History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

218 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1750.
was attended by many strangers, bnt few of his parishioners
were present. It fell on a day when the County
Court was in session, and the Justices adjourned the court
in order to attend the lecture. A deserved compliment to
the fame of the preacher, as well as a decided indication of
the interest manifested in this important question.
Advice Sought from A movemcnt was tlieu made to have a
the Hampshire church meeting couveued iu order to seek
Association. , -, .
•
i> 1 • 1 tt i
^
j_the
advice ot the Hampshire Association
of Ministers. But Mr. Edwards objected. Hardly a week,
he said, had passed since a council had been held for that
very purpose, and the condition of affairs had not since
materially changed. He further declared that he would
have no hand in calling any more councils, unless he might
be permitted to invite from other counties, members favor-
able to his own views.
Thereupon a paper was prepared desiring the association
to convene and give advice. It recited that Mr. Edwards
had declined to call the church together to make the request,
and that he refused to assist in calling any more
councils, unless he might choose one half the members
from other counties. This paper received about fifty signatures,
and was forwarded to Rev. Mr. Williams of Had-
ley. He sent the summons to the members of the association
to meet at his house at a time named. In this document
it was stated that the people of Northampton were
desirous that some one should 'preach on the opposite side
of the controversy, and sought the advice of the associa-
tion thereon.
Only six of the twenty-five ministers comprising the
association responded. Three of them had an interview
with Mr. Edwards, who told them that he desired to select
only a portion of his half of any council from beyond the
county, and not the whole as had been represented. The
meeting adjourned without action. Indeed it would have
been impolitic and contrary to usage for so small a number
of members to pledge any thing in behalf of the asso-
ciation.