The morning was fine and the day warm. I was occupied partly in attendance upon Divine Service all day and partly in my ordinary occupations. Texts from John 5. 68. and 8. 12. by Mr. Deane the Minister of Scituate. It is a long time since I have heard him, but I confess I liked him better than my previous impressions would seem to have authorized.1 He discoursed upon the argument of the skeptic that the Christian religion wants dignity, and upon the influence of revelation upon the character of mankind, more especially in the female branch of it.

I also read a Sermon of Massillon from John 1. 7. “The same came for a witness to bear witness of the Light” omitting “that all men through him might believe.” A Commemoration of John the Baptist, whose testimony to the light and truth condemned the world while he was condemned by it for doing so. This testimony was borne in his mode of life which displayed his austerity, his humility and his zeal. Some parts of this discourse appeared to me remarkably good, but it did not strike me so much in its general power and the singularity of the contradiction to the whole in the omitted portion of the verse is not a little remarkable.

In the evening, we all went to pay a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Quincy who have just moved out of town.2 They seemed to be as yet much at sixes and sevens, so that we stayed but a short time. A Country place for the first day or two is generally comfortless. Mr. Deane dined here.