For a number of years he was Vice-President of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. At the meeting in Detroit in 1858, he spoke at the closing exercises, and said: "Will the churches rise up, and furnishing the young men, send them out to this work? We want a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Thus God's army will be recruited, and money and men will be furnished."

Mr. Jessup was united in marriage July 4, 1820, to Amanda Harris, of Southampton, Long Island. Two of his sons, Henry Harris, and Samuel, educated at Yale College and Union Theological Seminary, became missionaries to Syria.

EDWARD JOHNSON.

REPRESENTATIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE, 1643 - 1647, 1649-1671.*

EDWARD JOHNSON was born at Herne-Hill, Kent County, England, 1599; died at Woburn, Mass., April 23, 1672.

He embarked at Southampton without his family, early in April, 1630, in the Eagle, afterwards called the Arabella, one of the vessels of the fleet which conveyed Governor Winthrop and his company. The following is Mr. Johnson's own language in reference to that event:

"And now behold the several Regiments of these Soldiers of Christ, as they are shipped for his service in the Western World, part thereof being come to the Town and Port of Southampton in England, where they were to be shipped, that they might prosecute this design to the full, one ship, called the Eagle, they wholly purchase, and many more they hire, filling them with the feed of man and beast to sow this yet untilled Wilderness withal, making sale of such Land as they possess, to the great admiration of their Friends and Acquaintance, who thus expostulate with them : 'What, will not the large income of your yearly revenue content you, which in all reason cannot but be more advantageous both to you and yours, than all that Rocky Wilderness, whither you are going, to run the hazard of your life? Have you not here your Tables filled with great variety of food, your Coffers filled with Coin, your Houses beautifully built and filled with all rich Furniture? (or otherwise) have you not such a gainful Trade as none the like in the Town where you live? Are you not enriched

*Draper's edition of Johnson's "Wonder Working Providence," with Historical Introduction, by Poole.

daily? Are not your children very well provided for as they come to years? (nay) may you not here as pithily practice the two chief Duties of a Christian (if Christ give strength) namely, Mortification and Sanctification, as in any place of the world? What helps can you have there that you must not carry from hence ? With bold resolvedness these stout Soldiers of Christ reply. . .

In the summer of 1631, Mr. Johnson returned to England, and remained until about 1636, when he came again to Massachusetts, his family accompanying him. He took up his residence at Woburn, then called Charleston Village.

He took his seat in the General Court, May 10, 1643, as Deputy from the town of Woburn, and was annually re-elected until 1671, 1648 excepted. He was made Speaker of the House in 1655. In 1665 he was on the committee with Bradstreet and others, to meet the English commissioners, Nicolls and Carr. In military affairs he held the title of Captain.

"History of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company," speaks of Mr. Johnson as a man of learning and piety, and the founder of the church in Woburn. Of the planting of this ancient church, Mr. Johnson relates as follows, in his work entitled "Wonder-Working Providence."

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". . . . Now to declare how this people proceeded in religious matters. . . . All the churches planted in New England, when they come once to hopes of being such a competent number of people as might be able to maintain a minister, they then surely seated themselves, and not before; it being as unnatural for a right N. E. man to live without an able ministry, as for a smith to work his iron without fire; therefore this people that went about placing down a Town, began the foundation-stone with earnest seeking of the Lord's assistance, by humbling of their souls before him in days of prayer and imploring his aid in so mighty a work. . . . They after some search, meet with a young man named Mr. Thomas Carter, then belonging to the church of Christ at Watertown, a godly man, apt to teach the sound and wholesome truths of Christ. . . . Thus these godly people interest their affections one with the other, both minister and people. After this they make ready for the work, and the 24th of the sixth

EDWARD JOHNSON.

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month, 1642, they assemble together in the morning about eight of the clock. Messengers of divers neighboring churches, among whom are Mr. Cotton, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Shepherd, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Mather. As also it is the duty of the Magistrates, in regard of the good and peace of the civil Government to be present, at least some one of them, . . . for this cause was present honored Mr. Increase Nowel.

"The persons stood forth and first confessed what the Lord had done for their poor souls, by the work of his Spirit in the preaching of his Word, and Providences, one by one. The Elders,

or any other messengers there present, question with them, for the better understanding of them in any points they doubt of, which being done, and all satisfied, they in the name of the churches to which they do belong, hold out the right hand of fellowship unto them, they declaring their Covenant in words, expressed in writing to this purpose. [Here follows 'The Church Covenant.']

...

"The 22d of the ninth month following, Mr. Thomas Carter was ordained Pastor, in presence of the like assembly. . . . The people having provided a dwelling house, built at the charge of the Town in general, welcomed him unto them with joy.. There were divers added to the chureh daily. . . . The person desirous to join with the church, cometh to the Pastor, and makes him acquainted therewith. . . . Before they come to join with the church, all persons within the Town have public notice of it, then publicly he declares the manner of his conversion. . . . Because some men cannot speak publicly to edification through bashfulness, the less is required of such, and women speak not publicly at all, for all that is desired is, to prevent the polluting of the blessed Ordinances of Christ by such as walk scandalously, and that men and women do not eat and drink their own condemnation, in not discerning the Lord's body. . . . Those seven that joined in church fellowship at first, are now increased to seventyfour persons, or thereabouts. . .

...

Mr. Johnson's publication brought to notice in this sketch, was issued in England, 1654, and bears upon its title-page the following:

"Wonder-Working Providence of Sion's Saviour in New England.

"A History of New England, from the English planting in the Year 1628, until the Year 1652.

“.... The righteous shall see it and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth."

Mr. Johnson married Susan, born in England, 1597; died at Woburn, 1690. Their children were Edward, George, William, Martha, Mathew, John, Susan. He possessed a large estate, and gave by will to his grandchildren, the farm and two other pieces of property located in England; to his children, the property located in America.