181653, May 18th. The General Court order a letter of thanks to the Church here, for their self-denial in giving up Mr. Norton, so that be might be settled in Boston. But this Church did not so understand the matter.
1655, May 23d. The Legislature appoint a committee to consider the case of Boston and Ipswich about Mr. Norton. The Committee report, that two years have passed since Boston Church desired Ipswich Church to relinquish Mr. Norton; that the question was submitted to a council, who decided, Feb. 1653, that the vote of Ipswich Church, of Feb. 21st, 1653, was understood by themselves to be in the negative, but by Boston Church in the affirmative; that the latter Church sent messengers to the former, to debate the meaning of the vote, and still received for answer, that no permission had been given for him to leave. The Boston Church called a council, and invited messengers from Ipswich. The Council sat Nov. 1653, and advised that Mr. Norton move thither. Hence, the Committee observe, that "troubles are increasing in Ipswich Church, which threaten its dissolution, together with disappointment of Boston Church, and of the country, by losing Mr. Norton, while the two Churches are contending for him." In view of these reasons the General Court order a council of twelve churches to meet here the 2d Tuesday of June. They designate three to represent their desire in the Council that Mr. Norton may continue in Boston. As he was installed next year, the Council appear to have decided as the Legislature wished. This body voted, that the expense of councils, convened for this business both here and at Boston, should be paid out of the Colonial treasury.
1663, Jan. The printed result of the Synod came recommended to the Church by the General Court.
1676, March 9th. A proposal is made to the Church here, by ministers of Boston and this vicinity, to renew covenant, so that God may pardon prevailing sins and remove judgments.
1724, Nov. 27th. The Church had chosen a committee to attend a council at Boston, about advising Mr. Fitch as to his leaving Ipswich for Portsmouth.
91746, Dec. 2d. Sixty-eight persons of the First Parish agree, as a means of composing differences, to become incorporated and erect a meeting-house on the green, south of the river, and settle Mr. John Walley, if he will, or some other candidate.
SOUTH CHURCH
81747, July 22d. This body is formed by twenty-two males from the First Church. Aug. 7th. They vote unanimously to call Mr. Walley.
Dec. 21st. Voted, that persons having owned the baptismal covenant may have their children baptized. Though this has not been repealed, it has ceased of late years to be acted on.
1765, May 14th. The Church called Joseph Dana to become their pastor, with which the parish concurred the 23d.
1775. The day after Lexington Fight, an agreement was made with the First Church, to observe the following Tuesday, as a season of prayer, "on account of the affecting aspect of the time." Many more meetings of this sort were held during the Revolutionary war, and were fully attended. They were followed with good results, and some members were added to the churches.
1828. There were fifteen male and fifty-five female members.
1833. There were twenty-five male and one hundred and four female members.
MINISTERS OF THE SOUTH CHURCH
JOHN WALLEY
He was son of the Hon. John Walley, of Boston, and was born 1716. He graduated at Harvard College 1734, and was member of the South Church in his native place. He was invited to preach
71742, Dec. 2d. A committee report, that the West End do not become a parish, but keep up preaching among them.
1744, April 12th. Voted, that they be set off.
151746, June 5th. The General Court allow some of West Ipswich and of Rowley to become a distinct parish, who vote, Jan. 27th, 1747, to be called Line Brook Parish.
LINE BROOK CHURCH
161749, Nov. 15th. Sixteen males sign a covenant and are formed into a Church. This Church had Ruling Elders till after 1757.
1823. There were only two female members.
1833. There were fourteen males and twenty females.
MEETING-HOUSE
1744. A house had been erected. A vote is passed in 1747, to have it finished. It was near the burying-ground. The old one is pulled down and another built, on the present spot, in 1828.
PARSONAGE
1790, Nov. 15th. The town grant Bull Brook towards the support of the ministry, at Line Brook.
181637, Nov. 20th. William Foster and Samuel Sherman, for favoring Mrs. Hutchinson's views, are ordered to give up their arms to William Bartholomew before the 30th.
1638, Sept. William Foster is required to leave the jurisdiction of Massachusetts.
1643, Nov. 3d. John Wicks, a Gortonist, brought with others by military force from Providence, is sentenced to confinement and hard labor at Ipswich.
1675, March 30th. Roger and Lucretia Derby are fined for absence from meeting on the Sabbath.
1677, Nov. 6th. They are similarly fined. As they were respectable persons, it is likely that they did not attend Congregational worship, on account of some religious scruples.
11The people here, having applied to the town for leave to employ a preacher Feb. 1677, who soon came among them, and was Jeremiah Shepard; and having met with considerable opposition from the First Parish in retaining him, are freed by a vote of the town from paying ministerial taxes to that parish, and are allowed to hire preaching on their own account, Dec. 10th, 1679.
MEETING-HOUSE
As the society at Chebacco had worshipped in a private house, and could not get consent from the First Pansh to build a meeting-house, some women, without the knowledge of their husbands, as the Record says, and by the advice of a few men, went to other towns, and obtained help to raise a house of worship, March, 1679. Two men and three women were prosecuted for this act. May 28th. The Province Council order these individuals to confess, that such conduct was irregular at the next Quarterly Court in Salem, and thus be excused. — The sanctuary, so erected, may be truly said to have been built "in troublous times." It stood to the northward of the present one, on the road leading to Ipswich.
1717, Oct. 11th. Voted to build a new house. It had a turret on the top, and a seat for Ruling Elders.
BELL
1713, Oct. Measures are taken to buy one of 160 lbs.
1740. A turret is to be built on the middle top of the meeting~house for a bell.
PARSONAGE
1679, Dec. 2d. The town grant two acres for the minister's house, and, 1680, Feb. 24th, one or two more.
1686, March 23d. They vote, that the ten acres, granted the last year for the nimistry, be laid out, and ten more for Mr. Wise.
CHURCH
1681, Aug. 31st. The parish vote to have a church gathered among them.
From Oct. 29th, 1727, to Oct. 13th, 1728, there were ninety-four admitted to communion. Page 258
1746, May 20th and June 10th. A council, composed of pastors and delegates from nine churches, meet here. The majority of them decide that the secession of certain brethren from Mr. Pickering's ministry, is unjustifiable. The result of this council was long, able, and interesting.
1747, April 7th. The Church write to the First Church, that they intend to deal with them in the third way of discipline, for taking part in the ordination of Mr. Cleaveland. Dec. 31st. They approve and empower a committee to have printed "A Letter from the Second Church to their Separatists Brethren, in defence of their deceased Pastor and Themselves."
MINISTERS OF CHEBACCO PARISH
JEREMIAH SHEPARD
He was the son of the Rev. Thomas Shepard of Cambridge, b. Aug. 11th, 1648, and graduated at Harvard College 1669. He preached a considerable time at Rowley, where many were strongly desirous to have him ordained. A chief bar to his being ordained there, as well as at Chebacco, was, that he had not united with any Church. — 1677. He came to labor among the people here. They were much attached to him and would have had him for their pastor, had they been permitted by the First Church and the General Court. He left by advice of a committee from the Legislature, May 22d, 1680. After this, he became an eminent minister of Lynn, and died there June 2d, 1720, Æ. 72.
JOHN WISE
He was son of Joseph Wise, of Roxbury, baptized Aug. 15th, 1652, and graduated at Harvard College 1673. — 1680. As highly recommended by the General Court, he came to preach here, and was ordained Aug. 12th, 1683. — 1687, Aug. 23d. He advised the town not to comply with Sir Edmund Andros's order for raising a Province Tax, as being contrary to Charter rights. For this he was tried in Boston, imprisoned, fined heavily, and deposed from his ministry. Having, with other principal men of the town, who acted with him, made a concession for such opposition to the government, he appears to have been permitted to resume his parochial duties. — 1689, May 9th. Mr. Wise was one of two Representatives from Ipswich, to meet in Boston and help re-organize the former Legislature after the administration
of Andros was overthrown. Dec. 24th. He was appointed with the selectmen, by the town, to draw up, according to the order of the General Court, a narrative of the late Governor's treatment towards himself, and other Ipswich inhabitants. This narrative, like others of the kind, was forwarded to England to substantiate charges against Andros, for mal-administration. — About this time, Mr. Wise deemed it his duty to prosecute Mr. Dudley, Chief Justice, for refusing him the privileges of the habeas corpus act, while he was imprisoned. — 201690, July 5th. He is desired by the Legislature to go as Chaplain in the expedition against Canada. He went. — When, in 1705, it was recommended by the Boston clergymen, as an association, to other similar bodies, to consider the proposal for having each association so connected with its Churches, as to form a Standing Council, to which ecclesiastical difficulties might be referred, Mr. Wise was active to prevent such a measure. On this occasion, he wrote "The Church's Quarrel Espoused," printed 1710. About 1717, he published " A Vindication of the Government of the New England Churches." Both of these productions are deservedly standard works in ecclesiastical concerns. — 1721. He was among the few philanthropists, who came forward to advocate the inoculation for the small-pox, against deep-rooted prejudices and general reproaches. During his ministry, there was a remarkable coincidence between one of his prayers and the result. A boat's crew from his parish were captured by pirates on our coast. When beseeching the Lord, on a Sabbath morning, to give them speedy deliverance, he said, "Great God! if there is no other way, may they rise and butcher their enemies." The next day the men arrived and related, that, the very morning before, they had attacked the pirates and killed them. — In person, Mr. Wise was of a majestic form, and of great muscular strength and activity. When young and before his ordination, he was accounted a superior wrestler. Such repute was much more respectable in his day than in ours. Some years after his settlement at Chebacco, Capt. John Chandler of Andover, who had found no champion able to throw him, came down on purpose to prevail with Mr. Wise to try strength with him. After much objection, he consented to