Ecclesiastical History. 



63 



The early meetings of this little band were attended with oppo- 

 sition and disturbances from outside the houses in which they 

 were held, but their number gradually increased. In 1828 Rev. 

 Stephen Puffer, who was a local preacher residing in Hingham, 

 gave funds for the erection of a meeting-house, which was dedi- 

 cated July 3, 1828, and the lot and building were conveyed to a 

 board of trustees. Mr. Puffer built the house at his own expense, 

 and sold the pews to cover the cost of building and furnishing. 

 The amount expended was $1,820. 



After the meeting-house was built Hingham became a station, 

 and has been supplied by travelling and local preachers down to 

 the present time. The following is a list of the ministers : — 



Paul Townsend. 

 Lyman Leffingwell. 

 Amos Binney. 

 F. A. Loomis. 

 Robert Clark. 

 Edward B. Hinckley. 

 William Henry Starr. 

 George E. Fuller. 

 Merritt P. Alderman. 

 James H. Nutting. 

 Charles Hammond. 

 James O. Thompson. 

 Annie Howard Shaw. 

 Charles M. Comstock. 

 George H. Huffman. 

 Henry M. Cole. 

 Winfield W. Hall. 

 Angelo Canol. 

 W. F. Lawford. 

 Arthur Thompson. 

 W. D. Woodward. 

 B. F. Jackson. 

 George B. Norton. 

 John H. Newland. 

 Samuel F. Johnson. 

 Edwin G. Babcock. 



In 1828 the society numbered 30 members. 



1829 " " " 59 



1830 " " " 65 

 1831-32 " " 70 " 



From 1832 to the present time, the society has waned and in- 

 creased by turns. 



In 1841-42 there were 40 members. 

 1860-61 " " 70 " 

 1863 " " 53 



The society now numbers about seventy members. 

 The first record of a Sunday-school is on July 29, 1844, when 

 the school numbered a superintendent, seven teachers, and forty- 

 five scholars, with three hundred and thirty books in the library. 



