Cambridge,' and closed, agreeably to vote, at six o'clock, P. M., the result was ascertained to be as follows; whole number of ballots, 869; in the affirmative, 645; in the negative, 224; the majority in favor of adopting said Act being 421. Whereupon said result was announced by the Moderator, and proclamation made, that the Town of Cambridge, having accepted its Charter by the requisite majority of votes, as therein prescribed, had become a City."

CHAPTER XV.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

As stated more at large in chapter ii., Cambridge was originally designed to be a fortified town, the seat of government, and the residence of the rulers. It was agreed, Dec. 28, 1630, that all the Assistants, except two, should build there "the next spring, and to winter there the next year." Dudley and his son-in-law, Bradstreet, were the only Assistants who fully performed what was promised. Apparently there were very few inhabitants in the town for a year and a half, until Aug. 14, 1632, when “the Braintree Company," otherwise called "Mr. Hooker's Company," were directed by the Court to remove thither. Under such circumstances, it is not surprising, that, contrary to the usual custom, a church was not immediately organized, and a house erected and dedicated to the service of God. There is no evidence within my knowledge that meetings were held in Cambridge for religious worship, before the arrival of "Mr. Hooker's company; " and for a whole year afterwards, until Mr. Hooker himself arrived, this flock probably had no pastor nor stated teacher. Meantime, Prince says,1 on authority of a manuscript letter, that in "this year (1632) is built the first house for public worship at Newtown (after called Cambridge) with a bell upon it." No notice of the erection of such a house is found. on the records of the town; yet the fact that it had been erected seems to be recognized in an agreement made Dec. 24, 1632, "that every person undersubscribed shall meet every first Monday in every month, within the meeting-house 2 in the afternoon, within half an hour after the ringing of the bell." The connection between Mr. Hooker and the "Braintree Company" is related by Mather, and more concisely by Dr. Holmes: "The recent settlers of Newtown had, while in England, attended the ministry of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, who, to escape fines 1 Annals, ii. 75.

worship, was on the southwesterly corner

2 The house first erected for public of Dunster and Mount Auburn streets.

and imprisonment, for his nonconformity, had now fled into Holland. To enjoy the privilege of such a pastor, they were willing to migrate to any part of the world. No sooner, therefore, was he driven from them, than they turned their eyes towards New England. They hoped that, if comfortable settlements could be made in this part of America, they might obtain him for their pastor. Immediately after their settlement at Newtown, they expressed their earnest desires to Mr. Hooker, that he would come over into New England, and take the pastoral charge of them. At their desire, he left Holland; and, having obtained Mr. Samuel Stone, a lecturer at Torcester, in Northamptonshire, for an assistant in the ministry, took his passage for America, and arrived at Boston September 4, 1633. . Mr. Hooker, on his arrival at Boston, proceeded to Newtown, where he was received with open arms by an affectionate and pious people. He was now chosen pastor, and Mr. Stone teacher, of the people at Newtown; and on the 11th of October, 1633, after solemn fasting and prayer, they were ordained to their respective offices." Under this date, Winthrop says,- "A fast at Newtown, where Mr. Hooker was chosen pastor, and Mr. Stone teacher, in such manner as before at Boston."2 As he says nothing concerning the organization of the Church at that time, it would seem probable that it had been constituted previously, but at what precise date does not appear. From the same authority we learn the name of the Ruling Elder of this church, in September, 1634: "At this court, Mr. Goodwin, a very reverend and godly man, being the elder of the congregation of Newtown, having in heat of argument, used some unreverend speech to one of the assistants, and being reproved for the same in the open court, did gravely and humbly acknowledge his fault, &c." 3 In 1636, the Church with its officers removed to Hartford, Connecticut, as related in chapter iv., and thenceforth ceased all visible connection with Cambridge.

Meantime a new company arrived from England, under the leadership of Rev. Thomas Shepard, who purchased the houses and lands of their predecessors, and organized a new church even

1 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., vii. 12. 2 Savage's Winthrop, i. 115.

8 Ibid., i. 142. Elder William Goodwin, eminent in the State as well as in the Church, died at Farmington, Conn., March 11, 1672-3.

Mr. Hooker, that "bright and shining light," died July 7, 1647. Though renowned "in both Englands" for his

gifts and graces, his Christian humility was conspicuous at the hour of death. As related by Mather, "when one that stood weeping by the bed side said unto him, 'Sir, you are going to receive the reward of all your labors,' he replied, Brother, I am going to receive mercy.' The pious, learned, and witty Mr. Stone died July 20, 1663.

before the actual removal of the former, embracing probably a very few of its members who remained here. Winthrop, who undoubtedly was present, describes with much particularity the organization of this Church, under date of Feb. 1, 1635-6:

"Mr. Shepherd, a godly minister, came lately out of England, and divers other good Christians, intending to raise a church body, came and acquainted the magistrates therewith, who gave their approbation. They also sent to all the neighboring churches, for their elders to give their assistance, at a certain day, at Newtown, when they should constitute their body. Accordingly, at this day, there met a great assembly, where the proceeding was as followeth:- Mr. Shepherd and two others (who were after to be chosen to office) sate together in the elder's seat. Then the elder of them began with prayer. After this, Mr. Shepherd prayed with deep confession of sin, etc., and exercised out of Eph. v. that he might make it to himself a holy, etc.; and also opened the cause of their meeting, etc. Then the elder desired to know of the churches assembled, what number were needful to make a church, and how they ought to proceed in this action. Whereupon some of the ancient ministers, conferring shortly together, gave answer, that the Scripture did not set down any certain rule for the number. Three (they thought) were too few, because by Matt. xviii., an appeal was allowed from three; but that seven might be a fit number. And, for their proceeding, they advised, that such as were to join should make confession of their faith, and declare what work of grace the Lord had wrought in them; which accordingly they did, Mr. Shepherd first, then four others, then the elder, and one who was to be deacon, (who had also prayed,) and another member. Then the covenant was read, and they all gave a solemn assent to it. the elder desired of the churches, that, if they did approve them to be a church, they would give them the right hand of fellowship. Whereupon Mr. Cotton, (upon short speech with some others near him,) in the name of their churches, gave his hand to the elder, with a short speech of their assent, and desired the peace of the Lord Jesus to be with them. Then Mr. Shepherd made an exhortation to the rest of his body, about the nature of their covenant, and to stand firm to it, and commended them to the Lord in a most heavenly prayer. Then the elder told the assembly, that they were intended to choose Mr. Shepherd for their pastor, (by the name of the brother who had exercised,) and desired the churches, that, if they had any thing to except against

Then

him, they would impart it to them before the day of ordination. Then he gave the churches thanks for their assistance, and so left them to the Lord." 1

The relations previously existing between Mr. Shepard and many of the early members of this Church are mentioned by himself in his autobiography. Born Nov. 5, 1605, at Towcester, Northamptonshire, and educated at Emanuel College in Cambridge, A. B. 1623, A. M. 1627, he took orders in the English Church; but as he could not conscientiously conform to all its ceremonies, he was constantly harassed by its rulers, and prevented from the exercise of his ministry in peace. After preaching at Earles Colne somewhat more than three years (where he secured the lasting friendship of Roger Harlakenden), and about a year at Buttercrambe, Yorkshire (where he married his first wife), and another year in sundry places in Northumberland, he sought refuge from constant persecution, by a removal to New England. He failed in his first attempt, however, being driven back by stress of weather; but his second attempt was successful, and he arrived at Boston Oct. 3, 1635, with his "wife, child, brother Samuel, Mr. Harlakenden, Mr. Cooke, &c."2 Two days afterwards, he came to Cambridge and took lodgings at the house of Mr. Stone. "The reasons," says he in his Autobiography, "which swayed me to come to New England, were many. 1. I saw no call to any other place in Old England nor way of subsistence in peace and comfort to me and my family. 2. Diverse people in Old England of my dear friends desired me to go to New England, there to live together, and some went before and

1 Savage's Winthrop, i. 180. The organization of this Church is commemorated in A Discourse on the Cambridge Church Gathering in 1636, delivered in the First Church on Sunday, February 22, 1846, by William Newell, Pastor of the First Church in Cambridge. See also Lectures on the History of the First Church in Cambridge, by Alexander McKenzie, Pastor of the First Church in Cambridge and Shepard Congregational Society, in which not only is the gathering of the church described, but its subsequent history traced to 1872. The Discourse relates the facts, embellished with the charms of a highly poetic imagination; the Lectures exhibit the fruits of careful and patient investigation, and a loyal adherence to the truth of history;

together, they may supply what this present work lacks in the graces of description and fullness of detail. A general reference is now made, once for all, to those Lectures for a particular account of the doctrines taught and the books written by Mr. Shepard and by his successors in the ministry.

2 Besides these, he mentions among the brethren who shared his unsuccessful attempt to cross the ocean, and who afterwards became members of his church, "brothers Champney, Frost," subsequently Ruling Elders, "Goffe, and diverse others, most dear saints." He also acknowledges special acts of kindness rendered to him in England by Mr. Russell, Mr. Collins, and Mrs. Sherborne,— names afterwards familiar in Cambridge.