to receive, sort and count the Votes, who reported the following persons to be duly elected, Vizt.

Deacon William Phillips, Joseph Peirce, John Winslow, William Homes, Samuel Coverly, Abraham Wild, Benjamin Whitman, David W. Childs, Edward Phillips, Francis Welsh, Pliny Cutler, and John Winslow Jr. with the same powers as the former Committee.

Voted, We now come to the Choice of a Committee, to examine the Treasurer's Accounts, when Deacon Samuel Salisbury, John Winslow, Deacon Ticknor, Benjamin Whitman and Samuel Coverly were duly chosen, and directed to report as soon as convenient.

Deacon William Phillips then brought forward the subject respecting procuring or building a Vestry, when a motion was made and seconded, the subject be referred to the Standing Committee, and they be requested to proceed on said business as soon as a proper place can be procured therefor.

Motion being made and seconded that this meeting be dissolved, and it was dissolved accordingly.

Attest JNO. WINSLOWw Clk.

At a meeting of the brethren on the 6th of May, it was reported that the accounts were correct, and Deacon Phillips was reëlected to the treasurership. A committee consisting of John Winslow, Joseph Pierce, and William Homes was appointed, to request of the selectmen "that the By-Laws of the Town be put in force respecting the driving of Carriages on the Lord's Day, in the time of Divine Service."

On the 27th of May, the standing committee, having made a report on the subject of a vestry, was authorized to purchase an estate in Spring Lane, belonging to James Loring, for three thousand dollars.

On Wednesday, May 29, the Election Sermon was preached at the Old South by President Kirkland, before Governor Strong, Lieutenant-Governor Phillips, and the legislature. Governor Strong was succeeded at this time by the Hon. John Brooks, of Medford. On Wednesday evening, the Rev. Ezra Ripley, of Concord, preached in the same place, before the Evangelical Missionary Society. The Convention Sermon was preached on the following day, at Brattle Street, by the Rev. Mr. Channing; the sermon was in explanation and defence of the principles of the Peace Society, which had recently been organized, and in reference to which there was a wide difference of opinion.1

Boston November 4. 1816. The Brethren of the Old South Church and Congregation meet by notice from the Revd. Mr. Huntington on Lord's Day, in the afternoon, to meet at 3 o'clock to receive the Report of the Committee on the Business of the Vestry.

Deacon William Phillips was chosen Moderator.

Report of the Committee impowered by a Vote of the Society passed Nov. 20, 1815, to procure a Bell in place of the one which was cracked while ringing for fire during the Tempest on 23d Sept. 1815, and to have such inscription put on the same as they should think proper,

they have executed that trust to the best of their ability, without however exercising the power of directing any inscription whatever to be put on the Bell. Mr. Thomas Mears of London was the Manufacturer, and Samuel Williams Esq. of London, the Merchant who procured it to be made. The Committee hope it may prove as good, and give as much satisfaction, and last as long as the former one which was the Gift of Capt. Timothy Cunningham in 1728-9; the Invoice of the hereoff being $668 10% including all charges delivered at the Meeting House.

BOSTON Nov. 1, 1815 [1816]

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Voted, The report be accepted, and the thanks of the Society be presented to said Committee for their Care and the Trouble they had in procuring said Bell, which passed unanimously.

The Committee on the Vestry made report and exhibited a Drawing and drafts of the Building, with an estimate of the expences, all which was accepted by the Standing Committee, and ordered to be laid before the Society for their approbation, and that the Society be called together on this day week at 3 O Clock to take the Subject into Consideration.

Voted, That the proceedings of the Standing Committee respecting the building a Vestry upon the plan now exhibited, which have been laid before this meeting at this time by said Committee, meets the approbation of this meeting, and the Church and Society do hereby approve of the same, and direct that said Standing Committee carry the same into full effect, in such way and manner as they may think most for the interest of this Church and Society.

Voted, The bill presented by the Committee who procured the bell be paid by the Treasurer of the Society. This meeting now dissolved.

The new bell arrived in Boston in the month of July preceding, probably in the brig Brutus from London. We find the following mention of it in the newspapers :

A correspondent congratulates the public on the arrival of a Bell for the Old South meeting-house, as the town will again have the convenience of a clock, that has long, and usefully, told us how our hours pass - conducting materially to the order and regularity of our movements. Especially serviceable to this end, is the Bell rung at nine in the evening and it is earnestly hoped that those whose duty it may be, will attend to the due performance of the Bell-Ringer's duty - the person who was last employed having shamefully neglected his charge. The proper ringing of the bell at the time mentioned, is of great importance to the comfort, order, and even to the morals of this metropolis.

Preparations are making for placing the new Bell in the steeple of the Old South meeting-house. It is about 400 wt. heavier than the old and excellent bell it replaces. It appears by the inscription on the old bell, that it was placed in that steeple in 1728; and was presented to the society by Capt. Timothy Cunningham. The excellent Clock in this steeple was made by Mr. Gawen Brown, an eminent artist of this town. The new bell, we learn, weighs about 1500 wt. was cast in London, by T. Mears, and bears the names of Joseph Peirce, Edward Phillips, and Josiah Salisbury, Junr. Committee of the Society to procure it.

The Bell in the Old South steeple was rung yesterday, [July 23] and proves equal, if not superior in tone, to the excellent old one.2

An aged member of the church, Abigail, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Dawes, and widow of Josiah Waters, died on the 22d of November, in her ninety-sixth year. She was born January 13, 1721, early in the ministry of Sewall and Prince (by the former of whom she was baptized, January 15), and she saw the termination of seven pastorates at the Old South; had she lived three years longer, she would have survived the eighth. Her ancestors had been members of the church since its foundation, and she came into the sacred succession, by joining it in

AN HISTORIC PRAYER-MEETING.

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1736, soon after she had completed her fifteenth year.1 A few years later she received new impressions of divine truth under the preaching of Whitefield and Tennent, and the beginning of her active religious life dated from that period. She will always be remembered with especial interest as the founder of a female prayer-meeting, which was sustained by three generations of pious women in the Old South membership, and which, perhaps, more than any other one agency, served to sustain the vital energy of the church in the midst of strong, prevailing tendencies to formalism and indifferentism. In a memoir of Mrs. Waters, Mr. Huntington gives the following account of this prayer-meeting:

Convinced of the necessity and utility of prayer, and encouraged by the examples of union in this exercise, recorded in the sacred volume, she [Miss Dawes] proposed to several of her young female friends, who were "partakers of like precious faith" with herself, to appropriate one afternoon of every week to this most delightful purpose. The proposal was gladly embraced.

Unwilling, however, to act unadvisedly on a subject of so much importance, they applied to their respected pastor, the Rev. Mr. Prince, whose daughter was one of the number, for counsel. Gratified to find they were so piously disposed, he encouraged them to carry their wishes into effect, and assured them of his readiness to give them all. the assistance in his power. Desirous of avoiding all ostentation, and, as far as possible, publicity, the execution of their purpose was for a considerable time delayed, for want of a suitable place at which to meet. At length, encouraged by the promise, "if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him," they set apart a day, on which, unitedly, to implore the Divine direction. Immediately after, a striking Providence relieved them from their embarrassment, and confirmed their faith in the efficacy of prayer. Miss Dawes, while returning home from the meeting through Portland Street, observed a lady with whom she was unacquainted, beckoning to her to approach. "I hear," said she,

my dear, that you have found Christ." "I trust that I have," was the reply, "and He is the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely." "Come in, come in," said the lady, "I want to see and converse with you." The invitation was readily accepted. Miss Dawes then communicated to her, in compliance with her request, the change through which she had passed, and concluded with mentioning the purpose for which she and her Christian companions had been engaged that afternoon. My dear young friend," said the lady, "God has sent you here. I have this day been kneeling in that place (pointing to a staircase in sight) intreating him to open the way for such a meeting as you contemplate, in my house. I am much confined at home, and of course deprived in a great measure of the privileges which others enjoy, who speak often one to another, and to God. Nothing could delight me more than to have you convene under this roof. There is but one difficulty I can think of in the way. My husband, though kind and affectionate to me, is not a man of religion; and may perhaps object. He is out now. But I will ask his consent as soon as he returns, and then let you know the result." The result was as favorable as could have been desired. A place being now provided for the meeting, the little band, that the design of their union might not in future be frustrated by the admission of unsuitable associates, requested Mr. Prince to draft them a form of covenant, confession of faith, and rules of discipline, which every member should be required to subscribe. This excellent man cheerfully complied with their request, earnestly commending them to Him who despiseth not the day of small things.

The society met eighteen years at the house of this pious lady. At the expiration of that time, her husband became dissatisfied, and another place was procured. It was not long, however, before he regretted the removal, confessed that nothing in his worldly affairs had succeeded to his wishes since, and begged that his house might again become an house of prayer. Rejoiced at the change in his mind, the society immediately returned to the place where they at first convened, and which so many seasons - delightful and refreshing seasons of communion with God, and one another, had endeared. There they continued to meet, until the British took possession of Boston, in 1775, when they were dispersed. After the evacuation of the town, they again assembled as before, though in a different place, and have continued to do so, to the present day; the vacancies occasioned by death and otherwise, being supplied, and more than supplied, by the addition of new members.1

1 [We get another glimpse of this prayer-meeting, in a sermon by Dr. Cod. man, preached July 11, 1834, at the funeral of Harriett (Moore), wife of the

Rev. Richard S. Storrs, of Braintree: "It is utterly impossible for the speaker to do justice to the character of our much loved friend, though it has been his priv