LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. GIFT O ^ccesM 86730 **- THE LIFE OF MARTHA BRAITHWAITE. LOVING SERVICE. A RECORD OF THE LIFE OF flfcartba Braitbwaite, BY HER DAUGHTER, ELIZABETH B. EMMOTT. , " My only hope is in Him who hath shed His precious blood a sacrifice for my sins. I long to be stirred up to diligence, that through the remaining days or years of my earthly pilgrimage my light may indeed shine brighter and brighter unto the perfect day." EXTRACTED FROM HER JOURNAL. Xon&on : HEADLEY BROTHERS, 14. BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT, E.G. MDCCCXCVI. HEADLEY BROTHERS, PRINTERS, LONDON AND ASHFORD, KENT. PREFACE. The following biography of my beloved wife is mainly drawn from her own private memoranda. It has been prepared by my daughter Elizabeth, and will, I trust, prove to many an instructive exhibition of the manifold possibilities of a life of ordinary duty, devoted to the loving service of that Redeemer, of whose presence with her it was her habitual concern and highest joy to bear a continual testimony in her daily life. It was intended primarily for the immediate family circle, but believing that many others will enjoy its perusal I have consented to its wider publication. To myself her life was a constant stimulus to renewed consecration, whilst her tender affection was a never-failing spring of refreshment and repose amidst the strain of many arduous and anxious duties. Her diligence was remarkable, yet it never prevented her from indulging in the hallowed leisure of faithful love. 86730 Vi. PREFACE. It is my prayer, for myself and for our beloved descendants, and for all who may peruse these pages, that, in the unmerited mercy of that precious Saviour in whom it was her joy to believe, we may all be permitted to meet and to rejoice with His redeemed who have gone before, in the unwearied services of His everlasting love and praise. J. B. BRAITHWAITE. 312, Camden Road, London, N. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Parentage Early Life of Joseph Ashby Gillett Martha Gibbins' Childhood and School Days Death of her father Marriage of J. A. Gillett and Martha Gibbins Their Removal to Banbury Birth of their eldest child, Martha Anecdotes of her Childhood Her early religious impressions Recollections of her father and mother in their Banbury home - i CHAPTER II. School Life At Hemel-Hempsted At Rochester Concern for her Schoolfellows Extracts from her Journal Extracts from letters from her Mother received whilst at School 12 CHAPTER III. Return from School Brothers and Sisters Recollections of girlhood Rides with her Father Love of nature Training in domestic duties Care for the poor Sibford School Concern for the spiritual welfare of her Brothers and Sisters Love for little children Illness and death of her little sister Isabella Death of her grandfather, William Gillett - -21 CHAPTER IV. Adoption of the " Plain Dress " Attendance of the Yearly Meeting Acknowledgement as a Minister Spiritual help received from Arnee Frank Extracts from his Letters Letters from her Mother - - - 37 Vlll. CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. Visits to Families of Friends in Banbury Monthly Meeting, 1846 Visit to Meetings in Herefordshire, Worces- tershire, Wales, etc. Extracts from Journal relating to same 53 CHAPTER VI. Visit to Kent Q.M. and to Sussex and Surrey Q.M., 1848 Visits to Fallen Women and to some Lodging Houses and Beer Houses in Banbury, 8th mo., 1849 - - 63 CHAPTER VII. First acquaintance with J. B. Braithwaite His visit to Banbury and to Sidmouth Their engagement Illness of her brother Joseph His death - - - 78 CHAPTER VIII. Religious Visit to Ireland accompanied by Deborah Beesley 9th mo. 26th, 1850, to 2nd mo. 3rd, 1851 - - - ' 85 CHAPTER IX. Yearly Meeting of 1851 Selection of a home in London Her father's illness Preparations for her Marriage The Wedding Day Letter from Anna Braithwaite J.B. and M.B.'s journey to Keswick, Scotby and Kendal Return home 99 CHAPTER X. 65, Mornington Road Settling in Letter to her mother Hospitality Family visits in Westminster Monthly Meeting Yearly Meeting of 1852 Visit to Scotby Birth of her first child Visit to Banbury Death of her father "Recollections" of her father - in CONTENTS. ix. CHAPTER XI. Stay at High Close Farm and at Kendal Return home Visit to some parts of Berkshire and Oxfordshire Quarterly Meeting Memoir of J. J. Gurney Car- riage accident near Sibford Birth of another daughter Stay at Scotby Week-day Meetings Concern for her servants Visit to Banbury Birth of a son Stay at Redcar and visits to some Meetings in the North Diligence in using present opportunities Watchwords 123 CHAPTER XII. Visits to Meetings in neighbourhood of London Visits to invalid Friends Anxiety as to temporal concerns Birth of another child Visit to Banbury during her husband's absence in the North Visits with her husband to families of Friends in Westminster Monthly Meeting Apparent difficulties removed Birth of a daughter Visit to Redcar and Scotby Birth of another daughter Death of Anna Braith- waite and her daughter Anna Visit to Isaac Braithwaite at Kendal - - 137 CHAPTER XIII. Visit to Families of Friends at Kendal, also to parts of Westmorland Q.M. and of Lancashire and Cheshire Q.M. Marriage of Charles Gillett Birth of a son Removal to house in Camden Road Meeting for Workmen Serious illness in winter of 1861 Death of Isaac Braithwaite Death of two of her sisters ----__ 148 CHAPTER XIV. Yearly Meeting of 1862 Illness Visit to Ilfracombe and Banbury Birth of a son Visits to families of Friends in Holloway Meeting Visit to Shanklin Illness in Spring of 1864 "Fireside Hymn Book" Birth of her youngest child The complete family circle X. CONTENTS. The Mother's influence Prayers for and with her Children Care over their Reading Their Dress The Sermon of her life Children's occupations, Carpentering, etc., and at the seashore Absences from home- - ... i$g CHAPTER XV. Martha Braithwaite as her husband's helper His first visit to the United States Visit to Redcar Review of next five or six years Her Religious Engagements, including Visit to Ireland Efforts for the Freedmen Work at Bedford Institute Visits to Homoepathic Hospital Mothers' Meeting at Westminster Mar- riage of her brother George His settling in London Visits to the Seashore Her Children's Education Death of her uncle Joseph Gibbins Death of Benjamin Seebohm - - - - - - 169 CHAPTER XVI. Her husband's journey on the Continent for the British and Foreign Bible Society His illness Her journey to Athens Their stay there and return home 185 CHAPTER XVII. Visit to Meetings of London and Middlesex Q.M. Her children's interests Commencement of work at Bunhill Fields Concern for Cabmen Annual Teas Cabmen's Shelter Visit to the Vaudois Valleys and the South of France with her husband, R. and C. Alsop, and her daughter Anna Continued interest in the work and workers on the Continent Death of Robert Alsop Her husband liberated for his second visit to the U.S.A. Death of A. P. Foster Engagement of her daughter Anna to Dr. R. H. Thomas Visit to families in Banbury Monthly Meeting J.B.B.'s return home - 201 CONTENTS. xi. CHAPTER XVIII. Illness early in 1877 Yearly Meeting Isaac Sharp's journey Stay at Sidmouth Visits to families in her own Monthly Meeting, etc. Illness of her mother Marriage of her daughter Anna Yearly Meeting of 1878 Visit of her husband to Western Yearly Meeting Death of C. R. Alsop Who will carry on the work in France ? Enters upon the work Extract from last French Report - - 218 CHAPTER XIX. Visits to Worthing and Banbury Her mother's serious illness Engagement of her eldest son Engage- ment of her daughter Elizabeth Dr. R. H. Thomas comes to England Bridlington " Memorials of Christine M. Alsop " Yearly Meeting of 1881 Alarming illness Partial recovery Journey to Mont Dore and stay there Life as an invalid Visit to Banbury Winter at Falmouth and Torquay Death of her mother - - 229 CHAPTER XX. Visit to her Daughter at Wilmslow Winter at Falmouth Her husband and son leave for journey to the East Epidemic of typhoid fever Illness of one of her sons Journey of her husband to Canada His serious carriage accident and subsequent illness His return home A quiet winter together Visits from her children Changes in the family circle Marriage and departure for Japan of her daughter, Mary C. Braithwaite Her son George appointed sub-agent for the Bible Society in Japan Marriage of her daughter Martha Correspondence with her absent children and with others - 240 Xll. CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXI. 1886 J. B. Braithwaite's fifth visit to the United States in the autumn of 1887 Stay at Bispham, serious illness there Her daughter Elizabeth and family leave for Baltimore Adelaide N. Whitney Visits from absent children Death of Isaac Braithwaite Famine in Japan - 254 CHAPTER XXII. Visit to Scotland with her husband and daughter Rachel in autumn of 1890 Visits to Kendal and More- cambe Isaac Sharp starts on his long journey Serious illness in 1892 Stay at Hastings Death of C. LI. Braithwaite Mission Hall at Philippopolis Visit of G. H. and E. B. Emmott in summer of 1893, and of her son George Death of George Gillett Death of Alfred Gillett - - - 263 CHAPTER XXIII. Stay at Clevedon R. H. and Anna B. Thomas pay a religious visit to England Yearly Meeting of 1894 Visits to Willesden and Shanklin To Banbury Winter at home Birth of her eighteenth grandchild, and prospect of visit from Dr. and M. C. Whitney Extracts from letters to her grandchildren Illness in Spring of 1895 Her last day on earth The call Home The funeral The Message of her Life - 273 APPENDIX. A mother's hints on the education of her children - 285 CHAPTER I. Parentage Early Life of Joseph Ashby Gillett Martha Gibbins' Childhood and School Days Death of her Father Marriage of J. A. Gillett and Martha Gibbins Their Removal to Banbury Birth of their eldest child, Martha Anecdotes of her Childhood Her early religious impressions Recollections of her Father and Mother in their Banbury Home. Tf 7TARTHA BRAITHWAITE was the eldest child I VI of Joseph Ashby and Martha Gillett \ of Banbury, Oxfordshire, where she was born on the 1 5th of 3rd month, 1823. A few particulars of the early life of these dearly loved parents, whose influence on her own character was so strongly marked, may be of interest here. Her father, Joseph Ashby Gillett, was the eldest son of William and Hannah Gillett* (nee Ashby), of Brailes, Warwick- shire, and was born there on the 4th of gth month, 1795. Joseph A. Gillett was educated at Ackworth School, and on leaving there was apprenticed for a few years to the Burgesses, (a well-known family of Friends at Leicester) to learn the wool business, and * Hannah Gillett was one of the four daughters of Joseph Ashby. They all married, and each named her eldest son Joseph Ashby, after her own father. The Ashby's were a Warwickshire family. afterwards became his father's helper in the plush business, until he removed to Shipston-on-Stour to act as manager for Whitehead and Lowe's Bank, where we find him at the time of his marriage. Martha Gillett was the daughter of Joseph and Martha Gibbins (nee Bevington), and was born at Prospect Row, Birmingham, the 2nd of ist month, 1798. She was one of the younger of sixteen children, twelve of whom lived to be over twenty- one years of age. In 1799, when quite a baby, she was taken by her eldest sister, Anne, who was nearly twenty years her senior, to visit their grand- mother, Martha Bevington, at Eatington. " Dear Martha " is spoken of as " a lovely child," and as she grew older was a great pet amongst the large family of brothers and sisters, and especially so from the fact that two little sisters and a brother who were younger than herself all died in infancy. As the sister next in age to herself was fifteen years her senior, little Martha became the playmate of her brothers and learned to love boyish games and to excel in all kinds of outdoor sports. From being a delicate child she grew up into a strong, healthy girl, able efficiently to help her mother in caring for her brothers, and afterwards to bring up her own large family, and live to a ripe old age to see her grandchildren and a great-grand- daughter growing up around her. At ten years of age she was sent to a boarding school at Leicester, kept by a convinced Friend (Elizabeth Herrick), the widow of an officer. There were only six pupils at this school, so that it was almost like a family party, and a life-long friendship afterwards existed between these young people. It was rather remarkable that she and two of her school-fellows, Sarah Charles Fox, of Falmouth, and Eliza Merrick, of Manchester, were all gathered to their heavenly Home within a few months of each other, after long lives of loving and devoted service to their Lord and Saviour. Some idea of her school life may be gained from the following extract from a letter to her brother Joseph, written from Leicester, i2th month 23rd, 1812. She says, " This is the first day of our winter holidays, and we are all very merry. We have had very cold, frosty weather lately, but governess makes us run twelve times up and down stairs, which is good exercise. We got up at five o'clock this morning, and one of the girls and I lighted the fire ; we like getting up early very much, it is the best part of the day. We are very fond of drawing droll little things, and now we have plenty of time. I should like to come and see thee at Swansea, and I hope mother will let me when I come home." It was whilst she was at school, when little more than thirteen years of age, that she had the great sorrow of losing her beloved father, who died very suddenly of apoplexy in London, after only two hours' illness, at the close of the Yearly Meeting, in 1811, at which he had been acting as Clerk. He was fifty-five years of age. His wife had his slippers warming at the fire ready for his expected arrival by coach when a messenger came to break the sad news that he would never return to his earthly home again. On hearing of her father's death, our grandmother wrote a very affectionate letter to her mother, dated Bow Bridge, 3rd of 6th month, 1811, which she tells her has not been " seen by anybody," and in which she says, " I can judge of thy grief in some measure by my own, when I first received the information of the death of my dear father, but I prayed to God to strengthen me, also to strengthen thee y and the rest of my relations. When I arose from prayer I cannot tell thee how wonderfully I was supported by the invisible arm of God. .... God has said He will be a father to the fatherless and a husband to the widow. ... I only long that we may all soon be prepared to join him in singing praises to God." The following memorandum has been preserved concerning her father, and may be of interest to his descendants : " Joseph Gibbins was in the button business, but when others began to mark the buttons as double- plated, when they were not, he did not feel easy to do so, and therefore could not compete with them. . With his large family this was a great trial of his faith, but he felt that he must withdraw from the business, let the consequences be what they might. About this time a gentleman in Bir- mingham, Sir Matthew Bolton of the firm of Bolton & Watts, who at that time made the copper coin for the kingdom and had the copper from the copper works at Swansea, asked him what he was going to do, offering at the same time to give him ji,ooo, or, if he preferred it, to lend him jio,ooo, which latter he gratefully accepted, and went into the Swansea copper business. He soon became so prosperous that he was able to pay back all that he had borrowed, and afterwards became a partner in the bank at Birmingham." Martha Gibbins left school when she was fifteen, and returned home to be a support and comfort to her widowed mother, whose two eldest daughters were already married, while only one of the eight sons was as yet settled in business. It was during her school days at Leicester that she had first met Joseph Ashby Gillett, who was serving his apprenticeship there, and although she did not then even know him by sight, he had fixed his affections upon her, and lie made this known to her by letter when she was about eighteen. She felt herself too young at that time to take so important a step, but we are told that " her affec- tions were drawn towards him as they became better acquainted," and she accepted his proposals a few years later. They were married at Birming- ham on the 29th of the 8th month, 1821, at which time she was 23 years of age. They settled at Shipston-on-Stour, in Worcestershire, where Joseph Ashby Gillett was manager of the bank, and lived there till early in the 2nd month, 1823, when they 1823-31. removed to Banbury where J. A. Gillett became a partner with his brother-in-law, Joseph Gibbins, in the bank, and where he became also engaged in the manufacture of plush. It was here that a few weeks later their eldest child, afterwards Martha Braithwaite, was born ; and shortly after her birth her parents removed from the house in Neithrop, which they had been temporarily occupying, to a very convenient and pleasant house, facing the " Horse Fair" in Banbury, quite close to the Meeting House, and also near to the Bank. Here they lived till about the year 1835, when they removed into the house in West Bar so well-known to all their grandchildren. This house was very much improved and enlarged by J. A. Gillett to meet the needs of his growing family, and, although it stands in the town, it has a beautiful, large, old-fashioned garden at the back, where, except for the Church tower peeping above the trees, you could hardly guess that there were any other houses near. Most of what is known of our mother's child- hood is from the stories which she told to her children. One of her earliest recollections was of a coach ride with her father, when she was about three years old, from her grandmother, Martha Gibbins' house at Handsworth, near Birmingham, where she had been paying a long visit. She remembered her father coming to fetch her home, and how, at parting, her grandmother gave her a small, round, covered basket, containing four buns, AET. 1-8. which, although they had currants in and looked very tempting, she decided to save for her mother. Then the joy of the home-coming, with the warm glow of lamplight and firelight after the cold journey, the tea table set ready, and her own little mug and plate and high chair between her father's and mother's, and, best of < all, the long, long kiss which her mother gave her as she clasped her in her arms and said, " My precious little Martha, I can never, never spare thee to go away from me again." After tea her mother took her upstairs to the nursery, and showed her the treasure which had arrived during her absence, in a little baby sister, named Hannah Mary. She was delighted with the new possession, and wanted to give it some of the treasured buns. About this time, too, she received a present of a large wooden doll, named " Caroline," which played an important part in her childhood's games. Dolls were not so plentiful then as they are now, and this one, with its painted cheeks and wig of real hair, was no ordinary plaything, especially as there came with it a goodly store of clothes all made to take off and on. It had stiff wooden legs, but these its little owner promptly broke off " to make it sit down." Afterwards, when brothers were added to the nursery party, poor " Caroline " under- went a good deal of rough treatment, and had her wig and both her arms shot off by them when in use as a target ; but in spite of it all she survived to figure in the games of the children of her 8 1823-31. original owner, in which she acted the part of grandmother to successive generations of dolls. Another incident of her early childhood which our mother used to enjoy telling was that on one occasion when a venerable ministering Friend came to pay a family visit to her father and mother, and they were about to send her from the room, the Friend said, " Oh, let the dear child stay. I am sure she will be good." So she sat still on her little stool by the fire, till, thinking in her childish mind that she ought to clo something for the entertainment of so kind a friend, she looked up in his face, and said, " Would thee like to hear the fable of the fox and the goose ? " This caused the Friend to say, " I believe the dear child must go " ; but the religious opportunity over, he did not forget her question, and " the dear child " was again brought in to sit on his knee and repeat to him the " fox and goose " fable and other pieces which she had stored in her retentive memory. A friend who knew her through life writes : " I first saw her at Banbury in the home of her childhood when she was only six years of age, and thought her a sweet, interesting little girl, lively and attractive, and so well-behaved that it seemed as if it was no effort to her < to try to be good,' as the phrase expresses it." She was very early made sensible of the visitations of the Holy Spirit, and would often in later years allude to the sense which was early granted of the evil of her own heart, the stubbornness of her natural will, and her AET. 1-8. need of the Saviour's pardoning and transforming grace. No record has been preserved of the actual period when she first realized her acceptance as a redeemed child of her Heavenly Father ; but in later years she not infrequently referred to a definite time at which she was permitted to experience this blessed change. We know that it was at Banbury, under the loving care of her father and mother, whose chief desire for their children was that they should be wholly consecrated to the Lord, that our dear mother, as she herself has told us, " learned to love the Lord Jesus when a very little child," and as she grew in years, grew also in grace and heavenly wisdom, the divine life in her soul being constantly fed and nourished by the influences of that greatest of all earthly blessings a Christian home. This clear knowledge that her sins had been washed away by the precious blood of Christ, enabling her to say with the Apostle, " He loved me and gave Himself for me" was the foundation of the Christian life, beautiful in the highness of its aim, which so many have known and loved. Looking back to these early days, she has said of her father and mother, "They were of those who feared the Lord from their youth, and sought to walk humbly and uprightly before Him, and in their united lives they were careful to walk before their children as becometh the Gospel of Christ, and to train them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. One bright memory of my dear father was his habitual devout !0 1823-31. study of the Holy Scriptures. On his return from his early morning walk, commenced usually at six o'clock, we always found him with the large family Bible open before him, reading for half an hour before we assembled for breakfast. Often his face looked radiant with joy as he joined his happy children at the breakfast table, and I never remem- ber to have seen him ruffled by any of the untoward events that might occur afterwards during' the day. The secret of his strength was in God ; in Him his soul had found rest and peace." Of her mother she says, writing for her own children : "All of you remember her, and the many happy seasons spent in the dear home at Banbury, where you were privileged to share her love and care, and to witness her humble, consistent walk with God. She was of a retiring disposition, and was little known beyond the immediate circle of her family and friends, but she was diligent in the discharge of all her domestic and social duties, still having in rather a remarkable degree " a heart at leisure from itself, To soothe and sympathize." Her children were the objects of her constant solicitude and care, and she ever sought to cheer them on in the path of holiness. She was an early riser, and spent much time in prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures before commencing the duties of the day, and come what might nothing seemed to trouble her or to shake her faith in the all- sufficient power and love of her dear Saviour." AET. 1-8. 1 1 Such homes are the true nurseries of the Church, and we cannot wonder that, surrounded, as it were, by an atmosphere of faith and prayer from her earliest infancy, our dear mother grew up as a plant of the Lord's own planting, to bring forth much fruit to His praise.* * Is there not now some danger, amidst the multiplicity of engage- ments, both secular and religious, in the present day, of crowding out these precious opportunities of family religious intercourse and of private ictirement and prayer, which have been in a past generation so blessed to many ? J.B.B. 12 1831-38. CHAPTER II. School Life At Kernel- Hempsted At Rochester Con- cern for her Schoolfellows Extracts from her Journal Extracts from letters from her Mother received whilst at School. Tf 7TARTHA GILLETT, JUN., was sent, when JYJL on ly eight years' old, to a boarding School, at Hemel- Hempsted, and afterwards to a school at Rochester, kept by Ann and Eliza Rick- man. Her sister, Hannah Mary, was with her most of the time ; but travelling in those days was so difficult and slow that they only came home once a year for the summer vacation, usually receiving a nice parcel from their mother during the winter holidays, which they spent at school. At Hemel- Hempsted there was a very strict rule that the girls must leave nothing on their plates at meal times, and when fat or other unpalatable morsels fell to their lot, they often contrived ingenious ways of disposing of them. One day her plate contained a quantity of gristle, which she could not eat, and did not dare to leave, so she quietly slipped it into her pocket, and, by way of getting rid of it, after dinner fed her governess's pet owl with it. Before AET. 8-15. 13 the owl had swallowed it all, however, the school bell rang, and, fearing discovery, she stuffed all the remaining gristle into the poor owl's mouth, and ran in to school without waiting to see the result. The owl was found choked to death, and was brought into the school-room with the stern enquiry " Who has been feeding him with gristle ? " It was a terrible moment for the poor child, but she was brave enough to stand up before the room full of girls and say, " Please, teacher, I did it," and then, of course, the whole tale came out, and she got plentifully teased about it. The skipping-rope and various games of ball were the favourite pastimes at this school, and into all these she entered with great zest, for she was a lively, high-spirited girl, ever ready to join her school-fellows in any fun, while at the same time her character was marked by great conscientiousness -and the desire to do what was right. At Rochester school the severest penalty was to be sent to the "Master's Study." The " Master " was William Rickman,* a sweet-spirited, gentle old Friend whom all the girls loved and honoured. When anyone was sent to him, he would begin by saying, , " Now then, my dear, tell me all about it," and then, Well, I know thee feels sorry for having been so naughty, and will not do so again, will thee, my dear ? " After * He visited the United States as a minister when upwards of seventy, and died when upwards of ninety. T 4 1831-38. this he would bring out some fruit or cake, and send the offender away with a very reassuring sense of peace and forgiveness, and yet feeling much more ashamed and humiliated than if a severe punishment had been inflicted. She always retained a loving respect for the memory of Ann and Eliza Rickman, with the former of whom she kept up a correspondence for many years. In her memoranda written while she was at school we find proofs of that earnest concern for the spiritual welfare of all around her, which was one of our dear mother's most marked characteristics ; also of her desire to yield herself up unreservedly to the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Under date, 8th mo. nth, 1837, she writes: "Left home this morning on my way to school. It was a great trial to me to part from all those I love so dearly, . . . but I was favoured to feel a sweet assurance that the Lord would be with me." This is the first entry in a little book which bears the following inscription : " Extracts from Memoranda commenced at school and made daily by me for many years the main part I have thought it better now to destroy, though at the time I found the practice helpful in stimu- lating to a close walk with my God and Saviour Martha Braithwaite, 4th mo. 29th, 1883." That this was the main object which she kept in view in writing these memoranda is evident from the fact that very little mention is made in them, especially in the earlier ones, of passing events, except in so far as they directly affected her spiritual life, and AET.8-IS. X it is often difficult to gather from them where or under what circumstances they were written. The following belong, however, to her school life : 8th mo. 23rd, 1837. "How have I longed this day to be made more and more a child of God, and I have felt willing 1 to bear and suffer all for Him, who suffered so much for me." 8th mo. 26th, First-day. " This evening I felt it my duty to speak a few words to my schoolfellows, which I did in much fear, and I can truly say the Lord helped me." 9th mo. i6th. "Had two very sweet meetings to-day, and felt much refreshed and my strength renewed in the Lord." 9th mo. 2ist. "Felt it my duty this evening to speak a few words to my schoolfellows who slept in the same room with me, which I did in much fear." 25th. "Was tempted to do that for which I was after- wards sorry." 2nd mo. 4th, 1838. " O Heavenly Father be merci- fully pleased to draw me daily nearer to Thyself O suffer me not to wander far from Thee make me just what Thou wouldst have me to be, only be with me to the end of my life, and make me wholly Thine." During these long separations from home her mother followed her with loving and prayerful interest, and such of her letters as have been preserved are extremely interesting, not only from the glimpses which they give us into both the home and school life, but also as containing much wise i6 1831-38. and motherly counsel. The following may be given here : "Banbury, 25th of 2nd mo., 1833. I have many times wished to answer thy letter, but thou knowest how very much my time is occupied, so that if I do not always send thee an answer thou must write to me again. I was very glad when thou hadst saved money enough to purchase a Bible ; the older thou art the more thou wilt value its contents. Thy remark about prayer was correct, and we shall find that the more we give way to each other, and think kindly of each other, the happier we shall be ourselves, and our prayers will be more acceptable. Thy work box is a very nice one, and I hope before long thou wilt be able to purchase a pair, of scissors which will make it quite complete. I think thy uncle, William Gibbins, when he comes will be pleased to see it. I think he will also like to see your gardens and the pretty little arbour that Powell has made you, but it will look much prettier when the flowers run up the twigs. I will endeavour to look thee out another book." " Banbury, igth of 2nd mo., 1836. " My dear Martha and Hannah Mary, "Elizabeth Head informs me she intends sending a parcel to Maria either on second or third day next and will enclose a letter for me, I therefore thought I should like to write you a few lines as I know you are always pleased to hear from home. I had intended sending you some mince pies, etc., next week, but think now I shall leave it till the week after, so if there is anything you want you had better let me know. You will be pleased to hear that we are all well ; baby has been poorly with AET. 8-15- J 7 a troublesome cold, but is much better. She begins to take notice and likes to watch Alfred running about the room. The same morning I received Martha's letter I received one also from dear little Joseph, giving a good account of himself. I had intended sending his parcel next week, but shall now defer it a week or two, as he is invited to spend two weeks at Gloucester with his cousin, Charles Sessions, and we have given him leave to do so. ... Charles talks a great deal of you and his brother Joseph, and is writing all your names in his copy-book. He generally comes into school every morning. Maria Reynolds took him to see the Infant School yester- day, which pleased him very much. I have not been to see it yet, and perhaps I shall not till I have my dear girls to go with me. . . . We have had a little snow to-day and Charles is very much pleased to see it and hopes we shall have a great deal that he may make a snowball. ... I was pleased to hear that you were getting on with the footstool and little bags. How do you get on with working for the poor ? Have you given any clothes away? I should like to hear from you soon. Papa unites with me in dear love." 6th mo. 8th, 1836. To her daughter Martha, " Many times in the day I think of my dear, absent children when they are at School, and there is nothing I more desire for them than that they may be willing to be true Christians, not resting satisfied with any name, but endeavouring to be humble followers of our blessed Re- deemer. The path that His disciples may have to tread may at times appear narrow, and Satan would try to per- suade them that they are debarred from many of the enjoyments of life, but be assured he ever has been and i8 1831-38. still is a deceiver ; for the Christian's joys are far beyond all this world affords ; if he is not living a life of splen- dour, he has a mind which enjoys life with a heavenly peace. Do not my dear child forget morning and evening to seek after inward prayer." Banbury, 6th of loth mo., 1836. " My dear Martha, "H.M. informs me in her letter that you have nearly finished your needlework. I think you have been very industrious . . . Our garden begins to look very winterly. Powell has been gathering the apples to-day. There are many plants in the greenhouse in flower which look very cheerful. I have sent you a few seeds, but it has been difficult to collect many; the weather has been so wet. Next week is the large fair here and the usual time for changing servants all our servants stay again which I am glad of as I do not like changes. Alfred pleases himself with the idea of seeing the wild beast show if there is one at the fair. I have had very little time for needlework lately on account of baby's illness; she has wanted constant attention. It is a great comfort to me to see her so much better the last few days . . I often think of thee and miss thy many little attentions, but I hope thou art endeavouring to improve thyself." Amongst the letters are two or three poems written by Martha Gillett for her children at different times. The following lines will serve to show the poetic feeling as well as the desire for their best welfare which breathed through these little verses. They are dated 24th of the nth month, 1836, and are headed : AET. 8-15. 19 "TO MY DEAR MARTHA." I think of thee, Martha, when evening draws nigh, I think of thy evening prayer, With a wish that ere slumber may rest on thine eye, Sweet peace may thy pillow prepare. The mind that to God in humility bends, Desirous of Him to be taught, Need fear no alarm, mid the storms which attend This life, though with terror they're fraught. The Christian has joys which the world cannot give, In the midst of his sorrow, there's peace, For God is his friend, and a balm will bestow, And His children Himself He will teach. Whate'er we give up to the will of our God, Though trifling to others it seem, Will meet its reward ; for such proof of our love Is a sacrifice pleasing to Him. Continue to seek both morning and night For ability rightly to pray, Look to God through His Son with increasing delight, And steadfastly hold on thy way. One more letter may be given : "Banbury, loth mo. i4th, 1837. "My dear Martha, " I have been wishing for some time to write to thee, but have not been able to do so from a troublesome gathering I have had under my right arm, which has prevented my being able to use my hand, but I am now a great deal better, and hope in another week to feel myself as well as usual. I have been out for a ride 20 1831-38. when the weather has been suitable and have taken Alfred with me, which pleases him very much, and he says he wishes I would ride to Rochester and Thornbury. I have been so unwell that I have not been able to teach him. I received your parcel on sixth day, and am much obliged to thee for the many presents it contained, and for thy affectionate letter. I often look forward with pleasure to the time when thou canst be with me and assist me, and I know thou wilt be willing to do all thou canst for me. I often think of thee and my other dear children, and my earnest desire is that you may be willing to give up your whole hearts to the Lord and strive to serve and obey Him." Soon after this date, early in the year 1838, it was thought best for Martha Gillett, jun., to leave school and return home to help her mother in the care of her large family, and although sorry to give up her studies of which she was fond, and in which she was making great progress, she was iglad to be once more with the dear home circle, as the long separations had been very trying to her affectionate nature. AET. 15. 2I CHAPTER III. Return from School Brothers and Sisters Recollections of girlhood Rides with her Father Love of nature Training in domestic duties Care for the poor Sibford School Concern for the spiritual welfare of her Brothers and Sisters Love for little children Illness and death of her little Sister Isabella Death of her Grandfather, William Gillett. WHEN Martha Gillett, jun., left school she became her mother's loving helper at home, where two little brothers and a sister were the only members of the family party then at home. One little brother, named Joseph, died in infancy, and her sister Hannah Mary was still at school, as well as the brothers next in age, Joseph and Charles. During the years immediately succeed- ing, three more children were added to the family ; the youngest of these, the sweet baby sister Isabella, was lent to them only for a few months, but her memory was cherished all their lives as something very precious. Up to this time Martha Gillett had herself been teaching the younger children at home, but was very glad to have her daughter's help in this part of 22 1838-49. the work, and for sonie years our mother continued faithfully to fulfil this duty, and gained the warm love of her little pupils, who through life continued to look up to " Sister Martha" as almost a second mother. A few extracts from some u Recollections" written by her for her own children may help to give an idea of the home influences and surroundings of this part of her life. She says : " The home at Ban- bury, as you all know, though situated in the town, has a row of beautiful lime trees in front, extending up the hill, and the gardens also in front of many of the houses make it scarcely seem like a town residence. In one little room on the premises, built for us by our dear father, and called "the museum," we spent many happy hours together, arranging collections of shells, minerals, etc., and in the large and beautiful garden, planned and arranged by him, we rested and refreshed ourselves during the intervals of our busy lives, which were filled up with constant occupation. The nursery, too, when brothers and sisters were little, was a delightful resting-place, and the picture of my dear mother amongst her children will not soon be forgotten. The care of them she made her first duty, and never neglected them for her own pleasure. She was always an early riser, and never allowed her domestic duties to interfere with the season set apart for prayer and the reading of the Scriptures. She always kept open house for her friends, and especially delighted to have the Lord's messengers under her roof, bringing us up to feel AET. 15-26. 23 it a great privilege in any way to help them forward. I recall, too, the many happy First-day evenings, when we assembled in the drawing-room for reading, and afterwards, linked arm-in-arm, would pace up and down the spacious hall, repeat- ing hymns together, whilst our dear parents, with the door open, listened to us." It was to this period also that belonged the early morning rides with her father, to which she often referred in later years with so much pleasure, when, mounted on her pony beside him, they would spend an hour before breakfast in the beautiful country round Banbury. She greatly valued the opportunity thus afforded for quiet conversation with him ; while a brisk canter through the green lanes brought them both home with good appetites for breakfast and refreshed for the duties of the day. As she was not quite fifteen when she left school, her parents were anxious to give her oppor- tunities for continuing her studies at home, and we find mention made during the next few years of Drawing and French Masters, and she also began Latin and Greek with some help from her brothers. But her absorbing interest was Natural Science, every branch of which had a great charm for her, as she saw in the beauties and wonders of the natural world fresh evidences of the wisdom and love of the Great Creator, and learned to "Look through nature up to nature's God." Her parents encouraged her in these pursuits, 24 1838-49. indeed, the little room already referred to was built mainly as a place in which she and her brothers and sisters might work upon and store their collec- tions. Under date i$th of 3rd mo., 1842, her mother writes to her " I am pleased your little study is likely to be papered and painted this year. It will make it very comfortable, and when your dear brothers return home I hope you will all enjoy having a room of your own. It is a great pleasure to us to see you all so happy together." In this room were gradually accumulated cabinets and shelves filled with collections of fossils, stones, shells, sea-weed, ferns, mosses, flowers, and almost every variety of natural objects, all beautifully arranged and classified ; for in these pursuits a love of neat- ness and order was always very conspicuous, and in after years, when our mother's share in these treasures was transferred to her new home, her children looked with wondering admiration on the beautifully printed names and the neat labelling of the various specimens and vainly tried to imitate them. This love of nature was a great source of enjoyment to her through life, and often a real rest and refreshment in the midst of her family cares, or when engaged in arduous religious service. Only two days before her death, a collection of seaweeds given to her in 1848 by Sarah Bass, and which she had been anxious to look over again, was found, and, though very weary with pain, she sat up for half an hour or more looking them over with intense enjoyment. In connection with these pursuits AET. 15-26. 25 the brothers and sisters took many delightful rambles together through the neighbouring country and were especially fond of fishing for fresh water shells along the banks of the canal. Martha Gillett was very careful that all her daughters should be well trained in domestic duties, and our mother has often told us of the happy hours spent with her sisters at the ironing board in the large beautifully fitted up laundry, with its many vine covered windows. They were also taught, either by their mother or by her faith- ful cook, Jane Miles, who lived for very many years in the family, how to cook plain food, also the best way of preparing appetizing dishes for invalids. Several hours each morning were usually given to sewing, each article being neatly and elaborately finished with that beautiful hand work which the machines of the present day have unfortunately almost banished from our homes. During these sewing hours they took turns to read aloud, and in this way added very materially to their store of general information, the books chosen being mostly history, science, biography, and poetry. From the time she left school Martha Gillett, jun., was accustomed frequently to accompany her mother in visits among the sick and suffering around them, and felt it a " great delight" when allowed to be the bearer of some nicely prepared delicacy, usually made by her own or her mother's hand. Her journal makes frequent mention during these years of a morning or an afternoon spent in 26 1838-49. visiting the poor, and their welfare was always very near to her heart, while she kept steadily in view the paramount importance of leading them to the saving knowledge of Christ their Saviour. A lending library, the books from which they took round themselves, the distribution of tracts and the straw plait school were some of the plans for the help and comfort of their poorer neighbours in which she and her sister Hannah Mary were interested. She also obtained a number of useful articles for lending to invalids and in cases of accidents, some of which are still in use at Banbury. When the Friends' School was opened at Sib- ford, near Banbury, in 1842, she took a very great interest in it, and for some weeks was there to superintend the furnishing and assist in getting the house ready for the children. But, whatever outside objects shared her atten- tion, home claims had always the first place, and it is very beautiful to note from the brief references in her journals, and also from her mother's letters to her, written during this period, how fully she entered into all her father's and mother's interests ; while her loving care over her brothers and sisters, and especially her concern for their spiritual wel- fare, was more like that of a mother than of an elder sister. When only fourteen years of age she wrote for their use a little pamphlet entitled "An affectionate address to those in early life who are desirous of becoming true and sincere followers of their blessed AET. 15-26. 27 Saviour." This has been preserved in the original pencil manuscript, and is remarkable, when we consider the age of the writer, for its clear and simple exposition of the gospel plan of salvation, accompanied by earnest exhortations to attend to the teachings of the Holy Spirit and not to allow the Saviour's offers of love and mercy to pass unheeded. She frequently mentions having felt it her duty, often in much fear, to go and see one or another of her brothers and sisters after they were put to rest for the night, and speak a few words of loving reproof or encouragement, or sometimes to kneel by their bedsides and offer prayer on their behalf, and often thankfully records that "the dear little ones were much tendered," or that "we had a precious season together, the wing of heavenly goodness seemed to overshadow us, and we were favoured to feel Him near who will not forsake His poor dependent children." Their going to school was always a time of deep spiritual exercise on their behalf, and she followed them with her prayers and frequently sent them little written messages expressing her desires on their behalf. Their birthdays also were never forgotten, and as each anniversary came round we find in her journal some such entry as the following : " Dear is to-day 14. I hope and believe his heart is turned to seek the Lord. Oh, may nothing be suffered to mar the work of divine grace in his soul." 28 1838-49. " Precious little 's birthday dear child often does the secret aspiration of my heart ascend for her preservation, and that the Shepherd of Israel may keep her amongst the lambs of His fold." As further illustrating the influence for good which she exerted over them the following may be of interest, written to her sister Elizabeth on her ninth birthday : " Banbury, gth mo. nth, 1844. "My dear Elizabeth, ''As to-day is thy birthday I thought thou would be pleased to receive a little note from me. " The little book which accompanies this is from dear Hannah Mary and myself; we hope it will be one that thou wilt like, and that thou wilt be able to learn many of the pretty verses it contains. I hope thy birthday will be a happy one, and I think it will be, because I believe thou art trying to be a good child; and good children are not only happy themselves, but they contribute very much to the happiness of those around them. It is a great comfort to us to believe that thou art endeavouring to do that which thou knows to be pleasing in the sight of thy Heavenly Father. Remember that He loves to have the dear little ones for His own. The dear Saviour when He was upon earth delighted to have them around Him, and we are told that "He took them up in His arms and blessed them" : and how do I long for thee, dear Elizabeth, that thou mayst be numbered amongst the precious lambs of His flock, and that He may lead Thee safely and gently along, that He may keep thee from all sin, and out of every temptation, and make thee meet in the riches of His love, when the few fleeting years of life are ended, to enter into AET. 15-26. 29 everlasting rest and join with the innumerable company of the redeemed around His throne in singing His praise for ever." The following is taken from the correspon- dence between her and this dear sister whilst the latter was at school : From Elizabeth Gillett to her sister Martha. " Lewes, 24th of ist mo., 1849. " My very dear Sister, " I am down in the schoolroom by myself and I thought it a nice opportunity of writing to thee. This note is not to be full of news, but I wanted to tell thee the state of my mind. When I first came back I felt it very much and thought it very hard that I should have to be separated from you, but on fifth day, when I was in bed, I felt that it was wrong of me to murmur, that it was for my good I was come here, and that I was surrounded with many blessings. The Lord also showed me what a wicked child I had been, and from that time I have felt quite different. However, this morning when I woke I did not feel any peace ; I did not know what to do with myself, I cried till I felt quite poorly. I felt as though I was too wicked to be forgiven, and I wanted to ask thee to write to me to help me if thee can, and tell me what to do, for I feel as though I could not pray, and I want thee to talk to me and comfort me. I also want thee to tell me how to collect my thoughts, for in meeting I never can. I am always thinking of something else, and I want thee to tell me a way of not letting them wander. One more thing I must tell thee. I often think that I should be much better able to think if I was not to go to meeting, but if I was 3 1838-49- to stay at home by myself; for when sometimes in meet- ing" the thought comes into my head how wicked I am, I feel inclined to cry, but am afraid to, lest anybody should see me, and so I am afraid almost to think much in case I should. Do dear sister write me as long a letter as thee can and tell me all I have wanted to know, for at school I have no one to talk to, and I want thee to talk to me through letters. Farewell, with very dear love, from thy truly affectionate sister, ELIZABETH." In reply to this our mother wrote : " Banbury, 2nd mo. 5th, 1849. " I fear my dear Elizabeth will have thought me long in writing, but I have not been unmindful of thy sweet, acceptable note, nor of thy request to hear from me. I can only commend thee, my precious sister, to thy Heavenly Friend the Lord in whom thou hast believed, and whom thou dost still desire to be enabled to serve praying that He will sweeten for thee all thy sorrows, and give thee in His own good time to sing His praise Endeavour my dear to stay thy mind upon the Lord, and to trust in Him and He will overcome for thee all thy spiritual foes, for though thou art weak He is strong and mighty, mightier than all that are against thee, and "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber." Carry to Him all thy cares, thy sorrows and thy griefs. He sees thee altogether as thou art and will not turn a deaf ear to thy cry, for He con- descended to call thee even when thou wast dead in trespasses and sins, and He remains to be thy Saviour, thy glorious Advocate and Intercessor with the Father, making intercession for thee continually, even when thou AET. 15-26. . 3 1 feelest as though thou couldst not pray for thyself. . . I can feel for thee, my dear sister, in being so assailed with wandering thoughts as thou describes thyself to be in meeting, and also with the sense of the wickedness and depravity of thy heart. At such seasons of trial I know no other way than quietly to wait for the ability to turn from all, even from ourselves unto God, seeking for fresh supplies of His Holy Spirit to cleanse our hearts from all iniquity and to enable us to overcome the enemy of our soul's peace in his many and varied attacks. Often then will our trembling be turned into rejoicing and our mourning into songs of joy, and we shall be given to know that our Redeemer liveth, and that because He liveth we shall live also. ... I often pray that nothing may hurt or harm thee, or separate thee from the love of Christ. . . ." This concern for their spiritual welfare was no doubt much blessed to her brothers and sisters, and the more so from the fact that she was such a delightful playfellow and companion that they always loved to be with her. She retained through life that power of making little children happy which comes from a true sympathy with the child nature, and she could devise so many ways for passing a happy afternoon and keeping the 4t little ones " quiet that it is no wonder she was often called upon to do it ; and although at the time she would sometimes sigh and wish she could have more time for self-improvement and study, yet in later years she looked back with thankful- ness to the busy days of her girlhood as having proved the most useful training she could have had for her after life. 3 2 1838-49. During these years there were, of course, many childish ailments, besides some more serious illnesses, among so large a family of children, through all of which she shared equally with her mother the care and anxiety of the nursing, as well as the joy in the recovery, so that when in Qth month, 1843, they were called upon to part with their sweet little sister Isabella, who was only seven months old, her grief at losing her seemed much increased from the fact that she, with her sister Hannah Mary, happened to be from. home on a visit at the time of the illness. She writes, under date Qth mo. 8th, 1843 : "My feelings have received a severe shock this morning in hearing of the alarming illness of our precious baby. I have been spending a short time in prayer and silence before the Lord since receiving this affecting intelligence, and am .now permitted in unutterable love and mercy to feel sweetly comforted in the belief that the Lord will do all things well. She has ever been to us a very sweet treasure, but one that is indeed fully ripe for Heaven. ... It adds much to my grief to be so far separated from this little darling, and I also feel very anxious about my dear mother, whose affectionate solicitude will, I know, prevent her from caring for herself." Qth mo. nth. "Received from home this morning a much worse account of dearest baby, so that dear H.M. and myself concluded to put our things together and return immediately. We reached home soon after five in the evening, but found that the pure spirit of our sweet treasure had been safely released from its suffering little AET. 15-26. 33 tenement about twenty-four hours before our arrival. It is an inexpressible trial to us to part with this little dear one so soon, but I do trust that it will be sweetly sanctified to us from above. We have been to gaze upon dear baby's lovely countenance, so beautiful in death ; it really seems as though I could scarcely realize that she is gone. We left her so lovely and blooming, and in perfect health, and little thought when we parted from her that our next meeting would be round the throne in glory/' i3th. " I have been spending the last half hour beside all that now remains of our sweet little treasure, and have now parted from her lovely little form for ever. It has been to me a sweet half hour one that will very long be remembered. I have been permitted so beauti- fully to realize the eternal blessedness of her sainted spirit, so that it has seemed as if my own weary soul were mingling with hers around the throne in ceaseless hallelujahs of glory and of praise." i;th, First-day. "Precious baby's remains were this morning consigned to their last silent resting-place on earth. We were all favoured during this time of close trial to enjoy a sweet state of heavenly calmness and peace, and the meeting afterwards was a very solemn and favoured time ; to myself it proved a truly precious season, one in which my poor faint, weary soul seemed taken, as it were, into the Lord's banqueting house and suffered to feast in His blessed presence." The remembrance of this little sister was a very tender one with our mother all her life, and she often spoke of her to us and loved to linger 34 1838-49. over the memory of her lovely smile and the sweet peacefulness of the little form as it lay in death. Nearly seven years later the family circle was again broken by the death, after a lingering illness, of her dearly loved brother Joseph, then in his twenty-second year, but of this we will speak more fully in a later chapter. During his illness they had also the sorrow of the death of their beloved grandfather, William Gillett, of Brailes. He had been a widower for many years, and used often to come over and see his children, and a visit to him was always a great treat to his grandchildren. In reference to this event we find the following entry : gth mo. nth, 1849, Third-day. "About 12 o'clock last night we were awakened by a messenger at the door to inform us that my beloved grandfather was taken alarmingly ill, and that they feared we could hardly reach Brailes in time to see him living. My dear mother felt too fatigued with her long journey to attempt to go down. She had only returned the previous evening from a month's stay at Ben Rhydding, in Yorkshire, with her son Joseph (the air of that place having been recom- mended for him), so that I dressed and accompanied my dear father and my uncle Jonathan in a fly, and we arrived there about half-past one, but were too late to witness the peaceful close. My precious grandfather had retired to bed about nine o'clock last evening apparently in usual health, having been remarkably cheerful for several days previously, and out at meeting on first-day morning, though he several times remarked that he believed he had but a very little time to remain here, AET. 15-26. 35 and seemed himself quite apprehensive that a sudden removal would be his portion : indeed it had been his often expressed desire that, if consistent with the Divine will, he might be spared a lingering illness, and this desire was mercifully granted. He was seized about 10 o'clock with pain in the chest, and before medical assistance could be procured the purified spirit had gently quitted the earthly tenement without a struggle. My uncle, John Gillett, was the only member of the family present at the close, as my dear grandfather scarcely survived the seizure half an hour. The immediate cause of death was considered to be disease of the heart, Through the course of a long life he had been a preacher of righteousness in life and conversation, adorning the doctrine of Christ his Saviour in all things. He loved the truth as it is in Jesus, and mourned over those who departed in any degree from its purity and simplicity. The evening of his day was marked by serenity and cheerfulness, and his sun did indeed seem to go down in brightness." About two weeks later we find the following entry : gth mo. 30th. "At Brailes with my dear mother and dear Joseph in the house lately occupied by my beloved grandfather. I came down on sixth-day, and have been greatly enjoying the quietness of this sweet, retired spot. This afternoon (first-day) I am spending partly alone in the little study. How much every place seems to bring my dear grandfather to remembrance ; on the table beside me is lying a folio volume of George Fox's Journal as he left it, opened at page 511. My dear grandfather was diligent in attending the little Meeting here to the end of his life, and walked to it, three-quarters of a mile, 3 1849. only the day before his death. It was his great delight to wait upon God in silence, and I believe that his purified spirit is now gathered through redeeming love to sing the song of everlasting praise." AET. 17-22. 37 CHAPTER IV. Adoption of the "Plain Dress'' Attendance of the Yearly Meeting Acknowledgement as a Minister Spiritual help received from Arnee Frank Extracts from his Letters Letters from her Mother. THOSE who knew our mother when still quite young speak of her as having been a very sweet girl whose youthful face looked lovely in its plain, close fitting Friends' cap. This dress she assumed when about seventeen years of age, in accordance with the custom of many members of the Society at that time, as the outward sign of her willingness to give up the things of the world and take up her daily cross as became a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and it was, we believe, in this spirit that she wore it to the close of her life. Under date 6th mo. i2th, 1840, she writes : "My mind has been turned in serious thought upon the subject of plainness of dress. I do believe it to be as a hedge and a guard around us, shielding us from many evils and many sins, in which, were we to follow the fashions of the world, we should be looked upon by that world to take part. Oh may my heart be more and more weaned from every earthly thing, and may my adorning be that of a meek and quiet spirit." 3 1840-45. During these years she two or three times, with her parents and sister Hannah Mary, went up to London to attend the sittings of the Yearly Meet- ing. They seem usually to have travelled in her father's carriage, leaving early in the morning and reaching their destination about seven in the evening. On one occasion mention is made of their starting on a seventh-day, spending first-day at Leighton Buzzard, proceeding to London early on second-day, so as to be there in time for the meeting of Ministers and Elders, which met at eleven o'clock. These meetings were seasons of much spiritual refreshment, and it is interesting to find in her journal notices of words of loving help and encouragement which several dear friends of a generation now passed away felt called upon to hand to the timid young friend who was then just entering upon her public ministry. The names of Elizabeth Fry, Lindley Murray Hoag, Elizabeth Dudley, Benjamin Bishop, Benjamin Seebohm, and Edwin O. Tregelles, are amongst those of whom mention is made in this connection. At the close of one of these meetings our mother writes : " I think I seldom recollect a season when my soul was permitted to hold more sweet communion with its God. The fullness and freeness of His everlasting love bowed my heart before Him in songs of gratitude and praise. How wonderful that such a poor, frail creature should be the object of such unutterable tenderness and love." AET. 17-22. 39 In her journal for 1848 we find the following brief review of her religious experiences during these years : 3rd mo. iQth, First-day. "Often is my spirit over- whelmed within me in contemplating the work whereunto my Heavenly Father in the riches of His love has seen meet to call me even to bear testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus and the language often arises, 'Who is sufficient for these things ? ' Surely not I, but my mighty, everlasting Helper. My heart overflows with gratitude when I contemplate His marvellous dealings with my often backsliding soul; how He hath led about and instructed me and strengthened me in some feeble measure to follow in the way of His requiring, making my heart willing in the day of His mighty power." Her journal shows that from the time she was about twelve years old she felt that the Lord was calling her to His service. During her school life she would often go away by herself to pray, and covenant with the Lord that she would serve Him all her life if He would only condescend to be with her and grant His blessing. She realized her own sinfulness and weakness, and was early made to feel that Christ came not to save His people in their sins but from their sins. She speaks of times of great joy in the overflowing sense of her Saviour's love ; but this joy was by no means continuous, for at other times all seemed dark, and she was tossed with doubt and assailed with temptations. 4 1840-45- The following was written with reference to these times of joy : " May my soul never forget those heavenly seasons, nor the love of my early espousals ; how all seemed in comparison little to part with that I might win Christ and find in Him eternal, everlasting gain ; and great was the exercise of my soul for all round me that they might come to witness the like blessed experience." As she grew older she felt that, if faithful, she would be called to speak in the ministry, but says, " as often as this Divine requiring was pre- sented so often did I shrink back from it as a thing impossible, or almost impossible to be brought to pass concerning me ; yet in the midst of all I was comforted in the assurance that all things were possible with the Lord." And again, " I do not remember that I was wilfully disobedient to the Divine call. He who knew my frame al- together, was willing that I should try the fleece both wet and dry, and be fully satisfied that it was indeed His voice which I heard. " Whilst I was in this state of mind, some few days before I completed my twentieth year, our dear and highly esteemed friend, Benjamin Seebohm, came into these parts on gospel service, and took up his abode at our house. On the seventh day on which he left us my mind was much impressed from the time of rising in the morning with a belief that I must not, if obedient to the Heavenly call, any longer refuse to serve in the Lamb's AET. 17-22. 4 1 army, and that this would be plainly declared to me by this servant of the Lord before he left us. This impression was so much upon my spirit that I scarcely felt able to perform my domestic duties, and many times during the morning was so overcome as to be constrained to go alone and give vent to my tears. " Before leaving, Benjamin Seebohm called me to come and sit beside him, and, after a solemn pause, commenced addressing me with the words of our blessed Redeemer, ' Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.' This passage he re- peated several times in the course of his testimony, saying that he believed the calves of the lips were now required to be brought into the Lord's ser- vice, and fully setting forth in a clear and powerful manner the various conflicts and exercises through which my soul had been for years passing as though he had been informed of all that had been passing within my heart, which he most surely was by immediate revelation from Heaven. Comfort and encouragement were also administered, and the promise of the blessing, if faithful, but my soul was so absorbed and overcome with the first part of the communication that the rest passed almost wholly away from my mind, leaving only a sense of inexpressible sweetness whenever I look back to that favoured time. I retired to my chamber afterwards, and remained there pretty much through 4 2 1840-45. the day, pouring out my soul before the Lord in groans, and tears, and cries for preservation and help. Still I told none of my distressed condition, nor of the deep exercise my soul was passing through. At night I got but little sleep, and by day I felt constrained to go alone and keep silence. If I refused to yield obedience to this Heavenly call, I knew not what would become of me ; yet at times I almost desired that my life might be accepted rather than such a sacrifice required, and wonderful to me is the remembrance of that infinite mercy which condescended to bear with, pity, and help me through those seasons of weak- ness and tossing. I was not left to myself, but, by the Lord's mighty and powerful arm was led forwards and marvellously dealt with, till I was scarcely sensible of any will remaining in me op- posed to the perfect and blessed will of my Heavenly Father ; for His will seemed truly mine, and to do it my greatest delight. "It was thus that on the following fourth- day morning, in our week-day meeting, my mouth was opened with that passage of Scripture, ' He shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks, bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure.' Very little was added, but never shall I forget while memory lasts the holy, Heavenly peace and quietness that attended on sitting down. All fear of what others might say or think of me seemed removed, and my soul rejoiced in the Lord and in His glorious work. AET. 17-22. 43 All within me seemed changed the spirit of heaviness taken away, and the garment of praise given. Even the outward creation seemed as if clothed in new beauties and to speak forth afresh its great Creator's power and lave, and well could my spirit adopt the expressive language of the Psalmist, when he said, * What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest, thou Jordan that thou wast driven back, ye mountains that ye skipped like rams, and ye little hills like lambs ? ' for I felt that my Almighty Helper had indeed done great things for me, and that He was all-sufficient to perfect that which concerned me and to support me in life and in death. It is now rather more than five years since this solemn day of dedication unto the Lord, and I still find myself constrained to go on in this work. Many have been the deliverances and mercies experienced ; many, very many, and varied my conflicts, both of flesh and spirit, yet my soul cannot express how bountifully the Lord hath dealt with me, though I have been indeed as a rebellious and ungrateful child. Oh, truly He is no hard Master, as some might be ready to conclude. To me His yoke has been and remains to be easy and His burden light. Oh, that I may be strengthened to love Him more and to serve Him better than I have hitherto done, even through all the days of my appointed time here upon earth, and may I at last be safely gathered, through unmerited mercy, into that glorious Kingdom of rest where 44 184045- there is no more sin, no more fear of falling, but union and communion with the Lord our God and with the Lamb for ever, to whom be ascribed * blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, world without end Amen.' " From this time forward we find frequent mention of her being called upon publicly to proclaim to others the Gospel message, and though often in much fear and the sense of her own weakness and unworthiness, she was strengthened to be faithful ; and, seeking to keep close to her Guide, and to abide under the baptisms of the Holy Spirit, her words reached the witness in the hearts of the hearers, and two years later (5th mo. 7th, 1845) the Friends of Banbury Monthly Meeting felt it right to acknowledge the gift which they believed had been entrusted to her, by recording her as a minister of the Gospel. Their unity and sympathy were very precious and encouraging to her, while she felt deeply the added responsibilities of her new position. Her ministry was especially marked by humility and simplicity and the earnest desire to invite others to taste with her the preciousness of her Saviour's love. Another Friend whose ministry was very helpful to her was Arnee Frank, of Bristol, then nearly 78 years of age. When at Clevedon, in 1894, our mother met with his son, and their pleasant inter- course seemed to bring his father very freshly to her mind, and she told us that she believed she had AET. 17-22. 45 confided more of her difficulties and experiences to Arnee Frank than to any one else, in con- nection with the call she felt to the ministry, and that his fatherly counsel and sympathy had been il such a very great help " to her. He seems to have paid a religious visit to Banbury about the year 1842-3, when he stayed at her father's house, and it was then that she first became acquainted with him, and from this time until his death he continued to correspond with her. Several of his letters have been preserved, and seem to bring before us the picture of a bright, cheery old man, with a heart full of love for his younger friends, and able to enter into their difficulties and to give them wise and tender counsel. We subjoin a few extracts : "To Martha and Hannah Mary Gillett. "Bristol, nth mo. 3Oth, 1843. " My dear young friends, " . . . You have been (not unfrequently) the com- panions of my thoughts since for the first time I was at Banbury, and probably the last also, sincerely desiring the Shepherd of the flock may be pleased to keep you from all harm, safe under His protecting care. " To write, so as more effectually to relieve me from late and present impression of a little duty, I would address you separately as well as jointly. For the sister of whom I was informed she had given up to the appre- hended duty of opening her mouth in religious assemblies, I was introduced into much of what I am almost ready to denominate fatherly feeling, that is, in the highest sense, 4 1840-45- and into much desire that in all the exercises, conflicts, provings, more or less, I apprehend, always attendant on such engagements, she may be borne up and carried through them both safely and beneficially; for these, when rightly endured, are found by every true disciple of the great Master, like winter's winds with plants and trees, to root them the more firmly and make them flourish the more. And with reference to thy progress in the path of duty entered upon, and any growth in the gift received, this I trust thou art well alive to, viz., that the import of David's petition and the effect of its being granted is what should ever be our attendant. ' O Lord, open Thou my lips and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.' He was sensible of the need of his lips being thus divinely touched and opened before he could rightly shew forth the Lord's praise. How consonant with gospel faith and the views of our Society as relates to ministry and vocal prayer. May the ' live coal ' ever touch them when we move in the sacred cause. I am fully persuaded that these are the heartfelt desires of the dear friend to whom I am writing, and mine on her part are that she may be so favoured. Encouragement flows freely towards her to pursue the road of faithfulness to all manifested duty and sincere desires for her preservation from the varied snares a deceitful enemy lays in our way. Remember, my dear friend, the sometimes declared truth, and always found to be the truth, that 'faithfulness is the road to fruit- fulness' May clear openings of duty be granted to move when this is the case is safe ground to move upon to stand still when a cloud rests upon the tabernacle is safe ground also. As thou art thus engaged I trust divine wisdom will be near to direct and safely lead along. AET. 17-22. 47 "I could fain write much, on various exercising parts of the common experience of those who (like ourselves) are at times engaged to labour in this way, but at present think a few general observations as above may be all that is required and that it may be more my duty to commend and leave to Him who is the Alpha of every good work, to carry it on as it may please Him, so that He may be the Omega likewise the beginning and the ending. May He graciously cause His work to prosper." He concludes one of his letters with the following practical and playfully worded suggestions for her future correspondence : " P.S. Before I seal my letter I have three things to request of thee, in case thou should feel inclined of thy own choice and not from an idea of my requiring it (for a constrained correspondence is irksome indeed), to favour me at any future time with another affectionate and welcome remembrance. "First. To write it with the blackest ink thou canst get. " Second. Not in so small a handwriting as most (not all) of thy last was written in. " Third. Not cross thy lines. A man far gone in the stage of life, mentioned in Psalm xc. (ascribed to Moses) that of labour and sorrow, needs much indulgence. As thy dear father has plenty of paper if thy own stock is short, I am bold to allude to it. I have a daughter at Croydon, who was once very much in the same practice of crossing, but I have cured her of it. See thy aged friend's boldness and freedom ; yet induced to use it by the love of his own dear self." 4 1840-45- The last of these letters which we will quote is dated Bristol, 6th mo. 2gth, 1846, and contains the following : " My dear friend. The object I first had in view in addressing thee in this way was to relieve my .own mind on the one hand, and with a special view to holding out a hand of encouragement to thee to persevere in the path of duty into which thou hadst entered, believing from the impression on my mind of thy then state, it was called for at my hands. From thy succeed- ing communications to me I pleasantly entertain the idea that this object has been in some small measure attained, and most sincerely do I desire its continuance. Go on and prosper, is the rising language of my heart, holy help enabling thee to press through all opposing things. I apply it both to thy own individual spiritual prosperity, and to any labour as regards others in which thou mayst be from time to time engaged. In the present day, information of our friends, their movements, &c., &c., is speedily conveyed and not easily kept private. Thou canst but suppose that it afforded me much pleasure to hear of thy being engaged in religious service with our friend Phoebe Atkins, visiting the families of your Monthly Meeting. I say it was very acceptable tidings, and very much so would it be to me to find you had performed it, and reached your own dwellings, enriched with many sheaves, experiencing the truth that he that watereth others is, or shall .be, watered himself. " Having proceeded with soiling the sheet of paper thus far, I may as well go further, and first look at thy last very acceptable lines and see what parts of them should be noticed or replied to. Thou describes thy then state AET. 17-22. 49 of mind as one of ' much poverty and blindness.' As to the first it is well at such seasons to recur to our dear Lord's benediction, ' Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,' and as to the last, to recollect the prophet's query in the name of the Lord, 'Who is blind, but my servant?' etc., and again, ' I will bring the blind by a way that they know not, I will lead them in paths that they have not known ; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them and not forsake them.' Ah, my dear friend, how many since that day have realized the whole in their own experience. "Notwithstanding all the foregoing, I seem indis- posed for finishing without some little allusion to a few among the various exercises that have been my atten- dants since my friends thought it right to place me among them in the character wherein they have placed thee. Perhaps thou may be able to read and under- stand me in this the day of thy much shorter standing in that capacity by what thou hast already known something of. It is no uncommon thing for those who are travelling on the same road and in the same direction to ask each other of what they have met with in it. One circumstance has not very unfrequently occurred with me, viz., that in meetings, there has been before me that respecting which I have not had that clear apprehension of duty for its utterance, or in other words not that full impression of necessity for it as desirable, and thus it may have remained with me until the time of meeting has been much gone. How then have I acted ? Driven to look to the separating and endeavouring to feel how it would be, whether the mind felt easy in keeping it to itself, or uncomfortable 5 1840-45. in the prospect of separating- without uttering it, has generally been decisive either on the one hand or the other, and to this day (covered as I am with hairs, grey, if any) there are sometimes dilemmas attending me which I cannot get comfortably out of any other way. "Another point I have found not always the easiest to determine, viz., when to rise, and when to sit down at very different parts of a meeting but of this I am fully convinced, that on all occasions it is right to move in the life, and to endeavour to cease in the life. Another thing which I have sometimes found beneficial, though occasionally humiliating, viz., when various parts or passages of Scripture have come up and been expressed whilst standing, an after reference to them, not only for the purpose of ascertaining whether correctly quoted, but whether the application of them to the subject in hand may have been right, judging partly from their contexts. "Thou wilt see by all the foregoing how my pen runs on. It is certainly time to draw to a conclusion. My wife and myself are at present favoured with usual health, having considerably recovered from a pull-down condition through the unusual degree of heat recently. On Fifth-day next we hope to hie away to our little cottage near Sidcot School, and there for two months or more inhale bracing, pure air. What will afterwards be my lot I cannot say. Perhaps thou wilt like to know that thy last communication was perused with great ease as well as pleasure the writing a good sized hand, and the ink black enough so no more hints for thee on those points. "With dear love joined therein by my life-partner (though unknown to thee and thou to her), "Thy sincerely affectionate friend, "A. FRANK." AET. 17-22. 5 1 On the day after Martha Gillett, jun.'s, voice was first heard in meeting, as above recorded, she found the following little note laid by her mother on her dressing-table : " My beloved Martha, "I wish to assure thee that both thy dear father and myself feel unity and much sympathy with thee in the important office thou considerest thyself called upon to fill ; mayest thou, my dear child, be found faithful and be preserved from the many dangers and difficulties which may surround thy path, for truly the enemy of our soul's happiness is ever busy to devise means to draw us from the narrow path, so that I believe the only safe state for us to be in is with a single eye to look to the Lord for strength in all our steppings, that nothing may be said or done without His help, then, whether much or little is required of thee, either in public or in a more retired path, I believe a blessing will attend, and peace, sweet peace, be the clothing of thy mind. Oftener than the day are secret prayers raised for my dear children, that the Lord would be pleased to make Himself known to their tender minds, and that they may acknowledge Him in all their ways, for truly He is alone worthy to be served and to reign and rule in our hearts. Thy letter, which I found on my table last night, was perused with feelings of tender sympathy for thee, thou hast always been very dear to us, and ever ready to share in the domestic care which attends my path, but I shall most willingly liberate thee at any time to attend to higher duties. " With feelings of the tenderest affection, " I remain thy truly sympathizing mother, "M. G." 52 i8 4 5- This full unity and sympathy of both her parents was a great strength and comfort to our dear mother, and it { was not long after her acknowledgement as a Minister before she felt called to some definite religious work in her own and other Meetings. Of these engagements we will speak more fully in the next chapter. AET. 22. 53 CHAPTER V. Visits to Families of Friends in Banbury Monthly Meeting, 4th mo. 3rd to 27th, 1846 Visit in Gospel love to Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Wales, etc. Extracts from Journal relating to same. THE earliest service to which our mother felt called was to pay family visits to the Friends of her own Monthly Meeting. This concern rested on her heart for many months before the way seemed clear for her to go forward in it, and during all this time she passed through much deep conflict and exercise of soul in regard to it. Writing i2th mo. 8th, 1845, she says, "" Oh how poor I feel, so that I have been ready to say with the prophet Jeremiah, 'Ah, Lord God, I cannot speak, for I am a child.' The answer returned to this plaintive language, * Say not I am a child, for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak : be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee, saith the Lord/ has felt very comfort- ing to my poor tossed mind. Oh that I may be enabled to sink down into the dust under a sense of my own nothingness, and oh, gracious Father, 54 1846. make me willing to do and to suffer all which Thou mayest be pleased in Thine infinite wisdom to appoint." It was confirming to her faith when, towards the close of 2nd month, 1846, her friend, Phoebe Atkins, sent for her to say that she had in prospect a service of this nature, and that it had seemed shown to her that Martha Gillett, jun., had a similar call, and was to be her companion. Still doubts and fears seemed to surround her path in the sense of her own unworthiness, and the great fear which she felt of running before her Guide, but on 3rd mo. 7th, she writes : " My path opens before me with increasing clearness. I trust there is no desire to shrink from duty's call, but I have need to cry * Lord, help me/ having of my own neither might nor strength." On telling her father of her feelings, he expressed his unity and the belief that it would be right for him to accompany her, which was to her as a fresh evi- dence of the Lord's guidance and love. 3rd mo. 3ist, the day of the Monthly Meeting, she says : " Feeling" very low, but I desire to be strengthened humbly to look up to my holy Helper. Oh, the deep poverty that has been my portion this day so that as I sat in the select meeting the language of my spirit seemed to be 'Who is weak and I am not weak,' and I felt ready to exclaim, ' Surely in me dwelleth no good thing.' It was wonderful to myself how my soul was stayed in quiet confidence, and strength given to lay my concern before friends, in which I was favoured to AET. 23. 55 have the full unity of all present. I must have been helped with strength beyond my own, but my soul seemed bowed in awful silence throughout the Meeting. I could pray but not praise and thought surely no heart was ever so hard but the Lord in adorable mercy did not leave me long without a sense of His blessed life-giving presence. The ride home and the remainder of the evening were favoured. The new song seemed put into my mouth, and sweet peace is my portion, though I feel so little to deserve it so UTTERLY unworthy " On 4th mo. 3rd, in company with Phoebe Atkins and her father, she entered upon this engagement, and records : " Had six sittings to- day and were mercifully helped, the Lord con- triting the hearts of those visited and preparing the way for the reception of the messages of His love." 4th mo. loth. " Were favoured to get through six sittings to-day, which nearly finishes in this Meeting. I had a trying time this evening at one Friend's house, feeling it my place to keep silence. I was mercifully strengthened to bow in humble resignation to my dear Master's will, willingness being wrought in me even to appear as a fool for Christ's sake." 4th mo. 2ist. "After breakfast we went on to Hook Norton. I soon found my mind dipped into fresh baptisms as we rode along. Oh, these 'deaths oft,' how the creaturely part does shrink from passing through them, and yet they are I believe indispensably neces- sary, nor is it any wonder if vessels in use need more washing and cleansing than those which may be laid 5 i8 47 . up on the shelf Had seven sittings here to-day. I feel humbled under the belief that the Lord is with me, a poor stripling, to direct the stone to the mark. Oh, may I go forward in His strength and not in my own, for I am weak and poor, empty and blind, and soon should faint and fall without my Saviour." From the 3rd to the 27th of this month they paid 142 visits to families or individuals in the various meetings, and at the close of this service our mother's journal records as follows : " The Lord has been very merciful. He hath passed by my sins both of commission and of omission, and hath rewarded with soul-enriching peace, though I feel to deserve nothing and now at the conclusion of this service I am so dealt with as to have nothing left to glory in but the Lord's mercy, and am returning home as I went out, poor and blind, stripped and empty all things needful having been provided whilst I needed them." In the early part of the following year she felt that the Lord called her to visit the meetings and families of Friends in Herefordshire, Worcester- shire, and South Wales. In regard to this she writes, 3rd mo. i5th, 1847 : "The opening of the twenty-fifth year of my life has been a season of indescribable conflict. . . . He who knew the sincerity of my heart was mercifully pleased to bow my stubborn will in resignation, so that I could say Amen to all that my God called for, and in the evening I was strengthened to open to my dear parents the prospect of religious duty which was before me. . . . They encourage me to faithfulness, and give me up freely." AET. 24. 57 i;th, Fourth-day. "My mind this morning is peace- ful, and I think I may say thankful. The belief that the Lord is leading me about and guiding me is sweetly sustaining. A precious time at meeting. Many things were opened in the light, and sealed I hope with lasting instruction. I saw how necessary it is to take in sufficient ballast to keep the vessel steady, and how those of the greatest burden must get into deep water, before they can move forwards in safety, and had to look back upon my past exercises and conflicts, meditating on the wonderful ways and works of the Lord." 1 8th. "I received a kind note from Hannah Walford this morning which was comforting and confirming. The prospect of religious service which I have before me has not been mentioned to any one but my dear parents and sister, yet H. W. writes as if acquainted with it. Is not this the Lord's doing and marvellous in my eyes, and ought not these helps graciously granted to my often doubting mind to be received with thankfulness ? ' ' 1 9th. "My dear father offers to be my companion in the service in prospect, which is a favour I cannot feel too thankful for. It is wonderful how the Lord is making a way for me where I could see no way." 4th mo. 7th. "To the Monthly Meeting with my dear parents, sister, and brother. On sitting down amongst my dear friends I was brought to tears and my heart was broken and humbled, which precious feeling was continued until and during the time I spread my concern before my friends. There was a sweet feeling over the meeting, many being reached and tendered by the Lord's power. My dear father offered himself to accompany me in this journey, there was a 5 1847- full expression of unity and sympathy with our prospects and a certificate was drawn up and signed liberating us for the service before us." 4th mo. I2th, Second-day. "Parted with dear Joseph by the early coach this morning, and am now preparing to leave myself, being favoured with a comfortable evidence that the Lord my God is with me and will be with me in all the way that He may call me to go. We reached Birmingham comfortably and were kindly received by our dear relations there. Condescend, oh Lord, to preserve me in holy watchfulness, lest I grieve Thee by either giving or withholding more than is meet." I3th. "Whilst travelling towards Worcester under many discouraging feelings the Lord by His heavenly power suddenly broke in upon my soul, and a language was spoken as intelligible as words uttered by mortal lips, ' Fear not, I will be with thee at Worcester.' This was several times repeated, accompanied by such a sweet contriting feeling, that I then felt all my pangs, exercises and conflicts, were abundantly worth passing through, if only for the sweet enjoyment of Divine goodness with which I was at that season favoured. Oh, how my soul doth bless and praise the Lord, who thus tenderly carries in His arms His helpless, feeble lambs." 1 4th. "A large gathering of friends met here (Worcester) to-day, amongst whom I took my seat under feelings of much poverty and weakness, but the Lord gave me an open time amongst them, first in suppli- cation, and afterwards in a living testimony to His blessed truth. The dear youth were tenderly pleaded with, and entreated to yield up their hearts to the disposal of their gracious Redeemer." AET. 24. 59 It is probably of this meeting that a friend, writing from Worcester since Martha Braithwaite's decease, says : "When she was quite a young woman I remember her attending one of our meetings for worship with a minute for religious service, and wish I could give some idea of her weighty counsel to the young Friends present." The whole time of her visit at Worcester seems to have been much blessed. Mention is especially made of one young Friend who came to her in her room in tears and said, " Once I loved thy Master, but I am afraid I do not love Him now/' and whom she was enabled to encourage to a fresh dedication of heart and life to the Lord. On the 1 5th they proceeded by coach to New- port (Monmouthshire), " a long ride of sixty-five miles, through beautiful country, the river Wye winding amongst woods, hills and mountains." i6th, Sixth-day. "At ten o'clock this morning we sat with the little company in this place (Newport), six in number. We were preciously favoured together through unmerited mercy it was even as showers of blessing falling upon thirsty ground. We drove on to Cardiff, twelve miles, in the afternoon, and were at a meeting there at six in the evening. Several attended who were not members, which brought me under a good deal of exercise, my spirit was greatly burdened with the sense of the death and darkness that reigned in them, and I had to preach repentance unto them through Jesus Christ, and to declare many things amongst them plainly. I could get no relief nor cast off my burden to the friends of that Meeting until 6o 1847. afterwards, when I requested them to sit down again with us alone, and was at length favoured to feel clear and left them with a peaceful mind." 1 7th, Seventh-day. After an early breakfast we came on to Neath, thirty-six miles. The service before me here is deeply humiliating to look at. My heart seemed to sink within me as I passed the many iron, tin, and other works scattered over the neighbouring country, and I felt ready again and again to query ' Wherefore am I come hither ? ' but strong is my glorious Helper whose the work is, and the language seems to arise, 'I will get me unto the Rock that is higher than I.' ' i8th, First-day. "Exceedingly stripped this morning. I believe I must give up to visiting the families here. Be near to help me, O Lord, and strengthen me to do Thy work faithfully." About twenty-five family visits were paid here, and two public meetings held with the men of the iron works, several hundreds being present at each meeting. They were held in dissenting chapels, and our mother writes : " It was a formidable thing to me, a poor weak stripling, to mount the pulpit, but all must be submitted to and is made easy when the love of Christ constraineth." 23rd. " Came on to Swansea, paid six family visits, and in the evening we were at a public meeting held in the Friends' Meeting House here for the people engaged in the Pottery. The manager was very kind in making way for them to attend, and came himself to the meeting. The house was filled with the class I wished to see, and it was a very relieving time, though the AET. 24. 6i whole of the service fell on me, but the Lord graciously supplied the needful strength and enabled me to declare unto them the unsearchable riches of His love in Christ Jesus. Great solemnity prevailed and several afterwards, the manager among the rest, expressed themselves well pleased with the opportunity." 25th, First-day. "Attended the meeting at Swansea this morning, wherein I had some close things to deliver, but peace was granted in delivering the message faith- fully. In the evening my dear father and myself were at a public meeting appointed at my request in the Sailor's Chapel for those engaged amongst the shipping here. It was well attended and great solemnity pre- vailed throughout. I was sweetly helped through the portion of the service allotted me, and I trust the Great Husbandman will bless the seed sown." 26th. "We hear that there were more than thirty captains of vessels present at the meeting last evening, and find that the stone hit the mark rather remarkably in several instances. This is the Lord's doing and marvellous in our eyes. Great is the peace with which I have been permitted to leave Swansea. We reached Haverford West in the evening, a distance of about sixty-five miles. Jonathan Rees of Neath very kindly accompanied us." 2;th. " Left early this morning for Milford, and sat with the few Friends there. It was not a season of much abounding, but I trust the precious seed of the Kingdom was watered and refreshed. Oh, how softly and carefully should we who are engaged in the Lord's vineyard move along, lest we crush that which should be kept alive, or water that which the Spirit of the Lord is against to destroy." 62 1847. 28th. "Lay down for a few hours, and at half-past two we turned our faces homewards, feeling a peaceful release mercifully granted. I feel unable to speak forth all the mercies of my gracious God unto me how He hath preserved me in all my steppings along in His blessed service, and now so favoured me in the close that, although sensible of my own frailty and unworthi- ness, I am permitted to feel that there has been nothing left undone that was called for through disobedience to His holy divine requirings, and if I have erred on the other hand by running at seasons too fast, all seems passed by and covered with mercy, which is far more than I feel to be deserving of, and my spirit is bowed and broken under a sense of the Lord's preserv- ing power and condescending goodness. After a safe journey we arrived in Gloucester about half-past ten o'clock at night, having travelled by coach 145 miles." 29th. "Reached my peaceful home this evening about six o'clock. A sweet precious covering of divine goodness clothes my spirit with thankfulness and praise. I feel to deserve nothing, yet the hundred-fold reward is given, and sheaves of the Lord's own gathering to cast down again at His feet. May my own soul be laid there also that He may do with me as it seemeth to Him good, and prepare me more and more to show forth His praise." AET. 25. 63 CHAPTER VI. Visit to Kent Q.M. and to Sussex and Surrey Q.M., 1848 Visits to Fallen Women and to some Lodging- Houses and Beer Houses in Banbury, 8th mo., 1849. TOWARDS the close of 1848 our dear mother again felt called into the field of active service for her Master, believing it required of her to visit the meetings and families of friends in Kent Quarterly Meeting, and also in Sussex and Surrey Q.M. In reference to this service we find the following entries in her journal : loth mo. ijth, 1848. "I believe I must give up to a little service that seems to press home with increasing weight, yet I find it hard to come to true submission. I cannot do it of myself, therefore, O Lord, help me, I beseech Thee, and in Thy tender mercy keep me in the way which Thou hast cast up for me to walk in, and make me of the number of Thy willing and obedient children." Anxiety on account of her brother Joseph, whose illness was just beginning, made it seem especially difficult to her to leave home at this time, but she felt that the call was from the Lord and that she must be willing even to leave all and follow Him. 6 4 1848-49- nth mo. ist., 1848. "Arose under much heaviness in the prospect of our Monthly Meeting, but was merci- fully favoured when there and through the day to feel my mind stayed upon the Lord in quietness and peace. One language only seemed uppermost in my heart, ' Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.' It was a strengthening time, many expressing their unity and near sympathy with me in my concern, and my beloved friend Deborah Beesley in a very feeling manner offered to accompany me, expressing that she felt herself bound to go forth with me to do or to suffer in the service as the Lord might appoint for us. We seemed bowed together before the Lord in a feeling which was beyond words, and which dear Susanna Kirkham sweetly acknowledged vocally after reading the closing minute. The song for this evening seems to be ' Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name.' " In the record of this journey that deep con- cern for the spiritual welfare of all with whom she came in contact, which was such a marked feature of her character through life, is very clearly brought out. At Reading she spoke "a few words, which seemed to find entrance," to the young friend who was walking with her to the station, and in the train between London and Canterbury she says : " I gave some tracts to my fellow-passengers, feeling an exercise of soul on their account, particularly for a rather rough- looking man sitting opposite to me, to whom I handed one entitled, ' What is the soul worth ? ' He read it with much attention, and I observed AET. 25-26. 65 him many times rubbing the tears from his eyes, till at length he seemed quite overcome. I felt it best not to interrupt his meditations, but told him he might keep the tract, with which he seemed much pleased, and on getting out thanked me for it and said he should read it again. He afterwards came to the door to make his bow, and I trust did not leave without at least having felt the renewed strivings of the Holy Spirit for entrance into his heart, and a cheering hope seemed raised that some entrance would be given." On this same journey she had much conversa- tion with a young woman in the railway carriage, who seemed to be in an awakened state of mind, encouraging her "to keep faithful to the Light which had shined." It was in this spirit that she moved along all through life, with a heart always open to the needs of those around her and ever ready when opportunity offered to speak a word for her Saviour, truly fulfilling His command, " As ye go, preach, saying, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." The visit to these Quarterly Meetings occupied six weeks of very close labour, and included visits to the meetings and families of Friends at Can- terbury, Margate, Dover, Folkestone, Ashford, Maid- stone, Rochester, Sittingbourne, Chatham, Reigate, Dorking, Guildford, Capel, Crawley, Ifield, Hor- sham, Lewes, Chichester, Brighton, and Lindfield. At Rochester they were " cordially received by Ann and Eliza Rickman," with whom our mother's 66 l8 4 8- 4 9. school days had been spent. " It was very sweet to me," she says, " again to welcome and be welcomed by some whom I loved when a child." Her sister Elizabeth was then at school at Lewes, and came to breakfast with them whilst there. They also visited the school and had " a solemn opportunity amongst the dear children." During these weeks, meetings and family visits followed each other in very close succession, as many as fourteen visits being sometimes arranged for on one day ; so that she writes, " I believe I must be willing a little to check my dear, kind friends when they would plan so much for me. I feel that it requires great watchfulness not to move on too fast, as well as much care not to be idle. There is deep exercise to pass through, and often close proving in these visits." And again, " some of the labour has been hard : how much easier it is to the natural part to have to water that which hath life, than to be made use of to plough up the hard, dead, earthly nature ; but the poor servant must be willing to labour honestly and to mind the directions of the great Husbandman, who alone knoweth what is needed in His great harvest field." At Reigate she enjoyed exploring the cave in which Magna Carta was supposed to have been drawn up, and throughout the journey several times mentions having felt her spirit greatly re- freshed by the drives in the beautiful country AET. 25-26. 6 7 through which they had to pass. Of Capel she says : " i2th mo. ist. This morning we drove to Capel, eighteen miles distant from Guildford, and found the friends assembled at the Meeting House, which presented quite an interesting, rustic ap- pearance, as the Friends' carts were standing in the little close adjoining, and the Meeting House itself is of ancient date." Of the family visits she writes again : " Oh, the provings which this work brings into ; but He who hath called forth hath strengthened and will yet strengthen to perform, if my whole trust is in Him alone. There is no life, but through death." Just as they had completed the engagement, and when they only contemplated attending one more Meeting before returning home, our mother met with an accident, which she thus describes, writing on I2th mo. 25th : " When about entering the sitting-room to take leave, I stepped a little on one side, and not being aware of a flight of steps leading to an under-ground kitchen, which com- menced close to the parlour door, I fell from the top to the bottom, coming with great force on my left ankle, which was bent under me in the fall, and sprained so severely that the doctor ordered me to take to my bed and have eight leeches immediately applied. These did their part well, but it was needful to put on six more afterwards and to keep up the hot fomentations pretty con- stantly. My mind through all was sweetly clothed with thankfulness and peace, feeling as much willing- 68 1848-49. ness to suffer as I had before done to do all that might be allotted for me, so that the will of my Heavenly Father might be accomplished in, by r and through me, His poor child. My dear com- panion was most truly kind and sympathizing, nursing me like a mother, and feeling under this dispensation peacefully relieved from any further service, I moved, as soon as it was considered prudent, and travelled home on the sixth-day following. I found dearest Joseph better than I expected, and the rest in usual health. I am still a prisoner to the couch with my ankle, but hope it is going on favourably. Thus ended a memor- able travel of more than six weeks, wherein I had to go forth, scarcely knowing whither, at the com- mand of my Lord and Master, to warn the un- ruly, to counsel the disobedient, to comfort the mourners, and to publish the glad tidings of life and salvation through a crucified Redeemer ; and though all that has been done seems but as the drop in the bucket, I feel sweet peace in having endeavoured to yield obedience unto the Lord's requirings." The next public service to which our dear mother was called was one particularly trying to her sensitive nature, and she passed through many deep baptisms and provings in connection with it before her will was bowed in entire submission to this divine requiring ; yet still the prayer of her soul was that the Lord would work in her to will and to do of His good pleasure. AET. 25-26. 69 Under date yth mo., i8th, 1849, she writes : "After a day of many fears and much secret tossing, was enabled to unburden my mind to my beloved father, and to tell him that I felt it laid upon me to go from house to house amongst the lodging houses in this town, and other places of a similar description, and to have, as the way may be made for it, religious oppor- tunities with their miserable inmates. He seemed to feel unity with my concern, and encouraged me to go forward in simple faith and faithfulness in the way cast up. The nature of this exercise has often seemed to myself new and strange, and has truly been such as I never before experienced. My nature has shrunk ex- ceedingly from this humiliating path, which has been opened before me for nearly five years, and it has been only quite lately that there has been anything like resignation to go forth, yet I trust the right time has been waited for. I dare not move except of necessity, and then the result must be committed unto Him who seeth the end from the beginning." 25th. "Very low and almost ready to sink under the weight of sin and wickedness of which I felt sensible. O Lord, enable me to abide patiently under Thy pre- paring hand, and strengthen me to cast my burden upon Thee, that whether on my own account or for the sake of others I am thus dealt with, the chastening may work the end which Thou hast designed." On hearing of her concern, her friend Phoebe Atkins offered herself as her companion, which, she says, was gratefully received " as another fresh proof of the infinite condescension, care, and love of my dear Lord and Master." 7 i8 4 8- 49 . 8th mo. ist, the day of the Monthly Meeting, she writes: "I ventured to tell my dear friends of the prospect which has so long rested weightily upon my own mind of visiting in the love of the Gospel, and as truth may open the way, the lodging houses and some of the beer houses in this town and Neithrop, and also some of the cottages amongst the poor where vice and wickedness are the most known to abound. Great solemnity was felt over the Meeting after I sat down, and in a little while came the expression of near sym- pathy and unity with me under my exercise, so that I was set free by minute to pursue the line of appre- hended duty. Dear Phoebe Atkins was also liberated to accompany me, and one or two men friends were requested to go with us. I feel thankful that the way is thus far made, and now may I endeavour to trust in the Lord." She was occupied in this service from 8th mo. 8th to Qth mo. 2nd, 1849, and paid in all about fourteen visits to lodging houses and seven to beer-houses, besides visiting the inmates of the gaol and some few separate individuals. From her own account of this engagement we extract the following : 8th mo. 8th. "I was favoured at meeting with a pretty quiet time, and afterwards entered on my religious engagement amongst some of the most degraded of our poor ; and how greatly did I feel the need in entering into it of having clean hands and a clean heart. Phoebe Atkins, my dear father, and William Walford accom- panied me, and the way was marvellously made far beyond what I had dared to look for. When we entered the first cottage our concern was explained by AET. 25-26. 7* W. Walford, and our wish to sit down with all the inmates who would be willing to assemble with us. Some little hesitation was at first manifested, for they, many of them, seemed as though they would be glad to get away from mortal eye ; however seven were present, which I believe was all their number, and we were enabled to declare unto these the everlasting gospel of life and salvation through a crucified Redeemer. Prayer was offered for these poor wanderers at the conclusion, and we left many of them in tears." Two other cottages were visited on this day, in one of which they held two sittings, and our mother writes : "The poor young women seemed generally thankful for the visit. My soul seemed lifted up in praise through the remainder of the day for the help vouchsafed, and I lay down at night under a covering of sweet peace." 8th mo. Qth. "At eleven o'clock, poor and empty, we again set forth. The first visit was to a beer house in Calthrop Lane, notorious for its bad character, the sign, 'The Royal Oak.' The landlady strongly opposed our views, but after my dear father and James Cadbury had talked to her for some time, she said, ' Well if you like, you may go into the kitchen, but I can take no part in it.' We believe she thought we should be very glad soon to make our escape, and that its inmates would not allow us to stay amongst them, but we felt that we had not to go in our own strength, and I was favoured to feel no fear. We found there a rough and rude company, consisting of six men and two young women who were engaged in playing at cards. They seemed struck, and disposed to ridicule the strangeness 2 1848-49. of our appearance and our visit, but made room for us to sit amongst them, continuing to laugh rudely at one another and at us until I commenced speaking. One man amongst them, however, frequently reproved the others, saying such conduct towards strangers was shameful, yet he seemed from the way in which they received his advice to be as bad or worse than his companions. I was strengthened to speak to them very plainly of death and a judgment to come, of their re- sponsibility to a just and holy and righteous God, who had given them life and breath and being; of the unspeakable value of their never dying souls, and that the wages of sin would be everlasting death also to direct them to that Saviour, who died that they might live, and who came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance. Dear Phcebe Atkins followed in much the same strain, and James Cadbury added a few words. They were quiet and orderly whilst we were speak- ing, except two, who persuaded one another to leave the room, and when we rose to take leave of them we found that notwithstanding all, they had yet hearts to feel and some of them were in tears. It did me good to see them thus humbled before the Lord, unto whom from my own heart, blessing and praise secretly ascended for the help vouchsafed, ascribing unto Him all the glory. There were several of them anxious to know when we could come again, but we felt thankful to be once more in the pure air ; yet under a sense of our Heavenly Father's constraining love, we were made willing to go forward to the next abode of wretchedness and vice. Here we sat down with six young women, and were favoured to have a good time. Two of them were much contrited, and one of these had behaved very lightly during the early part of the sitting. I had to tell them AET. 25-26. 73 that though they might think all passed them by, that there was none that cared for their souls, yet that there was One who did in Infinite Love care even for them, that He was still waiting to be gracious unto them, if they would return, repent and live. It was affecting to see them hide their faces in their aprons, weep- ing bitterly. Quietness and peace were at the close mercifully permitted to be my portion, to Thee O Lord belongeth all the glory." 8th mo. i5th, Fourth-day. "Visits paid to five cottages." 8th mo. 1 7th. " Commenced our visits in Banbury at eleven o'clock, James Cadbury as guide. Visited first a beer house in Lower Cherwell Street. The landlady positively told us that she had only one young woman there with her, but we found there were two others in the house, also four men in a back room drinking and smoking. To these we went telling them the object of our visit, when they readily offered to meet with us in a front room, and brought their pipes with them, though they were little used. One of these poor men said he knew Arnee Frank, of Bristol ; that his father was a Friend, and that he was himself at one time a member of our Society, and went to a Friends' School. After some difficulty the three young women were per- suaded also to meet with us, and the silence into which they all settled was remarkable : indeed they behaved most respectfully throughout the whole of the opportunity. I had to set before them that language, 'Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price,' etc., and dear P. A. also addressed them at some length. I felt it quite a relieving time We then went forward to a beer-house to which, though of a more respectable character, I had felt strongly attracted 74 1848-49- x ever since the opening of this concern. We had a comfortable opportunity with the owners, who seemed thankful for the visit, and it was my lot to sympathize with them in their afflictions. This visit seemed like a little brook by the way. . . . We then went to a beer-house in Back Lane, notorious for its very bad character. Here we found a large unruly company as- sembled, men and women, about 16 or 18 in all. Some of them offered us porter and derided us, and they were most of them very noisy and would scarcely hear what we had to say. I had to warn them of their wickedness and tell them that they would be brought into judgment, etc., and dear P. A. also addressed them. Oh the wickedness we have seen in this place ; it has even exceeded all the others we have yet visited, and that they sin against conviction, is very evident from their own sense of the evil of their ways. My heart trembled to think what would be the consequence and ached for them . They said, notwithstanding their very rude behaviour, they would hear us when they would not others, because we preached to them freely and did not ask for money, and they felt sure that our motives were good. I felt thankful when this visit was over,, and am favoured now in the retrospect to feel sweet peace. Some of this company even mocked at the Scriptures of Truth, but there were a few who sat solidly, and seemed concerned at the conduct of their companions." 8th mo. iQth, First-day. " At two o'clock we visited the lodging house in Neithrop, having previously given notice of our intention. They received us respectfully and settled down together into stillness. I think there were eleven present, some most destitute as to outward comforts. My dear father spoke first, then dear Phcebe AET. 25-26. 75 Atkins, and then I had to express my sympathy with them as wanderers and outcasts, and to direct them to seek after an inheritance in that city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, also to point them to Christ Jesus, the only Saviour and Redeemer, in whom they might find rest unto their souls. There seemed an openness to hear, and it was altogether a relieving opportunity, yielding in the retrospect cause for humble thankfulness unto Him who hath mercifully condescended to be my strength in weakness, riches in my poverty, and a very present helper in the time of need." 8th mo. 25th. "We paid two visits in Neithrop, the first to a cottage in Rag Row, where we sat down with one individual. I felt it an open time and there seemed a feeling of good over us whilst sitting together in silence, which, at length, led me to bend the knee in supplica- tion to the Father of mercies for this poor wanderer. ... . On rising to take leave my heart was bowed in humble thankfulness unto Him whose power had been so sensibly felt amongst us, for the poor young woman was weeping bitterly, and seemed much affected, and in a contrite state. We had been to her cottage once before and found her out, but I felt that I would rather have gone many times over than have missed that visit. Oh, if even one poor sinner might be won to Christ how richly would it compensate for all that I have had to pass through in the performance of this service. ..." 8th mo. 26th, First-day. "Went at half-past one to a beer house in Back Lane, J. Cadbury as guide. We found them quite disposed to receive the visit and to make us comfortable in their way, and the landlady and six others, mostly barge-men and their wives, sat down with us and were all solid and orderly. It was, 76 i8 4 8- 4 9. I believe, through renewed mercy, a satisfactory time both to the visitors and the visited. Then came the lodging house in Calthrop Lane, a place I had looked forward to visiting with much fearfulness, but now in the needful time I seemed enabled to trust that the way would be made and that we should be safe under the Divine protection of Him, at whose bidding we had ventured to go amongst them. A few hours' notice had been given, and when we got to the alley we found them ranged on benches outside, cleaning their shoes, tidying themselves up, etc., as we supposed to make ready for the visit, which proved to be the case, and being a few minutes before our time afforded us the opportunity of witnessing this desire on their part to do their best to receive us in a friendly way. We walked silently through them into the large front room, where three or four benches were ranged in rows on each side of the capacious fire-place, also a long bench in front. A few were in the room when we entered, and the large blazing fire over which hung an immense copper boiler did not convey the idea of much want. After waiting patiently for a few minutes the company began to assemble in an orderly manner, coming in one after another, apparently of all grades and descriptions, and of all ages, from a baby of a month old, to a grey- headed old man who looked as though he had weathered many a storm. Some were miserably clad and very dirty ; others in appearance quite respectable ; one tall portly foreigner amongst them. I believe there were in the room besides ourselves 28 grown people, and six or eight children, so that we must have sat down a company of about 40, and there were also six or eight outside on a bench under the window, who did not incline to come in, but were quite within reach AET. 25-26. 77 of our voices. We were favoured to settle under a feeling of solemn quiet in which I found it laid upon me to deliver amongst them not only the warning word but the message of mercy and of love ; and as one thing after another arose in the life and authority of the Truth to communicate amongst them, the feeling of solemnity that was over us seemed to deepen, and I trust it was a season that would be blessed to very many. I could not feel clear without bending the knee to supplicate for a blessing and that they all might be gathered unto Christ their Redeemer. It was a memorable time, and the opportunity as relieving to my mind as any we have previously had. We found plenty of customers for the tracts, and distributed a large bundle before leaving. The fresh acknowledge- ment seemed raised that He who putteth forth does go before and strengthen to perform." At the gaol they had separate opportunities with a young woman, two boys, a man imprisoned for forgery, and with the gaoler and his wife. An attempt was twice made to visit a lodging house kept by Roman Catholics, but without success, and our mother writes : " So I felt peaceful in leaving it, and only sent them some tracts. I believe I shall now feel clear to return my minute, and in the winding up of this arduous service I am enabled to bless and to praise Him who hath been my Helper in the time of need, longing that my whole life may be dedicated unto the Lord, who is only worthy to be for ever loved and served and glorified by all His works." 1846-50. CHAPTER VII. First acquaintance with J. B. Braithwaite His visit to Banbury and to Sidmouth their engagement Illness of her Brother Joseph His death. IT was in the summer of 1845 that her father, during a visit to London, arranged for his eldest son Joseph to read in Chambers with J. B. Braithwaite, who had been recommended to him as a law tutor by his cousin John Hodgkin. Our father had been called to the Bar in ist mo., 1843, as a member of the Middle Temple, and was slowly but steadily working up the practice which made him so well known in later life. He was then living in his chambers in Lincoln's Inn a very retired life, and was in the habit of spending his spare moments, as he does even to the present day, in private study, his chief interests centring in Church History, the writings of the early Christians, and, above all, the study of the Bible in its original languages. He was the youngest son of Isaac and Anna Braithwaite, of Kendal, the latter of whom, a daughter of Charles Lloyd, of Birmingham, was well known as a Minister among Friends, and had three times paid religious AET. 23-27. 79 visits to Friends in America. Our father was at this time 27 years of age, and an acknowledged Minister in our Society. A warm friendship sprang up between him and his pupil, Joseph Gillett, and, in the spring of 1846, he came by invitation to spend a few days with him at his home. During this visit he became better acquainted with our mother, whom he had met at the house of John Hodgkin, and was so struck with the charm of her personal attractions and the beauty of her consecrated life, that, though nothing was said at that time, he left Banbury firmly resolved to win Martha Gillett, jun., for his wife. Perhaps the attraction was not all on one side, for our mother records this visit in her journal thus : "A day of sweet refreshment and comfort. J. B. B. read us several deeply instructive portions." And when he had returned to London with her brother, she says, " Our little circle seems solitary and stripped," with more in the same strain, and then rebukes herself for murmuring, for she adds, " no real mercy is ever, I believe, withheld ; we are poor, short-sighted creatures, and know not what is best for us, whilst He who bestows upon us every blessing we enjoy, knows perfectly just what we stand in need of." In yth month, 1847, her mother placed in her hands a letter from our father, expressive of his attachment, and containing proposals for their union. On this occasion, to use her own words, she " con- sented, though not without conflicting feelings, to 8o 1846-50. my dear parents sending a negative reply to J.B.B." This he wisely declined to accept until he had been allowed a personal interview. During the whole period that the matter was under con- sideration we find the constant, earnest breathing of her soul regarding it was " Shew me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path." Later in the summer, when the family were at Sidmouth, in Devonshire, our father was invited to come down for a few days, their intercourse at that time ending in what was practically an engage- ment to each other. It seemed, however, best, from prudential considerations, to delay their mar- riage for nearly four years. This long delay was a trial of faith and patience, but they were both earnestly desirous of waiting for the right time, and were especially anxious that no outward considerations should stand in the way of any service which their Lord and Master might be calling for at their hands. They were each of them engaged several times during these years in travelling with minutes for religious service. From the very first it was their greatest wish to be one another's helpers in the work of the Lord. Our dear mother writes, after one of our father's visits to her at Banbury : " The time we have lately passed together has been very sweet, and I more and more feel how richly I am blessed in having in him such a precious helper. May we together be enabled to serve and glorify our dear Redeemer all the days of our life." That AET. 23-27. 8i this prayer was granted all those who have known them during their married life can testify. It was their joy to know in a lengthened ex- perience the fulfilment of the promise, " Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." In the spring of 1848, Joseph Gillett's health became very delicate, and the family were sud- denly plunged into deep sorrow by receiving the information that on consulting Dr. Thomas Hodgkin he pronounced the symptoms to be those of rapid consumption, and advised his returning home im- mediately. Martha Gillett started at once for London to fetch her son, and thus describes his condition in a letter to her husband. " Dear Joseph seems much pleased to see me, and very earnest to return home to-morrow, but we cannot fix any plan till we see Dr. Hodgkin. He looks sadly, and his cough brings considerable pain in his side. J.B.B. is exceedingly kind and anxious to do all he can. He has kept a fire in his down-stairs room that Joseph may not feel the change. Dr. Stroud confirms the previous opinion of Dr. Hodgkin and Henry Galloway that dear Joseph's chest is diseased, and expressed his fears that the complaint is making rapid progress. They wish him to return with me to-morrow." Our mother writes, under date 5th mo. 24th, 1848 : " My beloved brother reached us at 5 o'clock. He looks much altered, yet still bright and cheerful, so that it seems almost difficult to realize his state. . . . The doctors give us very little hope of his recovery, and say that the 82 1846-50. complaint is making rapid progress. The left lung they consider incurably diseased, and the other slightly so." This unexpected illness of the dearly-loved eldest son and brother was a very great trial to all the family. He was so affectionate and so talented, and had besides given such evidence that he had yielded his heart to, the love of Christ his Saviour, that they had looked forward to his future as full of promise, but they were enabled to accept it both for him and for them- selves as amongst the " all things " which were working together for their good. In the letter from which we have already quoted his mother writes: "We are much privileged in having -so many kind, sympathizing friends, but above all, it is an unspeakable favour to have the mind stayed on the Lord and to seek for resignation to His divine will ; and although to our finite comprehension His ways are mysterious, yet I believe we can both acknowledge that they are perfect and just." The illness proved more lingering than had been anticipated, the change to the country air and the comforts and careful nursing which he was able to enjoy at home seeming for a time to revive him ; although he varied very much, and they were never able to entertain hopes of his ultimate recovery. In the summer of 1849, accompanied by his mother and brother Charles, he spent nearly six weeks at Ben Rhydding, in Yorkshire, with the hope that the fresh air of AET. 23-27. 03 the hills would be beneficial, but these hopes were disappointed, and he returned home looking " altered for the worse since he left." The follow- ing winter 1849-50 was a time of very close nursing and constant anxiety on his account, and very early in the spring it became evident that he was declining fast. Under date 2nd mo. 23rd, 1850, our mother writes : " My dearest brother Joseph has been in an extremely sinking state throughout the day, and we have watched him with anxious solicitude, thinking many times he would scarcely survive through it, but his life is still continued, and with it to us the privilege of in some small measure participating in the happiness and the heavenly calm which seems to be spread around him." 2nd. mo. 25th. "Dear Joseph still gets weaker. He expressed himself very sweetly to my dear mother this afternoon. I have several times remembered of late what my dear cousin John Hodgkin had to express to him, "that the dumb tongue would be loosened." It has truly seemed so of late in a remarkable degree, and we desire to thank Thee, O Father of mercies for the evidence granted, and feel that Thou art pre- paring for a place of rest in Thy glorious Kingdom this dear, cherished object of our fondest love." 3rd mo. 2nd. " My dear mother and I sat up with dearest Joseph through last night, which was one of extreme restlessness, evidently the prelude to his approaching change. He had the iO3rd Psalm read to him. This morning he is worse. Oh, that the ever- lasting arms may be underneath for our support." Evening. "My precious brother is now safely released 4 1846-50 from all his sufferings. We have been privileged to watch around him through the day, and were all witfy him at the close. He was many times moved from the bed to the easy chair and then back again, his breathing being very distressing. About three we laid him on the bed for the last time, and soon after he kissed my dear mother, who was sitting beside him, saying, "Farewell," then beckoned for us each to come to him one by one, and took leave of us. . . . A heavenly feeling deemed to pervade the room as we watched his gently departing, happy spirit, which was most peacefully released, almost without a struggle, about half- past five o'clock, and we thankfully believe that he is now gathered through redeeming love into that glorious city, none of whose inhabitants can say, "I am sick," and where all tears are wiped for ever away." 3rd mo. 6th. " I have been spending a sweet time by the dear remains. I think I never saw death look more beautiful : the heavenly expression of the countenance seems to proclaim that all is peace, that the happy, liberated spirit is at rest for ever with the redeemed of the Lord. . . ." 3rd mo. 8th. " The day of the interment of my precious brother and a memorable time. ... A heavenly feeling covered us as we stood around the grave, and the same precious covering continued over us when we went into the Meeting House. Before retiring to rest in the evening my dearest J.B.B. offered the tribute of thanksgiving and praise for all the mercies vouchsafed both to him who is removed from amongst us and to us who remain. It was a tendering, sweetly refreshing season, and seemed to crown the whole. What shall we render unto Thee, O Lord, for all Thy benefits? All that is within me desires to bless for ever Thy holy Name." AET. 23-27. CHAPTER VIII. Religious Visit to Ireland accompanied by Deborah Beesley Qth mo. 26th, 1850, to 2nd mo. 3rd, 1851. IN the autumn of this year our dear mother again felt called forth into the field of active service, and although the bereavement they had so recently passed through, and her own approaching marriage made her shrink from the publicity which such work involved, she was again made willing to go forward in simple obedience to the divine leadings, and thus after much conflict on the 4th of 9th month, 1850, she writes : " Our Monthly Meeting at Sibford My dear friends liberated me by certificate to visit the Meetings of Friends in Ireland, and the families in some places, and also to perform such other service there as may appear to be called for at my hands." She was away nearly five months, being closely occupied the whole time. Family visits were paid in nearly all the meetings; and as there were not then many rail- roads, much of the travelling was by coach or by Irish cars, often over rough roads, and was slow and fatiguing. There are still many of the older Friends who cherish warmly the remem- 86 1850-51. brance of this visit, and who can testify that the earnestness of her youthful consecration and the power of the Gospel message which she preached made a deep impression on many hearts. The realization of her own weakness and unworthiness led her to seek to keep near to the true source of strength and to feel her need of divine guidance, and of the fresh anointing for each day's service. Her diligence in the work and her earnest desire to be faithful to all that was required will be best shown by some extracts from her journal during this visit. Her friend Deborah Beesley was her com- panion in this journey, which our mother felt to be cause for thankful rejoicing. They left Banbury on the 26th of Qth month, 1850, her brother Charles accompanying them to Ireland, and remaining over the Quarterly Meeting at Carlow, after which he returned home. In her journal, speaking of their stormy passage from Holyheacl to Dublin, she writes : "As I lay tossing on my pillow, towards the close of the passage, I thought if such joy were felt on getting near an outward port how far would it be exceeded when nearing the haven of everlasting rest." Their first service in Ireland was at Carlow, where they attended Leinster Quarterly Meeting, and spent a few days in family visits. They then went forward to Kilnock, the home of Mary James Lecky, and thence to New Garden AET. 27-28. / and Ballitore, at which latter place they remained some days visiting families. loth mo. ;th, 1850. " Left Ballitore under a feeling of quiet peace for which I feel thankful. Travelled about sixty-two English miles to Enniscorthy, which place we reached about six in the evening. I had a sweet ride, meditating on the goodness of the Lord." loth mo. 8th. "Passed almost a sleepless night from pain in my face very low about myself, and thoughtful and anxious about those I have left behind. Attended the Monthly Meeting here and paid seven visits to the families during the day." loth mo. Qth. "At Enniscorthy. Attended the week day meeting a relieving time. The rest of the day was closely occupied in family visits." loth mo. loth. "At meeting at Ballitore, in which I had much close-searching labour without feeling much if any relief, yet I desire to leave it, believing the faithful servant must be willing often to labour without seeing the fruit, and often without being given to feel that any good has been done." loth mo. nth. "At Cooladine meeting to my com- fort. Felt sweet unity with the Friends there, and above all the sweet incomes of heavenly love to the tendering of my spirit before the Lord. It was hard to part with some of the Friends of this meeting, and yet I was thankful to move another step forward on the journey. Came on to Randalsmills in the evening and had a small but comfortable meeting in the sitting-room at Joseph William's house, which has been registered as a meeting-house for more than 160 years." From Cooladine they proceeded to Wexford where they attended two meetings and paid 12 1850-51. family visits. Many of these visits involved travelling considerable distances, as the families were much scattered in the country neighbour- hoods. The next entry illustrates this. loth mo. I5th. "Left Wexford early this morning and went seven miles into the country to breakfast with Mary Pool and her family, with whom we had a sitting afterwards, and then went four miles further to see an aged couple, not members, whom I did not feel easy to pass by. We found them in great affliction, the wife confined to her bed and in a dangerous state. The visit seemed seasonable and proved relieving to my own mind. From this we travelled another four miles and visited a young woman living in a solitary situation much shut out from Friends. We then proceeded twelve miles further to Ross, arriving about tea time, and in the evening had a meeting with the few Friends there." From Ross they went on by steamer down the river Barrow to Waterford. The prospect of a visit to the families of Friends in this large Meeting appeared very formidable to her. She wrote afterwards : loth mo. 26th. " Completed the visits in Waterford meeting, having had altogether 77 sittings. Some of these have been deeply exercising to my mind. Close searching labour was my portion amongst these, but the Lord made a way for the entrance of what was given me to hand forth, so that it was agreeably received, and some evinced much tenderness. May they not slight this fresh visitation. My spirit travails for their welfare and desires their prosperity, and that every mist of darkness may be removed from before their eyes that they may AET. 27-28. 09 both see and follow the things that make for their peace. My lot was also cast amongst some precious ones in this meeting, who are engaged nobly to stand for the Lord and for His cause. I was thankful to be permitted to enter into sympathy and feeling with these, and had to labour for their encouragement. The retrospect of the service in this meeting is attended with peaceful feelings, though I am sensible of many shortcomings, and have abundant cause to acknowledge that I am but an unprofitable servant. It seemed very pleasant this evening to move another stage forward on the journey, though into fresh service." From Waterford they proceeded to Clonmel, stopping for one night at Portlaw to visit Joseph and William Malcolmson. At Clonmel she again felt called to pay family visits, of which she writes : loth mo. 29th. "Had sixteen sittings, some of them seasons of renewed favour, yet, notwithstanding, I feel this evening much discouraged. One of the sittings to-day was a silent opportunity with a young couple who made a gay appearance words seemed withheld, and I dare not move except of necessity." 3oth. "Paid fifteen more family visits, moving along under a painful sense of poverty and weakness, yet the Lord mercifully helped from season to season, and the retrospect of the day is attended with feelings of quiet peace." nth mo. 2nd. " Favoured to come to the close of the service in Clonmel this evening, having paid sixty visits in that meeting. One of the visits this morning was deeply affecting to my mind. It was to a poor young man who had been a very dissipated character, and who now seems very near his close. . . . On taking him by the hand to leave he said, ' Indeed, I don't care about it, I am tired of 9 it all.' I was much overcome, and said, 'but thou wouldst wish to die the death of the righteous, wouldst thou not ? > Tears filled his eyes as he grasped my hand and earnestly rejoined 'Oh yes.' I do hope some little impression was made, and that this dear young man may yet find mercy as at the eleventh hour." 4th. "Left Clonmel with feelings of humble thank- fulness travelled about forty English miles to Youghal. Had a religious opportunity in the family where we lodged in the evening." 5th. "Attended the little Meeting at Youghal, con- sisting of about fifty members. It was a relieving time. We made a few calls afterwards and dined early, travelling by coach to Cork, where we arrived about seven in the evening. I was conscious of fresh exercise of spirit in coming into this place. Oh that the Lord's will may alone be done, whatever I may have to suffer. We were kindly received at Samuel and Jane Newsom's. I feel it a favour to have such a home provided in a strange land." 8th and gih. " Closely engaged in the family visits. Marvellously helped along and favoured, though moving under a sense of abounding weakness, to feel thus far that I am in my right place in this very humiliating service. Oh how much is there to pass through in going from family to family amongst the high and low, the rich and the poor. What a diversity of states to have to feel for and enter into. The poor servant can only move in safety under the direction of heavenly wisdom." nth mo. i5th. "This evening paid the last and ninety-fifth visit in Cork Meeting. The Lord has helped me hitherto, my soul can gratefully testify, and may I not trust that He will yet condescend to help me all my journey through." AET. 27-28. 9 1 i6th. "Left Cork at eleven, and reached Limerick about half-past three. Dear Jane Newsom very ac- ceptably our companion." After visiting the families of Friends in Limerick she visited Roscrea, Birr (where in a small meet- ing she mentions having a time of renewed favour) and Knockballymaher, and thence proceeded by Mountrath and Rathangan to Dublin on their way north to Belfast, to attend the Quarterly Meeting for Ulster Province. On nth mo. 29th, our mother writes : "I entered Belfast with fear and trembling : can it be that I shall leave it with rejoicing ? Oh for an increase of faith." Here, in addition to the family visits, she felt that she could not pass by the flax-spinners, of whom there were a great number. In the prospect of this she writes : 11 I have desired that, if it is indeed the Lord's requiring, some one may be raised up to unite with me, and my mind has been much turned to dear William Green." 1 2th mo. 2nd. "We took tea with Ralph Green, his wife, and sister. . . . After tea I had an opportunity with Jacob Green, Wm. Green and John Pirn, jun., to whom I mentioned my concern about the flax spinners, and they all encouraged me to faithfulness, dear Wm. Green adding that if way opened he thought he should feel easy to come and bear me company in the engagement, which felt confirming to my mind." The meeting was accordingly held ; it was attended by about 300, many of the masters as well as the workers being present. It was a very satisfactory occasion. 9 2 1850-51. ioth. "We left Belfast about four and travelled by railway and car to this place, Lower Grange, where a meeting is appointed for to-morrow." 1 2th. " Attended the Monthly Meeting at Lisburn, and in the afternoon visited the School." I4th. "A comfortable night's rest in dear Jacob Green's "little cabin" as he calls it, which has seemed to me like a little Bethel. After breakfast we spent some hours at Brookfield school, which is only a short distance from J. Green's residence. The arrangements in the house and on the premises are very comfortable, and everything seemed to be in beautiful order. Fifty- one children were in the school, with whom and their care-takers we had a favoured religious opportunity. Whilst we were there a violent storm of wind and rain came on, and just as we were about mounting on the car a considerable fall of mortar off the front of the house frightened the horse and caused it to start off, but it was soon quieted, and as we were not in the car at the time, we experienced a merciful preservation from harm. We returned to Lisburn in the afternoon. " After finishing the service at Lisburn they re- turned by way of Belfast and Carrickfergus in order to visit Larne, concerning which she w T rites : 1 2th mo. I5th. First-day. " My mind has long been attracted towards this spot, even before I knew what town stood there, with a belief that I must have a public meeting appointed, to which the poor and others might be in- vited. I was made willing to yield, and the meeting was appointed for seven this evening, but owing to some mistake, the notices were printed for eight o'clock, AET. 27-28. 93 which seems a providential circumstance, since with making all the haste we could, we did not reach Larne until half-past seven. It is a place on the sea coast, containing about 5,000 inhabitants, the road to it very hilly, in some parts slippery from ice, which rendered travelling dangerous. The Court House had been obtained and fitted up for the meeting, and at the time appointed was thronged with people. It was thought about 400 were present, and many were obliged to leave for want of room. The Wesleyans shortened their service, and some of them came to the meeting. I was strengthened to relieve my mind amongst them, and dear William Green was also engaged in testimony. The people were very attentive whilst we were speaking, but during the time of silence there was much whispering, yet more solemnity was felt towards the close, and they separated very quietly, tracts being distributed amongst them as they passed out. It was the first meeting of Friends remembered to have been held at Larne. Our singular appearance attracted much curiosity as we passed along to the Inn. We had a beautiful moonlight ride by the sea coast back to Carricktergus, where we arrived a little before 12 o'clock, and were glad to retire to rest, my heart humbled under a sense of the mercies bestowed." The next meeting was at Hillsborough with the Friends at that place, after which they went on to Rathfriland where they " sat down with the four individuals who compose that little meeting in their own sitting-room." Thence they proceeded to Lurgan, Richhill, and, Moyallon. 12 mo. i gth. " I went to meeting very much tossed, but had not sat there long before I had to rise and 94 1850-51. testify largely against the wisdom of man, that the kingdom of God cometh not by outward observation, neither is it lo here or lo there, but within us, quoting that passage " for the Word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart," it is there that we must look for the appearance of the Lord of life and glory, it is there that we must watch for His coming, and though His appearance may often be so small, that we may be ready in our creaturely wisdom to despise it even as those of old despised His outward coming when they could not find room for Him in the Inn, yet surely it is that unto which we are called to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts ; and I had to invite the wise ones of this day who are wise in their own wisdom, prudent in their own counsels, and strong in their own strength, to come as the wise men formerly did, to bring their offerings and their treasures and to cast all these down at the feet of Jesus and to worship before Him, whose right alone it is to rule and to reign for ever. I had to declare that there were some present who were running from book to book for knowledge, and from teacher to teacher for instruction. These were invited to come to the true teacher, Christ Jesus, who teaches as never man taught much enlargement was given to my own humbling admiration, and one thing opened after another until through much close searching labour, Truth was felt in some measure to have dominion. A Friend told my dear companion afterwards that I had hit the nail on the head, and another also told me that she believed I had been in my place that morning, that I had aimed at that at which she had been hammering and hammering for years, and that it was a comfort to AET. 27-28. 95 her that a stranger was similarly led. I note this for my encouragement in the future, for truly the Lord has been with me and strung my bow for the battle. We dined with C. & A. Wakefield, at Portadown. I had a few words to express to them before leaving, and we then came on a long drive of nearly three hours to Wm. Barcroft's, at Upper Grays, where we were kindly received. I had some conversation with him after tea respecting our future movements. The Quarterly Meet- ing occurs at Dublin the end of next week, but my mind seems relieved from that and turned towards Moate and Tullamore. It will be a long cross country travel to reach these places, but Wm. Barcroft threw no diffi- culties in the way, and kindly undertook to make arrangements, so that my path has cleared far beyond expectation." 2 1 st. "Very low and afresh made sensible of my own unworthiness and frailty. Went to Cabra, eleven Irish miles distant, Elizabeth Green and W. J. Bar- croft our companions. It is an allowed meeting, but not a recorded one. We sat down in the little room built for the purpose, twenty in number, and I trust we were a little refreshed together through condescending mercy. The Friends there are very poor, small farmers, and some of them have one or two looms. The cottage to which the room for meeting in is adjoined, had mud floors, and these in deep holes, the children without shoes or stockings, fowls wandering about in the bedroom below, and the lodging rooms aloft only accessible by means of a ladder, and built in the roof. We returned to W.J.B.'s to dinner." 22nd First-day. " Attended the meeting at Upper Grange, which is rather large. It was a comfortable, relieving time, much opened to communicate, and I 9 6 1850-51. believe the word preached found entrance. The Meet- ing" House presented a picturesque appearance ; almost all the Friends live at a distance in the country, and most of them walk many miles to meeting. A large number who are not members also attend. There were a good many cars and other vehicles outside, and the stable I think we were told held eighteen horses. After meeting we rode some little distance into the country, and visited two invalid Friends." 23rd, Second-day. " Left our kind host and hostess at nine this morning, and with James G. Richardson as guide travelled by post chaise several stages to Cootehill, where we arrived about half-past four and received a kind and cordial welcome from Isaac and Ann Chapman. We attended the meeting at Cootehill at six in the evening." 24th, Third-day. "After an early breakfast and a comfortable religious opportunity with I. and A.C. we left Cootehill at seven o'clock and had a long cross country ride to Moate, a distance of about seventy English miles. We had to pass through very bleak, desolate country, cabins and people looking miserably poor, almost more so than I have yet seen in Ireland, at least for so long a distance together. We were favoured to accomplish the journey safely, and reached Moate about half-past seven in the evening, where we were kindly received by W. C. Clibborn and his wife. I felt tired and weary and was glad to retire early to rest." 25th, Fourth-day. "Attended the meeting at Moate in the morning. I had to warn against unfaithfulness and to encourage to faithfulness, and to tell Friends in the course of my communication that one upright pillar was made a strength to the whole building, AET. 27-28. 97 whilst a support that leaned was in danger of letting down the whole house. I had to rise twice on this subject and left them with a peaceful mind." 26th. "Attended the meeting at Tullamore to some comfort. Afterwards came on to Edenderry, a long ride. I felt glad to be a little quiet in my own room this evening." 27th. " Came on to Mountmellick, a four hours 1 ride, and received a kind welcome from dear Susan Pirn and her husband. I have believed for some time that the service of family visits would be again required in this meeting, and I have had to enter upon this engagement under a renewed humbling sense of my own unworthiness, and that I can of myself do nothing to promote the Lord's glory." ist month 2nd, 1851. "Left Mountmellick and travelled to Monkstown, near Dublin, where I this day entered upon a family . visit to the members of that meeting. It has cost me much suffering to give up to this service, but I desire to be resigned to my Heavenly Father's will. If He sees meet He can make use of the weak things of this world to confound the wisdom of the wise, that the glory may be all His own." They spent four or five days here and then proceeded to the Newry Bridge Hotel, near Wicklow. ist mo. 8th. "Attended meeting at Wicklow, where we were favoured with a refreshing season amongst the few Friends in that place, the great Minister of Ministers being amongst us." 9th. " Came to Dublin and rested through the day." 9 8 1850-51. loth. "Attended meeting in this city. At the close I laid before Friends my prospect of visiting them in their families, which was feelingly united with." 1 2th, First-day. An open time at meeting this morning in addressing several states present. I had to hand encouragement to many of the dear young people, amongst whom there are not a few, I believe, made willing to shew themselves on the Lord's side." Our mother remained in Dublin from the Qth of ist month to the 3rd of 2nd month, 1851, closely occupied in visiting families, and attending the meetings as they came in course. On 2nd mo. 2nd, she writes : First-day evening. " At the close of the morning meeting I was enabled to take a solemn leave of Friends, bidding them ' Farewell in the Lord? Con- cluded the family visits this evening, 219 in all in this city." 3rd. "Left Dublin under feelings of quiet peace a little before eight this morning. Several Friends accom- panied us on board, and saw us off in the * Cambria ' steamer for Holyhead, which place we were favoured to reach in safety, after a passage of about five hours, in which we suffered but little from sea-sickness, which I felt a favour. Samuel Bewley, jun., was our guide, and accompanied us as far as Bletchley, the station for Banbury, where we parted, and were per- mitted to reach home about 12 o'clock that night, having to commemorate the goodness and mercy which have followed us in all our journeyings." AKT. 27-28. 99 CHAPTER IX. Yearly Meeting of 1851 Selection of a home in London Her Father's illness Preparations for her Mar- riage The Wedding Day Letter from Anna Braithwaite M.B.'s retrospect of the day The Wedding Tour Keswick, Scotby, Kendal Return home. ON her return from Ireland early in 1851, our mother felt at liberty to look forward to the following autumn as the right time for her marriage with J. B. Braithwaite, and began to be busy with the necessary preparations. In the spring of this year she was appointed representative to the Yearly Meeting, and went up to London a few days earlier to make arrangements for her future home. In reference to this she writes : 5th mo. i4th, 1851. "My dearest J.B.B. met me at the station, and we went together to look at several houses. Oh, how earnestly have I craved right direc- tion in this very important step, and I trust through 100 X 8 S i. mercy it will be granted. We both liked the first house we went over, a small one, in Mornington Road, and were sensible of a comfortable feeling in it, which leads me to believe it may be the right place for us to pitch our tent in for a little while. How remark- able if it should be so, and that in this large city our feet should be at once first directed to the spot prepared for our future home." I5th. "Again engaged in London through the day looking over houses. Went in the evening with my dearest J.B.B. to Clapton to take tea with his brother and sister Savory.* It was my first introduction to them, and looked formidable in prospect, but I felt much comforted in the visit. A sweet, uniting feeling- prevailed, and I trust may continue to subsist between us. They have six lovely children." After looking over a great number of houses in London and the neighbourhood, they finally decided on the one they first looked at, No. 65 r Mornington Road, near the Regent's Park; "with which conclusion," our mother writes, " I feel comfortable, and peaceful, and thankful that the way has been so made for us." Isaac and Anna Braithwaite were in attendance at this Yearly Meeting, and she much enjoyed mingling with them and with many other dear Friends, and the meetings were felt to be times of refreshment and blessing. She returned to Banbury on 6th mo. 2nd, and on the 8th she writes : * J.B.B.'s twin sister, Mary Caroline, had married Joseph Savory. AET.28. 1 01 "Whilst sitting in meeting this morning, after Friends had collected about three-quarters of an hour, my precious father was seized with apoplexy. Friends almost unanimously rose from their seats and were very kind in affording what assistance they could. My dear mother and the rest of us were favoured to feel remarkably calm. I supported him nearly the whole time. As soon as he could be moved he was carried home in a chair and put to bed." There was a slight rallying, but the same day a second severe attack increased their anxiety, and for a time they thought the end had come. He continued very ill for several days. On the I2th our mother writes: " Dr. Hodgkin has been with us last evening and this morning, and gives us great encouragement, but says we must still watch closely. To-day my dear father asked how it was he was in bed, when he was taken ill, etc., and said he did not remember anything about it." 20th. "My precious father continues much the same ; his mind seems filled with heavenly thoughts, and he is kept in a sweet, patient, resigned state. I trust he may be spared to us in infinite mercy a little longer." 22nd. "Again at home this morning with my beloved father, with whom I have felt it a privilege to be. His mind seems so absorbed with the things of eternity that he seems like one preparing for a better world, yet the medical attendants give us hopes that his days on earth will be prolonged." IO2 I85 i. From this time he steadily improved, and although never again able to resume the active duties of life, their anxiety about him was relieved, and our mother was again able to go forward with the preparations for her marriage which had been interrupted by his illness. In all these, as in regard to the choice of a home, it was her earnest desire to keep close to her heavenly guide. This is beautifully expressed in the following extracts from her journal : 6th mo. i4th, 1851. "I feel it very important, amidst the new anxieties and cares which are now pressing upon me, to endeavour to have all kept in subjection under the regulating power of the Spirit of Truth ; that Christ, my Saviour, may still have the chief room in my heart, may still govern there, and be there glorified." 6th mo. 28th. "Whilst making the needful prepara- tions for my future dwelling, the language has often arisen in my mind, ' See that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the Mount/ It has seemed to convey deep instruction, and the revival of it has often restrained desires which I believe are better kept under than allowed to rule. Oh, that I may be preserved in all things in simplicity and moderation, adorning the doctrine of Christ, my Saviour, in all thing's." In those days the marriage arrangements among Friends were very complicated, and involved, amongst other things, the young couple going AET.28. 103 together into both the men's and women's meet- ing of the Monthly Meeting to which the bride belonged and laying their intentions before their friends.* This was as formidable an opportunity as the actual solemnization of the marriage, and is thus described by our mother : 7th mo. 23rd, Fourth-day. " Awoke under a sweet sense that my Heavenly Father would be graciously near me this day, and I felt strengthened in endeavour- ing to commit all to Him. After attending the meeting for worship of the adjourned Monthly Meeting, my dearest J.B.B. and myself went into the women's and men's meetings and declared our intentions of marriage. Best help was sweetly felt to be near, and the seal of divine approbation seemed permitted to rest upon us in the quiet peace that was felt then and through the day. My dear parents, dear Charles and Elizabeth, accompanied us into both meetings. It was almost more than I expected to have my dear father present; when I look back on the past it seems more than I can realize." 3 1 st. " This day I have paid many farewell visits amongst the poor people. Many of them were much affected, and I felt the parting a good deal, for if they have loved me, I can truly say I have loved them in return. I only mourn that I have not better improved the many opportunities I have had of doing them good." * In earlier days the usages of Friends required this proceeding to be repeated twice, so anxious were they to avoid any appearance of clandes- tine proceedings. Since 1851 the proceedings have been made as simple as possible, and provision has been made by which persons who are not members of the Society can avail themselves of the beautiful marriage usages of Friends. 104 i8si. 8th mo. 1 4th. " On going" into my own chamber this morning to put together a few of my things in readiness for packing, the thought of leaving my dear home seemed almost overpowering, but sitting down in stillness for a few minutes with my mind turned inward to the Lord, the spirit of supplication was poured forth and I was engaged to petition for a blessing on myself, my dearest friend, on us and all ours. Heavenly love was sweetly felt, accompanied by the assurance that all will be well." 8th mo. 24th, First-day. " Very mingled are the feelings of my heart this day in looking upon it as likely to be the last First-day spent here whilst I am a member of the home circle yet at meeting this morning I have been favoured to feel so comfortable a sense of the Lord's sustaining help that I feel as though I could commit all the future unto Him and His disposal, not doubting but that I shall be cared for still, spiritually and temporally. I can gratefully set up my Ebenezer and acknowledge that hitherto the Lord hath helped me. Oh, that I may walk worthy of His love and fatherly care. I have had to review the past and to feel sensible of many shortcomings, and yet I humbly trust I have endeavoured to be found in the way of my duty, though often under much discouragement, and that there will be peace in looking back to the years spent in this meeting. Thou knowest, O Lord, that I have desired to love Thee above all. Be pleased to be with me still in the way that I go, and let Thy candle shine round about my path." 27th, Fourth-day. " A little after six in the morning. I feel it sweet to sit down in quietness and once more AET. 28. 105 pen a few lines in this way before entering into one of the most solemn and important engagements of my life, one in which I have earnestly desired to seek heavenly guidance, and in which I trust I shall be permitted to realize the unspeakable blessedness of knowing the Lord to guide and direct my ways. My thoughts this morning have been turned to the contemplation of how short a span life is when weighed in the balance with eternity, and I have longed that it may be spent to my Redeemer's praise. May I live less unto myself and more unto Thee, O Lord, and be pleased in Thy mercy to prepare me for a place in that kingdom where love and praise shall be for ever my blessed employ." With such thoughts in her heart, the morning of her wedding day dawned fair and bright. Our father with his parents, and many other relatives and friends had arrived the previous evening. The marriage took place in the little Meeting House in the Horse Fair at Banbury, which was crowded to its utmost capacity, as was also the road between the Meeting House and her home, only a short dis- tance away. The bride and bridegroom both wore the plain Quaker costume of the times, as did also most of the wedding party. The bride had on a dove-coloured silk dress and plain bonnet and a white silk shawl. As the distance between the house and the place of meeting was so short that they could easily walk they would have thought it inconsistent with gospel simplicity to make use of her father's beautiful carriage and horses, so the bridal procession set out on foot, our mother io6 1851. walking with her father, while the spectators literally strewed flowers along their pathway, in token of their love for the bride and sorrow at losing her, as well as to express their good wishes for her future happiness. A letter from Anna Braithwaite, dated from Kendal, Qth mo. iQth, 1851, says in referring to this event, " Our son, Joseph Bevan, was married on the 2yth of the 8th month. The wedding day was a season which will be comforting to look back upon during the remainder of life. We reached our dear friend, Joseph Ashby Gillett's, at Banbury, the previous afternoon, and were warmly greeted by dear Martha and all her family. John Hodgkin and many other Friends from a distance kindly evinced their love by their presence on the important occasion. We met for reading before breakfast, and our spirits were solemnized and comforted together. The crowded meeting was a season of favour, the young people spoke with reverence, deep feeling, and audibly, and the effect on the hearers was to be felt ; tears flowed from many eyes ; several Friends were engaged in powerful ministry, and after the certificate was signed by Bevan and Martha, there was an impres- sive silence, followed by fervent prayer from a dear Friend for them, and for all present. The relations afterwards signed, and another solemn pause pre- ceded the company retiring from the Meeting House, leaving all at liberty to put down their names who might incline to do so. AET. 28. 107 " The bridal pair looked peaceful and thankful, and all the large company assembled at the house appeared at ease. A plain, plentiful dinner was placed before us, and social converse flowed sweetly under the restraining influence of heavenly love. "A favoured religious opportunity preceded the departure of the bride and bridegroom, who went in her father's carriage towards the North. They spent a week among the Lakes, and have since enjoyed our peaceful abode at Scotby. We expect them to our Quarterly Meeting on the 2nd of next month." Our mother's own review of the day, written at Scotby, 9th month 5th, is as follows : " The 27th of last month that to me memorable day is past and since a week of almost unmixed happiness has been enjoyed. When I look back my heart is humbled in gratitude, thanksgiving and praise under a sense of the tender dealings of the Most High with me, His poor and very unworthy child. My cup has been made to overflow with blessings, and no earthly good has been denied. Infinite Wisdom has seen meet to bless me with a kind, tender, and affectionate husband as the sharer of my joys and sorrows, and the dear companion with whom I may travel forward in my journey towards the land of rest until it shall please the Lord by death to dissolve our endearing earthly union, that one that is eternal may follow after. Our marriage day was calm and peaceful throughout. At meeting, before we stood up to take each other in marriage, my mind was comforted and soothed by the io8 1851. language being brought with great sweetness to my remembrance, ' My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.' The Meeting House was very full, many strangers being present, besides a large company of friends and relatives. I hope it was a season of profit and renewed visitation to many. Joshua Lamb, John Hodgkin, and my dear mother Braithwaite were each severally engaged in testimony. My precious husband and myself stayed the first night at Leamington, and the next day came forward to Milnthorpe, and then spent a week among the most beautiful part of the Lake District, a week to be remembered while memory lasts, and one to which I believe we shall always look back with thankfulness. We were twice at the little meeting at Colthouse on First-day, and I hope were preserved in our right places and enabled to keep close to our Divine Master both in the exercise of our gifts and in some visits we paid to some of our friends. On Third-day we paid a very agreeable visit in the course of our journeyings to our dear cousin, Mary Wilson. On Fifth-day we attended the week-day meeting at Penrith to which my beloved husband had felt his mind attracted for some time. He had a remarkably open time amongst them, and shone brightly in his precious gift to his Master's praise. Yesterday we came to this sweet, quiet spot, the late abode of our cousin, Lydia Sutton. The rest and the quietness of the place is refreshing to me beyond what I can describe." 9th mo. 3Oth. "We are preparing to leave this sweet, quiet place to-morrow for Kendal, after being here a month within one day, during which time we have had much sweet enjoyment in each other, I hope never to AET.28. 109 be forgotten. Our cup of joy has been full, and we have been blessed together in a manner marvellous in our eyes. Oh, may there be on our part some return of gratitude and love. Our time during our stay here has been very closely occupied in preparing for the press the life of our late dear friend, Joseph John Gurney a weighty, arduous, yet deeply instructive engagement." loth mo. ;th. "After spending a very pleasant time amongst our dear relations at Kendal, where we were often favoured to feel our hearts united in the bonds of heavenly love, we came on to this place (Birmingham) to-day, on our way home. On arriving we were told of the very affecting removal of William Southall's wife* after a few days' illness. They were married the day after ourselves, and were with us at Meeting at Colt- house on the First-day afterwards; dear E. S. then looked particularly sweet and lovely. This event seems to come very close home to us, and is a fresh lesson of the very great uncertainty of all things here." 8th. "At Banbury, where it is delightful once more to feel myself at home after being absent just six weeks." 9th. " We left Banbury about ten this morning, after a delightful little visit there, and accompanied by dear Hannah Mary, and Elizabeth, reached our new home in London, 65, Mornington Road, to dinner. My precious Bevan and myself spent a short time before dinner alone in our own chamber, when I felt constrained to supplicate for a blessing on us and all ours, and to crave* that we might be enabled to order our household in the * She was the daughter of John Allen, of Liskeard in Cornwall. no 1851. fear of the Lord, and might be strengthened to live to His glory. It was like entering again into covenant, and oh, saith my soul, that our covenants may be kept. Our dear parents were here to welcome us, and had put our house in beautiful order. Oh, how many how very many are the mercies bestowed." AET.28. HI CHAPTER X. 65, Mornington Road Settling in Letter to her mother Hospitality Family visits in Westminster Monthly Meeting Yearly Meeting of 1852 Vist to Scotby Birth of her first child Visit to Banbury Death of her father "Recollections" of her father. THE home to which our father and mother returned after their marriage was in a very pleasant part of London, near to Regent's Park and about two-and-a-half miles from West- minster Meeting, of which they were members. It was one of a number of semi-detached villa houses, each standing in its own little garden, the trees and flowers giving it a very pleasant, suburban appearance. Still it was London and a great change for our dear mother from the life of the quiet country town which had hitherto been her home ; but she entered at once with great diligence into all the duties and responsi- bilities of her new position. A letter to her mother, written a few days after their return from Scotby, gives a pleasant picture of her in her new home, and tells how busy she was in receiving her bridal callers and other guests. U2 I85 i. "Mornington Road, loth mo. I4th, 1851. " My beloved Mother, " Thou wilt, I know, be glad to hear that I am already feeling comfortably settled in my comfortable home. Our cup has seemed to be filled with fresh mercies day by day, of which I feel very unworthy, and it is my earnest desire that I may be yet more fully dedicated to the service of my Heavenly Father, who hath thus given me all these things so richly to enjoy. It felt quite a fresh trial to part from thee and my dear father yesterday morning. Your being here on our arrival was a very great comfort to me, and I cannot express how grateful I feel for all you have done for us. I hope you had a pleasant journey home, and found my dear brothers all well. We watched you from our little garden,* which I very much enjoy. I have gathered two small nosegays from it this morning for the dining room. " Our sister Annaf came about twelve yesterday morning. We had only one caller (Richenda Barclay) and twelve friends to tea besides ourselves, amongst them George and Mary Stacey, Edward Fry, Thomas Hodgkin, Jun., William Fowler, Ann Penn Foster. They all seemed thoroughly to enjoy themselves and quite at ease, and we got through very comfortably. The young men assisted with the dessert, etc., in handing it round, so that we had no trouble, and before leaving, the female part of the com- pany went over the house, even down into the kitchen. This morning we have at present had no callers ; my dear husband is gone to Lincoln's Inn, but intends coming * This garden looked over the railway lines, and the passing trains could easily be seen over the fence at the end. Later, holes were made in this fence through which the children used to watch them with great delight. f Anna Braithwaite, Jun. AET. 28. H3 back, as he did yesterday, about one o'clock. Our brother Chariest came about half-past five this morning, and is now gone to the Exhibition. I have had the sofa- bed made up in the dressing-room for him. Ellen and I got up at four this morning to get ready to receive him, and got him a comfortable breakfast. Dear Elizabeth, though I did not call her, was down about five, and helped me nicely, as I had set to make pies. We put the dessert, cakes, jellies, etc., ready before breakfast, and afterwards I took dear H.M., and E. with me shopping for about an hour. H.M. is now lying on the sofa asleep beside me. I think she seems almost more poorly than before my marriage. I hope the change here may be of some little use. I shall take all the care I can of her. "Afternoon, four o'clock. The box and thy welcome letter are just received. We are rejoiced to hear so nice an account of you. We have had a constant succession of callers since about twelve o'clock, and scarcely been able to get our dinner. Cousin Mary Gibbins and Sarah Tunstall stayed all the time. We have heard of several coming to tea." It is very striking in looking back to see how our dear mother lived as one ever on the watch to embrace opportunities of serving her Lord, realizing it to be one of her greatest privileges to have her house used in His service, and seeking to become personally acquainted with the members of the large meeting at Westminster and other members of the Quarterly Meeting into which she had come. During the first week after coming i Charles LI. Braithwaite. "4 i8 5 2. to their new home she mentions that " we have had about 100 of our dear friends to tea with us, and have spent very agreeable, pleasant evenings together" ; and although these large com- panies were rather unusual, there is hardly a week in the course of which mention is not made two or three times of " several friends " coming to tea, or of some friends or relations coming to stay with them. From the very first both our dear parents felt it a great joy that their house should be a resting-place for the Lord's messengers, and many have been the Friends travelling in religious service who have there had a loving welcome and gone on their way refreshed and strengthened by the sympathy and counsel received. From the time that they set up housekeeping their " spare bedroom " was very rarely unoccupied, and even when that was full our dear father would invite others to come, his heart, as we used to tell him, being larger than his house, so that it often required no small power of management as well as quietness of spirit on our mother's part to make the necessary arrangements for the comfort of her guests, and to be at liberty, as she always was, to extend to them a loving and cordial welcome. Very soon after settling in London, in the 2nd month of 1852, Martha Braithwaite united with Caroline E. Parkin in paying over 100 family visits to the members and attenders of Westminster Meeting ; a service which seemed AET. 29. H very formidable to her in prospect, but which was, no doubt, richly blessed both to those visited and to herself, giving her, as it did, an insight into the religious state and spiritual needs of those with whom she was now so much associated, and thus enabling her to enter into sympathy with them and help them, and in fact giving her a place in the hearts of her friends, which it might otherwise have taken years for her to gain. In reference to this engagement she writes : 2nd mo. i3th, 1852. " Entered with C. E. Parkin upon the family visits in Westminster Meeting*. Eleven visits paid, all relieving and satisfactory. Truly we have been marvellously helped in the midst of our great weakness ; may the Lord alone have all the praise." 20th. " Several days have passed over, closely occu- pied in our weighty engagement, in which we have been sweetly united and much favoured with heavenly help. This morning, whilst walking down to the first Friend we had to visit, I was led to reflect on the position of a servant in a house, that he is to wait on the guests at his master's table, and to hand to them that which his master has provided, and this without distinction between rich and poor. It seemed to convey much instruction to my own mind and encouragement to be simply faithful, and, oh that I may be kept in the Divine fear and out of the fear of man." Under date 2nd mo. iQth, 1852, she writes to her mother in reference to this engagement : n6 1852. " We get on rather slowly, on account of the Friends living so distant from one another and dear C. E. Parkin not being in strong health. We generally leave home directly after breakfast, and till this evening have not returned till quite late. To-day I got home at a quarter to six. We have been mercifully helped along from day to day through many close exercises and conflicts, and have been often sweetly united in these exercises, which has been strengthening and confirming to my faith." 3rd mo. 5th, 1852. "Last evening under a sweet covering the family visits were concluded for the present, only a few more remaining, which we look to taking next First and Third days. . . . The month that has been passed closely occupied in these visits has been a time of renewed instruction and comfort to my own mind, and I trust my faith will be confirmed and strengthened in the Lord. Many sweet and heavenly seasons have been my portion, and though I have had to move along under a sense of great unworthiness and feeling truly as an empty vessel, and that continually, yet I have been in this poverty made so rich, and have been so filled from time to time with the needful supply, that I have scarcely known what it has been to have an anxious thought about the morrow, or even about the coming hour. It has been marvellous to me how . bountifully I have been dealt with. May the Lord have all the glory, for I am unworthy of the least of all His mercies." The following entries- refer to the Yearly Meeting of 1852 : 5th mo. i Qth. "On our again meeting together this morning (in the 'select meeting') dear Benjamin AET. 29. H Seebohm returned the certificate granted him six years since for religious service in America, giving us a short account of his labours , also Robert Lindsay, who accompanied him, did the same, and after the certificates which they brought back with them had been read, Robert Lindsay laid before Friends his concern to visit those professing with us in Australia and some parts of Africa. Much unity and sympathy were expressed, indeed, it seemed the only feeling which prevailed, and a few Friends were nominated to prepare a certificate. My dear sisters, Hannah Mary and Elizabeth, came to-day, and we expect our dear father and mother Braithwaite late this evening, also our dear sister, Anna Braithwaite, to lodge here." 5th mo. 30th. "Nearly two weeks have passed over since I last wrote in this book. They have been closely occupied by the deep interests of the Yearly Meeting, which I have been privileged to attend throughout. We have had the company of Eli and Sybil Jones, from New England Yearly Meeting, and Thomas Arnett, from Indiana Yearly Meeting, who has now nearly completed his labours in this land, and intends sailing for America in a few days. From these dear Friends and others we have been favoured with much Gospel communication, which has proved as showers of refresh- ing rain falling on dry ground." In the autumn of this year, our dear parents spent six or seven weeks in the quiet of their father and mother's country home at Scotby, stopping for a few days on the way north at Banbury, where our mother writes, " the meet- ing with the beloved home circle was saddened by finding my dear father just recovering from n8 1852. another attack : he is now much better though still poorly." She herself had not been at all well for some time past, but, after resting for some days at Banbury, was able to take the long journey to Scotby, and the rest and quiet there were very beneficial to her health. On their way home she spent about a fortnight at Banbury, which she greatly enjoyed, especially the opportunity of being with her dearly-loved father, whose repeated attacks of illness made it evident that his days on earth could not now be very many. She returned to her home in London early in the eleventh month and spent the winter quietly there. In the spring of 1853 she became the happy mother of a sweet little girl, which event is thus recorded in her journal : 4th mo. loth, 1853. "First-day afternoon. 'Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bounti- fully with thee.' This afternoon I am sitting- up for the first time since our precious little daughter was born, and am favoured to feel returning- health and strength. I can hardly yet fully realize the possession of such a treasure. May I earnestly seek best help to enable me to train her up for a glorious immortality!" 2 1 st. "Sat alone by my precious babe this morning, and poured out my heart before the Lord for her and for ourselves. I wish daily, morning and evening, to set apart a portion of my time for waiting upon the Lord and to have this dear child with me. May my duty as a parent in this respect never be neglected, but may I, more often than the day, seek for ability AET.so. IT 9 to bring her unto Him who can alone bless her and prepare her to dwell for ever near Him both on earth and in heaven!" Our mother did not regain her strength very quickly and was consequently unable to attend more than one or two of the sittings of the Yearly Meeting in 5th month ; but greatly enjoyed having Isaac and Anna Braithwaite again as her guests, besides seeing many other friends who were in London to attend the Meetings. She writes in her journal : 7th mo. i ;th, 1853. Banbury, First-day. " I arrived here last Fourth-day evening with my darling babe, who received a warm welcome from her dear grand- parents, and her many uncles and aunts. I have found my beloved father perceptibly altered and much more feeble than when I was last here. He has been to meeting with us this evening, but was not out this morning, not feeling very well." On the 30th her husband joined her to spend a few days before they returned home together. On the 3ist she writes : " My beloved father was able to accompany us to both meetings to-day, and seemed very nicely." 8th mo. i st. " My dear mother and Hannah Mary ac- companied us to Eatington, where we spent the day very pleasantly amongst our numerous relatives. When we reached home in the evening we found my dear father had had a slight seizure about six o'clock. He was, however, better, and seemed pleased to see us at home again." 120 1853 . 2nd. " We parted from the dear circle at Banbury this morning, and returned to London. We left under very sorrowful feelings, my beloved father having had a rather severe seizure about three hours before we parted from him, and he continued so ill up to the time of our going as not to be able to take leave of us. The medical attendant, however, hopes that he may rally in the course of the day, and thinks the attack not more severe than some previous ones, but I could not get from under the feeling that I may probably never see him again in this life, or even should that be permitted, that he may never again be able to give me that endearing welcome which I have so often received on my return to that loved home. My happi- ness during my visit there this time with my darling child has been very great and only clouded by witness- ing his increasing feebleness and helplessness. I am thankful that she has been known and loved by one so dear to me." 3rd. " This morning I have received the account of my dear father's having had two more seizures yesterday evening, and that he has not rallied since we left him. They are all much in my thoughts, with earnest desires that the Lord may keep them in this time of trial as in the hollow of His hand, and be their refuge and their strength." Banbury, 8th mo. i2th, Sixth-day. The account of my dear father was so poor yesterday that I prepared last evening for leaving home, and came down by the earliest train this morning with my dear baby and nursemaid, arriving here about ten o'clock. On reaching the railway station I found that the mortal strife was over, and on going up to the house met my beloved mother and the dear sorrowing circle, all AET. 30. 121 deeply afflicted, but sweetly sustained in quietness and resignation. My precious father was peacefully released from his sufferings about a quarter past ten last even- ing. His mortal remains look sweetly peaceful, having a smile on the countenance, and it is comforting to follow the emancipated spirit, and to believe that he is at rest for ever with his God." He was buried on the 17th of 8th month, 1853, in the Friends' burial ground at Banbury. Of this beloved parent our mother has further written : " To the poor he was always a sympathizing and true friend, and he gave liberally of that which the Lord entrusted to him, but he was careful to follow the exhortation, ' Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth ' and many were the cases helped in secret by his loving counsel and tare. The Bible Society, Foreign Missions, British and Foreign Schools, and other benevolent institutions had to the end of his life his warm support ; and to the establishment of the Friends' School at Sibford he gave much time and careful attention, as well as pecuniary help. He was a diligent attender of all our meetings, both for worship and discipline, and in 1839 fe^ constrained to proclaim unto others the love of his God and Saviour. His gift in the ministry was recognized by his friends two years later. His communications were generally brief, but accompanied by the baptizing influence of the Holy Spirit. He paid visits to the poor residing in Strood, near Rochester, to the families of Friends in his own Monthly Meeting, and to the Meetings and Friends in Wales, but with these exceptions he did not go from home in the service of the Gospel." 122 I853 . Of his illness she writes : " His resignation and cheerfulness throughout the season of bodily weakness that followed this attack were very instructive to witness. He delighted in reading and meditating upon the Holy Scriptures, and was often uttering the praises of the Lord. Once he said : ' Religion is of the heart, not of the lips. I have been favoured very much during this illness with humbling feelings of divine joy ; and if we were more earnest in seeking the Lord we should more generally experience that He is nigh unto them that seek Him, and will be found of them that wait for Him.' And again : ' My mind is often comforted by the opening of Scripture passages, and I hardly know whether to give utterance to them or to keep silence.' Then he repeated the greater part of the 35th chapter of Isaiah, dwelling on the future glory of the Church and the Messiah,, whose peaceful government should have a place in the hearts of His people. The I03rd Psalm was another favourite portion. Holy joy seemed to be the covering of his soul, giving evidence to those around him that the Lord, whom he had desired to serve whilst health and strength were given, was near to uphold and comfort him in the day of trial. During the last ten days he was mostly unconscious, and passed quietly away on the nth of the 8th mo., 1853, aged nearly 58 years, to be, we thankfully believe, through redeeming love and mercy, for ever with the Lord." AET. 30. 123 CHAPTER XL Stay at High Close Farm and at Kendal Return home Visit to some parts of Berkshire and Oxfordshire Quarterly Meeting* Memoir of J. J. Gurney Car- riage accident near Sibford Birth of another daughter Stay at Scotby Week-day Meetings Concern for her servants Visit to Banbury Birth of a son Stay at Redcar and visits to some Meetings in the North Diligence in using present opportunities Watchwords. OUR mother with her little " Martha " remained with the sorrowing circle at Banbury for more than two weeks, and on the 27th of 8th month, her husband, who had been obliged to return home after the funeral, again joined her, and they went on together to High Close Farm, near Langdale, where they had engaged lodgings for their summer vacation. It was a beautiful spot in one of the most lovely portions of the Lake District, not far from Grasmere, and about eight miles from Colthouse Meeting, to which they drove on First-days. On one of these occasions she re- cords : " I had brought our nursemaid, who was a Friend, with us ; she was called out of Meet- ing to go to our dear little girl, whom we had left at a cottage near, and who, finding she was with strangers, would not be comforted. I allowed 124 1853- this little circumstance to make me very anxious, and, though I sat through the Meeting, I felt it very difficult to keep my mind quietly stayed on the Lord. It was an unspeakable relief after Meet- ing to find my dear child well, and I earnestly desire that I may not be too much discouraged by this circumstance from the exercise of a little faith on future occasions." A letter to her mother, dated from High Close, 8th mo. 3oth, 1853, thus describes their surround- ings : "We continue to like our lodgings, which are in every respect very comfortable, and the country around us is extremely beautiful. We have had a good deal of rain, but have been able to take some nice walks between the showers. You would be amused to see dear baby in her papa's arms, carried along the steep mountain paths, he having his plaid scarf wrapped around him, and our little darling, after being clothed in her knitted spencer and garden bonnet to screen her from the wind, almost entirely enveloped in a warm travelling wrapper. She seems greatly to enjoy it, and often makes the air quite musical with her little voice." During a great part of their stay here our dear mother suffered from very severe, and almost con- stant neuralgic pain in her head and face, which greatly interfered with the enjoyment and rest which she had hoped to derive whilst in this mountain home. She writes : Qth mo. 22nd, 1853. " Thankfulness is the clothing of my mind in looking back on the time which has passed since I last wrote in this book in feeling how AET. 30. 125 mercifully I have been sustained and helped from day to day under almost the severest suffering I ever endured. For a few days after the last entry I was favoured to continue rather better, but on Sixth-day last the pain again returned with increased violence. For three days and nights my bodily distress was very great from the pain in my face, head, and ear, which is still at times a cause of great and indeed almost constant suffering. Throughout this trial there has been a sweet sense granted of the sustaining love of my Heavenly Father, and it is my earnest desire that every murmuring thought that would arise may be hushed in submission to His all perfect will. He knows what is best for me, and with Him I feel that I can quietly leave the ordering of all that concerns both me and mine." 25th, First-day. " The morning proved so extremely wet and the mist so thick that we concluded it right to give up going to Colthouse, and sat down quietly together, our nursemaid being with us. I believe we were mercifully favoured with a little sense of the heavenly blessing, and of His presence being with us in whose name we had desired to gather. In the evening we met with the family residing here and their farm labourers (which we have done almost every First-day since we have been here). My dear husband, as usual, read a chapter in the Bible, and this evening a religious opportunity followed, in which we were engaged to express the exercise of our souls on their account." loth mo. i3th. "Our dear brother, C. LI. Braithwaite, and his wife joined our little party here this afternoon very pleasantly, intending to spend a week here with 126 1854- 14-th. " I am penning these lines whilst my dearest Bevan is sitting beside me, busily occupied over the memoir of J. J. Gurney, which has been an object of much interest to us during our stay here, affording full and I trust profitable occupation. May we be kept under a sense of the need we have of best help to enable us to accomplish this work to the Lord's praise." 22nd, Seventh-day morning. "We are now ready for leaving this delightful mountain retreat, after spending eight weeks "here in true enjoyment, mingled as it has been with some suffering. We start about one o'clock for Kendal. The memoir of J. J. G. completed within about three chapters, This also is cause for humble thankfulness." Kendal, loth mo. 23rd, First-day. " We are favoured to be safely here in the enjoyment of the society of our beloved relatives, and some interesting friends from America, who are just now their guests the Longstreths and Parsons. Our dear mother is not quite so well as usual, owing to the fall she had the beginning of last week." Mornington Road, loth mo. 2/th, 1853. We are once more comfortably settled in this peaceful home. The conclusion of our visit to Kendal was very sweet. Third-day evening, was spent at our brother Robert's, with a large company of relatives and friends, and before we separated a covering of solemnity spread over us, and my dear husband was enabled vocally to supplicate for the divine blessing upon us. On the morning we left Kendal, after the reading of a chapter, our dear mother Braithwaite was feelingly engaged on our behalf. Her health is very feeble, and I felt it sweet to part under such a sense of the goodness, lovingkind- ness and faithfulness of the Lord. Our long journey was AET. 31. 127 accomplished safely, and our home and servants looked all that we could wish. My precious husband spoke the language of my heart, in offering up thanksgiving after our reading last evening. " What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits?" A few months after returning from High Close our mother believed it right to engage in a re- ligious visit to Friends in some parts of Berks and Oxon Quarterly Meeting. She was accom- panied by her friend Carolina Norton. The following entries refer to this visit : 2nd mo. i/th, 1854. " This afternoon I have parted with my precious child, having sent her with her nurse- maid to Banbury, to be under my dear mother's care during my absence from home. It has cost me much to give her up." 2 1 st. " I parted from my dear husband under a sweet feeling of peace at the Paddington Station, and, accompanied by Thomas and Carolina Norton, arrived in Reading in time to attend their Monthly Meeting. Our entrance on the labour before us has been, I be- lieve, graciously owned by the presence of the Master whom we desire to serve. The meeting for worship was an open time, wherein ability was given to the poor messengers to declare the truths of the Gospel. Thomas Norton returned home in the evening, and we paid one family visit." 24th. " We have been pursuing our labour in the family visits in Reading meeting; a humbling, proving labour for which renewed baptisms seem again and again needed, yet I have felt the Great Head of the Church' near, qualifying for His own work." 128 I854 . 25th. " Renewed cause for thankfulness is felt at the close of another day. The accounts of my dear husband and our precious child are cheering. Oh the blessedness of trusting the Lord with all, and what can be more precious than thus to realize His fatherly pro- tecting care extended over us." On leaving Reading, visits were paid to the meetings and families of friends at Henley, Shilling- ford, Faringdon, Witney, Charlbury, Haddenham, and Chipping Norton. Public meetings were also held in two or three places. On 3rd mo. I2th she writes. " We now feel nearly clear of these parts, and look to concluding our service at the Monthly Meeting at Chipping Norton to-morrow, from whence my dear companion intends to return home, while I go on to Banbury." ijth. "Again restored to my sweet little one; my cup seems to overflow with thankfulness and rejoicing. I arrived here about 4 o'clock. My dear baby was brought a little way on the road to meet me, and I believe had not quite forgotten me." 1 4th. " Greatly have I enjoyed this day with my precious babe. My joy in her seems heightened by having been made willing to give her up when it seemed to be called for. I hope to welcome my precious husband in a few hours. This evening reminds me that another year of my life is nearly brought to a close. It has been a memorable one to me, for it has been my portion in it to partake largely both of the cup of joy and of sorrow." Our father had been occupied since the beginning of 1850 in preparing the memoir of Joseph John Gurney, to which allusion has already AET. 3 I. I2 9 been made, and our mother had thrown herself with loving interest into his labours in connection with it. They had worked at it together on their wedding journey and during each summer vacation since, besides giving up an afternoon or evening to it whenever other duties rendered it possible to do so. It is therefore with feelings of great thankfulness that our mother records : 5th mo. i8th, 1854. " Received the first copy of * J. J. Gurney's Life ' bound from the publishers this afternoon. Thus my dear husband's labours in con- nection with it are for the present completed, and we have now only to commit the issue unto Him who can alone prosper the work of our hands and cause His blessing to rest upon it." During her stay at Banbury in the spring our mother had been with several others in a serious carriage accident as they were returning from a Monthly Meeting at Sibford. She says : 4th mo. gth, 1854. " We dined and took tea at Sibford, and left for home about six o'clock in the evening, but had not gone more than two miles when the horse became unmanageable, and in going down a steep hill near Swalcliffe we were all thrown from the carriage, which was left shattered to pieces within a few yards of us. My precious mother was the most seriously hurt; but, after sitting down a few minutes by the road-side, she walked on with us to a cottage in the village, where she was laid on a bed and fomented with warm water, until a carriage containing some other friends came up, when they kindly alighted and made room for us, so that we reached home a 10 130 1854- little before eight o'clock, when medical assistance was obtained. She has been confined to bed since (five days), except being dressed for a short time last evening, and is slowly recovering", which we feel a great mercy." Our mother continued to feel the effects of this accident all through the summer, but with great care she escaped more serious consequences, and in the 8th month was blessed with the added joy of another little daughter, who was named Anna Lloyd. As soon as our mother's strength was sufficiently restored to render the long journey suitable, the whole family went to the house at Scotby, accompanied by Martha Gillett, who had been for some weeks in London with her daughter. Her presence was a great comfort and help, as our father was frequently absent for several days at a time, being engaged in a religious visit to Cumberland i and Westmorland Quarterly Meetings, and the baby was very delicate and the cause of many wakeful nights and anxious days to the dear mother, whose own health was not yet fully re-established. In spite of these drawbacks they enjoyed the peaceful quiet of Scotby, and all derived benefit from their stay there. Martha Gillett left them on the nth of loth month, and on the 1 3th they went to Kendal to spend a week with Isaac and Anna Braithwaite before returning home. Martha Braithwaite's time was now very fully occupied with home duties and the care of her children. Her own health was not strong, refer- AET. 31. I3 1 ence being frequently made in her journal to attacks of pain in her face, which often lasted for days together and were very wearing. She also had frequent tedious colds with a " trouble- some cough " and many disturbed nights. Amidst much weakness, and with what would have appeared to many ample reasons for staying at home, she never allowed anything short of absolute necessity to interfere with her attendance of the meetings for worship both on First-days and in the middle of the week, and her ministry in these was much blessed : whilst for herself she records again and again having gone " under much dis- couragement" but feeling thankful that the effort ' had been made, and acknowledging that her strength had been renewed in thus assembling with her friends to wait upon the Lord.. Her servants were the constant objects of earnest religious concern, and she may truly be said to have " watched for their souls as one who must give account." A few extracts from her journal, selected almost at random from the many which bear upon this subject, may perhaps best illustrate how fully she made their interests her own and how anxious she was to bring a right influence to bear upon their lives. " I feel the responsibility of having servants under my care, and I have been brought this evening into much secret exercise on their account, desiring that nothing I may do or say may be as a rock of oifence unto them or in any wise hinder their spiritual progress." 132 I8 55 . On returning home after an absence of some weeks : "I have had much comfort to-day in finding the con- duct of our servants has been so satisfactory during my long absence. May it be a fresh encouragement often to wrestle in prayer on their account for the divine blessing and to discharge my important trust faithfully towards them. They come to us to spend the strength and prime of their days in our service. How ought we^to watch for their highest interests, and how earnestly should we seek in no way to hinder them from the service of their heavenly Master." And again : " As it regards our . servants I feel a great weight of responsibility. I have had much pain on account of one of them this week and have made it a subject for prayer that her heart may be changed, and then the fruits of righteousness will assuredly shine forth." And on another occasion : " My dear husband and myself felt it right to speak very seriously to one of our servants this evening, whose conduct has been a source of trial and anxiety for some time past. I trust a feeling of love for her was the clothing of our minds in thus feeling it needful to offer the word of reproof. We also had a little opportunity with our other servant alone, encouraging her to seek to dwell in the fear of the Lord and to set a good example to those around her. I feel humbled under a sense of my own shortcomings in the per- formance of my duty towards them, and desire renewedly to seek help from above." AET.32. 133 7th mo. 5th, 1856. " This afternoon we had a parting opportunity with our dear nursemaid, Lucy Appleton, who has been with us about four years, and a faithful helper to us and most tender caretaker of our precious little ones. She is leaving us to be married. May the Lord abundantly reward and richly bless her. I can hardly think of her leaving us without tears it comes so closely home to me. I have loved her like a dear friend." Martha Braithwaite enjoyed attending many of the sittings of the Yearly Meeting of 1855, during which Isaac and Anna Braithwaite, Charles LI. Braithwaite, and her sister Elizabeth were their guests. After its conclusion she went with her two children and their nursemaid to spend a month at Banbury, and soon after her return home was called upon to spare her husband for four or five weeks to visit the meetings, and in some places the families of Friends, in the Quarterly Meetings of Essex and Suffolk. The visit occupied longer than was at first anticipated ; so that he had not returned when another treasure was added to their Jhome in the birth of a little son. Our mother writes respecting him : "I have every way very much cause for thankful- ness I desire to be enabled to dedicate him to the Lord, that 'as long as he liveth he may be lent to the Lord,' having no higher blessing to crave for him than that he may be employed in His service for ever on earth and in heaven." In the autumn of 1856 our dear parents felt it on their hearts to visit some of the meetings 134 i8 S 6. and Friends in Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Westmorland, and although they did not look to a sufficiently definite service to ask for a certificate from their meeting yet they planned their autumn holiday with this end in view. 8th month 22nd, 1856 Our mother writes : " This morning we left London with our three darling- children, my dear sister and our nursemaid, and after a safe journey find ourselves comfortably housed this evening at our dear cousin Edward Pease's (at Darlington), who in his 90th year is wonderfully bright and active. He came down to the station to meet us with all the energy of a much younger man. His company has been very sweet and animating." 23rd " Came on to Redcar, where my dear brother Charles preceded us yesterday, and settled into lodg- ings our sitting-room commanding a full view of the sea. The sands here are firm and good, and if favoured with health 1 think we shall much enjoy the place." They spent a fortnight at Redcar, from which place they visited their relatives, John and Sophia Pease, of Ayton, attending the meeting there and also spending some time at the School. The three children with their nurse and aunt then went forwards to Scotby, whilst our father and mother went again to Darlington, and thence to Newcastle and Sunderland, before joining their children at Scotby. After a fortnight spent quietly there they attended the Monthly Meeting at Carlisle, and aftwards visited Wigton School, Whitehaven, and Cockermouth, going thence by way of Keswick AET.33. *35 and Ambleside to Kendal, where they stayed for a fortnight, returning to their home on the 14th of loth month. The record of this little journey shows how, in the midst of increasing cares, our mother was on the watch for opportunities of serving the Lord by ministering to others outside her family circle, not feeling, many as were her duties at home, that she was doing all that was required if she was faithful there. 4th mo. 2Oth, 1856, she writes: "For myself, I especially feel the need of seeking to be faithful now, of diligently using present opportunities. How unwise to think I shall be able to serve the Lord better, to dedicate myself more entirely to Him, when my dear children are a little older, and I may suppose so much personal attention to domestic duties may not be required or necessary as now. Ah it is thus that the great enemy of all good would seek to allure away my mind from present faithfulness. He would hold out the hope, if life be spared, of future usefulness ; but he does not tell me of the golden hour that is now pass- ing, wherein, surrounded by all the deep and touching interests of life, I may yet prove that my heart is offered in continual sacrifice unto Him whose right it is to rule and to reign in me." About the same time we find the following : "I afresh feel how little I can accomplish out of the sphere of my own home duties, my health not being very strong, yet I wish, if possible, to do a little for the Schools in Somers Town, and for the Camden Town Branch Bible Association. Patient, quiet diligence and watching for opportunities will I feel be very J 3 1856. necessary. Oh that my mind may not give way to indolence or lukewarmness, but especially may I be helped in the right training of our precious children, and in a diligent labour in the vineyard of my own heart." In the year 1856 she was instrumental in starting a soup kitchen in Camden Town, spending a good deal of time in calling on her neighbours to interest them about it, and also in collecting the necessary funds. The committees were held at her home, and for several years she was one of the visitors and continued to help in superin- tending the work. Under date 5th month i2th, 1856, she wrote out for r herself a few short rules of conduct, of which she says : " I have desired that these might be my watch- words, but am renewedly sensible how very far short I have fallen of that standard of holiness which I long to attain unto." They are as follows, and are headed "WATCHWORDS." "To improve ^present opportunities. "To seek to live daily under a thankful sense of my many mercies. "Be watchful; be humble; prize thy privileges. Be frequent and fervent in prayer. Seek in all things to live to the glory of God, and that thou mayest be enabled to love Him with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." CHAPTER XII. Visits to Meetings in neighbourhood of London Visits to invalid Friends Anxiety as to temporal concerns Birth of another Child Visit to Banbury during her Husband's absence in the North Visits with her Husband to families of Friends in Westminster Monthly Meeting Apparent difficulties removed Birth of a Daughter Visit to Redcar and Scotby Birth of another Daughter Death of Anna Braith- waite and her daughter Anna Visit to Isaac Braithwaite at Kendal. DESIRING to be ever on the watch for opportunities, and careful not to be too closely absorbed with the cares of this life, it was wonderful how much our dear mother was able to accomplish in these busy years, whilst still her home and children had always the first claim. She paid frequent visits with her husband to Meetings in the neighbourhood of London, remaining from the Sixth or Seventh- day to the following Second-day, and when necessary taking one or two of her little ones with her. Sometimes we read that a public meeting had been appointed in addition to the usual meetings, or at other times the days would be fully 138 1857- occupied with visits to the families of friends,. Several visits of this kind are mentioned to Plaistow Meeting, where they always received a cordial welcome at Ham House from Samuel Gurney, also one or two visits to Jane Reynolds, at Faringdon, and Peter Bedford, at Croydon. At Tottenham, to which they went very frequently^ they were the guests at different times of Josiah and Rachel Forster, John Hodgkin and others. Much social enjoyment was mingled with these visits, but it required a good deal of energy so often to make the arrangements necessary for leaving home when her children were young. Our mother was also diligent in paying visits of sympathy to invalid friends and those in sorrow and affliction, and not infrequently devoted a whole morning or afternoon, and sometimes a whole day r to this service. To these sorrowing and suffering ones she came not only as the bearer of spiritual consolation, but in very many cases also of .some material help, her practical mind at once seeing what it was possible to do to alleviate the distress. Often on hearing of the illness of little children would she go to sympathize with parents, and, when there, would suggest some food or treatment which in many cases was blessed to their recovery. She was very skilful in dealing with children's ailments and would often prepare the nourishment herself, or spend hours at the house showing the parents how to carry out some new treatment. In other cases she would AET.34- J 39 busy herself in looking out more comfortable quarters, or a nice companion or nurse for some whose welfare she felt laid on her heart, or would send some appetising and nourishing food to those who were ill in lodgings and away from the comforts of home. During Dr. Livingstone's lengthened absences in Africa his wife resided in London quite near to our home ; and our mother felt it a great privilege to do what she could to cheer and comfort her in her loneliness and anxiety, when for many months together she could hear no certain intelligence of him. With our mother's family constantly claiming her attention, and the delicacy of her own health, her path was no easy one at this time, and domestic cares often pressed heavily upon her, but, though naturally of an anxious temperament, she seemed wonderfully enabled to cast her burden, in the small as well as the great things of life, upon the Lord, realizing the truth of His promise " He shall sustain thee.' 1 Thus with her soul at rest in Him she was free from her own cares to think of others, and proved to many " A counsellor in time of need, A friend in word, a friend indeed, A sower of the heavenly seed, A comforter to be." Their increasing family often made our dear parents feel thoughtful as to the future, and much 14 1857- care was required on our mother's part to make their income meet the growing demands upon it, and yet so to order her household that neither she nor her husband might be too closely tied by family cares to the hindrance of more extended service for their Lord a-nd Master. The following extracts from her journal on this subject may be instructive as showing her earnest desire to be kept on the right hand and on the left in this matter : " I have been thinking much to-day about a young person, a Friend, who seems likely to prove suitable to have as an assistant in the nursery. I long to be rightly directed in this thing and that I may ever be very watchful not to increase my precious husband's cares by any extravagance in household arrangements. Oh that my eye may be kept single unto the Lord, and may I be willing to have all that concerns both me and mine brought under the regulating power of Truth, for herein I believe shall we continue to experience peace and joy. What I can do without, rather than what I can do with, is the point on which I desire in these matters the balance may continually turn." Again, some years later she writes : " During the past week we have had very seriously under our consideration the desirability of changing our present residence for one rather larger, now vacant, quite near to us ; but we have unitedly come to the conclusion (which is a very peaceful one to my own mind) to make the best of the room we have and remain quietly here for the present. It is my very earnest desire that my precious husband may be as little encumbered with earthly cares as possible, that AET. 34- his mind may be set at liberty as much as may be, consistently with the divine will, for the service of our dear Lord and Redeemer. Oh, that we may ever feel our highest joy to consist in freely dedicating all that we have or are to Him. May there be on our part no weak indulgence of the earthly mind which is corrupt with its deceitful lusts, but a constant pressing after that heavenly-mindedness in all things which will lead us to deny self for Christ's sake." Early in the spring of 1857 another little daughter was given to their care. She was a specially bright, happy child, and her merry laugh and winning baby ways often -served to turn the thoughts of her parents from the many anxieties which just now were pressing heavily upon them, so that our father used playfully to call her his "little charmer." In the summer of the same year our father received a certificate from his Monthly Meeting for service in the North of England. In allusion to this our mother writes : "At our Monthly Meeting I had to tell Friends that a peaceful feeling had always attended whenever my mind had turned towards the probability of having to give him up, and I can in sincerity of heart say, I do desire to be enabled freely to resign him to the Lord's disposal, for although our outward prospects are just now very discouraging and it is peculiarly an exercise of faith, yet I do believe that our heavenly Father in His tender love will continue to care for us and our dear little ones in this respect also, and although He may give us no overflowing portion of this world's riches, He will not suffer us to want any 142 i8 57 . good thing. I feel trustful and hopeful though often brought very low. I sometimes allow my mind to be too much cumbered with worldly cares. Let me not forget that these as well as riches are able to choke the good seed and render it unfruitful." Our mother spent the two months of his absence at Banbury with her four children, and they all returned home on the 25th of loth month, except little Anna who remained at Ban- bury for a few weeks longer. Early in the Eleventh ! month she writes: "We have a prospect before us of a family visit in this Meeting to the members and attenders, which feels very weighty. The concern has been before my own mind for some months past, and very unexpectedly I found a few days since that my dear husband had a similar prospect before him. This has been strengthen- ing, and it seems as if it might be right for us to engage in this little service of love together, and if it is right may I be helped through some of my home cares, which just for the present seem almost like barriers in the way of the accomplishment of this duty. Both my helpers in the nursery are leaving and several of the dear children are poorly Our position just now as to temporal things is also a try- ing one, calling for the fresh exercise of faith and humble trust in Him who hath promised to provide." Before the time came for paying these visits she records : nth mo. 23rd, 1857. "The way has unexpectedly opened for my engaging the Friend who is with my dear sister to come to us as a caretaker of our precious children, in which I feel great comfort. She AET. 34 . 143 ^eerns every way so suited to be a help to us. May I not humbly believe that the Lord has answered my secret desires in this respect; and ought I not to trust that He will provide in other things also." This was the faithful nurse Ann MacDermid, who lived fifteen years with us, and to whose loving care and conscientious performance of her duties we as children owed so much, both physically and morally. The family visits were comfortably accomplished, and at the Monthly Meeting in 3rd mo., 1858, they returned the Minute granted them for this service. Our mother wri-tes : " The opportunities have tended I trust to unite us more closely to our dear friends in the bonds of fellowship and love. My outward concerns, too, have been so ordered that nothing has seemed to suffer, and this also I wish to record as an undeserved mercy." In the 7th mo., 1858, " they were blessed," to use our mother's own words, "with another precious little daughter, whom we have named Elizabeth after my dear sister." On the 1 3th of 9th month, 1858, our mother writes : "Yesterday my dear husband and I, with our five children and two servants left home for this place (Redcar, Yorkshire), and were favoured to arrive in safety. We have taken a stroll on the beach, enjoy- ing the varying beauties of the ever restless ocean. The children are delighted, and I trust will derive much benefit from the fine bracing air." 144 1858-9. They spent a very happy month here, and after several short visits to relatives, including one to their cousin Joseph Pease, at Darlington, and to their parents at Scotby and Banbury, returned home. A letter to her mother written on her birth- day, 3rd mo. i5th, 1859, gives us a little glimpse into the home life at this time : ''Thy affectionate letter with one from each of my dear sisters was received at breakfast-time this morn- ing, and with many other little proofs of love from those near and dear to me, bowed my heart in thanks- giving and praise to Him who thus daily loadeth me with blessings. . . . The dear children are all nicely. Thou wouldst have enjoyed looking at the tray of pretty presents they had prepared for me this morn- ing. Since breakfast the three eldest have been with me to see the great Globe, which delighted them exceedingly, I think they went four times up to the top of it ; and a moving Diorama, which was after- wards shown there of scenery in India and the modes of travelling there also pleased them very much. Dear little Joseph is to make tea for me this evening out of the little tea-things. John Hodgkin lodged here last night and breakfasted with us this morning, leaving soon afterwards." Our father spent part of the summer of 1859 in religious visits to Friends in the Midland counties. During the greater part of his absence our mother was at Banbury with her children, joining him at Reading to attend the Quarterly UNIVERSITY AET. 36. 145 Meeting there early in the Qth month. She returned home on loth mo. i6th, and in the nth mo. we find recorded the birth of another daughter. Within a month of this event the sudden illness and death of our grandmother Anna Braithwaite took place. Our father did not reach Kendal in time to see her alive. He was therefore especially thankful that, in accordance with her particular desire, they had named this daughter Rachel Barclay, after our grandmother's aunt, the second wife of David Barclay, grandson of the Apologist. Our grandmother had suffered for years from an affection of the spine, and it was thought that a recent railway journey had tried her more than usual, and she had not from that time regained her ordinary health. Still no particular anxiety was felt till about 4 o'clock on the morning of the day she died, when she became unconscious. Our mother writes : " She did not even recognise those around her, and at twenty minutes past ten in the morning her happy spirit was set free from earth, and entered, I consolingly believe, through the infinite love and mercy of her God and Saviour, into the joy of His redeemed ones in heaven. The sense of our loss has been very present with me, for she was a wise and judicious counsellor, one who ever sought to cheer her children onwards in the path of duty." 11 146 i860. Only a few weeks later, on the 3ist of ist month, 1860, our father's eldest sister Anna, whose health had for a long time been very uncertain, was also called away. Having on her settlement in London, as companion to her eldest brother, Isaac Braithwaite, come under the influence of the late Baptist W. Noel, she had long ceased to be a member of our religious Society. She was for many years previously to her decease deeply interested in the Society for the Promotion of Female Education in the East, of which she and her friend, Helen Hope, were amongst the earliest active promoters. Our mother writes: "She died in great peace and passed away so gently that those around her scarcely knew the exact moment when her happy spirit took its flight. The] evening had been spent in singing hymns, which she greatly enjoyed. The funeral took place at Kendal on the 7th, her remains being interred in the Friends' burying ground there, by the side of those of our precious mother." Our mother's sympathies were strongly drawn out for our dear grandfather in this double bereave- ment, and in the summer she took her little Martha and the baby and went north to spend a few weeks with him at Kendal. She returned home by way of Banbury, and whilst there records : " On our return from a drive we found dear William* had arrived after nearly nine months' absence * Her youngest brother. AET. 37- 147 in America. The vessel he came by, the " Prince Albert," took fire when about 1,000 miles from Galway, and for nearly five hours they were in a most perilous situation a raging 1 sea and but little hope of reaching the land if they had had to take to the boats, which were not nearly sufficient to hold those on board. Part of the deck and most of the cargo, which consisted of wheat, was destroyed." Her eldest sister, Hannah Mary, had for some time been in very failing health, from creeping paralysis, to which allusion is made in the following extract : 5th mo. I3th, 1860, First-day. " A day of great enjoyment and sweet peace. It has been delightful to be all together once more. In the evening when our large family circle collected we had a memorable time together. Dearest Hannah Mary has mingled a good deal with us. Her decline is very gradual, but we all feel in looking back some months that the disease makes progress. She seems remarkably preserved from anxiety, able to enjoy the present hour, and to leave the future in the hands of her God and Saviour." About this time we rind the following entry in her journal concerning the progress of her own religious experience : " Sometimes of late I have been permitted to feel inexpressibly happy and that which used to be the trembling hope has of later years given place to the settled abiding assurance that, through redeeming love and mercy, I shall be accepted in the Beloved, and shall in the end know an entrance to be ministered even unto me abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 148 i860. CHAPTER XIII. Visit to Families of Friends at Kendal, also to parts of Westmorland Q.M. and of Lancashire and Cheshire Q.M. Marriage of Charles Gillett Birth of a Son Removal to house in Camden Road Meeting for Workmen Serious illness in winter of 1 86 1 Death of Isaac Braithwaite Death of Hannah Mary Gillett Death of Elizabeth Gillett. SOON after her return home from these visits our dear mother again felt called to go forth in the service of the Gospel. She says : 8th mo. 26th, 1860. " At our Monthly Meeting last Fifth-day, after much earnest seeking to be rightly guided and directed, I felt it right to lay before Friends a concern which has rested on my mind since my visit at Kendal in the spring, to visit the members of that meeting in their families. I also felt it best to ask to be left at liberty to attend some of the smaller meetings in Westmorland Quarterly Meeting and to unite with my dear husband in some parts of his contemplated religious engagement in Lancashire and Cheshire Quar- terly Meeting, which he had previously laid before Friends. It was to me a heart-tendering opportunity: much unity and sympathy were expressed, but above all was the AET. 37. 149 sense of quiet peace which has attended the giving up of my own will in this matter. The necessary absence from our dear little ones is a great exercise of faith to me, but I am enabled to trust that the Lord will provide for and bless them." 9th mo. 3rd. " I have left my precious baby and our i sweet little E. at Banbury, under my dear mother's care, during our contemplated absence from home." The journey is thus reviewed in a later entry : loth mo. i8th, 1860. We were favoured to arrive at our own peaceful home about six o'clock this morning and to find our precious children all well. Nothing seems to have suffered during our absence, so tenderly has the Lord dealt with us. My cup of blessing has seemed full to overflowing this morning in the humbling sense of mercies past and present. After a little rest we attended our Monthly Meeting and returned our certificate, having been rather more than five weeks from home, and during that time visited all the meetings of Friends in Cheshire, except one small one, many of the meetings in Lancashire, and most of the meetings in Westmorland, besides holding about eighteen public meetings in different places, and visiting Friends in their families in the small meeting of Nantwich and in Kendal Meeting. We also had an opportunity at Alderley with those who have left our Society who reside in that neighbourhood, about twenty or thirty in number, and my dear husband had a meeting with the students at the Wesleyan College at Didsbury, near Stockport. It is marvellous to myself how I have been helped from day to day and been strengthened in the midst of much weakness to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. How often does my heart long that 15 i86i. all might be gathered to this precious Saviour, and if any have been brought nearer to Him through our late labours I feel that it will be a rich and plenteous reward." In the 1 2th month our mother went to Shotley Bridge to attend the marriage of her brother Charles with Gertrude M. Tregelles, eldest daughter of Edwin O. Tregelles. It now became necessary for our dear parents seriously to consider moving into a larger house, and after much prayerful deliberation a newly- erected one in Camden Road (then called 15, Carlton Hill Villas) was decided upon, and our mother writes : 2nd mo. 24th, 1861. "My dearest Bevan yesterday evening signed the agreement for purchasing a house in the Camden Road, nothing nearer to Westminster Meet- ing and to his business having opened which seemed likely for us. The seal of peace has seemed hitherto to rest upon the conclusion, and I trust this will continue, and that the blessing of the Lord will go with us and rest upon us there. How do I long that our souls may not be fettered with earthly things, but that we may be enabled, through the power of divine grace, to live loose from them, and to have our affections increasingly set on things above. It has often been a sweet solace to my mind of late amidst the care of arranging earthly things to look towards that house, not made with hands, which I humbly trust is preparing for us, eternal in the Heavens." This house, now 312, Camden Road, has been ever since the family home. In plan it was AET. 38. curiously similar to the one they left, but larger throughout, and with an additional storey which gave several extra bedrooms. The garden too was larger, and when they first moved the house was almost the last one completed on that side of the road, and was close to fields, in /which the children could play. Before their removal from Mornington Road, we find the following entry : 3rd mo. i5th. "Another precious little boy has been added to our sweet charge, making seven of these precious little ones to care for and train as we may L be enabled for a heavenlier inheritance " And very soon after, this : 5th mo. I3th. 15, Carlton Hill Villas. First-day. "Last Third-day we removed hither and are already favoured to feel much at home. I can hardly believe that^we have not occupied the house more than a few days, all has been so comfortably and easily accomplished. After our family reading on the first morning after A we came, I had to revive in our remembrance how the Patriarchs and holy men of old in every place where they sojourned built an altar unto the Lord, and to express the desire that we might do the same." They were comfortably settled in time to receive their guests as usual at the time of the Yearly Meeting, and also to be at liberty to attend the sittings, although our mother was suffering again with her face, and not always able to get out. 152 i86i. On 6th mo. 2jrd, she writes: "My mind has been much exercised for some time past on account of the men who have been employed in finishing" our new residence, and my precious husband invited them to our house this evening". About twenty came, and one of the masters as well as a subordinate one asked leave to be present. I was enabled to express to them what seemed given on the occasion, and my dear husband was also engaged in prayer and testimony. I trust it was a time some of them will remember to their lasting profit. We felt sensible of the overshadowing of heavenly good, and my heart is more thankful than I can express that the way has been opened for this little service of love." In the early winter of this year our dear mother had a severe attack of erysipelas in the face, followed by an abscess, with very acute suffering for about ten days. She was confined to her room for nearly five weeks, and part of the time was dangerously ill and unable even to see her children. In speaking of this time of trial she says : 1 2th mo. 22nd, 1861.-" The Lord in His great mercy condescended to be very near in this season of proving, permitting me through all to know my soul to be anchored in great peace upon Christ Jesus, the rock of my salvation, so that although my bodily distress was often great, there seemed not an anxious thought per- mitted to trouble me, and my soul was often filled with praise and thanksgiving unto my God and Saviour, many times breathing forth the language, ' My meditation of Him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord.' " AET. 38. 153 Before she had recovered from this attack the news came of the serious illness* of Isaac Braith- waite. J. B. Braithwaite, who had gone at once to Kendal, writes : 1 2th mo. 27th. " I found our dear father living, but much altered, and continuing to get weaker. He knew his children and seemed comforted to have them round him." Our mother says : "It is a trial to me that I have not been able to go, for he has been ever a most tender parent to me, but I desire to cherish the feeling of humble thankful- ness for the many, many mercies which are permitted to be my portion." 28th. "This afternoon the tidings have reached me that our precious father ceased to breathe about a quarter past nine last evening, and I do consolingly believe that he is now, through redeeming love and mercy, an inhabitant of that glorious city whose walls are salvation, and whose gates are praise." A letter from our father to Martha Gillett gives a few further particulars : Kendal, I2th mo. 3oth, 1861. "It is not easy for me to express all that I feel in the sudden removal of my tenderly beloved father. It has made a void in our circle which nothing on earth can ever supply, and the absence of my precious wife adds to the sense of strippedness and desolateness in a way that I cannot describe. I am thankful that I was permitted to witness the close. Very sweet and even hallowed were the hours spent beside him on Fifth-day evening and Sixth- 154 i862. day. He was quite sensible until almost the last. Nothing appeared to stand in the way. All was simple, unfaltering trust in the dear Redeemer, crowned with the precious sense of His presence as the ointment poured forth. I trust that my dearest M. will send you a few particulars. It would have been a great comfort to me to have had her and two of the dear children with us, but her state, and the distance, and the coldness of the weather seem to make this out of the question." After our father's return, our mother writes : ist mo. i3th, 1862. "My dear husband returned from Kendal on the 6th, since which time I have been again prostrated by illness, and for several days con- fined to bed. To-day I came downstairs about the middle of the day. My dear mother was with me about two days last week, but returned home again on Sixth-day with dear Elizabeth (who had been nursing me all through my illness), on account of the serious illness of my dear sister Hannah Mary with influenza.. The accounts of her continue very poor, and I feel it an additional trial that I cannot go to be with her." 1 5th, Fourth-day. " Received to-day by telegram the account of my precious sister's release about five o'clock this morning, and since a letter from my dear mother. This fresh bereavement comes closely home to my heart, though I feel amidst my own sorrow that I can rejoice for the dear departed one that her warfare is accomplished. My dear sister several times during the last few days expressed her longing desire to go to her heavenly Home. Alluding to her suffering from difficulty of breathing she said, His hand was heavy AET. 39- J 55 upon her now, but she felt her dear Saviour very near, and believed the Everlasting Arms would be underneath for her support. Shortly before the close her breathing- became easier, and she very quietly passed away. Her last words were " Bright bright bright," and I feel little doubt but that the bright dawning of the eternal day was opening upon her soul." Our mother continued too unwell to go to the funeral, which took place at Sibford on the 2oth. On ist mo. 24th, 1862, she writes : " I continue deeply to feel our late bereavements, yet consolation and support are mercifully granted from day to day. My health is improving perceptibly ; to me it feels like coming back to life again. The foretastes of heaven, sometimes granted during the hours of my greatest suffering, were so sweet, that they seem as an earnest given me of the Lord's mercy and love to my soul and of the rest prepared for me in heaven. Surely they will be animating to recall through all the remaining steps of my earthly journey." 3Oth. "Went to meeting again to-day, the first time for nearly three months. My timid nature shrank from the effort of meeting so many of my friends, but when there, such a sweet sense of divine love filled my soul that I could have sat for hours. The meeting was silent except at the close, when I ventured to put up a few broken petitions for help and blessing." Her sister Elizabeth had spent some months with her in London, nursing her all through her illness, and had only returned to Banbury a few days before their sister Hannah Mary's death. 156 1862. On ist mo. 22nd, 1862, our mother wrote to her as follows : "My beloved Sister, I have been thankful to hear you had a favoured time on Second-day. I felt it a great trial not to be with you. The remembrance of our dear departed sister is very precious, and I trust her removal from us will be blessed as the means of drawing us all nearer to our heavenly Home. How empty and vain does everything appear that this earth can afford, com- pared with a preparation for the solemn change when it comes, and to be found ready to enter into the joy of our Lord. Our late season of sweet intercourse together, has, I trust, bound yet more closely the bond of love between us. Thou couldst not more have enjoyed thy visit than I enjoyed having thee here. It seemed just the provision for my need, and I often look back with adoring thankfulness upon the past." How little they then thought that she would be the next to be taken. Our mother's health was hardly re-established when this great and overwhelming sorrow fell upon her. In her early years her sister Elizabeth had been to her as a dearly-loved child, and since our mother's marriage she had been always ready to come and help her in times of sickness or pressure of domestic cares. She was so bright and well, till within a few weeks of her death, that no anxiety was awakened, but on 4th mo. 22nd, 1862, our mother writes from Great Malvern : " I came here on yth day unexpectedly, on account of the illness of my precious sister Elizabeth, who came to this place with my dear mother two AET.39- X 57 weeks since for her health. Since arriving here she has been daily getting worse, and when I reached on Seventh-day I found her extremely ill, and dear Catharine, Alfred and George also here. Dr. Hodgkin had been telegraphed for and arrived late on ist day evening. All through that day dearest E. continued in a very sinking state, taking something every half-hour, and we watched her through the night very closely. Dr. Hodgkin saw her that evening. He considers the attack commenced with low fever, but "it* is now acute inflammation of the right lung. He considers her in a very precarious state." 4th of 5th mo., 1862. First-day. Carlton Hill Villas. "The past week has been a very memorable one to me. My precious sister Elizabeth continued to get worse from the time of the last memoranda. On Second-day we telegraphed for my brothers Charles and Alfred, who arrived that evening, and after two nights and a day of anxious watching the gentle spirit of our much-loved sister was peacefully released, as we reverently believe through the riches of redeeming love to be for ever with the Lord. A radiant smile settled on her lovely face after she had breathed her last. Our sorrowing band, which included my beloved mother, my two brothers, my sister Catharine, and their faithful servant Betsey remained in silence around the bed, until I was enabled on the bended knee to return thanks unto Him who had given her the victory through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Dear Elizabeth died at 20 minutes past six on Fourth-day morning, the 3Oth of the 4th month, in the 2;th year of her age. Nearly her last words were ' My blessed Saviour, He is precious,' and on taking leave of dear Catharine and myself she said, ' Perfectly happy/ a feeling which she had expressed before several times." 158 1862. Banbury, 5th mo. 7th. Fourth day. " Yesterday the remains of my precious sister Elizabeth were laid in the burying-ground at Sibford, in the same grave as my dear sister Hannah Mary's. It was to us all a day of deep sorrow mingled with heavenly consolation. The void that is felt in our family circle by this bereavement is inexpressible. It seems difficult to realise that we shall see that beaming countenance no more on earth for ever, yet I desire that we may dwell rather on her eternal gain than on our own great loss. How much have we had lately to draw our hearts to heaven. May all these dispensations be so sanctified and blessed that all the gracious purposes of our Heavenly Father concerning us may be accomplished, and that fruit may be brought forth to the praise of His great and ever excellent Name." AET.39- CHAPTER XIV. Yearly Meeting of 1862 Illness in Summer of 1862 Visit to Ilfracombe and Banbury Birth of a Son Visits to families of Friends in Holloway Meeting . Visit to Shanklift. Illness in Spring of 1864 "Fireside Hymn Book" Birth of her youngest Child The complete Family Circle The Mother's influence Prayers for and with her Children Care over their Reading Their Dress The Sermon of her life Children's occupations, Carpentering At the Seashore Absences from Home. OUR mother felt it a great effort after these bereavements to resume the ordinary duties of life ; yet we find her attending most of the sittings of the Yearly Meeting of 1862, and presiding, at the request of Samuel and Edmund Gurney, at the dinners provided for Friends at their rooms in Lombard Street. During the summer she was again seriously ill. Of this she writes.: tl Death and eternity have felt very near, and I long that these repeated warnings of the great uncertainty of all things here may stimulate me to double my diligence, that the day's work may keep pace with the swiftly advancing day." As soon as her health permitted, she went with all her family to Ilfracombe, where they found " comfortable lodgings, commanding an extensive 160 I863 . view of the ever-varying sea with its wild, rocky coast." Our father was away the greater part of the summer, being engaged on a Yearly Meeting's Committee in Lancashire and Cheshire Q.M., but her mother and sister joined the party at Ilfracombe, and afterwards they all returned to Banbury together. At the end of this year another little son was born. In the summer of 1863 our mother felt a concern on her mind to visit the families of Friends in Holloway Meeting, and on mentioning it to her husband he felt it right to accompany her. Holloway was at this time a comparatively new Meeting, and much nearer to their home than Westminster, which however they still continued to attend on First-day mornings. This little service occupied them pretty closely through the 8th month, and on the ist of 9th month they all went to Shanklin, in the Isle of Wight, where they spent nearly four weeks at "a com- fortable cottage on the -beach, and shared together much quiet and enjoyment in many pleasant ex- cursions and in daily walks and rambles on the shore and through the surrounding beautiful country." After returning from Shanklin our mother went to Banbury for a fortnight with her three eldest children, before settling in at home for the winter. Early in the year 1864 she was again a prisoner to the house for about three months with an attack of erysipelas and another threatening of a painful gathering on her face. It was during AET. 41. this time that she commenced the compilation of " The Fireside Hymn Book," in reference to which she says : 2nd mo. 7th, 1864. " I have employed some of my quiet hours during this season of confinement to the house in making a selection of some of my favourite hymns. The labour has been undertaken at the sug- gestion of my very dear brother William. Our own precious children have also been much in my thoughts in connection with it, but whether the hymns selected will ever be printed at present seems doubtful. Be that as it may, I have had much enjoyment and comfort in bringing together these songs of Zion, the very reading of which has often seemed to attune my own soul to praise." Soon after the Yearly Meeting, of which she was only able to attend some of the sittings, she went with four of her younger children to Ban- bury, hoping to benefit by the change, and whilst there was able to complete the preparation of the Hymn Book and received the proof of the earlier pages before returning home. Amidst her many other duties the correction of the proof sheets could only proceed slowly, but on the 2ist of 1 2th mo., 1864, she writes : " Received from the binder ' The Fireside Hymn Book.' It is a neat, nice looking little volume, and I feel thankful in having accomplished this little labour, though deeply sensible of its many imperfections. May it be blessed of Him who alone can give the increase." She returned from Banbury early in 7th month in improved health, and on the i8th of 9th month she writes : 12 1 62 18 6 4 . " I have now to record the birth of another sweet little girl, who seems at present a very healthy thriving child." This was the youngest of their large family, completing the circle of nine brothers and sisters, who all grew up around them to manhood and womanhood, our dear mother frequently speaking of it as one of the greatest of her many mercies that she had never had the sorrow of losing a child. It is difficult in a sketch like the present to convey an idea of he constant prayerful exercise of her soul over the little ones thus entrusted to her care. She was always very fond of little children, and her own had each received as they came the warm welcome of her true mother's heart, and had learned to feel, as soon as they could understand anything, that the mother-love which she lavished so richly upon them, was the earthly symbol and embodiment of the divine love, ever seeking to lead their thoughts upwards and heavenwards, and bringing them under the teaching of the Holy Spirit to know God as their Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. As each little one was in turn placed for the first time in her arms she seemed to hear the heaven-sent message, "Take this child and nurse it for Me" and faithfully did she discharge her trust. In the early morning she would often take one or two of them with her to join in the season of retirement she always spent in her AET. 41. i6 3 own room, and as they knelt by her side would in their hearing commit them to the care and keeping of the heavenly Shepherd ; and as long as there were children in the nursery too young to come down to meals, she regularly read the Bible to them and their nurses before going to the morning reading downstairs. On First-days she was very careful to keep them suitably and happily employed. Learning hymns, pricking texts, looking at Scripture cards and picture books, and writing out answers to Bible questions were amongst the occupations chosen for this day. Our father also was more at liberty on First- days, and usually spent some time with us, as alluded to in the following extract : " We have once more our dear children all round us, dear M. and A. having returned last Sixth-day, and the little group of seven have just left the parlour for the nursery, after a delightful hour spent with their dear papa in looking at a Scripture Picture Book." The following are a very few of the many entries scattered all through her journals on this subject : " I felt sensible to-day of a little hastiness of temper in correcting" my precious , and afterwards had to suffer bitterly for it. If love and tenderness cannot lead her, through divine assistance, in the right path, I am persuaded that anger never will. It is part of a parent's duty early to check and curb the rebellious will in those entrusted to their care, and it is a high attainment to correct children in such a way as that it shall commend itself to their 164 i86 4 - hearts and consciences. Fervent and frequent prayer for heavenly wisdom and help I have felt to be peculiarly necessary in my own experience, and oh that I may be yet more watchful over my own conduct and conversation at all times, that example and precept may go hand in hand." And again : "Life passes rapidly on, and I long to be found in every respect filling up my allotted portion of service and duty. I feel prayerfully solicitous that the oppor- tunity now afforded me with our precious children should be diligently improved. Now is the time to scatter plentifully in their young hearts the good seed of the Kingdom as I may be enabled. Now is the time also to water and to cherish, as ability may be given, the first buddings of grace, and to check and restrain all that is evil, and the labour must be bestowed upon them individually, and not in a slothful careless manner, nor without much prayer to Him who only can give the increase, if I expect hereafter to reap with joy-" And at another time : " The day altogether has been one of sweet rest and quiet enjoyment amongst our dear children, whose hearts, I believe, are under the precious influences of divine grace, and I can truly say that I have no greater joy than to see them walking in the truth. May I be a diligent labourer in the vineyard thus appointed me by the Lord of Hosts, that the precious plants under my care may grow up before Him in holiness, and in due season may bring forth much fruit to His praise, so that when it is gathered in by the Lord of the vineyard I may have to rejoice for AET. 4 I. I0 5 them with everlasting joy. I do desire, O Lord, to commit my darling children unto Thee, from the oldest unto the youngest. Be pleased to do for them in Thy tender mercy exceeding abundantly above all that I can either ask or think." She was exceedingly desirous as far as pos- sible to have as our caretakers those who feared the Lord, and, whenever practicable, members of our own Society ; and she always exercised very great care over our reading, never so long as she could control it, allowing us to read a book with the contents of which she was not herself familiar, and, especially when we were little child- ren, going carefully over every page, erasing any words which seemed objectionable, and often cutting out whole pages before she placed the book in our hands. In the matter of dress, too, it was her earnest desire to keep our minds from dwelling on outward adornment, and to teach us that in all these things the followers of Christ must expect and must be willing to differ from the world around them, if they would keep to the simplicity which becomes His Gospel. Some of these lessons were at the time hard for us to learn, but the spirit of loving earnest desire for our best welfare, and the prayers, so full of faith, in which she laid hold of the promises of God as covenanted to be for her and her children, could not fail to bring a bless- ing. We all knew, even when we felt most rebellious, that it was no mere caprice or fancy i66 1864. which was guiding her actions, but the desire for our eternal good ; we knew that she and our dear father had consecrated themselves with all that they had and were to the Lord's service ; we knew it, not so much because they told us. so, as because they lived it ; we never, even in the privacy of home life, heard them say a single word or saw them do a single action which could lead us to doubt the sincerity of their love to the Lord or their joy in His service, and therefore we believed them when they told us that they had no greater desire or higher ambition for us than that we too might become humble self-denying followers of our crucified Redeemer : and the knowledge that this was their constant earnest prayer for us was an influence on our lives, the force of which can- not be estimated. For the encouragement of other mothers, it seems right to record that the desires of her heart were fulfilled, and that she had the great joy of knowing that all her children, while they were still young, had yielded their hearts and lives to the love of Christ their Saviour. She delighted to spend as much time as possible with her children, and was never failing in her capacity for thinking of amusements and occupa- tions for them. The nursery was a large sunny room, looking out over the garden, with an open fire-place, where the kettle used to sing merrily on the hob in preparation for nursery breakfasts AET. 4 i. 17 and teas, and where, too, we could all sit round the fire and listen to stories before we went to bed. The hour which we spent with her after dinner was looked forward to as the pleasantest part of the day, and as we grew older she made us her constant companions, always having one or more of us with her whenever it was possible to do so. She encouraged us in every kind of handiwork, and especially in the love of natural objects in which she herself had found so much enjoyment. When he was very little she taught her eldest boy how to make toy engines and steamers out of empty cotton reels and match boxes, and as he grew older and developed a decided taste for carpentering and mechanical work, it was she who taught him how to use his tools, and she was never too busy to discuss with him the best model for a new boat, or to hem his sails and make bright coloured flags and pennants to adorn the little craft. Our yearly visits to the seashore were rendered much more enjoyable to us from the fact that we had more of our mother's company then than was possible amidst her many engagements at home, and she entered with as much spirit as ourselves into the pleasures of bathing, sketching, and walking, and taught us to collect the flowers, shells, and other natural objects which we found in our rambles, her enthusiasm over a new or unusually fine specimen being fully as great as our own. At home we each had our little plot of garden. i68 1864. and these were endless sources of interest. There we grew vegetables, fruits, and flowers ; there we made tiny ponds and rockeries, and in one corner we erected, with much help from our mother, a summer house, which was ever after a place we loved to resort for a quiet hour. Thus, whether at home or at the sea-shore, in the nursery or the schoolroom, our mother's influence was around us, and even when she was absent on her religious visits, as was often the case, the spirit of her teaching remained. It was a real grief to us to have her go, and the days seemed long till we could welcome her back again, but we were early taught to understand in whose service she felt called to leave us, and also that by giving her up cheerfully, and trying to be good children and to carry out her wishes during her absence, we, too, in our little measure might be sharers in her work, and partakers of her blessing. We have seen how careful she was in all her steppings to be sure that the call was from the Lord, and not to move in her own way or will ; but, when satisfied that He had called her to go forth, she obeyed, trusting simply in Him ; and so we find that even her absences from home were blessed by Him as a part of the training of her children, and that that was literally true, which she again and again thank- fully records on her return, " Nothing seems to have suffered while I have been away." CHAPTER XV. Martha Braithwaite as her Husband's Helper His first visit to the United States Visit to Redcar Review of next five or six years Her Religious Engagements, including Visit to Ireland Efforts for the Freedmen Work at Bedford Institute Visits to Homoepathic Hospital Mothers' Meeting at Westminster Marriage of George and H. E. Gillett Their settling in London Visits to the Seashore Her Children's Education Death of her Uncle, Joseph Gibbins Death of Benjamin Seebohm. l^TfARTHA Braithwaite made it in a very JVJL special way one of her first duties, as it was one of her greatest pleasures, to be her husband's helper and companion. She always tried so to arrange her household duties and the care of the children that she might be as much as possible at liberty to enter into his interests and pursuits. Her warm interest in all that he undertook, cheered him under many discourage- ments, and helped him to bring his work to a successful issue. In all domestic matters he left everything to her judgment, and never interfered with her decision, whilst on her part she consulted his 170 i86 5 . wishes and tastes, so that we as children could never have imagined that father and mother could possibly think differently on any subject ; but they were always united in our minds as one law of love ruling and regulating our home. Probably no part of our mother's duty as her husband's helper was more difficult than that which was so often called for, the sparing him to go from home on religious service ; for not only did she greatly miss his companionship and sympathy, but it was also often a real exercise of faith when his frequent absences seemed likely to injure his prospects of success in his profession. She always, however, gave him up freely, endeavouring with loving unselfishness to keep her own feelings in the background and to encourage him in the path of unreserved dedication. This was rather specially the case in regard to his first visit to Friends on the American Continent, which occurred in the autumn of 1865, and in reference to which the following entries may be of interest : ist mo. 2;th, 1865. " At tea time, when we were alone, my precious one first opened to me his prospect of some rather extensive religious service in America in the coming 1 autumn. I trust I was enabled to cheer him on in the manifested path of duty, and I was helped to express my willingness to give him up faith being graciously given me in this hour of need to believe that all will be well, and that He whom we AET. 42. 17 J desire to serve will care for us and support and comfort us through every trying hour ; but I have passed almost a sleepless night, and to-day I find the tears again and again starting to my eyes when I think of such a separation from my dearest earthly treasure and all that that separation must involve. The Lord alone is sufficient for these things ; may He in His tender mercy abundantly fulfil unto us His gracious word of promise on which He hath caused us to hope and give us afresh to know that His covenant with them that love Him is in all things ordered and sure ; may He also be pleased to make the way as it regards temporal things, that, if consistent with His will, our minds may be relieved from some of those pressing cares connected with the needful provision for a large family which have of late been our portion." Joseph Crosfield, of Reigate, accompanied our father on this visit, feeling drawn to a similar service. It was a memorable time in the history of the country. The long Civil War had just been brought to a close by the surrender of the Southern army, and on the i5th of April the whole of the civilized world was plunged into consternation at the news of the violent death of the great and good President, Abraham Lincoln, who had given freedom to the slaves, and whose life seemed so much needed at this important crisis to bind more closely the union, which but for him might have been severed. The sad effects of the war were everywhere visible as they travelled through the country, especially in North Carolina, where they found the Friends in very 172 i86 5 . reduced circumstances, many having lost all that they had and greatly needing sympathy and help. They sailed from Liverpool in the " Persia " on the nth of the 8th mo., 1865, our dear mother with the three eldest children going to see them off. On this date we read in her journal f " My dear husband and I rose about four- o'clock. He was sweetly engaged in prayer for me and we had a nice little reading together the i2ist and i26th Psalms. A precious sense of the Lord's sustaining love is mercifully granted. Truly the joy of the Lord is felt to be our strength ; for it is not in or of ourselves, the peace and the blessing granted all come from Him." After watching the "Persia" "till she was hidden from view in the mist and smoke at the mouth of the river," they went on to Kendal, from which place our mother writes on the 1 3th : "I have great joy in thinking of my precious husband thus gone forth in the Lord's service, and I have felt very near to him in spirit this morning in that heavenly bond which distance and even death itself cannot dissolve. Blessed be the name of the Lord." From Kendal they went forward to Redcar, where they were joined a day or two later by the rest of the family and their cousin Ann P. Foster, and spent a quiet month, our mother finding much solace in the society of her child- ren, the baby, then just one year old, being AET. 42- J 73 especially a great comfort to her. She says : " I desire to appear cheerful before others, and am mostly enabled to do so ; but there are times when I cannot refrain from tears ; so many thoughts come crowding into my mind. Be pleased, O Lord, again to speak the heavenly word ' Peace be still,' and let my soul renew her hope and her trust in Thee." They stayed for a fortnight at Banbury on their way home. She had good accounts from her husband, whose progress she watched with loving prayerful interest. He attended many of the American Yearly Meetings, and sailed for England in the " Scotia," reaching London on nth mo. nth, just three months from the date of his setting out. Our mother says : " I went to Euston station to meet my dear husband on his arrival on Seventh- day evening, and the dear children all sat up to welcome him home. Those who have had similar seasons to pass through can understand the trembling anxiety with which I watched for tidings of the * Scotia's ' arrival and the joy of our happy meeting. To have my precious husband with me once more safe and well raises within my heart an almost unceasing song of praise." The next five or six years, though marked by no event of very special importance, were among the busiest of our mother's busy life. Our father continued to be very frequently absent on religious service, sometimes with a Minute, and sometimes in connection with Committees ap- 174 1866-71. pointed by the Yearly or Quarterly Meeting. On some of these occasions she accompanied him, but oftener felt that her place was at home with her children. The visits which they paid together during these years were : In the spring of 1866, to the meetings and families of Friends in the meetings of what had formerly constituted Longford Monthly Meeting ; Longford having then been quite recently united to Westminster Monthly Meeting. In the spring of 1869, to the meetings within the compass of London and Middlesex Quarterly Meeting. In the winter of 1870-71, to the younger members and to the attenders of their own Monthly Meeting (by appointment), and In the autumn of 1869, to the meetings and families of Friends in Ireland. In connection with each of these engagements we find the sense of her own weakness and unfitness for the work very present with her, and again and again the prayer is expressed that " the Lord may grant the fresh anointing for every fresh work and service into which He may be pleased to call." The visits to the meetings comprised in London and Middlesex Quarterly Meeting extended altogether over eight or nine months, and included about twelve public meetings, and also a visit to the students at the Wesleyan Theological College at Richmond. AET. 43-48. 175 The journey to Ireland in the autumn of 1869 occupied about two months. They held about 22 public meetings as they went along, and visited most of the meetings of Friends, and also paid family visits to the young men in Bel- fast and Dublin Meetings. Our mother writes : " Our Heavenly Father has been very gracious, renewing our strength day by day, and enabling us to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ. And now, in the retrospect of all the Lord's mercies towards us, my heart is humbled in thanksgiving and praise. How hath He cared for us and for those dear to us, and . what encouragement have we still to trust in Him." The following extracts from letters to her mother written on this journey give some little idea of their service in the different places visited : Kilnock, gth mo. 2;th, 1869." We breakfasted at seven o'clock this morning, as it is a long drive into Carlow and meeting" begins at ten o'clock. We rest here to-morrow. Dear M. J. Lecky has her house full of guests. I think we went in eighteen or twenty to meeting yesterday. She is overflowing with kindness and love. When I told her our dear children were with thee, she said, ' Ah sure, the Master wouldn't let the children suffer whilst the dear parents were engaged in His work,' and I cannot but trust that it will be so through His unmerited mercy. The Quarterly Meeting is thought to be large. We were favoured with good meetings yesterday, and, though feeling again this 176 1866-71. morning very poor and unworthy, surely we ought to trust that the daily bread will be provided and handed to us according to our need." Dublin, loth mo. 8th, 1869." We are both favoured with health. Oh Third-day we returned from Bessbrook, arriving here about twelve o'clock, after which we paid, I think, as many as twelve family visits to young men. On Fourth-day morning we attended the week-day meeting in Dublin, and went afterwards to Ballitore, where a public meeting was held in the evening. We attended the Monthly Meeting there yesterday morning, a time of much favour. As soon as we had dined we were driven on an outside car to Athy, about nine miles, and then came by train to Dublin, arriving just in time to attend a Meeting for Ministers and Elders and Overseers. It commenced at six and was not over till about nine o'clock. We went out to Churchtown, a suburb of Dublin, to lodge at John Webb's, and attended the week-day meeting at Churchtown this morning. A large number of young people were there, to whom the fresh invitation of heavenly love seemed rather remarkably extended, our chief service being towards them. After meeting we called to see a dear young woman fast sinking in consumption, and then came on to William Malone's business house where we are continuing the visits to the young men. These will we expect occupy us closely both to-morrow and Second- day. On First-day afternoon a public meeting is appointed in Dublin." Besborough, near Cork, loth mo. 23rd, 1869. "Our visit has been one of deep interest ; it has been won- derful to us how the way has been opened for us from place to place, and Friends everywhere have been most kind in helping us forward. We attended the meeting AET. 43-48. 177 for worship with the boys at Newtown School before leaving Waterford on Third-day morning. It was, I trust, a time of fresh visitation to many of their young hearts. We left Waterford on Third-day afternoon for Tramore, about seven miles distant, on the seacoast, at the mouth of the river. There is a small company of Friends there, with whom we met in an upper room hired for the purpose. They are building a Meeting House. William Malcolmson drove us after meeting to his house at Portlaw, and the next morning we went to a meeting with the Friends at Carrick-on-Suir, about eight miles distant : one family only resided there when I was in Ireland before, now they have a nice Meeting House, and a nice little company of Friends. We had to hand them the word of encourage- ment and consolation. The drive to Carrick was very beautiful, through the domain of the Marquis of Waterford mountain, wood, and water all beautifully blending in the scene. The deer park is extensive, and in it we saw some hundreds of deer. We dined at John Grubb's, and came on to Clonmel by the railway in the afternoon, where we had a kind welcome from dear Eliza Malcolmson. The public meeting held at Clonmel in the evening was pretty well attended, and help was again given to proclaim the precious truths of the Gospel. We attended the Monthly Meet- ing at Clonmel on Fifth-day morning, and spent the rest of the day in calls on the sick and afflicted, winding up with meeting a large company of friends to tea in the evening. We started from Clonmel at seven on Sixth-day morning, and reached Limerick in time for a meeting with the Friends there at eleven. A public meeting was held in the evening, which was largely attended, and I trust was not in vain. We 13 I7 1866-71. again breakfasted quite early this morning, half-past six, and came on here by train. We have had a most kind welcome to this comfortable and luxurious home, from Lydia Pike and her family. We intend to stay with them to-night and to-morrow night, and to lodge on Second-day night at Samuel Newsom's in the city. A company of Friends are invited to meet us here this evening to tea. To-morrow, the meeting in the morn- ing and a public meeting in the evening. Second-day and Third-day morning will probably be occupied with visits in Cork, and a large social meeting is arranged for at the Meeting House on Second-day evening. We look to going to Cahir to a public meeting on Third- day afternoon, and to holding a meeting with the Friends there on Fourth-day morning, and going on to Dublin afterwards. We hope to get home not later than Second-day week." In addition to their more extended religious engagements they also continued frequently to pay little visits to meetings in the neighbourhood of London, to which allusion has already been made, and each year for two or three weeks the interests of the Yearly Meeting claimed their close attention. After our father's return from the United States his house was very often the English home of Friends from that country who came over on religious visits, and our dear mother delighted to welcome such, feeling it a great joy and privilege in any way to help them forward in their work. During these years we find allusion made to very acceptable visits received in this way from the following (amongst other) Friends : John Henry AET. 43-48- 179 Douglas and Murray Shipley, David Hunt, Sarah F. Smiley and Grace Dickinson, James Owen, Eli and Sybil Jones, Amos and Edith Griffiths, Joel and Hannah Bean, Rufus King and Edward Scull, Deborah Thomas and Mary R. Haines. Our mother's time also continued to be closely occupied with Mission work of various kinds. Amongst the fresh efforts which originated during these years mention may be made of the sewing meetings, organized in 1866, and continued for some time on behalf of the newly-liberated slaves in the United States ; and of the work amongst the poor of London carried on at the Bedford Institute, of which she says : 2nd mo. i6th, 1868. "A petition which I was led to put up on the closing evening of last year that some humble sphere of service might be opened before me wherein I might be permitted to labour for the gathering of precious souls to Christ, has been remarkably answered in the work which has been opened amongst the poor at the Bedford Institute ; and for some weeks past I have been attending once a week the large sewing meeting held there to assist the destitute, when there are seldom fewer than 200 present. I feel it both a privilege and a pleasure to be able to give up a little time to this object, but many of our dear friends are doing much more than I can attempt, for my home duties still claim a very large share both of my time and thoughts." Towards the close of 1871 she became a regular visitor at the Homcepathic Hospital in Great Ormond Street. The following extract tells i8o 1866-71. how this came about, and is interesting as showing how she was ever on the watch for fresh oppor- tunities of service : loth mo. 22nd, 1871. "Since I last wrote in this book, my dear faithful old nurse, Ann Holt, died in the Homoeopathic Hospital in Great Ormond Street. I visited her several times during the time she was laid up there, altogether about three weeks. On one of my visits she said to me, "My trust is in the mercy of God in Jesus Christ, I have nothing of my own to trust to Jesus is a great Saviour one drop of His precious blood can wash away all my sin ; and after reading a portion from the Holy Scriptures and a hymn beside her, she again said, " Christ is precious, very precious." It was to me a fresh confirmation of faith to see her so supported in her dying hour, and I could but magnify the riches of that grace by which she was thus enabled to triumph over death and the grave. My visits to her in the hospital drew forth my heart in sympathy for all sufferers, both in that and the adjoining ward, and I felt there was a sphere of labour opening before me in the over-ruling providence of my God, to which I have for years, many, many years, felt drawn, but never until now could see my way to enter upon. I have therefore applied for and obtained leave to visit at this hospital as often as I may be inclined, or able to do so. It receives about sixty patients, who are constantly changing, and I trust my heavenly Father will be with me from season to season to strengthen me for the work, and to grant His own blessing upon the labour, humble though it be, to the eternal good of those precious souls with whom I may be thus brought into contact." AET. 43-48. 181 She continued to pay regular weekly visits to this Hospital for many years, and being peculiarly able to enter into sympathy with the sick and suffering ones, her visits were much valued, and the message which she bore of the love of God through Christ Jesus found a ready entrance to many hearts. About this time our mother began to attend a Mothers' Meeting for the poor women living in the Seven Dials and Saint Giles' District round Westminster Meeting House. It was held once a week and aimed at their moral improvement as well as their spiritual welfare. Several other Friends helped her at different times in this work, but for nearly ten years it was under her super- vision, and she only relinquished it to others when obliged to do so by failing health. In 1867, her brother George Gillett was married at York to Hannah E. Rowntree, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Rowntree. Our mother writes of this event, " We were favoured to feel the overshadowing of heavenly love. At the close of our repast I was strengthened to bow the knee in thanksgiving and praise, and dear Sarah Rowntree also offered up a sweet prayer." George and Hannah E. Gillett settled first in Banbury, but in the spring of 1869 they removed to London, to the house adjoining that of our dear parents, an event, as our mother wrote " which promises much mutual pleasure and comfort to us all." This promise was fully 1 82 1866-71. realised and the social intercourse thus made possible was much enjoyed. They were very closely united in their religious views and earnest co-workers in many efforts for the spread of the Redeemer's Kingdom, and to the end of her life our mother often spoke of it as a cause for humble thankfulness that their lot had been cast so much together. Through all these varied interests and engage- ments her health was never very strong, and she was often a prisoner to the house for a week or two at a time with face-ache or severe bronchial colds. The yearly visits to the seaside and to Banbury continued to be times of great family enjoyment and bodily refreshment. In 1870, when our dear father was just recovering from scarlet fever, the time of quiet rest was specially welcome to them both. Her care over her children continued as unwearying as ever. Several of them were still in the nursery, and for some time the older ones were taught by teachers who came to the house. In the spring of 1868 they decided to send their eldest son to a Friends' school at Kendal, and afterwards their daughters were sent to a School for Girls at the same place kept by a Friend. In reference to one of these partings our mother writes : " In giving up one dear child after another for school, I have deeply to feel AET. 43-48- I0 3 my own shortcoming, and the feebleness of my endeavour to train them in the right way of the Lord, and yet, feeble as it has often been, I do trust a blessing will be permitted to rest upon the labour " ; and in another place, speaking of her children she says : " How do I feel the need of sitting at the feet of Jesus to be taught of Him, that I may be strengthened to guide them aright and to go in and out before them in the fear of the Lord ? * . I often feel that we can hardly put in the good seed with a too liberal hand, when we know how many birds of the air will hover about continuously to pick it up and take it away, and how diligent the great enemy of all good will be in sowing his tares to choke it if possible after it has sprung up. Fruitless indeed would be all our labour were it not for the blessing of Him who hath said ' I will water it every moment lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.' " We must not pass from the record of these years without mentioning the death in 3rd month, 1870, of her uncle Joseph Gibbins, her mother's brother, of whom she writes : "He has been to me and to all our family like a second father. Through life I shall ever retain a grateful remembrance of all his kindness. He was favoured with a most peaceful, gentle close, no appearance of any suffering, and those in the room \vere scarcely aware when the happy spirit took its flight." He was 83 years of age. i $4 1871-72. Amongst the many other dearly loved and honoured friends whose loss she records during this period it seems also fitting to speak of the removal of Benjamin Seebohm, whose ministry had had such an important influence on her own early religious life, and of whom she says : 6th mo. 3rd, 1871. " Yesterday morning the intelli- gence was communicated to the Yearly Meeting of the decease at a quarter to eight that morning of our much loved friend, Benjamin Seebohm. He had been more unwell for about a week, and without a sigii or struggle his happy spirit was permitted to take its flight to the mansions of eternal joy, to be as we may reverently believe for ever with the Lord. The day before he died he said, ' I am firmly anchored upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, my Saviour.' In Benjamin Seebohm I have lost one who has been as a spiritual father to me, whose loving words of sympathy, encouragement and cheer have often been helps by the way for which I can never be sufficiently thankful. It was under his power- ful ministry that I was made willing to yield my neck to the yoke of Christ, and after a season of much mental conflict to open my mouth as a minister of the Gospel. This is now twenty-eight years ago, and it has been a period of my life that I look back to with deep and reverent thankfulness, believing that if I had not been faithful then I should have gone backwards in my heavenward course and should have lost much of the peace, the joy and the blessing with which I have been privileged." AET. 48-49. CHAPTER XVI. Her husband's journey on the Continent for the British and Foreign Bible Society His illness at Athens She starts for Athens Arrival at Athens Their stay there and journey home. IN the autumn of 1872 our father undertook a long journey on the continent of Europe, in the interests of the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in company with their Secretary, Samuel Bergne. He took his eldest son Joseph with him. The following entries and extracts from letters relate to this journey: 8th mo. 27th, 1872. "My dear husband, dear Joseph and I came to London on Second-day. They look to leaving for the Continent on Sixth-day morning, the 30th instant, and I shall probably return the same day to Pensarn.* I am busy now with preparations for the journey, but my heart is often heavy in the pros- pect of the wide separation from those who are so near and dear to me." 8th mo. 29th, 1872. "This morning the word seemed to come to me : ' Thou hast leant too much upon the precious one I have given thee, thou must lean * The rest of the children were at Pensarn, with their grandmother .and aunt. i86 I872 . altogether upon Christ.' It has lifted a heavy weight from my heart, and I have afresh been permitted to realize the fulness and sufficiency of Him whom, I trust, above all I love." She saw them off at the Cannon Street station for Folkstone, and then returned to Pensarn. They crossed to Boulogne and thence proceeded to Paris, Strasburg, Vienna, Pesth, Constantinople and Athens. For some weeks she received good accounts of their health, but in travelling from Rushtchuk to Varna they were obliged, owing to an accident, to spend several hours at night on low, damp ground, without any food, shelter, or fire. Here pur father con- tracted the germs of intermittent or malarial fever, which developed at Constantinople and, by the time they reached Athens, obliged him to go at once to bed. He became rapidly worse, and they telegraphed to our mother asking her to come at once. She writes : loth mo. I9th, 1872. "Another telegram this evening with a worse account of my precious husband, and the request that I will come at once. In addition to the fever, slight pneumonia has set in. The earliest time that I can reach Athens is next Third-day week. All may be over then all may be over even now; but in the midst of my deep grief I feel that my precious one is safe in the everlasting Arms, and the promise comes sweetly home to my heart this evening, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' 'When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee.' " AET.49. 1 87 ioth mo, 2ist. "It is now arranged for my dear Martha to go with me, and my brother Alfred's butler, who speaks French and German, and is accustomed to travelling. My dear brother Alfred will go with us to Paris thus the way seems made for us. The day has been closely occupied in packing and making arrangements to leave home. About five o'clock my mother and dear sister arrived, to my great comfort, to stay with the dear children during my absence ; so the Lord provides. No further tidings have been received since Seventh-day night. We had a smooth crossing to Calais, and reached Paris in the morning about eight o'clock, leaving again for Ma9on at eleven o'clock. As we drove to the station we passed the Tuilleries and the Hotel de Ville, both a mass of ruins,* sad monuments of the depravity and wickedness of the heart of man, where not brought under the regulating and redeeming power of the love of God. I had hoped to receive a telegram in Paris, but nothing arrived before we left. The day was bright and pleasant, and passing through beautiful country we reached Ma9on in the evening about eight o'clock, thankful for the many mercies so abundantly granted." En route to Turin, ioth mo. 23rd, 1872. To her daughter Elizabeth. " We had a comfortable night at Ma$on, which is quite a small place ; we slept well, being very tired, and rose refreshed this morning. After an early break- fast, we started at six o'clock. The day is fine and beautiful, and the scenery splendid, glimpses all along of the distant mountains, capped with snow, gushing torrents pouring down the rocky hills, beautiful vine- * In allusion to the ravages made by the Commune. i88 1872. yards on most of the mountain slopes, the vines being trained not as those we saw yesterday on upright poles, but on bushy, short trees, which they grow over and hang in festoons between. All the farm labourers are dressed in blue, and oxen are used yoked together ; the women wear white caps, and the whole effect is very picturesque. Swiss chalets are dotted about the hills. I long to have you all with me to enjoy the scene, but amidst all its loveliness many sad thoughts crowd upon my mind in connection with thy precious father. We have heard nothing since we left you, but I hope we may have a telegram at Turin that may comfort and cheer us. The Mont Cenis Tunnel is eight miles long, 3,600 feet above the sea, and rises in the tunnel over 400 feet. We went through in twenty- four minutes and three-quarters. The scenery has continued very grand; our carriage to-day has a glass front, which enables us to see much better. " Turin, eight o'clock. Arrived safely. Found a telegram awaiting us with a very poor account of thy precious father. He had been better, but dangerous symptoms had again set in. I feel we must prepare for the worst. I can only rest on the everlasting arm, and seek to stay my soul upon my God. My reading in the train to-day very precious the fourteenth chapter of John, ' I will not leave you comfortless,' and I believe it will be so through the Lord's tender mercy. I am so thankful thy dear grandmamma and aunt are with you, but, above all, you must look to your Heavenly Father to comfort you in this time of trial. With much love, I am, " Thy fondly affectionate and anxious mother, " MARTHA BRAITHWAITE." AET.49- l8 9 En route Turin to Brindisi, loth mo. 25th, 1872. " My beloved Mother, " Before leaving Turin, which we did at six o'clock yesterday morning, I received another telegram from Athens, saying that my dear husband's state was so alarmirig that it might be desirable for us to wait at Turin for further intelligence. We had only a few minutes to decide what course to take, but it . seemed to me that it was best to go forward, as, if we waited at Turin we should miss this week's steamer and there was just the possibility that my tenderly loved one might again rally. Thou wilt understand better than I can tell thee what a journey it has been under such circumstances, and we do not expect to reach Brindisi till half-past three this afternoon, as the train the latter part of the way stops at every station. My dear Martha is an inexpressible comfort to me ; but above all, the alone unfailing Helper has been graciously near, else surely I should have been utterly overwhelmed. He has not left me comfortless, and His precious promises, which are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus, have been my strength and stay. I feel that I must be prepared for the tidings of my precious husband's decease when we reach Brindisi, and, if it is so, I think we shall probably wait there for dear Joseph ; if, however, he is still living (which I scarcely dare to hope for) I shall go by the steamer at twelve o'clock to-night to Athens, where it is due, I believe, early on Third-day morning, hoping to be in time to receive his parting blessing for myself and our precious children, and to gaze once more on that loved face and form. It is very sweet to feel that we are remembered by you all in this affliction, and that many prayers are ascending on our behalf." 19 i8 7 2. Brindisi, Evening-. " We arrived safely here about four o'clock. Oh, such a curious, forlorn-looking place, but we must tell you all about it when we return home. Two telegrams were delivered about a quarter-of-an-hour after we reached the hotel, one from London, the other from Athens as follows : ' We hope the worst is past, condition still improving.' It is more than I had dared to hope for and my heart overflows with thanksgiving and praise. ' Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name.' I now go forward greatly cheered. We have just had a cup of what they call English tea, which has very much refreshed us. " We have been passing to-day a country of vine- yards and olive gardens, and what I expect would be called groves of oranges and lemons and fig trees. The sun has been shining brightly over the landscape, and to the right the blue sea stretched far away in the distance. The cities and towns are very curious with their flat-roofed houses and tall minarets. Our train moved on from station to station with the sound of a trumpet and a shrill whistle, and often stayed so long at the stations that some of the passengers got out and walked in the olive gardens at the side of the railway. Here there are hedges of cactus and aloes, and some palm trees growing, but not many. It is very warm." loth mo. 3ist. "After a favourable, but long and weary voyage from Brindisi, which place we left on the 25th, we reached Athens about four o'clock this afternoon, and were met before we left the steamer with the pleasing intelligence of my dear husband's continued improvement. I was soon by his sick bed, where we mingled our tears and our thanksgivings. It felt to me like receiving him back as a fresh gift AET.49- J 9I from the Lord, and my soul is lost in wonder, love and praise for all the mercy that has been extended to me and to those dear to me. The doctor does not yet consider him out of danger, but my dear husband told me he ' felt very peaceful, and could leave it all to the Lord's disposal.' " Their voyage from Brindisi to Athens is more fully described in a letter to one of her children, which says : " Oif the Island of Corfu, " loth mo. 26th, 1872. ''We left Brindisi at twelve o'clock last night, and arrived off the island of Corfu at twelve o'clock this morning. Here the steamer waits nine hours, and we proceed on our way at nine o'clock this evening. We came on deck as soon as we felt able to dress, and have enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and we have also 'been able to read and write. It is intensely hot, even in the shade. The town of Corfu, very ancient looking, is on the right, backed by beautiful hills, which stretch far away in both directions. On our left the Albanian Mountains are very grand, and seem to close in the prospect we have left behind, so that we are anchored in smooth water more like a lake than the sea. The captain tells us we shall not reach Piraeus, the port of Athens, till next Fourth-day morning or night ; it seems a long time, and especially as we feel so anxious to get there. The steamer stops again at Cephalonia, Zante and Syra, and though it is only probably two or three hours at each place, it all adds to the length of the journey. I feel that we have been very gently dealt with thus far, in having been brought on our way safely, and the improved account of thy precious father which reached me at Brindisi has I9 2 1872. cheered me very much for this long voyage. The stewards and people on board all speak Italian, so we have to do the best we can, and make our wants understood by signs." First-day, loth mo. 27th. " We are now anchored off the beautiful Island of Zante, after passing and stopping a short time off the Island of Cephalonia, on which we saw a town called Tereta, lately destroyed by an earthquake. It is a beautiful day. Dear M. and I both had a good night, and came on deck early, where we have been sitting under an awning to pro- tect us from the sun. We have enjoyed reading a few chapters from the Bible and some hymns, but have been obliged to put our books aside, as the motion of the vessel will not allow us to read with comfort. Our thoughts have turned to those at home, and it has been sweet to feel that we could unite with them in worshipping the same God and Father, though so far outwardly separated. On board we have a company of thirty-two people, who are going to perform at the Theatre at Syra. The lady at the head is now our only fellow-passenger in the ladies' cabin at night. The deck has been a noisy scene this morning music, singing, acting, and dancing many songs to Garibaldi ; it is difficult to believe that it is First-day. We have so far been favoured to escape sea-sickness, but we may have a rougher sea yet before we reach Piraeus. I look upon this great favour, for such I feel it to be, as an answer to the many prayers that are being put up for us." Second-day, loth mo. 28th. " After a good night's rest we rose and went on deck early, and about nine o'clock, after a passage of sixteen hours from Zante, we anchored for about an hour off the island of Cerigo, AET.49- J 93 and some of the natives came on board. It has one town of the same name and another small village. The island is rocky and barren, with scarcely any sign of cultivation. We could see the coast of the Morea yesterday evening very distinctly. It is a most beauti- ful morning, the sea calm as a lake, the water a most beautiful azure blue. The captain says it is generally so rough here that he considers we are having a most beautiful voyage, and he thinks we shall reach Syra about ten o'clock to-night. There we have to change our vessel, as the one we are now in goes on to Smyrna. The captain thinks there will be no steamer leaving till Fourth-day evening, and that we cannot reach Piraeus till Fifth-day morning. This is very disappointing, as we so much long to be there, but we must still have patience, and humbly trust that He, Who has helped us hitherto, Will help us all our journey through, And give us daily cause to raise New Ebenezers to His praise. The day has been very noisy on board with the theatrical party, but it is so hot in the cabin that we have re- mained mostly on deck." Third-day morning, loth mo. 2gth. " We anchored off Syra about eleven o'clock last night, but, owing to many of the passengers being up, the night was a noisy one. We rose about six this morning and went on deck. The theatrical party left the vessel about eight o'clock, to our great comfort. We have sent a telegram hoping to get an answer on board as we shall not leave this vessel till to-morrow morning. They stay here till to-morrow to take in cargo. We intend to have a boat and go on shore after breakfast to see the place. It looks very pretty, built on the slope of high rocky hills ; one long street which we can see from the 14 194 i8 7 2. vessel looks as steep as the roof of a house. We cannot quite make out when we shall reach Athens; some tell us we shall get a vessel to-morrow morning, and reach in the evening, others that we cannot be there till Fifth-day morning. We are both well, and my heart overflows with thanksgiving and praise to the Lord. Yesterday I thought much of the beautiful hymn : N " How are Thy servants blessed, O Lord," etc. The phosphorescent light in the wake of the vessel was most beautiful last evening ; we were walking on deck till nearly eight o'clock; the starry heavens exceedingly grand, the Northern Crown, the Great Bear, Lyra, Orion, and the Pleiades all so brilliant." Half-past twelve o'clock. " We have now received the telegram from Athens, sent off at eleven o'clock this morning, * Papa in fair way of recovery.' How much cause for thankfulness and praise. I hope thy dear father will now be restored to us and that in a short time he may be able to travel towards home. We have been on deck most of the morning, and have just been partaking of a water melon, bought from some of the people of the island. The houses are very clean and tidy looking, nearly all with flat roofs. We have passed several small islands, interesting in connection with Homer's works. To-day the islands of Andros, Tinos, and Mykonos lie stretched around us ; it is a beautiful scene, scarcely a cloud on the sky." Afternoon. " We have been for a short time to see the town. It is unlike anything I have seen before. The people were many of them sitting outside their houses playing cards, and smoking through water with long pipes. Donkeys laden with water bottles were going along the streets, and the Greek and Turkish costume, and Italian also very prevalent." AET.49- 195 ioth mo. 30th, Fourth-day morning. " Rose about six o'clock, and about seven Dr. Thompson came on board, having just arrived from Athens. He is the agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society at Constantinople, and has been with thy dear father all the time he has been at Athens, tenderly nursing and caring for him. Dear J. and thy cousin C. LI. B. have also been most affectionately attentive, and S. B. Bergne as long as he remained, and they have had a very nice nurse in addition ; so that it is a comfort to feel nothing has been wanting in tender care. The illness has been a most serious one, for, in addition to the intermittent fever and slight inflam- mation of the lungs, there has been inflammation of the brain, so that thy dear father was mostly uncon- scious for three or four days last week, and when they telegraphed to us to wait at Turin they thought he could not survive many hours. Again last Seventh-day, after we left Brindisi, both the doctor and the physician they had called in, gave up hope, and they said that their great regret was that I should not reach in time to see him living. Contrary, however, to their expectations and their fears, there was a change for the better about six o'clock on First-day morning, and since then there has been slow but steady improvement. The doctor says that he never, in the course of his practice of 30 years, met with a case in which the fluctuations were so sudden, and that he could not yet pronounce him out of danger; so we rejoice with trembling, though very, very thankful for the hope which I trust we may now cherish that he will be spared to us. We are now waiting for the Trieste steamer to come in with the mail, and I hope may be at Athens to-morrow evening." 196 I872. Afternoon. " We have been anxiously watching for the steamer from Trieste all the morning', and now a telegram has been received that it will not be here till to-morrow evening, and consequently we shall not reach Athens till Sixth-day morning. It is a great exercise of faith and patience to be so near, and not able to get on, but having experienced so largely of the loving kindness of the Lord, I desire in Him still to put my trust." nth mo. ist, 6th day. "Contrary to expectation, the Trieste steamer arrived at Syra on Fourth- day even- ing, and we started for Piraeus about five o'clock yesterday morning, arriving at Athens safely and well about four o'clock. We found thy dear father still slowly gaining ground, but he looks much altered, and it must be some weeks, under the most favourable circumstances, before we can leave Athens. He knew us, and seemed pleased that we were at last here ; but he is still often very wandering, so that perfect quiet is essential, and we talk to him as little as possible. He has a nice, kind, attentive nurse named Demetrius. He comes at half-past five in the evening, and leaves about ten in the morning ; the Doctor is also most kind and attentive, and is thought very skilful. He has been here four, and sometimes five times a day, but he is now only coming three times a day. Another physician has alsa been called in for consultation. The people at the hotel and the waiters are very kind, and we have a nice suite of rooms at the end of one of the passages. I feel that our mercies do indeed abound, and that our Heavenly Father has dealt very tenderly with us." It proved indeed that our mother had arrived just at the right time. During the most critical part AET.49- !9 of the illness our father was entirely unconscious and she could have done nothing to help him, whilst the anxiety would have told seriously upon her strength, but when she reached Athens, just as he was returning to consciousness, the realiza- tion of her presence did more to soothe and quiet him, and thus help forward his recovery than anything else could have done. He has often told us that she appeared to him like an angel. Although still with many variations, our father's health continued from this time steadily to improve. It was three weeks longer before he was able to leave his bed, and another week before the doctor thought it safe for him to undertake the journey home, which was to be by sea as far as Marseilles, in the hope that the voyage might still further restore him. These four weeks spent at Athens* were full of deep interest as well as of continued anxiety. In a letter dated nth mo. 8th, 1872, our mother thus describes their surroundings : " We can see the palace, which is a plain sub- stantial building, from one of the windows of your dear father's bedroom, with Mount Lycabettus rising behind. Between the palace and the hotel there is a large square planted with orange trees, in the centre of which is a beautiful fountain, and at the back of * It must be remembered that previously to the conclusion of the War for independence, which ended in the year 1830, Athens had been reduced to a Turkish village in the midst of some of the most splendid remains of Greek art. It is now a beautiful city, with about 108,000 inhabitants, many of the houses distinguished by much beauty and elegance. 198 187* the palace are the palace gardens, which are open to the public every day after four o'clock, and which are said to be very beautiful. I have not yet been to see them. Many of the streets here are planted on each side with rows of pepper trees, the foliage of which,, with the pendant branches of blossom and fruit, is very elegant. The plantations and hedges of cactus and aloes also look very striking. The pink blossoms of the cactus are just now opening, and must be very beautiful when fully out. Then, the dark olive trees give a sombre look to the landscape. The ruins on the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Erectheum, and others are all very beautiful. There is also a whole street of tombs, some of them very ancient, lately excavated,, which I hope we shall see before we leave. The costumes of the people are very curious ; a great many Albanian costumes. Most of the people speak Greek,, and it is curious to see the Greek names over the shops and warehouses." Whilst at Athens they became acquainted with Dr. Kalopothakes,* a native of Sparta, pastor of the Protestant Church, who showed them a great deal of kindness, and with whom they ever after- wards maintained a warm friendship. On the 28th of the nth month they set out on their journey home, our father being carried on board at the Piraeus, but daily gaining strength, although the voyage was a very stormy one. It is thus described in the journal : * Now the agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society for Greece. AET.49- J 99 1 2th mo. Qth, Second-day. Marseilles. "We landed here about one o'clock last Sixth-day, after a week's voyage from the Piraeus, the first three days beautifully calm, and the voyage very pleasant along the coast of Greece, and through the Straits of Messina. We passed Sicily, and saw Etna beautifully, also Stromboli sending forth volumes of smoke. On First-day morning we held our little meeting in our own cabin to our comfort, commemorating the goodness of the Lord. On First- day evening the wind rose, and when we reached the Bay of Naples the next morning, it was so rough that it was with difficulty the passengers who wished to stay there were sent on shore, and in a few hours our vessel, the " Tibre," was obliged to put in for shelter at a small port near the ruins of Pompeii, and in sight of Vesuvius. Here we stayed the remainder of that day and the following night, and on Third-day morning again pursued our course, the sea still very rough, and as night came on our situation became one of considerable danger; heavy rain, thunder and lightning, the wind blowing a tremendous gale, and the darkness so great that the captain could not see to steer his course. All night we were drifting about amongst rocks and small islands until the morning dawned, yet a sweet sense of peace was mercifully given, and many precious promises were brought to remembrance. The Lord was near to sustain, and His everlasting arm was felt to be underneath, and I shall ever look back to that night with humble gratitude for the preserving care that was extended over us. We again took shelter the following night in a small port on the island of Elba, and had the weather very stormy most of the remainder of the voyage. The rest here has been very acceptable. Yesterday we held our 200 l872 -73. little meeting at the hotel, and Lea Trial, Christine Alsop's niece, came to tea with us. We are leaving this morning for Lyons. My dear husband continues to improve." I2th mo. I5th, First-day. " We were favoured to reach our own peaceful home in safety last Fifth-day evening and to find all well. Our hearts overflow with thanks- giving and praise for all the Lord's rich and abundant mercies. We had a precious time of thanksgiving and praise when we gathered round the table for tea, and also again at the family reading the following morning. Our dear Anna and M.C. returned home on Sixth-day evening, both looking well. O Lord, be pleased still to bless us together with Thy heavenly blessing, and enable us all increasingly to dedicate ourselves to Thee." AET. 49-50. CHAPTER XVII. Visit to Meetings of London and Middlesex Q.M. Her children's interests Commencement of work at Bunhill Fields Concern for Cabmen Annual Teas Cabmen's Shelter Visit to the Vaudois Valleys and the South of France with her husband, R. 'and C. Alsop, and her daughter Anna Continued interest in the work and workers on the Continent Death of Robert Alsop J.B.B. liberated for his second visit to the U.S.A. Death of A. P. Foster Engagement of her daughter Anna to Dr. R. H. Thomas Visit to families in Banbury Monthly Meeting J.B.B.'s return home. IN the fifth month of 1873 our father and mother entered upon a visit to the Meetings composing London and Middlesex Quarterly Meeting, with liberty also to visit the families of Friends in some places, and to hold public meet- ings as the way might open. They held the certificate for this service for more than a year, and proceeded with it w r hen- ever they were able, spending one or two days in each place, visiting the Friends, and usually having an appointed public meeting, as well as attending the regular meeting. Several of the places were visited more than once. 202 The home life continued to be filled up with constant engagements, and as her children grew up around her our mother still made all their interests and plans her own, being ever ready to encourage and help them forward, and using every effort to make their home the happiest place to them in the world. Every detail of their school life was full of interest to her, their chosen friends were dear to her even before she knew them, and were frequently invited to her home, where she always received them with a motherly greeting, which made them feel that they were truly welcome. Later on, as one after another left school, and their circles of occupation widened, she still retained her place as the moving spirit amongst them, directing and wisely controlling, and always encouraging to every effort for the good of others. She took from the first a deep interest la the mission work at Bunhill Fields, which began in 1874 with meetings held in a tent. She thus describes the first meeting : 8th mo. ist, 1874. "Dear Joseph has been very much interested about the tent that has lately been erected in the burying ground belonging to Friends in Bunhill Fields. My dear husband and I attended the first meeting held under this tent last First-day week to our satisfaction. It holds about 200 and it is intended to have meetings there every evening for about two months. May a rich blessing from the Lord rest upon the labour, and may many precious souls be gathered to Christ their Saviour." AET. 51. 203 There seemed such an opening for work here that at the close of the Tent Meetings a gathering was called for the purpose of organising the more earnest minded of the attenders into a band of workers. Of this our mother writes : loth mo. igth, 1874. "The tea that was given to the people who had attended the Tent Meetings at Bunhill Fields last Sixth-day proved a very interesting time. About 100 came, and the meeting that followed might, I think, be called a blessed meeting there seemed so much life and earnestness. Dear Joseph was asked to preside. He rose and said, before enter- ing upon the business for which they had been con- vened, he should like us all to spend a short time in silent prayer, lifting up our hearts to the Lord for His blessing. A solemn pause ensued and then he knelt down, offering up a simple, earnest prayer for help and blessing, and for more earnest consecration of heart to the Lord's service. It was very touching to hear the hearty 'Amen' to almost every sentence. The names proposed for the three branches of the work, viz., Gospel work, Temperance, and First-day Schools were then read, the meeting signifying their approval by show of hands, and in some cases by hearty cheers. A. T. Alexander then said a few words of hearty welcome to the Bedford (where the meeting was held) and of encouragement and cheer to the workers. Then the object of the Committees was explained, and further details given as to the arrange- ments, after which twelve names were asked for to volunteer for the work of tract distribution. These were quickly and willingly given, indeed more than the 204 i8 74 . required number, sixteen names being taken. I then felt the way open to hand a few words of encourage- ment, and desire that in all their service for their Lord and Saviour they might be kept in humble dependence upon Him and in watchfulness unto prayer. A coloured man, one of the earnest workers, who keeps a street coffee stall, next asked leave to say a few words. He came upon the platform, and in somewhat broken English encouraged all who had undertaken work to do it faithfully, warning all against what he called a skin-deep religion. William Dyne then addressed the meeting, comparing the work begun that night to the launching of a vessel, and said for his part he was willing to be anything or nothing on board, to do or be whatever might most tend to the glory of God and the salvation of souls. One of the newly-appointed workers next spoke, saying how deeply thankful he felt to be placed in a position to help forward the Gospel work. A dear little boy, about thirteen years of age, then offered up a sweet and touching prayer, and several others followed in thanksgiving and praise. It was past ten when the meeting closed." The work thus inaugurated has been abun- dantly blessed, there being now a regularly established Friends' Meeting at Bunhill Fields, besides a large Adult School, First-day School for children, Mothers' Meeting and other branches of Christian work, and although our dear mother was never one of the active workers, it was one of the many instances in which her quiet influence was strongly felt, her loving sympathy and wise counsel being always ready to stimulate AET. 51. 205 and encourage those of her family who were at work there. Another effort, begun by our parents about the year 1874, and carried on ever since, was for the cabmen belonging to the stand near our house. A copy of the " British Workman," or some other periodical was sent monthly to each, and towards the beginning of the year they were invited to a tea meeting. To this invitation they responded very heartily and soon asked leave to bring their wives with them. Our parents, at these meetings, spoke to them in simple, earnest words of the love of Christ their Saviour, en- treating them to come to Him for forgiveness and for the power by which alone they could be enabled to live lives of purity and holiness. The presence of the late Thomas B. Smithies, and some bright, helpful words from him, added more than once to the interest of the evening, and other friends were also sometimes invited to take part. The men themselves would often have a few words to say, and very encouraging it was to hear one and another testifying to blessing received, and dating the change in their lives to some one of these meetings. As she became interested in these men, our mother sympathised deeply with them in the temptations to which they were daily exposed, and felt it laid upon her to try to do something to counteract the influence of a large public- house, situated close to the cabstand, and which, 206 1875. especially in cold or rainy weather, presented almost irresistible attractions to the poor men, for whom no other means of shelter or warmth was provided. After prayerful consideration she resolved to try to have a cabmen's shelter erected on their stand, and devoted considerable time and effort to interesting her neighbours and raising the necessary funds. It was a comfortable little room, where there was always a warm fire in winter, and where a cup of hot coffee or chocolate could be procured at any hour. On 6th mo. I5th, 1875, our mother writes : "A very serious prospect has been opening before me lately, that of accompanying my beloved husband in some religious service on the Continent to the Vaudois Valleys, and to visit the few meetings of Friends in the South of France, and also seeking for oppor- tunities to meet with the Christian workers in Paris, Lyons, Marseilles, and some other places. My dear husband has before him, in addition to the above, a visit to the Nazarenes, if access can be obtained for him in Vienna and Pesth, and some parts of Hungary." This journey, which was to exert an important influence on all the remaining years of our mother's life, occupied more than three months. The travelling party consisted of our mother and father with their daughter Anna, and their two dear friends, Robert and Christine Alsop. During parts of the time they were accompanied by their eldest son, and by Dr. R. H. Thomas, of Baltimore, U.S.A. AET.52. 2 7 Our mother writes, gth mo. ist, Paris : " We are leaving Paris this morning for Tonnerre, where a meeting is appointed this evening. Our stay here, short as it has been, has been a time of deep interest. We have had many callers, and some sweet religious opportunities, wherein I trust we have been a little enabled to strengthen the hands of some of the dear labourers, and our hearts have often been lifted up in secret prayer that the clouds of darkness and unbelief which now hang over the land may be removed, and that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ may shine forth, and the hearts of the people be prepared to accept the Gospel of Christ our Saviour in all its fulness and freeness and living power. Dear Justine Dalencourt and her husband and little boy called at the Hotel to welcome us soon after we arrived, and Justine Dalencourt spent most of yesterday with us." Of the early part of the journey her daughter Anna writes : " Robert and Christine Alsop, who had already frequently gone over most of the ground to be traversed, accompanied my parents, and although both were in advancing years, their lively spirits and intimate acquaintance with the people and country rendered them most delightful and helpful travelling companions. It proved to be for both of them their last visit to these countries. " Our first meeting was at Tonnerre, a picturesque town on the railway between Paris and Basle. Here we had a meeting attended by at least 200 working men in their blue blouses, all of them converts from Romanism. We were greatly interested in the Pastor, M. Perrenond, through whose efforts they had been brought out. 208 1875. "At Basle meetings were held with the young men, both at the Basle Missionary Institute and at the Krischona. There were about sixty students at the latter place. This institution is romantically situated on a mountain side, a few miles from Basle. It was presided over by a son-in-law and daughter of Bishop Gobat, of Jerusalem. Its beautiful cleanliness and simplicity, and the glad spirit of Christian love and devotion that pervaded it were most impressive. Here candidates for the mission field are trained in practical ways, taught farming, joinery, shoemaking, etc. " We had meetings also at Lausanne, Aix-les-Bains and Chambery ; thence proceeding by way of the Mont Cenis tunnel into Italy, we were soon amongst the Vaudois at La Tour, the principal town in their valleys." Here our mother's journal continues : 9th mo. i6th, 1875, 5th day. "A meeting is appointed at La Tour this evening with the English work people employed in the silk mills. I feel very thankful to be really amongst the dear people of these valleys, towards whom our hearts have been so long drawn in the love of Christ, and thus far the way has opened quite beyond our expectation. We have already held five meetings, all of them seasons of divine favour, wherein the Truth as it is in Jesus was proclaimed to hungering and thirsting souls." Most of the mountain churches round La Tour were also visited our father and mother with their interpreter at one time separating from the rest of the party to visit one of the remote valleys. Of this she writes : AET. 52. 209 9th mo. i8th, Perosa. "We arrived here this morning after holding large meetings at Prarustin and St. Germain yesterday, both seasons for which I desire to praise Thee, O .Lord, in the remembrance of Thy gracious help to Thy unworthy servants. We hope to have a meeting at Villeseche to-morrow morning and one at Pinerolo on Second-day." Of our mother's intercourse with the families of the pastors on this journey her daughter Anna writes : " In spite of her imperfect knowledge of French, she made friends with many of these interesting people. She would often call on me to act as interpreter and then seek to enter into sympathy with the wife and family of the minister, bringing forth little French text books and pictures for the children, writing their names in her address book for future use, etc., etc. In the meantime father would be carrying on a lively conver- sation, sometimes partly in Latin, with the pastor himself. The shelf of books would be examined, and it was most interesting to find in some of these ministers' homes, far up among the mountains, at Rora, Bobbi, Villaro, etc., books in Latin, Greek, German, and other languages. It was then scarcely twenty-five years since Victor Emmanuel had relieved the Vaudois from various oppressive laws under which they had been labouring up to that time, e.g., they were not allowed to learn Italian. This was to prevent them from spreading their doctrines amongst the sur- rounding Roman Catholic population. Then they were strictly confined within their valleys, between Turin and the Swiss frontier, and were not allowed to practise the more learned professions, or to engage in the more 15 2IO 1875- lucrative trades. But although they had only been in the enjoyment of their new privileges so short a time, they already had a theological seminary at Florence and had established mission churches in most of the Italian cities, even as far south as Sicily. I remember listening in the "Temple" at La Tour to an eloquent address in Italian by one of their evangelists, Signor Quatreni, from Palermo. He told them that God had preserved the Vaudois in their mountain fastnesses for the very purpose of carrying the pure Gospel to the whole of Italy. Now the time had come, and Italy lay at their feet waiting for them to go in and possess it. Father and Robert Alsop had also some interesting opportunities with the pastors and with the students at the boarding school at La Tour, and we all visited the Girls' Orphanage, and had one or two very pleasant social gatherings with the professors, pastors, etc., at our hotel." On leaving La Tour our mother writes : 9th mo. 25th, Valence. " A public meeting in the Protestant place of worship was held here last evening to our comfort. It was well attended. This morning we go to Congenies, where to-morrow we expect to enter upon our service amongst our dear Friends in the South of France. May the fresh anointing be graciously bestowed upon us, and may we be kept day by day very near unto Thee, our God, feeling that all our sufficiency is in Thee alone. We left La Tour at five o'clock on Fifth-day morning. Our visit to the valleys has been a time of deep interest, and peace and praise filled my soul as we rode along to Pinerolo. Great has been Thy goodness to us, Thy unworthy children, O Lord, and if Thy blessing has attended our little service, which we can reverently believe it AET-52. 211 has, let all the glory and all the praise be Thine now and for evermore. The love of the dear pastors in the valleys has been great towards us, and when we parted from them it seemed like parting from old friends. May the Lord make the people in those lovely valleys yet more and more a living church to His praise." Of the visit to the South of France her daughter writes : " Returning to France, we held another meeting at Chambery, and visited Valence, Lyons, Marseilles, Montmeyran, and the Friends at Nimes, Congenies, Fontan6s, and St. Giles. Here again my mother's loving heart enabled her to overcome the bar of lan- guage, and to get very close to dear Lea Trial at Marseilles, and to many other earnest workers, as well as to the Friends in their home life and interests. I well remember the day we spent at Fontan6s with the family of Samuel Brun. His aged father, Daniel Brun, was, I believe, the last of the "prophets," as they were called, the descendants of the Camisards. This old Friend would occasionally break forth when the spiritual influence came upon him in a remarkable strain of preaching and exhortation. He did so during our visit, when walking round his farm with my parents, but, to my great regret, I did not hear him. We were shown the curious vaulted chamber underground, which had been used as a meeting-place by the Huguenots in the days of persecution. The gentle mother of this family, Felice Brun, a sister of Anna Vally, interested us much. To avoid the military service for their four sons, the Brun family afterwards emigrated to America, and now reside at College Park, California." 212 187S . To return to our mother's journal : Florence, loth mo. i8th, Second-day. "We have now accomplished our visit to the Friends in the South of France, and held meetings in some other places. The Lord has been graciously pleased to open our way before us from place to place, and to give strength for the varied services to which we have been called. In looking back my heart overflows with thanksgiving and praise. Our dear friends Robert and Christine Alsop are still with us. Their companionship and cordial unity in the work have been a great help to us. My heart is humbled this evening under a sense of all the Lord's mercies. Good accounts yesterday of all our dear children, and so much every way to be thankful for. Truly can my soul praise Thee, Thou covenant-keeping God and Saviour, and afresh commit all to Thy faithful care." Finding there were openings for service among the Vaudois in some of the Italian cities, as well as in their Piedmont valleys, the party now returned into Italy, and some busy and fruitful days were spent at Turin, Milan, Florence, and Rome. Our father then went northwards by Venice to Vienna, where he was joined by Dr. Thomas, who accompanied him in a visit to the Nazarenes there and at Buda Pesth, whilst the rest of the party spent two weeks in Paris, actively engaged in visiting the meetings of the McAll Mission and of other Protestant workers of that great city. Our mother writes : Paris, nth mo. gth. "We were joined here by my dear husband and Dr. Thomas early on First-day, and AET.52. 213 yesterday afternoon we had an interesting meeting at our hotel with many of the pastors and Christian workers here ; about twenty attended. It seemed a sweet wind- ing up to our service in this large city, where our Heavenly Father has condescended to bless us from day to day with the sense of His love and presence, causing our cup to overflow with thanksgiving and praise. Now we are waiting here to see dear Eli Jones, from America, and Henry Newman and A. LI. Fox, who are expected to arrive to-day on their way to Syria, and then we hope to return home. I feel that it is of the Lord's mercy that we have been thus strengthened for this long and arduous journey. Surely it has been for His own work's sake, and to Him be all the praise and all the glory. We are indeed nothing Christ is all." Fifth-day, i2th mo. i6th. " We have been at our own dear home five weeks to-day so swiftly does the time pass over. I hope our late journey may still be fruitful of some good in years to come ; I very much desire that we may keep alive our interest in the dear Christian people with whom we have become acquainted, and that we may be enabled from time to time, by letter or such opportunity as may be given, to cheer them on in their work of faith and labour of love. O Lord, give me a large heart and loving tender sympathy with all who love Thee everywhere." The interests awakened on this journey con- tinued to call forth her loving sympathy and earnest effort to the end of her life. With many of the Christian workers, whom she then met for the first time, she kept up a regular correspon- dence, whilst all were sharers in the yearly 214 1876. remembrances, consisting of cards containing mottoes or texts, which she was accustomed to send to her friends at the New Year. These messages she chose with much thought and prayer, often accompanying them with a few lines of loving greeting, and many of the recipients have testified to the help and encourage- ment received from them. The last New Year of her life she sent about fifty of these messengers to the continent of Europe. Very soon after their return from this journey r on ist mo. i6th, 1876, our mother writes : "Already a break is made in our little circle who travelled together so lately on the Continent. Dear Robert Alsop died very suddenly last Third-day evening about eleven o'clock. During- the day he had made several calls upon invalids with his dear wife, and retired to rest apparently in usual health ; in a few minutes his breathing- became oppressed, and before any restoratives could be administered, his spirit had passed away to the home above Whilst rejoicing for him in so blessed a translation from earth to Heaven, we feel deeply our own loss ; his humble, loving spirit had greatly endeared him to us, and for his dear wife our kindest sympathy is awakened. My dear friend and cousin A. P. Foster is also apparently very near her end, and in a very suffering state. How changing are all things here. May I more and more seek to be found pressing on towards the rest in Heaven." 3rd mo. i5th, 1876. "My dear husband has been feel- ing for some time past that he is called to pay another visit to the Meetings of Friends in America, and it seems as though the coming autumn would be the right time. I feel AET.53- 2I 5 enabled to give him up for this service, and I have a sweet trust that he and we shall be cared for, and that the Lord will supply all our need." 1 6th. " Our Monthly Meeting, at which my dear husband was encouraged to pursue the prospect before him with the full unity of his friends. The meeting for worship was a very sweet, heavenly time, to my own soul most precious ; and a precious covering of good seemed to continue over us throughout the meeting for business. " On my return home I received the intelligence of the death of my dear cousin, Ann Penn Foster, this morning. She has been very ill for some months, and passed away very peacefully, I believe to be for ever with Him whom she loved. Once lately when I went to see her she told me that she was leaning on One who had loved her through many trials, and on my adding, ' and who will, I believe, love thee to the end,' she pressed my hand and said, ' I believe He will.' I feel her loss as an old and faithful and ever loving friend. How many are gone with whom I have been wont to take sweet counsel by the way ; but how delightful to look forward to the meeting place in heaven ; no sad separations there, no sorrow, no sin all peace and joy, and that for ever and for ever- more." 6th mo. 8th, 1876. " How many weeks of deep interest have passed over since I last wrote in this book. To day I am expecting my dear mother and sister to pay us a little visit. I spent a few days at Banbury before the Yearly Meeting, and thought my dear mother increasingly feeble. The Yearly Meeting just over has been a time of renewed blessing from the Lord such precious seasons oftentimes, and so 2l6 1876. much love prevailing ; indeed it often seemed like a little foretaste of the joys of heaven. We had Rufus King and Edward L. Scull from America, as our guests, also Eliza Brewer and Rachel Cronkhite part of the time, and Caroline E. Talbot and her husband for a few days. It is one of our greatest privileges to have so much of the company of the Lord's dear messengers." In the summer of this year their daughter Anna became engaged to Dr. Richard H. Thomas, of Baltimore, who had accompanied them in some part of their Continental journey in the previous autumn, and who had since been pursuing medical work in London. This engagement met with our mother's warm approval, and she entered heartily into sympathy with the young people in their happiness, whilst feeling very deeply all that was involved in the probable separation. As our father was about to enter upon his visit to America, and Dr. Thomas was ready to return home and practise in Baltimore, it was arranged that they should cross the ocean together. On 8th mo. 3rd, our mother writes : " We were favoured to part under a sweet sense of the presence of the Lord with us to comfort and sustain, and the words, ' Certainly I will be with thee,' have been sounding in my heart almost ever since, like a pledge of future blessing." " My mind has often lately been much turned in a feeling of Gospel love to the dear friends who are members of Banbury Monthly Meeting; it may be that I may have to visit them in their families. Sometimes AET.53- 2I 7 I feel exceedingly discouraged, especially when I look at my own great weakness, but if Thou art pleased, O Lord, to put forth and to make my path plain, I desire to go in Thy strength, knowing that all my sufficiency is in Thee." This concern continued to rest upon her heart, and, having obtained a minute from her Monthly Meeting, as soon as the younger children had returned to school, she went with the rest to Banbury, and was able to accomplish the [visits, returning home in the loth month. Our father was still absent in America, but she was cheered by receiving good accounts of his health, and on i2th mo. 25th, she writes : " My dear husband reached home safely this morn- ing to our great joy. It has been to us all a day of thankful rejoicing, peace and praise." 2l8 1877. CHAPTER XVIII. Illness early in 1877 Yearly Meeting Isaac Sharp's journey Stay at Sidmouth Visits to families in her own Monthly Meeting, etc. Illness of M. Gillett Marriage of her daughter Anna Yearly Meeting of 1878 Visit of her husband to Western Yearly Meeting Death of C. R. Alsop Who will carry on the work in France ? Enters upon the work Extract from last French Report. THE early part of 1877 found our dear mother again confined to the house for five or six weeks with one of the heavy bronchial colds from which she now so often suffered. During this time she writes : 2nd mo. 4th. First-day. " Not out at Meeting, but a day of sweet quiet enjoyment. How good the Lord is to me in bringing home to my soul so many prec- ious assurances of His love and mercy towards me,, spiritually and temporally. My blessings are more than I can number, and I am not worthy of the least. Our dear children have been home for their vacation, and are returned to school. It has been a comfort to mark the work of divine grace in their hearts, and I bless the Lord for His mercy toward them. ... I long that all my dear children as they grow up may go forth into the world useful characters, and be made through the sanctifying power of divine grace faithful witnesses for Christ." AET.54- 2I 9 6th month nth, 1877. "The Yearly Meeting is now over. It has been a time of rich blessing from the Lord, for which I feel very thankful. Isaac Sharp, now over 70 years of age, was liberated for such service as may open in Africa, at the Cape, in Mada- gascar, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and in the United States, should he be spared to reach them on his way home. How instructive the faith, love and zeal of this dear servant of the Lord. May such an evening sacrifice be abundantly blessed, and be pro- ductive of much fruit to the glory and praise of God." 7th mo. 29th, 1877. Sidmouth. "I arrived here yesterday with all our dear children, except Joseph, and he and my dear husband hope to join us before long. We are in very comfortable lodgings, and the rest and quiet of to-day have been greatly enjoyed. I hope to visit some of the cottagers this evening to distribute tracts, and if the way opens read with some of them. This morning dear knelt in prayer after our morning reading. I often wish my dear children could know to the full how much it gladdens my heart to see them devoted to the service of Christ their Saviour." 8th mo. 1 2th. " Dear and have to leave us to-morrow on their way to school. They are a great comfort to me. Increase their love to Thee more and more I pray Thee, Heavenly Father, and use them, if it please Thee, for the promotion of Thy king- dom upon earth. Whilst I am writing this the sea is sparkling before me like thousands of gems so very, very beautiful. May my heart this day be lifted up from the cares of earth, and may I as a little child rest in the love and faithfulness of my God and Saviour." 220 1877-78. 8th mo. 26th. Sidmouth. "Our stay here has been one of sweet quiet and rest, and calm, pure enjoy- ment in one another's companionship and love, and in the beauties around us. At our last Monthly Meeting 1 my dear husband was liberated to visit the families of Friends in Westminster and Longford Monthly Meeting, and in Devonshire House and Tottenham Monthly Meetings; also to attend meetings in the neighbourhood of our Quarterly Meeting, where his mind may feel drawn. I may feel it right to accompany him in some of the visits, especially in our own Monthly Meeting. May the Lord make use of me as He sees meet, and ever give the willing heart in His blessed . service, be it what it may, either in doing or in suffering, in joy or in sorrow, in the little or the much." Qth mo. i8th. Banbury. " Yesterday I was tele- graphed for to come to my dear mother, who was taken ill on Sixth-day evening about seven o'clock, with a paralytic seizure. She entirely lost the use of one side till this afternoon, when the power seems a little returning. When taken on Sixth- day she said the passage was brought very sweetly to her remembrance, " Fear not, for I am with thee ; be not dismayed for I am thy God." I am very thankful to be able to assist in watching over and caring for this beloved parent. Her patience and resignation are very instructive, her soul is stayed upon her God." 9th mo. 23rd. "My dear mother continues to im- prove. I have spent many sweet hours in her sick chamber, where I often feel as though we were per- mitted to enjoy a little foretaste of heaven." Her mother's health continued slowly to improve, and although she never fully regained the use of AET. 54-55- 221 her limbs, she recovered sufficiently to come down- stairs for a part of every day, and was spared to us all for nearly five years longer. Our mother returned home from Banbury early in the Tenth Month, and the following winter was very closely occupied with home duties, several visits with her husband to the meetings round London, two or three journeys to Banbury to see her mother, about whom she continued to feel anxious, and the needful preparations entailed by the prospect of the first break in their happy home circle, in the marriage of her daughter Anna in the spring. The wedding was fixed for the 28th of 3rd month, and on the nth Dr. R. H. Thomas, with his aunt, Julia Valentine, and his sister Mary, reached London. The two latter intended to spend some time in England, and to attend the Yearly Meeting. Our mother writes : 4th mo. 3rd, 1878. "Last Fifth-day our dear Anna was united in marriage to Dr. Richard H. Thomas, of Baltimore. The meeting" at Westminster was a favoured time my dear husband was engaged in prayer at the commencement Caleb R. Kemp, Christine R. Alsop, Isaac Robson and S. E. Chalk spoke in the ministry and A. S. Ashworth near the close in prayer. Thirty- nine sat down at the house to the wedding breakfast, our dear brother Isaac Braithwaite amongst the number. Before dear Richard and Anna left us the I45th and I2ist Psalms were read, and we were again blessed together with the sense of the presence of our dear Lord and Redeemer as a sweet seal to the union entered into. Thus have we been helped through a day of 222 I878 _ 79 . much deep interest and feeling, and feel that we can together praise the Lord for His goodness." 4th mo. 28th. "Our precious Anna sailed with her husband yesterday for New York. They spent nine days with us here after a very enjoyable wedding journey. It was delightful to see a little of them again. We had many sweet times together, and help was graciously given for the parting hour." During the Yearly Meeting our father was appointed one of a deputation to visit Western Yearly Meeting, and for any other service that might open on the American Continent. In reference to it our mother writes : " I desire to leave it all in the Lord's hands, but it is an inexpressible trial just now to have to give up my dear husband for this distant service." 7th mo. 6th, 1878. "It is arranged for our dear Joseph to go to America with my dear husband in the "Abyssinia," the 3rd of next month. I often feel the prospect a good deal, but I desire to be trustful and hopeful, and I do earnestly long for a more cheerful willingness to give up my precious husband to the Lord's service." 8th mo. nth, First-day. "It is now rather more than a week since I parted from my beloved husband. Very often I have been permitted to feel an inex- pressible nearness of spirit, almost as though we were not separated, and this has been very comforting to me." During his absence she spent about five weeks at Hastings with some of her children, on account of the health of one of her sons. She was also AET. 55-56. 223 for a short time at Banbury, and then went to Liverpool to welcome her husband on his return home, and they together paid a little visit to their children and relatives in the north, and reached London in the nth month. In the spring of 1879 our mother had the joy of hearing of the birth of her first grandchild. The next entry is as follows : 6th mo. 22nd, 1879. "Another dearly loved friend and fellow-labourer, Christine R. Alsop, is gone home. She died on Fifth-day morning, the igth of this month, at the house of Rachel Rickman and her sister at Wellingham, near Lewes, where she was visiting with her sister Lydia Majolier and Anna Vally. She had seemed better than usual during our late Yearly Meeting and was able to attend most of the sittings. I generally sat beside her, and her voice was not unfrequently heard amongst us in testimony and prayer. She spent Seventh-day evening, the 3ist of last month, at our house. This was the last time that I saw her. That evening she gave us a copy of the little memoir of her late dear husband, which she had just completed for private circulation. It seemed to be a great satisfaction to her that it was accomplished. She was at the meeting at Lewes last First-day morning, where she spoke and also interpreted for her sister. In the afternoon she did not feel very well, but no danger was anticipated till Fourth-day night when she became very delirious. Early on Fifth-day morning a doctor was sent for, who informed them she was dying. On her sister saying 'Thou art going to thy beloved,' she replied, ''Jesus is my Beloved,' then 'The time of my deliverance is come,' and again ' My beloved is 224 1879- mine and I am His,' which were her last words. Our journey on the continent together to the south of France and to the Vaudois Valleys, and as far as Rome in 1875, and our frequent intercourse at other times had united us very closely together, and I feel that I have lost a very dear and honoured friend. I am expecting Justine Dalencourt from Paris this evening to stay with us over the funeral. Who will carry on the work in France, in the place of our dear departed friend ?" As the last question rested on our mother's heart in prayerful consideration, she felt called upon herself to enter into this field of labour, and from this time till the end of her life she was the English centre of the Friends' missionary work in France. In entering upon it she writes : " I feel so unworthy, but Thou, O Lord, canst qualify and strengthen, if it be Thy will that I should engage in it " ; and when Justine Dalen- court tried to express her gratitude that with her large family and busy life she should undertake so arduous a task, she replied, " I did not choose it, but I feel it an honour and a privilege to be entrusted by my Master with such a service." Those who have read " Memorials of Christine Alsop," by Martha Braithwaite, will remember that this work had been inaugurated in 1871, during C. R. Alsop's visit to France at the close of the Franco-German war. The great concern on her heart was "to do something to help her poor countrymen, and she was thankful to meet with Justine Dalencourt, who, having herself been AET. 56. 225 brought out of the bondage of Romanism to rejoice in the light and liberty of the Gospel of Christ, had gathered together in her own house some of her poor neighbours, and was there teaching them to sew and knit, and telling them at the same time of the love of Jesus to their souls. Before returning home, C. R. Alsop was able to establish four of these sewing classes in Paris or the neighbourhood, besides some in other parts of the country, so that she writes : " It appears from the accounts we have received from the different points that there are now not less than 200 women and girls brought under the influence of our devoted workers." She also says, speaking of the Meeting at Boulogne-sur-Seine, under the care of Justine Dalencourt : " We were comforted in witnessing the remarkable success of this undertaking, not only in the rapid increase of the numbers, but also in the marked effect produced by the care bestowed on these poor women, who were previously so completely in ignorance of the truths of the Gospel. This part of the work is so satisfactory that it repays me for any amount of trouble we may have had in Paris." During the intervening years, from 1871 to 1879, when our mother was appointed treasurer, the work had been steadily continued and developed under the superintendence of a committee of English Friends, of which she had been an active and interested member ; but she felt that now that the chief responsibility of the 16 226 1879- correspondence and collection of the needful funds was to devolve upon her, she ought herself to visit Paris and make herself personally acquainted with the workers and the various details connected with the work. Of this journey she writes : 8th mo. 6th, 1879. " Since I last wrote in this book dear Elizabeth and I have spent ten days in Paris, as I felt best satisfied to go and endeavour to get thoroughly acquainted with the work there. This object has, I trust, been accomplished. Each First-day morn- ing a little meeting was held in Justine Dalencourt's sitting-room, which were felt to be times of rich blessing from the Lord. Besides accompanying J. Dalencourt in her work from day to day, I attended the prayer meeting for Robert Mac All's workers held at his house, and one of his meetings at the Rue de Rivoli, and another at Montsouri, at the latter of which the way opened for me to preach the Gospel, a young Englishman interpreting. I also attended the prayer meeting held at George Pierce' s for the workers con- nected with the two French publications, " L'Ami de la maison," and " Le Rayon de Soleil," and with the Tract Depot. Here I had an opportunity of manifesting my sympathy for them, for which I felt thankful. One evening we took tea with Pastor Dugand, his wife and family, and afterwards attended his week-day evening meeting in the Wesleyan Chapel, where he kindly made way for me to express what was on my mind. Altogether I have felt great comfort in this visit, and I desire to return thanks unto Him who hath been with me, and strengthened me for the service, to whom be all the praise." AET. 56. 22 7 During this visit our mother attended each of the four Mothers' Meetings then held in Paris and the suburbs, under the care of Friends, and all more or less superintended by Justine Dalencourt, and was also with them on the day of their annual summer treat, when they visited the 11 Jardin des Plantes." In this way she gained a thorough knowledge of the needs of the work and became acquainted with those who were helping it in Paris, and from this time to the end of her life she was unwearied in her loving care and thought for it. The correspondence, both with English Friends and with those engaged abroad, was no small undertaking, and the interests of the work were constantly increasing as fresh doors opened before the workers and new Meet- ings were started in other localities. During her last illness she was busy preparing the annual report of the work, and a short extract from it, with the lines at the end, composed during a night of much suffering, may find an appropriate place here, showing, as they do, the spirit in which she entered into and carried on this work : "Another year has passed over since our last report ; another year calling for thanksgiving and praise to our Father in heaven, and fraught with fresh encour- agement to us all to continue to sow the seed as "beside all waters, to lose no opportunity of proclaiming the love of God in Christ Jesus to poor perishing sinners. Life is short and hastening on apace ; let us 228 1879. seek to be faithful and diligent through the 'little while ' that may yet be allotted us upon earth, that so we may be permitted to gather much fruit unto life eternal. " The Master draweth near To bless the seed we sow, To guide to fruitful places, And make it bud and grow. " Upon His strength relying, Why should we faint or fear? For His salvation cometh ; His glory draweth near." " Our weakness and His might, Together forth shall shine, And we shall thankfully confess His was the work divine." AET. 56. 229 CHAPTER XIX. Visits to Worthing and Banbury Serious illness of her Mother Engagement of her eldest son Engage- ment of her daughter Elizabeth Dr. R. H. Thomas comes to England for his health Bridlington "Memorials of Christine Alsop " Yearly Meeting of 1 88 1 Alarming illness Partial Recovery Journey to Mont Dore and stay there Life as an invalid Visit to Banbury Winter at Falmouth and Torquay Death of her Mother. ON her return from Paris our dear mother went with her family to Worthing, and after- wards to Banbury for a few weeks, during which time our grandmother had another serious attack of illness, from which, after many fluctua- tions, she recovered, though it left her increas- ingly feeble. It was a great comfort to our mother to be with her. On her return home, she writes : " Here we have many engagements closely succeed- ing each other, and whilst desiring to be diligent in using the openings for service, I feel the need for my- self of daily dependance upon God and of being much in prayer for the heavenly blessing. . . . Oh for diligence and faithfulness, for more love to Him who i88o. hath loved me and redeemed me, and for more love to the souls of poor perishing sinners, and may I more and more realize for myself the language, 'To me ta live is Christ, and to die is gain.' ' At the beginning of 1880 her eldest son became a partner in the firm of Foster and Braithwaite, of which his uncle, Isaac Braithwaite, was then the head, and a few months later was engaged to be married to A. S. Gillett. Both these events are recorded by our mother as cause for humble thank- fulness. The same summer her journal mentions the engagement of her daughter Elizabeth to George Henry Emmott, the eldest son of Thomas and Hannah Emmott, of Oldham, and adds, " May they both be strengthened in their heavenward course, and may they be made true helpers one to another in the Lord. The prayer of my soul is for all our dear children : i Choose Thou, O Lord, their in- heritance for them.' " At this time she had the great joy of a visit from her daughter Anna and her baby. She went herself to meet them at Liverpool, and a few weeks afterwards accompanied them to Banbury, where her dear mother, though very feeble, was well enough to enjoy and take a warm interest in the little great-grand-child, whom she now saw for the first time. In the 8th month a short visit was paid to Paris by our father and mother in order to make some fresh arrangements with regard to the Depot AET.57- 2 3 1 Central and the publication of the two French Periodicals, " L'Ami de la Maison " and " Le Rayon de Soleil." Of this visit she says : " During our stay a meeting for worship was held on First-day morning at the house of dear Justine Dalencourt, and we sat down, fourteen in all. It was truly a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. One evening we spent very pleasantly with Gustave Monod and his family, and another at Armand de Lille's, where we met about twenty of the Christian workers in Paris, pastors and others, a time of great enjoyment and uniting fellowship in the Lord, and I hope we were enabled a little to cheer them." A few weeks were spent in the autumn at Bridlington Quay, in Yorkshire, where her son-in- law, Dr. R. H. Thomas, who had come to England on account of his health, was one of the party. The following extract from her journal shows her continued watchfulness for opportunities of doing good : Bridlington Quay, 8th mo. 2ist. "We have had many sweet times together at this place, and I have found some little service for my dear Saviour amongst the inmates of the Convalescent Home, to whom I often read and speak when they are sitting out for the air on the top of the cliff ; and I have had one interest- ing reading with them at the Home, when a larger number were gathered. I have also been several times to the Sailors' Bethel, where a good work seems to be going on." 232 i88i. After much prayerful deliberation it was arranged for Dr. Thomas and his wife to winter in Vienna, with a view to his medical studies, as well as rest and quiet. Our dear father ac- companied them thither. In the spring of this year, 1880, our mother had begun the compilation of a memoir of Christine Alsop, which she felt to be a labour of love, and upon which she bestowed much time and thought. All through the year, but especially in the winter of 1880 and 1881, she was very frequently confined to the house with a heavy bronchial cold and cough, and she employed much of the leisure thus afforded from active duties in reading over the journals and letters, and preparing the manuscript. She says, in reference to it : 2nd mo. I2th, 1881. "It is a very pleasant and instructive occupation, and I shall feel very thankful if I am enabled to give to her friends and to the world some record of her useful and interesting life. It is my earnest desire and prayer that the Lord may bless its perusal to many hearts, in stimulating to faithful- ness and diligence in the occupation of the talents committed to our care." 3rd mo. 8th, 1881. "The first sheets of the Memoir of C. R. Alsop came from the printers this evening. I was alone at the time, and before opening it I felt constrained on the bended knee to ask for the Lord's blessing upon this very humble labour, that the reading of the Memoir may be blessed to the conversion of souls, and to the help and encouragement of many." AET. 58. 233 Though feeling far from well she entered upon the Yearly Meeting with her accustomed energy and interest ; but a severe and alarming attack of haemorrhage from the lungs laid her suddenly aside on the second day of the meetings. Dr. James C. Thomas, who was staying at the house, promptly did all that could be done for her relief. Absolute quiet was of course necessary, and after a few days the hope was entertained that her life might still be spared a little longer. About three weeks later she writes in her journal in retrospect of this time : "It is with humble thankfulness that I can say, feeling as I do, utterly unworthy of so great a mercy, that in the time of greatest danger I was favoured to feel calm and peaceful. The fear of death was taken away and the Lord gave me that glorious hope which is full of immortality and eternal life. I have felt in this illness as if I had caught a glimpse of the celes- tial City, though the remaining length or shortness of the way thither is mercifully hidden from my view." As soon as she was sufficiently recovered she went, by the recommendation of Dr. Wilson Fox, to spend two months at Mont Dore in the centre of France. It was a great trial to her to leave home just then, as her son Joseph and daughter Elizabeth were both to be married during the coming autumn. In allusion to this in her journal, she says : " I desire to be resigned to the divine will, and to have my heart open to receive all the blessing that 234 i88i. may be in store for me in this unexpected withdrawal from home and the loved ones there. How much com- fort there is in those words, 'It is God that ordereth all thing's for me.' ' It was arranged that Dr. R. H. Thomas and one of her daughters should accompany her to Mont Dore. The dear invalid was a good deal fatigued with the long journey, but soon revive.d with perfect rest and the pure mountain air ; and the " treatment," although it appeared very exhausting, seemed to have a beneficial effect. During most of the time they had comfortable quarters in a little chalet just outside the town, which our mother thus describes : "The hills at the back of the Chalet run up into the pine woods. It feels more like home than the hotel, and I look upon it as in the ordering of my Heavenly Father that they have room to take us in. As I sit with my window open the little river Dor- dogne, which flows along the valley, sounds just like the sea, adding another charm to the beauty of the landscape." Though thus separated from them, her thoughts were much with her daughter and son as the wedding days drew near, and when on each occasion a telegram was sent, telling her that everything had passed off satisfactorily, she rejoiced in their joy, and welcomed warmly to her heart the son and daughter thus added to the family circle. She had continued steadily to gain strength during her stay at Mont Dore, and was able to- AET. 58. 235 start for home early in the 9th month, with greatly improved health. She says : " After resting part of a day at Clermont Ferrand and one day in Paris, we were favoured to reach home safely on the evening of Fifth-day, the 8th, escaping by one day a fearful railway accident on the line we passed over, wherein nineteen persons lost their lives and many were much injured. It was a very joyful meeting- to us all." Although our dear mother felt so much better on her return home, yet it soon became evident to herself, as it already was to her friends, that after so serious an attack as that from which she had just recovered, she could never expect to lead again the same active life she had done in the past. During the remaining years of her life, though at times feeling very nicely and able to accomplish, as we shall see, a great deal, yet she was always more or less of an invalid, requiring constant watchful care, and being obliged very frequently to spend the winter away from home, in some warmer and more genial climate than that of London. To one of her active temperament, so long accustomed to think of and care for others, rather than herself, it was difficult to become reconciled to the altered conditions which such a life involved ; yet in these years of weakness and withdrawal from more active service she became a beautiful example of quiet cheerfulness and trust, and was still, as she always had been, ever on the 236 i88i. watch to lose no opportunity of service for her Lord and Master, and thus it was that the love and sympathy which she poured out upon all with whom she came in contact made her still a centre of wide-spread influence. During the summer our grandmother's health had been very feeble, and it was a great delight when, very soon after the return from Mont Dore, mother and daughter mingled their thanksgivings and rejoicings at being once more permitted to meet in this world. She had also very much wished to visit her newly married daughter in her home at Wilmslow near Manchester, but a journey so far north was thought unsuitable for her at this late season of the year. Indeed the doctors were afraid for her to remain in London, and it was therefore arranged that she should go to Falmouth for the winter. She writes : "It is a trial to look to being away from home so long, but I know that my dear Heavenly Father is ordering for me all things well, and I have had a fresh proof of His love and tender care over me in the generous and unexpected offer of cousin Joseph Whitwell Pease's house for my accommodation. May the Lord keep me watchful during this resting season, and may He cause my light to shine brightly to His praise, and draw me very near unto Himself in sweet communion, giving me to drink deeply of the fulness of His love in Christ Jesus my Lord." Kerrisvean, Falmouth, loth mo. 24th, 1881. "Here I am surrounded by every outward comfort and by kind relatives and friends near at hand. The view from AET.58. 237 the drawing-room and my bedroom window over the bay is very lovely, with a fine wooded foreground. Thou hast appointed my earthly habitation in pleasant places, Lord. I bless Thee and praise Thee for all Thy love and tender mercy, and oh, how does my soul crave that it may be given me to dwell also in heavenly places in Christ Jesus that the dross which still remains in me may be purged away, that I may be purified and made meet for Thy service, whether on earth or in heaven. When I look at myself, I see myself vile, sinful, and unworthy, but when I look at Christ, I see Him my all-sufficient Saviour, my righteousness and my strength." nth mo. 20th, 1881. "I am enjoying the quiet alone whilst the rest of our party are gone to meeting. Lovell Squire and cousin Alfred Lloyd Fox have been taking tea with us, and their company has been cheering and refreshing. This time of rest and quiet is very acceptable to soul and body. I have been thinking much of that language, ' Come ye yourselves apart and rest awhile.'* The disciples were called apart by their Lord and Saviour to rest with Him, to learn more of His love, to gather fresh strength for the future. May it be even so with me also." At the end of 3rd month she left Falmouth and went for about six weeks to Torquay, some members of her family being with her all the time. The beautiful country was a source of constant and great enjoyment to her. She writes : Torquay, Devonshire, 4th mo. 2nd. " Greatly have 1 enjoyed a short walk amongst the lovely evergreens * It was about this time that she wrote the hymn on these words, beginning "Called apart, but oh, how gently." See Fireside Hymn Book, p. 254, last edition. 1882. and bright, beautiful flowers with my precious husband by my side. If this earth is so fair and beautiful, what will be the inexhaustible delight of that Paradise above, where there shall in no wise enter anything that defileth where the glory of God shall lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." The accounts of our grandmother's health during the winter had often been very poor, and our mother longed to see her once more, so arranged to go to Banbury direct from Torquay. From Banbury she writes : "We arrived in the evening of 5th mo. i5th, and the next morning my dear mother was nicely, for her. She was so very much pleased to have me here, and I enjoyed sitting beside her and talking of the Lord's love and faithfulness and tender care over us both, during our rather long separation. That afternoon spasms came on, and my dear mother from that time continued gradually to sink. Her weakness was extreme, but she bore all with unmiirmuring patience. She retained her consciousness to the last. Very often she wished to have the hymn read to her 'Jesus, lover of my soul.' Her consideration for others never forsook her ; if she saw me at her bedside in the night she was most anxious that I should lie down again. Many times over she beckoned us all to her and kissed us, but was too weak to speak. Sixth-day night was a very distressing one from weakness and exhaustion. In the morning of Seventh-day, the 2/th, she again motioned for her hymn, ' Jesus, lover of my soul.' Whilst we were dining I was sent for. I found that she was dying. The others came up, and we all stood AET. 59. 2 39 around the bed, I holding her dear hand. I said a few words of comfort to her which I believe she under- stood ; then she looked for a few minutes at each one, and her eyes closed for ever. It was a solemn, touch- ing time. She fell asleep at ten minutes past two o'clock, aged eighty-four years and about five months. I knelt in prayer, giving thanks that through redeem- ing love and mercy an entrance had been granted her, as we faithfully believed, into the heavenly kingdom, to go no more out for ever. I feel inexpressibly thankful that I have been .permitted to be here to help to minister to the comfort of this tenderly beloved parent in her closing hours. The dear remains look very lovely in death. They seem to speak her perfect peace. Every time I stand beside them I feel how blessed are they who have died in the Lord." 6th month 3rd, 1882. " Yesterday the remains of our precious mother were consigned to their last earthly resting place, in the same grave with those of my beloved father, in the burial ground here. All her children were present, and a very large company of grandchildren and nieces and nephews followed from the house." The meetings both at the grave-side and in the Meeting House were very favoured times. 240 1882, CHAPTER XX. First visit to her Daughter at Wilmslow Winter at Falmouth Her Husband and Son leave for journey to the East Epidemic of typhoid fever Illness of one of her Sons Journey of her Husband to Canada Serious carriage accident and his subsequent illness His return home A quiet winter together Visits from her Children Changes in the family circle Marriage of Mary C. Braithwaite to Dr. W. N. Whitney and their departure for Japan G. H. Emmott accepts Professorship in Baltimore Her son George appointed sub-agent for the Bible Society in Japan Marriage of her daughter Martha to G. S. Baker Correspondence with her absent Children and with others. OUR mother's health was sufficiently improved for her to pay a visit to Wilmslow during the summer of 1882, and she much enjoyed the beautiful country, and was able to attend the meeting there, of which she writes : "Gracious help was given in my great weakness, again to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ. This is a sweet, peaceful little home for our dear children. The country around Wilmslow and Alderley is exceedingly beautiful, quite surpassing all I had expected to find so many fine trees and such a beautiful variety of them, and the gardens around the private AET. 59-60- 241 houses just now looking so bright with flowers. The rhododendra, which are much cultivated here, are now in full bloom." Later on, a few weeks were spent at the seaside, the illness of one of her sons making this change necessary. As the winter came on it seemed wisest for her not to remain in London, so she went again to Falmouth, where she remained till early in 4th mo., 1883. Amongst the many passing interests referred to in her journal during her stay there, were the birth of a little grand- daughter at Wilmslow, and the opening of the Friends' School for girls at Nimes, in the south of France, in which her husband and daughter had been greatly interested. She enjoyed visits from her husband, and also from some other members of the family, and was able to be out a great deal, and often to attend meeting, and her health seemed steadily to improve during the whole winter. On her return home she enjoyed a week's visit from her daughter Elizabeth with her husband and little one, and afterwards went with her daughter and the baby to Banbury for a few days. In yth mo., 1883, she writes at 312, Camden Road : " I returned to this loved home with my dear Rachel, on the 6th of the 6th month, apparently in usual health and strength, but the next morning I was taken seriously ill, and for many weeks was quite confined to bed. Now, through the Lord's tender mercy, I am 17 242 i88 3 . daily gaining strength, though at present not equal to mixing much with the family circle. My pen cannot record the lovingkindness of the Lord to me, His un- worthy servant, for in the time of proving, when the illness was most heavy upon me, so that I could not for several days even collect my thoughts for prayer, all fear of death was taken away, and such an abiding sense was granted of the love of my precious Saviour, that I felt able to leave all in His hands. It was the more remarkable because for some weeks before this illness I had often had seasons of deep discourage- ment about myself, tempted by the great enemy to doubt whether after all I was really a child of God Now, throughout this illness, and many proving seasons that have been appointed me in connection with my dear husband's prospect of extensive service in the East, and our dear George's serious illness and departure for America, my soul has been filled with peace and joy and praise. Often when lying on my bed it has been an exceeding delight to me to medi- tate on the love of God in Christ my Saviour, and I feel as though the half had not been told, and that I can indeed afresh set my seal to the reality of those exceedingly precious words, " He loved me, and gave Himself for me" After recovering from this attack, our dear mother continued very nicely through the summer, though it was in many respects a very anxious and trying one. Early in the 8th month she records with thankfulness the birth of her first little grandson. Then came the parting from her husband and son William, for their long journey in the East in the interests of the Bible Society, AET. 60. 243 with the prospect of being absent for nearly six months. Charles E. B. Reed, and one of her nephews, were also of the party. The all but fatal termination of our dear father's eastern journey in 1872 made it a great exercise of faith on our mother's part to give him up for this service. After their departure an epidemic of typhoid fever, which had broken out in the neighbourhood of Camden Road, became more severe, and many weeks of anxiety followed, during which her loving heart was deeply touched by the great sorrow this time of illness brought to her brother and sister, George and Hannah E. Gillett, whose two dear daughters were gathered to the heavenly home. Our mother remained at home most of the time, doing what she could to help and comfort those who were ill, but in Qth month went to Wilmslow, and thence to see her relatives' at Kendal, and after- wards spent some weeks at Grange-over-Sands, and then at Banbury on her way home. The health of one of her sons had during the summer caused anxiety, but after taking a voyage to America, where he spent some months, he returned home in the I2th month very much better. Meanwhile, continued good accounts had been received of our father and all their party, and soon after returning to London our mother writes : 1 2th mo. 1 6th, 1883. " After three weeks without a letter from my beloved husband, I received one last Fifth-day, dated from Jerusalem, deeply interesting. In 244 i88 4 . these scenes of hallowed interest, he has had the greatest enjoyment, and both he and the rest of the party have been graciously kept in health. They were returning to Brumana, and propose to leave Beyrout for Smyrna and Greece on the i8th, so that then their faces will be really homeward, though we cannot expect them for some time. About a week since the doctors made a thorough examination of my chest. I had hoped I was better than they seem to think I am. It is to me very evident that I shall never again have the strength that I once had for active service for my Saviour ; but so that His will is done in me, by me, and through me, I am content, and I long to be kept watchful that neither the weakness nor the weariness of the poor earthly tabernacle may lull my soul into a state of spiritual slumber. More than ever I have need that my lamp may be kept trimmed and burning, that whensoever the Bridegroom cometh I may with joy go forth to meet Him, We are about making some slight alterations in the house, at Dr. Wilson Fox's suggestion, with a view to my beingp kept as much as possible in one temperature, and then it is thought I may safely remain here through the winter amongst my family, which I feel to be cause for great thankfulness." 2nd mo. 7th, 1884. " Yesterday morning my dear husband, our dear William, and our nephew, reached us in health and safety, and in the sweet sense of overflowing peace. It was a time of rejoicing, thanks- giving and praise. The Lord has been better to me than all my fears. The language seems to come home especially to me at this season, ' O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?'" AET. 61. 245 In the spring our mother seemed rather more poorly again, and, not being equal to the fatigue of the Yearly Meeting, she went to Banbury for a few weeks. Whilst there she writes : 5th mo. 26th, 1884. " My dear husband spent a few hours with me this morning" to tell me of the pro- posal of the Yearly Meeting to send him as one of a deputation to Canada. I have been again helped to give him up for this service, if it is the Lord's will, though there are times when my heart seems to fail me in looking at the long and distant separation it must involve ; but I trust in Thee, O Lord, to support and comfort me ; Thou hast never yet failed me, and Thou wilt not fail me now; be pleased to keep me continually resting in Thy love." 6th mo. 8th, First-day. " On Sixth-day evening I parted with my precious husband for his long journey to Canada. Dear Thomas Harvey, William Robinson, and Thomas Pumphrey go with him. May they be made instrumental in gathering souls to Christ, and may the blessing promised to the peacemakers be their portion." In the seventh month she paid a little visit to her daughter at Wilmslow, and then on to Grange for a few weeks, from which place she writes : 8th mo. 1 7th, First-day evening. " I was able both last First-day and this to attend the little meeting at Cartmel, about two miles distant. I had a little to communicate on both occasions, under a sense of abound- ing weakness and infirmity. Were it not for the love of Christ constraining, I feel that I should never open my lips in public, but again and again does the call 246 1884. seem renewed to tell unto others the unsearchable riches that are in Him, my Saviour and Redeemer. From my beloved husband I am favoured to have good accounts. I often count the weeks till his return, and long to share again his endearing society, but, though we are so far outwardly separated, we are very near in spirit, and it is a sweet privilege to feel that I have one so precious to give up for Thy blessed service." Soon after, on the 3rd of Qth month, a tele- gram was received from Picton, Ontario, with .the news that our father had met with a serious carriage accident, causing a compound fracture of the right arm. After receiving it our mother wrote in her journal : " The Lord has graciously given strength and quiet trust in this time of need, enabling me on the bended knee to commit this tenderly beloved one, in his weak- ness and suffering, to His care and keeping. I felt comforted afterwards, beyond what I could have expected, and the promise has been present to my mind all through the day, " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee." The impossibility of her going to him, and the length of time before letters could be received, made this a very anxious time for our dear mother, but she was kept in quiet trust, and on the nth was greatly cheered by receiving a telegram reporting "good progress/' signed by her son-in-law, Dr. R. H. Thomas, thus showing that he was at Picton, ministering to our father's needs. AKT. 61. 247 When the longed-for letters did at last arrive, which was not till about the 2oth, they told how, in addition to the compound fracture of the arm, there had been serious injuries to the head and face, rendering him unconscious for some hours, and of the kindness of Dr. Bower- man and his wife, to whose house he had been conveyed, and where he was being tenderly nursed and cared for. The accident had been a "very serious one, and his progress towards recovery was very tedious, and it was not till nearly the end of the loth month that he was well enough to be moved to his daughter's home in Baltimore. His son William went over to join him there to help in the nursing, and to be ready to accompany him on the voyage home. On loth mo. 26th, after passing through much anxiety on account of our father's slow and suffering recovery, our mother writes : " Some of the accounts of my beloved husband have been very poor ones, but though feeling deeply at times, I have been kept from distrusting my gracious God and Saviour. Often, especially in the night season, when lying awake thinking of all the helplessness and suffering that my beloved husband is now passing through, and of all that is involved to us and to him in this dispensation, the consolations of Christ have so abounded in my soul that I have felt at seasons as if I could sing for joy." On nth mo. 3oth she writes: " After a quiet, restful day at home last First-day, I had a slight return of haemorrhage whilst retiring 248 1884-85. to rest, more than I have had since my severe attack. This has made me afresh feel the great uncertainty of life, that I may be called away at any moment. I earnestly desire to live each day as if it were to be my last, resting on the precious words, ' He loved me and gave Himself for me* By the advice of my kind physician, Dr. Wilson Fox, I am now keeping entirely to my bedroom and adjoining sitting-room for a few weeks, and am not allowed to engage in conversation. There is no feeling of illness, so that it is a time of great enjoyment in many ways perfect rest, which is very acceptable, the society and loving care of my dear children, and, more than all, a blessed sense of the presence of my dear Saviour, calming every anxious thought with the assurance that He knows and will provide for me, giving faith and patience and resig- nation according to my need. My prayer is that I may be kept from settling down in a state of ease or self-indulgence that I may be watchful to embrace every opportunity of doing good that I may maintain the warfare as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, remem- bering that Satan has his temptations suited for every state we can be brought into, and that to the very end the follower of the Lord Jesus must watch and pray, even until he shall be made more than conqueror through Him who hath loved him." It was not until the i8th of the I2th month that our father reached home, and even then he was still in a very weak and suffering state, and requiring constant care, but it was an unspeakable comfort to our mother to have him again by her side, and being now both of them much confined to the house, they spent the remainder of the AET. 61-62. 249 winter very quietly at home, greatly enjoying each other's society, a privilege which for many years they had only shared at rare intervals, owing to our mother's frequent absences on ac- count of her health and our father's long journeys on gospel service. In the third month they went together to Saint Leonards, and after about six weeks re- turned home much benefited. In the summer of 1885 she had the great pleasure of visits from several of her absent chil- dren, all of which she was well enough to enjoy, and, as shortly after the family became much more scattered, this was the last time when our father and mother had all their children together around them. The next few months brought many changes in the family circle, some of which had long been under consideration, while others came more unexpectedly upon her. The first to be noted was the marriage of her daughter Mary Caroline to Dr. Willis Norton Whitney, of Tokio, Japan, on the 2Qth of I2th month, 1885, and their departure early in 1886 for their distant home. The wide separation, and the very great uncer- tainty of ever seeing this beloved daughter again on earth, called forth our mother's tenderest feel- ings, whilst she felt happy in the belief that the union was of the Lord. Our parents also gave their consent about this time to a long cherished wish of their son 250 1886, George that he might devote his life to the Lord's- service in foreign mission work. In connection with these decisions she writes : " Some considerations of great importance have been before us during the last few weeks. May heavenly wisdom and guidance be graciously granted, for how little we know of ourselves what is best either for u& or for our dear children. I do most earnestly desire to be enabled to give up all, even the nearest and the- dearest to the Lord's disposal; but I often have to feel that although the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak." About this time, her son-in-law, George Henry Emmott, accepted a Professorship in the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. In looking forward to the separation which this decision involved our mother says : " I feel more than I can express,, in the thought of parting, but I trust we shall be helped according to our need. Often of late it has felt to me that I must lie still in the Everlasting Arms, whilst the waves and the billows pass over, and let the Lord accomplish His gracious purposes concerning us. I do not desire anything but that His will may be done." On the 2nd of the ist month, 1886, she parted from her daughter and her son-in-law, for their distant home in Japan, and on the 3ist she writes : "My thoughts have been almost constantly with them, and it has been sweet to commit them again and again to the Lord's care and keeping. Our dear George has been with us the last week ; very unexpectedly the way seems opening for him to go to- Japan as an Agent of the British and Foreign Bible AET.6 3 . 251 Society, and thus to give his life definitely, as he has so long wished to do, to the Lord's service in a foreign land. I believe we shall be helped to give up this dear son also, if it is the Lord's will to call for his service there, and to rejoice in the opportunity that will be thus given him of spreading the glad tidings of a Saviour's love. 2nd mo. 21, 1886. " Many letters and post cards from dear Willis and Carrie were received on Sixth and Seventh days. Very tenderly has the Lord cared for them in their long journey, and kept them from all harm, answering our prayers for them in a wonderful way. Their train passed over the line three hours after it had been cleared, five trains having been blocked up near Dodge City from falls of snow, and 1,000 people detained there for a week, and the train following theirs was again blocked. Then, when nearing San Francisco, with no hope of reaching in time for their steamer, which would have involved a delay of two weeks, they received a telegram that it would wait for them, which it did eight hours, and they were driven direct from the railway station to the wharf, embarking about midnight." 3rd mo. 2ist, 1886. "A busy week. My birthday, the 1 5th, was a time of renewal of covenant, and of thanksgiving and praise. Last week our dear George was appointed by the British and Foreign Bible Society as their Agent in Japan. He will have to leave England about the middle of next month. How many changes the last year has brought with it in our family circle, changes, I might almost say, not thought of a year ago. Through all, a quiet peace has been granted in the sense that these steps have been ordered of the Lord." 252 1886. About this time her eldest daughter, Martha, be- came engaged to George Samuel Baker, of Willesden, and the marriage took place within a few days of her son George's departure for Japan ; thus leaving the home at Camden Road very much stripped, only three of the once large circle of nine brothers and sisters being now left there. As her sons and daughters left her, our dear mother's sympathies seemed continually to widen, as her thoughts and her prayers followed each to their new home, and she sought to share in all the interests of their lives. The correspondence with all these absent ones now occupied a large portion of her time and strength, and very precious were the letters which she wrote, so full of loving sympathy and help, and full too of all the little items of home news so interesting to those at a distance. She had a regular day every week for writing to each of her absent children, and always made this a first engagement, so that, except in case of her illness, when she would delegate the duty to one of her daughters, a nice long letter, and one full of news, never failed to be written, and each absent child might look confidently forward to this weekly treat. And not only to her children, but to many others who shared her sympathy and interest would her pen often convey loving messages, so that it seemed to those who were much with her, as though in her seclusion from the more active labours of her earlier years, this ministry of comforting and helping others by her AET. 63. 253 letters, had been rather especially entrusted to her. We believe this was in answer to the earnest desire of her heart so often expressed in her journal that she might be continually on the watch to use every opportunity of service for her Lord and Saviour. The following is one amongst many extracts which show how such was her constant prayer : " Let me not in the midst of all my blessings grow lukewarm and indifferent ; but do Thou pour out afresh upon me of Thy Holy Spirit. Warm my heart with Thy love, that it may reach forth to those around me, shedding forth a heavenly influence upon all with whom I am brought into contact, and enable me con- tinually to watch and to pray for the prosperity of Zion, and for the extension of Thy Kingdom upon the earth." 254 CHAPTER XXI. 1886 J. B. Braithwaite's fifth visit to the United States in the autumn of '87 Stay at Bispham, serious illness there Her daughter Elizabeth and family leave for Baltimore Adelaide N. Whitney Visits from absent children Death of Isaac Braithwaite Famine in Japan. OUR mother's health continued pretty good during the rest of the year 1886, and she was able to enjoy paying visits to her married children in their own homes, and having them come to visit her. She also spent some time at Banbury, and in the summer was for about five weeks at Arnside. To her great comfort it was again thought that she might safely spend the winter at home, where she entered with her accustomed warmth and sym- pathy into all the interests that surrounded her, and, although mostly confined to the house, felt it a great privilege to be with her husband and children. In the spring she had a severe attack of bronchitis, and was nearly five weeks in her room, but later on she visited her daughters Martha and Elizabeth in their homes. AET. 63-64. 255 Our father was appointed during the Yearly Meeting as one of a deputation to attend a Conference of Yearly Meetings to be held at Richmond, Indiana, to consider the state of the Society generally. Our mother says in reference to it : " I feel strongly that my dear husband's physical strength is not equal to the strain of such a journey; l)ut, as he feels it his duty to go, I desire to resign him to the will of the Lord, and to give him up for the service. It is a great comfort to me that my dear brother* is also going, as he will, I know, kindly care for him in many ways." She had another parting to pass through this autumn, as the time had come for her daughter Elizabeth and her children to go to their new home in Baltimore, where her son-in-law, G. H. Emmott, had already spent one winter as Pro- fessor in the Johns Hopkins University. On 9th mo. 3rd, 1887, she writes : "Yesterday I parted with my dearly beloved husband for another journey to America in the service of Christ. We had a few sweet minutes of prayer together with our dear children just before we separated, and felt that we could commit each other to the Lord's care and keeping. We are all intending to go to lodgings at Bispham on Second-day, to be near dear Elizabeth and her children." loth mo. 4th, at Banbury. " We were favoured to reach Bispham safely on the 5th of last month. The * Her brother, George Giilett, who was one of the deputation. 256 1887. day after our arrival, I had scarcely reached my bed- room in the evening 1 , before a rather severe attack of haemorrhage from the lungs suddenly came on. No doctor was near at hand, and I knew it was almost useless to try to get one, for the night was dark and the distance considerable. I was favoured, however, to feel very calm and quiet, with a sweet assurance that, through unmerited mercy, should the Lord then be pleased to take me to Himself, all would be well. This feeling was not at my command, and, I believe, was graciously given in this hour of need for my com- fort and support. I was not off my bed for a week, and only out of my room a few times before coming" here, which we did a week ago last Seventh-day My chamber seemed made as a little Bethel to me, and there I enjoyed the society at intervals of our dear children and daily visits from dear Elizabeth. She left with her three sweet children and her dear husband for America on the 2ist. I was graciously helped through the parting with these tenderly beloved ones, and now have had the comforting information that they reached New York after a ' splendid voyage.' I have also good accounts of my beloved husband, and much cause for thankfulness." She continued deeply to feel the separation from her children in Japan, but after speaking of the blank which their absence caused, she says, " I believe I can in all sincerity say, 'Thy will, O Lord, be done,' and I do joy in their joy in the unspeakably blessed service of seeking to win souls for Christ in that land of heathen darkness." Her husband returned home safely in the I2th month from his American journey. On the last day of this year our mother writes : AET. 64-66. 257 i2th mo. Jist, 1887. "The year closes under renewed feelings of thankfulness and praise. What, O Lord, can I render unto Thee, for all Thy benefits. Thou hast been with me in heights and in depths. Thou hast crowned me with Thy loving kindness and tender mercy. I am unworthy, utterly unworthy. I feel that I have no other plea but that of ' Be Thou merciful to me a sinner.' ' During this year Adelaide N. Whitney, youngest sister of her son-in-law, Dr. Whitney, had been an inmate of the family, it having seemed desirable that she should come to England to complete her education. Throughout her stay our mother lovingly cared for and entered into all her interests as if she had been a daughter. Indeed to the end of life she continued this warm interest. A. N. Whitney returned to Japan with a heart full of love to her Saviour and anxious to do her part in telling others of the full and free salvation to be found in Him. In the summer of 1889, Dr. R. H. and Anna B. Thomas paid another visit home with their little girl, which our mother writes of in prospect as a very great pleasure. They arrived in time to attend the London Yearly Meeting, and towards the end of the seventh month another joy was given in the safe arrival from Japan of Dr. Willis and Mary C. Whitney with their three baby boys. It had been a great undertaking to bring them all such a long journey, and none of them were very strong, but the sea air had already done 18 250 1889. them good, and the loving welcome, with the care and comforts jof home, soon made them forget the discomforts of the way. It was a great enjoyment to our dear mother thus to have once more so many of her children round her, and the grand- children, too, were an added pleasure, as she always dearly loved little children, and they never seemed to tire her. They arranged to spend some weeks at Seaton, in Devonshire, from which place our mother writes : First-day, 8th mo. i8th, 1889. "We all came here together last Fourth-day week, a party of twelve, besides the four children, and we had planned for dear Joseph and Annie to come over from Burnham and be with us part of this week. On Second-day, the i2th, we were all looking forward, especially dear Willis and Carrie, to the joyful meeting, when we received a telegram to inform us that dear Joseph had met with a serious tricycle accident on his way hither, and asking Richard to go to him immediately. So he and Anna went by the next train and are still with them. The accident happened near the village of Thurloxton, a few miles from Taunton. The two doctors who were sent for at first thought dear J. would not rally. He has continued very ill ever since ; but through the lovingkindness of the Lord the accounts yesterday and to-day are better, and there is every reason to believe that he will fully recover, though the doctors expect his convalescence to be slow. Sustaining grace has been mercifully granted during this time of anxiety, and some ability to say, 'Thy will, O Lord, and not ours be done.' AET. 66. 259 "The scenery around us is very beautiful, and our stay here is affording 1 us the opportunity for much quiet enjoyment of each other's company. We have held a Friends' Meeting each First-day in the Mission Room belonging to the Congregational Chapel, kindly lent for the purpose. Seven beside ourselves attended last First-day, and nineteen to-day. Both these meet- ings were felt to be times of blessing. Richard and Willis held a Children's Meeting on the beach last First-day afternoon, and Willis has held one to-day, both of them largely attended. Notice is given for another next Fourth-day afternoon, if the weather is suitable. Be pleased, O Lord, to crown all with Thy blessing." 8th mo. 24th, 1889. "We have just received a telegram to inform us that dear Joseph has been safely moved to his house in Burnham. He was placed on a bed in a waggonette and driven very rapidly, according to the physician's orders. He is improving slowly." 8th mo. 27th. " We are intending to return home to-morrow, nothing unforeseen preventing. This is the 38th anniversary of our wedding day. They have been years crowned with the goodness and the lovingkind- ness of the Lord, and still His mercies abound towards us. May there be increased dedication to His service, more love to Him who hath loved us and given Him- self for us. It is delightful having our dear children and grandchildren around us, and we are looking to spending to-day at Sidmouth together, a place hallowed in our remembrance, as it was there we were first permitted to enjoy one another's companionship and love." 260 I88g . They spent about three weeks together after their return to London, and then the happy family party broke up, Dr. R. H. and Anna B. Thomas with their little girl having to return to Baltimore, and a few weeks later Dr. and Mary C. Whitney, with their children and Adelaide N. Whitney, started homewards. Our mother writes on parting with them : loth mo. 2$h, 1889. "We have had a very sweet visit from them, one that we shall look back upon with comfort through the remainder of our lives. May the Lord continue to strengthen them for all the ser- vice in which they are engaged in the far-off island of Japan, and may there be much fruit to His praise and glory." The twin babies were both taken to the heavenly home before the long journey was accomplished, and our mother writes again : " Our hearts go out to our dear children in tenderest sympathy in this great trial, but the Lord in whom they trust, has, I cannot doubt, sustained and comforted them through all, and kept them in the embrace of His love. What He doeth, we know not now, but we shall know hereafter then all will be made plain, and we shall see that He has led us by a right way to that glorious home prepared for us in Heaven. Little Isaac was just eleven months old, his little brother John, who was taken before him, eight months and one week, now both are safe with their Saviour for ever, and for them our hearts rejoice, while for ourselves we mourn." " . . . O Lord, be pleased to sanctify to them (the parents) and to us this trial, let it bring us AET. 66. 26l nearer unto Thee and prepare us still more to comfort others with the comfort wherewith we ourselves have been comforted of Thee." The death of these two sweet babies, who had entwined themselves so closely around her heart, was the first and the only break which occurred in her lifetime amongst her children and grandchildren, although advancing years had continually taken one and another from the circle of our father's and mother's brothers and sisters and older relatives. Our father's brother Robert, his twin sister Caroline Savory, more recently his brother Foster, and this winter his eldest brother Isaac, had all passed away from earth, the latter on the 26th of ist month, 1890. Referring to his death our mother says : "My dear husband deeply feels the loss of this tenderly beloved brother, to whom he has been accus- tomed all his life to look up, for counsel and advice. As those we had loved are taken from us may we be drawn nearer to Thee our God and Saviour. Thou art ever with us, alway, even unto the end." As soon as her son Joseph was sufficiently recovered, he was advised to take a long voyage before going back to business. He came to see her before leaving, and then sailed with his wife on the ist of the loth month for the Cape, expecting to be absent six or seven weeks. Our mother had had a good deal of bronchial cold all through the summer, and it was thought safer for her not to spend the winter in London, 262 jsgcx so in the nth month she went with one of her daughters to Saint Leonards. The climate suited her, and it was near enough to London for her husband and other children to be often able to come and spend a few days with her. Her thoughts were much with her absent children, her eldest son and his wife now on the water, and especially Dr. and M. C. Whitney on their long journey to Japan and in the time of sickness and sorrow through which they were passing ; and we see from the entries in her journal how constantly her sympathy and prayers followed each one. She returned home in the spring very much better for the winter's sojourn in a warmer climate, and, for the first time since her illness commenced, was able to stay in London during the Yearly Meeting, and to attend some of the sittings. Her sympathies were much aroused for the sufferers from the famine in Japan, the distress being so great that many were reduced to eating grass. She went herself to see the Japanese Ambassador, and made an effort to have a fund opened at the Mansion House for their relief ; but, failing in this, she did what she could privately to interest her friends and neighbours for them, and was instru- mental in collecting a considerable amount, which was sent to Dr. Whitney, who purchased food and distributed it among the most needy, many hundreds being thus relieved. AET. 67. 263 CHAPTER XXII. Visit to Scotland with her husband and daughter Rachel in autumn of 1890 Visits to Kendal and More- cambe Isaac Sharp starts on his long journey Serious illness in 1892 Stay at Hastings Death of C. LI. Braithwaite Mission Hall at Philippopolis Visit of G. H. and E. B. Emmott in summer of 1893, and of her son George Death of George Gillett Death of Alfred Gillett. IN the summer of 1890 she was engaged upon the last public service amongst Friends which she undertook. It is thus recorded in her journal on yth mo. 26th, 1890 : "At our last Monthly Meeting my dear husband was cordially liberated to attend the General Meeting to be held at Aberdeen next month, and to visit the other meetings of Friends in Scotland. I hope to be able to join him in some part of the service, if my health continues better, but I felt under my present circumstances it was better for me to go without a minute, though it was mentioned at the Monthly Meeting, as I wished my friends at home to bear me on their hearts in prayer. Dear Rachel will, I expect, go with us." 264 1890. After being so long an invalid, it seemed wonderful that , our mother could think of undertaking a journey which involved so much fatigue, and many fears were felt on her account, but strength was given beyond all our expecta- tions, so that in concluding this service she writes: " In looking back over this journey my heart is filled with praise for the help that has been given, and for the large measure of health which I have been permitted to enjoy, so that I am fully as well, if not better, than when I came, and my dear husband also is, I think, stronger. ' Bless the Lord, O my soul.' ' This was her first and last visit to Scotland. Our mother herself writes from Edinburgh : "9th mo. ist, 1890. "We are leaving Edinburgh this morning for Hawick, Carlisle, and Kendal, with peaceful minds, very thankful that we have been en- abled to accomplish our little service in Scotland, though often under a sense of abounding weakness. The meetings in Scotland are small with the exception of Glasgow Meeting, but there is in each meeting an earnest desire that the truth as it is in Jesus may be upheld and maintained, and I cannot but believe that the Lord will not forsake them, but will arise for their help, and as they are faithful, increase the number of those who shall be witnesses for Him in this land. We visited an interesting company of people at Ardrossan, drawing towards "Friends," but not yet members. Scotland will now .hold a place of much interest in my thoughts through the remainder of life's journey. There are those there with whom AET. 67. 265 it is a privilege to feel sweet fellowship in the love of the Gospel." After leaving Scotland they went to Kendal, where our mother writes : 9th mo. 7th, First-day. "A sweet and memorable meeting here this morning to my comfort. Our dear brother and sister (Charles Lloyd and Susanna Braithwaite) are nicely for them, but feeble. It is very sweet to be with them once more in this favoured home, with its lovely garden and extensive beautiful view. Yesterday we had a great treat in going to Ulleswater for the day. It was a beautiful day, after much wet weather. The grand mountains rose around us in all their splendour and seemed to speak forth their Creator's praise. Well might the Psalmist exclaim, 'All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord, and Thy saints shall bless Thee.' " They afterwards spent a week at Morecambe, and on returning home enjoyed a visit from Isaac Sharp, who in his eighty-fifth year was about enter- ing on the long journey to France, Constantinople, Syria, India, Japan, and the northern continent of America, for which he had been liberated at the last Yearly Meeting. Our mother says : " Our beloved friend will, I believe, be borne on our hearts in loving remembrance. May the Lord sustain, preserve and strengthen him, and if we never meet again on earth may we meet in heaven to unite in the pure and perfect service of the redeemed. We shall miss his frequent visits and the influence of his holy, cheerful life. I count 266 1890-92. it amongst our privileges to have known and loved him." She did not stay long in London, but went to Banbury to escape the November fogs, and stayed there through the winter. It was a great pleasure to her to stay so long in her old home, hallowed by so many associations with dear ones who had gone before. One or more of her children were with her all the time, and her husband also came down quite frequently, so that the winter passed pleasantly amid much family enjoyment, and in the second month of 1891 she returned home. She had quite looked forward to again attending some part of the Yearly Meeting, and they had many visitors, when our father failed with a severe attack of the then very prevalent influenza, and a few days afterwards she was also laid aside with the same complaint. With our mother it soon turned to bronchitis, and they were both very ill, and upstairs for many weeks. As soon as they were well enough to bear the journey, they went to Burnham, in Somersetshire, for about five weeks, returning home with greatly improved health. She spent the following winter in London, but in the spring of 1892 she was again prostrated by a severe attack of illness, on recover- ing from which she writes : 5th mo. i5th, 1892. "To-morrow it is eight weeks since the commencement of the serious illness (congestion of the lungs) from which I am now slowly but steadily recovering. It has been a time of much AET. 67-69. 267 sweet enjoyment in communion with my God and Saviour. He has supplied all my need and through His great mercy kept my soul in peace and in sub- mission to His will." First-day, 5th mo. 2gth. " I came to Burnham on the i;th to our dear Joseph's comfortable sea-side home, and have been steadily gaining strength since. I had felt in my late illness several times so near to my heavenly home that it seems strange to take up again the duties and responsibilities of the earthly stewardship. The longing of my soul is that I may be faithful to the end, and that all the Lord's purposes concerning me may be accomplished." 8th mo. 28th, 1892. " Yesterday was the forty-first anniversary of our wedding day renewing many sweet recollections of the past. Truly not one thing has failed of all that the Lord promised us. Ours has been an inexpressibly happy union, and to have been spared to each other so long is not the least cause for praise. Now the shades of evening are gathering, both around me and my dear husband, and we are looking forward to the home prepared for us through infinite mercy in the better land that land which needeth not the light of the sun nor of the moon to shine in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the light thereof. As I write, fresh desires arise in my heart that we may be kept faithful in old age, and that the evening of our day may shed a heavenly radiance on all around us, showing forth more than words can do, the love, the mercy, and the faithfulness of our covenant-keeping God and Saviour, who has been all along our strength, and our stay, our All in AII." 268 I893 . During the whole of this year our mother never fully recovered from the illness which she had in the spring, and it was thought prudent that she should leave London early in the winter for the Southern coast, where she spent nearly four months at Hastings. Early in 1893, she had another attack of haemorrhage, and was very poorly for some weeks. It was during this time that her husband's only surviving brother, Charles LI. Braithwaite, of Kendal, entered into his heavenly rest. Our mother returned home in the third month, but continued very poorly all the spring, yet, although so much of an invalid, she was still busy working for the cause she loved. On 5th mo. I7th, when still very much con- fined to her room, she writes : "With a heart full of thanksgiving and praise, I have now to record the completion to-day of the col- lection for the Mission Hall and Schoolroom at Philippopolis, South Bulgaria. ^100 came from a dear aged friend, John Horniman, last evening, and $ from another friend this morning. I feel that it has been a gracious answer to my prayers. May the Hall be ever used for the Lord's glory, and to Him be all the praise. It lifts a great weight off my heart to have all paid for. The building has cost altogether ji,ioo, ^200 of which has been given in material or labour by the people themselves. It was much needed. There is a great and good work going on there, con- ducted by our friend, Elizabeth B. Tonjoroff. She gives up her time and strength gratuitously to the Lord's service." AET. 70. 269 Our mother had first become acquainted with Elizabeth B. Tonjoroif in 1878, and ever since had taken a deep interest in the work carried on by her and her husband in Bulgaria. They usually stayed at her house whenever they were in London. The work as at present carried on (1896) consists of a Medical Mission, Gospel Meetings, and work amongst prisoners and amongst women. It is now under the care of a committee of English Friends. Her daughter Elizabeth, with her husband and five children, spent the summer of 1893 in Eng- land. Her son-in-law, G. H. Emmott, had been over every year and paid them a short visit, but she had not seen her daughter or the children for six years, and the two youngest had been born since they went to Baltimore. She was better than usual through the summer and able to enjoy having them all round her. Her son George also was to have a six months' holiday this summer to come to England, but he was detained some time by poor health, first before starting and then again on his way across the American continent, so that he did not arrive till the 8th month. After her daughter Elizabeth and her children had left London to visit their re- latives in the north, she went to spend several weeks at Pensarn in North Wales, her son George being also with them, to her great com- fort. His health steadily improved, and her daughter came over and spent one day with 2 7 1893. them just before sailing, which was a time of great mutual enjoyment and blessing. Her son George stayed with them till the following spring. These visits from her absent children were very much prized, feeling as she did the great uncertainty of life and the probability that each re-union might prove to be the last on earth. A very great and unexpected sorrow was now in store for her in the death of her dearly loved brother, George Gillett. He had been in poor health for some time, the result, as it was thought, of overwork ; and some months of entire rest had been prescribed for him. He had therefore gone with his wife to Banbury, in the hope that the perfect quiet and freedom from care which he could enjoy there might be the means of restoring him to health. But it was ordered otherwise, and on nth month 24th, 1893, he was called home. Our mother writes : "This morning about 9.30, my very dear brother, George Gillett, passed peacefully away to his heavenly rest, aged 56 years. He died at the dear home at Banbury, after a week of increased illness. It is an irreparable loss, humanly speaking, and one which we cannot yet fully realise. Living, as he did, next door to us for so many years, we have been very closely united. But we know that our exceeding loss is his exceeding, everlasting" gain, through redeeming love 'and mercy, and dearly as we loved him, we could not wish to recall him here ; a sense of his perfect happiness in the presence of his God and Saviour calms my soul and helps me to bow in humble sub- mission to the divine will." AET.7L 27 1 Referring to his removal a little later, she says : " I have seemed to live very near to the eternal world in the loss we have sustained in the death of my dear brother, and in the removal of others whom we have known and loved. Work in me, O Lord, an increasing meetness to join Thy redeemed in heaven. Thou knowest how sinful, how utterly unworthy I am, but Thou hast all power to finish the work which Thou hast begun, and through the atoning sacrifice of my precious Saviour, I believe that I shall be accepted and shall be permitted to serve and to praise Thee for evermore." Before a year had gone another dear brother .was called from earth to heaven, the summons being even more sudden in his case, as he was taken after only a very few days' illness. Our mother says : 8th mo. 3oth, 1894. " Yesterday we heard of the illness of my dear brother Alfred, to-day that he has been taken home. He passed away very peacefully, his last words being, ' God bless you all ' ' Good- bye.' " Our mother adds : "It is an almost overwhelming blow to have this dearly beloved brother taken from us so suddenly, but I am permitted to feel a sweet, calm assurance that, through the love of God our Saviour, all is for ever well." She often loved to dwell on the memory of these and other dear ones who had gone before, and the time was drawing very near when she, 272 18*. too, was to join them. " O how glorious will be the meeting/' she says in . one place, "with loved ones gone before, parents, brothers, sisters, friends all the Lord's children who have loved and served Him upon earth, out of every nation and kindred, and tongue, and people. They all sing the sweet song, ' Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wis- dom . and strength and honour and glory and blessing. Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.' May it be ours through redeeming love and mercy again to meet and commune together in the Home above, uniting in the pure and perfect services of joy and praise." But we have a little anticipated, and must go back to the spring of 1894. AHT. 71. 2 73 CHAPTER XXIII. Stay at Clevedon R. H. and Anna B. Thomas pay a religious visit to England Yearly Meeting of 1894 Visits to Willesden and Shanklin To Banbury Winter at home Birth of her eighteenth grandchild, and prospect of visit from Dr. and M. C. Whitney Extracts from letters to her grandchildren Illness in Spring of 1895 Her last day on earth The call Home The funeral The Message of her Life. OUR dear mother was now looking forward to another visit from Dr. Richard and Anna B. Thomas, who were coming over from Baltimore with a minute for religious service in Dublin and London Yearly Meetings, and were bringing their daughter also, as they expected to be away from home for a considerable time. Before they arrived, however, she went for a few weeks' change to Clevedon, where she writes: 5th mo. 6th, 1894. " Dear Rachel and I have much enjoyed our stay here, and the lovely country is so photographed on my mind that it will often be a delight mentally to look at it. Just now it is in perfection : the lovely fresh green of spring, and the many flowering shrubs and trees in full blossom, with 19 274 1894. the view of the sea and hills beyond, make it almost seem like a little paradise upon earth." "If thus Thy bounty gilds the span, Of ruined earth and sinful man, How glorious must those mansions be, Where Thy redeemed shall dwell with Thee." She returned home with renewed health and was able to enter more fully than she had done for many years into the interests of this, which was to be her last Yearly Meeting. She attended several of the business sessions and greatly enjoyed having her son-in-law and daughter Anna with her, and also the company of several other friends and relatives. A little later in the summer a few weeks were spent at Shanklin, in the Isle of Wight, where our mother writes on the 27th of 8th mo. : " We are here in this sweet spot enjoying its many beauties. To-day we have been a drive to Bonchurch and Ventnor, some of our party walking leisurely through the Landslip. It is the forty- third anniversary of our wedding day. The years that are past have been crowned with mercies, more than can be numbered. I have been comforted in remembering that the pillar of cloud and of fire which guided the Israelites in" their journey through the wilderness, and in which the Lord was with them, as their Guide, their Light, and their Protector, departed not from them till they had safely reached the promised land : so the Lord my God will not, I believe, leave me nor forsake me till through His redeeming love in Christ Jesus, He has brought me safely to that glorious home, which He has prepared for His children in heaven." AET. 71. 275 Later in the summer she was at Banbury for some weeks and on returning home was pleased to find that her doctor was willing for her to remain at home during the winter. Our father was just entering upon visits to the families of Friends in Westminster and Longford Monthly Meeting, and it was a great comfort to her to be at home, and to do what she could to encourage him in his labours. " I desire," she writes, " to be enabled to hold up his hands by sympathy and prayer." Her daughter Rachel's work in the Anti-Opium cause was also very near her heart, and in this as in so many other interests she was an ever-ready and sympathizing counsellor and friend. On the 3oth of the nth month she heard that her daughter in Japan had had a little girl, and about the same time the glad news came that she and her husband and four children hoped to come to England for a long visit the following spring. In connection with the birth of this little grandchild our mother writes : "We have now eighteen dear grandchildren upon earth and two in heaven. May their names each one be written in the Lamb's book of life, and may their lives be to Thy praise and glory, O Lord." Her grandchildren had become year by year an increasing source of pleasure to her. She delighted to have them with her whenever it was possible to do so, and never failed to remember the 276 1894 . birthday of each as the time came round. The following extracts from letters written to some of them, when very little, show how well she was able to enter into their interests and to put herself, as it were, on their level, in talking or writing to them. To her little grandson, G. B. Emmott, on his third birthday : "My darling Bevan, " This tiny letter will, I hope, get to America in time for thy birthday. It will have to travel in a large steamer across the Atlantic Ocean, that very large sea thou came over with father and mother and sisters, and then it must go by the "puff-puff" to Baltimore, and then the postman will perhaps say, ' Here is a letter for a little boy, George Bevan Emmott, we must look for him in the nursery.' And such a nice nursery dear grandfather tells me you have in your new home. I wish I could peep in and see you all. I am glad to hear thou has been to meeting with dear mother and was such a good little boy. I send thee many kisses and pray the Lord may bless thee and make thee a blessing. " Thy affectionate grandmother, " MARTHA BRAITHWAITE." To her grand-daughter, Mary K. Emmott, aged five and a half from Burnham : " My precious little Mary, " I am very much obliged for thy nice letter. I do want to see thee again very much and hope thou wilt come to England again some day with dear father and mother, and then thou must show me all the beautiful shells thou hast picked up at Nantucket, and AET.7I. 2 77 perhaps we can find the names of them and arrange them in thy little cabinet. I am very sorry dear Elsie is so poorly again. Thou must lend her some of thy toys, and do all thou can to comfort her, and we must ask Heavenly Father to make her better. I expect Bevan likes to have his spade and dig in the sand. Freddy and John are very busy every day with their spades, and their papa helps them to make tunnels and bridges and sea- side gardens, and then there are donkeys here, which they like to ride. How nice it would be if you could all play together. I thought thy letter was very nicely written for such a little girl. Now I must say farewell, and with very much love, I am " Thy fondly affectionate grandmother, " MARTHA BRAITHWAITE." But above all she strove to lead them to love and trust their dear Saviour, talking to them in simple earnest words of His love and His willingness to help them. The following extract is from a letter to one of her grandsons, aged eight years : " I think of thee very, very often as a dear little boy, earnestly striving to do the will of Thy Heavenly Father, and to live as one of His own dear children, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. If thou thus strives day by day, God will help thee to overcome, and every time thou art enabled to do right it will make it easier for thee the next time. Do not try and fight against Satan in thy own strength, but look to thy dear Saviour, who will overcome for thee. Often pray for His help and blessing, and may He Himself lead thee into the green pastures of life, and make thee to lie down beside the still waters." 27 1895- The following, dictated a little more than a week before her death, may also be taken as an illustration of the sweet little messages which she so often sent them : 3rd mo. i8th, 1895. " I like the text which thou hast chosen for me, dear Sarah, "God is our Refuge." In all our times of trouble and distress, let us ever go to fiim and He will be a Refuge for us, "a very present Help in trouble" I have found Him to be so to me for more than seventy years. "Thy loving grandmother." She was as well as usual and entering into all the busy life around with her wonderful brightness and loving interest until the i8th of 2nd month, 1895. Then she became poorly with an attack of shingles, which proved very severe. It was very painful, and though she tried to keep about downstairs, it was found in three or four days to be too great an effort, and she was per- suaded to remain in her bedroom and little sitting-room adjoining it. In the lovingkindness of the Lord our dear aunt from Banbury was unexpectedly brought to London a few days after the illness began, and rinding that the friend she had come to nurse did not need her for long, she stayed to be with our mother. There was no idea then of the probability of a fatal termination to the illness, and no time occurred at all before the end when sufficient anxiety was felt to have sent for our Aunt, so we were the more thankful that it was so ordered. The AET. 72. 279 almost constant pain and extreme discomfort deprived our dear mother of sleep, even during the night, for just about four weeks. She was very patient all through, very grateful for every- thing which was done for her, and still lovingly thoughtful for others, caring more that the work for the extension of Christ's kingdom in various ways and for His Church should be done, than that she should be thought of. She and all at home were looking forward with great pleasure to the arrival of the dear ones from Japan, who were already on their way home, coming by steamer from Yokohama to Southampton. Every day was bringing them nearer and she hoped to welcome them early in the 4th month. She had the little map of their voyage beside her every day, and was planning many things for their comfort. But the earthly meeting was not to be. The doctor said he thought the attack, which had been one of unwonted severity, was passing off well, and he, with those at home, looked forward to a gradual but steady increase of strength ; but the neuralgic pains which followed were so extremely severe, and left such great weakness, that another doctor was called in. He assured those around her that there was every cause to expect a good recovery, but that it would take time. So the days passed on : our mother was partly dressed every day all through the illness, finding it easier to be up than in bed. On the 25th she was for some time in her little sitting-room^ 280 1895 . very frail, but still trying to do a little. The 26th, her last day on earth, was an especially bright and peaceful one. One of her daughters says : " She had a quiet, happy day, and much enjoyed talking about Carrie and the children, and planning how everything should be arranged for them. She said that she wanted to have a black toy donkey bought for the children to play with, with panniers on his back, and a train they would be sure to want to play at trains and there must be a bell got to ring for a signal. Several other things she mentioned which have been very touching and yet very sweet to attend to for her since." Whilst she was having her early tea our father came in from a family visit he had been paying and sat with her for a little while. She was much interested in hear- ing about it, and then, it being their eldest daughter's birthday, they talked together of the years which had passed since she had been given to them, and of their many blessings. Of this our father wrote : "After reading a short portion of Scripture, I con- cluded with a few words of prayer and thanksgiving. So ended our hallowed communion of nearly forty-four years, both thy dear mother and myself being merci- fully spared the pang of knowing that these were the last moments of entire consciousness we should be permitted to enjoy together upon earth." Our mother slept very little during the night, and as usual since the illness began sat up for AET. 72. 28l an hour or more several times. She appeared to sleep quietly between five and six o'clock, and then roused, saying she would like to get up and have some food. Whilst helping her to her chair her daughter noticed how increasingly feeble she seemed, and the rest of the household were quickly called. But unconsciousness had already set in, the earthly service was accomplished, and the Master was calling her into His own imme- diate presence. She had u w r alked with God," and she " was not ; for God took her." No last words were needed to complete the testimony of a life lived as hers had been by faith in the Son of God. She knew in whom she had believed. One of the very last entries in her journal so beautifully expresses her faith and hope that it may be appropriately quoted here : " It is a great comfort to know that for every trial through which the Lord may be pleased to lead me, He has prepared the needed grace and strength. So there need be on my part no anxious care. I may rest in His covenant of love and mercy. ' The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me,' and to Him I desire afresh to, commit my all, and to praise His great and glorious name for His redeeming love to me in Christ my Saviour. ' Soon shall my eyes behold Thee, With rapture face to face, One half hath not been told me Of all Thy power and grace. 282 I89S . Thy beauty, Lord, and glory, The wonders of Thy love Shall be the wondrous story Of all Thy saints above.' Prepare me, O Lord, I beseech Thee, to join in that everlasting" song of praise." The funeral took place at the Friend's burying ground" at Winchmore Hill, a beautiful and quiet spot, and there on the afternoon of Third-day, 4th mo. 2nd, 1895, a large company of relatives and friends gathered to see her remains laid in their last earthly resting place. Our father writing to one of his absent children says : "As we stood around the grave the silence was deep and impressive. Standing there I was constrained and enabled to say, ' How can we enough praise our Father in heaven for the revelation of His redeeming mercy and love in the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom He hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, enabling them that believe on Him to say in the humble confidence of His dear children, "Thanks be unto God who hath given the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." A sweet pause followed ; several other voices were heard, and we retired into the Meeting House, which was quite full, while many stood around the door." It was a solemn meeting, in which Christ was lifted up as the only Saviour from sin : the One through whom she had become what she was, and had now entered into His immediate AET. 72. 283 presence, and all were earnestly invited to come and find rest in the same precious Saviour. In the evening a large company of the immediate relatives and friends met at the house, when they had, as one present expressed it, a "very, very sweet time." A short sketch of her life was read, and this was followed by many testimonies to the power of Christ as shown in her life and conversation, by thanksgiving for her consecrated service, and by prayer for grace that those present might be enabled to follow her as she had followed Christ. Perhaps we cannot better close this little sketch than by quoting the words of her son-in- law, Dr. R. H. Thomas, on this occasion, seeming, as they do, to sum up much of what was then said, and to express clearly and briefly the lesson which we desire that each one who reads this little volume may learn from her life. "How reverend in our midst she stood, Or knelt in grateful praise ! What charm of Christian womanhood, Was in her household ways ! For still her daily living meant No duty left undone ; The heavenly and the human blent Their kindred loves in one. The dear Lord's best interpreters Are loving human souls ; The Gospel of a life like hers, Is more than books or scrolls." 284 "It seems to me as I think over that life that the message that comes to me is it is not so much what we do as what we are. What we do, what we seem to accomplish, that which we lay the most weight upon in regard to our service, is by no means always the most important. At this time, what the work of the Lord needs is, I believe, not so much defence, not so much activity, although both have their place, but it is the revelation of Jesus Christ ; that each one of us should recognise, as I believe she did, that it is for us to be one of the revealers, one of the unveilers of Jesus Christ to those about us ; and those who see Jesus not only as we read of Him, those who see Jesus our Lord manifested forth in our life, in conversation, in the home, in the unselfishness as well as in the clear word of testimony, cannot, some of them at least, but come to know Him. We need have Jesus in our hearts, to recognise that He is here and that now He is a living power. I believe that the great blessing of her life consisted chiefly in this, which gave power and meaning and force to her ser- vice. No one could live with her without recognising, not only that Jesus seemed a reality to her, but that He was a reality to her; and His reality to her, became through her a reality to others." APPENDIX. A MOTHER'S HINTS ON THE EDUCATION OF HER CHILDREN. HAVING thought much of late on the best course to pursue in the right training and government of our precious children, I here oifer to those who may be similarly circumstanced the few gleanings which I have collected, chiefly from Louisa Hoare's little tract, "Friendly Advice to Parents," interspersed with a few of my own thoughts, with the fervent desire and prayer that the Lord may condescend to add His blessing, and to strengthen those who may be parents in humble dependence on His all-sufficient help, so as to train up their beloved children that they may be fitted to glorify Him in that sphere of usefulness and of service which may be allotted them upon earth, and may be prepared to serve and praise Him for ever in Heaven. M. BRAITHWAITE. It is an important truth, bearing equally upon all the duties of life, that in the present world we are in a state of probation, preparatory to a better and more enduring condition hereafter. Every event that befalls us, every relationship of life is intended and, when rightly received, is calculated to exercise some Christian grace, to call 286 forth and improve some right affection, and thus through the aid and power of Divine grace in the soul to perfect the Christian character, and to render us fit for the enjoyment of the heavenly state in the world to come. Both calms and storms are designed to bring us to this harbour ; if we take them but for themselves and for this present life we lose their end, life, and sweetness. " Every dispensation of God, every day's mercies and changes, look at heaven and intend eternity." May we who are parents be led to this view of our own situation and duties. We are brought into the closest relationships of human life. Let us not look upon these relationships as they regard the present world only, but as a means of preparing us for a better. It should be one of our highest duties to endeavour to do good to our children, but we must not forget that it is intended that they also should do us good, that they are designed to be the means of calling forth our tenderest affections, of enlarging our Christian love, of exercising our patience, forbearance, longsuffering, submission to the Divine will, and holy confidence in God. By such improvement of our own character we shall best be able to improve and correct that of our children, and to help them forward in their Christian course. But let us never forget that we cannot in our own strength discharge our duties to these precious objects of our love with accept- ance in the Divine sight. We must be daily engaged to seek health and strength from above if we would know the blessing of the Lord to rest upon our labours ; our hearts must be often poured out in prayer before Him who knoweth our need, who is able to help availingly and enrich us with heavenly wisdom, whereby we may be enabled to train up our dear children in His fear, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In this 2 8 7 dependence on Divine aid we shall be enabled to set that example of a humble Christian which so beautifully enforces the pure precepts of the Gospel. Our own minds will be seasoned with grace, and our labours will be made effectual as they are carried on and blessed by the power of the Spirit of Christ. In ruling- our families, we should find our ignorance instructed and our weakness assisted were we more constantly to keep in mind the manner in which we ourselves are dealt with by our Heavenly Parent. God is a God, just and hating iniquity, visiting transgression, and that taketh account of sin : and shall we make light of that which God hateth ? Shall we, from a blind affection to our children, venture to call their evil good and to pass over those transgressions which it is our bounden duty to resist to the utmost. But while God is just, it is also declared that He is love. He is a God of patience, longsuffering, and of tender mercy, not willing the death of any sinner, but ready to receive the weakest and most erring of His children, who repent and turn to Him : and shall we be angry and impatient at every trifling offence, ready to con- demn and punish, backward in exercising that long- suffering and forgiveness that we so much need our- selves. Further, God dealeth bountifully with us, daily loading us with benefits, giving us all things richly to enjoy. He openeth His hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing. So let our children find us ever ready to promote their happiness, and to grant them every innocent enjoyment, but at the same time firm in resisting their unreasonable desires, and in with- drawing what we know would be hurtful to them. If we thus bear in mind the Divine example, and endeavour to conduct ourselves towards our children according to 288 the spirit and precepts of the Gospel, we may humbly trust that we may be made the means of preparing- the way for the Divine government in their hearts, and that their affection and respect to ourselves will lead on to the exercise of love and reverence towards their Heavenly Parent. We can scarcely begin too early the great work of subduing the will and temper of our children ; for if we once allow them to get the mastery over us, it will be very difficult to recover our authority. We must be resolute and firm, but at the same time calm and gentle and affectionate, and, having maturely weighed the injunctions we find it necessary to impose, we must not suffer them to be disregarded or dis- obeyed. When true parental love, regulated by the love of Christ abiding in the heart, is thus exercised, it often produces obedience and corresponding love in the child. It is not by humouring our children and giving them everything they ask for or desire that we shall make them happy, but by early accustoming them to habits of self-restraint and filial obedience. Every child has by nature a strong and selfish will, which, if not subdued, may prove his ruin, both here and hereafter. Many are the opportunities which will be afforded us for thus disciplining the tender minds of our beloved children. Continually shall we meet with that which calls for the exercise of patience, gentleness, forbearance and love on our part, and continually shall we be called upon to use our parental influence in endeavouring to turn the susceptible minds of our infant charges in a right direction, and to give a bias to their characters which shall stay them through life. It is impossible to lay down particular rules as to the manner of enforcing parental authority, 289 but gentleness under all circumstances should regulate our conduct towards our children from their earliest infancy. We must study their dispositions and treat them accordingly ; above all seeking ourselves so to live under the influence of Heavenly strength and wisdom that we may never be taken by surprise or thrown off our guard by their wayward or passionate behaviour, but be prepared to meet every exigency in a calm and loving spirit. It is important to cultivate cheerful- ness and kindness, because our children will be much influenced by the temper of mind of those around them. Their slight and delicate frames are subject to many disorders, which they have not the power to describe. During illness, more tenderness, more patience, more thoughtfulness are required; not constant indulgence. Teething, or some other secret pain, or clothes that do not properly fit, may often be the only cause of their fretfulness, but if we cannot find out or remove the cause of irritation in our child, let us try to soothe him by maintaining ourselves an undisturbed calmness of temper; a cheerful, composed manner being the best means of soothing an impatient child ; whilst harsh tones of voice and an angry countenance will only add to his distress. In the management of our families we must not allow ourselves to be changeable and uncertain. Few things try the temper of a child more than to be at one time sharply corrected for that which at another time is passed over as no fault at all, simply because it is not convenient to us to administer the correction. If we would gain the respect and love of our children we must be consistent with ourselves ; we must act from what we know to be right, and not from the impulse of temper or present inclination. Trifles please 20 290 children as well as distress them, and the watchful parent will know how to ward off many little troubles and vexations without either humouring or indulging. For instance, if the infant is passionate or hasty at the sight of anything he may want, the judicious mother will not give it to him directly. She will seek to be calm herself, will wait a few moments till his first passion^ is subsided, meanwhile endeavouring to divert him by turning his attention to some other object. Then, when he is quiet, if it is proper for him, she will give him what he wanted, but if he is old enough, she will first require him to ask patiently for it. Again, one child may want the toy which another is using ; but how easy to find something that will please equally well. Those who would keep children happy must find them proper amusement. They are delighted to be made useful, and for this reason it is desirable early to accustom them to do as much as they can for themselves. Very little things will give them pleasure, but we must be careful to find variety, and not to weary them by confining their attention too long to one object. Children's love is won by sympathy more than any- thing else ; we must endeavour therefore to participate in their pleasures, and to feel for them under their little sorrows. Yet we must be able to say no, and when we have said it, not to alter ; we must be firm, but we may be gentle. Neither must we permit what is wrong to be done at all, or at any time, or for the sake of keeping them quiet at the moment, when at another time we refuse it. Such conduct will cause us to appear unjust, and our children being sometimes praised and sometimes blamed for the same thing, sometimes allowed to do it and at others sharply reproved for it, will scarcely know how to act, and will probably either grow careless or deceitful. 291 When we have once refused we must not suffer ourselves to be persuaded into yielding. All children will persevere in trying to get what they want when they have once succeeded. If they are very young it is better to find them something which they will like as well, and which is better for them, having plainly said no to the request. We must be especially careful also never to promise what we cannot and do not intend to perform. If we fail our children will no longer trust us. The love of truth and the practise of it are only to be taught children by allowing them to see that it is observed in all things, small, as well as great, by those with whom they live and who have authority over them. Children sometimes do and say things which are not right, but in so droll a manner that we can scarcely avoid smiling. When this happens, it is better to say nothing at all than to put on the next instant a very grave face and tell them they are very naughty. With respect to punishment it is difficult to give advice, but let it ever be our endeavour to prevent all the faults we can, and on no account be violent or severe ; punishment is not the only means of correcting the faults of our children. Let us rule as far as possible by love, and endeavour to gain our ends by encourage- ment and rewards. At the same time we are bound to show our determined abhorrence of sin and resolute opposition to it, and it is a cruel tenderness to pass over offences which, if not corrected, may prove the ruin of our children. Yet we must remember that punishment will either do good or a great deal of harm, and that much will depend on the manner in which we inflict it. Let us not be always correcting our children, but keep our punishments for important 292 offences. " The good parent passeth by those lesser defects which arise from the thoughtlessness of child- hood, and not from ill intentions, but in matters of moment none are more zealous." We must not punish our children according to the vexation we feel ourselves, but according to their faultiness ; neither must we punish in anger. In most cases mild punishments will answer letter than those which are violent, and par- ticularly if we do not inflict them at the moment the fault is committed. Instead of a few angry words and hard blows at the moment, let us have patience to take the child on our knee, calmly endeavour to con- vince him of his fault, assure him that disobedience is a thing we cannot pass over, and tell him we shall therefore put him to bed at night at five instead of seven o'clock, and we shall find that this expectation will have a secret effect upon him throughout the day, that the impression on his mind is lasting, and that he will be the more careful to obey our orders for the future. One such punishment, calmly and very seriously inflicted, will produce more effect than many hasty blows and angry words. It is our duty to seek to cultivate in our children a peaceable and quiet temper, but if we would rule them well we shall find it absolutely necessary first to control our own spirit. Some parents tease their children by putting upon them unnecessary trials. When children ask for anything, tell them kindly and at once whether they may have it or not. To keep them in suspense when we can avoid it is unnecessarily to distress them. Let us seek to inculcate in the minds 'of our precious charge that heavenly exhortation, " Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another." We must accustom them to self-denial, 293 to give up their own will for the comfort and pleasure of others, that love and kindness may become the covering of their spirits. Truth and sincerity are important virtues to cultivate to the utmost of our power. Let our children be satisfied from constant experience that we shall never deceive them, that we promise or threaten only what we mean to perform, and let them be sure that our word once passed will not be broken, and we shall have attained one of the most important points towards the welfare and happiness of our family. If a child commit a fault, or meet with an accident, and freely tell us of it, let us receive the confession with kindness, and be ever ready to forgive lesser offences for the sake of truth and honesty. Let us seek by prudence and tenderness to bring our children to honour us as parents, and at the same time to be free and open with us as their best and kindest friends, ever ready to confess their faults and to come to us for help and counsel under all their little diffi- culties and troubles, but in order that we may encourage this confidence in our children we must on our side be careful to show the same confidence towards them. Without a very strong reason we must not appear to doubt their word or suspect that they have deceived us a charge brought against a child unjustly may do him much harm. Yet we are not to neglect the beginnings of evil. Let us endeavour to inculcate into our families a just sense of the value of time, as a talent which must be solemnly accounted for hereafter, and teach them that as by squandering pence they are soon deprived of shillings and pounds, so by wasting minutes they will lose not only hours but days, months and years. 294 In order to do this we must train up our children at home to habits of industry and activity, and provide them with proper employment for their leisure 'hours. Quite young children will generally be much delighted to be made useful, and much may be done in this way to instruct and discipline their minds, without its becoming wearisome or tiresome. Prudence and economy seem to, go hand in hand with industry. We should accustom our children to look beyond the passing moment, and to be willing to make present sacrifices for the sake of future good. They should not be allowed to spend thoughtlessly or to use carelessly anything they may possess ; and they should be encouraged to save their little earnings by having some small addition promised when some given sum is collected. Not that this is to be done at the expense of charity ; on the contrary, these very habits will at the same time afford the opportunity for imparting something to others. They will feel it a delight to consider the poor, a privilege to add their mite for their comfort, and will thus come early to realize the truth of the declaration that it is more blessed to give than to receive. There can be no domestic comfort without good order and neatness, and these will produce a decided effect upon the character. The good order of a family will greatly depend upon rising early, regular hours, and a strict attention to the maxim, "A place for everything, and everything in its place." A well-ordered mind will spread around it the spirit of order and regularity, and we should be careful at all times to avoid slovenliness and confusion. It should be our daily, our continued study, to give our children a love for home. We can hardly sufficiently 295 feel how important this will be as our family is growing up around us, for it will tend much to keep them from evil companions and from corrupting pleasures. We may have but few indulgences to bestow upon them, but the law of love and kindness, in addition to industrious habits, will make young people happy even in the most humble abode. Much might be said on furnishing them with profitable and instructive reading, or choosing for them suitable companions, or directing the employ- ments of their varied talents into channels of useful- ness and benevolence, but it is time to hasten to the most important part of our care over our little ones. In all the varieties of our objects the object of supreme importance is that during our short time of trial here the soul may be redeemed from sin and be prepared for the enjoyment of eternal life. It is only by the love of God in Christ Jesus being allowed to operate in our own hearts that we shall be enabled to dedicate our children to Him. It is only by personal obedience to the Gospel of Christ that we can be prepared to render up our account of the trust committed to us with joy and not with grief. Let those parents who are oppressed by the sense of their own ignorance and their insufficiency to direct others and who among us will not feel that without Divine help we can do nothing take encouragement from the privilege that, if any man lacks wisdom, he may ask of God, and it shall be given him for the fountain of wisdom and strength which is in Him is ever open to those who will come and draw from it. Our time with our beloved children may be but short, and how many of us have had to feel that they are to us uncertain treasures. Let us neglect no oppor- tunity for exerting our parental influence in training 296 them up in the way in which they should go. Every sacrifice we may have to make for this end will be abundantly rewarded. Even our prayers as they are offered in sincerity and in faith, poor and imperfect as they may often to ourselves seem, will be as a rich inheritance for them when we are gone. The exercise of our spirits on their account, and our labour, shall .not be in vain in the Lord, and should we be called upon to part with any of these beloved ones, how unspeakable will be the consolation if we have been enabled through Divine assistance to train them for heaven. Nevertheless we shall often have need of patience, that "after we have done the will of God we may receive the promise." But the promises of God are sure. "The habitation of the just shall be blessed" (Prov. iii. 33). "His seed is blessed" (Psalm xxxvii. 26). "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs xxii. 6). "The children of Thy servant shall continue, and their seed shall be established before Thee" (Psalms cii. 28). MEMORIALS OF CHRISTINE MAJOLIER ALSOP, Compiled by MARTHA BRAITHWAITE. Cloth Boards, 3/6 net. THE FIRESIDE HYMNBOOK, Containing Selected and Original Hymns, Compiled by MARTHA BRAITHWAITE. Cloth, bevelled boards, gilt edges, 2\- net; Qloth boards, i/- net. Also the following Leaflets and Tracts : THE WRECK OF THE PRINCESS ALICE, ) ON "GOING INTO MOURNING," *THE CHRISTIAN HOME, > i/- per 100. *PARENTS AND CHILDREN, 9d. per 100. *HUSBAND AND WIFE, And some others. * Not now in stock. Supplied by HEADLEY BROTHERS, 14, BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT, LONDON, E.G. 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