Mr. Brattle
The Reverend
WILLIAM BRATTLE was born in Boston, about the year 1662; and educated at Harvard
College, where he graduated in 1680. He was afterward, chosen a Tutor, and a
Fellow, in that seminary, and officiated in each of these capacities for several
years. Dr. Colman, who was a student, while Mr. Brattle was in the tutorship,
says, "He was an able faithful and tender Tutor. He countenanced virtue and
proficiency in us, and every good disposition he discerned, with the most fatherly
goodness; and searched out and punished vice with the authority of a master.
He did his utmost to form us to virtue and the fear of God, and to do well in
the world; and dismissed his pupils, when he took leave of them, with pious
charges and with tears." One memorable instance of his humanity, and christian
heroism, while in the tutorship, is recorded as worthy, if not of imitation,
of admiration. When the small-pox prevailed in the college, although he had
not had that terrible disorder, instead of a removal, he staid at his chamber,
visited the sick scholars, and took care that they should be supplied with whatever
was necessary to their safety and comfort. "So dear was his charge to him, that
he ventured his life for them, ministering both to the souls and bodies; for
he was a skillful physician to both." At length, he was taken ill, and retired
to his bed; but the disorder was very mild, and he was soon happily restored.
He was ordained Pastor of the church in Cambridge, November 25, 1696. On this
occasion he preached his own ordination sermon, from I Cor. iii. 6; the Rev.
Increase Mather gave the charge; and the Rev Samuel Willard, the right hand
of fellowship. On the same occasion, the Rev. Increase Mather preached a sermon,
from Rev. i. 16.
Mr. Brattle was polite and affable, courteous and obliging, compassionate and
charitable. His estate was very large; and, though he distributed it with a
liberal hand, "secret and silent" were his charities. His pacific spirit, and
his moderation, were conspicuous; and "he seemed to have equal respect to good
men of all denominations." He was patient of injuries, and placable; and said,
after trials, he knew not how he could have spared any one of them. With humility
he united magnanimity; and was neither bribed by favour, nor over-awed by the
displeasure, of any man. "He was of an austere and mortified life"; yet candid
and tolerant toward others. He was a man of great learning and abilities; and,at
once, a philosopher and a divine. It is no small evidence of his attainments
in science, that he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. "He was a generous
patron of learning, and long father of the college" in Cambridge. He placed
neither learning, nor religion, in unprofitable speculations, but in such solid
and substantial truth, as improves the mind, and is beneficial to the world.
Possessing strong mental powers, he was "much formed of counsel and advice";
and his judgment was often sought, and highly respected.
His manner of preaching may be learnt from Dr. Colman, who, comparing Mr. Brattle
with Mr. Pemberton, observes: "They performed the public exercises in the house
of God with a great deal of solemnity, though in a manner somewhat different;
for Mr., Brattle was all calm, and soft, and melting; but Mr. Pemberton was
all flame and zeal, and earnestness." Mr. Brattle's ministry appears to have
been successful; and the church, while under his pastoral care, became very
greatly enlarged. Although he attained a greater age than either of his famous
predecessors, Shepard, Mitchel, and Oakes; yet he was often interrupted in his
ministerial labours; "by pains and languishments," and died February 15, 1717,
in the fifty-fifth year of his age, and twenty-first year of his ministry.
The baptisms of children, during his ministry, were seven hundred and twenty-four;
and the admissions to the fellowship of the church three hundred and sixty-four.
"They that had the happiness to know Mr. Brattle, knew a very religious good
man, and able divine, laborious faithful minister, an excellent scholar, a great
benefactor, a wise and prudent man, and one of the best of friends. The promoting
of Religion, Learning, Virtue and Peace, every where within his reach, was his
very life and soul; the great business about which he was constantly employed,
and in which he principally delighted. Like his great Lord and Master he went
(or sent) about doing good. His principles were sober, sound, and moderate,
being of a catholick and pacifick spirit. For a considerable time before his
death, he laboured under a languishing distemper, which he bore with great patience
and resignation; and died with peace and an extraordinary serenity of mind.
He was pleased in his last Will and Testament to bequeath to Harvard College
two hundred and fifty pounds, besides a much greater sum in other pious and
charitable legacies." (106)
The funeral of Mr. Brattle was attended on the 20th of February, a day rendered
memorable by The Great Snow. "He was greatly honoured at his interment;" and
the principal magistrates and ministers of Boston and of the vicinity, assembled
on this occasion, were necessarily detained at Cambridge by the snow for several
days. (107)
He appears to have published scarcely any of his writings; though many of them
were, doubtless, very worthy of publication. His grandson, Thomas Brattle, (108)
Esquire, favoured me with the perusal of some of his Sermons, in manuscript,
which are written very fairly and correctly, and are remarkably clear, and concise,
sententious and didactic.
Jeremiah Dummer, Esquire, a gentleman of respectability, having, while an agent
in England, procured some printed sermons, by desire of Mr. Flint, observes:
"I think the modern sermons, which are preached and printed here, are very lean
and dry, having little divinity in the matter, or brightness in the style; I
am sure they are no way comparable to the solid discourses which Mr. Brattle
gives you every week." (109)
The only publication of Mr. Brattle, which has come to my knowledge, is a system
of Logic, entitled, "Compendum Logicae secundum Principia D. Renati Cartesii
plerumque efformatum, et catechistice propositum." It was long recited at Harvard
College, and holden in high estimation. An edition of it was published as late
as the year 1758.
Mr. Brattle lies interred in a tomb, on the south-east side of the burying yard,
with this inscription:
Depositum
GULIELMI BRATTLE
nuper Ecclesiae Cantabrigiensis
N. A. Pastoris Rev[di] Senatus Collegii
Harvardini Socij Primarij,
Ejusdemque Curatoris Spectatissimi,
et R.S.S qui obiit xv° Febr ii
Anno Domini MDCCXVII, et Aetatis
Suae LV. Hic requiescit in spe
Beatae Resurrectionis.
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Cambridge, Massachusetts
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