The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-13
AT HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
IyTEREsTING PAPER READ BIZ
REE DIR. CLARK OF HARTFORD
Upon "Rev. John wheciwrieht, tho
First Heretic OF ths Boston Pulpit"
One of the finest Read to This BODY.

An attentive audience assembled al the
rooms OF the Rhode Island Historical So
ciety on Waterman street last evening
and listened TO the very interesting paper
on "Rev. John Wheelwright, the First
Heretic OF the Boston Pulpit" read py
Rev. DIR. George III. Clark OF Hartford.
The paper was exhaustive and the sub
iect was handled with great skill, show
ing deep researches into the history of ola
Puritan days.
Said he, ''With the exception OF brief
memoir OF John Wheelwright, no life OF
that unique Puritan has ever been
written, yet more romance is TO pe
found . in his history than
in that OF any man connected with the
Massachusetts, colony. The events OF ms
remarkable life are unknown and those
who have not made a special STUDY OF
early New England history arc in igno-
rance OF What little is TO be found about
this remarkable man.
John Wheelwright was born in one OF
the eastern counties OF England. he was
educated in Cambridge, spending six years
at the university. He was the son OF
gentleman and inherited a quantity OF
land. or his university life but little Is
known, although there is one story on
record which tells OF his tripping up
Oliver Cromwell at football.
"After completing his course at the uni
versity Wheelwright was offered vicarage
at Biisb bury and accepted, an had 1t not
been for his leaning towards puritanism
would have lived life OF ease. But puritan
ism had taken firm hold on him and at 40
years OF age he found himself on the way to
America. He landed in Boston in 1886 and
found the community in state OF uproar
over Mrs Ann Hutchinson who was maxi
ing q commotion by her statements against
the ministry.
His Famous sermon.
"IIe was made minister OF part OF the
Boston church after considerable discus
sion and had been there but three months
when he came into the town on one Fast
day with sermon in his pocket. He read
it and it proved TO be the most singular
and the deepest sermon ever read. The
scriptural references were many, number
ing about eighty-nine, and in the dis
course almost every Bible character from
Adam TO the devil was mentioned.
ssThe sermon was an attack upon those
who walked in the covenant OF works and
scented to be aimed at the ministers in the
| town. fhe commUtiou that this SERMON
caused was great, but il is the only ofiense
discovered in his whole life. Ee
was banished from the colony in
| November, and on the records the sentence
stands next to law to prevent the in
| cursions OF goats into gardens. The
SHOWS OF November were on the ground,
| but the exile decided TO go still further
| north. Rhode Island held out welcom-
| ing arms, but he turned away and settled
| at Exeter in New Hampshire. For six years
| he remained there, building up quite 4
| settlement, and then he went still deeper
| into the forest, settling at Wells, Maine,
| or as it ia now called, Kennebunk. Here
| his mother law died. In 1647 he was
called to Hampton, Mass, and later re-
| turned to England, but short time after
| he returned to America to die in the land
! OF his adoption. He died at the age OF 81
| in 1889. 1t is admitted by all that Wheel
| wright was an able man. He was witty,
| humorous and kind in disposition"
At the close OF the paper the speaker
was rendered vote of thanks by the
| society.
| RI. Rev. Bishop Clark spoke few
words at the close OF the paper. He stated
| that he was descendant OF John Wheel
| wright, but was gratifed to know that il
| was possible after few centuries to get
| over these things.
| The meetiur then adjourned,