CHAPTER II 



A STUDY OF JONATHAN EDWARDS 



The story of the Jukes as published by Mr. Dug- 

 dale has been the text of a multitude of sermons, 

 the theme of numberless addresses, the inspiration 

 of no end of editorials and essays. For twenty 

 years there was a call for a companion picture. 

 Every preacher, orator, and editor who presented 

 the story of the Jukes, with its abhorrent features, 

 wanted the facts for a cheery, comforting, convinc- 

 ing contrast. This was not to be had for the ask- 

 ing. Several attempts had been made to find the 

 key to such a study without discovering a person 

 of the required prominence, born sufficiently long 

 ago, with the necessary vigor of intellect and 

 strength of character who established the habit of 

 having large families. 



In 1897 a professional scholarly organization 

 to which the author has the honor to belong 

 assigned to him, without his knowledge or consent, 

 the duty of preparing an essay upon Jonathan 

 Edwards for the May meeting of 1898. The study 

 then begun led to a search for the facts regarding 

 his family, and when it came to light that one of 

 Jonathan Edwards' descendants presided over the 



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