Author: Anthony Vaver

1726 August 19, 20 (Friday, Saturday).  Having had Such avocations this week, no one can think me Idle these Two Dayes, seeing a Sacrament approaches.

1726 August 21 (Sunday).  Sacrament Day.  I preach’d a.m. on Heb. 10.22.  Captain Willard,[1] Dr. Matthews,[2] Hezekiah Ward[3] and Mrs. Grove of Greenland communicated with us.  P.M. I preach’d upon 1 John 2.1.  Many Marlborough people, Mr. Breck I concluded to be absent.

[1]Benjamin Willard of Grafton.

[2]Dr. John Matthews, physician of Marlborough and Southborough.

[3]Of Marlborough.

1726 August 22 (Monday).  So many of my Friends absent I was very lonely.  I walk’d down to Neighbour Greens.[1]  I read miscellaneously.  I kill’d 8 Pidgeons (and how many more I know not) at a shot.

[1]John Green of Westborough.

1726 August 23 (Tuesday).  In my lowly State I wrote a Letter to my wife which I never Design’d to Send.  I had great opportunity to Discourse with my Maid servant of things of an Everlasting Importance.  I improv’d it in some measure, but found she had received but very barely in her Education, being very unacquainted with the Principles of Religion, and not able to so much as to return  any Answer to the Catechism taught our Smallest Children.  Alas!  The Irreligion and Ignorance of many (professedly Christian) Families among us of this Country, notwithstanding the Care universally taken for their Instruction!

1726 August 24 (Wednesday).  Phinehas Hardy went to Boston.  I wrote diverse letters.  Several:  to my Father, Deacon Henchman.  I was at Lieutenant Forbushes.[1]

[1]Lieutenant Samuel Forbush of Westborough.

1726 August 25 (Thursday).  I read various things.  Very Impatient Except when I was immers’d in Thought.  I went down to Lieutenant’s again expecting the Young Man, but he came not.  Neighbor Clark with me in my Return home.

1726 August 26 (Friday).  I receiv’d from Boston.  Mr. Willard on the Catechism brought up to me.

1726 August 27 (Saturday).  I have been finely at Liberty this Week for my Preparations.  Yet not finish’d till within Night sometime.

1726 August 28 (Sunday).  I preach’d again upon 1 John 2.1, a. and p.m. I was much wearied at noon, and very unactive.  Aged Mrs. Holloway[1] was Suddenly taken ill this morning.  At Midnight Mr. Holloway came to me and desir’d me to rise and ride to his Mother.  I did so.  When I came to her she could Scarce Speak, but her understanding was Strong.  I pray’d after which She Reviv’d and spake a great deal to me alone of her former Desires and the Comforts She had lately received from Deacon Keys[2] of Shrewsbury, etc.

[1]Mother of William and/or Adam Holloway of Westborough.

[2]Deacon John Keyes should not be confused with Captain John Keyes, another resident of Shrewsbury.  The ancestry of both is unclear.  Ward, Shrewsbury, pp. 339-341.

1726 August 29 (Monday).  About 4 o’Clock I went up and went to Bed.  I return’d home about nine.  I sent for Mr. Oliver Ward’s Horse and about 11 Rode away for Cambridge.  It was past one when I left Mr. Amsden[1] yet I got to my Father Champneys[2] whilst the Day light was visible.

[1]Captain Isaac Amsden of Marlborough.

[2]Samuel Champney, Sr., of Cambridge.

1726 August 30 (Tuesday).  Brother Champney[1] with us.  We set out near Night, and without stopping at any Tavern we came to Westborough presently after sun-down.

[1]Samuel Champney, Jr.

1726 August 31 (Wednesday).  My Corn Stalks were Cut (in part).  My Child not well, she now breading her Eye Teeth.  I have had very Sensible Perception of the Truth of the Apostles Saying 1 Cor. 7.31.  The Fashion of this World passeth away.  Truly a very Slender observation makes it Obvious.  Everything in Nature being in incessant Motion; and we living by Changes The Age Wears off Time is at last to be small ow’d up in Eternity.

1726 September 1 (Thursday).  Brother Champney went from us.  I went over to Neighbor Pratts[1] in the Eve, where was Neighbor Charles Rice, and Neighbor Baker[2] both under great Difficulty for grinding (the Mills about us being dry), and fearing they must be Oblig’d to go as far as Providence.  William Clark cutt Stalks till noon.

[1]John Pratt of Westborough.

[2]Edward Baker.

1726 September 2 (Friday).  Neighbor Pratt kill’d a Calf for me.  In the Afternoon He Cutt the remaining part of My Stalks.  Sundry Persons taken Sick among us of a burning ague:  Neighbor Isaac Pratt and his wife, Noah Rice,[1] etc.; and Some of the Distemper (distinguishing from the former and) call’d the Fever and ague.  My Contemplations were Governed by the Times and

[1]Youngest son of Thomas Rice of Westborough.

1726  September 4 (Sunday).  I preach’d upon Hosea 4.12.  In the Eve as I had infinite Reason I reflected on my unusefullness and unprofitableness and my vile Ingratitude to God in Continuing in so [illegible] Commission of Sin and perfunctory Superficiall performance of Duty.

1726 September 5 (Monday).  This Day being my Birth Day (when I enter’d into my 24th year) I had a great variety of Contemplations of the volubility of Time of the vast importance of making preparation for Eternity the great Business of Life.  And I am urged to be the more Speedy and fervent by the Consideration of the Tenderness and infirmity of my naturall constitution through which I have long been much obstructed in my great work.  But what have my S trongest Resolutions Many times come to?  and what is my own sufficiency without assistance of Divine Grace?  O that I may Live to Christ, and by the Faith only of the Son of God, that I may have the honour and Happiness of doing Some service to his interest, that I may be wise to win souls, and when I have preach’d to others may not be myself a Castaway.

1726 September 6 (Tuesday).  Our Child was very ill, and especially at nights very unquiet.

1726 September 7 (Wednesday).  We were in great Concern about the Child.

1726 September 8 (Thursday).  We Sent to Dr. Matthews for Little Molly ill with a fever and violent flux.  The cause was from her breading her Eye Teeth.  We have Sometimes been up with her till after midnight.  My wife has not had a Comfortable night’s Rest this week.  I reflected upon Davids case when his Child was Sick.

1726 September 9 (Friday).  My Babe I hope is better and in some method of Recovery.

1726 September 10 (Saturday).  The Season of Strict Engagement.  Mr. Baker, whose Desires I had before receiv’d and propounded openly, brought his Relation.

1726 September 11 (Sunday).  I preach’d all Day upon John 3.19.  Mr. Baker was admitted into our Church.

1726 September 12 (Monday).  Dr. Matthews came in to see the Child, which was ill yet, but through the Divine Goodness in a more hopefull Condition than heretofore.

1726 September 13 (Tuesday).  I rose very Early, sometime before Day, and more than 1/4 before sunrise was mounted on my horse and rode to Shrewsbury.  With Mr. Cushing[1] I went to Lancaster where Ministers were Associated.  Severall persons were here besides the members:  Mr. Andrew Gardner,[2] Mr. Cook,[3] Mr. Trowbridge,[4] Mr. Frink,[5] Brintnall,[6] Samuel Willard,[7] etc.  What was of greatest moment that I remember was advice to Mr. McKinstry[8] concerning the Management of his Cause.

[1]Reverend Job Cushing of Shrewsbury.

[2]Formerly the minister at Worcester.

[3]Reverend William Cooke of Wayland.

[4]Reverend Caleb Trowbridge (Harvard 1710) of Groton, Mass.  Sibley, V, 545-546.

[5]Reverend Thomas Frink (Harvard 1722) of Rutland, Mass.  Sibley, VII, 69-75.

[6]Reverend William Brintnall, minister and schoolmaster at Sudbury.

[7](Harvard 1723).  The preacher in the Stony Brook region of Marlborough and later the minister at Biddeford, Maine, 1730-1741.  Sibley, VII, 281-287.

[8]Reverend John McKinstry of Sutton.

1726 September 14 (Wednesday).  Mr. Loring[1] preach’d Excellently on the Text Ps. 119.18.  It was very stormy, so that We did not return home.

[1]Reverend Israel Loring of Sudbury.

1726 September 15 (Thursday).  Most of us mov’d off in the morning but Mr. Cushing and I tarried till after Dinner, and then came away together as far as Deacon Keyes, Some little way on this Side [at] whose house I turned away for home.  The Weather was not Settled yet, but I got to my house Comfortably.

1726 September 16, 17 (Friday, Saturday).  I Employ’d myself only on my Preparations for the Sabbath approaching, When

1726 September 18 (Sunday).  I preach’d again a.m. and p.m. on the Same, John 3.19, and baptiz’d Mr. Isaac Shattucks child Mary.[1]

[1]Of Westborough.  The birth day is recorded as August 10, 1726.

1726 September 19 (Monday).  Now I am Enter’d into a Busy time and active wherein my Heart has often Trembled with Me, that is of assisting the sick in their preparations for Eternity.  Mr. Isaac Pratt and his wife, and Mr. Tainter[1] and his wife ill.  I visited and pray’d with them.

[1]Simon Tainter of Westborough.

1726 September 22 (Thursday).  Mr. Pratt dy’d, and

1726 September 24 (Saturday).  was Buried.

1726 September 25 (Sunday).  I preach’d a.m. on 1 Pet. 4.3 and p.m. likewise.  In the Evening I formed Severall Designs (in my Secret Reflections) about my future more Extensive serviceableness and particularly in my Fathers Family when I go to Boston (from one time to another) to assist their Spiritual Welfare.

1726 September 26, 27, 28 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday).  And this Week is full of Employments, my providing and preparing for my Lecture and Sacrament.  And wonderfull is the Goodness and favour of God in carrying me so comfortably thro’ hitherto; though I have many times had more unavoidable Avocations than I hope others of my Brethren in the Ministry.  On the 27, Mr. Maynard[1] of Shrewsbury brought in my Colt which had rang’d the Woods the Summer past.

[1]Simon Maynard.

1726 September 29 (Thursday).  I preach’d a Lecture on Acts 8.21, preparitory to the Holy Communion.  When the Sacred Exercises were over I Stop’d the Brethren to propose to them a Method of Supporting the Elements at Sacrament by a Contribution every Sacrament.  For in time past they had proceeded in a Way that being more agreeable to what they were brought up in, they were urgent with me to allow, but it had frustrated the purpose.

1726 September 30 (Friday).  I was Diligent in my Great Work, but God forgive my unprofitableness and Negligence!  (I have reason to say so though I have never so Diligent.)  O that his Grace may Supply where I am insufficient.