Bridge, Ebenezer, 1716-1792. Ebenezer Bridge papers, 1740-1792. Diary, pages 1-48 : autograph manuscript (unsigned), 1749-1750. MS Am 1186 (27). Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

3) 1 July 1749 - Wrote sermon. Visited {Samuel} Perham his [child] very bad - & pray'd with {them} - The child died in the evening -

2. Lords day & Communion day. I preach'd all day from 2 {Chronicles} latter part 18 & whole of the 19 {verse} - administered the sacrament of the supper - Read PM 6 chapter {Revelations}. A very hot day

3. Attended the funeral of {Samuel} Perham's child.

4. Rode to Billerica, & visited {Reverend} Mr. Chandler with my wife & daughter Sarah - PM.

5. Visited Oliver Fletcher

6. Visited Major Stoddard

7. Wrote sermon

8. Wrote sermon - discoursed with young Jerahmiah Brown about owning Covenant &c. Was not satisfied

x9 Lords day. I preach'd all ay from 1 {Corinthians} 14-20. Read 1 {Kings} 14. {Revelations} 7 - Baptized Thankful the {daughter} of {Zachariah} & Thankful Emery - & Ruth {daughter} of {Ephraim} & Esther Warren

10. Wrote to {Colonel} Brattle about my {daughter} Salley who is not well

11. Visited Deacon Peirce & his son Robert - Visited Nathaniel Butterfield and rebuked and exhorted him for drunkenness - and he and his wife for quarreling & fighting &c &c.

12. Went Dracut Ministers meeting. Present {Reverend] Messrs. Hall & Merril

13. Receiv'd Visit from {Reverend} Mr. Chandler & wife PM

14. Received Visit from {Reverend} Mr. Meril & wife who dined with us -

15. Received Vistit from {Reverend} Mr. Chandler of Rowley & Mr. Sprague of Charlestown -

x16. Lords day. I preach'd all day from {Romans} 14.17. Read 1 {Kings}. 15. {Revelations} 8. Mr. [John] Sprague supp'd with [us].

17. Visited {Jonathan} Hildreth his child sick, & pray'd with {them}. Visited Peter Prockter - advised {said} Hildreth & Prockter to make up a difference between {them}, and not to go to law Visited Widower Prockter and his mother yet confined PM visited {Jerahmiah} Bowers, his young child dangerously

4) Ill. I administered Baptism to it (the Mother being in full Communion) with name Jerahmeel

18. July 1749. Went to Boston, Carried my sister Abigail with me - Found friends well

19. Upon business relating to my {honored} Fathers Estate &c &c - dined at {William} Whites

20. Dined at Mr. Joshua Henshaws.

21. Returned home - found family well. LD

22. My brother & sister Symmes came to visit us -

x23. Lords day. I preach'd all day from Acts 26.28 Old sermons - Read 1 {Kings} 16. {Revelations} 9 - and [warned?] a Catechising S. E. at school house on Thursday PM

24. Rode to {Colonel} Clarks AM with Mr. Symmes

25. Brother & sister Symmes went home by the way of Concord - I went with {them} into Concord Returned and Visited Joseph Heywood his child sick & pray'd with {them} - PM I Visited Deborah Bates, who is under great concern, & discoursed with her.

26. Visited Moses Graves & discoursed with him, and the young Woman in his house about their intended marriage &c.

27. Catechised the Children at the South End in School house - PM received Visit from {Reverend} Mr. Hall

28. Wrote sermon

29. Wrote sermon. Received a visit from Rev. Mr. Parker

x 30. Lords day. I preach'd all day from {Romans}. 6.21 - read 1 {Kings}. 17. {Revelations}. 10 - proposed a Catechising N E Thursday next two o'clock PM at {Benjamin} Goulds

31. Visited {Jonathan} Foster his wife sick & pray'd with her Joseph Warren his wife sick & pray'd with {them}. Mett with the wife of Gershom Prockter there and discoursed with her upon her absenting herself from {Communion} &c.

5) 1 August 1749. Visited Isaiah Foster his wife Ill Dined with {Reverend} Mr. Parker at Dracut, and Parker and I visited {Colonel} Tyng his son {Jonathan} in a very low Estate as to bodily health

2. Went to Westford ministers meeting at {Reverend} Mr Halls - Present {Reverend} Messrs Trowbridge, Parker Rogers, [?] & myself - In the evening I married {Colonel} Oliver Wilder and Mrs. Rebecca Barron fee 40s

3. Catechised the Children of N E at the house of {Benjamin} Gould. Visited O. Fletcher

4. Wrote sermon

5. Wrote sermon

x6. Lords day. I preach'd all day from {Matthew}. 11.12 read 1 {Kings} 18. {Revelations} 11 -

7. {Reverend} Mr. Parker & {Colonel} Pollard & wives dined with me - & spent PM

8. Exceedingly busied about Hay

9. Visited Henry Spaulding deacons son, his youngest {daughter} sick throat distemper. I pray'd with {them}. Visited {Samuel} Perham & discoursed with his wife who seems to bear up considerably under the loss of children - Discoursed also with Deborah Bates whom I Visited {toward} evening

10. Hurried about getting hay home

11. Wrote sermon, Visited Oliver Fletcher

12. Wrote sermon - Dined at Major {Stoddards} with {Colonel} Pollard - My brother {John} came from Boston

x13. Lords day. I preach'd all day from {Matthew} 11.19 last clause - Read 1 {Kings} 19. {Revelations} 12 -

14. Visited Deacon Peirce & his wife both sick, and {Benjamins} child - and prayed with {them} - PM Visited {Colonel} Pollard at Majors

15. Attended {lecture} at Billerica {Reverend} Mr Phillips preached from {Hebrews} 3.7.8. My brother John dined at {Reverend} Mr. Chandlers & after dinner went to Boston - Peggy Stoddard rode with me

6) 16 {August} 1749 - Visited {Josiah} Warren his wife yet very ill - & prayed {there} - Received a Visit from {Reverend} Mr. Hall. {Colonels} Stoddard & Pollard & their Ladies who spent evening with us -

17. Visited Henry Spaulding his child yet sick with throat distemper & prayed dined with Major Stoddard {Colonel} Pollard & {Reverend} Mr. Parker with wives there

18. Last night died two sons of {Ebenezer} Harris, who were taken the night before with the flux - This morning I visited Henry Spaulding his child apprehended drawing near her end - an awful spectacle! Afterwards Visited {Ebenezer} Harris whose two children died last night discoursed & prayed with {them} - Visited {Deborah} Bates & discoursed with her Visited {Jonathan} Bates - The Daughter of H. Spaulding died a little before night.

19. Attended {funerals} of the child of Henry Spaulding named Mary - & the children of {Ebenezer} Harris named {Thomas} and {William}

x20. Lords day. I preach'd all day from 2 {Samuel} 23.5 Old sermons by reason of avocation for studdy in a week fast- & on occasion of Deaths of 3 children, buried last night - read 1 {Kings} 19 {Revelations} 13. Propounded {Deborah} Bates to join in full {Communion} &c. - read proclamation for {General} Thanksgiving Thursday next - on account of the Merciful appearance of 2 {inches} of late rains &c.

21. Visited Josiah Fletcher & son AM - PM Visited {Deacon} Peirce his wife & son {Benjamin} sick - {Jerahmeel} Bowers his wife son & son's wife sick - {Zebediah} Keyes his child sick & prayed with each - Visited Adam Gould his child not well.

22. Wrote sermon

23. Wrote sermon - Visited {Colonel} Pollard and the Majors in the evening.

x24. Thanksgiving day on account of the great & merciful appearance of {God} for His {people} in giving rain &c after a most greivous Drought. I preached

7) from {Psalm} 50.15. - Afternoon Visited {Colonel} Wilder at the house of his wife - In the evening {Colonel} Pollard & his wife & major &c. visited me.

25 {August} 1749. Visited old Mr. Dutton & pray'd with him & {Deacon} {Ephraim} Spaulding -

26. Prepared sermons

x27. Lords day. I preach'd all day from [Joshua?] 3.10.11 old sermons first from that text. {Ecclesiastes} 8.12.13 by reason of Thanksgiving day & being disappointed of a change with {Reverend} Mr. Chandler. Read 1 {Kings} 21. {Revelations} 14. Baptized Jonathan the son of Jonathan & Esther Minot - notified sacrament & {lecture}

28. Visited {Ebenezer} Harris, {Nathaniel} Harwood & son, {Thomas} Barrat, his {daughter} sick - Widow Barrat & son {Nathaniel} John Burge his wife ill & pray'd with her. Joseph Warren his wife yet ill - & in the evening O. Fletcher

29. Visited {Deacon} Peirce he and his wife yet sick & pray'd with {them} - Robert Fletcher & his wife sick & ditto -

30. The {Reverend} Mr. Walker of Penecook Visited me

31. {Lecture} Day. {Reverend} Mr Chandler preached from Mark 2.17 midle clause - {Reverend} Mr. Parker & wife & Mr. Bean young preacher dined with us.

1. {September} 1749. Visited Henry Spaulding AM his only {daughter} dangerously ill of the throat distemper discoursed and prayed with {them} - PM discoursed with Deborah Bates, who was propounded last {Sabbath} [Sunday?] night &c. And Concluded it best for her to Tarry till another Communion term, before she Approaches the Lords Table - That so her Confession when is demanded may be laid before the Church for their Approbation, & that she may be better satisfied in her own mind, as to her preparations for so solemn duties -

2. Wrote sermon.

x3. Lords day & {Communion} Day. I preach'd all day from 1 {John} 4.9. Administered Sacrament. Supp't - And Bap