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    con-rowley

                      234

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    Men are not Elected till after they believe, according to

                           Chap

    that Scripture in Eph. 1. about ye 11. and 12. verses, and it

                            ^

      passed in the affirmative –––

     

    Nov. 6. 1748. the Church was Stayed after Meeting and

    by a vote expressed their Acceptance of Eben Hiddens

    Acknowledgment and took off the Censure laid on him and

    restored him to Communion With the Church ––––

     

    In answer to a Petition of Sundry of the Members of this

    Church dated Nov. 16. 1748. The Church met and voted

    That by what passed in the Church Oct. 5. 1748, the

    Church did not intend to declare either that they were

    So Satisfied With the State of the Church Society at New-

    bury where Mr Jonathan Parson preaches as to advise

    and encourage any of the Members of this Church to

    partake of the Lords Supper there; or that they were

    So dissatisfied with the State of Sd church Society as to

    think it their Duty to forbid any of their Members occa

    sionally to partake of the Lords Supper there,[15] and the

    Matter of Church Members partaking of the Lords Supper

    in the aforesd Society being with many Christian People as

    We apprehend doubtful and disputable, this Church does

    judge it best, untill things appear more clear to leave the

    Case of one or another partaking of the Lords Supper

    in Sd Society to God and to the Consciences of particular

    members. –  

     

      April. 2. 1749. John Tenney was dismissed to the

         Second Church in Rowley.

     

    [15] The church in Newburyport for which Parsons was pastor was Presbyterian, and this seems to have been the source of the uncertainty of Rowley folk partaking of the Lord’s Supper there––not to mention that Parsons was an avid advocate of revivalism.