THE TOWN'S CHURCH AND ITS DIVORCE. 36 I 



precinct business was to be quite separate from the parish 

 business. 



During the forty-five years of Rev. John Brown's pas- 

 torate one hundred and thirty-six persons were admitted 

 to church communion, and several changes in the service 

 as well as in the building were made. 



The janitor's work in the year 1749 included the duty 

 " to clear y*^ dogs out of y^ House every Sabbath." 



The plastering was finished in the year 1750, and new 

 pews were then put in. 



Benches, or " seatets " as they were called, were built in 

 the spaces left around the pews, until the "ground" 

 might be sold for another pew, when the benches were 

 taken out. Half the proceeds of these sales were given 

 to the original pew proprietors who bore half the expense 

 of the house. The new pews were required, furthermore, 

 to be like the ones already built. 



Six new pew "grounds" were marked out in the front 

 gallery and were sold as follows : " Prince Joy bid off the 

 pew next to y*^ women's stairs at 13 pounds old tenor;* 

 Samuel Gushing 3rd from the women's stairs 16 pounds ; 

 Nehemiah Leavitt 4th 17 pounds ; Francis Lincoln 5th 

 15 pounds; Micah Jepson y*^ 6th next to y" stairs in y" 

 men's gallery 13 pounds." 



Seventeen years later, in the year 1767, when a two- 

 story porch was added at the front of the house, there 

 was more pew "ground " made in the church ; for the old 

 stairs leading to the gallery on both sides were taken 

 away, and two entrances to the gallery were provided in 

 the upper part of the porch. The pew "ground" thus 

 gained below and above was given to the builders of the 

 porch in payment. Whether the building was painted at 

 first is doubtful ; at least they voted not to paint it in the 

 year 1762. 



A small bell to call the worshipers was long desired by 



*One pound old tenor in 1752 was equal to .135 pound. 



