‘ [94] to return thanks to Almighty God for his great goodness to her in granting her a safe delivery in childbirth; also desires prayers for perfecting mercies. Isaac.’ [Isaac, son of Ephraim Frost, Jr., was born Aug. 7, 1780, and baptized Aug. 13, 1780.] On the back of the notice are some of Mr. Cooke's remarks on some public solemnity of the United States of America: ‘We have been generally led to consider it,’ he says, ‘only as a direction or commandment of man, and that the proclamation of civil rulers is the only foundation of our observance of our public Fasts and Thanksgivings. * * * * Civil rulers only direct to the seasons of attending a duty, which God and nature evidently enjoin. * * * * This is the command of God, not man,’ &c. This appeal was to occasion a better attendance on such observances.
1781
The following report on seating the meeting-house is copied from the Precinct Book:Cambridge Northwest Precinct, April the 9th, 1781. We the subscribers being a committee chosen by the Inhabitants of said Precinct to seat such part of the Inhabitants as should be thought proper, have taken it under mature consideration, and report as follows (William Whittemore, Lieut. Samuel Cutter, Capt. Ephraim Frost, Walter Russell, Thomas Russell, Committee): The fore seat upon the floor below: Messrs. Nehemiah Cutter, Edward Fillebrown, Daniel Brown, Samuel Carter, Jr., Ammi Cutter. The second seat below: Messrs. George Cutter, Patten Russell, Thomas Cutter, Isaac Winship, Simon Holden, Timothy Symmes, Joseph Frost, John Symmes, John Sprague, Samuel Russell, Thomas Winship, Thomas Whittemore. The third seat below: Messrs. Aaron Teel, Joseph Belknap, Jr., Caleb Carter, Thomas Rand, Samuel Cutter, Ebenezer Prentice, Jr., John Mullit, Nathaniel Farmer, Israel Blackington. The fore seat in the front gallery: Messrs. Edward Gardner, Samuel Whittemore, the 3d, Thomas Russell, William Cutter, John Adams, John Swan, Seth Wyman, John Hutchinson, Aaron Swan, Lemuel Blanchard, Benjamin Piper, Samuel Butterfield, Caleb Hovey, Philemon Russell. The fore seat in the side gallery: Messrs. Zechariah Hill, William Hill, Capt. Stephen Frost, Samuel Frost, Jr., Nathan Swan, Josiah Wilson, Jonathan Teel, Daniel Cutter, Solomon Prentice, George Prentice, John Frost, Jonathan Robbins, Samuel Cutter, Jr., Jason Belknap, Aaron Cooke, William Butterfield, Samuel Hill, Joseph Locke, Francis Locke, John Locke, Ephraim Cooke, William Cutter, Jr., Robert Mullit, John Symmes, Jr., John Dickson, Joseph Shaw,
