1749 May 17 (Wednesday). My Kinsman and I rode to Shrewsbury, Mr. Stone with us — to the Association Fast on the Account of the Declension in Religion. There were present Messrs. Loring, Cushing, Martyn, Stone, Seccomb, Smith, Davis, Mellen. Mr. Cushing pray’d (in publick) and Mr. Mellen preach’d on John 13.17. P.M. There came a Letter to the Association sign’d Edward Goddard, Bragg, Simon Goddard and Benjamin Goddard manifesting their Dissent to the Fast — but no Notice was taken of it by the Association. N.B. Colonel Nahum Ward went to Boston the same Day — and said something to me of the ministers giving their people so little warning of the Fast — intimated also that he thought we had better lay the matter before our Churchs. N.B. Mr. Maccarty admitted. Mr. Swain[1] among us. N.B. The Association voted to have the Report of the Committee which contains the sum and substance of the answer etc. to be inserted in the Book of their Minutes. We return’d at Evening.
[1]Joseph Swain (Harvard 1744) later the minister of Wenham, 1750-1792. Myron O. Allen, History of Wenham (Boston, l860), pp. 181-184.