56 



sembling of the members that the reading of the communications 

 were deferred to the next meeting.] 



Monday, December 21, 1868. — Regular Evening Meeting. 

 The President in the chair. 



Records read and correspondence and donations announced. 



The President stated that during the past season he, in company 

 with a friend, had visited the American Antiquarian Society's Hall 

 at Worcester, and by the politeness of the officers in charge, had the 

 privilege of examining the journals and other papers Ivcpt l)y the late 

 Rev. Dr. Bentley. These manuscripts comprise about twenty closely 

 written volumes, containing an account of the leading events which 

 occurred in Stilera during the time of Dr. Bentley. He read sevei'al 

 extracts from them, exhibiting somewhat the fulness witli which the 

 leading events in Salem during the period of his pastorate were de- 

 scribed. This period covered a very important era in the history of 

 Salem, from 1783 to 1819. 



Hon. J. G. Waters narrated, in a very happy and graphic manner, 

 many facts illustrative of the life, character and writings of the cele- 

 brated Dr. Bentley, whose name is held in gi-eat respect by all his old 

 parishioners and their families, and who has an extensive reputation 

 as a scholar and a theologian. 



Mr. F. W. Putnam exhibited a stone pan and roller which were 

 used by the natives in Central America to mash the corn. This was 

 obtained by Mr. McNeil, who has recently returned from an expedi- 

 tion into that country, bringing a large and very valuable collection 

 of specimens illustrative of its natural history and its archseology, 

 forming a valuable addition to the Museum of the Peabody Academy 

 of Science. Mr. P. made some interesting remarks in relation to this 

 subject, and called the attention of the meeting to the important 

 results of these investigations by Mr. McNeil. 



