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The Cambridge Association was an influential group of
Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...
clergymen in the
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
area who regularly met in the
Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...
library between 1690 and 1697. The minutes of their meetings shed important light on the oft-debated question of the
Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...
ministers influence on the witchcraft trials.


Membership

The record-book suggests Charles Morton and
Cotton Mather Cotton Mather (; February 12, 1663 – February 13, 1728) was a Puritan clergyman and author in colonial New England, who wrote extensively on theological, historical, and scientific subjects. After being educated at Harvard College, he join ...
were the two important founding members of the group. Together with the bylaws, the two men's names give the appearance of sharing the same ink, and at the first (or second) organizational pre-meeting, on October 13, 1690, Cotton Mather is listed as the one who will tell Harvard that the group will have their first ''official'' meeting in the library a week later, on October 20. Charles Morton was the most senior and placed his name at the top and Cotton Mather signed lower, perhaps leaving space in between for other designated members to sign in order of seniority, including James Allen (Boston First Church), Michael Wigglesworth (HU 1651), Joshua Moodey (H.U. 1653),
Samuel Willard Samuel Willard (January 31, 1640 – September 12, 1707) was a New England Puritan clergyman. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts, graduated from Harvard College in 1659, and was minister at Groton from 1663 to 1676, before being driven out by ...
(HU 1659, Boston South Church), John Bailey, and Nathaniel Gookin (HU 1675, d. Aug 15, 1692). Four of these men -- Morton, Allen, Moodey, and Willard-- had also signed an introduction to Cotton Mather's book ''Memorable Providences'' the year before in 1689.
Increase Mather Increase Mather (; June 21, 1639 Old Style – August 23, 1723 Old Style) was a History of New England, New England Puritan clergyman in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the sixth President of Harvard University, President of Harvard College (la ...
did not return from London until May, 1692, and likely signed the book, next to James Allen's name, soon after his return and he is first listed as definitely present on June 27, 1692. Nehemiah Walter (HU 1684) was Increase Mather's son-in-law and doesn't seem to have been present until around the time Increase Mather joined. Jonathan Pierpont (HU 1685) is also first noted as present on August 1, 1692. Others joined later, sometimes years later, and they seem to have eventually begun to sign the designated page of the book in a jumbled order, where space permitted, including: Jabez Fox and John Fox, James Sherman, Benjamin Woodbridge, Benjamin Wadsworth (H.U. 1690 and future President), Benjamin Colman (HU 1692),
William Brattle Major-General William Brattle (April 18, 1706 – October 25, 1776) was an American politician, lawyer, and militia officer who served as the Massachusetts Attorney General from 1736 to 1738. Born into a prominent Massachusetts family, Brattle ...
(HU 1680),
Ebenezer Pemberton Ebenezer Pemberton (1746 – June 25, 1835) was an American educator and 2nd List of Phillips Academy Heads of School, Principal of Phillips Academy Andover, Massachusetts, Andover from 1786 to 1793. Refusing to follow his uncle's wishes to bec ...
(HU 1691), Samuel Angier (HU 1673), John Fox, Henry Gibbs, and Thomas Bridge. Although some these men worked at Harvard as tutors, fellows, and library-keepers, and thus may have been present in some capacity at meetings in the library, it is unlikely any joined officially before being ordained as a minister.


Advising Salem

One of the first orders of business taken up by the new group of ministers was to discuss a letter from Rev.
Samuel Parris Samuel Parris (1653February 27, 1720) was a Puritan minister in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Also a businessman and one-time plantation owner, he gained notoriety for being the minister of the church in Salem Village, Massachusetts during t ...
in Salem Village concerning his troubles there. Parris visited the Harvard Library for another meeting scheduled only one week later on October 20, 1690. On June 27 1692, during the height of the witchcraft trials, Cotton Mather scribed the question for the group to ponder and discuss at their next meeting in early August. The question proposed was chosen by his father, Increase Mather: "Whether the devils may not sometimes have permission to represent an innocent person as tormenting such as are under diabolical molestations?" In other words, the Mathers are contemplating whether it is ''possible'' for someone accused of witchcraft to be innocent, a position that is nearly the opposite of presumed innocence. The question was discussed at the next meeting August 1, and in Increase Mather's handwriting the conclusion was recorded, "All did agree to the affirmative... hat false accusations can happen.. but that such things are rare and extraordinary especially when such matters come before civil judicature." Numerous executions of accused persons followed this go-ahead to the court. In 1694, when apologizing to his congregation, Rev. Parris seems to refer to the same Mather question, but by this time Parris comes down definitively on the side of presumed innocence. Parris writes, "I question not but God sometimes suffers the Devil, as of late, to afflict in shape of not only innocent, but pious persons, or so to delude the senses of the afflicted, that they strongly conceit their hurt is from such persons, when indeed it is not." In contrast to the Mather's "rare and extraordinary," Parris has increased the frequency to "sometimes." Parris' use of the word "delude" is also notable because this was a term long associated with skepticism and the Calvinistic doctrinal view opposed to a belief in the validity of acts of witchcraft.


Arrangements & By-laws

The group met mid-morning on Mondays “...once in six weeks, or oftener if need shall be.” At the end of each meeting the date of the next was chosen. A moderator was also chosen to keep the minutes at the next meeting and he also chose the next question for the group to ponder and discuss. "Our work at the said meetings shall be 1) to debate any matter relating to ourselves. 2) To hear and consider any cases which shall be proposed to us from any other associations or private persons. 3) To answer any letters directed to us from any other associations or persons. 4) To discourse of any question proposed at the former meeting.


Provenance of the Record Book

The
Massachusetts Historical Society The Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) is a major historical archive specializing in early American, Massachusetts, and New England history. The Massachusetts Historical Society was established in 1791 and is located at 1154 Boylston Street ...
acquired the record book in 1850 and have traced it back to original member Charles Morton who had also taken part in similar group in England called the Cornwall Association 1655-1659. MHS file Ms. SBd-234. Morton, Charles, 1627-1698. Records of ministerial associations, 1655-1704 The records of the Cornwall association immediately precede those of the Cambridge Association. The Rules and Regulations are similar for both associations and are believed to be in Morton's handwriting. Morton likely brought the record book to New England when he emigrated. Despite its availability in the archives, important Salem historians
Charles W. Upham Charles Wentworth Upham (May 4, 1802 – June 15, 1875) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. Upham was also a member, and President of the Massachusetts State Senate, the 7th List of mayors of S ...
and
George Lincoln Burr George Lincoln Burr (January 30, 1857 – June 27, 1938) was a US historian, diplomat, author, and educator, best known as a Professor of History and Librarian at Cornell University, and as the closest collaborator of Andrew Dickson White, the f ...
do not seem to have been aware of it, perhaps because it was filed under Morton's name and begins in Cornwall, England. Neither historian cites the record book though it would have supported their arguments.


Later Developments and Offshoots

The group has been claimed as the first formal association of
Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...
ministers in America. Between 1700 and 1745, some members of the original association divided into the "Associated Ministers of Boston and Charlestown" and the "Association in and about Cambridge." In 1960, these two groups reunited as the Greater Boston Association of Unitarian Ministers.*


References


Proceedings of Massachusetts Historical Society vol 17
published 1879, public domain * * * {{Coord, 42.518, -70.909, display=title Salem, Massachusetts 1692 in the Province of Massachusetts Bay 1693 in the Province of Massachusetts Bay Salem witch trials Christianity in Massachusetts Congregationalism in the United States