in the course of one hundred years, there has existed here a difference of opinion on religious subjects. And although in the ecclesiastical history of this town there has been much, very much, to be commended; yet, it must be admitted, that there have also been some dark spots, as will fully appear in the sequel.

About the time that this town settled the first minister, there was a spirit of enquiry in the land, both among the clergy and among the laity, whether the human creeds that had been promulgated, and to which professing christians were required to yield their assent, were strictly conformable to the word of God, as revealed in the sacred scriptures.

MEETING-HOUSES AND MINISTERS.

With a view to the fulfillment of the most important condition on which the Act of Incorporation was granted, the inhabitants very soon adopted measures for the erection of a Meeting-House, and the settlement of a "Godly Minister." And at their third town-meeting, being the second held at the house of Mr.

Benjamin Whitcomb, on the fifteenth day of December, 1740, the question whether "God's Tabernacle should be erected here," was deliberately decided in the affirmative, and a Committee appointed, consisting of Jonathan White, Joseph Wheelock, and Nathaniel Carter, "to see that the work was done." The frame was raised in the summer of 1741. The house was located in the north-west corner of what is now the old burying-ground, on land purchased for the express purpose, of Ebenezer Houghton, rather than on a spot on the north side of the hollow which had been given for that use by Ebenezer Wilder, and which is now included within the limits of the new cemetery. In the winter of 1742, so much had been done to the house, that the town made provision to have a month's preaching in it. That house answered the purpose for the humble christians of those times; but the people of the present day would not think it a suitable place in which to worship God in public. It was 45 feet in length, by 35 in width, and 22 feet high. It was rough boarded on the outside, with but few or no glass windows, and within only a loose floor and moveable seats. For several years there were no pews, and the outside was not finished and painted until 1753.

But it served the purposes for which it had been erected. Not only did our forefathers statedly assemble in that house for public worship, and for the transaction of their parochial concerns; but the common town-meetings were also held in it for one third of a century. And then, viz., in October, 1775, it was sold at public auction, and purchased by the Baptist Society in Harvard, taken down and carried to "Still River," and for a long period was the place of worship for that Society. But some years ago, when they were about to build a larger house, the old one was removed across the way and fitfor a parsonage house, and there it still

ted up

remains.

After having heard several other candidates, the town voted to "settle Mr. John Rogers, a learned orthodox minister, as they have been advised by the neighboring ministers." He was a lineal descendant from the martyr of that name. The salary was to be £45 annually, at first; to be increased to £55 when there should be sixty families in town; and to have a deed of the minister lot of forty acres.

*

Mr. Rogers was ordained on the fourteenth of September, 1743, O. S. The services were,

*The minister lot was in the vicinity of what is now the 66 poor-farm," and not the one on which Mr. R. lived and died.

A

"first, prayer by the Rev. Daniel Rogers, of Littleton; the sermon by the Rev. Thomas Parker, of Dracut, from Ezekiel iii: 17, 18, 19; charge by Rev. John Prentice, of Lancaster; right hand of fellowship by the Rev. Willard Hall, of Westford." The other members of the ordaining council were the Rev. David Stearns, of Lunenburg, and the Rev. Elisha Marsh, of (now) Westminster.

On the same day of the ordination a church was organized, composed of sixteen male members, who signed their names to a covenant, which, with other covenants of a later date, may be found in another part of the book. For a number of years, minister and people were happy and prosperous together; but the days of trouble and sore trial came upon them.

When a part of the congregation of the Rev. John Robinson were about to leave Holland, and embark for this country, he addressed them in language like the following:

"Brethren, we are now quickly to part from one another, and whether I may ever live to see your faces on earth any more, the God of Heaven only knows; but, whether the Lord have appointed that or not, I charge you before God and his blessed angels, that you follow me no further than you have seen me follow the

Lord Jesus Christ. If God reveal any thing to you by any other instrument of his, be as ready to receive it as you ever were to receive any truth by my ministry; for I am verily pursuaded, I am very confident, that the Lord hath more truth yet to break forth out of his Holy Word. For my part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go at present no further than the instruments of their reformation. The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw.Whatever part of his will our good God has imparted and revealed to Calvin, they will rather die than embrace it. And the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that great man of God, who yet saw not all things. This is a misery much to be lamented; for, though they were burning and shining lights in their times, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God; but, were they now living, would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first received. I beseech you to remember it as an article of your church covenant, that you be ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known to from the written word of God. Remember that and every other article of your most sacred

you