More reports on churchgoing and his Tuesday night discussion group this month, as was already beginning to be more common. Less significant to the journal, but touching on a nationally important event, he notes that Channing was headed to Baltimore to assist in the ordination of Jared Sparks. The resulting “Baltimore Sermon” would become one of the touchstones of Unitarian theology.
Month: April 2019
March, 1819
Beginning and end of this month have some curt dismissals of the trivia of everyday socializing. The middle features an index, or list of topics as he makes the transition from Volume K to the new Volume L.
More substantially, we have accounts of two sermons by Channing, who discusses religion and morality in some detail. His view was that one cannot be useful without the other.
Finally, a bit more social contact with Josiah Quincy, who was to write [spoiler alert] one of Gallison’s obituaries at the end of 1820.
February, 1819
A charming false alarm, showing that Gallison’s appreciation of music had its limits:
“This evening I have passed in a manner most gratifying to myself. I rec[eive]d this afternoon a ver[y] friendly invitation from Hon[orable] Mr Quincy to pass the ev[enin]g at his house with a few friends – When I arrived there I was surprized, & somewhat alarmed at the sound of a violin…”
Luckily, Mrs Quincy reassured him that there was no ball, but merely children’s dancing lessons to tolerate.
Along with another note about litigation his father was undertaking, we get several more comments on Channing’s sermons, which continue to assume a larger role in his journal.
January, 1819
A rich month, with much more reporting on Gallison’s churchgoing. Lengthy accounts of Channing’s sermons, and a preliminary account of a new, weekly discussion group/club. Some follow-up on the Exchange fire, which was still smoldering in spots. More cheerfully, a visit home to Marblehead.