Produced by Julia Miller, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) BIOGRAPHY OF REV. HOSEA BALLOU. BY HIS YOUNGEST SON, MATURIN M. BALLOU. "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: and being fully persuaded that 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. [Illustration: Portrait of REV. HOSEA BALLOU, Engraved by H. W. Smith] AUTHOR'S PREFACE. To say that the author experiences a degree of diffidence in writing upon the theme and subject of these pages, would but inadequately express his true feelings on taking up the pen for this object. But he does it with a purpose of strict adherence to facts, nor will any matter be suppressed or one iota added to the truth. No one who shall read a dozen pages herein relating to the early life of Rev. Hosea Ballou, but will at once acquit the author of any false pride as it regards chronicling the events and circumstances of the subject's life. He is most happy to state the facts literally, and he is satisfied as to the verdict that every unprejudiced mind will render.