"At the church meeting further testimony came in against him: the
church generally by vote and voice declared him impenitent, and I was
to proceed to an ejection of him, by a silent vote in Public. But I
deferred it, partly because of the severity of the winter, but
chiefly for that his pretended offence was originally against myself,
and [he] had said I would take all advantages against him, I deferred
the same, and because 4 or 5 of the brethren did desire that he might
be called before the church to see if he would own what they asserted:
and having ________ the church, 1 April, 98, he came, brought an
additional acknowledgment. Of 15 about 9 or 10 voted to accept of it,
&c."
This occurred on the 11th of April, 1698; and on the 17th Mr. Fiske
proceeds:--
"After the end of the public worship his confession was read
publickly, and the major part of the Church voted his absolution."
The next case of discipline in order of the entries relates to an earlier
period, 1677. It records the excommunication of one Joseph Belcher. The
proceedings took place at meetings held on the 7th of October and the 11th
of November.
"Joseph Belcher, a member of this Church though not in full communion,
being sent for by the Church, after they had resolved to inquire into
the matter of scandall, so notoriously infamous both in Court and
Country, by Deacon Basse and Samuel Tompson, to give an account of
these things; they returning with this answer from him, that he would
consider of it and send the church word the next Sabbath, whether he
would come or no; on which return by a script, whereunto his name was
subscribed, which he also owned to the elder, in private the weeke
after, wherein he scornfully and impudently reflected upon the officer
and church, and rudely refused to have anything to doe with us; so
after considerable waiting, he persisting in his impenitence and
obstinacy, (the Elders met at Boston unanimously advising thereto) the
Church voted his not hearing of them, some few brethren not acting,
doubting of his membership but silent. He was proceeded against
according to Matthew 18, 17,[4] and rejected."
The next entry also records a case of excommunication, under date of May
4, 1683:--
"Isaac Theer, (the son of Brother Thomas Theer) being a member of this
Church but not in full communion, having been convicted of notorious
scandalous thefts multiplied, as stealing pewter from Johanna
Livingstone, stealing from John Penniman cheese, &c., and others, and
stealing an horse at Bridgewater, for which he suffered the law, after
much laboring with him in private and especially by the officers of
the church, to bring [him] to a thorough sight and free and ingenuous
confession of his sin; as also for his abominably lying, changing his
name, &c., was called forth in public, moved pathetically to
acknowledge his sin and publish his repentance, who came down and
stood against the lower end of the foreseat after he had been
prevented (by our shutting the east door) from going out; stood
impudently, and said indeed he owned his sin of stealing, was heartily
sorry for it, begged pardon of God and men, and hoped he should do so
no more, which was all he could be brought unto, saying his sin was
already known, and that there was no need to mention it in particular,
all with a remisse voice, so that but few could hear him. The Church
at length gave their judgment against him, that he was a notorious,
scandalous sinner, and obstinately impenitent. And when I was
proceeding to spread before him his sin and wickedness, he (as 'tis
probable), guessing what was like to follow, turned about to goe out,
and being desired and charged to tarry and hear what the church had to
say to him, he flung out of doors, with an insolent manner, though
silent. Therefore the Pastor applied himself to the congregation, and
having spread before them his sin, partly to vindicate the church's
proceeding against him, and partly to warn others; sentence was
declared against him according to Matthew 18, 17."
The next also is a case of excommunication. It appears from the records
(p. 658) that "Upon the 9{th} day of August ther went out a fleet
Souldiers to Canadee in the year 1690, and the small pox was abord, and
they died, sixe of it; four thrown overbord at Cap an." Among these four
was Ebenezer Owen, who left a widow and a brother Josiah; and it is to
them that this entry relates:--
"Josiah Owen, the son of William Owen (whose parents have been long in
full communion), a child of the covenant, who obtained by fraud and
wicked contrivance by some marriage with his brother Ebenezer Owen's
widdow, as the Pastor of the church had information by letters from
the Court of Assistance touching the sentence there passed upon her
(he making his escape). And living with her as an husband, being, by
the Providence of God, surprised at his cottage by the Pastor of the
Church with Major Quinsey and D. Tompson (of whom reports were that he
was gone, we intending to discourse with her and acquaint [her] with
the message received from the said Court informing her ________ their
appointment of an open confession of their sin in the congregation),
he was affectionately treated by them, and after much discourse,
finding him obstinate and reflecting, he was desired and charged to be
present the next Sabbath before the Church, to hear what should be
spoken to him, but he boldly replied he should not come. And being
after treated by D. Tompson and his father to come, and taking his
opportunity to carry her away the last weeke, after a solemn sermon
preached on 1 Cor. 5. 3, 4 and 5,[5] and prayers added, an account was
given to the church and congregation of him, the Brethren voting him
to be an impenitent, scandalous, wicked, incestuous sinner, and giving
their consent that the sentence of excommunication should be passed
upon and declared against him, which was solemnly performed by the
Pastor of the Church according to the direction of the Apostle in the
above mentioned text: this 17 of January, 1691/2."
The above, four in number, are all the cases of church discipline recorded
as having been administered during the Fiske pastorate. Considering that
this pastorate covered more than a third of a century, and that during it
the original township had not yet been divided into precincts,--all the
inhabitants of what are now Quincy, Randolph and Holbrook as well as those
of the present Braintree, being included in the church to which Mr. Fiske
ministered,--the record indicates a high standard of morality and order.
The town at that time had a population of about seven hundred souls, which
during the next pastorate increased to one thousand.
Mr. Fiske died on the 10th of August, 1708, and the Rev. Joseph Marsh was
ordained as his successor on the 18th of the following May (1709). At this
time the town was divided for purposes of religious worship into two
precincts, the Records of the North Precinct--now Quincy--beginning on the
17th of January, 1708. It then contained, "by exact enumeration,"
seventy-two families, or close upon four hundred souls. The record now
proceeds in the handwriting of Mr. Marsh:--
"The first Church meeting after my settlement was in August 4, 1713,
in the meeting-house. It was occasioned by the notoriously scandalous
life of James Penniman, a member of the Church, though not in full
communion. The crimes charged upon him and proved were his
unchristian carriage towards his wife, and frequent excessive
drinking. He behaved himself very insolently before the church when
allowed to speak in vindication of himself, and was far from
discovering any signs of true repentance. He was unanimously voted
guilty and laid under solemn admonition by the Church."