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Birth, genaology, and early life till he reaches twenty years of age
Mr David Brainerd was born April 20, 1718, at Haddam, a town belonging to the county of Hartford, in the colony of Connecticut, New England. His father who died when this his son was about nine of age, was the worshipful Hezekiah Brainerd, Esquire, an assistant, or one of his Majestey's council for that colony, and the son of Daniel Brainerd, Esquire, a Justice of the Peace, and a deacon of the Church of Christ in Haddam. His mother was Mrs Dorothy Hobart, daughter to the Rev. Jeremiah Hobart, who preached awhile at Topsfield, and then removed to Hampstead on Long Island, and afterwards removed from Hampstead, by reasons of numbers turning Quakers, and many others being so irreligious that they would do nothing towards the support of the ministry, and came settled in the work of the ministry at Haddam; where he died in the 85th year of his age; of whom it is remarkable that he went to the public worship in the forenoon, and died in his chair between meetings. And this reverend gentleman was the son of the Rev. Peter Hobart, who was first, minister of the Gospel at Hingham, in the county of Norfolk, England; and, by reason of the persecution of the Puritans, removed with his family to New England, and was settled in the ministry at Hingham in the Massachusetts. He had five sons, viz., Joshua, Jeremiah, Gershom, Japeth, and Nehemiah. The mother of Mrs Dorothy Hobart, who was afterwards Brainerd, was daughter of the Rev. Samuel Whiting, minister of the Gospel, first at Boston in Lincolnshire, and afterwards at Lynn in the Massachusetts, New England; he had three sons that were ministers of the Gospel.
Mr David Brainerd was the third son of his parents. They had five sons and four daughters. Their eldest son is Hezekiah Brainerd, Esquire, a Justice of the Peace, and for several years past a representative of the town of Haddam, in the General Assembly of Connecticut colony; the second was the Rev. Nehemiah Brainerd, a worthy minister of Eastbury in Connecticut, who died of a consumption, November 10, 1742; the fourth is Mr John Brainerd, who succeeds his brother David as Missionary to the Indians, and pastor of the same church of Christian Indians in New Jersey; and the fifth was Israel, lately student at Yale college in New Haven, who died since his brother David. What account he has given of himself, and his own life may be seen as follows]:--
I think I was from my youth, something sober, and inclined rather to melancholy than the contrary extreme; but do not remember anything of conviction of sin, worthy of remark, till I was, I believe about seven or eight years of age; when I became something concerned for my soul, and terrified at the thoughts of death, and was driven to the performance of duties. But it appeared a melancholy business, and destroyed my eagerness for play. And, alas! this religious concern was but short-lived. However, I sometimes attended secret prayer; and thus lived at ease in Zion, without God in the world, and without much concern, as I remember, till I was above thirteen years of age. But, some time in the winter 1732, I was something roused out of carnal security, by I scarce know what means at first; but was much excited by the prevailing of a mortal sickness in Haddam. I was frequent, constant, and something fervent in duties, and took delight in reading, especially Mr Janeway's Token for Children. I felt sometimes much melted in duties, and took great delight in the performance of them; and I sometimes hoped that I was converted, or, at least, in a good and hopeful way for heaven and happiness, not knowing what conversion was. The Spirit of God at this time proceeded far with me; I was remarkably dead to the world, and my thoughts were almost wholly employed about my soul's concerns; and I may, indeed, say, Almost I was persuaded to be a Christian. I was also exceedingly distressed and melancholy at the death of my mother, in March 1732. But afterwards my religious concern began to decline; and I, by degrees, fell back into a considerable degree of security, though I still attended secret prayer frequently.
About the 13th of April, 1733, I removed from my father's house to East Haddam, where I spent four years, but still without God in the world; though, for the most part, I went a round of secretly duty. I was not exceedingly addicted to young company, or frolicking as it is called. But this I know that, when I did go into company, I never returned from a frolic in my life with so good as a conscience as I went with; it always added new guilt to me, and made me afraid to come to the Throne of Grace, and spoiled those good frames I was wont sometimes to please myself with. But, alas! all my good frames were but self-righteousness, not bottomed on a desire for the glory of God.
About the latter end of April 1737, being full nineteen years of age, I removed to Durham, and began to work on my farm, and so continued the year out, or nearly, till I was twenty years old; frequently longing, from a natural inclination, after a liberal education. When I was about twenty years of age, I applied myself to study; and some time before, was more than ordinarily excited to and in duty; but now engaged more than ever in the duties of religion. I became very strict and watchful over my thoughts, words, and actions; and thought I must be sober indeed, because I designed to devote myself to the ministry; and imagined I did dedicate myself to the Lord.
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