Cotton and Increase Mather

c1670-1723   Cotton Mather with his father Increase Mather (pictured), were frequent visitors of the retreat by Spring Pond and the estate of Casper Van Crowninshield (Kronenscheldt).  Cotton Mather was an influential New England Puritan Minister, Harvard Graduate, Pastor of Boston’s original North Church, author of more than 450 books and pamplets, and his writings were influential in the Salem Witch trials.  One of Cotton's elaborate works of writings extols the virtues of the Spring Pond Area in the Memoirs of Increase Mather under title of Parentator or Remarkables of Dr. Increase Mather.  In it he relates to the healing waters and retreat of the Spring Pond area.    Increase Mather was an early President of Harvard College and Rector, a New England Puritan Minister, Leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay, and was a visitor who took a lodging at the retreat of Mineral Spring Pond, to recover from his illness and drink from the healing waters of the springs.

In 1724, Cotton Mather Published his father’s, Increase Mather’s diaries:  Parentator or Remarkables of Dr. Increase Mather, by Cotton Mather.  In this publication, Cotton Mather shares excerpts from the diary of his father Increase Mather, relating the recovery of his illness to the healing waters of Mineral Spring Pond.

   Quotes from the publication Parentator or Remarkables of Dr. Increase Mather are as follows:

In the Spring of 1670, he returned unto his Beloved Pulpit: And made his first Sermon on those words: PSal XCIV.12. Blessed is the Man thou Chastenest, O Lord, and teachest out of thy Law. But being still under feeble circumstances, and having a strong impression on his mind, that the drinking of the mineral waters might be of use to him, he took a lodging at Lyn, where he might repair every morning, to a spring there, which was then famous through the country. I will transcribe a passage of two from his diary, which he wrote in the time of his being there.

One is this. "At the Waters, retiring myself under the Trees, I poured out my Soul before the Lord, and then met with Him. I did humbly and believingly (through the Lord's Grace towards me) betake myself unto God, and unto Jesus Christ, for the Healing of my Bodily Distempers. I Believed, Because, though Sin had brought these Distempers on me, yet God had accepted the Sacrifice, which Christ has offered for my Sin. Because also God had formerly heard my Prayers. And because Christ has Redeemed my Body as well as my Soul. Christ intends to bestow Eternal Glory on My Body as well as on my Soul: And therefore He will not deny unto me so small a matter as Bodily Health, which is nothing in comparison of Eternal Glory. Finally, Because I desire Health for the Lord's Sake, and not for my own; even that I may do Service for Him. After Prayer, I went away Inwardly Rejoicing, because I have prevailed! I have Prevailed for Mercy!"

Another is this. "At the Waters. There again the Lord enabled me with Tears, and Persuasion of a Gracious Answer to pour out my Desires before Him for both Bodily and Spiritual Healing to be vouchsafed unto me My dear God in Jesus Christ, will certainly accept of some Service from me: Blessed be His Glorius name forever and ever: Amen! Amen! "It was not long before the Lost Jewel was restored onto me. Nevertheless, in the way to it, he met with many grievous Pangs of Overwhelming Melancholy: of which he also says, 'I found the Prayer of Faith to be the best Remedy against it."

But of this also, I will from his diary, only note a couple of passages.

One is this; "As I was returning home from Lyn, at the end of the Town, a poor Godly Woman (whose name is Mansfield) desired those that Rode with me to go forward, for she must needs speak with me. When I stop'd, O Syr, (said she, with much affection, and many Tears) I am troubled at my condition. I am afraid, that I grieve the Good Spirit of God, by not being so cheerful as I ought to be. I am Dejected, and my Soul is Disquieted; And when I meet with afflictions, I lay them too much to Heart; and I doubt, & herein offend, so Gracious a Father, as God has been unto me; a God who has done much for me, and sometimes manifested Himself unto me. I was astonished to hear her speak, and see her come thus to me for some Relief in such Temptation. I concluded that this poor Woman (who little thought so herself) was a Messenger sent from God unto me; For she spoke to my very condition, as if He that knows all things had put Words into her Mouth. Oh! Let the Great Physician of Souls (said I then) Look upon me, and let Him Heal me, and give me Power of Grace to be more than a Conqueror over my Special Infirmities."