1744 February 1 (Wednesday). Mr. Hall came and preach’d my Lecture on Luke 21.36, which Lecture I was the more willing to appoint both because of our Standing so much in need of Quickening and Awakening — and because it happen’d to be the first Wednesday of the Month, according to the manner of our beginning the Lectures last Year. Reverend Mr. Cushing here. Mr. Coollidge also din’d with us. N.B. After Lecture Captain Hazeltine[1] came with a message from Upton Church to Mr. Hall and me, acquainting us with their increasing Divisions and praying that Five Ministers would go over on the 14 Day of the Month and endeavour their Help. The other Ministers Mr. Peabody,[2] Mr. Bliss, and Mr. Prentice of Grafton. But he brought no Letters for the Church did not go into the form of voting as a Church nor would Mr. Weld lead them into any, nor make any Records thereof — but they had mutually agreed to choose by Partys each side Two, and then to pitch upon one in which both could agree — and to these Things Mr. Weld[3] Consented — and he the said Messenger was come in the Name of the Church accordingly. We Consented to go and I wrote to Mr. Peabody, committing it to Mr. Hall who was going to Framingham to forward it. N.B. Mr. Jonathan Burnap[4] in the Evening here. Disturbances in Hopkinton are risen to great Heights and Richard and Nathaniel Smith[5] are sent to Jayl for breaking up the Worship last Sabbath. Great Troubles also in Leicester. Reverend Mr. Goddard,[6] in such Darkness about his own State that the last Sabbath, though Communion Day, he went not out to preach, but Captain Denny[7] going to him he sent a Letter to the People.
[1]John Hazeltine, a prominent resident of Upton.
[2]Rev. Oliver Peabody of Natick.
[3]Rev. Thomas Weld of Upton.
[4]Of Hopkinton.
[5]See SHG, 6:430, and Manual of the First Congregational Church in Hopkinton, Mass. (Boston, 1881), 27-28.
[6]David Goddard, a New-Light minister at Leicester.
[7]Daniel Denny of Leicester. Emory Washburn, Historical Sketches of the Town of Leicester (Boston, 1860), 354-55.