On the Lord's day, June 3, 1744, between ten and eleven o'clock, there was
experienced at Boston, a violent earthquake, "which was felt for above an
hundred of miles." The matter, naturally somewhat startling and
impressive, called forth from some unknown author, an elaborate poem, the
purpose and spirit of which will be readily understood by a few extracts.
It is printed on a sheet, about 12 by 20 inches, in three columns, and was
"sold by Benjamin Gray, in Milk Street, 1744." The first portion and some
other parts of the poem are missing from the copy we have. Somewhere near
the middle of the first column our quotations commence:--
"Again the Lord did shake the Earth,
While Christ was in the Tomb,
When from the glorious Heavenly World
A glorious Angel came.
Behold there was at that same Time
An Earthquake strong and great,
Which made the Watchmen at the Tomb
To tremble, shake and quake.
Again when Paul and Silas was
Once into Prison cast,
And cruelly the Keeper had
In stocks made their feet fast,
Like the dear Children of the Lord,
They to their Father sing,
They praises sing unto the Lord
Till all the Prison did ring.
When lo! immediately there was
A terrible Earthquake,
Which made the whole foundation of
The Prison-House to shake.
The Doors fly open by its Power
And now wide open stand,
'Till these dear Prisoners of the Lord
Are loosed from their Bands.
And thus we see in very Truth,
This wondrous Work is done,
By none but the eternal God,
And Israel's holy One.
And that they're tokens of his Wrath,
O, let not one gain-say,
For sure the Lord is much provok'd,
When he speaks in this way.
Be then excited, O, dear Friends
With vigorous accord,
And all the might and strength you have,
To turn unto the Lord.
For lo! on the last Sabbath day,
The Lord did plainly shew,
What in a single moment's time
He might have done with you.
A solemn warning let it be,
To all with one accord
For their Souls precious Life to haste
Their turning unto God.
* * * * *
"Perhaps you'll think the Danger's past
That all is safe and sure
Because the mighty God hath said
He'll drown the world no more.
But, oh! consider dearest Friends,
How vast his judgments are,
And if you are resolv'd to Sin
To meet your God prepare.
Who hath his Magazines of Fire,
In Heaven and Earth and Seas,
Which always wait on his Command,
And run where'er he please.
If God the awful word but speak,
And bid the Fire run,
The Magazines together meet,
And like a furnace burn.
Above our Head, below our Feet,
God Treasures hath in Store;
And when he gives out his Command,
The Volcano's will roar.
Amazingly the Earth will quake,
The World a flaming be
When God, the great, the mighty God
Gives forth his just Decree.
* * * * *
"That man can't be prevail'd upon
Tho' with our strong desire,
To get prepar'd against the Day
When all the World on Fire
Shall burn and blaze about their Heads,
And they no Shelter have;
No Rock to hide their guilty Heads,
No, nor no watery Grave.
For Rocks will melt like Wax away
Before the dreadful Heat,
And Earth and Sea and all will flame
In one consuming Heap.
The Earth beneath abounds with Stores
Of Oils and Sulphurs too,
And Turfs and Coals, which all will Flame,
When God commands the blow.
The flaming Lightning which we see
Around the Heavens run,
Do livelily now represent
The Conflagration.
Those flaming magazines of God
Have fire enough in store,
And only wait their Lord's commands
To let us feel their power.
When once receiv'd they then will run,
They'll run from Pole to Pole,
And all the strength of Earth and Hell
Cannot their power controle.
Justly may we now stand amaz'd,
At God's abundant Grace,
To think so base and vile a World
Is not all in a Blaze;
When far the greatest part thereof
Are poor vile Infidels,
Among the Christian part thereof
Are sins as black as Hell."
In conclusion, these "precious souls" are entreated to join with one
accord
"In praising of the Holy Name,
Of the Eternal God."
Earthquakes were at one time rather common in New England, but nothing to
be compared to their frequency in England. It is said that in what is
called the "mobile district," of Comrie, in Perthshire, during the winter
of 1839 and 1840, they had one hundred and forty earthquakes, being at the
rate of about one shock a day on an average; and it is added, "They seldom
do much harm."
The following is a memorandum, probably nearly correct and complete, of
earthquakes experienced in Boston, between the years 1636 and 1817; and it
may be considered fortunate that they were not all commemorated by Puritan
poets.
1638. June 1. Great earthquake in Boston.
1639. Jan. 16. Another earthquake.
1643. March 5. Sunday morning another earthquake.
1658. A great earthquake.
1663. Jan. 26. Very great earthquake.
1669. April 3. An earthquake.
1727. Oct. 29. An earthquake.
1730. April 12. An earthquake.
1732. Sept. 5. An earthquake.
1737. Feb. 6. An earthquake.
1744. June 3. The earthquake commemorated.
1755. Nov. 18. A very great earthquake. About one hundred chimneys
thrown down, and other damage.
1757. July 8. An earthquake.
1761. March 12. An earthquake.
1761. Nov. 1. An earthquake.
1782. Nov. 29. An earthquake.
1783. Nov. 29. An earthquake.
1800. March 11. An earthquake.
1810. Nov. 9. An earthquake.
1817. Sept. 7. An earthquake.