An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Old North Church, Boston

It was in the tower of this church on Apr. 18, 1775, that the sexton, Robert Newman, displayed the two lanterns which warned Paul Revere and his fellow riders that the British were marching toward Lexington and Concord. Its official name is Christ Church. It was founded in 1723, when the number of Episcopalians became too many for King's Chapel. The first service was held on Dec. 29, 1723. Its first rector was Timothy Cutler, the former Congregationalist who converted to the Church of England in 1722 while president of Yale. The tower of Old North houses America's first ring of bells.

Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.