BOSTON. Review of the above. pp. 106. Boston, 1827. Marquis de In 1780-82. "Travels in North America." Historical Address, on the Removal of the City Govern- History of the Old South Church. B. B. Wisner. pp. 125. Historical Address and Notes, Jan. 2, 1831, at the West History of King's Chapel. F. W. P. Greenwood. pp. 215. Historical Discourse. Celebration of the close of the Second Picture of. Abel Bowen. pp. 316. Boston, 1833. pp. 304. 1838. Diary of Peter Edes, written during his confinement in Boston by the British, in 1775. pp. 24. Bangor, Me., 1837. History of First Baptist Church. pp. 36. Boston, 1839. Historical Discourse, Dec. 9, 1838. New North Church. Francis Parkman. pp. 40. Boston, 1839. History of First Baptist Church, and list of its Members. Historical Memoir of the Episcopal Charitable Society. Isaac Centennial of the Independent Company of Cadets, Oct. 19, History of the Old South Church. Armstrong, Cutler and History of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery. Second pp. 463. 1842. Centennial Discourse, First Baptist Church, July 27, 1843. Baron Stow. pp. 107. Boston, 1843. History of Boston Common. Jeremiah Mason and F. Dexter. pp. 19. Boston, 1843. Historical Discourse, on occasion of taking down their place of Worship, March 10, 1844. Chandler Robbins. pp. 76. Boston, 1844. Historical Discourse and Notes, Aug. 3, 1845. Charles Lowell. pp. 25. Boston, 1845. Historical Discourse and Notes, Second Church, Sept. 17, 1845. Chandler Robbins. pp. 40. Boston, 1845. "Boston Notions," from 1630-1847. Nathaniel Dearborn. Historical Discourse and Notes, Jan. 28, 1849, on resign- Stranger's Guide in. pp. 94. pp. 28. Boston, 1848 and 1849. As a Commercial Metropolis. E. H. Derby. pp. 16. Boston, 1850. Historical Discourse, Feb. 10, 1850. Samuel Barrett. pp. 40. Boston, 1850. Guide through. Nathaniel Dearborn. pp. 180. Boston, 1851. History of the Siege of. Richard Frothingham, 1849. pp. Sketches of, and Vicinity. J. Smith Homans. 66 112. Boston, 1851. pp. 246 and History of Brattle Street Church. S. K. Lothrop. pp. 218. Copp's Hill Burial Ground. Thomas Bridgman. pp. XXIII., History of the Second Church. Chandler Robbins. Boston, 1852. Municipal History of. Josiah Quincy. pp. 444. pp. 320. Boston, Inscriptions, &c., King's Chapel Burial Ground. Thomas Historical Discourses, Oct. 1, 1854. Arthur B. Fuller. pp. Proceedings on the occasion of the Laying of the Corner "Liberty Tree." See "Dealings with the Dead." L. M. History and Antiquities of, from its Settlement in 1630 to 1770. Samuel G. Drake. pp. VIII. 840. Boston, 1856. Pilgrims of. Thomas Bridgman. pp. 406. New York, 1856. Notices of the Histories of. L. M. Sargent. pp. 7. Boston, 1857. History of South Boston. Thomas C. Simonds. pp. 331. Donations for the Relief of the Sufferers by the Boston Port Dedication of the Building for the Public Library of the City Town House, 1657-1711. "Mass. Hist. Society Proceedings," 1855-1858. Boston, 1859. Reasons for the appointment of a Committee to Investigate the Prudential affairs of the Old South Church. With Appendix. Joseph Ballard. pp. 46. Boston, 1859. BOSTON. Introduction of Methodism into Boston. A Discourse at the Formation of the "N. E. Methodist Historical Society," Feb. 28, 1859. S. W. Coggeshall. pp. 53. Boston, 1859. Sights, or Hand Book for Visitors. David Pulsifer. pp. 138. Boston, 1859. Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Installation of Nehemiah Semi-Centennial Park Street Church. pp. 166. Boston, 1861. Proceedings on the occasion of the Laying the Corner Stone Chronicles of the Old South Church. pp. 10. Boston, 1863. History of the Old Province House-" Historical Magazine," Physicians of Boston during and after the Revolution. "Diary of Ezekiel Price," 1775-6. "Mass. Hist. Proceed- A Journal kept by John Leach, during his confinement by Ibid. "New England Historical and Genealogical Register," "New England's Rarities Discovered." John Josselyn. 1633. See "Wood's New England's Prospect." London, In 1772-1776. Letters from John Andrews. "Mass. Hist. "Boston: Old and New."-High-Ways and Roads, 1713Diary of Rev. Samuel Cooper-Boston in 1709-Christ Church, &c. "Historical Magazine," Vol. 10, Parts 9 and 10. New York, 1866. 1685-6. See" John Dunton's Letters from New England," Published by the "Prince Society." Boston, 1867. [To be continued.] JOURNAL OF THE REV. JOSEPH BAXTER, OF MEDFIELD, MISSIONARY TO THE EASTERN INDIANS IN 1717. [Communicated by the Rev. ELIAS NASON.] We are happy to be able, through the courtesy of Mr. John Langdon Sibley, the learned librarian of Harvard College, to present to the readers of the Register, verbatim, literatim et punctatim, the very valuable Journal kept by the Rev. Joseph Baxter while missionary to the Indians at Arrowsic island, Maine, in the early part of the 18th century. The Journal, which is written in Mr. Baxter's own hand, has upon the title-page the following memoranda: "Medfield, 16th Jan., 1826. This MS. was sent to me by Rev. Thomas Mason, of Northfield, Mass., a lineal descendant of Rev. Joseph Baxter. Reference is perhaps made to this book at the beginning of Medfield Church Records. D. C. SANDERS." This diary sheds new light upon an interesting period in the Colonial history of Maine, and shows that the attempts to evangelize the Eastern Indians were more earnest and effectual than is generally supposed. 2 The Rev. Joseph Baxter' was the son of Lt. John Baxter, of Braintree, Mass., and was born in that town in 1676. His grandfather, Gregory Baxter, possibly a relative of the celebrated author of the "Saints' Rest," settled in Braintree in 1632.. Joseph was graduated at Harvard College in 1693, and ordained at Medfield (Allen erroneously says Medford) April 21, 1697. Ante, xx. 57. He kept an exact record of the baptisms, admissions to the church, &c. during his ministry, the last entry in which is, "The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered Nov. 2, 1729. Total 197 times." He was a man of promise, and when Gov. Samuel Shute visited Arrowsic for the purpose of forming a treaty with the Indians in the summer of 1717, he selected Mr. Baxter as a person well qualified to disseminate the gospel among the aborigines of the East, and to win them to the English, as well as to the celestial, crown. Inspired by the great example of Eliot and Mayhew, he most heartily dedicated himself to the self-denying task of publishing the gospel among the Indians, and though he had not the scholarship or wit of his opponent Sebastian Rale, he nevertheless engaged in his work with all his heart, and continued laboring faithfully until the hostile attitude of the Indians broke up the mission. It will be seen by the journal that he began at once to learn the Abnaki language, and that he labored as he had opportunity to instruct the savages in the principles of the gospel, and to fulfil every duty of his holy mission. In a letter addressed to him, as also in another to Gov. Shute, the Jesuit, who was truly a fine Latin scholar, speaks contemptuously of Mr. Baxter's want of skill in Latin composition; but the Governor most sensibly tells the Frenchman that the main qualification of a missionary to the barbarous Indians was "not to be an exact scholar as to the Latin tongue, but to bring them from darkness to the light of the gospel." (Mass. Hist. Collections, v. p. 112.) A part of the second letter of Mr. Baxter to Rale, written in Latin, April, 1719, is extant, and it must be allowed that the style is far from elegant; but many people know the Latin well, who are not able to compose in it. That Mr. Baxter was acceptable to the friendly Indians appears from the fact that a petition, dated at Fort George, Brunswick, Oct. 3, 1717, and signed by several chieftains, was sent to the Governor and Council, praying that Mr. Baxter "may be at Pejepscot where there is an interpreter, for he is a good man, we heard him speak well," &c. V. Mass. State Papers. It will be seen by the journal that Mr. Baxter visited the Eastern Indians three several times, and then returned to his flock in Medfield, with whom he remained a faithful pastor until his death, May 2, 1845. On the first day of August, 1717, being ye first day of ye 4th year of the Reign of King George, His Excellency Samuel Shute, Esq. set off, from ye Long wharfe in Boston about six a clock at night in order to go to Arousick,* and Casco Bay, &c.: being attended with Honourable Samuel Sewal, Penn Townsend,† Andrew Belcher, and Edmund Quincy, Esq. The Revd Mr. Henry Gibbs, Mr. Henry Flint,§ and divers other Gentlemen, and that night they fell down about a mile or Two below y castle, and there came to an anchor, and lay that night. The next day being ye 2d of August about Ten of ye clock they weighed Anchor the wind blowing very fair, and briskly, till towards night, then we had some rain, and thunder for a little while, afterwards we had a calm, and yo sloop rouled about till we were almost all sick, and especially my wife, and it was so calm yt we gained but little that night. On Saturday y 3d of August we had y° wind blowing fair some part of ye day, but a great part of ye day we had a calm, so y' we got along but slowly; my wife remained sick that day altho ye most of us were well, and all ye night following, and the next morning was very calm, so yt we gained but little, and were upon ye water, and under sail upon y sabbath day, which was ye 4th of August, and then we had Two exercises about ye middle of ye forenoon ye wind blew up briskly, and continued blowing so till night, and about five of ye clock we Arrowsic, spelled by Morse " Arrowsicke," and by others variously, is an Island at the mouth of the Kennebec river, which the Indians called "Arrowscag," containing about 20,000 acres of land. It was purchased of Robinhood by John Richards, in 1649, and formed a part of the ancient George-town. + Col. Penn Townsend died in Boston Aug. 25, 1727, aged 75 years. He was a man of influence in the colony, and held many important offices, among which was that of Judge of the Common Pleas. He was early appointed one of the commissioners for propagating the gospel among the Indians. V. Drake's "Hist. of Boston," page 317. Dunton says, "He was a gentleman very courteous and affable in his conversation." Id. 463. Henry Gibbs was son of Robert, a noted Boston merchant. He graduated at H. C. 1685, was ordained minister at Watertown in 1697, died Oct. 26, 1723, aged 55. His wife was Mercy, daughter of William Greenough. Henry Flint, tutor and fellow of Harvard College, was son of Rev. Josiah Flint, of Dorchester, and was born in that town May 5, 1675. In 1705 he was appointed tutor, which office he resigned Sept. 25, 1754, having sustained the position nearly half a century. Many of the most eminent men in the country were educated under his care. Dr. Chauncey pro nounced him a solid, judicious man, and one of the best of preachers. He died Feb. 13, 1760, aged 84. See Allen's Dictionary. "Mass. Hist. Coll." ix. 183; x. 165. |