Joseph Bellamy
Joseph Bellamy [1]
a Congregational minister, was born at New Cheshire, Conn., in 1719. He graduated from Yale College in 1735, and soon after devoted himself to theological study. Two years after his graduation he was licensed to preach by the Association of New Haven County, Conn.: — For some time he supplied a small congregation in Bethlehem, then a parish in Woodbury. A revival followed his preaching in the latter place, and he was urged to become pastor of the church. Accordingly in the spring of 1740 he was duly ordained, and this pastorate continued until the close of his life, a period of fifty years. Soon after his ordination began the "great awakening," which extended through several years. Until 1742 he remained with his own people, but was so impressed with the magnitude of the work that, having procured a supply for his own pulpit, he went into different parts of the country, preaching everywhere with remarkable power. Not only in Connecticut, but in some of the neighboring colonies he aroused the people. It is said that he resembled Whitefield in respect to fervor, but exceeded him in logic. After being satisfied that these itinerant labors were no longer required, he devoted himself again to his parish work. Then he began the great undertaking of his life, as many think — his preparation for the press of the work entitled, True Religion Delineated. It was printed first at Boston, in 1750; was subsequently reprinted in Scotland, and its popularity was great, not only in Great Britain but in America. Somewhere about 1757 he received an invitation to become pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in New York city, which he declined. A considerable part of his usefulness consisted in preparing young men for the ministry, and he became distinguished as a theological teacher. He died at Woodbury, Conn., March 6, 1790. Besides the work already mentioned, Dr. Bellamy published a large number of sermons, essays, and letters. In 1811 his entire works were published in New York, in three volumes octavo. He is still considered one of the most distinguished and useful writers of his time. There was undoubtedly a great deal of the love of dominion his nature, which made him appear impatient of contradiction. He was a mortal enemy to Antinomianism. He was considered one of the most powerful preachers of his day, exercising perfect self-command and freedom of utterance, accompanied with impassioned gesture. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, i, 404.
