All Items 5 Collection 2 Archives & Special Collections 5 Emily Dickinson Collection 1 Contributor 5 Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864 4 Amherst College. Class of 1850. Dickinson 1 Dickinson, Austin, d. 1895 1 Dickinson, Emily, 1830-1886 1 Dickinson, Lavinia Norcross, 1833-1899 1 Location 1 Massachusetts 4 Topic 20 Sermons 4 Sermons, American 4 Christianity 3 Religious aspects 2 Associations, institutions, etc. 1 Benevolence 1 Biblical teaching 1 Biblical teaching aspects 1 Charities 1 Commandments (Judaism) 1 Correspondence 1 Fast-day sermons 1 Future punishment 1 Law (Theology) 1 Massachusetts 1 Peace 1 Poets, American 1 Repentance 1 Sabbath 1 Salvation 1 show more 15 show fewer Part Of 2 Edward and Orra White Hitchcock Papers 4 Emily Dickinson Collection 1 Genre 2 Sermons 4 Correspondence 1 mods.shelfLocator 1 Box 7 Folder 13 5 Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 171, "Concert in Benevolent Efforts," 1823 June Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864 Edward Hitchcock's sermon on concerted action, based on Isaiah 41:6-7 (They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage....). Hitchcock noted on the first page that he had delivered this sermon once at Conway, Massachusetts "Before the Benevolent Societies." He explained that irreligious and worldly men have always understood more clearly than real Christians the principle that there is more power in "united or associated effort" than in "individual and unconnected exertions" and that the power of a group is a geometrical magnification of the mere number of individuals involved. Hitchcock provided a series of examples to illustrate the use of this principle to advance the interests of false religion (especially the Roman Catholic church), the interests of worldly concerns (the East India Company, for example), and the interests of the enemies of religion. The most notable instance of the latter was Illuminism (lead by Voltaire and Rousseau, among others), which in the last half century had propelled Christians to employ this same principle in their own defense against "heathenism & mahometanism." Hitchcock called for more vigorous exertions. Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 171, "Concert in Benevolent Efforts," 1823 June Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 166, "Future Punishment," 1823 April Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864 Edward Hitchcock's sermon on God's punishment for impenitent sinners, based on Job 31:3 (Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?). Hitchcock noted on the first page the one time and place where he had delivered this sermon in 1823 as well as a Bible chapter and hymns related to the sermon. Hitchcock remarked that when the wrath of God is discussed, Christians, in order to ease their troubled consciences, often accuse the minister of Christ of exaggerating the terrors of damnation. In order both to avoid such ridicule and to preach those things required of anyone wishing to be saved, Hitchcock would use only the Bible's own words to describe the wrath of God against sinners, to describe the duration of future torments, and to describe the character of those who would suffer these punishments for eternity. No language could be more terrifying than scripture. Hitchcock called on his "hearers" to bring themselves and their children to repentance. Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 166, "Future Punishment," 1823 April Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 172, "Wars," 1823 April Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864 Edward Hitchcock's sermon on war, based on James 4:1-3 (From whence come wars and fightings among you?). Hitchcock noted on the first page where he had delivered this sermon on Fast Days in 1823 and 1832 as well as Bible chapters and hymns related to the sermon. In examining the greatest temporal evil in the world, Hitchcock focused on three subjects: the source of all wars; the effects of wars; and, the remedies for their abolition. Hitchcock pronounced that the resort to arms was as opposite to the Spirit of Christ as light is to darkness. As long as men tolerated it, even as a necessary evil, it would not disappear. He urged action in defeating the foulest blot on the Christian name. In the course of his remarks, Hitchcock quoted anonymously a number of lines of poetry from Lara, by Lord Byron, and from The Task, by William Cowper. Among several works he recommended reading was The Friend of Peace, a quarterly of the Massachusetts Peace Society. Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 172, "Wars," 1823 April Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 170, "Perpetuity of the Sabbath," 1823 May Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864 Edward Hitchcock's sermon on observing the Sabbath, based on Numbers 15:32-36 (And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day....). Hitchcock noted on the first page the dates and places where he had delivered this sermon between 1823 and 1833 as well a Bible chapter and hymns related to the sermon. Hitchcock observed that biblical text for his sermon raised questions concerning the commandment to remember the sabbath day and keep it holy: Was the law confined to the Jewish nation and abrogated with the coming of Christ? Which Old Testament laws concerning the Sabbath were universally binding and which were not? How was one to distinguish which laws were current? Where else in the Bible were there laws for observing the Christian Sabbath? In answering such questions, Hitchcock contrasted "moral precepts," which were universally and eternally in force, and "positive precepts" which were directed to the Jews and were no longer binding upon men of the present day. He also discussed the practice of observing the Sabbath on the first or the seventh day of the week. Hitchcock concluded by noting that "sabbath breaking in some form or another is one of the most crying sins of these days." He asked the congregation to reflect on past conduct and judge whether they had in good conscience kept the Sabbath holy and saved their immortal souls. Edward Hitchcock sermon no. 170, "Perpetuity of the Sabbath," 1823 May Letters to W. Austin Dickinson Dickinson, Emily, 1830-1886 Letters to W. Austin Dickinson
