BIOGRAPHY OF REV. HOSEA BALLOU.

BY HIS YOUNGEST SON,

MATURIN M. BALLOU.

"He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but wasstrong in faith, giving glory to God: and being fully persuadedthat what he had promised he was able also to perform."

BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY ABEL TOMPKINS.
1852.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by
ABEL TOMPKINS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

STEREOTYPED BY
HOBART & ROBBINS,
NEW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDERY,
BOSTON.

TO THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY
OF BOSTON,
THIS BIOGRAPHY OF THEIR LATE PASTOR IS RESPECTFULLY
Dedicated,
BY THEIR HUMBLE SERVANT,
THE AUTHOR.

Engraved by H. W. Smith

[Pg v]

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

To say that the author experiences a degree of diffidence in writingupon the theme and subject of these pages, would but inadequatelyexpress his true feelings on taking up the pen for this object. But hedoes it with a purpose of strict adherence to facts, nor will any matterbe suppressed or one iota added to the truth. No one who shall read adozen pages herein relating to the early life of Rev. Hosea Ballou, butwill at once acquit the author of any false pride as it regardschronicling the events and circumstances of the subject's life. He ismost happy to state the facts literally, and he is satisfied as to theverdict that every unprejudiced mind will render.

It may be said that a son cannot write a faithful history of aparent—that such a production must needs be partial,—though we havenumerous instances of the contrary. To such an objection the writerwould reply, that[Pg vi] there is but one side to truth, and it is this, andthis only, that the reader will find in these pages. He offers nolabored extenuation or defence,—there are no circumstances that requireit; no appeal or pleading for a verdict of acquittal,—for there are nocharges to refute; but he gives a simple, unvarnished biography of atrue Christian and a faithful disciple of the gospel, whose whole life,even from earliest youth, has been a beautiful and consistent tribute totruth. For some time previous to the decease of the subject of thisbiography the author contemplated the present work, and for this purposehas, at various times, kept minutes relative to dates of his father'smovements; and he has also been briefly assisted by memoranda and shortarticles from his father's pen, which are embodied herein, relative tohis feelings concerning himself and his doctrine. The framework, so tospeak, of the book, has therefore been in hand for a considerableperiod; and the placing of it in a proper form for the printer has beenall the author has attempted since the death of his respected father.

M. M. Ballou.

Boston, Sept., 1852.

[Pg vii]

CONTENTS.