work." Cheever was chosen for one. These were to select seven among themselves, because we read in Proverbs, "Wisdom hath hewn out her seven pillars." I suppose he left this town about the year 1650 (his name does not appear on the records after that) and spent the remainder of his long life in the Bay. In Cambridge Catalogue I see that Thomas Cheever was graduated in 1677; perhaps a son of Ezekiel by a second wife. Additional Note. EDIT. DR. COTTON MATHER, in "An Historical Introduction" to his funeral sermon upon Mr. EZEKIEL Cheever, after learned remarks on grammarians and schoolmasters, gives the following account of his own revered preceptor. "We generally concur in acknowledging, that New England has never known a better. I am sure, I have as much reason to appear for him, as ever Crito for his master Socrates. The short history of his long usefulness is to be comprised in the ensuing articles." "He was born in London many years before the birth of New England. It was January 25, 1614, [i. e. 16.] He arrived into this country in June, 1637, with the rest of those good men, who sought a peaceable secession in an American wilderness, for the pure evangelical and instituted worship of our great Redeemer, to which he kept a strict adherence all his days. He then sojourned first a little while, part of a year, at Boston; so that at Boston he both commenced and concluded his American race. His holy life was a married life. He began the laborious work of a schoolmaster at New Haven; where he continued for twelve years. From New Haven he removed unto Ipswich, in Dec. 1650, where he laboured eleven years. From Ipswich he removed unto Charlestown, in Nov. 1661, where he laboured nine years. Charlestown he came over to Boston, January 6, 1670, where his labours were continued for eight and thirty years. He died on Saturday morning, August 21, 1708, in the ninety-fourth year of his age; after he had been a skilful, painful, faithful schoolmaster for seventy years; and had the singular favour of heaven, that though he From had usefully spent his life among children, yet he was not become twice a child, but held his abilities, with his usefulness, in an unusual degree to the very last. In the SERMON, Dr. Mather says, "It was noted, that when scholars came to be admitted into the College, they who came from the Cheeverian education, were generally the most unexceptionable. He flourished so long in this great work, of bringing our sons to be men, that it gave him an opportunity to send forth many Bezaleels and Aholiabs for the service of the tabernacle: and men fitted for all good employments. He that was my master, seven and thirty years ago, was a master to many of my betters, no less than seventy years ago; so long ago, that I must even mention my father's tutor for one of them." Particular notice is taken of "his piety, and his care to infuse documents of piety into the scholars under his charge, that he might carry them with him to the heavenly world. He so constantly prayed with us every day, and catechised us every week, and let fall such holy counsels upon us; he took so many occasions to make speeches to us, that should make us afraid of sin, and of incurring the fearful judgments of God by sin; that I do propose him for imitation." Having shown what his "Master was in the school," he adds, "Out of the school he was one, antiqua fide, priscis moribus; a Christian of the old fashion; an OLD NEW ENGLISH CHRISTIAN; and I may tell you, that was as venerable a sight, as the world, since the days of primitive Christianity, has ever looked upon. He was well studied in the body of divinity; an able defender of the faith and order of the gospel; notably conversant and acquainted with the scriptural prophecies. He lived as a Master, the term which has been for above three thousand years, assigned for the life of a Man; he continued to the ninety-fourth year of his age-his intellectual force as little abated as his natural." 66 In a poetical Essay" on his memory, Dr. M. ascribes the learning of New England to him and to Corlet, another eminent schoolmaster, who taught the gram mar school in Cambridge for many years, and who is celebrated in the Magnalia. "Tis CORLET's pains, and CHEEVER'S, we must own, In the following description, we perceive characteristics of the writer as well as of the master. "He liv'd, and to vast age no illness knew ; Quis queat numerare, Qui secum Theologiæ abstulit, Corpus hic suum sibiminus charum, Vixit Annos, XCIV. Docuit, Annos, LXX. Obiit, A. D. M. DCC. VIII. HEIC Expectat Exoptatque Primam Sanctorum Resurrectionem ad Immortalitatem. ANNIVERSARY OF THE LANDING OF THE FOREFATHERS. THE 187th anniversary of this memorable event was celebrated at Plymouth on Monday, the 22d of December, in the usual style. The discourse on this occasion was delivered by the Rev. Horace Holley, whose well known oratorical powers were exerted on this occasion in the happiest manner, and afforded great delight and satisfaction to his numerous auditors. The festival was concluded with a publick dinner, and a ball in the evening. It is intended to erect a publick hall in this ancient town, devoted to the particular purposes of this celebration, which must every year acquire increasing interest, as those blessings are multiplied, which have followed from the heroic constancy of the founders of the colony. Three years more will complete the second century; it may be presumed that the jubilee will then be celebrated with greater efforts to commemorate this epoch. We intend, on a future occasion, to collect the facts connected with this celebration from the commencement, and give a list of those who have delivered addresses on the occasion. ED. ABSTRACT OF THE BILL OF MORTALITY FOR THE TOWN OF BOSTON, FROM THE 31st DECEM- KEPT AT THE 1816. M. F. M. Under 1 y. 1 to 22 to 55 to 10 10 to 20 20 to 30 30 to 40 40 to 50 50 to 60 60 to 7070 to 80 80 to 90 90 to 100 F.M. F.M. F.M. F.M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. |