Historic leaves, volume 2, April, 1903 - January, 1904

[38] who, in 1663, formed a society in Rehoboth, the oldest Baptist church in Massachusetts. He died in 1683, while his son Samuel, according to his will, was a student at the college. After graduating in 1687, young Miles continued to teach in Charlestown for a while, for it appears that the town was obliged to pay him his salary up to October of that year. About this time he became an Episcopalian, and we next find him connected with King's Chapel, Boston. In 1692 he visited England and brought away gifts for his chapel left by Queen Mary, then deceased, and also from King William. Some of these substantial evidences of royal favor are still treasured in Boston and elsewhere. In 1698 the wardens of King's Chapel, for the third time, apply to the Bishop of London for an assistant, and, in mentioning Mr. Miles, speak of him in most flattering terms as ‘well liked of all of us,’ and as ‘a good liver and a painful preacher.’ April 15, 1723, he laid the corner-stone ‘at ye new North Church.’ After a ministry of nearly forty years, he died March 4, 1728.

The receipt by which Samuel Myles, of Boston, in Co. of Suffolk, etc., Clerk, for and in consideration of £ 28 current money pd by Nath'l Dows, of Charlestown, treasurer of said town, doth remise, release, and forever quit claim unto said Town, etc., etc., the amount of its indebtedness to him ‘from the beginning of the world unto the present time,’ is a curious specimen of legal writing of that day. It was signed 27 March, 1699, and witnessed by Jno. Cutler and Thomas Parks.

We are not without evidence that the colonists of the stricter sort did not relish any return to Episcopacy. Was it Samuel Myles' influence that caused the May-pole to be set up in Charlestown? Frothingham, page 221, says, under date of May, 1687, ‘the May-pole was again cut down, and it was noised about that Samuel Phipps, one of the selectmen, led and encouraged the watch to cut it down.’

During the Andros persecution Charlestown had its trials along with other communities. Mr. Phipps, too, for a while suffered from unpopularity. Much against his wish, he was appointed constable. August 9, 1686, he complained to the government of the town's action, and asked release from the fine, on