| 20. 3. 67. to Mr. Michell in silver when he went to Rehoboth. | 0. | 6. | 0 |
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into the ministry.
Mr. Shepard died on the 25th of the same month; and by the unanimous desire of the people of Cambridge, Mr. Mitchell was now invited to become his successor.
He accepted the invitation, and was ordained Aug. 21, 1650.”
1 “Eighteen years,” says Mather, “did he continue a pastor to the church of Cambridge.
And as that which encouraged him to accept at first the pastoral charge of that flock, was his being able to write that character of them, that they were a gracious savoury-spirited people, principled by Mr. Shepard, liking an humbling, mourning, heart-breaking ministry and spirit, living in religion, praying men and women, . . . . so the continual prayers of such a people to the Lord Jesus Christ for him doubtless contributed more than a little unto his being furnished from heaven with such rich treasures of light and grace as made his ministry richly serviceable unto them all.”
2 By the concurrent testimony of his contemporaries and subsequent writers he was remarkably distinguished for learning, eloquence, and piety, superadded to uncommon natural gifts.
Morton testifies that “he was a person that held very near communion with God; eminent in wisdom, piety, humility, love, self-denial, and of a compassionate and tender heart; surpassing in public-spiritedness; a mighty man in prayer, and eminent at standing in the gap; he was zealous for order, and faithful in asserting the truth against all oppugners of it. In a word, he was a man whom God had richly furnished and eminently fitted for his work; lived desired, and died lamented, by all good Christians that knew him. It pleased God upon the ninth of July, 1668, in a hot and burning season, (but much more hot in the heat of God's anger to New England,) to take him to rest and glory.”
3
About eight years after his ordination, Mr. Mitchell commenced compiling an account of “the Church of Christ at Cambridge,” etc., in which he rescued many interesting facts from oblivion.
The financial records of the church, kept by the deacons, were not resumed until near the close of his ministry.
A very few items may be reproduced:—
2 Magnalia, IV., chap. IV., † 9.
3 New England's Memorial, Davis's ed., pp. 336, 337. For a more full biography, see Mather's Magnalia, Book IV., chap. IV.; and Sibley's Harvard Graduates, i. 141-157; and for the character of his theological labors and writings, see Rev. Mr. McKenzie's Historical Lectures.
Boston. Houghton and Mifflin. 1877.
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