Strong, Nathan. A Sermon, delivered in the Brick Meeting House, Hartford, January 7, 1816. Hartford: Printed by Peter B. Gleason and Co., 1816. [11629]
Removed, no wrapper, 8 1/2 x 5 1/4 inches, 14 pp. Some chipping in the the long margin, not affecting any text. Good. Pamphlet.
The text is Ecclesiastes 9:10, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
Thirty-four deaths in the congregation during the previous year is the are used as a warning in this sermon to use one's time wisely.
Nathan Strong, D.D. (1748-1816), Presbyterian/Congregational minister, b. Connecticut, graduated at Yale (1769), pastor of First Church Hartford. An early promoter of revivals, he was the founder and editor of the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine. Rev. Strong served as chaplain to American troops during the Revolution as well as conducting his regular ministry in his parish. He was an active writer in preacher promoting the cause of American liberty, and afterwards in favor of the Federalists.
"Mr. Strong was one of those who, towards the close of the last [18th] century, had a primary agency in giving a new direction to the public mind, in respect to the religious interests of the country and the age. Being fully persuaded that the theory of revivals which then generally prevailed in the orthodox churches, was both reasonable and scriptural, he laboured with all his might, in reliance on Gods blessing, to reduce that theory to practice; and, at several different periods in the latter part of his ministry, he had the pleasure to witness the fulfilment of his hearts desire. In 1798-99, was the most extensive and powerful revival that occurred under his ministry; but in 1794, there was a state of things among his people which issued in considerable accessions to the church; and in 1808, and again in 1815, a yet more copious blessing was poured out upon them." - Sprague.
