Stearns, Samuel Horatio

Stearns, Samuel Horatio, a Congregational minister, son of the preceding, was born at Bedford, Mass., Sept. 12, 1801. In 1816 he entered Phillips Academy, Andover, where he underwent a change of heart, and made a public profession of religion in June, 1817. He entered Harvard College in 1819, from which he graduated in 1823. After leaving college, he became a teacher in Phillips Academy, where he remained until 1825, when he entered the Theological Seminary at Andover, leaving it in 1828. His health was in such a feeble condition that he would not consider himself a candidate for settlement until 1834, in which year, on April 16, he was ordained pastor of the Old South Church, Boston. After preaching for three Sabbaths, he was compelled to cease, and returned to Bedford. In June, 1835, he commenced to travel in pursuit of health, and so far recovered as to anticipate a resumption of labors among his people. But this was found to be too dangerous an experiment, and he sought a dismissal, which was granted him in February 1836. He went abroad in the following June and died in Paris, July 15, 1837. His Life and Select Discourses were published by his brother, William A. Stearns (Boston, 1838, 12mo). See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 2, 718.