The Power of Faith - Exemplified In The Life And Writings Of The Late Mrs. Isabella Graham.

Isabella Graham

Description

! " # $ % & " $ ' ( ) $ * ' % + , % - ./ /001 2 3.4/546 $ % 7 % 8)#991:#. ;;; 8 '+ ) + ))? ,==/ = * ? % # (( * !# ! : " ! : % ! : 1 * ? % % : # ' !5 * ? % : 3 ! ! * * : ( # ! : 1 * ? ! ! : + " # ( ! : ,==0>,== // ( " ; ) 5 : " ! ? : " ! : : !# ( ) : + # #"% !# : # ! ? : !5"( !; % ! ! "( : # ( ! !'" 5 : ! : ! ; ( !# + % ! : !# !5 : ) ?( ! # ) : 5 ! # ) ( " #8 : ! # # ) ?( ! # ) : "5 : ! ( ) : + (( "+ ! : % ; ( $ 8 : ; !

Informations

• Publié par: zatuh
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 31
• Langue: English

Extrait

,== // ( " ; ) 5 : " ! ? : " ! : : !# ( ) : + # #"% !# : # ! ? : !5"( !; % ! ! "( : # ( ! !'" 5 : ! : ! ; ( !# + % ! : !# !5 : ) ?( ! # ) : 5 ! # ) ( " #8 : ! # # ) ?( ! # ) : "5 : ! ( ) : + (( "+ ! : % ; ( $ 8 : ; !" />

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Power of Faith, by Isabella Graham

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Power of Faith  Exemplified In The Life And Writings Of The Late Mrs. Isabella Graham.

Author: Isabella Graham

Release Date: July 12, 2005 [EBook #16276]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE POWER OF FAITH ***

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tom Roch and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

THE POWER OF FAITH,

EXEMPLIFIED IN

THE LIFE AND WRITINGS

OF THE LATE

MRS. ISABELLA GRAHAM.

A NEW EDITION,

ENRICHED BY HER NARRATIVE OF HER HUSBAND'S DEATH, AND OTHER SELECT CORRESPONDENCE

The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud; but he will establish the border of the widow. P ROV . 15:25, 33.

PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 150 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK: 28 CORNHILL, BOSTON.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by J OANNA B ETHUNE , in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The American Tract Society.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

EARLY LIFE — RESIDENCE IN CANADA.

Foundation of the excellence of her character — Birth — Education — Conversion — Marriage — Voyage to Quebec — Doddridge's Rise and Progress — Residence at Montreal and Fort Niagara — Sails for Antigua — 1742-1772,7

CHAPTER II.

RESIDENCE AT ANTIGUA — DR. GRAHAM'S DEATH.

Dr. Graham called to St. Vincents — His safe return — State of his mind — Death of Mrs. Graham's mother — Letter describing the death of Dr. Graham — Kindness of Dr. H. — Reflections — Letters to Mrs. Grandidier and to her father — Departure for Scotland — 1773-1775,22

CHAPTER III.

RETURN TO SCOTLAND — SCHOOL AT EDINBURGH.

Perilous voyage — Trust in God — Return to Cartside — Care of her father — Residence at Paisley — Depressed circumstances — Peace in God — Singular investment and result — School in Ed inburgh — Friends — Benevolence to poor tradesmen — Dancing — Letter of Lady Glenorchy — Origin of the Society for the Relief of the Destitute Sick — Death and character of Lady Glenorchy — Letter to a daughter — Visit to Cartside and Paisley — Reposes all upon Christ — Re moval to New York — Devotional exercises — 1776-1789,54

CHAPTER IV.

SCHOOL IN NEW YORK — DEATH OF HER PASTOR, DR. JOHN MASON — LAST NEWS OF HER SON.

Voyage and reception at New York — Marriage of Mrs. Stevenson — Anxiety for her son — He escapes a press-gang — Confidence in God — Sickness and death of her pastor, Dr. John Mason — His character — Dr. John M. Mason installed pastor — Devotional exercises — Letter to A.D. — Letter to her son — Last intelligence of him — Reflections — 1789-1794,82

CHAPTER V.

DEATH OF HER DAUGHTER — FIRST MISSIONARY SOCIETY IN NEW YORK.

Marriage of Mrs. Bethune — Death of Mrs. Stevenson — Strong consolation — Singular receipts and liberality — Devotional exercises — Anniversary of her daughter's birth and death — F irst Missionary Society in New York — Reflections — Acquaintance wi th Mrs. C—— near Boston — Letter and devotional exercises — 1795-1797,115

CHAPTER VI.

FORMATION OF THE WIDOWS' SOCIETY — CLOSE OF HER SCHOOL.

Rise of the Widows' Society — First monthly missionary prayer-meeting — Letter to a young man on joining the church — The Essay on Man — Marriage of Mrs. Smith — Close of her school — Labors for widows and the poor — Letters to Mrs. C. — The yellow-fever — Death of Washington — Devotional exercises — 1797-1800,144

CHAPTER VII.

BENEVOLENT LABORS — MRS. HOFFMAN — CORRESPONDENCE.

Schools and labors connected with the Widows' Society — Her friend Mrs. Hoffman — Anniversary of the Widows' Society — Visit to Boston — Want of evangelical preaching — Letters to Miss M—— of Boston — Letters to Mr. and Mrs. Bethune in Britain — Anxiety for them — Confidence in God — Church discipline — Dr. Mason sails for Britain — 1800-1801,167

CHAPTER VIII.

JOURNAL AND LETTERS — LADIES' SCHOOL FOR POOR CHILDREN.

Death of a grandchild — Letters to Mr. and Mrs. Bethune in Britain — Death of B. — Of another grandchild — Of Pero, a co lored man — Return of Mr. and Mrs. Bethune — Takes up her abode with them — Devotional exercises — Ladies' school for poor children — Address on its formation — Supplications for a revival of God's work — Labors for the suffering poor — Letters to Mrs. C. — Letter to the widow of her brother — 1801-1805,200

CHAPTER IX.

ORPHAN ASYLUM SOCIETY — FOREIGN MISSIONARIES.

Letters — Formation and success of the Orphan Asylum — Inscription for Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Hoffman — Labors in the New York hospital and among female convicts — Miss Farquharson, first American missionary to foreign lands — Visit of Rev. Dr. Morrison and others — Letter to her children at the Springs — Letter to Mrs. Juliet S. — Visits Rockaway — Reminiscence of Elderslie — 1806-1809,250

CHAPTER X.

NEW YORK BIBLE SOCIETY — ASSOCIATIONS FOR PRAYER — HAPPY OLD AGE.

Letters — Bible Society organized — Efforts for the revival and extension of religion — Admissions to the communion — Narrow escape from drowning at Rockaway — Barrenness of preaching without Christ — Devotional exercises — Letters to Miss Van Wyck and James Todd — Happy old age — Letter to Mrs. C—— in affliction — Letter to Mrs. G.Y. — Prayer for ministers — Magdalen Society — Lancasterian school — 1809-1811,270

CHAPTER XI.

DEVOTIONAL EXERCISES AND LETTERS.

Indwelling sin lamented — Day of fasting — Happines s of the aged Christian — Sermon in the state-prison — Happy reminiscences — Two grandchildren unite with the church — Unfaithfulness to people of the world lamented — Rich temporal blessings — Letter to Mrs. J.W. — Day of fasting — 1812-1814,309

CHAPTER XII.

CLOSING LABORS FOR THE POOR — SICKNESS AND DEATH.

Society for the promotion of industry among the poor — Sunday-school of eighty children — Love of evangelical books Last two weeks — Communion — Last sickness — Peaceful death — Character by Dr. Mason — Epitaph — 1814,348

PROVISION FOR PASSING OVER JORDAN.

Scripture extracts — Meditations — Poetic effusions,

LIFE

OF

MRS. ISABELLA GRAHAM.

CHAPTER I.

EARLY LIFE — RESIDENCE IN CANADA.

379

M ANKIND  take an interest in the history of those who, like themselves, have encountered the trials and discharged the duties of life. Too often, however, publicity is given to the lives of men splendid in acts of mighty mischief, in whom the secret exercises of the heart would not bear a scrutiny. The memoirs are comparatively few of those engaged in the humbl e and useful walks of active benevolence, where the breathings of the soul would display a character much to be admired, and more to be imitated.

As the celebrated Dr. Buchanan has observed, that if you were to ask certain persons in Christian countries, if they had any acquaintance with thereligious world, they would say "they had never heard therewassuch a world;" so, while the external conduct of individuals is made the subject of much critical remark, the religion of the heart, the secret source of action, too frequently escapes unnoticed and unexplored.

It is only when the career of life is closed, that the character is completely established. On this account memoirs of the living are, in few instances, read with much interest; but when the soul has departed, and the body sleeps in dust, it may prove useful to survivors to examine the principles which led their departed friend to a life of honorable benevolence, and to a peaceful end.

Such considerations as these, and the urgent request of many respectable individuals, have induced the preparation of the following sketch of the life and writings of Mrs. I SABELLA  G RAHAM , whose character was so esteemed, and whose memory is so venerated by all who knew her. T he evident purity of motive which impelled her to activity in deeds of b enevolence, at once commanded love and respect, which, in her case pecu liarly, was unalloyed with any risings of jealousy, envy, or distrust.

Blessed with a spirit of philanthropy, with an arde nt and generous mind, a sound judgment, and an excess of that sensibility w hich moulds the soul for friendship, a cultivated intellect and rich experience, her company was eagerly sought and highly valued by old and young. Though happily qualified to shine in the drawing-room, her time was seldom wasted there; for such a disposition

of it would have been waste, contrasted with her usual employments. Her steps were not seen ascending the hill, of ambition, nor tracing the mazes of popular applause. Where the widow and the orphan wept, where the sick and the dying moaned, thither her footsteps hastened; and there, seen only by her heavenly Father, she administered to their temporal wants, b reathed the voice of consolation on their ear, shed the tear of sympathy, exhibited the truths of the gospel from the sacred volume, and poured out her soul for them in prayer to her Saviour and her God.

In a few such deeds she rested not, nor was the story of them obtruded upon others, or recorded by herself. The recollection of past exertions was lost in her zeal to accomplish greater purposes and greater good: her heart expanded with her experience, and her means were too limited, the active powers of her vigorous mind too feeble, to fulfil the abounding d esires of her soul in alleviating the miseries and increasing the comforts of the poor, the destitute, and afflicted. To learn the latent springs of such excellence is worthy of research; they may be all summed up in this,the religion of the heart.

The extracts from Mrs. Graham's letters and devotio nal exercises, which constitute so large a part of the following pages, will furnish the best development of her principles; and may, with the blessing of God, prove useful to those who read them. In all her writings will be manifested the power offaith, the efficiency ofgrace, and in them, as in her own uniform confession, Jesus will be magnified and self will be humbled. Her life was chiefly distinguished by her continual dependence on God, and his unceasing faithfulness and mercy towards her.

I SABELLA  M ARSHALL , afterwards Mrs. Graham, was born July 29, 1742, i n the shire of Lanark, in Scotland. Her grandfather was one of the elders who quitted the established church with the Rev. Messrs. Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine. She was educated in the principles of the church of Scotland. Her father and mother were both pious; indeed, her mother, whose maiden name was Janet Hamilton, appears, from her letters yet extant, to have possessed a mind of the same character as her daughter afterwards exhibited.

Isabella was trained to an active life, as well as favored with a superior education. Her grandfather, whose dying-bed she ass iduously attended, bequeathed her a legacy of some hundred pounds. In the use to which she applied this money, the soundness of her judgment was thus early manifested. She requested it might be appropriated to the purpose of procuring a thorough education. When ten years of age, she was sent to a boarding-school taught by a lady of distinguished talents and piety. Often has Mrs. Graham repeated to her children the maxims of Mrs. Betty Morehead. With ardent and unwearied endeavors to attain mental endowments, and especial ly moral and religious knowledge, she attended the instructions of Mrs. Mo rehead for seven successive winters. How valuable is early instruction. With the blessing of God, it is probable that this instructress laid the foun dation of the exertions and usefulness of her pupil in after-life. How wise and how gracious are the ways of the Lord. Knowing the path in which he was afterwar ds to lead Isabella Marshall, her God was pleased to provide her an education of a much higher kind than was usual in those days. Who would not trust that God, who alone

can bethe guide of our youth?

Her father, John Marshall, farmed a paternal estate, called the Heads, near Hamilton. This estate he sold, and rented the estate of Elderslie, once the habitation of Sir William Wallace. There Isabella passed her childhood and her youth.

She had no definite recollection of the period at which her heart firsttasted that the Lord is gracious. As far back as she could remember, she took delight in pouring out her soul to God. In the woods of Elderslie she selected a bush, to which she resorted in seasons of devotion. Under this bush she believed she was enabled to devote herself to God, through faith in her Redeemer, before she had entered on her tenth year. To this favorite, and to her, sacred spot, she would repair, when exposed to temptation or perplexed with childish troubles. From thence she caused her prayers to ascend, and there she found peace and consolation.

Children cannot at too early a period seek the favor of the God of heaven. How blessed to be reared and fed by his hand, taught by his Spirit, and strengthened by his grace.

The late Rev. Dr. Witherspoon, afterwards president of Princeton college, was at this time one of the ministers of the town of Paisley. Isabella sat under his ministry, and at the age of seventeen publicly professed her faith in Christ. In the year 1765 she was married to Dr. John Graham, then a practising physician in Paisley, a gentleman of liberal education and of respectable standing.

About a year after their marriage, Dr. Graham, having been appointed surgeon to the 60th or royal American regiment, was ordered to Canada, where that corps was stationed. Mrs. Graham accompanied him, and a plan was digested — with how limited a knowledge of the future will appear — for their permanent residence in America. Dr. Graham calculated on disposing of his commission, and purchasing a tract of land on the Mohawk river, where his father-in-law, Mr. Marshall, was to follow him. The letter subjoined gives the interesting incidents of their voyage, and forms a pleasant introduction to the character of Mrs. Graham at this period of her life.

"Q UEBEC , August 29, 1767.

"M Y DEAREST P ARENTS — This is the fifth letter I have written to you, although I know it is the first that can reach you. All the ti me I was at sea I kept a letter lying by me, in hope of getting it put on board some vessel bound for Britain; but I have met with many disappointments. We spoke several ships, but I never could get a letter put on board. At one time I was told the wind was too high, at another that the ship was at too great a distance, and so was put off till I began to understand a more substantial reason, namely, that it would cost the captain rather too much trouble.

"We have now, however, got safe here, after a tedious voyage of nine weeks, and I will give you a short account of what happened during that time.

"We sailed, as you know, from Greenock, June 10. For the first five or six days we had fine weather and fair winds, and got quite clear of land; after this, we

had nearly six weeks of most tempestuous weather, and the wind, except for about two days, directly against us. The gentlemen after some time began to be very impatient; for my part I should not have cared although it had lasted twelve months. I had left all that was dear to me behind, except one dear friend, that one was constantly with me, and although the rest of the company in the ship was very agreeable, yet I was the great object of his attention, and his invention was ever on the stretch to find amusement for me. It is not possible for me to say with what indulgent tenderness I was treated; but though I love my husband even to extravagance, yet my dear friends whom I le ft behind have a large share of my heart. They dwell on my mind in the daytime; and at night, when sleep lays the body aside and leaves the soul at li berty, she on the wings of imagination makes one skip over whole seas, and is immediately with those dear friends whose absence she so much lamented during the day, and in an imaginary body as truly enjoys you for the time as if really present with you.

"The gentlemen on board soon found reason to be thankful for the preservation of life, and got something very different to think of than fret at the contrary winds. A leak sprung in the ship, which alarmed them all so much that a consultation was held among them whether if any ship came near they should hail it and go on board wherever she was bound. I was perfectly un concerned about the whole matter, not being aware of the danger, which was kept secret from me till we came on shore. I saw the men constantly pumping, but thought it was what they were obliged to do in every ship. After coming to land, on examining the ship, they found the leak to be so large that one might put his five fingers into it; indeed, it seemed next to a miracle that she kept above water; but every day of our lives may convince us what dependent creatures we are. While God's merciful providence protects us we are safe, though in the midst of apparent danger; should he withdraw that protection but for a moment, inevitable evils surround us, even when we think ourselves in perfect safety.

"A proof of this we had in a most distressing event, which took place about six weeks after we left Greenock. The wind was in our favor, the day was fine, and we were all amusing ourselves on deck in various ways, when Captain Kerr, who was standing close by us, stumbling backwards, fell overboard. He got above water before the ship passed him, and called to throw him a rope, but alas, no rope was at hand, and before one was got the ship was out of his reach. Immediately they threw over a large hen-coop, but, poor man, he could not swim, so he soon disappeared. The boats were pu t out with great expedition, and in less than a quarter of an hour h e was found. You may believe no means were left unemployed to restore animation; but alas, the spirit had taken its final leave; it was no longer an inhabitant of earth, not the least signs of life appeared. The day after, being Sunday, his body was committed to the deep, from whence it had been rescued the day before. Dr. Graham read in public the church of England burial service. Every one on board seemed much affected; I cannot tell you how much I was.

"About eight days after, we got to the Banks of New foundland; while there the fog was so dense we could not see forty yards in any direction, and the cold was excessive, notwithstanding the season of the year. There were a great many islands of ice floating on the water; I saw three within twenty yards of us, much larger than the ship. The captain said if the ship ran against any one of them, she would be dashed to pieces. And here, again, my former observation

holds good, for sure it could not be the art of man, either in the dark night or in the dense fog, which could protect the ship flying before the wind, through dangers so thick on every side of us. For several d ays and nights we saw neither sun nor stars, which distressed the captain much, for he knew not where we were, and apprehending we were near land, was afraid of running upon some rock; so we were obliged to cruise about till the atmosphere cleared.

"The sail up the river St. Lawrence is extremely pleasant. You know how fond I have ever been of wood and water. This country, in this respect, is quite to my taste, and could I only get half a dozen of those friends I could name settled down on either side of us, with five hundred pounds' worth of land to give to each, I should ask no more in this world.

"When we arrived, the doctor's friend Mr. Findley came on board, took us on shore, and brought us to his elegant mansion. He begged we would look on him as an old friend, feel perfectly at home, and remain with him as long as we could. Give my love to my dear boys;* you see them often, I have no doubt. Do, my dearest mamma, write me soon, and tell me all about them and yourself; and ever believe me, my dear parents, with the greatest affection,

*Dr. Graham's two sons by a former marriage, who were left under the care of Mr. Davidson, rector of the grammar-school of Paisley.

"Your dutiful daughter,

"I. G RAHAM ."

In a letter a month, later, Mrs. Graham refers to the gay and fashionable circles to which they were introduced in Quebec, and mentio ns her visiting the beautiful falls of Montmorency; but mourns over the low state of religion, and the prevailing desecration of the Sabbath. She adds:

"I have read Doddridge's Rise and Progress. I little knew what a treasure Mr. Ellis put into my hand when he gave me that book. I cannot say it is my daily companion, but I can with truth say it is often so. Let my mind be in ever so giddy and thoughtless a frame, or ever so much busied in those amusements I am engaged in, it makes me serious, and gives my thoughts a different turn; there is scarce any situation the mind can be in, b ut it will find something suitable there. I must not, however, make remarks on the particular contents of it; it would occupy more paper than I have to spare. I would have you purchase the book; I am sure you would like it; and when you have read it, it will be matter of great satisfaction to you that John and I have such a treasure in our possession. In it are contained every advice you could give us, and cautions against the temptations which, on account of youth, company, and the country we are in, we are exposed to."

They were expecting to spend the winter in Quebec, but were ordered to Montreal, where Jessie, her eldest daughter, was born, and where Mrs. Graham received intelligence of the death of her infant son, who had been left with her mother in Scotland. Further orders were soon received for the doctor to join the second battalion of his regiment at fort Niagara, on lake Ontario; Mrs. Graham followed him, and they continued here in garrison for four years, during which her second and third daughters, Joanna and Isabella , were added to her charge.