er to support public worship in an organized society, and agreed to procure an act of incorporation as soon as practicable, to invite Mr. Bancroft to become their minister, and to pay him their respective proportions of £150 annually, according to the town rates, as his salary.

6

The movement was regarded as a bold innovation on the usages of the times.* Before that period, the inland parishes of the State had been defined by geographical boundaries.' Except in the metropolis, all the inhabitants within the limits of a given precinct, were connected by existing laws with the established religious society. They were expected to worship with it, and aid in its support. If any were remiss in the duty of public worship, they might not on that account anticipate freedom from taxation. Such an arrangement was supposed to contribute to the public welfare; and neither private convenience nor private opinions were permitted to interfere with it. Of course the new association in Worcester met with a determined resistance. Influences many and powerful were arrayed against so radical an innovation in parochial affairs. Still the friends of the enterprise persevered in their attempt, and, although compelled to pay their assessment for the support of the first society, yet maintained separate worship. What they demanded, was, for a season denied them; but perseverance at length was crowned with success, and the law enacted that any person might go from one religious society to another, by leaving his name for that purpose with the town clerk.

*"This was, I believe, the first example of a poll parish in any inland town of the Commonwealth, and public prejudice against it was violent.”—Dr. B's. Sermon, 1827, p. 13.

Religious meetings, commenced in the Court House in 1785, continued to be held there until the first of January, 1792. Soon after the formation of the society, a church was organized, and a minister invited to settle with them. The manner of forming the church is thus detailed by Dr. Bancroft. "A church was to be gathered in the new society, and in doing it difficulties were to be encountered. The method adopted follows. A church covenant was composed, and circulated among the families of the society. Due time having been given for its examination, a public lecture was appointed, and two clergymen were invited to attend this lecture, assist in forming the church, and join in imploring the blessing of heaven upon it. They both declined the service. The pastor elect delivered a sermon, in which he delineated the constitution of a Christian church, and explained the nature and design of the Lord's Supper the covenant was then read, and as many as were disposed in presence of the assembly signed it. In this manner was our church formed."†

:

The ordination of the minister took place, February 1st, 1786; and, though much had been accomplished towards the purpose contemplated by the new society, serious difficulties still remained. At length, Nov. 13th, 1787, they

*See Appendix G.

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† The members of the old church, who joined the new Society, had applied to that body for a dismission, and their request had been denied; their case was, therefore, presented to the consideration of the ordaining council. The council advised the newly organized church not formally to admit the members from the old church into their body, but by a special vote to grant them all the privileges of members in regular standing. This was done."— Dr. B's. Discourse, Ap. 8, 1827.

"The present members of the society can have no adequate conception of the embarrassment and difficulty, which attended the first years of its

were incorporated by the Legislature as a distinct society, and relieved of the burden of contributing to the support of that with which they were formerly connected. After this Act of the Legislature, the First Parish had a legal existence separate from the municipal incorporation, and the support of worship was provided for, not by a general meeting of the inhabitants, but in parochial meetings.

In 1789, it was voted to erect a house for public wor ship, provided it should involve no expense to the corporation. The enterprise met with favor. The location decided upon was a little south of the Antiquarian Hall; and the work was commenced. January 1st, 1792, the house* was dedicated. The sermon on the occasion, was preached by the Rev. Zabdiel Adams of Lunenburg. With this brief history of the formation of the Second Society, we pass to a succinct sketch of its first minister, the

existence. They know not the price that was paid for the privileges transmitted to them; they will not too highly venerate the character of those who bore the heat and burden of the day."-Dr. Bancroft's semi-centennial Discourse, p. 19.

*The first meeting-house of the Second Congregational Society, near Antiquarian Hall, on Summer street, was built by Ignatius Goulding and Elias Blake, on land given to the parish, June 16, 1791, by Charles and Samuel Chandler. It was a plain and neat edifice of wood. A bell was purchased, and a town clock presented by Isaiah Thomas, Esq; both afterwards removed to the brick house on Main st.'-Lin. Hist. p. 347. The old house is still standing. Occupied for several years as a house of public entertainment, in 1847 it was purchased by the town for a purpose more in accordance with its original design, and has since been used as a school-house.

§ 2. REV. AARON BANCROFT, D. D.

He was invited to become their minister, June 7th, 1785, and ordained over them, Feb. 1st, 1786. The order of exercises on that occasion was as follows:

Introductory prayer, by the Rev. Simeon Howard, D.D. of Boston; Sermon, by the Rev. Thomas Barnard of Salem; Charge, by the Rev. Timothy Harrington of Lancaster; Right Hand of Fellowship, by the Rev. Zabdiel Adams of Lunenburg; Closing Prayer, by the Rev. John Lathrop, D. D. of Boston; Benediction, by the Rev. Timothy Hilliard, of Cambridge.

Dr. Bancroft, a native of Reading, Mass., was born Nov. 10th, 1755. His father, Samuel Bancroft, was an extensive landholder, and a useful and highly respected citizen. He was an exemplary Christian and an officer in the church. A member of the council that dismissed the Rev. Jonathan Edwards from Northampton, he, with his pastor the Rev. William Hobby, protested against the decision of the majority. The sermon preached at his funeral, represents him as a man of "distinguished abilities, of great benevolence and compassion." He regarded agricultural pursuits as furnishing the most desirable employment for his children, in seasons of political agitation, but on the whole did not resist the inclination of his son for a public education. Young Bancroft, intent on his purpose, made diligent use of such helps as his native town afforded, to prepare himself for college. At the age of nineteen, he entered Harvard. The year following, the

students were dispersed by the presence of war; and though called together in the autumn of that year, they were not allowed to reassemble at Cambridge, until March, 1776. His whole collegiate course was much embarrassed by the din of arms that arose round the halls of the University. The officers of instruction were intensely engaged in the stirring events that agitated the whole country, and, of course, could not devote that attention to the improvement of the students, which, in other circumstances, would have been practicable. Making the best of the advantages afforded him, Mr. Bancroft honorably completed the term of College life, and was graduated in 1778. Having taught school in Cambridge for a few months, he began the study of theology with the Rev. Mr. Haven, the clergyman of his father's parish.* He first commenced preaching in the autumn af 1779. In the spring of 1780, he visited the province of Nova Scotia. He was absent from his native State about three years. On his return he was immediately invited to preach in Worcester. Here, though not acceptable to the majority of the people, he produced favorable impressions on some of the leading minds of the place, and made warm friends. When Mr. Maccarty temporarily resumed his duties, Mr. Bancroft, having completed his engagement here, preached in several other places. In 1784, he declined an invitation to settle over a church in the part of Stoughton now called Canton. Influential members in the society of Sandwich would gladly have called him to labor in that place, but he could not

* Mr. Haven' was a man of fine intellect, liberal in his sentiments, and a sound, if not a learned theologian. In every sense he was a worthy and good man.'-Testimony of Dr. Bancroft.