Customs and Fashions in Old New England

								

formally gave them his blessing. He took them also to some of the
funerals of the endless procession of dead Bostonians that files
sombrely through the pages of his diary, to the funeral of their baby
brother, little Stephen Sewall, when "Sam and his sisters (who were
about five and six years old) cryed much coming home and at home, so
that I could hardly quiet them. It seems they looked into Tomb, and Sam
said he saw a great Coffin there, his Grandfathers." These were not the
only tears that Sam and Betty and Hannah shed through fear of death.
When Betty was a year older her father wrote:



     "It falls to my daughter Elizabeths Share to read the 24 of Isaiah

     which she doth with many Tears not being very well, and the

     Contents of the Chapter and Sympathy with her draw Tears from me

     also."
Two days later, Sam, who was then about ten years old, also showed
evidence of the dejection of soul around him.



     "Richard Dumer, a flourishing youth of 9 years old dies of the

     Small Pocks. I tell Sam of it and what need he had to prepare for

     Death, and therefore to endeavor really to pray, when he said over

     the Lord's Prayer: He seemed not much to mind, eating an Aple; but

     when he came to say Our Father he burst out into a bitter Cry and

     said he was afraid he should die. I pray'd with him and read

     Scriptures comforting against Death, as O death where is thy sting,

     &c. All things yours. Life and Immortality brought to light by

     Christ."
In January, 1695, Judge Sewall writes:



     "When I came in, past 7 at night, my wife met me in the Entry and

     told me Betty had surprised them. I was surprised with the

     Abruptness of the Relation. It seems Betty Sewall had given some

     signs of dejection and sorrow; but a little while after dinner she

     burst out into an amazing cry, which caus'd all the family to cry

     too; Her Mother ask'd the reason, she gave none; at last said she

     was afraid she should goe to Hell, her Sins were not pardon'd. She

     was first wounded by my reading a sermon of Mr. Norton's Text, Ye

     shall seek me and shall not find me. And those words in the sermon,

     Ye shall seek me and die in your Sins ran in her mind and terrified

     her greatly. And staying at home she read out of Mr. Cotton

     Mather--Why hath Satan filled thy Heart, which increased her Fear.

     Her Mother asked her whether she pray'd. She answered yes but

     fear'd her prayers were not heard because her sins were not

     pardon'd."
A fortnight later he writes:



     "Betty comes into me as soon as I was up and tells me the disquiet

     she had when wak'd; told me she was afraid she should go to Hell,

     was like Spira, not Elected. Ask'd her what I should pray for, she

     said that God would pardon her Sin and give her a new heart. I

     answer'd her Fears as well as I could and pray'd with many Tears on