History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

3728.] REV. SOLOMON STODDARD. 55
•ciple with so much vigor and ability, that his name soon
became identified with it, and " Stoddardeanism " gained a
strong foothold throughout the Province. While an eccle-
siastical controversy does not properly come within the
scope of this work, an outline of the position assumed by
hira is perhaps needed in order to form a correct estimate
of the character of Northampton's second minister.
stoddardeanism The seutimeuts as well as the practice of
Defined. - ]y[j._ Stoddard, as understood in his time,
are thus succinctly summarized in an
anonymous volume entitled "The Life and Character of
the late reverend Mr. Jonathan Edwards, President of the
college at New Jersey," published in 1765 : —
"Mr. Stoddard, Mr. Edwards's grand-father and predecessor, in the
work of the ministry, was of the opinion, that unconverted persons,
consider'd as snch, had a right in the sight of God, to the Sacrament of
the Lord's Supper ; that therefore it was their duty to come to that
ordinance, though they knew they had no true goodness or gospel holi-
ness. He maintain'd that visible Christianity does not consist in a pro-
fession or appearance of that wherein true holiness or real Christianity
consists: that therefore, the profession which persons make in order
to be received as visible members of Christ's Church, ought not to be
such as to express or imply a real compliance with, or consent to the
terms of the covenant of grace, or a hearty embracing the gospel. So
that they who really reject Jesus Christ, and dislike the gospel way of
salvation in their hearts, and know that this is true of themselves, may
make the profession without lying and hypocrisy. Accordingly, he
-endeavoured to form a short profession for persons to make, in order
to be admitted into the church, and come to the sacrament, answerable
to this principle. And it, took place and was practised upon in Northampton
; and persons were admitted into the church, and to the sacrament,
not ^^nder the notion of their being true saints, or that they had
any real goodness."
His Practice. This principle, which was the legitimate
outgrowth of the "half-way covenant/'
was at all points antagonistic to the position assumed by
the Puritan churches of New England, and caused consid-
•erable commotion among the divines of that day. In the
first place it may be well to consider what his practice
really was. Did he enroll as church members in full communion,
those whom he admitted under the half-way cov-
1 This book was very probably prepared by Rev. Dr. Samuel Hopkins, fourth minister
in Hadley, settled in 1754. He was a nephew of Rev. Jonathan Edwards.
^