The Tragedy of Jonathan Edwards: When Christians Die from believing Vaccine Lies

by Steve Halbrook

One of the most popular victims of smallpox inoculation/variolation was the famous Great Awakening Preacher Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758).

Smallpox variolation is technically the forerunner to vaccination, but in essence it is the beginning of vaccination; vaccination in all but name (and both practices can be referred to as “inoculation”). Smallpox variolation inoculates one with smallpox in the name of fighting smallpox, while smallpox vaccination — which replaced it — inoculates one with cowpox in the name of fighting smallpox.

Edwards got inoculated due to his doctor’s encouragement, and also wanted to set an example for others.

This was in New Jersey, almost forty years after the inoculation controversy began in Boston. The leaven of blood poisoning in the name of health was sweeping the nation. As was the fake news giving the idea that inoculation was a “safe and effective” procedure.

Surely Edwards must have known that many considered smallpox inoculation dangerous — he should have seriously researched and considered the procedure. Moreover, according to Allan G. Hedberg, Edwards didn’t heed warnings to not undergo inoculation — and the results were disastrous:

Edwards’ physician encouraged the inoculation, but others warned him not to take it. No doubt, He knew of the position taken by his colleague Cotton Mather. He advocated for the new vaccine … As a pastor, he urged his congregation and doctors to get inoculated. Edwards reasoned that his taking the vaccine would be an example to others and help save lives in the end. Within days, he was deathly sick and near death. … He died quietly from the vaccine and medication related complications that set in shortly after the injection. His death was related to his high fever and starvation from a prolonged period of not being able to swallow liquids and food.

Allan G. Hedberg, Jonathan Edwards: A Life Well Lived (Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press, 2016) (Google preview version: no page number given). Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://books.google.com/books?id=xacADAAAQBAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Besides causing a slow, agonizing death of starvation, the tragedy severely affected his whole family. His wife was left a widow and his children orphans.

Unexpectedly, the cure became the killer, and he died from the inoculation on March 22 at the age of fifty-four, leaving Sarah to raise their large family alone. It was the last and worst of a series of heavy calamities that had befallen Sarah. … Sarah would never recover from her loss.

Carolyn Custis James, When Life and Beliefs Collide (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001). (Google preview version: no page number given). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from https://books.google.com/books?id=kuJh97T1t0cC&source=gbs_navlinks_s

While Edwards meant to set a positive example for undergoing inoculation, his horrific death only served as a cautionary tale against this procedure: it was shown to be suicidal. For Edwards, inoculation caused a slow, agonizing death; his wife was devastated and his family deprived of a husband and father; and the church was deprived of a great preacher.

The reader may wish to see the notice taken of the death of Mr. Edwards, at the time when it occurred. The following is the account of it, in the Boston Gazette, of April 10, 1750.—“On Wednesday, the 22d of last month, died, by inoculation, at Nassau Hall, an eminent servant of God, the Rev. pious, Mr. Jonathan Edwards, president of the college of New Jersey; a gentleman of distinguished abilities, and a heavenly temper of mind: a most rational, generous, catholic, and exemplary Christian, admired by all who knew him, for his uncommon candour and disinterested benevolence; a pattern of temperance, meekness, patience, and charity; always steady, calm, and serene; a very judicious and instructive preacher, and a most excellent divine. And, as he lived, cheerfully resigned to the will of Heaven, so he died, or rather, as the Scriptures emphatically express it, with respect to good men, he fell asleep in Jesus, without the least appearance of pain.”

Edward Hickman, ed., The Works of Jonathan Edwards, A.M., in Two Volumes, Vol. 1. (London: Ball, Arnold and Company, 1840), ccxx (footnote).

Fellow Christians, please — take it seriously when others care enough to warn you about vaccines.

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