Critical Essay | Critical Essay by Mason I. Lowance, Jr. and David Watters

Critical Essay by Mason I. Lowance, Jr. and David Watters

SOURCE: "Increase Mather's New Jerusalem: Millennialism in Late Seventeenth-Century New England," in Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, Vol. 87, 1978, pp. 343-408.

In the following essay, first presented as a lecture at the 1977 American Antiquarian Society annual meeting, Lowance and Watters maintain that "New Jerusalem" reveals Mather's vision of life during the millennium—the thousand-year period that follows Christian Judgment, during which Christ will reign on earth. The authors also discuss Mather's language, use of symbolism, and his metaphorical and literal interpretations of the scriptures.

In a recent issue of the Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, William L. Joyce and Michael G. Hall announced the identification of 'Three Manuscripts of Increase Mather,' housed in the Society's manuscript department.¹ We are pleased to present this edition of the most important of those manuscripts, the 'New Jerusalem,' an account of the events of the last days as Increase Mather interpreted...
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