1715, 16 January March 1716

May

Mr John Rand jun

18 Iohannah Call wife of m' John Call junr

29

Mrs Elizabeth Lemmon. W. of mr Joseph 11 Mrs Treadway

6. Mr Calvin Galpin jun1.

Octobr. 21 Nathaniel Boynton

Novem

1716

M D

--

19 The Widdow Mrs Hannah Pierce

Page 37

Admitted to full Communion

Ienner.
Rand.
Call

Lemon
Treadway

Galpin
Boynton.
Pierce.

- Welsh
Fosdick
Rows
Fowl

1717

April

7 William Eaton

28 Thankful Wilson

May

June

2 Mr John Call

June

23 Mr Henry Somers

30 M John Teal

July
August

& Mrs Sarah Cutler

Brazier

Cutler

[The Record of Church Votes, comprising those made before 1768 and now extant, is, as stated in the collation of this Book, on pages 356 to 380. Page 380 is next to the last of those numbered (381). The book is reversed, and page 380 is numbered 1. This reverse numbering continues to page 356 (No. 25), and there ends. The earliest extant vote (1658) is there on page 380, or 1; and the latest (1763) on page 358, or 23; with two, intermediately dated, on page 356, or 25.]

[The old or long "s" is used, except for terminations, in these records.]

1658

4

Page 380 (reversed and numbered 1). -Church-censures, & votes past in weighty cases, by this church of christ at Charlestown.

6. Upon the 6th of 4th 1658

Brother Thomas Gold, according to the agreement | of the Churche he Lords day before: was called | forth, to giue an accounte, of his longe withdrawinge | from the publick ordinances amongst us, on the | Lords day. It was asked Brother Gold, whither he | had any rule from Gods worde so to doe? or whither it were not a manifest breach of rule and order [ of the Gospell?

His answer seuerall times was to this effecte, that | he had not turned from any ordinance of god, but did attend the worde in [blotted] other places.

It was then asked him, whither he did not owne | Churche-
Couenant, as an Ordinance of God, and him- | selfe in cove-
nant with this Church?

He answered he did, but we had cutt him of, or putt him
away, by denying him the Lords supper, when onely he
had been admonished, and so now had no more priviledg
then an Indian, and ther- | fore he looked not now at him-
self, as a Member of our Churche, but was free to goe any
whither. He was likewise blamed, that hauing so often [
pfessed his desire to attend any light that might help him
in his judgment and practise, about childrens | Baptisme;
that yet he should forbeare, and stay | away, when he could
not but knowe, that his Pastor | was speaking largely to that
subject. He confest his wife told him of it: and being
asked how he could in | faith partake of the Lords supper,
whilst he judged his own baptisme voide and null ? he owned
that it was so, as administred to him as a childe: but since
God had | giuen him grace, he now came to make use of it,
and gett good by it. It being replyed, that a person owned
by all, as gracious, and fitt for supper, is not yet to be ad-
mitted to it, till baptised: | he said litle or nothing to it, but.
spake diuers things, generally offen- | sive to ye Brethren,
and would owne no fayling. [Last three words indistinct]
Hence after much time spent, the Brethren consenting, he
was admonished for his breaking away from the Churche in
way of schisme,
neuer hauing used any means to conuince
the Churche, of any irregular proceeding, but continuing
peremptorily and contumaciously to iustifie his schisme: |
This transaction was speedily after the acting therof truly
recorded by the then onely Elder of this churche: Zech:
Symmes | Mr Green the Ruling Elder dying a little before.

[Mr. John Green came to America in 1632, and was admitted to this church March 29, 1633. He was its only ruling elder, and died April 22, 1658. Notice of him may be found in Budington's History First Church, p. 49. Zechariah Symmes was teacher from Dec. 22, 1634, until his death, Feb. 4, 1671. This record is probably the only document by him now existing. Thomas Gould and Hanna Gould were admitted to the church, 1st mo. 21 day, 1652. The name is spelled in these Records, Gould, Goold, Gool, Gold. An illustration of this different spelling appears in the careful writing of elder Green, page 210, viz. : "12th mo. day 26, 1641. Abigail Gould the daughter of John Gold and of Mary his wife was Baptized."]

Page 2 (379).

Baptisme

1662 February 4th. The decision of the late Synod' about {cation was read, by the elders, at a church meeting (except the preface of the book containing that decisive act, which had been read before at a church-meeting January 7th. 1663 & generally well approved) | & liberty given to the brethren to express their objections (if they had any) against any part yrof: &, after some discourse, the | brethren did generally express yselues (at least three 4th of them | by word of mouth) that they did consent to the whole book for the substance y'of, & desired that the will of God yrin might be attended; &, upon a vote silentiary propounded, it was so carried, nemine contradicente, in the affirmative.

1663.

November. 18. Bro: Thomas Osburn being leavened with principles of Ana Baptisme | was (the brethren consenting) admonished for frequent irregular withdrawing himself from the publick worship of God, holding | it to be no sin to neglect the publick ordinances of God upon the Lords day, even when they might conveniently be en- |-joyed; & for continuinge impentitent in his sin.

On the same day also, it was consented to by the brethren, that his wife, leavened wth principles of Anabaptisme, & Quaker- | -isme, should receive an admonition, for her notorious neg--lect of the publiq worship of God, denying our churches to be true churches, & denying her membership wth us, & also the churches power over her, & continuing impenitent in her sin. She went home from the Assembly when the Admo- | nition should have been declared to her, but however it was declared that she was under the publiq offence of ye church. |

And at the same time

Bro: Thomas Gool also persisting in his schismaticall withdrawing from the church, notwithstanding his former admonition & now | for denying his Relation to this church as a

1 This Synod assembled at Boston in September, 1662. It consisted of all the ministers. in Massachusetts and Elders and Messengers from the churches, and returned answers to two questions propounded to it by the General Court-1. Who are the subjects of Baptism? 2. Whether according to the Word of God there ought to be a Consociation of Churches, and what should be the manner of it? The Synod decided in favor of consociation, and, substantially, to the first question: "That church members, who were admitted in minority, understanding the doctrine of faith, and publicly professing their assent thereunto, not scandalous in life, and solemnly owning the covenant before the church, wherein they give up themselves and children to the Lord, and subject themselves to the government of Christ in his church, their children are to be baptised." Mather, Magnalia v. 64-84, ed. London, 1702. Holmes, An. 1, 382, etc.

2 Thos. Osburn and his wife were admitted to the church (by letter from Malden), 12, 23, 1661.

1662 Febr: 21.

1663

Febr: 28.

1663

Febr: 28.

brother of it, & also | for denyinge the churches power over him, was againe | (with the consent of the brethren) declared to be under the great offence of the church, & rebuked for his impenitency in that sin of his.

Bro: Thomas Osburn received a 2a Admonition (wth the consent of the brethren) for his obstinacy in his former sin for which he had been (nov: 18.) admonished, & aggravated by another degree of schisme, refusing (as he expressly, & vehemently affirmed) to hold communion with the church any longer as formerly he had done; bec: we held Baptisme of children to be an ordinance of God, &c:

The acknowledgment & confession of Stephen Fosdick, (who had been formerly excomunicated) (anno 1643. May ye 7th) in order to his acceptance into our Communion, by Absolution, was as followeth, vizt:

"The Covenant of the church being (for the

summe of it) a solemne promise or engagem
"to walk with God, & with his people according
"to the word of God, I do now heartily ap-
66 -prove of it, & close with it, & am sorry that
"I haue at any time spoken against it:

66

Having neglected likewise to hear the church
"in their dealings with me for my offense, I
"doe unfainedly repent thereof, & desire God
" & his people to forgive me.

This was read to the church, accepted of by all as satis-
-factory, He was (the brethren consenting) received to that
state of Communiō which he had before his excommunica-
-tion, & by the sentence of the Eldership declared to be
soe restored :.

bro: Tho: Gool was again admonished (wth the consent of ye brethren) | for his impenitency in his former sin of schisminge for which he had been admonished, & wth all now refusing to give an account to the church who did enquire concerning a private meeting kept |

(* Novemb' 8, at his house on the Lords day* wth bro: Osburn & other 1663.) Anabaptists, w" he should and might conveniently have been present wth the church | in the publiq worship of God; he said it was not the season for him to Answer, & y'fore would not give an account of it: for which | th' above sd he was accordingly censured.

1664

November 27. There having been many thoughts of heart touching the Doctrine of the late Synod about the children of the church

1 "Steeven Fosdick" was admitted to the church 2d. mo. 6th day, 1638.

1665

July 9th

1665.

July, 16.

in order to the effectuall practice of the same; It was propounded to vote whether the brethren were satisfyed soe far forth as that there might be a | proceeding to the practice thereof, & it passed in the affirmative | by their silence (the testimony of their consent) after liberty was granted once. & again to any of them, that would, to object if they | had any thing from ye word of God to alledge against it; but there was not one Contradicent.

The Church, hearing that bro: Gool, & bro: Osburn had | together with other Anabaptists, embodyed themselves in | a pretended-church way; sent Deacon Lynd & Deacon | Stittson to them with this message; vizt: That they should be present with this church the next Lord's Day in ye | publiq worship of God, & at the evening y'of to stay, & | give an account to the church of that report which we heard concerning them, as also concerning their former offences: & the church did then desire our | Deacons to acquaint our sister Osburn (that hath | been for some time under the publick offence of the church) with that meeting, & that she should be present likewise with her husband.

Our Deacons having carried the message of the church to bro: Gool, bro: Osburn, & o' sister Osburn, to come & hear the church; the Answer returned back to the church | was negative. bro: Gool said he should not come, & if our church had any thing to say against him, they should | acquaint the society with it to which he was then | joyned: saying also that he was no member of |

Page 5 (376).

Jour church, & said, your church hath nothing to do with | me. (.bro: osburn said that he had given his reasons to the church formerly why he could not hold communion wth | it, vizt: because of Infant Baptisme. 2. our allowing none | but such as had humane learning to be in the ministry. 3. our | severe dealing with those of a contrary judgment from us. & y'fore said he should not come to the church. (. our sister | Osburn's Answer was that she desired not to continue with the church, but would be dismissed which way they would, & that she could not come to the church, she should sin against her conscience if she did.

These members thus refusing to appear, the church | judged it meet to wayt with some farther patience upon o' | brethren above s, & sister: & did therefore desire our Deacons again, with our brother ensigne Tidd, to carry this mess-sage following to them, vizt: to tell them that they are under the further offence of the church for their | separatio from our Communion, & refusing to hear ye | church: & that the church doth desire, & require them in the name of Christ that they return to us, & come & | hear the church, & give an account the next Lord's | day of their withdrawing.

[To be continued.]