Some Phases of Sexual Morality and Church Discipline in Colonial New England

"Some Phases of Sexual Morality and Church Discipline in Colonial New England" by Charles Francis Adams is a historical account written in the late 19th century. This work examines the intricate relationship between sexual morality and church discipline within the context of Colonial New England, focusing specifically on the practices and societal norms of the time. Adams delves into the historical records to shed light on how church authorities addressed issues of fornication, public confessions, and individual morality within the community. The opening of the work presents Adams’ exploration of the records from the First Church of Quincy, which serve as a window into the challenges faced by church leaders in maintaining moral standards in their congregations. He discusses various documented cases of church discipline related to sexual immorality, and contrasts the public perceptions of morality with the realities captured in these records. Adams also reflects on the implications of these instances in relation to the prevailing attitudes towards sin, repentance, and community accountability, setting the stage for a more profound inquiry into how these factors shaped social life in the region and what they reveal about the complexities of human behavior during that era. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Charles Francis Adams Jr. was an American author, historian, and railroad and park commissioner who served as the president of the Union Pacific Railroad from 1884 to 1890. He served as a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he was a railroad regulator and executive, an author of historical works, and a member of the Massachusetts Park Commission.