First Edition of Henry Cumings’ 1783 Election Sermon: A Post-Revolutionary Reflection on Governance
Offered here is a rare first edition printing of a stirring and historically significant sermon by Rev. Dr. Henry Cumings, delivered before Lieutenant Governor Thomas Cushing, the Council, and the two branches of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on May 28, 1783, on the anniversary of the General Election under the new Massachusetts Constitution.
Preached just months after the end of the American Revolutionary War, Cumings’ sermon draws from 1 Peter 5:5: “Yea, all of you be subject to one another.” From this foundation, he explores the reciprocal duties between leaders and citizens in a newly formed republic, arguing that civil society thrives only through mutual respect, service, and accountability.
Cumings eloquently states: “The design of the institution of civil government being the good of the people, they who are entrusted with the management of it, should make this the grand object of their attention and pursuit…” He underscores that while rulers must govern wisely and justly, citizens also bear the responsibility to honor and obey lawful authority, a balance essential for the health of the Commonwealth.
Notably, the sermon also addresses urgent post-war issues, including the removal of British troops, taxation to address war debts, the importance of preserving the equal confederation of states, and the enduring value of education and religion in sustaining moral and civic virtue.
Cummings opines that the future of America “depends much upon the wisdom and virtue of the present generation. Every patriot, from the highest to the lowest order, has now an extensive field opened before him, for the display of his utmost abilities, in providing for the future peace and prosperity of his country. The consequences of our conduct at this opportunity, will affect, not ourselves only, but unborn millions.”
Printed and published in Boston in 1783 by T. and J. Fleet, this sermon stands as a vivid contemporary record of America's earliest efforts to define leadership and liberty and civic duties. This is a cornerstone piece for collectors of early American imprints, Revolutionary War history, or political sermons of the Founding Era.
