38 History of Hingham. 



Mr. Nehemiah Hobart, a grandson of the Rev. Peter Hobart, 

 the first minister of Hingham, preached as a candidate from July 

 13 to Dec. 13, 1721, on which day he was ordained pastor, the 

 church having been organized the day previous. 



After his ordination, Mr. Hobart wrote in his book of records: — 



" O my soul, never dare to forget that day and the solemn charge I re- 

 ceived therefrom, but be mindful of 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2, — the preacher's text, 

 — that at the last day I may be able to say as in Acts xx. 26, 27. ' I take 

 you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I 

 have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.' " 



The new society was weak in numbers, and their meeting- 

 house was built in accordance with their means. It was small 

 and plain. 



At the formation of the church, Mr. Hobart drew up a covenant 

 ending in these words : — 



" We do, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the presence of God 

 and the holy angels, explicitly and expressly covenant and bind ourselves 

 in manner and form following, namely : We do give up ourselves to God, 

 whose name alone is Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. To God 

 the Father, as our chief and only good ; and unto our Lord Jesus Christ, 

 as our prophet, priest, and king, and only Mediator of the covenant of 

 grace ; and unto the Spirit of God, as our only sanctifier and comforter. 

 And we do give up ourselves one unto another in the Lord, covenanting 

 and promising to walk together as a church of Christ, in all ways, of his 

 own institution, according to the prescriptions of his holy word, promis- 

 ing that with all tenderness and brotherly love, we will, with all faithful- 

 ness, watch over each other's souls, and that we will freely yield up our- 

 selves to the discipline and power of Christ in his church, and attend 

 whatever ordinances Christ hath appointed and declared in his word ; and 

 wherein we fail and come short of duty, to wait upon him for pardon and 

 remission, beseeching him to make our spirits steadfast in his covenant, 

 and to own us as his church and covenant peojJe forever. Amen." 



Rev. Nehemiah Hobart was born in Hingham, April 27, 1697, 

 and was graduated at Harvard College in 1714, in the same class 

 with Rev. Ebenezer Gay. 



In the call, settlement, and ministry of Mr. Hobart there was 

 perfect harmony. There seems to have been no opposition to him 

 on the part of any one in the parish. He was a " truly devout, 

 enlightened, and liberal divine." Between him and his neighbor, 

 Dr. Gay, there was a warm sympathy and affection. He died 

 May 31, 1740, in the forty-fourth year of his age, and the nine- 

 teenth of his ministry, much lamented by his people. 



The parish, says Mr. Flint, " lost no time, after the death of Mr. 

 Hobart, before they took measures suitable to fill his place with an- 

 other well-educated and respectable pastor ; . . . but they did not 

 immediately find one in whom they could unite." Finally, after 



