Northampton, Massachusetts

 

My name is Stephen Adams, and I am a preacher here in the English Colony of the Massachusetts. My goal is to learn from pastors across the state. I want to study their messages and learn how to best communicate with the congregations about God. I currently live in the town of Northampton. Northampton is a small town that resides on the Connecticut river. We are almost from Boston, so we very isolated from any outside interaction. It is currently the year 1734, and our town’s leading pastor is Jonathon Edwards. Edwards took over the congregation from his grandfather, who was Solomon Stoddard. Edwards has recently changed his style of preaching. The older version was all about reciting verses from the Bible and studying the scripture. Edwards now makes religion more personal and talks about our own personal connection to sin.

Edwards is using Northampton’s 2nd meeting house, which was created in 1661, over 100 years ago. We call this place meeting house hill. This meeting house would typically call its residents by a trumpet or by the beating of drum. I believe that eventually, the size of the crowds and the age of the building will become an issue. We will likely need to build a new meeting house for our congregation to come and listen to Edward’s sermons.




There was a large crowd that assembled here to hear Edwards’s sermon. This sermon resulted much more energetic and engaged parishioners, whereas before they appeared to be more stoic in learning about the bible. Some members of the crowd were crying out, weeping, and even fainting. It was truly a dramatic sight.

It was a great privilege and honor to be able to observe Edwards preach. I am eager to follow Edwards and other preachers who are spreading his message in the northeast colonies.


written by Vincent Mule for History 121 at NVCC

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