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YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

l£)istoiical Cablets
IN THE CHAPEL OF THE SECOND CHURCH.

Second CunRCH gathered and House of AVorship built in North
Square, 1649; burnt, 1676; rebuilt, 1677; taken down for fuel by
British troops, 1775. Society occupied the New Brick in Hanover
Street, 1779, till it was demolished, 1844. New Chnrch in Hanover
Street dedicated, 1845 ; sold, 1849. Freeman Place Chapel purchased,
1850 ; sold, 1854. Meeting House of the Church of the Saviour, iu
Bedford Street, purchased, 1854; taken down and land sold, 1872.
Corner-stone of the adjoining Church laid Sept. 17, 1873 ; Church
dedicated Nov. 4, 1874. This Chapel dedicated Feb. 15, 1874.

John Mato. Ordained Nov. 9, 1655. Resigned 1673.
Increase Mather. Ordained May 27, 1664. Died Aug. 23, 1723.
Cotton Mather. Ordained May 13, 1683. Died Feb. 13, 1728.
Joshua Gee. Ordained Dec. 18, 1723. Died May 22, 1748.
Samuel Mather. Ordained June 21, 1732. Dismissed Dec. 21, 1 741.
Samuel Cheoklet, Jr. Ordained Sept. 3, 1747. Died March 19,
1758.
.Tohn Lathbop. Ordairied,May 18, 1768. Died Jan. 4, 1816.
Henet Ware, Jr. Ordained Jan. 1, 1817. Resigned Sept. 26, 1830.
Ralph W. Emerson. Ordained March U, 1829. Resigned Oct. 28,
1832.
Chandler Robbins. Ordained Dec. 4, 1833. Resigned Dec. 4, 1874.
Robert Laird Collier. InstaUed March 15, 1876. Resigned
Sept. 25, 1878.
Edward A. Horton. Installed May 24, 1880.

THE interest recently a-wakened in historical matters,
particularly in the ecclesiastical history of our
New England Churches, has induced the Standing Com
mittee of The Second Church in Boston to collect and place
in some permanent form an inventory of the most impor
tant Eecords and Documents connected with our own
ancient organization.
AVe have availed ourselves of the services of Dr. Fran
cis H. Brown, an officer of the Church, who has cheerfully
given us the aid which is furnished in the accompanying
pages. The action of the Committee appears in the following
vote : — Boston, March 26, 1889.
Voted, That the thanks of the Committee be conveyed by
the chairman to Dr. Brown for the very thorough and inter
esting character of the Report, and for his labors in preparing
the same ; also tbat he be requested to consent to the printing
of the Report, such being the special desire of the Committee.

Boston, April, 1888.
F. W. Lincoln, Jr,, Esq.
Clerh of the Second Church.
Dear Sik, — In reply to your letter of February 18, in
which 3'ou convey the vote of the Standing Committee,
asking me to state the character and condition of the
Eecords and similar books belonging to The Second
Church, with their place of deposit, I beg leave to make
the following Report.
The Eecords may properly be placed under the follow
ing; heads : —

The Records of the Church Proper, — in care of the Deacons.
The Records of the Corporation and Standing Committee, — in
charge of the Standing Committee.
The Records of the Sunday School, the Ladies' Benevolent
Society, the Second Church Branch of the Benevolent
Fraternity of Churches, of the Charity Committee, and of
other organizations.
1. The first volume of Church Eecords is partly in the
handwriting of John Mayo, the first minister ofthe Church,
and the earliest entry is dated 21°' 6""° 1662, providing
for the payment of the Pastor, Teacher, and leading Elder.
At page 63 commences a list of church members, beginning
with 1663 and continued by other hands to 1741. A con
siderable part of the book is taken up with accounts of
payments to Mr. Mayo, etc., with an occasional record of
business transacted at meetings of "the brethren," re
ceipts signed by Mayo, Gibson, etc. Some pages and
parts of pages have been cut out by unknown parties,
perhaps for autographs.
2. The second volume bears the inscription " Ex dono
fratris Samuelis, Cotton Mathero, in D— Eichards sedib.
hospitanti hunc librum humanissima ilia Domina dedit 16*
viii"" 1682." It contains a transcript of the list of commu
nicants, the same as contained in the previous volume,
and is in the handwriting of Cotton Mather and Joshua
Gee. The first record is, —
On 5* 4" 1650 the Second Church of Christ in Boston was
gathered. The Brothers that first embodied were
Michael Powel. John Philips.
James Ashwood. George Davis.
Christopher Gibson. Michael Wills.
John Farnham.
To these were soon added John Mato, etc.

Cotton Mather seems not to have continued his little
book after 1717; but to have made his entries in book
No. 4 after about 1717 ; the smaller book is written back
to that date by Gee, and continued to its full extent, 31.
11. 1741.
3. The third volume is in the hand of Increase and
Cotton Mather, — the flrst record being dated 8. 9. 1673.
The volume contains many historical accounts of interest.
The flrst record speaks of the delinquency which allowed
twenty years to pass after the organization of the Society
without any book of records. It contains an account of
the gathering of the church, 5. 4. 1650. The first cove
nant is given, — censures, dismissions, building a new
house of worship ; lists of church members follow,
baptisms, and general church history.
4. The fourth volume embraces the period from 8. 10.
1689 to 24. 12. 1716, and is probably in the handwriting
of Cotton Mather. The volume also contains a record of
those who were " received into (half way) covenant,"
beginning January 15. 1692-3, when this ordinance was
first instituted in the church.
5. The fifth volume is in the handwriting of Cotton
Mather, from 1717 to 1723 ; of Joshua Gee from March 1,
1724, to 25. 8. 1741, — contains lists of baptisms, admis
sions, etc., with various items regarding the Scarlett and
other legacies. A full account of the Scarlett legacy is to
be found in the record book of the Treasurer of the Church
Proper, on pp. 70 et seq.
6. In book six Gee's record continues to 31. 11. 1747 ;
Checkley's then commences ; his last record is 21 May,
1765 ; Lathrop's begins 18 May, 1768, and continues to
his death, 4 January, 1816. The " meeting preliminary to
the Communion " and the " Questions" originated 1 Jan
uary, 1773. The New Brick Church united with the
Second Church 27 June, 1779. Eeference is made to the
1*

books in the hands of the Treasurer and Clerk for more
full particulars.
7. The seventh volume, in Lathrop's handwriting, con
tains covenants of marriage, communion, and baptism,
with registers of mai'riages and deaths during his ministry
from May 18, 1768, to his death, 4 January, 1816.
8. Volume eight is a copy of former records, made
about 1741, and is continued to a later date. During
the occupation of the town by the British troops in
1775-76 the church was burned, and probably a part of
the records ; the people began to worship with the con
gregation of the New Brick, 31 March, 1776 ; the formal
union between the two churches took place in 1779. One
record states : " N. B. The records of admissions and
baptisms from 1741 to 1768 were generally lost or
destroyed in the time of the war." ..." 1775. From
the 19 of April, when the war began, to the 31 March,
1776, there are no records. The church was scattered and
the Old North Meeting House was destroyed."
9. A volume of records (ninth) extends from the death
of Dr. Lathrop to the calling of Mr. Eobbins, Oct. 27,
1833, including the pastorates of 'Ware and Emerson.
The Scarlett Legacy was considered in 1828-29. Lists
of admissions, marriages, baptisms, and deaths are given.
On May 11, 1718, is noted the death of Paul Eevere, at
the age of eightj'-three. A memorandum, in Dr. Eobbins's
handwriting, at the close of the volume, reads : " N. B.
The records of the Church from the Commencement of my
ministrj' have been transferred to another book. C. E."
10. The volume alluded to by Dr. Eobbins contains the
records for the period of his pastorate, including the records
of marriages and admissions. The volume was received
by the Deacons irom his widow.
11. In 1881 the undersigned, in behalf of the Deacons,
opened a new volume of records, which will be continued.
It contains lists of the Ministers, Deacons, and Treasurers

of the Corporation, together with lists of baptisms, mar
riages, deaths, and admissions, from the date of the in
stallation of Dr. Collier, March 15, 1876.
12. Another volume contains certain of the minutes of
the New Brick Church from November, 1719 (or 1720),
until June 27, 1779. The plan of union and the action
of the two societies is given in full. It is not easy to un
derstand why the records are continued under the name
" New Brick Church" throughout the volume and to the
J'ear 1803. The volume begins : " A Journal of the votes
and other proceedings of the Proprietors of the New Brick
meeting house in Boston. Sundrey of the North Ende of
the Town being moved by the Providence of God for to
Buld a House for the publick 'Worship of God met sundrey
Times for the promoting of y° work," etc. It gives the
history of the land on which the New Brick stood. The
names of the twenty-four who purchased the land are
cited. On page 64 occurs this record: "Hear ends the
Eecords ofthe New Brick Society, and oner leaf, page 68,
begins the Eecords of the United Churches from June 27,
1779, the day on which the Union took place, and hereafter
the Eecords of the 2* church in Boston." On page 68 :
" Boston, May 6* 1779, Begins the Records of the Old
North and New Brick societys takeing som proper steps in
order to bring on a peaceable and happy union of boath
said churches and congregations under the pastoral care
of Eev* Mr. John Lathrop, who now preaches to boath
Societys in the New Brick Meeting House," etc.
13. The Book of the Treasurer of the Church Proper
commences Nov. 1, 1813, and is in use at the present time.
Attached to the account-book is a memorandum, giving
full description of the plate now belonging to the Church.
The writer of this report bas a set of copies of the coats-of-
arms, inscriptions, etc., from the plate, taken off by an
engraver, and also a set of heliotypes, made from the same
engravings and given him by Mr. John H. Buck, of the

8
Gorham Manufacturing Company of New York. -These
heliotypes have been inserted bj"^ Mr. Buck in his book,
issued this year, on " Old Plate."
14. A book was commenced by Henrj' Barry, Secretary,
28 April, 1844, being the record of the Church Proper, —
especially of the devotional meetings held for many years
on the Friday before the Communion. Long accounts of
the services at these meetings, with the remarks of the
Pastor, are given. The book is in use at the present day.
15. A volume of Standing Committee records of the
New Brick Church begins 26 Jan., 1801, and ends 9 Dec,
1824. 16. A record of the Standing Committee of the Second
Church and society begins 5 Jan., 1825, and ends 30 April,
1845. 17. A volume of Standing Committee records begins
1 May, 1845, and ends 15 Jan., 1872.
18. Still another volume of the committee is now in
use. 19. A volume of Proprietors' Eecords begins at the
Annual Meeting of the " New Brick Society," 3 May, 1804.
Dr. Lathrop's name, however, occurs in this flrst record.
This overrunning of the two names may imply that they
were used interchangeably, or that the corporate organiza
tion of the New Brick was kept up for some time after the
two parishes actually united. The volume ends 26 Jan.,
1845, with the appointment of a committee to petition the
Legislature to change the name of the church from " The
Second Church and Society of Boston " to " Second
Church." 20. The next volume begins with the act ofthe Legisla
ture to change the name, as indicated above ; it was
approved bj- Governor Briggs, 22 Feb., 1845. The last
record is dated 18 April, 1873.
21. A third volume of Proprietors' Eecords is now in
use. On a fly-leaf of the second volume is this record :

" Mr. Harris never delivered any but this book to me; said he
had no others. This fact- has been stated to the Standing
Committee before, by T. W. Herrick, P. Clerk,
May 20, 1851."
22. The Eecords of the Treasurers of the Corporation
are in the hands of the present Treasurer.
Volumes of records and of accounts of the Treasurers
and Secretaries of the Sunday School, the Evangelical
Treasury, the Benevolent Fraternitj' of Churches, the
Ladies' Benevolent Society, the Young People's Fra
ternity, and the Friendly Workers, are in possession of
the officers of these organizations.
In the room over the Pastor's room, in the present church
edifice, is a chest containing a number of old account-books
and sundry files, apparently not of much value.
23. A new Registry of the Sunday School has been
recently opened, and is now in use.
24. A few leaves of legal cap are taken up by a Eegister-
Book containing, —
" I. A brief Introductory Account of y' Founding a Library
for the Second Church of Christ in Boston.
II. The names of the Benefactors, with an account of what
they bestow.
III. A catalogue of the books as they stand in their respective
classes." On the first page occurs —
" Secundse Christi apud Bostonum Nov. Anglorum
Ecclesiae Bibliothecale ex dono D. Nathanselis Belknap
Bibliop. Bostonens."
At this time, in connection with this report, it seems
proper to invite the attention of the members of the Stand
ing Committee, not in their official capacitj', but as a part
of the Society, to the advisability of putting into perma
nent printed form the Eecords of the Second Church

10
Proper, — including the names of those who have been
connected with it, as shown by the lists of baptisms, mar
riages, deaths, and admissions. The plan, thus proposed,
has commended itself to several historic parishes in our
midst. As an example of this custom there is submitted
herewith a volume containing transcripts of the records of
the Third Church in Boston, generally known as the Old
South Church. The very valuable Eegisters of admissions
to the Church, as will be seen, are accurately copied, many
important historical facts are brought out, and the records
of many old Boston families are preserved. It is to be un
derstood that this Eegister of the Third Church will form
one volume of the history of the Church, and that another
volume will be added within a few years. The Old South
proposes to continue, at intervals, the printing of its other
registers, — of baptisms, marriages, and burials, — and of
all its valuable papers, until the whole of its archives are
put beyond the danger of destruction by flre, by being em
balmed in enduring print. The volume of the history of
King's Chapel, with a second volume, soon to follow, is to
be supplemented by a volume of the Registers. As a por
tion of this record, a new transcript of the King's Chapel
Epitaphs, more complete and more accurate than that of
Bridgham, has been already made. More or less complete
copies of Records of the Church in Brattle Square, and
other historical churches, have been made or are being
made for early publication.
It should be remembered that the earlj' ecclesiastical
history of New Eng'land is the historj' of the country.
The churches held in their body the best men of the period ;
and the history of the colonial and provincial periods, of
which Boston is so justly proud, emanated, in a great de
gree, from the very men who were, in their day, the pillars
•of the Church.
It seems eminently proper that The Second Church in
Boston, — the church of the Mathers, of Lathrop, Ware,

11
Emerson, Eobbins, — which included the families of Alcott
Byles, Checkley, Cotton, Fothergill, Frizzell, Gee, Green
ough, Governor Hutchinson, Lincoln, Mountford, Eevere,
SaltonstaU, Townsend, and many others, should be in the
front rank in this good work. There are competent persons
ready to assist us now, — with their hands, their skill, their
advice. We have many members of our old parish, —
happily still with us, — who must pass away before long,
and new members will have less enthusiasm and less
interest in the time-honored Eecords of our historic
Church. The excellent work done by the Record Commissioners
of the city of Boston comes forcibly to mind in this con
nection, and their nineteen volumes of our local history
rescue from the chance of oblivion, and place in the hands
of historical workers, a vast amount of the most valuable
records of the town.
The plan which I should recommend for the action of
the Society is that so well employed by other churches, —
to employ a skilled copyist, accustomed to such work,
to have a complete transcript of a large part of what I have
described as the " Church Eecord books," and that the
material be placed in the hands of printers, also accus
tomed to an undertaking of this kind. I think the expense
of preparing and printing a book of this kind would be not
far from two thousand dollars. I would recomraend that
the church itself make a subscription say of one third
this amount, and that the payment of the remainder be
secured from members and friends of the Church.
Eespectfully submitted,
Francis H. Brown.

12

Boston, November 20, 1888.
Since writing the above report, therte have been added
to the collection of books : —
25. The Old North Communion and Poor's stock, 1734-
1813, evidently the predecessor of No. 13 in the above
list. On its fly-leaf it has a lis1> of the church plate in
1720. 26. This book has to do with the Freeman Place Chapel
episode. 27. Ladies Charitable Sewing Circle, I.
28. Eev. Mr. Horton's visiting list for 1882, giving list
of members of the parish of that time.
35-43. In the early part of the year the Deacons re
ceived from Miss Annette Eogers, daughter of the late
Mr. Henry B. Rogers, all the books and papers of the
Church of the Saviour. This church, organized in 1845,
had drawn away many from the Church of the Disciples
who disagreed with the Pastor of that church on certain
points ; it continued as a separate organization for nine
years, and then became merged with The Second Church,
bringing to us the families of Eogers, Fearing, Burrage,
Ware, Prince, and many others whom we most highly prize.
The books are now given to the Deacons of the Second
Church for permanent preservation. They are numbered
as in the margin.
On the 5th of the current month the Deacons of the
Church procured a suitable trunk, gathered all the vol
umes above named, and placed them in the storage ware
house on West Chester Park. In addition, there are
enclosed with them such of the files of papers as possess
historic value or seem otherwise worthy of care.
Francis H. Bro-wh.