TRIUMPHS OF THE BRITISH ARMS.

27

succession, the crowning triumphs being at Quebee in 1759 and Montreal in 1760.1

Novr. 14. 1756 The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stayed, and Voted,

That there be a Collection for Charitable and pious uses on the Anniversary Thanksgiving Novr. 25. Instant: And that the rest of the Congregation be notified next Lord's Day, and desir'd to assist in said Collection.

Thanksgiving Novr. 25. 1756

Collected

Appropriated

To the Rev. Mr. Cambell

Mr. Brett

To the pious Fund

Rev. Mr. Crocker

Rev. Mr. Carpenter

For the Prisoners

For two Widows

Wood for two Widows

Collected at large
Since received.

Total

JOSEPH SEWALL.

Dec. 5. 1756 The Brethren of the Church and Congregation were stay'd: and Voted,

1. That twenty pounds be given out of the late collection in Bibles and other Books of piety to proper objects of such a charity.

2. That the remainder of said Collection be distributed by the Deacons to the poor of this Church and Congregation in Wood and other Necessaries of life, according to their best Discretion.

1 Referring to the year 1759, Mr. Green remarks: "It is no exaggeration to say that three of its many victories determined for ages to come the destinies of the world. With that of Rossbach began the recreation of Germany, its intellectual supremacy over Europe, its political union under the leadership of Prussia and its kings. With that of Plassey the influence of Europe told for the first

JOSEPH SEWALL.

time since the days of Alexander on the nations of the East. The world, in Burke's gorgeous phrase, saw 'one of the races of the northeast cast into the heart of Asia new manners, new doctrines, new institutions. With the triumph of Wolfe on the Heights of Abraham began the history of the United States of America." - Short History of the English People, pp. 737, 738.

On the day following, one of the most distinguished and venerated members of the church, Josiah Willard, was taken to his rest. Seventy-five years before, he was baptized by his father in the old meeting-house, and fifty-five years before, he was received, also by his father, into the fellowship of the church. He was a man of majestic presence, and of rare mental endowments. He was secretary of the province from 1717 until his death, judge of probate from 1731 to 1745, and a member of the honorable council, from 1734 to May, 1756.1 "He discharged the duties of these important offices," said Dr. Sewall, "with a laudable capacity, great diligence and integrity, as a good and faithful servant of God, his King and country; " and he added: "This flock of Christ, of which his excellent father was an able and faithful pastor, is bereaved of an exemplary and faithful Christian, who walk'd humbly and closely with God, in a firm adherance to the doctrines and precepts of the Gospel: One that was zealous for the day and house of the Lord, and constant in his attendance on the public worship, even when his bodily infirmities might urge him to spare himself." Both his ministers preached upon his death. From Dr. Sewall we have already quoted. Mr. Prince took the character of Caleb as an illustration of that of Mr. Willard, and said of the latter :

But it was his distinguishing, unaffected and yet shining piety, which spread a pleasing lustre on all his other endowments, and rendered him so exceedingly amiable and delightful to us. And without preferring him to many others, I may freely say that among his brethren and fathers, in place of civil dignity, I dont remember that I ever saw any man, in whom so many accomplishments, with the unaffected gentleman and the eminent Christian, were more happily united.

Lords Day Decr. 12. 1756 The Brethren of the Church stayed, and Voted,

That Deacon Hubbard, Capt. Jackson, Mr. David Jeffries, Mr. John Scollay and Capt. Symmes be the Church-Committee for this year. JOSEPH SEWALL.

The admissions to the church in 1756 were forty-four; including eight on the 28th of December, 1755, we may call them fifty-two. This was a larger number than had been added in any year since the great revival, and it was not to be equalled

TRINITARIAN CONTROVERSY.

29

in the time to come until far into the nineteenth century. Most of these admissions were in the first three months of the year. On the 28th of December, as we have said, there were eight; on the 25th of January, there were nine; on the 22d of February, there were fourteen; on the 29th of February, there were two; and on the 21st of March, there were seven: in all forty. Among these were members of the Belknap, Prout, Wiswall, Fleet, Welles, Salisbury,1 Oliver, Hubbard, and Bromfield families. William Phillips, afterward deacon, and his wife Abigail (Bromfield) made a profession of their faith February 29. A larger number than usual also owned the covenant in 1756, eleven, - among whom were James Otis, the great orator, advocate, and patriot, and his wife Ruth (Cunningham). Mrs. Otis became a communicant in 1764.

We have no means of knowing what circumstances especially led to the revival of religious interest in the congregation at this time, but we may suppose that the earthquake shocks of November, 1755, as similar visitations had done before, deepened religious impressions already made, and brought men and women to a decision. Under the solemn admonitions of their faithful ministers, they came to estimate at their proportionate value "those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made," and "those things which are not shaken," and which are to remain.

Dr. Mayhew had recently published a book in which he attacked the doctrine of the Trinity, and an English work on the same side of the controversy, Emlyn's Inquiry, had been reprinted here, with a preface by an anonymous writer calling himself a layman. These publications caused much uneasiness among conservative men, and Mr. Edwards wrote a letter from Stockbridge, February 11, 1757, to Dr. Wigglesworth, professor of divinity in Harvard College, in which he said:

1 Rebecca Salisbury, who joined February 22, 1756, was a daughter of Nicholas and Martha Salisbury. She married, May 3, 1757, Daniel Waldo, a merchant of Boston. Griselda, daughter of Andrew and Mary Oliver, who joined on the same day, married Samuel Waldo, and died soon after at Casco Bay.

2 William Phillips owned the covenant at his father's church in Andover, December 5, 1736, before leaving home for Boston. He was then in his fifteenth year.

3 The Rev. Edward Wigglesworth was a son of the Rev. Michael Wigglesworth, of Malden. After leaving college, in 1710, he taught for a time in Boston, and was then a member of the South Church. In 1722, he was elected as the first professor of theology at Cambridge, on the Hollis foundation; and at his installation the oaths were administered to him by Judge Sewall and Colonel Penn Townsend. He received the degree of D. D. from Edinburgh in 1730.

I only write as a subject and friend of the same Lord, and a follower and fellow-disciple of the same Jesus. A regard to his interests has made me uneasy ever since I read Dr. Mayhew's late book, some time the last year, and saw that marginal note of his, wherein he ridicules the doctrine of the Trinity. And my uneasiness was increased after I had wrote to Mr. Foxcroft upon it, and fully expressed my sentiments to him concerning the call of God to ministers that way, or others whose business it was to teach the doctrines of Christianity, to appear publicly on this occasion in defence of this doctrine; and he, in reply, informed me that the same affair had been proposed and considered at the board of overseers; and in the issue nothing concluded to be done. Very lately, Mr. Emlyn's book has fallen into my hands, published in New England by one that calls himself a layman; who, in his dedication to the ministers of the country, gives them an open and bold (though a very subtle and artful) challenge to answer that book, and defend the proper deity of Christ, if they can. Since I have read this book I am abundantly confirmed that my opinion, signified to Mr. Foxcroft, was right; and that the call of God that some one should appear in open defence of this doctrine, is very loud and plain; and that an universal neglect of it in the churches of New England on this occasion, will be imputed by the Head of the church, whose glory is so struck at, as a lukewarmness that will be very displeasing.

Mr. Edwards then urged Professor Wigglesworth, as one "set for the instruction of our youth in divinity in the principal seminary of learning," to engage in this cause. Professor Wigglesworth replied at length, and said :

Among many things exceptionable in the marginal notes [of Dr. Mayhew's book] I at length met one which seemed to insinuate that the canon of the Old Testament was compiled according to the humor and caprice of the people; that some books were admitted and others left out of the canon, according as the people relished or disrelished the contents of them. I immediately thought that this was the first thing which demanded my attention. For if the divine authority of the books of the Old Testament be once shaken, besides all the other mischiefs (too many to be mentioned) we shall be deprived of the weight of that evidence which might be drawn from them for the true and proper Godhead of our Saviour. I, therefore, at my very next lecture, delivered the inclosed discourse, which I ask your candid acceptance of, [published at the] request of almost every student in the college.1

MR. PEMBERTON'S SERMON.

31

the vacation following the publication of his views, "the worthy ministers of that town were generally vindicating the divinity of Christ;" and he said further :

At length came out a catholic and judicious discourse of Mr. Pemberton1 upon that subject, prefaced by Dr. Sewall and Mr. Prince, the two oldest ministers of the town. I thought it was now time to have done, and wait in silence till we saw whether anything would be replied to Mr. Pemberton or to me. And I believe (for more than one reason) that if no further stir had been made, we should have met with no more trouble. But the printers, who live very much by disputes, observing that the people's passions were up, that anything on that subject would fetch a penny, and that everything was supposed to be pointed at Dr. Mayhew, continued printing little things with pompous advertisements about them in the newspapers, week after week. If it had not been for these repeated and long continued provocations, I don't think we should ever have seen the "Layman's" new edition of "Emlyn's Inquiry."

Dr. Wigglesworth did not think it desirable to "publish a new answer to a book that hath been answered over and over again on the other side of the water;" but if anything of the kind were to be done, he recommended "the reprinting the best answer to Mr. Emlyn which hath been written abroad; and perhaps some other 'layman' may usher it on to the stage with as much address as Mr. Emlyn hath been introduced with before it."2

April the 10th. being the Sabbath after the Honble Spencer Phips died, Dr. Sewall preached from Isaiah the 2nd verse 22 ["Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?"] (Fleet.)

Mr. Phips became acting-governor, on the departure for England of William Shirley. The council now governed the province, and the command of the castle was given to Sir William Pepperrell, until the arrival of the next governor, Thomas Pownall.

Augt. 7. 1757. The Church was stayed;

R. S's confession of the hainous sin of Fornication was read, and Shee was restored to the charity and communion of the Church.

JOSEPH SEWALL.