'At a meeting of the overseers, 10 February, 1774, Dr. Eliot presented the following vote of the corporation :

""At a meeting of the corporation, 7 February, 1774, Dr. Winthrop having declined accepting the office of president, the corporation proceeded to bring in their written votes for a president, and it appeared, that the Rev. Dr. Cooper of Boston was chosen."

'The question being put, the said election was approved. Before the meeting was dissolved, a letter was sent from Dr. C. in which he wholly excused himself from engaging in the duties of the station, to which he had been invited.'

He published sermons:

On the artillery election day, 1751;

Before the Society for encouraging Industry, 1753;
At the general election, 1756;

On the reduction of Quebec, 1759;

At the ordination of the Rev. Joseph Jackson, 1760;

On the death of George II. 1761;

At the Dudleian lecture in Harvard College, 1775;

On the commencement of the new constitution of Massachusetts,
October 25, 1780.

They are all compositions of very uncommon force and finish. The sermon on the commencement of the new constitution, may, perhaps, be reckoned the best, and the Dudleian lecture the most indifferent. In all of them, I remember but one or two expressions, which a minister of the class now called liberal might not have written. These occur in a compendious sketch of the Christian system, in the excellent discourse at the ordination of Mr. Jackson, and they are so general, that I know not whether they should be named as an exception. The peculiarities of orthodoxy are avoided where the subject seems to lead to them, and the only doxology, which I have observed to be used, is that, 1 Tim. i. 17, of which Unitarians are now left in almost unparticipated possession. His religious sentiments,' it,is said in the obituary notice above quoted, and catholick, being drawn from the gospel of Christ. In them he was eve steady, and, though a friend to the rights of conscience, and a free inquiry, he yet wished to avoid, in his common discourses, those nice and needless distinctions, which had too often proved detrimental to Christian love and

union.'

were rational

Rev. William Cooper was twice married; to Judith Sewall, and Mary Foye, daughter of the town treasurer. Of his latter marriage, there was a posthumous child; a daughter, named Mary. She married Dr. Samue Gardner of Milton, and had four children; a son, John, who married a

daughter of the late Treasurer Jackson; and three daughters, one of whom is the wife of John Amory, Esq. By his first marriage, William Cooper had three sons; Thomas, who died young; William, and Samuel; and one daughter, Judith. She married Dr. John Seaver, and William Rand of Kingston, and left a daughter, Lucy, and a son, William. Some of her descendants are now living in that place. Rev. William Cooper's son William was town clerk of Boston. He died December, 1809, at the age of eighty-eight. A son of his is living at Machias, Maine. Samuel Cooper married Judith, a sister of the late Dr. Bulfinch. He had two children, Judith and Abigail. The former married Col. Gabriel Johonnot, and died in Boston, leaving one son, Samuel Cooper, who died in Martinique, leaving four children, of whom I learn nothing. The latter, Mrs. Hixon, is now living, a widow, in Concord.

The following, in Dr. Cooper's hand-writing, is on a loose leaf on the files of the Church:

Oct. 8, 1753. The Church and congregation met, according to adjournment; and the report of the committee, Mr. Dan. Greenleaf moderator, Mr. Lovell, &c. chosen the last meeting to consider if it might be proper to change the version of Psalms we now sing for some other, was read. The report as follows ;- -but inasmuch as there were but few brethren present, it was voted to defer the consideration of this report to the next meeting, on the first Monday in November; and the brethren present were desired to inform those that were absent of the committee's report; and to confer together upon this stead.

'Nov. 4, Lord's day. I notified the brethren of the Church and congregation of their meeting the next day, according to adjournment; mentioned the affair of the Psalms; and pressed a general attendance upon an affair so important, and that so much concerned every stated worshipper among us.

'Nov. 5. The report of the committee for the Psalms was read, and accepted. It was then motioned, that we did now determine what version to sing; and voted accordingly by a great majority.

"The pastor was then desired to give his opinion. He proposed the version of Tate and Brady, with an addition of Hymns from Dr. Watts and others, to be collected by a committee, which the Church should ap point for that purpose. The brethren, by a written vote, agreed to this. There were present 64 voters. For Tate and Brady's, with an Appendix, 51; for Dr. Watts's Psalms, 5; 8 did not vote.

The brethren then chose the pastor, with a committee of eight, to prepare the Appendix, viz. Col. Wendell, Mr. D. Greenleaf, Mr. Hancock, Mr. Lovell, Johnson, Bowdoin, Deacon Parker, Wm. Cooper.'

With the exception of five baptisms in 1772, and one without a date, but recorded immediately after those by Dr. Colman, as having been ad

ministered about this time,' all the information, which Dr. Cooper has left on the records of the Church, is comprised in less than twenty lines. It relates to the dedication of the new meeting-house, to the reception of a letter from the church of Bolton, and to Deacon Storer's resignation of his office. When Dr. Thacher succeeded, he made out such a record of marriages and baptisms as he was able from Dr. Cooper's interleaved almanacks. Of some years, however, (as 1751, 1764, and the years from 1778 to his death,) no record of either remains. The recorded administrations of baptism by Dr. Cooper, during his sole ministry, amount to 918.

In 1777, by the will of Lydia Hancock, the Society came into possession of the house and land in Court Street, since occupied by their ministers. The condition of the gift, which has of late been considerably canvassed, is as follows: 'that the minister, or eldest minister of said Church, shall constantly reside and dwell in said house during such time as he is minister of said Church; and in case the same is not improved for this use only, I then declare this bequest to be void and of no force, and order, that said house and land then revert to my estate, and I give the same to my said nephew, John Hancock, Esq. and to his heirs forever.' Mrs. Hancock also gave to the Church £100, the income to be annually appropriated to the relief of the poor. and generous bequests, with great respect and gratitude to the memory of that excellent woman, Madam Lydia Hancock, who was for many years a member of the Church in Brattle Street, an ornament to the Christian profession, and an amiable pattern of piety and virtue.'

The Society voted to receive these pious, charitable,

A separate record of the proceedings of the standing committee has been kept since Aug. 27, 1763, and of the proceedings of the Society since Feb. 16, 1755. At the latter date, the necessary authority having been just given by law, a committee was chosen for the purpose of assessing a tax upon the pews. The standing committee of that year were empowered to use their discretion in making a demand of the taxes on the pews belonging to families gone to decay;' and 'desired to make inquiry after a deed, from Mr. Dassett to this Society, of the privilege of Dassett's Lane, and, when found, (if said deed gives power,) to set up a post with a lock in said lane.'

The committee 'to manage the temporal affairs of the Church and congregation' generally consisted of seven, eight, or nine persons, (most commonly eight,) besides the treasurer. In 1763, they voted to meet regularly five times in each year.

In 1755, Dr. Cooper's allowance was a provision of rent and fuel, with £2. 8s. a week, (lawful money, I suppose,) and 13s. 4d. a week, 'to procure help.' This was raised at different times (in addition to occasional grants) to £5, lawful money, a week, or an equivalent; which equivalent amounted, in 1780, to £360 a week in continental paper.

December 3, 1781, it was voted, that the deacons advise with the Rev. Dr. Cooper upon the number of Hymns annexed to Tate and Brady's Psalms, which may be occasionally used by the Society in Brattle Street in publick worship.'

Among the proceedings of the Society, after the death of Dr. Cooper, was the appointment of a committee, of which the late Gov. Sullivan and Judge Lowell were members, to select a volume from his sermons for the press. They were not, however, found in a condition to admit of it. At the funeral, Rev. President Willard, (who made the prayer,) and Rev. Messrs. Howard, Eliot, Eckley, Clark and Wight, of Boston, supported the pall,

as has

(26.) p. 18. THE old church was never painted, within or without, The tower and bell were on the west side, and a door on the south, opposite to the pulpit. The window frames were of iron. Upon the pulpit stood an hour-glass, which is described as having been a foot high, and enclosed in a case, which was either brass or gilt. This was among the articles, which, in the sale of the old house, were 'reserved for the use of the Society; but I do not find, that it was used after the new house was occupied. The old pulpit, bible and bell, were given to Gov. Hancock, on the condition of replacing them with new ones in the new house. Beneath the pulpit were two seats for deacons, which, it seems, were afterwards thrown into one, as, in the record of such an alteration at the New Brick church, it is said to have been made been lately done at the Old North, and at Mr. Cooper's.' Before it were rows of free seats. The pews were square, and ornamented with the small railing upon the top, which is still seen in many of our churches. The highest number in a list of pews on the floor is 99. In 1766, it was voted, 'that two new pews shall be made in the meeting-house, on the floor, in the room of the two back long seats.' There were two galleries, each of them, probably, fitted with pews, as, in 1723, it was recommended to the committee to fill with persons proper the vacant pews in the galleries; that the negroes be directed to leave the back seats of the lower, and go into those of the upper gallery.' Some place seems to have been appropriated to children, as, at the same time, the committee were desired to dismiss Roger from looking after the boys, and provide some fitter person.'

(27.) p. 18. THE building of churches was a less simple operation in those times than the present. This was engaged in as a very serious enterprize. At a meeting of the standing committee at Mr. Bowdoin's, Feb. 6, 1772, John Hancock, Esq. having put in a letter generously offering to contribute largely towards a new meeting-house,' the committee voted to call a meeting of the Society to consider the subject. At this meeting it was unanimously voted to take measures for the erection of a new house

of worship, and committees were appointed to procure subscriptions, and estimates of the cost. Subscriptions to the amount of £3200 having been received within a week, a building committee of twelve was appointed. The committee were " of opinion, that the land belonging to the Society would not be sufficient to build a commodious house.' Gov. Bowdoin accordingly offered to give the Society his lot at the corner of Howard Street and Pemberton's Hill; but the matter being referred to them, it appeared, that there was a considerable majority for building on the old spot in Brattle Street,' and the offer was respectfully declined. On the last day of meeting in the old house, a contribution was taken, that those who had not subscribed might have an opportunity of giving towards the new building, if they see cause.' The old house was taken down, and the ground cleared, between May 14 and 18. Mr. Copely and Major Dawes presented plans for the new building. The former was rejected on account of the expense. The latter was adopted. June 23, the corner stone was laid by Major Thomas Dawes, the architect, ‘in the foundation at the south-west corner of the house, having this inscription;

'June 23d,

1772.

S. COOPER, D. D.
Minister.

6

"The day after laying the corner stone, some of the committee, taking into consideration what was proper to be done with a stone taken out of the south-east corner of the foundation of the original building, having the inscription BENJAMIN WALKER thereon, ordered the figures 1699 to be added thereto, being the year that the first meeting-house in Brattle Street was founded, and then the stone was laid in the foundation of the south-east corner of the new house.' The name of the HON. JOHN HANCOCK, ESQ. was inscribed on one of the rustick quoins [of Connecticut stone] at the south-west corner of the new building.'

While the house was erecting, the building committee had their office in the south-east chamber of the house in Brattle Square, then occupied by Mrs. Turell, and now by Deacon Simpkins. By the autumn, they had exhausted their funds, and were largely in debt. A subscription for pews was accordingly opened, each subscriber advancing not less than £30. The house cost £8000. The most valuable pews were appraised at £50. When it was occupied, several remained unsold, and there was still a debt of £750 to the mechanicks, which was not paid off till the ministry of Dr. Thacher. Major Dawes did one half of the masons' work; and William Homer, Benjamin Richardson, and David Bell, the other. One half of the carpenters'