In Church News
First Parish, Brewster, MA
RECORDS OF THE FIRST PARISH IN BREWSTER, FORMERLY THE FIRST PARISH IN HARWICH,
MASS. (Excerpts)
Kenelm Winslows Wife admited to full comunion Sept . 27 . 1730.
Kenelm Winslows Isaac & Thomas Winslows Bethia baptized on Feb: 24 . 1730.
Thomas Winslow admited on Jan: 26 . 1731/2.
July 9, 1732 Benjamin Hopkins's Wife having fallen more then once into ye sin of
excessivive drinking, made confession of it, and expressed her repentance for it
publickly; wherupon the chh voted her readmission to comunion in Speciall ordinances, on
condition of a good conversation for one quarter of a year from this Date of July 9 .
1732 .
Stephen Hopkins jun: and his Wife ....... made a publick acknowledgment, with expressions
of repentance, and were again received into ye armes of ye Chhs charity on March 12 .
1732/2.
Benjamin Hopkins's Wife having fallen more then once into ye sin of excessivive drinking,
made confession of it, and expressed her repentance for it publickly; wherupon the chh
voted her readmission to comunion in Speciall ordinances, on condition of a good
conversation for one quarter of a year from this Date of July 9 . 1732 .
Aug: 26 . 1733.At ye above date Mercy Smith, having fallen again even a third time in to
ye Scandolus Sin of excessive drinking, She made her publick Confession before ye
congregation; and was so farr accepted into ye charity of ye chh as to prevent a formall
admonition, yet to be Suspended till ye Pastor and chh, shall think it proper to receive
her again to full comunion.
Benjamin Hopkinss Wife, having been proved guilty of the Scandalus Sin of drunkenness was
admonished before ye Congregation on Sep: 23 . 1733
Benjamin Hopkinss Wife having made a publick confession of her sin of excessive drinking
strong drink, and manifested repentance for it, was readmited to ye comunion of ye chh, on
condition of her gospell-becoming conversation till ye Spring on Nov: 24 . 1734.
Joseph Snow and his Wife ...... both made their publick confession of their Sin; which was
accepted by ye Chh, which was done on June . 3 . 1739.
Seth Winslows Wife admited to full comunion July 6 . 1740. She with her Son Nathll
baptized on July 13 . 1740.
1740: Respecting our Brother K. Winslow, Evidences having been laid before the Chh, ye he
had made certain Proposalls before a number [p. 88] of persons; and after some time denyed
ye ever he had made any such proposalls; on ye Evidences laid before ym and pondered by ym
as to both his proposing, and after that denying, they voted ye according to their
judgments, on ye Evidences laid before them, he had denyed the truth and to appearance the
known truth, and that with a purpose to deceive.
The Chh also having had Evidences laid before ym yt he had publickly said that he had
proved Ensign Clark a lyer by twelve men; the Chh voted that by ye Evidences laid before
them he was proved guilty of ye Sensurable Sin of Reviling, according to wt we [p. 89]
read in I Cor: 6 . 10 . compared with I Cor: 5, 11. Consequent on these votes concured by
ye Pastor, on Nov: 2 . 1740 . K. Winslow was publickly laid under Admonition for the above
mentioned Scandalus Sin.
On May 18 . 1740. Thomas Winslow, who had charged Deacon Foster, w under oath to
have given in at ye Court a false testimony, which charge of his was also publick, he made
before ye Chh, a publick acknowledgment of his sin, expressing repentance for it, and was
therupon restored to ye charity and Comunion of ye Chh again.
Seth Winslows Thankfull baptized—Dec: 13 . 1741.
Kanelm Winslow having been notified by Deacon Foster on ye preceeding Sabbath to attend to
his sentence of Excomunication, was accordingly cast out of ye Chh on Aug: 26 . 1742 .
having been Suspended above a year before.
Ensign Thomas Winslows Zenas baptized Nov . 1 . 1742.
0ct 1754 Voted by ye Chh yt as things appear at present our Sister Sarah Robbins about ye
last of May was guilty of ye Sin of Drunkenness & in Consideration thereof ye She be
debarred from Communtion in ye Special ordinances of ye Gospel for a Season, — yt we
will privately use Means for her Conviction, & are ready to hear with Candour any
thing which She may offer in her own Vindication within Six weeks from this Time
Lieutenant Thomas Winslows Josiah, baptized privatly, being sick on Oct: 8 . 1744.
Capt: Samuel Bangs, having in holy time marked Severall black fish on ye flats for
his profit, publickly confesed his Sin, with expressions of repentance for it, &
theron had ye Chhs voice for his reception into their arms of charity again on Apr: 14 .
1745.
Seth Winslows Thankfull, & Joseph Snows Mary, & Silvanus Hopkins's Desire all
baptized, June 2 . 1745.
To Mr George Weeks Sir we have Considered your Paper dated July 1, 1748 .
& accept of ye Satisfaction wch you therein offer for your former absenting from ye
ordinance of ye Lord's Supper we have also heared a letter from yourself dated May ye 4 .
1749 . directed in Pt to us in wch if we mistake not you intimate a desire of knowg on wt
acct any of us have been disaffected
to your partaking with us in this ordinance; In answer unto wch we Say yt we
know nothing wch as we think at present [p. 124] ought to debar you from this Priviledge
& therefore shall not attempt to do it as things are at present.
However we think proper to observe to you, yt your keeping a
woman of ill fame in your House, your frequent travailing with her from Place to Place,
& treatg her & her illegitimate Child with much Tenderness are things wch we fear
are not
of good report, especially when these things have Occasioned much Uneasiness in ye Minds
of Some; & therefore as you regard your own Credit, & ye Honour of ye Christian
name, & especially ye Honour of ye Chh of wch you are a member, yea as you would keep
out of ye way of Temptation we earnestly intreat yt you would dismiss yt woman from your
House, & avoid her Conversation as much as is Convenient or at least inform us of ye
Reasons wch prevent you from doing thus if you think proper. We remain your Brethren in ye
Faith & fellowsip of ye Gospel.
May 24 . 1749 . at a Meeting of ye first Chh in Harwich Voted yt ye above written Message
be Comunicated to Broth. Weeks as soon as may be, provided ye Revd Mr Stone our Senior
Pastor Consents to ye Same.
May ye. 25. The Revd Mr Stone manifested his Consent by Signing ye Coppy wch was sent.
Abegirl weekes daughter to george and deborah weekes was born August 29 day 1715
mehitable weeks daughter to george and deborah weeks was Born in April 21 day 1717
Deborah weeks daughter to george and Deborah weeks was Born in July 26 day 1718
Ammiel weeks son to george and Deborah weeks was Born in April the 10 day 1720
Hannah weeks Daughter to george and Deborah weeks was Born in September the 20 day 1721
Elezabeth Weeks Daughter to george and Deborah weeks was Born in September the 16 day 1724
a son was Born to george weeks and deborah weeks his wife one the 24 day of January 1725/6
and he died about tweenty hours after he was born befor he was named
Debroah Weeks wife to george Weeks died in february the 9 day 1725/6
1766 June 29. Received to full Comunion Joseph Nye & Mary his Wife, after they had
made a public Acknowledgment of ye Sin of .... & asked Forgiveness. Baptized Hannah
Daughtr of Thos Mayo & Mary Daughter of Elisha Crosbey
(Editor's note: These are excerpts, extensions of which appear in Mayflower
Descendant volumes, various)
