Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-04

of thought and action which they
craved for themselves unsuccessfully
from hostile king. Parliament and
prelacy.
Sturdy, fearless men were these orig
nal settlers of the Home Of the Presi-
dents, In England they and their fore
bears reVulted against the established
church, It's doctrine, practices ana its
temporal head. In America they would
not bow 10 synodical dccreeR that
sought to deprive them OF the riEht To
Interpret Scriptures according To the
light OF reason, aud to rob them OF
religious independence. Among such
a people John Wheelright the founder
of that Cpugregat iunHlism which In
after years developed into Unitarian
ism, the first rebel against Puritan
domination. found staunch friends, and
in their First Church the Rev John
Hancock father of the patriot OF the
same name sowed the seeds OF liberty
that blDssomed at Bunker Hin in l7IG
and had their fruitiOn In the treaty of
Paris In l7S3-that treaty which gave
to the colonists their independence ana
to the oppressed Of all nations a new
world as "A refuge from the tyrants Of
the old.
1t is not strange that, nurtured in
such an atmosphere, the shot that was
heard round the world brought to the
holy cause OF freedom many recruits
from quincy, to the truth of which
statement the mute modest slabs In
the Hancock burylng ground, just OPP
posite the old stone church, bear elo-
quent witness,
From earliest colonial days these
Quincy folks were a people apart from
the rest of the Puritan pilgrims and
they resolutely set their faces against
the tortures inflicted on the "ungOdly"
and the infamous punishments meted
out to poor wrctches who were burned
at the stake for alleged witchcraft.
These people might nave gone their
ways In peace from the cradle to the
grave. unsung by the poet unhonored
by the secular historian. but for two
simple baptismal ceremonies performed
by the Rev. John Hancock In the Old
Stone Church. These baptisms were
recorded In the parish register thus:
John. son Of John Adams, oct ~,
1885" and John Hancock. my son,
Jan. l6. 1861" Pastor Wilson OF this
came church, speaks as follows OF the
Rev. John Hanc0ck's feelings over the
joyful event; Proud as a father no
doubt. ne was on the latter occasion;
but proud for his church he might wen
have been on both occasions. The son
of the deacon and the son OF the min
lister We're 10 bring more fame to First
Church and add more to It's character
and influence than any temple OF wood
or stone. however spacious or costly"
The son Of the minister was John Han
cock, the patriot governor OF Massa-
ohusetts. the son OF the deacon was
John Adams, the Puritan Statesman
of the Revolution, anticipating hide
pendence with Puritan conscience and
advocating It with Puritan persistence
the Chief Magistrate
"of soul sincere.
In action faithful and In honor clear d..
Who broke no promise, served no private
end
And here In this pretty little New
England town. IN the Old Stone Church
of which his father was deacon and
Of which he himself was as strong a
pillar as the dorlc columns OF Quincy
granite which support the oNerhpnE
ing porch, John Adams, the right hand
~ Washington, and second President
of the United States, sleeps tin the
trumpet OF resurrection shall sound.
There Is a rugged simplicity in this
old meeting house. and one under
stands at glance why the men who
came forth from Il 10 help In founding
a nation were never pufed W with the
pride OF worldly station The decpra-
lions Of the ceiling are the only de-
parture from a plalnness Of the most
severe type. The pulpit Is unpreten-
tious. the 5ais, Just behind, Is In har-
mony with u. the pews are square,
backed narrow anu iiitNlii i'iAeiDiet iHu
the little organ loft, whore In John
Adams day the stringed and wind
instruments wrought discords with a
zeal born of q desire so sound the
loud timbrel DER Egyprs dark sea,
sti1 stands az plain as In the old days.
Here worshipped the Quiucys. the
Adamses, The Hancocks the Boyl-
atoms. the f'racketts and hundreds of
nt,,.r samIlies whose names are linked
with the history Of New England and
the United States