Jonathan Edwards and Joseph Bellamy correspondence, 1757.

Collection

Identifier: MS4862

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains a single letter written by Johnathan Edwards, and dated February 12, 1757, for Joseph Bellamy. The letter contains personal correspondence and covers topics such as book collecting, future trips, and events in Stockbridge.

Dates

1757

Creator

Edwards, Jonathan, 1703-1758 (Person)

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Restrictions on Use

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Biographical Note

Rev. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was born in East Windsor, Connecticut on October 5, 1703 to Rev. Timothy and Esther Edwards. He attended Yale for both undergraduate and graduate studies, graduating in 1722. He became pastor in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1726, succeeding his grandfather Solomon Stoddard. Johnathan Edwards died on March 22, 1758.

Jonathan Edwards was an influential revivalist minister; his first public attack against Arminianism, a philosophy which moderated Calvinism’s views on predestination, was delivered in Boston in 1731. Under his pastorate, Northampton underwent a major revival between 1733 and 1734. Joseph Bellamy was one of Johnathan Edward’s protégés and learned theology from Edwards in Northampton before his ordination in 1740 as pastor of the Congregational Church in Bethlehem, Connecticut.

Joseph Bellamy remained the minister in Bethlehem until his death in 1790. Bellamy remained a close friend of Johnathan Edwards throughout his life. Bellamy published 22 books during his lifetime, the most famous of which was True Religion Delineated, published in 1750. Bellamy, much like Edwards, became a significant voice in the First Great Awakening.

A more complete biography and timeline of Jonathan Edwards' life is available from the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale.

Extent

1 Folder

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Rev. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was born in East Windsor, Connecticut on October 5, 1703. He became pastor in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1726. Jonathan Edwards was an influential revivalist minister and Stockbridge experienced a major revival between 1733 and 1734. Joseph Bellamy was one of Johnathan Edward’s protégés and learned theology from Edwards in Northampton before his ordination in 1740 as pastor of the Congregational Church in Bethlehem, Connecticut. Joseph Bellamy remained the minister in Bethlehem until his death in 1790. Bellamy remained a close friend of Johnathan Edwards throughout his life. This collection contains a single letter written by Johnathan Edwards, and dated February 12, 1757, for Joseph Bellamy.

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Custodial History

Albert R. Brown came into possession of the correspondence from David Dudley Field who was the great-grandson of Rev. David Dudley Field. Rev. Field was pastor at the Congregational church in Stockbridge, Mass from 1819 to 1837.

Acquisition Information

Materials were donated to the Congregational Library & Archives by Albert R. Brown in 1938; no accession number. Materials were originally cataloged MS 11 Ms. Case 3.

Accruals

Additional accruals are expected for this collection in the form of full-text transcription. There is no anticipated date for this accrual.

Digital Copies

Records within this collection were digitized as part of the New England's Hidden Histories project. Digital reproductions may be accessed online through our digital archive.