1775 December 24 (Sunday). A very Cold tedious Snow storm. Few at Meeting. Our Exercises were short. Preached a.m. on Rom. 3.24. P.M. on Eccl. 3.14. Occasioned by the Death of Several persons in an awful and sudden manner. Three Youths, viz. Franklin Williams, son of Jonathan Williams Esq. from Boston, and Francis and Benjamin Chandler, sons of Col. Chandler of Worcester, about 13 years old, were lately drowned at Worcester. They were skating on the Ice, which broke and let them into the Water. So that they all perished. Also Mr. Benjamin Babbit of Brookfield, being on a journey home, was Suddenly taken ill at Northbridge, dyed the next night and was buryed there. Also Abel Woods, Son of the late Solomon Woods of this place, was mortally (as its feared) wounded by a Ball at Letchmores Point, and prayers are desired for him here. Such Sad disasters are solemn Warnings to all Survivors. At Eve we read the latter part of Dr. I. Mathers Exhortation to the Inhabitants of New England in the year 1676.[1] All which may God sanctifie to us for our awakening!
[1]Increase Mather, A Serious Exhortation (Cambridge, 1671). Evans 162. Boston, 1678; Evans 254.