History of United First Parish Church

"In 1646 or l647, she [Anne Crosby] married the Rev. William Tompson, aa distinguished clergyman in Braintree (now Quincy), Mass., who apparentlly pursued his religious duties with zeal but with little regard for financial gain. Ernest Howard Crosby's record says that in Aug. of 1652 she sold the Crosby house4 with six acres adjoining, and also 147 acres of land in the neighborhood. Mr. Tompson's health was finally undermined 'by melancholia', and he retired from preaching in 1659. He died in 1666, leaving his family in straitened circumstances. In 1668 Anne petitioned the General Court, complaining that moneys due her for his services were witheld. She died in 1675 and was buried in the Quincy churchyard." (Source)

The inscription upon his tombstone in Quincy is as follows:

Here Lyes interred ye Body of ye Rev'd Mr. Henry Flynt,
who came to new England in ye Year 1635, was
Ordained ye first Teacher of ye Church of Braintry
1639 and Died April 27th. 1668. He had ye
Character of a Gentleman Remarkable for his
Piety, Learning, Wisdom, & Fidelity in his Office
By him on his right hand lyes the Body of Margery,
his beloved consort, who Died March 1686-7, her
maiden name was Hoar. She was a Gentlewoman
of Piety, Prudence, & peculiarly accomplished
for instructing young Gentlewoemen, many being
sent to her from other Towns, especially from Boston.
They descended from antient and good familys in England.

"It appears from this manuscript, that Mr. Flint preached to this church for some time, and together with a Mr. Bulkley, actually received a call to settle, and that an offer was made of £60 per annum to each, besides certain privileges; but the divisions that rent the church into parties, prevented any settlement, and Mr. Flint soon after accepted a call to become pastor of the neighboring church of Dorchester. Finally Mr. Moses Fiske was sent here by order of the County Court held at Boston. Hancock in his century sermons said, 'Mr. Fiske being sent by the Court of Sessions for the County of Suffolk, to preach God's word to the Church of Braintree in their destitute, divided state, I thought it not amiss to give a transcript of the order verbatim, because of the rarity and success of such an extraordinary proceeding.

"'At a county court held at Boston, by adjournment, 23d of Nov. 1671, the court having taken into consideration the many means that have been used with the Church of Braintree, and hitherto nothing done to affect, as to the ordaining the ordinances of Christ among them, this court therefore orders and desires Mr. Moses Fiske, to improve his labors in preaching the word at Braintree until the church there agree and obtain supply for the work of the ministry, or this court take further order." (Source)

(Continuing from the previous entry) " Mr. Fiske obeyed and went not without the advice of the neighboring elders, and preached his first sermon here Dec. 3d, 1671. The next day about twenty of the brethren came to visit him, manifesting (in the name of the church,) their ready acceptance of what the honored court had done and thanking him for his compliance therewith; and on Feb. 24th, following, the church gavo him a unanimous call to the pastoral office. He was ordained Sept. llth, 1672, as Mr. Lunt says, that it is probable that Mr. Fiske preached on this occasion himself, in conformity with a practice that prevailed at that early period in New England. In the records of the First Church is the following vote: '11th, 7th mo., 1672, this was the day of my settlement espousals to this church and congregation, being settled to the office of a pastor to them. The churches present by their messengers, were these; three at Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester and Weymouth, six churches ; Mr. Eliot prayed and gave the charge, Mr. Oxenbridge and the deacons joined in the laying on of hands, and Mr. Thatcher, gave the right hand of fellowship. Dep. Gov. Leveret, Mr. Danforth, Mr. Tinge and Mr. Stoughton, were present.' With Mr. Fiske's administration, the church records are supposed to commence." (Source)

His father (the first John Hancock) "assumed the pulpit of the North Precinct Church in Cambridge in 1698, when power over church and town was indivisible in Massachusetts. After fifteen years in command, the first Reverend Hancock led a tax revolt in the North Precinct, which was ten miles from central Cambridge. He declared the North Precinct and its church independent -— a perfectly legal procedure under the Cambridge Platform of 1648, which gave every Congregational church the right to total autonomy. Despite protests from Cambridge, the North Precinct became Lexington, Massachusetts. Its parishioners kept their taxes in their own pockets and made the first John Hancock their all but absolute monarch."

"The second John Hancock grew up a meek little chap who obediently followed his father s footsteps through Harvard and, eventually, to the pulpit, although his lack of sparkle delayed his ordination by several years. Mr. Hancock, wrote one of his classmates, has no great Character for his Abilities Either Naturale or Acquired. The professor told me He . . . could make a very handsome bow, and if the first did not suit He d Bow Lower a Second time. Unable to obtain a ministry, John took a job as librarian at Harvard, while Thomas completed the apprenticeship that channeled his passions in the world of trading, where he amassed one of America s great fortunes.

"Despite the Bishop s ambitions, the second John Hancock languished at the Harvard library for three years, until the winter of 1726, when the tiny North Parish in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, invited the shy young man to their dilapidated little meetinghouse. Built in 1666, the little stone church had all but collapsed, and during Hancock s first winter, cartloads of snow drifted into the building for him to shovel out before he could conduct Sunday morning services." (Source (John Hancock: Merchant King and American Patriot by Harlow Giles Unger - more good information about the church's history)

During much of his settlement, Briant was under fire for unsound doctrine. His 1749 sermon, "The Absurdity and Blasphemy of Depreciating Moral Virtue," which though carefully worded to avoid offense, denied the Calvinistic doctrines of original sin, election, and salvation by arbitrary grace. Adams said controversy "broke out like the Eruption of a Volcano and blazed with portentous aspect for many years." In 1753, a council of neighboring church officers met to hear complaints about Briant's faults. John Adams's uncle Ebenezer, among Briant's accusers and Deacon Adams, a supporter, concluded that it would be best for the community to dismiss him. Nevertheless, the majority of the Braintree church defended Briant and retained him. Members praised, "the pains he takes to promote a free and impartial examination into all articles of our holy religion, so that all may judge, even of themselves, what is right." (Source).

This was in 1753, and is the first clear case of a church formally taking the liberal position. Though the doctrine of the Trinity was not involved in this action, the church at Quincy ever afterwards remained on the liberal side. (Source).

On September 15th, 1794. Deacon Jonathan Webb, Benjamin Beale, Esq., and Capt. John Hall were chosen a committee to take or cause to be taken a plan of the town, agreeable to an act of the General Court passed June 18th, 1794. A committee was also chosen to confer with the Rev. Mr. Wibird, about shutting up the meeting-house during his poor health. (Source)

"The second Sunday after his ordination, he appeared before his society for the first time as their minister. In 1834, Mr. Whitney being somewhat out of health, Dr. Lunt was called, as colleague pastor' and was Settled as such in June, 1835; still Mr. Whitney continued to have sole charge of the Parish. The last sermon preached by him was in the forenoon of the 19th of September, 1841. Mr. Whitney's death occurred very suddenly Friday, March 3d, 1843, at 9 o'clock in the morning, when he fell from his chair and immediately expired, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. Rev. Peter Whitney represented the town in the State Legislature for the year 1825." (Source).

A plaque inside the church reads:

                   In memory of
                REV. PETER WHITNEY,
      Born in Northborough, Jan XIX., MDCCLXX.
              Of Clerical Descent and Dispositions,
              He became the Minister of this Town
           At the Commencement of the passing Century;
               Serving in his Office till Old Age,
                  Steadily, Gravely, Kindly,
                  During his Ministry
                  These Walls were built,
             And within them he continued to appear,
                  Till, by a Sudden Malady,
                  He ceased to be Mortal,
                  March III, MDCCXLIII
                 The reapers are the angels.

A plaque inside the church reads:

                      In memory of
              WILLIAM PARSONS LUNT, D. D,,
                    Pastor of this Church.
                    Prized, Honored, Lamented,
                    Theologian, Poet & Scholar.
                    He devoted his Life
            To Intellectual Pursuits, and sacred Exercises.
              Weighty & Accomplished as a Writer,
                    Eloquent as a Preacher,
               Conservative in a Liberal Doctrine;
                 Of a Grave & Earnest Spirit,
                He loved the Highest Meditations,
               And meditated the Truest Services.
           Born in Newburyport, April XXI. MDCCCV.
           Installed here June III., MDCCCXXXV.
           He died at Ezion-Geber, on his Way to Jerusalem,
                 March XXI,, MDCCCLVII.
               Even so says the Spirit, for they rest."

At the Bicentennial Celebration in 1976 governor and Mrs. Michael Dukokis attended the church service celebration in colonial costumes along with members of The Adams family.

On May 19,1978 The United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring John Hancock –1737 – 1793. The ceremonies were held in the church. Seven years later, June `14, 1985, another first day issue was held for the Abigail Adams postage stamp. Mr. Munson helped to organize and took part in both of these occasions.

Under Mr. Munson’s leadership as Chairman of The Board of Supervisors of The Woodward School for Girls in Quincy the school celebrated the reinstatement of its certification by The State Board of Education. Subsequently he was awarded a plaque by the city in 1983 for his services to the school and for the years of organizing special events each year on United Nations Sunday. Upon his retirement in 1985 he was made an Honorary Citizen of Quincy. A scroll was bestowed upon him at the State House in Boston in recognition of his “spiritual leadership as pastor of United First Parish Church of Quincy, Mass.”

At his retirement a Building Maintenance Fund started during his ministry totaled over $90,00.00.

While he was minister a part-time Religious Education Director joined the staff. The church also became a teaching parish as Robert Throne served his internship with Keith as his mentor.

Through the generosity of church and community people the dome was gold leafed after many years of neglect. Also, the belfry clock was serviced and restored.

Informal and experimental worship services were held in the parish hall some winters in order to save fuel costs. A fire and theft alarm system was also installed.

Upon his retirement to their summer home in Maine the parish presented him with a pulpit robe.