March 25, 1742

1742 March 25 (Thursday).  John Mayhew here.  I preached at Old Mr. Samuel Fays[1] on 1 Thess. 1.10.  Visited Abner Newton.[2]  Capt. Eager[3] here at Eve.

[1]Parkman listed Samuel Fay (1673-1761) among the first inhabitants of Westborough (WCR, flyleaf).  Fay was a member of the Marlborough church, but declined to attend the Westborough church, which expressed its concern about the “Conduct of Mr. Samuel Fay in keeping from our Communion himself, and with holding his Wife therefrom also, altho he had permitted her to bind herself thereto by Solemn Covenant”; WCR, 49 (June 8, 1738).  The church accepted his acknowledgment of his offense “in hindering his Wife from coming to our Communion”; WCR, 53 (Dec. 17, 1738).  At the same time, it confirmed its earlier and rather ineffectual decision that, lacking “Suitable Satisfaction…respecting his Conduct,” Parkman was to bar Fay from communion if Fay were to offer himself; WCR, 52-53 (Oct. 19, 1738).

[2]Abner Newton (708-1750) and his wife Vashti confessed the sin of fornication and owned the covenant; WCR, 33 (Feb. 3, 1734).  Vashti joined the church, Feb. 22, 1736; WCR, 39.

[3]James Eager was b. Sept. 21, 1686, in Marlborough (Marlborough Vital Records, 65; d. June 7, 1755, in Northborough (NVR, 133).