Urian Oakes
Urian Oakes was a prominent early American educator and pastor, recognized for his eloquent sermons, speeches, and elegies. Born in England in 1631, he emigrated with his family to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he became influenced by the religious teachings of Thomas Shepard. Graduating from Harvard University in 1649, Oakes served as a fellow for three years and contributed to the college's almanac, showcasing his classical knowledge and interest in astronomy. He authored notable works, including a revered elegy for Thomas Shepard and a sermon aimed at reconciling science and Puritan religious principles. His scholarship earned him acclaim from contemporaries like Cotton Mather. Oakes's humor and wit were evident in his Latin motto in a Harvard almanac, where he modestly referred to his contributions. After serving as a minister in England, he returned to the U.S. and held various ministerial roles, eventually becoming the acting president of Harvard from 1675 until his death in 1681. His legacy continues to be recognized for its blend of education and religious fervor.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Urian Oakes
Writer
- Born: c. 1631
- Birthplace: England
- Died: July 25, 1681
Biography
Early American educator and pastor Urian Oakes was the author of many sermons, speeches, and elegies that were inspiring, educational, and elegantly written. Two of his works have been most highly praised: An Elegie upon the Death of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Shepard, Late Teacher of the Church at Charlestown in New-England, an elegy written in verse composed in 1677 to memorialize the life of Thomas Shepard of Charleston, whose father was a Cambridge divine; and a sermon that he composed entitled The Soveraign Efficacy of Divine Providence; Overruling and Omnipotently Disposing and Ordering All Humane Counsels and Affairs, in which he attempted to harmonize science and religion according to Puritan principles.
Oakes’s classical knowledge was acclaimed by Cotton Mather in his work Magnalia Cristi Americana, published in 1702, in which Mather identified Oakes as a great scholar who was fluent in classical Latin. Oakes was also appreciated for his humor and wit, as is evident in his motto which was recorded on a Harvard University almanac published in 1650. Oakes jokingly refers to himself as a small man who made small contributions to the almanac. The motto he composed is written in Latin, using a complex grammatical construction that demonstrates Oakes’s remarkable skill in writing in both Latin and English.
Oakes, born in England in 1631, came to the United States with his parents, who settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the elder Thomas Shepard was a minister. As Oakes matured, he was attracted to the religious convictions of Shepard and his generation. Oakes later used their lives as models for others to emulate, exhorting his audiences in speeches to return to the principles of these great men. Oakes graduated from Harvard University in 1649 and became a fellow of the college for the next three years. During this time, he developed a table of astronomical calculations which appeared in the 1650 Harvard almanac. Oakes’s interest in astronomy also surfaced in his elegy for the younger Thomas Shepard, in which he employed astronomical metaphors and images.
Oakes married Ruth Ames, whose father was one of the founders of Puritanism in England. He returned to England with his wife and became part of the ministry in the village of Titchfield in Hampshire until the Act of Uniformity of 1662 forced him to leave the ministry and become headmaster at Southwark Grammar School. Following the death of his wife, he returned to the United States and began serving as a minister in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on November 8, 1671. Oakes composed New-England Pleaded with, and Pressed to Consider the Things Which Concern Her Peace . . . during 1673. In this sermon, he encouraged congregants to refrain from rebelling and to respect authority. He was chosen to be the acting president of Harvard University from 1675 to 1680, and he served as president of the university until his death in 1681.