Prince, Thomas (1)

an American Congregational minister, was born May 15, 1687, at Sandwich, Mass. He graduated at Harvard College in 1707, and after traveling for some years in Europe, during which time he preached in England and was invited to take a station, he returned home in 1717, and was ordained, Oct. 1, 1718, colleague pastor of the Rev. Joseph Sewall at the Old South Church, Boston, where he remained until his death, Oct. 22, 1758. He was an eminent preacher, for his sermons were rich in thought, perspicuous, and devotional, and he inculcated the doctrines and duties of religion as one who felt their importance. In private life he was amiable and exemplary. It was his constant endeavor to imitate the perfect example of his Master and Lord. He was ready to forgive injuries and return good for evil. He published, An Account of the First Appearance of the Aurora Borealis: — A Chronological History of New England in the Form of Annals (1736): — Ditto, vol. 2, Nos. 1, 2, 3 (1755): — Account of the English Ministers on Martha's Vineyard (1749): — An Improvement of the Doctrine of Earthquakes, containing an Historic Summary of the most renmarkable Earthquakes of New England (1755): — The New England Psalm-book, revised and improved (1756): — and a number of occasional Sermons; besides which there were six Sermons published from his MSS. by Dr. Erskine, of Edinburgh (1785); and twenty-nine single Sermons which Prince published from 1717 to 1756. For an extended notice of his publications, see Sewall, Funeral Discourse. A large portion of his most valuable library is now in the Boston Public Library. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 1, 304; Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.