Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-11-05
JOHN HANCOCK, THE MINISTER OF
LEXINGTON

LEklWGVUW.
The following ant cdote> If this old fashioned
New England divine. grandfather Of him who g
signature to the Declaration ot imd- p-nd-rcp Ter.
der> the name Immortal. and minister Il, L-xiug
ton. NJ 's>achuSrtts, from 1857 /" 1852 a-e fur
nished by the Rev. DR.. Sprague's r. "reminiscences
OF the American Pulpit by the Rev. Theodore Par
kerr
In the period of Mr.. Hancock's ministry. while
the country Was ne" v ,rt,l. d. and the bounds Of
estates tot well fixed, it frequently happened that
his Pensioners would frd dIffirut to settle ,ha
hounds ct tiisr respective estates. On such occa-
sl"nS Mr. H"ncoch volunteered his services IS az
h'trat"r and final Judge. He would repair IL the
house Of one # the c2uending parties. and address
hIni by his Christian name, the custom Of
clergy, except when speaking such rs were
ier"n'HAlly called 'gcn,r,nen.'' "Joseph." Says
The mlni-t'r {" hear you quarrel with npighbor
Reed. If III t was his n'lne =" Why" saws
me n'In, :" We didn't really get our horns ,oseti-
"r." "Ah, hu, hear you quarrel with hun
bout y"nr lands. suppose it is Yes. sir"
i" Well. take y''u' deed md your plan. and come
over to r. nh-ns with mt.' They 60 together TO
the neighh"rs 'nse. al" after III" usual saIuta-
tons. very humble on The one siur ,ni very lofty
on the other, the minister says Well. Reuben.
have hroug ht ,Srrh along with me TO settle the
quarrel between ye: get your deed and your plan"
ne toUVdTtu tflt TWO, npaTd me Ttvdl Claims.
went tn the SPIT attended by som" of the other
neiehhots. and walked back and forth. locking ii,
The premises; then. having made up his mind, he
would say" Take your axes and cut some
stakes Ihty were cut. Drive this stake
down here, and pile some stones around it," That
was done. Now drive that stake down there,
aud pile some stones around that" 1t WAS done
accordingly Then he would say Now R.u
hen and joseph. ,our line runs there, and there
let ru far.varf haIi nj l.. 4
that is yonr land, Reuben, and let us have no
m 'rr qar ing about this matter" Tits cIer Il
manner OF getting IA 1udtc,hm rust,cum was effect
uai There Was no appeal Substantial Justice
was done, litigation WAS avoided, and good feel
ing restored. His manner on such occasions. and
the assumption OF authority attending it, procured
tor him the title Of" Bishop HAncock"-not We
ry Pleasant name TO the men who gave it.
The following story illustrates his self reliance
and Independence. In the latter part of his nlin-
isry while he was quite aged. bu, still hale aud
vigorous, and not little disposed to his a,l-
tl"Tlty, the two deacunS and perhaps others in the
church, thought 1t was necessary To put some
check upou the good old man. SO, on a set Ii t.,
the deacons went To his house to propose THAI they
should have ruling elders in the church. Ii was
thought l" be difficult matter t. propose the bn-
SneSs 10 SO lofty man-Sn the ATHEIST # the drn-
cons undertook II, after tue following fashion, NV
think, sir, said tie. that on arr"nn, of ynur urrA,
aye. you ought I" have some assistance foiu the
church III your numerous assdut Us labors,' An
says Mr. Hancock, who knew Whit Was coming,
= know tim od AMI suppose am rrhle, too.
thank the church ,hr!r kindness Bat how
do they propose TO hep mo = Oh said the
dr'cons, they thought they w"nIA appoint tNo
ruling elders /" divide the care u The rhurc'r with
you hut they did NOT wish TO do so without
your CONSENT. Well. should like it, Sd. he.
- perhaps they would 'hoosr you to tn. flee
In" deacon c".n'urrrd in that opinion The,
coutdnt d. better y"u nil ht be- Of real help 10
me But what do y'm think is the buSurrs at
rnllng elders 2 saith he. .Oh' s. il The d pr-
nis t" the flee. thu kug the difficulty all over,
: W. VIII have that /" ,ou-y"u d lsaruod man, |
and have >tn,ii'd the history of the church
Yves said he hive studied -crI, sIa>tra his (
'"'y COED deal, and paid particular attention To
church dI CT tine and Z vtlnln, NJ aud tt,irk !
Nm wilt In" ruling e.drr> ought to do I'VE |
l~dHe u who,iv to you % -"y WHIT part If your
tabor they shall attend Ia I-lnnrhtd the deatuns.
Well. Then said the Bishop. should like to
have one Of t!' IN come up Ia my house before
meeting on S"'d J. End get NY horse OFT Of my
barn, and then s"ddr him Ind bring h,m TAP to the
door, aud hold iiir >iirup lite GIT on. the
other ma, wait Al lhr chnrch door and hold hun
white | yet oG,-thcn, attr meeting, he n.ay
bring t'ln up to the steps. This is ALI If my WORK
ever c.n consent To- let the ruling elders do fu,
me. The ,iilte has remained vacant tp the pr
sent day.
the f. lowing shows that he could he facp,iru>
as Wei Is -pi>r pal. II" once visited wealthy
inr.htr ore # III, best friends " no WIS in the
h"'il of kin! him presents ran time 10 Tine
lie vert 20 wa tue t''iy onre--il VS. IN h'y- |
ing tine. aud the folks wore ii II distance N
the me"""w. 80 he Only hr farmers " lie aud
the yn"ng-r childr-n. j. WIS in The loren. on, ard
>Ie had goI Inn TOR luncheon anire brown bre.u
and cider, and set hefpre hin Whole rhtts. that
he might cut f hImorif He pat his hn;e on
tie c''c>r. first this way anh then HAT, il in
doubt where /" hegi". &" Where shall | cut this
cheese, Mis- SrnlIi - asked he. .'Cut II here
YOU have nind to, Mr. Hanemk'' Was lLr an !
s"tr. Tn n, said he. IL think will cut il
81 hone ~ 5" slices "f cheese we're brought tur
the lunch, and the whole cheese put in his saddle
bags"