206:, Emmons was the sixth son, and twelfth and youngest child, of Samuel and Ruth (Cone) Emmons. Both his parents were professors of religion, and he was the subject of an early Christian training. Early in his life, his father intended to give Nathaniel a liberal education, and to allow him to enter someone of the professions; but on witnessing his volatile, trifling spirit, he changed his mind, and determined to sober his views by making him a farmer. Emmons, however, never cared for labor, and intended in some way to escape it if possible. Being indisposed to agricultural pursuits, to which his childhood and early youth were devoted, and having an ardent thirst for knowledge, he gained his father's consent to commence a course of classical study. He studied vigorously, and after ten months he was admitted to
322:. He found her to be a companion not only distinguished for her excellent intellectual and moral qualities, but of such exemplary domestic habits as to relieve him, in a great measure, from the ordinary cares of his family. By this marriage he had six children, two sons and four daughters. In 1813, Emmons' second daughter died, followed within a few years by another son and daughter. Emmons' second wife, Martha, died in August 1829, when Emmons was 85. In 1831, Emmons married for the third time, to the widow of the late Rev. Edmund Mills of Sutton, Massachusetts. His health and spirits seemed to revive, so that he was enabled to endure the fatigue of several journeys of considerable length.
273:. Subsequently, under Dr. Smalley, he become, in the then popular acceptation of the word, a new-school man. The points which were specially agitated at his examination, came up for discussion, at several subsequent meetings of the Association, and the result was the formation of a "conciliatory creed" upon the points in question, in which the different parties agreed to unite. Having preached in various places for nearly four years, he accepted a call from the church in Franklin, then the Second church in Wrentham, Massachusetts, to become their pastor, formally begin his pastorship there on April 21, 1773.
347:
518:
288:
verities of heaven", which "caused him to think disparagingly of all other creeds". A Universalist once replied to a sermon of his, and published the sermon and reply in the same pamphlet. A friend asked Emmons what he thought of it. "It is against the law," said Emmons, "for Moses says, 'Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.'" In 1798 he received an honorary degree of Doctor of
Divinity from Dartmouth College.
331:
to be, as it actually did, his last public service. On the next
Sabbath he sent a letter resigning his pastoral charge, and requesting that the congregation make immediate provision for the supply of the pulpit. His resignation was accepted with some objections, but Emmons continued ministering in private. After he retired from the active duties of his office, he spent a large part of his time in reading.
284:. He spoke publicly and without hesitation in favor of independence, which caused some hostility in his congregation, which was considerably divided on the issue. He also went through some financial distress during the war, due to the irregular and partial payment of his salary. Both his prosperity and his popularity rebounded after the conclusion of the war.
241:
close my eyes in sleep daring the whole night, but lay crying for mercy with anxiety and distress. This impression continued day after day, and week after week, and put me upon the serious and diligent use of what I supposed to be the appointed means of grace. In this state of mind I went to Dr. Smalley's to pursue my theological studies.
246:
I felt a peculiar complacence in good men, but thought they were extremely stupid, because they did not appear to be more delighted with the Gospel, and more engaged to promote the cause of Christ. I pitied the deplorable condition of ignorant, stupid sinners, and thought I could preach so plainly as
330:
In May 1827, Emmons fainted at the pulpit, in the midst of his discourse, and had to be carried home. He was able, however, on the next
Sabbath, to finish his discourse. It was listened to with uncommon interest, in part because the impression was very general in the congregation that it would prove
301:
Throughout his life, Emmons abstained almost entirely from alcohol, seldom drank tea or coffee, and ate simply and in moderate quantities. He studied from twelve to seventeen hours a day, seldom leaving his study for anything but meals, rest, and his parochial duties. He was described as "a man of
287:
Emmons considered himself an intellectual theologian, rather than an orator, and sought to influence his parishioners with reasoned arguments rather than stirring speeches. However, he was noted to have "a kind of haughty confidence in his own creed ... as though all his tenets were the accredited
256:
Emmons was licensed to preach by the South
Association of Hartford County, in October, 1769. The examination which he underwent, on that occasion, was, on several points, unsatisfactory to a part of the Association,—particularly on the doctrines of depravity, regeneration, human and Divine agency.
232:
Of his early religious history Emmons stated that "by reading the life of a pious youth, I was sensibly struck with a conviction of my great guilt and the awful thought of dying unprepared", noting that "hen one of my sisters died of consumption, my fears about myself were again alarmed, and I had
310:
In 1775, Emmons married
Deliverance, daughter of Moses French, of Braintree, Massachusetts, who was said to have been "a pattern of prudence, condescension, benevolence, and faithfulness". However, she quickly fell into a decline, and died in June 1778. Within two months from her death, his two
240:
All this time, however, I had no sense of the total corruption of my heart, and its perfect opposition to God. But one night there came up a terrible thunderstorm, which gave me such an awful sense of God's displeasure and of my going into a miserable eternity, as I never had before. I durst not
334:
In the summer and autumn of 1840, his strength began perceptibly to decline, he died at about three o'clock on
Wednesday morning, September 23, 1840. His funeral was held the following Monday, and a sermon was preached by the Rev. Thomas Williams, from Ecclesiastes XII, 9; which was published.
167:
His system declared that holiness and sin are free voluntary exercises; that men act freely under the divine agency; that the slightest transgression deserves eternal punishment; that it is through God's mere grace that the penitent believer is pardoned and justified; that, in spite of total
311:
little sons, the only surviving members of his family, suddenly sickened and died in one day, and were buried in the same grave. His recorded reflections on the occasion show that, while his heart was deeply smitten, it was full of humble trust in the Divine wisdom and goodness.
168:
depravity, sinners ought to repent; and that regeneration is active, not passive, with the believer. Emmonsism was spread and perpetuated by more than a hundred clergymen, whom he personally trained. Politically, he was an ardent patriot during the
145:), of which he remained in charge until May 1827, when failing health compelled his relinquishment of active ministerial cares. He lived, however, for many years thereafter, dying of old age at Franklin on the 23rd of September 1840.
257:
Several of the older clergymen voted against his licensure, and one of them, the Rev. Mr. Eells of
Middletown, went so far as to throw in a written remonstrance. Emmons may have originally been somewhat inclined to
296:
His quaint, antique dress, cocked hat, knee breeches, silken hose and shoe buckles belonged as distinctively to the dress of a former generation as did his austere, inflexible, unanswerable arguments to their
218:, and several other of the noted New England natives. Emmons lost his father about three months before his graduated, inheriting only a bequest for defraying the expenses of his education.
595:
247:
to convince every body of the glory and importance of the Gospel. These were my views and feelings about eight months before I became a candidate for the ministry.
533:
266:
226:
600:
590:
538:
156:, and, in Emmons's own belief, contained in and evolved from Hopkinsianism. While by no means abandoning the tenets of the old
103:
175:
He was a founder and the first president of the
Massachusetts Missionary Society, and was influential in the establishment of
152:
exerted so wide an influence. He developed an original system of divinity, somewhat on the structural plan of that of
302:
strong convictions and an indomitable will, which gave to his character an aspect of sternness, of chilly dignity".
233:
some lively apprehensions of the state of the damned, especially of the lake that burned with fire and brimstone".
314:
Within about a year and four months from the death of his first wife, Emmons married Martha, daughter of the Rev.
221:
Emmons devoted a few months to the business of teaching, and then went to reside with the Rev. Nathan Strong of
585:
225:, as a theological student. However, after a short time, he placed himself under the instruction of the Rev.
570:
352:
176:
169:
277:
153:
172:, and a strong Federalist afterwards, several of his political discourses attracting wide attention.
203:
148:
It was as a theologian that Emmons was best known, and for half a century probably no clergyman in
111:
42:
142:
138:
60:
319:
222:
179:. More than two hundred of his sermons and addresses were published during his lifetime. His
229:, of Berlin, who had then the reputation of being one of the ablest Divines in New England.
580:
575:
8:
281:
126:
556:
236:
Emmons further described the feelings that led him to pursue a career in the ministry:
191:
160:, he came to be looked upon as the chief representative of what was then known as the
315:
130:
360:
118:
71:
365:
270:
211:
564:
529:
524:
215:
134:
207:
161:
107:
258:
149:
542:. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 344.
262:
157:
129:, and was licensed to preach in 1769. After preaching four years in
346:
122:
523:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
210:
in
September, 1763. He graduated in 1767, in the same class as
183:
were published in 6 vols (Boston, 1842; new edition, 1861).
261:
views. Under the teachings of the Rev. Strong, he embraced
137:, he became, in April 1773, pastor of the Second church at
465:
Annals of the
American Pulpit: Trinitarian Congregational
102:, (April 20, 1745 – September 23, 1840) was an American
554:
New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge
342:
265:, as embodied in the writings of theologians like
596:People of Connecticut in the American Revolution
562:
16:American Congregational minister (1745-1840)
197:
125:under the Rev. John Smalley (1734–1820) at
106:minister and influential theologian of the
528:
325:
563:
459:
457:
455:
453:
451:
449:
447:
445:
443:
441:
439:
437:
435:
433:
431:
429:
427:
425:
423:
421:
419:
417:
415:
413:
411:
409:
407:
405:
403:
401:
399:
397:
395:
393:
391:
389:
387:
385:
383:
381:
601:American Congregationalist ministers
591:People from East Haddam, Connecticut
487:
485:
483:
481:
479:
477:
475:
473:
13:
378:
14:
612:
546:
470:
516:
345:
305:
493:Sketches of New England Divines
498:
1:
552:Entry "Emmons, Nathanael" in
371:
353:Reformed Christianity portal
177:Andover Theological Seminary
170:American War of Independence
7:
504:Making of America Project,
338:
251:
10:
617:
89:
81:
77:
67:
49:
28:
21:
506:The New England magazine
290:The New England magazine
204:East Haddam, Connecticut
198:Early life and education
112:East Haddam, Connecticut
43:East Haddam, Connecticut
539:Encyclopædia Britannica
463:William Buell Sprague,
143:Wrentham, Massachusetts
110:school. He was born at
61:Franklin, Massachusetts
299:
249:
243:
141:(until 1778 a part of
320:Hadley, Massachusetts
294:
276:Emmons was a zealous
244:
238:
223:Coventry, Connecticut
586:American theologians
495:(1860), pp. 361–370.
467:(1857), pp. 693–696.
326:Later life and death
117:Emmons graduated at
98:, sometimes spelled
571:Yale College alumni
282:American Revolution
127:Berlin, Connecticut
534:Emmons, Nathanael
194:(Andover, 1861).
158:Calvinistic faith
121:in 1767, studied
93:
92:
53:23 September 1840
608:
543:
522:
520:
519:
509:
502:
496:
489:
468:
461:
355:
350:
349:
316:Chester Williams
100:Nathaniel Emmons
96:Nathanael Emmons
56:
38:
36:
23:Nathanael Emmons
19:
18:
616:
615:
611:
610:
609:
607:
606:
605:
561:
560:
549:
532:, ed. (1911). "
517:
515:
513:
512:
508:(1900), p. 333.
503:
499:
491:David Sherman,
490:
471:
462:
379:
374:
361:Seraph Frissell
351:
344:
341:
328:
308:
267:Thomas Ridgeley
254:
200:
63:
58:
54:
45:
40:
34:
32:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
614:
604:
603:
598:
593:
588:
583:
578:
573:
559:
558:
548:
547:External links
545:
530:Chisholm, Hugh
511:
510:
497:
469:
376:
375:
373:
370:
369:
368:
366:Herman Daggett
363:
357:
356:
340:
337:
327:
324:
307:
304:
292:wrote of him:
271:Samuel Willard
253:
250:
212:John Treadwell
199:
196:
154:Samuel Hopkins
104:Congregational
91:
90:
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
75:
74:
69:
65:
64:
59:
57:(aged 95)
51:
47:
46:
41:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
613:
602:
599:
597:
594:
592:
589:
587:
584:
582:
579:
577:
574:
572:
569:
568:
566:
557:
555:
551:
550:
544:
541:
540:
535:
531:
526:
525:public domain
507:
501:
494:
488:
486:
484:
482:
480:
478:
476:
474:
466:
460:
458:
456:
454:
452:
450:
448:
446:
444:
442:
440:
438:
436:
434:
432:
430:
428:
426:
424:
422:
420:
418:
416:
414:
412:
410:
408:
406:
404:
402:
400:
398:
396:
394:
392:
390:
388:
386:
384:
382:
377:
367:
364:
362:
359:
358:
354:
348:
343:
336:
332:
323:
321:
317:
312:
306:Personal life
303:
298:
293:
291:
285:
283:
279:
274:
272:
268:
264:
260:
248:
242:
237:
234:
230:
228:
224:
219:
217:
216:John Trumbull
213:
209:
205:
195:
193:
189:
186:See also the
184:
182:
178:
173:
171:
165:
163:
159:
155:
151:
146:
144:
140:
136:
135:New Hampshire
132:
128:
124:
120:
115:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
88:
84:
80:
76:
73:
70:
66:
62:
52:
48:
44:
39:20 April 1745
31:
27:
20:
553:
537:
514:
505:
500:
492:
464:
333:
329:
313:
309:
300:
295:
289:
286:
275:
255:
245:
239:
235:
231:
227:John Smalley
220:
208:Yale College
201:
187:
185:
180:
174:
166:
162:New Divinity
147:
116:
108:New Divinity
99:
95:
94:
55:(1840-09-23)
581:1840 deaths
576:1745 births
280:during the
150:New England
565:Categories
372:References
192:Dr EA Park
35:1745-04-20
297:theology.
263:Calvinism
68:Education
339:See also
259:Arminian
252:Ministry
202:Born in
139:Franklin
131:New York
123:theology
82:Ordained
527::
521:
188:Memoir
190:, by
181:Works
278:Whig
269:and
133:and
119:Yale
85:1769
72:Yale
50:Died
29:Born
536:".
318:of
567::
472:^
380:^
214:,
164:.
114:.
37:)
33:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.