Second Church of Boston – Puritan – John Lathrop

3 N Square

Founded in 1649 it was destroyed by fire in 1676 and rebuilt, split off into New North Church and New Brick Church. British troops tore it down in 1776. Then this group merged with New Brick on Hanover St.

John Lathrop was a Puritan/Congregationalist Minister. He became pastor of the Second Church in Boston when it was located in the North End on North Square (1768-1816). Eventually he left there with some followers and founded Barnstable. A few of his sermons were printed and he was noted as having preached on the Boston Massacre. This may be why his church was targeted for destruction by British soldiers.

Second Church had some notable Ministers, including Increase Mather, Cotton Mather, and later Ralph Waldo Emerson. Interestingly North Square Park is right above the Sumner Tunnel which runs under the even houses on Moon St.

Also of note, John Lathrop’s Grandfather named John Lothropp was also a Puritan Minister and a strong proponent of the idea of separation of Church and State (also called “Freedom of Religion”) which was considered heretical in England in its time. For this he was imprisoned in London from 1632-1634 under King Charles and then banished to America on his release. Aside from his grandson of similar name, he has had many other notable descendants. This includes at least six US presidents, as well as many other prominent Governors, government leaders, and leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his followers relocated to Scituate and founded the First Church there. His home and meeting house is now part of the Sturgis Library in Barnstable, MA and is the oldest building housing a public library in the USA.

(See Old North Meeting House for more)

What fruitage did these spiritual leaders produce? Mt 7:15-20. Consider John 17:16 vs Acts 20:29, 30. What would Jesus have said seeing this?

-Source Links-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lathrop_(American_minister)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lothropp

https://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fa0006

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Church,_Boston

https://contrib.pbslearningmedia.org/WGBH/rttt12/rttt12_int_boston1723/index.html Map w overlay

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/siege-of-boston-map.htm