1773 September 2 (Thursday). In the Morning came my grand Daughter Molly Forbes and Miss Hannah Coffin, accompanyed by Ripley of College. After breakfast They Sat out for Brookfield. P.M. Mr. Fish called here in his Return from Bolton. He Said he came in to See Mrs. P________________ in her illness, or he should hardly come in. He would fain Say nothing of what he had been about; but I was not able to forbear charging him and them that had done this Deed, with unparallelled, astonishing Temerity. He said they had sent an Account to the press. He inveighed against the Convention, and charged them with either a Spirit of Divination or Lying — namely (for I handed the Book) in p. 19, l. 17, “But it is certain that they neither of them — he wildly interprets the them of those one or two Churches — whereas it most Evidently means the nearer and expressed Antecedents, those Venerable Gentlemen. He also condemns the Book as Clandestinely and obscurely done, because not Signed by any Moderator or Scribe. In the Eve came Mr. Daniel Forbes and Mr. Joseph Harrington to talk with me about the Doings at Bolton and know my Opinion. Mr. Forbes Said he Supposed that We must immediately have to do with them. I told them I conceived they had gone directly contrary to the Platform: but we must wait and see how the Effects would appear. They Seemed to think there must be something done among us Soon. I answered that the Apostles Direction must be taken to “Study to be quiet, and to do our own Business.” It would be an Odd thing for us to be so fond of meddling with Bolton Quarrell, and Set ourselves all in a Blaze, while we ourselves lived in Such criminal Neglect of Church Discipline towards one of our own Members, who was So grossly guilty, and yet was let alone from one year to another — etc. etc. etc. N.B. Received a Letter from Mr. Cushing that they were well — that he had found a Boy in his Parish that might Suit me. Sent to Boston a Packet for Mr. Moore, containing a Letter, and a Book, viz. Mr. Zebulon Adams’s Answer to the Neighbour.