"In the spring of 1789 the reconciliation between Adams and Hancock, which had taken place socially in 1787, became of political significance, and their names were now brought forward together for the two leading offices of the commonwealth. Their long alienation had been the fountain of wide-reaching enmities among their friends; that is, among the influential men in Massachusetts. Taken in connection with other questions, it had helped to determine local politics in Boston, and only gave place to the more absorbing state issues raised by Shays's Rebellion, which, in turn, at the close of the insurrection, were soon merged in the grand question of a stronger federal government. This union of the two chiefs was therefore a matter of much public interest, the more so as the relative importance of their respective Revolutionary services had lately been the subject of a noted newspaper discussion." John Hancock was again elected to the governorship, which dignity he had held since 1780, with the exception

SAdamis

of two years, during which James Bowdoin was governor, and which he continued to hold until his death in 1793. Samuel Adams was chosen lieutenant-governor, in place of Benjamin Lincoln, who had succeeded Thomas Cushing the year before. "The public pleasure at seeing the two proscribed patriots and signers of the Declaration of Independence reconciled was testified in various ways, and the election tickets, some of which are still preserved, bear their names ingeniously printed in letters of gold. Perhaps, too, the omission of Adams from any participation in the national government, either by appointment or popular election, had some weight in the result." 1

upon. A rich neighbouring minister had a less salary than I, but was able to live independent of his people; and one year, in the course of paper money, he gave up his salary at a time when I was

struggling to have mine made good. It had an ill effect on my people." - Belknap Papers.]

1 Wells's Life, vol. iii. pp. 282, 283. The legislature attached a salary of

THE VICE-PRESIDENCY.

247

Upon the adoption of the Federal Constitution, only one name was thought of in connection with the presidency, but it was not so easy to agree upon a candidate for the vice-presidency. Why Samuel Adams was not placed on the ticket with George Washington has been well explained recently by an historical writer:

There would have been the most striking poetic justice in coupling with the name of Washington that of Samuel Adams, since these two men had been indisputably foremost in the work of achieving the independence of the United States. But for the hesitancy of Samuel Adams in indorsing the Federal Constitution, he would very likely have been our first vice-president and our second president. But the wave of federalism had now begun to sweep strongly over Massachusetts, carrying everything before it, and none but the most ardent Federalists had a chance to meet in the electoral college. Voices were raised in behalf of Samuel Adams. While we honor the American Fabius, it was said, let us not forget the American Cato. It was urged by some, with much truth, that but for his wise and cautious action in the Massachusetts convention the good ship Constitution would have been fatally wrecked upon the reefs of Shaysism. His course had not been that of an obstructionist, like that of his old friends, Henry and Lee and Gerry; but at the critical moment - one of the most critical in all that wonderful crisis - he had thrown his vast influence, with decisive effect, upon the right side. All this is plain enough to the historian of to-day. But in the political fervour of the election of 1789, the fact most clearly visible to men was that Samuel Adams had hesitated, and perhaps made things wait.1

On the 14th of June Samuel Adams became a member of the Old South. He brought the following letter of commendation:

At a meeting of the church of Christ in Brattle-Street, Boston, June 7 1789.

Our brother Samuel Adams who, in the year 1742, was admitted to full communion with this church but who, for many years past, has

about five hundred dollars to the office; and this sum, with the insignificant fees arising from his membership in the council, constituted the entire public income of Mr. Adams for some years.

1 [Fiske's Critical Period of American History, p. 347. In the vote of the electoral college in 1797, Mr. Adams stood fifth on the list, having been preceded by John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas

Pinckney, and Aaron Burr. Mr. Wells says: "The honor was unsolicited, and was probably due, if not to the direct influence of Jefferson, at least to that of some of the old Revolutionary friends of Adams in Virginia, who were of the Jefferson school of politics, then rapidly growing in power." The vote of Virginia was for Jefferson for president and Samuel Adams for vice-president.]

congregated and communed with the church in Summer Street, being desirous to enter into a more immediate connexion with the church under the pastoral care of the Revd. Mr. Joseph Eckley;

We do hereby recommend him to the charity and fellowship of the said church, as he hath always (so far as is known to us) conducted agreably to his covenant engagements.

Attest

Boston June 8 1789

PETER THACHER,

Pastor of the church in Brattle Street.

Mr. Adams graduated at Harvard College in 1740, and, May 2, 1742, joined the church in Brattle Street, of which Dr. Colman was then the minister. In 1749 he married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Checkley, pastor of the New South, whose ministry he attended for many years. There were considerations of convenience as well as family reasons for this, as his home prior to the Revolutionary War was in Purchase Street. We infer from Mr. Thacher's letter that he had been worshipping for some time at the Old South, when at length he was desirous to enter into a more immediate connection with it. In doing this, he was but returning to the religious home of his ancestors. His father was a member there from 1706 to 1715; his mother,2 Mary (Fifield), was baptized there in 1694, and became a member in 1711. Her mother,3 Mary (Thurston), was a member from 1690 until her death in 1713. Mary Thurston's father, Benjamin Thurston, and her grandfather, Robert Walker, were founders in 1669.4

In a sermon on the Religious Character of Samuel Adams, preached December 21, 1873, from the text, "Who through faith subdued kingdoms," Dr. Manning said:

:

turn of mind which was a prevailing trait throughout the life of the son."

3 Of Mrs. Fifield, Judge Sewall said at the time of her death (March 3, 171213): "She was a diligent, frugal, chaste woman."

"I dined yesterday in company with Lieutenant Governor A.; and he talked about 'personal and domestic rights,' as in his late public speech. The liberty of the press is so valuable in his view, that he had rather be abused in print than that liberty should be abridged. Security of person and property, and trial by jury, were also mentioned as neces⚫ sary to be considered."- Belknap to Hazard, June 14, 1789.

SAMUEL ADAMS JOINS THE OLD SOUTH.

249

If you turn to the list of members in our church, which has been kept from the beginning, you will there find, among the admissions for June 14, 1789, the name of Samuel Adams. It stands in small Roman letters, undistinguished by any mark from the names of two other persons admitted the same day.' Oh, what a beautiful witness to the equality which we all enjoy in the Church of Christ is that simple. name, standing without prefix or suffix, without note or comment, with no honorary title or hint of greatness, just as every other name should, and as most do, in the long succession! "One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren," says that record, — the record of a name which just now, more than any other in our national history, is spoken everywhere with reverence, and covered with glowing eulogy.2 Dear old church, ever true to the least as to the greatest of her children! May God teach us to love her more; and to seek membership in her, not for the sake of any personal advancement, but that she alone, together with Christ who is head over all things to her, may be exalted. . . . For some thirteen years, — till the Master called him to a higher worship, he was a devout worshipper in this church. His whole daily life, and all his writings, show that he was full of the sturdy faith, and spirit of devotion, which animated the first settlers of New England. No easy-going doctrinal standards could lay the basis of such a character as his, or impart the moral strength and nerve which he brought to his mighty task in life. . .

...

He lived before the day of Sabbath schools; but his eminently social spirit, and interest in the young, indicate that he would have been one of the foremost in that blessed work, had the opportunity been offered him. His own children, and all the members of his household, were gathered about him regularly, on the Lord's day, to recite the Assembly's Catechism, and to be instructed out of the Word of God. He observed family worship twice each day, as constantly as the morning and evening returned. No pressure of public business was permitted to interfere with this duty. Oftentimes there were guests in his house, not sympathizing with him in his religious views; yet their presence made no difference. They were compelled to breathe the heavenly atmosphere of his house; and to hear the blessing invoked, and the thanks returned, before and after each meal. In the sanctuary his seat was never vacant, no matter who the preacher might be, or what the state of the weather. He came to church to worship God. He always walked with his family, both to and from the plain Sweetser and Nehemiah of the privateer Arctic, of John Manly's

1 [John Somes. They were already active members of the society. Captain Somes married Elizabeth, daughter of the Hon. Thomas Dawes, deacon, but she had died prior to this, in 1787. He was a prominent merchant, and part owner, in 1779,

fleet.]

2 [A statue of Samuel Adams had just been contributed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the National Gallery of Statuary in the Capitol in Washington.]

meeting-house, disdaining any distinctions, such as were in that day common to men of his high standing before the world. He was a singer; and sat with the choir, often selecting the tune, and leading in that part of public worship. I think it should give dignity to this service of song, in our eyes, and that those of us who conduct it should feel its importance and solemnity, when we remember that Samuel Adams, the greatest of American patriots, was at one time the devout leader of our choir.

There were sixteen admissions to the church in 1789, which was a larger number than in any year since 1756, when there were forty-four, and larger than in any year afterward until 1811, when there were twenty. Dr. Wisner says that the congregation was not large during this period. The times were not favorable to church growth and activity. Most of the admissions were on confession of faith, and many of the new members were baptized children of the church.

Lords Day 21 June 1789

A letter was communicated to the brethren from the Church in Concord in the State of New Hampshire, requesting the presence and assistance of the Old South Church by its Pastor and other Delegates, at the Installation of the Rev: Israel Evans on the 1st day of July

next.

The Pastor and Deacons, his Honor Lieut: Governor Samuel Adams, Mr. John Sweetser, Mr. Samuel Whitwell, and Capt. Nehemiah Somes, were chosen to attend on the occasion.

JOSEPH ECKLEY.

Mr. Evans was a native of Pennsylvania, and graduated at Princeton in 1772, in the same class with Mr. Eckley. His father and grandfather were settled ministers in this country, and his great-grandfather was a minister in Wales. He was ordained in Philadelphia in 1776 as chaplain in the American army. From 1777 till the close of the war he was chaplain in the New Hampshire brigade, and by means of this connection he was introduced to the church in Concord. His classmate,

1 "Only fifteen Congregational

churches were planted in Massachusetts during the last decade of the eighteenth century, a smaller number than in any like period for the previous ninety years." - Clark's Hist. Sketch, p. 224.

2 Sprague's Annals, vol. ii. p. 138. Mr. Hazard wrote to Dr. Belknap, March 10, 1780: "I have lately received a letter from the Rev. Mr. Tennent of

Greenfield, in Conn. an extract from which will probably be pleasing to you, as it will in some measure gratify your curiosity respecting the Western Expedition. He writes: 'Our good friend, Mr. Evans, has been with us several days. He read us his Journal of the Expedition to the Westward, which is highly entertaining. The difficulties of their march were many and great....