USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > The history of the First Baptist church of Boston (1665-1899) > Part 23
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OUR MEETING-HOUSES.
First meeting-house (wood) 1679, Salem and Stillman .1
Streets.
Second meeting-house (wood) 1771, on the same site. Third meeting-house (brick) 1829, Hanover and Union Streets. Fourth meeting-house (brick) 1854, Somerset Street. Fifth meeting-house (stone) 1877, Shawmut Avenue and Rutland Street.
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Sixth meeting-house (stone) 1882, Commonwealth Avenue and Clarendon Street.
BEQUESTS AND GIFTS TO THE CHURCH.
1721 Thomas and John Hollis, of London, for repairing the meeting-house and to make conveniences for baptizing £135 2S.
1714 One cup, marked " Ex dono J. & M. Russell, 1714."
1714 One cup, marked "Ex dono Mary Russell to ye Church."
1727 One cup, marked "The gift of Wm Snell to ye Baptist Church in Boston. 1727."
One spoon, marked "W" . Snell. 1727."
1729 One cup, marked "F-I. F. " Sept. 7, 1729, the gift of John Fore- land, in memory of his wife.
1730 Mr. Fisk, of Wenham . £5
1752 Josiah Byles, per annum . I3s. 6d.
1753 Edward Richardson .
£4
1764 Mrs. Jennings
£1 18s.
1765 Elizabeth Vose. £60
1777 Shem Drowne
£6 13s. 4d.
1785 Mrs. Vose, half of annual income of estate in Gloucester.
1787 Cup, marked "The gift of Mrs. Sarah Jeffers." 1792 Jonathan Harris, two flagons for communion table.
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1792 Mrs. Avis Brown, for Ministers. Widows' Fund . £50 1793 William White and Jonas Welsh, two goblets and two dishes for communion table (not marked).
Unknown Date
Goblet, marked " Ex dono, R. K." (No record.)
Goblet, marked "Ex dono, S. C. Tistmn, A. D., per T. A." (No record.)
1819 Mrs. Lydia Sparhawk Fund, interest only for poor of church . $1,000 Also fund for Sunday-school, interest only to be used . 500
Also to Rev. J. M. Winchell, the pastor 1,500 1828 Mrs. Anna Conant, to be added to Spar- hawk Fund 25
1841 Mrs. Nancy Adams Fund, interest only for poor , 200
1852 Deacon S. G. Shipley Fund, interest only for poor . 1,000
1854 Mrs. Prudence C. Loring, widow of Deacon J. Loring, three goblets for communion table.
1854 Mrs. Lucy Snow, widow of Deacon Prince Snow, Jr., three goblets for communion table.
1869 Thomas Richardson Fund, to be invested for the benefit of the church 500
1872 Rufus Mossman Fund, interest only for the poor of the church (" Betsy Moss- , man Fund ") . 500
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1874 John Newhall, to the church ("Newhall Fund ") . $2,581 Also to the Sunday-school ("Newhall Fund ") 645
1875 Isaac Butterfield Fund, interest only for the poor of the church . 500
1876 Thomas P. Foster Fund, interest only for the poor of the church . 500
1877 Mrs. Eliza Smith Fund, interest only for the poor of the church 500
1880 Hannah F. Plummer Fund, interest only for the poor of the church . 100
1882 Salmon Whitney Fund, interest only for the poor of the church . 200
1895 William H. Learnard Fund, interest only for the poor of the church 1,000
Also fund for Sunday-school, interest only to be used . 1,000
Also fund for church music, interest only to be used . 1,000
These numerous gifts are still doing their benefi- cent service in the work of the church, and keep green the memory of men and women whose names otherwise might be almost forgotten. These bequests are evidence of the ardent love which these members have had toward this church, and happily bind our past and our present together in a unity of usefulness.
The records of the church were always kept by the ministers until 1809, when Deacon James Loring be- came church clerk. In 1827 Mr. Grosvenor revived the old custom and acted as clerk throughout his
373
pastorate, but he was the last pastor to act in this office. Mr. William H. Brewer was clerk from 1853 to 1870, and Mr. George A. Bartlett from 1870 to 1875. Mr. William H. Foster from November, 1875, to the present time has served with great fidelity.
It is difficult to learn much about the men who have served as sextons. Ichabod Williston was "the saxton " in 1772, and " his salary was two shillings per week lawful money." It is safe to conclude that he did some other work also for a living. The Bos- ton Town Records have this item, June 9, 1777 : " That M' Newman, sexton of M' Stillmans meeting, be directed to ring the bell of Christ church at I o'clock and at 9 at night." This is supposed to be Robert Newman who hung the lantern out of the steeple of Christ Church to give Paul Revere warning as to which way the British troops had gone on that memorable night in April, 1775. He seems to have been "sexton of our meeting house " for some time after the evacuation of Boston. Christ Church was closed for about three years, while our meeting-house, which was two blocks distant, was opened promptly after the British withdrawal. His length of service with us is unknown. Father Winslow, who resigned in 1834, was sexton for more than thirty years. He was very ceremonious and always preceded the min- ister up the aisle and held the pulpit door open for him to enter. He retained all the quaint dress of the colonial time, and was an odd character. He was the terror of the children, who had a notion that he haunted the meeting-house like a ghost at night, and who looked upon him in general as a man to be
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shunned and feared. The sexton's salary in 1815 was one hundred and twenty dollars per year. The present sexton, Benjamin R. Chase, began Oct. I, 1873, and has been a model officer in his position. His salary is one thousand dollars.
The music of the church in public worship has through the most of its history been conducted by volunteer singers and without compensation. In the second decade of this century a very small salary was paid to the leader of the choir, and the custom then inaugurated has been enlarged until the present time when all the members of the choir and the organist are paid suitable salaries. The music is now provided by an organist and a quartette of singers. The congregation joins in hymn singing. The church now maintains two weekly meetings for Christian conference and prayer, the young people's meeting and the general prayer and conference meeting. Men and women are equally at liberty to take part in these meetings. The exercises consist of an exposition of some passage of Scripture by the pastor or leader, and of voluntary prayer, exhortation, and singing by the members. There is also a monthly meeting devoted wholly to social purposes. There are two services for public worship and preaching on Sunday, at II A. M. and 7:30 P. M. "BEHOLD HE THAT KEEPETH ISRAEL SHALL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP."
INDEX
Allen, John, 77. Andros, Sir Edmund, 185, 224. Arlington, church formed, 273. Armitage, Thomas, 316. Association, Warren : organized, 255; meets in Boston, 284; church with- draws from, 322.
Backes, Stiving, 90. Baker, Stephen, 70, 84, 100.
Baldwin, Thomas, salary of, 245, 284. Baptism : referred to, 17; form of, 60, 76 ; place of, 211 ; conveniences, 221. Baptists, statutes against, 10.
Baptistery : first, 263 ; new, 327.
Barny, Jacob, 56. Barrett, James, 70. Bartholdi, sculptor, 343.
Baxter, "Baptized in Bloud," 111. Beckley, J. T., associate pastor, 337. Beecher, Lyman, 327. Bellingham, Governor, 78, 110. Bellingham, Baptists at, 238. Benevolences, organized, 331. Bequests, list of, 370. Bill of Rights, adopted by Massachu- setts, 330.
Billerica : mentioned, 60; Baptists in, 100, 129. Bolles, Lucius, 294.
Bowers, Benanuel, 70, 84, 100, 108 seq. Bound, Ephraim, ordained, 242. Bound, James, protest, 240.
Brattle Square Church, 341. Brimfield, Baptists at. 240. Broaddus, Andrew, 305. Brooks, Timothy, 129. Brown, Avis, gift of widows' fund by, 275
Brown University, charter of, 254. Brown, S. N., 341. Bunker, Jonathan, 84. Byles, Josias, deacon, 204.
Callender, Ellis : mentioned, 57, 136 ; pastor, 195.
Callender, Elisha : ordained, 201 ; re- fused appointment as overseer of Harvard, 207; visits Springfield, 215 ; death of, 226.
Callender, John, pastor in Newport. 212, 221, 228, 233, 239. Cambridge Jail, 104.
Catechism, 283.
Charlestown : discipline by First Church, 34; constable's warrants, 70; Baptist church established, 286. Chauncy, Charles, 61. Churchwood, Humphrey, 179.
Clarke, John, 14-17, 59, 62, 93. Clay, Joseph : called, 298-302; death of. 304.
Clerks, list of church, 372. Cobbett, Thomas, 77, 173.
Cole, Isaac, 129. Colman, Benjamin, 220.
Comer, John, 212.
Committee, standing, 250. Condy, Jeremiah : called, 233 ; re- signed, 243.
Confession of Faith, 65, 348.
Convention, Federalist, 277.
Cotton, John. 18, 19, 36. Covenant, oldest church, 182. Crandall, John, 14.
Crane, C. B. : called, 340; resigns, 344. Cushman, R. W., 338.
Danforth, Samuel, 77. Deacons, list of, 368. Dexter, H. M., 19. Dingley, Richard, 192. Discipline, 270. Disputation, public in Boston, 78. Dissent, method of, 75. Dissenters, 87. Dover, N. H., Baptists in, 7-9.
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376
Drinker, Edward, 56, 68, 90-93, 121, 154, 167, 187, 192. Drowne, Shem, deacon, 204. Dunster, Henry, 25-29, 33, 59.
Earle, A. B., in revival, 336. Education Society formed, 279. Edwards, Morgan, 19. Eliot, John, 64. Elliott, Joseph, 310. Elm Hill Church, organized, 346. Emblem, John, pastor, 191 Endicott, Governor, 16. Episcopalians : mentioned, 126, 131 ; in Boston, 184. Evans, P. S., 338.
Farlow, Caleb, 129. Farlowe, George, 56, 100, 107, 123. Farnum, John, 56, 81, 88, 160, 188. Foreland, John, legacy, 220.
Foskett, John, 70. Foster, Benjamin, baptized and or- dained, 267.
Foster, Hopestill, 129.
Foster, Thomas: mentioned, 57, 100. 107, 129, 159 ; re-baptized, 60. Foster, Thomas P., 362. Foster, W. H., 373. Freeman, Philip, at Warren Associa- tion, 257.
Gair, Thomas, ordained, 269. Galusha, Elon, 305, 310. George, John, 56, 58, 68. Goodall, Mary, 56. Goodall, Richard, 56. Goold, James, 70. Goold, Mary, 63. Goold, Thomas: mentioned, 29-36 : discipline of. 39-51 ; other mention of, 55, 56, 68, 70-99, 109, 122, 154. Grafton, Joseph, ordained, 274. Greenliefe, Enoch, 84, 100. Grosvenor, C. P., pastor, 321-328.
Hague, William, pastor, 329, 330, 338. Hamlitt, William, 57, 100, 104, 107, 121. Hancock, John, 344. Harris, Jonathan, gift, 281. Haverhill, church founded in, 251. Higginson, John, 77.
Hillar, Benjamin, deacon, 201. Hiscox, William, 78, 108, 121. Holden, Oliver, author of "Corona- tion," 279.
Hollis, Thomas : gift to Harvard Col- lege, 200 : gift to church, 208-210. Holmes, Obadiah, 14-20, 33, 84. Hoare, John, 100.
Howard, Nathaniel, 90.
Howland, H. J., 361.
Hoyt, Wayland, 339. Hubbard, Samuel, 78, 121. Hull, Isaac, pastor, 56, 132-134, 178, 189. Hull, Captain, diary of, 80, 107.
Jackson, Andrew, President, 330. Jeffs, John, 129. Jenckes, Governor, 19. Johnson, John, 75, 90, 100, 102, 129. Johnson, Mattliew, 129.
Kendall, Francis, 129. King's Chapel, 185. Kittery, church at, 179 seq. Knapp, Jacob, in revival, 332. Knollys, Hansard, 7, 151.
Lambert, Robert, 56, 88. Leethy, Robert, 70. Lecture, monthly, 236. Leverett, Governor, 110. Liberty, religious, 35, 63.
Lighting, meeting-house, 264.
Lord's Supper. 136. Lorimer, G. C., 339. Loring, James, elected clerk, 301, 312. 316, 320. Lynn, Baptists in, 14.
Manning, James, 254. Mansall, Thomas, 70. Marshfield, Baptists in, 221. Massachusetts State Convention, or- ganized. 292. Mather, Cotton, 28, 88, 196, 202. Mather, Increase, 36, 88. 125, 147. 148, 168, 185, 197, 202. Meeting-house : first, 136; nailed up. 138-141; enlarged, 211; law against building, 141; repaired, 251; new. 261; dedicated, 265; used as bar- racks and hospital, 268; reopened.
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269 ; enlarged, 279; warming of, 293 ; third, 325; old, moved to South Boston, 326; fourth, 334; fifth, 338 ; sixth, 341 ; list of every, of the First Church, 369; Old North, 249; New Brick, offered, 262.
Ministry, an educated, 170. Missionary Contribution, 347.
Missionary Magazine, 292. Missionary Organization, 289.
Mitchell, Jonathan, 36, 77, 79.
Money depreciated, 273.
Moody, Lady, 8. Moulton, Ebenezer, ordained, 240.
Moxom, P. S. : called, 345 ; resigns, 346.
Murray, John, founder of Universal- ism, 271. Music, 374. Myles, John, 13, 59, 124, 130. Myles, Samuel, rector of Chapel, 126.
King's
Neale, R. H .: called, 331 ; resigns, 339 . portrait, 340.
Negro Baptists, 267. Nevers. Richard, 75.
Newell, Mary, 56, 58, 70. Newberry, church at, 58, 178.
Newport Church, vi., 8, 99, 108, 212. Newton Church, 274.
Newton Theological Institution. founded, 317. Noddles' Island, 64, 70, 89, 96, 121. Nott, Eliphalet, 312. Nuell, Jonathan, 90.
Old South Church: mentioned, 184; revived, 295; prayer meeting estab- lished. 296.
Olney, Thomas, pastor in Providence. 60, 154. Oppression, by standing order, 258, 280. Osborne, Thomas, 40, 57, 68, 70, 84, 108, 123, 129, 136.
Painter, Thomas, 8. Parker, J. W., 339. Parsons, Edmund, founds " Refuge," 308. Pastors, list of, 367. Paul, Thomas, ordained, 267, 297.
Pearce, John, 129.
Petition : from Roxbury and Dorches- ter, 12 ; for clemency to prisoners, 85. Pierce, Robert, 129. Plymouth, 12, 13, 60. Polly, George, 75.
Poor, collection for, 206.
Prayer meeting, established, 281. Proctor, John, protest of, 240. Proctor, Richard, deacon, 204. Providence Church, vi., 6. Pump, in meeting-house yard, 264.
Raynor, Stephen, 70. Revival, great, 295.
Revolution, American, begun, 268. Roots, P. P., 281.
Roxbury, First Church of record, 64, 79. Russell, John, Jr. : mentioned, 56, 75, 100 seq., 123, 129, 133 ; ordination, 132 ; narrative of, 149 seq. ; death of, 177. Russell, John, Sen., 57, 90, 94, 100 seq., 123.
Sailors, 260. Salem Church, 4, 15. Salem Street, 136. Scituate, church in, 28, 61. Sereven, William, 179, 183, 195. Scriptures, reading, in church, 219.
Sextons, 373. Shawmut Avenue Church, unites, 338. Shipley, Mrs. S. G., 336. Shrimpton, Henry, 70. Simpson, J. K., 330.
Singing : in public worship, 218 seq. : lining out for, 243 ; of Watts' hymns. 266; assisted by instruments, 307 ; Winchell's Watts used. 309, 374.
Skinner, Thomas, 57, 132, 192.
Slavery, African, 333.
Smallpox, in Boston, 168.
Smith, Hezekiah, 251. Smith, Matthew, 129. Sparhawk, bequests, 308. Springfield : work there, 213; church organized, 239. Spur, John. 9, 19. Squire, Philip, 136. Starbuck, Edward, 9. Stillman Street, 142.
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Stillman, Samuel : called, 244; salary, 245; installed, 247; fellow of Brown, 254 ; in Philadelphia, 268; annual sermon of, 272; forms education society, 279; forms missionary so- ciety, 289; death, 298. Stoddard, Solomon, 125. Stow, Baron, 320. Sullivan, John, 320.
Sunday-school : organized, 306; his- tory of, 353 seq .; missions, 358; pri- mary, 359 ; superintendent of, 362. Stuart, Moses, 311.
Sutton : baptisms at, 217; formation of church at, 222, 223. Swansea : church in, vi., 13, 124, 132 ; aggrieved, 235. Sweetser, Benj., 56, 86, 90, 99, 193. Jammer r13 Taxation of Baptists, 224 seq. Thrumbes, John, 70. Torry, Joseph, 57. Turner, William, 92, 109, 56, 58, 68, 81, 89, 127, 167.
Universalists, offer meeting-house, 279.
Upham, Edward, 217, 228.
War, Civil, 333.
" Watchman," founded, 312.
Wayland, Francis, Jr. : called, 310 ; editor, 316; professor, 318; resigns, 319 ; portrait, 320.
Whitfield, George, and New Lights movement, 237.
Whiting, I. O., 341.
Wickenden, William, 8.
Willard, Samuel, 36, 106, 185.
Williams, John, 109.
Williams, Roger, 4, 60.
Wilson, John, 123, 129.
Wiman, Francis, 129.
Winchell, J. M .: called, 305; dis- courses, 308; death, 309.
Winslow, Gov., 10.
Witter, William, 9, 14.
Woburn, Baptists in, 100, 129.
Women: in case of discipline, 272; benevolent work of, 363.
Wood, John, 9. Wood, Nathan E., called, 346. Wright, Joseph, 129.
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