MR. SEWALL'S ORDINATION.

367

Validity and Antiquity of New English Ordinations. Then ask'd as Customary if any had to say against ordaining the Person. Took the church's handy vote. Church satt in the Gallery. I gave my Consent in such words as These: Relying on the help of God I devote myself to the work of the ministry in this Place. Then Mr. Pemberton declar'd that the Elders and Messengers had desir'd the Ministers of Boston to lay on Hands (Mr. Bridge was not there by reason of his indisposition). Dr. Increase Mather, Dr. Cotton Mather, Mr. Benjamin Wadsworth, Mr. Ebenezer Pemberton, and Mr. Benjamin Colman laid on Hands. Then Mr. Pemberton Pray'd, and gave the Charge excellently (pray'd twice). Then Dr. Increase Mather made a notable Speech, gave the Right Hand of Fellowship and pray'd. Mr. Pemberton directed the 23 Psalm to be sung. I dismissed the Congregation with Blessing. Who am I that God should call me and sett me apart to this divine and honourable Employment? O Lord, I desire to be deeply humbl'd under a sense of my own sinfulness and unworthiness! O God, my Dependence is upon Thee! Pour out on thine unworthy Servant the Gifts and Graces of thine Holy Spirit! Help me to... this thy People in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ. O that I might save my own Soul and the Souls of them that hear me ! I am a Child - Lord undertake for me!

Thus began a ministry which was to be most memorable and successful. The young pastor had just completed his twentyfifth year. He had been the child of many prayers, and probably at an early age had been consecrated by his parents to this sacred work. When he was baptized by Mr. Willard within the walls where he was now to preach the gospel, he received the name of Joseph, "not out of respect to any relation, or other person," wrote his father, "except the first Joseph." He soon gave evidence of a beauty and purity of character such as made the youth of his great namesake so attractive and his long life so useful; like him, too, but more like Him of whom Joseph was only a type, he was to dispense bread to his brethren, not, indeed, the bread that perisheth, but that which endures unto everlasting life.1 He may not have been endowed with exceptional ability, but he possessed that which is worth more than this for permanent success in the pastoral work, — adaptation to its requirements by natural tastes, by careful training, and by an experimental knowledge of the truth.

Lord's Day. Sept 27. a. m.

1 "Treasure house of golden grain

By our Joseph laid in store
In his brethren's famine sore

Freely to dispense again."

ness, his Collegue preaches from Philip. 2. 8. Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself to death, even the death of the cross. Administred the Lord's Supper to good Satisfaction. Mr. Bromfield and Mr. Sergeant congratulated me upon it: p. m. Mr. Flynt preaches.

Oct. 4. Mr. Jno. Barnard [of Marblehead] preaches a Sermon too much savoring of Arminianisme. p. m. Son preaches from ps. 37. 37. on occasion of Mrs. Rock's death.1 Samuel Eliot, son of Andrew Eliot, Baptis'd. (Sewall.)

On the 13th of October Mr. Joseph Stevens, whom some had desired to settle at the South Church, was ordained at Charlestown as colleague with Mr. Bradstreet.2 Neither of the pastors of the South Church took part in the services, but Mr. Sewall was present; of the laymen, Samuel Sewall, Andrew Belcher, and Edward Bromfield were there. Dr. Increase Mather was moderator, and the pastor elect preached the sermon from Dan. xii. 3. Dr. Cotton Mather gave the Right Hand of Fellowship, and made "an august speech, showing that the Congregational Churches early declar'd against Independency, that all the Reformation of the Continent of Europe ordain'd as New England did; shew'd that their Ordination had no other foundation." As Mr. Pemberton four weeks previously had defended the validity of New England ordination against the claims of prelacy, Dr. Mather now insisted on the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, as against the ordination of ministers by individual and independent churches.3

Decr. 11. Yesterday Mr. Francis Boroughs was buried. He was a Member of our Church and hath the character of a knowing and good Christian, This day, Major Fitch's Eldest Son was buried. He was a very pious and hopefull youth, about 16 or 17. (J. Sewall.)

The disease which proved fatal to this promising young man, Thomas Fitch, was the measles. Mr. Burroughs was one of the most highly respected men in the town. Judge Sewall wrote of him as "an intelligent exemplary Christian;" and John Dun

1 [Mrs. Rock was second wife and widow of Joseph Rock, one of the founders of the South Church. She was a daughter of the Rev. John Wilson, of Boston, and her first husband was the Rev. Samuel Danforth, of Roxbury. She was probably a member of the Second or North Church at the time of her death.]

2 Mr. Stevens graduated at Cambridge in 1703. He died in 1721.

3 Mr. Sewall records that the churches invited on this occasion were "Old, North, South, Colman's, Cambridge, Andover, Meadford;" and that Drs. Increase and Cotton Mather, Mr. Brattle, Mr. Barnard, and Mr. Bradstreet laid on hands.

SCARCITY OF GRAIN.

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ton called him "an Israelite indeed," and said that Sir Henry Wotton's verses on the character of a happy life exactly described him:—

Whose armour is his honest thought,
And simple truth his utmost skill.

Another useful member of the church and prominent citizen, Mr. Peter Sergeant, was in a precarious state of health, and on the afternoon of the 14th several ministers met at his house to pray with and for him. Those present were Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Pemberton, Mr. Colman, Mr. Joseph Sewall, and Mr. Danforth, of Dorchester. He died a few weeks later. Dec. 17. The Lecture was turn'd into a Fast, upon the account of the Epidemical Sickness, and the Scarcity which the Town is afflicted with. p. m. There was a Contribution for the Poor. The Old Church gather'd about 70£, the North 126£ the South 103£.1 (J. Sewall.)

Decr. 17. Thorsday is a Cloudy and very Cold Day, which made the Fast-Assemblies the thinner in the four Congregations in Boston; yet the Work was carried on. Two sermons. In the afternoon £103. was gather'd at the South Church, 68. at the old, about 70 at Mr. Colman's, 126. at the North.

Dec. 20.

The weather is much more moderate: my Son administer's the Lord's Supper. (Sewall.)

Mr. Sewall preached the Lecture for the first time (in Mr. Bridge's turn) on the 3d of January, from Gen. xvii. 1: "I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be thou perfect."

At the beginning of the year, Mr. Sewall, with his bride, Elizabeth, daughter of the late Hon. John Walley, moved into the

1 [How serious a matter the scarcity was to which Mr. Sewall refers will appear from the following:

24.

thereof for each family, and out of vessells with a thousand bushells, two bushells to each, and out of vessells with five

"At a meeting of the Select men Novr. hundred bushells, one bushel to each family and of flower one barrell to each family.

"Pursuant to a Proclamation of his Excellency the Governor, Relating to the present Scarcity of Graine, and in order to the necessary Supply of the Inhabitants of Boston.

"The Said Select men do accordingly order and direct That the Master of each Sloop or other vessell, Importing into this Town the quantity of fifteen hundred Bushells of Graine, Do Supply each person who Shall come or Send to buy for the relief of their respective families, not exceeding two bushells and an halfe,

"And they do hereby Signifie the present moderate accustomary Prices thereof to be as followeth vizt.

Shill.

Of good Winter Wheat 8
Summer Wheat 7
Rhy

Indian Corn

6

5

P. bushell."

Town Records.

Judge Sewall records, November 27: "I got a Grist of Wheat among the many that were pressing for it."]