Religious Dissension

It was during the year 1655 that the name of Daniel Wing and a number of the prominent citizens of Sandwich are first mentioned in connection with a serious religious dissension in the town.

From the first settlement of the place, its inhabitants were looked upon by the authorities at Plymouth as indifferent to the execution of the laws in favor of uniformity in worship. Many persons had been subjected to fines for speaking disrespectfully of the laws, and of the mode of conducting public worship. So great became the falling off of attendance upon the ministrations of Mr. Leverich, the first minister, that (about 1654) he concluded to leave the place and for nearly twenty years the people were destitute of a regular pastor.

Daniel Wing's name appears, with eighteen others of the most respectable and conservative of the church members, attached to a call given about 1655-56 to engage a temporary preacher.

As early as 1646 a general movement was made throughout the Plymouth Colony in behalf of religious toleration. A petition was signed and presented to the General court "to allow and maintain full and free tolerance of religion to all men that would preserve the civil peace and submit to government." It was supported by numbers of the (representatives) deputies, and by a large portion of the inhabitants of Sandwich. It was, however, overruled by Governor Bradford. In 1654 it is recorded that "the people of both colonies began about this time to be indifferent to the ministry, and to exercise their own gifts, doubting the utility of public speaking."

Up to this time Daniel acted with the church of Sandwich and his contributions were given to the support of Mr. Leverich and in the repairs of the parsonage. His name does not appear among the opponents of that minister.

In 1657 the people called Quakers made their first appearance in Sandwich. They "had a number of meetings and their arrival was hailed with feelings of satisfaction by many who had long been burdened with a lifeless ministry and dead forms in religion." The Governor issued a warrant for the arrest of the new comers, but when a copy of the warrant was asked for it was refused. A severe rebuke and a fine was then inflicted upon them. The two prisoners were sentenced to be whipped but the selectmen of the town declined to act in the case and the marshal was obliged to take them to Barnstable to find a magistrate willing to comply with the order.

" Many complaints were made against persons in Sandwich for meetings at private houses" and several men and women were publicly whipped for "disturbing public worship," ...Daniel Wing, with three others was arrested for "tumultuous carriage at a meeting of Quakers," and severely fined.

Daniel and Stephen Wing refused to take the "oath of fidelity" which pledged them to assist in the execution of an intolerant religious enactment. In 1658 a list was made by the Governor of "certain persons who refused to take the oath of fidelity," and for that reason had no legal right to act as inhabitants. They were each fined £5 and ordered that they had no power to act in any town meeting, nor to claim title or interest in any town privileges as townsmen. Many were summoned to Plymouth to account for non-attendance of public worship. Of these fines Daniel Wing paid:
March 1658, for entertaining Quakers, 20 shillings.
October, 1658, for refusing to take the oath of fidelity, £5
December 3, 1658, for refusing to aid the marshal, 20 shillings, October, 1659, for refusing to take the oath of fidelity, £5 March, 1660, for refusing to take the oath of fidelity £5, June 1660, for refusing to take the oath of fidelity £5, December 1658, excluded from the number of freemen.

Up to this time Daniel Wing appeared as a friend of toleration and opposed the oppressive law. But it was not long before he and most of the sympathizers became active converts to the persecuted Quakers.

Daniel Wing Becomes a Quaker

Sandwich, Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America

"In 1658 no less than eighteen families in Sandwich recorded their names" in the documents of the Society (Quakers)" "Almost the whole town of Sandwich is adhering towards them."

The records of the Monthly Meetings of Friends show that "the Sandwich Monthly Meeting was the first established in America." Daniel Wing's name was on that list. The Wings were part of those first meetings of Quakers.

It was not until about 1660 that the proceedings against the Quakers were discontinued and the most obnoxious laws were repealed in the colony of Plymouth when we are told that "the Quakers became the most peaceful, industrious and moral of all the religious sects."