Henry Aiken Worcester (Sept. 25, 1802 – May 21, 1841) was a

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

alumnus, a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism m ...

, and a

Swedenborgian The New Church (or Swedenborgianism) is any of several historically related Christian denominations that developed as a new religious group, influenced by the writings of scientist and mystic Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772). Swedenborgian or ...

minister who worked in

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

and

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

. His "''Sermons on the Lord's Prayer''" was published posthumously in 1850 .

Biography

He was born in

Hollis, New Hampshire Hollis is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,342 at the 2020 census, growing 9% from the 2010 population of 7,684. The town center village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Ho ...

to the large Worcester family. His siblings included Congressman

Samuel T. Worcester Samuel Thomas Worcester (August 30, 1804 – December 6, 1882) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1861 to 1863. Biography Born in Hollis, Ne ...

and David Worcester, who was principal of

Bangor High School Bangor High School, a member of the Bangor School System, is a high school in Bangor, Maine, United States. It has an enrollment of approximately 1,200 students in grades 9–12. It is Bangor's only public high school. Since its 2001–2002 sel ...

. He graduated

, class of 1828. He studied at

Yale Divinity School Yale Divinity School (YDS) is one of the twelve graduate and professional schools of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Congregationalist theological education was the motivation at the founding of Yale, and the professional school has ...

from 1829-1830. He married Olive Gay of Gardiner on August 26, 1838, and they had two children, Henry Parker Worcester and Mary Olivia Worcester, who was born after her father died. He died in Portland in 1841 and is buried in the

Eastern Cemetery Eastern Cemetery is a historic cemetery at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Congress Street in the East Bayside neighborhood of Portland, Maine. Established in 1668, it is the city's oldest historic site, and has more than 4,000 marked ...

in Portland, Maine. His obituary said: "Mr. Worcester's amiable, frank and social qualities gained him many warm friends, and his character and acquirements were such as to ensure to him universal esteem."

Ministry

He was licensed to preach April 12, 1833. Worcester held ministerial positions at Swedenborgian churches in

Abington, Massachusetts Abington is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, southeast of Boston. The population was 17,062 at the 2020 census. History Before the Europeans made their claim to the area, the local Native Americans referred to the area ...

Bath, Maine Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 8,766 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County, which includes one city and 10 towns. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its ...

Gardiner, Maine Gardiner is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,961 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Popular with tourists, Gardiner is noted for its culture and old architecture. Gardiner ...

and Portland. Maine. He moved to Portland in 1833. He published ''The Sabbath'' in 1841.

Vegetarian diet

In 1834 health reformer Sylvester Graham lectured in Portland, Maine on "The Science of Human Life." Rev. Worcester attended and then wrote to his siblings in

Hardwick, Vermont Hardwick is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,920 at the 2020 census. It contains the unincorporated villages of Hardwick, East Hardwick, and Mackville. The town is a commercial center for the region's farm ...

about the lectures. In his letter housed in the Ernest Bell Memorial Library, he wrote about Graham's recommendations for a vegetarian diet that was mostly

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Di ...

, and he wrote:

I confess myself a convert to his mode of life in theory and now in practice.

Also in the letter Worcester wrote:

But I tell you that the physicians, all but one quack, of Portland, a very scientific class of men, have attended the course, and I believe all, to a man, acknowledge the correctness of Graham’s principles. The change that it is making in this city you can hardly conceive of – for a very large portion of the inhabitants have adopted his mode of diet and manner of living.

Food columnist Avery Yale Kamila wrote in the

Portland Press Herald The ''Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram'' is a morning daily newspaper with a website that serves southern Maine and is focused on the greater metropolitan area around Portland, Maine, in the United States. Founded in 1862, its roots e ...

that his report was different from "the assessment in istory book“Vegetarian America” that most doctors of the day ignored Graham’s dietary advice."

Selected publications

''Sermons on the Lord's Prayer''
1850, Philadelphia
''The Sabbath''
1841, London *''Sermons,'' 1837

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Worcester, Henry Aiken 1802 births 1841 deaths 19th-century American clergy 19th-century American theologians American Swedenborgians American vegetarianism activists Burials at Eastern Cemetery Clergy from Portland, Maine People from Hollis, New Hampshire Writers from Maine Yale Divinity School alumni