Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/258

 204 THE HISTORY OF BAIIKINGTON. Samuel Torrey appeared at the town meeting, and signified to the town that he accepted the call the town gave him to be their minister for the futor, and also the voats that the town passed about him, both as to the settlem.ent and salary which voats were passed by the town, the twenty-first day of April last." The Rev. Mr. Samuel Torrey thus became the first minister of the new town and Church, as one body. There is no written record of this pastorate, but we must in- fer that it was not satisfactory to the public, from its brevity and also from the fact that in December, 1725, the town re- fused to increase Mr. Torrey's salary, and, in June, 1726, on a renewal of the request for an increase of salary, through a Committee consisting of Lieut. Nathaniel Peck, Samuel Kent and Samuel Humphrey, the town refused the request a sec- ond time. On the i6th of August, it was voted that the town would not concur with the Church in raising Mr. Torrey's salary, and at the same meeting it was voted "that the town concur with the Church in dismissing the Rev. Mr. Torrey from be- ing their minister, provided a Council advise it." The town records of that date show copies of Rev. Mr. Torrey's receipts for salary, attested by Josiah Humphrey, town clerk, and a copy of his receipts for ^100 as a settle- ment, as follows : " Whereas the town of Barrington on April the 21st, 1718, voted me one hundred pounds as a settlement, I do acknowl- edge that particular persons in the town and out of the town did liberally bestow upon me an hundred pounds to encourage me to settle in the ministry here and further I do by these acquit the town from ever paying me or my heirs the said hundred pounds that they voted me or any part of it ; they (who) never paid it to me as a town. As witness my hand this 19th day of January, 1725-6." Samuel Torrey. The Rev. Mr. Samuel Torrey was dismissed by an ecclesi- astical council and candidating for a new minister for Church