Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my family went on an excursion into Connecticut and Massachusetts in order to spend a few days afield together in a road trip setting. Because of the intended destination, and inspired by a trip by Tony Reinke, I realized we would have a wonderful opportunity to see some sites affiliated with Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and the Great Awakening.
We departed from our hometown Tinton Falls, NJ right after Thanksgiving supper on Thursday and we traveled to Enfield, CT. Here's a list of some of the sites we visited (HT to Reinke's post for the Google map locations of these sites and the page references to George Marsden's excellent biography of Jonathan Edwards):
Enfield, CT
“Sinners in the Hands of an angry God” sermon location
On the July 8, 1741 sermon see Marsden, 219-226. Listen to Mark Dever read/preach the message in 58-minutes (link here).
Location: 41.971588,-72.592761 (stone marker)
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| My family at the preaching site of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" |
East Windsor, CT
Timothy Edwards’ church
Timothy was Edwards father and he was a pastor. This is the site of the East Windsor awakening of 1716. For background reading see Marsden, 33-34.
Location: 41.830287,-72.617598
Jonathan Edwards’ birthplace (Oct 5, 1703) and childhood
For background reading on Edwards’ childhood and his early memories of the natives see Marsden, 11-24.
Location: 41.844849,-72.611963 (birthplace marker)
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| Gideon and I at the birthplace of Jonathan Edwards |
Edwards Cemetery
Resting place for his parents (Timothy and Esther Edwards) and two daughters (Jerusha and Lucy).
Location: 41.848644,-72.609842
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| Gabriel and I at the grave of Timothy Edwards |
Northampton, MA
Jonathan Edwards’ church location
See the commemorative plaque for the 1737 church on the front steps and the JE plaque inside. For background read about the periods of awakenings in the church read Marsden, 150-169.
Location: 42.319062,-72.630887
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| Jonathan Edwards plaque |
West Brookfield, MA
George Whitefield Rock
Whitefield preached from this boulder to a gathering of a few hundred people on Oct 16, 1740 on his way to Northampton.
Location: 42.231930,-72.126419
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| George Whitefield Rock |
Princeton, NJ
Princeton Cemetery
Resting place for Jonathan and Sarah Edwards. Readings: passings and burials in Marsden, 490-498.
Location: 40.352509,-74.660135
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| Gideon and I visiting about Jonathan Edwards' legacy at Edwards' grave |
