The author of the _Day of Doom_, belonging to the straitest sect of Puritans, was, like many others of that sect, a man of generous feeling toward his fellows. Rev. Dr. Peabody calls him “a man of the beatitudes.” Obedience to the supreme law gave a heavenly lustre to his example and a sweet fragrance to his memory. The clergy of his day possessed a deep religious earnestness and a fervent piety. They were Bible students and men of prayer. Even many who consider them erroneous in doctrine, are willing to allow that they were strict in morals; that, if they were wrong in faith, they were right in life; that, if their creed was opaque, their hearts were luminous; and that, if their vision did not discern the additional light which the saintly Robinson had prophesied was yet to break forth from God’s Word, they sincerely accepted the light they saw. They were patient, hopeful, humble, believing, faithful. They stood on a higher plane than their successors, and exercised a proportionally higher power over their hearers. Their people revered them, were constant in attendance on their services, and submitted gladly to their sway. Autobiography I was born of Godly Parents, that feared ye Lord greatly, even from their youth, but in an ungodly Place, where ye generality of ye people rather derided than imitated their piety; in a place where, to my knowledge, their children had Learnt wickedness betimes; in a place that was consumed with fire in a great part of it, after God had brought them out of it. These godly parents of mine meeting with opposition and persecution for Religion, because they went from their own Parish church to hear ye word and Receiv ye Lords supper &c, took up resolutions to pluck up their stakes and remove themselves to New England: and accordingly they did so, Leaving dear Relations, friends and acquaintance, their native Land, a new built house, a flourishing Trade, to expose themselves to ye hazzard of ye seas, and to ye Distressing difficulties of a howling wilderness, that they might enjoy Liberty of Conscience and Christ in his ordinances. And the Lord brought them hither and Landed them at Charlstown, after many difficulties and hazzards, and me along with them, being then a child not full seven years old. After about 7 weeks stay at Charlstown, my parents removed again by sea to New Haven in ye month of October. In our passage thither we were in great Danger by a storm which drove us upon a Beach of sand where we lay beating til another Tide fetcht us off; but God carried us to our port in safety. Winter approaching we dwelt in a cellar partly under ground covered with earth the first winter. But I remember that one great rain, brake in upon us and drencht me so in my bed, being asleep, that I fell sick upon it; but ye Lord in mercy spar’d my life and restored my health. When ye next summer was come I was sent to school to Mr. Ezekiel Cheever, who at that time taught school in his own