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1 Sir Ferdinando Gorges and his Province of Maine, by James P. Baxter, p. 180.
2 Willis' History of Portland, p. 48. Williamson's History of Maine, Vol. 1, p. 297.
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way into the Province of Maine who were in sympathy with the Puritan movement and not with the church of England. At Saco, where Episcopal worship had been established, Thomas Jenner,1 a Puritan minister, writing to Gov. Winthrop April 2, 1641, and evidently with refer- ence to a caution against interference with the church people, said : "Nor have I inveighed in the least measure against the church of England (to my remembrance) but have been (and still am) very fearful to give one word of distaste about those things, but altogether do seek to gain them to Christ. True I do acknowledge that after I had been here for the space of a month or six weeks and per- ceiving them very superstitious (performing man's inven- tion rather than instituted worship of God), now that I might gain their good esteem of God's pure ordinances, and make them see the evil and folly of their superstition and will-worship, I made choice of Psalm 19 and 7 to handle it at large. Now (I heartily thank God) it took a general good impression, except Mr. Vines and one more who told me I struck at the church of Eng- land, though I mentioned her not."2 It is said that "Mr. Jenner was probably the first Puritan minister that preached in Maine."3 At Wells in 1643, we find Rev. John Wheelwright,4 who had been banished from Boston for
1 Concerning Thomas Jenner see Collections and Proceedings of the Maine Historical Society, Second Series, Vol. 3, pp. 293-297. "Mr. Jenner preached with acceptance and success to the settlers at Saco during a period of two years ; but where he was engaged in the ministry after he left that place we have no satisfactory account. If he were the man of his name, resident in Charlestown in 1649, he probably returned to England the succeeding year. He was a book scholar, indigent and laborious, having probably a greater number of tomes than of talents, for no mention is made of his abilities; yet he left a library so large as to be particularly noticed ; and so valuable as to have paid to him, by Governor Winslow for it, who purchased it, fifty pounds in advance on account of his pressing necessities. Some supposed it was bought for the use of a society formed for educating the Indians by means of established seminaries of learning for their instruction ; others thought it was intended for the enlargement of the college, newly established at Cambridge, an object more immediately important, it was said, than the Indian design itself." William D. Williamson, Collections and Proceedings of the Maine Historical Society, Second Series, Vol. 3, pp. 294, 295.
2 History of Saco and Biddeford, by George Folsom, pp. 81, 82.
3 History of Saco and Biddeford, by George Folsom, p. 83.
4 He was a brother-in-law of the celebrated Anne Hutchinson, and was a fellow stu- dent of Oliver Cromwell at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he received his
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Antinomianism. He remained at Wells several years, and undoubtedly preached to the people during his resi- dence there, as a church of some kind seems to have been organized.1
Meanwhile the Episcopalians continued their efforts in behalf of the church of England, but they were compelled to witness from time to time the growing ascendency of forces hostile to its presence. They sought "to protect themselves from interruption in their enjoyment of the usages of their church, as they looked for hostile demon- strations against the customs of their fathers. Anxieties were thus awakened, which following events increased, rather than allayed. Many of the early settlers doubtless came over in the mere spirit of adventure. But it would be a stinted measure of charity which will not allow that in all the families risking their fortunes in the enterprise, there were some persons who cherished the spirit of reli- gion, and attended to its practical duties, as well as its customary forms. The desire to have 'a goodly minister' (1641) by the people, finds a place in the records of these times. They renewed the institutions and laws of their native country. "2
Rev. Robert Jordan, who officiated at Scarborough, Casco (now Portland) and Saco, was the leader of those who thus clung to the church of England. "He and his friends were resolute in purpose and confident in their view of the right. Sustained by the favoring judgment of his
Bachelor's degree in 1614 and that of Master of Arts four years later. "I remember the time," once said the Lord Protector, "when I was more afraid of meeting Wheelwright at foot ball, than I have been since of meeting an army in the field, for I was infallibly sure of being tripped up by him." There is a sketch of Rev. John Wheelwright by William D. Williamson in the Collections and Proceedings of the Maine Historical Society, Second Series, Vol. 3, pp. 297-315.
1 Williamson says: "There was probably a church established here by Mr. Wheel- wright, as he had always sustained his ministerial character; some of his church had never left him, but accompanied him thither, and the two years afterward when the town submitted to Massachusetts, the commissioners, after hearing disputants about living in a covenant relation, pronounced them no church, implying there had been one, and if so, it was the first and eldest in Maine. Governor Winthrop speaks of Mr. Wheelwright at Wells, 'where he was pastor of a church.'" Collections and Proceed- ings of the Maine Historical Society, Second Series, Vol. 3, p. 307.
2 Collections of the Maine Historical Society, First Series, Vol. 6, pp. 183-4.
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many friends in the community, who were at first the majority and possessing great influence with them, he encouraged them as long as there was any hope of success, to resist the manifest design of Massachusetts." 1
Yet so strong did the influence of Massachusetts in religious matters in the province manifest itself that, as early as 1660, Mr. Jordan was summoned by the General Court at Boston to appear and answer for his "irregular practices" as a clergyman of the church of England in baptizing the children of Nathaniel Wallis "after the exercises were ended on the Lord's day in the house of Mrs. Macworth in the town of Falmouth," and he was requested "to desist from any such practices for the future." The Episcopal establishment, so to speak, had gradually disappeared, and the "Congregational way" was now taking its place.
In 1677, by the payment of £1,250 sterling to the grandson of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Massachusetts made good her title to this coveted territory, and, secure now in the possession of the province, she ruled it in the same spirit of religious intolerance that drove Roger Williams from Salem, and which had already manifested itself in the shore towns of Maine.
1 Collections of the Maine Historical Society, First Series, Vol. 6, pp. 184-5.
CHAPTER II.
REV. WILLIAM SCREVEN AND THE BAPTISTS AT KITTERY.
Information concerning the presence of Baptists in the Province of Maine is contained in a letter which Hum- phrey Churchwood, a member of the Baptist church in Boston, but a resident of Kittery, addressed to his breth- ren of Massachusetts Bay January 3, 1682.1 The letter is as follows :
"Humphrey, a servant of Jesus Christ to the church which is at Boston :2 grace be with you, and peace, from God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comforts, who comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble, as we are comforted of God. Most dearly beloved brethren and friends, as I am, through free grace, a member of the same body, and joined to the same head, Christ Jesus, I thought it my special duty to inform you that the tender mercy of God, in and through Jesus Christ, hath shined upon us by giving light to them that sit in darkness, and to guide our feet in the way of peace ; for a great door, and effectual, is opened in these parts, and there are many adversaries, according to the 1st of Corinthians, 16 : 9. Therefore, dearly beloved, having a
1 This is New Style.
2 The First Baptist church in Boston was organized in Charlestown, May 28, 1665. The record of the church reads : "The 28 of the 3d mo. 1665, in Charlestowne, Massachusetts, the Churche of Christ, commonly (though falsely) called Anabaptiste were gathered togather And entered into fellowship & communion each with other, Ingaigeing to walke togather in all the appointments of there Lord & Master the Lord Jesus Christ as farre as hee should bee pleased to make known his mind & will unto them by his word & Spirit, And then were Baptized Thomas Gold, Thomas Osbourne, Edward Drinker, John George and joyned with Richard Goodall, William Turner, Robert Lambert Mary Goodall, Mary Newell who had walked in that order in old England." The above record includes evidently the church covenant, as it is very like the earliest church covenants that have been preserved.
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desire to the service of Christ, which is perfect freedom, and the propagating his glorious gospel of peace and salva- tion, and eyeing that precious promise in Daniel the 12th, 3d, 'They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever,' therefore I signify unto you that here [are] a competent number of well established people whose hearts the Lord hath opened insomuch that they have gladly received the word and do seriously profess their hearty desire to the following of Christ and to partake of all his holy ordinances, according to his blessed institution and divine appointment; therefore I present my ardent desire to your serious consideration, which is, if the Lord see it fit, to have a gospel church planted here in this place, and in order hereunto, we think it meet that our beloved brother, William Screven, who is, through free grace, gifted and endued with the spirit of veterans to preach the gospel [be ordained]; who, being called by us, who are visibly joined to the church. When our beloved brother is ordained according to the sacred rule of the Lord Jesus our humble petition is to God that he will be pleased to carry on this good work to the glory of his holy name, and to the enlarging of the kingdom of his beloved Son, our dear Redeemer, who will add daily to his church such as shall be saved ; and we desire you in the name of our Lord Jesus not to be slack in this good work, believing verily that you will not, and that you are always abound- ing in the work of the Lord, and we humbly crave your petitions for us to the throne of grace, and we commend you to God and the good word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified." 1
Humphrey Churchwood, the writer of this letter, and William Screven, to whom he refers, were baptized and united with the Baptist church in Boston June 21, 1681. The record on the original church book is as follows : "William Screeven & his wife & Humphrey -urkwood
1 I have followed the copy of this letter which is found in the reprint of Backus' His- tory of the Baptists of New England (1871), Vol. 1, p. 401.
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baptized the 21st of 4 mo 1681 & received to communion." Concerning the previous history of Mr. Screven but little is known. He came to Kittery from England undoubt- edly, but at what time there is no record.1 After his settlement at Kittery he is first mentioned in a deed2 by which, November 15, 1673, Elizabeth Seely granted ten acres of land on the west side of Spruce Creek, Kittery, at what was known as Carle's Point, to William Screven, for eleven pounds "current pay of New England."" He is next mentioned in the record of his marriage, July 3, 1674, to Bridget Cutts, a daughter of Robert Cutts, one of the three brothers so prominent among the early settlers of New Hampshire. John, the oldest, was the first presi- dent of New Hampshire ; Robert, the youngest, settled at Barbadoes, in the West Indies, where he married, as his second wife, Mary Hoel. Subsequently he came to New England, and first lived in Portsmouth, in the Great House (so-called) at the foot of Pitt Street. Afterward he removed to Kittery, where he was extensively engaged in ship-building. He had two sons and four daughters. It was the second of these daughters whom William Screven married.
From the Records of the Province of Maine 4 we learn that at a County Court, held at York, July 6, 1675, among
1 See, for an extended notice of Rev. William Screven, Collections and Proceedings of the Maine Historical Society, Second Series, Vol. 1, paper read by Rev. H. S. Burrage, pp. 45-56; also a paper by the same in Vol. 5, same Series, pp. 275-284.
2 York Deeds, Book 4, Folio 41.
8 Moses A. Safford, Esq., of Kittery, examined the western shore of Spruce Creek a few years ago, and from the description given in this deed he located Mr. Screven's lot on the Rogers farm, which was made up of lots purchased by Richard Rogers of the Cutts family, and others, about 1787, and is still in the possession of the Rogers family. There are at the present time no houses on the west side of Spruce Creek at this point; but an examination of the shore furnishes evidence that in an earlier time, probably from the beginnings of colonization in this vicinity, there were residences here and there near the shore, and the old cellars are still visible. There are ten or twelve cellars within a short distance of Mr. Screven's place. One side of Mr. Screven's lot was bounded by what is now known as Broad Cove, and on the opposite side of the cove there was formerly a tide mill. This mill, I am told, was abandoned about ninety years ago, but the old mill stones remain, and are almost the only relics of early Kittery enterprise on the west side of Spruce Creek.
4 By a resolution adopted in the Maine House of Representatives March 3, 1848, and in the Senate on the same date, the Governor and Council were "authorized to employ a suit-
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several "presentments" by the Grand Jury was the following :
"We present William Scrivine for not frequenting the public meeting according to law on the Lord's days.1
"This person presented is remitted because per evidence it appears that he usually attends Mr. Moody's meetings on the Lord's days."
At a court held at Wells, July 4, 1676, Mr. Screven was appointed a constable for "the lower part of the River." In 1678 and in 1680, he was appointed to serve on the Grand Jury, and at the General Assembly held at York, June 30, 1681, he took his seat as a deputy from Kittery.
It is evident from these records, as well as from Church- wood's letter, that in his religious views Mr. Screven was not in harmony with the "Standing Order." He was nevertheless esteemed as a citizen, and was rapidly advanced to positions of official trust.
Churchwood's letter shows that at the time to which it refers there were Baptists enough in Kittery-in part doubtless as a result of Mr. Screven's labors-to warrant the formation of a Baptist church. The nearest church of the same faith and order was that in Boston, to which this letter was addressed, and which was organized sixteen years before. Rev. Isaac Hull was the second pastor of this church. After hearing Mr. Screven preach the breth- ren in Boston gave him a license dated January 11, 1682.3
"To all whom it may concern :- These are to certify, that our beloved brother, William Screven, is a member in communion with us, and having had trial of his gifts
able person to transcribe the Early Records of the Province of Maine, now in the keeping of the clerk of the Judicial Courts of the County of York, to be deposited in the office of the Secretary of State." March 13, 1848, Charles Bradbury of Kennebunkport was appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Council, to make this transcription. The work was completed in four volumes, and deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, with this title: "Transcript of the Early Records of the Prov- ince of Maine." A manuscript copy of this "Transcript" was made a few years ago for Hon. James P. Baxter, of Portland, and the references in this volume to these "Early Records" are to Mr. Baxter's copy.
1 Early Records, Vol. 3, p. 296.
2 Early Records, Vol. 3, p. 315.
3 Jan. 11, 1681, Old Style.
...
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amongst us, and finding him to be a man whom God hath qualified and furnished with the gift of his Holy Spirit, and grace, enabling him to open and apply the word of God, which may be through the blessing of the Lord Jesus useful in his hand, for the begetting and building up souls in the knowledge of God, do therefore appoint, approve and also encourage him, to exercise his gift in the place where he lives, or elsewhere, as the providence of God may cast him; and so the Lord help him to eye his glory in all things, and to walk humbly in the fear of his name."
This certificate was signed in behalf of the rest by Isaac Hull, pastor of the church, and John Farnham.
Meanwhile the little company of Baptists at Kittery were subjected to many annoyances. Under date of January 25, 1682 (New Style), Mr. Churchwood addressed another letter to his brethren in Boston in which he says :
"I thought good to inform you that since our beloved brother Screven went from us, who, I trust is by God's mercy now with you, by his long absence from us, has given great advantage to our adversaries to triumph and to endeavor to beat down that good beginning which God, by his poor instrument, hath begun amongst us; and our magistrate, Mr. Hucke,1 is almost every day summoning and threatening the people by fines and other penalties, if ever they come to our meeting any more, five shillings for every such offence." 2
Mr. Churchwood adds that he also, on the previous day, was brought before the magistrate, who demanded of him how he spent his time. In the presence of the magistrate, also, he had a long discussion with Mr. Woodbridge,8 "our
1 Francis Hooke of Kittery. He was a son of Humphrey Hooke, an alderman of the city of Bristol, England, and lived at Winter Harbor in Saco before moving to Kittery Point. He was justice of the peace, county treasurer, Judge of Probate and of the Court of Common Pleas.
" The original of this letter is in the possession of the writer of this volume.
8 Greenleaf, in his Sketches of the Ecclesiastical History of the State of Maine, p. 29, note, says : "Mr. Backus in relating the account of an ancient Baptist church at Kittery mentions a Mr. Woodbridge as Priest of the place. This was in 1680. But we have no other account of this man." In the appendix to Rev. Dr. Charles A. Briggs' "American
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minister," concerning infant baptism, etc. Mr. Screven in a short time, possibly after a visit to Mr. Miles,1 the pastor of the Baptist church in Swansea, returned to Kittery, and entered upon the work to which he had been called by his brethren. The opposition, which during his absence had been manifested towards his associates, was now directed to him, and from an entry without date in the Records of the Province? it appears that he was summoned in a short time to appear before the provincial authorities. The record is as follows :
"William Screven, upon rumors and reports from a com- mon fame of some presumptuous, if not blasphemous speeches about the holy ordinance of baptism which should pass from him. Whereof being informed we sent for said Screven by a special warrant to York, where, upon exam-
Presbyterianism," I find the following : "Benjamin Woodbridge was a son of John Woodbridge, pastor of Andover, Mass. ; brother of John Woodbridge, pastor of Wethers- field, Conn., and of Timothy Woodbridge, pastor of Hartford, Conn. He was pastor at Windsor, Conn., from 1668-1680, of a party who were dissatisfied with Mr. Chauncy, who had been called by the majority of the church. They were both dismissed by order of the court. The two parties then united in one church. He is probably the Mr. Wood- bridge mentioned in a letter of Joshua Moody from Portsmouth, N. H., in 1683. It is probable that he supplied that church during the troubles of its pastor with the arbitrary authorities. He supplied the church at Bristol from 1684-86, but the people could not unite upon him. (Collections of the Mass. Hist. Soc. IV., Vol. 8, pp. 463, 651-655; Contri- butions of the Ecclesiastical History of Connecticut, New Haven, 1861, p. 513.) He was again supply at Portsmouth, N. H., in 1690." Dr. Briggs adds a letter from Mr. Wood- bridge to some English Bishop written at Portsmouth, April 2, 1690. This letter was discovered by Dr. Briggs in the summer of 1884 in the Rolls Office, London. Rev. E. S. Stackpole, D. D., in his "Old Kittery and her Families" (1903), p. 189, says : "The next minister we read of in Kittery was Benjamin Woodbridge in 1688-9. He was a son of Rev. John Woodbridge of Andover, Mass." Mr. Churchwood's letter shows that Mr. Woodbridge was in Kittery quite a number of years earlier.
1 Churchwood, in the above letter, says Mr. Hooke referred to Mr. Miles in this way : "Behold your great Doctor, Mr. Miles of Swanzey, for he now leaves his profession and is come away, and will not teach his people any more, because he is likely to perish for want; and his gathered church and people will not help him." Churchwood replied that this "was a great untruth," and he was right. Rev. John Miles in 1667, by the Act of Uniformity, was ejected from the living of Ilston in Wales. Like other Baptists under the Protectorate, he officiated as a preacher in one of the state churches, although he was pastor of a Baptist church. Backus speaks of him as "father of the Baptist churches in Wales, which began in 1649." He and his Baptist friends, bringing with them their church records, came to Massachusetts in 1663 and located at a place to which they gave the name of their old home in Wales. Miles was made pastor of the church, and there he remained until his death in 1683. He was distinguished for his learning and piety, and Backus, writing in 1777, nearly a century after his death, says, "His memory is still pre- cious among us."
2 Vol. 4, p. 254. 3
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ination, he did not absolutely deny his charge, but after it was proved he seemed to own and justify the matter of his speeches. In his second charge, though he positively denied the first about his child, for infant baptism he said was an ordinance of the devil, as the testimonies declare, he replied that he conceived it no ordinance of God, but an invention of man. What was it ?- and put us to prove by any positive command in the Gospel, or Scriptures, that there was infant baptism, and according to our under- standings he endeavored to make good the matter of his words, and to put the manner of them into a smoother dress, mincing the matter as Edw. Rishworth1 told him ; whose reply was, that mincing was to put it in better terms than it deserved, charging Mr. Hooke with preju- dice, who brought him thither, and desired not to be judged by him. After some further discourse we required said Screven to give security sufficient to the treasurer of the Province of a bond of one hundred pounds to answer his charge at the next Court of Pleas holden for this Prov- ince, or we must make him his mittimus, and send him to the jail: which said Screven refusing, accordingly was done."
How long Mr. Screven remained in jail we are not informed. April 12, 1682, he was brought before the Court at York, and the examination resulted as follows:
"This Court having considered the offensive speeches of William Screven, viz., his rash, inconsiderate words tending to blasphemy, do adjudge the delinquent for his offence to pay ten pounds into the treasury of the county or province. And further, the Court doth further dis- charge the said Screven under any pretence to keep any private exercise at his own house or elsewhere, upon the Lord's days, either in Kittery or any other place within
1 Edward Rishworth, who at Exeter, N. H., married the eldest daughter of Rev. John Wheelwright, removed to Wells in 1643-4, where he was appointed by Gov. Gorges to allot lands to settlers. He removed to York in 1647. From October, 1651, to June, 1686, except in 1668-69, when the records were removed to Boston, he held the office of Recorder, or Register of Deeds. He was Councillor and Secretary of the Province in 1680, and deputy to the General Court from York thirteen years. He died in 1691. Maine Historical Magazine, Vol. 8, p. 58.
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the limits of this province, and is for the future enjoined to observe the public worship of God in our public assem- blies upon the Lord's days according to the laws here established in this Province, upon such penalties as the law requires upon his neglect of the premises."1
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