BACK

Page 43 of 1881
Congregational Church of Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Founded in 1724

 

 

Index to Pages

Title Page

Page 25

Page 27

Page 28

Page 42

Page 43

Page43Hopkinton

 


Nothing had been said at the outset about a form of church government, so the Scotch Presbyterians could conscientiously assent to the covenant and unite in Christian communion.  On April 9th, 1731, the church voted "to comply with the Platform of Church Discipline agreed to by the Synod of Churches assembled at Cambridge, 1649, as the rule of their discipline, so far as they apprehended it to be agreeable to the Word of God."  With this vote, the Congregational Church of Hopkinton gave great offense to the Presbyterians. About ten families withdrew from the communion of the church. They were brought under discipline and eventually several of them excommunicated. [Note those names with "ex." after their name. In 1734, they organized a Presbyterian church, built a small meeting-house about one and one-half miles west of the village, near what is known as the Ellery place. Subsequently, on the removal of many of these families to Blandford, this church organization was, by consent of Presbytery, transferred to that town, where it existed till 1800.

 

 

 

 

This site maintained by Rick Harper
Images copyright 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

All rights reserved