USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Portsmouth > An account of the several religious societies in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, from their first establishment and of the ministers of each, to the first of January, 1805 > Part 1
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Gc 974.202 P83al 1727171
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
GC
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00056 0984
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AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEVERAL RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES
IN
PORTSMOUTH,
NEW-HAMPSHIRE,
FROM THEIR FIRST ESTABLISHMENT,
AND OF
THE MINISTERS
OF FACH, TO THE FIRST OF JANUARY, 1805.
1
-
BY TIMOTHY 9 JUN.
'MEMBER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND OF THE SOCIETY IN THE STATE OF NEW-YORK FOR THE PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURE, ARTS, AND MANUFACTURES.
BOSTON :
.
PRINTED BY MUNROE, FRANCIS, & PARKER,
SHAKESPEARE'S HEAD, NO. & CORNHILL. 1808.
Religious Societies of Porten will, n. H.
By Timothy alden, jr 1808
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1727171
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ALDEN'S ACCOUNT
OF THE SEVERAL
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES IN PORTSMOUTH.
ACCOUNT OF
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES
,אנ
PORTSMOUTH.
!
Er is a subject of regret, that the first volume of the Ports- mouth town records has not been preserved. The second, after exhibiting a few extracts from the former, commences with the transactions of the year 1652. It is considerably mutilated with age, and ought, ere now, to have been trans- cribed. Nothing is to be found in it, from which we can learn who were employed, as preachers of the gospel, in this . place, which was first settled by Europeans in 1623, prior to Richard Gibson.
A grant was made, by the ancient inhabitants of the lower end of Pascataqua, of fifty acres of land for a glebe, on the 25th of May, 1640. From the instrument, * by which this sequestration was effected, it appears that a parsonage house and chapelf were already erected on the premises, and that the
1
* Town records.
* Appendix, note A.
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Account of the Religious Societies
the people had chosen Mr. Richard Gibson for " their first parson."
"Het was sent from England, as minister to a fishing plantation, belonging to one Trelawney. He was wholly ad- dicted to the hierarchy and discipline of England, and exer- cised his ministerial function, according to the ritual. He was summoned before the court, at Boston, for scandalizing the government there and denying their title ; but, upon his submission, they discharged him without fine or punishment, being a stranger and about to depart the country."
The inhabitants of Portsmouth, having been left, in 1638,' by the widow, who was the executrix of Mason, the original proprietor, to shift for themselves, were, for several years, un- der a government of their own formation, as were those of Dover and Exeter, respectively ; but, in April, 1641, these perty republicks put themselves under the jurisdiction of Mas- sachusetts. It was, probably, about this time, or soon afte!, that Gibson took his departure.
" In December, § 1642, those of the lower part of Pascata- qua invited Mr. James Parker, of Weymouth, [near Boston ] a godly man, to be their minister. Ile by advising with di- vers of the magistrates and elders accepted the call and went and taught among them, this winter, and it pleased God to give great success to his labours, so as above forty of them, whereof the most had been very profane, and some of them professed enemies to the way of our churches, wrote to the magistrates and elders, acknowledging the sinful course they had lived in, and bewailing the same, and blessing God for calling them out of it, and carnestly desiring that Mr. Parker might be settled among them. Most of them fell back again, in time embracing this present world."
Doctor Belknap asserts, that he had been a deputy in Mas- sachusetts, that he was a scholar, and that, after leaving Ports- mouth, he removed to Barbadoes and settled there.
At a town-meeting,* 11 April, 1655, the inhabitants " generally acknowledged themselves willing" that Mr. Browne
# Belknap's New-Hampshire.
§ Winthrop's Journal.
- Town records.
-
₹
in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
Browne should continue their minister, as he had been, if he were so pleased. Whence he came, how long he tarried, and whither he went is not known.
At a town-meeting,* 27 October, 1656, it was voted to send to Mr. Samuel Dudiey,son of the deputy governour, with whom the selectment agreed, on the 10 of the following month, to be their minister, to come the next spring, and to have fourscore pounds a year. He settled in Exeter, where he died, in 1683, at the age of 77.
The selectment sent Henry Sherburne, 7 September, 1657, to a Mr. Woster,§ with a call from the inhabitants of Ports- mouth to be their minister, in case they and he should agrec, he giving them a visit. Whether he came, or not, does not . appear.
Although several candidates were successively employed in this town ; ret no one was ordained, till almost fifty years, from the time of its first settlement, were elapsed. Of the temporary preachers, already mentioned, Gibson was the only one, who followed the ritual of the English church.
The selectmen, f Brian Pendleton, John Cutt, Richard Cutt, William Seavey, and Henry Sherburne were empow- ered by the town, 27 August, 1657, to build a new meet- ing house. This was, accordingly, erected on the rise of land a few paces to the southward of Pickerin's mill dam, and, in 1664, it was furnished with a bell. In 1660, Richard Cutt was chosen by the selectmen to superintend the work of trans- forming the old meeting-house, which, in 1640, was called a chapel, into a dwelling-house for the use of the min- ister.
The
.
* Town records.
f Called townsmen frequently at that period.
# Town records.
§ So written in the town records.
#| Langdon in reply to Ogden.
T Town records.
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· Account of the Religious Societies
f
'The reverend Joshua Moodey,* the first, who was ordai in Portsmouth, is supposed to have begun his labours here, early in 1658. ,He was then supported by eighty-six sub- scribers. There was a formal vote of the town, 5 March, 1660, for his regular establishment in the ministry. A church, however, was not gathered, in this place, till the year 167] ; . though Mr. Moodey appears to have preached here statedly from the time of his first coming. This part of the country- owed much to the talents, the christian example, and the pas- toral fidelity and zeal of this distinguished character. His ac- count of gathering and carrying on the church of Christ in Portsmouth, which is written in a fair hand, will, no doubt, - be more acceptable, than any abridgment of it, which the au- thor of this compilation can offer. It has therefore been cop- ied from his records and is here subjoined.
" Portsmouth, N. E. anno 1671. After many serious endeavours, which had been used by the then minister of the place, since the pastor of the church there, in publick, and by several of the inhabitants in private, the Lord, without whose presence and blessing man builds but in vain, was pleased, at length, to lay the foundation of an house for himself in this place, of the beginning and progress whereof here follows a brief but true account."
" In the winter time of the foregoing year, viz. 1670, there were several meetings together of the minister with several of the inhabitants, who were members of other congregations in the country, and by providence settled inhabitants in Ports- mouth, to discourse and confer about that great work and ne- cessary duty of entering into church fellowship, that then- selves might enjoy all the ordinances of the Lord's house and their little ones also might be laid near God's altars and brought up under the instruction and discipline of his house. Nor could they, that were members of other churches, any longer satisfy themselves to live without the enjoyment of these edifying and strengthening ordinances, that their souls had, in some measure, formerly tasted the-good of, though now, for some years, been kept from. Others also wel: affected to the work professed their longings after those fat and marrow ed things
* So spelled by him.
9
'in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
things in God's house, and their readiness to join with them in helping to build, if they should be found fit for the same."
" Hereupon, several assembled in private, and sought the Lord by fasting# and prayer, that he would discover to us a right way, there being many fears and discouragements before us, for ourselves and our little ones, and we hope we may say he was entreated of us, as the event hath in some measure, blessed be his name, made manifest."
" It was agreed that those, which were in full communion with other congregations abroad, should acquaint the respec- tive churches, to which they did belong, with the motion on foot, and desire their advice, approbation, countenance, and pravers thercin, which was accordingly done."
" There was a meeting appointed in a private house, wherein all, that had given in their names for the work, were to assemble and to read cach to other a reason of the hope, that was in them, by giving account of their knowledge and . experience, that so they might be satisfied one in another, and be capable of joining together as members of the same body. Several day's were spent in this exercise, to the mutual re- freshing and endearing of the speaker, and to the awakening and warning of others of the neighbours that were, as they had liberty to be, present at these exercises."
" In fine, there was another meeting to inquire whether all, that had made relations, were so satisfied one in another, as to their relations and conversations, as that they could with free- dom of spirit join in a body together, and unite in the same society, according to the rules of Christ. What ground of scruple lay upon the spirits of any, with reference to one or other of the forementioned company, was lovingly and plainly
, propounded, and satisfaction was ingenuously tendered on the one party and accepted by the other. Furthermore, we did discourse of and discover our apprehensions and persuasions concerning the order and discipline of the house of God. And there was a unanimous consent unto what had been pub- lickly delivered in many sermons in the latter end of the year 1670, and the beginning of the year 1671, from Ezekiel xliii. 10, 11, 12, about the laws, ordinances, and forms of the house, with the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof. Of
- * Ezra viii. 21, 22, 25.
B
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.
:
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Account of the Religious Societies
Of such high concernment did and do we account it to be for peace and edification of the whole, that both pastor and peo- ple should in these matters, at least for the substance, and as near as may be in mere circumstantials also, speak the same . things."
" Hereupon, there were some appointed to acquaint the civil authority, according to the law of the country, with what was thought on among us, that by the good liking and encouragement of the same, we might make an orderly and comfortable proceedure in the work before us. Which be- ing done, several churches were sent to and entreated to send their elders and messengers upon the --- , which was ap- pointed for the gathering of the church and ordination of officers therein. The church of Cambridge was sent to, be- 'cause the pastor did belong to that church. They brought his dismission. Also the church of Ipswich, Rowley, and Hampton. They met accordingly, and governour Leverett came also."
" He that was appointed pastor preached in the morning out of Ezekiel xhviii. ult. After sermon some intermission was made, and, on their meeting again, the pastor with all those, who were to be the beginners of the new church, made their relations, and those, who were members of other churches, had their dismissions, and all made their relations whether members or non-members, and they were approved of by the messengers of churches and embodied into a church by an ex- plicit covenant. Then the pastor was ordained after the unanimous vote of the church for choice of him and liberty given to all the congregation to object, if they had aught te' say. He was ordained by several of the elders at the desire of the church, Mr. Cabot giving him his charge, and Mr. Wheelwright the right hand of fellowship. Then the pastor ordained Samuel Haines deacon, with imposition of hand and prayer. A psalm was sung and the congregation dismissed by the pastor with a prayer and blessing."
" The church covenant that those, who first embodied, did on that day publickly and solemnly enter into."
" We do this day solemnly and publickly, in the presence of God and his people, avouch the one only living and true God, Father, Son, and Spirit, to be our God, and his word or revealed will to be our rule, and do with ourselves give up
our.
11.
in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
our children to be the Lord's. We do also professedly and heartily subject ourselves to Jesus Christ, as the head of his church, and do covenant and promise that we will submit our- selves to the government of Christ in this particular church, according to the laws of his house, that we will watch over our brethren and be watched over by them, according to rule, and that we will in all things so demean ourselves towards our pastor and fellow members, as also towards all others, as be- comes the gospel, that the Lord may dwell among us and bless us, and we may be a peculiar people-to his service and glory. And ali this we promise by the help of Jesus Christ, and in his name, looking up to him for his assistance, as being of ourselves capable of doing nothing. Subscribed by Joshua Moodey, John Cutt, Richard Cutt, Elias Stileman, Richard Martyn, Samuel Haines, James Pendleton, John Fletcher, and John Tucker."
In 1684, while lieutenant governour Cranfield was at the head of the province, a very extraordinary kind of persecution, for this part of the world, took place. Mr. Moodey had dis- tinguished himself by his independent and faithful manner of preaching and the strictness of his church discipline. "The following anecdote* is given in brief ; but shows something of the man.
A Scotch ketch had been seized and carried out of the har- bour, by night, the owner of which, G ***** ******* , a member of the church, swore, upon trial, that he had not had a hand in sending her away, and that he knew nothing about it; but, the circumstances were such, there were strong suspi- cions that he had perjured himself. He found means, how. ever, to settle the matter with Cranfield, so that "he forgave him all ;" but Mr. Moodey judged it necessary, notwith- standing what the governour haddone, to dosomething to vindi- cate the honour of his church. He preached a sermon "upon : swearing and the evil of false swearing," had several church meetings, called the offender to account, and, at length, brought him to a publick confession. This proceeding, on the part of Moodey, irritated Cranfield to the highest degree. In order to have opportunity to let off the artillery of his ven- geance upon the persevering and conscientious pastor, he was determined to put the uniformity act into operation ; the con- sequence
Drawn oin A1
Moodey's records.
Account of the Religious Societies
sequence of which was, that Mr. Moodey was indicted, 5 Feb. ruary, 1684, and was imprisoned for thirteen weeks. The following statement is in his own language.
" The pastor was indicted by governour Cranfield for re- fusing to administer the sacrament of the Lord's supper unto him, after the way of the church of England, and because he had often administered it after another way. He pleaded lib- erty of conscience, allowed by the commission, but was im- pleaded by Joseph Raynes, king's attorney, and was sent to prison, where he continued thirteen weeks, and then, by the intercession of some friends, was dismissed with a charge to preach no more on penalty of further imprisonment. The persecution being personal, and his mouth utterly stopped, while the otlier ministers in the province were undisturbed, and there being a door opened to preach elsewhere, it was thought adviseable for him to take up with a call to the old church in Boston, where he continued preaching till the year 1692, and then by advice of a council, he returned to Ports- mouth again in the beginning of the year 1693. "The judge of the court was [captain of the fort ] Walter Barefoot, the justices Mr. Fryer, Peter Coffin, Thomas Edgerly, Henry Green, and Henry Robey. . Overnight, four of the six dis- sented from his imprisonment ; but, before next morning, . Peter Coffin, being hectored by Cranfield, drew off Robey and Green, Only Mr. Fryer and Edgerly refused to consent, but by the major part he was committed. Not long after, Green repented and made his acknowledgment to the pastor, who frankly forgave him. Robey was excommunicated out of Hampton church for a common drunkard, and died excom- municate, and was by his friends thrown into a hole, near his house, for fear of an arrest of his carcase. . Barefoot fell into a languishing distemper, whereof he died. Coffin was taken by the Indians and his house and mills burnt, himselfnot slain but dismissed. The Lord give him repentance, though no sign of it have appeared. Psalm ix. 16."
" The church was often visited by the pastor, in this inter- val, and kept up their private meetings and fasts, and so held together, though some removed, and others were taken away by death."*
After the departure of Cranfield, messengers were, several times,
. ..
13
in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
times, sent from Portsmouth to Boston to treat with Mr. Moodey about his return. Copies of the letters, which passed between him and the selectmen upon this subject, are preserv- ed in our town records, from which it appears that the affec- tion between him and the people of his former charge was mu- tually retained. Some difficulty, however, seems to have sub- sisted in his mind, so that he thought it adviseable not to leave Boston without the recommendation of a council. He was, accordingly, urgent that the church at Portsmouth should con- cur in a measure, which he considered as important. The people, for what reason it is uncertain, did not second his pro- , posal, and at length, as Mr. Moodey made it a sine qua non, relinquished the expectation of his return.
.
During Mr. Moody's absence, one Gilbert Laurey preach- ed at Portsmouth for a season. John Cotton, son of Scaborn Cotton, who afterwards succeeded his father in the ministry at Hampton, was invited to settle in this place and take the over- sight of the flock ; but he* advised that further application should be made to Mr. Moodey, who, in the beginning of 1693, by recommendation of an ecclesiastical council, prev- iously obtained, resumed his pastoral charge over a people, by whom he had been greatly esteemed, and with whom he spent the remainder of his days in usefulness, harmony, and love.
: Joshua Moodey was born in England, as is supposed, and was brought to this country when very young. Ilis father, i. William Moodey, was one of the carly settlers of Newbury, and lived on a place about a mile to the southward of Rev. Mr. Popkin's meeting house. Joshua Moodey was gradua- ted, at Harvard College, in 1653. From the catalogue it ap- pear's that he was one of the fellows of his alma mater, and Belknapt asserts that he was invited, upon the death of presi- dent Rogers, which happened, in 1684, to take the oversight of the College, which he modestly declined.
Being on a visit to Boston, he died, after a short illness, on the sabbath, 4 July, 1697, in the 65 year of his age. Doctor Cotton Mather preached his funeral sermon from these words, " Looking steadfastly on him, they saw his face, as it - had
.
* Town records.
t Letter from Rev. Silas Moodey, of Arundel, to the author. App. note B. # Hist. New-Hampshire.
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14. Account of the Religious Societies
had been the face of an angel." His eulogist calls him that man of God. Quam multa quam paucis ! He gives him a very excellent character to which* the reader is referred, as the limits of this compilation would be too much extended by quoting it entire.
The list of Mr. Moodey's baptisms amounts to one hundred and ten only. The number of communicants, which had been admitted into the church at Portsmouth, previous to 1697, is one hundred and sixty.
One work, of which Mr. Moodey was the author, was print- ed at Boston by Richard Pierce, in 1685, 12mo. p. 109. It is entitled " A practical discourse concerning the choice ben- " efit of communion with God in his house, witnessed unto " by the experience of saints as the best improvement of time,
" being the sum of several sermons on Psaim 84, 10, preach- " cd at Boston, on lecture days."
This little volume is ac- companied with a preparatory address, to the reader, by Rev. James Allen, which gives it a handsome and just encomi- um. What other works he published is not known.
The ninety-third volume of Mr. Moody's manuscript ser- mons, the last of which is numbered 4070, and dated, 30 September, 1688, is in possession of the author of this account ; and, likewise, a copy of a very solemn exhortation, delivered by this noted divine, 6 March, 1686, before the execution of a male- factor, who had been convicted of murder. This copy is suppos- ed to be in the hand writing of John Templestone, to whom it belonged, in 1687.
The settlers of Strawberry Bank, as the town plat of Ports- mouth, especially that part of it comprising and in the vicinity of Church Hill, was originally called ; of Great Island, or New. castle ; of Sandy Beach, a part of Rye ; of Sagamore, or Witch Creek ; and of Greenlandt used to resort to the Bank, or Portsmouth, for publick worship till about the last of the seventeenth century.
Rev. Nathanael Rogers was ordained in this place, 3 May, 1699. He was a descendant from John Rogers, who suffered martyrdom in the reign of queen Mary, and inherited so much of the spirit and talents of his renowned ancestor, that his labours in this part of the vineyard, like those of his learned
Magnalia:
t App. note C.
1
in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire. 15
learned and pious predecessor, were abundantly blessed by the great Head of the church.
An unhappy division, as it gave rise to considerable animos- ity, originated among the inhabitants of Portsmouth, in 1712. At that time, it was thought ,expedient to build a new meets inghouse ; and, as the northern part of the town was then be- come populous, it seemed reasonable that it should be fixed in a situation more central, than was the antient one, at Picker- in's dam. It is said that the people at the south end were willing that the new meeting house should have been erected on the spot where Mr. Joseph Haven's house now stands, or on the rise of ground nigh it. . This, however, was too far from the north end to meet the ideas of the inhabitants in that quarter. They had determined upon the northeastern corner of the twelve acre lot, reserved as part of the glebe, for building the new house of worship. The tradition is, as handed down by'some, that the people of Greenland,* who were desirous of a separation from Portsmouth, were induced to come for- .. ward, in a spirited manner, to aid in carrying the vote of the town agreeably to the wishes of the north end, and that those, whom they thus befriended, were, in their turn, to assist in making Greenland a separate corporation. The point was gained, and Greenland experienced the kindness, which tradi- tion says had been promised.
The author of this compilation has been told that, although the minister and a majority of the town were in favour of re-' pairing to the new house, when completed, for publick wor- ship, yet a majority of the antient church was in the opp osi- tion. If this were a fact, it is probable that some of them were so far advanced in life, or otherwise so infinn, as not to be able to attend in the sanctuary ; because there is a regular vote of the church, in the records kept by Mr. Rogers, dated 7 January, 1713, authorising and directing him, on " the next sabbath come se'nnight, to preach in the new meeting house, and to continue preaching there, as formerly at the old meeting, and to perform all other offices, which appertain to his function."
The people, at the south end, appear to have much resent-
. " Newcastle, to which Rye was attached, was set off several years before.
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Account of the Religious Societies
ed the proceedings of the major part. At a general town. meeting 9 September, 1713, captain John Fickerin, who was- warm in the cause of the south end, was chosen moderator. After passing two votes, it is said, disorders arose and the jus- tices dissolved the meeting ; yet Pickerin put a number of things to vote, which were carried ; such as, that# the old meeting house shall continue town meeting house forever, and, when too much decayed with age to be repaired, that a new one shall be erected in its place ; that the glebe land formerly given by the town for the use of the ministry shall wholly re- main to the benefit of the minister, who shall officiate in said house ; that a committee shall wait upon Mr. Rogers to see if it be his pleasure to continue preaching at the old meeting house, during his abode in the town, if not, that the said com- mittee shall provide an able minister, for the said place of wor -. ship, and agree with him for his salary, which agreement, so made, shall be ratified and fulfilled by the town, &c.
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