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A VISIT TO THE

BOSTON, MASS.

Copyrighted 1893 by Charles Downer.

PREFACE.

T N this short story of the historical old church I have
*• confined myself to facts from the records and items
gathered by me during the twenty-three years I have been
connected with the church. Some portion has been taken
(by consent) from the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary
sermon delivered by the Rev. Henry Burroughs, D.D ,
in 1873. It is hoped that the endeavor to fill a long-felt want
among the many visitors to the church will be successful,
and that the church may be benefited thereby.
CHARLES DOWNER,
Sexton.

CHRIST CHURCH.

CHRIST CHURCH, or better known as "The Old
North Church," is situated on Salem Street, in the
extreme north end of the city, and near the summit of
Copp's Hill, one of the ancient landmarks of Boston.
It was built in the year 1723, the corner-stone being laid
by the Rev. Samuel Myles, rector of King's Chapel, on
the fifteenth day of April of that 3-ear, with the following
words : " May the gates of hell never prevail against it."
It was opened for public services on Dec. 29, the opening
sermon being preached by the Rev. Timothy Cutler,
D.D., the first rector, taking for his text the seventh verse
of the fifty-sixth chapter of Isaiah: "For mine house
shall be called a house of prayer for all people." The
church was not quite completed at that time, there being
some plastering and other minor work to be finished.
The church is a substantial brick structure seventy-
five feet long, fifty feet wide, and thirty-five feet high, with
walls two and one-half feet thick. The tower is twenty-
four feet square, eighty-five feet high, the walls of which
are three and one-half feet thick. Above the brick-work

is a tower of wood, built in sections, and surmounted with
aspire, the extreme height of the whole being one hundred
and seventy-five feet. It is said to be a very pleasing
piece of architecture, the design of which is attributed t.>
that great church architect, Sir Christopher Wren. It has
stood here as an unerring landmark to the incoming
mariner these many years. The spire was blown down
in 1S0.1 by a great gale, and was rebuilt in 1807. In 1848
it was taken down, repaired, and replaced in position ; all
df which was considered a great undertaking that was
completed without accident.

THE BELLS.

THIS tower contains the first peal of (8) bells brought
to this country- They were purchased by subscrip
tion, costing £560. The combined weight is 6,432 pounds,
smallest weighing 620 and largest 1,545 pounds. Each
bell has an inscription around the crown telling its own
story. No. 1. "This peal of 8 bells is the gift of a number of generous
persons to Christ Church in Boston, New England. Anno 1744. A.R "
No. j.. "This church was founded in the year 1723, Rev. Timothy
Cutler the first Rector. Anno 1744. A.R."
No. 3. " We are the first ring of bells cast for ye British Empire in
North America. Anno 1744. A R."
No. 4. "God preserve the Church of England. Anno 1744. A.R."
No. 5. "William Shirley, Esq., Governor of Massachusetts Bay in
New England. Anno 1744. A.R."
No. 6. " The subscriptions for these bells were begun by John
Hair.mock and Robert Temple, Church Wardens, 1743, and completed by
Robert Jenkins and Jno. Gould, Church Wardens, 1744. A.R."
No. 7. " Since generosity has opened our mouths our tongues shall
ring aloud its praise. 1744- A.R."
No. 8. " Abel Rudhall of Gloucester cast us all in England. Anno
1744." They are now considered the best and sweetest toned
bells in the country. Their clear notes are always heard
at Christmas-tide ringing out the " glad tidings of great
joy to all people " ; on Sundays and other holy days sum
moning the worshippers to church ; at weddings and on
national holidays sending forth -their joyful songs ; also
tolling solemn notes at the funerals of departed loved ones,
now, as since their first effort in 1744.
6

€ljc Signal 1£igJ)t&
The iSth of April, 1775 , is a memorable day in our annals,
connecting the history of this church with that of the nation.
On that evening the sexton, Robert Newman, sat quietly in his
house on Salem Street awaiting the arrival of his friend, Capt.
Thomas Barnard, who was watching the movements of the regu
lars ; while on the other side of the river Paul Revere watched
and waited for the signals that notified him of their route.

" If the British march
By Und or sea from the town to-nighi,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light ;
One if by land, and two if by sea,

And. I on the opposite shore will be
Ready to ride and give the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm I'

Mr. Newman, taking down the church keys, went out, and
meeting his friend, who apprises him of the news, he unlocks
the church door, and goes

" Up the wooden stairs with stealthy tread,
To the belfry chamber overhead ;
And startled the pigeons from their perch
On the sombre rafters that round him made

Masses of moving shapes and shade -
Up the light ladder, slender and tall,
To the highest window in the wall! ,!

Paul Revere and his patriot friends from the water-side in
Charlestowu

"Watched with eager search
The bel Try tower of the old North Church,
As it rose above the graves on the hill,
Lonely and spectral and sombre and still;
And lo! as he looks on the belfry's height,

A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!
He springs to the saddle ; the bridle he turns;
But lingers and gaze?, till full on his sight
A second lamp in the belfry burns! "

After completing his momentous task Mr. Newman quickly
descends, jumps out of a back window, and unobserved enters
his house and retires to bed, only to be soon after brought forth
under arrest. No charges being proven against him he was set
at liberty. To commemorate this historical event, the City of Boston
caused a tablet to be placed on the tower of the church Oct. 17,
1878, containing the following inscription :

Tut

SIGNAL

LANTERNS OF

PAUL

REVERE

DISPLAYED
N
THE STEEPLE OF THIS
APRIL 18th 1776
CHLRCH
WARNED
T
HE COU
MTRY OF THE M
ARCH
CF
THE BRITISH TROOFS TO
L
X
NGTON
A"D CONCCRD
""mm??

THE INTERIOR.

ON entering the church the appropriateness of the
architectural surroundings is suggestive — the high
galleries, arched ceiling, fluted columns, large windows
with small panes of glass, and its straight- line archi
tecture. The ancient square pews were taken out in 1806 and
the present long, slip pews substituted ; but the original
doors, hung with large wrought-iron hinges, are retained
at the present time.
The deep, receding chancel, with striking appear
ance, is unchanged. In the centre, immediately over
the altar, is a painting representing the Last Supper, the
work of a Mr. Penniman. The picture has been in its
present position over one hundred years. The painting
over the chancel, representing the descent of the Holy
Spirit — a dove and three cherubs — is the work of a Mr,
Johnson. It has been in position over a century. Below
it are the words, ''This is none other than the House of
God and this is the Gate of Heaven." The oaken table
which is used as an altar has been in use a long time, and
is supposed to be the original.

Looking towards the front of the church stands the
organ. It was purchased and erected in its present
position in 1759. ^'ie builder was Thomas Johnson. In
1884 it was subjected to some repairs, whereby the old
pipes were taken out and new ones substituted. With the
exception of the two end rows of pipes, the original case
remains. The four statuettes in front of the organ were pre
sented to the church by Captain Grushea, commander of
the privateer " Queen of Hungary," who captured them
from a French vessel during the French warjn 1746 ; also
two glass chandeliers that are not now in existence. They
were intended for a Spanish church in the settlements
on the St. Lawrence River. The statuettes are excellent
specimens of Spanish art, carved from wood of fine quality.
The clock in front of the gallery has been in its pres
ent position since 1749, and was made by Mr. Aver}', who
presented it to the church. It is a good time-keeper at
the present time, and its loud tick, tick was spoken of by
Rev. Mr. Croswell, a former rector, who used the room
adjoining the gallery as a sleeping apartment, in the fol
lowing words :
"To know that in the lofty room
I was thu only living guest —
The ticking of yon ancient clock,
That marks the solemn tread of time,
Against my heart-strings seems to knock."
' The gallery on each side of the organ originally
extended across that end of the church, in the centre of
which was a window. The wall was painted with drapery
curtains, the effect of which is quite pleasing. When the
organ was put in it was found necessary to divide it. It
was formerly set apart for the colored servants, and later
for the children of the Sunday-school. The entrance was
by a flight of stairs (now closed) leading from the tower.
IO

THE COMMUNION SERVICE.

THE Communion Service consists of thirteen pieces.
which were presented to the Society by the follow
ing persons : One small chalice, by Capt. Thomas Tudoi, ,
1724; two of the large flagons, by the congregation, and
are inscribed as belonging to Christ Church, 1729; the
large paten, .by Leonard Vassall, Esq., 1730, and is so
inscribed, with the family coat of arms ; the large baptism
bowd, by Arthur Savage, Esq., 1732; the remaining two
large flagons, the large chalice, the small paten or cover
for chalice, and the large plate called a receiver, by
King George II. , and are inscribed, "The gi.t of His
Majesty King George II to Christ Church at Boston in
New England at the request of his Excellency Governor
Belcher, i733>" with- the royal arms of England on each
piece ; a large covered dish, by Hannah Smith, 1815, and
an antique perforated spoon, inscribed, '; Presented to
Christ Church by H N Baxter Decr 25th 1833." All the
pieces are of a very plain pattern, in sterling silver, and
very valuable.

THE BIBLE.

THE Bible was presented to the church by King
George II-., in 1733, together with five large Prayer
Books. The Bible is a very large and valuable edition,
printed by John Baskett at Oxford, England, in 1717. It is
a copy of an edition quite celebrated on account of an error
in the printing. In the title at the top of a page on which
a portion of the twentieth chapter of St. Luke is printed,
occur the following words : " The parable of the vinegar,"
instead of " The parable of the vineyard," on account
of which error it was termed the "Vinegar Bible." All
the Prayer Books, with the exception of one, have been
altered by cutting out the morning and evening prayers,
and substituting others with different wording. One has
pieces of paper pasted over the prayers for King and
Royal Family, with words written upon them to meet the
necessary change: for the "Church of England" had
become the "Protestant Episcopal Church of America."
The engraving is from the portion containing the error.

THE BUST OF WASHINGTON.

AT the left of the chancel, in a niche made by the
south-west window, is a bust representing George
Washington, that was presented to the church in 1815 by
Shubael Bell, Esq. It is said to be a very good represen
tation of the " Father of Our Country," and reputed to
have been made by a celebrated Italian artist. Some
claim it as one of, or a copy of, Houdon's celebrated
bust, but Miss Johnson, the Washington historian, thinks
it the work of John Wright, the Quaker artist of Phila
delphia, who made the first bust of Washington for the
government. The records of the vestry that refer to
that period having been lost, I am unable to give an}'
authentic name of the artist. In conversation with the
Rt. Rev. Bishop Coxe, of Western New York State,
he said that when General Lafayette visited the church
in 1826, while admiring it, was asked by the Rev.
Father Brinley if that was a good likeness of Gen
eral Washington. He very emphatically replied, while
pointing to the bust: "Yes, that is my old friend and
comrade, George Washington."

SUNDAY-SCHOOL.

ON June 14, 1815, the church organized the first
Sunday-school known in this part of the world.
It had 365 scholars in attendance on its first Sunday. An
ancient roll of scholars, written in 1817, with its quaint
names of streets, lanes, and alleys at Old North End, still
hangs in the Sunday school room. In the list of former
workers who have been connected with it occur the names
of some celebrated ministers and laymen in their Master's
vineyard, such as Rev. Dr. Eaton, Rev. Dr. Edson,
Shubael Bell, and Joseph W. Ingraham, the last named
having been superintendent for twenty years.
RECTORS.
Rev. Timothy Cutler, D.D   1723 to 1765
Rev. James Greaton, Assistant (afterward Rector) . . . 1759101767
Rev. Mather Byles, D.D. (the last to preach in the church
previous to the Revolution) .  1768 to 1775
Rev. Stephen Lewis  .  1778 to 1785
Rev. William Montague . . 1786101792
Rev. William Walter, D.D. . . . 1792 to 1800
Rev. Samuel Haskell . . 1S01 to 1803
Rev. Asa E \ton, D.D  . . 1S03 to 1829
Rev. William Croswell . .  1S29 to 1S39
Rev. John Woart  iS40to 1852
Rev. William T. Smithett  1853 to i860.
Rev. John T. Burrell  1S61 to 186S
Rev. Henry Burroughs, D T). . .... . 1868 to 1882
Rev. William II. Monroe . .  1882 to 1892
Rev. Charles VV. Duane, at present in charge  1893.
iS

CHRIST CHURCH SERVICES.

Services held every Sunday, excepting the month of August,
when the church is closed at 10.30 a. m.
Holy Communion the first Sunday in the month.
Sunday School held in the Vestry rooms at 2 o'clock.
Rev. CHAS. W. DUANE, Rector,
23 Ware Street, Cambridge.

01341 4280