Sketch of the Life and Character | habited by Indians, was a great of Doctor Jonathan Edwards.

TH

impediment to his education. At a very tender age too, his

time, by reason of an inflammatory disorder in his eyes, attended by an almost total privation of sight; but notwithstanding all these obstructions to his progress in learning, he was early destined by his father to the ministry, and was particularly designed for the service of a Missionary to the Indian natives.

HE REV. JONATHAN ED-learning was delayed for a long WARDS D. D. was born at Northampton, in the state of Massachusetts, on the 26th of May O. S. 1745. He was the second son of the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, afterwards President of Nassau-Hall at Princeton, in New-Jersey, and Mrs. Sarah Edwards. The parents of Mr. Edwards were eminent for their piety, and were unwearied in their endeavours to instruct and At Stockbridge, the language educate their children in a know- then chiefly spoken was that of ledge of the truths of religion. the Muhhekanew Indians, and The fruits of this early educa- this became as familiar to the tion were apprent in the whole subject of this memoir, as his future life and conduct of the native tongue, so that he was subject of this memoir. His able to converse in that lanfather was dismissed from guage with as much fluency and Northampton, at the time this precision as the natives, and this son was about six years of he retained in a considerable age, and the subsequent remo-degree through his life. val of his family to Stockbridge, fore he was ten years old his which was then principally in- father sent him, under the care VOL. II. NO. 7.

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way were several times, under the necessity of sleeping at night on the ground in the open air, and to endure many other privations which were calculated to try the fortitude of his pupil, and to qualify him for similar services in his maturer age. They at last reached Stockbridge in safety, and master Jonathan Edwards, for a year or two afterwards, enjoyed the instructions and example of his pious parents, but this was of very short continuance.

His father's removal to Princeton, in January 1758, and his very sudden death, cut off at once the earthly dependence of his fami

this son, who was then but little more than twelve years of age, His mother who was calculated, more than most women, to superintend the education of her

of the Rev. Gideon Hawley, a missionary, to reside with the Oneida Indians, who were then settled on the west side of the Susquehannah river, at a place called Onohquaghe. Mr. Hawley and his young charge set out on their journey in the month of April 1755, and in their way passed through Schenectady to Canajoharrie, where they visited the castle of Hendrick, the famous Mohawk chieftain, and thence proceeded through the wilderness to Onohquaghe. Here they tarried till the month of August, and then returned to Stockbridge. In October following they again went to Onobquaghely and blighted the prospects of and resided with the Indians till the next January. During this last visit to the Oneidas, all the able bodied men of the tribe went out upon their fall hunting, and left only their old-children, was also removed by men, women and children at home: In this defenceless state they were frequently alarmed with the approach of the Diogas, a tribe of Indians instigated by the French, to make war upon the Oneidas, who were in amity with the English. These alarms frequently disturbed them in the dead of night, and finally rendered it unsafe for the missionary to reside there. The hunters were called in, to defend their settlement and some of them took master Jonathan Edwards, who then was about ten years old and a very great favourite with them, upon their shoulders and carried him many miles through the woods to a place of safety. Mr. Hawley, and his pupil were now obliged in the depth of winter to return to Stockbridge, and on their

death in the same year. His education then was scarcely begun, and the small property left as his inheritance, was of itself inadequate to procure him such a liberal education, as he had fondly hoped to obtain. At all events, however, he determined to persevere in his education, and accordingly in February 1760, by the assistance of his friends was placed as a pupil in the grammar school, attached to the college at Princeton, over which his father for a short time presided. He entered the college of Nassau-Hall, as a student in September 1761, and in September 1765, was admitted bachelor of arts. While at college in the summer of 1763, under the ministry of president Finlay, who has been represent ed as a very plain and ner

vous preacher of the gospel, Mr. Edwards' attention was in earnest awakened to his spiritu

b

and for the sake of Jesus Christ, and present myself before thee, sensible of my infinite unwor

especially on such an occasion as this, to enter into a covenant with thee. But notwithstanding my sins have made such a separation between thee and my soul, I beseech thee, thro' Christ thy Son, to vouch-safe thy presence with me and acceptance of the best sacrifice which I can make."

al concerns, he became the sub-thiness to appear before thee, ject of an entire renovation of heart and life, and made a public profession of that faith, which was manifested in all the future part of his life, which was his support under all his trials, and the anchor of his soul in his last and dying moments. On the 17th of September 1763, he made and reduced to writing, the following dedication of himself, his time, talents and influence over others, to the service of his maker; this was kept among his private writings and is believed never to have been seen even by his most intimate friends, till it was found among his papers after his decease.

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"I do, O Lord, in hopes of thy assisting grace, solemnly 'make an entire and perpetual surrender of all that I am and have unto thee, being determined in thy strength to renounce all former Lords who have had dominion over me, every lust of the eye, of the flesh and of the mind, and to live entirely devoted to thee and thy service. To thee do I con"I Jonathan Edwards, student secrate the powers of my mind, of the college in New-Jersey, with whatever improvements • on this seventeenth day of Sep-thou hast already or shalt be tember 1763, being the day pleased hereafter to grant me ⚫ before the first time I proposed

Nassau-Hall, Sept. 17, 1763

in the literary way; purposing

to draw near to the Lord's ta-if it be thy good pleasure to bie, after much thought and due consideration, as well as prayer to Almighty God, for his assistance, resolved in the grace of God to enter into an express act of self-dedication to the service of God; as being a thing highly reasonable in its own nature, and that might be of eminent service to keep me steady in my Christian course, to rouse me out of sloth and indolence, and uphold me in the day of temptation."

"Eternal and ever-blessed

pursue my studies assiduously, that I may be better prepared to act in any sphere of life in which thou shalt place me. I do also solemnly dedicate all my possessions, my time, my influence over others, to be all used for thy glory. To thy direction I resign myself and all that I have, trusting all future contingencies in thy hands, and may thy will in all things and not mine be done. Use me, O Lord, as an instrument of thy service! I beseech thee,

God! I desire with the deep-number me among thy people!

⚫ est humiliation and abasement

of soul, to come in the name

May I be clothed with the righteousness of thy Son; ever

'impart to me through him all | Rev. Joseph Bellamy D. D. at 'needful supplies of thy purify-Bethlem, in the state of Connec 'ing and cheering spirit! I be-ticut, and in the month of Octo'seech thee, O Lord, that thou ber 1766, he was examined and 'wouldst enable me to live ac- licensed by the association of 'cording to this my vow, con- Litchfield county, as a preacher 'stantly avoiding all sin; and of the gospel. The year followwhen I shall come to die, in ing he was invited to return to 'that solemn and awful hour, Nassau-Hall, and assume the 'may I remember this my cov- office of a tutor. This invitation enant, and do thou, O Lord, he complied with and continued ' remember it too, and give my in that office for the two suc'departing spirit an abundant ceeding years. While a tutor admittance into the realms of at Princeton, he occasionally bliss! And if when I am laid preached to the society of in the dust, any surviving Whitehaven, in the town of 'friend should meet with this New-Haven, in Connecticut, and 'memorial, may it be a means afterwards on the 5th day of of good to him, and do thou January 1769, he was ordained admit him to partake of the to the pastoral charge of that 6 blessings of thy covenant of society. This society was a ' grace, through Jesus the great branch of the first ecclesiastical Mediator, to whom with thee, society in that town, formerly • O Father, and thy Holy Spirit, under the charge of the Rev. 'be everlasting praises ascribed, James Pierpont, the maternal by Saints and Angels! Amen." grandfather of Mr. Edwards. He continued in connection with this society, labouring with unwearied diligence in his parochial duties till the month of May 1795, when at the mutual desire of the society and himself, he was dismissed by an ecclesiasti cal council called for that purpose. A schism had arisen in the church, several members of considerable influence had adopted certain principles (by them deemed liberal) on some of the most important doctrines of religion, widely different from those of Mr. Edwards, and of the church at the time of his ordination, and very widely dif ferent from those professed by themselves in their covenant with the church. This schism led ultimately to the separation of Mr. Edwards, from that society: but the reason assigned

JONATHAN EDWARDS.

Mr. Edwards for a few years, about this period, kept a regular diary principally for the purpose of marking the religious state of his mind, but soon after dropped and never resumed it. At college he was diligent in his studies, moral at all times, and after his public profession of religion, exemplarily religious in his behaviour. In the mathematical sciences he was accurately and extensively learned, and in classical learning he was unquestionably one of the first scholars of the age, But he early devoted his chief attention to the study of moral philosophy and theology. After completing his studies at college, he placed himself a student of divinity under the tuition of the