In the year 1692, the church appears to have been without a minister ; for, " at a lawful town meeting held in Westchester, by the freeholders and inhabitants, and residents of said place, the 2nd day of January, 1692, in order to consult, conclude and agree, about procuring an ortliodox minister in said town. It is voated and agreed upon, that there shall be an orthodox minister in the town aforesaid, as soon as possible may be, and to allow him forty or fifty pound per annum, equivalent to money, for his maintenance. Its also voated and agreed upon, that a man shall go to the Honorable Colonel Heathcote, and see if he can prevail with him for to procure us a minister, in his travels in New England, otherwise that Captain William Barnes shall go and procure us a minister.''^

On the 15th of Dec, 1602, the general court of sessions ordered, '■that within any towne, precinct and patent within this county, due observation of the Lord's day shall be kept, and for want of an able minister, the inhabitants shall employ a reader, to read out of good books, two sermons every Lord's day, (that is to say) one in the forenoone between 9 and 11 o'clock, and one in the

» Town Rec. t Town Rec. « Town Rec. p. 198

ToL. II. 26

202 \^' '" HISTORY OF THE

aftenioone between two and four o'clock, at such places as shall be thought meet and convenient by ye inhabitants of such towne, precinct and patent, (fcc-^"-