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 



:i5) 



