Bentley, William. A Sermon, before the Governor, the Honorable Council, and both branches of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on the day of General Election, May 27, 1807. Boston: Printed by Adams and Rhoades, Printers to the State, 1807. First Edition. [12580]
Removed, no wrapper, includes the half-title, half-title with "Rev. Mr. Bentley's Election Sermon" in oval device with rays and federal eagle, 8 1/2 x 5 1/8 inches. 25 pp., foxing, "Revd Mr. Hull" in brown ink at top of the half-title. Good. Pamphlet.
The text is Deuteronomy 33:3, "Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand; every one shall receive of thy words."
"While the text discovers that the happiness of the people was the object of the Law, it also assures us, that the private instructions of the families and tribes had contributed to a consent in the national hopes, and upon this consent their hightest prosperity did depend. And this sentiment the present discourse is designed to support." - p. 8.
He reviews the history and first Christian ministers of New England, and marks their importance: "The greatest events arose from the influence, which the character of the ministers had upon the first generation. Such were the affairs of Mr. Williams of Salem, who was friendly to the public liberty. Such the discussions of Mr. Cotton at Boston, and of Mr. Parker at Newbury. But we seek the cause of this influence, not in the power granted to ministers, but in their character, which gave authority to their opinions." - p. 10.
He reviews the developments which led to the American Revolution and the establishment of the U.S. Constitution, and concludes that the character and religion of American politicians should be that which continues the Christian morality upon which the colony, state, and nation were first established.
William Bentley, D.D. (1759-1819), b. Boston, Mass.; d. Salem, Mass. A graduate of Harvard (1777), and a congregational minister of Unitarian views, he was pastor of the East or Second Congregational Church of Salem from 1791 until his death in 1819. Bentley was noted for his kindness and charity, often giving away over half of his salary to the poor members of his congregation. He was a strong supporter of public education and frequent tutor and substitute teacher; among the students he taught was Nathaniel Bowditch. An avid bibliophile, his library had some 4,000 volumes, and was one of the largest private collections in the United States. He wrote twice weekly columns for the Salem Gazette and the Salem Register, in which he supported the policies of President Thomas Jefferson, who offered him several prominent positions, which he declined. His extensive private diaries were printed in four volumes by The Essex Institute, 1905-1914.
