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102-684: The Old South Meeting House is a historic Congregational church building located at the corner of Milk and Washington Streets in the Downtown Crossing area of Boston, Massachusetts , built in 1729. It gained fame as the organizing point for the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773. Five thousand or more colonists gathered at the Meeting House, the largest building in Boston at the time. The meeting house or church

204-512: A gathered church of believers (i.e., only those who were thought to be among the elect and could give an account of a conversion experience were admitted as members). Every congregation was founded upon a church covenant , a written agreement signed by all members in which they agreed to uphold congregational principles, to be guided by sola scriptura in their decision making, and to submit to church discipline. The right of each congregation to elect its own officers and manage its own affairs

306-661: A synod of ministers and lay representatives to meet in Cambridge to craft such a statement. The Cambridge Platform was completed by the synod in 1648 and commended by the General Court as an accurate description of Congregational practice after the churches were given time to study the document, provide feedback, and finally, ratify it. While the Platform was legally nonbinding and intended only to be descriptive, it soon became regarded by ministers and laypeople alike as

408-653: A General Convention for that state in 1796. The University of Vermont and Middlebury College were founded by Congregationalists. Congregational churches had been present in eastern New York prior to the Revolution, but expansion into the central and western parts of that state took place in the 1790s as emigration increased from Massachusetts and Connecticut. As New Englanders settled in the Old Northwest , they brought Congregationalism with them. The First Congregational Church of Marietta, Ohio , gathered in 1796,

510-695: A modification of the Westminster Confession of Faith , was adopted as a Congregationalist confessional statement in Massachusetts in 1680 and Connecticut in 1708. In 1684, Massachusetts' colonial charter was revoked. It was merged with the other Bible Commonwealths along with New York and New Jersey into the Dominion of New England . Edmund Andros , an Anglican , was appointed royal governor and demanded that Anglicans be allowed to worship freely in Boston. The Dominion collapsed after

612-478: A period of time afterwards, Washington Street extended westward from Dudley Square to the border with Brookline . Part of this extension (from present-day Columbus Avenue to the Brookline border) was renamed Tremont Street on July 2, 1860. Then the remaining part from Dudley Square was renamed Roxbury Street on June 16, 1874—and at the same time, Washington Street was extended southwestward from Dudley Square along

714-501: A supply of educated ministers, Harvard University was founded in 1636. In the aftermath of the Antinomian Controversy (1636–1638), ministers realized the need for greater communication between churches and standardization of preaching. As a consequence, nonbinding ministerial conferences to discuss theological questions and address conflicts became more frequent in the following years. A more substantial innovation

816-583: A unique Pilgrim manuscript hidden in Old South's tower. After the British evacuated Boston, the plan for rebuilding the interior of the church was drawn by Thomas Dawes . Old South Meeting House was almost destroyed in the Great Boston Fire of 1872 . As the fire approached the historic structure, Boston firefighting crews, understanding the importance of the building to the history of Boston and

918-594: Is a street originating in downtown Boston , Massachusetts , which extends southwestward to the Massachusetts – Rhode Island state line. The majority of its length outside of the city was built as the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike in the early 19th century. It is the longest street in Boston and remains one of the longest streets in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Due to various municipal annexations with

1020-488: Is closed to most vehicular traffic (and continues to be one-way northbound for authorized traffic only). South of Temple Place, Washington is, once again, one-way northbound, becoming two-way at Stuart Street and Kneeland Street. From Marginal Road, south to Herald Street, the bridge over the Massachusetts Turnpike and the adjacent Amtrak / Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) commuter rail tracks,

1122-662: Is the oldest Congregational church in the region. In 1798, the Connecticut General Association created the Connecticut Missionary Society to provide for the religious needs of the new settlements. Between 1798 and 1818, the society sent 148 ministers to the frontier settlements of northern New England, Pennsylvania, and the Old Northwest. Initially, the society recruited settled pastors to undertake four-month tours in

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1224-542: The 40 route, bus substituted December 18, 1955) and from Dudley to Northampton Street (by the 47 route, bustituted September 13, 1953, and the 10 route, bus substituted December 5, 1953). The Washington Street Elevated , later part of the Orange Line , opened from south of downtown Boston to Dudley on June 10, 1901, and south to Forest Hills November 22, 1909. The Washington Street Tunnel downtown opened November 30, 1908. The Elevated closed on April 30, 1987, with

1326-902: The American Education Society in 1815 (which provided financial aid for seminary students), the American Bible Society in 1816, the American Colonization Society in 1817, and the American Temperance Society in 1826. Some of these were joint projects with Presbyterians. Following the example of the churches in Connecticut and Vermont, Congregationalists in other parts of the Northeast formed statewide associations. The Massachusetts General Association

1428-454: The Amtrak / MBTA Commuter Rail tracks, and then south at South Street, which becomes Washington Street again. Southbound traffic must use short sections of South Street and Poplar Street at Roslindale Square. South of there, near the border between Roslindale and West Roxbury , Washington Street crosses West Roxbury Parkway and acquires a median strip . This median lasts until just before

1530-473: The Boston Tea Party . In October 1775, led by Lt Col Samuel Birch of the 17th Dragoons, the British occupied the Meeting House due to its association with the Revolutionary cause. They gutted the building, filled it with dirt, and then used the interior to practice horse riding. They destroyed much of the interior and stole various items, including William Bradford 's Of Plymouth Plantation (1620),

1632-497: The Boston-Providence Turnpike , which carries US Route 1 (and was never actually a turnpike , a toll road). This road merges into the old path of Washington Street south of the railroad. From there to Rhode Island , except through North Attleborough center (which it bypasses using East Washington Street as opposed to North and South Washington Streets), US Route 1 stays with Washington, as it passes through

1734-635: The Cambridge Platform (1648) and the Savoy Declaration (1658), Congregationalist confessions of faith . The Congregationalist Churches are a continuity of the theological tradition upheld by the Puritans . Their genesis was through the work of Congregationalist divines Robert Browne , Henry Barrowe , and John Greenwood . Congregational churches have had an important impact on the religious, political, and cultural history of

1836-655: The Charlestown Bridge , was renamed North Washington Street on March 1, 1901. The name of the bridge itself was changed to North Washington Street on February 10, 1910. The first state highway in Boston was the part of Washington Street from Dedham to West Roxbury Parkway (at Lagrange Street). It was taken over by the Massachusetts Department of Public Works in 1908. The short piece in West Roxbury Parkway, to just north of

1938-626: The Connecticut Colony in 1636 and New Haven Colony in 1637. Eventually, there were 33 Congregational churches in New England. According to historian James F. Cooper Jr., Congregationalism helped imbue the political culture of Massachusetts with several important concepts: "adherence to fundamental or 'higher' laws, strict limitations upon all human authority, free consent, local self-government, and, especially, extensive lay participation." However, congregational polity also meant

2040-554: The Dedham city line, where the road continues as an undivided road. Washington Street continues southwestward, through the center of Dedham, the outskirts of Westwood , the centers of Norwood , and East Walpole and South Walpole . At the Walpole – Foxborough line, it no longer crosses the railroad tracks (the old Mansfield and Framingham Railroad ), and traffic must detour via Water Street and North Street. North Street connects to

2142-603: The Glorious Revolution of 1688–89, and a new charter was granted in 1691. However, the power of the Congregational churches remained diminished. The governor continued to be appointed by the Crown , and voting rights were now based on wealth rather than church membership. In the 18th century, Congregational ministers began forming clerical associations for fellowship and consultation. The first association

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2244-814: The Patriots and American independence. This was largely because ministers chose to stand with their congregations who felt the British government was becoming tyrannical. Ministers were also motivated by fear that the British would appoint Anglican bishops for the American colonies. This had been proposed as a practical measure; American bishops could ordain Anglican priests in the colonies without requiring candidates for ordination to travel to England. Congregationalists, however, remembered how their Puritan ancestors were oppressed by bishops in England and had no desire to see

2346-709: The Roman Catholic Church . As part of their reforms, Puritans desired to replace the Church of England's episcopal polity (rule by bishops ) with another form of church government. Some English Puritans favored presbyterian polity (rule by assemblies of presbyters ), as was utilized by the Church of Scotland , but those who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized their churches according to congregational polity (rule by members of

2448-609: The "Black Regiment" or "Black-Robed Regiment" by the British. By 1776, there were 668 Congregational churches—21 percent of all churches in America. Congregationalism had been a tradition largely confined to New England, but Congregationalists would migrate westward as the new United States expanded. Vermont was the first of these new territories to be opened up. The first church was established in 1762, but there were 74 Congregational churches in Vermont by 1800. Those churches organized

2550-565: The American Revolution when the building was termed a mouth-house , this National Historic Landmark has long served as a platform for the free expression of ideas. Today, the Old South Meeting House is open daily as a museum and continues to provide a place for people to meet, discuss and act on important issues of the day. The stories of the men and women who are part of Old South's vital heritage reveal why

2652-545: The Awakening, with Old Lights opposing it and New Lights supporting it. A notable example of revival radicalism was James Davenport , a Congregational minister who preached to large crowds throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. Davenport denounced ministers who opposed him as being "unconverted" and "leading their people blindfold to hell." In March 1743, he held a book burning of the works of Increase Mather, William Beveridge , John Flavel , and others. Concerns over

2754-583: The Bible, attended church, and raised their children as Christians. Nevertheless, they were barred from receiving the Lord's Supper, voting, or holding office in the church. In the 1660s, the Half-Way Covenant was proposed, which would allow the grandchildren of church members to be baptized as long as their parents accepted their congregation's covenant and lived Christian lives. Some churches maintained

2856-741: The Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Tetons, Blackfeet, and Winnebagos. As a plaintiff in Worcester v. Georgia , American Board missionary Samuel Worcester fought to prevent the forced relocation of the Cherokees , and the United States Supreme Court ruled in his favor. When President Andrew Jackson refused to enforce the decision, the Cherokee were sent to Oklahoma, and American Board missionaries followed them there. Washington Street (Boston) Washington Street

2958-596: The Edwardsean school of thought, became known, sought to answer Arminian objections to Calvinism and to provide a theological basis for the revivalism that had been unleashed by the Great Awakening. The New Divinity would remain the dominant theological orientation within the Congregational churches into the 19th century. During the American Revolution , most Congregational ministers sided with

3060-539: The Great Awakening, for example, was " Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God ", delivered by Edwards at Enfield, Connecticut , in July 1741. Many in the congregation were affected by Edwards's sermon, with minister Stephen Williams reporting "amazing shrieks and cries" caused by the heightened religious excitement. By 1742, the revival had entered a more radical and disruptive phase. Lay people became more active participants in

3162-821: The Massachusetts General Association to support the creation of a foreign missionary society. The Connecticut General Association was invited to participate as well and hosted the first meeting of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions . Through the American Board, Congregational churches supported missionaries in India, Ceylon, South Africa, Turkey, and the Hawaiian Islands. The American Board also established missions among Native American tribes, including

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3264-477: The Massachusetts ministerial associations met in Boston in September 1705. They proposed a plan with two major features. The first was that associations examine and license ministerial candidates, investigate charges of ministerial misconduct, and annually elect delegates to a colony-wide general association. The second feature was the creation of "standing councils" of ministers and lay representatives to supervise

3366-630: The Meeting House. By 1910, preservation work was transferred to the Old South Association through aid from the Mary Hemenway Foundation. The Old South congregation returns to Old South Meeting House for services in its ancestral home once a year, on the Sunday before Thanksgiving . Old South Meeting House has been an important gathering place for nearly three centuries. Renowned for the protest meetings held here before

3468-598: The Moderates preached on practical topics and emphasized preparing for conversion through the use of the means of grace (preaching, catechizing , prayer) and pastoral care . Ezra Stiles was a notable Old Calvinist. In the two decades after the First Great Awakening, the tone of Congregational thought was set by New Light theologian Jonathan Edwards and his followers, the most notable being Joseph Bellamy and Samuel Hopkins . The New Divinity , as

3570-709: The Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike to Rhode Island . The only location where Washington Street deviated from the path of the turnpike was south of downtown Dedham , bypassing what is now School Street and Court Street. In Boston, Washington Street was extended northward along a new road to Haymarket Square on November 6, 1872. (This extension would later be overtaken by the redevelopment of Haymarket Square and Scollay Square , which became Government Center .) Charlestown Street, which began in Haymarket Square (where Washington Street ended) and continued northward to

3672-543: The Old South Meeting House occupies an enduring place in the history of the United States. The museum and historic site is located at the intersection of Washington and Milk Streets and can be visited for a nominal sum. It is located near the State Street , Downtown Crossing and Park Street MBTA (subway) stations. The Old South Meeting House is claimed to be the second oldest establishment existent in

3774-526: The State of Religion in New England , which attacked the enthusiasm and extravagant behaviors of revival meetings. Other Congregationalists met at Boston in 1743 under the leadership of Benjamin Colman of Brattle Street Church and Thomas Prince of Old South Church . They issued a resolution supporting the revival as the work of God and downplaying the impact of "irregularities" that had occurred. Nevertheless,

3876-650: The United Church of Christ founded two alternative denominations: the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches and the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference . The Congregational tradition was brought to America in the 1620s and 1630s by the Puritans —a Calvinistic group within the Church of England that desired to purify it of any remaining teachings and practices of

3978-642: The United States Congregationalism in the United States consists of Protestant churches in the Reformed tradition that have a congregational form of church government and trace their origins mainly to Puritan settlers of colonial New England . Congregational churches in other parts of the world are often related to these in the United States due to American missionary activities. These principles are enshrined in

4080-543: The United States. Congregational practices concerning church governance influenced the early development of democratic institutions in New England. Many of the nation's oldest educational institutions, such as Harvard University , Bowdoin College and Yale University , were founded to train Congregational clergy. Congregational churches and ministers influenced the First and Second Great Awakenings and were early promoters of

4182-681: The United States. It is currently under consideration for local landmark status by the Boston Landmarks Commission . In 2020 the former caretaker of Old South Meeting House (the Old South Association in Boston) merged with the Bostonian Society , forming Revolutionary Spaces, which now manages both Old South Meeting House and the Old State House . Notes Further reading Congregationalism in

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4284-657: The West Roxbury and Roslindale Street Railway continued southwest from Forest Hills via Dedham to Norwood . The Norfolk Southern Street Railway left Norfolk on the road to Walpole center, but used Washington Street from Common Street in Walpole to South Walpole . Except for the older section through North Attleborough center, used by the Interstate Consolidated Street Railway, none of the rest had streetcar tracks, due to its avoidance of populated areas. In 1925, yet another map still shows streetcar tracks on Washington Street within Boston, ending downtown at Essex Street. By 1953 they were only in use from Forest Hills to Egleston (by

4386-443: The Younger , William Brattle (pastor of First Parish in Cambridge ), Thomas Brattle , and Ebenezer Pemberton (pastor of Old South Church ) proposed a number of changes in Congregational practice. These changes included abandoning the consideration of conversion narratives in granting church membership and allowing all baptized members of a community (whether full members or not) to vote in elections for ministers. They also supported

4488-445: The absence of any centralized church authority. The result was that at times the first generation of Congregationalists struggled to agree on common beliefs and practices. To help achieve unity, Puritan clergy would often meet in conferences to discuss issues arising within the churches and to offer advice. Congregationalists also looked to the ministers of the First Church in Boston to set examples for other churches to follow. One of

4590-406: The atmosphere toward revival had changed by 1744 when Whitefield returned to New England. The faculties of Harvard and Yale issued statements critical of his methods, and ministerial associations throughout the region spoke against allowing him to preach in their churches. While most New Lights stayed within the established Congregational churches, there were still those in New England who embraced

4692-442: The baptism of all children presented by any Christian sponsor and the liturgical use of the Lord's Prayer . These changes were strongly opposed by Increase Mather , president of Harvard. The result was that Thomas Brattle and his associates built a new church in Boston in 1698. They invited Benjamin Colman, then in England, to become the pastor. Coleman was ordained by Presbyterians in England before leaving for America because it

4794-414: The border of Rhode Island and beyond to downtown Pawtucket . The turnpike was constructed as an entirely new road, except for a part through North Attleborough (which is the only part bypassed today by US 1 ). The southern half of the turnpike, which had some steep grades and bypassed towns where travelers wanted to stop, saw little use and remained a dirt road until the construction of US 1. The part of

4896-450: The bustling commercial area near OSMH. The congregation built a new church building (the "New" Old South Church in the Back Bay, at Copley Square ), which remains its home to this day. In 1877, a group of twenty women, including the philanthropist Mary Hemenway (who used $ 100,000 of her own funds) and Mary Tyler (allegedly the inspiration for the poem " Mary Had a Little Lamb "), raised money and helped pass legislation to preserve and save

4998-535: The churches within a geographical area and to act as counterparts to the ministerial associations. The decisions of these councils were to be "final and decisive" but could be referred to a neighboring standing council for further review. If a church refused to adhere to a council's ruling, the neighboring churches would withdraw communion from the offending church. In Massachusetts, the proposals encountered much opposition as they were viewed as being inconsistent with congregational polity. The creation of standing councils

5100-400: The city of Boston, the name Washington Street now exists six or more times within the jurisdiction(s) of the City of Boston. The street's great age in the city of Boston has given rise to a phenomenon whereby intersecting streets have different names on either side of Washington Street. Until 1803 and the commencement of large-scale infilling of Boston Harbor and Back Bay , the town lay at

5202-455: The division over the Half-Way Covenant was part of a larger loss of confidence experienced by Puritans in the latter half of the 17th century. In the 1660s and 1670s, Puritans began noting signs of moral decline in New England, and ministers began preaching jeremiads calling people to account for their sins. The most popular jeremiad, Michael Wigglesworth 's " The Day of Doom ", became the first bestseller in America. The Savoy Declaration ,

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5304-435: The earthquake of October 29, 1727. In 1735, Jonathan Edwards led his First Church congregation of Northampton, Massachusetts , through a religious revival. His Narrative of Surprising Conversions , describing the conversion experiences that occurred in the revival, was widely read throughout New England and raised hopes among Congregationalists of a general revival of religion. These hopes were seemingly fulfilled with

5406-409: The end of a peninsula less than a hundred feet wide at its narrowest point. This was the waist of the strip of land known as Boston Neck . Originally a single street traversed the Neck, joining peninsular Boston to the mainland. This was termed Orange or South-End Street. The route served as the first leg of the Boston Post Road to New York City . Starting in 1631 the narrowest waist of that isthmus

5508-448: The end of the 18th century, Congregationalists were divided between liberal, Old Calvinist, and New Divinity factions. Under the influence of Enlightenment thought, liberals rejected the Calvinism of their Puritan heritage, particularly the doctrines of total depravity , unconditional election, and double predestination . These taught that sinners were deserving of damnation while helpless to achieve salvation. Liberals believed this

5610-467: The ideology of its leaders, the society's literature heavily favored the writings of Jonathan Edwards and the New Divinity. Its most widely circulated publication was the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine , which provided coverage of revivals and missions around the world and which was read as far south as Georgia. In 1799, the Massachusetts Missionary Society was established under the leadership of Nathanael Emmons . Like its Connecticut counterpart, it

5712-472: The limitation of voting rights to full church members threatened to appeal to the English Parliament , raising fears that the English government might intervene to change the churches' restrictive membership policies. It was also thought necessary to combat the threat of Presbyterianism at home. Conflict erupted in the churches at Newbury and Hingham when their pastors began introducing presbyterian governance. The Massachusetts General Court called for

5814-446: The line on Washington Street to Forest Hills began electric operation, again using Shawmut Avenue north of Dudley Square. On November 28, 1891, the downtown Washington Street tracks were electrified, with the five Warren Street, Hampden Street, and Blue Hill Avenue routes rerouted to Washington Street. This relieved congestion on the Tremont Street tracks and allowed increases in service. A later, 1899 map , shows that tracks owned by

5916-408: The local church). The first Congregational church organized in America was First Parish Church in Plymouth , which was established in 1620 by Separatist Puritans known as Pilgrims . The first Congregational church organized in the Massachusetts Bay Colony was First Church in Salem , established in 1629. By 1640, 18 churches had been organized in Massachusetts. In addition, Puritans established

6018-400: The local pastor; violation of the law would result in the loss of a minister's state-provided salary. In 1743, the annual Massachusetts Ministerial Convention condemned "the disorderly tumults and indecent behaviors" that occurred in many revival meetings. Charles Chauncy of Boston's First Church became the leader of the revival's opponents with the publication of his Seasonable Thoughts on

6120-488: The middle of the 17th century, most churches did not have lay elders, and deacons assisted the minister in leading the church. Congregations also elected messengers to represent them in synods (church councils) for the purpose of offering non-binding advisory opinions. The Puritans created a society in which Congregationalism was the state church , its ministers were supported by taxpayers, and only full church members could vote in elections. To ensure that Massachusetts had

6222-441: The missionary movement of the 19th century. The Congregational tradition has shaped both mainline and evangelical Protestantism in the United States. In the 20th century, the Congregational tradition in America fragmented into three different denominations . The largest of these is the United Church of Christ , which resulted from a 1957 merger with the Evangelical and Reformed Church . Congregationalists who chose not to join

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6324-417: The most prominent of these ministers was John Cotton , considered by historians to be the "father of New England Congregationalism", who through his preaching, helped to standardize Congregational practices. Because of these efforts, agreement on baptism , church discipline , and the election of church officers were largely achieved by 1635. The colonists developed a system in which each community organized

6426-423: The name "Washington Street" was given to the section of this road running from the border with Roxbury (then a separate town) to the fortification near the present-day East Berkeley Street MBTA station. This was done in honor of George Washington , who rode the Post Road into Boston during his tour of New England in October of that year. The name "Washington Street" was extended on July 6, 1824 to include

6528-401: The nation, staged a massive effort to protect it. Aided by the arrival of fire companies from across New England, the firefighters took heroic measures to extinguish the flames after a twelve-hour battle, saving Old South and stopping the fire before it reached other historic buildings and residential neighborhoods. As the city rebuilt, the congregation sought out a quieter neighborhood, away from

6630-524: The new settlements. When this approach proved unworkable, the society shed its opposition to itinerant ministry and began ordaining young men to serve as full-time evangelists. These operated similarly to the Methodist circuit riders , "moving from town to town, preaching revival sermons, catechizing youth, administering the sacraments, and distributing religious literature." The society distributed tracts , hymnals, sermon collections, and theological treatises for use in religious worship and education. Reflecting

6732-474: The opposite end of the theological spectrum were the Old Calvinists, who continued to adhere to Reformed covenant theology and the doctrines contained in the Westminster Standards . The Old Calvinists included both Old Lights, New Lights, and Moderate Calvinists within their ranks. Moderate Calvinists avoided preaching on the doctrines of election and reprobation in response to attacks on Calvinism from Enlightenment philosophers. To make Calvinism less offensive,

6834-440: The opposition of Mather and other conservatives, however, the church gained recognition, and in time it became indistinguishable from other Congregational churches. By the 1730s, Colman was the leading evangelical pastor in Boston. Ultimately, the formation of Brattle Street Church spurred Congregationalists to modify their polity and strengthen the role of associations in order to promote greater uniformity. Representatives from

6936-430: The original standard into the 1700s. Other churches went beyond the Half-Way Covenant, opening baptism to all infants whether or not their parents or grandparents had been baptized. Other churches, citing the belief that baptism and the Lord's Supper were "converting ordinances" capable of helping the unconverted achieve salvation, allowed the unconverted to receive the Lord's Supper as well. The decline of conversions and

7038-430: The outskirts of Foxborough (past Gillette Stadium ), Wrentham and Plainville , and then through South Attleboro . Washington Street currently has the following route numbers: When the first numbered highways in Massachusetts, the New England Interstate Highways , were assigned in 1922, NE 1 used Washington Street through North Attleborough center and from Norwood center to Arborway in Boston. By 1927, US 1 (as

7140-462: The radical wing of the Awakening–with its trances, visions and shouting. When radical revivalists could not control their local churches, they separated from the state churches and formed new congregations. These Separate or Strict Congregationalists were often poor. They rejected the necessity of an educated ministry, ministerial associations (which had tried to control the revival), and the Half-Way Covenant. Prone to schisms and forced to pay taxes for

7242-404: The religious constitution of Massachusetts, guaranteeing the rights of church officers and members. Missionary efforts among the Native Americans began in the 1640s. John Eliot started missionary work among the natives in 1646 and later published the Eliot Indian Bible , a Massachusett language translation. The Mayhew family began their work among the natives of Martha's Vineyard around

7344-638: The revival led the Connecticut General Assembly to call a synod in 1741, which was the last Congregational synod convened under state authority. This "General Consociation" consisted of both lay and clerical representatives from all of the consociations in the colony. It ruled that itinerant ministers should preach in no parish except with the permission of the local pastor. In May 1742, the General Assembly passed legislation requiring ministers to receive permission to preach from

7446-737: The road is also one-way northbound, with a southbound contra-flowing bus lane for the Silver-Line bus. At Dudley Square in Roxbury , Washington Street is southbound-only for several blocks, between Warren Street and Dudley Street. Northbound traffic bypasses this section to the east using those two streets. Just after passing under the Arborway in Jamaica Plain , Washington Street becomes Hyde Park Avenue, and traffic staying on Washington Street must turn west on Ukraine Way to cross over

7548-610: The road through the parkway, was taken over in 1921; the next state highway in Boston was the Southern Artery in 1926. In 1802, Fisher Ames and a group of others requested that the Great and General Court lay out a new turnpike between the Norfolk County Courthouse and Pawtucket. They agreed (over the no vote of Dedham's representative, Ebenezer Fisher ) and the road was charted on March 8, 1802. It

7650-459: The road was now known) split in Dedham center onto Court Street, using Ames Street and Bridge Street into Boston, where it used Spring Street and Centre Street to reach Arborway. Soon after 1933, the new road ( Boston-Providence Turnpike and Brook Farm Parkway) from Roslindale to Foxborough was finished, and it was around this time that the rest of the current alignment to Rhode Island was finished — using Washington Street from Foxborough to

7752-559: The roads leading north to Dock Square . This consolidated and replaced other names that had been in use along this path since 1706: Nine months later the name "Washington Street" was extended again. On May 9, 1825 the roads connecting Boston's town line to present-day Roxbury Street in Dudley Square were consolidated into Washington Street. This includes some of the oldest streets in Roxbury, some having been laid out in 1662. For

7854-400: The same system in America. Ministers preached patriotic sermons on Sundays and during militia musters. Jonathan Mayhew, for example, preached an early revolutionary sermon on The Danger of Unlimited Submission . Many went to war as chaplains , and some actually bore arms in times of extreme danger. Because of their overwhelming support for independence, Congregational ministers were called

7956-533: The same time as Eliot. These missionary efforts suffered serious setbacks as a result of King Philip's War . By 1696, New England had over 130 white churches and 30 Native American towns with Native American preachers. In the years after the Antinomian Controversy, Congregationalists struggled with the problem of decreasing conversions among second-generation settlers. These unconverted adults had been baptized as infants, and most of them studied

8058-401: The services by crying out, exhorting, or having visions . Uneducated men and women began to preach without formal training, and some itinerant preachers were active in parishes without the approval of the local pastor. Enthusiasts even claimed that many of the clergies were unconverted themselves and thus unqualified to be ministers. Congregationalists split into Old Lights and New Lights over

8160-476: The start of the Great Awakening , which was initiated by the preaching of George Whitefield , an Anglican priest who had preached revivalistic sermons to large audiences in England. He arrived in Boston in September 1740, preaching first at Brattle Street Church, and then visited other parts of New England. Though he was only in New England for a few weeks, the revival spread to every part of the region in

8262-561: The state churches, Separate Congregationalists did not survive long. The more traditional ones returned to the established Congregational churches, while the most radical embraced adult baptism and became Baptists . Shubal Stearns , a Separate Congregationalist missionary to the South , became the founding father of the Separate Baptists . The Great Awakening further aggravated theological divisions that had already existed. By

8364-449: The state line, except through North Attleborough center. The old road became Route 1A north from North Attleborough center and through South Attleboro , ending at the rotary just north of Dedham center. For several years in between, the new road was only built south of Dedham, and US 1 once again used Washington Street from Dedham into West Roxbury , where it cut north to Centre Street via West Roxbury Parkway. Between 1949 and 1961, 1A

8466-506: The time as "low and unemotional." To spiritually awaken their congregations and rescue the original Puritan mission of creating a godly society, Congregational ministers promoted revivalism , the attempt to bring spiritual renewal to an entire community. The first two decades of the 18th century saw local revivals occur that resulted in large numbers of converts. These revivals sometimes resulted from natural disasters that were interpreted as divine judgment. For example, revival followed after

8568-590: The turnpike within the Roxbury limits was laid out as a public road in June 1857 and named Shawmut Avenue, as an extension of the existing Shawmut Avenue from Boston. The adjacent part of the turnpike within West Roxbury was named Shawmut Avenue as well on February 3, 1858. Washington Street begins at State and Court Streets as a one-way thoroughfare (for northbound traffic only). Through Downtown Crossing , from Milk Street south to Temple Place, Washington Street

8670-531: The two years following his brief tour. Whitefield was followed by the itinerant preacher and Presbyterian minister Gilbert Tennent and dozens of other itinerants. Initially, the Awakening's strongest supporters came from Congregational ministers, who had already been working to foster revivals in their parishes . Itinerants and local pastors worked together to produce and nourish revivals, and often local pastors would cooperate together to lead revivals in neighboring parishes. The most famous sermon preached during

8772-529: The way to and over the Charlestown Bridge . As the West End Street Railway electrified its lines in the late 19th century, Tremont Street was the first north-south arterial in downtown Boston to run electric streetcars. As the lines on Warren Street (December 28, 1889 ), Blue Hill Avenue (January 18, 1890 ), and Hampden Street (May 10, 1890 ) were electrified, they initially used Shawmut Avenue to reach Tremont Street. On September 2, 1890,

8874-480: Was a cleansing purgatory , not an eternal punishment. Many liberals rejected the doctrine of the Trinity in favor of an Arian Christology that preserved the unity of God. For this reason, their opponents disparagingly called them Unitarians , even though they called themselves liberal Christians or Arminians. Alongside Chauncy, Jonathan Mayhew of Boston's West Church was another prominent liberal minister. At

8976-493: Was also a physician and is known for publishing the first medical tract in Massachusetts. After the Boston Massacre in 1770, yearly anniversary meetings were held at the church until 1775, featuring speakers such as John Hancock and Dr. Joseph Warren . In 1773, 5,000 people met in the Meeting House to debate British taxation and, after the meeting, a group raided three tea ships anchored nearby in what became known as

9078-460: Was approved by the General Assembly, and associations and consociations were formed in every county. The General Association of Connecticut was formed as a colony-wide organization of ministers and met for the first time in May 1709. The Saybrook Platform was legally recognized until 1784 and continued to govern the majority of Connecticut churches until the middle of the 19th century. Yale University

9180-464: Was assumed that the conservative churches of Boston would have opposed his ordination in New England. After arriving in November 1699, his manner of ordination was controversial given that it had not been done by the congregation he was to serve, as was Congregational practice. Brattle Street Church was organized on December 12, 1699, but without the support of the other churches in the colony. Despite

9282-468: Was completed in 1729, with its 56 m (183 ft) steeple. The congregation was gathered in 1669 when it broke off from First Church of Boston , a Congregational church founded by John Winthrop in 1630. The site was a gift of Mrs. Norton, widow of John Norton , pastor of the First Church in Boston . The church's first pastor was Rev. Thomas Thacher , a native of Salisbury , England. Thacher

9384-525: Was cut to make the town more defensible. To this end fortifications south of Boston were built to control the Post Road, both on the mainland and just beyond the man-made canal cutting through Boston Neck at what is now Back Bay (see map at right). These fortifications were gradually improved over the years, and considerably expanded by the British as the movement for colonial independence moved from widespread discontent to frank military revolution. In 1789

9486-615: Was dominated by Edwardseans and published its own periodical, the Massachusetts Missionary Magazine . The New Hampshire Missionary Society was organized in 1801, and the Vermont General Convention organized its own missionary society in 1807. Besides those dedicated to missions, Congregationalists created voluntary societies for encouraging education, Bible reading, and moral reform. Some of these became national organizations, such as

9588-407: Was established by the Congregational clergy of Connecticut in 1701. By 1740, there were 423 Congregational churches in colonial America—33.7 percent of all churches. Nevertheless, at the start of the 18th century, many believed that New England had become a morally degenerate society more focused on worldly gain than religious piety. Church historian Williston Walker described New England piety of

9690-515: Was finished in 1806 at a cost of $ 225,000, or $ 6,440 a mile. It was the best and fastest highway in America at the time, allowing for mail to be delivered between Boston and Providence in under three hours. It served as a straighter alternative to two roads between Boston and Providence : the Lower Boston Post Road (via Norwood and Foxborough ), and the road via Walpole and Wrentham . The turnpike ran from Dudley Square to

9792-766: Was founded in 1803 by the Old Calvinists and Edwardseans of that state. In 1808, the churches in Rhode Island organized the Evangelical Consociation of Rhode Island. The New Hampshire General Association was established in 1809. The General Conference of Maine was founded sometime in the 1820s, and the New York General Association was formed in 1834. In 1810, a group of students at Andover Theological Seminary , led by Samuel John Mills and Adoniram Judson , convinced

9894-625: Was never acted on, but Massachusetts associations did adopt a system of ministerial licensure. While largely rejected in Massachusetts, the proposals of 1705 received a more favorable reception in Connecticut. In September 1708, a synod met at the request of the Connecticut General Assembly to write a new platform of church government. The Saybrook Platform called for the creation of standing councils called consociations in every county and tasked associations with providing ministerial consultation and licensure. The platform

9996-551: Was the Cambridge Association , formed in 1690 for ministers in and around Boston. It met in Cambridge on the grounds of Harvard. Its purpose was to "debate any matter referring to ourselves" and "to hear and consider any cases that shall be proposed unto us, from churches or private persons". By 1692, two other associations had been formed, and the number had increased to five by 1705. In the 1690s, John Leverett

10098-600: Was the implementation of the "third way of communion", a method of isolating a dissident or heretical church from neighboring churches. Members of an offending church would be unable to worship or receive the Lord's Supper in other churches. In the 1640s, Congregationalists were under pressure to craft a formal statement of congregational church government. This was partly motivated by the need to reassure English Puritans (who favored presbyterian polity) about congregational government. In 1645, residents of Massachusetts who resented

10200-750: Was truncated to end at US 1 via Elm Street south of Dedham center, probably to keep traffic out of Dedham center. US 1 was removed from that alignment in 1989, but 1A still ends at the old route. As a main road, Washington Street has had its share of streetcar and later bus routes. It also had the Washington Street Elevated from south of downtown to Dudley Square and later Forest Hills . An 1871 map shows horsecar tracks from Boylston Street south to Dudley Street. An 1874 map extends them south from Dudley to just north of Forest Hills , and north to Dock Square . By 1888, tracks also used Washington north to Haymarket Square , and by 1897 all

10302-414: Was unfair and adopted an Arminian theology that gave individuals a role in their own salvation. Liberal Arminians did not teach that good works could earn salvation, but they did teach that a person who strove for regeneration by virtuous living and the performance of good works could expect to receive eternal life. Liberals such as Charles Chauncy embraced universal salvation and believed that hell

10404-423: Was upheld. The major offices were elder (or presbyter) and deacon . Teaching elders or ministers were responsible for preaching and administering the sacraments . In some churches, prominent laymen would be elected for life as ruling elders to govern the church alongside teaching elders (lay elders could preach but not administer sacraments). In the beginning, deacons largely handled financial matters. By

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