accept of that office. He gave an affirmative answer to their call, and on the 13th of February, 1833, a regular ecclesiastical council having assembled for the purpose, ordained him over the first parish in Pepperell and the church thereof.

The Rev. Charles Babbidge was born at Salem, October 27, 1806; was graduated at Harvard University, 1828; and studied theology at the institution in Cambridge. He was married to Eliza Ann Bancroft, daughter of Mr. Luther Bancroft, July 1, 1839. He continues in the ministry at Pepperell, in much peace and harmony, to the highest satisfaction of the people of his charge, and to their eminent opportunity for instruction and advancement in Christian virtues.

Dr. John Walton and Mr. Benjamin Hall, were chosen deacons of the church, September 4, 1832; and Mr. Nathaniel Sartell, Jr., March 22, 1837, was chosen to the same office, to supply the place of Dea. Hall, deceased.

February 9, 1847, being the completion of just one hundred years since the organization of this church, was celebrated by its members and the congregation, as its first centennial anniversary. The church in Groton, from which most of the original members of this church were dismissed, in order to found this, were invited to join in the festival. The Rev. pastor made an ingenious and pertinent address on the occasion, and a sumptuous collation closed the ceremonies.4

4 While partaking of the collation, the following "letter missive" was

read:

"Address to the first church in Pepperell, in 1947, prepared by Mr. John Bullard, son of Rev. John Bullard.

"February 9, 1847.

"The church of the first parish in Pepperell, to the brothers and sisters who shall fill their places and inherit their responsibility, on the 9th day of February, in the year of our Lord 1947, send greeting:

"Dearly beloved and cared for, we charge and exhort you, by the mercies of God, the love of our common Saviour, and the hopes and consola

On the first day of February, 1831, at the call of the Rev. Mr. Howe and those who with him separated themselves from the town or first parish, an ecclesiastical council assembled, approved the proceedings of the seceders, and recognized Mr. Howe as their minister.

About three years before his death, Mr. Howe's health began to decline, so that he could but partially perform the duties of his office. He continued, however, to preach occasionally, as health permitted, till within a little more than a year of his death, which event happened, July 19, 1840, in the 44th year of his age.

Mr. Howe married Harriet Nason, of Harvard, October 13, 1823, by whom he had six children, four of whom still survive. His character, as portrayed in a discourse delivered at his funeral, represents him as "courteous, kind, and gentlemanly in his conversation and deportment," sound in understanding, conservative in principle, sagacious in judgment, traits that well become a minister of the religion he professed.

During Mr. Howe's long and lingering sickness, he was assisted by two or three candidates for the ministry; and on the 29th of January, 1840, the Rev. David Andrews was, by invitation of the church and society, ordained his colleague pastor. Upon Mr. Howe's decease, Mr. Andrews became principal and sole pastor of the Evangelical Congregational Society, which office he still retains. He was born at Dedham, September 15, 1808; graduated at Amherst college in 1836; studied theology

tions of his gospel, that you hold fast the liberty of private judgment, which has descended to us from venerated sires, (and, we trust, to you also:) that you exhibit in your lives and conversation the spirit and graces of the Christian character, love to one another, and to all who profess faith in Christ as the Saviour of the world. And we hope and trust, that when He, who is our exemplar, shall make up his jewels, we all may be among his chosen ones, and join in the song of praise to his God and our God, to his Father and our Father."

at Andover; and married Miss T. Murdock, of West Boylston, Sept. 15, 1840.

Mr. David Blood and Dr. Nehemiah Cutter were elected deacons of this church, October 29, 1832; and Mr. Henry Jewett, January 4, 1844.

The 29th day of January, 1847, being the seventh anniversary of the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Andrews, and without making the necessary correction for change of style, the one hundredth of the organization of the first church in Pepperell, was noticed by the Evangelical Congregational society as a festival. The pastor pronounced a discourse on the occasion, containing an interesting account of the first settlement of the place, the organization and progress of the church, the building of the meetinghouses, the ordination of ministers, and their character and success in discharging their duties, down to the present time.

CHAPTER XVI.

Wars and Warriors-Mr. Emerson's Address to Capt. Lawrence's soldiers-Capt. Lawrence's death-Instruction to Representative -Letter to Committee of Correspondence at Boston-Further Instructions and Resolutions-Alarm of April 19, 1775-Battle of Bunker Hill-Col. William Prescott-Hon. William Prescott.

THE ravages of the Indians had nearly ceased in this vicinity before the settlement of Pepperell. Fears and alarms, however, had not entirely subsided; so that Mr. Emerson says, after his settlement in the ministry, his parishioners carried their weapons to the house of worship.

Pepperell justly claims to have produced many brave officers and soldiers. A military spirit was imbibed and cherished by the encouragements and exhortations of their minister, Mr. Emerson, who having served as chaplain at Cape Breton, took a lively interest ever after in military affairs, especially at the commencement of the revolutionary war.

In the spring of 1758, a company was enlisted for the French war, from Pepperell and its vicinity, of which Thomas Lawrence was captain. As the company were about to take up their march to join the army, Mr. Emerson preached a sermon on the occasion, in which he thus addressed the soldiers:

"My Friends and Brethren,-'Tis matter of rejoicing to me, that so many of you have engaged in this affair

with so much cheerfulness, and proffered your services. for your country; and some of you, I hope, have entered upon it with becoming seriousness. If the present expedition should go forward, according to our present expectation, (which God grant it may !) and not be stigmatized, as some former ones have been, by the name of a mock expedition, whereby we are become the shame of our friends and contempt of our enemies; I say, if the army should proceed, you will doubtless be called into action, and must expect to jeopardize your lives in the high places of the field. Fix this, then, in your minds, that danger you must encounter; imagine not that you are going out against a weak and effeminate enemy, who will be affrighted as soon as they hear of your approach, or be intimidated by the very sound of your drums, and run away as soon as you charge them, and you have nothing to do, but fall upon the prey, and load yourselves with the spoils. Far from this. You are going against an enemy who are far from being dastardly; an enemy flushed with various and repeated successes. And as you

are designed, by the present concerted scheme of operation, to enter the very heart of the enemy's country, you may well expect that they will not tamely resign their possessions into your hands. I say not these things to discourage you, but rather to animate you to set out with greater resolution and courage. If you alight upon dangers, this will not make them heavier when they come, and it may serve something to lessen them. You are to fight; you are enlisted for this end; you are paid for this purpose. Boldly, then, advance into the very heart of your enemy's country. Fear them not; let it never be said of a New England soldier,let it never be said of a Pepperell soldier, that he was afraid to face his enemies, or that ever he turned his back on them, and cowardly deserted the cause of his country."