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 3
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An elegant marble baptismal vase stands by the altar with a brazen cover, upon which is the following inscription, said to have been written by Wiseman Clagett, esquire, viz. "Sara, Catharina, et Anna Elizabetha, Johannis Tufion Ma- son cohortis structoris filiæ ornatissima hoc baptistorium, ex. Gallicis manubiis apud Sinegalliam, sub auspiciis predicti Johannis acquisitum, ecclesia Anglicana apud Portsmouth in provincia, vulgo vocata New-Hampshire, liberaliter con- tulerunt Anno Domini, 1761, et vicesimo sexto prædica- tionis Arthuri Browne, Wiseman Clagett, et Samuel Liver- more ecclesiæe procuratoribus."
IN-
* Arthur Browne, LL.D. late fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and king's professor of Greek, was a son of rev. Marmaduke Browne of Newport. [1807.] See Literary Miscellany.
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Account of the Religious Societies
INDEPENDENT CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY, INCORPO- RATED IN 1796.
In 1757, a number of persons, of both sexes, withdrew from the congregational churches in this town. They stated* that, in their opinion, the Cambridge platform for discipline and the New-England confession of faith for doctrine ought to be followed, as being agrecable to God's word, and estab- lished by authority.
In 1758, the foundation of a third congregational society was kid, and, in November, 1760, land was purchased for building a meeting-house, ; which was so far completed as to be opened by the 17 of May, 1761. The principal people concerned, in the formation of this society, were Joseph Cot- ton, John Elliot, Abraham Elliot, Perkins Ayers, Ebenezer Jose, of the church, and Benjamin Mackay of the congrega- tion. The church was embodied 14 October, 1758, being assisted by the reverend messieurs John Palmer and Paul Parks, the former of whom occasionally visited this new church, and administered the ordinances till the time of NÍr. Drown's settlement.
Reverend Samuel Drown, a native of Bristol, Rhode- Island, was ordained 2 November, 1761, by reverend Alexander Miller of Plainfield, Paul Parks of Preston, and John Palmer of Windham, Connecticut. He was principally distinguished by an honest sincerity and zeal in the Redcem- er's cause. He was beloved by his people, and laboured a- mong them in the work of the ministry till his death, which took place, in his 50 year, 17 January, 1770. The baptisms in this church, at the time of his decease, had amounted to . eighty-one, and the communicants to seventy-six. Of these sixteen were received in 1764.
After the death of Mr. Drown, reverend Joseph Mar- shall, of Canterbury in Connecticut, had an invitation to be- come his successor ; but he declined on account of some domestick afflictions.
In 1779, reverend Curtis Coe, now of Durham, having received a call from this church, answered in the affirmative ; and
f Letter from the aggrieved, preserved among doctor Haven's re: roncis. * App. note M.
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in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
and the day for ordination was appointed. The council was convened, but did not agree, to the disappointment of the people, and Mr. Coe withdrew.
Reverend Joseph Walton, the present . pastor of this church, became a ruling elder, in 1777. He used to read and expound the scriptures, on the sabbath, while without .a minister, till, at length, the church invited him into the pulpit. His performances were so acceptable that he received an in- vitation to take the pastoral oversight of the flock, and was ordained by his church, 22 September, 1789, without other assistance. His baptisms are seventy, and admissions thirty- four. Fifty-seven were baptized by various ministers, in the interval, previous to his settlement.
The Cambridge platform, with a few exceptions, was adopted at the first formation of this society. Accordingly, the following, at sundry times, have been chosen, and have officiated, as ruling elders, viz. Joseph Cotton, John Elliot, who afterwards became a Sandemanian, Theodore Moses, George Jerry Osborne, and Anthony Langford, the two last living ; and the following, as deacons, viz. Abraham Elliot, Perkins Ayers, Samuel Bowles, Samuel Drown, son of the former pastor, and James Day, the two last of whom are still living .*
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SANDEMANIAN SOCIETY.
Mr. Robert Sandemant came to this country about the year 1764. His peculiar tenets attracted the attention of many, and gave rise to a new denomination in the christian world. Several societies were soon formed, which are called by his name. The most of them, however, are reduced to a small number of members. One of these societies was form- ed in Portsmouth. A building was erected, for a place of publick worship, which stood on Pleasant-street, nigh the spot where, since its demolishment, colonel Thomas Thompson has built his dwelling-house. Daniel Humphreys, esquire, has statedly officiated, for a number of years, as a teacher to this little Rock.
UNI-
The author is indebted for a considerable part of the information relative to the independent congregational society, to rev. Mr. Waiton. + App. note N.
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Account of the Religious Societies
UNIVERSAL SOCIETY, INCORPORATED IN 1793.
The first formation of a society of universalists, in Ports- mouth, was about the year 1780. Regular meetings com- menced in 1782, and, in two years after, Mr. Noah Parker began his ministrations, which continued till his death, 17 August, 1787. From this period, the supplies of the pulpit were only occasional, till 1794, when reverend George Richards received an invitation to settle here, which he ac- cepted, and was ordained, in July, 1799.
The meeting-house was built, in 1784, under the super- intendence of the honourable George Atkinson, Jeremiah Libbey, and Jacob Treadwell, esquires. Mr. Atkinson was a liberal benefactor. . At present no church is formed. Chil- dren are received by dedication and prayer, but water is not used, unless their parents conscientiously request it. Up- wards of a hundred have passed this form since the estab- lishment of Mr. Richards in this place .*
BAPTIST SOCIETY.
- In September, 1802, a baptist society was formed in Ports- mouth, by the instrumentality of elder Elias Smith. The church, which was first gathered in March, 1803, consists, at present, of one hundred and seventy-five members, twenty- four of whom belong to other towns.
LASTLY.
At a certain period, while there was but one religious so- ciety in Portsmouth, there was an attempt to form a parish at the Plains, two miles from the state-house. A building was erected, in which there was occasional preaching, till about the middle of the last century, when it was taken down.
* App. note O. Intelligence from reverend Mr. Richards.
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in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
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APPENDIX.
"The following notes, connected with a work necessarily comprising many minutiæ, may not, perhaps, be unaccepta- ble to the reader.
i
Note A.
Twelve acres of the glebe were within the present town plat, abutting, forty-four poles, upon Pleasant and Court- streets, and extending to the westward.
The parsonage house is said to have stood upon the spot, where the late doctor Langdon erected his dwelling-house, now owned by honourable John Goddard, esquire.
The building, which, in 1640, was called a chapel, appears ever after to have been called a meeting-house, when any thing was said about it.
The late Mr. Ogden supposed, from the manner in which the instrument of conveyance was worded, that the original donors of the glebe designed their gift for the support of the episcopalian mode of worship. His intemperate publication on the subject, in 1791, drew forth a reply from doctor Lang- don, which gives a rational statement of the matter. It was while the inhabitants of Portsmouth were under a government of their own fabrication, in 1640, that they made a grant of fifty acres of land for a parsonage, in the words of doctor Langdon, " With a general pious design, that the advantages of publick religious worship might be enjoyed among them, as they had endeavoured to form a civil government. But in the first beginnings of their government, they had no laws to render votes of town-meetings valid, with respect to property ; nor any forms of conveyance of any kind, but such as were taken from the laws of England. Therefore, the inhabitants thought it necessary to confirm their vote of a parsonage by a legal deed, and no other forms existed, but such as were peculiarly accommodated to thechurch of England. Ac- cordingly, they drew a deed in the best manner they were able, which was signed and authenticated by the governour and some [nineteen ] of the inhabitants, and in which several appropriate church terms were unavoidably used. But, that they might secure to themselves the sole management and
benefits
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Account of the Religious Societies
benefits of this parsonage, they expressly reserved in the deed the right of presentation, that is, of patronage ; by which re- servation, they had a right to chuse and induct whatever min- isters they pleased, and consequently to worship in any form which they should think best."
In the deed, alluded to, fifty acres of land for a glebe are granted to " Thomas Walford and Henry Sherburne, church wardens, and their successors forever, as feoffees in trust." Hence, officers under this name were appointed from time to time in the antient congregational society of Portsmouth ; and although, when the society was at length divided into two, the one retained the globe, the other as well, as that, fol- lowed the practice, and does to this day, of chusing, annually, three or four wardens.
Note B.
William Moodey had three sons, Samuel, Joshua, and Caleb, who, according to tradition, were born in England. Mr. Moody of Arundel is a descendent from Samuel, and those in York, district of Maine, of this name; from Caleb. *
The pear trees were, not long since, standing in Newbury, which Joshua Moodey engrafted while an undergraduate. *
Nothing very satisfactory has been ascertained as to the names or the number of reverend Joshua Moodey's children. He had one daughter, who married Pike, several of whose children were baptized by their grandfather. Rev. Jonathan Russell of Barnstable, grandfather of the late Eleazar Russell, esquire, of Portsmouth, married another daughter. It is presumed that Samuel Moodey, who was a temporary preacher at Newcastle, prior to the settlement of Mr. Emer- son, and who, in 1705, was an inhabitant of Boston, was his son.
After this compilation was finished, the author received a letter from rev. William Bentley of Salem, from which the following extract is subjoined, as exhibiting an honourable testimony to the manly independence and benevolent disposi- tion of Mr. Mooder.
" In the times of the witcheraft in Salem village, no per- son, distinguished for property, and known in the commer- cial
* Rev. Silas Mocly's letter to the auther.
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in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
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cial world, was accused but Philip English. He came young into America from the island of Jersey, lived in the family of Mr. Hollingworth, a rich inhabitant of Salem, and afterwards married his only daughter and child, Susanna. The wife had received a better education, than is common even at this day, as proofs, I hold, sufficiently discover."
" From some prejudices, as early as 21 April, 1692, she was accused of witchcraft, examined, and committed to prison in Salem. Her firmness is memorable. Six weeks she was confined ; but, being visited by a fond husband, her husband was also accused and confined in the same prison. By the intercession of friends, and by a plea that the prison was crowded, they were removed to Arnold's gaol in Boston till the time of trial."
" In Boston, upon giving bail, they had the liberty of the town, only lodging in prison. Upon their arrival Messrs. Willard and Moodey visited them, and discovered every dis- : position to console them in their distress. . On the day before they were to return to Salem for trial, Mr. Moodey waited upon them in the prison, and invited them to the publick worship. On the occasion he chose for the text, IF THEY PERSECUTE YOU IN ONE CITY, FLEE TO ANOTHER. In the discourse with a manly freedom he justified every at- tempt to escape from the forms of justice, when justice was violated in them. After service Mr. Moodey visited the pri- soners in the gaol, and asked Mr. English whether he took notice of his discourse ? Mr. English said he did not know whether he had applied it as he ought, and wished some con- - versation upon the subject. Mr. Moodey then frankly told him that his life was in danger, and he ought by all means to provide for an escape. Many, said he, have suffered. Mr. English then replied, God will not suffer them to hurt me. Upon this reply, Mrs. English said to her husband, do you not think that they, who have suffered already, are innocent ? He said, yes. Why then may not we suffer also ? Take Mr. Moodey's advice. Mr. Moodey then told Mr. English that, if he would not carry his wife away, he would. He then informed him that he had persuaded several worthy per- sons in Boston to make provision for their conveyance out of the colony, and that a conveyance had been obtained, encour- aged
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Account of the Religious Societies
aged by the governour, gaoler, &c. which would come at midnight, and that proper recommendations had been obtain- ed to governour Fletcher of New- York, so that he might give himself no concern about any one circumstance of the jour- ne: ; that all things were amply provided. The governour also gave letters to governour Fletcher, and, at the time ap- pointed, Mr. English, his wife, and daughter were taken and conveved to New- York. He found before his arrival, that Nir. Moodey had dispatched letters, and the governour, with many private gentlemen, came out to meet him ; and the governour entertained him at his own house, and paid him every attention while he remained in the city. On the next ycar he returned."
" In all this business, Mr. Moodey openly justified Mr. English, and, in defiance of all the prejudices which prevail- ed, expressed his abhorrence of the measures, which had obliged a useful citizen to flee from the executioners. Mr. Moodey was commended by all discerning men, but he felt the angry resentment of the deluded multitude of his own times, among whom some of high rank were included. He soon after left Boston and returned to Portsmouth."
" Mrs. English died in 1694, at 42 years of age, in conse. quence of the ungenerous treatment she had received. Her husbind died at 84 years of age, in 1734."
" This is the substance of the communication made to me at different times from madam Susanna Harthorne, his great- granddaughter, who died in Salem 28 August, 1802, at the age of 80 years, who received the account from the descend- ants of Mr. English, who dwelt upon his obligations to Mr. Moodey with great pleasure."
Note C.
In the carly settlement of this part of the country, such was the attention to the preached word, women used frequently to walk from Greenland to Portsmouth, six or eight miles, in order to attend publick worship.
Note D.
At the ordination of Mr. Rogers, reverend William Hub. bard of Ipswich gave the pastoral charge, Mr. Pike of Dover the
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in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
the right hand of fellowship, Mr. Payson of Rowley began, and Mr. Cotton of Hampton concluded* the service of the day with prayer.
The Mr. Rogerst of Portsmouth was one of the sons of John Rogers,# a physician by profession, but occasionally a preacher, who, in 1682, became the president of Harvard College. He was therefore a grandson of the Nathanael Ro- gers, who came to New-England in 1636, and settled at Ips- wich. The Nathanael last mentioned was song of the cele- brated John Rogers, of Dedham, in England, who was a grand- son of John Rogers, the first martyr in queen Mary's reign. In other words, the grandfather of Mr. Rogers of Portsmouth was a great-grandson of him, who nobly suffered at the stake in Smithfield, 4 February, 1555.
Mr. Rogers of Portsmouth married Sarah Purkiss: Her mother was originally a Pemberton, and living in her second widowhood, then of the name Elatson, in the family of Mr. . Rogers, in 1704, when the antient parsonage was burnt, she was so scorched, as to survive only a few weeks. At the same time an infant child of Mr. Rogers, and a negro woman, likewise perished.
The following is a list of the children of reverend Nathanael and Sarah Rogers. 1. Honourable Nathanael Rogers, esquire, physician, whose wife was the widow Rymes, but originally ' Dorothy Sherburne, and whose only child is honourable judge Rogers of Exeter. ,2. Sarah, the wife of reverend Joshua Gee of Boston. 3. Elizabeth, who lost her life in the flames, as before suggested, at the age of seventeen months. 4. George, à merchant, who married Lydia, a sister of gov- crnour Hutchinson. 5. Elizabeth, the wife of reverend John Taylor of Milton. 6. Mary, the wife of Matthew Liver- more, || esquire, of Portsmouth. 7. John, who died at the age of five years. 8. Daniel, an apothecary in Portsmouth, who married Mchetabel Rindge. 9. Margaret, who died at the age of twenty-two, unmarried.
1727171 Note
* Records left by Rogers. f Letter from Mr. Frisbie.
# President Leverett married a daughter of president Rogers.
§ See Magnalia.
|| Mrs. Greenwood, his daughter, helped the author to this list of Mr. Rogers' children.
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Account of the Religious Societies
Note E.
Mr. Fitch married Elizabeth Appleton, daughter of colo- nel John Appleton of Ipswich and sister of the late reverend doctor Appleton of Cambridge. These are their children. 1. Elizabeth, who was the wife of John Wibird, csquire. The late reverend Anthony Wibird of Quincy was their son. 2. Margaret, who was the wife a son of reverend Henry Gibbs of Watertown. 3. Mary, who was the wife of Francis Cabot, esquire, of S.dem. 4, Ann, who was the first wife of rever- ciki Nathanael Gookin of North-Hampton. 5. John, who was. graduated, at Harvard College, in 1728, studied physick with doctor Nathanael Sargent of Hampton, and died in carly life.
'Two brothers, * Thomas and James Fitch, or in the antient way of writing the name, Fytche, came from Bocking in the county of Essex, England, to America, in 1638. Thomas settled at Norwalk, in Connecticut, and was the father of Thomas Fitch, the governour of the state. The history ofrev- crend James Fitch is handsomely given in his epitaph, as may be seen at Lebanon, in Connecticut, and is here added.
" In hoc sepulchro deposita sunt relique viri vere reveren- di domini Jacobi Fitch, D. D. Natus fuit apud Bocking in comitatu Essexiæ in Anglia Anno Domini, 1622, decembris 24 ; qui postquam linguis et literis optime institutus fuisset, in Nov-Angliam venit, ætatis 16, et deinde vitam degit Har- Fordiæ per septennium sub institutione virorum celeberrimo- rum domini Hooker et domini Stone. Postea munere pasto- rali functus est apud Saybrook per annos 14: Illinc, cum ecclesia majori parte Norvicem migravit et ibi cæteros vita annos transegit in opere evangelico. In senectute vero præ corporis infirmitate necessario cessabat ab opere publico ; tandemque recessit liberis apud Lebanon, ubi, semi-anno fere exacto, obdormivit in Jesu, anno 1702, novembris 18, ætatis suæ 30 ; vir ingenii acumine, pondere judicii, prudentia, clearitate sancta, laboribus, et omni moda vitæ sanctitate, per- Ria quoque, et vi concionandi nulli secundus."+ This
« Extracted from a letter to the author, dated 28 February, 1803, written by reverend Ebenezer Fitch, D. D. president of Williams' Col- lepc.
; Supposed to have been written by Mr. Fitch of Portsmouth.
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in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
This Mr. Fitch married for his first wife Abigail Whitfield, . a daughter of reverend Henry Whitfield of Guilford, Connec- ticut, of whom some account is given in Magnalia. Their children were James, Abigail, Elizabeth, Hannah, Samuel, and Dorothy. Reverend James Fitch married for his second wife Priscilla, a daughter of major John Mason of Norwich. Their children were Daniel, John, Jeremiah, Jabez, Ann, Na- thanacl, Joseph, and Eleazer. These fourteen, except the last, lived to have families of children, from whom a numerous pro- geny has descended.
Note F.
At the ordination of Mr. Langdon, reverend Mr. Cotton of Hampton begun with prayer, Mr. Shurtleff gave the charge, and Mr. Adams of Newington gave the right hand of fellow- 'ship and concluded with prayer.
Doctor Langdon married Elizabeth Brown, a daughter of reverend Richard Brown of Reading, in Massachusetts, by whom he had nine children, four of them died in infancy. The other five arrived at mature age and had families. 1.
Samuel, who is not living. 2. Paul, a graduate of Harvard College in 1770. 3. Richard. 4. Elizabeth, the present wife of the honourable David Sewall, esquire; of York. 5. Mary, the present wife of the honourable John Goddard, esq. of Portsmouth.
Note G.
Mr. Emerson married Mary Barter of Salem, by whom he had the following children, who survived their father. 1. Ma- ry, who was the wife of Francis Winkley, of Kittery. 2. Eli- zabeth, who was never married. 3. Ann, who was the wife of captain Stephen Greenleaf, of Portsmouth. 4. Sarah who was the wife of Davis, of Portsmouth. 5. Dorothy, who was the wife of Elihu Gunnison, esquire, of Kittery. 6. Martha, who was the wife of - Flint, of Plastow. There were several others, who died young.
Note H.
1
Mr. Shurtleff married Mary Atkinson, a sister of the late Theodore Atkinson, esquire. Several anecdotes are related of this lady, from which it seems that she was not that amiable ' and endearing bosom friend, which so good a man deserves.
Mr.
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Account of the Religious Societies
Mr. Shurtleff had no children, but many brothers and sis- ters, the following of whom lived to mature age, viz. Jabez, Thomas, Ichabod, John, Barnabas, Samuel, Nathanael, Su- sanna, Sarah, and Abigail. He was the second son and was named for his father, who, in advanced age, removed to that part of Plympton now called Carver. His mother was a daughter of Barnabas Lothrop, who was a son of reverend John Lothrop of Barnstable.
The name of reverend Mr. Shurtleff's grandfather was Wil- liam also. He lived in Marshfield and was killed with light- ning, * in 1666. The tradition is that he was endeavouring to comfort his wife, who was much terrified at the severity of the tempest, and had just tuken an infant from her arms and was seated, having one child between his knees and the other two in his lap ; yet the Auish of lightning, which killed him, did neither of them nor his wife any injury.
Note I.
Rev. Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon from John xiii. 15, 16, at the ordination of Mr. Strong, which was printed. Rev. messieurs Jeremiah Wise of Berwick. Joseph Adams of Newington, John Rogers of Kittery, Samuel Chandler of York, and Samuel Langdon of Portsmouth were also of his council.
Mr. Strong married Abigail Gilman, daughter of colonel Peter Gilman, of Exeter, 6 December, 1750. Ilis infant, whom he named Nathanael, prematurely born, dicd, and was buried, 28 September, 1751. He preached on the following day, which was the sabbath, from these words, " Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no cvil.". He was seized with the bilious colick between meet- ings, and on Monday, departed this life for a better, greatly la- mented.
Note K.
Mr. Browne was a son of rev. John Browne, who remov- ed from Scotland to Ireland. He married Mary Cox, a daugh- ter of rev. Thomas Cox, D. D. of Drogheda, by whom he had
" This part is mentioned in New-England's Memorial, though not so minutely as some of his descendants, at Plymouth, have related to the author.
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in Portsmouth, New-Hampshire.
had nine children, viz. 1. Thomas, who was born in Dublin, in 1728, and died at Portsmouth. 2. Marmaduke, who was born in Providence, was educated at Trinity College in Dub- lin, was ordained by the bishop of London, and settled at Newport, Rhode-Island, where he ended his days. 3. Lucy, whom Mr. Smith, a British officer married. 4. Jane, whom the late honourable Samuel Livermore, esquire, married. 5. Mary, whom reverend Mr. Sargeant, formerly of Cambridge, married. The three last were born in Providence, the follow- ing at Portsmouth. 6. Ann, whom Mr. Saint Loc, a British officer, married. 7. Elizabeth, who was first the wife of ma -. jor Robert Rogers, but now of captain Roche at Concord, New-Hampshire. 8. Arthur. 9. Peter.
Note L.
Mr. Ogden married Mary Wooster, the only daughter of the late general Wooster, by whom he had three children, viz. Mary, David, and Aaron, the second of whom is not living.
Note M.
This meeting house was built at Durham Point, where it was the place of publick worship in the days of rev. Hugo A- dams. It was taken apart to be brought to Portsmouth, and was originally about fifty by forty feet ; but, in 1767, was lengthened by the insertion of twenty fect. Both the other congregational churches as well as the episcopal, were enlarg- ed, in 1761.
Note N.
Mr. Sandeman's epitaph, as may be seen at Danbury, in Connecticut. " Here lies, until the resurrection, the body of Robert Sandeman, a native of Perth, Northbritain, who, in the face of continual opposition from all sorts of men, long and boldly contended for the antient faith, that the bare work of Jesus Christ, without a deed or thought, on the part of man, is sufficient to present the chief of sinners spotless before God. To declare this blessed truth, as testified in the holy scriptures, he left his country, he left his friends, and after much patient sufferings, finished his labours at Danbury, 2 April, 1771, a- ged 53 years."
" Deign, Christ, to come so nigh to us. As not to count it shame, To call us brethren. Shall we blush At aught, that bears his name ?
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Account of Religious Societies.
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Nay, let us boast in his reproach, And glory in his cross. . When he appears one smile from him Shall far o'erpay our loss."
Note O.
Reverend Mr. Murray, Low of Boston, first preached the doctrine of universal salvation, in Portsmouth, about the com- mencement of the revolutionary war.
In 1790, a general convention of the universal societies met at Philadelphia and published articles of faith and a plan of church government. A general convention, of this denomi -. nation in the New-England states, assembled, 1794, in Mas- sachusetts, and has continued to hold an annual meeting, in September, ever since, when from thirty to forty societies are usually represented.
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