The Massachusetts Spy, Or, Thomas's Boston Journal

For the Massachusetts Spy.

Mr. Thomas,

As the other day reading in your paper of intelligence from Grafton, respecting the dismission of their late pastor, and thinking that it would appear in a much fairer point of light to the public, if a short sketch of the transactions there should be published: I therefore shall endeavour the same, by transcribing from authenticated copies of papers that now lay before me, a fair and impartial narrative, which is as followeth, (viz.)

In the year 1754, I find a confession exhibited by the Rev. Mr. Aaron Hutchinson, late pastor of this church at Grafton, to an ecclesiastical council, for falsehood, and in the year 1765, of the same kind made to the church there. In August 1770, was nine articles of charge made and lodged against him of the same tenor. The hearing of which I find was left to the determination of an ecclesiastical council, by the agreement of pastor and aggrieved, one of which is, "that you have given us frequent occasion, as we apprehend, to doubt of your veracity, and that in sundry instances." The said council find, as by their result appears that he has given them just reason to question his veracity, and that in sundry instances. Next I find Mr. Hutchinson's confession, in consequence of said result exhibited January 2d, 1771, in the presence of the council, which stood adjourned to that time. A paragraph of which is, "As the council have found me faulty in sundry instances of my conduct towards my aggrieved brethren and others, and have advised me to humble myself before God and them, and to accept said result, I now say that I have given just occasion to my aggrieved brethren to be offended with me in the sundry instances referred to in said result—Declare I do now accept of said result, &c." The next paper that comes to hand is dated August 1771, directed to the said council, which stood adjourned to that time by the consent of all parties, wherein Mr. Hutchinson is charged with a number of absolute falsehoods and also with denying his confession No. 3. last exhibited. At this session the council took into their consideration said paper of charges, and also a letter Mr. Hutchinson then sent to said Council, signifying his disapprobation of their thus convening, as also his last confession No. 3, exhibited to said council. Then follows the result of the council. A passage of which is, "We are of opinion that said confession and verbal profession, and a paragraph in said letter, cannot be reconciled with truth or each other, or exempt said pastor from dissimulation and hypocrisy, as relative to said confession, and that considering the many violations of truth and instances of dissimulation that have been proved to the satisfaction of this council upon the pastor, and the great dissatisfaction in no small number of this people towards the said pastor, excited doubtless (partly at least) by his misconduct, and the little prospect we have of his reformation or further usefulness in this place, are of opinion that it is fit that his pastoral relation to this people should be dissolved."

The next paper contains new charges against their pastor, such as breach of special and solemn promises, and sundry instances of falsehood and of injurious aspersions upon gentlemen's characters, all which since the last council here, and do find by agreement of pastor, church and aggrieved, that they refer all matters to a mutual council. And by the result of said council June 9th, 1772, I find they result him guilty of five of said instances of falsehood out of seven charged, one of which is, that Mr. Hutchinson is guilty of falsehood respecting his confession No. 3. exhibited January 2d. and advise Mr. Hutchinson to confess his faults and give Christian satisfaction to his aggrieved brethren, as also to those gentlemen on whom he had cast injurious aspersions. A confession I find accordingly ensued from Mr. Hutchinson, a passage of which is, "Upon a critical review of my own heart and past conduct, I find I have given just occasion to my brethren that have styled themselves aggrieved, in some and many of the instances mentioned in the result of the venerable council in Grafton, June 9th, 1772, and in all those articles that properly belong to me." Which confession the church after repeated trials accepted of, although at that time I find there were five new articles of charge exhibited against their said pastor by the aggrieved, containing charges of falsehood and invalidating his confession No. 4. which they say he persisted in, and that they stood ready to make appear by proof, the hearing of which was superseded by Mr. Hutchinson asking dismission. Which honourable dismission he obtained of the Church and council by hard struggles indeed, when it was objected to in the church that it was not consistent to truth and justice that such a recommendation should be given, while his character stood charged and is yet charged with immoralities; but rather than not dismiss him. it did obtain through inadvertency at that time. wholly and solely, is shrewdly suspected. Then I find, when the question was put to the town, whether they would concur with the church's vote to dismiss their pastor as the church had done, it was objected to that he did not merit such a recommendation. Now the world may judge on what an honourable footing Mr. Hutchinson's dismission took place, and what the alienations of affections in his people were. of what nature the disputes, what the strong reasons, and what the hard struggles, in the dissolution of Mr. Hutchinson's pastoral relation to his people in Grafton consisted of.

A Well Wisher to Truth and Justice.