USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > The Manifesto church. : Records of the church in Brattle square, Boston, with lists of communicants, baptisms, marriages and funerals, 1699-1872 > Part 6
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It was voted to send seven delegates ; when the follow" brethren were chosen : the three Deacons; W" Cooper, Nath' Balch, Eb. Hancock, es'q., and his Exellency Gov. Sullivan.
Sept. II. The chh. stopped after service, & a letter was read from the South parish & chh. in Portsmouth, N. H. invit-
* This letter was not copied into the book, and now is not to be found. - EDS.
-
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MR. BUCKMINSTER'S MINISTRY.
ing us to assist by Pastor & delegates in the ordination of M' Nathan Parker as their minister
The chh. agreed to send, & seven Delegates were chosen the Deacons, M: Hancock, Mr. Brewster, Mr. Hammond & . . . but in consequence of the threatening appearances of the weather no one was present at the ordination from our chh. The ordination took place on the 14th.
Nov 20. The pastor communicated a letter from the 2ª chh in Dorchester inviting us to assist in the ordination of Mª Jno. Codman a member of our own chh. Voted to send seven delegates- the 3 deacons- Mrs Hancock, Boyle, Brewster, & Withington. The ordination to take place on Wednesday 7th December.
Dec. 4. The chh stopped to vote M". Codman the customary certificate of regular standing, & recommendation to be given by the pastor.
1809. Feb. 25. The pastor communicated a letter from the chh. in Hollis Street, Boston, requesting our assistance in the installation of the Rev. Horace Holley on the 2ª Wednesday in March next. Voted to send 7 delegates viz. the 3 deacons - Mrs. Hammond, Homer, Tilden, & Hancock.
Oct. 1809. The pastor communicated a letter from the chh in Waltham, inviting our assistance in the ordination of Mr. Sam1. Ripley. - 22 Nov. 1809. We voted to send 7 delegates viz 3 deacons, & M' Hancock &c.
N. B. The chapel chh. in Tremont Street Boston under the pastoral care of the Rev. Mrs. Freeman & Cary was among the chhs. invited on this occasion.
April 21 1811. The pastor communicated a letter from the chh. in Boston called the New South inviting us to assist in the ordination of Mr. Sam' Cooper Thacher.
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RECORDS OF THE CHURCH IN BRATTLE SQUARE.
N. B. In giving Mr. Thacher his recommendation to the fellowship of the Chh with wch he was to be connected, I did not think it necessary to call the chh together, as this is directly contrary to the practice vindicated by the founders of our chh. & is entirely unnecessary. In the present case I was the more willing to establish this precedent as there could be no doubt of the great affection & esteem borne to M' Thacher in whose settlement among us I most gratefully rejoice.
Voted to send six delegates viz. 3 Deacons & Messrs. Han- cock, Hammond & Gorham
1813 July 4. The Deacons communicated a letter from the First Church in Boston requesting our assistance in the ordina- tion of M' John Lovejoy Abbot on Wednesday the 14th July. Voted to send five delegates viz the 2 Deacons, M' Ebenez! Hancock, Alden Bradford Esq' & M' Ebenez' Withington.
1813 Nov 25 The Deacons communicated a letter from the New North Church in Boston requesting our assistance by delegates in the ordination of M' Francis Parkman on Wednes- day the 8th day of December next. Voted to send five delegates, viz. Deacons Grant & Thacher, M' Ebenezer Hancock, Col. John Boyle & M' Henderson Inches.
1814 Jany 9th At a meeting of the Church, January 9th 1814, after divine service in the morning, Peter O Thacher, being the Moderator of the meeting.
The Deacons communicated a vote of the first Church in Cambridge, under the Rev. D' Holmes, certifying that M' Edward Everett was admitted a member of that Church Oct. 18. 1812 that he had by his desire been dismissed from that Church, and that he had, during the connection, conducted as become [sic] the gospel of Christ. It being further signified to the Church that M' Everett wished to be admitted to our com- munion, it was thereupon voted, to receive him as a member of this Church in full communion.
The moderator read the following records of the proceedings
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MR. EVERETT'S MINISTRY.
relative to the settlement of M' Everett, which had been communicated to the Deacons pursuant to the votes of the Society, viz,
The Society met on Sunday the 31st day of October 1813 at the request of the Standing Committee Meeting on the 24th instant - of which the following is a copy, viz, The sub- committee for the supply of the Pulpit having notified the Committee, that the term for which M' Edward Everett had engaged to supply the Pulpit would close with the next Sab- bath and it appearing that the Society, so far as their opinions had reached the Committee were in general favorably im- pressed with the manner in which the duties of the desk had been discharged by Mr Everett, therefore,
Voted, That a meeting of the Society be convened on the next Sabbath in the afternoon, immediately after divine service, and that it be submitted to the consideration of the members, Whether they will invite M' Everett to preach upon probation, or will take any other measure in relation to him as a candidate for the ministry?
On motion to invite M' Everett to preach on Probation no objection was offered and on the question being put, Voted unanimously - That the Standing Committee be requested to invite M' Everett in the name of the Society to preach four Sabbaths, on probation.
At a meeting holden by adjournment on Sunday Nov. 28th 1813 at the meeting house - General Arnold Welles Moderator.
M' Edward Everett having compleated the term for which he was requested to preach to the Society on probation and having exhibited satisfactory evidence of his talents, learning, piety and other ministerial endowments - The Society being like- wise impressed with a belief that his settlement with us would promote the happiness of this Church and serve the interests of our holy religion, Therefore,
Voted, That M: Edward Everett be invited to settle with us as the Pastor of this Church - that the Standing Committee be
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RECORDS OF THE CHURCH IN BRATTLE SQUARE.
requested to communicate to him this Vote and to cause his answer when received to be made known to the Society
At a Meeting of the Society on Sunday Dec: 26 1813 - General Welles, Moderator:
The answer of M' Edward Everett subjoined to the proceed- ings of this Meeting having been read to the Congregation from the Pulpit, by the Revd M' Thacher, and again at this Meeting by the Moderator,
Voted, That the Standing Committee of the Society be authorized and requested to unite with M' Edward Everett in appointing a day for his public induction to the ministerial office and in selecting the ordaining Council.
Voted, That the Standing Committee cause the proceedings of the Society relative to the settlement of M' Everett to be communicated to the Church and that they be requested to send Letters missive to the Churches which shall be selected to compose the ordaining Council, to be present on that occasion, & to assist by their Pastor & Delegates, or by Delegates only, where, the Pastoral office may happen to be vacant.
M' Everett's Answer to the invitation of the Society
CAMBRIDGE, Dec' 24th 1813.
To the Society in Brattle Square.
MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS, - Having made the call to be your Pastor the subject of my most serious deliberations and prayers, I now signify to you my acceptance of it. I am encouraged to this decision, less by a reliance on my own strength, than on your kindness & candour and the hope, I feel, that in all my duties and trials, I shall be supported by your councils & prayers. Deeply as I am affected with the experience I have had of your indulgence and especially with this last mark of your confidence, I will not profess to look forward to the arduous office to which you have called me without a deep anxiety. I regard with great diffidence of myself the various & extensive duties, which it devolves upon me, and the solemn responsibility with which I must discharge them, And when I recall the illustrious gifts & graces of him in whose place I am called to stand, I am oppressed with the sense of my weak- ness. Yet I know that your indulgence which has brought me to this
Edward Everett.
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MR. EVERETT'S MINISTRY.
station, will not desert me there, and I humbly trust that the good providence of God will not first fail me, at the season when I need it most. While I rest therefore in him, for the grace which is sufficient for me, suffer me to look to you for that liberal reception of my services, and that generous interpretation of my conduct, on which all the outward comfort and happiness of my life depend.
The happy circumstances under which you have given me this invi- tation, have not been lost upon my gratitude. I have felt and shall feel it my duty to preserve by every effort, that Christian unity of which you have made so grateful an exercise and it is my heart's desire to God, that the connexion which has thus commenced in harmony, may be continued in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace ; & that God would bless this connexion to the promotion of Christian Truth, and make it subservient to our common & eternal good, is the fervent & humble prayer of your faithful,
And Affectionate Servant
And Friend
EDWARD EVERETT.
At a Meeting of the Standing Committee on Tuesday Jany 4th 1814-
Voted That the Ordination of M' Edward Everett be attended on Wednesday the 9th Feby next- Voted That the ordaining council be composed of the following Churches - viz.,
The first Church under the Revd John L. Abbot.
The second Church under the Revd John Lathrop DD.
The Old South Church under the Revd Joshua Huntington.
The New North Church under the Revd Francis Parkman.
The New South Church under the Revd Sam! C Thacher.
The Church in Federal Street under the Revd W" E Channing.
The Church in Hollis Street under the Revd Horace Holley. The West Church under the Revd Charles Lowell.
The First Church in Cambridge under the Revd Abiel Holmes. DD.
The Church in Medford under the Revd David Osgood DD.
The First Church in Dorchester under the Revd T. M. Harris. DD.
The First Church in Roxbury under the Revd E. Porter. DD.
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RECORDS OF THE CHURCH IN BRATTLE SQUARE.
Also the Revª John T. Kirkland. DD. President of Harvard College, And the Revª Henry Ware Professor of Divinity in the same.
A true copy from the records, Attest RD. SULLIVAN Clerk.
Whereupon it was voted, That a letter be sent from this Church to the Pastors of the several Churches & to the other Rev! Gentlemen named in the foregoing vote, requesting their attendance for the purpose therein expressed, & that the Deacons, Grant & Thacher, be a committee to sign the said letters in the behalf of the Church.
Voted, that the Deacons be a committee to communicate to the Ordaining Council the proceedings relative to the settlement of M' Everett & to represent this Church in all matters wherein they are concerned.
On suggestion of the Deacons, that it would, in their estima- tion, be for the interest of the Church, to elect one other to fill the office of a Deacon, & that the present was a favourable opportunity to take the subject into consideration, it was voted, that at the adjournment of this meeting, the Church will proceed to the choice of one to fill the office of a Deacon among us, & the meeting was then adjourned to Sunday the 13. Feb! next to meet after divine service in the afternoon.
Attest, P. O. THACHER, Moderator.
Feby 9. 1814. In pursuance of the preceding measures the ordination of Edward Everett to the pastoral care of the B. S, Church & Society took place this day. The Ecclesiastical council consisted of the members made [sic] above: and after considerable discussion upon the subject of receiving from the Candidate a confession of faith; which was asked for by Rev. Dr Osgood; a Motion was made by the Rev. Dr to proceed to Ordination upon the candidates professing his belief in the (commonly called) Apostles' creed. To this motion the agree- ment was unanimous except that Rev. Dr. Holmes and Mr Huntington forebore to vote and Deacon Whalley a delegate
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MR. EVERETT'S MINISTRY.
withdrew. The Exercises of the day were an Introductory prayer by Rev Dr Lathrop, Sermon by Rev. Dr. Kirkland, Ordaining prayer by Rev. Dr. Osgood, Charge by Rev. Dr Porter, Right hand of Fellowship by Rev. Mr. Thacher, and Concluding prayer by Rev Dr Harris.
Feby 13. At a Church Meeting held after divine service this P.M to make choice of a Deacon, Mr Alden Bradford was unanimously elected.
1815 Jan. 29 The brethren of the church met after divine service and a letter was communicated by the Pastor from the Church in Lunenburg Requesting us to attend by Pastor and delegates the ordination of Mr. David Damon at that place : Feby Ist. -
Upon the suggestion of the Pastor that The distance of the Place & the Inclemency of the season might make it Incon- venient to attend it was Voted to Comply with the Request of the Church in Lunenburg in attending the Ordination of Mr. Damon if convenient to the Pastor & delegates to attend. - It was Voted that the Three deacons be the Three Delegates.
March 12 At a Church meeting held after divine service this afternoon, a letter was communicated from the first Church in Boston, informing that they had made choice of M' Nathaniel L Frothingham as their Pastor, & asking the presence of the Church, by their Delegates, at the ordination on the 15th instant.
It was voted to comply with the request and that Deacons Grant & Bradford, & Brothers Hancock, Phillips and Richard Sullivan be the Delegates upon that occasion.
Note. At a meeting of the Society on the 5th a letter was communicated from the Rev. Edward Everett, our Pastor, informing of his election to the Greek Professorship in Harvard College, & expressing a desire, for the reasons therein stated, that his pastoral relation with this Church should be dissolved. After Deliberation, the Society voted to comply with his request. The proceedings upon this occasion, which occasioned deep
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RECORDS OF THE CHURCH IN BRATTLE SQUARE.
regret in the minds of the parish, and which issued in the dissolution of a connection, which though of short continuance, had been attended with mutual harmony and with great advan- tage & happiness to the Church, are recorded at length in the records of the Society.
July 2ª. The Church met after service this evening, to con- sider a proposition of the Deacons of the First Church, that the monthly lecture, on the friday before the Communion, should in future be attended at the Chauncey Place. Whereupon, after debate, it was voted, that the Deacons Grant, Bradford & Thacher be a Committee, to confer on the subject, with any Committee, which should be appointed on the part of the First Church, & to report whenever it may be convenient.
July 23 The Church met after service this evening & receved from the Deacons the following report viz
The Committee appointed by the Church at their last meeting, to confer with any Committee of the First Church on the subject of holding the Friday Lecture, in future, at the Church in Chauncey Place, report : that considering the distance to which the First Church have removed their place of worship, & that a large proportion of the members reside in parts of the town, which are distant from Brattle Square ; it is, in the opinion of your Committee, attended with some inconvenience & disadvantage to them, to attend the lecture at the present place of worship. But considering that the union of our churches in this agreeable service has happily subsisted for nearly a century, and that its convenience & utility have been acknowledged by both, especially by our Pastors in times past; the Committee arc induced to recommend, as the result of their conference, that the lecture be hereafter holden alternately at the Churches in Chauncey Place & Brattle Square, and that notice of the time & place of holding the same be regularly given on the sabbath preceding. The Com- mittee make this recommendation, from a desire to preserve the connection with the First Church, & are satisfied, that its adoption by us will be regarded by our Brethren of that Society as a proof of our sincere desire to promote their prosperity, & likewise to maintain the fellowship of our Churches.
Per order, MOSES GRANT.
July 22. 1815
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MR. EVERETT'S MINISTRY.
which being read, it was voted to accept the same & that a record thereof be made.
1816 Dec' 22 At a meeting of the Church held after divine service this afternoon, a letter was communicated from the Second Church in Boston, informing that they had united in the choice of M' Henry Ware, as their pastor, and asking the presence of this Church by two delegates, at the ordination, which was appointed to take place on Jany Ist 1817.
It was voted to comply with the request, and Deacons Bradford and Thacher were chosen Delegates for the occasion.
1818 Jan IIt At a meeting of the Church, after divine service in the afternoon - the following statement from the Deacons was read & voted to be placed on the records of the Church -
The Deacons of the Church in Brattle Square ask leave to inform their Brethren, that on the 8th instant they received from the Executors of the last Will of the late Deacon Moses Grant the sum of eight thousand six hundred fifty dollars 16, in three per cent Stock of the United States; & the sum of two hundred & sixty four dollars 56 balance of cash remaining in his hands at his death, as Treasurer of the Church. - The said sum of $8650.16 is made up of sundry sums of money, which have been in times past bequeathed to the Deacons in trust, & constitutes a fund, the interest of which is to be by them distributed among its poor members. The names of these Benefactors, so far as they are now ascertained, are Timothy Clarke, Thomas Hancock & Nathaniel Gray Esqrs, Hon. James Bowdoin, Thomas Gray, William Erving & Timothy Newell Esqrs. Lydia Hancock & Elizabeth Bowdoin & the Thursday evening charitable Society. The intention of the benevolent persons has been faithfully complied with; & the Deacons have been enabled to assist & encourage many excellent persons, some of whom have fallen from affluence, & all of them deemed to be objects of charity. - In the death of Deacon Grant, the church has lost a most worthy & diligent officer, who honored
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RECORDS OF THE CHURCH IN BRATTLE SQUARE ..
his christian profession by a life of piety & benevolence. He was chosen to office in the year of 1793. For many years he served the society as their Treasurer. In the year 1798 he succeeded the late venerable Deacon Newell in the office of Treasurer of the church. From that time to his death he continued faithfully & cheerfully to assist in the administration of the ordinance of the Supper, & to attend to the management of the property & to the care of the poor. His memory & example excite the most grateful & respectful recollections. The records of the church & of the pews are now in the care of Mr. Bradford, and the property in the hands of Mr. Thacher.
The Deacons submit to the consideration of their Brethren the propriety of attending in due time to the election of an officer in the place of Deacon Grant. And in the mean time they will use their diligence that nothing shall be omitted, which may tend to the prosperity of the Church -
April 12th At a Church meeting after public worship P. M. on motion, it was voted, That the church will proceed, on next Lord's Day, to the choice of one or more of the brethren to be Deacons.
April 19. The Church met after public worship, according to adjournment, when it was voted to proceed to the choice of two Deacons - The votes being collected & counted were found to be as follows viz. 21 for Hon. John Phillips, & 17 for Mr. Moses Grant, and 3 for Joseph Hall Esq and the afore- named John Phillips & Moses Grant were declared chosen accordingly.
1818 April 26. At a meeting of the church & society after public worship, it was voted unanimously to invite Mr. John G. Palfrey to take the charge of this Society as a minister of the Gospel, he having preached several days on probation, with a view to a settlement by request of the Society, & given full satisfaction of his talents, learning, piety & other ministerial endowments. It was also voted to provide a house for the use
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DR. PALFREY'S MINISTRY.
of Mr. Palfrey, & such a quantity of fire wood as he should from time to time require, & to pay him thirty dollars a Sabbath, or week, to be paid monthly - It was also further voted, that from a regard to the health & usefulness of Mr. Palfrey, & from the consideration, that it would be mutually beneficial to him & to the Society, he be authorized, at the expense of the Society, to employ some person to preach every fourth sabbath, for the period of five years.
The standing Committee of the church & Society were requested to communicate the above votes to Mr. Palfrey; &, on receiving his answer, to make the same known to the Society.
May 10th The following letter was communicated by the standing Committee, from Mr. Palfrey, to the Society, viz.
CAMBRIDGE, May 5th 1818.
To the members of the church and Society in Brattle Square, Boston,
BRETHREN, - Your Committee have communicated to me your votes of the 26th. of April inviting me to the office of your gospel minister. I have received this mark of your regard & confidence, less as a flattering testimony of approbation, than with a humbling consciousness how much I am indebted for it to your candour, and of the insufficient ability, with which the duties it calls me to undertake must be discharged. I look forward with an anxiety more & more lively, the nearer I approach to them, to the labors & trials of the christian ministry ; & I do not reflect, without concern, on the solemn responsibility, under which they must be met. I consider, with a painful interest, the extent of the charge, for which I am about to make myself accountable : And when I remember how eminently a kind providence has hitherto favored you with the means of religious improvement, I am oppressed with the thought, of what demands it must first be my lot to make on your indulgence.
On the other hand, I am encouraged to enter on this new way, which providence opens before me, by the past experience I have had of divine goodness & your candour. In the circumstances, with which your invitation has been accompanied, I see the most gratifying proof of the existence of dispositions, such as, if they continue to be exercised, will do all, which depends on them, for my happiness, & furnish every facility to the success of my ministerial labors. It will be my constant
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RECORDS OF THE CHURCH IN BRATTLE SQUARE.
study to cherish them, & to deserve them better. I regard them as imposing on me a further obligation to zeal & diligence in the work, to which the divine will & your favor have called me : And liberally as they have been given, they will compel me to look for the fault in myself, if I should ever be so unhappy as to forfeit them. In the singular unanimity, which has marked your call for my services, I find not more a circumstance most grateful to my own feelings, than the manifestation of a spirit of christian peace, which it will be my continual aim to cul- tivate, and which augurs most happily for the prosperous issue of my exertions. What I have uniformly experienced of the liberality of your sentiments, I view as a pledge entirely to be relied on, that your con- fidence will not be lightly withdrawn ; and, much need as I shall have to ask you to receive well designed, in the place of successful efforts, I shall not doubt, that my motives will always be viewed with a liberal construction, & my exertions met, on your part, by such corresponding dispositions as can alone make them effectual to your religious improve- ment and salvation. Finally, I trust & pray, that my weakness may be made strong in the strength of that Master to whose service I am called ; and do not doubt that I shall be aided with his guidance and blessing in proportion to the sincerity, with which I devote myself to his cause
Impressed as I am most seriously with these sentiments, brethren, trusting humbly in God for the communication of that grace without which our purposes & expectations are vain, and looking confidently to you for that kind interpretation of my conduct which is essential to give encouragement and a happy event to my endeavors, I signify to you my assent to your proposal. In so doing my mind is penetrated with the reflexion, that while I am receiving from you, as far as they may be communicated from one to another, the charge of your most important, your spiritual concerns, I am in turn giving up my earthly happiness to the care of your kindness. That each may guard with vigilance & tenderness the weighty trust thus mutually reposed, and that the inter- esting connexion about to be formed may be to all of us the means of present and eternal good, is the earnest hope & constant prayer of your faithful friend & servant in Christ.
JOHN G. PALFREY
By request of the Society, the Committee & Mr. Palfrey met to fix on a day for his ordination & to select the ordaining Council. And Wednesday, the 17th. day of June was proposed, and the following churches were invited to attend, viz -
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