Attempt to break up seminary-Second removal — - Little Henrietta -Letter to a sister in affliction - Description of situation Garden- conversations with Turks- Family concert-Seminary straitened for want of funds - Mrs Hamlin's Greek and Jewish scholars - Hin- drances from Romish influences - Disappointments in the purchase of - Third removal — Tragical stories-Oriental conscience-Struggle for religious tolerance - Ill-health of Mrs. Hamlin - Short residence at Prosperity of Seminary- Charter of tolerance - Last letters of Mrs. Domestic character-Testimony of students-Letter from " One of the Ancients"-Exchange of playful letters- Other testimonials - Char- acter as a mother - Prospects for usefulness. SICKNESS. TRIALS AND STRUGGLES, SEVERE CONFLICT.- NEW CONSECRATION AND ASSURANCE 243 TO THE READER. A perusal of the following pages will leave on the reflect ng mind vivid impressions, Of the high value of parental dedication of children to God, when followed by a corresponding course of religious instruction, and an exemplification of the Christian virtues; Of the paramount influence of parental piety in forming the character of children for life-long usefulness; Of the particular providence of God, in preparing individuals for the sphere of action to which he has destined them; Of the native modesty, original capacity, cultivated refinement, and distinctive amiableness, of the subject of the present memoir, as the desirable and peculiar qualifications of the female missionary; Of the energy of the religious principle, sustaining the spirit in circumstances of extreme perplexity and trial, and urging it onward to deeds of Christian heroism; Of the high importance of conjugal companionship to missionary success am ong the half-civilized or barbarous tribes of men ; Of the adaptedness of woman to every sphere of missionary labor, and the indispensableness of her fortitude and persever ance to the support and consolation of man in his oft-recurring seasons of exhaustion and despondency; Of the efficacy of faith in invigorating an enfeebled physical frame, and inspiring the moral powers with an unconquerable elasticity and energy; Of the sufficiency of grace to support the fainting spirit amid its deepest sorrows, and impart celestial joys to the torn and agonized heart. Impressions like these, confirmed by authentic memorials of those whom Jesus loves and early calls home to himself, are of inestimable value to survivors, enlivening their graces, and pressing them onward to holy achievement. The present volume has claims to regard which will be promptly met whenever it shall find its way among the circles adorned by intelligence and purity. Its special claims on the personal friends of Mrs. Hamlin are scarcely more urgent than those pressed on the heart of every lover of Christ, by the beautiful simplicity and unostentatious piety breathing through every page, and pervading every sentiment. Not, indeed, that all the utterances of the volume are such as would have flowed from the lips of Brainard, or Susannah Anthony, nor that they are all guaged by the standard of the young convert's "first love," but that all are in keeping with the spirit that has God always first and always last in the mind's eye. If the reader fail to see her as she was, an humble, steadfast, devoted, unaffected and warm-hearted follower of the Lamb, it will not be because of her deficiency in either of these lovely features of character, but rather from her selfdistrust, and deep aversion to all parade of spiritual feeling. Though not personally acquainted with Mrs. Hamlin nor her family connections, and obliged, like other readers, to estimate her character by her words and works here recorded, yet the consistency and harmony of the Memoir with itself in all its parts, and its congruity with all that has been said of her, while she lived, by those who knew her well, has created a deep and lively interest in my own mind, in the perusal of these precious memorials, an interest increasing from the beginning to the end, even to a painful intensity. The style of the work will speak for itself; it is the author's mind daguerreotyped, as in her former publications, and never contemplated at the right angle of vision but with pleasure. A poetic fancy, in combination with an earnest spirit of piety, gives resistless charms to the portraiture of a life sacredly devoted to the humble duties of humanity and godliness, especially when the father and mother eminent for their virtues, the husband and children with their absorbing loves, brethren, sisters and intimate friends, full of ardent devotion to her happiness, form the dramatis persona of the scene. Fidelity is not sacrificed to poetry, nor truthfulness to panegyric; but the light and the shade, the cheerfulness and serenity, of an imperfect yet sincere Christian experience, are so accurately defined, and yet admirably blended, as to demonstrate the justness of the whole delineation. If there are those who question the utility of such “ memorials " as these, it is believed that they are few in number, and unfortunate in the influences that have come over them. Our religious literature is far from being overstocked with works of this description. From the publication of "Harriet Newell," the first American "missionary sister" whose biography blessed our land, down to the last that has greeted us from the press, not one has failed of extended usefulness in the promotion of personal holiness, the increase of the spirit of missions, and the happy illustration of the grace of God. How various soever their merits and attractions, all of them have been honored by the Head of the church with an important instrumentality in arousing the too long dormant energies of Zion, and giving them a direction which promises to fill the earth ere long with righteousness and peace. May they be multiplied yet more and more, till their impress shall be made indelible on every heart, and constrain the raising of every hand to " crown Jesus Lord of all '" BRAINTREE, JUNE 23, 1853. R. S. STCRRS. |