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

242 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1753.
Expenses of the
Ordination.
TliG Gxpeiises of tlie ordinatioii were paid by
tlie town, aiid amounted to £48.14.9 old
tenor, equal to £6.8.7 lawful currency. In-
cluded in tlie account was the sum of £7.4 paid for wine.
While the different amounts paid to certain individuals
may be found among the town treasurer's papers, the arti-
cles provided, with the single exception of wine, are not
stated. An ordination dinner for tlie ministers and their
delegates was animportant and never omitted proceeding,
and it was for this that the largest expense was incurred.
What rejoicings among the young people in the evening
followed the religious exercises of the morning, are not
known. It is easy to imagine that everybody, both old
and young, felt like indulging in some kind of celebration
at the conclusion of this long and bitter struggle. The
custom of finishing off the ordination exercises with a ball
in the evening was almost universal, and no doubt was followed
on this occasion in Northampton, though nothing
has been discovered which throws any light on the subject. ^
1 Ordinations in old times were regarded as a pastime, an occasion for frolic and
amusement. By common consent Wednesday seems to have been the day of the
week usually fixed upon for the ceremony. These occasions were somewhat rare,
and the g;eneral interest manifested in them, always drew large crowds. The exercises
usually occupied from an hour and a half to two hours. At first they were
much more elaborate, sometimes continuing tliroughout the day, and formerly it was
the custom for the candidate to preach a sermon at his ordination. But much of the
solemnity of the occasion gradually wore away, the exercises were curtailed to an
hour or two, and the rest of the time was devoted to conviviality and social intercourse,
the affair closing in later times with the ordination ball in the evening. The
town or parish always paid the expenses of the ordination which, in some cases were
quite large. As much as £50, equal to half a year's salary, was expended at an ordination
in Charlestown, in 1713. A dinner was always provided for the attending
ministers and their delegates, and it came to be one of the most important features
of such an occasion. An open air ordination was held at Wrentham, in November,
1738. A great concourse of people assembled, and the services took place in a valley.