ONE ON LEAVING THE OLD, AND THE OTHER ON ENTERING THE NEW HOUSE OF WORSHIP. BY THE LATE REV. WILLIAM EMERSON, A. M. A. A. S. & S. H.S. THE TWELFTH PASTOR OF SAID CHURCH. BOSTON, PUBLISHED BY MUNROE & FRANCIS, NO. 4, CORNHILI.. 1812. KONINKLIJKE BIBLIOTHEEK 0743 8754 DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT; District Clerk's Office. BE it remembered, That, on the twenty-sixth day of December, A. D. 1811, and in the thirty-sixth year of the Independence of the United States of America, RUTH EMERSON, of the said district, has deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof she claims, as proprietor, in the words following, to wit; "An HISTORICAL SKETCH of the FIRST CHURCH IN BOSTON, from its formation to the present period. To which are added Two Sermons, one on leaving the old, and the other on entering the new house of worship. By the late Rev. WILLIAM EMERSON, A.M. A.A.S. & S.H.S. the twelfth pastor of said church.'' In conformity to the act of the congress of the United States, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned ;" and also to an act, entitled, "An act supplementary to an act, entitled, an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." WILLIAM S. SHAW, ADVERTISEMENT OF THE EDITORS. THE following work is published, without material alterations, as it was left by the author. It is to be regretted, that he did not live to complete his design. To what was prepared respecting Dr. Chauncy is added a sketch of his family by Dr. Clarke.* As several of the author's late society have earnestly requested, that this history should contain some records of their two last beloved pastors, accounts of them have been added from documents, which have been already published. The notice of Dr. Clarke is from the collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, vol. vi. p. 3. consisting of a "Sketch of the life and character of Rev. Dr. Clarke," supposed to be written by Rev. Dr. Belknap; and an extract from President Willard's discourse, delivered at First Church, the sunday after the decease of Dr. Clarke. The account of Mr. Emerson is extracted from the discourse, delivered at his funeral by Rev. Joseph S. Buckminster, minister of Brattle-street church. To the whole are added, agreeably to the original design of the author, two sermons; one preached, on leaving the old house of worship in Cornhill; the other, at the dedication of the new meeting-house in Chauncy-place. 25 Dec. 1811. Published in an appendix to his sermon on the death of Dr. Chauncy. INDEX. SECTION PAGE I. From the formation of the church, 1630, to the settlement of 9 II. From the settlement of Mr. Cotton, to his death, 1652. 18 III. From the death of Mr. Cotton, to the settlement of Mr. Nor- 87 IV. V. VI. From the settlement of Mr. Norton, to his death, 1663. VII. From the settlement of Messrs. Davenport and Allen, to the VIII. From the settlement of Mr. Oxenbridge, to his death, 1674. 125 From the ordination of Mr. Wadsworth, to that of Mr. Bridge, 146 153 XII. From the death of Mr. Allen, to that of Mr. Bridge, 1715. XIV. From the settlement of Mr. Chauncy, to the death of Mr. Fox- 173 XV. From the death of Mr. Foxcroft, to the settlement of Mr. XVI. Sketch of the life and character of Mr. Clarke. Mr. Emerson's last Sermon in the Old Brick meeting-house, 17 July, 1808. 229 Mr. Emerson's Sermon at the dedication of the new house of worship, in Chauncy-place, 21 July, 1808. 245 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE FIRST CHURCH. SECTION I. From the formation of the Church, 1630, to the settlement of Mr. Cotton, 1633. 1630. THE four men particularly eminent and active in SECT. 1. The first of these illustrious characters was the first governour of Massachusetts. The second was a gentleman of family and fortune, who, with his honourable lady, was swept away by the ravages of a mortal disease in the infancy of the settlement. Mr. Dudley was a long time deputy-governour, and afterwards governour of the colony. Mr. Wilson was a minister of religion, abounding in zeal, prudence, and charity. B |