All through the colonial period the civil affairs of the community were intimately connected with the interests of the church; and ecclesiastical history, when church and State were united, and the minister was the greatest man of the parish, becomes of importance. As early as 1640, in the church of Boston, "a motion was made by such as have farms at Rumney Marsh, that our Brother Oliver may be sent to instruct our servants, and to be a help to them, because they cannot many times come hither, nor sometimes to Lynn, and sometimes no where at all." The piously disposed people of Boston evidently commiserated the destitute condition of their poor dependents, and were desirous of ministering to their spiritual wants. [Illustration: THE RESIDENCE OF THE HON. THOMAS STRAHAN.] [Illustration: AN INTERIOR IN THE HON. THOMAS STRAHAN'S RESIDENCE.] [Illustration: GERRISH'S BLOCK.] For many years the inhabitants of this section received the benefit of irregular preaching from Brother Oliver and other kindly disposed ministers from neighboring parishes. The wishes of Governor Bellingham to provide for their wants had been frustrated, as before narrated. Prior to 1706, the people were nominally connected with some church in Charlestown or Boston. In that year, at the March meeting of the town of Boston, a committee was appointed to consider what they should think proper to lay before the town relating to petitions of sundry of the inhabitants of Rumney Marsh about the building of a meeting-house. Action was postponed, from year to year, until August 29, 1709, when it was voted to raise one hundred pounds, to be laid out "in building a meeting-house at Rumney Marsh." The raising of the frame was in July of the following year. The Reverend Thomas Cheever, son of the famous schoolmaster, was chosen pastor October 17, 1715, and was dismissed December 21, 1748. At the formation of the church, the Reverend Cotton Mather, D.D., was moderator, and there were eight male members, including the pastor. The Reverend Thomas Cheever was born in 1658; was graduated at Harvard College in 1677; was ordained and settled in Maiden, July 27, 1681; was dismissed in 1686, "on the advice of an ecclesiastical council"; removed to Rumney Marsh and lived in the Newgate House; taught school many years, and preached occasionally; died December 27, 1749, aged about ninety-two years. [Illustration: CITY HOTEL.] Toward the close of his ministry, the Reverend William McClenachan was installed as Mr. Cheever's colleague, although considerable opposition was manifested, and several prominent members withdrew to other churches. The connection of the pastor with the church continued until December 25, 1754, when Mr. McClenachan left them and joined the Established Church of England. He was a man of remarkable eloquence, and soon after his resignation of the pastorate of the Chelsea parish, he went to England. [Illustration: C.A. CAMPBELL'S COAL OFFICE.]