evade it, proposed to give the discontented brethren, a dismission 

 to some other orthodox church, to which Tarbell replied, " Aye, 

 if we could find a way to remove our living too." After a de- 

 lay of more than two years, the church consented to call a coun- 

 cil, who met at the village, April 3d, 1695. Dr. Increase 

 Mather was chosen moderator, and offered the following report, 

 which was accepted by the council, and presented to the 

 church : — 1st, They unanimously declared that " we judge that 

 altho' in the late and dark time of the confusions, wherein Satan 

 had obtained a more than ordinary liberty to sift this plantation, 

 there were sundry unwarrantable and uncomfortable steps, taken 

 by Mr. Samuel Parris, the pastor of the church in Salem Vil- 

 lage, then under the hurrying distractions of amazing afflictions ; 

 yet the said Mr. Parris, by the good hand of God, brought unto 

 a better sense of things, hath so fully expressed it, that a chris- 

 tian charity may, and should, receive satisfaction therewith. 

 2d, They advised the dissenting brethren to accept the satisfac- 

 tion, which he had tendered in his christian acknowledgment of 

 the errors therein committed, and in case Mr. Parris finds after 

 all, that he cannot with any comfort and service, continue in 

 his present station, his removal from thence, will not expose 

 him to any hard character with us. Having observed that there 

 is, in Salem Village, a spirit full of contention and animosity, 

 too sadly verifying the blemish, which hath heretofore lain upon 

 them ; and that some complaints against Mr. Parris have been 

 either causeless or groundless, or unduly aggravated, we do, in 

 the name and fear of the Lord, solemnly warn them to consider 

 whether, if they continue to devoure one another, it will not be 

 bitterness in the latter end." 



The recommendation of the council appears to have been sat- 

 isfactory to the friends of Mr. Parris and the pastor was resolv- 

 ed to continue in the ministry. At the same time, the report 

 of the council was unsatisfactory to those persons opposed to 

 Mr. Parris, as it did not recommend his dismission ; according- 

 ly, on the 3d day of May, 1695, a paper, signed by 16 young 

 men, 52 householders and 18 church members, was handed to 

 the Rev. Elders, composing the late council at the village, re- 

 questing them to give Parris's case a rehearing, and more plain- 

 ly advise the pastor to cease his labors, and seek to dispose him- 

 self elsewhere, &c. On the 6th of May, 1695, in answer to 

 the opponents of Mr. Parris, the council sent a letter to the pas- 

 tor, informing him of the extent of the opposition to his minis- 

 try, and advising him to come away from his present station, 

 and unite in calling another minister, and forgiving and forget- 

 ting all former grievances. 



ESSEX INST. PROCEED. VOL. ii. 9. 



