Cotton Mather (February 12, 1663 – February 13, 1728). A.B. 1678 (Harvard College), A.M. 1681; honorary doctorate 1710 (University of Glasgow), was a socially and politically influential Puritan minister, prolific author, and pamphleteer. Cotton Mather was the son of influential minister Increase Mather. He is often remembered for his connection to the Salem witch trials. Cotton Mather was a powerpop band from Austin, Texas formed in 1991. ... Image File history File links downloaded from [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1663 (MDCLXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Astronomical aberration discovered by the astronomer James Bradley Swedish academy of sciences founded at Uppsala The founding of the University of Havana (Universidad de la Habana), Cubas most well-established university. ... In most Protestant churches, a minister is a member of the ordained clergy who leads a congregation; such a person may also be called a Pastor, Preacher, or Elder. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1663 (MDCLXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Astronomical aberration discovered by the astronomer James Bradley Swedish academy of sciences founded at Uppsala The founding of the University of Havana (Universidad de la Habana), Cubas most well-established university. ... Events August 10 - Treaty of Nijmegen ends the Dutch War. ... Harvard University (incorporated as The President and Fellows of Harvard College) is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA and a member of the Ivy League. ... Events March 4 - Charles II of England grants a land charter to William Penn for the area that will later become Pennsylvania. ... // Events April 10 - The worlds first copyright legislation became effective, Britains Statute of Anne Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713) Births January 3 - Richard Gridley, American Revolutionary soldier (d. ... Master of Theology (MTh) Dentistry Nursing Affiliations Russell Group Universitas 21 Website http://www. ... For the record label, see Puritan Records. ... 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). ... 1876 illustration of the courtroom; the central figure is usually identified as Mary Walcott The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings by local magistrates and county court trials to prosecute people alleged to have committed acts of witchcraft in Essex, Suffolk and Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts in 1692...

Biography

Mather was named after his grandfather, John Cotton. He attended Boston Latin School, and graduated from Harvard in 1678, at only 15 years of age. After completing his post-graduate work, he joined his father as assistant Pastor of Boston's original North Church (not to be confused with the Anglican/Episcopal Old North Church). It was not until his father's death, in 1723, that Mather assumed full responsibilities as Pastor at the Church. John Cotton (1585–1652) The Reverend John Cotton (December 4, 1585 – December 23, 1652) was a highly regarded principal among the New England Puritan ministers, who also included John Winthrop, Thomas Hooker, Increase Mather (who became his son-in-law), John Davenport, and Thomas Shepard. ... Motto Sumus Primi Founded April 23, 1635 Head Master Lynne Mooney Teta Affiliation Boston Public Schools Curriculum College-Preparatory Grades 7-12 Enrollment c. ... Image of the North End, Boston neighborhood. ... Events February 16 - Louis XV of France attains his majority Births February 24 - John Burgoyne, British general (d. ...

Author of more than 450 books and pamphlets, Cotton Mather's ubiquitous literary works made him one of the most influential religious leaders in America. Mather set the nation's "moral tone," and sounded the call for second and third generation Puritans, whose parents had left England for the New England colonies of North America to return to the theological roots of Puritanism. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Theology finds its scholars pursuing the understanding of and providing reasoned discourse of religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ... The Puritans were members of a group of radical Protestants which developed in England after the Reformation. ...

The most important of these, Magnalia Christi Americana (1702), is composed of 7 distinct books, many of which depict biographical and historical narratives which later American writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Elizabeth Drew Stoddard, and Harriet Beecher Stowe would look to in describing the cultural significance of New England for later generations following the American Revolution. Mather's text thus was one of the more important documents in American history because it reflects a particular tradition of seeing and understanding the significance of place. Mather, as a Puritan thinker and social conservative, drew on the figurative language of the Bible to speak to present-day audiences. In particular, Mather's review of the American experiment sought to explain signs of his time and the types of individuals drawn to the colonies as predicting the success of the venture. From his religious training, Mather viewed the importance of texts for elaborating meaning and for bridging different moments of history (for instance, linking the biblical stories of Noah and Abraham with the arrival of eminent leaders such as John Eliot, John Winthrop, and his own father Increase Mather). Magnalia Christi Americana is a book written in 1702 by Cotton Mather. ... Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne; July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was a 19th century American novelist and short story writer. ... Elizabeth Drew Stoddard, née Barstow (May 6, 1823 - August 1, 1902), United States poet and novelist, was born in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. ... Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe (June 14, 1811 – July 1 , 1896) was an American abolitionist and novelist, whose Uncle Toms Cabin (1852) attacked the cruelty of slavery; it reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential, even in Britain. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... John Winthrop (12 January 1587/8–26 March 1649) led a group of English Puritans to the New World, joined the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629 and was elected their first governor on April 8, 1630. ...

The struggles of first, second and third-generation Puritans, both intellectual and physical, thus became elevated in the American way of thinking about its appointed place among other nations. The unease and self-deception that characterized that period of colonial history would be revisited in many forms at political and social moments of crisis (such as the Salem witch trials which coincided with frontier warfare and economic competition among Indians, French and other European settlers) and during lengthy periods of cultural definition (e.g., the American Renaissance of the late 18th and early 19th century literary, visual, and architectural movements which sought to capitalize on unique American identities).

A friend of a number of the judges charged with hearing the Salem witch trials, Mather admitted the use of "spectral evidence," (compare "The Devil in New England") but warned that, though it might serve as evidence to begin investigations, it should not be heard in court as evidence to decide a case. Despite this, he later wrote in defense of those conducting the trials, stating: 1876 illustration of the courtroom; the central figure is usually identified as Mary Walcott The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings by local magistrates and county court trials to prosecute people alleged to have committed acts of witchcraft in Essex, Suffolk and Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts in 1692... One of the great injustices of the Salem Witchcraft Trials was the admission of spectral evidence. ...

"If in the midst of the many Dissatisfactions among us, the publication of these Trials may promote such a pious Thankfulness unto God, for Justice being so far executed among us, I shall Re-joyce that God is Glorified..." (Wonders of the Invisible World).

Highly influential due to his prolific writing, Mather was a force to be reckoned with in secular, as well as in spiritual, matters. After the fall of James II of England in 1688, Mather was among the leaders of a successful revolt against James's Governor of the consolidated Dominion of New England, Sir Edmund Andros. Wonders of the Invisible World was a book published in 1693 by Cotton Mather, defending both belief in witchcraft as an evil magical power, and Mathers own role in the witchhunt conducted in Salem, Massachusetts. ... James II of England (also known as James VII of Scotland; 14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) became King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland on 6 February 1685, and Duke of Normandy on 31 December 1660. ... // Events A high-powered conspiracy of notables, the Immortal Seven, invite William and Mary to depose James II of England. ... The Dominion of New England was the name of a short-lived administrative union of English colonies in the New England region of North America. ... Sir Edmund Andros Sir Edmund Andros (December 6, 1637 - February 24, 1714), was an early colonial governor in North America, and head of the short-lived Dominion of New England. ...

Mather was influential in early American science as well. In 1716, as the result of observations of corn varieties, he conducted one of the first experiments with plant hybridization. This observation was memorialized in a letter to a friend: // This article is about a biological term. ...

"My friend planted a row of Indian corn that was colored red and blue; the rest of the field being planted with yellow, which is the most usual color. To the windward side this red and blue so infected three or four rows as to communicate the same color unto them; and part of ye fifth and some of ye sixth. But to the leeward side, no less than seven or eight rows had ye same color communicated unto them; and some small impressions were made on those that were yet further off."

Of Mather's three wives and fifteen children, only his last wife and two children survived him. Mather was buried on Copp's Hill. Copps Hill is the second oldest burial ground of the city of Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1659 (the oldest is the burial ground at Kings Chapel). ...

Cotton Mather is the ancestor of Rev. George A Mather, author of numerous books on cults and religion.

Mather and smallpox inoculation

A smallpox epidemic struck Boston in May 1721 and continued through the year. Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a contagious disease unique to humans. ... In epidemiology, an epidemic (from [[Latin language] epi- upon + demos people) is a disease that appears as new cases in a given human population, during a given period, at a rate that substantially exceeds what is expected, based on recent experience (the number of new cases in the population during...

The practice of smallpox inoculation (as opposed to the later practice of vaccination) had been known since 1706. A slave, Onesimus, had explained to Mather how he had been inoculated as a child in Africa. The practice was an ancient one, and Mather was fascinated by the idea. He encouraged physicians to try it, without success. Then, at Mather's urging, one doctor, Zabdiel Boylston, tried the procedure on his only son and two slaves–one grown and one a boy. All recovered in about a week. Inoculation, originally Variolation, is a method of purposefully infecting a person with smallpox (Variola) in a controlled manner so as to minimise the severity of the infection and also to induce immunity against further infection. ... A vial of the vaccine against influenza. ... The name Onesimus refers to multiple people: Onesimus, bishop of Byzantium Onesimus, a runaway slave and early Christian convert mentioned in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Doctor. ... Zabdiel Boylston (born 1676 or 1679 in Brookline, Massachusetts; died 1766) was a medical doctor. ...

In a bitter controversy, the New England Courant published writers who opposed inoculation. The stated reason for this editorial stance was that the Boston populace feared that inoculation spread, rather than prevented, the disease; however, some historians, notably H. W. Brands, have argued that this position was a result of editor-in-chief James Franklin's (Benjamin Franklin's brother) contrarian positions. Boylston and Mather encountered such bitter hostility, that the selectmen of the city forbade him to repeat the experiment. Courant was a common word for newspaper in the 18th century, apparently spreading from the Netherlands, where it is still widely used, and then to England and America. ... Henry William Brands is an American historian and author of 20 books, co-author of 2 and editor of 4, he is also a Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. ... Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most well known Founding Fathers of the United States. ... In finance, a contrarian takes the view that widespread pessimism tends to lead to market rallies and that widespread optimism tends to lead to market slumps. ...

The opposition insisted that inoculation was poisoning, and they urged the authorities to try Boylston for murder. So bitter was this opposition that Boylston's life was in danger; it was considered unsafe for him to be out of his house in the evening; a lighted grenade was even thrown into the house of Mather, who had favored the new practice and had sheltered another clergyman who had submitted himself to it. The skull and crossbones symbol (Jolly Roger) traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... Look up trial in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ...

After overcoming considerable difficulty and achieving notable success, Boylston traveled to London in 1724, published his results, and was elected to the Royal Society in 1726. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see Royal Society (disambiguation). ...

Mather and Slavery

Mather thought it his Christian duty to introduce slaves to Christianity, which was not an unusual view for his time. "Within his own household, two of his slaves - Onesimus, bought for Mather by his congregation in the mid 1700's, and Ezer, a servant in the 1720s - knew how to read, although we do not know who taught them. Mather even set up and paid for an evening school for blacks and Indians that lasted from at least January 1718 to the end of 1721. Significantly, Mather offered no writing instruction at this school (even though he envisioned such instruction for his own domestic slaves): the school was to instruct its students only in reading the scriptures and learning the catechism." (Monaghan, E.J.) During the colonial period of America writing was not taught to the enslaved.

Major works

• Wonders of the Invisible World (1693) ISBN 0-7661-6867-0 Online edition (PDF)
• Magnalia Christi Americana (1702) ISBN 0-674-54155-3
• The Negro Christianized (1706) Online edition (PDF)
• Theopolis Americana: An Essay on the Golden Street of the Holy City (1710) Online edition (pdf)
• Bonifacius (1710) ISBN 0-7661-6924-3
• The Christian Philosopher (1721) ISBN 0-252-06893-9
• Religious Improvements (1721)
• Manuductio ad Ministerium (1726)
• A Token for the Children of New England (1675) ISBN 1-877611-76-X (inspired by the book by James Janeway and published together with his account in the American volume)

Wonders of the Invisible World was a book published in 1693 by Cotton Mather, defending both belief in witchcraft as an evil magical power, and Mathers own role in the witchhunt conducted in Salem, Massachusetts. ... Magnalia Christi Americana is a book written in 1702 by Cotton Mather. ... The title page of A Token For Children in 1795. ...

Bibliography

• Christopher D. Felker, Reinventing Cotton Mather in the American Renaissance: Magnalia Christi Americana in Hawthorne, Stowe, and Stoddard (Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1993), ISBN 1-55553-187-3
• Richard F. Lovelace, The American Pietism of Cotton Mather: Origins of American Evangelicalism, (Grand Rapids, Mich.: American University Press, 1979), ISBN 0-8028-1750-5
• Robert Middlekauff, The Mathers: Three Generations of Puritan Intellectuals, 1596-1728, ISBN 0-520-21930-9
• E.Jennifer Monaghan, "Learning to Read and Write in Colonial America", ISBN 978-1-55849-581-4
• Kenneth Silverman, The Life and Times of Cotton Mather, ISBN 1-56649-206-8
• Reiner Smolinski, The Threefold Paradise of Cotton Mather, ISBN 0-8203-1519-2

External links

• Cotton Mather's writings
• Mather's influential commentary on the "collegiate way of living"
• The Wonders of the Invisible World (1693 edition) in PDF format