tionary course on the 2d sabbath in October, 1799. In December, he received an invitation to become the pastor of the church and congregation, which, with much deliberation, he accepted. The call was first given by the church, 23 to 15, and concurred in by the congregation, 253 to 15. A committee of three from the church, and five from the parish, was chosen to make preparations for the ordination. The day appointed for that solemnity was January 1st, 1800; and the churches invited were, second church in Andover, church in Sterling, first church in Cambridge, church in Dorchester, third in Newbury, Brattle street in Boston, church in Kingston, third church in Bridgewater, church in Carver, church in Marshfield, second in Plymouth, second in Rochester, first in Middleborough. Also, were invited President Willard, Rev. Dr. Tappan, and all the government of Harvard college. The sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. French, of Andover, and the other solemnities were performed by Rev. Dr. Peter Thacher, Rev. Dr. Tappan, Rev. Mr. W. Shaw, and Rev. Mr. Howland, of Carver. On the following sabbath two excellent sermons were preached by Dr. Tappan, which were published. Rev. Mr. Kendall graduated at Cambridge, in 1796, and was a tutor there when he received the invitation to settle. The honorary degree of D. D. was conferred on him at Harvard University in 1825. The conditions of settlement were, six hundred dollars salary, and the improvement of the parsonage, consisting of a house and garden, and several pieces of land and meadow; subsequently, one hundred dollars were added, in consideration of fire wood. In October, 1800, the Rev. Dr. Dwight, then President at Yale college, passed a sabbath in this town, and officiated in our pulpit. In his third volume of travels, he makes the following remark: 'On Sunday, we found a large and very decent audience in the old church. A singular custom was here exhibited to us; more than fifty bills were read by the clergyman, desiring the prayers of the congregation for families in affliction. They were, principally, occasioned by the death of nine inhabitants, almost all of them at sea, which had either happened, or been first heard of, during the preceding week. In such a case, it seems a bill is presented for every branch of a family, which is peculiarly interested in the melancholy event.' This practice is now, in a great measure, dis

continued.

In 1801, the third congregational church of Plymouth was organized from the first church, and is the seventh branch from the original stock, now existing. In 1802, Deacon John Bishop and one hundred and fifty-three others were incorporated into a

society, by the name of the third congregational society. In their petition, they stated the first parish consisted of 3044 souls, and more than 500 rateable polls, making it inconvenient to worship in one house. This new society erected a house of worship in 1801, in a pleasant situation fronting the training green, sixty feet by fifty-two, with a cupola and bell. Their first minister was Rev. Adoniram Judson, who had formerly been pastor of a church and society at Malden, county of Middlesex. He was installed May 12th, 1802, and becoming a baptist, the connexion was dissolved August 12th, 1817.

Mr. Judson was held in respect for his moral virtues, and his meek and pious demeanor. He died in Scituate, in 1826. The oldest son of Mr. Judson has been a zealous and respectable Baptist Missionary in the Birman empire, since the year 1812. The Rev. William T. Torrey succeeded Mr. Judson, and was installed January 1st, 1818, and he was dismissed March 12th, 1823. It is understood that the cause of his dismission existed with the church, there being a majority in the congregation in his favor.

On the 26th of November, 1814, the first church was called to mourn the death of a pious and beloved brother, Deacon William Crombie, aged eighty-three years. He was a native of Andover, and officiated in the office of deacon nearly thirtyeight years. 'He was,' says the church records, a good man, and an excellent spirit was in him.' This was fully verified during the whole course of his life; being meek and humble in his temper, few men exhibited clearer evidence of a pure and upright heart. He had several children; but one only, the widow of the late Dr. Nathaniel Bradstreet, of Newburyport, survives.

In 1814, a new church and society were formed at Eel river, from the first and third congregations, and being incorporated, they erected a meeting-house in that village, which will accommodate the inhabitants in that vicinity and South Ponds, who were distant from three to six miles from their former place of worship. This is the fourth congregational church and society in Plymouth, and the Rev. Benjamin Whitmore is their minister.

A Baptist church was constituted here in 1809, and the Rev. Lewis Leonard was ordained their first pastor. Rev. Caleb Blood, of Boston, preached the sermon. Mr. Leonard was succeeded by Rev. Stephen S. Nelson, July 28th, 1820, who continued his connexion till May, 1823, when Rev. Benjamin Grafton became their pastor. He resigned in May, 1829, when the office devolved on Rev. Thomas Conant, their present pastor.

In 1821, this society erected a commodious house of worship, in Spring street.

We have a small society in town of the denomination called Christians. The sentiments of this denomination have been explained at large by Rev. Mr. Clough. They object to the Trinity and other Calvinistic doctrines. By some they are called Free-will Baptists. Mr. Joshua V. Himes was ordained their minister, in 1825. This connexion was soon dissolved, but without any faulty conduct on his part.

In 1824, Rev. Frederic Freeman succeeded Rev. William T. Torrey, as pastor of the third church and congregation in this town, and was installed accordingly, having been ordained in North Carolina, as an Evangelist. This church ever have been Calvinistic in doctrine and practice, and their pastor was professedly of the same orthodox persuasion. But in 1830, six years after his settlement, the church became greatly agitated by a spirit of disaffection according to the statement of the aggrieved party; a majority of the church manifested a desire that the pastoral connexion should be dissolved. To prevent this, a compromise by a division of the church was agreed upon, and a mutual council was called to sanction the measure of separation. This council convened on the 17th of March, and the result of their deliberations was a separation of the aggrieved party, consisting of 59 members, to be formed into a distinct church. The seceding division then convened another council, April 13th, by whom they were organized, and they are denominated the Robinson Congregational Church. This is the fifth church in Plymouth, and a society consisting of seceders from the third congregation having united with them, they, in 1831, erected a handsome house of worship in Pleasant street, and engaged Rev. Charles J. Warren as their religious instructor. Thus our churches multiply by divisions and subdivisions.

The first Universalist society in Plymouth was organized March 10th, 1822, and incorporated in February, 1826. The same year, they erected a handsome meeting-house on the north side of Leyden street. The dimensions are 50 by 70 feet, containing 76 pews. The house is handsomely painted inside and out, and is furnished with a superior toned bell, an eight day clock, and an elegant chandelier and stove. The house was dedicated December 22d, 1826; the sermon was preached by

* Mr. Freeman is the son of Nathaniel Freeman, Esq., late of Sandwich. He repaired to North Carolina when young, where he married, and was employed as a teacher, in an institution for the instruction of youth.

the Rev. David Pickering, of Providence, and in the afternoon the Rev. James H. Bugbee was ordained the minister of the society, the ordaining sermon by Rev. John Bisbee, of Hartford. They have a church, which, in 1833, consisted of 33 members, and the society is composed of 172 rateable polls. * 'As a religious society, they sacredly maintain and believe that point of doctrine which affirms that there is no positive scripture proof of any punishment in a future and immortal state of existence. One proof of their views may be found recorded in Prov. xi. 31.-Communicated by Dr. R. Capen.

In May, 1833, Mr. Freeman, the pastor of the third church and society, was again involved in personal animosity and contention with his people. He was now obliged to ask his dismission from the church, and at a parish meeting the ministerial connexion was, by unanimous consent, dissolved.

The Rev. Mr. Thomas Boutelle was ordained over the third Congregational Church and society, May 21st, 1834. The officiating ministers were, Rev. Dr. Humphrey, President of Amherst college; Rev. Mr. Gay, of Bridgewater; Rev. Mr. Dexter, of Plympton; Rev. Mr. Cobb, of Rochester; Rev. Mr. Winslow, of Boston; Rev. Mr. Nott, of Wareham, and Rev. Mr. Holmes, of New Bedford.

New Meeting-House of the First Parish.

'Beautiful in its elevation is Mount Zion!'

In the year 1831, the first parish in Plymouth came to the resolution to demolish their old meeting-house, which was in a state of decay, having stood eighty-seven years. A large proportion of the pews, from the numerous changes that had taken place for years past, were in the hands of persons not connected with the parish; and those who were desirous of becoming proprietors, would not involve themselves in the expense to which a decayed house is constantly liable. A committee of disinterested persons was appointed to appraise the pews in the old house, and the building was sold at auction. In bidding adieu to this ancient temple, to which the society retained a devoted attachment, as the house of their fathers' worship, the Rev. Dr. Kendall, on the 10th of April, 1831, preached an appropriate sermon in his excellent style, in which he gave a brief history of our ancient church, and a detail of the several societies derived from it. During the interval of eight months, in which the new house was in building, the church and congre*Rev. Mr. Bugbee died May 10th, 1834.

gation held their public worship in the county court-house, where they were provided with convenient accommodations.

On Wednesday, the 14th of December, 1831, the new meeting-house of the first parish was dedicated to the worship and service of God. A numerous and highly respectable congregation was assembled. Prayers and reading the scriptures were performed by Rev. Mr. Kent, of Duxbury, Rev. Mr. Goodwin, of Sandwich, and Rev. Mr. Cole, of Kingston. The Rev. pastor, Dr. Kendall, delivered an excellent catholic sermon, from Ezra vi. 16. Among the various topics, the speaker adverted with reverence to the venerable pastor of the pilgrims, and his puritan associates. In speaking of the sacred temple, his invocation was, 'May these consecrated walls never reverberate with licentious opinions, the shouts of fanaticism, nor the denunciations of bigotry.' The services were closed by a fervent and impressive prayer by Rev. Mr. Brooks, of Hingham. During the services, four hymns were sung, three of which were composed for the occasion.

The worshippers in this house are Unitarians, believing that 'Unitarian christianity is the only system of faith and duty which can be drawn from the New Testament by a just interpretation of its contents.'

This noble edifice is composed of wood, and is a beautiful specimen of church architecture. It was designed by George W. Brimmer, Esq., of Boston, and executed by an ingenious artist, Mr. Richard Bond, of Boston, who completed the work in a manner highly creditable to himself, and satisfactory to the parish.

The body of this church measures 71 feet by 60, and from the floor to the spring of the ceiling is 36 feet,-is without galleries, except that for the singers, which is in the tower, over the entrance into the lower part of the house, and opens under a large gothic arch of 42 feet base. This gallery is lighted by the high gothic window in front, and thus the whole length of the building is seen from the pulpit. The floor accommodates 124 pews, the interior of which are painted light green, while the exteriors are in beautiful imitation of oak, by Mr. Whitaker, and are capped with mahogany. The side windows, which are eighteen feet high, and seven feet wide, contain 284 diamond lights each;-the glass being ground, the light is uniform and agreeable. The pulpit is of common form, the pannels and balusters gothic, and the whole painted in imitation of oak. A crimson silk curtain is suspended from a gothic cornice, and on each side of the pulpit is a candelabra supporting a handsome bronze lamp; and there is also on each side a smaller lamp, on