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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 
 
 I Chap.33A. 
 
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 ft UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ^^ 
 
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 SERMON, 
 
 DELIVERED 
 
 At NATICK, JANUARY V, MDCCCXVII, 
 
 OOSTAISINS 
 
 A HISTORY OF SAID TOWN, 
 
 FROM MDCLI 
 
 TO THE DAT OF DELIVEKT. \ \ 
 
 BY MARTIN MOORE, A. M. 
 
 TASTOR OF TIIK CHURCH IN XATICK. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE: 
 
 I'RXMTED BY HILLIAUD AND METCAJ.F. 
 1817. 
 

DEDICATION. 
 
 To the Inhabitants of the town of ^atick, 
 
 BRETHREN AND FRIENDS] 
 
 Deeming it highly important that the early 
 history of our own country, and especially of 
 the place where we live, should be preserved, 
 I have collected and put into the form of a Ser- 
 mon, many facts that relate to the history of 
 this town. 
 
 The same motive that led me to the com- 
 position of this Sermon, now induces me to con- 
 sent to its publication. Remember the days of 
 old, the years of ancient times. It is the ardent 
 desire and prayer of the author, that God would 
 abundantly bless you and your children, both 
 in the present and future life. When our pres- 
 ent connexion of minister and people shall be 
 dissolved, may we meet together in the king- 
 dom of our heavenly Father, which may God 
 grant for Christ's sake. Amen. 
 
r'. r 
 
 SERMON. 
 
 PSALM Ixxvii, 5. 
 
 I HAVE CONSIDERED THE DAYS OF OLD, THE YEARS OF 
 ANCIENT TIMES. 
 
 This Psalm appears to have been composed, ei- 
 ther in a time of personal distress of the Psalmist, or 
 in a time of distress of the Israelitish nation. What- 
 ever was the cause of the Psalmist's grief, it was ex- 
 ceeding sore. He could derive no comfort from con- 
 templating his present situation. As his present pros- 
 pects were gloomy, he was naturally led to review 
 the past. He reviewed not only God's past dealing 
 with him, but he extended his review to the Jewish 
 nation. He recollected the many mercies and bless- 
 ings that God had bestowed upon the nation over 
 which he reigned. I have considered the days of old, 
 the years of ancient times. Although we, my hear- 
 ers, may not be labouring under any peculiar distress ; 
 yet it may be profitable for us, (as we have lately en- 
 tered upon a new year,) to review not merely God's 
 past dealings with us, as individuals, but extend our 
 views further, and review God's dealings with this 
 town, from the period, it is first known in history, till 
 the present time. 
 
 Since Providence has cast my lot among you, I 
 have naturally been led to inquire into the early his- 
 tory of this town. I was at first led to undertake the 
 work for my own satisfaction. I was desirous of 
 knowing the history of the place where I am station- 
 
ed. As I progressed in the work, it occurred to me, 
 thit it might be interesliiig to the, irihabitaists of tiie 
 town, espt'ciully to the younger part of them, puhlicly 
 to communicate the result of my inquiries. B^-fore I 
 proceed with th*" narntive, it is proper to rtraark, 
 that the history, that I am about to attempt, will be 
 imperfect. After considerable labour and research, I 
 have not been able to obtain some documents, and 
 many of tlie records are defective. But such facts, 
 as I have been able to collect, I will now proceed to 
 relate. 
 
 The tract of land, wliich now composes the towa 
 of Natick, was originally a part of Dedham. It ii 
 said that the town of Dedham gave Natick in ex- 
 change for Deei'field. Deerfi-ld was formerly owned 
 by the Natick tribe. They had been subdued by a 
 neighbouring hostile trihe. To ensure their safety, 
 they put themselves under the protection of the En- 
 glish. Tradition says that they were for a while kept 
 on one of the islands in Boston harbour. After thev 
 
 w 
 
 had made the beforementiooed exchange, they came 
 here to live. If this traditionary account be correct, 
 it seems that tlie General Court sanctioned this pro- 
 ceeding. Hubbard, in his History of New England, 
 informs us that this town, with several other places, 
 was appropriated to the Indians in 16 4. 
 
 " At this court, (in i-S^%) Mr. John Eliot, minister 
 of Roxbury, that had heretofore by them been encour- 
 aged to go on with preaching the gospel to the Indians, 
 obtained several parcels of land for the Indians, that 
 gave any sincere hopes of their embracing the Chris- 
 tian religion, as at Hasanameset, (now Grafton,) a 
 place up in the woods, beyond Medfield and Mendon, 
 and at Puncapoag, beyond Dorchester, as well as at 
 Natick, near Dedham." 
 
 Three years before this period, (viz. in 1651,) Mr. 
 
Eliot had gathered an Indian church in this place. 
 Mr. Eliot's labours to convert the heathen to the 
 Christian faith were very great. By Mr. Eliot's and 
 others' labours, about twenty churches were planted 
 amo!)g the different tribes of these benighted pagans. 
 There were atone period llOO Indians that professed 
 Christianity. Mr. Eliot translated the Bible into the 
 Indian language.* "The New Testament was pub- 
 lished in 1661, and the whole Bible soon after. He 
 composed and translated other books, as a Primer, a 
 Grammar, Singing psalms, the Practice of piety, Bax- 
 ter's Call, and several other things. He took care 
 that schools should be opened in the Indian settle- 
 ments, where their children were taught to read ; 
 some were put into schools of the English, and studied 
 Latin and Greek. In 1665, a brick edifice was erect- 
 ed at Cambridge, 30 feet long and SO w^ide, for an 
 Indian college." These efforts to convert the hea- 
 then were made principally by the instrumentality of 
 Mr. Eliot. Mr. Eliot, from his laborious exertions to 
 introduce the Gospel among the Indians, is generally 
 styled the apostle of J\*ew England. 
 
 The Indians that felt the impressions of Mr. 
 Eliot's ministry were quickly distinguished by the 
 name of praying Indians. In Cotton Mather's 
 life of the "renowned John Eliot," we have a full 
 account of his gathering an Indian church in this 
 place. 
 
 " Here it was, rsays Cotton Mather,) that in the 
 year 1651, those that had heretofore lived like the 
 wild beasts in the wilderness, now compacted them- 
 selves into a town ; and they applied themselves to 
 the forming their civil government. Our General 
 Court, notwithstanding their exact study to keep the 
 Indians very sensible of their being subject to the En- 
 
 * T)rs. Morse and Parish's History of New England. 
 
8 
 
 glish empire, yet had allowed them their smaller 
 courts, wherein they might govern their own smaller 
 cases and concerns, after their own particular modes, 
 and might have their own town orders, if I may call 
 them so, peculiar to themselves. 
 
 "With respect hereunto, Mr. Eliot, on a solemn 
 fast, made a public vow, that seeing these Indians 
 had not any form of civil government, he would in- 
 struct them in such a form, as we had in the word of 
 God, so that they in all things might be a people rul- 
 ed by the Lord. According he expounded unto them 
 the eighteenth chapter of Exodus ; and then they 
 chose rulers of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens ; and 
 therewithal! they entered into this covenant. We 
 are the sons of Adam ; we and our forefathers have a 
 long time been lost in our sins ; but now the mercy of 
 the Lord beginneth to find us out again, therefore the 
 grace of Christ helping us, we do give up ourselves 
 and our children unto God, to be his people. He 
 shall rule us in all our affairs ; the Lord is our judge, 
 the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king ; he 
 "will save us ; the wisdam, which God hath taught us 
 in his book, shall guide us. Oh, Jehovah, teach us 
 wisdom ; send thy Spirit into our hearts ; take us to 
 be thy people, and let us take thee to be our God. 
 
 <^The little towns of the Indiaus being pitched upon 
 this foundation, they utterl^y abandoned that polyga- 
 my, which had heretofore been Ci^mmon among them ; 
 they made severe laws against fornication, drunken- 
 ness, and sabbath breaking, and other immoralities ; 
 and they next began to lament after church order 
 among them, and after the several ordinances and priv- 
 ileges of church communion. The churches of New 
 England have usually been very strict in their admis- 
 sion CO church fellowship, and required very signal 
 demonstrations of a repenting and believing soul, be- 
 
fore they thought men fit subjects to be entrusted with 
 the rights of the kingdom of heaven. But they seem- 
 ed to augment rather than abate their strictness, when 
 the examination of the Indians was to be performed. 
 A day was therefore set apart, which they called 
 J^atootomuhteackesuk or a day of asking questions, 
 when the ministers of the adjacent churches, assisted 
 by all the best interpreters that could be had, public- 
 ly examined a good number of these Indians, about 
 their attainments in knowledge and virtue. And not- 
 withstanding the great satisfaction then received, our 
 churches being willing to proceed sureli/f and there- 
 fore slowly J in raising them up to a church state, which 
 might be comprehended in our Consociations, the 
 Indians were afterwards called together in considera- 
 ble assemblies, convened for that purpose, to make 
 open confession of their faith in God and in Christ, and 
 of the efficacy which his word had upon them for 
 their conversion to him ; which confessions, being 
 taken in writing, from their mouths, by able interpre- 
 ters, were scanned by the people of God, and foand 
 much acceptance with them." 
 
 Richard Mather, grandfather to Cotton Mather, 
 the first minister of Dorchester, who was present on 
 this occasion, gives the following account. << There is 
 so much of God's work among them, as I cannot but 
 count it a great evil, yea, a great injury to God and his 
 goodness, for any to make light of it. To see and 
 hear Indians, opening their mouths and lifting up 
 their hands and eyes in prayer to the living God, call- 
 ing on him by his name, Jehovah, in the mediation of 
 Jesus Christ, and this a good while together ; to see 
 and hear them exhorting one another from the word 
 of God ; to see and hear them confessing the name of 
 Christ Jesus, and their own sinfulness ; sure this was 
 more than usual ! And though they spake in a Ian- 
 
10 
 
 gnage, of which many of us understood but little, yet 
 wc that were present that day, we saw and heard 
 them perform the duties mentioned, with such grave 
 and sober countenances, with such comely reverence itt 
 their gesture, and whole carriage, and with such plenty 
 of tears trickling down the cheeks of some of them, as 
 did argue to us, that they spake with holy fear of God, 
 and it much affected our hearts." 
 
 Such is the account given us of the planting of an 
 Indian church in this place by Eliot, that truly devoted 
 missionary of the Lord Jesus Christ, Eliot traversed 
 the woods, and eutered the wigwams of these benighted 
 pag ms, to teach them the knowledge of the true God. 
 He had the same spirit of missions^ as had Paul and 
 the first preachers of Christianity. 
 
 The apostolic spirit has been revived upon an ex- 
 tensive scale, at the present day. Many in Europe 
 aud America have come forward, and devoted them- 
 selves to the work of preaching the gospel to the hea- 
 then. In obedience to their ascended Saviour's com- 
 mand, they go forth to teach all nations what he has 
 commanded them, baptizing them in the name of the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The great I Am will 
 he with them always, even to the end of the world* 
 Mr. Eliot's labours here were occasional. There 
 were two Indian ministers that used to oflBciate, when 
 he could not attend. 
 
 In the early history of the New England churches 
 it was usual for the churches to have two ministers, 
 the one styled Pastor, and the other Teacher, The 
 church at Koxbury was thus furnished. Mr. Eliot 
 was teacher, and a Mr. Thomas Weld was pastor. 
 As the church had two ministers, Mr. Eliot could be 
 spared a part of the time. * 
 
 How long this church continued, or how it flour- 
 ished, it is difficult at this period to ascertaiu. But 
 
11 
 
 there are some facls that render it probable, that it 
 continued some time in a flourishing state. 
 
 In the year I67O, the church contained between 
 40 and 50 communicants. It is known where are the 
 graves of several Indian ministers. There is one 
 or more instruments, now in existence, by which an 
 Indian minister conveyed away certain lands.* But 
 owing to some cause or other, the church, formed by 
 Mr. Eliot, became entirely extinct. The probability 
 is, that after Mr. Eliot's death, (which was in 1690,) 
 there was no one raised up to water what he had 
 planted, and that the Indians gradually returned to 
 their heathenish state. 
 
 When Mr. Peabody came to this town in 17^1j 
 (which was thirty one years after Mr. Eliot's death, 
 and seventy after the first organization of the church,) 
 he could find no traces of the former church. He thus 
 notes in the beginning of his church records ; "It must 
 be observed, that after my most diligent inquiry and 
 search, I can find no records of any thing referring to 
 the former church in Natick ; nor who were the mem- 
 bers of it, or baptized, till my coming to town." Mr. 
 Peabody preached in this town for the first time, on 
 August ^^, 17^1 • At this time there were but two 
 white families in the town. One of these was an an- 
 cestor of the Sawin family, and occupied the place 
 where Mr. Thomas Sawin now lives. Mr. Peabody 
 continued to preach till 17^9> before he was ordained. 
 On the 3 1st of October, 17529, a committee of the Hon. 
 Commissioners, viz. the Honourable Adam Winthrop 
 and Edward Hutchinson, Esqrs. and another from the 
 Reverend Corporation of Harvard College, viz. Rev. 
 Messrs. Flynt, Appleton, and Wigglesworth, came to 
 
 • Capt. David Bacon, of this town, has in his possession a deed, by whicli 
 Daniel Takawombait, minister of Nutick, conveyed away a piece of land. 
 This deed is dated April 8, 1692. 
 
IS 
 
 Natick in order to consider what might be proper to 
 be done in order to have a church gathered, and a min- 
 ister ordained. 
 
 " It was then thought proper, as the affairs then 
 were, a church should be gathered, partly of Indians 
 and partly of English." Accordingly, on the 3d of 
 December, 173i*> a church was gathered, consisting of 
 three Indiius and five English male members. The 
 Rev. Joseph Baxter of Medfield preached on the oc- 
 casion. Mr. Peahody was ordained at Cambridge, 
 December i7j the same year. Mr. Peabody's min- 
 istry was little more than twenty two years from the 
 tiiiie of his ordination. He died February 2, 1753. 
 
 From the best information that I have been able to 
 obtain, Mr. Peabody was a faithful and laborious 
 minister of the New Testament. No worldly motives 
 certainly could have induced him to have offered 
 himself as a mi.-sionary to the Indians. When he first 
 put himself under the direction of the Commissioners, 
 it was contemplated to send him to a distant part of 
 the continent, but no door opening in Providence, he 
 was sent to this place, it must have required no 
 small share of self denial to have renounced the pleas- 
 ures of civilized life and become an associate with In- 
 dians. To have been useful and successful among 
 them, he must with the Indians^ in some respects, have 
 become an Indian. 
 
 Mr. Peabody did not labour wholly in vain among 
 the natives. In a letter to the convention of ministers, 
 who were assembled at i;oston, from the New Eng- 
 land provinces, on the 7th of July, IT-I-S, to express 
 their gratitude to God for the revival of religion in 
 this part of the Lord's vineyard, he observes ; " Among 
 my liltle people, (1 would mention it to the ^lory of 
 the rich grace, and of I he blessed Spirit of God,) there 
 have been very apparent strivings and operation of 
 
13 
 
 the Holy Ghost, among Tndiang and English, young 
 and old, male and female. There have been added 
 to our church, of such as I hope shall be saved, about 
 fifty persons of different nations, since the beginning 
 of last March was two years, whose lives witness in 
 general to the sincerity of their profession.'' 
 
 A writer in the PanopLst for July 1811* observes 
 of him ; " He embraced the religious principles of our 
 Puritanic fathers, and has left us abundant testimony 
 in his publications and manuscripts, that he had not 
 so learned Christ, as to make the precepts of the gos- 
 pel bend to suit the vices of men. He was bold and 
 zealous in the cause of truth ; but his zeal was not 
 that of an enthusiast. It was an ardent desire to 
 promote the glory of Grod, and the best good of his fel- 
 low men. It was a fixed, uniform, benevolent affec- 
 tion, which was not satisfied with moderate attempts 
 to do good, in so important a cause as that of the Re- 
 deemer." 
 
 Mr. Peabody was gone one year on a mission to 
 the Mohegan Indians. As he was of a slender con- 
 stitution, this mission very much impaired his health, 
 and he never was well afterwards. 
 
 Little more than a year intervened between Mr. 
 Peabody's death and Mr. Badger's ordination. 
 
 Mr. Peabody died ^d of February, 1752. Mr. 
 Badger was ordained 37th of March, 1753. Although 
 no mention is made in the church records, of the disso- 
 lution of Mr. Peabody's church, or the gathering of 
 one before Mr. Badger's ordination, yet it is evident 
 that it was dissolved, and another gathered. Mr. 
 Badger, in a communication made to the Historical 
 Society in the year 1797? says ; " Immediately previ- 
 ous to my settlement in this place, a church was gath- 
 
 * Whoever wislies to become further acquainlcd wltli Mr, reabod\'b 
 character is refenccl to this nnmber of tlie Panoplist. 
 
44 
 
 ered, which consisted partly of Indians and partly of 
 KngUsh.'' From the publications of Mr. Badger, that 
 I have seen, I should suppose that he n'as a man pos- 
 sessed of a strong mind and respectable acquirements. 
 
 Of his theological sentiments or general manner of 
 preacliing, I have not sufficient documents to enable 
 me to form an opinion. 
 
 Mr. Badger closed his public services, July, 1799. 
 He was in the ministry 46 years, died August S8, 
 1803, aged 78. 
 
 When Mr. Badger closed his public labours, the 
 church was again dissolved. The present church 
 was embodied in the winter of 1803. The precise 
 time of its embodying is not noted in the church rec- 
 ords. But the first meeting after its embodying, when 
 the deacons were elected, was March 13, 1803. The 
 church and society discovered a very laudable spirit, in 
 their efforts to have the settlement of the gospel min- 
 istry among them. On the S^d of April following, 
 the church gave Mr. Samuel Brown an invitation to 
 take the pastoral care of them. The town shortly af- 
 ter joined with them in their invitation. 
 
 Mr. Brown was shortly after attacked with a dis- 
 order, that terminated in his dissolution. His sickness 
 and deranged state of mind prevented him from ever 
 giving an answer to his call. 
 
 The Rev. Freeman Sears, your late worthy and 
 beloved pastor, was ordained January 1, 1806. 
 His labours were short, but I hope not entirely unsuc- 
 cessful. Although he saw no general revival of re- 
 ligion among you, yet I have reason to hope that 
 there are in your number, seals of his ministry, that 
 icill he crowns of his rejoicing in the day of the Lord. 
 Although he is dead, still let him speak to you. Call 
 to mind the many solemn warnings and exhortations, 
 which you have heard from his lips, whilst he stood in 
 
15 
 
 this sacred desk, ^' Through him, the violated law spalte 
 forth its thunders ; through him, in strains as sweet as 
 angels use, the gospel whispered peace." At the tri- 
 bunal of the great Jehovah, you must give an account 
 how you heard the word preached, and how you profit- 
 ed under its hearing. 
 
 He has gone to give an account for preaching ; 
 you will shortly go to give an account for hearing. 
 
 He, as you recollect, was visited with a pulmonic 
 consumption, and went to Savannah to better his 
 healtii. But change of climate did not remove his 
 disorder. Whilst he was absent, he felt a tender and 
 anxious solicitude for your spiritual welfare. You rec- 
 ollect the affectionate and faithful letttr that he wrote 
 you, during his absence.* He returned home, not to 
 enter again on his ministerial labours, but to die. He 
 lived only about four weeks after his return. He clos- 
 ed his life on the 30th of June, 1811, in the 82d year 
 of his age, and sixth of his ministry. You performed 
 the last sad office of friendship and affection to your 
 deceased pastor; you bedewed his grave with your^ 
 tears;, you have paid to him a just tribute, by erecting 
 to his memory handsome and elegant graVe stones. 
 
 Two years seven months and a half intervened 
 between the death of your late pastor and the ordina- 
 tion of your present. During this period you heard a 
 number of candidates,! and made one unsuccessful at- 
 tempt to resettle the ministry among you. It is four 
 years this day since I first preached in this place. I 
 was then here three sabbaths, and after an absence of 
 six months returned. The call of the church bears 
 date November 18, 1813. The concurring call of the 
 
 • See note at tiie end. 
 
 t The candidates that preached at Natick, during the vacancy occasion- 
 ed by Mr. Sears' death, were Messrs. Samuel Parker, Juel Wrig-fet, CalTin 
 Wait, Isaac Jones, John Tavlor, and several others. 
 
town was given December 6th. An affirmative an- 
 swer was communicated January 2, i814. On the 
 l6th of February following, I was solemnly set apart 
 to tiie worit of the gospel ministry among you. Near- 
 ly three years have elapsed since my ordination. Dur- 
 ing this period nothing has occurred to interrupt our 
 mutual hapniness. — May we alwmjs know how good, 
 and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together m 
 unity. 
 
 At some seasons 1 have been ready to despond, 
 and at others have taken courage. I know that neith- 
 er he that plant eth is any things nor he that water eth, 
 that it is God and he alone that giveth the increase ; 
 yet such is our natural constitution, that we desire suc- 
 cess to attend us, whatever may be our employment. 
 It is, as you may well suppose, peculiarly trying to 
 the feelings of a minister, to preach sabbath after sab- 
 bath, and month after month, and still discover in his 
 hearers an indifference to the great truths of religion. 
 
 Bi'ethren, pray for me. Pray that the Holy Spir- 
 it of God may accompany a preached word, that it may 
 be the power of God and the wisdom of God to many 
 precious and immortal souls in this place. 
 
 The number of Indians that composed Mr. Eliot's 
 church at its organization is not known.* In 16/0, 
 there w^ere between 40 and 50 communicants. Dar- 
 ing Mr. Peabody^s ministry there were admitted to 
 the church 130 English and 35 Indians. Mr. Badger 
 admitted 69 to Christian profession. When the pres- 
 ent church was embodied, the number of persons that 
 covenanted together was 2S. Mr. Sears received 15 
 into the church. Since my ordination, 14 have been 
 added to the church. The number of Indian baptisms 
 under Mr. Eliot is unknown. Mr. Peabody baptized 
 1()1 Indians and 418 English; 29 Indians and 22. 
 
 * Drs Morse and Parlsl)'s llistoi-y of NaW England. 
 
17 
 
 English were baptized in Natick, before Mr. Pea- 
 body's ordination. The number of baptisms during 
 Mr. Badger's ministry was 3l8. The number bap- 
 tized between the embodying of the present church 
 and Mr. Sears' ordination is unknown, as no record is 
 made of them. Mr. Sears baptized 45. In the in- 
 terval between Mr. Sears' death and ray ordination, 6 
 were baptized. Since my ordination, there have been 
 S5 baptisms. The whole number of recorded bap- 
 tisms is 1019. 
 
 The whole number of persons that have attached 
 themselves to the Natick churches since Mr. Pea- 
 body's ordination, including a period of eighty eight 
 years, is 28(5. 
 
 The number of persons that have sustained the of- 
 fice of deacon is eight,* two of whom hold that office 
 at the present time. One of this number was an In- 
 dian. 
 
 The number of English births recorded is il09. 
 
 The number of English deaths on record is 313. 
 
 There are on the church records the names of 335 
 Indians, that died between the years 17^1 and 1771. 
 
 The number of marriages that have been solem- 
 nized in this town, I have not been able precisely to 
 ascertain, owing to a deficiency of the records during 
 Mr. Peabody's ministry. Three marriages only arc 
 recorded as having been solemnized by him. 
 
 The whole number of recorded marriages is 248. 
 Mr. Peabody married 3, Mr. Badger 169, Mr. Sears 
 18, neighbouring clergymen 6, civil magistrates 39, 
 your present pastor 13. 
 
 Natick was incorporated as a parish or religious 
 society, in 174^. It was erected into a district, Feb- 
 
 * Deacons Joseph Ephraim, (Indian,) Ebenezer Ftlch, Nathaniel Cliick- 
 ering, Micah Wliitncy, John Jones, Natlianiel Akmn, Abel Ferry, William 
 flioodenow. 
 
18 
 
 riiary 23, I76S? with this excepting clause ; Provided, 
 that the present meeting house be not removed, nor 
 any new meeting house erected within the same, icith- 
 oiit the special license of this court. 
 
 Natick was incorporated as a town^, February 19, 
 1781. 
 
 There have been four meeting houses erected in 
 this town ; three of which were situated near Charles 
 river, at the south part of the town. Two houses for 
 public worship were erected by the Indians. The 
 reason, why they were situated so remotely from the 
 centre of the town, was to accommodate the Indians, 
 whose wigwams were mostly in that neighbourhood, 
 and the white people, who iirst settled in that part of 
 the town. At what periods the three first meeting 
 houses were erected, I have not been able to ascertain. 
 
 The location of these meetinii; houses so far from 
 the centre of the town gave occasion to that unhappy 
 dispute, that subsisted so many years, respecting the 
 spot to erect a meeting house. Respecting this un- 
 pleasant dissension, I have never taken much pains to 
 inform myself. But it is probable, that in this, as in 
 most controversies, some degree of blame was attach- 
 ed to each party. Thus much I will venture to say, 
 - could the town again be united in forming one relig- 
 ious society, it would contribute much to its peace, 
 happiness, and respectability. The law for altering 
 the line between Natick and Need ham, by which the 
 tract of land, formerly known by the name of Needham 
 leg, was set to Natick, and a corner of Natick was 
 set to Neednam, passed June ^l, 1797' The same 
 act gave permission for sundry persons in Matick, to 
 sign oft' to tiie religious societies in Dover, Needham, 
 or Sherburne. 
 
 The vote of the town to build the house, in which 
 wc arc now assembled, was passed September 18, 
 
19 
 
 1798. This house was erected on the 6th of June, 
 1799. 
 
 What number of Indians were ever in tliis place, 
 or what number at any given period, I have no means 
 of knowing. But there are some incidental circum- 
 stances that render it probable they, were pretty nume- 
 rous. Tradition says, that they once numbered three 
 hundred fighting men. In the year 1677> two hun- 
 dred fighting men, together with 40 English, were sent 
 to fight hostile Indians at the eastward. Hubbard, 
 in his History of New Eugland, says, ^" The Indians, 
 thus making daily inroads upon these weak, unfenced 
 places, (meaning new settlements in the eastern coun- 
 try,) the governour and council resolved to raise new 
 forces, and having had good experlc nee of the faith- 
 fulness and valour of the Christian Indians about Na- 
 tick, armed tvv^iundred of them, and sent them, to- 
 gether with for^^nglish, to prosecute the quarrel with 
 the eastward Indians to the full.'' 
 
 There were at this period probably three or four 
 times as many Indians, as there are inhabitants in this 
 town at the present time. As they came to be sur- 
 rounded with white neighbours, their number contin* 
 ually lessened. 
 
 Mr. Badger, in his communication before alluded 
 to, says, ^^ During several of the first years of my min- 
 istry and residence among them, I joined more Indians 
 in marriage, and baptized more of them, than of the 
 English inhabitants ; after which, military expedi- 
 tions at different periods and in different directions 
 were set on foot, and in the several wars that took 
 place between 17i^4 and 17^0, many of them engaged 
 in the service, and not a small number died in it ; oth- 
 ers returned home and brought contagious sickness 
 with them ; it spread very fast, and carried off' some 
 whole families. This was in 1759. In the space oi" 
 
so 
 
 three months, more than 20 of them died ; all of tlie. 
 same illsorder, which was a putrid fever. It carried 
 them off iti a few days." At the time that Mr. Badger 
 made this communication, (which was in 1797?) ho 
 supposed that there were about 20 Indians that were • 
 either resident here, or that belonged here. This 
 number is now reduced to two or three. 
 
 I have now related such facts and events, as I have 
 been able to collect respecting the history of this town. 
 It has been attended with considerable labour on my 
 part, to collect materials necessary to compose this 
 discourse. Should it prove acceptable to the inhab- 
 itants of the town, I shall think myself amply reward- 
 ed. 
 
 In reviewing the history of this town, we are 
 tau2;ht several important lessons. 
 
 1 . The goodness of God toward^is as a town de, 
 mauds our grateful acknowledgment!^^ 
 
 He has given us a fruitful soil, and a competency 
 of the good things of this life. The town, since its 
 settlement, has been favoured with a good degree of 
 heaith. It has been preserved from the pestilence 
 that walketh in darkness, and the destruction that 
 wasteth at noonday. At an early period in the his- 
 tory of New England, God was pleased to visit the 
 natives, who were then proprietors of this town, with 
 a time of refreshing from the preseyice of the Lord, 
 By the instrumentality o£ Eiiot, a good number of 
 these benighted pagans were turned from darkness 
 to lightf from the jpower of Satan pmto God, The 
 names of Eliot and Brainerd are praised in all the 
 churches. In the days of Whitelield, when the New 
 England churches were visited with a shower of 
 righteousness, this town received a portion of this 
 blessing. At this period, fifty were added to the 
 church. God evidently gave you a blessing in your 
 
21 
 
 late pastor. Although his ministry was short, and at 
 some periods he had cause to take up the mournful 
 lamentation of the ancient prophet; Who hath believed 
 our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord 
 revealed ? yet the word preached by him accomplish- 
 ed what God pleased, and prospered in thethirig where- 
 unto he sent it. The church in this town has been 
 repeatedly dissolved, but it has as often been gather- 
 ed again. God has never permitted it to be extin- 
 guished. It continues to this day. 1 trust the lan- 
 guage of Grod at this time te it is, Fear not, little flock, 
 it is your Father^ s good pleasure to give unto you the 
 kingdom. I trust there are in this place, as there 
 were in the church at Sardis in the days of the Reve- 
 lator, a ^^few names that have not defiled their gar- 
 ments.^^ In view of all the goodness which GTod has 
 caused to pass hefore you and your fathers, this day^ 
 say with the l^^mist, Bless the Lord, our soulSf 
 and all that is ivithin us, bless his holy name. 
 
 2. You have cause to be humbled under the frowns 
 of Providence. 
 
 Grod has given you occasion to sing of mercies. 
 He has also given you occasion to sing of judgments. 
 You have not at all times had that peace and harmo- 
 ny, which constitutes a considerable portion of human 
 happiness. Although men under such circumstances 
 are disposed to free themselves from guilt, and lay 
 blame upon the opposite party ; yet the fact is, that in 
 the heat of controversy, many things are said and 
 done on both sides, that are wrong. If the point can 
 be obtained, the means of obtaining it are not so much 
 regarded as they ought to be. Sin is always the pro- 
 curing cause of misery. Dissensions sliould be view- 
 ed as the fruits of sin, and as evidences of God''s dis- 
 pleasure against it. In view of dissensions that have 
 existed heretofore among you, you should be led to 
 
22 
 
 mourn for sin, which was the procuring cause of these 
 dissensions. Each should say, What evil have I done ? 
 Each should turn to the Lord with full purpose of 
 heart to serve him. Each should from the heart for . 
 give his hrother that has trespassed against him ; then 
 Grod will also forgive him his trespasses. Were this 
 disposition universal, there would be no difficulty in 
 devising the means again to unite the town in forming 
 one religious society. Let each pursue this course of 
 conduct, and we shall soon know how good and how 
 pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. 
 W'e should meet together, not merely as we do now, 
 to transact our civil business ; but every Sabbath we 
 should unitedly present our supplications to the throne 
 of grace ; we should join our hearts aud voices in songs 
 of praise ; we should be one family, partakers of each 
 others' joys and sorrows. The deadly wound would 
 Le healed. The God of peace wouicMSe with us and 
 bless us. 
 
 3. W^e are reminded of the changeableness of all 
 human things. 
 
 Where are the natives, that were the original pro- 
 prietors of this town ? Not only those are dead that 
 were aiive, when the white people began to settle 
 among them, but the tribe has become nearly extinct, 
 and their language entirely lost. 
 
 Where are the fust settlers of this town ? They 
 are all gone to their long homes. A few only of the 
 second generation are in the laud of the living. Many 
 of the third and fourth and some of the fifth genera- 
 tions have passed otf the stage of action. Our chil- 
 dren will shortly inquire, where are their fathers. 
 Soon we that are busy and active shall be gathered 
 unto our fathers, even as they were gathered unto 
 theirs. Time is ever on the wiug. The grave al- 
 ready opeiis its mouth to receive us. 
 
23 
 
 " Each moment has its sicklcj and cuts down 
 " Tlie fairest hope of sublunary bliss." 
 
 During the year past, a number of us have beeu 
 bereft of friends. Some of us have been called to part 
 with a father,* some with a brother, some with sisters, 
 and some wiih children. During the last year, death 
 made inroads upon this society. Seven were num- 
 bered with the dead. We have lately entered upon 
 a new year. In all human probability, it will be said 
 unto some one of us ; This year thou shalt die. Which 
 family death will enter, which seat he will make va- 
 cant in this house, no one knows but Grod. 
 
 We know not at what hour of the night our Lord 
 will come. Hence we ought always to be ready. Bless- 
 ed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, 
 shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall 
 make him ruler over his soods. But and if that evil 
 servant shall say, my Lord delayeth his coming, and 
 shall begin to smite his fellow servants, to eat and 
 drink with the drunken ; the Lord of that servant 
 shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and 
 in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall appoint 
 him a portion with hypocrites ; there shall be weeping 
 and gnashing of leetli. 
 
 Shortly it will be said, He that is unjust^ let him be 
 unjust still ; and he that is filthy^ let him be filthy still / 
 and he that is riehteouSf let him be righteous still ; 
 and he that is holy, let him be holy stilL In the grave^ 
 whither thou goest, there is no work, nor device, nor 
 knowledgp, nor wisdom ; whatsoever therefore thy 
 hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. When 
 the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the 
 holy angels with him, and shall be seated upon the 
 throne of glory, all nations shall be gathered before 
 
 * Tlie speaker was called to pr>rt with a kind and afFectioviate father \r\ 
 April last. 
 
24 
 
 liiin, and he shall separate them one from the other, 
 as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. Ab^ 
 this solemn^ interesting^ joyous day^ may you be among 
 that number, to whom tlie King shall say, Come, ye 
 blessed of my Father , inherit the kingdom^ prepared 
 for you from the foundation of the icorld ! Amen. 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 Let children hear the mighty deeds. 
 Which God performed of old ; 
 Which in our younger years we saw. 
 And which our fathers told. 
 
 He bids us make his glories known, 
 His works of power and grace ; 
 And we'll convey his wonders down 
 Tiirough every rising race. 
 
 Our lips shall tell them to our sons. 
 And they again to theirs ; 
 That generations yet unborn 
 May teach them to their heirs. 
 
 Thus shall they learn in God alone. 
 Their hope securely stands j 
 That they may ne'er forget his works, 
 But practise his commands. 
 
 Watm 
 
NOTE. 
 
 Savannah, January 25, 1811. 
 
 My dear people, over whom I am placed in the Lord ! Dear- 
 ly beloved in Christ Jesus I Though absent, and feeble in body, I 
 have not forgotten you. My health was such, when I left you, that 
 I was unable to give you such directions and counsel, as became a 
 faithful minister, on separating from his people for a season. My 
 liealth is no better, but rather wor§e. In the afternoon, I have a 
 high fever ; cough very much in the evening ; 'have cold sweats at 
 night, and sleep very little. Today my physician talks more dis- 
 couraging, and I heard that he told other people that I could not con- 
 tinue six months. At first, my feelings almost overwhelmed me, and 
 rose superiour to my better judgment. But I am in the hands of 
 God, wlio can and will protract the brittle thread of life, so long as 
 it will be for his glory, and the best good of his kingdom, whiqh 
 ought ever to be the summit of my wishes. 
 
 With this thought fixed in my breast, however natural feelings 
 operate, I am still ! T am not without hope, that I shall return to 
 you again, in the land of the living- But all this I leave with Him, 
 who never does ivrong. 
 
 It is for the benefit of my dear people, that I now write ; and I 
 wish you to receive it as the pledge of love. I do not say it is my 
 last advice.* I may yet preach to you for years ; but it is such 
 advice and counsel as my conscience would approve on a dying 
 bed, for I feel something, at present, like a dying man. 
 
 On a critical and prayerful review of my ministerial labours 
 among you, I find m^'selt in many respects deficient; not that I 
 regret tlie plainness of my preaching, nor the doctrines tiiat I so 
 frequently inculcated ; these, together with the threatenings de- 
 nounced against the ungodly, and the comforting of saints, afford 
 me pleasure to reflect upon. I do not think of any doctrine, that , 
 I have advanced among you, that I am not willing to seal with my 
 death. I must therefore solemnly exhort you to continue unshak- 
 
 * It was, liowever, the last public communication that he made his peo- 
 ple, and tliey should receive it as the words of a dying man. 
 
 4 ' 
 
S6 
 
 en in all the great and glorious doctrines of grace. But this is 
 not all, there must be a principle of indwelling religion, which 
 like a never failing spring, always refreshes the thirsty traveller. 
 That religion, which has not its seat in the heart, is of very little 
 avail. Christians! I call upon you to know how you stand. I 
 doubt not your tenderness towards me, and that your prayers have 
 often ascended to heaven on my behalf. You feel your lonely sit- 
 uation, that you are like sheep without a shepherd. But have you 
 not reason to fear, the angel of the churches hath somewhat to 
 write against thee ? Either that " you have left your first love," or 
 are indiflferent to things which demand your first attention ? As in 
 life, so in death I must declare to you, that the condition of the 
 hypocrite, is of all others the most desperate and alarming. To 
 have only a name to live, whilst in reality we are dead, is deplora- 
 ble in the extreme. 
 
 But if ye are Christ's in reality, as I fully believe some of you 
 are, He will provide for you. Like the primitive disciples of our 
 Lord, meet often together ; spread your wants and your sorrows 
 before God ; trust in his promises ; heartily believe what Christ 
 told his disciples, that he would not leave them comfortless. And 
 though your pastor be absent, you may draw comfort from the nev- 
 er failing fountain, Christ Jesus ! 
 
 Sinners ! What shall I say to you ! Gladly would I weep over 
 you as Jesus did over Jerusalem, if that would touch your hearts. 
 I know not all the feelings of the wicked towards me, but I think I 
 know my own towards you. Although I have borne pointed testi- 
 mony against some of your conduct, my conscience bears me wit- 
 ness that I love your souls. 
 
 Think for a moment on your condition ; Enemies of God by 
 wicked works — eorposedto his wrath — your feet on slippery places — 
 and hell beneath ready to receive you. What if your feet should 
 slide ! I tremble for you, and once more, not from the desk and 
 face to face, but from a distance, and with a trembling hand, I 
 most affectionately warn you to flee from the wrath to come. 
 Make no delay. Tarry not in all the plains. Escape ; it is for 
 your life ! 
 
 Finally, brethren and friends, farewell. May the God of all 
 grace bring you to his kingdom, in the end, where, if not on the 
 e.arth, I hope to meet you. Yours, &c. 
 
 FREEMAN SEARS. 
 

 S7 
 
 Mr Sears set out from Savannah, on his return home, ahout the 
 first of April. In his feeble state of health, he attempted to per- 
 form this lengthy journey on horseback. AVhen he arrived at New 
 York, he was unable to proceed farther on horseback. He took 
 the New York packet, and came by wafer to Providence. He 
 reached home, June 4th. . He died June 30th, and was respectful- 
 ly interred, July 3d. The Rev. Mr, Bates, of Dedliam, preached 
 on the occasion. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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