BAL

Among the curious mss. in the cabinet of the Historical Society, are a number of Latin odes or poems in different kinds of verse, by Thomas Bailey, all dated, 1668, at Lindsay.

BALCH WILLIAM. minister of the second church in Bradford, was born at Beverly, 1704. He possessed strong powers of mind. Few of our New England divines have surpassed him in clearness of percep tion, comprehension of understanding or soundness of judgment. The simplicity of his manners was peculiar, and he had a softness and benevolence in his disposition, which he discovered on occasions where most men would have been irritated. He was graduated at Harvard College, 1724, ordained, 1728, and died, 1792.

The first years of his ministry were spent in peace and harmony with his people and the neighbouring churches. At length a spirit of disorganization prevailed in many places, especially in the towns near the river Merrimack. Nine members of Mr. Balch's church declared themselves dissatisfied with the preaching of their minister, and made a formal complaint to the brethren. The church thought the complaint unreasonable; and refused to act upon it. Hence the aggrieved party applied to a neighbouring church to admonish their pastor and brethren, according to the direction of the platform, by the third way of communion.* The church voted to call a council of the neighbouring churches, and the result was signed by the moderator, the vene, rable John Barnard, minister of the first church in Andover, blaming the conduct of those who com plained, and approving the doings of the church. Mr. Balch published the whole proceedings in a quarto pamphlet, containing the letters that passed between him and the first church in Gloucester, and the transactions of both churches, till the dispute was settled. This was printed 1744. Two years af

* Chap. 15.

ter the parochial difference, Messrs. Wigglesworth of Ipswich, and Chipman of Beverly, made a serious attack upon their brother Balch for propagating Arminian tenets, and wrote an able defence of the doctrines of Calvin, which were generally the sentiments of the New England planters. It seems the former controversy began in 1744, by a declaration of the aggrieved brethren, that "their pastor propagated doctrines, not agreeing with the confession of faith of these Congregational churches ;" and also that the church" neglected the proper means of convicting said pastor of his errors." The gentleman who wrote against him in 1746, had been assisting those who had complained; and they were not satisfied with the result of the council. Their work, however, had no other effect than to draw from Mr. B. a most able reply in which he manifested a temper that, with all his meekness, could feel rebuke. There is much keen satire mingled with sensible remark and solid argument.

The separatists in Bradford, after this, built a meeting house for themselves, and the disaffected members of other churches. Mr. B. lived to a good old age. His own flock esteemed and loved him, and when he was advanced in years settled a colleague. He lived retired and was fond of husbandry; and the fruit of his orchard was said to be the best in the county of Essex. He was fond of the company of young men of talents, and had fine colloquial powers, especially in discussing theological subjects. Being very desirous to read every thing new upon ethicks, and metaphysicks, he made many enquiries which discovered freedom of thought, and proved the energy of his mind did not fail him in those years when "our strength is labour and

sorrow."*

His publications are-a Discourse upon self righteousness in which he declares what are false confiaences. from the parable of the pharisee and publican, 1742-Election sermon, 1749-His account of the proceedings of the council and his reply to Messrs. W. and C. make two pamphlets of more than fifty pages.

BARNARD JOHN, minister of the first church in Marblehead, was graduated at Harvard College, 1700, and ordained, 1716. He was appointed chaplain of the army sent in 1707 to reduce Port Royal, now Annapolis, and left a particular account of the expedition in mss. Afterwards he went to England with capt. Wentworth, the gentleman, who, in 1717, was appointed lieut. gov. of New Hampshire. He was in habits of intimacy, during his residence in London, with many eminent ministers; and a curions spectator of those busy scenes, which were opened by the trial of Dr. Sacheverel, in the latter part of queen Anne's reign. When he arrived in Boston he expected to have been fixed in a church then building in North street; but Dr. Mather's influence in favour of another young man prevented this connexion. This he always felt as a cruel disappointment. He was a member of the old North Church, and the new society proceeded from it; he looked up to Dr. Increase Mather as his father; he was therefore wounded by his nearest friends.

Another kind of prejudice prevented his settling at Roxbury, and which shows how unpopular the character of Dudley was in the neighbourhood where he dwelt. He paid some particular attentions to Mr. Barnard, which is the reason given why the people would not have him for their minister. The inhabitants of Marblehead not having any political bias, nor any personal prejudice, gave him the pre. ference of several candidates who were preaching upon probation, according to the New England phrase, which perhaps is peculiar to our churches. He was a burning and shining light for many years, and his praise was in all the churches. His own

people reverenced him as their father and friend, and he seemed like a high priest among the clergy of the land. He walked erect in his 88th year, retaining the vigour of his imagination and tone of voice, as one sensible of the importance of his cha

racter.

He spake with energy upon every subject

as though he would impress the rising generation that grey hairs were the mark of wisdom, not of weakness. Such instances are rare, where ministers increase their influence in old age; but those who now recollect Mr. B. often mention the dignity of his appearance, and the great respect shown him by all classes of people. His bodily constitution was so strong that, except once, he never was confined by sickness, till the year of his death, 1770, etat. 89. He left no children, and his estate was given for pious and charitable uses.

In a certain mss. with the college catalogue, against his name is Harvardini Collegii benef. munificus.

In his diary, certain improvements in the police of the town are said to have arisen from his advice and exertions. He first gave a spring to that com. mercial enterprise which changed the town of Marblehead from a fishing place, to the second rank of any town in Massachusetts. He even instructed them in ship building, and military tacticks. certainly had a great mechanical genius, and was as industrious, as he was enterprising. In the year 1745 he was chosen chaplain of the troops that went to Louisbourg, but he declined on account of his age.

He

He was unfortunate in thinking himself a poet, because, from this mistaken idea, he published a version of the psalms, which was never adopted in any other church than his own. The vanity of this good man appeared in his fondness for his own productions on a variety of subjects. He was willing to publish whatever he wrote, and it seems from his memoirs that he was partial to himself in some other respects.

His theological publications do him much honour, and have been very useful in comforting and edifying pious minds. They consist of several oc. tavo volumes bound, and many pamphlets and sermons.*

The imperfection of the creature, a number of sermons on

BARNARD THOMAS, minister of the first church in Salem, was the son of the rev. John Barnard of Andover, and respected as one of the most profound, liberal, and excellent men of his profession. He was graduated at Harvard College, 1732, ordained at first over a church in Newbury, Jan. 31, 1738, but was disturbed by fanaticks who went about to expose unconverted ministers, and make divisions in societies. A letter addressed to Joseph Adams, one of the most zealous of these eccentrick preachers, by Mr. Barnard, gives a just state of the disorders in the country at that time. Mr. Barnard was the object of peculiar animosity, as he was a man of superior talents and acquirements; and they had a strong prejudice against human learning, being ve ry ignorant themselves, and owing their importance to the ignorance of the people. He was dismissed from the church at Newbury at his own desire, and many were grieved, not only of his neighbours and friends, but of those who thought losing such a man from the ministry was an injury to the cause of pure, rational, and evangelical piety.

After leaving Newbury, he studied law, and was a practitioner at the bar. He was representative to the general court from Newbury, but his mind was more bent on theological studies than upon affairs of civil life. His abilities were conspicuous in all -kinds of business, but his friends were fully persuaded he would be more happy and more useful as a preacher of the gospel. Hence he accepted an invitation from the first church in Salem to be their pastor, upon the death of the rev. John Sparhawk. He was installed, Sept. 18, 1755. It was much to the honour of Mr. Barnard that the gentleman who

Psalm, cxix, 9, 8vo. 1747.-Mercy to sinners by the gospel, a vol. 8vo. on Acts xvi, 30, 1750.-The election sermon, 1734-Convention sermon.-Dudlean lecture upon the evidences of Christianity, 1756.

His various printed discourses, without those above mentioned, make four octavo volumes in the college library.