Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/238

 188 THE HISTORY OF BAERIXGTON. among all the outward and external blessings with which the God of all mercy blesseth any people with all in this world, that of the House of God is among them ; the Gospel purely preached and the ordinances of Christ's kingdom duly administered and fathers and children settled under pastoral watch care and government, under pious learned orthodox ministers being in our esteem the greatest. "And we, your petitioners, being under the deplorable pri- vations thereof, do must humbly and earnestly petition this Honored Court that some methods may be taken (as in wis- dom may be thought best) for our relief, we being assured of this Honorable General Court's power and good will to help in such cases, from their repeated acts of the like nature, do the more freely open our malady which bespeaks pity and cure. Not to mention the ill circumstances, which our different opinions (in matters of religion from our neighbors) bring our estates under, in whose power they are in all taxes (though bad enough of itself) is yet little and light compared with the bitterness we feel at present, and fear for the future for the very mention of no settled min- ister, learned and orthodox, no Church of Christ settled in order, no pastor to feed Christ's lambs among us ; this as we believe is an uncomfortable thought unto all the holy and reverend ministers of Christ that know our state. So it is a heart-breaking thought to us to think, that when we are called out of this world to consider in what state we leave our posterity exposed to a ruinating enticement from pure gospel and gospel ordinances. All which sorrow and misery either felt or feared, if the Honorable General Court do in mercy and pity prevent by granting us a township according to the limits of Capt. Samuel Low's military company in Swansea, thereby enabling us to settle and maintain a pious, learned and orthodox minister for the good of us and our posterity, God will be glorified, Christ's kingdom enlarged and will oblige your most humble peti- tioners ever to pray.