Brattle Square Church (first) is dedicated.

[12/24-Thwing] The wooden church is located on today’s City Hall Plaza (then Brattle Street). The congregation was established in 1697. It is called the Manifesto Church because its founders issue a declaration of four principals considered liberal at the time. They are: Reading of the Scriptures in public worship; Baptism at the liberty of the minister; Admission to the church without the public relation of experience; and Extinction of special rights of the church and Recognition of the rights of every member of the congregation. Benjamin Coleman is the first pastor. Considered the most prestigious of Boston churches in the mid 18th century, its members include Whigs (John Adams, the Bowdoins, the Hancocks, and Joseph Warren) and Loyalists (Richard Clarke). A new church (second) is built on the same site in 1720.* It is replaced by a new building (third) on the site of today’s City Hall in 1773,* then by a new building in the Back Bay (fourth) in 1873.*