Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 5
1833-05-05
Morning cool with an Easterly wind. I was occupied part of the morning upon a labour which will probably take up most of my Summer, arranging and putting into the Catalogue all the books of the last arrival. Attended divine service and heard Mr. Gannett of Cambridge. He is a man of rather effeminate mind and not capable of struggling with the difficulties of the present day.1 His morning discourse was from 2 Peter 1. 16 and embraced the leading evidences of the truth of Christianity. He dined with us and seemed to be melancholy. I have forgotten the Afternoon text.
Read a Sermon of Massillon’s. Text 1. Corinthians 2. 12. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God.” He argues that the spirit of the world is totally inconsistent with and opposed to the spirit of God, because the latter requires 1. abstraction and seclusion, 2. penitence and amendment, 3. energy and courage. There is much worth meditating upon in that Sermon.
My father’s Coachman, Kirke arrived this afternoon with the Carriage and horses but without my Mother. She was not well and therefore delayed her Journey after having sent the Carriage forward. I am quite anxious about her. In the evening we sat quietly at home. Conversation with my father. Afterwards I read the Connoisseur.
Earlier comments on Rev. Thomas B. Gannett were to the same effect (vol. 3:249). JQA was more discursive: “Mr. Gannett dined with us—he is a young man of intelligent, but I think of anxious and melancholy disposition. He has difficulties with his Parish and is much alarmed at the rapid progress of infidelity.... Mr. Gannett appears to be under great discouragement, and dejection of Spirits. He told us that he had asked for a dismission from his parish; but did not say whether they had agreed to the proposal” (Diary, 5 May).