them, "There, my children, while you have been amusing yourselves with talking, I have prepared a sermon for my people, and I shall lay it away with others in my store-house, till it is convenient to write it out." The interest which he felt in his children, especially in regard to their most important concerns, was, like all his other feelings, deep and operative. The following extracts from some letters to his only son, then a boy at the Flushing Institute, will exhibit proofs of his state of mind, as connected with the permanent welfare of this son: "My dear Son, "PHILADELPHIA, January 12th, 1831. "Your last letter afforded great gratification to your dear mother and myself. We were glad, because you seem to be making good progress in your studies, and above all, because we have some hopes that you are striving to walk in the ways of God. Nothing could give your father and mother greater delight, than to know that their beloved and only son was growing up to be a child of God. It would be of little consequence to us to have you a great or a learned man, if we should find you careless about God, and indifferent to the salvation of your own soul. What we want you to be, and what we most sincerely pray that you may be, is a good man, loving and serving God. Then shall we be sure that you will be happy, both here and hereafter. I should be very much pleased if you would write to me on the subject of your feelings as to religion. Perhaps I should be able to say something that might be of advantage to you. In relation to all other matters, your mother, and aunt, and cousins, will write, for they have more time than I have." "My dear Son, "PHILADELPHIA, November 1st, 1831. "I have just learned from Mr. E. that he is going on to Flushing with Horace, and have time only to say a few words. Your dear mother will write somewhat more at length. I am exceeding happy to find that you reached the school safely, and are now once more in your comfortable and contented situation. Your whole conduct at home afforded me great gratification, and I shall be truly happy if your great motive and desire shall become the love of God. Do, my precious boy, remember, that without a change of heart and a true faith in Christ, there is no happiness here or hereafter, and that now is your time, in your early days, to begin to live for God. My respects to Mr. M "My dear Son, "Your affectionate Father." "WOODLANDS, June 16th, 1832. "I received your letter yesterday, and now that have a few moments leisure, I sit down to answer it. In the first place, I desire to put your mind at rest as to my own wishes concerning your continuance at the Institute. It is my deliberate opinion, that there is no place in our country in which you could be so favourably situated; and if God should enable me to do it, I wish to have the gratification of seeing your education thoroughly accomplished there. If there should be a necessity for your going to college, it is a matter which I wish to put off as long as possible. In these views your dear mother most heartily joins me. "Now I will tell you how all the family yesterday were merci. fully preserved. Just before tea, there came up a thunder-storm, and the house was struck twice, and a large tree also shivered to pieces within twenty feet of the window. We had just risen from tea when the first tremendous crash passed down the lightningrod on the east end of the house; the second crash, about two minutes after, struck the tree, (a beautiful honey locust,) and shivered it in two streams from top to bottom, throwing the bark for fifty yards, and breaking seven large panes of glass, filling the house with a sulphurous smell; the third crash passed down the lightning-rod on the west side of the house, completely melting a new platina point, yet, in God's mercy, no one was hurt." "I have no doubt that you have been very much disappointed, that we have not been able to pay you a visit this season. The state of my health has been the reason. I am looking forward with great pleasure to the period of examination, when I hope all the family will be able to be present. After the examination, I propose to take you, with dear mother and Lilly, in the new dearborn, and travel about three or four weeks. But all these things are contingent. We have to say, if the Lord will, we will do this or that.' "I am truly delighted at your advancement, though I do not remember how many degrees higher you now are than was mentioned in your last report. Do not fail to pursue your studies with the utmost assiduity. Pray to God to give you both the disposition and the ability to improve by your present advantages. I trust you are obeying the injunction, 'seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.' "As to the rail-road to Germantown, I have not yet seen it since it was finished. I understand that hundreds ride on it every day; but there is a very dreadful profanation of the Lord's-day, as they keep the cars running all the time." "June 18th. And now I have something else to tell you which I think will be likely to be very interesting. Your cousin has been lately ordained, and is about to take the station of my assistant. He preached for us yesterday morning and gave universal satisfaction. He is a remarkably fine young man and an excellent preacher. Nothing would be more grateful to my feelings than the idea that at some future day you would be prepared for the high and responsible duties of the ministry. But this is a matter which at present I hardly dare to indulge myself in reflecting upon, as no one ought ever to think upon the subject of the ministry who does not know that he has decidedly given himself up to the love and service of God. My dear boy, what is the state of your heart at present? I know that your mind has been tender on this subject, but very little has been said in your late letters. Can you enter into self-examination, and persuade yourself that you have given your heart to God? I hope that you are still deeply interested in the concerns of serious personal religion. When you write tell me all about your daily habits of religion. Do you pray regularly morning and evening? Do you regularly read the Scriptures privately? Do you love to attend public worship? Do you go to any prayer-meeting? Your parents will be much more delighted to hear something said on these subjects, than on any on which you write; for their chief desire and prayer is, that the Lord may take you for his child, and so give you his grace as that your heart may be completely devoted to him. Every night and morning your dear mother and myself in our united prayers make our beloved children the subjects of our most earnest supplications, and I hope that to our prayers, you will add your own. "I see that I have written you a very long letter. Now you must write to me soon. We are all well. Dear Lilly is skipping about like a little lamb, and talks very much of "bub." I hope the Lord in mercy may spare us all to meet next month. "My respects to Mr. M., and I remain "Your affectionate Father." "PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1, 1833. 66 My dear Son, "Your mother, aunt and myself, were very much delighted with your last letter, and as I have a few moments leisure in consequence of the state of the weather, I have determined to send you a few lines. We are all very much gratified with the accounts we hear, and hope that you will be most earnest and persevering in your studies. Now is certainly your time to lay in a stock of learning, which may enable you, by the blessing of God, to follow some profession, or otherwise to provide for your sup port when arrived at years when young men take care of themselves. It would delight me beyond all measure, and it is my earnest prayer to God, that your mind may be steadily fixed upon the ministry of the everlasting Gospel, but this you must not touch till you are thoroughly convinced that you have experienced a change of heart and are ready to dedicate and devote yourself entirely to the love and service of God. Much as it would conduce to my happiness to know that your mind does direct its attention to this subject, I could never consent to your taking upon yourself such a responsibility, unless upon a very clear impression of a call from God, and a thorough spiritual qualification. There is one way, my darling son, of settling every matter which may concern your future life, and it is by never resting satisfied till you have entirely given up your heart to the precious Saviour, and this is essential to your present happiness, no matter to what condition of life you may direct your attention; and this is essential to every hope of future happiness. Persevere, my dear boy, in the discharge of your religious duties, but do not rest satisfied with the mere discharge of duties. Unless the heart is given to God, there is no delight and no profit in religious duties. You state, in your letter to your dear mother, that you are troubled with wandering thoughts. Do you strive and pray against these. Remember there is no sin in the mere fact of being tempted, but there is sin in yielding to temptation. Try to fix your thoughts; pray earnestly that God would be with you to arrest your thoughts. But never be discouraged; go on, and if your heart is right with God, you will find that you shall eventually succeed. Our family news is very scarce. I have been somewhat better this winter, most probably owing to the mild character of the season. Your dear little sister also, I think, is in better health. I believe she has written you a line. I have preached a sermon to young men which is now publishing, and when it is out, I will try to send you a copy. There were no less than twelve hundred young men present. No females were allowed in the body of the Church. This was last Sunday evening. |