Lord's Day March 4. 1749-50

The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stayed, and Voted

That twenty pounds be laid out in Bibles, and given to the Poor of this Church and Congregation; and that the Remainder of the last Collection be given to the Poor of this Church and Congregation in Wood and other Necessaries of life, by the Deacons according to their best Discretion. J. SEWALL.

The Rev. John Webb died, April 16, after a pastorate at the New North Church of thirty-six years. His surviving colleague, the Rev. Andrew Eliot, said of him, "I cannot but think him one of the best of Christians, and one of the best ministers." Mr. Eliot now became sole pastor, and so continued until the close of his ministry.

Lord's Day Augt. 26. and by adjournment Septr 2. and 9. 1750. The Brethren of the Church stay'd: And the Hon. Josiah Willard, Deacon Henchman, Mr. Jonathan Loring, Mr. Isaac Walker, and Mr. John Kneeland were chosen to be the Church-Committee for the year ensuing. J. SEWALL.

Lord's Day Octr 21. 1750

The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stay'd, and Voted

That there be a Collection for Charitable and pious uses on the Anniversary Thanksgiving Novr. 1. next, and that the Rest of the Congregation be notified of this vote next Lord's Day, and be desir'd to assist in said Collection.

Thanksgiving Nov. 1. 1750.

Collected,

For the pious and Char. Fund

JOSEPH SEWALL.

£10. 0. 0

Unappropriated

COUNCIL AT NORTHAMPTON.

Lord's Day March 10 1750-1

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The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stayed, and Voted

That £160. 15. 5 O. T. out of the last collection be given to the Poor of this Church and Congregation in Wood, and other Necessaries of life, by the Deacons according to their best Discretion.

Then the Meeting was adjourn'd to Monday, come Fortnight 11. cl. Α. Μ.

March 25. 1751

JOSEPH SEWALL.

The Brethren of the Church and Congregation met and

Voted - That Messrs Oxenb: Thacher junr.1 Benj: Dolbeare and Joseph Jackson be a committee to consider and inquire what are the deficiencies in the weekly contributions, whence they arise, and what may be the best method to make them up, and report to the adjournment of this Meeting; and to receive any money which may be offered to make good the deficiencies: And that the same Gentlemen be a committee to audit the Deacons Accounts.

Voted Unanimously, That the Contributors mark their money, and that those of the Church and Congregation who are now absent, be acquainted that every Person present in this very full meeting vocally express'd themselves desirous that all the contribution-money should be marked.

Voted, That the Deacons be desir'd to put to interest the Donation of Mr. Nathl. Cunningham deceas'd, being £500 O. T.; to keep good the Principall, and distribute the Interest among the poor of this Church and Congregation annually, according to their best discretion. Voted, That this Meeting be adjourned to Monday April 22 next at 11. o. cl. A. M. JOSEPH SEWALL.

April 21. The Meeting was further adjourned to the 29 this Instant 11. 0. cl. A. M.

Lord's Day April 28. 1751

The Church stayed, when Letters were communicated from several Brethren of the first Church in Northampton and from the Rev'd Mr. Edwards, desiring our Assistance in Council. Voted. Messengers chosen, One of the Deacons, Messrs. Joseph Jackson, David Jeffries and John Kneeland.

Mr. Edwards had aroused violent opposition in his church and parish, first, in 1744, by an endeavor to call some of the young people to account for improprieties of conduct which had become the occasion of public scandal; and, later, and more especially, by the views entertained by him - contrary to those which had been taught and practised by his predecessor, Mr. Stoddard on the proper qualifications for approach to the Lord's Table. On this subject he wished to preach a course of sermons to his congregation, explaining and defending his position; but the church-committee, with which he had consulted, objected, because of the intense feeling which existed and which was already dividing the town into two hostile parties. Reluctantly the committee consented to his giving his views to the public through the press, and agreed to await the publication before having recourse to a council, which the church had been anxious to call, and which the pastor was willing to accept, after all other methods of reconciliation should have been exhausted. In 1749 he published An Humble Inquiry Into the Rules of the Word of God Concerning the Qualifications Requisite to Full Communion in the Church, a quarto, of about a hundred and fifty pages.1 A long and learned letter from Mr. Foxcroft to

1 The great authority of Jonathan Edwards is sometimes quoted in selfjustification, by those who would anchor the present irremovably to the traditions of the past. Mr. Edwards had no sympathy with this false conservatism. In the preface to his Inquiry referred to in the text, he quotes and makes his own the following words of the Rev. Solomon Stoddard:

"All Protestants agree, that there is no infallibility at Rome; and I know no Body else pretends to any, since the Apostles Days."

Again:

"It may possibly be a fault to depart from the ways of our Fathers: But it may also be a vertue, and an eminent act of obedience, to depart from them in some things. Men are wont to make a great noise, that we are bringing in innovations, and depart from the old way: But it is beyond me, to find out wherein

the iniquity does lie. We may see cause to alter some practices of our fathers, without despising of them, without priding ourselves in our wisdom, without apostacy, without abusing the advantages God has given us, without a spirit of compliance with corrupt men, without inclinations to superstition, without making disturbance in the church of God: And there is no reason, that it should be turned as a reproach upon us. Surely 'tis commendable for us to examine the practices of our fathers, we have no sufficient reason to take practices upon trust from them. Let them have as high a character as belongs to them; yet we may not look upon their principles as oracles. Nathan himself miss'd it in his conjecture about building the House of God. He that believes principles because they affirm them, makes idols of them. And it would be no humility, but baseness of spirit, for us to judge ourPREFACE TO THE “HUMBLE INQUIRY."

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Mr. Edwards, in support of the principles laid down in the book, was printed as an appendix; and there was a second preface, dated Boston, August 11, 1749, and signed by Thomas Prince, John Webb, Thomas Foxcroft, and Mather Byles, which we quote in full: —

Tho' the Doctrine here maintained by our dear and Rev'd Brother was bro't over hither by the pious and judicious Fathers of this Country from the Puritans in England, and held by them and their Successors in our Churches above Threescore Years without Dissention; yet some good and learned Men have since gone into another Way of thinking in this Matter. And as the Word of God is our only Rule of judging, and this only can bind the Conscience in Religion; it must needs concern every Man to search the Scriptures, that he may come to as satisfying a Knowledge as may be, whether he has a Right to the Lord's Supper, and whether it be his immediate Duty to partake of it, or admit of others. And for all that we had hitherto read on this subject, it seem'd to us, there wanted further Searchings and Discoveries.

And tho' we have not all had Opportunity to read the Composure following; yet we apprehend the Reverend Author singularly qualified to manage this important Argument, from his great Acquaintance with the Scriptures, and diligent Application to the study of them with a special Aim to find the Mind of Christ and settle his Judgment in this particular; both to get more Light himself, and communicate the same to others. And we have this peculiar Motive to excite Attention to what he writes; that he is so far from arguing from the Prejudice or Influence of Education, that being bro't up in the contrary Way of Thinking, and more inclin'd thereto from a special Veneration of his Reverend Grandfather; yet on careful searching the sacred Volumes he was obliged to yield to those Convictions they produced in him and change his Judgment.

The following Treatise contains the substance of those Convictions, or the particular Reasons of this Alteration. And if those who are now in his former Way of Thinking would with due Seriousness, Humility, Calmness, Diligence and Impartiality, search the Scriptures, and consider his arguments derived from them, looking up to God thro' Christ, and subjecting their Minds intirely to Him; they may either see and yield to the same Convictions, and find Cause to change their Judgments also, or will at least continue their fraternal Affection to the worthy Author and Others in the same Sentiments with him.

We heartily pray that the Rev'd Author and his Flock may for a long Time be happy together; that their cordial Love and Tenderness to each other may continue and operate in mutual and all lawful Condescentions and Forbearances under different Sentiments in these Particulars; that every One may be open to Light, and guard against all Prejudice, Precipitance and Passion; that they may be very watchful against the Devices of Satan to disunite or disaffect them; that they may study the Things that make for Peace and Edification. - And the God of Light, Love and Peace will continue with them.

This paper, no doubt, was written by Mr. Prince, and the spirit of Christian kindness and conciliation which it breathes is eminently characteristic of the man. If he had been a mere partisan, he would have placed himself on one side or the other in the controversy between the Northampton church and its minister, and so would have widened the breach still more, had this been possible. His own convictions were more in harmony with the views of Mr. Stoddard than with those of Mr. Edwards; 1 but nothing could be more tender and affectionate than his commendation of the learning, piety, and judicial fairness of the latter, and his prayer for the renewal of peaceful and happy relations between him and his flock. If anything could have brought them together upon the old basis of mutual confidence and love, this hearty appeal would have produced its due effect.

Mr. Edwards again sought to preach to his people upon the question in controversy, but they strenuously objected; he then, in the months of February and March, 1750, made it the subject of a course of week-day lectures, which were attended by large numbers from the neighboring towns, but by few of the residents of Northampton. The breach was too wide to be healed; and a council met on the 19th of June, and sat for three days, which decided by a majority vote that the pastoral relation between Mr. Edwards and his parish ought to be dissolved. He preached his farewell sermon July 1, and this