Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1SS6. 24o
We have chosen to give this narrative as much as possible b}" ciuo-
tation, since so man}^ bitter things were said then and at a later day,
and so many unpleasant personalities indulged in, that it is no easy
task to generalize the facts inoffensively. The bitter feeling engen-
dered by this extraordinary case lasted during the lives of many of
the participants, and, indeed, to a much later date. P^ven Dwight's
"• Life of Jonathan Edwards " gives proof of the surviving prejudice,
as is shown by his use of a dash in one or more instances when speak-
ing of Mr. Breck. And even during the preparation of this History
a college professor and doctor of divinity has cautioned the writer
against going too deeply into this ancient feud.
The Springfield church had succeeded in pledging foui' ministers
from Boston to assist at the ordination. They were Messrs. Cooper,
Welstead, Gee, and Mather ; and William Williams at once wrote a
letter to Cooper protesting against their appearing at the ordination.
The interference of the Boston brethren was more exasperating even
than the obduracy of the Springfield church itself. The eastern
ministers asked Williams to call the Hampshire association together
on the Ttli of October, when they themselves would arrive, and a pre-
liminary conference could be held, the ordination day being the 8th.
AVilliams declined to issue the call, after having fiu'ther unsatisfactory
correspondence upon the matter.
On the day previous to the ordination a letter from William Will-
iams, the moderator of the Hampshire association, was presented to
Kev. William Cooper, the moderator of the ordination council, pro-
testing again against the proceedings of the council, upon the ground
that but those of good repute and sound doctrine should be called to
the ministry ;
that Mr. Breck had charged falsehood upon an orthodox
minister ; that the council morally share Breck's sins by supporting
the Springfield church ; that the dissatisfied party had reason to ask
for an investigation before the ordination council was called ;
that INIr.
Breck should not have been allowed to select the members of the
council ; that for a candidate to refer to the neighboring ministers as