The Power of Faith Part 11

"There are two kinds of rest awaiting you, the one in this life, the other will not be attained till the mortal shall put on immortality. When was it that Paul, the great apostle, could say he had fought the good fight? Not till he could also say he had finished his course, and was ready to be offered up; till then, he like others had to continue the warfare between grace and corruption; like others, found a law in his members warring against the law of his mind, so that the thing that he would, he did not, and that which he would not, that he did. Notwithstanding this, there is a blessed rest attainable here, rest from the fear of wrath and h.e.l.l--a rest in Christ as our atonement, our surety, our complete righteousness, our t.i.tle to eternal life, and all the grace necessary to fit us for it. This is the work of faith, or rather, this is faith itself. The soul established in this can rest in all possible circ.u.mstances; it depends not on its frames: in darkness, when it is tossed, tempted, wandering, conscious of unhallowed tempers, perhaps of the actual commission of sin, though at such times the warfare between grace and corruption is so strong as to make the Christian exclaim, 'O wretched man that I am!

who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death?' he can still say, 'The Lord lives, blessed be my Rock;' see the 42d and 43d Psalms.

The Christian can still say, my Lord and my G.o.d; he is sure the conflict will end, and that his G.o.d will bring good out of it; he enjoys hope; he feels his state as safe as in the most enlarged frame of mind, when he can pray, praise, love, rejoice. This is a riddle which only Christians can understand, and even they require many lessons to comprehend it, many more to practise.

"Have you Newton's letters? See his second letter in Cardiphonia.

O try to fix your anchor of hope on that sure foundation which G.o.d has laid in Zion, Christ himself. Trust him to save you from every evil without you and within you. When your own weakness sinks you, try to be strong in his strength; when guilt disturbs, wash in the open Fountain. But hold fast the beginning of your confidence unto the end.

"Be comforted, fight on, aim at trusting, and you shall, in the Lord's time, also, cease from your own works, and rest, with more advanced Christians, on the faithfulness of your own G.o.d in Christ.

See Hebrews 4:9, also chap. 12 throughout. I finish with chap.

13:20, 21, my earnest prayer and sure hope for you, my precious friend.

Yours, etc."

Writing to her brother Dr. Marshall, she alludes to the prevalent neglect of the voice of G.o.d in his judgments, and notices the death of Was.h.i.+ngton.

"NEW YORK, March 3, 1800.

"Here comes a letter of woe from my dear brother, on a subject almost already forgotten in New York, the yellow-fever. Strange as it may seem, the disease, and all that it carried off, seem entirely out of mind. No mention made of the past, no apprehensions for the future. Country retreats are multiplying around, and people appear as if they had made a covenant with death. Potter's Field is filled with our princ.i.p.al citizens; the prison and prison limits with many of the survivors. The rest are _feasting_, _dancing,_ and _revelling_, or weeping over feigned woe in the theatre--a few excepted, who have fled for refuge to the hope set before them, whose eyes have been opened to discern the danger and accept the offered Saviour: among which number, I dare, through grace, reckon your sister and her children. 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.'

"The city, indeed the United States, have been swallowed up in the loss of Was.h.i.+ngton. The utmost stretch of human eloquence has been called forth in panegyric. His eulogium has been sounded in every possible mode--not excepting our pulpits. The 22d of February, his birthday, was set apart to his memory. Two of our ministers were appointed to p.r.o.nounce an eulogium on his character: one of whom was Dr. Mason, the other Dr. Linn. The last I admired; it had its due influence over me; but of my own minister I could form no judgment: the church, the pulpit, the man, the words, seemed so connected with the 'Lord Jesus Christ,' his favorite theme, I could not realize the _mere_ orator.

"Great things were said of Was.h.i.+ngton, and they were due.

"The Lord himself called him by name, girded him, subdued great armies before him, with handfuls, like Gideon. He gave him wisdom in counsel, and prudence in executing justice. A nation blessed him while he lived, and with all the power of language lamented his death. Ah, human depravity, how striking. Bursting with grat.i.tude to a creature--with enmity to a Saviour G.o.d; to G.o.d, who 'so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life; and to as many as receive him gives power to become the sons of G.o.d,' by putting his Spirit within them, and causing them to love and walk in his statutes. But alas, the carnal unrenewed mind is enmity against G.o.d and his Christ. O that men were wise, and could see their disease, and the remedy.

"What misery is in the world at this day. It is only equalled by the wickedness. How does potsherd dash against potsherd, mutually destroying each other. How consoling to the Christian 'that the Lord reigns. The Lord sits King among the nations,' even our own Jesus, 'Head over all princ.i.p.alities and powers, and dominions, and every name that is named in heaven and in earth;' all these shakings, turnings, and overturnings, shall prove subservient to the real prosperity of his church."

"1800.

"I have entered into my closet; I have shut my door; I would pray to my Father who is in secret; I would be shut up with my indwelling G.o.d; but see the crowds that follow; see my treacherous heart that gives them admission; see my unsanctified imagination going off with them, leaving nothing before thee but a lifeless lump of clay. Help, Lord. Hast thou not redeemed me from vain imaginations? Lord, fill all thy temple; cast out the buyers and sellers; thyself prepare room for close, undisturbed, holy conference. Grant that, according to the riches of thy glory, I may be strengthened with might by thy Spirit in the inner man: dwell in my heart by faith, that 'rooted and grounded in love, I may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ, which pa.s.seth knowledge, and be filled with all the fulness of G.o.d.' Give unto thy redeemed servant the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. Reveal thyself more and more in my soul; enlighten the eyes of my understanding. Lord, improve, enlarge the powers of the new man. Spirit of the Father and of the Son, do thine office; take of the things of Christ and show them unto me; that I may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the 'riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at the Father's right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all princ.i.p.alities, and powers, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.' Filled with all the fulness of G.o.d; 'the fulness of him who filleth all in all!' O what things are these. My soul stretches to comprehend; but, weak and feeble, cannot climb those glorious heights, nor dig into these, to me, unsearchable depths. I can only spell after the language of the Holy Ghost, lisp out his own words. I dare not trust my powers of comprehension to vary even the mode of expression.

"Well, it may be best for me; the valley of humility may be safest for me. 'Father, glorify thy name.' Thou hast quickened me; I am not what I was. Thou hast wrought in me a measure of faith and love; thou hast sealed me with the Holy Spirit of promise; thou hast given me the earnest of my inheritance; the full possession shall come in thy appointed time. Wherefore I will sing unto Him that is able, and will do exceeding abundantly above all I can ask, think, or comprehend, according to that same mighty power that worketh in us.

Unto him be glory in the church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

"My covenant G.o.d, and the G.o.d of my house. Thy Spirit saith, 'If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of G.o.d.' Thou knowest the difficulty and danger of the present case. We are ignorant of hidden motions and principles, of Satan's suggestions, of corresponding or discordant circ.u.mstances, of future providences and events. Lord, give counsel.

"If information and advice be duty on the part of thy servant, determine on the side of duty, be the danger what it may; and Oh, search, try, and deliver from every selfish or hidden impure motive.

Give prudence in the choice of words, in the time and manner as well as purity in the matter. Save from injuring any of the individuals concerned. And Oh, prepare the heart of thy other servant to receive this office of friends.h.i.+p with a proper degree of confidence. Save from unjust suspicions, that it may be taken as meant in love, in Christian love and friends.h.i.+p.

"O thou who knowest all hearts, all motives, all circ.u.mstances past, present, and future, overrule for the manifestation of truth, for the safety and good of thy servant, and for the closer union of all concerned in the bands of Christian love, confidence, and affection; and as our covenant G.o.d, in whom we trust for guidance in every path of duty, glorify thy name.

"I record this prayer in faith, and wait an answer of peace from thy inward teaching and manifestation in the course of thy providence.

Amen."

"1800.

"'His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him; all nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the Lord G.o.d, the G.o.d of Israel, who alone doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen.' Psalm 72:17.

"Again have I and my children been fed with Christ's flesh and his blood at his own table. Glorious things are said of thee, thou city of our G.o.d; and rich the provision of the house of our G.o.d; wonderful the scheme that hath made sinful, guilty, rebel sinners the citizens of this holy city, inhabitants of this holy house. Mysterious truth. The city itself the house of G.o.d; the temple of the Lord, in which he delighteth to dwell. Closer yet, more mysterious, yet equally true, 'his body, his flesh, and his bones;' closer still, one Spirit with him. As Mediator Emmanuel, he is the bond of union, whereby the guilty sons and daughters of Adam are made one with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

"Wonderfully and fearfully are we made as creatures: as a rational creature, who can understand and comprehend himself; how these members were fas.h.i.+oned; how this spark of vital flame was breathed into the lifeless lump or atom? Wonder-working Lord, thou only knowest. Wonderful are all the works of creation; but Oh, what are they to thy work of redemption? To bring worlds out of nothing, to bring light out of darkness, was thy easy work; but to bring good out of evil, this, this was the wonder. Thousands and ten thousands of worlds were, and may yet be created without cost. G.o.d says, Let it _be_, and it is; but redemption! O, who can tell the cost?

Blessed Jesus, G.o.d manifested in the flesh; Christ, babe of Bethlehem--man of sorrows--victim on the cross; thou only canst tell.

'Blessed be the Lord G.o.d of Israel, who alone doeth wondrous things, and blessed be his glorious name for ever!' Whatever the cost, _it is finished_. He bowed his head and said, 'It is finished!' This finished work is the new testament which he bequeathed to his disciples 'the same night in which he was betrayed,' when he took bread, blessed it, brake it, gave it to his disciples, and said, Take, eat, this is my body broken for you; and took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins.

"The new testament! O, who can tell the blessings and benefits contained in this testament, this dying legacy of our dear Emmanuel, purchased and sealed with his blood! What is the amount of it? What the sum of blessings contained in it? Behold, G.o.d is become our salvation. This is the amount. G.o.d himself, G.o.d in Christ reconciling us unto himself: by his mighty power subduing the enmity that is in us; melting our flinty hearts; drawing us with the cords of love; creating us anew after his own image, which we had totally lost; uniting us to himself, even _us_, who were enmity itself, but now are become one with G.o.d, who is love. This is the work we have this day been celebrating: a given, a born, a living, a suffering, dying, risen, ascended, glorified, reigning Saviour. The Lord of hosts, the King of kings, the Almighty G.o.d dwelling with men, dwelling in men, and feeding them with his own body and blood. 'Behold, G.o.d is become our salvation; we will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is our strength and our song; he also is become our salvation, therefore with joy will we draw water out of the wells of salvation.'

His attributes are the never-failing source; his ordinances the wells of salvation. G.o.d himself is ours, all that he is is ours, to bless and to make us happy. Ten thousand springs issue from this blessed source, specified and particularized in his Bible, experienced and celebrated by his saints. Let us drink and be refreshed, rejoice and praise: for Oh, who can tell the amount of our riches, in having G.o.d for our portion? All things are ours, we are Christ's, and Christ is G.o.d's."

The Widows' Society met monthly, when the money in the treasury was divided among the managers, for the relief of the widows under their care. Mrs. Graham, as directress, thus acknowledges G.o.d and asks his counsel:

"1800.

"O my G.o.d, I account it an honorable office thou hast given me. I have received it from thee. Enable me to execute it to thee.

"Father of the fatherless, husband of the widow, make me a fit instrument in thy hand of distributing thy bounty. Give discernment and judgment, tenderness, gentleness, humility, and love; let love to thee be the principle of my every action; lead me in the straight path of duty; on the matter, the manner, the time, let 'holiness to the Lord' be written. I thank thee for this sum towards the relief of thy creatures; be with us this evening, and direct our determination as to the division of it. Amen."

CHAPTER VII.

BENEVOLENT LABORS--MRS. HOFFMAN-- CORRESPONDENCE.

The "Society for the relief of Poor Widows with small Children,"

having received a charter of incorporation, and some pecuniary aid from the Legislature of the state, the ladies who const.i.tuted the board of direction were engaged in plans for extending their usefulness: Mrs. Graham took an active part in executing these plans.

The Society purchased a small house, where they received work of various kinds for the employment of their widows. They opened a school for the instruction of their orphans, and many of Mrs. Graham's former pupils volunteered their services, taking upon themselves, by rotation, the part of instructors. Besides establis.h.i.+ng this school, Mrs. Graham selected some of the widows best qualified for the task, and engaged them, for a small compensation, to open day schools for the instruction of the children of widows in distant parts of the city: she also established two Sabbath-schools, one of which she superintended herself, and the other she placed under the care of her daughter. Wherever she met with Christians sick and in poverty, she visited and comforted them; and in some instances, opened small subscription lists to provide for their support.

She attended occasionally for some years at the almshouse, for the instruction of the children there in religious knowledge: in this work she was much a.s.sisted by an humble and pious female friend, who was seldom absent from it on the Lord's day. In short, her whole time was occupied in searching out the distresses of the poor, and devising measures to comfort and establish them to the extent of her influence and means. At the same time, far from arrogating any merit to herself, she seemed always to feel how much she was deficient in following fully the precepts and the footsteps of her beloved Lord and Saviour, who "went about doing good."

It was often her custom to leave home after breakfast, taking with her a few rolls of bread, and return in the evening about eight o'clock. Her only dinner on such days was her bread, and perhaps some soup at the soup-house, established by the Humane Society for the poor, over which one of her widows had been, at her recommendation, appointed. She and her venerable companion, Mrs. Sarah Hoffman, second directress of the Widows' Society, travelled many a day and many a step together in the walks of charity. Mrs. Graham was a Presbyterian, Mrs. Hoffman an Episcopalian. Those barriers, of which such an unhappy use has been made by sectarians to separate the children of G.o.d, fell down between these two friends at the cry of affliction, and were consumed on the altar of Christian love. Arm in arm, and heart to heart, they visited the abodes of distress, dispensing temporal aid from the purse of charity, and spiritual comfort from the word of life.

At each annual meeting, Mrs. Graham usually gave an address to the Society, with a report of the proceedings of the managers through the preceding year.

In April, 1800, she stated that "again the pestilence had emptied the city; again every source of industry was dried up; even the streams of benevolence from the country failed. Those storehouses, from which relief was issued to thousands in former calamities, now disappointed their hopes; and those spared by the pestilence were ready to perish by the famine. Such widows as had no friends in the country, under whose roof they might for a time seek shelter, were shut up to the only relief within their power, even to that society which had formerly saved them in many a strait. They came, were received with tenderness, a.s.sisted with, food, advice, and medicine.

"Four of the society's board, at the risk of their lives, remained in the city, steady in the exercise of their office. One hundred and forty-two widows, with four hundred and six children, under twelve years of age, by far the greater part under six, have, from time to time, during the winter, been visited and relieved. Widow is a word of sorrow in the best of circ.u.mstances; but a widow left poor, dest.i.tute, friendless, surrounded with a number of small children, s.h.i.+vering with cold, pale with want, looking in her face with eyes pleading for bread which she has not to give, nor any probable prospect of procuring--her situation is neither to be described nor conceived. Many such scenes were witnessed during the last winter; and though none could restore the father and the husband, the hearts of the mourners were soothed by the managers, while they dispensed the relief provided for them by their Father and their Husband, G.o.d."

In the summer of 1800, Mrs. Graham again visited her friends in Boston, whence she wrote her daughter Mrs. B---- as follows:

"BOSTON, August, 1800.