April 1, 1751

1751 April 1 (Monday).  Breakfast at Colonel Buckminsters.  N.B. Mr. Bridge, Mr. Haven,[1] together with his Father, and one Mr. Hale of Brookfield, consulting with me about Mr. Samuel Havens preaching with them (as he had done) in order to his settling there — whereas he had a Call at part of Medway, and therefore, he (justly) refuses to encourage those of Brookfield till he has done with Medway.  Mr. Hale rode home with me.  We din’d at Mr. Nichols in Framingham.

[1]Samuel Haven (Harvard 1749), the son of Joseph Haven of Framingham, taught school, read divinity with the Reverend Mr. Parkman, and became the minister of the Second Congregational Church of Portsmouth, N. H., 1752-1806.  Sibley, XII, 382-392.

April 4, 1751

1751 April 4 (Thursday).  Preach’d Mr. Cushings Lecture at Shrewsbury on Song 1.12.  Return’d at Eve.  Ebenezer sowing Rye.  It has been very searching Cold Weather for some Time.  I have taken Cold and went to bed ill.  N.B. Lieutenant Bruce went up to Grafton to meet the Reverend Mr. Prentice,[1] and expected me to have gone.

[1]Solomon Prentice who had been dismissed by the Grafton church in 1747.

April 7, 1751

1751 April 7 (Sunday).  Read Lev. 22.  Preach’d on 1 Cor. 4.1.  Din’d at Esquire Bakers.  P.M. read Acts 13.  Preach’d on 1 Pet. 3.5.  Those words — Love as Brethren, be pitiful, be Courteous.  Us’d (with alterations) Sermons on Tit. 2.12, from page 85 to 95.  Stop’d the Church, and they voted the Dismission of Samuel and Susanna Baker to the Church of Bolton.  N.B. Mrs. Rachel Pratt[1] grows much weaker.

[1]Mrs. Hezekiah Pratt.

April 8, 1751

1751 April 8 (Monday).  The weather being unfit for our masonry little expect Mr. Newton today, Yet I went over to the New House.  Ebenezer and the Team also.  Ebenezer fetch’d a Load of Clay from Mr. James Maynards, Mrs. Newtons Clay Pitts being filled and Surrounded with water.  I was at Lieutenant Tainters — visited Mrs. Pratt.

April 9, 1751

1751 April 9 (Tuesday).  The Snow being chiefly gone, my masons came, Mr. Obadiah Newton and Mr. Edward Willson to top out my Chimney, but they were beat off by the Rain.  Din’d them at home.  P.M. about 4 they go to work again.  They lodg’d here, and I kept their Horses.  N.B. Ebenezer and Thomas tended the Masons.

April 10, 1751

1751 April 10 (Wednesday).  Masons go to work, but were beat off again Several Times before noon.  I carry’d them their Dinner.  Ebenezer and Thomas tended them again to Day.  P.M. they broke off about 4 or between 4 and 5 o’Clock (I suppose) it raining very hard — and they went away both of them to Shrewsbury.  I rode with Mr. Holbrook of Grafton to Mr. Amsdens — and discours’d with each of the Gales and their wifes concerning their making a profession of Religion.  N.B. Sent a Letter by Mr. Holbrook to Mr. John Avery at Boston, Merchant respecting my Young Horse.

April 12, 1751

1751 April 12 (Friday).  Lieutenant Tainter cutt my Two Year old Colt, and Gratis, as he has been always wont generously to do all such work for me.  Ebenezer and Billy go to ploughing a.m. at the Cook Island.  Bright, but windy and cold.  Preach’d the Lecture on Hos. 10.12, former part, omitted page 1.  Proceeded to the End of page 12.  After Lecture my wife and I call’d to See Mrs. Pratt, and before we came home we went to See Mr. Eliezer Rice and his wife (who had not been to Lecture either of them) to discourse with them especially with her concerning some Conversations She had had about me at old Mr. Whipple’s Some Time since.  He not being in the House, I desir’d her to Send for him to come in, which She did, and he came.  I told him I wanted to Speak with him, and we walk’d out, to his Gate.  Upon my acquainting him with my End in coming, he was Soon in a Ruffle.  He tax’d me with impudence in coming now, for that I ought to have come before.  I answer’d that it was but newly that I was inform’d of the persons She Spake in the hearing of, So that I was not able to Say any Thing of it besides, I was not willing to mind it or make any Thing of it, Considering the Frame she was in when I suppose she Said what she did, but that it best to let it dye — but Seeing She came again to the Communion and She was now more in her right mind; but especially Seeing it was got about and it was Concluded by people that I had talked with her, I was desirous to know what she now had to say of it; or who the Men were that She had Said told her what She reported.  He ask’d me whether I thought it convenient to talk with her now, about what she had said when (as I conceiv’d) she was not altogether herself?  He also Said that he acknowledg’d he had been brought under great Trouble and Affliction in the providence of God, and he was Sorry to find that his Neighbours especially that his Minister should add Affliction to the Afflicted, and he added (most unjustly) that he thought I took a delight in it.  He utter’d divers other grievous Sentences.  It was so Cold we could stand no longer abroad.  We went into the House — but having intimated my purpose was to talk with his Wife, I let him understand that I was not willing to be with her alone.  He Said he design’d to be with her when I did talk with her.  Mr. Edwards Whipple was in the House, and I talk’d with Mr. Rice then only about our Reckoning together — which we finish’d — except that when he ask’d me whether It was much better if I did not get home till Evening I told him it was Friday and I wanted to go home — but was very willing if they had any Thing to Say, or I could serve them in any Thing, to stay as long as it should need, and I waited a while, but he was silent — So that I took leave.

April 15, 1751

1751 April 15 (Monday).  Rain.  No Masons.  At Eve came Mr. Maccarty — after him Mr. Campbell,[1] Maccarty, Wellman[2] and I rode to Sudbury, the Association Meeting to Day at Mr. Lorings.[3]  There were besides, Messrs. Cushing, Gardner,[4] Martyn, Smith, Morse,[5] Goss,[6] Davis.  Mr. Loring for a Concio read Sermon on Ps. 90.12.  N.B. Mr. Campbell and Wellman’s Difficulty with Mr. Martyn and Stone, complaining of their Result at the late Council at Sutton.  Mr. Stone not present the Affair not heard by the Association as such; but afforded Mr. Campbell and Wellman assistance to effect a Reconcilement between them and Mr. Martyn, which was with success, and they made up all the Matter.  I lodg’d at Mr. Lorings.  I rode to Concord — broke fast at Mr. Minots.  Paid Mr. Goold the full of the written agreement, Viz. [blotted] — which added to the former 20£ old Tenor which I sent him was the whole — and gave him a promisory Note for 18/ Lawfull Money to satisfie him for Thomas’s Rates at Concord.  I return’d to Sudbury by 11 o’Clock the Time of Lecture which I attended and Mr. Cushing preach’d on John 13.34.  After Dinner came Mr. Bridge of Framingham, and Mr. Samuel Haven.  Mr. Haven asks advice touching the admission of Mr. Joseph Haven into the Church.  In returning home, called at Dr. Gotts and Mr. Smiths — very Cold Night.

[1]The Reverend John Campbell of Oxford.

[2]The Reverend James Wellman of Millbury.

[3]The Reverend Israel Loring of Sudbury.

[4]The Reverend John Gardner of Stow.

[5]The Reverend Ebenezer Morse of Boylston.

[6]The Reverend Thomas Goss of Bolton.

April 21, 1751

1751 April 21 (Sunday).  Cold.  Read Levit. 24.  N.B. had prepar’d more than Sufficient (for quantity) for one Sermon on the Duty of people to their ministers; but thought it not prudent to deliver it till I had finish’d the whole on that head — and therefore after much deliberating and weighing things I concluded it to be best to lay it aside for the present and took some Sermons on living Godly in the Discourse on Tit. 2.12, and deliver’d them, from page 96 to 110 with alterations from Acts 5.20 latter part (both a. and p.m.).  Din’d at Justice Bakers.  P.M. read Acts 15.  N.B. Mr. William Pierce’s young Child (of about 2 months old) well last night after sunsetting, dy’d before Day this morning.

April 23, 1751

1751 April 23 (Tuesday).  I went over to the New House with Ebenezer to direct and assist in planting Elms and Plumb Trees.  No ground fenc’d thereof.  Sett no Apple Trees.  P.M. Mr. Martyn and his Wife here.  Afterwards Mr. Abijah Weld[1] of Attlebury, with his son.  Mr. Martyn and his wife tarry’d to Supper but the other to Shrewsbury.  N.B. The Youth is infirm — going to Dr. Greens.

[1]The Reverend Habijah Weld (Harvard 1723), the minister of Attleborough, 1727-1782.  Sibley, VII, 268-272.

April 25, 1751

1751 April 25 (Thursday).  Mr. Haven with us.  N.B. The Watch I lately had of Mr. Martyn Stop’d in the last Night and I can have no further good of it.  Mr. Weld returning home from Leicester to Attlebury, here, and after Dinner he and Mr. Haven took leave together.  N.B. The Season unusually Cold and Somewhat windy but Ebenezer (Having deferr’d it long already) Sowed Wheat.

April 28, 1751

1751 April 28 (Sunday).  I have prepared about 16 pages (6 or 7 is an ordinary Exercise) on the third Article of the people’s Duty to their Ministers, Viz. an Honorable Maintenance.  My heart has labour’d very much about delivering it — I much reluct at it — am asham’d I have So much fear of displeasing the people.  But being Sensible it is my Duty to preach on this Subject, have begg’d of God to direct me how I shall conduct my self in this matter — and that I might deliver no Line but what is His.  I endeavor to divest myself of my own Concern in it as much as I can, that I may deal impartially — Have conceiv’d it would be best to deliver but one Exercise upon this Head, though I have much more prepar’d.  Accordingly committing myself and my work to God, I went to meeting.  Read and gave some Expository Observations on Lev. 25, and then preach’d on 1 Cor. 4.1.  Deliver’d some passages concerning the Duty of Obedience to Ministers from Sermon on Heb. 13.17, but only glancingly — and proceeded to treat of maintenance — but could not deliver all that I had prepar’d, by 4 pages — or more.  Din’d as usual.  P.M. read Acts 16.  Repeated Sermon on Tit. 2.12, page 111 to 121, from Acts 5.20.  Baptiz’d Mrs. Abigail Gale.[1]

[1]The wife of Abijah Gale of Westborough.