CHAPTER V 

 THE FRENCH CHURCH IN BOSTON 



THE history of the French Protestant Church in 

 Boston forms an essential part of the story of the 

 French who found refuge among the Puritans in 

 this land which was destined to become one of religious 

 liberty, although the principle of freedom of conscience 

 had to be established through the independent stand of 

 those who would not yield to Congregationalism in 

 America those things from which they had fled in 

 Europe. 



The date of the organization of the French Protestants 

 of Boston into a church is not definitely known. Such an 



"^ Organized by 



organization was m existence as early as 1685, with a '^^s 

 settled minister, as is shown by the correspondence be- 

 tween Rev. Peter Daille and Rev. Increase Mather, min- 

 ister of the North Church in Boston and President of 

 Harvard College. Dr. Charles W. Baird thinks it highly 

 probable that this congregation, like some others, may 

 have been gathered together by the excellent Daill^, 

 who gained the title of the " Apostle of the Huguenots in 

 America," collecting them into churches in various 

 sections of the country as Paul gathered the Christian 

 converts in Asia Minor. Daille came to America in 1682, 

 sent out by the Bishop of London to labour among the 

 French emigrants in the new world. 



We know that the French were treated most kindly by 

 the ministers and the public authorities of Boston, who SchoofiTouse 



1 A-i Tiji n 1 /. Granted for 



received the little flock of strangers as brothers fleeing Meetings 

 fiom home persecution on account of their faith, and thus 



157 



Peter Daille 



Latine 



