Howard, Simeon, Dd

Howard, Simeon, D.D.

A Unitarian Congregational minister, was born at Bridgewater, Maine, April 29, 1733, and educated at Harvard College, where he graduated with distinguished honor in 1758. After a course of theological study, pursued while himself engaged in teaching, he accepted a call to a church at Cumberland, Nova Scotia. In 1765 he returned to Cambridge as a resident graduate student, and was elected tutor the year following. In 1767 he accepted the pastorate of West Church, Boston, and was ordained May 6, 1768. During the Revolution his congregation suffered greatly, and having made many friends during his residence in Nova Scotia, he proposed that his congregation should emigrate with him thither, which they did. After about one year and a half he returned to Boston, and again served his congregation there, receiving only such compensation for his services, as he was fully satisfied they could afford to give in their destitute circumstances. He died in the midst of his labors among them, August 13! 1804. The degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Edinburgh University. He was an overseer and fellow of Harvard, and a member of most of the American societies for the promotion of literary, charitable, and religious objects, and an officer of several of them. Dr. Howard was "bland and gentle in his manner, calm and equable in his temper, cheerful without levity, and serious without gloom His parishioners loved him as a brother, and honored him as a father; his brethren in the ministry always met him with a grateful and cordial welcome; and the community at large reverenced him for his simplicity, integrity, and benevolence." Dr. Howard published Sermons (1773, 1777, 1778, 1780) — Christians have no Cause to be ashamed of their Religion (sermon, 1779) — Ordination Sermon (1791). — Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit, 8, 65.