Howe, Elijah Howe, Julia A. (Mrs. E.) Howe, Elijah, Jr. Howe, Julia A. (Mrs. E., Jr.) Hunt, Persis G. (Mrs. O.) Hutchins, Sarah, (Widow Joseph S.) Johnson, Lucy, (Mrs. Noel.) Jordan, Martha C. (Mrs. George W.) King, Lucy A. (Mrs. John.) King, Grace A. Kingsbury, Francis E. Kingsbury, Sarah J. (Mrs. F. E.) Loring, Clarissa, (Mrs. Jona. H.) Macomber, Edwin Macomber, Sarah A. (Mrs. E.) Macomber, Alethea, (Widow Ichabod.) Marsh, Louisa A. (Mrs. George.) McIntosh, Elisha McIntosh, Anna G. (Mrs. E.) Marshall, Eliza A. (Mrs. Edward.) Marshall, Eliza A. Martin, Mary Ann, (Mrs. J. D.) Mason, Clementina, (Widow Charles.) Nichols, Daniel F. Nichols, Martha H. Nickerson, Rebecca, (Mrs. Myrick.) Paul, William Paul, Abigail, (Mrs. W.) Paul, Susan, (Mrs. E.) Pearson, Lucinda, (Mrs. Gorham D.) Pettingill, Sarah D. (Mrs. Augustus T.) Pond, Julia An¤ Porter, Elizabeth P. Pratt, Lucy L. (Widow Joseph.) Redfield, Warren F. Redfield, Elizabeth C. (Mrs. W. F.) Redfield, Georgiana E. Richards, Hannah M. (Widow Jere. F.) Richards, Eliza, (Widow Lemuel.) Sabin, Betsey W. (Widow B.) Sabin, Betsey Shattuck, Francis W. Shattuck, Timothy F. Shattuck, Annie L. (Mrs. T. F.) Simpson, Agnes C. (Mrs. William.) Smith, Charles Edgar Stevens, Amelia W. (Mrs. Cephas B.) Stow, Mary B. (Mrs. John.) Stow, Joseph Sumner, Sarah R. (Mrs. Myrick P.) Taft, Lendamine D. (Mrs. Ezra W.) Taft, Minerva L. Thomas, Sarah B. (Mrs. John W.) Thomas, Charlotte E. Thomas, Mary E. (Mrs. Edmund.) Titus, Antoinette A. (Mrs. A.) Urry, Jane Weatherbee, Comfort Weatherbee, Emily, (Mrs. C.) Weeks, Luther C. Weeks, Martha, (Mrs. L. C.) White, Robert White, Sarah, (Mrs. R.) Whiting, Caroline Whitney, Abby B. (Widow Frederic.) Williams, Henrietta R. (Widow George.) Williams, Henrietta L. Wilson, Polly, (Widow John.) Woodbury, Catharine D. Works, Emeline HISTORICAL SKETCH. THE Church in Dedham was organized November 8, 1638. It was the fourteenth in order of time among the churches of the colony. It was gathered with much harmony and mutual consultation, and after frequent meetings for prayer. The names of the first five ministers, whose remains sleep in the cemetery of this town, were, JOHN ALLIN, WILLIAM ADAMS, JOSEPH BELCHER, SAMUEL DEXTER, and JASON HAVEN. Their ministry covered a period of one hundred and sixty-five years. March 16, 1803, Rev. JOSHUA BATES was ordained as colleague with Rev. Mr. Haven, resigning his office after a ministry of fifteen years, to accept the presidency of Middlebury College. The doctrines of the Gospel as embraced by the early pilgrims of New England, and as summarily expressed in the Westminster Assembly's Shorter Catechism, were uniformly maintained in this church during its early history. But, in the year 1818, a majority of the voters in the First Parish, having chosen a minister in opposition to the expressed and earnest wishes of the majority of the members of this ancient evangelical church, the latter were con strained to withdraw. The trial of mind was severe, but the sacrifice was made. With many tears they left the house where their fathers had worshipped God, and met in an upper room to attend on the preaching of a pure Gospel. In the course of time they built a new house of worship, which was dedicated to Jehovah,-the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, -December 31, 1819. " March 14, 1821, Rev. EBENEZER BURGESS was ordained as pastor over the First Church of Christ in Dedham, and the Religious Society connected with it." Twenty-seven pastors were present from twenty-eight churches, together with their delegates. Services were assigned as follows:-Introductory Prayer, Rev. JOHN CODMAN, of Dorchester; Sermon, Rev. GARDINER SPRING, D. D., of New York; Consecrating Prayer and Charge, Rev. Dr. J. HOMER, of Newton; Fellowship of Churches, Rev. WILLIAM COGSWELL, of South Dedham ; Concluding Prayer, Rev. SAMUEL GILE, of Milton. |