Synopses & Reviews
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ASA THURSTON, THB MISSIONARY. A sketch of one of Fitchburg's most noted Christian heroes is appropriate at this point of time ? a product of the missionary spirit of the times, inspired doubtless by the burning zeal of Dr. Worcester in this his first pastorate. Asa Thurston, son of Capt. Thomas and Lydia Davis Thurston, was born October 12, 1787, one of a family of ten children, at the Thurston homestead, now known as the Daniel Taylor place, some three miles northwest from the present city hall. The father, an active supporter of the new church, whose name appears the second in the list of givers towards the enterprise, was a fine musician and leader of the church choir for thirty years; from him his son Cyrus doubtless inherited his musical gifts. The two brothers, Asa and Cyrus, were apprenticed to John and Joseph Far well to learn the scythe-maker's trade, but during the revival which followed the departure of Rev. Mr. Worcester, Asa became exceedingly impressed with the teachings of Rev. Mr. Barton. His convictions were the result of no sudden emotion, however, and not until he was twenty-two years of age, after six years of pondering the question, did he make the final decision and offer himself as a missionary. Fitting for college, he entered Yale in 1812, graduating in 1816; he finished his seminary course at Andover in 1819. His biographer, Mr. Harris, writes of him: In the fall of 1819, after finishing his seminary course, he turned his steps homeward for the last time. His purpose to be a missionary had long been known, but his chosen field of labor, the Sandwich Islands, had just been announced. The story of the barbarous murder of Capt. Cook had sent a chill through England and America. Youth and age alike, not only in Fitchburg, but in all the adjacent ...
Synopsis
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