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    con-rowley

    122           187              1680

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    octob 18 Mr Burroughs came himself & returnd his answer that he thankfully took notice

    of ye church love, in yr call, but another place had bin before us & he was preengaged to ym

                                                                  a

    octob 24 Sab. ye church stayed to consider in calling another & greed to give an invita

    tion to Mr Pason[113] at Roxbury & chose Br Tod to be ye messenger to him & The

    letter to him as followeth

     

    Much Respected Sr

    Hearty love & respect premised: As by these you may These are to certify

                    Xst

    your self That as as ye hand of ym has cast hath gratiously exacted us to pray to ye

    lord of ye harvest that he would thrust forth labourers into his harvest

    soe we have in our porr measure bin waighting upon god in prayer upon

    fast days as well as other times that he would direct us in ys waighty affair; accord

    =ingly the Church of Xst heer at Rowley in a full Church meeting did acced to give

    your self an invitation to help in ye work of ye ministry in ys place in order to

    settlmt with us and taking office in due time upon mutuall agreemt, wch

    thing we[114] humbly desire that you would please to take or motion into your serious

    Consideration & to return an answer as soon as you conveniently can, & farther

    know (worthy Sr) that for my part I fully goe along with ye Church, in ys yr

    motion to your self; It is true ye Church of Christ at Topsfeild (with whom ye

    Revernd Mr Hubbard[115] & my self were lately in a day of fasting & prayer to seek

                                           at [-----]

    ye lords guidance of ym in ye like affare [---] your self with 2 or 3 more were

    mentioned to ym by Mr Hubbard but [not?] by me, as to your self and by ye vote

    noe particular man was named but only yt ye messengers should inquire of

    The Revend Mr Eliott[116] & other ministers who might be most sutable for ym

    But your self were commended to us long before your were named to ym & we

    have[117] alsoe taken some pains to inquire concerning your self wherby we have

    gaind[118] such satisfaction as we have bin incouraged to adress our selves to

    [illeg.] se, & may more fully understand by or Beloved Br Mr John

    Tod, The Churches messenger to you, The good lord direct you & us in ys waigh

    ty affare of his kingdome as may make most for ye honor of his great name &

    good of soules In wch desire I know you will ioyne with

    Rowely 25 Octob                                 Yor loving Brother in Xst Jesus

           1680.                                       Sam: Phillips

                                      with ye consent of the Church of Xst at Rowly

     

    Mr Pason did come & stayd with us a month and then went home to take further time for

    advise & consideration as to his coming to us for settlmt, In ye beginning of feb 80 I wrote to him

    to [illeg.] confirmation of or desires to him & or thankfullness for his good labours amongst us &

    to [illeg.] his coming to us as soon as might be: he made ys return as followeth

     

    [. . .][119]

     

    [113] Edward Payson, native of Roxbury, H.C. 1677.

    [114] Conjectural reading where MS is waterstained.

    [115] William Hubbard, pastor of Ipswich, 1642-1704.

    [116] John Eliot, pastor of Roxbury, 1631-90, and missionary at Natick and other praying towns starting in 1650.

    [117] Conjectural reading.

    [118] Conjectural reading.

    [119] The remainder of the page, thirteen lines, is so badly damaged and waterstained as to be indecipherable.