History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

free expenditure of money for a single clay's re-
ligious celebration no one would draw the conclu-
sion that money was scarce, or that the parisii and
town taxes were hard to meet. It sliould be remembered,
however, that in those days holidays
were not in every month in the calendar, and that
in these religious gatherings (few and far between)
were found the best opportunities for displaying the
natural love of the people for excitement and feast-
ing : for, while the elders were attending divine
service and its gastronomic perorations, the youth
were engaged in the " manly exercise " of square-
ball, quoits, and fisticuffs to so noisy a degree that
the " outsiders " gave tone and character to the day.
The dissensions between Mr. Fox and his col-
league increased with time, and it is reported they
did not recognize each other when in the same pul-
pit. The division between the pastors naturally led
to parties among the jjeople. Mr. Jackson, being
the younger man, gathered the larger number to his
standard. Difficulties now arose respecting their
salaries. Mr. Fox, being the unpopular invalid,
was indifferently provided for. He received notli-
ing iti 1731-32. Besides, his £80 salary, voted
to him on settlement, was now worth no more than
£40, owing to the depreciation of the currency!
Mr. Fox at length took legal measures to secure
his rights. He sued the town, not only for the sal-
ary unpaid, but for the difference between the cur-
rencies at the time of his settlement in 1702 and
the depreciated value of 1732. Judgment was
finally obtained in his favor. It was at this time
that the divorce took place between tiie parish and
the town. Heretofore every action in relation
to the settlement and support of tiie minister had
devolved upon the town equally with the church
or parish. This relation was now dissolved, and
parish and municipal affairs were conducted on
a separate basis. The salary problems coiniected
with the First Parish were not, liowever, wholly
solved. For several years they continued to exert
their troublesome and depressing influences. At
length the feuds and alienations led to the establishment
of a third parish in 174(5. Mr. Fox and
his friends first moved for a separation, and asked
to be set off as a distinct society, and relieved from
paying taxes for the support of Mr. Jackson. The
petition was denied, but a vote was passed " to build
a new meeting-house." This, it was believed, would
efTectually check the desire for a division ; but the
friends of Mr. Fox were not to be thus silenced.
They applied to the General Court for redress.
WOBURK 537
That body reported favorably upon their petition,
and gave permission for a new precinct, or third
parish, to be formed. The seceders numbered
about two fifths of the whole parish. Rev. Mr.
Fox being too old and feeble to take charge of the
new church, the Rev. Josiah Cotton was called to
be the pastor, and was installed July 15, 1747.
The Third Parish never had a meeting-house of its
own, but used for its place of worship a large room
in a then unfinished building on Main Street, not
far from opposite tlie present high-school house.
The First Parish did not forget its vote to build a
new meeting-house, but appointed a committee to
present plans and estimates. A division of opin-
ion was at once revealed as to its site. Many were
in favor of placing the new house on the level
ground west of Meeting-house Hill, where the
one then in use was situated, and that site was
finally selected. It was a part of the present Common,
near the soldiers' monument. The raising
of tiie meeting-ho\ise (the third built since the set-
tlement of the town) took jilace in December, 1748.
To support the impulses which led to the undertaking,
twenty gallons of rum, twenty-five pounds
of sugar, and two barrels of cider were provided
by the parish. Tiie house was completed in 1752,
but never dedicated.
Two years after this Rev. Mr. Jackson, the pas-
tor, died, at tlie age of fifty-five, and in tiie twentysixth
year of his ministry. His senior. Rev. Mr.
Fox, was still living at an advanced age, but blind,
and entirely incapacitated for labor. Tiie pastor-
ate of Mr. Jackson, however earnest and sincere
might have been liis efforts, was only partially suc-
cessful. The disaffection between himself and his
colleague must have produced great personal dis-
comfort, and the long struggle with the parish
for tlie maintenance of his rigiits was no doubt the
cause of much uneasiness and vexation. With tlie
friends who sustained iiim he was popular, and
highly esteemed as a graceful pul[)it orator and as
a man of good culture and capacity.
A successor to Rev. Mr. Jackson was soon
found in the per.son of Mr. Josiah Sherman. He
was ordained in 1756. Just at this time tlie death
of Rev. John Fox took place. He was ordained
in 1703, and consequently had been at the head of
the parish fifty-three years. His supporters being
now without a leader, and Rev. Mr. Sherman hav-
ing many attractive qualities both in the pulpit and
out, an effort was made to recall the Third Parish
back to a union with the First. An agreement