'Mi 



triends, the former doubtless received from Mr. Higsinson much of his 

 iaformation respecting the institution of the first Church. The fol- 

 !oA¥ing brief extracts irom Hubbard's History of New England are 

 therefore added to the precceding : 



" But they had not as yet waded so far into the controversy of 

 «hurch discipline, as to be very positive in any of those points wherein 

 the main hinge of the controversy lay between them and others ; yet 

 •aiming as near as they well could, to come up to the rules of the 

 gospel in the first settling of a church state, and apprehending it neces- 

 sary for those who intended to be of the church solemnly to enter into a 

 covenant engagement one with another in the presence of God to walk 

 togethey before him according to the word of God, and then to ordain 

 their ministers unto their several offices, to which they were by the 

 election of the people designed, scil. Mr. Skelton to be their pastor, 

 {ind Mr. Higginson to be their teacher. In order to the carrying on of 

 that work, or preparation thereunto, the said Mr. Higginson, according 

 as he was desired, drew up a confession of faith and form of church cov- 

 enant according to the Scriptures ; several copies whereof being writ- 

 ten out, they publicly owned the same, on the day set apart for that 

 work, a copy of which is retained at this day by some that succeed in 

 the same church. .... There were at that time thirty persons joined to- 

 gether in that church covenant ; for which end so many copies being 

 prepared aforehand, it was publicly read in the assembly, and the per- 

 sons concerned solemnly expressing their assent and consent thereunto, 



they immediately proceeded to ordain their minister Those that were 



afterward admitted unto church fellowship, were with the confession of 

 their faith required to enter into a like covenant engagement with the 

 church, to walk according to the rules of the gospel, as to the substance, 

 the same as at the first ; but for the manner and circumstances, it was 

 left to the wisdom and faithfulness of the elders, to be so ordered as was 

 judged most conducing to the end, respect being by them always had to 

 the liberty and ability of the person." — Hubbard's Hist, of N, E. p. 119. 



John Horne, one of the first thirty members of the Church, deserves 

 a special notice. He was deacon from 1G29 to 1684. Mr. Higginson, 

 in 1680, says of him in the church records, — " Our bro. Horne, having 

 been Deacon of this Church above this 50 years, being now very Ant- 

 ient, the Church proceeded and agreed to choose 2 Deacons to be added 

 unto him." He finally drojaped the H from his name, signing it, in 

 his will Orne. From him have descended all the Salem Ornes. He 

 left four sons, John, Symon, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph was the 

 great grandfather of the late Capt. William Orne, and Dr. Joseph 

 Orne who graduated at H, C. 1765. 



