fashion ?? " " I thought," said the lady. " it would do to strengthen the garment." " Well, well," answered the tailor, " so it may, we'll see to it." When the lady called for her dress, behold the rich gold lace was sewed firndy on the inside of the petticoat. As may be expected, she was not a little enraged. The tailor laughed, enjoying the joke, adding, at the same time. " I knew you hated the fashion', madam, and, therefore, thought it best to put the lace out of sight." Tradition does not tell ns how the lady looked at this, but that, concealing her displeasure, she answered, " That was, to be sure, very prudent, Mr. Thompson, but, since the lec cost so much, I think I'll have it outside, for a border." 'The pleasure of the joke repaid the tailor for the trouble of the alteration.
§ Mr. Fliut lived in a house, situated on the spot, where now stands the house of Mr. Jedediah Adamıs.
Thus the pastor and teacher were near neighbors. The present minister lives ou the land once in possession of the first teacher of this Church.
Whether any part of Mr. Flint's house is now standing, making a part of Mr. Ad- ams' house, is uncertain. At any rate, there is, underneath this building, a amall cel- lar, which has always been termed. the Flint cellar, and was, no doubt. used by Mi Flint
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Church. Gorges and Johnson both make mention of them in a few lines of poetry, formerly a favorite mode of treating characters.
" With two-fold cord doth Flint and Thomson draw, Iu Christ's yoke his fallow ground to break, &c."
According to the distinction observed in those carly times in the Churches, Mr. Thompson was ordained pastor, and Mr. Flint, teach- er. "The first deacons of the Church were, Mr. Samuel Bass, hav- ing been dismissed and recommended to them from the Church in Roxbury, July 5, 1640, and Mr. Richard Brackett, who was ordain- ed July 21, 1642, having been received to communion by a letter, recommendatory from the Church of Boston, June 24, 1642."*
+" Mr. Thompson was ordained eight days after the Church was gathered, viz. Sept. 24, 1639, and Mr. Flint the 17th March follow- ing."
In Oct. 1642, Mr. Thompson was invited to go on a mission to Virginia, with the Rev. Mr. Knowles, of Watertown. The ministers of New England were solicited by several in that part of the country, to take pity on their destitute circumstances, and send them good ministers to preach the gospel. It was, at least, honorable to the place, no less than the minister himself, that Mr. Thompson should be selected to go on this mission. He returned, however, the next year, by reason of an order of the government there, }" that such as would not conform to the ceremonies of the Church of England, should, by such a day, depart the country."
Mr. Thompson died here Dec. 10, 1668, aged 68. And Mr. Flint,§ April 27, 1668, having been connected with the Church more than 29 years.
They were both great men for the age in which they lived. Mr. 'Thompson was of a melancholy temperament, however, and permit- ted imaginary evils to interrupt the comfort and peace of life.
Mr. Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia, where he gives the characters of nearly fifty of the first Clergymen of New-England, makes very honorable mention both of Mr. Thompson and Mr. Flint. Speaking of the melancholy disposition natural to some men, and the events through which Mr Thompson passed, which tended to depress his spirit; first, being driven from England and afterwards from Virgin- ia, he says, ||" Satan, who had been, after an extraordinary manner, irritated by the evangelical labors of this holy man, obtained liberty to sift him; and hence, after this worthy man had served the Lord Je- sus Christ in the Church of our New English Braintree, he fell into that balneum diaboli, a black melancholy, which, for divers years, almost wholly disabled him for the exercise of his ministry." He then goes on to remark, that " after the Devil has been duly resisted, he will flee from us, and that in the case of the Rev. Mr. Thompson,
*Hancock's Cent. Ser. p. 23, note.
¡Hancock's Cent. Serm. p. 22.
"Hancock's Cent. Serm. p. 22, not.
5Dlr. Flint was father of Rev. Josiah Flint, formerly pastor of the Church of Christ in Dorchester, and grandfather of Henry Flint, Esq. many years senior fellow of Har- vard College.
. See Mather's Magnalia ; also for what follows
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he was resisted by the prayers of all the clergymen, so that ' the end of that man was peace.' "'
After this, he embodies his whole character in a long piece of po- ctry. In reference to his melancholy state, he thus writes:
" With a rare skill in hearts, this doctor could
Steal into them words, that should do them good. His bal-ams, from the tree of life distill'd,
Hearts cleans'd and heal'd, and with rich comfort's fill'd.
But here's the wo,-Balsams, which others cur'd,
Would, in his own turn, hardly be endur'd."
He speaks of Rev. Henry Flint, in allusion to the resemblance of" twins, and likens him to John Cotton, of Boston. According to Mr. Mather, Mr. Flint had two sons, twins, and to one he gave the name of John, and to the other Cotton. "In fact," says he, "he was John Cotton to the life." He refers, therefore, to John Cotton for the character of Mr. Flint. Of Mr. Cotton, it is sufficient to say, that he employs eighteen pages of his Magnalia in his praise .*
During the time of the ministry of the pastor and teacher, there were 204 members of the Church. One of Mr. Flint's manuscripts is still extant, containing baptisms from April 30, 1643, to March 1, 1667-8, in which, 408 are recorded, though Mr. Hancock thought some were omitted.i
After the death of their first ministers, the Church was unhappily divided, as Mr. Hancock says, " one being for Paul and another for Apollos, as is too often the case in destitute Churches." After the death of Mr. Flint, four years elapsed before another minister was settled. This was from April 27, 1668, to Sept. 11, 1672.
Mr. Moses Fiske, who was the next minister, was sent by the Court of Sessions, for the county of Suffolk, to preach at Braintree, while the Church was in this divided state. The order of the Court on the matter, is found in the records kept by Mr. Fiske, and now in the hands of the present minister of the Congregational Church. It is to this effect:
*Mr. Thompson's grave stone is still standing in our church yard, on which is the following inscription. " Here lies buried the body of the Rev. Mr. William Thomp- son, the first pastor of Braintrey Church, who deceased, Dec. 10, 1666, Atatis suce 6S,
He was a learned, solid, sound divine, Whose name and fame in boath England did shine."
And by his side lies Mrs. Anna Thompson, his wife.
A stone, in the form of a monument, lies over the remains of Mr. Flint and his wife, with another at the head, on which is the following inscription : " Here lies interred the body of the Rev. Mr. Henry Flint, who came to New-England in the year 1635 ; was ordained the first teacher of the Church of Braintrey 1639, and died April 27, 1668. He had the character of a gentleman remarkable for his piety, learning, wis- dom, and fidelity in his office. By him, on his right hand, lies the body of Margery, his beloved consort, who died March, 1686-7. Her maiden name was Hoar. She was a gentlewoman of piety, prudence, and peculiarly accomplished for instructing young gentlewomen ; many being sent to her from other towns, especially from Bos- ton. They descended from ancient and good families in England." Over several of the graves in our yard will be found large square stones. These were placed, in ear- lier times, as a defence against the wolves, who came in large numbers and devoured the bodies that were buried. These stones were generally placed below the surface, directly over the body ; in some places there may have been two to each grave, one below and another above.
+ Hancock's Cent. Serm. p. 23, note.
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** At a County Court, held at Boston by adjournment, 23d Nov. 1671; the Court having taken into consideration the inany means that have been used with the Church of Braintree, and hitherto. nothing done to effect as to the obtaining the ordinances of Christ among them-this Court orders, therefore, and desires Mr. Moses Fiske to improve his labors in preaching the word at Braintree, nin- til the Church there agree, and obtain supply for the work of the ministry, or this Court take further order.
This is a true copy as attest,
FREEGRACE BENDALL, Clerk."
Mr. Fiske came out, after taking the advice of the neighboring elders, and preached his first Sermon, Dec. 3, 1671. He says in his records, "After the Sermon and exercises were ended, I apolo- gized as to my coming, &c., and the next day, about twenty of the brethren came to visit at Mr. Flint's, manifesting, in the name of the Church, their ready acceptance of what the honored Court had donc,
and thanking me for my compliance thereto."
IIe was settled Sept. 11, 1672, according to his own record, which is this:
+" 11th 7th mo. 1672. This was the day of my settlement espous- als to this Church and congregation, being selected to the office of a pastor to them. The Churches present by their messengers, were, besides three at Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester and Waymouth; Mr. Eliot prayed and gave the Charge; Mr. Oxenbridge and the dea- cons joined in the laying on of hands; and Mr. Thatcher gave the Right Hand of Fellowship. Dep. Gov. Leveret, Mr. Danforth, Mr. Linge and Mr. Stoughton were present."
Mr. Fiske continued in the ministry thirty-six years, and died Aug. 10, 1708, in the 66th year of his age .¿ During his ministry, 147 members were added to the Church. Baptisms, 779. Nonc are recorded during the vacancy."
The next pastor was Mr. Joseph Marsh, who was ordained May 18, 1709, nine months after the death of Mr. Fiske. He continued in the ministry seventeen years, and died§ March 8, 1726, aged 41 years. The number of members added to the Church during his ministry, was 102. Baptisms, 288. In the vacancy between his death and the settlement of the Rev. John Hancock, there were 8 baptisms.
#See Records of First Church, by Mr. Fiske. t Ibid. #Hancock.
§Mr. Fiske and Mr. Marsh are buried together in the same tomb, over which is what was once a neat monument, though now defaced. The inscription is hardly visible. It is this :
Braintree ! thy prophet's gone, this tomb inters The Rev. Moses Fiske, his sacred herse. Adore Heaven's praiseful art that form'd the man Who souls not to himself, but Christ oft won : Sail'd through the straits, with Peter's family Renown'd, and Gaius' hospitality, Paul's patience, James' prudence, John's sweet love, Is landed, enter'd. clear'd and crown'd above.
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The Rev. John Hancock, the next minister, was ordained" Muy 2, 1726. He continued in the pastoral relation nearly 18 years, and was with the Church, to use his own humble language, " in weakness and in fear and in much trembling." He was, by no means, howev- er, a weak man. fHe possessed good talents and applied himself' diligently to the duties of his office. In the great revival in religion, which spread throughout the country, during his ministry, he, with great wisdom and prudence, saved his people from enthusiasm and extravagance, on the one hand, and from infidelity and indifference to religion on the other.
In the year 1739, he preached his well-known Century Sermon, on the completion of the first Century since the gathering of the Church. [fle died May 7, 1744, in the 42d year of his age.
Next to Mr. Hancock was the Rev. Samuel Bryant, who was or- dained§ Dec. 4, 1745. He was a learned man and of a powerful
* Wednesday, Nov. 2, 1726, Mr. John Hancock was ordained the pastor of the church of Cluist, in the North Precinct of Braintree, by the solemn imposition of the hands of the Presbytery. The Churches sent unto and desired to be present at the solemnity. were the Churches of Cambridge, Lexington, Dorchester Ist Church, Milton, Brain- tree Sonth Church, Weymouth Ist Church, and Hingham Ist Church. The Rev. Mr. John Danforth made the first prayer; my hon. father, the Rev. Mr. Hancock, of Lexington, preached the Sermon from Luke xxiv. 19. Rev. Mr. Thacher gave the Charge, and the Rev. Mr. Danforth the Right Hand of Fellowship. The Rev. Mr. Niles and Mr. Appleton laying on hands. His letter of dismission from the Church in Cambridge, was read at the same time, by the Rev. Mr. Hancock. The auditory was very numerous .- See Church Records, Ist B, p. 70.
¿See Allen's Amer. Biog. p. 326.
¡Mr. Hancock lived on what is now called the Hancock lot. His house became, after his death, the property and residence of his son, John Hancock, President of the second Congress, and Governor of the State of Massachusetts. Rev. Samuel Bryant also lived m this house, and after him Col. Josiah Quincy, father of the young patriot, and grandfather of the present Mayor of the City of Boston. The cellar of this house is still to be seen.
Among the old houses still standing, one in possession of Lemuel Brackett, Esq. may have been once a garrison. The stone walls, of which it is composed, may seem to indicate that such was the case. Its situation, near Mount Wollaston, author- izes the belief that the stone part of it might have been built near the time of Wollas- ton.
In the house of Daniel Greenleaf, Esq. on the farm which was granted to Edmund Quinsey, is a study room, which was built for Henry Flint, grandson of the first teach- er of the Congregational Church, and for more than fifty years tutor, and nearly the same period fellow of Harvard College. This is called Flint's study, to this day.
Opposite the house of Mr. John Bass, on the rising ground, once stood the dwelling of Thomas Revel, one of the regicides in the reign of Charles f. He was obliged to leave his country to save his life. He came out here, and lived in great obscurity, having built himself a mere shed, as a covering from the storms and cold, on the above mentioned spot. After some time, the owners of the land claimed it, and he was obliged to remove. He retired into the stone-connons, where he built a log-hut. barely sufficient to cover himself and his hog, who occupied one end of his miserable abode. All that could be learnt of him, while living, was, that his name was Toin Revel. But when he died, the Governor of the Province, and other distinguished men of the time, came out from Boston, and were his pall-bearers. From which cir- cumstance, his true character was brought to light. He was of noble birth, and a dis- tinguished man in the land of his fathers.
@Wednesday, Dec. 4, 1745, Mr. Lemuel Bryant was ordained the pastor of the first Church of Christ, in Braintree. The Churches sent to, were the Church at Lexington, the 2d Church in Scituate, the 2d in Braintree, the Ist in Hingham, the Ist in Seitu- ute, the Church in Milton, the 1st in Stoughton, the Church in Dorchester, the Ist in Weymouth ; the Rev. Mr. Brown, of Scituate, began with prayer; the Rev. Mr. Eells, of Scituate, preached from 2d Corinthians iv. 50 ; the Rev. Mr. Niles, of Brain- tree, gave the Charge : the Rev Mr. Tavlor, of Milton. the Right Hand of Fellow- shin.
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mind; President Adams, senior, has called him "the learned, inge- nuous and eloquent pastor." He was too liberal for the period in which he lived. He was accordingly dismissed, Oct 29, 1753 .--- During his ministry, he was engaged in controversy with the Rev. Dr. Miller, of the Episcopal Church, and the Rev. Mr. Porter, of Bridgewater, and others.
In 1755, the Rev. Anthony Wibird> was ordained pastor of the Church, and continued till June 4, 1300, when he departed this life, in the 72d year of this age, and 46th of his ministry.
For many years previous to his death he was unable, from bodily infirmities, to attend upon the duties of his office. He was a learned man, though in his habits somewhat eccentric, and withal of great dignity, t and beloved and respected by his people.
Towards the last part of his life, it was necessary to supply his pulpit with other clergymen a great part of the time. Mr. Whit- man, now a lawyer in Pembroke, and Rev. Mr. Flint, now a minis- ter in Cohasset, received calls to settle as colleagues with Mr. Wi- bird, but did not accept them. Rev. Peter Whitney, having suppli- ed the pulpit a short time, was invited to settle, and was accordingly ordained Į Feb. 5, 1800.
During his ministry up to the present time, there have been 619 baptisms; 280 couples have been united in marriage; and 922 have been admitted to full communion. The number of deaths during the same period, amounts to 666. The church at present consists of' 234 members.§ ·
* Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1755, Anthony Wibird was ordained pastor of the First Church of Christ, in Braintree. The Churches sent to. were the 2d and 3d in Braintree, Rev. Mr. Niles, pastor of the 2d, and Rev. Mr. Taft, pastor of the 3d. To the Rev. Messrs. Sewall and Prince, of Boston ; to the First Church in Cambridge ; the Rev. Mr. Ap- pleton, pastor ; to the First Church in Portsmouth, Rev. Mr. Langdon, pastor ; Rev. Mr. Bowman, pastor of the Church in Dorchester ; Rev. Mr. Robbins, pastor of the Church in Milton ; Rev. Mr. Smith, of Weymouth ; Rev. Mr. Gay, of Hingham ; Rev. Mr. Dunbar, of Stoughton. Rev. Mr. Langdon began with prayer; Rev. Mr. Appleton preached from Leviticus, x. 3 ; Rev. Mr. Gay gave the Charge : Rev. Mr. Dunbar the Right Hand of Fellowship.
¡Mr. Wibird was also a man of great circumspection and prudence. He had always an answer ready for all who approached him, and was never found to commit himself. Being a believer in a future state of righteous retribution, he was once asked by one of the Universalist persuasion, what he thought of their doctrines. A question given af- ter the manner of the Pharisees, rather to try him for an answer than to get his opin- ion. " Why, sir," said the dignified parson, "if you are right, we can't be wrong, and I think yours a very safe way."
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