Ecclesiastical History. 59 



Davis receiving the right hand of fellowship in behalf of the 

 H high am society. 



In this year Deacon Caleb S. Hunt removed from Boston to 

 Hingham. He organized and for many years led an efficient 

 choir in this church. March 7, 1829, the society voted to pur- 

 chase a bass-viol, and made an appropriation of five dollars to 

 pay for it, " if a sufficient sum cannot be otherwise obtained ; " 

 and May 10, 1833 it was 



•• Voted, To pay amnt of eighteen dollars for a clarionet, which had 

 been previously purchased by some individual and used in the Baptist 

 Meeting-house, and that the clarionet shall be the property of the church, 

 and shall be under their direction." 



Sept. 21, 1828, Rev. Harvey Ball was ordained as an evangelist, 

 and served as pastor of this church for two years. Under his en- 

 couraging ministry a house of worship was built. A day of spe- 

 cial prayer was set apart that a location might be agreed upon, 

 and soon after the lot upon which the meeting-house now stands, 

 upon Main Street, was purchased for $500. This was conveyed 

 July 1, 1829, to Asa Wilbur, of Boston, and Quincy Hersey, of 

 Hingham. The meeting-house was erected, costing $3,300, and 

 dedicated Dec. 3, 1829, amid much rejoicing. In May, 1875, the 

 house and land were conveyed to the deacons of the church and 

 their successors forever, in trust for the benefit of the church and 

 society. 



After Mr. Ball's resignation in August, 1830, Mr. Timothy R. 

 Cressey, a student at the Newton Theological Institution, often 

 preached to the society. Mr. Cressey was a graduate of Amherst 

 College in 1828. He" was ordained pastor, May 5, 1831, and the 

 church recognized as an independent body with fifty-one members. 

 Mr. Cressey's ministry continued for three years and a half, dur- 

 ing which a vestry was built in the basement of the meeting-house, 

 and twenty-eight were received into the church, twenty-one of 

 these by baptism. 



Mr. Cressey was born at Pomfret, Conn., Sept. 18, 1800, and 

 died at Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 30, 1870. 



For the two succeeding years the church was without a pastor, 

 Rev. John G. Naylor supplying the pulpit much of the time. 



Sept. 29, 1836, Mr. Waterman Burlingame was ordained pastor, 

 and continued as such for nearly five years, until Aug. 5, 1840. 

 During his pastorate twenty persons were received into the church, 

 seventeen by baptism. 



For an interval of more than two years the church was without 

 a regular pastor. Rev. Charles M. Bowers frequently preached 

 and labored here during this interval. 



