that followed Him into this wilderness. Here the good people that came over, showed more love, zeal, and affectionate desire of communion with God in pure worship and ordinances, and did more in order to it, than others; and the Lord did more for them than any people in the world, in showing them the pattern of his house, and the true scriptural way of church government and administrations." To which Dr. Bacon adds:

"The primitive churches of New England are coeval with the country. Their history is the history of all that makes the heart of a New Englander beat with emotion. There are forms and constitutions of government, under which churches are so carefully guarded against error, that they are almost equally guarded against truth; but with us there are neither canons nor constitutions to prevent improvement and enterprise in active Christianity, or resist the reformation of prescriptive errors."

"The Gospel in its doctrines is a mighty leveller. Like its author it respects not the persons of princes. But to the monarch and the slave it addresses the same charges of guilt, and offers the same forgiveness, and the same hope of immortality. So far as it gains its appropriate influence over men, it makes them feel that they are all alike. Just so, in its institutions; it puts all men on a level, and carefully respects the rights of all. It leads every man to think for himself, and bids every man act for himself. It guards against priestcraft and spiritual domination, by the institution of churches with distinct, independent, and inalienable rights. It is distinguished from Presbyterianism by the principle that all church power resides in each particular church by the express or implied compact of its members. It may, like a Presbyterian church, have its ruling elders; but while that system makes the elders accountable, not to the church, but to some superior judicature, Congregationalism permits nothing to be done in the name of the church without the distinct consent of the brotherhood.

"While Presbyterianism regards synods and presbyteries as judicatories, having a right to decide all controversies judicially, and send down injunctions to the churches, Congregationalism must needs regard them only as meetings for intercourse and communion, as councils to advise and persuade in matters of common interest, and as means of keeping up a common feeling among neighboring churches and the distant members of the great union. It acknowledges no power over the churches, but the power of LIGHT AND LOVE."

Rev. Dr. Yaughan says, "Every Christian should be a member of the church of his preference, but he should still be a member of the church universal. He should not be indifferent to principle, hot he should be observant of charity. He should know how to unite with the love of his particular church, a proper affection towards all churches, and should give visible proof that the latter feeling exists along with the former."— Cong. 116.

SEE MEMORIAL, PAGE 110.

Rev. George Phillips is very favorably noticed in the Magnalia. He was born at Raymund, Norfolk, England, and took his degrees in 1613 and 1617. He was eminent as a scholar and divine. With Sir Richard Saltonstall and several others, he chose a place upon Charles River, which they called Watertown, and as their first work they observed a day of solemn fasting and prayer, on which day, 30th of July, 1630, about forty men organized themselves into a church and built a house of God before they could build many houses for themselves. Mr. Phillips continued his ministry there till his death in 1644, during which time he labored faithfully and with great success. He had an unusually intimate and thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. It is said, he read over the whole Bible six times every year. He was truly a man of God, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

A long list of men distinguishing the name of Phillips in our country, by their civil stations and munificent patronage of institutions of learning, benevolence, and religion, descends from this first pastor of Watertown.

Rev. Samuel Phillips, the eldest son of Rev. George Phillips, was settled in the ministry at Rowley in 1651. Rev. Samuel Phillips, grandson of Rev. Samuel Phillips of Rowley, was settled in the ministry at Andover in 1711. Hon. John Phillips, many years President of the Senate of Massachusetts, and the first mayor of the city of Boston, was grandson of Mr. John Phillips of Salem, who was grandson of Rev. Samuel Phillips of Rowley. Rev. Samuel Phillips of Andover, had five children. His eldest son, Hon. Samuel Phillips of Andover, and his brother, Hon. John Phillips of Exeter, N. H., founded the Academy at Andover, which bears their name, who declared that the first and principal object of the institution is the promotion of true piety and virtue.

Lieut. Gov. Samuel Phillips of Andover, was son of the above Hon. Samuel Phillips. He was from early life constantly engaged in various public and highly responsible offices, which he discharged in a manner highly creditable to himself, till 1801, when he was chosen Lieut. Governor. His conspicuous services, talents, and virtues, placed him very high in the popular affection and confidence.

John Phillips, second son of Rev. Samuel Phillips of Andover, was

settled in business at Exeter, N. H. He made liberal endowments to the Academy at Andover, to Dartmouth College, and to Phillips Academy at Exeter, which he founded.

William Phillips, third son of Rev. Samuel Phillips of Andover, was settled in business at Boston, and married Miss Abigail Broomfield, who was great-great-grandchild of Rev. John Wilson, the first minister in Boston. By this marriage, it is worthy of notice, the families of the Rev. George Phillips and the Rev. John Wilson, who came over from England together, and officiated as colleagues under a large tree in Charlestown, until the one removed to Watertown and the other to Boston, were conjoined by the wedlock of the great-greatgrandchild of each.

The late Hon. William Phillips was the second child of the above William Phillips. He was for many years in the State legislature, and was repeatedly an elector of the President of the United States. For several years he was Lieut. Governor of the Commonwealth, which office he filled with great credit to himself, and entire satisfaction to the community. In his natural disposition he was generous and affectionate. But the predominating feature and crowning attribute of his character was his piety and benevolence. He left behind him, as did his predecessors in the family, a precious memorial; and while his name stands prominent among the public benefactors of his age, it is also deeply engraven on the hearts, and will be embalmed in the memory of many a child of affliction, from whose eye the tear of sorrow has been wiped by his kindly charity. He was married to the daughter of the late Hon. Jonathan Mason. He had seven children, only two of whom are now living-the Hon. Jonathan Phillips of Boston, and Mrs. Dr. Ebenezer Burgess of Dedham. The Hon. Samuel H. Walley of Roxbury, is a grandson.

Such have been the descendants of the Rev. George Phillips, the first pastor of the church at Watertown, a remarkable fulfilment of the precious promises of God to the faithful. Says the author of the Retrospect of the Eighteenth Century, "the family of Phillips in Massachusetts and New Hampshire has been long distinguished for its wealth, and also for its love of religion and literature. A complete history of the munificence toward public institutions at different times by the members of this family, would probably furnish an amount of benefactions seldom equalled in this country." (See Rev. B. Winner's Sermon on the death of IIon. William Phillips.)

A. PAGE 99.

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH AND COVENANT OF 1629.

Judge Davis, in his edition, seems to have overlooked the fact, that the "Direction" of which Morton speaks, contained both a Confession of Faith and a Covenant. Hubbard, Mather, and Prince, have also spoken of a Confession of Faith as well as a Covenant. And this should not be omitted in a faithful history of the principles and proceedings of the Fathers.

In 1665, the First Church in Salem issued a new " Direction," which was occasioned by the action of the Synod of 1662, in regard to baptism, and the half-way Covenant.

From this it appears that there was a Confession of Faith, and a Covenant, 6th of August, 1G29.

Mr. Higginson and Mr. Skelton, and other good people that arrived at Salem in the year 1629, resolved, like their father Abraham, to begin their plantation with calling on the name of the Lord.

On their arrival at Salem, they consulted with their brethren at Plymouth what steps to take for the more exact acquaintance of themselves with, and conforming themselves to the word of God, in their church organization and polity. And the Plymoutheans, to their great satisfaction, laid before them the authority they had in the laws of their Lord Jesus Christ for every particular in their church order.

Whereupon, having the concurrence and countenance of their deputy governor, John Endicott, Esq., and the approving presence of the messengers from the church of Plymouth, they set apart the 6th day of August for fasting and prayer, for the settling of a church state among them, and for their making a Confession of their faith, and entering into an holy covenant, whereby that church state was formed. See Magnalia, 66.

n

A DIRECTION FOR A PUBLIC PROFESSION

In the Church Assembly after giving examination by the elders; which direction is taken out of the Scripture, and points unto that faith and covenant contained in the Scripture; being the same for