1728 January 28 (Sunday). Diverse young men were with me requesting advice and instruction touching their setting up a private society. I desir’d ‘em to come again on this Sennight. This Eve Mr. Asher Rice and Mr. Josiah Newton were again with me endeavouring something towards their reconciliation, but all means were in vain. Instead of healing new work was made for, Mr. Rice having charg’d Mr. Newton with having (not only deceived in the article they were upon) but a principle of falsehood in his heart, which was so high, and beyond his real intention to Speak, he acknowledg’d it was wrong to Speak So of his brother and was Sorry for what he had said. The Cause was rais’d to a difficult pitch, and little prospect of Concord or Composition. Extream cold. The Earthquake was heard as was reported and Some say, felt this Morning about or just after Break of Day. I preach’d again upon 1 Cor. 6.9.10.11. In admitting [illegible] Tomlin[1] to the Church I was So much employ’d in my thoughts by incorporating the Baptismal Covenant and Church Covenant together that I forgot to go to prayer before I baptiz’d Him, which I remain’d thoughtless about till I went up into the Pulpit from the Basen. It put me into a Consternation. I went to Prayer in which I lamented the miscarriage and enlarg’d the Prayer with those petitions that might be proper on this occasion. But I desire to lay my Self low before God for so grievous an omission and would learn hence forward to be more carefull and watchfull but especially more strongly relying on the Divine aid.
[1]From the Church Records it appears this was Hezekiah Tomlin.