Category: Diary

August 24, 1771

1771 August 24 (Saturday).  Deacon Wood here to apprize Mrs. Eunice Rice’s uneasiness that I don’t read her Confession to the Church.  He shews me a letter which She has Sent to Deacon Bond and himself — and to be communicated to Brother Daniel Forbes — and others as they Should see Cause — desiring them to come to me to perswade me to do it, where as She refrains using proper means her Self — does not visit Me, nor take any pains to satisfie Me of her Penitence.

August 25, 1771

1771 August 25 (Sunday).  Read Dan. 4.19-33 and gave an Exercise upon it.  P.M. Read 2 Tim. 2.  Preached on Rom. 11.26, that Clause, “there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer” — and went on with many Alterations from Page 17 of Sermon on 1 Thess. 1.10.  May God graciously overlook my Deficiencies and Miscarriages and give His Blessing.

August 27, 1771

1771 August 27 (Tuesday).  Neighbour Zebulon Rice, of Brookfield, came to see me.  Mr. Stone and his Delegates, in their way to the Council at Grafton, call here.  I went to Deacon Woods to See his Brother Johns Wife.  Shewed him the Copy of my Letter which I have sent to Mrs. Rice.  P.M. Mr. Daniel Forbes was here.  N.B. No mention of Mrs. Rice, nor any Thing of her Case.  He came to ask me to preach at his House.

August 28, 1771

1771 August 28 (Wednesday).  Was at Lt. Bakers, and Saw there his Brother Samuel of Bolton.  I testifyed against their Behavior in Bolton, towards Mr. Goss.  Was at Deacon Woods because I could not have time to converse much with him yesterday.  Called at Mr. Hills, She having lately lain in, and exhorted her to her Duty.  Sheriff Culter and his Son Ebenezer came in very wet; they are on their Journey to Boston.

August 30, 1771

1771 August 30 (Friday).  Mr. Mellen and his Wife, in their return to Chauxit, called here.  A little before Sunsetting came Mrs. Eunice Rice to see me.  We Conversed about her Confession.  She consents to some alteration.  I consent to propound her in a little Time: but not next Sabbath, because I Shall not be at home.  At Parting She asks me to be favourable to her in my Prayers — meaning in Publick, when I come to her Case.  I told I Should use what Prudence and Faithfulness I could.

August 31, 1771

1771 August 31 (Saturday).  I Saw another place in Mrs. Rice’s Confession which very much needed Alteration — and I recollected that she was much concerned about my Praying for her, which I thought did not well comport with the Frame of a Penitent.  Therefore I rode over to her, in the Morning to Mrs. Kendals, to discourse further with her.  She was willing to have the alteration made which I proposed to her: but when I spoke to her of her anxiousness concerning my Prayers, and told her it was necessary that the prayer Should be to the Purpose, She answered She must pray me to wave the Affair till I hear from her again.  With this we parted.  My ague and Tooth-ake so much disrested me that p.m. I went to Dr. Hawes, and got a principally Troublesome Tooth pulled out.  Joseph went home at Evening.

September 1, 1771

1771 September 1 (Sunday).  I rode over to Northborough and preached a. and p.m. on 2 Thess. 3.1 Occasioned by the Divisions and Contentions in Bolton and Grafton.  Baptized Amos, son of Lemuel and [blank] Maynard.  Mr. Whitney Preached here, for me on Gal. 3.13.  He baptized Samuel son of Samuel Forbush and appointed the Communion and Lecture.  We each returned home.

September 3, 1771

1771 September 3 (Tuesday).  Alexander and Mr. Phillips her[torn] Sutton (widow of the late Mr. Noah Rice) came to see us.  Mr. Tainter and his Wife came with her.  She had also a little grand daughter.  At Eve Messrs. Joseph Harrington and Eli Whitney came to enquire of me concerning Mrs. Eunice Rice and her Confession.  At night came Deacon Bond apprehending that I wanted to Speak with him.  Our Subject was Mrs. Rice, her Confession and Behavior.  N.B. In the News Paper the sad account of John Sennett’s Bestiality.[1]

[1]This may have been the same John Sennet who was punished for bestiality in May 1772: “Wednesday last John Sennet, for Beastiality, and Bet Smith, for the second Time of Thieving, were set upon the Gallows, and received the Discipline of Whipping: They were severely pelted by the Populace.”  Boston Gazette, Supplement, May 18, 1772, issue 893, p. [3].

September 4, 1771

1771 September 4 (Wednesday).  It is my Lecture Day but have no help in it.  Mr. Whitney (who I spoke to) is gone to Reading with his Wife.  Mr. Sumner (to whom I wrote) is gone to Association at Dudley where he expects to meet his Wife.  Preached on Joh. 6.35.  There was a very thin Assembly though the weather was agreeable, and the Season not calling for much engagedness in Business, to prevent.  Yet one goes to his Farm and another to his Trading.  Mrs. Kendal and her Daughter here.  Mr. Abijah Gale made me a Visit and tarried to Evening.  William Crosby going to [Leye?] brings word from Alexander that he has got rid of his Thief.  Receive a Dozen of Mr. Forbes Artillery sermon.

September 12, 1771

1771 September 12 (Thursday).  John to Concord, designing to Boston.  Mr. Sumner dined here.  Had a Catechetical Exercise, to 25 Young Women.  N.B. we finished the Catechism.  My Exercise was taken from my Exposition on the Lords prayer, No. 103, 104, with some additions.  To make way for which, I was obliged to omitt some Things also.  I acquainted young women with its being 30 years last June Since I began the Exercises: and that seeing Such a Number of ‘em were willing to attend, I Should be encouraged, probably, to appoint another before Winter: but that if I did, they must be sure to attend upon it, lest I should proceed no further.

September 14, 1771

1771 September 14 (Saturday).  We were in no Small Surprize at finding one of our Hogs in the lower Well.  We are not able to tell how he got in.  Joseph Hardy and John Arnold were at work for Mr. B. Newton not far off, and at our Call ran, went down into the Well, fastened a Rope about him, and with help of others, drew him up, and as far as we could discern, unhurt.  It was an Hog we were fatting, and pritty heavy.  Master Taylor was here p.m. and to Evening — brings me Mr. Hutchinsons Letter to the late Council.

September 16, 1771

1771 September 16 (Monday).  As this Day begins my 69th Year, Such is the Long suffering of God towards me!  I took some peculiar religious notice of it.  May the Lord graciously accept my humble Attempt!  Wrote to Breck by Mr. Levi Brigham junior of Monadnock who yesterday delivered us a Letter from him, which informs that lately he met with a Wound at a Raising.  A Timber fell on his Right Hand, which broke one of his fingers, and hurt two more.  John returns from Concord and Boston.

September 20, 1771

1771 September 20 (Friday).  Mrs. Patty Wilson (that was Dunlop) here and her Husband, going home to New-Braintry.  P.M. Mr. Daniel Mellen going home from Monadnock.  Then Col. Buckminster and his Wife came to see us, and though late dined here.  These last and Mrs. P________ went up to Deacon Woods.  I went up at sun setting and drank Tea there.  Coll. etc. lodged here.

September 22, 1771

1771 September 22 (Sunday).  Read Daniel 7 to v. 14.  Preached a.m. on Heb. 6.18.  N.B. Many of Grafton people were at meeting with us; Mr. Hutchinson being gone up among his Friends in Connecticut.  P.M. Read Tit. 1 and delivered in one Exercise both the Sermons on Jer. 6.8 connecting it with what we had lately been upon.  Stopped the Church at Eve and asked their Advice concerning propounding Mrs. Eunice Rice.  Several desired to hear her Confession, and it was So urged that I complyed and read it.  I also acquainted the Church with the Exceptions I had against some Passages in it, and the Alterations which with her consent, had been made in it.  It was moved that we might know the Minds of the Church, by a Vote, Whether they advised to the propounding Mrs. Rice upon this Confession, and the present Circumstances with her?  It passed in the Negative there being but one Hand, viz. Mr. Daniel Forb. for it.  N.B. Capt. Jonas Brigham was for her making Satisfaction to her Husband.  From the General Dislike of the Confession, the Church were induced to request (and it was manifested by a Vote) Deacon Bond to draw up Such a Confession as might be suitable.  Which he consented to undertake and so the Affair was deferred till we could hear that.

September 23, 1771

1771 September 23 (Monday).  I went to Mr. Nurse for the Money I had lent him; but in Vain.  He let me have the little Mare, which he had engaged to Me, to ride, as I Should have Occasion: and particularly to Day.  I visited at Mr. Whitney’s.  He thinks Mrs. R________’s confession Covers Sin.  At Mr. Ebenezer Millers, Mr. Solomon Millers, Mr. Antwistles, but especially at Mrs. Grow’s, and Miss Steward’s.  Dined there (at Mr. John Harringtons Table).  Went also to see Mrs. Thurston, and the Widow of the late Mr. Daniel Miller — at Mr. T. Twitchells.  N.B. Mr. Elijah Rice there — and Shews with Mr. Twitchell disquietment at Mrs. Rice’s Confession.  Called at Mr. Jonathan Grouts, where Master Taylor lodges; and he delivers me Mr. Wheelocks note for £14.10 L.M. for my Horse.

September 24, 1771

1771 September 24 (Tuesday).  Mr. D. Forbes here, and gives way to Mrs. Smiths having the Next Private Meeting at her House.  I send to Boston by Cousin Benjamin Hicks for Yellow Paint, to paint my House.  P.M. Mrs. Spring came to help my wife in quilting.  At Eve came Mr. Loyd and his Wife.  They lodge here.  N.B. Mr. Francis Whipple junior buys my Oxen.  Gives 80£ to be paid with Interest, the first of January next, and he drove them away.

September 25, 1771

1771 September 25 (Wednesday).  Mr. Loyd and his Wife leaves us to go to Brookfield and thence to Blanford.  I had Mr. Taylors Horse to go over to Northborough Lecture.  Dined at Mr. Whitneys with Rev. Messrs. Morse, Goss, Sumner, and Goddard of Keen.  Mr. Goss preached an agreeable sermon on Joh. 4.45.  N.B. our Conversation chiefly on Bolton Affairs.  I returned at Eve.