Dorchester Second Church of Christ, 1828, Historical Sketch

In consequence of the increasing population of the town it became necessary to form a Second Church and Society; and the Second Church was accordingly gathered, January 1st, and their present Pastor ordained Dec. 7th, 1808.

In the beginning of the year 1630, a Congregational Church was by a pious people gathered in the New Hospital at Plymouth, in England, when they kept a day of solemn prayer and fasting; in the after part of which day, the people solemnly chose and called those godly ministers, the Rev. Mr. John Wareham, a famous preacher at Exeter, and the Rev. Mr. John Maverick, a minister who lived forty miles from Exeter, to be their officers, who expressing their acceptance, were, at the same time, separated to the special care of that people.

On March 20, 1630, the aforesaid Mr. Wareham and Mr. Maverick, with many godly families and people under their care, sailed from Plymouth in England. May 30, 1630, they arrived at Nantasket, soon after which they settled in a place called by the Indians Matapan and began a town which they named Dorchester, from respect to the Rev. Mr. White of Dorchester in England to whose Church some of the emigrants belonged.

From the ancient records of the Church it appears that in the year 1635, or the beginning of the year 1636, Mr. Wareham removed with the greatest part of the Church to Windsor, Conn.

In August 1636, a new Church was gathered and the Rev. Mr. Richard Mather was set over them. In 1639, the Rev. Jonathan Burr was settled colleague with Mr. Mather, and at his death which took place in two years, the Rev. John Wilson, Jr. was settled colleague in his place. Mr. Wilson continued in Dorchester only two years ; when he was called to the pastoral care of the Church in Medfield, where he labored forty years, and died 23 August, 1691.

Mr. William Stoughton, afterwards Lieutenant Governor of the Province, preached for some time as an assistant to Mr. Mather, but repeatedly declined the urgent calls of the Church to the pastoral office.

Mr. Mather was succeeded by Rev. Josiah Flint who was ordained Dec. 27, 1671. Mr. Flint's ministry continued only nine years. He was succeeded by the Rev. John Danforth who was ordained June 28, 1682.

A few months before his death, which took place May 26, 1730, the Rev. Jonathan Bowman was ordained colleague and successor, who continued in the pastoral relation until Dec. 14, 1773, when, at his request, he was dismissed, in consequence of an unhappy misunderstanding between him and the Church. He was succeeded by the Rev. Moses Everett, who left the ministry by reason of ill health, Dec. 20, 1792.

The Rev. Thaddeus M. Harris, D. D. the present Pastor of the First Church, was ordained Oct. 23, 1793.

1. "Brief Sketch of the History of the Church in Dorchester," The Covenant, and Declaration of Faith, of the Second Church of Christ in Dorchester, Mass., with A List of the Officers and Members (Revised to May 1, 1828), And an Appendix. 1828, pages 19-21.