Increase Mather

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Increase Mather
Increase Mather in 1688, when he was in London. Portrait by John van der Spriett
Born	June 21, 1639 Dorchester, Massachusetts
Died	August 23, 1723 Boston, Massachusetts
Occupation	Minister
Spouse	Maria Cotton and Ann Cotton

The Reverend Increase Mather (June 21, 1639 — August 23, 1723) was a major figure in the early history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay (now the Federal state of Massachusetts). He was a Puritan minister who was involved with the government of the colony, the administration of Harvard College, and most notoriously, the Salem witch trials. He was the father of the equally influential Cotton Mather.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early life 1.1.1 Education 1.2 Establishing himself in Massachusetts 1.2.1 Harvard 1.3 Involvement in politics 1.4 Involvement in the Salem witch trials 1.5 Later life and death 2 Beliefs 3 Given name 4 Notes 5 References 6 See also

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Mather was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts^[1] on June 21, 1639 to Rev. Richard Mather and Kathrine Holt Mather^[2] following their participation in the Great Migration from England due to nonconformity with the Church of England.^[3] He was the youngest of six^[4] brothers: Samuel, Nathaniel, Eleazar, Joseph and Timothy Mather.^[4]

His parents were notoriously religious^[5], and three of his brothers (Samuel, Nathaniel and Eleazar) also became ministers^[6].

[edit] Education

In 1651 Mather was admitted to Harvard where he roomed with and studied under John Norton.^[5][2] When he graduated (1656) with a B.A.^[2], he began to train for the ministry and gave his first sermon on his eighteenth birthday^[7]. He quickly left Massachusetts and went to Ireland, where he studied at Trinity College in Dublin for a M.A..^[5] He graduated with it in 1659^[1] and spent the next 3 years as a chaplain attached to a garrison in the Channel Islands^[5].

Harvard was to later award him the first honorary degree in the New World, a S.T.D., in 1692^[2].

[edit] Establishing himself in Massachusetts

In 1661, with the advent of the English Restoration and resurgence of Anglicanism, Increase returned to Massachusetts, where he married Maria Cotton.^[5] She was his stepsister^[5] by virtue of his father's marriage to Sarah Hankredge, the widow of John Cotton and mother of Maria.^[7] She gave birth to Cotton Mather in February.^[5]

He was ordained as minister of the Old North Church, whose congregation included many of the upper class and governing class,^[5] on May 27, 1664. He held this post until he died.^[1] By virtue of his position he quickly became one of the most influential people in the colony, both religiously and politically.^[5]

[edit] Harvard

In June 11, 1685 he became the Acting President of Harvard University (Then Harvard College) and steadily advanced: A little over a year later on July 23, 1686 he was appointed the Rector. On June 27, 1692 he became the President of Harvard, a position which he held until September 6, 1701.^[2]

He was rarely present on campus or in the town,^[1] especially during his term of Rector as he was out of the Colony for all but two years of his term in that office.^[2] Despite his absences he did make some changes: reimplementation of Greek and Hebrew instruction, replacement of classical Roman authors with Biblical and Christian authors in ethics classes, enactment of requirements that students attend classes regularly, live and eat on campus and that seniors not haze other students.^[2]

[edit] Involvement in politics

While politics and Puritan religion were closely related during Increase's life time, his first direct involvement with politics occurred as a result of James II of England's manipulation of the New England governments. In 1686 James revoked the Charter of Massachusetts in the process of creating the unresponsible Dominion of New England.^[1].

The Dominion was headed by Edmund Andros, who not only disliked puritanism and was haughty^[2], but ruled as a near absolute dictator: Town meetings were outlawed, leaving the Dominion without consent of the government was outlawed, marriage was removed from the clergy and the Old South Church was temporarily appropriated for Anglican services.^[8] Also disliked by the Puritan status quo was the 1687 Declaration of Indulgence, prohibiting discrimination against Catholics.^[5] When Mather successfully roused opposition to the charter revokation, he was nearly framed for treason. He then traveled to London (eluding spies out to catch him) to petition the King.^[7]

While engaged in petitioning he published pieces to build popular support for his positions, such as A Narrative of the Miseries of New-England, By Reason of an Arbitrary Government Erected there Under Sir Edmund Andros (1688) and A Brief Relation for the Confirmation of Charter Privileges (1691).^[7]

While there he attempted to get the old charter restored^[1] and a royal charter for Harvard^[2]; however, he abandoned that course and changed his petitions to a new charter not lacking any of the rights previously granted.^[2] Following the Glorious Revolution and subsequent overthrow of Andros, a new charter was granted to the colony.^[2] The 1692 charter was a major departure from its predecessor, granting sweeping home rule, establishing an elective legislature, enfranchising all freeholders (previously only men admitted to a congregation could vote), and uniting the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Plymouth Colony.^[2] Following Andros' deposition and arrest^[8], he had William Phips appointed as Royal Governor and they returned to Massachusetts, arriving on May 14 1692.^{[citation needed]}

Following his return, the administration of Harvard grew increasingly insistent that he reside nearer to the institution. Not wanting to leave his Second Church, he didn't, eventually resigning the Presidency.^[2].

[edit] Involvement in the Salem witch trials

As an influential member of the community, Increase was involved in the notorious witch hysteria of Salem, Massachusetts. As the court of oyer and terminer was beginning to hear cases of suspected witchcraft, Increase published "The Return of Several Ministers Consulted", which urged moderation in the use and credence of "spectral evidence".^[9] In June and July 1692 as the trials and executions began to increase, Increase made a number of sermons interpreted as a plea to cool the heated atmosphere.^[9] In September he published Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men, Witchcrafts, infallible Proofs of Guilt in such as are accused with that Crime (More commonly just "Cases of conscience concerning evil spirits"), which defended the judges and trials, but strongly denounced the spectral evidence used by them. It contained his famous version of Blackstone's formulation, that "It were better that Ten Suspected Witches should escape, than that one Innocent Person should be Condemned". Afterwards, his reputation was not improved by his involvement and association with the trials, nor by his subsequent refusal to denounce them. His refusal to repudiate was likely because of his longtime frienship with the judges involved.^{[citation needed]} He was also defamed^{[citation needed]} by Robert Calef in his harshly critical More Wonders of the Invisible World^[10] (Referred to as More Wonders of the Spiritual World by the Encyclopedia Britannica Eleventh Edition^[7]).

[edit] Later life and death

Following Maria's death in August 1714, he remarried.^[5] On September 27, 1722 he fainted and was bedridden thereafter.^[5] In August of 1723 he suffered bladder failure^[5] and died three weeks later on August 23, 1723^{[citation needed]} in Boston.^[11]

[edit] Beliefs

Throughout his life Mather was a staunch Puritan, opposing anything openly contradictory to it, mutually exclusive with it, or potentially "distracting" from it. He supported suppression of intoxication, unnecessary effort on Sundays and ostentatious clothing. He was initially opposed to the Half-Way Covenant but later supported it.^[7] He firmly believed in the direct appearance of God's disfavor in everyday life, e.g. the weather, political situations, attacks by "Indians", fires and floods, etc.^{[citation needed][7]}

He was strenuous in attempting to keep people to his idea of morality,^[2] making strong use of jeremiads to try and prevent indifference and especially to try and get government officials to enforce public morality.^[5]

During his tenure at Harvard he regularly stamped out any relaxation of Puritan strictness, such as latitudinarianism, which had flourished during his overseas absence.^[2]

Following his acceptance of the Covenant, Solomon Stoddard and others attempted to further liberalize Puritanism by baptism of children who had nonmember parents^[2] and admittance of all but the openly immoral to services.^[7] To try and stop this, he had a synod called in an attempt to outlaw similar measures. A declaration was adopted, but never made binding.^[7] Following this, reform-minded members were sent to the body and it took on a less conservative tone, bitterly disappointing Mather.^[5]

[edit] Given name

The stated reason for his first name was "...the never-to-be-forgotten increase, of every sort, wherewith God favoured the country about the time of his nativity."^[7]

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Biography of Increase Mather. Retrieved on 2006-10-12.

[edit] See also

• Salem witch trials
• List of unusual personal names

Academic Offices
Preceded by John Rogers	President of Harvard College 1685–1686, acting 1686–1692, Rector 1692–1701	Succeeded by Samuel Willard, acting
Religious Posts
Preceded by John Mayo	Old North Church 1673–1723	Succeeded by Cotton Mather

v • d • e Salem witch trials
Authorities	Thomas Danforth · John Hale · Increase Mather · Samuel Parris · William Phips · Nathaniel Saltonstall · Samuel Sewall · William Stoughton
Accusers	Elizabeth Hubbard · Mercy Lewis · Betty Parris · Ann Putnam, Jr. · Susannah Sheldon · Mary Walcott · Abigail Williams
Accused	John Alden · Edward Bishop · Sarah Bishop · Mary Black · Mary Bradbury · Sarah Cloyce · Rebecca Eames · Mary English · Phillip English · Abigail Faulkner · Dorcas Good · William Hobbs · Mary Lacy · Sarah Morey · Benjamin Proctor · Elizabeth Proctor · Sarah Proctor · William Proctor
Confessed and Accused Others	Dorcas Hoar · Abigail Hobbs · Deliverance Hobbs · Margaret Jacobs · Tituba · Mary Warren
Executed	Bridget Bishop · George Burroughs · Martha Carrier · Martha Corey · Mary Eastey · Sarah Good · Elizabeth Howe · George Jacobs, Sr. · Susannah Martin · Rebecca Nurse · Alice Parker · Mary Parker · John Proctor · Ann Pudeator · Wilmot Redd · Margaret Scott · Samuel Wardwell · Sarah Wildes · John Willard
Died in Prison	Lydia Dustin · Ann Foster · Sarah Osborn · Roger Toothaker
Died During Interrogation	Giles Corey

Persondata
NAME	Increase Mather
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Increaſe Mather
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Puritan minister
DATE OF BIRTH	June 21, 1639
PLACE OF BIRTH	Dorchester, Massachusetts
DATE OF DEATH	August 23, 1723
PLACE OF DEATH	Boston, Massachusetts