Rev Samuel Mather

• Birth Notes
  • Samuel Mather was the eldest son of Richard Mather. He was born at Much Woolton (now Woolton), near Liverpool, Lancashire, on 13 May 1626. His father took him in 1635 to New England, where he was educated at Harvard College and graduated M.A. in 1643, becoming a fellow of the College. He was the first fellow of Harvard who had graduated there.

• General Notes
  • Samuel, settled in Dublin, Ireland.
    
    Samuel Mather, minister of Dublin, Ireland, was the son of the preceding, and was born in Lancashire, May 13th, 1626. Accompanying his father to this country, he was graduated at Harvard College in 1643. He was appointed the first Fellow of the College, and he was held in such estimation by the students whom he instructed, that when he left them they put on badges of mourning. When he began to preach, he spent some time in Rowley as an assistant to Mr. Rogers. A church having been gathered in the north part of Boston, he was invited to take the charge of it, but after preaching there one winter, several circumstances induced him to go to England in 1650. The church which he left, was afterwards under the pastoral care of his brother, Dr. Increase Mather. In England he was appointed Chaplain of Magdalen College, Oxford. He then preached two years at Leith in Scotland—thence he went to Ireland in 1655, and was made a senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, Here also he was settled the minister of the church of St. Nicholas, as colleague with Dr. Winter. Though he was a most liberal non-conformist, and refused several benefices, that were offered by the lord Deputy, because he did not wish to have the Episcopalian ministers displaced, yet soon after the restoration he was suspended on a charge of sedition. Returning to England, he was minister at Burton Wood till he was ejected by the Bartholomew act in 1662. He afterwards gathered a church at his own house in Dublin, where he died in peace October 29th, 1671, in the forty-sixth year of his age. He was succeeded by his brother, Mr. Nathaniel Mather. As a preacher he held the first rank, and his name was known throughout the kingdom. His discourses were remarkable for clearness of method. It was his constant desire to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, and to promote the objects for which He died. He published a wholesome caveat for a time of liberty in 1652;—a defence of the protestant religion against popery in 1671 ;—an irenicum, or an essay for union among the Presbyterians, independents, and anabaptists;—a treatise against stinted liturgies;—a piece against Valentine Greatarick, who pretended to cure disuses by stroking ;—a course of sermons on the types of the old testament, with some discourses against popish superstitions.