Edwin Stone

History of Beverly, Civil and Ecclesiastical from Its Settlement in 1630 to 1842 Edwin Stone

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1843. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. THE FIRST PARISH. From the settlement of Beverly until 1649, the inhabitants worshipped with the first church in Salem. As population increased, the inconvenience of crossing the river in boats suggested the expediency of establishing a separate church. A request to that effect was made to the Salem church--but for various reasons the plan did not meet with favorable attention. On the 22d of the seventh month (September,) 1650, the request was renewed, and on the second day of the month following, an answer was returned authorizing the brethren on " Bass-river-side" to procure the service of an able and approved teacher-- still retaining their connexion with the church in Salem. With this liberty they successively employed Messrs. Josiah and Jeremiah Hubbard* and Mr. John Hale. * In the town records this name is uniformly written Hubbard. The catalogue of Harvard College has it Hobart. A note in Mass. Hist. Coll. says it should be so written. Joshua and Jeremiah Hobart were sons of Rev. Peter Hobart, of Hingham. Joshua settled in the ministry at Southhold, L. I. Jeremiah was minister of Topsfield, and afterwards of Haddam, Conn. He was grandfather to Rev. David Brainard, the distinguished missionary. In 1656, the first meeting-house was erected near the north-west corner of the old burial-ground. Of this building there is no account other than that, in addition to religious services it was used for the transaction of public business and for a school-room. A church organization was still wanting to give stability to the pastoral relation, and in the winter of 1666, the following petition was presented to the church in Salem: " We, whose names are underwritten, the brethren and sisters on Bass-river-side, do present our desires to the rest ...