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mon evangelical zeal. After taking his deof Bachelor of Arts, he went into a gree school at Chelsea, which he kept but a few months. He was invited to preach at Malden, and was ordained pastor of that church, September 19th, 1770, The sermon delivered by Mr. Robbins of Milton, was published. Dr. Appleton of Cambridge gave the charge and Dr. Eliot of Boston the fellowship of the churches. No young man ever preached to more crowded assemblies. His charming. voice, his oratorical powers, his fluency in prayer, the pathos of his expression were applauded by serious, sensible people; and gave him the admiration of the multitude. In principle he was a Calvinist. From being very rigid in the sentiments of our forefathers, he let his moderation be known to all men, and was among the most catholick and liberal divines of the country, the latter years of his life, though he always professed his belief in the doctrines of the gospel, as they had been taught in our New-England churches, and was so much attached to the platform of church discipline, as to write sev eral pamphlets in favour of it.

Among the high whigs in our controversy with Great-Britain, Dr. Thacher was very conspicuous; and was elected, although not an inhabitant of Boston, to pronounce the Oration, 5th of March, 1770, before a number of the citizens of Boston, who assembled in the meeting house in Watertown, the

town being then in possession of British troops. The 5th of March orations have been collected, and another edition printed in a duodecimo volume.

He was also a delegate from the town of Malden to the convention which met at Cambridge, and afterwards in Boston, 1780, to form a constitution for the State of Massachusetts. He was warmly attached to this constitution, and to certain parts of it which did not at first meet his approbation.

When the constitution of the United States was adopted he was one of its greatest admirers.

The last seventeen years of his life were spent in Boston. He was installed Pastor of the church in Brattle-street, January 12, 1785. Dr. Osgood of Medford preached the sermon, Dr. Lathrop gave the charge, and Dr. Clark the right hand of fellowship.

In this pleasant spot of the Lord's vineyard he was a useful labourer, fond of delivering practical truths, but frequently explaining the doctrines of our religion with clearness. He received his degree of Doctor of Divinity from the famous University of Edinburg. It has been suggested by some, as remarkable for sarcastick humour as for good judgment, that even the very name of many of our New-England Divines were not known to the learned professors of foreign'universi ties till they were written in the diploma; but Dr. Thacher was so well known to the

gentlemen of Edinburg, that some years before they appointed him one of their corresponding board in Boston, for propagating the gospel among the Indians in North-America. The his tory of these European societies iswell known. It is also well known that the funds of the London society raised for this very purpose, were strangely perverted from their original design. The funds in Scotland were better managed. The trustees have always been very prudent in their affairs, and very careful n preserving all the money put into their hands, and the income is now applied for the spiritual concerns of the Indians.

From this society another grew out of it, upon a more extensive plan, the Massachu setts Society for propagating the gospel among the Indians and others in North-America. Of both these societies Dr. Thacher was secretary.

We find Dr. Thacher's name among the first promoters of the Historical Society. He was every way active in serving that institusion, and especially in contributing manuscripts and books, as may be seen in the first list of donors.

It would be wrong to omit certain traits in the character of Dr. Thacher which show his moral worth. He was a man of singular integrity and a stranger to deceit and artifice; he could not disguise his feelings, and often expressed his disapprobation of every thing which could bear the name of dissimu lation.

As a friend, he had the confidence of them that knew him. Those who were most intimate will long preserve the tokens of his af fection and kindness.

His talents for conversation were very good. Some of his acquaintance thought he exerted those too often, and in publick speak. ing took too large a share of the debate; of this errour he was fully sensible, and would frequently make either a serious or facetious apology.

He was fond of anecdotes, especially such as illustrated the manners of New-England. In the history of Massachusetts, civil and ecclesiastical, he was more than commonly ver sed, having read it from his childhood. And also that part of the history of England which exhibits the folly and tyranny of the Stuarts; the usurpation of Cromwell; and the brief authority of the commonwealth. The essays, sermons, and memoirs of those times he could quote, from the manly testimonies of Ludlow, to the crude excrescencies of God win and Hugh Peters."

The Dr. did not encourage dry, argumen tative discussions in social; yet while others debated he would frequently throw in a lu minous observation, which kept the subject from being darkened by words of uncer tain meaning.

His perceptions were very quick; his mind active; his activity was manifested in many busy scenes, especially when he was an