USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Charlestown > The history of the First church, Charlestown, in nine lectures, with notes > Part 22
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It will be seen that the lectures, down to October 2, were given every four weeks; and all these were upon Matthew vii. 13. The remainder were given every two weeks; and these were upon Matthew vii. 1-4.
It would seem probable, therefore, that the lecture was held once a fortnight, and that Mr. Symmes and Shepard alternated.
The following notices of the Charlestown Lecture in Judge Sewall's journal, will be read with interest.
" 1687, May 27. Went to Charlestown Lecture, and heard Mr. Morton from these words: 'Love is a fruit of the Spirit.' Mr. Dan- forth sat in the Deacon's seat." " 1687, August 19. Mr. Morton's text, out of the fruits of the Spirit, falls in course to be PEACE, indeed very seasonably, as to the exercise that town is under respecting their common, part of which was laid out and bounded to particular per- sons." " 1688, May 11. Go to Charlestown Lecture." " 1688, Friday, June 8. Sir William at Charlestown Lecture." "1688, Sep- tember 28. I go to Charlestown Lecture. Mr. Lee preaches from Matthew xxv. 6. After lecture, dined at Mr. Russell's." "1691, Friday, October 9. Mr. Baily preaches the lecture at Charlestown. After lecture, Mr. Morton dines in his new house, one room being closed. Were at table, Mr. Morton and Mrs., my Lady Phips, Mr. Moody and Mrs., Mr. Allen, Mr. Baily, little John Baily."" " 1715-16, January 13. I go to Charlestown Lecture. Mr. Bradstreet preached excellently from Lam. iii. 25. Madam Bradstreet was at meeting." " 1716, September 21. Go to Charlestown Lecture, which is the first in their new meeting-house. Mr. Stevens preaches from Psalm Ixxxiv. 4: 'Blessed are they that dwell in thy house.' Made a very good dis- course, worthy to be printed. Two first staves lxv. Ps. sung L. Dined with Col. Phillips." " 1717, August 23. Went to Charlestown Lecture. Mr. Stevens gave us a very good discourse from Revelation xiv. 13," &c. "1717, September 20. Went to Charlestown Lecture, where Mr. Bradstreet preached from Psalm cxliii. 10: 'Teach me to
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do thy will.' Dined with Mr. Graves." " 1718, October 17. Go to Charlestown Lecture. Mr. Bradstreet preached from Hebrews xiii. 14. Mentioned the sudden deaths several times. Have been four of late ; viz., Plummer, Mico, Sheaf the ferryman," &c. " 1720-21, February 3, Friday. Mr. Bradstreet preaches the lecture from Job xiv. 14: 'I will wait.' The Governor and Col. Dudley (William) dine with the Court, but were not at lecture." Anciently the Superior Court was held at Charlestown and Cambridge alternately, and the above is an instance in which the judges seemed to have adjourned court to attend lecture, as they were accustomed to do when lecture fell in court time.'
NOTE 42, page 124.
STEVENS'S PRIVATE RECORDS.
Tins volume, which belonged originally to Mr. Stevens and after- wards to Mr. Abbot, contains the following records in the handwriting of Mr. Stevens.
" The new meeting-house at Charlestown was raised the 20th day of June, A. D. 1716. We met in it August 5, 1716.
"Joseph Stevens, son of Joseph and Mary Stevens, was born at Andover, June 20, 1682.
" Sarah Linde, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Linde, was born at Charlestown, February 23, 1693-4.
" September 16, 1705. I preached my first sermon at Marblehead, on Matthew xvi. 26, I being then twenty-three years, two months and twenty-seven days old.
" I was chosen a fellow of Harvard College December 24, 1711.
" I was ordained at Charlestown, October 13, 1713, by the Rev. Dr. Increase Mather ; had the right hand of fellowship by his son, Dr. C. Mather. I preached from Daniel xii. 3.
" Joseph Stevens and Saralı Linde were married July 15,2 1714, by the Rev. Mr. Bradstreet.
" Sarah Stevens was born May 5, 1715, and baptized by myself the &th.
" Sarah Stevens died August 20, 1716.
" Sarah Stevens the second, was born February 18, 1716-17, and baptized by Rev. Mr. Bradstreet, the 24th.
" Joseph Stevens was born June 30, 1719, and baptized by myself, July 5th.
" Benjamin Stevens was born May 4, 1721, and baptized by Mr. Bradstreet, 7th."
1 For a full and interesting account of the origin and nature of these ancient lectures, see Rev. Mr. Sewall's Notes, American Quarterly Register, volume xiii. p. 51.
2 The Town Records say July 14.
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This book also contains a record of marriages solemnized by him from September 28, 1714, to August 11, 1721; and also a list of the children he had baptized from 1713 to 1721.
NOTE 43, page 125.
SETTLEMENT OF MR. PRENTICE.
THE following account of the proceedings of the church in reference to the settlement of Mr. Prentice, was written by Mr. Abbot, in the manuscript volume just alluded to.
MEMORANDUM.
" At a Church Meeting at Charlestown, 21 May, 1739.
" After the meeting was opened with solemn and earnest prayer to God, for his Presence and Direction, the church came into the follow- ing votes :
" First. They voted a Concurrence with the Town, in the vote they had passed at a general Town meeting, on the 14th of May, wherein they declared Their Inclination and Desire to have another Settled Pastor, to take part of the Ministry with me. [N. B .- There were about 31 that voted for it, and about 20 that appeared against it, be- sides some that were Neuters, especially the Two Deacons, who did not act in the affair.}
" Secondly. They voted (agreeable to the Custom of the Churches in This Land, and of This Church in particular, in such affairs) to set apart a Day for Solemn prayer with Fasting, to implore the presence of the Glorious Head of the Church with Them, and that they might be both directed and prospered in so weighty and Important an under- taking, as That of the Settlement of a Pastor is to God's glory and our Edification. And accordingly, They agreed to set apart Wednesday, the Sixth of June, for the observation of the Fast.
" Thirdly. They voted to Desire the Town to join with Them in the Solemnities of the Fast, which They Judged the First step proper to be taken in an affair of This Nature and Importance, that relates to the Kingdom and Interest of Christ in the World.
" Fourthly. The Church having desired that the Elders &c. that come to assist us on the Fast, might meet at My House, did vote that The Deacons should supply us with what was Needful for their Enter- tainment on That Occasion.
" Then I dismissed the Church with the Apostolical Benediction."
" June 6. We observed the Private Fast as was proposed by the Church, 21 May. Dr. Sewall opened the Solemnity in the morning by prayer ; Mr. Cooper preached, xvi. John, 23, 4. Mr. Welsteed closed the Forenoon exercise with prayer.
" Mr. Grey began with prayer in the Afternoon. I preached Ixviii. Psalm, 18: ' Thou hast received gifts for men ;' and Mr. Byles prayed
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after Sermon. And after we had sang the Hymn in which was the text, Dr. Sewall dismissed the Congregation with the Blessing."
" At a Church meeting at Charlestown, 13 June, 1739.
" After Solemn prayers and Supplications to the Glorious Head of the Church for his Presence and Direction, &c., The Church came into the following votes :
" First. They voted That They would, (God willing,) with All Convenient Speed, proceed to the Invitation and Settlement of another Pastor over Them, and take the usual and Regular steps for that End and purpose.
" Secondly. They voted to have but one Person in Nomination as a Candidate in order to a settlement.
" Thirdly. Mr. Thomas Prentice was the person only Nominated.
" Fourthly. They voted to desire the Rev. Mr. Thomas Prentice to preach with Them for Two Sabbaths next Ensuing, as a Candidate, in order to a Settlement in the Gospel Ministry among Them.
" Fifthly. Voted that Major Jenner, Joseph Lemmon, Esq., and Mr. Seth Sweetser, be a Committee to acquaint the Rev. Mr. Prentice with the Church's Vote, and to Invite Him to preach with us in order to a Settlement.
" Sixthly. Voted also that the Honorable Committee desire of Mr. Prentice some account of the Grounds and Manner of his Remove from His People, and make Report to the Church upon the Adjourn- ment of This Meeting for Their Satisfaction in that matter.
"Seventhly. Voted that the Committee aforesaid, be desired to acquaint the Selectmen with the Church's vote relating to the Settle- ment of another Minister, and desire them forthwith to Issue out a war- rant to assemble the Town together, to Join with the Church in the choice of another Pastor to take part of the Ministry with the Rev. Mr. Abbot.
" Eighthly. Voted that the Deacons render an account to the Church at the Adjournment of This Meeting, of what stock there is in the Church Treasury under Their care.
" Ninthly. Voted that the Church meeting be adjourned to the Day of the Town Meeting aforesaid, and that the Church assemble together at the ringing of the First Bell for the Meeting.
" Then I dismissed the Church with the Apostolical Benediction."
" At a Church Meeting at Charlestown, (met by adjournment,) 2 July, 1739.
" After the meeting was opened with prayer, the Church came into the several following votes :
" First. They voted an Acceptance of the Report of the Com- mittee, relating to the Grounds and Manner of Mr. Prentice His re- moval from his people at Arundel, (whom They chose to make Inquiry into It, ) and declared that They were satisfied as to the manner of it, &c. N. B .- The Report in writing is Lodged with me!
" Secondly. They accepted The Report made by the Deacons, concerning the Church Stock, which They declared amounted to the sum of 136. 11. 3., and that This included in It not only the Surplusage of the Collections made by the Church; but also, and chiefly, what
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They had received for the Rents of the Church's pastures, and the Letting of the Funeral Pall, &c.
" Thirdly. They voted That some of the Church's Monies should be devoted to pious and Charitable uses.
" Fourthly. They particularly voted that the sum of £10 should be distributed by Myself and the Deacons, to proper objects of Christian Charity, especially to such as belonged to the Church.
" Fifthly. They voted that the Deacons should have the Improve- ment of the Church's Pasture, by Mr. Hutchinson's, for Their Trouble in the management of the Secular affairs of the Church, till further order from the Church. N. B .- The Deacons were Samuel Froth- ingham and Jonathan Kettell.
" Then I dismissed the meeting with a Benediction. From thence we went to Join with the Town in the choice of another Pastor, when Mr. Prentice was chosen."
" At a Church Meeting at Charlestown, 28th August, 1739.
" After Solemn Prayers were made to the Glorious Head of the Church, the Church came into the following votes :
" First. They voted (God willing) that they would proceed to the Installation of Mr. Prentice, who had accepted Their call to office, with all Convenient Speed.
"Secondly. They voted the first Wednesday in October Next, (which is the 3d of the month, ) to be the Day for That Solemnity.
" Thirdly. They voted to Desire five Churches with their Pastors and Delegates, to assist in Council upon that Occasion.
" Fourthly. The Churches Nominated and Determined, were Those of whom Dr. Colman, &c., Dr. Sewall, &c., Mr. Welsteed, &c., at Boston, were Pastors; and the Church of Cambridge, and the Church at Medford. N. B .- [Upon a motion made in Mr. Prentice's behalf, that He might be excused from preaching on the Day of his Install- ment ; the Church were not disposed in General to give up the Custom that They had been in, of the Pastor's preaching Himself at such a Time; and therefore desired that he would then preach.]
" Fifthly. Voted That there should be a Public Collection to defray the charges of the Day aforesaid.
" Sixthly. Voted to have the Entertainment at the House in which Mr. Prentice is to Live, it being large and Convenient for that Pur- pose ; and that The Ordination Council be invited to Meet There on the Morning of the Installment.
" Seventhly. Voted that the Committee for providing Mr. Prentice's house, viz., Mr. Russell, Jenner, Cary and Foye, be a Committee to provide for the Entertainment ; and that there be Joined to them, Capt. Cheever, Foster, Mr. Trumbal, and the Two Deacons, for that pur- pose. Upon a motion I made, the Church desired I would frame and send forth in due Time, Circular Letters to the Churches afore-men- tioned, in their name and behalf to Invite them to Join in such an act of Communion as that of an ordination or Installment of a Pastor is.
" Then I dismissed the meeting with a Benediction."
" At a Church Meeting at Charlestown, 24 September, 1739, at 9 o'clock, A. M.
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" After prayers were offered up to the Great Ilead of the Church.
" 1. The Church voted their acceptance of the Form of the Letter that I drew up to send to the Churches They had before voted to Invite to Join in Council for the purpose of Mr. Prentice's Instalment, and desired that I would subscribe and send the Letters to them in their name.
" 2. They voted to Desire the Rev. Dr. Coleman to give the Sacred Charge to Mr. Prentice, at his Instalment; and in Case Ile should refuse, or were detained by Illness, that the Rev. Dr. Sewall be desired to take that part upon Him.
" 3. They voted Mr. Prentice his admission into our Church fellow- ship and Communion.
"4. They voted that what be wanting more than was gathered by the Town for that purpose, be taken out of the Church Stock for to Defray the Charges of the Public Entertainment, on the Day of Mr. Prentice's Instalment.
" Then I dismissed the meeting with a Benediction."
NOTE 44, page 128.
THE EARTHQUAKE.
THE following notice of this earthquake is taken from the manu- script diary of Mr. Thomas Abbot, of Boston-the brother of Rev. Hull Abbot-which is now owned by Mr. Benjamin Edmands.
" October 29, 1727. This night, betwixt 10 and 11 o'clock, there was in this place and many miles distant, a terrible Earthquake, in which the earth and the inhabitants thereof trembled much ; but through the goodness of God, who, in judgment did remember mercy, we dont hear of any hurt done, or that so much as one person lest his life. There were several shocks at some hours' distant from one an- other, but the first exceeded the rest. On the day following, many people being assembled at the Old North Church, there were about three hours, from 11 to 2 o'clock, spent in prayers and in preaching ; and at 5 o'clock, the people assembled at the Old Brick and Old South Churches, and spent between three and four hours more in holy exer- cises as in the morning, crying mightily to the God of all grace, that he would sanctify his awful providence to this whole people, and that he would pardon these great and crying sins that were the procuring cause of his judgments; and that he would not enter judgment with us, but spare us according to the greatness of his mercy in Christ. The Lord hear all the prayers that have been and are going up, and give a gracious answer of peace, and prepare this, his people in this town, for the day of solemn fasting and prayer, on Thursday approach- ing, that it may be such a fast as he has chosen.
" The earth was felt to shake for seven or eight months after in some places, and the roarings thereof ever now and then heard. But through God's goodness we are spared still."
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NOTE 45, page 137.
ABBOT'S FAMILY.
FROM the manuscript volume to which I have alluded, I extract the following memoranda, in the handwriting of Mr. Abbot.
" Moses Abbot and Rebecca Knight were married 11 September, 1701. Ile was lost at sea February, 1717-18.
" Hull Abbot was born on Monday, 15 June, 1702." He was the eldest of eight children, four of whom died in infancy. The births of the other three are given as follows: Elizabeth, born 10 March, 1706; Moses, August 3, 1711 ; Richard, May 29, 1715.
" Elizabeth died July 13, 1738, at Princeton, and was buried at Charlestown, in the tomb with her husband, 15th instant. Moses died May Ist, 1734; Richard died July 6, 1754, N. S.
" Memorandum. October 3, 1741. My dear mother died about 8 o'clock in the evening, after about a twelvemonth's visitation with a cancer in her breast ; very much distressed with pains about six months of the time ; and I doubt not, died in the Lord, and slept in Jesus. Lord, let me die the death of the righteous !
" Mary Bradstreet, daughter to the Rev. Mr. Simon and Mary Brad- street, was born at Charlestown, September 9, 1703, being Thursday.
" Hull Abbot and Mary Bradstreet were married July 27, 1731, (being Tuesday,) by her father, Rev. Simon Bradstreet. She died May 10, about midnight, 1763, after long confinement and great weak- ness." They had seven children, three of whom died in infancy. The record of the rest is as follows :
"3. Mary Abbot was born Thursday, November 7, 1734, being a day of Public Thanksgiving. I baptized her in my arms, on the 10th day of second month.
" 4. Moses, born Friday, April 14, 1738. I baptized him in my arms, on the following Sabbath, April 16th.
" 5. Rebecca, born Thursday, April 19, 1739. I baptized her in my arms, on the Sabbath following, April 22. She died November 27, 1756.
" 7. Thomas, born Thursday, May 2, 1745. He was baptized by Mr. Prentice, May 5, 1745."
The following records are written in another hand.
" Thomas, son of Hull and Mary Abbot, born May 2, 1745.
" Hannah Ilesilrige, daughter of Sir Robert and Sarah IIesilrige, was born August 20, 1757.
" Thomas Abbot and Hannah Hesilrige were married July 18, 1776. Mr. Gordon made the first prayer, and performed the marriage. Mr. Jackson, of Brookline, concluded with prayer.
" David Henley was born February 12, 1749.
" Sarah Hesilrige was born March 26, 1759.
" David Henley and Sarah Hesilrige were married by Mr. Parker, Episcopalian, Boston, March 21, 1782.
" Arthur Hesilrige Henley was born November 13, 1782, and christ- ned by Mr. Parker. Sponsors, D. Hubbard, A. Babcock and wife.
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" David Henley was born March 23, 1784. IIe was christened pri- vately, by Mr. Parker, being dangerously sick.
" Sarah Henley died June 10, 1786.
" Hannah Abbot died May 3, 1789.
" Rev. Thomas Abbot died November 1, 1789, aged forty-five."
NOTE 46, page 137.
ABBOT'S PUBLICATIONS.
BESIDES the discourse quoted in the lecture, I found another in the Antiquarian Library, at Worcester, with the following title :
" The duty of God's People to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and especially for the preservation and continuance of their own Privileges, both Civil and Religious, when in danger at Home or from Abroad. A Sermon on occasion of the Rebellion in Scotland, raised in favor of a Popish Pretender, with design to overthrow our present Happy Establishment, and to introduce Popery and Arbitrary Power into our Nations, from which, by a series of Wonders, in the Good Providence of God, they have been often delivered. Preached at Charlestown, in New England, January 12, 1745-6, by Hull Abbot, A. M., A Pastor of the church there: Isaiah Ixii. I ; Psalm lxxii. 15; James v. 16. The Queen Mother of Scotland was heard to say, That she more feared the fasting and prayers of John Knox and his disciples, than an army of thirty thousand men. Spec. Vel. Sacri. Boston : printed and sold by Rogers and Fowle, in Queen-street, 1746."
He also published a sermon against profane cursing and swearing, 1747, which I have not seen.
NOTE 47, page 142.
REV. THOMAS PRENTICE.
AN excellent portrait of this gentleman, in an admirable state of preservation, is in possession of Mrs. Amasa Stetson, of Dorchester, who is a grand-daughter of Mr. Prentice. It was painted in 1755, by Mr. Badger, of Boston.
To John Kettell, Esq., of Dorchester, a grand-son of Mr. Prentice, I am indebted for the following particulars.
He was born in Cambridge, 1702, of pious and respectable parents, and graduated at Harvard College, 1726. In 1728, he was ordained and settled in Arundel, District of Maine, whither he had gone for the benefit of his health. Soon after his settlement, he married Irene Emery, daughter of Rev. Mr. Emery, of Wells, by whom he had seven daughters and one son ; four of the daughters and the son died early.
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In 1737, the Indian War commenced, and the church was dispersed ; in consequence of which, Mr. Prentice returned to his native place with his wife and three children, where he soon received three invitations for settlement, from the New North Church, Boston, from West Cam- bridge, and from Charlestown; the latter of which he accepted, and the same day declined the other two. His wife died 1745, leaving three daughters, Irene, Mary, and Margaret. In October, 1746, he married Rebecca Austin, daughter of Nathaniel and Rebecca Austin, of Charlestown, by whom he had one daughter, Rebecca, who mar- ried Joseph Kettell, of Boston. His second wife died October, 1748, aged thirty-three years. In 1750, he married widow Mary Butman, of Oid York, by whom he had no children, and who survived him, and returned to York after his death. After the burning of the town, he repaired to Cambridge, and lived the remainder of his life in the house in which he was born, which was then owned by him.
Ilis daughter Mary, married Dr. Frost, of Cambridge, 1762, with whom she lived two years; and after his death, she married Nehemiah Rand, Esq., of Charlestown, 1766, and fled with her husband, during the war, to Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, where they lived until their death.
Mr. Prentice published several discourses, four of which I have seen, and possibly there are others.
The first was a sermon preached July 18, 1745, on a General Thanksgiving, for the reduction of Cape Breton.
The second, a sermon preached January 28, 1747-8, on a Public Fast, after the destruction of the Province Court House by fire.
The third, a sermon preached at the Thursday Lecture, in Boston,: January 1, 1756, on occasion of the Earthquake, November 18, pre- ceding.
The fourth was a sermon on the death of Mrs. Anna Cary, wife of Mr. Richard Cary, and eldest daughter of Richard Bradley, Esq., Attorney General of New York, preached the Sabbath after her death, March 2, 1755. This lady was remarkable for her piety and general excellence. I have now lying before me a copy of " some of Mrs. Cary's sayings a few days before her death." They appear to have attracted considerable attention, and been treasured up through veneration for the author's piety. This copy has been preserved by an aged member of the church.
NOTE 48, page 142.
MEETING-HOUSE HILL.
THE meeting-house, which was destroyed when the town was burnt, was situated on the northwest side of the square. When the town was rebuilt, it was felt to be desirable that the square should be kept open and unobstructed by buildings of any sort; and accordingly a new site was appropriated for the meeting-house in lieu of the old one.
The following vote was passed by the town, October 27, 1782 :
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" Whereas, by the destruction of a great part of this town in the year 1775, the inhabitants of the first parish were very great sufferers, and the house for public worship in said parish, as well as the dwellings of said inhabitants, were destroyed by fire, and as the affections of kindness and brotherly love are among the brightest ornaments of human nature, and as it is in the power of the town, without any in- jury to the general interests thereof, to furnish said parish with a place on which to erect a building for the public worship of God-There- fore, this town, acting on the principles and reasons above-mentioned, do hereby vote to grant, and do grant, convey, and relinquish to the first parish in this town, that piece of land commonly called Town- House Hill, for the sole purpose of erecting thereon a house for the public worship of God, provided said parish building be erected thereon within the space of five years, otherwise this grant to be void."
Within a year from the passage of this vote, the meeting-house was erected ; and the right thus acquired by the parish to the hill, was conceded and carefully respected by the town. In the year 1800, when the town were about building the present Harvard school-house, " for the accommodation of the schools, town meetings, and other public business," the parish committee were requested to call a parish meeting, " to know of the parish whether they will give the town a spot to erect a school-house upon, in front of the old one." The meet- ing was held accordingly, and it was voted, " That the parish will relinquish to the town all the right they may hold in the land front of the school-house, sufficient for the erection of a school-house and town hall, reserving not less than sixty-five feet on a parallel line north of the meeting-house." The well between the school-house and meeting-honse (in which the pump now stands) was dug a few years subsequent to the erection of the school-house, when the parish consented to have it done, as it was for the public good.
NOTE 49, page 143. ENLARGEMENT OF THE MEETING-HOUSE.
IN the year 1803, the population of the town having increased so much as to require a larger house of worship, the parish decided to enlarge the meeting-house. They at first determined to make a circu- lar alteration on the north and south sides, so as to make an addition of about twenty feet on each side. This design was subsequently relinquished, and a plan adopted for enlarging the house by adding fifteen feet to each side. The dimensions of the house, as thus en- larged, were 84 feet wide by 74 long.
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