Category: Diary

1773 December 21 (Tuesday).  Jonathan Maynard goes to his Aunts Funeral, viz. Mrs. Abihail’s, the Wife of his uncle Jotham, a woman for whom I had great Regard; She was Daughter of Mr. Ephraim Allen, and was our Maid for Sometime; She bore me and mine much respect, and ever glad to entertain us.  She dyed of a Consumption last Saturday.  As She was a serious, religious Woman, I hope she is gone to eternal Rest and Glory.  O that I might be ready to follow!  Mr. Isaac Johnson of Southborough came with a Message from Mr. Stone requesting me to assist in a Fast tomorrow at the House of Mr. Jacob Gibs on the South of Southborough on Occasion of a great Mortality by the Throat Distemper.  The Said Gibs having buryed four of his Children within a little while; a fifth ill and like to die.  Sundry others of that Neighbourhood have also lost Children and the Distemper more than ordinarily Mortal.  May the Lord Sanctifie this awful Visitation — Stay His Hand and in the middst of wrath remember Mercy!  O that God would please to direct and assist me and others in the Solemn Work before us!

1773 December 23 (Thursday).  Employed on London magazine for the year 1760, Vol. 29.  Miss Mary Bradish has opened a School at Mr. Barnabas Newtons.  We Send Benjamin Clark and Sukey Moore to her.  Sukey dines at Mr. Springs.

1773 December 24 (Friday).  [No entry.]

1773 December 25 (Saturday).  I desire to give most hearty praise and Thanks to God for the Birth of Jesus Christ, the Great and only Saviour, though I don’t know that this was the Day: nor do we publickly Solemnize it as Such.  Wrote to Mr. Cornelius Waters of Dartmouth College, in Answer to his concerning Cagnawaga and the Rices.  Committ it to the Care of Mr. Ebenezer Waters of Sutton.

1773 December 26 (Sunday).  Preached a. and p.m. on Ps. 24.3.4.5.  May God add His Blessing!  Mrs. Maynard dined here.  Hephzibah Rice is still with us.  Mr. Joseph Belknap has a Child very ill of the Canker and Fever.

1773 December 27 (Monday).  Visit Mr. Hannaniah Parkers Wife who is dangerously Sick, and prayed with her.  Was going to Mr. Belknaps, but hear that their Child is Dead.  Hear a Sixth Child of Mr. Gibbs is dead — and that another of Mr. Joseph Bucks is Sick.  The Girls visit at Mr. Bass’s.

1773 December 28 (Tuesday).  It was a great Storm of Snow and a Cold, tedious time.  Mr. Belknap had Sent to me yesterday desiring me to attend the Burial to day; but I could not go out in so severe weather, and so far.  Sent word to them that I could not venture, and prayed them to defer the Solemnity — but yet they came, the women almost suffering.  They came in here, of necessity, to warm etc.

1773 December 29 (Wednesday).  [No entry.]

1773 December 30 (Thursday).  Write a letter of Condolence to Mrs. Surcomb at Boston, on the Death of her Husband.  Write to Mr. Merriam at Newton desiring a Dismission for Mr. Thomas Frost.

1773 December 31 (Friday).  This Last Day of the Year am disposed to improve religiously for Humiliation, Supplication and for these Purposes in Recollections, Abstinence and Mortification.  The Lord pardon the many Sins of the past Year, for the sake of Jesus Christ!  And grant me the due Qualifications herefor; Repentence, Faith etc.  Mr. Seth Rice junior here on Account of the Letters concerning his uncles etc. in Canada.  Mrs. Kenny (wife of Nathan) here to be examined.  She was so, and approved.  Several other women visiting here.  My Daughters, Sophy and Hannah, being invited to dine at Mr. Edmund Brighams, they are gone down there, and visit at Gales.  At Eve John P________ came from Mr. Watsons at Oxford: has done living there: brings me a Letter from Mr. Bowman, concerning the Transactions of another Council at Somers, and Mr. Eli and his Brethrens Renunciations and his Dismission.  Thus Closes the Year.  O may I be prepared for the awful Time, when my Life Shall Close!

1774 January 1 (Saturday).  How could I have imagined that So poor, weakly, and especially that So Sinful and unworthy a Creature would be Spared to this Day!  That I am indulged with another New-Year’s Day Still! The divine Compassions, the divine Faithfulness and Truth do never fail. I desire with all my Heart, with all my Powers, to bless and praise His glorious Name.  I endeavored to present Thanksgivings to God most gracious and merciful for His Goodness throughout my Life, a Life so wonderfully protracted! For the Favours of the Year past in Special. That there is so abundant Reason to bless that to such old Age I enjoy Such Health of Body, free use of my Limbs; though many Years ago I was very Subject to the Rheumatism, yet now have Ease, except Sometimes the Cramps ‘o Nights, and once in a while a Spasmatick turn of Pain, which has been very excruciating, but through the infinite Goodness of God is not lasting.  I bless God for Relative Favour for His Goodness in restoring Mrs. P________ from sickness — and reviving to Such a Degree, my Daughter Baldwin; delivering and recovering my Daughter Cushing, when she bore a Second Son.  And for public — What an invaluable Favour  of our most gracious God that no less than 15 have been added to the Church this Year!  And Thanks are due that the people have been so Succeeded in enlarging, repairing and decorating the place of public Worship.  That we enjoy So many of our invaluable Rights and Libertys, Civil and Religious, notwithstanding the Grievances we are under, and it is a Day of awful Frown of God upon us for our great Sins against Him.  Spent the Day in other Acts of Religion as I could consistent with my Duty in my Circumstances, and of preparing for the Sabbath which I turned into this Channel. Read Bennets Christian Oratory on Thanksgiving, renewed my Covenant with God imploring forgiveness of all my Sins, especially of the last year — by prayer committed my Self and all mine, all the accidents and Changes before me, whether I live a longer or shorter time, to an infinitely kind, faithful God.  But O that I might be more deeply affected with the Shortness of my Time. Ah! How extreme Short, and how uncertain! O that God would please, of His infinite Mercy, to enable me to prepare for the awful Hour, which approches apace! That Death may not terrifie, but be welcome and joyfull to me!  Jonathan Maynard having lived with me Eight months, and according to another Agreement after the first was out, left me this Morning; (having paid him upward of Sixty Pounds old Tenor).  Mr. Nathan Kenny here to desire me to defer propounding his Wife, as he had thoughts to come in a little time himself.  At Evening came my son William and brought with him his own little son; to our Joy.

1774 January 2 (Sunday).  Bless God we may begin the Sabbaths of the Year.  Preached on Ps. 24.3.4.5, the Application.  P.M. on Isa. 63.7.  Which O that God would please to fasten upon us!  N.B. Prayers desired for Thomas Whipple of New Braintree (if yet alive), under a terrible Fever.  His Father and Mother, Brother etc. gone up, Some yesterday, Some to Day.  May the Lord appear for his Help!

1774 January 3 (Monday).  My Son and grandson tarry with us Still.  Visit Mrs. Parker again and pray with her.  At Eve came an old, miserable man Ichabod Jones, he says, of Dorcester.  He lyes by the Fire. A poor distempered, rheumatic, [Scorbutic?] Object.  I keep his Horse also.

1774 January 4 (Tuesday).  William and his little Billy return to Concord.  P.M. I preached at Mr. Daniel Hardys on Ps. 119.126 to page [blank].  On God alone may we depend for a Blessing: O that He would please to add it!  N.B. At Eve Mr. Beeton and his wife are here to See Mrs. Kelly, and they inform that at the Vendue of Miss Mary Bradish’s House yesterday at Deacon Woods, there was one Mr. Jones, who goes about as a Vagrant, Sings, makes Verses and is sometime Crazy — that this Man is expected to preach tomorrow at Mr. Beetons House.  But I represented the sin and folly of it, and forbid it.

1774 January 5 (Wednesday).  Mr. Beeton last Evening acquainted me that Deacon Wood warned the meeting at his (Beetons) House, for Mr. Jones to preach.  I Sent for the Deacon, who came, and told me what he had said about this Jones’s preaching and endeavored to clear himself of any warning of a Meeting, but yet Seemed to Shew a Disposition to go and hear him if he did preach — nay and asked if I would not go too?  I answered with warmth, and Shewed him the utter impropriety of it, and that it would be to his great Dishonor if he Should so Countenance what would be So imprudent, disparaging to the holy Ordinance of Preaching — that it would be a lifting up the Soul to vanity, etc. — and I must depend upon his wisdom and steddiness to Conduct suitably in the Affair.  But what he will do I know not. We reckoned and he gave me a Note of Hand for what he owes me, Except an Error in the casting up. May the Lord grant me wisdom and steddiness at this peculiar Juncture among my Flock and Save them from Evil!

1774 January 6 (Thursday).  I hear that Mr. Jones aforesaid preached at Mr. Beetons last Evening, and that though it was very Stormy, a great many assembled there: that Deacon Wood was there, and read the Psalm, that Mr. Edwards Whipple sat the Psalm.  But I am at my own Business. Mr. Benjamin Webb came from Deacon Woods hither and acquainted me that Mr. Jones was there.

1774 January 7 (Friday).  Am in my Preparations.

1774 January 8 (Saturday).  Hear that Mr. Jones preached at Mr. Tainters last Evening.  One Duntan was here at Dinner with us.

1774 January 9 (Sunday).  I had prepared to preach on Ps. 92.12 a.m. but thought it would be best to wave that for this time.  I repeated with Alterations both a. and p.m. Sermons on Joh. 1.12. Mr. Jones at meeting. One Town of Oxford dined here.  After Exercises Mr. Joseph Harrington came in here.  Said he was going to Mr. Timothy Warrins to hear Mr. Jones: I let him know that I could not approve of it, Since he was a stranger, had never let me know what he was, had not come to me, and that it was very disorderly for him to thrust himself in thus; and that it was very improper for him who was in covenant with me, to countenance Such irregular proceedings, and which were of Dangerous Tendency, by going to hear him.  But he went that way notwithstanding as I understand many more did at Evening though a Cold season.

1774 January 10 (Monday).  Am informed that Mr. Jones preached at Mr. Timothy Warrins last Evening.  It is too severe Weather for me to go abroad.  No one comes to Speak with me about the preaching stranger.  Mr. John Kelly of Hopkinton Sick.  Mr. William Pierce came here to inform of it; and desires me to go to him: but the Weather forbids.

 

1774 January 11 (Tuesday).  Write Several Letters: particularly to Mr. Daniel McAllister: his Dismission with his Wife’s, to the Society of Myrifield (as he writes it), and at his Desire a Copy of our Church Covenant.  I inclosed them in a Letter to Rev. Jones of Western, requesting Some Account this Mr. Isaac Jones, who preaches to my Neighbours.  Read part of Dr. Watts of the Glorys of Christ.  At Eve Breck and John ride in the sleigh to Shrewsbury, and return..

1774 January 12 (Wednesday).  An exceeding Cold Season, yet my Son John is at the ministerial Lot cutting wood and sledding from thence.  This Day, as I Suppose, Mr. John Marsh is ordained at Weathersfield.  May his Soul be suitably apprehensive of the weight of the Solemn Charge, and May God most gracious Support him under it; help him in fulfilling, and in finally giving up his Account to God the Judge!

1774 January 13 (Thursday).  Fine Day and good Sleighing, but I keep at home.  Mr. Benjamin Webb came to see me.  Tells me that Mr. Jones went from Deacon Woods to day, on foot, with his Bundle for Providence.  Hephzibah Rice, who has lived here a Month, returns to her Grandfathers.  Breck and Hannah go with her in a sleigh.

1774 January 14 (Friday).  I keep close to my Studies.  John with me to take Care of Barn etc.

1774 January 15 (Saturday).  [No entry.]

1774 January 16 (Sunday).  Preach two winter Sermons on Ps. 92.12.  Mr. Benjamin Webb at dinner, and after Exercises.  He lodges here. N.B. a Packet from Mr. More containing Letters and large pamphlet entitled “the Master Key of Popery,” by D. Antonio Gavin.  

 

1774 January 17 (Monday).  Visit Mrs. Parker again and prayed with her.  Read Master Key etc.  N.B. Breakfast at Lt. Bakers.  P.M. Lt. Baker, Neighbour Newton and Silas Hill came; and my fat Steer being led home, they Killed him and he weighed, the quarters 480 and the Hide 71.  Not well tallow’d.

1774 January 18 (Tuesday).  Read Don Gavins Master Key.  My son John is full of Pain, having Strained himself by lifting, at divers times.  Uncommon cloudy and stormy Weather, and the snow is now very deep. Mr. Hancock, the Taylor, for Breck and John, came and works.  Elias begins Virgil.

1774 January 19 (Wednesday).  Deacon Wood and Mr. Thaddeus Warrin killed two Hoggs for me.  One of them weighed about 300.  (It wanted half a pound of it.) The other weighed 188

1774 January 20 (Thursday).  Read Master Key etc.  Mr. P. Whitney and his Brother Lambert here.  Mr. Whitney informs me that his Brother Briggs’s Goods are Seized and that he is gone off.

1774 January 21 (Friday).  I bought a young Store Sow of Mr. Thaddeus Warrin, weighed 120 at 17 per pound.  Mr. Edwards Whipple here with piece of Beef.  Mr. Thomas Bond with Spare Rib. In my Preparations on Ps. 92.12.

1774 January 22 (Saturday).  Extream Cold. Too Cold for John to Sled Wood (having already his Heels froze, and Benjamin Clark two fingers).  Hancock at noon ceases work.

1774 January 23 (Sunday).  Extream Cold. Could have but Short Exercises.  A.M. on Ps. 92.12. P.M. on Joh. 1.12. N.B. Took Notice in Prayer, of the Death of Rev. Mr. Thomas Balch of Dedham, Aet. 63.  O that this, and every Instance of Mortality might be awakening and quickening to Me!  Miss Bradish dines here.  N.B. Prayers desired by Mr. Hez. Taylor, who is sick of a Fever, at Mr. Jonathan Grouts.

1774 January 24 (Monday).  Visit Mr. Taylor in his Sickness.  Prayed. Mr. Grosvenor and young Mr. Frost there.  Was at Mr. Bass’s (in returning) where was Mr. Hutchinson of Grafton; and Dr. Hawes likewise.