was obtained and erected as intended, about the appointed time.

Having satisfactorily attained the object, for which they had so long laboured, a comfortable house, in which to worship God, the inhabitants of the precinct, at a general meeting, Aug. 14, 1722, chose Mr. William Welsteed, as their minister. He did not, however, accept their invitation, though, in his answer, he assigned no reasons for refusing it. Mr. Welsteed was afterwards a candidate for the office of colleague pastor with Rev. Mr. Foxcroft, of First Church, Boston, which office the late Dr. Chauncy filled. In March 1728, Mr. W. was ordained pastor of the old north church, Boston, and died in 1753.

1

Though disappointed in their first attempt to settle a minister, the inhabitants were not discouraged, but immediately heard another candidate, and in concurrence with the church, Dec. 18, 1722, they chose Mr. Warham Williams for their pastor. Mr. Williams, being a prudent man, accepted their invitation, upon condition, that they would ensure him "a convenient and suitable place for his comfortable, outward accommodation upon reasonable terms, that they would annually cut and bring to his house the fuel he might purchase, and that if his circumstances should afterwards require it, they would do what was necessary for his decent and honourable support." The precinct assented to these proposals April 30, 1723; and Mr. Williams was ordained on the eleventh day of June following.

At a general meeting of the inhabitants of the precinct, Dec. 8, 1737, a committee was chosen to petition the general court, to incorporate them a separate town, that thus the differences, which had for some time subsisted in the place, might be healed, and the difficulties, which arose in transacting the business of the two parishes, might be removed. Application was accordingly made, and the prayer of the petitioners granted. The act of incorporation passed Jan. 4, 1737-38. Allowing for the difference between old and new style, the date of incorporation should now be Jan. 15, 1738.

Rev. Mr. Williams died, June 22, 1751, aged fifty two; having been minister of the precinct and town a few days more than twenty-eight years. He was confined several weeks by sickness, previously to his death, during which time the town voluntarily supported the sta ted preaching of the gospel, exclusive of the salary of Mr. W.

I find nothing upon record, relating to the character of Mr. Williams. He was the youngest son of the Rev. John Williams of Deerfield, Mass. and was carried by the Indians into Canada, with his father and family, Feb. 29, 1703-4, being then about four years of age. He was detained in captivity between two and three years; as I believe he returned with his father in Nov. 1706.* At an early age he was prepared for college, and was graduated at Cambridge, in 1719. Judging from the classical books which made part of his library, and from the few of his manuscript sermons, which I have seen, I should suppose him to have read much, and with more than ordinary accuracy. By those of his parishioners, yet alive, he was considered prudent and exemplary as a man, and christian, a sensible and faithful minister. From the records kept by Mr. Williams, it appears that he baptized, in the course of his ministry in this town, seven hundred and forty-two persons, and received two hundred and twenty-five into the church.

Feb. 3, 1752, the church and town invited Mr. Eli Forbes to be their minister; but he declined their invitation. Mr. Forbes was afterwards settled as minister of the north parish in Brookfield, and thence removed to Gloucester, where he lived to an advanced age. He was an excellent man, and eminent in his profession.

The town next heard Mr. Jacob Cushing as a candidate for the ministry, and in unison with the church chose him to be their minister, July 27, 1752. Mr. Cushing was ordained Nov. 22, of the same year.

For a particular account of this interesting captivity, the reader is referred to "The Redeemed Captive returning to Zion."

In 1767, the town erected a new meeting-house, which was completed the following year. It was placed nearly upon the spot of the former house, being moved only about ten rods farther back, upon a rising piece of ground, half of a mile north of the great road-a spot admirably well suited for a house of public worship, being perfectly retired from the noise and dust occasioned by the travelling over the Plain. From the Plain, the meeting-house makes a very handsome appearance. It has a tower, and a very neat and well proportioned steeple, which, rising among and above the surrounding trees, near the mansion and cultivated fields of Mr. Lyman, not only attracts general observation, but excites in reflecting minds the most pleasant emotions. The house was not originally painted; but in the year 1806, it was repaired, many new pews were erected, and was painted throughout.

Nothing occured in the town for many years, greatly to excite the feelings, or disturb the tranquillity of the inhabitants. Having been trained up to good order and harmony under their late pastor, they passed a quiet and peaceable life under his successour, who laboured among them to a good old age, and who was remarkable for his talent of prudently managing affairs, both temporal and spiritual. His example incited them to industry and regularity, and his whole life furnished them with no occasion for uneasiness or complaint. They were not unmindful of the blessings they enjoyed under his ministry, but evinced their respect and regard for him, to the last hour of life. Dr. Cushing died, after a slight illness of a day or two, on Wednesday the 18th of Jan. 1809, in the 79th year of his age, and 57th of his ministry. He had enjoyed, through life, an uncommon share of health; and preached at Weston the sabbath before his death, with unabated vigour. He was venerable for years and piety. His praise was in all the churches; and as a just tribute to his worth as a divine, and the dignity of his character, in 1806, the degree of doctor of divinity was conferred upon him, by the university at Cambridge, where he was graduated in 1748.

Not having been personally acquainted with Dr. Cushing, I am unable to speak of him as his memory deserves. I shall therefore give a sketch of his character, from the discourse of the Rev. Dr. Stearns, preached at his funeral.

"The Rev. Dr. Cushing was a man of a good natural temper, of sound and energetick faculties, and a correct judgment. Though of a lively and cheerful temperament, he indulged very little to flights of the imagination. The exercises of reason were his delight. He chose rather to be useful, than eminent; to be good, rather than to shine. His demeanour, the management of his affairs, and his publick performances, were all calculated on this principle."

"He was modest in his opinion concerning himself; slow in determining the characters of others; and did not rashly place confidence in any man."

"His accuracy of discernment, and we might almost say, perfect economy, were conspicuous, in the manage ment of common and domestick affairs. For of prudence and discretion he had a large share. In all concerns of life, greater or less, he loved method, and was a strict observer of order and punctuality."

"In his theology he was evangelical, and mighty in the scriptures. To them he closely adhered, paying little regard to the systems of men. It is a credit to the accuracy of his theological sentiments, that he was neither complained of for want of orthodoxy, nor censured as a bigHe seemed to have hit the happy medium, between the crabbed dogmatist and the vacillating sceptick. He preferred to treat of practical, rather than controversial points of doctrine."

ot.

"The continual state of his church and congregation, during his ministry, are the most decisive eulogy on his pastoral skill and conduct. Peace and harmony prevailed among them without interruption, for the space of fifty-six years."

"His piety was exemplary. In his discourses, he chose rather to convince the mind than rule the passions. Pious in sentiment and demeanour, and accurate in his

morals, he baffled the censures of his enemies and conciliated the esteem of many friends. They who love God, keep his commandments.-He was an able, faithful, and godly minister."

During his ministry, Dr. Cushing admitted as church members, three hundred and sixty-nine persons, baptized one thousand three hundred and seventy-six, and joined in wedlock seven hundred and fifty-six.

By examining the chronological statements now given, it will be seen that the three first ministers of the precinct and town of Waltham filled the pastoral office almost one hundred and six years. Mr. Williams and Dr. Cushing were ministers eighty-five years.

Aug. 24, 1809, the present pastor, Samuel Ripley, was chosen to succeed the Rev. Dr. Cushing in the ministerial office, and was ordained Nov. 22, of the same year, it being that day fifty-seven years from the ordination of his predecessor, and ten months after his decease. Since the ordination of Mr. Ripley, forty-five persons have been received to communion, and one hundred and fifty-nine baptized. The number of church members is about one hundred and sixty.

M. U.

NOTE ON THE HISTORICAL SKETCH OF Brookline. IN the Historical Sketch of Brookline, in our last volume, p. 141, the writer seems to imply, that the grants of that part of Boston were made only to the poorer sort of inhabitants, for he represents the one hundred and two persons, to whom allotments there were made, as receiving them under the vote for the relief of the poor. This is a mistake, which the diligent author of that paper would have escaped, had he examined other parts of the body of the record as well as the index of the Muddy River grants. Among others, of the greatest consequence

• I call Mr. Angier minister of Waltham district, then of Watertown,