, 1879-08-24

several Of whom took part in the services, and
August, 1899, n SECOND century discourse was d.
llyered by the Rev Charles IT. Upham, then til
popular JUNO. minister of tile Society, but no
best known by bis exhaustive history of til
witchcraft delusfon, and his not less admirabl
life Of Timothy Pickering. On each occasio
the preacher: took for his text the first seve
verses OF the seventy-eight Psalm the same pa:
sagcs Of Scripture were read, and the sam
| Psalms were sung.
Endicott landed at Salem In September, 1925
| and in the following April the company in Lon
don addressed to him letter which can scarcel
be quoted too often as un authoritative declare
ton Of the purpoees With which the Massachu
sctts Colony YVES planted. For that the prop
aeating OF the Gospel" they wrote, "is th
thing ne do profess above all to be our aim II
settling this plantation, we have been careful t.
mike plentiful provision of godly ministers, b.
whose faithful preaching, godiy conversation
and exemplary life, We trust not only those O.
our own nation will be built up In the knowledge
Of God, but also the Indians NAV, in Gods ap
Gospel of Cbrtst.'' The ships arrived
| at saicm in the latter part Of June
! bringing four minister's Skel
ton. Fr.pcis Higginsop. Francis Bright
and Ralph Smith. Shelton had been the friend
| and religious teacher Of Endicott IN England
Higginson, who died in 1880 at the age OF 43, is
described as "a grave man OF worthy com
! mendations"; of Bright, who had been undel
DaVcnport'6 instruction, and returned to En-
gland after short residence here; wo know
little; and Smith became the first minister al
Plymouth. Shelton aud Higginson mere the
first pastor and the first teacher Of the church
Mt Salem.
Or the ceremonies connected with their elec-
ton and ordination nc fortunately possess q
contemporaneons account in letter written by
Charles Gott, Qua Of the first Deacons OF the
church, to Cor. Bradford, OF Plymouth From
it We lenrn that, shortly after the arrival OF the
newcomers. Eudicott set apart July 20, old
atyle, which corresponds with July 80, new
choice Of pastor and teacher. The morning
vas spent In praise and teaching, and the afteH
noon was devoted to the election. First,
the ministers gaVo their views on
the twofold call to the mintstrs,
the inward calling which the man himself feels
to take up the work, and the outward calling by
the free choice OF the people. Then the little
com mpany, being satisfied on these points, pro
cecdea At once TO a choice by ballot, and to the
ordination Of the two ministers whom they had
elected, which, Mr.. Gott writes. was after this
manner: Every ct mombcr wrote in a note his
name whom the Lord moved him TO think was
fit for pastor, and so likewise whom they
would hare for c teacher; SO the most voice waa
4CE 4tlI. ohE4lOu ~ UE pl6kAI AA4
son to be teacher; and they accepting the choice,
MIR. Higgiuson. with three Or four more Of the
graycst members OF the church, laid their hands
on Mr. Shelton, using prayer Herewith. ibis
being done, then there was imposition Of hands
on Mr., Higginson." Having thus chosen and
ordained their ministers, the people proceeded
to the choice OF Elders and Usacons,-shc frat
to assist the ministers in the government Of the
church, and the latter to receive and faithfully
distribute the contributions Of the brethren.
rr% rrk}1 ,ft+
to the organization Of tue church, which was in
the simplest and most comprehensive form and
there is reason to believe that it consisted Of
onlF a single sentence. 1t would have been im-
possible to franc a broader church platform
than that which tho. founders OF the Massa-
chusetts Colony deemed sufficient;
we covenant with the Lord. and one with
another, and We do bind ourselves, Ii the pres
cncc of God, to walk togethcr in alf His ways,
according Us He is pleased to reveal himself un-
afterWard, during the ministry of Hugh Peter,
and With the fresh recollection Of their troubles
from the i'm mpetuosity and unbalanced judgment
OF Roger Williams On their minds. the Church
thought 1t expculent to renew their covenant.
Accordingly, new covenant was drawn up, re-
We found this church bound unto at their first be-
ginning" and adding nine new clauses, each
having sole reference to the ordinary walk in
life OF the church members, without the s'lg ht-
GHG IGlGrCuCE u HA3 L1EUlQ11cAl Q0El4a. Ii
seems never to have occurred TO these men TO
require assent to any creed as coudltion Of
church fellowship, and it was not until much
later period that that custom was introduced.
There is, indeed, no inquiry in The history Of
more interesting than thnt which
al bonds, until the Increased hardness OF the
creeds led to the disruption OF the great Con.
body. When that separation oc-
cnrren, the first church In Salem, as we'll as the
i trf&.,,
Boston, ranged itself on the side Of the liberal
party.
We have said that the church at Salem WIS the
irst formed on this side of the ocean; but it
should not be forgotten that the church at Ply
mouth is an older organization. That church
existed as regular organized church in Holland;
and when the Pilgrims CAME over it was with the
expectation that Robinson, their pastor, and
most Of the brcthcren who Ind remained behind
would follow at the earliest opportunity. This
distinctly understood from tho first that each of
he two parts of the church was to be accounted
au independent church, anu the church OF Ply
mouth existed - such from the beginning of |
lie Colony. Though the Pilgrims we're sepa-
.atists from the Church Of England, and the |
:oundcrs Of the Massachusetts Colony were not, I
t is interesting to remark that the Plymouth ]
Church covenant WAS scarcely less conprchen- |
live IN its terms than was the Salem covenant, !
ind the most friendly relations existed between |
he Two churches.
1t Is pleasing duty to repeat from time to |
lime the story OF the founders Of the Plymouth |
md Massachusetts Colonies, und to viudicate |
heir Just fame from the grouudless aspersions |
omctimes cast on them By writer's Who neglect |
he original sources OF Information, and con-
ound broad distinctions Of time and place. The !
rst church In Salem, not less than the first |
hurch in Plymouth, has reason 10 be proud of |
Is founders; and we doubt not that full Justice
1ill be done to their memories in the annircr-
arr services
FATHER HYACINTHE.
liturgy AND DOCTRINE OF THE GALLO
CHURCH.
The Rev. Sylvester F. Scovei, writing to the
Interior from Paris under date of July 26 FURNISH
5 very interesting account of an evening
pent with Pere HYacinthe. After describing
hose present, who we're mostly English and
.rgely interested in the Perc's work, Mr. Scoyel |
tycs :he following account Of the Church and it's
octrine:
The Church has nov provisional liturgy from
hich its ideas Of worship NAV be learned. NJ.
Dyson has well said, "Publfc conferences,
lore or less philosophlc or poleuic, will not
1swer for the work NC have, undertaken. We
ceu in addition, and above all, a lturgc worship
nd an evangelical preaching. We desire to re-
Anf~1fr t1-a