_The Massachusetts State Record and Year Book of General Information.
1847. "Human and mortal although we are, we are nevertheless not mere
insulated beings, without relation to the past or future."_--DANIEL
WEBSTER. Boston: Published by James French, 78 Washington Street. 1847.
This is the first volume of a new work, and is intended to be an
Annual. It will aim, "1. To give annually the names of the State,
County and Town Officers, and, in connection therewith, to note
the objects and results of our State Legislation. 2. To develop
the principles of the Institutions of the Commonwealth by giving
their objects and results. 3. To set forth the kind and extent
of business pursued by the inhabitants, including the learned
professions. 4. To represent the social, moral, and physical
condition of the people, as connected with their pursuits and
recreation. 5. To exhibit the mutual relations of society, and to
embody the results of the combined action of all in relation to
external objects, with a view to the high destiny of man."
The plan of the work is copious and judicious, and the due
execution of it will require study, labor, and exactness. The
present volume, which embraces two hundred and eighty pages,
is printed on good paper with fair type, and is well bound. It
contains a great quantity of matter, interesting and useful, and
its historical character will render it none the less so. The
editor we doubt not will exert himself to make the work deserving
of public patronage.
_Biographical Sketches of the Moody Family; embracing notices of ten
Ministers and several Laymen, from 1633 to 1842._
"_Just men they were, and all their study bent
To worship God aright, and know his works
Not hid; nor those things last, which might preserve
Freedom and peace to man._"
_By Charles C. P. Moody._ Boston: Published by Samuel G. Drake, No. 56
Cornhill. 1847.
This 12mo volume of 168 pages, besides the introduction, contains
a brief account of Rev. Joshua Moody, Portsmouth and Boston; Rev.
Samuel Moody, Newcastle, N. H., and Falmouth, Me.; Rev. Samuel
Moody, pastor of the First Church in York, Me.; Rev. Joshua Moody,
Star Island, N. H.; Rev. Joseph Moody, pastor of the Second Church
in York, Me.; Joshua Moody, Esq., Portland, Me.; Dr. Samuel
Moody, Portland, Me.; Rev. John Moody, New Market, N. H.; Rev.
Amos Moody, Pelham, N. H.; Mr. Enoch Moody, Portland, Me; Dea.
Benjamin Moody, Newburyport; Rev. Samuel Moody, Principal of Dummer
Academy; Rev. Silas Moody, Arundel, Me.; Mr. Paul Moody, Waltham
and Lowell; Stephen Moody, Esq., Gilmanton, N. H.; Joseph Moody,
Esq., Kennebunk, Me.; Rev. Eli Moody, Granby, Ms.; and a List of
all the Graduates at the New England Colleges by the name of Moody,
in number 39. The united ages of the seventeen persons noticed
in these sketches amount to 1,142 years, averaging 67 years to
each--the eldest being 82, and the youngest 50 years. Mr. William
Moody the principal progenitor of the name in New England, came,
according to the most authentic accounts, from Wales, England, to
Ipswich in 1633, and removed to Newbury with the first settlers in
1635. While this work is affectingly serious, some portions of it
partake of the character of novelty. No one can read the notices of
Rev. Joshua Moody of Portsmouth and Boston, and of "Father Moody,"
"Handkerchief Moody," and "Master Moody," as they were called,
without being deeply interested. We hope the volume will meet with
a ready sale, and be perused with spiritual benefit.
_A Sermon[AB] delivered at Plymouth on the twenty-second of December,
1846. By Mark Hopkins, D. D., President of Williams College._ Boston:
Press of T. R. Marvin, 24 Congress Street. 1847.
The text on which this discourse is based is contained in Matt.
xxiii.: 8. "And all ye are brethren."
After the exordium and stating what is indicated in that
far-reaching annunciation of the text, _And all ye are brethren_,
the President says, "Columbus sought a passage to the Indies,
and God revealed to him the whole rounded inheritance which he
created in the beginning, and intended for the use of civilized
man. Our Fathers sought for religious freedom, and God led them
on to the practical recognition of those principles laid down
by Christ in accordance with which alone man can obtain that
political and social and moral inheritance of which his nature is
evidently capable, and which we believe God intended for him." The
term brethren indicates equality and affection, and these must
form the basis of a perfect society. This proposition Dr. Hopkins
shows is sanctioned by the Scriptures, and is in accordance with
the nature of man. Having proved and illustrated the proposition,
he urges upon the descendants of the Puritans to adopt this and
this alone as the basis of our institutions, and to carry out
this great principle of brotherhood. We conclude the notice of
this appropriate and excellent discourse, by quoting the closing
address: "And now, my friends, is not the star of hope which we
see in this direction, a beautiful star? It is no meteor of a
fervid imagination, or of a false philosophy. It is that great
idea of a universal Christian brotherhood, pointed out by Christ,
not in the text only, but everywhere, as an inherent part of his
system. This star our Fathers saw, and is it any wonder, that under
its inspiration and guidance, they should come across the ocean?
Literally they found a landing here, but figuratively, the vessel
which they launched is yet upon the deep, the multitude of their
descendants is on board, and we too catch glimpses of the same
bright star above the troubled waters. It may be that this vessel
is not destined to reach the port. We hear moanings of the tempest,
and see aspects of the elements which lead us to tremble for her.
But where the bright image of this star has once fallen, it can
never be effaced. This is our star. To it let the prow of our
vessel be turned. Let every man be at his post, never ashamed of
the plain rigging of his good ship, but always hearing that voice
of duty, and of the God of our Fathers, which will speak above the
roar of every tempest; and then if our ship must go down, the will
of God be done. But _then_ she will not go down. Then the hand
which guided the Mayflower, will guide her. Then will there be One
on board, as we believe there always has been, who, though he may
seem for a time to be asleep in the hinder part of the ship, will
yet come, when the winds are loudest, and the waves are highest,
and say, 'Peace, be still.'"
_The Connecticut Register: Being an official State Calendar of public
officers and institutions in Connecticut, for 1847. By Charles
W. Bradley, Jr., clerk in the office of the Secretary of State._
"Vineam---- transtulisti, ejecisti gentes et plantasti eam. Dux
itineris fuisti in conspectu ejus; plantasti radices ejus, et implevit
terram. Operuit montes umbra ejus, et arbusta ejus cedros Dei.
Extendit, palmites suos usque ad mare, et usque ad flumen propagines
ejus."--Ps. LXXX. Hartford: Published by Brown & Parsons, Corner of
Main and Asylum Streets.
This volume of 224 pages 16mo, well printed and bound, for a
work of the kind, embraces much more Historical and Statistical
matter than is usual in such publications; as the chapter which
contains the Annals of Connecticut, the Patent and Charter of the
Colony, Indian topographical names till now never extensively
collected, list of Colonial officers, and dates of town and court
incorporations. The difficulty which has heretofore existed in
tracing out genealogies from the records of the Mortuary Courts,
is in part obviated by the table of their territorial changes.
The author, connected as he was, with the records of the State,
possessed peculiar advantages in preparing the work. The Register
contains all the above articles in addition to those which have
generally been inserted in its predecessors. It is a valuable book,
and should be in the hands of every family in the State.
* * * * *
->We regret that we have not room to notice other interesting
publications which we have received. We shall give notices of them in
the next number of the Register.
EXTRACTS FROM NOTICES OF THE NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL
REGISTER.
The object of this work is to gather up the facts which relate to the
Fathers of New England, so that the present generation may distinctly
understand, that "God sifted a whole nation that he might send choice
grain over into this wilderness." It will also contain the genealogy
of families which early settled the country. It will not be sectarian
in its character, but will be a faithful record of the principles and
character of the founders of New England. Among the great number of new
publications that are striving to push themselves into the community,
this cannot fail to find its way into the study of the minister, the
office of the lawyer and physician, and the parlor of many thousands of
the descendants of the Pilgrims.--_Boston Recorder._
It is a unique magazine. The work will bring to light many amusing
personal incidents both of old times and new. It must be intensely
interesting to all New England men, especially those who have a taste
for such things and have descended in regular succession from the
Pilgrims.--_Journal of Commerce, New York._
The first Number of the work has just made its appearance, and we greet
it with a hearty welcome. We commend it to all interested in pursuing
inquiries of a historical or statistical nature relating to New
England.--_Boston Atlas._
It is the only work of the kind ever undertaken in this country. Both
the Editor and Publisher come to their task with a degree of experience
and tact on such matters which will commend their labors to the
confidence of all interested in this kind of investigation.--_Vermont
Chronicle._
If we rightly apprehend the design of this work it will be serviceable
to the community in gathering and presenting the elements of the
history of New England. Dr. Cogswell has for a long course of years
employed his mind much in labors of this sort, and his efforts have
been well appreciated. He seems now to be more exclusively devoted
to them, and with advantages of doing the work more effectually. We
confidently commend this work to those who have a taste for such
reading, and those who wish to encourage and patronize a work, which
must be of great value to the coming generation.--_New England Puritan._
The comprehensive design of this work appears to be well carried out
in the number before us, which contains a great amount of historical,
statistical, and genealogical information.--_Lowell Daily Courier._
It is pleasant to take a peep at the queer and musty antiquities of
the Western world through the clear glass of such clean and beautiful
pages of modern typography. To those, heirs apparent or expectant, of
English or French estates, the work has some charms of an interesting
character.--_Massachusetts Cataract._
Its contents give promise of a periodical of great interest, especially
to New England men and women, who would be better acquainted with their
fathers.--_Christian Observer, Philadelphia._
The Rev. Dr. Cogswell, its Editor, was for some time connected with the
American Quarterly Register, and more recently with the New Hampshire
Repository, both of which were more or less devoted to subjects kindred
to those of which this work proposes exclusively to treat, and his
name alone is a sufficient guaranty for the faithful management of
a historical and genealogical journal. The Publisher, Mr. Drake, a
thorough antiquary, and well known as the historian of the Indians, is
admirably qualified to discharge the duties he has just assumed.--_New
York Express._
We are glad to see the commencement of a Quarterly Periodical of this
character in New England. Under the care of Dr. Cogswell, well known
for his historical, antiquarian, and genealogical lore, it will become
a repository of rare and valuable facts, a record of events, the memory
of which should be dear to the descendants of the Pilgrims.--_Boston
Mercantile Journal._
This is an excellent work, just such an one as we have long
needed.--_Litchfield Inquirer, Ct._