The Life And Times Of Cotton Mather Or A Boston Minister Of Two Centuries Ago 1663 1728

Excerpt from The Life and Times of Cotton Mather, D.D., F. R. S: Or a Boston Minister of Two Centuries Ago, 1663-1728 Cotton Mather was born in Boston on the twelfth day of February, 1663. He was the eldest child of Increase and Maria (Cotton) Mather. His grandfather, Rev. Richard Mather, was one of the oldest and wisest of the early settlers of Massachusetts Bay. He was born in Lowton, county of Lancashire, and was a graduate of Brasenose College, Oxford. At Cotton Mather's birth the old patriarch was yet alive, and continued active in the ministry six years longer, when he died, being worn out with toils, dangers, privations, study, prayer, preaching, and all the exhausting though blessed duties of a parish minister. His very presence was a blessing to the opening mind and eyes of the quick-witted boy. Calm, sedate, studious, ever busy, devout, yet pleasant withal, he was an embodiment of the best form of godliness, and from such prayers as his flowed priceless blessings to his grandchild. The grandmother, Katharine Holt, of gentle ancestry, had been taken to heaven. But though one grandmother was gone another had taken her place, for the aged minister had married the widow of the famous John Cotton. She was indeed a mother in Israel. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVIII. MANIFOLD LABORS AS PASTOR, CITIZEN, PHILANTHROPIST, AND AUTHOR: I7II-I715. FROM the records of the church in 1711, we cite a singular cause of discipline, one which I have not met with elsewhere, which may be noted: "John Brewster, having given scandal, by assisting a soldier in deserting from the camp, his repentance and confession was this day--12 d. 6 m. -- publicly offered to the church, and accepted." The full diary of this year gives us what little aid can be derived from published extracts, and a few names and dates. We find Dr. Mather carrying forward all sorts of charitable work whereby different classes of people might be benefited, while giving special attention to his children. To show the variety of interests that engaged him, take the following summary. He was now (February 12) fortyeight years old, and in his full vigor. In March he refers to the education of his son Increase as a matter of prime importance. The lad was now twelve years old, bright, healthy, mercurial, and full of joyous life, but needing guidance. He was the only living son of his mother, and very dear to his father's heart. Of course he must have the best education the province could give him and then be a minister, if God so pleased. Yet for some cause, perhaps something in the boy's temperament, the diary betrays no plan of the father to prepare the son for the ministry. However that might be, it was needful that his education for usefulness should be attended to in time. The young girls -- " little girls" he calls them -- must be taught housework. This included Lizzie, who was seven, and probably Hannah, who was fourteen. Katy was a young lady of twenty-two, and Nabby had seen seventeen years, and both were doubtless skilled in...

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