New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-29


During his residence in Emmanuel. as Wolstan
Dixie Fellow, IIookers religious life received its
direction. In the simpler phrase Of to-day, we
would say that he was converted. But he him
self described it as his Effectua Calling and I'm
plantation into Christi His temperament made
this event both protracted and severe. In com
mon with other Puritans of the time, he believed
that glad willingness 20 be lost was condition
precedent to being saved. And his Soules HUI
initiation and other writings show how tire
mendousy real this religious struggle was.
The very same idea was eXpounded $50
years later, in the writings of Samuel
Hopkins, the great Newport divine, whose views
gave tone and shape to a large segment of New
England theology.
Hoolxers ministry began between 1918 and go,
as rector of the little parish of Esher in Surrey.
It's patron was Mr.. Francis Drake. Whose wife
was a religious hypochondriac. She had already
worn out the consultations of two "godlie and
painful" ministers, in their efforts to persuade
her that she had not committed the objectionable
sin. The strange and morbid story is told in full
in contemporary book bearing the title, "Trod-
den down Strength by the God of Strength or
Mrs. Drake Revived, Showing Her Strange and
Rare Case; Great md Manifold Affections for
Tenne Years Together. Related by her friend
Hart Onhi. London, 1917" And now Hooker
was TO see what he could do with her, living in the
Drake house in order tTIat he might study her
symptoms the better. lie seems to have succeeded
fairly well, for we are told that shee was mar
veilously delighted with his new and answering
method" And we may say here, in passing, that
the worthy woman finally came to her end in a
Fit of sudden, extreme ravishing, unsuppOrtable
JOY, beyond the Strength of Mortality TO retain,
or be long capable of, which put Mr.. Dod her
kfueha md nd oil Late Hmm, 4 mir ID
beyond all Experience, they in all their lifetime
never having seen or heard of the like"
But some time before this happy event, I" it fell
out that Mr.. Hooker also having acted his part
with her. and done his best to comfort. uphold,
and rectfy her spirit, by Gods providence he was
married unto her waitng-woman. After which,
both of them having lived time after with her,
and he cald TO be Lecturer at Chelmsford in
Essex, they both left her" What was thought
of Hooker at this time may be gathered from this
description of him a great Scholar, an acute
Disputant, a strong, learned, wise modest man,
every way rarely qualified; who being Non Con-
fornitan in Judgment. not willing to trust him
self with Preventative Liyings, was contented and
persuaded by Mr. bod to accept of that poor Living
of s4O per annum. This worthy man accepted
of the place, having withal his dyet and lodging
at Esher, Mr.. brakes house" As contemporary
quoted by Mather said He was person
who, while doing his Masters work. would put "a
king in his pocket" OF course such man soon be-
came obnoxious Laud inveighed against him as one
of those who blew the bellows of their Sedition"
and his bishop silenced him for non-conformity.
His farewell sermon was published some years al;
terward with the following title The Danger of
Desertion or Farewell Sermon of Mr.. Thomas
Hooker, sometimes minister of Gods Word at Chain
ford, in Essex, but now of New-England" Out
of such an environment came the man whose life
Mr. Walker has so sympathetically written as one
of the Makers of America"
After short stay in Holland, Hooker sailed for
America, where his real career was to begin, as
the leader Of devoted company of "JudiciOus
Christians The voyage lasted eight weeks, and
there was preaching and expounding of the Word
of God every day by some painful minister"
Religion was verify serious thing with these
men. Hooker at once threw overheard his old
ecclesiastical traditions by being ordained pas
tor of the NewtOwn, Mass, Church. The little
Bay Colony into which he came is thus described
by Mr.. Walker: 1.-THE ministers, now numbering
thirteen fourteen in the colony, were nearly all
University men. had been clergy of the English
Church, and were, several of them, eminent at
home for all clerical gifts and attachments The
magistrates were men of good social position in
their own land. and some of them of wealth and
honorable family. The rank and file of the
citizenship were Of solid midde-cass English life
men and women, thrifty, sober, conscientious, in
diligently religious, and Puritan by conviction
and experience. 1t was a strong, hardy, somewhat
stern and austere society, as became people who
had had trials, Were in the midst of hardships,
and had the prospect Of difficulties yet before
them"
But Hooker was too much of a democrat at heart
IN ho nfcrta llo -.
cracy: and with number of fellow pilgrims from
Newtown, struck out one beautiful spring day
through the painless woods for Connecticut.
Evening by evening they made camp and
slept guarded and sentinelled by forest-fres One
of their number, Mrs. Hooker, the pastors wife.
was carried on litter, because of her infirmity.
IL picturesque, but arduous pilgrimage
Men and women of refinement and delicate breed
ing. turned explorers of primcval forests in search
Of wilderness home. The lowing OF so cattle
sounding through the forest aislcs not TO mention
the bleating OF goats, and the squealing of swine
summoned them to each mornings advance. The
day began and ended with the voice of prayer
and perhaps OF song. At some point on Their
fortnight journey, Sabbath must have inter
vened when Of course, the camp remained still for
worship in the wilderness. Their toilsome and
devious way led them probably by the route
which came 10 be the old Connecticut path
through what were afterward the towns of Fran.
ingham and Dudley and Woodstock, the same
route by which the rowing Oldham went in 1888
when he lodged iii Indian towns all the way
Reaching at some uncertain point the wide, full
Connecticut, flowing then with larger tide than
now, and swollen with its northern SHOWS the
travellers crossed RATS and rudely constructed
boats; and on the spot where Hartford now lifts
it's stately edifiees of worship and Of trade, and
ehecred By the sight of some pioneer attempts
at habitation and settlement made the season
previous, Mr.. Hooler's company rested, and the
ark Of the Church stood still"
The social and religious life of the new settle
Inent at once began. Meeting House, which