1748 April 5 (Tuesday). An Important Time! When this precinct met upon the affair of my sallery and a new Meeting House — Mr. Grout and Lieutenant Tainter being sent to me to desire me to Pray with them. I went after prayer. They passed no vote about the former article respecting me, but they desired the Committee of the Precinct would at evening come and Confer with me, and enquire of me what I thought my Circumstances would require, and I could chearfully go on in the work of the Ministry with — and so adjourned that affair to the 18th Instant. And accordingly at evening the said Committee (4 of whom, viz. Edward Baker, Esquire, Captain Warrin, Lieutenant Forbush and Mr. Benjamin Fay) came to me and insisted upon my saying what would suffice maintenance. Note well, they said the precinct would Expect that if the Precinct should comply and make a grant of what I should say would suffice for the Year Currant, then I should give ‘em a Receipt in full. I answered that I was averse to saying anything of a particular Sum — but they insisted that I would. I replyed that I insisted on it that the Precinct would Explain their Expression (in their Votes at the Contract) wherein they say that the “Yearly sallery 55£ New Tenor money so called, not Soldier money, so called” and as to the Present State of Things — what I would have. I said there was a very different manner of Maintaining the Gospel — There was what would barely do it; there was also what would do it with some handsomeness and Decency; and there was a manner of doing it with a Generousness, when persons were in their Hearts enlarged unto Bountifullness. I did not therefore care to proscribe, nor go about to set a summ. However, upon their further insisting, for they said they must make some Report to them that had sent them, I told them I could offer thus much to their Consideration, that as all the Necessarys of Life had so exceedingly risen as they had for several years past especially, I humbly conceived that it would take double or nigh it (in Denomination of Bills) to do the same as used to be done. Esquire Baker answered that then they understood me that it would not take 440£ old Tenor to have the same done which 220£ used to do. I answered that it could not take less than 400£. Mr. Fay undrstood me that if the precinct should vote that summ, yet I could not do the whole work nor should go on Chearfully. I replyed to this that if they should vote that I would endeavor (as God should please to enable me) to go on with all parts of the work and would go on chearfully — at least would try this year — and if it would well do I should, I hoped given God the Glory and them all suitable Thanks, and if it did not so, I would let them know. But it growing late, I told ‘em that I would take the matter into Consideration, and they should have Some Return from me when they should sit again. This Concluded the present Conference. As to the other important matter upon which the precinct met today, viz. The Meeting House, they voted that a New Meeting House should be built upon the South Great Road, a little below the Burying place.