Thaborium (Gafioipiov or Mfra/to'p^wffic, Festiim Transfii/iirutionis, s. Patefactionis Christi), the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ. It was exalted to a feast of universal observance by pope Calixtus HI in 1457, the day assigned to it being August 6. The ancient Church had not altogether ignored, but none the less greatly neglected, its observance. The purpose of its modern revival was the commemoration, first, of the transfigura- tion of Christ, and, second, of the defeat of the Turks at the siege of Belgrade in 145(5. See Augusti, Christi. A r- chdologie (Leips. 1820), iii, 292 sq. ; Herzog, Real-Encg- klop. s. V.
Thacher, George, D.D., a Congregational minis- ter, was born in Hartford, Conn., July 25, 1817. His ear- ly education was received at Hopkins Grammar-school. Hartford. He was graduated from Yale College in 1840. and in the same year entered Yale Theological Semina- ry, where, after a full three years' course of study, he was regularly graduated in 1843. His first pastorate was at Derby, Conn., where he went in June, 1843; on Jan. 4, 1844, he was ordained, preaching there until Oct. 10, 1848, when he was dismissed. He next re- ceived and accepted a call to Nantucket, Mass., where he was installed Nov. 14, 1848, and remained until May 14, 1850, when he was dismissed to the i>astorate of the Allen Street Presbyterian Church, New York city, where he was installed May 26, 1850, and dis- missed Oct. 9, 1854. He was then successively in-
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stalled at the First Church, Merideii, Conn., Nov. 16, 1«54. ilismissed Sept. 18, IWO; Keokuk, lo., Oct. 30, \M<\ dismissed April 8, 1807. At this laticr date he Aveni to Kiirape, where he spent a few months. I{e- luriiintc to New York in ISG8, he sn|)plied Mercer Street Clmrch from May to October of tlie same year. He was then acting pastor at Waterloo, lo., from October, ]f<(',x. to March, 1871. In 1871 he was elected president of tlie Stale I'nivcrsity of Iowa, in which position he remained until Jinie, 1877. He was then, from 1877 to 1S7S. aeiiui;- pastor at Iowa City. In 1871 lie received the honorary dej^ree of D.D. from Iowa and Knox col- leijes. He died in Hartford of disease of the brain and heart, Dec. "27, 1878. Dr. Thacher published Tn-o jScr- IIIOII.1 at Meriden, one of which was suggested by the career of John IJrown : — 4 Sermon: " A'o Fellowship iril/i Slaveii/'' (Keokuk, IS61) •.—Inauffural Address, as jiresident of Iowa University (1871). (W. P. S.)
Thacher, Peter (H, a Congregational minister, was Ixirn at SMlein, Mass., in lt)51, and was tlie son of llev. Tlionias Tliacher, first pastor of the Old South Clmrch, Boston. He graduated at Harvard C(dlege in l()71, and was tutor there for several years following. He then went to England to prepare himself more fully tor his profession, but his friend Samuel Danforth dying shortly afier, i\Ir. Thacher returned to America, lie refused several tempting offers to enter the Estab- lished Clmrch; and in September, 1081, was ordained (lastor of the Church in Milton, Mass. Here he la- bored effectively until a week before his death, which occurred Dec. 17, 1727. " He was a person of eminent sanctity, of a most courteous and complaisant behavior, cheerful, affable, humble, and free of speech to the mean- est he met." He published several theological trea- tises and single sermons (1708-23), for a list of which see Sprague, Aninils of the A iner. Pulpit, i, 19G.
Thacher, Peter (2), a Congregational minister, the son of riiouias Thacher, Jun., and grandson of Thomas Thacher, the first minister of the Old South Church, was born in Hostoii in 1()77. He graduated at Harvard in lt)96, and immediately after his graduation began to leach at Hatlield, and is supposed to have studied di- vinity under the llev. William Williams of that place. < )n Xov. 2t), 1707, lie was ordained pastor of the Church at Weymouth, wliere he remained between eleven and twelve years. In .January, 1720, he returned to Boston and was installed pastor of tlie New North Church as oilleagne with Mr. Webb. Here he labored until his death, Feb. 26, 1738. Mr. Thacher published an Elec- tion Sermon (1726), and a Sermon on the Death of Mrs. dee (17;)0). See .Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, i. 2(i6.
Thacher, Peter (3), a Congregational minister, was born in Kiss, and graduated at Harvard Ci)llege in 17o(;. He was ordained pastor of the Ctiurch in Mid- dleborough, Mass., in 1709, and died there April 22, 1744. He pnldislied an account of the revival of re- ligion in Middleborough, in Prince's Christian History. See .Mlilione, l)irt. of Jirit. and A me): A iithors, s. v.
Thacher, Peter (4), D.D., an eminent Congrega- lioiKil minister, was born at Milton, iNIass., i\Iarch 21, 17.")2. He graduated at Harvard College in 17(59, and was ordniHed jiasior Sept. 19. 1770, at Mahlen. IMass., from which charge he was dismissed to allow Ids ac- ceptance of a call from Brattle Street Church, Boston, Dec. 8, 1784. He entered upon his new charge Jan. 12, I78.i, an<l there continued until his health failed. He died in Savannah Dec. 16, 1802. He was an active member of the convention which met in Boston in 1780 to frame a state constitution, and opposed the reten- tion of the governor's office. The University of Edin- burgh made him D.D. in 1791. He published, .4 « Or«- tion (if/(iinsl Stamlint/ A rmies (1776) : — Thi-ee Sermons in Proof of the Elerniiij of Future Punishments (1782): — Ohserrations on the State of the Clergy in Nerc England, with Strictures upon the Power of pismissing them