USA > New Hampshire > New Hampshire churches and the American Revolution > Part 8
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Omme a pauper - supported by the community parse - it is probable that his influence 3
was not far-reaching - even in his own small town. So in our Tubular View, we hive classed Hutchins simply is one who "Gave some help in other ways"; for we do know definitely, that he and some of his parishionors want to the defense of Ports- mouth harbor - early in 1776.
(4) Jeremy Belknip the Patriot Preacher und Histor ien.
Documentary evidence is to the attitude of Law Hispshire Congress-
tionalists is confined pretty largely to the writings of Jeromy Beiknap - who later became the founder of the Massachusetts Historical society. Throa sermons - dated 1772, '74 and '76 - are of special interest. In 1772, Captain aluarng asked Belknap to address his troops on their annual xuster-Day. ile at first 'felt some conscientious scruples aout undertaking a task which might seem to lend some countenance to wir'. After he had delivered the Sermon - in the presence of His
1. Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit, I, 527. Mcclintock's biographer also mentions 3000 manuscript sermons of his, some of which had been pre- served as late as 1850 (399 Sprague, I, 525).
2. Scalen, Les, How H., p. 36
3. Soules, Hist. of Straff. Co., p. 350.
4. Mcclintock left instructions in his will to destroy all of his =B. sermons, except such few is his son might wish to keep us souvenirs.
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Excellency, Governor Wentworth - the officers of the Regiment were so weil ploused that they secured i copy of it for the Prass. Here Dr. Belknap went no further than to asx: "Must we tamgly yield to every lawless usurper, in suffer tyrants 1 to sport with the lives and ost tes of mankind?"
Then, in 1774, Belknap preached a sermon entitled "On account of the Difficulties of the King". In it, he asserted that, "when a ruler doparts from these principles, und sets up another rule of goverment thin the livs und consti- tution which ha is sworn to maintain, then the goverment uegenerates into tyran- 2 ny". And in 1776, he took an unequivocal stand in behalf of the Patriot cause
serve his und said to the newly-enlisted Company, at Dover: "Let every man.
country to the utmost of his power". 3
As & sort of postscript to this sermon, we will add that when Bolknap had arrived at Cambridge - during the opening days Whata of the Tar - he md written to his wife; "Don't let my gun and ammunition get 4 out of the house if you can help it".
Even more significant thin these three sermons is the writing which he addressed in september, 1774, "To the Gentlemen of the Army, now enoamped on Boston Common". This is one of the most scathing Revolutionary philippics over penned, is the following excerpts will show;
"But, (pntleman, I pity you, - what have you done to deserre such disgrace? 4 You are sent over into America for the meanest und basest purposes; to terrify the wretched inhabitants of this oppressed town with the uppre- hension of being murdered in the streets in some insignificant night-brawl. . . The noblest purpose for which you can be here employed, though you are ever so successful, will not raise your characters above the rank of a constable or a watchman; you will have nobody to encounter" unless some hairurained rioters should disturb the quiet of the night with their senseless vocifer- ations and amse themselves with rattling of broken windows. The nichast
1. Scalos, op. cit., 182.
2. Ibid., p. 184.
3. Ibid., p. 185 ( Italios Are mine)
4. Ibid., p. 184.
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manouvres in which you can then onjuge will we street firing, and the fiorcest opposition you can ernest will be the throwing of brick-bits, in which exercise tho despicable chimney-sweeper, perched on the top of his full ; inous pinnacle, will have a manifest advantage over you".
The foregoing, clsurly indicates that Dr. Belknip did not - st that dato - anticipate urmed rebellion on the part of the American colonists. ind when the extreme gravity of the imponding crisis became fully apparent, he seems to hire become more guarded in his utterances - due, perhaps, to nis close friend- snip with Governor Jom Wentworth, For, in October, 1775, after writing to his wife ro mirdin; & British naval manouvre against Boston, he addod;
"I former any remarks on this proceeding; till I see you. . . If an ussult on ye tom of Boston' is really Attempted I should think it rather injudicious to make such'fints attempts as Lust night; but I forget myself".3
Whan, however, nowa of the Declaration of Independence reached Dover, Belknap threw ill further reserva to the winds; for he went to the village school, announced that Amaries and now a free nation, and handed a parade of happy, shouting children up and dom the streets of the town. On return to the school-house, Dr.
4 Balkaip offered pr .. yer ind a holiday was declared.
(5) Minutes of the General Association of Congregation I Ministers in New Hammahire.
The only other documentary evidence, at hand, which bears upon the atti- tude of New Hampshire Congregationalists towards the Revolutionyis that contained in the Mimtes of the New Hampshire Association of (Congregational) Ministers (1747-88). This was the same organization as the "Pascataqua Association" to 5 which other writers refer and of which Sammel Luingdon was the leading; member.
1. Italios are mine.
2. Life of Jeremy Bollman, pp. 02-3.
3. Nages, Hist. Collections, 6th series, Vol. IV, p. 92 (The Belknap 2-pers,
Part III). Italios uro mine.
4. Joales, List. of Straff, Co., n. 185.
6. Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, I, 456.
៛
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These minutes contain a letter which was addressed to 'the Dissenters' in England, in 1751, from which we make pertinent excerpts, as follows:
"You are sensible that we are not wholly out of dm or of enemies; there may be sporet designs - inst our Constitution nu liberties . . . which may require ye utmost Care una vigilance and call for powerful advooutes mnon; you. "e therefore entroat you to give us timely notice of every dingør which may threaton us".
An ez minution of these Minutes, up to the year 1788, brings out the sur- prising flot that no mention is made of thin's revolutionary - no hint even of political mitters. In fact, there were not even any meetings of the Association for the period 1775-85, and the next record be ins on the same page on which the last was completed. 2
As all the members of this association lived in the 21834- tuqua region and very few went to the fur us chaplains, we regird it is very significant thit these neighboring divines uid not apparently, meet in their anmal convention a single time during the whole course of the Revolution, Just what the significance of this is, we will discuss in our concluding paragraph.
(6) Landin; Con renational Patriots.
The ministers of this denomination who rendered uefinite aid to the revolutionary cause full mostly into three classes, those who served as chaplains Patri.
in the Ertlot army; those who served in Legislative Assemblies; und those who sent sons to the Army, or Buvo pecuniary aid. As we have arranged this information in tabular form, we will only mention here one or two outst unling members of euch groups
Sumol Moclintook, 'in his ministerial omds', is the central figure
in historio pictures of Bunker Hill. £ He also sent four sons into the Patriot Army. 3 Josiah Steama sat in the State Convention ut Exeter, and, on reaching
1. "Minutes of the New H. Assoo. of Ministers" in Collections of the For H. Rist. 500., I", 16.
2. Ioid .. (See Editor's note at top of page 63).
3. Sprague, Annals of the imer, Pulpit, I, 625, and 527. and Headley, The Complains and Therey of the Revolution, p. 71.
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* The Concord M.H. was the rendezvous for the Capt. Jos. Walker's cavalry command: There, on Sundays, he trans- mitted orders to his men". (Bacon, p.40c).
home, told his children that he had pledged himself for freedom a ;inst English rule and tyranny, and added: "If the cause fail, your poor old father's hard 1 will soon be a button for a haltar". The illustrious Paine "ingite sut, in 2
turn, in three st.to and national assemblies.
ind prominent mon; those who
"ilhar's ittitudo sent sons into the Army we find Timothy Walker, of Concord. * is of special significance because of the opportunity which he had had of mixing firsthand observations in England. Ho mide three voyages to the Mother Country - agent previous to the Revolution - ao lagal agmet for the Concord settlers. After frequent conversations with Lord Mansfield and various members of the British ministry, he became convinced thit nothing but the Absolute submission of the colonies would satisfy Britain, and "thit - in the end - we must have a war with
Old England and a wo. no with Fr nos". Before trying to dram any conclusions relative to the Congregational attitude - as a whole - let us exuding the dita
included in the following tables,
(7) The Revolutionary istivities of Contrenational Winistors. Patriot 1. Protagonista for the Asttot Cause,
(1) Samuel Langdon, Old Horth Church, Portsmouth, (till 1772).
(2) Joremy Belknap, (Dover) Sermons of 1772, '74 and '76.
(3) Dr. Samuel Haven, Old South Church, Portsmouth. (sermons of 1766 and '71).
3. Army Chaplains;
(1) Samuel MoClintock, of Ohbenland (Bunker Hill )
(2) ing. Hibbard, of Clermont (State Papers, XXZ, 34).
(3) John Tucke, of Bpaon (L;wrenco, Nem Exapshire Churches, 382).
C. Served in Legislative Bodies,
Vol. I.
(1) Abiel Foster, of Cmteroury (Lyford, Hist, of Cuntorbury, p. 109}
(2) Josiah Stauras, of Apping; also give money and sent sons.
(3) Elizab Fletcher, of Hopkinton (Lord, Life+ Times in Hopkinton) 6.371)
(4) Pine Tin se, Pastor at Ampton Fails until 1776.
D. Giv some help in other ways,
(1) Timothy Walker, of Concord; sent sona into the army.
' (2) Abraham wood, of Chesterfield: sat on the C'tse to instruct the town's
1. Lawrence, The Hoy H. Churches, p. 45.
2. Ibid., p. 15.
3. Farmer and Moore, Hist. Collections, III, 237.
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delos;ite to the sxetor Convention. (Imrd, Bist, of theshire Muliva Counties, p. 163).
(3) Semol Michins, of ie; went to the defense of Poresoouta hurbor in 1776 (30 :108, 12, Ties Hunshire, p. 36).
foto: "o found only ono Tory Contractionilist in All New Bieshiro. This was Micah Lawrence of .inchester ..
(8) Aone pomalugloss revirdin the Constipa lista wi the Revolution. a Casual survey of the foregoing there may convey the impression
thit tha Con recitional giery of Now il Matshire wers instrumental in hastaning on the revolution iry crisis. This would be in line with stackpole's smukta:
"The Congrousitiocal chirchas of No"; H.shire ami throu hout Now inti nd had dona s rand work. The seeds of politig l revolution wer, som in m.ty y REMA. "ho morie a Revolution fond a, nore hn rty supporters th.n .l- most the whole Jouy of Con ractionil ministers"
While we have no wish to contradict the findings of other writers -
especially one who nid secess to a much wider run_p of miteril tha om be found in the Middle west - our own researches do not fully sust.in the Above st tement especially s reng olitici somzona. mors careful examination of our Tablo will reveal the fact that - so far as we can find documentary evidence - there zus but one Congregational Clergyan in Www Ampshire surin ; the critioui period
of 1772 6 whose sermons dealt with current events. This wis Jeramy Bolknap. ind Belknap's conservative attitude is shown in his ajoout of the efforts to- 2 ward reconciliation with the Mother Country which were made in January 1776. Then, too, a whim friendship hud lon; ozistod between Dr. Balknap And the Royal Governor - John Tontworth. As late as Murch wmalajhemhas und november, 1774, 3 we find friendly setters still being azchinad between these two Janslamun. We Find ana historian who amsorts that Belimap, by his writings and serons, helped
1. Stackpole, Hast. of How H., II, 310.
2. see his Hist. DE Mon H., p. 366.
2. Mass1. Mist. Collections, 6th Serias, Vol. iv, pp. 47-8, 54, and 64. (The Salmasp 2 pora, . art III.)
. Lawranos, The Koa 7. Crutches, p. 308.
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to histen on the crisis with the Zother Country. 1
But, from all the evidence which we h.ve aximineu, ze conclude that Balknip's Attitude was gener.lly con- servative - u.til the surly part of 1776. He is, in fact, bast described in the 2 words of Hammond as "a patriot, but not be aditator".
Te huuro devotad considerable space to the discussion of this one Church- min's attitude, because he was doubtless the leading member of the Piscata qua Langdon
Association of Ministers ( though Dr Samuel Esiste miy hiv been its louder during the surlier part of this period). What there was some lack of unanimity as to what their attitude should be is indicated by the fact that the meeting scheduled to convens in 1775 never was held. Once a breux hud occurred, it was ovidontly difficult for them to Get together again on the same old footing; so we find an 3 interval of ten years before their next meeting.
But the fact that Congregationalists savo such unanimous and hearty support to the revolutionary movement - once the storm had burst - mikes it soum a fair inference that their influence was more or less pro-revolutionary from the besinmins; es ecially when the well-known revolutionary attitude of Congregation- alists elsewhere in Now Englund is t kou into account.
D. attitude of the Presbyteriang towards the Revolution.
(1) President newlook of Dartmouth and his precarious situation. Then we remember that President wheelock was dependent upon friends
in England ini Scotland for almost the entire financial Ducking wich his college was receiving, And when we remember the cordial friendship between him and Governor Wentworth, It is at once evident that he occupied an unusually difficult and precurious situation. It is only natural that we find him trying to preserve a
1. Wadleigh, Sotable Events in the Hist. of Dover, p. 159.
2. Otis G. Imaroni; Latter to A. E. :.- Portsmouth, November 17, 1924.
3. "xinates of the NJw 3. Assoc. cf Vinistors" Collections of How H. Hist . 500 .. IZ, p. 63 (Elitor's note)
* Miss Alice Baldwin says in her thesis that during the Revol- ution Pres, Wheelock (+D.C.) were the centre of amovement to de- mand equal rights for certain [river) + for a convention to draw up a State Constitution.
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position of neutrality as long as possible. In 1773m he - toother with several members of his college faculty - addressed a testimonial to the House of Repre- sentatives, protesting against "certain ispersions which had been made against the person of the Royal Governor, John Tentworth, and attesting their loyalty 1
to his person and office".
Then, as late as November, 1775, we find that theolook got himself into trouble by refusing to celebrate Thanksgiving; on the date set by the New Rummyshire revolutionary Legislators. Instead, he pro ched his sermon on the date sot by the Connecticut Legislature. Emmond says;
"wheelock was accused of Toryism for no other reason them the above. The clamor wis so great thit re finilly consented to preach Another sermon on the Juth (as per the New Hampshire proclamation) . 20 fully clear up the 'doloful smoke' he was obliged to call upon the committees of Safety of Hisnovor, heb.mon, Plainfield, md Cornish, who completely axonerated him".4
In this second sermon, of November 30th, theelook mikes a clear st.to- ment of his allegiance to the Continental Congress, As follows;
"I look upon the provinces, as well as individuals, to be bound, and that it is of the list importance to the colonies in this very darx and critical stite of our civil Affairs, carefully to observe and strict- ly to adhere to the wuvice and direction of that body of wise and prudent counsellors, who are appointed by the colonies for that purpose".
*It was shortly after the above sermon thuit "hoelock demonstrated that factions speak louder than words', for we find him assisting to clear the
Commacticut Valley of Tories, as described in the following latter;
"The Reverend Bleazer theblock of Dartmouth College, in conjunction with three descons, put an end to the Church of England in this state (N.H. ) as early as 1775. They seized me (Rinna Cossit), Captain Peters, Mr Cole, ma all the Church people for 200 milos upon this
1. stato Dimars of Haw A., XVIII, 649.
3. Fron "Liberty of Conscience; or no King but Christ in ma Church", his 6.19 2. Hammond, Forios of How ie, p. 46
ADO VO
quotation sent to us oy ur N. L. Goodrich, Librarian of Dartmouth College, 11 - letter dited November 11. 1924.
. Te should not forget that, as a result of the "ir, "hoelock was plunged into a debt of marly 1000 Lbs. (Collections of N.H. H.J., 1%, 100).
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river (Connecticut) and confined us in close goals, after banting Que drawing us throat mid and water i .-
(2) Cthat Presbyterian A.trots.
Thers were several others who did their 'bit' in a quiet way: These 2 wary Kouragore of Londonderry, who want two sons into the patriot army, and John Wilson - said to be a radical thig in his views - "but who let nothing draw him from his study". 3 Aster the revolutionary period had passed, we find Reverend Samuel Perley sitting in a State Convention which ratified the Federal Constitu- 4
ticu. . But we have no evidence that any one of these three men came out on the patriot side provious to the Dooluration of Independence.
(3) Tories enon ; the Presbyterian Alone. Patriots But we can mitch those artsets with as many outspoken loyalists -
Ruverona John Morrison of Peterborough, who joined the British amy at Boston 5 6
in 1775, and Revarand John Houston of Bedford. Houston wis suen a pronounced Tory that the Town voted to slut the meeting-house against him. His conduct finally became so offensive that the people treated him to a six-mile ride upon a wooden horse. But his refusal to sign the Association Test, in 1776, shows that this ride did not oure his Toryisn. Ho hept up his opposition to the Patriot cause uitil 1778, when he was called before the state Committee of safety, and had to fuca the alternative of imprisonment or recintation. Ke chose the Letter course, and continued to praich in various parts of New Hampshire and Vermont, 'as occasion required'. Or a third Presbyterian - Reverend solomon Hoore, of New Boston, it is said that he was suspected of opposing the American Revolution. Some ernest whigs umong his people would not hear him preich. do was arrested,
1. Hawkins, The Missions of the Church of Myhand, p. 251.
2. Sprague, Annils of the imer. blivit, III, 30.
3. Livrance, The Han He Unurodas, p. 30.
4. Ibid., p. 133.
5. Farmer and Moore, Historical Collections, 1, 55, and Lawrence, The New H. Churches, p. 240.
6. Potter, Hist. of Manchester, pp. 438-40, and Lawrance, The New H. Churches p. 157.
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charged with opposition to the cause .it is thought to hive surfored .. brief imprisonment at Exetor. Subsequently he professed .legiunco to the state and 1 had a comfortable ministry. And of a fourth Presbyterian clar yann - David . Mitenell, of Pembroke - we read thit he was "one of nine cut of lox, who could 2 not violato his ailesimace to the King". It is probablo tht the 102 refers to the total member of ministers of all denominations who were put to the toat in 1776, And that there were nino who refused it. Of this number we have definite- ly ascert-ined only six, as follows: John Houston And David : itcheil, Presbyterians; Dr. Sumol chopard and Artemis Aldrich, Baptists; Rnni Cossit, Spisoopinions and Micah Lawrence, Congregation Listx.(See Assoc. Test in State Papers Vol. XXX.) (E) The armed of New Marland and its meeting in londonderry in september, 1776.
And now for the most simificant piece of evidence which we have been able to find, It consists in the action taken by the Synod of New england at its meeting in Londonderry, on September 4, 1776. Immediately after the opening prayer, the question wis put "whether any suspected to os inicical to the liberties of the independent st .. tos of america . . . und who refuses to dasiera his miasidice to the same shill hive a seat in this judicature"? It was voted thit he should not. The question wus thun put "whether the Declarration of Indicandence should be sup- ported by all ranks and degrees of persons in these colonies"" The Consideration
of this question was "suspended" until the next day. when they reconvened, they
British votad that "whereas John Morrison his eloped to the = in sanafully behaved himself, he shall be deposed from the ministerial office". 3 john Houston
1. Lawrence, The Now H. Churches, p. 229.
2. Carter, The illat, of Pembroke. Men J., p. 261.
3 As Morrison was pastor at Peterborough only until 1772, tas no other church was established here, it is not strange that Smith's book :- Peterborough h.t. in the Amer. Revolution-makes no mention as the attitude of either church or clergy.
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1
Was put on trial, and finally suspended in 1778. But we shall not be ready to form our conclusione is to the attitude of Presbyterians towards the Revolution, until we have examined the Returns of the Association Test, as ragirls both ministers n und towns. The two Tubles which follow show the results of the Test, so far us the Returns are available:
(5) Association fast Roll-Call of Presbyterian Ministers ** (busad qu t to 2mars, 12)
I. Those who sind the fast.
(1) D. Notregore, of Londonderry
4 (2) Solomon Icor, of Kan Boston p. 95
(3) Simon williams, cf : indim p.164
(4) Joh "ilson, of Chaster p. 28
*(5) Sammel Perley, of Seabrook p.142
(6) Villiam Davidson, of Londonderry 2. 85
(7) Abner Byloy, of sales - P.135
II. Those who refused to sisa.
(1) John Houston, of Badford p. 16
(2) Daniel Mitchell, of Pembroke F.110
III. Those whose nimes ao not unaer in the Roturas.
(1) Nathaniel Merrill; left his parish in 1774.
(2) John Morrison: left his parish before 1772.
(3) Eleazer wheelock: no returns given for Hanover.
(4) 3den Burroughs:
Harover Centre.
(5) Obadiah Kobles Orford.
(6) John Strickland, Nottingham "est.
1. dlaikie, Presbytarianism in New england, pp. 170-1. (zt.lics _ra Mine). Total number of Presbyterian Ministers - 15; see Malo II, LFP. These two man affixed "V. D.M. " after their signatures. "Varci Fai "inister', or 'Minister of the word of Jod', soo fun un pulls, st-surd in lish Diction:cz, p. 2314.
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(6) Association Tost Returns from Prasyteria Young **
(ut to Ppers, XXX)
I. Toms in which averybody alidad,
(1). Cheater, 28
(2) soubrook, -
p. 142
(3) Zetorborough p. 111
(6) Bedford, Lil signed except Houston - 15
(5) Boscawen, all bat ons sigmod 17
II. Cours choro 5 or morg refused the fost.
(1) "indhm, all sigmod but 3 - -
(2) Pombroko, 9 mon rofused the Rest 1. 110 1 1
[3] Nav; Boston, 47 man refused the Tost p. 95 1
(4) Londonderry, 16 mon rofused the Test 34
'LEnough soin Astregore und Davidson si_med. 2. 133
III. To for nisa to Putarag ary sivoa:
:1) Nottin has "3st
(2) Bemoretown
Emover
·(%) Hanover Cancre
*(5) Orford
Totul No. of Prebyteriun towns only 15; two churches in om town
. These touns were on, or noir. the Connectiont fuir removed fras Exeter - the sent of the Revolutionary „vernment - und in the same central district us 19 believe the followin; shows why there were no returns from these three towns. "There was little sympathy on the purt of the people of Eivortill and the surrouxing tons for the Bastar Government, The tie of alla -une to Jen Brachi ra anis not utrmely bindin ". Thitcher, Hist, of
tas tom of Hiyerhill, Bon ni., P. 97.
(7) Conclusion w to Projoytorins inu the dovolution
The church historian, Briggs, has said that "the great body of
1 American Fresbytorians hesitated about breaking; ilte jether with the Hother Country". And snon wo recall th.t tho iniin ; Presbyteri ine of Mew B-mpshire _t this time were Theolock Am HAFrsjore it seems a fair inference that this holds particularly tree of Hor Bmpshire. Theelock's attitude has been sufficiently dealt with. Said's McGregoro, we must remembor that he was an old min by the tims that the ssom clouds of revolution had begun to Ather. i.though two of his sons roasfit in the Patriot Army, we h:ve tro soud re som - basines his advanced aga - for Jolioving that ba ins consorzitive in his attitwie; (1) te can find no direct alianse to the contrar, (2) The Mild ation of the Synod of New England in 1776. As this mest- ing was held In Madregore's own church, in Londonderry, and as he had been the lead- ing member of the Boston Presbytery - the main constitutent of the synod - his in- fluenge probably outweighed that of way other man present. So the synod's mild action regarding
John Houston, and its having never actually put the question re the Declaration of Independence to a vote, naturally seems to be a reflection of LoGregoro's own 2
tolerant uttituda.
One of the numerous town historiaus of New Hampshire has a great deal London- to say about the patriotism evinced by the Bootch-Irish Prasoytarians of derry 3 But in spite of their standing seven to two in the signing of the 4880- ciation Teat y vo conclude that the Presbyterim glory of Now Hampshire while, in gener :: 1, pro-revolutionary were revertneloss quite conservative in their attitude at least prior to the actual break with England.)
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