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BOOK I. For this reason a great proportion of the laws were only in manuscript. The assembly had now desired the govern1713. or and council to procure a printer to settle in the colony. It was determined soon to revise and print the laws which made the assembly more urgent in the affair at that time. The council obtained Mr. Timothy Green, a descendant of Mr. Samuel Green of Cambridge in Massachusetts, the first printer in North-America. The assembly for his encouragement agreed that he should be printer to the governor and company and that he should have fifty pounds, the salary of the deputy governor, annually. He was obliged to print the election sermons, the proclamations for fasts and thanksgivings, and laws which were enacted at the several sessions of the assembly. In 1714, he came into Connecticut, and fixed his residence at New-London. He and his descendants were, for a great number of years, printers to the governor and company of Connecticut.* At the period to which the history is brought down, almost all that part of the colony on the east side of Connecticut was settled. Ashford, Tolland, Stafford, Bolton, and two or three other towns have been settled in that part of the colony, and the greatest part of the county of Litchfield since. The settlement of these has been attended with little difficulty in comparison with what was experienced in the planting and defending of the former.

Who can contemplate the hardships, labors, and dangers of our ancestors, their self-denial, magnanimity, firmness, and perseverance, in defending their just rights, and the great expense, though they were poor, at which they maintained and transmitted the fairest inheritance to us, and not highly esteem and venerate their characters? If they had some imperfections, yet had they not more excellencies, and did they not effect greater things, for themselves and posterity, than men have generally done? Is it possible to review the sufferings, dangers, expense of blood and treasure, with which our invaluable liberties, civil and religious, have been transmitted to us, and not to esteem them precious? Not most vigilantly and vigorously defend them Shall we not at all hazards, maintain and perpetuate them? Can we contemplate the sobriety, wisdom, integrity, industry, economy, public spirit, peaceableness, good order, and other virtues, by which this republic hath arisen from the smallest beginnings, to its present strength, opulence, beauty and respectability, and not admire those virtues? Not be convinced of their high importance to soci

* The first printer in this colony was Thomas Short. He was recommended to the colony by Mr. Green. He came to New-London about the year 1709. In 1710, he printed Saybrook Platform, and soon after died.

ety? Shall we not make them our own? And by the con- Book I. stant practice of them, hand down our distinguished liberties, dignity, and happiness, to the latest ages?

CHAPTER XIX.

A View of the churches of Connecticut, from 1665 to 1714, continued from Chapter XIII. The general assembly appoint a synod to determine points of religious controversy. The ministers decline meeting under the name of a synod. The assembly alter the name, and require them to meet as a general assembly of the ministers and churches of Connecticut. Seventeen questions were proposed to the assembly to be discussed and answered. The assembly of ministers and churches meet and discuss the questions. The legislature declare that they had not been decided, and give intimations that they did not desire that the ministers and churches of Connecticut should report their opinion upon them. They express their desires of a larger council from Massachusetts and New-Plymouth. The Rev. Mr. Davenport removes to Boston. Dissension at Wind

sor.

Mr. Bulkley and Mr. Fitch are appointed by the assembly to devise some way in which the churches might walk together, notwithstanding their different opinions relative to the subjects of baptism, church communion, and the mode of church discipline. The church at Hartford divides, and Mr. Whiting and his adherents are allowed to practise upon congregational principles. The church at Stratford allowed to divide, and hold distinct meetings. Mr. Walker and his hearers, upon advice, remove and settle the town of Woodbury. Deaths and characters of the Rev. Messrs. John Davenport and John Warham. General attempts for a reformation of manners. Religious state of the colony in 1680. Attempts for the instruction and christianizing of the Indians in Connecticut. Act of the legislature respecting Windsor. The people there required peaceably to settle and support Mr. Mather. Owning or subscribing the covenant introduced at Hartford. College founded, and trustees incorporated. Worship according to the mode of the church of England performed, in this colony, first at Stratford. Episcopal church gathcred there. Act of assembly requiring the ministers and churches of Connecticut to meet and form a religious con

BOOK I.

1666.

stitution. They meet and compile the Saybrook Platform. Articles of discipline. Act of the legislature adopting the Platform. Associations; consociations. General association. Its recommendations relative to the examination of candidates for the ministry, and of pastors elect previous to their ordination. Ministers, churches, and ecclesiastical societies in Connecticut, in 1713. Degree of instruction. The whole number of ministers in the colong, from its first settlement to that period.

ALTHOUGH the legislature of Connecticut, during the controversy respecting the union of the colonies, judged it expedient to transact nothing relative to the religious controversies then in the country, yet, as soon as the union was well established, they entered seriously upOct. 11th, on measures to bring them to a final issue. For this purpose, they passed the following act.

1666.

Act appointing a synod.

"This court doth conclude, to consider of some way or means to bring those ecclesiastical matters, that are in difference in the several plantations, to an issue, by stating some suitable accommodation and expedient thereunto. And do therefore order, that a synod be called to consider and debate those matters; and that the questions presented to the elders and ministers that are called to this synod, shall be publicly disputed to an issue. And this court doth confer power to this synod, being met and constituted, to order and methodize the disputation, so as may most conduce, in their apprehension, to attain a regular issue of their debates."

The court ordered, that all the preaching elders, or ministers, who were or should be settled in this colony, at the time appointed for the meeting of the synod, should be sent to, to attend as members of it. It was also ordered by the legislature, that Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Brown, Mr. Sherman, and Mr. Glover, of Massachusetts, should be invited to assist as members of the synod. It was also ordered, that, upon the meeting of a majority of the preaching elders in the colony, they should proceed as a synod. Further, it was enacted, that the questions proposed by this assembly, should be the questions to be disputed by the synod. The meeting of the synod was appointed on the third Wednesday in May, 1667. The secretary was directed to transmit to all the ministers in this colony, and those invited from the Massachusetts, a copy of this act of assembly, and of the questions to be disputed.

It seems, that the ministers had objections to meeting as a synod, and to the order of the assembly vesting them

with synodical powers. Numbers of the ministers and Book I. churches appear to have been too jealous for their liberties to admit of the authority of synods appointed by the assem- 1667. bly. The legislature, to ease this difficulty, in their May Name of session, judged it expedient to alter the name of the coun- the council cil, and to call it an assembly of the ministers of Connecti- May 9th, cut, called together by the general court, for the discussing 1667. of the questions stated, according to their former order.

altered,

meet.

The assembly of ministers convened at the time appoint- The ased, and having conversed on the questions, and voted not sembly of to dispute them publicly, adjourned until the fall, deter- ministers mining then to meet again, and make their report, should it be the desire of the legislature. The questions were the same which had been exhibited ten years before.* The same points of controversy still subsisted. The churches. continued in their former strict method of admitting members to their communion, and maintained their right to choose their ministers, without any controul from the towns or parishes of which they were a part. It does not appear, that one church in the colony had yet consented to the baptism of children, upon their parents owning the covenant, as it was then called. It was insisted, as necessary to the baptism of children, that one of the parents, at least, should be a member in full communion with the church, and in regular standing.

ministers

It seems, that the assembly's particularly inviting the Design of gentlemen from the Massachusetts, in their name, to attend inviting the general assembly of ministers and churches, was to en- from the lighten and soften the minds of the ministers of Connecti- Massachut cut in those points, and to obtain a majority in the assem-setts. bly for a less rigid mode of proceeding. Mr. Mitchell was the most powerful disputant of his day, in New-England, in favour of the baptism of children, upon their parents owning the covenant, though they neglected to obey and honour Christ, in attending the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. It appeared, however, that this party were not able to carry any point in the assembly, and that the questions were not likely to be determined according to the wishes of the majority of the legislature. Measures were, therefore, adopted to prevent the meeting and result of the assembly, at their adjournment in the fall.

In September, the commissioners of the united colonies Resolumet at Hartford, and they interposed in the affair. They tion of the resolved, "That when questions of public concernment, commisabout matters of faith and order, do arise in any colony, Sept. 1667. that the decision thereof should be referred to a synod, or

* See chapter xiii. p, 316, 317.

sioners,

BOOK I. council of messengers of churches, indifferently called out of the united colonies, by an orderly agreement of all the 1667. general courts; and that the place of meeting be at, or near Boston." This vote was, doubtless, obtained by the art of those gentlemen, among the civilians and ministers, who wished to prevent the meeting of the assembly of ministers, and their resulting upon the questions.

Applica

tion of Messrs.

Warham, Hooker, and Whi

ting.

Represent-
ations of

Messrs.
Bulkley

and

The reverend elders Warham, Hooker, and Whiting, in a writing under their hands, represented to the assembly, at their session in October, that it was the desire of the assembly of ministers, that there might be a more general meeting of ministers from Massachusetts, to assist in the consideration and decision of the questions proposed. It was also represented to the assembly, that though they and others were for disputing the questions publicly, and offered to do it, yet the major part of the assembly refused the offer.

The Rev. Mr. Bulkley and Mr. Haynes, on the other hand, in a letter addressed by them to the assembly, represented, that the assembly had authorized a major part of the ministers to methodize the proceedings of the assemHaynes. bly, and that a majority were against a public disputation of the questions: That it was viewed as what would dishonour God, disserve the peace and edification of the churches, and the general interests of religion; and it was judged most expedient to deliberate upon and decide the questions among themselves, as was usual in councils, without a public disputation. They therefore observed, that whatever fair offers were made them to dispute the questions publicly, they could not consistently do it, as it was contrary to a major vote of the assembly of the ministers, and, in their opinion, would disserve the interest of the churches. With respect to the present application, made by Messrs. Warham, Hooker, and Whiting, they observed, that it appeared strange to them, as a considerable number of the ministers were positively against it, and others were neuter, and not in the vote for a more general council; and that it was the vote of the assembly of ministers, to meet again on the third Wednesday in October. They assured the legislature, that they were ready and determined to obey all their lawful commands; and they desired information from them, whether the assembly of ministers should meet again, according to adjournment, or not? The general assembly voted, that the questions had not been decided, and desired the several churches and plantations in the colony, to send their teaching elders, at their own expense, to sit in council, with such of the elders of Mas

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