An American biographical and historical dictionary, containing an account of the lives, characters, and writings of the most eminent persons in North America from its first discovery to the present time, and a summary of the history of the several colonies and of the United States / by William Allen.
- William Allen
- Date:
- 1809
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: An American biographical and historical dictionary, containing an account of the lives, characters, and writings of the most eminent persons in North America from its first discovery to the present time, and a summary of the history of the several colonies and of the United States / by William Allen. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![two last sérmons, which he preached, were printed after his death. —Magnal. ili. 132 ; Prentiss’ fun. serm. on Haven, | ALLEN (Tuomas), minister of Charlestown, Massachusetts, was born at Norwich in England in 1608, and was educated at Cambridge. He was afterwards minister of St. Edmond’s in Nor- wich, but was silenced by bishop Wren about the year 1636 ior refusing to read the book of sports, and coniorm to other imposi¢ tions. In 1638 he fled to New England, and was the same year installed in Charlestown, where he was a pious, faithful preacher of the gospel till about 1651, when he returned to Norwich, and continued the exercise of his ministry till 1662. He afterwards preached to his church on all occasions that offered till his death Sep. 21, 1673, aged 65. He was a very pious man, greatly beloy- ed, and an able, practical preacher. He published an invitation to thirsty sinners to come to their Savior ; the way of the Spirit in bringing souls to Christ; the glory of Christ set forth, with the necessity of faith in several sermons ; a chain of scripture chronology from the creation to the death of Christin 7 periods. This wus printed in 1658, and was considered as a very learned and usetul work. It is preserved in the New England library, established by Mr. Prince, by whom the authors quoted in the book are written in the beginning of it in his own hand. Mr. Allen wrote also with Mr. Shepard in 1645 a preface to a treatise on liturgies, &c. composed by the latter. He contends, that only visible saints and believers should be received to communion.—Magnal. iii. 215 ; Noncon. Memor.i.254 3 ills 1], 12. ALLEN (JamEs), minister in Boston, came to this couritry i in 1662, recommended by Mr. Goodwin. He had been a fellow of New college, Oxford. He was at this time a young man, and pos- sessed considerable talents. He was very pleasing to many of thé church in Boston, and an attempt.was made to settle him as assist- ant to Mr. Wilson and Mr. Norton. He was ordained ‘teacher of the first church ‘Dec. 9, 1668, as colleague with Mr. Davenport, who was at the same time ordained pastor. After the death of Mr. Davenport he had for his colleague Mr. Oxenbridge, and after his decease Mr. Wadsworth. In 1669 seventeen ministers published their testimony against the conduct of Mr. Allen and Mr. Davenport in relation to the set- tlement of the latter. They were charged with communicating parts only of letters from the church of Newhaven to the church of Boston, by which means it was said the church was deceived ; but they in defence asserted, that the letters retained did not represent ‘things differently from what had been stated. The whole colony was interested in the controversy between the first and the new or third church. At length the general court in 1670 declared the ‘conduct of those churches and elders, who assisted in establishing](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b32886639_0026.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
