Discourses on various important subjects, nearly concerning the great affair of the soul's eternal…

I am the third Minister that has been settled in the Town: the Rev. Mr. Eleazer Mather, who was the first, was ordained in July, 1669. He was one whose Heart was much in his Work, abundant in Labours for the good of precious Souls; he had the high Esteem and great Love of his People, and was blessed with no small Success. The Rev. Mr. Stoddard, who succeeded him, came first to the Town the November after his Death, but was not ordained till September 11. 1672, and died Feb. 11. 1728. 9. So that he continued in the Work of the Ministry here, from his first coming to Town, near 60 Years. And as he was eminent and renowned for his Gifts and Grace; so he was blessed, from the beginning, with extraordinary Success in his Ministry, in the Conversion of many Souls. He had five Harvests, as he called them: The first was about 57 Years ago; the second about 53 Years; the third about 40; the fourth about 24; the fifth and last about 18 Years ago. Some of these Times were much more remarkable than others, and the ingathering of Souls more plentiful. Those that were about 53, and 40, and 24 Years ago, were much greater than either the first or the last: but in each of them, I have heard my Grandfather say, the bigger Part of the young People in the Town, seemed to be mainly concerned for their eternal Salvation.

After the last of these came a far more degenerate time, (at least among the young People) I suppose, than ever before. Mr. Stoddard, indeed, had the Comfort before he died, of seeing a time where there were no small Appearances of a divine Work amongst some, and a considerable Ingathering of Souls, even after I was settled with him in the Ministry, which was about two Years before his Death; and I have reason to bless ⟨p. 4⟩God for the great Advantage I had by it. In these two Years there were near twenty that Mr. Stoddard hoped to be savingly converted; but there was nothing of any General Awakening. The greater Part seemed to be at that time very insensible of the things of Religion, and engaged in other Cares and Pursuits. Just after my Grandfather's Death, it seemed to be a time of extraordinary Dullness in Religion: Licentiousness for some Years greatly prevailed among the Youth of the Town; they were many of them very much addicted to Night-walking, and frequenting the Tavern, and lend Practices, wherein some, by their Example exceedingly corrupted others. It was their Manner very frequently to get together, in Conventions of both Sexes, for Mirth and Jollity, which they called Frolics; and they would often spend the greater part of the Night in them, without regard to any Order in the Families they belonged o: and indeed Family-Government did too much fail in he Town. It was become very customary with many of our young People, to be Indecent in their Carriage at Meeting, which doubtless, would not have prevailed to such a degree, had it not been that my Grandfather, through his great Age, (tho' he retained his Powers surprisingly to the last) was not so able to Observe them. There had also long prevailed in the Town, a Spirit of Contention between two Parties, into which they had for many Years been divided, by which, was maintained a Jealousy one of the other, and they were prepared to oppose one another in all public Affairs.