MUDGE
717
MUDO
not even heard of each other. A class of religious en- thusiasts who originated under Stephen in Saxony, and then emigrated to this country, will be treated in the article Stephkmtks. See Zeitschrijl fur Ustorisclie Theolofiie, 1832 ; Hagenbach, Kirckengesch. vol. vii (•2d ed. 1872), Lect. xxvi. (J. H. W.)
Mudge, Enoch, a Methodist Episcopal minister, and one of the pioneers of Methodism in New England, was born of religious parents at Lj'nn, Mass., June 21, 1776. He was converted at fifteen, under the ministry of Jesse Lee ; entered the itinerancy in 1793, and labored assiduously; in 1796 he travelled, instead of the presid- ing elder, in Maine ; in 1799 poor health obliged him to locate at Orrington, Maine, where he resided till 1816. WJiile there he was twice chosen state representative, and had much to do with the passage of the " Religious Freedom Bill." At the end of this time he re-entered the itinerancy, and was stationed in Boston. He filled various charges until 1832, when he was appointed to the Seaman's Bethel at New Bedford, and there labored with signal success until 1844, when he was obliged by paralysis to retire from the active work of the ministry. He lived beloved at Lynn, and labored as his strength permitted until his death, April 2, 1850. He was the lirst minister that Methodism produced in New Eng- land, and his long and useful life was full of successfid labor for God. He was an able and interesting preach- er, and commanded universal respect and love. His published works are " a volume of excellent Sei-moiis, and many poetical pieces of more than ordinary merit," See Minnies of Conferences, iv, 538 ; Stevens, Memorials ofMet/iocUsm, vol. i, ch. x ; Spxague, Aniials oftheAmer. Pulpit, vol. vii.
Miidge, John A., a minister of the Methodist Eiii.^eiipal Church, was born in Ohio, Oct. 27, 1829. His parents being poor, his early education was greatly neglected. He was converted when quite young, and determined to enter the ministry. Feeling his need of a more thorough preparation, he studied for a while at the college in Berea. He joined the North Ohio Con- ference in 1850, and held several important positions in that Conference. He was a man eloquent in the pulpit, clear in his judgment, and diligent in his studies. He was secretary of the Conference for some time, and a delegate to the General Conference in 1872. He died Oct. 27, 1873. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1874, p. 110.
Mudge, Thomas Hicks, a minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal (,'h\n-ch, was born in Orrington, Me., Sept. 28, 1S15. His parents removed to Lynn, Mass., in his childhood; and being early brought under religious influence, he was converted, and united with the Church in 1829. Soon after his conversion he was seized with the desire to preach the Gospel, and in order to qualify himself for this work prepared for college at Wilbraham Academy. After going through the college course at the Wesleyan University in JMiddletown, Conn., \?here he graduated in 1840, and at the Union Theological Seminary at New York (class of 1843), he joined the New England Conference, and remained a member of it till 1857, when he became professor of sacred literature at M'Kendree College, Lebanon, 111. In 1859 he was transferred to the Missouri Conference, and stationed successively at Pilot Knob, Simpson Chapel, St. Louis, and Independence. At the outbreak of the rebellion he was obliged to leave the state, and sought refuge in Manhattan, Kan., where he filled an appointment for a year; but joining the Kansas Conference, at the earnest solicitation of the Church was sent to Baldwin City. His health, however, failed, and he died there, July 24, 1862. Mr. Mudge was a close student, especially of the Word of (iod, and possessed mucli critical knowledge of the sacred text. For the exposition and illustration of it he collected, from American and foreign publishers, one of the most valuable private libraries of sacred lit- erature in this country. His preaching was rich in
thought, and pervaded by a spirit of deep piety. Many of his brief expositions of the Scripture lessons, before his sermons, were of themselves pithy discourses of great value. He had devised large plans of usefulness through the application of bis ripe scholarship to the exposition of God's Word, but the little he had written was never considered of sufficient importance for publication. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1863, p. 23.
Mudge, Zachary, an eminent clergyman and ed- ucator of the Anglican communion, was born near the close of the 17th century. About 1716 he became mas- ter of a free-school at Bideford, and about 1736 rector of St. Andrew's, in Plymouth. He was after this preb- end of Exeter. He died in 1769. Mr. Mudge was an intimate friend of Dr. Johnson, and is highly spoken of as a scholar and clergyman. He published A Specimen of a new Translation of the Book of Psalms (1733, 4to) : — Essay towards a new English Version of the Book of Psalms (1744, 4to) ; of these, Home says, " Some of his notes are more ingenious than solid :" — Church Author- it;/ (a sermon, 1748, 4to), answered in The Claims of Church Authority considered (1749, 8vo) : — and several othersof his sermons (Lond. 1731, 8vo; 1739, 8vo). See Bos well. Life of Johnson (ed. 1848), p. 679, 686; AUi- bone. Diet, of Brit, and Anier. Authors, s. v.