Clear but cold. After passing the morning hours in reading the Life of Napoleon, and doing something towards my library Catalogue I attended divine Service and heard Mr. Frothingham in the morning, Mr. Gannett in the Afternoon. Both upon the Resurrection of our Saviour—It being Easter Sunday. Mr. F’s Text was from Luke 24. 5–6. “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” It was upon the custom of reverting to the period of death without any practical purpose to the living but I must admit that as usual it quite escaped me. I cannot do any justice to it in an analysis. Mr. Gannett gave from Acts 2. 24. a short and well combined narrative of the facts attending the resurrection after which he drew an application to the immortality of the soul, not from the mere fact which he seemed to think insufficient but from encouragement it held out to faith. His manner is exceedingly unpleasant, and his style is a little too ambitious for his own power to display it. But I thought his Sermon in itself interesting.

Read one of Massillon’s afterward, upon the Injustice of the world to the character of good men. Text, John 9. 24. “Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, “Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.” His division was 1. That it was great rashness to ascribe bad motives where good ones could be inferred fairly. 2. That it was inhumanity, for even we ourselves might need the shelter of the virtuous. 3. It was impiety as discouraging from all hope or practice in religion. I thought this was the third good practical Sermon in succession in Massillon.

Evening quiet at home. I continued reading the Life of Napoleon which grows more English every day. This evening I resumed my reading of Paley with the second part.