The day of doom, or, a poetical description of the great and last judgment : with other poems

1867·4.2 MB·English

by  Wigglesworth, Michael, 1631-1705

THE
OR, A
POETICAL DESCRIPTION
OFTHE
GREAT AND LAST
JUDGMENT
$0.etn0.
MICHAEL WIGGLESWOKTH, A.M.,
TeacTier ofthe Church at Maiden in New England,
1GG2.
ALSO A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, AUTOBIOG
RAPHY, AND SKETCH OF HIS FUNERAL
SERMON BY REV. COTTON
MATHER.
wilAlCTjSud1g7e:tl3i1e.WBoercladusinePhaeghhtaetohusanpepsosinbtyedthaatDMaayninwthlioemwhhieclhiahteh
ordained.
HeMaAvTe.n,24an:d30t.hAenndshatlhlenallshtahlelatprpibeeasrotfhethseigEnaorfththmeouSronn,ofanMdatnheiny
shallseetheSouofMancominginthecloudsofHeavenwithpower
and greatglory.
THE SIXTH EDITION, 1715.
For
ft;
AMERICAN NEWS COMPANY,
1867.
8EIVEKA:.
EnteredaccordingtoActofCongress,intheyearofourLord,1867,by
WM. HENRY BURR,
in the Clerksofficeof theDistrictCourtoftheUnitedStates,for the Southon
DistrictofNewYork.
C. S.WESTCOTT&Co.,Printers,79Johnstreet.
MEMOIR OF THE
THE following is the substanceofan articlepublished
in the cirNew England Historical and Genealogical
Kegister,^ for April, 1863, written by JOHN WARI>
DEAN, Esq., ofBoston:
A century ago no poetry was more popular in New
England than Wigglesworths Day of Doom. Francis
Jenks, Esq*., in an article in the Christian Examinerfor
Nov., 1828, speaks of it as "awork which was taught
ourfathers withtheir catechisms, and which many an
agedpersonwithwhom we are acquainted can still re
peat, thoughtheymay not have met with a copysince
theywere in leading strings; a work that was"hawked
aboutthe country, printed on sheets like common bal
lads; and, in fine, a work which fairly represents the
prevailingtheology of New England at the time it was
written, and which Mather thought might, perhaps,
find our children till the Day itselfarrives. "
The popularity of Wigglesworth datedfrom the ap
pearanceofhispoem,andcontinuedformore than acen
tury. Expressing in earnest words the theology which
theybelieved, and picturing in lively colorsthe terrors
ofthejudgment dayandthe awfulwrathofan offended
God,it commended itselftothose zealousPuritans, who
had littletaste for lofty rhyme or literary excellence.
The imaginativeyouthdevoureditshorrorswithavidity,
and shuddered at its fierce denunciation ofsin. In the
darkness ofnight he saw its frightful forms arise, and
was thus driven to seek the "ark of safety" from the
nn
4 MEM IR F TIIE AUTII R.
wrath,ofJehovah. Forthe last century, however, the
reputation of the Day of Doom has waned, and few at
thepresent day know it except byreputation.
The authorofthisbook, whose wandhad summoned
up such images of terror, was neither a cynic nor a
misanthrope,thoughsickness,whichgenerallybringsout
these dispositions where they exist, had long been his
doom. His attenuated frame and feeble healthwere
joinedtogenial manners; and, though subjectto fits of
despondency, he seems generallytohave maintained a
cheerful temper, so much so that some of his friends
believedhis ills tobe imaginary.
Rev. Michael Wigglesworth was born October 28,
1631,probably in Yorkshire,England. Hewasbrought
tothis country in 1G38, being then seven years old, but
inwhatship we are not informed. His father, Edward
Wigglesworth, was one of those resolute Puritans who,
with their families, found an asylumwhere they could
enjoy their religion without molestation in our then
New England wilderness, the distance of which from
their English homes can hardly be appreciated now.
Here theysufferedthesevere hardshipsofarigorous cli
mate, and the fearful dangers from savage tribes around
them, while uniting tobuildup villages which are now
cities, andwhich still retain some of the characteristics
oftheir Puritanfounders. Thedeterminedpurpose and
strength ofprinciple that conquered everyobstacle was
a school of severe training for the children of that
period. It was natural that a fatherwho had endured
somuch for conscience sake should desire to see his
only son a clergyman; and, although the fathers means
were not large, the sonwasdevoted to the ministryand
givena thorougheducation. Michael,afternearlythree
years of preparatory studies, entered Harvard College
in1647. Here he had the good fortune to have for a