1761-1792 EBENEZER THAYER. Over 600 Pages of Manuscript Searching & Highly Evangelical Sermons by Pro-American Revolutionary War Divine.
1761-1792 EBENEZER THAYER. Over 600 Pages of Manuscript Searching & Highly Evangelical Sermons by Pro-American Revolutionary War Divine.
A wonderful archive of over 600 pages of earnest, highly searching and evangelical manuscript sermons ranging from 1761 through to their author, Ebenezer Thayer's death in 1792.
Reverend Ebenezer Thayer [1734-1792] was born in Boston and graduated from Harvard in 1753. He was then Tutor at Harvard and subsequently served as Pastor at Hampton, New Hampshire for 26 years, from 1766 to his death in 1792. He was known as an eminently pious and faithful shepherd of the flock. Such was his commitment to his pastoral charge, that the day before his death, he preached not one, but two sermons to His people.
His connections to early American history run deep. HIs wife, Martha Cotton, was the 5th generation great granddaughter of the important sometimes-American puritan, John Cotton. And Thayer himself is honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution for providing patriotic service and expressing leadership by signing the Association Test, which read:
"We the Subscribers do hereby solemnly engage and promise that we will, at the Risque of our Lives and Fortunes, with ARMS oppose the hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets, and Armies, against the United American COLONIES."
This was a significant act of rebellion and treason from the perspective of the British. Signing was of fairly low risk for an average citizen, but for the Pastor of the primary community church to sign was intolerable; it incited others to join and added to the religious affirmation and vindication of the American Revolution.
Additionally, he was friendly with John Adams. The Massachusetts Historical Society lists multiple references to him in the Adams' diary. [See HERE.]
It is unclear whether Ebenezer fought during the American hostilities. He is recorded in some records, including the Thayer Family Association, as having enlisted as a soldier, perhaps also doubling as a chaplain. There is also, notably, on nearly all of his sermons, many of which were preached repeatedly, a pronounced gap in dating from 1777 through about 1782. In the end, with the scarcity of other confirmation, it is difficult to establish. He was, however, clearly a vocal supporter and public proponent of the Revolution.
HIs obituary in the Columbian Sentinel of Boston, 1792 read:
"Hampton, N. H. Sept. 6 after a short illness, the Rev. Ebenezer Thayer, ÆT. 58 ; in whom the community has lost a most valuable member, and the religious society in Hampton a most amiable and useful minister. Mr. Thayer was admirably formed for the office, which he sustained. He was possessed of an uncommom share of prudence, and an excellent temper. He was meek, humble, courteous, obliging, compassionate toward the miserable, and benevolent to all. He was a man of strict integrity, and unfeigned devotion. These virtues, whilst they enriched his private character gave him superiour advantages as a minister of religion. For they enforced, at the same time that they illustrated the moral lessons, which he addressed to his charge. For he considered rational preaching as the best of preaching ; and rational christians as the only persons who understood the gospel, and were an honour to the cause. Accordingly, he studied to be plain and practical, in order that those, to whom he ministered, might be led from the path of speculation to that of evangelical duty. During 26 years, he served the religious society in Hampton, to their great satisfaction. Nor were his labours less acceptable to the neighbouring churches. In Boston, (his native place) he was always received and heard with pleasure. Many friends have mingled their tears with those of the widow, the children, the sisters, the neighbouring ministers, and the people of his charge. And long will they cherish the remembrance of virtues, which formed the husband, the parent, the brother, the minister, and the christian."
Other examples of his sermons are held as part of the Columbia University Archival Collection and also included in the Colonial North America at Harvard Library Collection as well. Three similar sermons were auctioned at Swann Galleries in New York, 2015. Those sold for roughly $200 each in total cost. That would place the present archive, in my view more valuable because of its size and scope for research, at about two and a half times the price at auction that we are offering it for here.
1. 31pp. manuscript recorded as being preached on six different occasions between 1772 and 1783. The text is I Peter 2.21, "Leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps."
2. 24pp. manuscript recorded as being preached once, on June 18, 1780. The text is Hebrews 12.23, "The spirits of just men made perfect."
3. 22pp. manuscript recorded as being preached on six different occasions between 1768 and 1785. The text is James 4.6, "He giveth grace to the humble."
4. 22pp. manuscript recorded as being preached on thirteen different occasions between 1761 and 1782 [including at the church of Jeremiah Condy of Boston; at Cambridge; at the church of Paine Wingate . . . later of the Continental Congress . . . of Hampton Falls; at the church of Joseph Hastings of North Hampton; at the church of Jeremiah Fogg of Kensington; at the church of John Odlin of Exeter; at the church of Samuel Webster at Salisbury; at the church of Nathaniel Noyes of Salisbury, etc]. The text is John 6.27, "Labour not for ye meat which perisheth, but for ye meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which ye Son of Man shall give unto you: for him hath God ye Father sealed."
5. 24pp. manuscript recorded as being preached on nine different occasions between 1761 and 1781 [including at the church of Jeremiah Condy of Boston; at the church of Joseph Jackson of Brookline, etc.] The text is Acts 17.31, "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world, in righteousness, by that Man whom he hath ordained."
6. 22pp. manuscript sermon on the text Job 22.21, "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee."
7. 34pp. manuscript sermon recorded as being preached on three different occasions between 1786 and 1790 including at Hampton Falls for Samuel Langdon, President o Harvard during the Revolution and important pro-American divine]. The text is 1 John 2.6, "He that saith he abideth in him ought also so to walk even as he walked."
8. 40pp. manuscript sermon recorded as being preached on two different occasions between 1785 and 1788. The text is James 1.26, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, this man's religion is vain."
9. 11pp. manuscript sermon recorded as being preached on November 20, 1785. The text is Hebrews 11.7, "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world, & became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
10. 22pp. manuscript sermon on "The Gospel Dispensation."
11. 21pp. manuscript sermon recorded as being preached on September 4, 1785. The text is Psalm 119.54, "Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage."
12. 30pp. manuscript sermon recorded as having been preached on five different occasions between 1768 and 1791. The text is John 14.1, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."
13. 19pp. manuscript sermon on the text Ecclesiastes 12.1, "Remember thy creator in the days of thy youth."
14. 19pp manuscript sermon on the text Ephesians 2.4, "God, who is rich in mercy." This one appears to lack a final leaf or two; appears to be the earliest of the group.
15. 17pp. manuscript sermon on the text Philippians 3.13-14, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, & reaching forth unto the those which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
16. 26pp. manuscript sermon preached on thirteen different occasions between 1761 and 1788 [including for Condy of Boston, at Medford for 'Uncle Turell," for Samuel Webster, for John Clark at Boston, etc.]. The text is Job 1.21, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." One section of text, bottom of page 25, is absent.
17. 24pp. manuscript sermon preached on four different occasions between 1768 and 1781. The text is Revelation 19.6, "And he hath on his vesture & on his thigh, a name written, King of Kings, & Lord of Lords."
18. 14pp. manuscript sermon on "The Grievous Sins of God's Children."
19. 4pp. manuscript sermon preached on six different occasions between 1768 and 1784. The text is Deuteronomy 4.3, "The Lord thy God is a merciful God."
20. 42pp. manuscript sermon preached at Hampton on December 31, 1786. The text is "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." Extensive sermon on the importance of family religion.
21. 21pp. manuscript sermon preached at Hampton on October 9, 1785. The text is John 14.6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way & the Truth & the Life."
22. 21pp manuscript sermon preached on at least eighteen different occasions [for Rev. Condy, Andrew Eliot, Rev. Appleton, etc.,] between 1761 and 1779. The text is I Timothy 1.15, "This is a faithful saying, & worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."
23. 36pp manuscript sermon. The text is Psalm 39.4, 5, "Lord, make me to know mine End, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth, and mine age is as nothing before thee. Verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity." [Seems to be lacking a final leaf].
24. 8pp manuscript sermon. The text is Colossians 3.5, "Covetousness which is idolatry."
25. 4pp manuscript sermon on Romans 10.14 [This seems likely to be in another hand; perhaps of Daniel Turrell]
26. 17pp manuscript sermon preached near Thayer's death, May 27, 1792 [he died in September of the same year]. The text is I Peter 4.18, "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly & the sinner appear?" [This one a bit tatty, but complete]
27. 19pp manuscript sermon. The text is Matthew 5.8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
28. 20pp manuscript sermon preached in July of 1792 [the year of his death]. The text is Ecclesiastes 11.9, "Rejoice O young man, in thy youth; & let thy heart cheer thee in the days of they youth, & walk in the way of thy heart & in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment."
29. 13pp of Latin manuscript, probably multiple short devotional thoughts, all signed by Ebenezer Thayer.
30. A Further 13 miscellaneous pages of text which likely amend various of the other sermons. He had a habit of revising when he re-preached the sermons and inserting additional pages, often of miscellaneous sizes, though the continuity is usually not hard to discern.
EXTRAS!
As an added bonus to this grouping, and hopefully to keep the family archive intact, we are including:
1. The original ordination document for Andrew Eliot Thayer [1783-1846] issued in 1806 and boldly autographed by John Lathrop as Moderator and John Eliot as Secretary [of the Association of Congregational Churches].
2. A further c.200 pages of manuscript sermons [14 in all] by Andrew Eliot Thayer, preached largely between 1806 and 1825. They are various states of preservation, largely complete.