The life of Cotton Mather’s was pre-set from birth. Born of Rev. Increase Mather, Cotton Mather was destined to fall into the role of Pastor in Boston’s Second Church. While in this role, Mather wrote Bonifacius: Essays to Do Good. This book described how a Christian should live, always doing good, for nothing more than the pleasure of doing God’s work. Even Mather was not above the beliefs of Christianity. Like Benjamin Franklin once said, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it” (Russoniello). Mather lived a life of studious Christianity, but is better known for his role in the Salem Witch Trials and his subsequent backing of smallpox inoculation. Mathers was born into the Puritan Church and
