On 30 Aug 1682 when Grindal was 23, he married
Susannah Wilson (13000) , daughter of
Rev. John Wilson (4436) (ca 1624-23 Aug 1691) &
Sarah Hooker (7441) (ca 1629/30-20 Aug 1725), in Medfield, MA.
270 Born on 1 Dec 1664 in Medfield, MA.270 Susannah died in Mendon, MA, on 8 Jul 1748; she was 83.320
Grindall and Susanna were second cousins. His paternal grandmother and her paternal grandfather were siblings.
Susanna Rawson’s Letter to Cotton Mather:
“After he had taken his first degree, he was invited by hie brother-in-law, the Rev. Mr. Samuel Torrey, to come to hie house, and study divinity there, which he did, with such proficiency, that he was advised to enter upon preaching. He preached his first Sermon at Medfield, with great acceptation; and after two months’ occasional performances at other places, he received an invitation to Mendon. He had been but a very short time here before the Secretaries from the neighboring town of Providence laboured to lead aside the people. While he had his meeting at one end of the town, they held a meeting at the other end. However, after he had disputed with them two or three times, they grew weary and left the Town.
“Before he was ordained, he was invited unto other places, where he had a far greater prospect for his outward comfort in the World, than could be expected in such a small place, where there were but about twenty families Just recovering themselves from a tedious war. But those few sheep in the wilderness lay so much upon his heart, that it made him overlook many worldly enjoyments, if he might be instrumental to keep them in the truth. Indeed, he never seemed to have his heart set upon the world, but often used to say, He believed he should have enough to carry him unto his Journey’s end.
“As he grew into more years, the care of the Churches more came upon him, the unwearied paine he took for them! There was not a council for many years in all the neighboring Towns, but he was at it. Also his voyage as a Chaplain with the Fleet that went unto Canada (a footnote says he received his appointment from the Gov., the same being confirmed by a vote in both houses, July 31, 1690) and the half year he spent in the service of God at Nantucket, will not soon be forgotten.
“As for his pains with his own Flock (since exceeding increased unto more than an hundred families) for more than five and thirty years, he was a faithful labourer, in season and out of season; in public and in private, suiting himself to all occasions, that he might be profitable to his hearers; especially upon the death of any, old or young. He catechised, first in publick, on the Lord’s days, in the afternoones, afterwards he set times to catechise in the week. He divided the Town into five parts; and every Friday there was a meeting in one or other of them, where he preached a Sermon, and catechised the children which belonged unto the families there abouts. His pains in visiting the sick were unwearied; his prayers with them, without ceasing; at which the neighborhood would flock to the house where he came, as if it had been a lecture. The constitution of the people, and their affairs, he knew so well, that they thought they could carry on nothing well without him. God made him a groat Peace Maker, so that in all the thirty-five years of his continuance in the Town there was no considerable difference. Though his carriage were so sweet and easy that the weakest, and even a child might, in distress, talk to him, yet he had respect from all.
“And oh! the oil, which he poured into the wounds of many distressed ones, both in the town and out of it!
“He was the strictest observer of the Lord’s Day that I ever took notice of in my life; that neither child, nor servant, nor stranger, within his gate, was permitted anything but tended to religion. He was a strict observer of worship in his family, and the devotions in his retirements were such as no company nor business might ever put him by. He was a great reader of the Sacred Scriptures, and might say, ‘Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage’. His charity was as exemplary as his piety. And in his hospitality he would often say, he had rather want entertainment than good company.
“As for his labours among the Indians, it was twenty-seven years since he undertook the work. It was thought two years was time little enough to learn their language in. But applying himself to the business, with God’s blessing on his extraordinary pains, it was not above nine months before he preached to the Indians to their good understanding.
“Within two years they removed their habitations, to be so near him, that for a whole summer, his custom was, when he came from hie own English Congregation on the Lord's Day, about five o’clock to take about half an hour’s repose, and then go to the Indians, and pray with them, and preach to them, so that he performed three exercises every Lord’s day, while he had strength to attend them. His discouragements were great, in that there was so little good done among them. He judged a great occasion of it might be the strong drink, with which some of the English too often furnished them. I think no man could bear a greater testimony against it, and when he could find no other way to restrain it, at length he persuaded the Church to renew its Covenant; and a solemn day of Prayer with Fasting was kept on that occasion, and this article was made one of the engagements: That whoever should sell any strong drink to an Indian, should be counted a Covenant Breaker, and be dealt with in the Church accordingly, which put a considerable stop unto it. Some while before his death he had an illness, in which he lay weak and languishing, almost all the summer, and it was sinking unto his spirit, that he was, as he said, Like a dead man among the living. But God restored him to his publick ministry, which was so refreshing to him, that he would say, He desired nothing more in the world than that God would give him strength to preach, and bear his name among the people. And God so answered his desire, that he preached constantly every Lord’s day, till just three weeks before his death. -
“But now the time drew near that he must die. At the first of his illness, he was desirous to have lived, if it had been the will of God, for the sake of his family; but his illness increasing on him, he was in a short time taken off from any thoughts or desires of life. I told him, it was a great favor of God unto him, that he had obtained mercy, to be found faithful in the work that God had called him to. He replied, with great humility: ‘Oh, the great imperfection! Oh, the great imperfection I have been guilty of! How little have I done for God!’
“But then he further answered; ‘If it were not for the imperfection of the saints there would be no need of a Savior!’ And he added ‘In the Lord Jehovah I have righteousness and strength.’ I never heard the least impatient word proceed from him, in all the time of his illness; though his difficulties were beyond all expression, he would say to the standers by, He would have none of them have the least hard thought of God, for what they saw him endure. I told him one time He had meat to eat which the world knew not of! at which, lifting up his hands he said, ‘Lord, give me more and more of that meat!’ And he would often say, ‘I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord!’ Seeing his extreme difficulties I told him, One hour in the bosom of Jesus Christ would make him forget all these sorrows. His reply was ‘Oh! that I were in that bosom! Desiring one of the watchers to read unto him the twenty-third Psalm, at the end of every clause he said, ‘Amen!’ And on the last verse he said, ‘Amen; I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’
“But I cannot rehearse the hundredth part of the gracious words that came out of his mouth. That morning he died, he was on the wing to be gone unto the Eternal Mansions in his Father’s House. He said unto his Physician, Dear Brother, is there no comfortable prospect of Death? The Physician told him, he could not perceive he was adying, but thought it could not be long first. He replied, ‘Lord, give me Faith, give me Patience; Lord, how Long!’ In the latter part of the day we plainly perceived him to be drawing on. He then desired me, and all his children to be patient and let the Lord’s work be carried on. The last word he ever said was Come Lord Jesus, come quickly! It was on the Lord’s Day about sunset, February 6, 1714, that he resigned his soul into the hands of his dear Redeemer.”