[263] rescinded. Then other resolutions were introduced, but no final action had upon them. Finding the parish so nearly divided in their vote of invitation, the friends of the pastor elect began to collect the signatures of those members of the parish who were not present when the vote was taken, and who were in favor of giving the call. Twenty-six legal voters signed; twenty-one refused to act, and therefore are not counted on either side; ten persons, not legal voters, who considered themselves as belonging to the parish, subscribed; and four of those who voted in the negative. After anxious and patient weighing of the whole matter, with the assistance of friends, Mr. Pierpont accepted the invitation, July 5, 1849. July 9, seven gentlemen were appointed a committee “to communicate with Mr. Pierpont on the subject of his settlement, and for conducting and making arrangements for his installation.” This committee report, April 8, 1850, as follows:--
At a meeting of the special committee of the first parish of Medford, appointed, July 9, 1849, to make arrangements with the Rev. John Pierpont for the commencement of his pastoral labors in its pulpit, on conference with the pastor and with his concurrence,-- Voted to dispense with the ceremony of an ecclesiastical council for the installation of our pastor. Voted that the committee hereby ordain the Rev. John Pierpont to become the pastor of the first parish of Medford, and install him in that office. Voted that the term of his engagement commence on the first day of August, 1849, and his salary be paid to him from that date, quarterly, as provided in the terms of the vote of his election to the office of pastor of this parish. Voted to accept the report of the committee.Having thus brought down the ecclesiastical history of the first parish, through all its changes, to the ministry of its present pastor, common usage requires that I here take leave of it. It has been my constant endeavor to record the important events in each ministry as I found them in the records of the town and parish. That some representative facts may have escaped my notice, is quite possible; and that undue stress is laid upon some of the facts which I have noted, is equally possible. I can only say, that I have wished to give a perfect daguerreotype likeness of every feature of the history.
