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to provide the materials for the raising said house, and provisions for those men, they shall appoint to raise said. house, to the number of fifty men."

The committee were John Ivory, Oliver Livermore, and John Longley. The house was fifty feet long and forty feet broad. The sum of £200 had been raised for the purpose of building said house, and on the first of January, 1773, it appears by the report of a committee, that £168 19s. 10d. 3qrs. had been then expended thereon. It was first occupied for religious worship, November 25, 1773, being the day of public thanksgiving.

The old meeting-house was disposed of, and removed to the farm now of Mr. Joseph Day, for a barn.

The new meeting-house remained without material alteration till the year 1804, when after many trials and hard struggles, it was determined to add a porch to each end of the house, to remove the flights of stairs leading into the galleries, from the interior to the porches, and on one porch to have a belfry, cupola, vane, &c. Also to take out the body seats, and erect pews, and to underpin the house with split granite. These improvements were eventually made, and the house accommodated the people without further enlargement, until the year 1839.

April 3, in that year, a committee of five persons were chosen to remodel and thoroughly repair the whole house. The committee were Hon. Leonard M. Parker, Hon. James P. Whitney, Joshua B. Fowle, Almond Morse, and Nathaniel Holden, Jr. This committee kept a journal of their proceedings, by which it appears, that they proceeded very systematically, judiciously, and legally, in discharging their duties. They expended the sum of $2,180 61, including payment for the old pews, in remodeling, repairing, and finishing the house. The last religious services performed in the house previous to these alterations, were on the 14th of July, 1839,

and on the 27th of October following, the house was dedicated, in its new and more convenient shape and form.

In 1772, the wife of John Hancock, of Boston, afterwards Governor of Massachusetts, presented for the use of the pulpit, a handsome folio bible. In 1804, Wallis Little, Esq., a wealthy farmer of Shirley, presented a bell for the meeting-house; and upon the remodeling, Thomas Whitney, Esq., David Livermore, Almond Morse, Hon. James P. Whitney, Nathaniel Holden, Jr., Joseph Day, Thomas Whitney, Jr., Wilder Dodge, Dr. Augustus G. Parker, and Hon. Leonard M. Parker, defrayed the expense of veneering the pulpit. The female members of the church provided a communion table and chairs; and the female members of the church and society, cushions for the singers' seats.

In the present year, 1847, Mrs. Henrietta Whitney, widow of the late Thomas Whitney, Esq., presented to the parish a fine toned organ, valued at $1,300.

The first religious society, formed separate from the town, commenced about the year 1781, by a family in the south part of the town becoming attached to the teachings and doctrines of the noted Ann Lee, whose disciples call themselves United Believers; but they are usually denominated "Shakers." 5 With this family a

5 Desirous of giving a true account of this society, I applied to one of the brethren, from whom I received the following note.

"Esteemed friend:

"I visited the United Believers in Shirley, the better to answer your request, by furnishing some matter of interest relative to this branch of that secluded community so much wondered at.' Although not numerous in this town, they are undeniably a very prosperous and happy people. I find that the man [Elijah Wilds] who was owner of the ground now occupied by their village, and who erected the first dwelling, (the identical house once occupied by Mother Ann,) has furnished a simple, unvarnished statement of his connection with this sect; and as it gives a fair specimen of the spirit and practice of said community, and those who crossed the ocean in the N.

number of the neighboring families sympathized, and soon a society of that denomination of Christians was formed, who erected a house of worship adapted to their peculiar style and form of worship. As a community, they appear to be industrious in their habits, honest in

Y. Maria, 1774, to revive in this land of religious liberty, the faith once delivered to the saints,' I think it will interest your readers more than any thing, which could be written by

"Your friend,

"LORENZO D. GROSVENOR."

On examining the statement of Elijah Wilds, kindly furnished me, and accompanying this note, I find it too long for insertion entire; but the substance follows.

Elijah Wilds, the founder of this sect in Shirley, was born in 1746. His early education was such, that he was the subject of strong religious impressions; and he sought among various denominations the true path to heaven. In the summer of 1781, hearing of a new sect in Harvard, he went thither, and was taught that the "gospel required us to confess and forsake sin," and "that Christ had commenced his second appearance without sin, unto salvation to all, who were willing to believe and obey." On further visitations to that and other families of the same persuasion, and receiving instructions from them, he became fully convinced of the correctness of their doctrines and practices. Whereupon he and his wife, who embraced the same faith, by whom he had had four children, heartily and sincerely became members of the society of" United Believers." He says of the sect," they are a prudent, temperate, and charitable people; wise, chaste, and discreet in their language and deportment." And of his own experience he says, "I can say in the uprightness and sincerity of my heart, that in obedience to the testimony of the gospel, which I first received from them, I have been saved from the power of sin and Satan, and loosed from the bands of death, under which I had before been bound." Mr. Wilds being a man of worldly substance, Mother Ann and the Elders, he says, often visited them, and "greatly strengthened and comforted them." On one of these visits, June 1, 1783, his house was surrounded, about eight o'clock, P. M., by a mob of about one hundred persons, mostly from Harvard, who continued there through the night, suffering none to go out, except one woman, who lived near by and had a nursing babe. By her, notice was sent to the town officers, two of whom came tardily in the morning to their relief. The mob, however, were not to be restrained from violence, either by the authority of the peace officers, or the entreaty of the Elders. Two of the Elders, consenting upon promise of safety, to accompany them to Harvard, after having partook of refreshment furnished by Mr. Wilds, they left the house. One of the two, however, was not permitted to return without having suffered corporeal indignities from the treacherous mob.

their dealings, and sincere in their faith. They peremtorily deny some absurd notions attributed to them by the "world's people," such as that Mother Ann Lee pretended that she should never die; and that the common translation of the Bible is not freely used in their schools and families. Individuals in all sects sometimes hold opinions not sanctioned by their teachers. So it may have been with the "United Believers."

The next separation was effected by a number of individuals converted to the doctrine of universal salvation, who on the 21st of September, 1812, formed a society of that faith; and in the year 1816, built a meeting-house in the south village, near the manufacturing establishments, which was dedicated January 9, 1817. This house was not comely or convenient; it answered, however, for a place of worship till the year 1846, when it was remodeled, as most of the churches have been, which were built half a century or more ago, and with the addition of a tower and steeple, is made more sightly and tasteful, as well as more commodious. Its aisles are carpeted, and an organ leads in the musical part of worship.

Another separation from the first parish took place in 1820. A small number of the inhabitants formed a voluntary association, organized a church, and built a small meeting-house of bricks, a few rods north of the first parish house, on land given for that purpose by Miss Jenny Little. The society was duly organized in 1846, by the name of the "Orthodox Congregational Society in Shirley."

This small town, now consisting of a population of about one thousand inhabitants, has four distinct religious societies, and four houses for the public worship of God; a natural consequence of improvident legislation on the subject of religion.

CHAPTER XX.

Ministers-Mr. Goodhue-Mr. Sparhawk-Mr. Whitney-Church, Deacons, &c.-Mr. Whitney's Ministry, Character, &c.-Mr. Tolman-Ordination and Dismission-Mr. Chandler-Mr. WoodMr. Streeter-Mr. Browne, and Mr. Eaton.

THE first vote of the district of Shirley to raise money for hiring a minister, was passed, September 27, 1753, when ten pounds were granted. April 4, 1754, a committee was chosen to ask advice of six neighboring ministers, about settling a minister. May 2, 1754, "Voted, To hire three months' preaching, and also voted, to try for some other minister besides what we have had." June 18, 1755, was appointed a fast, according to the custom of the times, as a preparation for giving a minister a call to settle in the place. A Mr. Goodhue, from Hollis, New Hampshire, preached some time as a candidate, and received two several invitations to settle; the first of which he accepted conditionally, and the last he declined. April 30, 1760, it was again voted to take advice of the neighboring ministers, and probably another fast was kept. A Mr. Sparhawk, of Lynn, then preached some time, received a call to settle, but declined. At length, Mr. Phinehas Whitney, of Weston, a graduate at Harvard college, 1759, having preached some time as a candidate, received a unanimous invitation to become the minister of the district. To this invitation Mr. Whitney gave an affirmative answer. His ordination took place, June 23,

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