The church congregation was established in 1630, when the settlers on the Arbella arrived at the site of present-day Charlestown, Massachusetts.[1]John Wilson was the first minister, and the only minister while the church was in Charlestown. Two years later they constructed a meeting house across the Charles River near what is now State Street in Boston, and Wilson was officially installed as minister there. In 1633 John Cotton arrived from England, and was a teaching elder at the church, helping to establish the foundation of the Congregational Church, the official state church of Massachusetts. In 1677 Dorcas ye blackmore, a freed slave, became the first African American allowed to become a member of the church.[2] In the 18th century, Charles Chauncy was a minister at First Church for sixty years,[3] where he gained a reputation for opposing what he believed was the emotionalism of Jonathan Edwards during the Great Awakening.[4]
A schism developed at the turn of the 19th century: this Trinitarian Christian church eventually transformed into a Unitarian congregation by the mid-19th century, as did many of the other state churches in Massachusetts.[5] Massachusetts' state churches (largely Unitarian and Congregationalist, including First Church), were officially disaffiliated from the government in 1833.
In the 19th century, the First Church moved to Back Bay in Boston. The building at 66 Marlborough Street in Boston dated from 1868, and was designed by Boston architects William Robert Ware and Henry Van Brunt.
Second Church, also known as the "Church of the Mathers", was founded in 1649 when the population spread to the North End and justified an additional congregation sited closer to those individuals' homes. From 1664 to 1741, its clergy consisted of Increase Mather, Cotton Mather, and Samuel Mather. Both churches were examples of the westward movement of Boston churches from the crowded, older downtown area to the newer, more fashionable Back Bay. This area was developed for residential use after lowlands were filled in during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Second Church's Back Bay location in the Fenway was sold (it is now owned by the Ruggles St. Baptist congregation) just before the merger.[6]
After a disastrous fire in 1968, First Church and Second Church merged and built a new building at the 66 Marlborough Street location.
Architectureedit
The current building incorporates the ruined street facade and "puddingstone" steeple tower of the previous church on the site (by Ware & van Brunt, 1868), which had burned in 1968.[7][8] After a call for designs, the congregation voted for the proposal by Paul Rudolph, which was completed in 1972.[8]
The light-flooded, soaring interior is finished with Rudolph's characteristic bush hammered "corduroy concrete" surfaces. Decades later, the interiors are immaculately preserved. Great care has been taken not to permanently change the walls, and to reproduce the original textile decorations.[9]
^Arthur Blake Ellis; George Edward Ellis (1881). History of the First Church in Boston, 1630–1880. Boston: Hall and Whiting.
^Deborah Colleen McNally, "To Secure her Freedom: “Dorcas ye blackmore,” Race, Redemption, and the Dorchester First Church", The New England Quarterly, Volume 89 | Issue 4 | December 2016, p.533-555
^Murphy, James A. (December 1973). "Rebirth in Back Bay" (PDF). Progressive Architecture. Reinhold Publishing Company, Inc. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
^ ab"1968.09 First Church of Boston". Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
^"First Church and Related Facilities, Boston, MA, 1968-1972". Paul Rudolph & His Architecture. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Library. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
Leo W. Collins. This Is Our Church: The Seven Societies of the First Church in Boston 1630–2005. Boston: Society of the First Church in Boston, 2005. Google books
Paul Rudolph & his architecture. A page from a website devoted to Rudolph's work, featuring photos of the church building. Paul Rudolph & his architecture
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to First Church in Boston.
first, church, boston, unitarian, universalist, church, originally, congregationalist, founded, 1630, john, winthrop, original, puritan, settlement, boston, massachusetts, current, building, located, marlborough, street, back, neighborhood, designed, paul, rud. First Church in Boston is a Unitarian Universalist Church originally Congregationalist founded in 1630 by John Winthrop s original Puritan settlement in Boston Massachusetts The current building located on 66 Marlborough Street in the Back Bay neighborhood was designed by Paul Rudolph in a modernist style after a fire in 1968 It incorporates part of the earlier gothic revival building designed by William Robert Ware and Henry Van Brunt in 1867 The church has long been associated with Harvard University First Church in 2008 Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 3 Notable people associated with the church 4 Gallery 4 1 State St 1632 1639 4 2 Washington St 1639 1808 4 3 Chauncy Place 1808 1867 4 4 Marlborough St 1868 present 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksHistory editThe church congregation was established in 1630 when the settlers on the Arbella arrived at the site of present day Charlestown Massachusetts 1 John Wilson was the first minister and the only minister while the church was in Charlestown Two years later they constructed a meeting house across the Charles River near what is now State Street in Boston and Wilson was officially installed as minister there In 1633 John Cotton arrived from England and was a teaching elder at the church helping to establish the foundation of the Congregational Church the official state church of Massachusetts In 1677 Dorcas ye blackmore a freed slave became the first African American allowed to become a member of the church 2 In the 18th century Charles Chauncy was a minister at First Church for sixty years 3 where he gained a reputation for opposing what he believed was the emotionalism of Jonathan Edwards during the Great Awakening 4 A schism developed at the turn of the 19th century this Trinitarian Christian church eventually transformed into a Unitarian congregation by the mid 19th century as did many of the other state churches in Massachusetts 5 Massachusetts state churches largely Unitarian and Congregationalist including First Church were officially disaffiliated from the government in 1833 In the 19th century the First Church moved to Back Bay in Boston The building at 66 Marlborough Street in Boston dated from 1868 and was designed by Boston architects William Robert Ware and Henry Van Brunt Second Church also known as the Church of the Mathers was founded in 1649 when the population spread to the North End and justified an additional congregation sited closer to those individuals homes From 1664 to 1741 its clergy consisted of Increase Mather Cotton Mather and Samuel Mather Both churches were examples of the westward movement of Boston churches from the crowded older downtown area to the newer more fashionable Back Bay This area was developed for residential use after lowlands were filled in during the late 19th and early 20th centuries Second Church s Back Bay location in the Fenway was sold it is now owned by the Ruggles St Baptist congregation just before the merger 6 After a disastrous fire in 1968 First Church and Second Church merged and built a new building at the 66 Marlborough Street location Architecture editThe current building incorporates the ruined street facade and puddingstone steeple tower of the previous church on the site by Ware amp van Brunt 1868 which had burned in 1968 7 8 After a call for designs the congregation voted for the proposal by Paul Rudolph which was completed in 1972 8 The light flooded soaring interior is finished with Rudolph s characteristic bush hammered corduroy concrete surfaces Decades later the interiors are immaculately preserved Great care has been taken not to permanently change the walls and to reproduce the original textile decorations 9 nbsp 1868 steeple tower nbsp Charred rose window frame and facade nbsp Exterior steps forming an amphitheater nbsp View towards sanctuary nbsp Organ loft finished in corduroy concrete Notable people associated with the church editLowell Mason organist 1807 1811 nbsp First Church in 2008John Wilson pastor 1632 1667 died 1667 John Cotton pastor 1633 1652 John Winthrop founder and governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony John Norton pastor 1656 1663 John Davenport pastor 1668 1670 James Allen pastor 1668 1710 died 1710 John Oxenbridge pastor 1670 1674 Joshua Moodey pastor 1684 1692 died 1697 John Bailey pastor 1693 1697 died 1697 Benjamin Wadsworth pastor 1696 1737 Thomas Bridge pastor 1705 1715 died 1715 Thomas Foxcroft pastor 1717 1769 Charles Chauncy pastor 1727 1787 John Clarke pastor 1778 1798 William Emerson pastor 1799 1811 John Lovejoy Abbot pastor 1813 1814 Nathaniel Langdon Frothingham minister 1815 1850 Sophia Henrietta Emma Hewitt music director 1815 17 daughter of James Hewitt Charles Zeuner music director 1839 Lucien H Southard music director 1848 Rufus Ellis pastor 1853 c 1885 died 1885 10 Whitney Eugene Thayer music director 1869 1875 Arthur Foote music director 1878 1910 Charles Edwards Park minister 1906 1946 emeritus 1946 1962 Rhys Williams minister 1960 2000 Stephen Kendrick minister 2001 present Paul Cienniwa music director 2006 2017 Gallery editState St 1632 1639 edit nbsp First meeting house built 1632 nbsp John Wilson pastor 1632 1667 nbsp John Cotton pastor 1633 1652 Washington St 1639 1808 edit nbsp Location near Old State House 17th century nbsp John Davenport pastor 1668 1670 nbsp Old Brick Church Washington St built 1713 nbsp John Clarke pastor 1778 1798 Chauncy Place 1808 1867 edit nbsp William Emerson pastor 1799 1811 nbsp Chauncy Place 1808 1867 nbsp Chauncy Place 1808 1867 nbsp Nathaniel Langdon Frothingham pastor 1815 1850 Marlborough St 1868 present edit nbsp 19th century nbsp Rufus Ellis pastor 1853 c 1885 nbsp Marlborough St and Berkeley St 1920See also editSecond Church Boston Oldest churches in the United StatesReferences edit Arthur Blake Ellis George Edward Ellis 1881 History of the First Church in Boston 1630 1880 Boston Hall and Whiting Deborah Colleen McNally To Secure her Freedom Dorcas ye blackmore Race Redemption and the Dorchester First Church The New England Quarterly Volume 89 Issue 4 December 2016 p 533 555 Ellis and Ellis 1881 p 191 Ellis and Ellis 1881 pp 202 203 Paul Erasmus Lauer Church and State in New England Johns Hopkins Press 1892 pp 105 107 accessed September 20 2009 See Second Church records Murphy James A December 1973 Rebirth in Back Bay PDF Progressive Architecture Reinhold Publishing Company Inc Retrieved 2022 03 05 a b 1968 09 First Church of Boston Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation Retrieved 2022 03 05 First Church and Related Facilities Boston MA 1968 1972 Paul Rudolph amp His Architecture University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Library Retrieved 2022 03 05 Boston Pulpit Gleasons Pictorial Boston Mass 5 1853 Further reading editLeo W Collins This Is Our Church The Seven Societies of the First Church in Boston 1630 2005 Boston Society of the First Church in Boston 2005 Google books Paul Rudolph amp his architecture A page from a website devoted to Rudolph s work featuring photos of the church building Paul Rudolph amp his architectureExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to First Church in Boston First Church in Boston website 1630 Christian Covenant of First Church in Boston 42 21 13 7 N 71 4 28 3 W 42 353806 N 71 074528 W 42 353806 71 074528 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title First Church in Boston amp oldid 1185472743, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
