Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 3.

[p. 108] necessary for him to procure and study. From him he learned for the first time of the Latin Accidence, and obtained the loan of it. This he mastered in a short time, and in a few weeks afterward he placed himself under the care of the Rev. Mr. Emerson, of Hollis, who was in the habit of receiving youths into his family and fitting them for college. During these preparatory studies he was unremitting in his diligence, constantly spending from fourteen to sixteen hours every day over his books, so that he entered college in sixteen months from the time of his determining to be a scholar. After receiving his degree in 1771 he pursued his theological studies for a year in Cambridge. I am not aware that his professional studies were under the direction of any clergyman. Motives of economy compelled him to reside at his father's as soon as he commenced preaching, and this he did within two years after leaving college. He preached on probation both in the little town of Boxford, and in Charlestown before coming to Medford, and was very near being settled in each place, finally missing both of them, as he often amused himself with telling, on account of directly opposite allegations,—being suspected at Boxford of a perilous leaning to Arminianism, and at Charlestown of an undue bias in favor of high Calvinism.

It was at the close of the year 1773, or early in 1774, that he was first invited to supply the Medford pulpit, during the long infirmity of the pastor, Rev. Ebenezer Turell. In those days it was customary for the candidates to be invited about in the parish from house to house, instead of being sent to a boardingplace. My father used to ride down from Andover on horseback on Saturday, and return the following Monday. After being entertained in various families he at last received an invitation from one Mr. Richard Hall to lodge at his house on his next visit to the town. The result of this casual invitation was a friendship which formed the crowning blessing of both