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THE OLD CHJRCH. NORTHAMPTON, MASS
THE
MARTYR OF SUMATRA:
OF
HENRY LYMAN
"The noble army of martyrs praise Thee." TE DEUM.
NEW YOEK:
ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS,
No. 530 BROADWAY.
1857.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, In the year 185<5,
BY EOBEET CARTER & BROTHERS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of
New York.
TEREOTYPED BT PRINTED BT i. B. TBCKSO-:,
THOMAS B. SMITH, E.O.JENKINS, BINDER,
82 A 84 Beekroan Stret. 24 Frankfort St. 82 A 84 Keekman St.
TO
THE YOUNG COUNTRYMEN OF
HENRY LYMAN,
li6 boltnne is Jnacribcb
BY THEIR FRIEND,
THE AUTHOR.
3022867
CHAPTER PAGB
I. INTRODUCTION THE BOY. 7
II. THE CONVERSION . . . . . . .23
III. THE NEW MAN 45
IV. THE DECISION 91
V. THE HILL DIFFICULTY . . , . . .131
VI. THE ORDINATION 175
VH. THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD . . . . 205
Vm THE VOYAGE 237
IX. THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD 263
' X. THE BATOE GROUP . . -.'*. .299
XI. NYAS . . 365
XIL THE MARTYRDOM 399
I.
Ifl Iff.
My boast is not that I deduce my birth
From loins enthroned, and rulers of the earth ;
But higher far my proud pretensions rise,
The son of parents passed into the skies.
COWPEB.
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlast-
ing upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto
children's children.
PSALM ciii. 17.
I
THOSE who are now rapidly borne on the railroad
through Northampton, Mass., almost wonder that
they have heard so much of its exceeding beauty.
Noble elms and hills greet the eye, but other places
have seemed as fair and as pleasant. Let such,
however, from Round Hill, look abroad at evening
over hill and valley, river and woodland, with the
distant mountain-girt horizon ; let them count beyond
the Connecticut the spires of the village churches,
each springing from its cluster of green, gaze upon
Amherst College with its snowy tower, and then,
following the windings of the broad river, view
Holyoke and Mount Tom beyond it, cultivated each
year further and further toward their summits; or
let the eye rest upon the town beneath, the white
villas and substantial houses under the overshadowing
elms, the beautiful steeple of the Old Church rising
over all, and they will no longer be surprised that
the natives of Northampton consider it the most
beautiful town of New England.
Or let the stranger go to the quiet grave-yard
where slumber the fathers of the place. The rustic
1*
10 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
stone wall has fortunately not been displaced by an
iron railing. Entering the avenue of pine-trees he
will mark on the right, a well-trodden path, and may
follow in the steps of thousands to the spot where
slumbers the dust how precious ! of the~ sainted
Brainerd, while just at his side rest the remains of
her who should have shared his watchings, and
cheered his lonely home on the banks of the Dela-
ware ; let him give himself up to the thick clustering
associations of the place, and he will feel that North-
ampton can boast of a shrine most sacred to every
follower of Jesus.
Near the remains of the holy Brainerd stands a
stone bearing this inscription :
IN MEMORY OF
REV. HENRY LYMAN,
SON OF
THEODORE AND SUSAN W. LYMAN ;
A MISSIONARY
OF THE AMERICAN BOARD,
WHO,
WITH HIS ASSOCIATE,
REV. SAMUEL MUNSON,
SUFFERED A VIOLENT DEATH
FROM THE BATTAHS
IN SUMATRA,
JUNE 28, 1834,
AGED 24.
"We are more than conquerors."
We would write the history of the life whose ter-
mination is thus recorded. We would tell of the
THE BOY. 11
grace that found the boy, of the grace that trained
the man, of the grace that made the martyr "more
than conqueror," and we would do this if, perchance,
by this example some parent may be led to lay his
infant upon God's altar, or some son to give himself
to the missionary work. " The harvest is plenteous,
but the laborers' ' where are they ? From the spicy
groves of the Moluccas, from the pepper jungles of
Sumatra, from the ancient churches of Asia Minor,
comes the cry for the preacher. English enterprise
has forced an entrance into the Eastern Archipelago ;
American perseverance has secured admission to
Japan. Many a youthful heart has beat with the
desire to imitate the Rajah of Sarawak, but who has
been baptized for the martyr missionaries ? Who will
carry to the Battahs the tale of Jesus' love, which
will teach them to turn with loathing from their
hideous trophies, and " learn war no more?" Truly,
the blood of our missionaries calls aloud for ven-
geance ; for a revenge like that which their Master
taught when he said, "Beginning at Jerusalem."
God grant that this little book may awaken in some
youthful breast the desire to go "far hence to the
Gentiles."
On what is now the corner of Pleasant and Water-
streets in the beautiful town already named, stood
formerly an old gambrel-roofed house, shaded by large
English cherry-trees. The long garden at the back
12 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
led to an orchard that stretched down to the Licking-
water River, which, overhung by the button-ball and
elm, and fringed by willows, wound its course onward
to the Connecticut.
Upon the brow of the first descent toward the
river, John Lyman pitched his tent in the year 1658',
and there dwelt his descendants, though no deed of
the land was ever made out until the subject of this
memoir had reached the age of nineteen. The bless-
.ing of God had been upon his posterity from genera-
tion to generation. The grandmother of Henry
Lyman especially was a woman of no common piety.
Well may one exclaim, standing by her grave, " The
Covenant is with children's children." Of the eight
who gathered around her knee to learn of Christ, all
have gone hence, most of them at an advanced age,
''in the sure and certain hope" that their fathers'
God was their pc^jjon.
In the house we have described, lived, in the year
1809, a young couple who had within a few months
united with the people of God. Already their home
had been made happy by the birth of a daughter, and
saddened by the death of an infant son, and the father,
in the ardor of his first love, had consecrated his next
child, if a boy, to the work of the holy ministry.
And when on a dreary November morning, the
twenty-third day of the month, an infant was laid in
his arms, his wife alone knew how the parental heart
was repeating the pledge, that the child was the
THE BOY. 13
Lord's. A few weeks passed and death seemed
hovering over the cradle. None supposed the babe
could recover, but the pious parents gave him anew
to his Master's work, and felt that He could do what
He would with His own.
He was carried to the house of God and there,
amid the people among whom Edwards had prayed, and
Stoddard labored, and Dwight was born, and Hooker
died,' ? * the name of a youthful uncle, lately deceased,
was given him ; there the baptismal water was sprinkled
upon his head, and in the united prayer of the con-
gregation " Grant, we beseech, thee, Almighty God,
that what is signified by the outward washing of water
may through thy grace be applied to the heart of this
little one ; " the father again received a pledge that
his offering would not be rejected.
As the child advanced in years his religious in-
struction was never neglected. itfLine upon line,
precept upon precept," was given. Scarcely could
the boy speak ere he lisped,
" Though I am young, a little one,
If I can speak, and go alone,
Then I must learn to know the Lord,
And learn to read His holy word."
Every thing that could tend to cultivate right habits
was cherished; he was taught to avoid evil because it
was sin.
Henry grew up, in the ordinary acceptation of the
* Rev. Dr. Spencer's inaugural discourse.
14 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
words, a good boy; and his father had but little
cause of complaint. To the habit of letter-writing,
which he formed as early as his eighth year, he was
probably indebted for the ease which in after life he
manifested in epistolary intercourse, and for his love
of it. He says in one of his letters to an aunt, in
later years :
" You, my dear aunt, may have forgotten, but I
ever shall remember, that long winter evening when
you with mother and myself were seated in the old
dining-room. The conversation turned upon letter-
writing. Mother and you spoke of its advantages
especially to young persons, and urged upon me to
learn to practice it, and to begin that evening, and
address my first epistle to you. I provided apparatus
and commenced."
At school Henry was troublesome, and often re-
ceived chastisei^it, not from any thing especially
vicious in his disposition, but simply because he was
one of those easy, good-natured boys who are reckless
of consequences. One of his teachers remarked that
he hoped he should never in future be obliged to
punish any boy as much as he had done Henry
Lyman.*
Quite unknown to his father Henry learned to
swear. He says, " My first oath is written on my
* Years after, Mr. Lyman preached for this clergyman at Mod-
ford, and as they returned from church, Mr. W. said, "Well,
brother Lyman, who would have thought when I was flogging
you so much, that you would ever preach to my people."
THE BOY. 15
memory as with a pen of iron. The time, the place,
the circumstances are before my mind, as if it were
yesterday. When at the age of twelve or thirteen,
and, with two or three of my companions, standing
near my father's house, I was addressed by one of
them, and in reply muttered out an oath, for I fear-
ed to speak it boldly, ' Oh ! Henry Lyman, what
would your father say if he heard that,' was his ex-
clamation, and ' Oh ! Henry Lyman, what would
your father say if he heard that,' was the simul-
taneous echo of every mouth ; and ' Oh ! Henry
Lyman, what will your father in Heaven say to that,'
was the response of conscience. I felt as if I had
taken a great stride in the broad road, or rather as if
I had given myself up to sin as if I were now
bound, and at full liberty to serve the adversary. I
had before that ventured to say words which bordered
on profanity, but had not dared to go further. Now
I had taken a step. It was a fearful step. I felt it
so. I felt my moral nature quiver and tremble under
the shock like an aspen leaf. That oath rolled back
on my conscience like a great mountain, as if it would
crush me beneath its weight. There I stood like one
who had vowed to God and to his companions which
course he would take. It was a solemn moment.
Every thing around, as if taking cognizance of the
deed, to bear testimony of the fact at the judgment
day, imprinted itself upon my mind. And at this
day, although years have passed, I see the appear-
16 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
ance of the buildings, the earth, the sky, the atmos-
phere, my dress, the countenances of my companions.
I hear even now that oath ringing in my ears, the
tone of voice in which the reproof was uttered the
thunder of conscience. I feel yet that horrible heavy
mountain that rolled back upon my soul that with-
drawal of the restraints of divine grace.
" In the stream which is floating so many to despair,
there are frequent barriers. Below each the rapidity
of the current increases in a geometrical ratio, but
above the first the waters are smooth and placid and
gentle, though not less strong. I had leaped the first
barrier, and on I went careering in sin, and exulting
in doing it before many of my more sober companions,
till I could say, ' I was not a whit behind the very
chiefest.'
"I remember a reproof which, though not intended
for me, weighed upon my conscience till it was hard
to be borne. My father, in reproving a younger son
for improper language, appealed to him, that he had
"never heard his brother Henry swear." I knew
that neither my father nor he was aware of my
iniquity, yet to be held up as an example on the very
point on which conscience declared my transgression
so multiplied, made me shrink from myself, and wish
I was away from the society of .the virtuous. No
deep scrutiny of my countenance would have been
necessary to detect my guilt.
" If I could preach a whole sermon on the third
THE BOY. 17
commandment, it would be, ' Beware of the first
oath: f
And now came to the father a time of perplexity.
His three sons were just entering life. The two
younger were permitted to choose their own employ-
ment, but Henry was desired to prepare for college.
To this he was very much averse. As the eldest son
he thought it unreasonable that he alone should not
be permitted to select his object of pursuit. He says
himself in a letter written some years after to a little
brother :
"ANDOVER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,
January 22d, 1831.
" I used to ask father very often to let me go into
a store, or on a farm, and once I recollect I went to
him with tears in my eyes to beg him to allow me to
do so. I thought it was very hard in him that he
should give E. and J. their choice, and say that I
must study whether I would or not. I felt so badly
about this treatment that I was so wicked as to think
of running off to be a sailor, and I got ready and
actually started, but a kind overruling Providence
prevented me. Do you ask then what made me con-
tinue to study? why it was only because father
wanted to have me. I was angry enough about it,
but then I loved him so much that I was determined
to persevere. If it had not been that I did not like
to displease him, I should never have been here. It
was merely this that induced me to go to college, and
18 THE MAETTR OF SUMATRA.
now I am paid a thousand thousand fold. I can
never sufficiently thank father, because he insisted
upon my studying, nor enough thank God that He
gave me such feelings that I would rather forego my
own pleasure than to displease my father.
" Another thing which I wish you to keep in mind
is this ; during all your studies, keep your eye on the
ministry. You must think of nothing else, but of
being a minister, and of one day preaching the Gospel
to your fellow-men. You must not think of being a
lawyer or a doctor, but a minister. It is true that
you should not attempt to preach to others till you
love the Lord Jesus Christ yourself. You must hope
that God will prepare your heart, and make that
right. The reason why I wish you to keep your eye
on the ministry is that you may shape all your studies
that way, and form your tastes and habits for the
office. It is worth every thing to a young man to
have his future profession in full view. Then when
he enters upon it, it is no strange work and he has
nothing to do but to go forward in it. Permit me to
speak again of my own experience. Wicked as I
used to be in college, in my first and second years, I
always in my heart looked forward to the sacred
desk as my future sphere of labor. I could not for
a moment entertain the thought of any other pro-
fession. I hoped and believed that God would make
my heart better before the time came for me to leave
Amherst. I determined at any rate not to enter
THE BOY. 19
upon the ministry without a new heart, and if this
were not given me before the expiration of my four
years' course that I would teach school till I was pre-
pared and these feelings I often expressed to friends.
"The result was, that I was always directing my
studies and my reading to this object. The books I
bought were usually preceded by the question, Will
these be useful in a minister's library ? In taking up
a volume to read, or in commencing a new study, it
was still the same question. The consequence is that
my views and feelings have been conforming to that
mode of life, until I can be happy in no other. Thus
should it be with you. As you grow older, keep
your eye upon this holy office. Remember what the
Bible says, ' He that desireth the office of a bishop
desireth a good thing.' I intend, ere many months
shall elapse, either to write to father or to converse
with him on the course which you should pursue. In
the meantime,
" I remain as ever,
" Your affectionate brother,
"HENRY LYMAN."
Speaking of his father's prayers for his conversion,
though he knew nothing of the special consecration
that had been made of him, he says :
"There was a prevailing predilection in my mind
for the pulpit. Through all my career of sin, there
seemed to be an invisible hand restraining me from
20 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
making an entire shipwreck of my soul, and awaking
me occasionally to call upon God to save me from the
dominion of sin. I had at times, particularly after
entering college, as much confidence that I should be
a preacher of the Gospel, as that I was then living,
and while full of all manner of sin used in a measure
to direct my reading and study to that object."
Of these workings of God's grace, however, Henry's
father knew nothing. Yet with limited pecuniary
resources, and a large and growing family, Mr.
Lyman did not falter. "He believed God." He
trusted in the promises, and with faith unshaken by
all the irreligion of his son, he entered him as a
member of Amherst College, in September, 1826.
It would be wrong to leave this portion of young
Lyman' s history without calling attention to an
intimacy which had as much effect upon his career as
any other earthly influence. His cousin, Charles
Lyman of Troy, who had been compelled by his feeble
health to relinquish his studies at Middlebury College,
"spent many months with his relatives at North-
ampton, where by kind nursing and judicious medical
treatment, he regained in a great measure his health,"
and at the same time formed with Henry a friend-
ship which, notwithstanding the disparity in their
ages, was most tender and enduring. From 1813 to
1848. Charles Lyman,. in his druggist's shop actively
engaged in business, accomplished as much for Christ
as many ministers of . the Gospel. Unmarried till
THE BOY. 21
seven years before his death, all his time was dedi-
cated to his Master's cause. "The Bible, the Home
Missionary, the Education, the Tract Society, found
in him an active friend, an efficient helper. When
the Rev. Levi Parsons, the late devoted missionary to
Syria, visited Troy in 1819 under commission from
the American Board, to endeavor to awaken an interest
in the foreign missionary cause, he found in, Charles
Lyman a chord which could vibrate in harmony to
his appeals."* Few men have been more completely
consecrated to the service of God than this devoted
man. Yet withal there was no austerity about him,
and his letters were enlivened by a delicate humor.
The correspondence, so many extracts from which
will enrich these pages, was commenced as early as
1822, and to give some idea of its advantage to Henry
we subjoin a paragraph from his cousin Charles's first
letter :
" You asked me to correct all errors. There you
puzzled me, cousin Henry. I was obliged to hunt
for them like an Edinburgh reviewer ! After all, I
shall think it strange and myself well off if you do
not find more in my answer. Yes, I found one.
Poor little thing ! It is so small, I can hardly find
it now ! You knew how to spell very, when you
wrote it with two f's, and it was only a slip of the
pen an error of the hand, not of the head. A. S.
always makes the same mistake in that word, so you
* From a sketch of Charles Lyman, by Dr. Blatchford of Troy.
22 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
had, if not proper, at least good authority for your
mode of writing it. Now do you criticise my spelling
and show me no mercy. Pull my letter all to pieces,
and I will continue
"Your affectionate cousin,
" CHARLEY."
II.
Lord thou hast won at length I yield ;
My heart, by mighty grace compelled,
Surrenders all to thee:
Against thy terrors long I strove,
But who can stand against thy love,
Love conquers even me.
NEWTON.
Howboit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in mo 'first
Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern
to them who should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.
1 TIM. i. 16.
II.
THE lovers of antiquity are fond of praising the
taste of the ascetics, which inclined them to select for
their monasteries the loveliest sites of the old world,
and which is even now crowning the hills of our
beloved land with cross-capped towers. Yet many,
of the colleges founded by the stern Puritans and
their descendants may, in their position, challenge a
comparison with the most picturesquely placed con-
vents. The elm-bowers of New Haven and Cam-
bridge are not inferior in this respect to the uni-
versities of old England, while Middlebury and
Burlington, Williams and Amherst, almost rival in
point of locality the seven-hilled city herself.
Amherst, to which our narrative now turns, over-
looks the lovely valley of the Connecticut. Who that
has stood upon the college tower at morning-tide, can
forget the vast sea of mist below him ; at first gently
undulating, then breaking away, until mountain-top
smiles to mountain-top, spire salutes spire, village
after village is un vailed ; while the vapor, gathering
itself over the river and its tributaries, glides like a
spirit up the sides of the hills, and as it rises higher,
2
26 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
reflects in roseate hues the sun's early beams, until it
finally disappears in the blfce vault of heaven.
At evening too, where does the sun linger more
lovingly than within those valleys and on the sur-
rounding hills ? The glories of an Amherst winter,
in its be-jeweled coronation, are familiar through the
vivid description of its scientific President ; but what
pen or pencil can portray the gorgeous hues of
autumn ! Nowhere are the maples so vividly and
curiously tinted. Nowhere else is the red of the
sumach darker, or the crimson of the American ivy
deeper and "the sound of dropping nuts" in the
chestnut groves on Mount Pleasant, and its sister hill
behind it. Ah ! these pictures often rise in the mind
of many a one now far away; for the sons of this
missionary institution are scattered all over the earth,
and no palm-tree grove, no cocoa shade, can ever
seem to them so delightful as the sturdy tree beneath
which they rested from the noon- tide sun, or the pine
grove resounding with the rehearsal of their " Com-
mencement Oration." They can sympathize with
David's longing for "the water of the well of Beth-
lehem;" for the old oaken bucket of the Amherst
farm-houses has often come to their thoughts, when,
fevered and exhausted by missionary toil, one draught
from that bucket would, they thought, have invigor-
ated them.
To the college thus situated, we have already said,
Henry Lyman was sent, and there, in the year 1825,
THE CONVERSION. 27
he commenced his course of study or rather he did
not commence it. The temptations which beset a
youth on his entrance upon student life can hardly be
exaggerated. To one of Henry Ly man's tempera-
ment, easily influenced, loving popularity, they were
increased tenfold; and the subject of this memoir,
and another son of Christian parents, were speedily
leaders in all that was wild and profane.
Happily for the parents, the tales of these excesses
never reached them, though the college faculty were
not ignorant of them. The Rev. Dr. Humphrey, then
President of Amherst College, says of Lyman :
"It was apparent that he had within him the ele-
ments of energy and enterprise ; but whether for good
or for ill, was exceedingly problematical, as he was at
that time far from being religiously inclined. At
times we felt a good deal of uneasiness about him, as
there were some perilous influences around him in
college, and as he seemed too much inclined to yield
himself to their sway."
A class-mate writes :
" My recollections of him from the time of his enter-
ing college are quite distinct. His traits of character
were such as almost necessarily to attract attention : he
was peculiarly ardent, active and gay. During the first
year and a half, he was the acknowledged leader of
the 'wild part' of his class, and no great exploit
could be performed without his aid. Sociable, frank
and good-natured, he was a favorite companion."
28 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Many have reacT with deep interest the follow-
ing passage in the " Corner Stone," written by the
Rev. Jacob Abbott, at that time Professor of Mathe-
matics in Amherst College, but few are aware that
the " leader" there referred to was Lyman :
"About a year before this time, there had been
similar indications of a returning sense of duty to
God among the students. The officers were much
encouraged, but our hopes were all dispelled by the
success of a maneuver which is so characteristic of
college life and manners, that I will describe it. The
plan adopted by the enemies of religion was to come
up boldly and face the awakening interest, and, as it
were, brave it down. The first indication which I
perceived of this design, was this. I had been invited
by the serious portion of the students to address them
one Saturday evening in a recitation-room. I took
my seat in the great arm-chair which had been placed
for me in a corner, with a Bible and hymn-book on
the oval leaf attached to it, 'whose form and fashion
any collegian will recollect, when the door opened,
and in walked, one after another, six or eight of the
most bold, hardened, notorious enemies of religion
which the institution contained. They walked in,
took their seats in a row directly before me, and
looked me in the face saying by their countenances
most distinctly : ' Sir, we defy you and all your
religion' and yet it was with that peculiar address
with which a wild college student can execute his
THE CONVERSION. 29
plan, so that there was not the slightest breach of any
external propriety, or any tangible evidence of inten-
tional disrespect. Not one of them had, perhaps, ever
been voluntarily in a religious meeting at college
before, and every one in the room knew it. I can
see the leader now, as distinctly as if he were before
me ; his tall form, manly countenance, and energetic
look. He maintained his ground as the enemy of
God and religion for a year after this time ; but then,
his eyes were opened : he prayed with agony of spirit,
hour after hour in his own room, for forgiveness ; and
now he is in a foreign land preaching to Pagans the
Saviour whom I vainly, on this occasion, endeavored
to bring to him. I do not know whether this descrip-
tion will ever reach him ; if it does, he will remember
the meeting in the Freshman recitation-room, and be
as bold for God now, as he was then against him.
He has been so already."
But we need not trust to the memory of others.
From the time of his conversion, Henry Lyman kept
a minute journal. This was reviewed monthly,
usually with fasting, the results carefully summed
up, and each year a day of fasting and prayer was
observed one part of which was faithfully devoted to
an examination of the previous twelvemonth, and a
new period of time commenced with "resolutions of
new obedience." From this diary we shall "now
extract the story of his rescue from the great ad-
versary.
30 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" The next spring after I entered college there was
a little spiritual renovation among Christians, and I
believe one or two hopeful conversions. At times I
was quite anxious, and again quite loud in ridiculing
the pious. I was unwilling to be known as seeking
the Lord. While therefore the foremost among my
companions in evil, I would, as soon as bj myself,
call upon God to redeem my soul. About this time
too, a revival occurred in my native place. A beloved
sister was one of the first subjects of the work. Being
but eight miles distant, I was often at home. I wit-
nessed many of my friends, and those quite intimate,
coming out on the Lord's side. The thought of being
left alone in the world would at times make me un-
happy; still I disregarded all their warnings and
entreaties. My sister was especially earnest and
persevering, but I met her with scoffs and jeering.
" In the fall vacation I was determined to be out
of the infected atmosphere, and absented myself on a
journey. My understanding was convinced but my
heart did not feel. At the close of vacation, I re-
turned to college more hardened than ever."
And now God sent his judgments upon the boy.
A typhus fever broke out in the family in which
Henry boarded. One of his class-mates, a dearly
loved and joyous companion, died so suddenly that
before his parents reached his bed side he was unable
to speak. A judicious physician seeing the symptoms
displaying themselves in Henry, advised him to go
THECONVEKSION. 31
home. He reached his father's house, lay down upon
the bed, and there, for many days, life and death
struggled for the mastery. His skillful physician, Dr.
Flint, said that his life was preserved by his mother's
nursing, and that away from home he must have
died.
To return to the journal: " As strength began to
return, my Christian friends and beloved pastor were
faithful in warning me to flee from the wrath to
come. I was somewhat alarmed, and almost per-
suaded. One or two circumstances will never fade
from my memory. On one occasion, it was one of
those clear pleasant Sabbath days in November, when
the birds, having deserted the leafless trees for a more
genial clime, break not in upon the silence with their
pleasant warblings ; when the sky presents a rich
mellow tint, the sun shorn of his fierceness shines in
his beauty, and the atmosphere, purified by autumnal
frosts, appears teeming with health and vigor. On
such a day, when all Nature seemed inviting to
meditation, in a village where the rattling carriages
of the pleasure-party are never heard, among a com-
munity where the Spirit of God was moving upon the
hearts of men, and causing a holy solemnity to per-
vade all beings and things in the awful loneliness
of that place
" ' Privileged beyond the common walk
Of virtuous life, quite on the verge of heaven,
uninterrupted by the presence of attendants, I lay
32 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and mused. Many of my family commemorating tho
love of the Saviour, myself unfit for that ordinance,
my recent nearness to the grave, my present weak-
ness, all stood before me as so many arguments to
yield my heart to God. But a little prayer and a
few tears would not purchase salvation, and so the
securing of this ' pearl of great price ' was given up
as too difficult a task.
" Again, one night I was awakened by a low voice
in my bed-room, which I soon found was that of my
elder sister my 'watcher' for the night in earnest
anxious prayer for my conversion. It was like an
arrow in my heart, though pride induced me to
remain quiet and feign sleep ; I endeavored to banish
it from my mind, but in vain. / must hear it. Oh !
how restless it made me. Still I did not realize what
the trouble was, I only knew prayer was unpleas-
ant.
" When I returned to college at the commencement
of the 'spring term' of 1827, I became alarmed lest
dissipation should seriously undermine my constitution,
and made a determination to reform, so as to live a
very different life, though still opposed to the laws of
God."
The u Corner Stone" already quoted from, presents
a vivid picture of the scenes in which Henry Lyman
now found himself. After the revival commenced in
college, he amused himself and his gay associates by
the readiness with which he could suggest a cavil, or
THE CONVERSION. 33
parry a serious remark, so readily turning into merri-
ment every attempt to do him good, as to render it
almost impossible for the grave friend who was re-
proving him to suppress a smile.
One of his class-mates has prepared a sketch of his
intercourse with Henry at this time, and we gladly
avail ourselves of his kind permission to transfer to
our pages some passages. They will perhaps give a
better idea of the character we are depicting than any
thing else.
" It was toward evening of a beautiful day in
spring, while walking slowly along in front of the
college buildings, that my eye fell upon a class-mate
who was leaning against a door-post, with eyes
intently fixed upon the ground. He stood as motion-'
less as the post against which he leaned. Deep and
stirring thoughts were plainly depicted upon his
countenance. It was not study hours, and yet there
was not another person to be seen, nor could any
sound or voice be heard. A stillness like that of the
holy Sabbath was all around us. I approached my
class-mate. He did not, it is true, openly oppose
religion, but had formed the habit, by a keen and
playful wit, of turning every thing of a serious nature
into a laugh. For this reason he had been avoided
by the pious students generally as almost a hopeless
case.
" ' L.,' said I, in a tender but earnest tone.
"He now raised his eyes apparently for the first
2*
34 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
time, and fixing them steadily upon me replied, ' And
what would you have of me ?'
" ' Would you like to walk?' I replied.
" This short inquiry was at that time universally
understood to be an invitation to the person addressed
to have a serious conversation on the subject of
religion.
" ' Yes,' said he, instantly, ' I will walk as far as
you please, only let me go up and get my staff.' So
saying he went bounding and hurrying up the stairs
which led to his room, two steps at a time, and in an
instant was tearing down them in such a manner that
the noise resounded through the silent halls and sent
a thrill to my heart.
' ' Which way,' said I, in a trembling voice, ' which
way will you walk ?'
" ' Why to be sure,' said he, raising his great black
staff with its ponderous crooked head high in the air ;
' why, down here in the main street, if you please.
Nothing to be ashamed of I suppose ?'
" My heart sunk within me at this decision. How
unsuitable a place for conversation ! The street was
filled with people going and coming. Everywhere
we should be heard and seen, while back of the college
lay a grove of pine, beneath whose shade was a sanc-
tuary. Most gladly would I have walked in that
direction, but I had given him his choice and he had
chosen the broad and frequented way. He hurried
along before me with rapid strides, down the steep
THE CONVERSION. 35
declivity, and, when in the street stopped, and allow-
ing me to come up with him, said, in a laughing, care-
less way, ' I suppose you want to talk to me on relig-
ion.' I felt that the crisis had come, and lifting up
my desires to God, I replied, ' My dear friend, you
have a precious soul, and I desire affectionately and
earnestly to ask your consideration of its value.'
" 'Ay, indeed,' said he with a sneer, whirling the
black cane over his head ' worth a great deal, one
would think, from the interest my pious neighbors
take in me. Here have I been through all this ex-
citement, and no one has told me whether I had a
soul. And now, I am to be honored with a soul.'
" 'L.,' said I, with solemnity, 'you have but one
life to live. That may be short, and the interests of
the undying soul are too great to be trifled with in
this manner.'
" ' Perhaps so,' said he, 'but if all your professors
go to heaven, there may after all be less occasion for
concern. Don't you think so yourself? For my
part, I think if I go to hell, I shall have good
company.'
" * It is not my design,' I replied, ' to vindicate the
character of Christians. It is not their souls in which
I now feel an interest, but yours ; your precious soul
which is in danger of being lost lost forever. No
doubt Christians have their faults, but will it be any
alleviation of your guilt and misery at the judgment,
that they were imperfect? Lyman, it is your own
36 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA
eternal interests that I would persuade you to attend
to. What have you to do with others ?'
"'Well,' said he, 'there may be some truth in
that, but then there are so many religions, I do not
know which to believe !'
" ' Believe the Bible,' said I, ' which declares that
"without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." L.,
are you prepared to meet a holy God, whose laws
you have broken, and whose grace you have de-
spised ?'
" ' But I do not believe,' said he, l in a religion of
excitements. It is worse than nothing.'
" 'My dear sir, there is a point beyond which you
may not go with safety in insulting and abusing the
Holy Spirit, and the mercy of an offended God. You
have before passed through precious seasons of
religious excitement when you grieved the Holy
Ghost. If you pass through this season in the same
way, if these golden moments are lost by you, you
are lost forever. It is the settled conviction of
many that this is your last time, and that eternal life
or death depend upon the decision you now make.'
' ' He hesitated a moment. I saw plainly that a sim-
ilar conviction rested on his own heart. In this way we
conversed for half an hour, several times meeting his
former companions in sin, and as we passed them, he
swung his cane in the air, and pretended to give no
heed to what I said. I dwelt much on the subject of
his parents and their interest in his salvation. On
THE CONVERSION. 37
this point he was tender, for he loved those pious
relatives, and knew their anxiety for him.
"As we ascended college hill and neared the build-
ings, he stopped as if wearied with his walk, and
assuming a pleasant tone and manner said, 'Will
you allow me to ask you one or two questions ?'
" ' Certainly,' said I, 'if they are pertinent to our
conversation.'
"'Well then, do you believe in the doctrine of
election ?'
" ' Lyman,' said I, sorrowfully, ' I shall not
answer that question. You are not fit to talk on
such matters. Go immediately to your room, and
give your heart to God. Then if you desire it, I will
converse with you on election till the morning light.'
"He looked disappointed, but retorted: ' Shall I
ask you one question that is practical ?'
" ' Most certainly.'
" ' Do you sincerely believe what you have been
saying ?'
" ' What in particular?' I asked.
" ' Why that I am such an awful sinner, and in
danger every moment of sinking into hell.'
" ' Certainly, and not only believe it, but know it.
God who can not lie, declares this of every impenitent
sinner.'
" 'Well then,' he replied, as he turned from me,
' I demand of you in the name of my precious soul,
why you have not told me this before ?'
38 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" This stern demand, though certainly unkind, had
its intended effect: I went silently to iny room to
spend the night in tears. Asleep or awake the part-
ing inquiry of my class-mate was ringing in my ears,
' Why have you not told me this before ?'
" The next day, after having passed through the form
of observing study hours as we were all advised to do
by our teachers, I walked out to breathe the air, and
revive my fainting spirits by a view of the surround-
ing scenery. No human being was in sight save my
class-mate L. He was standing in the same position
as when I saw him the day before.
" ' Would you like to walk,' he asked in a subdued
tone as I approached him.
" ' Nothing,' I replied, ' would give me mere pleas-
ure ; which way shall we go ?'
" ' Back, if you please, toward the grove.' He
made no mention of his staff. When we had crossed
the college hall and proceeded a few steps in the
rear of the building, he turned and looked me in the
face with a countenance such as I never before
witnessed.
" ' E.,' said he, ' I have been thinking of what we
said yesterday, and / am all in the wrong? Tears
rolled down his cheeks.
" I was taken by surprise."
We resume Henry's own narrative :
"I continued," he says, "opposing the work of
God until Tuesday, April 17, 1827. I arose on
THE CONVERSION. 39
the morning of that day with feelings such as I never
before possessed. I had no longer a desire to keep
company with my wicked companions, or to engage
in any light or frivolous conversation. I felt as
solemn as death. The Holy Spirit had evidently
begun to strive in my heart. I was desirous of seeing
Christians, and instead of disputing with them, began
to inquire what I must do to be saved.
"This seriousness increased upon me till, walking
out before breakfast on Thursday, April 19th, I was
very sensible of my need of religion. How to obtain
it I knew not, but I made a solemn vow in the
presence of God, that I would neither eat nor sleep
till I had obtained it. At eight o'clock I attended a
prayer-meeting of my class and wept very much. By
the advice of one of my class-mates I called on the
president (Dr. Humphrey), who seemed to know my
case precisely, even before I told him my feelings. I
repeated to him my resolution. He selected Scripture
for me, and prayed with me. I took my Bible and
retired to a grove, where I read the chapters pointed
out, and spent the time in prayer till nearly twelve
o'clock, and having fasted eighteen hours and not
being able any longer to withstand my appetite, I
came to the conclusion that it was impossible to get
religion. I endeavored to quiet my conscience by
saying that I had probably committed 'the unpar-
donable sin,' in slighting the many warnings I had
received.''
40 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
After this, he says, "he felt quite calm," and after
dinner returned to the college, and for the next twenty-
four hours was among his wicked companions, describ-
ing and ridiculing his serious feelings and the prayers
of Christians in such a manner as made the worst
among them tremble. In the mean time a knot of
praying souls were fervently supplicating God on be-
half of him who was finding it so "hard to kick
against the pricks;" nor did they cease their prayers,
even when the news spread among them, " Lyman
has returned to his gay associates." He says, " I
remember the face of one of my class-mates as we met
that afternoon in the hall. He stopped and looked at
me with a countenance expressive of sorrow and pity.
That look pierced my soul, and made an impression
upon me that time can never eradicate.
"'The next day was one of fasting and prayer in
college. To show my disregard of it, I sat for a fel-
low-student* to take my portrait. As I left the
painter, Professor Peckf called me to his room and
inquired if the report were true that I had deliberately
chosen the world for my portion, and had determined
to abide the consequences. I replied in the negative,
but added that I thought there was no hope for me.
He then counseled me most judiciously, and I at-
* The painter, it is believed, was at the time a Universalist, but
before long artist and sitter could rejoice together in the love of
Christ.
f Rev. Solomon Peck, D.D., Secretary of the Baptist Board of
Missions.
THE CON VERSION. 41
tended the meeting all day. In the afternoon the
president sent for me, and I left him with the resolu-
tion to go on seeking till I should find. Anxiety for
myself began again, and from this time increased till
the next Wednesday.
" On that day, the twenty- fifth, just before the bell
rung for evening prayers, I was in very great distress,
and cried unto the Lord that He would hear and have
mercy upon me. My mind seemed to be torn in
pieces. I thought I had entirely submitted to my
Maker, yet I found no relief. Something was wrong,
but what, I could not tell. It seemed to be sin to
pray and sin to withhold prayer, and yet I could not
assist myself in the least. It appeared to me that,
all the time I had been under conviction, I had been
sinning in the highest degree, for I had been trusting
to my prayers and to the aid of Christians, rather
than to Christ, and trying to climb up Borne other
way, to get relief from some other source, and to be
saved any way rather than by the righteousness of
Christ. I just began to perceive that I had not been
acting from the heart, had not been ' striving J and
my heart had given the lie to my mouth. I had not
before perceived that it was this wicked heart that
stood in the way, that this was the only obstacle to
my submission, that this was yet in rebellion against
so much mercy.
" What to do in this situation I knew not. I knew
what was required in the Bible. I had been told
42 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
over and over again what I had to do. I thought I
had done all that was required, yet conscience had
told me I had not, and that something more was
wanting. In distress, I thought I would go to my
chum, and find out what he had done, for I had just
begun to cry in earnest, ' What must I do to be saved.'
He was not in. Meeting B. in the passage. I asked
him. He smiled, and said he ' could not tell me
what to do.' Oh ! how my soul loathed that smile.
If he had aimed a dagger at my heart, he could not
so much have stirred up my feelings. I burst into
tears, and walked the room for the first time in my
life in distress. It was so great I could not utter a
word it was like tearing asunder soul and body.
Never before did I know the meaning of agonize.
But human words are inadequate. ' / looked on my
right hand, and beheld, but there was no man thai
would know me. No man cared for my soul.'
" My mind could not long bear such a conflict.
My feelings began to calm, and the question, Will you
accept life or death ? to present itself to my mind, and
strange to say, though I had only to answer, the
former, to obtain pardon for the sins of my life, yet
the same indifference continued. I could not, however,
eat or sleep. I opened a letter from my uncle [David
S. Whitney, Esq., of Northampton], and read it."
This letter lies before the compiler of this memoir.
Surely it was directed by the Spirit of God to arrive
at that moment. It counsels in the most earnest,
THE CONVERSION. 43
persuasive manner, instant submission to Jesus
Christ.
" Nearly an hour elapsed," the narrative continues,
"before I, as it were, returned my answer to the
before-mentioned question. As soon as I did this, as
soon as I gave up the world, and submitted myself to
the Almighty disposal, and was willing to throw my-
self on his mercy, then, oh ! then, how shall I describe
my feelings ? A sudden weight was lifted from my
heart; a light suddenly broke in upon me like the
light of day to the eyes of one who has long been
deprived of it. I could not tell whether I was in the
body or out of it. I seemed to move without touch-
ing the earth, nay I seemed to fly. Space seemed no
space to me. I prayed that if I was deceived, and
my heart was yet opposed to God, that my life might
be taken from me at that instant, so that I might not
any more sin against God, and that if my heart had
been renewed, I might grow in grace to all eternity.
Yet I did not think of the question, whether I
had hope toward God. That did not seem to come
into my mind until a class-mate an hour or two
after suggested it. I believe if there is any such
thing as a man's being free from sin, that for a few
moments, I know not how long, I was free from con-
scious sin, and my affections entirely engrossed in
God.
"I would not exchange one hour of such happi-
ness, such bliss, such ecstasy, for thousands of years
44 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
the most happy that a sinner can enjoy. I could but
exclaim,
" ' Let everlasting thinks be thine
For such a bright display
As makes a world of darkness shine
"With beams of heavenly day. 1
" This flow of feeling continued to increase during
the evening, and at night, though the two preceding
ones had been nearly sleepless, it was with difficulty
I could close my eyes, so glorious did my Saviour
appear, bleeding and dying for me, and so merciful
did that God appear whom I had so often called upon
with the most bitter oaths to curse me, and whose
commands I had so long, and so often violated. Oh I
the joy, the happiness, the heaven on earth experienced
by the pardoned sinner. Praised be God, that my
eyes ever saw the light of the twenty-fifth of April,
1827. That day forms an era in my life."
The narrative thus concludes, and then follows a
solemn covenant, with the dates of its various renewals
a covenant at length sealed with his own blood.
III.
"Wo need not bid, for cloistered cell,
Our neighbors and our work farewell;
Nor strive to wind ourselves too high,
For sinful man beneath the sky ;
The trivial round, the common task
"Will furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves ; a road
To bring us daily nearer God.
KEBLE.
This one thing I do. ST. PAUL.
III.
IF ever a man was "a new creature" in Christ
Jesus, on his conversion, Henry Lyman was such.
All the force and energy of his character were con-
centrated in that one direction. He was to be a
minister of Jesus. His college exercises must be
faithfully performed that he might be the better
furnished for his work. His health must be cared
for, that he might have the more strength to use for
his Master. His friends must be warned of their
danger, for they would bo needed in Christ's service.
He must be more dutiful and amiable at home, for his
brothers and sisters must be drawn to Christ by his
example.
His mother, some years after, was showing to a
clergyman a very poor crayon sketch of him taken
at this time. Said the minister, " This face reminds
me of a text in Proverbs, which I should think your
son obeyed : ' Let thine eyes look right on, and let
thine eyelids look straight before thee.' ' It was a
just description of the young man.
But the first two years of college life being wasted,
a student must go halting through the rest of his
48 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
course, and the subject of this memoir found it so.
He could not wipe out all the results of his folly.
He could never take in his class the position which
industry at first might have given him. The early
seed-time being lost, the harvest could not be so well
matured nor so plentiful as if the warm spring rams
had descended upon it, and the suns of June had de-
veloped it.
The extracts from his correspondence and diary
which follow, will show that the desire to preach the
gospel was almost simultaneous with its reception, and
that the determination to "go far hence unto the
Gentiles" was formed not long after. The main
object kept in view, in selecting from the letters and
journals, is, to show the development of the missionary
spirit. The playfulness, which had formerly charac-
terized his epistolary intercourse with his friends,
almost disappears ; not that he believed it to be wrong
in itself, but because he feared that in his own case it
might degenerate into levity.
TO CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ., TROY.
AMHERST COLLEGE, April 26, 1827.
DEAR DOCTOR:
I am desirous of renewing a correspondence which
I have reason to believe was dropped by you and
justly so, on account of the description of a letter I
received from a year since. With much anxiety
did I the other day hastily glance over the file of
THE NEW MAN. 49
letters from you, to obtain some relief to a troubled
conscience, but alas ! only one sentence could I find.
But I do not blame you. My feelings were not then
as they are now. Now I hope, through the mercy
and grace of God, through the blood of Jesus Christ,
that I have been brought to see my lost and ruined
condition by nature, that I have been humbled at the
foot of the cross, and, as I trust, have obtained pardon
for my sins. But, dear cousin, while you thank God
for his infinite, unbounded, unspeakable mercy to me,
do not forget to ask Him to make me humble that I
may rely upon His strength and not upon my own,
and likewise, as I have determined to devote myself
to His cause and to preach the unsearchable riches of
" Christ and him crucified," to enable me to do it for
His glory and not my own. I feel happy in the
extreme, but I am afraid I shall be too much elated,
and thus be disabled from doing my duty in warn-
ing my fellow-creatures to "flee from the wrath to
come."
Then follows a narrative of the conversion which,
as it differs not materially from the one already
selected, is omitted.
The letter concludes :
"The revival still continues. Twenty-three have
been brought to the foot of the cross. There is
scarcely a student, and in fact, I believe not one, who
does not feel the subject very deeply. There is such
a stillness and solemnity about college as have not
3
50 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
been witnessed before for four years past. Almost
all studies are dispensed with. There will be no
junior exhibition here this spring on this account.
The prayers of Christians are much needed for us,
that the last day of the term may see every member of
this college a decided believer in Christ.
" The twenty-fifth day of April, 1827 ! May
God, in his infinite mercy, grant that I may remember
it with joy to the day of my death !
" I remain your affectionate cousin,
" And, as I trust, brother in Christ,
"HENRY LYMAN."
A part of the reply to the above will best illustrate
the influence of this cousin, to which we have before
alluded.
TROT, May IQth, 1827.
BELOVED COUSIN HENRY:
It is now three weeks since brought me from
the post-office, your letter. It was the Sabbath, and
I felt somewhat grieved that he should have done so
on that day of rest, until I opened it, when I suppose
I had some of the sensations which good old Simeon
expressed when he sang "Nunc dimittis." It was on
our communion Sabbath, and fifty-two persons were
that day admitted to our church. Your glad tidings
.
added another link to the chain of good things which
God in mercy is permitting his people to enjoy, in
THENEWMAN. 51
the midst of the trials and difficulties of this troubled
city.
The relation you gave me of the way in which the
goodness of the Lord led you to repentance, was
peculiarly interesting. It is always delightful to
mark the dealings of His hand, and to trace the little
incidents by which he brings us to a better ac-
quaintance with ourselves. Though sometimes by a
mysterious and clouded path at the moment, we after-
ward can clearly see it to have been the wisest and
best course to attain the end. When the tenderest
mercies cease to allure us to a closer walk with God,
and the tide of earthly prosperity elates us with
pride, if we are God's children we shall find lean-
ness and barrenness of soul, or some severe stroke of
His providence to be the kind chastening of a father,
which "though for the present, it seemeth not joyous
but grievous, nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruits of righteousness." To avoid them
we must " watch and pray." Watch our own hearts,
and pray against all temptations to sin, and, avoiding
every appearance of evil, " press toward the mark for
the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus our
Lord."
I am happy to find it in your heart and among
your thoughts to preach to a dying world "the un-
searchable riches of Christ." To God be the glory,
for He has put it there, and my prayer to Hiip is.
52 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
that he may abundantly enrich your soul, and qualify
you to "face a frowning world;" that He may give
you the faith that will overcome, and the resolution
which will persevere. It is an awfully responsible
undertaking, but, if you are "determined to know
nothing among men save Jesus Christ and Him cruci- ,
fied," you will "have abundant support, if you indeed
feel that your own strength is perfect weakness, and
that when you are weak then you are the strongest ! >
It is the childlike dependence on God in little as much
as in great things, which must be the foundation of
the Christian's happiness, whether in the pulpit or in
the pew. It is^ written of Dr. Scott that he never
felt himself qualified .to comment upon a verse until
he had lifted up an imploring eye for the Divine"
assistance to preserve him from error. It is the faith
that expects from God what we ask in Christ's name
which receives. The condition on which the promise is
made is " Nothing doubting." We must live by faith.
*****
The Lord glorify Himself in us, and let us live
near to Him, and love more and more unto the end.
Your loving cousin-brother,
CHARLES LYMAN.
NOTE TO HIS FATHER.
AMHERST COLLEGE, June 5, 1827.
DEAR FATHER:
I once thought it hard that you should choose for
me my business for life, and permit E. and J. to
flj
*.. THE NEW MAN. 53
decide for themselves, but now I thank God that I
began a college course, and regret very much that I
have so long wasted my time, by not studying and
not improving my mind as I ought. I have a great
work to accomplish to make up for lost time, or, in
other words, to employ the present to the greatest
advantage. Yet when I look back and see that I had
no object in view, I do not wonder that study was a
hardship. Now it is a pleasure. I find no distaste
for it. All my lessons are comparatively easy.
The object now before me is worth studying and
living for worth all the exertion I can make. I
seem to be in a new world. Nothing appears as it
did. My only fear is that I shall forget whence all
my blessings flow, and begin to rely on my own
strength.
The next extract is from a long letter to a witty
and impenitent cousin, to whom he says :
"I have long enough advocated the side of the
world, and wish to do something now for that Saviour
whom I have so long neglected and despised, but whom
I now profess to follow. And, "W., let me assure you
that it is no hardship for me to take up my cross daily
and follow Him. No, I never before knew how to
enjoy life. I never knew before what happiness was.
I say not this by way of boasting God forbid ! but
to have you, dear W., come and taste that the Lord is
gracious. We have long associated together, and what
54 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
should hinder it now when we meet at the end of this
term ? Yet we can not meet as we have done. I can
not ridicule with you religion and revivals, neither
can you take pleasure in religious conversation. Yet
I know you would not desire that I should go back
again to the world."*
In presenting some extracts from the journal of
this period, we must remark that the college friends
of Henry Lyman, who witnessed his earnest efforts to
promote the cause of Christ among the unconverted,
and who remember him as a Christian always full of
hope and cheerfulness, would be surprised on turning
over this private record, to perceive how seldom faith
breaks forth exultant. Now and then there is a joy-
ous strain ; but, in general, so minute was the self-
inspection exercised, so stern the control over the
passions, so high the standard set before him, that
self-reproaches, humble confessions, mark most of the
pages of this diary, in which he wrote almost every
day, sometimes three times daily. And though more
than twenty years have since passed, it seems almost
sacrilege to draw aside the vail which shrouds the
communion of the young Christian with his Master.
* It is an instance of God's encouragement to His people to be
faithful to his covenant, that this young man and his six brothers
and sisters were all, one by one, gathered into the fold of Christ,
though when their pious parents died, not one was decided for
God, and many of them afterward appeared to be entangled in
subtle error. The "W. to whom the above was addressed, preceded
his martyr friend only by about twelve hours, in his entrance into
heaven.
THE NEW MAN. 55
Yet to Henry Lyman it is now but "a very small
thing to be judged of man's judgment," and, were
there more of this faithful introspection, which it has
of late been so fashionable to decry, perhaps fewer
professed Christians would make "shipwreck of their
faith."
" Sabbath, November 4 Evening. Attended
another meeting of the negroes.* Convinced that it
does no good to preach one thing, or pray for one
thing, and live for another that I am very far from
being as holy as I ought. I must conquer the re-
maining evil propensities of my heart, such as levity,
self-righteousness, etc."
" Thursday, December 27 'th Noon. The first
part of this day, I devoted to asking the direction of
my heavenly Father, that I might spend the vacation
to His glory. I have been in prayer most of the fore-
noon, but have just found that I have been praying to
God to direct me in the way my own heart should
dictate, i. e., that I might not have any striving or
warring, but might enjoy His presence at all times
and in all places. I hope that my prayer is now, that
I may dedicate my time to Him, and be conformed to
His will, though my own heart may be deceiving me.
Oh ! my God, teach me to pray as I ought."
As an instance of conscientiousness in little things,
the following extract is given :
* The Sabbath-school in East-street.
56 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
11 Sabbath Morning, December 30. Yesterday,
gradual decline in feeling caused by spiritual pride
and a contented spirit. In the evening was sleepy,
and retired, after committing a great sin, in only half
performing my duty to my God, and that in a sleepy
manner, trusting that I should feel more awake and
just as well on the Sabbath. Conscience accused,
but I smothered it, and did not ask whether it would
be to the glory of God thus to conduct. When I first
awaked, felt inclined to take ' a little more sleep and
a little more slumber,' but on observing my watch,
and finding that I had wasted eight hours in sleep,
and the thought coming to mind of the manner hi
which I had retired to rest, I was convinced that I
had been sinning. I hope now that God has been
pleased to pardon this gross sin, doubly aggravated
by being committed in holy time. When shall I ' cease
to do evil, and learn to do well ?' Oh ! my God, and
injured Saviour, grant of thine infinite mercy that I
may for the future flee such temptations, and I pray
thee, support me through the duties of thine holy
day."
FROM A LETTER TO CHARLES LTMAN.
January 9, 1828.
DEAR COUSIN :
You are an experienced Christian. Do such have
at all times a burning love to God, an abiding sense
of the shortness of time and the danger of perishing
souls? I once thought I experienced these feelings
THE NE^Y MAN. 57
in the highest degree, but alas ! "where are they ? I
knew not then the meaning of the command " WATCH
and PRAY," nor did I ever understand it until about
a week or two after I last wrote. I then knew, for
four or five days in a little degree, what it was to feel
entirely helpless and dependent upon the strength of
the Almighty, the influences of the Holy Spirit, and
the righteousness of Christ. Still, however, I had no
return of the ardent love. Spiritual pride I believe
was the cause of the departure of those feelings. My
understanding and reason are convinced of the reason-
ableness and justice of all the Almighty's require-
ments, and tell me that all I desire is to be conformed
to the will of God, but this heart tells another story,
and says that this world, with all its vanities, is better
than to be continually warring to please God. Once
in a great while I have a little season when I feel
happy, i. e., weak and strong, but when I arrive
there, I stop as though I had attained all that I wish.
I would write further, but there is a little meeting
of young Christians that I wish to attend.
From your affectionate and obliged cousin,
HENRY LYMAN.
Under date of January 2d, 1828, the following
extract is surely the dawn of the martyr spirit :
"The years are short. It is but a moment since
January 1st, 1827, although within that time a revo-
lution has taken place greater with me than the
3*
58 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
bloody contests of France or the protracted struggles
of America. To look back I am happier, and the
pain of the conflict I have endured to obtain this hap-
piness is sunk in oblivion. So will it be with all our
afflictions. For the present they seem ' not joyous,
but grievous.' Oh ! let us from past experience, take
lessons for the future, and strive oh ! agonize. For
how much sweeter will be the rest in Jesus's bosom
the bosom of Him who suffered for us, when we reflect
that we labored to the utmost to obtain it. Did you
never go to bed tired with manual labor, and was not
the sleep you enjoyed far more sweet than when you
had wasted your time in sloth and idleness ? Such
will be the rest of those, who, with the glory of God
and the cross of Christ for .their pole-star, labor
and strive through this dark and cheerless wilderness.
Or did you never exercise till you had acquired an
appetite so keen that you would 'have given worlds,
had you possessed them, for a little food, and was not
the very coarsest morsel more delicious than when
after a day or two of feasting you attempted to eat ?
So sweet will be the bread we shall eat when we ' sit
down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom
of God,' if we suffer hardships and trials here, and
keep continually on the watch. Let us not be dis-
heartened 3 but let the last dying groans of our Saviour
open afresh the wounds of our hearts on account of
our sins, and when once open, probe them deeper and
deeper till all cause of complaint is removed, and at
THE NEW MAN. 59
last we shall say with unspeakable joy, ' Thanks be
unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.' "
" January 29M, 1828. Yesterday conversed with
one whom I heard use profane language, and gave
him 'the Swearer's Prayer,' and felt that I could
heartily pray for him. I am convinced that the best
way to address others on such subjects, is, not to stop
long to meditate, for fear Satan will bring some ob-
jections ; but to do it at once, trusting in God and
lifting to Him an imploring spirit. We can not pray
for them in earnest, unless we exert ourselves in
warning them, and in laboring for them."
LETTER TO AN AUNT.
AMHEKST COLLEGE, March 28, 1828.
I have nothing to relate with regard to my feelings
very different from what every Christian has, unless
it be to tell you of more sloth and inactivity than any
body else can ; but since you wish it, I feel bound to
do it, and I use the more freedom as it is to the con-
fidence of a friend I relate them. The overflowing I
at first experienced when I found my Saviour, con-
tinued for two or three months, when it began to
decline and continued to do so till the beginning of
November. I joined the church and kept up the
outer, and after a certain form the inner Christian
life during this time, but without any spiritual vital-
ity. About the beginning of November, I, with a
60 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
class-mate,* began to attend a Sabbath-school of
colored children about two miles from college, and in
the evening we held a conference meeting for all the
colored people in the neighborhood. It was my en-
deavor to lead these souls to the fountain to drink,
that induced me to drink myself, though I knew not
that I was dying with thirst. Then I began to see
what sin is, and how it appears in the sight of a holy
God. I started from my slumbers, though I had per-
formed all public and private duties, and had thought
I was doing well enough. From that time to this I
have seen a great deal of my own heart, without any
of the real, pure enjoyment of last spring. Then 1
stopped short and tried to make myself better before
I could go forward in what appeared to be my duty.
A week or more since, God was pleased to show me
that I had only to throw myself upon Christ, and let
His righteousness save me. I believe I did do it.
Never before did I feel such a sweet, calm, childlike
resignation to the will of God. I think I can say my
will was His will, and instead of complaining that I
had so much wickedness to struggle against, I felt
rejoiced that He is pleased to give me a disposition to
fight against it. Since then I have felt that though
ignorant, sinful, and unfit to labor for the Lord, yet I
am not in fault if I am not a Brainerd or a Payson.
I have only to make a faithful use of the talents which
are committed to me. I am conscious of neglecting
* Rev. E. D. Eldridge, of Monticello, Ga.
THE NEW MAN. 61
what I have. What should I do had I more com-
mitted to my charge. Beside, the thought animates
me that I am yet but a junior, yet but eighteen and
in the time of preparation which I have before me,
much may be accomplished, if I am diligent ; that I
may be so is my prayer.
I sometimes long to be in the field of labor,
especially when I get among the negroes on Sabbath
afternoon. It seems a kind of foretaste of missionary
labor. But, after all, my destiny may be in the heart
of New England. I desire to be in the hands of God
"as the clay is in the hands of the potter." Four
years seems but a moment, yet it is a long enough
time in which to change the face of the whole world.
I may, we all may, in that time be admitted to the
New Jerusalem. Animating thought ! to commence
those angelic lays, those songs of Zion, which will
communicate such a thrill of joy unspeakable to every
purified soul.
"March 27th. One of the rules of Doddridge's life
was ' never to lose one moment of time or to incur
any unnecessary expenses, that he might have the
more to spend for God.' May this be a rule for me
also : " To use great moderation at meals, and to be sin-
cere and earnest in prayers and thanksgivings at them.
"Saturday Morning, YLth April. Visited Brain-
erd's tomb with a class-mate, on our way to N. H.
The emotions that I felt as I stood beside the monu-
62 THE MAftTYR OF SUMATRA.
ment of this devoted soldier of the cross, were such as
I never before experienced. My prayer to God w,as,
and I thought it came from the heart : Oh ! that I
may be as devoted, soul and body, to my Master's
service. Lord, here I am, take me, and glorify thy-
self with me. It is all that I can do for thee.
"Saturday, April 19/A. Felt last night and to-day
in a little degree what Brainerd calls ' Sweet wrest-
ling with the Lord for souls.' It is truly hard work
to drag the cross then it meets with obstructions,
but it is easy to take it up and have it all on the
shoulders, 'for my yoke is easy and my burden is
light,' but who hath faith to believe it."
TO CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ.
"NORTHAMPTON, June 19, 1828.
"One reason why I did not reply to your letter was
that there was somewhat of a revival in college, at
least a heart-searching time with Christians. There
were a few conversions in the college and academy,
and many at the Mount Pleasant school. The term
closed three weeks since, and I have been pedestrian-
izing with a class-mate to visit Mount Monadnock
and Boston, to see who there was in the world and
what they were doing."
Then follows an enumeration of several revivals,
and the writer continues
" Such things speak loudly of the approach of that
time when ' none will have occasion to say to his
THE NEW MAN. 63
neighbor, know the Lord.' Yet again when we hear
the Macedonian cry rolled in, louder and louder by
every western breeze, and by every wave of the sea,
all looks dark and gloomy, and we are almost ready
to doubt whether the work can ever be, or will ever
be accomplished. There are a great many yet wanted
in the field. The present senior class at Andover
consists of twenty-three or four members, and the
secretary of the A. B. C. F. M. has applied for seven-
teen laborers to go out the present year, and could
only obtain five or six. The secretary of the American
Home Missionary Society applied for one hundred, and
could only secure about the same number. Somebody's
prayers have yet to open the door-nail-clenched-fists
of some of our old misers, to forward this work. I
sometimes wish I were at work, and then the thought
comes, 'What could you do?' Sure enough, What
could I do? I wish I could feel a little the responsi-
bility which in the course of four or five years I shall
take upon myself.
" Please write soon, and believe me still, though
in haste
"Your affectionate cousin,
"HENRY LYMAN."
" Monday Evening, June 23. Had a little meet-
ing this evening of thirty of us to confer about the
wants of the heathen, intending it as an introduction
to regular meetings.
64 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
' ' July 26. Last night had more freedom, and nearer
access to the mercy-seat than I have had before, this
term. Believe I found yesterday, what has been the
matter with me. I have had a light spirit have .been
like a ship without ballast tossed here and there, and
inclined rather to lower than to raise the standard of
piety, jl have wanted to see a revival of religion in
college, but I have not felt the pressing importance
of it, neither has there been any alarm in my own
heart on account of the danger of the impenitent.
Now the reason of all this I believe to be that I have
had no object in view. Last winter I felt that there
must be a revival of religion among us, and as if it
all depended upon my individual exertions. It lay
like a great weight upon my shoulders, and with these
feelings I tried to act. Now what I want is some
particular object in view some great one. What
shall I place before me? The perfect character of
Christ; more particularly, 1. The conversion of
every soul in college. 2. The fulfillment of every
college duty. 3. To be prepared to go out in vaca-
tion and exert not only a good influence on the side
of Christ, but to be actively employed in the great
work of saving souls ; in arousing Christians, and in
persuading sinners. To accomplish all this, I must
be. 1. Much in prayer; 2. Diligent in studying the
Bible; 3. In humbling myself before God; 4. In
acquiring faith ; 5. In the active performance of all
duties whether public or private, which includes en-
THE NEW MAN. 4- 65
deavors to overcome sloth and indolence, and constant
watchfulness over every action, word, and thought.
Finally, all these points may be summed up in either
the fourth, fifth, or seventh resolutions long since
made. Oh ! that God would enable me to live in the
continual light of the Holy Spirit, that I may lead a
more holy life, and glorify Him, who for our sake
' gave his back to the smiters.' Oh ! for grace to
enable me to live.
"July 30, Evening. Have not had so much en-
joyment in religion to-day as yesterday, until this
P. M., at the regular social prayer-meeting. I had
'the old woman's meeting,'* i. e., a very good meet-
ing, although there was no one visibly present but
herself. I have been led to see to-day how true faith
will operate on the conduct; i. e., if I go to the
throne of grace, and pray for any object or person, for
instance college or the students or any one student
in it what will be my feelings after prayer if it is
offered in ' Faith ?' jCWhy, I shall be watching college
in all its operations, anxious to know all about its
concerns ; or if it is a student, I shall watch his con-
duct, and the least thing out of the way will cause me
* Many years ago, an aged woman, went to the usual place of
prayer-meeting in the school-house on the plain in Northampton.
She returned at the accustomed hour, and on being asked, " Had
you a good meeting, mother ?" replied, " Yes, a very good one."
"Who was there?" continued her son. "The Lord Jesus Christ
was there, and I was there we had a good meeting." She had
staid through the usual hour alone, and from that period dates a
powerful revival of religion in that town.
66 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
pain, and induce me to seek the mercy-seat, with
prayers and tears, and to look for an opportunity of
conversing with him, and to do all I can to promote
his spiritual welfare. I shall ever be as active for
others as for myself. It is as impossible for a man
to pray for another in faith, and not to feel a love for
him, as it is for an unholy man to love God. God
grant me more light and heat within, so that I may
'be a green olive-tree in the house of my God,' and
praise Him forever. Oh ! that I might on the mor-
row, if God should be pleased to spare my life, make
a better improvement of time, for Jesus' . sake.
" Tuesday, August 12. Have been reading the
'Life of Rev. Jeremiah Hallock.' His great piety
and usefulness depended on his being often at a throne
of grace, often in prayer and fasting, and often
perusing the word of God. He was an uncommon
example of Christian meekness and humility ; always
living in such a frame that he could spiritualize every
thing that transpired around him. He kept the world
under his feet. Though bold as a lion when his
master required his services, yet his humility did not
desert him. He had zeal, but not without knowledge.
Conviction of truth generally accompanied his words.
" September 25, 1828. Commencement of first
term senior year.
"To thee God, would I dedicate this room, and
all there is, and may be in it ; and all the time I may
spend in it. Thou hast given it to me, use it for thy
THE NEW MAN. 67
glory. Established this eve a little season of prayer
[among the students who roomed at the house] : God
has made all hearts to incline to it, and all attended
to-night. Oh ! that they may be blessed, and a spirit
of prayer increased, till all in this house shall love
God. "
" October 6. Rev. Mr. Brigham of the American
Bible Society met the officers of the College Bible
Society this morning. The news he brought us was
really cheering. How much that Society is doing, and
how much it has still to do. This interview, together
with searching out the condition of Malta to bring
before the association to-morrow, has somewhat aroused
my feelings on the subject. Shall I not feel the
greatness of the cause ! It is one in which the angels
would rejoice to engage. Oh ! that God would show
me if it is not my duty to leave my country and
home, and if it is, that He would purify my motives,
and prepare me for the work for Jesus' sake. Oh,
may my motto be onward forever !
" October 11. Attended the missionary association
this evening. I shall not do for a missionary till my
heart is quickened, and affections warmed, and faith
is strengthened, and humility increased, and the world
given up. and indeed until I am made { a new creature
in Christ Jesus.' "
68 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
TO A SISTER.
"AMHERST COLLEGE, November 2, 1828.
"M\ r DEAR SISTER:
" I was glad to hear of your prosperous journey and
safe arrival. How thankful ought we to bo that our
heavenly Father kindly watches over and protects us
in all our clangers. I rejoice that you have a heart
that can be touched by the melancholy condition of
the poor people around you; that you can feel for
their souls those souls that bear the impress of the
Almighty. And while you feel for them, will you
not pray for them ? And while in your closet you
contemplate, before God, their condition here and
hereafter, and your own relation to Jesus, do you
make the anxious inquiry. ' Lord what wilt thou have
me to do?' Is there not much that you can do?
Who knows but that your master has sent you into
those desolate regions for a time that you might be the
means of the conversion of some poor soul ! One soul !
would it not be a recompense for the winter's anxious
prayers and active exertions."
* * * # #
" But, dear sister, is there no portion of the world
destitute but . My feelings have this term taken
a stronger turn toward this subject than ever before.
It makes my soul bleed to hear the cry from Europe,
Asia, Africa and South America ; to say nothing of
the voice from our own southern and western States,
where in many places, and especially in the State of
TUB NEW MAN. 69
Ohio, they have only one minister to every ten
thousand inhabitants, and in some only one to every
twenty thousand. Millions bow to Juggernaut, mil-
lions to Mohammed, millions to the Pope, and millions
more to idols of then' own making. Now what shall
be done for them ? Few are willing to go, although
they know they can not ' hear without a preacher,'
and declare to them the news, good and joyful, that a
Saviour stands ready with .. open arms to receive
them. But by the leave and assistance of Divine
Providence I will go. When four years have rolled
around, I shall probably be in my grave, on a sick
bed, or on mission ground. Yes, the pleasures of
home, and country, and kindred shall be sacrificed.
But what do I say ? Bather, the pleasure of leading
the poor benighted heathen to Jesus shall not be sac-
rificed for home, country, or friends. Would that to-
morrow's rising sun might witness my final departure
from New England!
. " We have had a communion season to-day. I felt
willing, I think, to be Chrst's forever. Have just
returned from our meeting of negroes. It is more
and more interesting. We are now upon the story of
Joseph in the Bible-class.
" Pray for me that my faith fail not, and believe me,
"Your very affectionate brother, HENRY."
November 8th is recorded as a day of special
prayer and fasting, that God would pour out his
70 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
blessing upon the meeting of the Bible Society on the
next Wednesday ; and on the day of its meeting
Lyman was elected its president.
" November 12. Had some interesting conversa-
tion with Professor ' Peck to-day, especially on the
mission cause. He said there were some things in my
character that would make it better for me to stay,
and be an Evangelist. Nevertheless I can pursue my
inquiries, cultivate a missionary spirit, and if Provi-
dence seems to open my way, offer myself to the Board
if they need my services.
"November 30 Lord's Day. Have feared
sometimes 'lions' in my path, but have invariably
found them 'chained;' especially last evening, when
in conversation with friend Riggs, whether or not to
allude to the 'times' we had had together", and the
difference in my feelings since. Finally I thought I
would, though it was not till just as we were about to
separate. Then I found him quite tender on the sub-
ject of religion, and he requested another interview
this evening. Oh ! that I could remember that the
Lord always supports those who would plead his
cause, and assists them in doing their duty. There
never is any thing lost in owning Jesus.
" December 14 Sabbath. Have just been read-
ing the Life of Mrs. Newell ; and did she, at so young
an age, and at so early a period of missionary opera-
tions, devote herself to the service of Christ in thai
field ? Whv do / not feel more for the heathen ?
THE NEW MAN. 71
Why do I not feel more for those with whom I am
immediately connected ; who are more guilty than the
heathen ? Can I leave my country and engage in
this work ? I want to do it. No, I do not. I want
to do just what God will have me to do, whether to
go there or to stay here. I have no choice between
the most renowned station in the church, and the
lowest and most despised of all private Christians ;
between laboring in heaven-exalted, heaven-privileged
America, and the most degraded pagan nation upon
earth ; between the burning sands of the tropics, and
the ice-bound coasts of the poles. Everywhere is
heard the cry, ' Come over and help us !'
" ' From Greenland's icy mountains,
From India's coral strand.'
Lord here am I, send me. Where ? To the heathen
to preach the Gospel anywhere. But where are
my faith, humility, and love? "Where are the effects
of my godly life and Christian walk in college?
Lord, have mercy ! Humble me at the foot of the
cross for Jesus Christ's sake. Awake me arouse
me."
Again, December 15th, after some other remarks,
the journal continues :
' ' Oh that I were now in some lone missionary
station with one, two, or even no other follower of
lesus ! But this is wicked. I must live and labor
where God has placed me, and ' hold forth the word
72 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
ot life,' and be 'blameless and without rebuke in the
midst of a wicked and perverse nation.' Would it not
be well for the future to spend the first day of every
month ; 1. As a day of fasting and prayer for mis-
sions ; 2. To examine myself as to this work and see
what portion of the church He is fitting me for ? for
' I am ready to 'go, even to prison and to death for
the name of Jesus ;' 3. To select some portion of the
moral world, or some missionary station, for investi-
gation during each month, and also to read some
missionary biography. God, make me holy in
heart, enlightened in mind, and sound in body. Direct
how I may best accomplish these three objects, so that
I may live long and bring thousands and millions of
souls to Jesus." Amen."
In another place he asks :
" Will it not be well to double my monthly concert
contribution next year?"
On the evening of the same day, we read in con-
clusion :
"Would that I might love thee, God, all the
time every moment ! I want to do nothing on earth
but to study the Bible and lead souls to Jesus Christ.
I want to go off somewhere, into some dark corner
where I can have my Jesus, and my Bible, and then
tell poor heathen that the blessed Saviour died for
them, and wants them to love Him. Where shall I
go, ' I would seek unto God to God I would commit
my cause.'
THE NEW MAN. 73
'' Thursday, December 18. Did not enjoy myself
much yesterday, but should I look for enjoyment
here ? No. I did not do any thing for Jesus. How
blessed it is that God has made all our comforts
depend upon our fulfillment of duty. The very means
we use for the advancement of His kingdom are the
only means we can use to promote our own happiness."
In December, in a review of the term, there is
a lamentation over neglect of duty ; especially the
having neglected to pray and labor more for the col-
lege of which he was a member. He continues
thus :
" Our colleges are among the bulwarks of Jesus'
kingdom in this land, so far as human means are
concerned. Those who leave them impenitent are
prepared to ' scatter fire-brands, arrows, and death.'
Whereas, were the young men there brought into the
kingdom in this stage of their education, when im-
pressed with an ardent desire to devote all to the
service of God, they would naturally consecrate their
talents to Him, and devote themselves to the sacred
ministry. Even if enough youth were converted in
our town revivals, and entered college pious, we
should still need a revival to quicken those who
are looking forward to the ministry, and upon whom,
in a great measure, the future hopes of the church
will depend. Oh ! on this college especially is the
dependence of the churches of middle and western
Massachusetts. Prayers are constantly ascending
74 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
that laborers may be brought forth to preach the
Gospel, and how have I, as one here, ' born out of
due time,' and as one since placed as an evidence of
the transforming influences of the Bible, how have I
lived ? I have not watched over my conduct in
public, and as to private, I shrink from the view.
Such wickedness of thought ! Oh ! the vileness of
my heart any thing but Christ has been the lan-
guage of my life.
" Thursday, December 25th. Felt this morning
in prayer as though I wanted to have thousands and
millions of my fellow-sinners brought into the king-
dom, so as to swell to a louder and yet a louder
strain the song of redeeming love. Oh ! when shall
I go and sing? I believe the only sure evidence
a person can have that he loves Jesus, is his anxiety
of soul for the impenitent, and he will know when he
feels this sufficiently by the exertions he is led to
make for those around him, or if circumstances are
such as to prohibit that (which is more rarely the
case than Christians generally believe), the sorrow
he feels, or rather the increased anxiety with which
he prays. We can not be full of the Holy Ghost and
confine it within our own bosoms : others must see the
light shine and must be led to glorify our Father in
heaven.
" December 29th. Felt my heart enlarge toward
the heathen in prayer this morning. It seems to me
I can pray for them with more earnestness than for
THENEWMAN. 75
any thing else. When -will the time come that they
shall be brought to the light ! God let the time
be hastened !
"Evening. Feel almost ready to say, No life but
a missionary to the heathen. But who knows if the
desire may not be used as a chastisement, permitting
me to set my heart upon it, and then withholding
from me the privilege and -the blessing. To thee, O
God, would I commit my ways. Glorify thyself
with me here and hereafter, through Jesus Christ,
thy dear Son. Amen."
TO AN AUNT.
NORTHAMPTON, January 13, 1829.
I suppose now it is pretty much decided that the
family will remove to Amherst in the spring. This
arrangement will, however, bring me no nearer home
for any length of time, as I shall, if the Lord will, go
to a Theological Seminary early in the fall. To
what one father has not yet decided. He is hes-
itating between Princeton, New Jersey, and Andover.
I hope our heavenly Father will wisely order all
things in the decision for His own glory and the good
of His church. When I look back and consider all
the way by which the Lord has led me, especially in
inclining me to go to Amherst .College, I can not
but call upon my soul and all that is within me to
rejoice and bless His holy name forever for His
goodness and loving-kindness to me. and tn sa T ..
76 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
the future, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to
do?" " Here aim I, send me." Oh ! what a blessed
privilege to be permitted to devote our time, our
talents, our all to His service, whose we are and
whom we profess to love. One thinks if there is any
thing that will give a greater zest to the pure joys of
heaven, any thing which will cause us to strike those
golden harps with a higher and yet a higher strain, it
will be to hear the triumphal songs of those who
through our instrumentality have been saved from
" the worm that never dieth and the fire that never is
quenched." And with views of such an immortality
beyond the grave, how can we but devote all ! When
I consider my selfishness and love of the world, and
love of ease, and how much I like to say, iny will, not
"thy will be done," I almost despair of doing. any
good even if I enter the ministry. But blessed be
God for the consolation, and were it not for this, I
should despair, " My grace is sufficient for thee."
He has promised to build up His church. This
glorious work He will carry forward, and if we are
willing that He should, He will use us as instruments,
"poor, weak, unworthy though we be."
As I wrote to Abby, the prospects of the church
here are more encouraging. The Sabbath School
Teachers' meeting, ^ last evening, all said, was un-
usually interesting. There seemed to be a feeling
that efforts must be made greater and more strenuous
than heretofore, for the salvation of the children for
THENEWMAN. 77
an immediate revival in the school. And. how can we
resist such impressions when we take a serious view
of what Sabbath Schools are, and what an influence
they are to exert on the evangelization of the world.
These children must some day take charge of these
same schools. From these must our churches be
replenished. From these must our colleges, our
theological seminaries, our law and medical schools
be filled. These must supply our Bible, tract, and
missionary establishments. Fathers and mothers,
masters and servants, rulers and people all are to
come forth a host for the service of the Lord from
this institution. And they will if we are faithful.
If we are not, they will be a 'host for evil. The
future destinies of our own country the destiny of
the world all, all is depending very much on the
Sabbath School. It seems to be a foundation on
which other benevolent operations are to be built
up.
Oh, that we may be faithful and persevere unto
the end : that we may live holily and die triumph-
antly.
Your affectionate nephew,
HENKY LYMAN.
u January ^th. Had a most interesting inter-
view with our good minister, Mr. Spencer.* 0, how
small it made me feel ! How much pride of heart
* Eev. I. S. Spencer, D. D., late of Brooklyn, L. I.
78 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
was God then pleased to show me. When I told him
that in view of the greatness of a minister's office I
was almost tempted to draw back, he said, ' God
requires nothing more of any man than he is able to
accomplish. God must do all the work. If we think
we can do any thing, we are fools. Ministers are
nothing but old " ram's-horns ;" we must study and
stick to the truth : to God's word.' '
Through the winter vacation of six weeks, mostly
spent beneath the paternal roof in Northampton, the
most minute watchfulness was exercised by Henry
Lyman over his daily life and conversation. Day by
day is recorded the struggle with sin. No visit was
paid which was not severely scrutinized and the result
recorded. Every conference meeting, every assembly
of God's people, was gladly welcomed, and his prayers
and anxieties for a revival in " the dear old church"
at Northampton seem scarcely less than those called
forth by the necessities of Amherst College.
"February Qth. Have been reading Stewart's
' Journal of a Residence on the Sandwich Islands ;'
more and more I feel attached to that mission. But
I must guard against a predilection for any post of
duty. God direct me and be Himself glorified, is all
I ask. Had an interesting interview with Russel
this evening. My heart burned. We prayed to-
gether. God grant, for Jesus' sake, that his work
T H E N E W M A N . 78
may be revived, and I permitted to labor, though
I have so departed from Him, and have so little
faith.
" February 1th. Have been engaged in inves-
tigating the Sandwich Island mission. My heart
seems drawn out in love toward it, especially toward
Mr. and Mrs. Richards. I do not know that I would
prefer going there to labor. It is too nearly a par-
adise for a missionary to go there now. I should
rather commence from the beginning than ' to build
on another man's foundation.'
" February 13th. Have selected as subject for
declamation before chapel, ' Literature and Science
indebted to the Missionary Enterprise.' that
He who put it into my heart to select it, would
bring into activity all my pOAvers of mind, energies
of soul, and affections of heart, to plead His cause
with effect.
"February \4tth. I am so full of sin, and so
liable to err that I need to have my heart raised every
moment to God for strength. I need to have my
strength renewed every moment. Which must I do,
fight against sin and look to God to assist me, or let
alone my sins and my heart, trust them to Jesus,
and go. about His work ? Undoubtedly the last.
"February 15th Lord's Day Evening. Have
reason to bless God for His signal mercies to me this
holy day, and shall, no doubt, praise Him through
the ceaseless ages of eternity, that I have been
80 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
permitted to see its light, and enjoy its heaven-
exalted privileges. The morning prayer-meeting was
good : God was there. Forenoon sermon from our
beloved Professor Peck, was 'a feast of fat things.'
Something he said suggested to my mind the analogy
between the Christian's life and a journey in an un-
known country, up hill and down. We can not see
our way before or behind. Soon, however, we mount
a summit, where Ave have a full view of all our path
except the hills we have come up. All appears
pleasant, the toil is forgotten, and the mercies are
then in view. Here too we take a look forward and
get a glimpse of the goal which lies beyond many
more hills and valleys. We start for a certain point
on the next eminence after having been refreshed by
this Pisgah view. We descend rapidly, and rejoicing
in renewed strength, till at last we reach the valley,
where, surrounded by forests impenetrable, and sink-
ing in the mire, we think we are lost can neither
see the way before nor behind. However, having con-
sulted our compass, we press onward for the point,
hoping to come out at last, and after long struggling
we succeed, and so we proceed.
" East-street Meeting (the colored people's Sun-
day School). God was present; I believe it was not
in vain. that God would sanctify it more fully.
When I went to visit a sick man in the next house,
the older people all followed, and again I had an op-
portunity to speak and to pray with them. Two or
THE NEW MAN. 81
three seemed dejected. Good conversation with brother
Schneider * who attended with me. Never were my
desires to labor for God so great. Never did the
missionary cause appear so lovely.
" February 20th. DAY OF FASTING AND PRAYER
FOR COLLEGES Evening. Good season of prayer
with Porter, Maxwell, and Matthews also with Bliss
and Page. Have had many sweet moments alone.
The most solemn day I ever knew. Have been ena-
bled to plead with God for His blessing. He has, I
trust, answered prayer. There is evidently more
feeling. This morning had little praying circles
scattered about all over college. At half-past ten
met by classes with instructors. President with us
(Seniors), who called attention to the fact that so
many were praying for the students ; to the shortness
of time ; to the wants of our own country, two hundred
and sixty ministers being needed in New England Con-
gregational churches, and in the United States three or
four thousand among Congregational, Presbyterian,
and Baptist churches. The wants of the world also
call upon us.
" At 2 P. M. Professor Hitchcock spoke to us all in
chapel. The President followed with remarks upon
the sovereignty of God. At half-past six, meeting
in rhetorical room. Professor Abbott preached from
' take heed how ye hear.' A nightly prayer-meet-
ing has been established in Harrington's room.
* Rev.'B. Schneider of the Armenian Mission.
82 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" An hour's conversation with brother Lane.* It
was like the joy of my espousals. 0, I longed to
have eternity begin that I might commence my song.
I would sing it if I were confined in the lowest depths
of hell. I would make all hell ring with the praises
of redeeming love. But I feared it not. I could
lean on the arm of Jesus. I could not make myself
to doubt. I gave all up into His hands whose credit
is good. I am Christ's; heaven is mine. When
shall I go and be like him ? Eternity will be too
short if not soon begun. Stop ! stop ! some must go
and begin it with me. I must yet labor and wrestle
'with sins, and doubts, and fears.' Souls must be
saved. God must be glorified on earth, before He
can be praised in heaven. I must first be tried and
see if I can love when He frowns. After I returned
to my room I could wrestle for the influence of the
Spirit to descend upon college. may I be enabled
to bear prosperity, or adversity ; rejoicing on Pisgah's
top, or struggling with the roughest seas.
''March 29th. If in times of apparent security
we are wrestling with sin, and digging up and rooting
out, and overturning ; then when temptation assails,
or God smites in mercy, we shall be prepared to re-
ceive the one with strength, and the other with hu-
mility. A constant watch must be kept a constant
din of battle must be heard.
" July 10/A. Last eve heard Mr. Dwight, a
* David B. Lane, of Stirling, Conn.
THE NEW MAN. 83
missionary appointed to Greece ; text, ' Go ye into
all the world, etc.' Afterward he met our 'Friends.'
/ be a missionary ! How then must I deny self!
Oh ! that from this hour I could begin a thorougli
course of self-denial. Lord Jesus have thou mercy
upon me.
" July IGth. ' No man when he hath lighted a
candle covereth it with a vessel or setteth it under a
bed, but on a candlestick, that he that cometh in may
see the light.' So it is, so it ever will be. It is as
impossible for him who is in the exercise of living
grace to be in company with another a few minutes
and that person not feel the influence of it, as it is
for a man to stand with his head uncovered in the
blaze of the noon- day's sun, and not feel its rays ; or
for the king of day to shine forth in his glory upon
the earth and not emit his light. By this I am con-
demned. Often have I been in company when I have
exerted naught but a negative influence and often not
that. my prayer unto God is for more grace!
Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me !
"July 19th. Took up Mrs. Judson's Memoir;
not much prayer over it, hence not much benefit. I
was led to exclaim, ' Where are my qualifications for
missionary service, either in piety, or intellectual at-
tainments?' I am almost always discouraged in
reading the lives of such persons, and sometimes I am
tempted to renounce the service and enter upon some
secular employment. I do not doubt but that a spark
84 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
of Divine grace has been implanted, but who wants to
be ' saved so as by fire ?'
"July 2Qth Sunday. As I was going to church
the evangelization of the world burst upon my soul in
all its beauty, its grandeur, its greatness. 0, I
wanted to be endowed with a tenfold portion of the
Spirit; to have my heart, mind, and body prepared
for a great and arduous labor in the vineyard. What
is the use of living, if a man can not have his influ-
ence felt in the cause of Christ. I ought to pray
more that I may not go down to the grave till thou-
sands in my day and generation shall have been
brought out of darkness into the marvelous light of
the Gospel, and till I shall have left an influence that
shall be felt as long as the earth shall exist so long
as the throne of God shall stand. And my prayer
ought to be more earnest that God would use all my
talents entirely and directly in His service and for the
promotion of His cause. So great did this subject
appear that I was constrained to adopt as a motto,
'Six hundred millions are perishing ! !'
"July 31s. Had the pleasure, and I hope profit,
of meeting the Rev. Mr. Nettleton this evening with
a few classmates. Spent about two hours. He dis-
coursed upon the motive which should induce us to
enter the ministry that should be the salvation of
one soul, and we should feel our unworthiness to be
the instrument even of this. ' Then if you don't get a
living, what of it?' ' It is not what you were after.
THE NEW MAN. 85
If you don't obtain a name, etc. If you have insult,
etc. If not even permitted to see one soul converted
what of it? God looks at the motive. When we are
laboring, we should make as little noise as possible, or
rather none at all about the work. It will go on the
best when you do not care whether any body knows or
not, if you can be the means of saving any. . We
should not be free to express our opinion to every
body about those who are serious or anxious should
not talk about other denominations.'
" He then gave us an interesting account of the glo-
rious work of grace he had been permitted to witness
in Virginia. Believe I was led to see in some degree
my darkness, and love of reputation, and desire to
glorify self, rather than God."
The following was probably written about the last
of June, 1829 :
"MY MUCH LOVED SISTER:
"Yours of came safely to hand, but unavoidable
circumstances have prevented my answering it. I
am much obliged for the good, wholesome advice it
contained and should like more of it. I want to know
all that there is about me unfavorable to the holy
office toward which I am looking, and a remedy for
it ; so whenever you write to me, lift up your hand
and spare not. It is a holy and responsible place and
it is well to be prepared.
*******
86 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" Again I am glad you are gone because it will be
better for me perhaps to have one link broken at a
time : at least I shall not so sensibly feel the separa-
tion, for separation it will be with me. so soon as my
education is completed."
" AMHERST, August 4, 1829.
"DEAR SISTER:
"You say 'you can not bear the thought of my
going beyond the seas.' This reminds me of what
Mr. Nettleton he is in town now and met our class
last Friday told us : 'In the ministry always have
this question before your minds, How shall I wish I
had acted or spoken a hundred or a thousand years
hence?' Methinks the meeting of the missionary
with his friends at the consummation of all things,
must be made a thousandfold more pleasant by the
separation and its trials.
"Again 'Perhaps you may think differently be-
fore three years expire.' Do not think that I have
determined to go whether or no. I mean to keep an
' if the Lord will,' in the business, and not to make
up my mind for a certainty till I find myself upon
missionary ground. Should I follow the bent of my
own inclinations, I should be a traveling agent for
the Board ; and I may yet find it my duty to stay
here in New England as a settled pastor. I want to
fill, if I know my own feelings, just that niche for
which I was made, and for which my talents are
THE NEW MAN. 87
fitted. If my friends think me better adapted for
some other station than that of missionary, and the
path of duty seems plain, the only thing I shall
have to do, will be to obey the command, 'Walk
ye in it.'
" I may formerly have expressed myself rather too
strongly upon this subject. I always meant this, but
my prevailing feelings and expectations were, that
such would be my course did Providence throw no
obstacles in the way. If there are any books which
interest my feelings, they are the lives and journals
of missionaries. If there are any parts of the Bible
that rejoice my heart, they are those which speak of
the heathen being given to Jesus for an inheritance :
' Ethiopia stretching out her hands unto God, etc.'
If there are any which speak consolation to my soul,
they are those which extend the promise of support
and consolation to him who forsakes house and lands,
father and mother, brothers and sisters, for Jesus.
If there is any thing which animates me in duty, or
leads to self-denial, it is the thought that souls
are perishing. If there is any pleasure in prayer, it
is in praying for benighted pagans. If any thing for
which my heart is drawn out to God, it is for the
missionary. And I have often felt peculiar pleasure
of late in prayers for Mr. and Mrs. Richards.*
" ' More young men have applied to the Board,'
* Of the Sandwich Islands mission. Mrs. B. was a native of
Northampton.
88 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
you saj, 'than can be sent.' This, I fancy, is a
mistake. The Board are now in want of twenty or
thirty such."
*****
The essay which young Lyman prepared for Com-
mencement, was on the " Moral Courage of John
Knox," and there was certainly manifest in the pro-
duction a strong sympathy with this trait of his hero.
The degree of A. B. was received, and the walls of
college left.
The desire the steady development of which we
have endeavored to show that he might go " far
hence to the Gentiles," was as yet unknown to his
parents. And this not from any want of confidence
in those whom the son most tenderly loved and
revered, but because he saw that their hearts were
filled with the idea of having him near them as
a settled pastor, and until the matter was more
matured in his own mind, Henry dreaded to disturb
them.
For the last three months of his stay in Amherst,
he dwelt again under the paternal roof, his father
having purchased the Pleasant Valley farm. His
younger brothers and sisters can well remember his
order and method, his interest in their plans of amuse-
ment, his room accessible to them at all hours of the
day save three. Soon had they found that at even-
ing, morning, and at noon, there was no admission
there. And they had felt the earnest but gentle
THE NEW MAN. 89
force of his efforts to lead them to Christ. Between
the father and - son grew a confidence most complete
and tender. Every trial, every difficulty was con-
fided to Henry, and in his after letters the parent
reaped a thousandfold all that he had sowed.
o
IV.
t iuisio.
For a necessity is laid upon me ; yea, woe is unto me, if I
preach not the Gospel! ST. PAUL.
Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
ACTS xxii. 21.
IV.
THE history of Henry Lyman's seminary course
must be mainly supplied by his correspondence and
journals. The following letter to Charles Lyman,
written from Amherst, August 4th, 1829, gives tho
appropriate introduction to the new scene. After
some remarks upon pecuniary matters, he says :
"It is difficult, I find, to tell what is the path of
duty. It has been a question in my mind of late,
whether I ought not to wait a year or two before
entering the theological school, on account of my age,
being only nineteen and two thirds. But my heart's
desire is to go x forward, though not if it would destroy
my future usefulness. I have, I believe, thoughktoo
much of these things. For the future it seems to me
best to inquire" what shall I do to-day, and regulate
myself to-morrow for the duties of that day, as cir-
cumstances may seem to direct. If I finally conclude
to go to Princeton and go this fall, I shall probably
see you on my way. * * *
" I felt, when we were declared candidates for A. B.,
like a vessel without a pilot, just let out upon the
94 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
broad ocean. Blessed be God ! He has taught me
where to look for a pilot, and a compass. If Jesus is
only ours, we need fear no storm."
TO HIS PARENTS
ANDOVEB, October 12th, 1829.
DEAR PARENTS:
Of my safe arrival, journey, etc., I suppose you
have heard through Mr. Strong. I am settled as
pleasantly as I could wish. I have not been sorry
for a moment that Providence so ordered events that I
was compelled to come here. I do believe "'tis all
for the best." I need, I think, the Andover discipline.
I feel confident of having pursued the course which
will best fit me for the responsible office toward which
I am looking.
You will be astonished when I tell you I have be-
gun my public labors, though without authority. I
preached yesterday all day, and held a conference in
the evening at West Haverhill, eleven miles from
the seminary. The minister was ill, and they could
get no one else, so I went; and as they were all
strangers, they did not know but that 1 could preach.
I had no notice of it till two o'clock Saturday P. M.,
and started off immediately, returning this morning.
Besides three services, I attended a Bible class. I
spoke extemporaneously of course from Luke xviii.
7, in the morning, and Hebrews ii. 3, in the after-
Tr> the evening I took a portion of the first
THE DECISION. 95
chapter of Isaiah. The benediction, of course, I was
not allowed to pronounce, merely saying, " the exer-
cises are closed." I 'felt humble enough in the Bible
class, when I asked a gray-headed old deacon a ques-
tion, and he rose from his seat with all reverence to
answer me. I never performed a harder still it was a
pleasant day's work. The effort of speaking, espec-
ially of speaking extempore, and the anxiety, are
greater than any one can imagine who has not tried
it. If I were only looking to the ministry as a busi-
ness, I would never again open my books. No, were
it not for the love which I feel for my Saviour and my
fellow-men, and the hope that, feeble as I am, I can
be the honored instrument of saving their souls, and
building up His kingdom, I would prefer to leave my
studies and labor on a farm. There is nothing but
this that can compensate for the toil, and anxiety, and
responsibility of the station. It is indeed an awful
thing for one weak worm of the dust to take upon
himself to direct his fellow-creatures to everlasting
happiness. I need, as I trust I have, your constant
prayers, that God would glorify Himself in and
through me. I could not help thinking yesterday, if
it is so hard to labor one Sabbath in this goodly land,
where Christian friends are many, and where there is
plenty to supply the temporal wants, what would it
be to toil all my life, in privation and want, among
the heathen, if God in his holy Providence should call
me there. Since I have been here, I have concluded
96 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
to take up the question as to the part of the vineyard
I shall occupy, soon after the term commences, so as
not to be influenced by any popular excitement which
there may be among the students. I should like your
views on the subject when you write. I feel that I
am equally ready for New England, the torrid zone,
or the frozen poles, if the Lord says: "This is the
way ; walk ye in it." Love to all.
Your affectionate son,
HENRY.
TO CHARLES LYMAN.
ANDOVER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, November 13tb, 1829.
* * * Verily, the Lord's "ways are not as
our ways," or I should not have been privileged to
date a letter from so holy, so consecrated a spot as
this. It is good to observe our heavenly Father's
dealings with us. It has seemed especially so to me
in meditating upon the manner in which, in His mer-
ciful Providence, He hath brought me hither. But
here I have arrived. I have given up myself, with
all my unworthiness and unfitness. to spend and be
spent in the holy office. I have taken upon myself a
responsibility under which Gabriel might well trem-
ble " how much more, then, man who is a worm;"
and how much more still, such an one as I, who am
as yet but as an infant in the school of Christ. I ask
more than ever for an interest in your prayers. I
want to be made more heavenly-minded. What ia
THE DECISION. 97
the use, dear cousin, in our groveling along on earth,
when we are bid to "taste, and see that the Lord is
good?" Is there any such thing as concentrating our
affections in Jesus? I verily think, with Baxter, if
it were "only the exercise of the body, the moving
of the lips, the bending of the knee, men would as
commonly step to heaven as they would go visit a
friend. But to separate our thoughts and affections
from the world, to draw forth all our graces, and in-
crease each by its proper object, and hold them to it
till our work prospers in our hands ; this, THIS is the
difficulty." I find I must keep drive, drive, drive
all the time, pell mell. If I stop to take breath, " in
slips the devil."
Andover, though a heaven on earth, is not heaven.
It is not out of the world. I find I felt not my
wicked heart at college, but rather seem to be more
than ever given over to its influence. (See Saints'
Rest, p. 216.) I quote Baxter because it is so apro-
pos. Verily it is a treasure. It is a mine of gold
in which, when you have cleared one vein of rich ore,
you strike upon another. I think of you more than
once every day when I peruse this and the other ex-
cellent books you have added to my library. "The
blessing of many ready to perish" be upon you.
In a letter to his uncle, D. S. Whitney, Mr.
Lyman, after many expressions of humble gratitude
to God, says : "I mentioned to you the subject of my
98 THE MARTT.R OF SUMATRA.
offering myself to the A. B. C. F. M. My feelings
strengthen toward it every day. Some friends, who
have been conversant with my character during my
college course, encourage it. Do you know any thing
concerning me why I should not submit myself to
their disposal?"
It is sometimes imagined by those not personally
acquainted with missionaries, that, being men of
cold, unsocial temperaments, they suffer less than
others would, in their separation from home and
kindred. The following letter will show the warmth
of Henry Lyman's heart :
TO HIS PARENTS.
ANDOVER, November 22, 1829.
DEAR PARENTS:
Having written three or four letters this evening,
and S. Hopkins intending to take an early start in the
morning, you will not expect a long communication.
Still a few words I will write, and have reserved it till
the last, that I might have the best to wind up with.
Especially do my thoughts turn this evening with
peculiar pleasure to the authors of my being, for to-
morrow numbers a score of years in my life. I should
be worse than a brute, could I, on such an occasion,
forget all your care and anxiety on my account ;
care and anxiety too, which, having been so often for-
feited, it seems a wonder to me that your patience has
not been a thousand times exhausted. Still your fos-
TUB DECISION. 99
tering care has preserved me, under the smiles of a
kind Providence, till I have arrived at two sevenths
of the age allotted to man, and, as I fear, to half of
all the time which will be appointed to me on the
earth. I would not limit Providence, but would it
were so, if I could finish the work He has given me
to do ere that time. The sooner we enter upon our
eternal rest the better for us. Welcome death, if we
can only sing that triumphant song, "0, death,
where is thy sting ? 0, grave, where is thy victory?"
Thanks to God that we obtain the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
I could wish, did not duty prevent, to be present
in the family circle, on the approaching joyful anni-
versary.* However, as far as the thanksgivings
are concerned, I see not why we may not mingle in
them though separated by such a distance. Still it
would be pleasant to make one around the family
altar on that day. That I shall be remembered there
makes up for all. What -reason we have for real,
heartfelt thanksgiving ! Many have been the changes
in our family, yet, for aught we can see, all in mercy.
Death, though he has been very near, has not been
permitted to enter our doors. Though the life of
one was endangered, God said, " Thus far shalt thou
come, and no further," and he is recovering. One
has left home, but for a new home, concerning which
we could all say, " Depart in peace."
* The annual " Tir anksgiving Day."
THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
As for temporal prosperity, what more could the
Lord have done that He has not done. So far His
dealings have been in mercy. Though there have been
seasons of darkness, no doubt, we are all ready now
to praise the hand of our heavenly Father.
How do Sabbath Schools flourish now in Amherst ?
I teach in the west parish, two miles from the sem-
inary. There are three hundred scholars of all ages
and both sexes, from five years old up to sixty. In
this parish there are four hundred and fifty of the
same ages, and sixty- three teachers.
Letters to E. J. and J. accompany this. I suppose
they will all be at home on the 25th.
Your affectionate son,
HENRY.
ANDOVEK, January 1th, 1830.
DEAR FATHER:
I hasten to answer your kind and highly interest-
ing letter by Kidder. The books I shall probably
need, go where I will. A missionary must study
every day as well as ministers at home, for this is the
only way in which he can ' ' bring out of his treasures
things new and old." It is impossible for a man to
continue to interest his fellow-men as a teacher or
minister, unless he is improving his own mind and
learning something new himself.
You mention many failures, and some of them
truly unexpected to me. I can not say, however,
THE DECISION. 101
that I am sorry. Among whom have they happened ?
Are they not men of this world ? men who have been
laying up treasures " where moth and rust corrupt?"
And are these not afflictions sent in mercy to lessen
their confidence in the perishing things of time and
sense, and to induce them to look to Him, whose love
nothing can takeaway? (Rom. vii. 31-39.) I believe
these failures are a means which God has used for
promoting his own cause. Revivals have not been
more numerous for some years than they are now in
our churches and at the missionary stations under
their care. New revivals and increase of old ones are
reported frequently at our meetings. Individual
Christians were too strong, too rich, too much in-
creased in goods, and were saying to their souls,
" Take thine ease," etc., but God, in the plenitude of
His grace, instead of saying, " Thou fool, this night
thy soul shall be required of thee," has only said,
thy property, and is thus bringing them to Him-
self.
I find occasion to bless God daily, that He has so
placed me that I can pray for you. The light of
God's countenance is what all need to bear them
through external troubles. With this every thing
seems right, because every thing seems ordered by
Him who has said, afflictions for the present seem
" not joyous, but grievous, nevertheless afterward
they yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness."
" For, whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and
102 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth," etc. More-
over, we have the example of Job, who, when stripped
of all his earthly comforts, said, "The Lord gave and
the Lord hath taken away, and blessed be the name
of the Lord." It is hard work to trust when all is
dark and gloomy, and there seems no way of escape ;
but is not this the very time in which our faith in
God is called into exercise. We do not use the reins
for the horse when he is standing still. It is only
when he is running that they are required. So faith
is not exercised when we see the way clear and all is
prosperous. But when all is dark, and there is, to
our view, no way of escape, then it is that we must
trust the Lord. You say, "It is not best to borroff
trouble before it comes." I believe that a great part
of our misery here consists in the anticipation of
evil. The Lord will not send more than we can bear.
Still it is best to be prepared for the worst. Even
the very worst, after all, what is it? It all, I
believe, lies in our own feelings whether it shall
affect us unpleasantly or not.
The above was written at odd times do n't know
as you can read it. Love to all.
As ever, yours,
H. L.
tor the first two months, Henry Lyman's Andover
diary is filled with lamentations over his want of
earnest longing for the influences of the Holy Spirit,
THE DECISION. 103
while the joyful record of revivals here and there, his
growing watchfulness over self, and earnest devotion
to the work of saving souls, would give the impression
that he was day by day growing in grace. Still be-
fore his mind was more prominently placed than any
other subject, the great question of the missionary
work. He writes in his journal, under date of
October 6th :
"Had the privilege of attending a conference this
evening, with three or four of the brethren. It showed
me, in some little degree, that I feel not the value of
the soul. I must condemn myself in all I have done
to-day. And why be constantly condemning myself?
Because I have been sinning ; because I am constantly
sinning. Have felt to-day more my own inefficiency.
Felt as though I did not want to do any thing but to
love God and to be swallowed up in Him wholly
conformed to His image. This has been the burden
of my prayers of late. This P. M., while viewing
the idols formerly worshiped by the Sandwich
Islanders, I received a fresh impulse to spend and
be spent on heathen shores. It seems to me this
is the Lord's will. I asked Him to-day to con-
tinue these desires for their salvation, even if He
had ordained I should labor in some other part of the
vineyard.
" Thursday Evening, October 8th. Have thought
that I was something, and that I wanted to do
something till this evening : visited brother Schauf-
104 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
fler,* and oh, how small and insignificant did I
appear to myself! How little love! How much
worldliness ! What am I ? what am I ?
" Monday Morning, November 23d, 1829. To-
day is the anniversary of my first drawing breath in
this world of sin.
" To-day reminds me that I have lived a score of
years.
11 To-day reminds me that I have passed two
sevenths of all the time allotted to man on the earth.
' ' I have had something of a conflict in my mind as
to duty : f study has seemed so pressing here in the
Institution. After prayer. I have determined, God
giving me strength, to look back upon the past year
and seek His guidance for the future.
" 10 o'clock, A. M. As I look from my window, the
clouds roll past in the west in awful grandeur. There
is a constant mingling of black, deep black, blue,
deep blue, light, white, heavy, fleecy.
' ' Though engaged in reviewing my life, I can not but
stop to reflect thereon. Now they ride and clear the
western hills. Now the hills are enveloped in them.
Now the opposite houses are almost hidden from view.
Again they break, and light appears. Again all is
shrouded in twilight-darkness. ' Can any understand
the spreading of the clouds ?' ' Dost thou know the
* Rev. W. G. Schauffler, D.D., missionary to the Jews at Con-
stantinople.
f It was Lyman's custom to spend his birth-day as a time of
special devotion.
THE DECISION. 105
balancing of the clouds, the wonderful works of Him
who is perfect in knowledge ?'
" 'Who can number the clouds in wisdom, or who
can stay the bottles of heaven ?'
" ' Bless the Lord, my soul. Oh Lord my God.
thou art very great.'
" ' Who maketh the clouds His chariot, who walketh
upon the wings of the wind.'
"'Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing
praises upon the harp unto our God.'
' ' ' Who covereth the heavens with clouds, who pre-
pareth rain for the earth.'
" ' Who hath His way in the whirlwind and in the
storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.'
"They are glorious as being the throne on which
the Lord Jesus will make His appearing in the last
great day, when he ' cometh in his glory and all the
holy angels with him.'
*******
"This eve had a good class meeting and finished
review. Comfort in intercession for my parents this
evening. In social devotions and in class meeting, not
that heart work in prayer which constitutes its very
essence. I have pleaded to-day for deadness to the
world and the flesh. This is essential to k&ping a
day of fasting and prayer. It was such observances
which gave the prophets power, and strengthened the
hands of the apostles. It was a Brainerd's strength,
a Hallock's support. In short, where are the holy
5*
106 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA
men or holy women, of olden or present time, who
have not made this a means of great communication
with Jesus. 0, my soul, do thou likewise.
"Friday Evening, Zlth. In p. M. brother Schauf-
fllcr called, on the subject of missions. Good visit. I
felt ready, to go, only waiting for friends' advice.
Was privileged to hear from my dear family to-day.
The letter which most interested me was from father,
saying that he would not advise me to go to the hea-
then, but still wishes me to decide for myself.
" Lord's Day, November 29/7*. Sabbath School
peculiarly interesting. Sufficiently so, and infinitely
more than, to repay me for four miles' walk in the
snow and water, and two or three hours' wet feet.
Have taken the missionary class, and the Lord pre-
vailed upon four or five, through my instrumentality,
to listen to the truths of His word. Have to mourn
over indulgence of appetite. After tea, Sabbath
School teachers' meeting. Had a visit and prayers
with brother Clarke, especially on missions. My heart
was enlarged for perishing heathen ; also with breth-
ren Schauffler and Hathaway a very interesting con-
versation. 0, it was precious to talk over the wants
of Jesus' kingdom and consider the promises. Had
an uncommonly delightful season of prayer. My de-
sire was for the heathen, especially for those who have
not the bread of life, and that I may be privileged to
go and tell them of a dying Jesus. Sweet season of
intercession in social devotion to-night, especially
THE DECISION. 107
for the heathen and for more of Jesus' love in my
heart. that ray countrymen were awake to this
subject ! that they would take one soul and count
its worth, and then look at the millions that are per-
ishing for the word of life, and then see if there is
not a motive for exertion ! What is the church, from
its foundation, but a missionary establishment ? If a
soul is added to it in any part of the world, is it not
increased ? Why not then send the Gospel to those
who have it not ? Must the church first be increased
at home ? Then why not wait till every soul at home
is converted ? Is there no encouragement to labor for
the heathen? The promises are vast. They have
been in an eminent degree fulfilled considering the
little exertion the church has made. Oh ! church of
Christ, I entreat you by the love you bear to perishing
souls ; by Jesus' bloody sweat ; by a Saviour's suffer-
ings ; by a Redeemer's dying groans ; by your own
professions ; by your own constant vows ; by all that
you hold dear on earth and in heaven ; by all you
hope to shun in hell ; by the promises of God ; by
the commands of Jehovah ; by the threatenings of the
Almighty, I beseech you. if you have any grace, any
love, send the bread of life to the perishing, dying
heathen !
" Tuesday Evening, December 1st. This evening
had interesting conversation with brother Hubbard
concerning missionary consecration. Found him re-
volving the subject in his own mind, as to duty. My
108 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
heart burned within me as I talked with him; so
grand, so beautiful, so sublime, so holy, so glorious,
did the work of evangelizing the heathen appear!
How a contemplation of the subject expands the mind
and heart ! I had almost said, well might the Son
of God die to save a lost world ! may he soon ' see
of the travail of His soul and be satisfied !'
" Monday Evening, December 1th. After prayer
for guidance and walk with brother Lane, I concluded
not to give up my studies [for a regular day of fast-
ing and prayer], but to take less food than usual, and
tO MEDITATE AS I HAVE OPPORTUNITY UPON THE CON-
SEQUENCES ATTENDING MY DECISION OF THIS MO-
MENTOUS QUESTION. And what are they ?
"I. Provided I go, and afterward find by bitter
experience that I am not i>i the path of duty. It
seems to me this would be more than I could bear.
It would be an injury to Christ's cause. It would
dishonor Him who has done so much for me so
much for a dying world. It would injure the cause
at the particular station, and at home.
"At the station. Look at that little band, who for
so long a time have been laboring and toiling against
error, superstition, and depravity. All has as yet
been confusion. Order and system have not been at-
tained. But many of these obstacles have begun to
disappear. The forest has been cleared, and the
ground broken. The seed is sown, though yet among
stumps and stones. The blade has sprung up, and
THE DECISION. 109
now the prayer is for another laborer. Apparently
in mercy one arrives, but the Lord is not with him.
From enthusiasm or some worldly motive, perhaps to
get a name, he had determined to offer himself for the
service. Or possessing naturally a roving disposition,
he was not sufficiently earnest in the cry ' Lord what
wilt thou have me to do ?' He labors awhile. No
souls are converted. He grows dissatisfied and im-
patient. Conscience will not allow him to remain,
and pride will not allow him to return home. Per-
haps he walks disorderly. His brethren are grieved,
and the enemies have a new reproach put into their
mouths to cast in the teeth of those who have long
been endeavoring to teach them. And in short, he
undoes all that had been done ; or he finds it was not
the field designed for him, and at last is obliged to re-
turn home. But what is the effect produced at home ?
The confidence of the Board in their missionaries is
lessened. The confidence of the public not only in
him, but in the Board, is diminished. The enemies
triumph the treasury is injured. Is this all? He
wastes the Lord's money gleaned with so much labor
from His children. He wastes his own time and
talents ; above all, souls are lost who might have been
saved, had he been at home laboring where he ought.
Now all this is the result of an imperfect examination
of the leadings of Providence, and a self-sufficient
choice as to the field of labor. that I could feel
something of this evil as I seem to see it in all its
110 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
ramifications. Money, time, talents, are too precious
to be wasted.
"II. Provided I stay at home when it is my
duty to ffo to the heathen, I should be what ? I
could not look to God for His blessing on my labors ;
or even if I should, He would withhold it, and I
should bd a dead, inactive minister a burden to the
Church -a dog in the manger a possessor of the
keys, not entering in myself, nor suffering those who
would, to enter in. Besides, many heathen might be
perishing through want of my instrumentality. ' But
then you can try it at home and afterward go.' True ;
but what would become of the heathen in the mean
time, and what of my desire to go to the heathen af-
ter that had been laid aside to try the experiment,
or had gradually cooled and died away amid the thick-
ening, seducing pleasures of the world.
" Such is the view I have taken to-day, and do I
not need care and anxiety ? Ought not my prayer to
be constant and earnest, ' Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do ?' Still I have not that anxiety which Par-
sons, Fiske, etc., had. The way seems so plain that
' the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err
therein.' It seems plain as daylight ; yet this very
thing makes me doubt, and say there is no need of
argument to convince me. The Lord guide me. Had
a good monthly concert this evening and exceeding
much enlargement in prayer; in evening, devotions
for the perishing heathen.
THE DECISION. Ill
" Tueslay Evening, 8th. The question which I
have had up to-day has been, ' What are the claims
which my own country has upon my talents?' In
other words, what is the moral condition of the
United States?"
Then follows, occupying several pages of the diary,
a review of the religious condition of his native
land.
" Wednesday Morning, Qth. To-day, with the
assistance of Divine Providence, I propose to meditate
upon the condition and prospects of the heathen,
and their claims upon my labors.
"Evening. Verily a world lieth in wickedness.
This is enough. That five eighths of them never
heard of Jesus is all we want to show us their present
condition. But to bring the picture nearer to our
eyes. Take one of our New England parishes, say
this one; here we behold twelve hundred people,
civilized, educated, refined, pious, surrounded by all
that can make life dear and pleasant friends, social *
fireside, houses, lands, the comforts, and in many in-
stances the superfluities, of life. But more than all,
they worship God according to the dictates of con-
science, and the direction of His word, in the full
enjoyment of Sabbath and sanctuary privileges, with
their train of attendant blessings. Now, suppose this
society should forsake God, the sanctuary be de-
molished, the minister be dismissed, the Sabbath
blotted out, and all the attendant blessings of religion
112 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
be cast with it into non-existence. Still, though they
should retain their refinement and all temporal bless-
ings, would .we not say from our hearts, ' How are the
mighty fallen I' Verily it is heart-rending to behold
so much sin and wickedness !
"But, further, suppose their temporal blessings to
remain, but the people themselves to have fallen into
all kinds of vice, and to have sold themselves to com-
mit all manner of iniquity. Drinking, gambling,
stealing, murdering, all are countenanced. How
would our hearts bleed to see them thus living,
and their children thus educated, every new gen-
eration, one more remove from the knowledge of
God than the preceding, till finally the name, the
existence, of God is unknown. Would you not mourn
to see them in such a case? But I have not yet done.
Look at them once more. They have made gods
which, 'having eyes, see not,' etc. Yes, they have
taken a huge block of wood, without form or comeli-
ness, and have set it up as their god, before which
they bow the knee, and to which their prayers
ascend ; and not only this, but they sacrifice their
friends and children to appease its imagined wrath.
They lay themselves before its altar, or throw them-
selves before the ponderous wheels of its car, that thus
they may go where ? The widow, too, in the bloom
of her youth, reckless of her infant orphans, volun-
tarily commits her body to the flames, that thus she
may rejoin her departed husband. Does not the
THE DECISION. 113
heart sicken at such a sight? Would we not give
all, yea, hold not our own life dear, that we might
win them to Jesus, knowing that to be the only way
of escape from this thralldom of sin and Satan. Now,
there is not only one parish thus, but five hundred
thousand just such parishes as this are on our globe
in this condition. Behold them naked, or, at most,
with the skin of some wild beast thrown around them,
living in huts, or, perchance, in holes of the rocks, or
caves of the earth, herding together like beasts of the
field, feeding upon the reptiles on which we are ac-
customed to look Avith so much disgust; on living
flesh, and even see them devouring one another.
And is this the height of their misery ? Stand at
the bar of God when all nations under heaven shall
be gathered before His throne. See them under the
frown of the judge, taking their places on the left
hand. Listen to the sentence, ' Depart,' etc. Then
behold them driven away to ' blackness of darkness,'
to ' the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,'
with only one exclamation, Why did you not warn us ?
Why did you not send us the Gospel ? And after
thousands of years shall have rolled past, see still the
smoke of their torment ascending up forever and ever,
bearing upon it the question, Why did you not send
us the Gospel ? Here there is misery, consummate
misery; tremendous misery. And have they no
hope of emancipation ? Have they no one to teach
them the good news of salvation ? Has nothing been
114 THE MARTYR OP SUMATRA.
done for them? There are, perhaps, six hundred
teachers. But 'what are they among so many?'
While here in New England we have 'one preacher
to every one thousand of the enlightened and Chris-
tianized inhabitants, they have but one to one mil-
lion. But the labors of these instructors are confined
to one million. There are five hundred millions who
know not that there is ' balm in Gilead and a physi-
cian there,' nay, who see not that they are covered
with ' wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores.'
Some effort has been made to send them the Gospel.
As yet, however, the church has taken but one step
toward the commencement of the labor. There are
five hundred millions to whom it is to be carried ere
' the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as
the waters cover the sea.'
" Now where are greater claims for my labors in
the cause of Jesus ?
" Thursday Evening, December IQth. To-day
have meditated somewhat on the sitccess of mis-
sions."
Seven closely written pages here review the course
of missionary enterprise and its success in different
parts of the world, but as it is presented in a
condensed form in the letter to his father, we omit
it.
"Saturday Morning, December 12th. I was
obliged to carry 'The Success,' etc., so far into yes-
terday, that I was unable to investigate, as I had
THE DECISION. 115
intended, The Promises of God Concerning the
Heathen, together with the encouragement or dis-
couragement from the Bible, to engage personally
in evangelizing the heathen, any further than the
first part. I have found them abundant: Gen. xviii.
18, xxii. 18, xxvi. 4, xlix. 10; Ps. ii. 8, xxii. 27,
xlyi. 10, Ixviii. 31, Ixxii., cii. 13-15; Isa. ii. 2-4,
xi., xlii. 1-12, xlix. 1-16, Ii. 5, lii. 9, 10, liv.
1-10, lix. 19, lx., Ixii. 1, Ixv. 17-25, Ixvi. 7, 8,
18-24; Jer. xxxi. ; Mai. i. 11; Dan. vii. 1-27;
Micah iv. 1-7; Zeph. ii. 11,-iii. 8-10; Hab. ii. 14;
Zech. ix. 9, 10, xiv. 9; Matt. vi. 10, xxiv. 14,
xxviii. 19, 20; Mark xiii. 10, xvi. 15, 16; Luke
xi. 2, xxiv. 47 ; Rom. xv. 12 ; Gal. iii. 8 ; Heb. viii. ;
Rev. v. 9, vii. 9, xiv. 6, xv. 4. The promises are
truly rich.
" Encouragement, etc. ' Go ye therefore and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teach-
ing them to observe all things, whatsoever I have
commanded you, and lo ! / am with you always,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.' What
need have we of further witnesses? None. Yet
there is encouragement and duty set forth in the
following among many other passages of holy writ :
Mark xvi. 15 ; Luke xiv. 26-33, xvii. 29, 30 ; John
xii. 26, 27 ; Rom. viii. 31, 32, 35, 39 ; Gal. i. 15,
16 ; Heb. xi. ; Luke x. 1, 2, xxix. 37."
The remainder of this examination is rather an act
116 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
of special pleading, than a fair and candid investiga-
tion of the subject. We have hesitated to introduce
it, yet, few things could more decidedly show what a
passion with Lyman was the missionary work, than
what follows. There are two letters referred to
repeatedly : the one we here introduce, that it may be
borne in mind, without again interrupting the nar-
.rative, the other can not be found. It was from a
beloved room-mate, D. T. Lane, of Sterling, Connec-
ticut, who had intended himself' to engage in the
missionary work. But it pleased the master to say
to him, "Come up higher," and he "entered into
rest" in 1832.
LETTER FROM REVEREND S. PECK, D.D.
AMHERST COLLEGE, November 15, 1829.
MY DEAR BROTHER:
Your letter of October 14th, did not reach me till
several weeks after date, and since then I have been
prevented from answering it by a variety of engage-
ments that could not have been conveniently set aside.
It is with real pleasure, and not without prayer to God
for you, that I avail myself of the present opportunity
to give a candid, though very brief reply to the ques-
tions you have proposed, reminding you, however,
not to attach too much importance to either of the
opinions I may express, founded as they must be, on
an imperfect knowledge of your character, yet bearing
on a subject of so vast importance.
THE DECISION. 117
To your first inquiry I can reply, \vith Christian
sincerity, I know of no trait or traits in your charac-
ter that forbids your offering yourself to the Board,
nor have I learned from a recent conversation with
the President, or from conversation with others at
different times, that any of your acquaintance here en-
tertain a contrary opinion. We cherish the hope,
indeed, that if God shall grant you the distinguished
privilege of preaching the Gospel to the heathen. He
will pour out upon you such an abundant measure of
His grace, and will so accompany your ministrations
by the power of the Holy Ghost sent down from
heaven, that it will not at any future time become a
question of distressing uncertainty whether you had
entered on the work which was assigned you by our
Lord.
With like sincerity I would say in answer to your
second inquiry, that while I know nothing of a moral
or religious nature requiring animadversion, I think
it highly desirable that you should make it a constant
and special aim during your connection with the sem-
inary, second only to the cultivation of your own
heart, to discipline and furnish your mind to the
highest possible degree by laborious application and
entire faithfulness in all the departments of theolog-
ical study as they are there pursued. I was very
desirous you should go to Andover precisely on this
ground. Noplace, I believe, furnishes greater facili-
ties, or lays one under a more direct necessity to cul-
118 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
tivate his intellectual powers, and on one of your age
and character, I believe, also, it is peculiarly calculated
to exert a salutary influence.
In regard to the time of offering your services to
the Board, I think the reasons you have suggested
for preferring an early occasion after determining the
question in your own mind, are entitled to great con-
sideration. Not only will your friends become more
fully reconciled to the course, and impediments of any
other nature more easily and entirely removed, but
your own mind will be more at rest, and your prepar-
atory studies will be stimulated and modified by the
habitual contemplation of the great object to which
they are all subservient. Objections to this measure
there may be, but I am not aware of any of a very
serious magnitude.
And now, my dear brother, I commend you to God,
and to the word of His grace. May the great Head
of the church Himself be your counselor and guide.
I doubt not that you are daily at His feet, endeavoring
to learn of Him. Nor do I doubt that in due time
he will distinctly say to you, " This is the way." In
His strength, and under His protection, may you go
forth, and may His good Spirit enlighten, sanctify,
encourage, and comfort you in the faithful performance
of His will, whether on Christian or heathen ground.
With much affection,
Your brother in Christ,
SOLOMON PECK.
DECISION. 119
" Saturday Evening. My Qualifications is the
question which to-day I have thought of considering.
"Piety. This is the great thing. This is the found-
ation of all. Here my wicked heart, sins of omission
and of commission, want of love and faith, come up, but
what have I to do with them here ? If I should
attempt to enumerate them, it would keep me writing
not only all night, but all my life. If I regarded
these, I certainly should not go. Let me then look a
little at the other side.
" I can not, I will not doubt, that Jesus has redeemed,
by His blood, this soul from eternal burnings. I re-
joiced, when first He showed me the Father, to be in
His hands, to be any thing for Him. I saw the terrors
of Sinai removed. I beheld all love, all mercy. It
was nothing but ' come, come' and ' take of the wa-
ters of life freely.' Ever since that time I have re-
joiced in Jesus. I have never for the least part of a
moment doubted tha.t ' I am thine, thou art mine.' It
has ever seemed to me that all I had to do was to go on
and labor. I was safe with Jesus : I need not care for
myself. I have, when desponding, tried to realize my
hopes, but never could succeed. The voice has always
been, ' Work for Jesus. He has done enough for you.'
Whenever I have been down-hearted, it is because I
have swerved from the path of duty ; have been un-
willing to cut off a 'right hand,' or pluck out a 'right
eye.' I do n't know that I have ever lost sight of
Jesus, though often He has been so far distant, that I
120 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
was scarcely able to discern whether it was He or not.
I have been wanting in a deep, devotional, prayerful,
teachable frame of mind. The Bible, ever since I
have been brought 'out of nature's darkness,' has
seemed to me more and more lovely, desirable yea,
I would rather read it, than do any thing else on
earth. Jesus has been increasingly all my hope and
desire ; just the Saviour I want, and the way of sal-
vation the most glorious and efficient and desirable
that could be provided. The justice of God I can
rejoice in ; yea, should He send me to hell, I would
still spend my breath in exalting it, and though cast
away myself, would still rejoice that so many souls
are saved through Jesus. My closet, especially since
I have been here, has seemed more and more pleasant
to me. I have often longed for the hour of secret
prayer and reading God's word. I do not feel enmity
toward any one, but as though I could shake all the
world, high and low, rich and poor, by the hand, and
hail them as brethren. I have loved Christians more
than the impenitent, yet for the impenitent I have
often felt distress and anguish of soul. All has been
prosperous with me as yet. I can not tell what ad-
versity may do. But ' Shall I bring to the birth and
not cause to deliver ?'
" My desires for the salvation of the heathen, and
love of the work. My inclinations, my feelings, my
taste, every thing urged me to the ministry. I
seemed to go forward to it instinctively. Just so
THE DECISION. 121
plain has been the duty, or I would rather say privi-
lege (for it has always seemed to me the greatest
possible privilege that could be conferred on me), to
go to the heathen. It seems to be the only place for
me. All the wealth of the Indies would not tempt
me to swerve, though I do not know what temptation
would do, if God should leave me to myself. My
soul is engrossed in this. It is, and has been for
more than two years, my darling object. . The fact
that so many millions are perishing without the light
of the Gospel, has touched a chord of my heart which
only the chill of the grave can cause to cease vi-
brating. But I can not express my feelings. Suffice
it to say that the greatest trial that I could be called
upon to endure, would be to settle over a New England
congregation. Nothing but a clear conviction of duty,
amounting almost to immediate revelation, could in-
duce me to stay. I have often thought that if the
A. B. C. F. M. will not send me, I can apply to some
other Society. If none in this country will, and none
in England will, then my last resource will be to
work my passage out as chaplain, and throw myself
on the charity of the natives in some dark corner.
" Little points in my character, such as temper, etc.
These I can not stop to consider. I have only to say, I
see nothing in the way of my laboring as successfully
among the heathen, as at home, even more so, ceteris
paribus. Besides, friends whose advice I have craved
have said go as Professor Peck and brother Lane.
122 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" Obstacles in the way. There is not one, or a
sign of one, that I can see. My attachments to friends
and country have always seemed to me as nothing
when looking at this subject. I have for two years
been praying the Lord to make a clear path. So far
the sun has shone in meridian splendor. My beloved
father advises not, but still does not object. Indeed
how could he, when he dedicated me to God's service,
as a preacher of the Gospel, the night I first opened
my eyes in this revolted world. I would not care if
all my friends ' weep and break my heart ;' I would
not care ' if there were devils in the way, as many as
the tiles on the houses.' '
Talents, fortitude in danger, and perseverance in
toil and hardship, habits of life, and health, are all
considered in the same way. The result is summed
up in the letter which follows :
" Lord's Day Evening-, December 13th, 1829.
Having attended at the communion table this day, and
resealed my vows to the Lord, before his people ; hav-
ing set apart the latter part of the day as a season of
fasting and prayer ; having reviewed last week's work,
and the letters alluded to ; and having again and again
called upon God. and committed my way to Him, I
have with much fear and trembling, on account of my
liability to err, and the consequences thereof to Jesus'
cause, said, ' Lord I will go to the heathen, provided
thou dost not close the door. And here now, God,
THE DECISION. 123
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I consecrate my talents,
my time, my all, to carry the Gospel to the destitute
heathen. May I never lose sight of this consecration.
In my trials and temptations, blessed Jesus, remember
I am but an 'earthen vessel,' and fulfill thy blessed
promise, ' Lo I am with you alway, even to the end
of the world.' Amen and amen.
"HENRY LYMAN."
The following letter is that hi which the decision,
above recorded, was announced to his parents. The
father proposed, in reply, sending it to the New York
Observer for publication ; and the son consented,
merely altering dates, that its author might not be
suspected. No doubt there were in the original manu-
script some sentences which are here wanting; but
as that can not be found, we are compelled to insert it
just as it appeared in print :
THEOLOGICAL SEMINABT, * * * February 10th, 1830.
DEAR PARENTS:
I embrace the present opportunity of answering
yours of the 19th ult. I have employed my leisure
time the past week in considering the great question
to which I have alluded in former communications,
and which was the principal theme of your last letter.
I have considered, "He that loveth father or mother
more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that
loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of
124 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
me;" "and he that taketh not his cross and folio weth
after me, is not worthy of me;" "he that loveth
his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this
world shall keep it unto life eternal;" "if any man
serve me, him will my Father honor ;" also, " Ask of
me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inherit-
ance, and the uttermost part of the earth for thy pos-
session ;" " Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands
unto God;" "the isles shall wait for His law, and
all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our
God;" " but whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord, shall be saved;" "how shall they call
on Him in whom they have not believed ? and how
shall they believe in Him of whom they have not
heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher ?"
also Christ's command, "Go ye, therefore, and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy GhosE"
I have also examined, 1. The moral condition of
my own country. 2. The condition and prospects
of the heathen. 3. The success of missions ; and
4. My own talents, character, and feelings, etc.,
and I can find nothing in the way of my going to the
heathen, and there spending my days in building up
Christ's kingdom, unless the Lord should, in His
holy Providence, place some obstacle in the way.
1. I can not here give in full my thoughts on the
above topics, for want of room, and will only say con-
cerning the first, our country contains only one sixty-
THE DECISION. 125
sixth of all the inhabitants of the world. It has one
evangelical minister to every two thousand inhabitants
(and New England has one to one thousand). Its
influence is on the side of piety; it has Sabbath
Schools, Bible classes, etc., etc. ; and in two years the
Bible will be placed in the hands of every family.
Verily we may say of the United States of America,
"They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear
them !" But, it may be said, " allowing one minister
to one thousand inhabitants in New England and the
middle States, it will leave the South and West very
destitute." They will not suffer, however. The
country is awake to this subject, and our young men
are flocking thither. In twenty years that region
will be as well supplied as New England now is.
Now we have no right to confine the Gospel to this
little portion of the world. Christ has said, "The
field is the world;" and when one asked Him "Who is
my neighbor?" he pointed him to the man in want,
and said, " Go and do likewise."
2. As to the second topic, suffice it to say, five
hundred million souls have never heard of Jesus.
Now the whole object of Christ's mission to earth
was to save souls. Hence, if we are possessed of His
spirit, we shall give our lives, our talents, our wealth,
our all for this object. Our happiness is not here;
" we have a building of God, a house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens."
3. The Success of Missions. This, and the first
126 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
topic, I have examined more critically, on account of
suggestions in your letter. I find that success has, in
every instance but two or three, attended them. At
the Nicobar Isles and in South America the mission-
aries were unsuccessful, but thousands have been hope-
fully converted in Asia, Africa, and North America.
The friends of missions hardly yet look for fruits of
labor, on account of the time necessary to be spent in
learning the languages, and translating the Bible, etc.,
and yet there are as many converts, on an average, on
heathen ground, take the world through, to each
missionary as there are to ministers of the Gospel at
home, and, if the truth were known, I believe there
would be found to be more. This, however, will
make the numbers small when compared with five
hundred millions, for there are not more than six or
seven hundred missionaries in the whole world, and
the number of students in this seminary now, is
greater than that of all the missionaries that have
ever gone from this country. Add to this the m-
fluence these have over others, for we must consider
half the work done in getting a footing among the
heathen. Missions have raised the standard of piety
at home ; have added to science and literature. Even
men of this world say that "the geographical knowl-
edge obtained through missionaries will repay all the
lives lost, tune spent, and money expended, in the
cause." Commerce, too, has been aided. In short,
missions have given an impulse to science, literature,
THE DECISION. 127
the arts, and the business of life, besides extending
the Redeemer's kingdom, and saving souls.
4. I see nothing in my talents, etc., in the way.
To be sure, I have nothing to boast of, but then some-
body must go. Better men wait A poor hand is
better than none ; besides, the cause calls for all kinds
of men, as much as the ministry at home. Why then
should not I go ? Concerning my feelings, I would
say, this object has been before my mind, as much as
the ministry, ever since I had hope in Christ. It has
been "growing with my growth, and strengthening
with my strength." If ever I have had any pleasure
in contemplating the future, or enlargement in prayer,
it has been concerning the heathen. They have
seemed to me to be in such a wretched condition
without the Gospel, that I have always been con-
strained to say, "Here am I, send me." Indeed my
future happiness is dependent upon going to them
with the news of salvation. Their darkness and
pfospects have touched a chord in my heart which
will not cease to vibrate while life remains.
You see that in my decision I endeavor to follow
Paul's example concerning "preaching among the
heathen." "I confer not with flesh and blood,"
Indeed why should I ? We live in an age when con-
secration to the service of Christ must be so entire as
not to stop for trials of this kind. We ought certainly
to be willing to endure as much as the ancient worthies
in the latter part of Hebrews xi.
128 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" Shall I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas ?"
Think not that I have looked only at the pleasures
and happiness of a missionary life. I have seemed to
see myself separated entirely from the tender watch-
fulness, and solicitous care, and kind advice, of my
parents, exposed, perhaps, like Brainerd and Martyn,
to the inclemency of a stormy night, with naught but
a tree for a bed, and the canopy of heaven for a cover-
ing ; or, like Judson, to prison and death, or burning
sands, or driving snows, or inhospitable climes, or in-
human savages yet, what of it? "If God be for us,
who can be against us?" The treasure is committed
to earthen vessels, that the " excellency of the power
may be of God and not of us," and Christ says, " Lo
I am with you alway even to the end of the world."
The cause is the Lord's. It is to build up Zion, of
which he has said, "Behold! I have graven thee
upon the palms of my hands ; thy walls are contin-
ually before me." Perhaps I may meet an early
grave, and what if I should ? " It is better to wear
out than to rust out." I shall soon be free from sin,
and serve God without weariness and without end.
Though I should have rejoiced, had Providence so
ordered my lot that I could live near my parents,
and enjoy their society, and do something to re-
pay the immense debt of gratitude I owe to them,
THE DECISION. 129
and, if I should survive them, to smooth their passage
to the tomb, yet, the path of duty is too plain to be
mistaken. If I regard the first passage of Scripture
which I have quoted above, I shall have no hesitation
in going. It is not as though I left them destitute.
They are surrounded by offspring who will, probably,
be more faithful in caring for them than I should.
Did I say leave ? How can I leave, especially to go
and endure the trials of a missionary life without their
blessing ? I hope my parents will not only be willing,
but rejoice to have me go, if Providence should so
order it, for I have not only now made myself willing,
but ready to go, if the Lord should call me. These
are the feelings of
Your affectionate son,
HENRY LYMAN.
A part of the father's reply is subjoined.
FROM THEODORE LYMAN.
"AMHERST, December 22, 1829.
"DEAR HENRY:
" I received your kind and interesting letter of the
13th instant, in which you informed us of your
decision as regards your future destination. You
have decided just as we expected you would, and, if
the feelings expressed in that letter are yours, just as
we should wish you to. Although it may be a pain-
ful and severe trial to part with you, yet, the thought
6*
130 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA^
of your being in the service of our Lord and Master,
in that part of His vineyard where you think you can
do the most good, and where you can be most happy,
will alleviate, in*a great measure, the trial. The suf-
ferings of a missionary are great, especially a foreign
one, yet the Lord can and will sustain you. How
precious His promises are, especially those to His
children, and to those who devote themselves and
their all to His service ! May you always enjoy the
light of His holy, reconciled countenance, and be sup-
ported in all your trials, is the prayer of your affec-
tionate parents."
*****
" Wednesday, December \th. In the evening
was introduced to the " brethren." How solemn it
seemed to take the place of Mills, Hall, Judson,
Fiske, Parsons, etc. There was a sacredness about
it. To think I was a member of the Society which
is the mother of the American Board, American Bible
Society, etc., etc., branches of which are now estab-
lished at Auburn and Princeton. Jesus Christ and
His angels watch over it."
In the " Memoir of the Life of the Rev. Dr. Wor-
cester, of Salem," page 84, will be found the first
published account of this Society. It is deeply in-
teresting. The association was founded by Samuel
J. Mills, at Williams' College, 1808. " Its record is
on high."
V.
ill Difficult]*.
But chiefly ye should lift your gaze
Above the world's uncertain haze,
And look with calm, unwavering eye
On the bright fields beyond the sky,
Te who your Lord's commission bear
His way of mercy to prepare ;
Angels, He calls ye ; be your strife,
To lead on earth an angel's life.
[ CHRISTIAN YEAR.
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all
things. ST. PAUL.
V.
"!F any man will come after me let him deny him-
self, and take up his cross daily and follow me," said
our Lord Jesus Christ. This passage our young
theological student received literally, and in attempt-
ing to follow it, perhaps went to an extreme which
might, in time, have seriously impaired his constitu-
tion. The keeping under his body formed no small
part of 'his daily efforts in the Divine life. His
seasons of fasting were frequent, and one by one
he relinquished the use of many articles of food to
which he had been accustomed, and of which he was
fond, but which he fancied prevented him from enjoy-
ing the spirit he so much desired. As he had a large
frame and took a great deal of violent exercise, both
by working in the students' carpenter's shop, and hi
walking, it is, perhaps, true that his rigid abstinence
was injudicious. It certainly rendered him thin, and
sometimes "wan," but however we may doubt the
judgment, none can help respecting the piety which
urged to such sacrifices. Nay, it is possible that
some of those who so sorely dread, and so carefully
134 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
avoid asceticism a trait easier to ridicule than to
imitate might be benefited by following at a humble
distance the self-control sought and practiced by
Henry Lyman.
Fancying that "should the Board see fit to send
him to Greenland," he must learn to bear the rigor
of the climate, he laid aside the use of flannel. The
first year of the trial at Amherst he accommodated
himself to the change without difficulty. But at
Andover the piercing winds had nearly proved fatal
to him, until, after having suffered for some weeks
from a succession of colds, he yielded to his mother's
wishes, and once more equipped in warm clothing,
decided that the polar regions would scarcely suit his
constitution.
He complains one Sunday of having slept in
church, "-owing probably to excess in eating," al-
though he had confined himself at dinner to "plain
bread and butter." But -it will be seen that as he
advanced in the conflict, these things assumed their
proper place, while the strength matured by self-con-
quest was most valuable.
One of his sisters writes :
"I well remember in one of his vacations, how
much Henry talked to us about our dress, reading to
us ' Dr. Judson's Letter to the Females of America on
Ornamental and Costly Attire.' Every unnecessary
button or superfluous bow was the subject of his ani-
madversion, until one of us laughingly told him that
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 135
he was engrossing our attention with our costume,
and that we had bestowed more thought upon it dur-
ing his brief visit than in all our lives before. No
ridicule moved him, however ; and when again we met
in the spring of 1832, we were surprised to hear
not one word on the old point. At length, A
remarked to him, 'Henry, you do not talk so
much of dress as you did ;' his reply was, in effect,
this : ' No, sister, I have learned that there are
things of more importance, and if the heart be
filled with love to Christ, such things will adjust
themselves.' ;:
We resume the extracts from journals. That of
January 2d, 1830, is a review of all the Sabbaths of
1829, with a memorandum concerning each, as, for
example,
" Anther st, March 8th. Solemn, prayerful, of
course, profitable Sabbath.
" Amherst, May 3c?. Communion best I ever
had spirit of prayer.
. "Amherst, May IQth. Good spirit of prayer,
and profit from sermon.
"Hartford, May 31s. But little spirituality.
"Amherst, July ~L2th. Not much life In private
all day.
"Amherst, August 30/A. Assistance from God
in the performance of duties."
The whole concluded with a summary of the proper-
136 THE MARTYE OF SUMATRA.
tion of Lord's days profitably, and those unprofitably
spent.
" Wednesday, January 20th. After breakfast,
brother Thompson proposed a walk to Boston, to wit-
ness the departure of Messrs. Dwight and Whitney,
with their wives, as missionaries to the Armenians. I
accepted the proposition, and started with him and
brother Lane. I think the scene removed somewhat
of enthusiasm, and presented the work more as a re-
ality ; but my desire to go was" not lessened, but
rather increased. I felt more than ever, ' Without
me ye can do nothing ;' but ' through Christ strength-
ening me, I can do all things.' "
February 1st, 1830, is recorded as a day set apart
by a few of the students as one of fasting and prayer
on account of missions. "Have never," he says,
" enjoyed so much, such a day."
" Saturday Evening, February th. Yesterday
and to-day have seen something of my selfishness.
When, Jesus, shall I be conformed to thine image,
and engrossed in thy love? In 'brethren' meeting this
evening, felt that I wanted to be more entirely the
Lord's, that I had not been half given up to Him, in
the cause of missions. My desire this evening was,
to give up all for Jesus to select some hitherto un-
attempted field, and tell the church how much a mis-
sion was needed there, and that they must send me
and another companion, perhaps brother Lane, to es-
tablish a mission there.
TIIE HILL DIFFICULTY. 137
" Wednesday Evening, February 17 th. The
Lord was graciously pleased to favor efforts to form
the missionary brethren in our class into an associa-
tion, and adjourned to meet next week in the room
where the immortal Mills held all his meetings.
Sacred place ! Jesus will be there, for it is ' sancti-
fied and meet for the Master's use.' '
The following is an extract from a letter to a little
brother :
"You say you are ten years old. That is just
half as old as I am. I do not feel much older than I
did ten years ago. Time passes away very rapidly ;
so you must improve it every day. It will only be a
little while, if you live, before you will be out of col-
lege. And what will you do then? I want you to come
here, and be a minister. You can not tell how pleas-
ant it is. I wish you would think every day about it.
You will like it better than any thing else. Before
you can be a minister though, you must do as it says
in Deut. vi. 6 ; and in Lev. xix. 18."
To another brother of about twelve years of age :
* # * When you are as old as I am, you
will wish you had begun now to study. But there is
another thing you will wish more than this, dear
brother, if you neglect it, and that is that you had
begun now to love the Lord Jesus Christ. Every
year you put it off it will be harder and harder, until
finally you will take up with wishing you had at-
tended to religion when you were young. Besides, I"
138 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
hope you will make a minister if you live long
enough ; you must think about this every day, and be
determined you will be a minister at any rate, and
you will always wish you had become pious when you
were young, so that you might have had a longer time
in which to overcome the wickedness of your heart,
and be prepared better to labor.
" I have just returned from preaching in a confer-
ence meeting, which I attend, with D. T. Lane, every
Sabbath evening. We had about thirty in to-night.
It is in the factory village the people rather worse
than those at Shepherd's factory in Northampton.
We hope, however, to do them some good. I will tell
you how I have employed my time since tea last
evening, which is a specimen of the manner in which
I spend every Sabbath. You will see it is the most
laborious day in the week.
"Immediately after tea last night, I attended a
prayer meeting ; after that a missionary meeting (the
brethren), and at ten o'clock another little prayer-
meeting up in Mrs. Emery's parlor, where I go every
night at that hour to pray for a revival here. There
has not been one in this place for more than twenty
years. After breakfast this morn studied my Sab-
bath School lesson. At nine o'clock, attended the
prayer-meeting for colleges. At ten, church ; as soon
as that was over, Sabbath School at the next parish
two miles off We have to run to get there, and then
run back to get our dinner before afternoon service.
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 139
which commences at a quarter to two o'clock. After
church studied subject for the conference in the even-
ing, attended there at half past six, a mile off, and
was back here at eight, when I ate my supper ; and
having just finished that, and having a letter to scrib-
ble to , and the meeting in Mrs. Emery's parlor yet
to attend, and withal, being a little tired, I bid you
good night, hoping you will not forget your brother,
" HENRY."
"March 1.2th. A special season of prayer. I was
bowed down under a sense of my past unfaithfulness,
and more especially from the consideration, ' Can you
be the Lord's and feel like serving Him, only when
He smiles ? Can you only return gratitude for gifts ?'
The natural man does this. Here I found myself in
a great error. I have always thought I was doing
well, because I felt gratitude to my heavenly Father
for His mercies, and a desire at every new expression
of His goodness to spend and be spent in His service
and to do more for Him than heretofore. I should
have served Him with increased alacrity when He
frowned, knowing that He chasteneth for our good.
Lord Jesus, my prayer is to thy throne. Make me
more entirely thine.
" The last thought at night and the first in the
morning must be upon God, in order to one's growth
in grace."
140 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
LETTER TO CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ.
ANDOVEB THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, March ilth, 1830.
Yours of the 8th, cousin Charles, which arrived
last Sunday, ought to have received an earlier notice.
It certainly deserved it. I have had not a little to
do, or I should have attended to you. I spent Satur-
day morning in studying Hebrew. Evening in a
missionary tour in behalf of my class in Sabbath
School. Visited among the rest the parents of Mrs.
Bardwell, formerly of the Bombay mission; also a
Mrs. Morril, who, though she has not walked a step
for fourteen years, nor helped herself for half that
tune, is almost in heaven, and rejoicing in the mercy
God has constantly manifested to her.
Saturday evening attended a missionary meeting.
* * * * *
Monday night watched with a man, who, though
"guilty of a skin not colored like our own" was not
guilty in having neglected his Saviour in health, and
is rejoicing in Him. On the verge of Jordan he
fears no ill. His "rod and His staff" they comfort
him. It was a room about fourteen feet square and
seven high, warmed by a little sheet-iron stove, being
not only the nursery, but the parlor, kitchen, sick-
room, in short all the rooms they had in the house ;
for it was the house itself. In it was a boy of twelve
years, sick in another bed with the measles, and beside
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 141
the child lay the man's mother, while under the table
a dog slept. Yet the Lord I trust was there. I
made out, by dint of a little fire and two windows
partly open, to keep the air tolerable. * * *
Yesterday evening visited an old saint whose years
numbered upward of threescore, who has been con-
fined two years with the dropsy, and with whom the
Saviour has deigned to hold constant communication,
"except" as she says, "when a dark cloud comes across
for a few moments," although she can not boast of a
white skin or immense riches. This morning, imme-
diately after study, an interview with Mr. Anderson
of the missionary rooms, who is up here with his drum,
beating for recruits.
The receipt of your " old bachelor's present" caused
me to rejoice and weep ; rejoice, that the Lord hath
hitherto helped me ; that He has raised up so many
who take a deep interest in my welfare, that His
mercy has constantly attended me ; weep, because of
my unfaithfulness and hardness of heart, and blind-
ness of mind, and unwillingness to serve Him and to
be all the time at the foot of the cross, learning of
Him and obeying all His commands. All I can do
is to praise God for His grace. It is all of grace. I
can see nothing, which ever I have done, or tried to
do, that has given me the least claim. Oh ! do not
forget me when at the throne of mercy.
The reason why I have not advised with you on a
subject involving such momentous consequences as
142 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
the choice of my field of labor, you have stated in
your letter. For my views, etc., I refer you to the
New York Observer y February 17, the day on which
I last wrote you. The letter, as you will see by the
style, was not prepared for the public eye. I wrote it
one night two or three hours after I ought to have
been sleeping, but as father expressed a wish to pub-
lish it, I did not object, hoping the Lord would do
good with it. Besides, it would save me the trouble
of writing some things again to my friends. You are
at liberty to put it into the hands of any one who
cares so much about me, and so little about the Lord
as to object to my going, and if that won't satisfy
them I will take the trouble to write to them. There
are facts enough on the subject to answer any man
who will be converted by reason. Tell there is no
need of his fears : I know of naught but the Holy
Spirit that has ' prejudiced 1 me thus to decide. Ever
since I indulged the hope that I was Christ's, you
have seen that it has been uppermost in my mind.
''Journal, March 27/A. Two more arguments
for the heathen ; the first drawn from Luke xiv : 15
24. When proud sinners reject the Gospel, as
here in this country, then it is our duty to go out
into the 'highways and hedges' (i. e., heathen lands)
and compel the poor starving souls to come in. Sec-
ondly, we can not expect, even if we keep our young
Tv>or, ^ *"VIA till there is one minister of the Gospel
'
THE HILL. DIFFICULTY. 143
to every hundred souls, to do away with all error
and sin. It will abound till the millennium comes.
That will not come in this country first. No. it is
not possible that we should have an entirely holy
people while all the rest of the world lies in the
grossest darkness. ' A nation shall be born in a day.'
It will come over all the world at the same time, but
it must be gradual all over the world, i. e., the Gospel
must be introduced gradually. Bibles can not rain
down, neither will the Holy Spirit without the Bible.
It is not to be accomplished by miracles. The heathen
must have a preacher. He must preach. Christians
must send him."
The following entry is interesting as our first intro-
duction to Henry Lyman's colleague and fellow martyr.
" April 4:th. Interesting conversation with brother
Munson on the subject of missions on our way to
Sabbath School."
Mr. Munson the next year became the occupant of
the same rooms with Mr. Lyman, replacing his be-
loved friend Maxwell. Those familiar with the course
of the Secretaries of the A. B. C. F. M. know something
of their care and pains in the selection of missiona-
ries, and of the wisdom displayed in their designation
to different fields of labor. Rarely however has more
discrimination been shown than in the arrangement
which united these two brethren. It was the delight
of the younger man to honor his senior. He con-
sidered Mr. Munson' s talents superior to his own,
144 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and his diligence in study greater. This is perhaps
the most suitable place in which to introduce a sketch
of this valued associate, and we take the liberty of
extracting one from the much admired pen of Dr.
Cheever. as given in the ''Missionary Memorial."*
"The conversion of Samuel Munson took place at
nineteen years of age. He was born at New Sharon,
in the State of Maine, IP the year 1804. He had
been left an orphan at ten, but had been religiously
instructed by parents, both of them the subjects of
the grace of God. His native qualities were a win-
ning frankness, sweetness, and cheerfulness of temper
and disposition, a kind and sympathizing heart, joined
with a quiet decision of character, an accurate judg-
ment, and great perseverance and patience in the
application of his powers. He was modest, unassum-
ing, and conscientious; and his religious character,
developed in his college life at Bowdoin with beauti-
ful harmony and consistency, manifested the traits
requisite for a patient and devoted missionary.
" He received his theological education at Andover.
From the outset his attention had been turned, through
the whole of his religious experience, to the work of
the Gospel among the heathen ; but jus.t before enter-
ing on his theological course, he seems to have received
a new impulse in the same direction, by a missionary
sermon preached to the students at Bowdoin College
* The " Missionary Memorial," by H. W. Fierson. New York :
Harpers.
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 145
by the Rev. C. Stewart from the Sandwich Islands.
His career of study at Andover, and of progressive
intellectual improvement, was thorough, systematic,
and, at the same time, more varied than usual. The
development of his piety continued, as from the first,
deep, earnest, habitual ; and his intentions toward
the work of foreign missions were constantly ripening
to an intense, unalterable, determination. Yet he
analyzed with great care his motives, his feelings, his
views, and was anxious to admit nothing merely
imaginative, but to be filled with the sense of duty,
and the love of Christ. The year after leaving
Andover, he studied medicine in Boston and Bruns-
wick, in order that he might go forth with a fuller
and more abundant preparation for usefulness among
the heathen. His sermon, before embarking for the
missionary field, was from Acts viii. 4 : ' There-
fore they that were scattered abroad went every
where, preaching the word.' It was published
by the American Board as one of their missionary
papers.
" Its author had been made by the Saviour to drink
deep himself into the spirit of primitive Christianity,
and, like the early disciples, he went forth on no
romantic expedition, nor with any fitful or transitory
impulse, but in the solemn and habitual dedication of
his whole life to the service of his God and Saviour.
It had not been without great struggles that he gained
his education ; hardships had to be borne, difficulties
7
146 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
overcome, strong faith exercised ; and from the outset
his heart had been set on the work of missions."
The entry of April 19th, shows us the reason for
Ljman's minute watchfulness over his conduct.
" Evening very unprofitably spent. -My levity has
been returning to-day. It may do for others to
associate together and talk about this and that, but
it will not do for me. My heart is still so prone to
every thing that is light, vain, and worldly, that
I injure the cause of Jesus. Watch, my soul,
watch and pray.
" Friday, 23d. Attended yesterday an ordination
at Billerica. Had good missionary talk by the way
with brother Munson, and good season of prayer in
the woods."
EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER TO D. S. WHITNEY, ESQ.
" I was sorry you allowed your train of thought on
stability and principles of action to be interrupted by
the thought that you were ' addressing one studying
for the ministry, and drawing his knowledge from the
fountain-head.' Such advice from Christian friends
is very much needed. The more the better. The
dangers incident to a student's life are greater here v
than in college, for this reason, that in college we
always put ourselves under restraint while reading
profane authors, and pursuing studies merely of an
intellectual nature, while here we feel a licence to
give ourselves up to them, arising from the fact that
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 147
they are connected with the Bible. Now, the Bible
can be studied like any other book, without in the
least affecting the heart. So notwithstanding I am
at Andover, I have not got out of the way of a wicked
heart, the world, or the devil. Notwithstanding I am
'drawing from the fountain-head' (of sacred liter-
ature), I am not the less in want of good, plain,
Christian advice, warnings, reproofs, exhortations;
and I trust my dear uncle will still continue to
point out those landmarks which he has set up in
passing over the ground, that one just commencing
the journey may be enabled to stefcr clear of diffi-
culties which otherwise might give him great
trouble.
' ' You say I did not ask your advice as to giving
myself up to the A. B. C. F. M. I am sure I asked
and received advice last fall before I left home. But
then, if I did not, what more do I want to know than
{ whether there is any thing in my character objec-
tionable ?' If there is nothing, what right have I tor
stay at home ? That the call of the heathen is great-
est is beyond all dispute. The only questions are,
Am I willing to go ? and then, Is there any thing so ob-
jectionable that the church can not place confidence in
me ? However, ere this you have, doubtless, learned
my determination from father. In this determination I
grow stronger and stronger every day. I long to be
off. However, if I am wrong in my decision, my
daily prayer is that my eyes may be opened.
148 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" Give love to grandfather, aunts, to C., etc. I
shall not, probably, see N. H. till fall vacation.
"Your nephew,
"HENRY LYMAN."
" ANDOVER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, April \th, 1830.
" FATHER, MOTHER, SISTERS, BROTHERS :
" I am very well, and hope these few lines will find
you ditto. This I write to all as a sort of apology
for not showing my face in the midst of you the
coming vacation. I do not remain here because I
have forgotten you, or because I do not love your
company as much as ever, but because I have some-
thing else to do beside visiting. It will, probably, not
be a great while before I am separated from you for-
ever, and I must get broken away from home now.
I have often, especially within these two . or three
weeks past, imagined to myself the shaking of hands,
and hugging, and kissing, and cordial welcome I
should meet with ; and even have seemed to see S.
running out with the question, ' Brother, has not the
chunk* come ?' And I have let my mind run on till
I have almost felt your hands and heard your voices,
and seen your glad countenances, but when I awoke
from my reverie I found myself still at Andover.
However, if I get too lonely and low-spirited, you
may possibly see me pop in upon you some evening
with my pack on my back.
* The child's mistake for chum, three years before.
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 149
" But, though far from home and my family, I am
not yet away from friends, for a merciful Providence
has been kind in raising them up for me here. I
have sometimes thought my heavenly Father wanted
to show me how much mercy He could bestow upon a
great sinner ; that He wanted to contrast my wicked-
ness and ingratitude with His mercy and love. Bound-
less mercy it is ! Boundless love it is ! Should we
not consecrate soul and body to His service, all that
we are, and all that we have, for time and for
eternity? I have half a dozen invitations from
families here, to drop in as occasion offers and
take tea with them. Then I have to visit my
Sabbath class at the west parish. I shall have
conference-meetings in abundance to attend, as but
few students will remain. I shall visit Newburyport,
shall spend part of a week at Salem, and anniversary
week at Boston. The rest of the time I shall prob-
ably board myself. I find I can live on bread and
water night and morning. I have drank milk all
winter, till a few weeks past I have come down to
cold water, as have some thirty or forty of the
students on account of the injurious effects of tea
and coffee, and no one can tell how much better
we feel.
" I have likewise given up the use of butter, which
is also injurious to the system. But you little ones
are all ready to laugh at Henry's nonsense, and in-
quire ' How do you get along ?' Why, I never en-
150 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
joyed my breakfast and supper so much in my life,
as now, eating bread and drinking water. You can
not only get along without these, but your health will
be better, your life be prolonged, and you will be hap-
pier. But that is not all. You can give the money
these things cost to send the Gospel to the poor
pagans. I suppose you know that while you are en-
joying your tea and coffee, a great many children in
Asia are thrown by their parents into the sea, or to
the wild beasts, or out into the streets. The parents
think it is right to do so, and that it will carry them
to heaven ; and all this is because they never had the
Bible to teach them about God and Jesus.
*****
" April IGth, 6 o'clock A. M. Have just returned
from Prospect Hill, an eminence about two miles
from the seminary, from which there is a fine view,
extending about a hundred miles to the north, forty
west, and bounded by Salem and Boston on the coast.
Our object this morn was to see the sun rise. As he
came up out of the ocean, the waves began to change
their blue, until they became so bright that we could
distinctly see them run." * * *
The letter continues in journal form to a very great
length.
The preceding letter to his family brings into view
the young student's vacation employments. His ex-
cursions and journeys were almost entirely pedestrian ;
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 151
and this for two reasons, the one economy, and the
other preparation for the tours in a foreign land
which might be necessary. A little note-book, a few
inches square, carried in his pocket, received the jot-
ting down of his doings. On the fly leaf was written,
as was the case with all his later journals,
600,000,000
ARE PERISHING ! ! !
Calvary.
This last word was added for the first time in May of
this year.
He often walked between forty and fifty miles a
day. Sometimes a friend's house would form his
home for the night. Some of his entertainers re-
member well the fervor of his prayers in the family.
As he trod his solitary path, the wayfarer who joined
him had a word in season given him, and a tract was
offered to those who would receive it. " The solitary
place" was his Bethel. We have already seen his
friend Munson and himself turning aside into the
woods for communion with God. Another of his
most tenderly attached friends reminds him in a letter
of their social prayer on the top of Mount Monadnock.
Many a pine grove has added to " its soft and soul-
like sounds" the murmur of his intercession for
perishing sinners. Many a stately tree has been the
witness of the young missionary's wrestling with God
for grace to fit him for his work.
152 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
When the time of Henry's probable arrival at
home, on foot, was known, his little brothers would
surprise him with the horse and wagon at the last vil-
lage on the route; and glad indeed was the dusty,
weary traveler to avail himself of the services of even
the old horse whom he boasted of outwalking. How
well the younger members of the family recall the
watchings at the window, the running to the gate,
when, all fatigue gone in a moment, Henry would
spring from the carriage, and with one on each side of
him, and "little Helen" in his arms, stride up the
front yard to meet his father's welcome, and his
mother's kiss. How joyful was the greeting, how
pleasant the chat, how great the astonishment of the
"tinies" to see "brother" refuse mother's dainties,
and take a bowl of bread and milk, resisting even the
tender, "My son, after such a journey, do take a cup
of tea."
They saw, too, their brother's unremitting atten-
tion to their parents ; and though the cause might not
be quite comprehended, they could perceive that their
father's step seemed lighter during Henry's visit. The
skill acquired in the seminary workshop was exercised
in constructing a box for his mother's hydrangea, or
he trained her honey-suckles, and weeded her flower
beds. One of the four fir-trees is still standing which
he set out before the house, turfing a little mound
around each. Heartily did the youngsters reciprocate
Henry's regrets when the vacation did not take him
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 153
to Amherst, for in nutting or berrying, fishing,
skating, or sliding down hill, he was a delightful
companion, while the lessons, above all that for
the Sabbath, were by his aid rendered easy and
pleasant.
In -the spring of 1830, stern self-control kept the
student at the east. We read of his day of fasting
and prayer for direction as to his vacation; "a good
season of prayer with brother Schauffler before setting
out;" of his accomplished visits, and his self-chidings
for neglect of duty, and levity of manner. On his
return to Andover, another day was set apart for
devotion in view of the coming term, feeling it a
"bounden duty to keep heart, mind, and body in such
a state as that I can improve to the utmost the ex-
alted privileges I here enjoy." Some of his errors
of last term he attributed to his "want of decision."
Then he guards himself against neglecting his studies
from indulging his feelings. "I must," he says,
"improve every lecture, and make the most of every
recitation. No slight thing must prevent thorough
hard study every day."
" Wednesday, June 8th. Have had many good
seasons of prayer with brethren, as one after another
they have returned and called at my room : but still
have wanted the constant 'hungering and thirsting
after righteousness.' Faith has been wanting. Faith,
my want of faith ! ! Had my feelings called forth
to-day on the subject of missions. It seemed to mo
7*
154 THE MAKTYR OF SUMATRA.
as though I was away from home till I set my foot
on pagan shores."
But later in the season, and most unexpectedly to
him, a family meeting summoned Henry home, and
the following letter to his sister is the first written
after his return to the beloved seminary :
.
PART OF A LETTER TO HIS ELDER SISTER.
"ANDOTEII THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, June 21lh, 1830.
" DEAR SISTER :
"I left home as you know, ere you had ceased giving
a little more ' sleep to your eyes, and slumber to your
eyelids.' though not till the sun had for some time
illuminated ' Pleasant Valley' with his life-giving
beams. I labored under a very great depression of
spirits all the time I was with you. The cause I
suppose to be as follows : I started after a long con-
finement in my room, over my books, and traveled
fifty miles the first day, and nearly forty the second,
both as hot days as we have had this season. Add to
this, the anxiety to get home which prevailed in
spite of me and the change of diet, which produced
a little fever. I was not myself. I wanted to speak
of a thousand things and ask ten thousand questions,
but I did not feel like saying any thing to any body.
However, I saw that you were alive and well; saw
how you looked as a mother, and how I looked in the
capacity of uncle ; and if I did not add any thing to
the pleasure of the family meeting you must take the
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 155
will for the deed and hope for the future. I started,
as I before said, low-spirited; but in the afternoon
having again entered upon my exercise, and cold
water system, I began to brighten, and had half a
mind to return home and finish my visit. However,
duty constrained me and kept my face like a flint
eastward till I arrived at Stirling at half past seven
o'clock, having traveled the distance an hour and a
half quicker than ' Old Graves'* did when we came
down last fall. Thursday morning started at half past
four o'clock, and arrived at my room (by way of
Concord, forty-eight miles), at nine o'clock hi the
evening. Took my last morsel of gingerbread the
second day at noon. Cost of journey back, fifty
cents."
EXTRACT FROM A LETTER TO AN AUNT.
August 19th, 1830.
" I was at Boston three weeks since at the embarka-
tion of the missionaries for Bombay and Bunnah,
Messrs. Hervey and Read. As you have ere this seen
an account of the exercises, I will only say that I was
one of the thirty who accompanied our beloved breth-
ren and sisters nine miles down the harbor. They
were full of joy and gladness at the prospect of
being privileged to carry the Gospel far hence to the
heathen. When we left the ship I took Hervey's
* An old horse.
156 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
hand. Said he, ' Good by, or rather good night, for
we shall see each other again in the morning !" My
only regret on parting with them was that I could
not accompany them to the end of the voyage. Yes,
I was ready to bid a last farewell to the shores of
New England. Witnessing their departure divested
the subject of enthusiasm, and made it appear more a
reality. But the nearer it comes to reality, the more
the spirit is willing to go, though the flesh shrink the
more."
The journal says :
" I sorrowed most of all, not that they were to leave
me, but that I was to leave them and return to New
England. * * *
" Left Boston at five in the evening, accompanied by
brother Parker ; * attended monthly concert at South
Reading, and arrived (at seminary) at half past one
on Tuesday morning ; and well paid too for the night's
work, for I never attended a better concert. The
Lord sanctify it to those present.
" September 1st. A brother yesterday remarked
that you could not go into a house within five miles
of Middlebury but what every old woman knew and
would talk about the influence Fiske and Parsons ex-
erted on them, and they made their labors in vacation
tell. As for me, I am such a sinner that the Lord
never has, and I don't know that He ever will, let me
* Probably Rev. W. Parker, missionary to the Sandwich
Islands.
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 157
do any thing whereby any would remember me as the
means of their spiritual good. All my vacations have
been, and are likely to be, spent in inglorious sloth.
"September 17 th. Last night sinned very greiv-
ously in conversation with two or three. I told over
some of my former life, and especially some few of my
evil deeds, in a boasting way. What ! boast that you
had served the devil ! What ! tell the devil's subjects
how cunningly you used to work, that they may learn
from your experience ! And all this when you are a
sworn enemy to the father of lies and all his host of
myrmidons ! Had a season of sorrow, bitter sorrow,
ere I gave myself to sleep.
' ' Motto for vacation : ' Seek first the kingdom of
God, and His righteousness.'
" November 23c? - Birth day. How solemn the
thought, I am this day to be turned over from boyhood
to manhood. Yes, J have at last arrived at the turn-
ing point. I stand to-day balancing on the line of
demarcation traced out by the world. My imperfec-
tions for past years, I have cloaked under my youth,
but thanks to God that can be no longer. However
I may look upon myself in future, my fellow-nftn
will regard me as a man. They will expect from me
the actions of a man. I am then to consider this day
what boyish things to renounce and what character-
istics of manhood to assume. It has seemed to me
of late that my habits were rapidly forming. To
what then have I been prone in times past which
158 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
should now be corrected ? It seems to me all my
habits have been forming according to the state of my
heart. I wish then to attend solely to the condition
of my heart this day." Then follows a long self-
examination.
TO CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ.
AKHEEST, October^ 16&, 1830.
DEAR COUSIN:
I arrived at the family mansion Tuesday evening
last, in two days from Andover on foot, where I found
yours of September 24th. containing sundry valuable
papers, and Thursday found at Northampton an
epistle bearing date October 9th.
It is needless and impossible for me to express to
you the obligation under which I feel myself laid.
Suffice it to say, I will endeavor ever to bear in mind
that you have consecrated this -portion of your sub-
stance to the Lord, and not to Henry Lyman, and
my prayer is that I may be made more holy and
be enabled to live according to the increase of my
responsibilities. * * *
v erily, your Society are doing well in the tract and
education departments. But, dear cousin, wherefore
raise up more. ministers to send abroad, when the A.
B. C. F. M. must withdraw some of their missionaries,
and break up some of their stations ? I, last Thurs-
day, attended the anniversaries of the Hampshire
county benevolent associations, and there heard, not
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 159
for the first time, a great cry as of much distress,
lest these United States of America will not be sup-
plied, every family, with a Bible " within two years,"
and lest every individual in the Mississippi valley will
not have a tract placed in his hands in the course of
six months ; and lest every five hundred inhabitants
in the western wilds should not have a minister,
while the claims of the world are passed by in com-
parative silence. To see all these home operations
carried forward would rejoice my heart and lead me
to say "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and
earth." But what if it should be even six years
before every family in this Protestant land should be
supplied? What if it should be a year before a
Sunday School should be established in every hamlet
in the west ? What if every individual should not
receive a tract ? Would it greatly retard the great
movement ? Would it dampen the ardor or diminish
the faith of him who is praying, " Thy kingdom
come?" Christians of our land seem to feel so; and
all the charities of this Christian country have been
for the past two years flowing into her own bosom.
But the stream which merely flows back into its own
fountain, can not widen and deepen in its course, and
increase as it proceeds, till it grows into a mighty
ocean covering the whole earth. I believe that
Christians must not neglect that ascending com-
mand, attended with the ascending promise, "Go ye
into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every
160 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
creature" "and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the world." The American Board comes
short in its receipts this year $20,000, and taking
into account that it ought to have increased $20,000
upon last year, we have a deficiency of $40,000 in
the receipts of this corner-stone of benevolent Societies
the one, and we may say the only one, founded
directly in obedience to the last command of Jesus,
our Saviour and Redeemer.
And ought these things so to be ? Shall Meigs, or
Poor, or Richards, or Temple, or Smith, or Dwight,
or Read, return? Shall a school be given up, and
the half-reclaimed idolaters be suffered to return to
their images or superstitions in Bombay, or Ceylon,
or the Sandwich Islands ? Shall the press, which is
teeming with its thousands of Gospels and of tracts,
scattering light and heat through the dark domains
of sin, and infidelity, and paganism, be stopped at
Malta, or in that nation which is just emerging from
idol worship, and where forty thousand pupils in the
schools are crying for "books, books?" Yet this
must be done or the Christian public must pray more
at the monthly concert, must pray more in the family,
must pray more in the closet, must contribute more
of their substance to this work, must labor more to
save the heathen. Talk about withdrawing aid from
the old stations ! Every people under heaven, except
the Mohammedans, is now in a state for receiving a
mission. The voice of God in His providence is say-
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 161
ing, "Go forward, go forward, go forward,' 1 and
yet we are going backward. Do we in thus doing
look unto the great "Captain of our salvation?"
The disciples did not stop to convert every soul in
Jerusalem, although they were there to begin to
preach, before they proceeded to another city. Paul
did not stop short of Rome. Jesus Christ confined
not his labors to the Jews, his own countrymen, and
shall we see every soul in this land converted before
we go to the heathen ? Will the millennium come
here while all around are the habitations of sin ? No.
no. Let us plant the Gospel standard in every
nation, and let us go to work to convert every soul
in every nation.
But I am filling up my letter with what you no
doubt already know and feel. Forgive me for so
doing. You see by the appearance of it that it has
been run off from my brain without form or comeli-
ness in its eagerness to escape.
All well, and unite in love.
Yours truly,
HENRY LYMAN.
EXTRACT FROM A LETTER TO MRS. C.
" I suppose you have heard from Amherst since I
left, which was three weeks since. I performed my
journey home on foot in two days, and back again,
walking nearly all the way, in the same time. I
walked last vacation about two hundred and fifty
162 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
miles, and rode one hundred and fifty : the latter,
however, was the hardest part. When I go to M., if
ever I do, I shall try walking. I can easily travel
forty miles a day.
" To-day has been a fast in the American churches
on account of the profanation of the Sabbath. We
have of course observed it in the seminary. It seems
to me, the week, in spiritual things, is according to
the Sabbath. If we slight the Lord's day, woe be to
our souls for the remainder of the week ! I felt the
want of Sabbaths very much last term.* I used to
go to Wilmington Saturday evenings, six miles, to
superintend the Sabbath School there, at noon, and in
the afternoon go to Reading, two miles, and hold a
conference in the evening. But my school closed last
Sabbath, and I shall now have only to see to the con-
ference, which will be sufficient, as there seems to
have been a little increase of attention within a few
weeks, and we are looking to see the ' little cloud'
come in sight. Pray for us, dear aunt. It is a
desolate place, and the inhabitants scattered, yet
eighty or ninety impenitent come together every
Sabbath evening to hear what I have to say. Last
Sunday was the most interesting service we have ever
had. Private Christians hardly realize how much
* Is not this a want which many Christians feel now? Sabbatli
schools, tract distribution, and public worship, so engross their
time as to compel them to acknowledge that
" Sunday dawns no Sabbath day to them." ED.
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 163
they enjoy in having holy time quietly to themselves
as hearers. The influences of the day are almost lost
to preachers I mean that profit arising from medita-
tion."
The next letter which will be given is a family
one, too long to present in full. Some extracts
follow :
"ANDOVEB THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, November 18th, 1830.
"BELOVED PABENTS, BROTHERS, AND SISTERS:
" Four weeks have now elapsed since I left home.
However long the time may seem to you, to me it is
but a dream, yet, many and many a time have my
thoughts been hovering over the family mansion,
endeavoring to conjure up in my mind your looks,
and words, and actions. And I have not unfre-
quently found myself conversing with some one or
more of you, although a hundred miles separate us.
I have loved to indulge in these illusions, as they
have carried me home, or brought home to me.
" * * * As my stay among you last vacation
was so short, I suppose you would like to know what
I did with my five weeks. So I will endeavor to let
you a little into the mystery, premising, however,
that if you are likely to weary before you have waded
through my ponderous tome, you had better commit
it to the flames ere you begin ; as a story half told is
just no story at all.
164 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
"Well, to commence. It was on 'Thursday, Sep-
tember 23d, that the cage was set open, and we had
to try our skill in obtaining our own food. It was a
joyful, yet solemn, day to us all. We were, to be
sure, freed from a four months' confinement with the
patriarchs, prophets, sages, and fathers, who have
successively appeared, added one or two to the -rays
of light given to illuminate the moral, intellectual,
and spiritual darkness of our world, and then laid
aside their tabernacle of clay, and wended their way
upward, to commence their existence as disembodied
spirits ; yet, we were to go forth among those who
were looking to see 'the sons of Levi' purified
from the world, and ' fervent in spirit, serving the
Lord.' We separated, one to the north, and one to
the south ; this one to the east, and that to the west ;
one to join the domestic circle, another to enjoy a
tete-a-tete with , who had been anxiously wait-
ing for the dawning of the long wished-for day, while
another, perhaps fatherless and motherless, friendless,
houseless, penniless, entered upon this or that sphere
of labor to replenish his exhausted treasury, and
gratify the feelings of a benevolent heart.
" A few, unwilling, or unprepared so soon to ven-
ture forth upon the wicle world, lingered about the
now deserted halls. Among these you might have
seen Maxwell and his chum, for on that morning, ere
/ O7
the sun had gilded the eastern sky, they were busy
as ants and gay as larks removing the household stuff
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 165
from their last year's residence to a more commodious
and pleasant situation. But methinks that little
black eye looks up and says, ' Mother, I wonder
what kind of a room Henry lives in at Andover ; is it
just like this ?" If it will be any gratification, I will
describe it and let you see how comfortable AVC are,
and how much reason we have to thank our kind
heavenly Father for temporal mercies. Our study-
room is almost as large as ' Pleasant Valley' parlor,
handsomely furnished, on the lower floor, facing the
west, and supplied with a good stove. On the right
of the fire-place is a book-closet, containing our
libraries, except those volumes in daily use, which lie
on our desks : on the left is a large closet containing
wood, lamp, washing apparatus, etc., etc. On the
north side of the room are two sleeping closets. The
furniture consists of a complete fire set, two desks,
four chairs, a bureau, and a looking-glass. These
rooms are thus comfortably provided through the
benevolence of ' old father Bartlett.' * * *
"I, as is my custom, went on Saturday afternoon
to Wilmington, and so on Sabbath morning I set off
for meeting in a drizzling rain, shielded, however, by
Dr. B.'s surtout. But this mile-and-a-half walk was
almost in vain, for I found only twelve people at
church, and one boy at Sabbath School.
"* * * Lodged at a house which, like many
others in this vicinity, was ' anti-masonic,' or in other
words, destitute of lath and plaster, and overhead but
166 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
a single floor. I slept in one of the lower rooms,
which was used as kitchen, drawing-room, dining-
room, parlor, bed-room, and china-closet, and the
young man, his wife, and two children, were over-
head. And here was the benefit of the one tier of
boards between us. Had it not been thus, I should
have been deprived, yes, utterly deprived of the
cheering music of one of the little folks, to keep
alive my spirits, and wile away the tedious hours of
night ! !
" November 2Qth. Morning came at last ; the cock
crew, the day dawned, the sun rose, not, however,
till I had been braced by a warm breakfast, and had
made half an hour's headway toward the sea-coast.
Arrived at Salem (fourteen miles) at 10 A. M. The
road is like all other roads that are not specially
interesting."
We omit the description of Salem and Marblehead,
with a journal of visits.
" Returned after dinner by way of N. Reading to
Wilmington, and arrived at Dr. Brown's about eight
o'clock. The next morning attended a church con-
ference at Woburn (seven miles). Four churches
were represented. The meeting was very solemn
and interesting. * * * Returned same night
to Wilmington, to Mr. . After joining
the old gentleman in a flowing bowl of baked
apples and milk I sought to take rest in sleep,
and found it amid a pile of feathers up garret
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 167
" Awoke bright and early Thursday morning, par-
took of a plentiful breakfast, left this hospitable man-
sion at eight o'clock, visited all the school districts in
town, set half a dozen ladies at work collecting money
for the enlargement of our Sabbath School library,
and arrived at Andover about half past seven, having
made about twenty miles.
" Friday, October 1st. At four P. M. started for
Wilmington. Took tea at Dr. B. 's, lodged at Mrs.
E. 's (twelve miles). Mrs. E. is the mother of Mrs.
Allen, missionary to the Choctaws. She is a pious,
devoted, intelligent, energetic, benevolent, go-forward
woman ! Sabbath morn attended meeting, afterward
started for my conference (three and a half miles) ;
supped at , and after conference rode home part
of the way, and arrived at nine o'clock, having be-
guiled the tediousness of the latter part of it by
transporting myself on imagination's wing to ' Plea-
sant Valley.' "
TO CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ.
ANDOVER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, December 2d, 1830.
DEAR COUSIN:
As this is the evening of a Thanksgiving day, and
I have had occasion to call to mind the temporal mer-
cies of the past year, I could not but remember those
who have been the second causes in bestowing these
blessings. And I must give up to my own feelings
168 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and devote a few minutes to one who has had not a
small share of the burden to bear.
I have just come out of the meeting of the Society
of Inquiry. The dissertation read was on "Thibet
and Lamaism." What a picture of sin does that re-
ligion present, and how wide-spread its ravages!
Two hundred and fifty millions, or one third of the
human family, bow to a fellow-man, and worship flesh
and blood like their own, believing it to be inhabited
by the omniscient, omnipresent Jehovah. ' ' Kings are
his nursing fathers and queens his nursing mothers."
As for the number of his servants, or inferior Lamas,
they are as numerous as the locusts of Egypt, and no
less voracious. Twenty thousand reside on the holy
hill, on which his royal temple is built. There is one
to almost every family throughout *the whole of
Thibet. There are one million in China, and they
are not less numerous in other parts of Asia. The
King of Burmah annually contributes to the support
of these temples more than eighty thousand pounds of
silver. Crowned heads fall prostrate before the Grand
Lama, and all in authority bow themselves nine times
in the dust when they approach into his august
presence. But enough, for you have doubtless read
the history of this abominable idolatry. Two thoughts
irresistibly urge themselves upon my mind. First,
we must emulate the heathen in our self-consecration
to our religion and worship of the true God. Sec-
ondly, we must do more for the salvation of a world
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 169
lying in darkness that can be felt, horribly felt,
painfully felt. Let the pagan world be divided
equally among Christians, and every Christian has
seventy-five souls for whose salvation he is to pray
and labor. Let one missionary be sent forth to every
twelve thousand heathen, and fifty thousand ministers
are needed. What is to be done? One is almost
led to cry out, Lord, hast thou promised, wilt thou
not fulfill ? A door of entrance is opened into al-
most every country on the habitable globe. Even
the lofty wall of China begins to totter. But the
American Church, which God seems to have raised
up to do this work, is asleep, or nearly so ; I mean
the great body of it. The Board must drop their
schools or withdraw some of their missionaries, when
the increase of their funds ought to be going forward
in geometrical ratio. Twenty or more in this school
of the prophets stand ready, as soon as sufficiently
fledged, to fly to the utmost verge of day to tell the sto-
ry of Jesus. But, alas ! because some have ' ' kept back
a part of the price" they must tarry at home, or, at
least, spend a portion of their precious time to solicit
aid to embark from their native shores.
We pity the heathen, and wonder at their feasting
on the bodies of their fellow-men. Let us rather
turn our thoughts homeward? Do not Christians
sometimes, I will not say feast on their fellow-men,
but RIOT ON THEIR SOULS? How many thousands of
dollars were needlessly wasted in this and the neigh-
8
170 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
boring States last week !* Would that I could ask
some thousands of Christians, Will you sell the soul
of a fellow-being for a plum pudding ?
But these things are no doubt inscribed in glowing
colors on the walls of your closet, and I am wasting
time and paper.
Messrs. Tinker and Dibble, of Auburn, destined
for the Sandwich Islands, preached here last Sunday
with very happy effect. Quite a library was collected
for them the next day. Last Sabbath brother
Schauffler, who graduated last fall, and is residing
here another year to fit himself further, to carry the
Gospel to the Persians, preached all day on "the
duty of Christians to consecrate their property to the
Lord." Last evening we had an uncommonly inter-
esting monthly concert. Revivals were reported from
almost every part of New England and New York.
Reports from all the missionary stations encouraging.
We are endeavoring to live more temperately in
this evil world. At the commencement of the present
term the brethren voted the following bill of fare for
commons hall : Breakfast, porridge or warm milk
and bread, with baked apples. f Dinner, one dish of
meat and vegetables water for drink. Supper, same
as the morning, except butter in place of baked ap-
ples. No pies, puddings, cakes, tea, coffee, sugar,
* At the annual "Thanksgiving."
f Many a student of Andover will smile as this excitement is
thus recalled to him.
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 171
molasses, cheese, or butter, except at night, or any
other article of dyspeptic food is now admitted. A
few, who are disaffected, and can not give up the
flesh-pots of Egypt, have gone out to board, where
they can get something besides "this manna ;" but
we trust the King will find at the end of the term that
those who have "lived upon pulse" are "better
favored" than all others.
As to spiritual things, our meetings have not been
so full, nor solemn, nor interesting as now, since I
have been here. I believe there is more real closet
religion than last year. Yet how far are we off!
How far am I, for one ! My easily besetting sin is,
giving way to appetite. The more I fight against it,
the more it seems to rage. All effort seems vain. I have
been almost ready to exclaim, What profit is there in
prayer ? I thought to-day I would try a new way :
think no more about it, try to do the work the Lord
has given me to do, and let Him take care of my ap-
petite. Is this right? Were you ever assailed on
every hand by so powerful an enemy ? If so, how
did you manage him? " Pilgrim," as his last resort,
betook himself to "the weapon called all-prayer."
You speak, I believe, in one of your letters, con-
cerning the Roman Catholics, or infidels, or at least
uncle L does. Now the only way to get rid of
this host is, to send missionaries abroad. Satan
needs no effort to keep quiet possession of the heathen
world as long as Christians are inactive ; and, having
172 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
nothing to do there, he comes into our very camp to
give us battle. Let missionaries go forth, and attack
him in these secure retreats, and he- will soon be
alarmed, and draw off his forces from this country, in
order to maintain his cause abroad. The world will
never be converted so long as we attempt to drive out
the prince of darkness from one spot, while all around
is his own. No, we must scatter the heralds of the
cross from the Arctic to the Antarctic, " from the
rising of the sun, to the going down of the same."
We must scatter his forces as much as possible, and
with the Lord's help, we will make him an easy con-
quest. Pray for the world. Pray for your
COUSIN HENRY.
TO HIS FATHER.
December 29th, 1830.
DEAR FATHER :
I read yours of December 6th, with mingled pain
and pleasure pain, that you have had so much
trouble with your worldly affairs, and pleasure yes
real heartfelt pleasure it gave me that your afflictions
have been sanctified to you, and especially that this
latter trial has proved for the furtherance of your
growth in grace. * * *
But the word of God speaks more than I can ex-
press concerning sanctified affliction. I will here note
several texts, which I would write out fully had I
time. Job v. 17, 18 ; Ps. xciv. 12, 13, cxix. 67, 71,
THE HILL DIFFICULTY. 173
75; Prov. iii. 12; .Horn. v. 3; 1 Cor. xi. 32; 2 Cor.
iv. 16, 17 ; Heb. xii. 6, 11 ; Rev. iii. 19.
I have long felt much for you under your multi-
plied troubles. I console myself with the reflection
that this life was not made for us all to live peaceably
and smoothly in. It is but a state of probation.
Trials must be looked for, expected. Indeed we
ought and do pray for them every time we pray to be
made more holy and more conformed to the image of
God. I often wish I could be afflicted in some way,
so that my pride would be abased, and my depravity
subdued. This accursed pride is stubborn. It will
not be brought into subjection by kindness and mercy.
These only feed the flame, and cause it to burn the
fiercer. I feel as though I must have some sore chas-
tisement or other before I can be useful in the vine-
yard of the Lord.* Our cares and our troubles we
can not manage ourselves. The Lord is ready to
take them; and "we must walk by faith, not by
sight." " Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He
shall sustain thee ; He shall never suffer the righteous
to be moved." Lam. iii. 33 ; John xvi. 33. I should
be glad to pursue this subject, but am obliged to
desist.
* Mr. L. forgot that our Saviour's prayer was, " Sanctify them
through thy truth; thy word ia truth." ED.
VI.
r & i tt t i n .
Within this temple, Christ again, unseen,
Those sacred words has said ;
A.nd his invisible hands to-day have been
Laid on a young man's head.
And evermore beside him on his way,
The unseen Christ shall move,
That he may lean upon his arm and say,
" Dost thou, dear Lord, approve ?"
LONGFELLOW.
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. ST. PAUL,
VI.
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, ANDOVER, January IQth, 1831.
DEAR COUSIN CHARLES:
I have been employed, during the past six weeks,
in investigating " The Condition of Females in Hea-
then Countries." I finished my dissertation of
forty-six pages yesterday, and expect to read it
before the Society of Inquiry next Tuesday evening.
Although it has been laborious, having been obliged
to visit Boston, and ransack book-stores, and the
library at the rooms of the A. B. C. F. M., and to
neglect all my correspondents, yet it has been profit-
able to me. I was never before so fully convinced
of the woes and miseries of paganism. I have been
fully confirmed in the missionary faith. I have also
found that facts fully substantiate the latter part of
the first chapter of Romans. The women are, of
degraded tyrants, the more degraded drudges. They
are as debased as the African slaves. Nay, more,
they are as impure as impurity itself as immoral as
the imagination can conceive. As for virtue, it is an
unmeaning term with them. I might relate facts
8*
178 THE MARTYR OP SUMATRA.
which would make decency blush, and debauchees of
Christian countries hang their heads. This we might
expect from the ignorance in which they are kept.
A mental " darkness that might be felt" is extended
over them : not one in a million can either read or
write. In such a state of things do we wonder that
the mother can stifle the cries of her prattling babe in
the river, or expose it to the beasts of prey, or dash
its tender head against a stone, or, with her own
cruel hands, draw its flowing blood, or check its
gentle breath, or stamp its little body under her feet,
or cover it in the cold grave while yet it is screaming
for protection ? In such circumstances are we amazed
that she prefers for herself the flaming pile or the
living tomb rather than drag out her miserable exist-
ence on earth? Again, she has nothing to dread
hereafter. She is taught either that she has no soul,
or that such a death is the certain and only way of
insuring heaven for herself or her husband. Then
follow these deluded creatures into eternity. But
enough. I can not longer dwell at this time upon
this interesting, though horrible subject. I have only
one inference to draw.
How shall I, in view of this subject, and of the
judgment-day, when I shall meet these wretched
idolaters, answer the question in your last, "What
think you?" (concerning a Congregational church in
T.) Shall I say, "Go forward, and draw away a
missionary from those stations?" If so be that
THE ORDINATION. 179
Christ is preached, what matters it whether it is by
Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, or Meth-
odists ? Go to one of the anxious sinners by whom
you are surrounded, and ask him whether he was
convicted under the preaching of a Presbyterian or a
Congregational minister. Would he not say, " 0,
tell me what I must do to be saved." And in full
view of the danger of sinners, of death, judgment,
and eternity, ought we not to be snatching them as
brands from the eternal burning ; and worship with
whatever denomination of real Christians there may
be in the place where, in Providence, we are located.
If you have room for all church-going people, this
is all I have to say in answer to your question.
Providence permitting, I may possibly have occa-
sion to visit Troy during the spring vacation. My
present intention is to take an agency for the Mis-
sionary Herald, and spend five weeks in getting my
soul more enlisted in this glorious cause.
A happy New Year, and much love to all the
friends.
From your affectionate
COUSIN.
.
TO A YOUNG SISTER.
"ANDOVER, January 2lst, 1831.
# * * Were you to sit down to the examin-
ation of a difficult sum in arithmetic you would give
up your whole mind to it. You would be free in
180 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
your thoughts from other things, ready to receive the
truth as soon as you had finished. So must you
receive Divine truth. You must be willing to be
convinced of your sins."
The considerations urged in the following letter to
D. S. Whitney, Esq., are not now less important than
when they were written :
" I suppose you and others about you have your
eye on the day of fasting and prayer for colleges
which is approaching. It will be an interesting occa-
sion for Zion, no doubt. An immediate supply of
ministers we must have. For them we have nowhere
to go but to the youth in our colleges. The Lord
has heard the prayers of His children for this object
in days past. His ear is not now heavy, nor His arm
shortened. A revival of religion in college why,
what is it ? Twenty, thirty, or forty young men are
sent immediately to the theological seminary. Old
Christians are revived, and the hopes of the church
are raised, which gives her an onward impulse.
When a young man in college hopes in Christ,
the question arises, ' Lord, what wilt thou have me to
do ?' He has no property to consecrate. Nothing is
left him but his education. He says, l Lord, here am
/, send me? He does not then go out to scatter fire-
brands, arrows, and death through the land. He
goes, in the name of Jesus, to win souls to Christ ;
THE ORDINATION. 181
those win others. He also, perhaps, leaves behind
him a ' Dairyman's Daughter,' or a ' Rise and Prog-
ress,' or a ' Saints' Rest,' which tells upon distant
nations at remote ages. Amherst has now (1831, it
will be recollected.) five foreign missionaries in the
field, two of whom loved not Christ when they entered
college. She has also forty of her sons at this sem-
inary, one fourth of whom first learned the language
of the upper world in college : one fourth of them
design to spend their lives among the heathen.
" Indeed these are the fountains which send their
streams over the earth. Shall they leave traces of
devastation in their course, or shall they fertilize all
around, and make the earth what it should be, the
garden of the Lord? Let us pray for the salt of
Divine grace to be cast into them that they may be
for the healing of the nations.
"Love to all at grandfather's. I often think of
him these cold days. How does he stand the winter ?
"In haste.
" Your affectionate nephew,
"HENRY LYMAN."
ANDOVEB THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, February, 28th, 1831.
DEAR SISTER:
It is needless for me to say, I was gratified exceed-
ingly at receiving your dateless letter in the family
package. Especially did it rejoice my heart, that you
expressed yourself so freely concerning your feelings
182 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
on the subject of religion. And now you wish me
to answer it immediately, and tell you "what to
do." I might reply by asking, Why come to me?
Why not go to your Bible, the only sure guide
to heaven ? I might tell you to follow the apostle's
direction to the trembling jailor, when he asked
the same question: "Repent, and believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." This,
you say, you know already, but "do not know
how to set about it." Now, how can you set about
being sorry for any thing ? What does the seventy-
seventh Village Hymn 'say? What says the fif-
teenth of Luke ? How did the prodigal son set about
being sorry for what he had done ? Did he sit down
and reason with himself thus ? How shall I be sorry ?
How shall I feel my sin more ? I do not yet feel it
enough to want pardon from my father ? No ; he did
not stop for this. He was starving ; and he says,
Why need I starve when there is sufficiency in my
father's house? No, "I will arise, and go to my
father, and say, I have sinned, and am no more worthy
to be called thy son." He thought nothing about
making himself better before he went. He felt his
sin. made confession therefor, and "his father had
compassion on him." So in your case, you can never
make yourself better more acceptable in the sight
of Christ if you pray and read your Bible all your
life. You think these would be the means of your
feeling more your sins ; and if you could only feel,
THE ORDINATION. 183
then you could come to Christ, and He would accept
you. .But, dear sister, you never can make yourself
better never can merit salvation. Bead Village
Hymns 43, 44. "Stop, and think," then, what is
your condition. You are a sinner against an infinitely
holy God, and an infinitely merciful Saviour. You
are every moment in danger of being cast into the
lake " where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched." Still there is a heaven of everlasting
happiness in store for you, and sovereign mercy is
calling yet with open arms, " Come unto me, and I
will give you life." Think what it is to be lost and
lost forever. Think what it is to glorify God and
enjoy him forever, then arise, and go to Jesus, con-
fess your sins, and throw yourself upon His mercy.
If He has compassion upon you, give Him the praise ;
if He casts you off forever, acknowledge His justice in
so doing. You have no merit, no claim. If ever
you are saved, it will be by infinite mercy in Jesus
Christ. Remember, "I can but perish if I go," and
"if I stay away, I know I must forever die." You
are looking too high. You think you have some
great work to do before you can have salvation.
Lower then your views, simplify them, bring them
down to the level of the Gospel, and trust in Christ.
There is a high wall which you are endeavoring to
climb over ; and all you want is to creep through a
hole there is close to the ground. To repent, is to
come to Christ and acknowledge your sins ; to believe
184 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
on Him, is to resign your immortal soul into His
hands to be at His disposal, believing that He Avill
do that for you which will be for His own glory. If
this letter finds you still at enmity with God, let me
beseech you, dear sister, no longer to delay this.
Every thing is at stake. This world is all a shadow
and vanity ; in a moment you will be at the judgment,
where no one but Jesus can be your friend : and oh,
what if He should be your enemy !
Your brother,
. HENRY.
In April, Henry received from his father a letter
full of thanksgiving. A powerful revival, which
commenced in Northampton under the pastorate of
the Rev. I. S. Spencer, had extended to Amherst,
and two of Mr. Lyman's children were rejoicing in
Christ. There are many who recollect the manifest-
ations of Divine grace at that time, when, in numer-
ous places, the whole population seemed with one con-
sent to turn to the Lord. These were chronicled by
the young student, in his letters and journal, with ex-
ultation, while he was unceasing in his efforts to stir
up others to pray for those in preparation for the holy
office ; as, for example, in the following extract from
a letter to D. S. Whitney, Esq. :
" I hope, too, you will remember this seminary.
Do Christians generally, in our country, feel the
need of being muck in prayer in behalf of the ris-
THE ORDINATION. 185
ing ministry ? We must at any rate have a purifying
in this fountain, or- we shall send out a lukewarm
stream one neither cold nor hot-^one which shall
not refresh nor purify. There have been revivals of
God's work in other theological seminaries of our
land, and we have been passed by. If we can not
pray for ourselves, ought not the Church to make
prayers without ceasing unto God on our behalf."
As a manifestation of Christian love in giving and
receiving reproof, the following notes are introduced.
They were written about this period.
HENRY LYMAN TO * * *
MY DEAR BROTHER :
Christian faithfulness is a virtue in which we are all
wanting, especially in reminding one another of little
things, easy to be corrected, but which, left to gain
the power of habit, will prove, in a greater or less
measure, an obstacle to our usefulness as ministers of
the Gospel. I fall short in this thing myself; no
more, however, than others do in their duty to me.
If I now take the liberty to mention something I have
noticed in you, which,. though small in itself, I am
confident in some circumstances of future life, might,
in the more refined part of the community, excite pre-
judices against you which would be remembered even
when in the sacred desk, I hope you will be as free
with me in detecting any little irregularities of a like
nature. I have reference now to table etiquette.
186 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Your own good sense will preclude the necessity of
any thing other than this gentle hint ; still, as I have
commenced, permit me to mention two or three things
I have observed, such as helping your neighbor to
meat with your own fork, when a carving fork was at
hand, cutting vegetables with your own knife, stick-
ing your own fork into two or three pieces of meat
before being able to suit yourself, reaching over your
neighbor's plate, etc., etc., etc.
Allow me one further remark, hoping still it will
be received in Christian kindness. We are all prone
to take care of self. I feel this in my own case every
day. Some have much of this, but so manage them-
selves as not to have it appear to their neighbors.
Others are not conscious of loving self too well, who
still so conduct as to carry the appearance of it. I
hope in your case the manifestation is the result of
heedlessness. I refer to appropriating this or that
particular thing to yourself, without regard to mess-
mates. I am aware this is a point in which most, if
not all of us are prone to err in " Commons Hall,"
but if we could only bring ourselves to observe the
precept, " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," it
would give us true politeness at all times. I hope
you will be as faithful to me, and receive this in
Christian love, from your brother,
HENRY LYMAN.
THE ORDINATION. 187
FROM * * * TO HENRY LYMAN.
DEAR BROTHER LYMAN:
Your letter was received as a kind and friendly
admonition. I must commend you for your Christian
fidelity and return you my hearty thanks. In regard
to those who give me friendly hortations, I feel my-
self bound to adopt the language and sentiment of
the apostle in 1 Thes. v. 13. I am ever grateful for
any suggestions which will tend to my improvement,
either as a gentleman or a follower of Christ. When
such suggestions seem to be prompted by a Christian
spirit can not receive them otherwise than with
kindness.
Your remarks in regard to " table etiquette" in
general I feel to be just, and my irregularities such
as require correction. I am aware that my manners
at our Commons-table, have often been unseemly,
and unlike the manners of polite circles. It has
arisen partly from inadvertence or heedlessness, and
partly from a habit brought from college, where little
other ceremony was used, than that of helping one's
self as well as he could. At first I was disgusted,
but soon fell in with the customs of the Commons-
table. This, however, I do not offer as the least apol-
ogy, but it tends to show the power of habit, and the
importance of avoiding such things at all times, in all
seasons, and in all places. For had I always been
careful, it would have cost me less attention to be so
188 THE MAKTYR OF SUMATRA.
now. It is with me, in this matter, as it is with some
swearers, who can easily refrain from oaths while in
serious company, but among their companions throw
off that very necessary restraint which they ought
always to wear. I do not so sensibly feel your re-
proof in regard to "taking care of self," as I do in
respect to the others named. Nevertheless, it may
have seemed so to others, if not to myself. I hope I
shall in future avoid not only the sin, but even the
appearance of it.
I trust also that I shall give good heed to your
friendly suggestions and receive more of them when
it shall seem to you that occasion requires ; not only
in regard to " table etiquette," but on any other sub-
ject. We should all, I believe, make more rapid im-
provement, and eventually be far better ministers of
the Gospel, did we faithfully follow the injunction of
the apostle to "admonish one another daily." Had
your letter breathed" any other than a Christian spirit.
I should not probably have received it kindly. Let
brotherly love abound, and instances of Christian
fidelity be multiplied between us, and around us, and
believe me
Yours in the purest bonds of Christian love,
FROM A LETTER TO MRS. C.
" November 30^/i. I am now in the midst of
writing my first sermon, and have chosen that precious
THE ORDINATION. 189
theme which occupied the pens of the sacred historians
and prophets ; which inspired Israel's bard and stayed
the heart of the Gentile apostle ; which caused the
morning stars to sing together for joy, and now leads
heaven's holy choir to one united, universal symphony
of praise the love of Christ. It seems almost
preposterous to one who knows nothing of this love
to attempt to speak of it. I fear I may be-little the
subject. Still who can forbear making this the theme
of his first discourse? Who that is privileged to
stand up before his dying fellow-men, a herald of
salvation from God, can avoid commencing his proc-
lamation with a theme so commanding, so enchanting,
so infinite ! Truly, if one can not speak well on this
subject, he is fit to speak on none ! I think a plain
and obvious inference from this subject is that Chris-
tians should be ready to perform any duty their Lord
may assign them ; however small, however great.
They should especially do all in their power to spread
abroad a knowledge of this love. Christ's love to
man forbids every thing like selfishness. A benevo-
lence higher than heaven, deeper than hell, longer
than the earth, and broader than the sea, glowed in
the breast of the Son of God. This same spirit in
kind is implanted in every one of Kis real children,
and in degree according as they are more or less con-
secrated to His service. How then can they help
laboring to disseminate this love and to bring others
to a knowledge of this salvation ?
190 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" 0, aunt, how long shall it be ere we are able to
give up all for Christ ? I say give up ALL ; not keep
back a part of the price. How long ere the church
will rejoice that they may have the privilege of con-
tributing of their substance; of pleading in their
closets ; of giving up their friends, or of going in
person, that salvation (0 the joyful, joyful sound !)
may be proclaimed to the poor, benighted, ignorant,
deluded, earth-sorrowing pagan ?
" Let us say with the sainted apostle, ' The love of
Christ constraineth us, that we henceforth live, not
unto ourselves, but to Him who died for us and rose
again.' Whatever work the Lord has for us to do,
' Here we are, send us,' should be our language. We
may in doing so be called to forego the gratification
of self ; but what of it ? Can He not, and will He
not make us more happy in a course of self-denial
for His sake than in the possession of all earthly good.
the stings of a guilty conscience ! the blessedness
of a ' conscience void of offence towards God and
towards man !' Give me the latter, and come life,
come death, I care not, for then I shall be ready at
any time to ' depart and be with Christ' where I shall
see as I am seen and know as I am known.
" 0, dear aunt, there are few privileged with the
blessedness of being constrained by the love of Christ.
It is but a few who have the luxury of doing good.
The world knows not of it. If, in the Providence
of God, we are permitted to be of the number, let
THE ORDINATION. 191
us do with our might what our hand findeth to
do, for the night is approaching when we can not
work."
ANDOVER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, December 21st, 1831.
DEAR SISTER:
I hope the extreme frosts of the winter do not have
the tendency to pinch the soul. They certainly will
not if you do two things, viz. : pray much, and read
your Bible much. I suppose you have begun the
Christian life with a resolution to be a whole Chris-
tian or none at all ; of course you have learned to
pray. Prayer is, indeed, the Christian's soul his
life. The 289th Village Hymn expresses what I wish
to say of the utility of prayer especially the second
verse. But I will mention one thing for which I wish
you to pray : that God would show you something of
your own heart. You are but little aware what a
sink of pollution that is. You are sanctified, if at
all, but in part. There remains yet very much
depravity to be rooted out, which can only be done
by Divine grace. You should also pray much to be
kept from temptation and to be preserved in the hour
of trial. Then it is that the Christian is proved
whether he is the child of God or not. If he can not
resist sin, and is not inclined to look upward whence
cometh help, how can he believe himself such ? In
reading the Bible look much to God for the holy
Spirit to enlighten your mind. . (See Luke xxiv. 45,
192 THE MARTYE OP SUMATRA.
and Acts xvi. 14.) If you read any books besides
the Bible for your spiritual growth, you will find
none to exceed John Newton's works, Hannah More's,
Baxter's ' Saints' Rest,' and ' Pilgrim's Progress.'
These bring out the heart more, and better detect its
deceitfulness than any others with which I am ac-
quainted. Aim not only to keep along respectably in
a profession, but to go forward and set an example.
Never let another's failings be an excuse for yours.
Always be in the habit of reproving sin whenever you
see it. Be determined, whatever others may say or
think, to be an active Christian. Resolve you will
never leave a person you meet without their feeling
that you have been with Christ. Always endeavor
to introduce religious conversation, and always sup-
port others who do. Much more I would say, but
good-by, and the Lord bless you evermore.
HENRY.
ANDOVER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, January 3lst, 1832.
DEAR SISTER HELEN :
Though you are " the baby," you have grown so
large by this tune that I suppose you will not like it
if I do not send you a letter as well as the rest of the
girls. Father wrote me that you were very sick and
the doctor did not think you would live. This made
me very sorry, because I thought if Helen should die
I should never see her again in this world, and could
not give her a kiss when I get home the next time.
THE ORDINATION. 193
So I went away by myself where nobody could see me
but God, and prayed to Him that He would spare
Helen's life. But this was not all. I thought if she
should die now, what would become of her afterward,
for she does not love the Lord Jesus Christ ? So I
prayed more and more that the Lord would make
that sickness the means of leading her to the Saviour,
so that she might always afterward love God while
she lives, and when she dies go to heaven and live for-
ever and ever, with her father, and mother, and sis-
ters, and brothers.
Now, the reason, my dear little sister, why God
sent this sickness upon you is, that you do what dis-
pleases God and He, in this way, has been punishing
you, to keep you from doing these bad things, and to
make you love Him all the time ; just the same as
father does. You know when any of the children
do what he thinks wrong, he punishes them so as to
make them remember to obey him. He never does it
because he likes to see them suffer pain or to hear
them cry. It always gives him more pain than it
does them, but he must do it for their good to make
them better. God does not love to give pain to any
of His creatures. He takes away the property of
some, and sends sickness upon others in order to make
them love Him ; for every one that does not love God
does wrong. God sent sickness upon you to make
you love Him, and to pray to Him every day. I
want to have you think of this. You can begin to
194 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
love Him now a good deal better than you can by-
and-by. You should go away by yourself and pray
that He, by His holy Spirit, will show you what to
do, so that you may love Him all the time, and may
not do any thing else that will make Him displeased
with you.
I can not now write any more. Though you can
not answer it now, I hope one of these days, if I live,
and you live, after I go across the great ocean, that
you will write me many long letters.
From your affectionate brother,
HENRY.
EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO D. S. WHITNEY, ESQ.
"ANDOVER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, February 4th, 1832.
" * * * I am more and more impressed with
the necessity of a thorough preparation for the
ministry ; not in mind only, but also in heart. A
minister, above all men, ought to be dead to the
world, and have entire control over the things within
' that Avar against the soul.' I despair of ever doing
this. I sometimes think it my heaviest curse that I
was so profane and dissipated before the Lord had
mercy on me and snatched me ' as a brand from the
burning.' These sinful habits which have become so
firmly inwrought with my constitution, are a continual
occasion of my falling. I begin to see and feel a
little the force of what you and aunt H. E. urged so
continually upon me the first vacation after I indulged
THE ORDINATION. 195
a hope in Christ (though at the time I saw no occa-
sion for the caution), viz., that the Christian's life
was a continual warfare. I begin to find it a terrible
contest. Sometimes, e. g., by a day of fasting and
prayer, I am enabled to get away from the world, and
all appears vanity. I feel willing to resign all to
Christ, and to trust entirely in Him. In an un-
guarded moment, however, I find myself again in-
volved in sin. and my heart is polluted, my conscience
is defiled. And so it is, up and down, up and down,
all the time. At times I am almost discouraged ; but
a momentary glimpse through the shepherd's glass,'
toward the celestial city, inspires fresh courage, and I
try to move on again. My life seems to be a con-
tinual round of promising, and breaking promises;
and, what is worse than all, I do this directly in the
face of motives which I urge upon the sinner, and
think sufficient to take from him all excuse.
"Must this be so always? In what way can the
heart be purified ? How caji we lead a devout,' holy
life all the time?"
"April 22c?, 1831. Christian self-denial con-
versed upon. I have in days of yore been very fond
of purchasing little knick-knacks, and the habit still
remains to some extent. A brother, after the meet-
ing, mentioned that my example had eased his con-
science in the same things in several instances. The
Lord save me from this and every evil practice,
196 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and help mo to be ' an ensample to the flock' in all
things.
"June 4th. I do a great deal of injury to my
fellow-students and get still more by so much light
and trifling conversation. Let my theme, then, be
for this term, ' Christ and Him crucified? Let me
speak if it be but 'five words' in the language of
Canaan, rather than a great many ' in an unknown
tongue.'
" June 20th Evening. Blessed be thy name,
0, thou chief among ten thousand, l and altogether
lovely.' How glorious it is, once in awhile, to break
away from earth, and feel a freedom with Christ, a
freedom in prayer. It is like the rising of the sun in
a cool, clear June morning, after a week's easterly
storm. It diffuses a joy and serenity through the
whole frame, and seems to compensate fully for the
days of darkness. 0, for a childlike, humble spirit,
that will take hold of Jesus, and with filial confidence
look up and say, ' My Father,' in all times of ap-
parent darkness !
" June 23d. The apostles could not face death in
the cause of Christ till the Comforter was sent ! So
it is now. Without the Spirit of Christ, man can not
face a Felix and an Agrippa. With the Spirit, ' Come
life, come death, I am for Christ.' So is a man's
courage according to the degree of the influences of
the Spirit in the heart. How important that I be
diligent and earnest in cherishing the secret influences
THE ORDINATION.
of the holy One, and avoid every thing tending to
drive Him away !
" June 24/A. It is one thing, I found last evening,
to talk about Christian self-denial, and another
thing to practice it. It is no self-denial to do this
thing or that thing, because it suits our taste, though
it may appear self-denial to others. It is no self-denial
to give up a thing because we have an aversion to it,
though it may appear so to others. Doing real good
to others, and in order to it, denying one's self, is
denying self. Overcoming a fit of drowsiness or lazi-
ness, in which we love to indulge, while the fit is yet
upon us ; this is denying self.
"August Qth. I would this morning devote a few
moments to a consideration of the manner in which
Fiske and Parsons lived in this seminary, in order
that I may ascertain wherein I can do better than
hitherto.
" The first thing that meets my eye from Parsons is
this : ' When I walk with my fellow-students I would
have devotional and interesting subjects employ our
time.' (1st ed., page 47.) Again. (page 48) : 'It
shall be my constant prayer that I may be preserved
from wicked conversation, from the appearance of
vanity before my fellow-students.' What a depth of
piety runs through the whole of Parsons' journal,
while a member of this beloved institution. What
fervor of soul he ever manifested ! What an entire
consecration to God is apparent! What a constant
198 THE MAKTYR OF SUMATRA.
meditation on heavenly and Divine things shows itself!
Did Parsons live thus ? Was this the breathing of
his soul? 0, how small does it make me appear!
How does a perusal of his life cause me to shrink back
from the bright light which shows me so clearly my
own darkness ! I would fall down, down, down into
the lowest dust. Do I number myself among the
children of God ? Have I a part in His love ? and is
that love shed abroad in my heart ? When it operates
thus upon another, why is it so weak in me? 0,
the depth of my depravity I 0, the hardness of my
heart! Dear, blessed Saviour, come take possession
of thine own. Come fill me with thyself; make
me holy. 0, I have but a spark of grace.
" February 8^, 1832. I have this day accepted
the appointment of the A. B. C. F. M."
In reply to the Secretary's announcement of this
fact, Henry Lyman writes :
" In accepting this appointment, I do it with trem-
bling, yet willingly, joyfully; for while a great
treasure is to be committed to an earthen vessel, it is
a consolation that God has so ordained it, ' that the
excellency of the power' may be of Himself, and not
of man. The addition of my influence in the ciuse,
I feel to be less than a drop to the ocean; yet siuh as
I am, I have consecrated all unreservedly to this
work. So clear are, and ever have been, the convic-
tions of duty, that I can say, ' Woe is unto me, if I
preach not the Gospel' to the heathen. I do most
THE ORDINATION. 199
earnestly request that the committee, in assigning
my particular field of labor, will weigh well my im-
perfections, and send me with some one in whose
judgment I can place confidence. My desire is to be
of the greatest possible benefit to the souls of dying
millions, whatever of toil or suffering may attend it.
I feel as though to accomplish this, I ought to have
an associate of age and maturity of mind to whom I
could look for advice, although I have laid down the
principle in every question of duty, however trivial,
to look first to the Lord.
"In thus surrendering unconditionally my future
location, in the vineyard of the Lord, to the com-
mittee, I do it, not because I am indifferent and care-
less on the subject, but from a conviction that they
are better qualified to judge, and will give, if called
upon, sufficient reasons for the assignment they may
make ; and, with earnest prayer to the Holy Ghost,
that He Avill so guide them in judgment that the great-
est glory shall redound to God, I subscribe myself
"Yours respectfully,
"HENRY LYMAN."
In the spring of 1832, Mr. Lyman visited his sister
in Montreal, preaching, and delivering his address on
the Condition of Females in Pagan and Mohammedan
Countries, as he had opportunity. Forty-two times
was this thrilling display of the degradation of woman
repeated before he left America. And there was
200 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
need of it. The state of the heathen was not then so
thoroughly known as it is now. Twenty years have
so multiplied books, tracts, and newspapers, that the
necessity which then existed for such an array of facts
can scarcely be comprehended by the rising genera-
tion. Nor was Lyman alone in such efforts. The
missionary brethren, then at Andover, were instant in
season, and out of season, in diffusing information
concerning the fields they were to occupy. Thus they
became "known by face to the churches," and a mu-
tual interest was established.
The following extract of a letter will show the ar-
rangements for the winter :
TO CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ.
ANDOVEU THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, July 27<A, 1832.
MY DEAR COUSIN:
I have been delaying a letter, from the expectation,
every day since my return, of receiving something
definite from the "Rooms." Be assured you were
not forgotten during all the long time that has elapsed.
I have been appointed, with class-mate Samuel Mun-
son as colleague, to south eastern Asia, especially to
the Indian Archipelago, for exploration. The com-
mittee have decided also that we shall remain in this
country during the winter, in order that we may at-
tend lectures on medicine and surgery, saying they
" believe it will abundantly compensate for the delay,
by rendering you so much more useful and successful
THE ORDINATION. 201
in your contemplated explorations. You are already-
aware of the value of the healing art to the mission-
ary in certain parts of the heathen world, and par-
ticularly in that to which you are destined; how it
multiplies facilities for intercourse with the people,
secures confidence, enables the missionary to gratify
his benevolent desires toward the sick, and supplies,
to some extent, the absence of the miraculous gifts of
healing."
The courses (of medical lectures) at Boston and
Brunswick, Me., are so arranged that we can attend
both. Boston commences the last of October, and
Brunswick soon after that closes. * * * If I
take two courses of lectures I shall probably stay at
Amherst from anniversary here, September 12, to my
ordination, which will be at Northampton at the annual
meeting of the Hampshire county benevolent socie-
ties, October 11 ; President Humphrey is to preach
the sermon.
TO A YOUNG BROTHER.
" ANDOVER, August 28h.
" * * * How do you now prosper in spiritual
things ? Do you love to pray and to read your Bible as
much as you did last spring ? Do you continually
ask God in prayer what you shall do, and entreat
him to help you fulfill your duties ? You will find
one thing indispensable : that you guard against the
first sin. If you give way once it will be easier the
second time, and easier still the third.
9*
202 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" Have a regular time to pray and read, and read
the Bible a great deal at other times, always asking
for the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind, and to
teach you that you may understand its truths.
" When with Christians, ask them how you shall
grow in grace. To become more holy and to love
God more, should be the great and first business of
life. You should say, ' What are a few earthly plea-
sures in comparison with the salvation of my soul?'
You must not suppose that because you think you
have been converted, that you have secured salvation.
You may after all be deceived. Your only evidence
now can be in your still loving and serving God.
You must thus be securing your eternal interest every
day you live. * * * Always, when about to do
those things which unfit you for prayer, think of
' the end of those things.' ' :
TO A YOUNG SISTER.
"August 10th, 1832.
* # * You say you are not in a state of
soul-prosperity. You want something to rouse you.
Have you lost your Bible. Prayerfully read a por-
tion of God's word every morning and evening, and
as much oftener as you have time, and if your soul
does not prosper, pray more earnestly. Reading the
Bible, self-examination and prayer, are the foundation
of our advancement Zionward. Make conscience of
performing these duties. Read Doddridge's Rise and
THE ORDINATION. 203
Progress, especially Chapters 13, 16, and 19-21,
and forward as you have time. Also read Baxter's
Saints' Best. If they are not in the house they
ought to be. Ask yourself, and answer the question
honestly, Do I wish to make my chief business to
advance in holiness, and save my fellow-men ? This
you will do if you have given yourself wholly to the
Lord. All the time endeavor to keep in a praying
frame, asking the Lord to preserve you from tempta-
tion, especially from your easily besetting sins. Ask
him to guide your thoughts, and direct your feelings,
and stay up your soul on Him. The business of re-
ligion, always remember, is one thing, and its spiritu-
ality another. Five minutes' prayer at one time will
avail more than half an hour at another. See that
you are not only attending to outward duties, but also
to the heart ; that you seek to glorify God. Aim at
eminence in holiness. Be not afraid of the world.
Head Hebrews xi, and xii. Be willing to be known as
a spiritually minded Christian. Be willing to have
your influence felt. That you may always ' seek first
the kingdom of God and His righteousness' is the
prayer of Your brother,
" HENKY."
October llth, 1832, hi the old church at North-
ampton, the same hi which the infant had been conse-
crated to God hi baptism, the man was set apart to
the sacred office of proclaiming Christ to his fellow
204 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
men. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr.
Humphrey, President of Amherst College ; the charge
was given by Rev. Dr. Brown of Hadley ; and the
Rev. Mr. Maltby of Sutton, Mass.. gave the right
hand of fellowship, and acted as colleague with Mr.
Lyman in representing the A. B. C. F. M. at the
anniversaries of the benevolent societies of Hamp-
shire. Hampden, and Franklin.
VII.
t far t\t
Let those below in concert sing
"With those to glory gone ;
For all the servants of our King
In heaven and earth are one.
One army of the Jiving God,
To His command we bow ;
Part of the host have crossed the flood,
And part are crossing now.
C. WESLEY.
That they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I
in thee, that they also maybe one in us: that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me. JOHN, xvii. 21.
VII.
WHEN the compiler of this memoir had reached the
Andover period of the young missionary's history, it
was felt that to complete the picture of the seminary
life the impressions of others were needed. One of
Henry Ly man's family therefore addressed letters to
some of his former associates, requesting from them
their recollections of the brother who so long tune
ago had been connected with them. Scattered up
and down in the earth, they have responded heartily
to the call, and with no doubtful note comes their
testimony in favor of their friend and class-mate.
The individual who produced on the minds of such
men an impression so permanent and vivid, that
twenty-five years have not impaired its strength,
possessed a power of character which surely author-
ized this attempt to gather up the fragments that
remain, and to re-produce the youthful warrior as an
example worthy of imitation.
No apology is needed to our readers for presenting
them with communications from those "whose praise
is in all the churches ;" every word from whose pens
208 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
is treasured, who have been sustained by their Divine
Lord in bearing " the burden and heat of the day,"
gladly toiling on, and envying not the crown and palm
branch of the young martyr.
Long may it please the Lord of the harvest to
continue them each a rich blessing in His field of la-
bor guides and counselors to their brethren, while
themselves " in labors most abundant." Every year
makes their lives more precious to the church, and
our faith staggers at the thought that the time will
ever come when we shall be ready to hear that they
have entered "into the joy of their Lord." A glo-
rious constellation truly, will the society of "breth-
ren" form in the celestial firmament, yet we still
need their light here. Bright with precious gems
will be the crowns they can cast at Jesus' feet.
FROM THE REV. JUSTIN PERKINS, D.D., MISSIONARY
TO THE NESTORIANS OF PERSIA.
OROOMIAH, PERSIA, June IQth, 1853.
MY DEAR Miss LYMAN :
Your letter of February 28th has just come to
hand. The "Missionary Memorial," to which you
refer, I have not yet seen. I rejoice that a sketch
of your brother, the missionary martyr, has a place in
it, and that it was prepared by so competent a hand as
that of Dr. Cheever, which is a sufficient warrant that
the work is well done. I anticipate reading that
THE CHAPLET, FOR THE DEAD. 209
volume, "the Memorial," with great interest, when-
ever it shall reach me. Some, very dear to me on
earth, who are now in glory and your brother
among them will thus be brought fresh to my
remembrance. I trust a portrait accompanies a sketch
of him.*
Your announcement that a memoir of your brother
is also to be prepared, is exceedingly gratifying to
me. Few are more worthy than Henry Lyman to
be held in cherished remembrance, and, though his
bright career was so brief, there must still be ample
materials, if you can recover them, for a full, very
interesting, and very useful volume.
It affords me sincere pleasure to comply with your
request to furnish a few paragraphs from my recol-
lections of your brother while a student, the only
period of my acquaintance with him. He was my
class-mate in college ; and though he was one of the
youngest, and I one of the senior members of the
class, we soon became intimate; he ever seeming to
regard me somewhat in the light of an older brother,
and I gladly reciprocating the fraternal feelings of
my esteemed young class-mate. I well remember
how our acquaintance commenced. He one day en-
tered my room, soon after our class came together, and
modestly proposed to purchase a share in my wood-
saw. I remember, as though it were but yesterday,
* The picture in the " Missionary Memorial" is, unfortunately
no likeness of Lyman.
210 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
the tall form and manly features of that fine boy of
fifteen, as he then stood before me. Using the same
saw alternately, from day to day, naturally threw us
at once together, and other relations soon enabled us
to read each other's character. It would be easy to
detail many incidents along the path of our college
course, exceedingly grateful to his relatives and
friends; but I forbear, and hasten to the period
of the most momentous event of his life to him per-
sonally and to the .church of God his hopeful con-
version. This occurred in the spring of 1827. Your
brother had then nearly attained the height of man-
hood. The strong traits of his noble character were
also rapidly developing.
. Naturally possessed of extraordinary ardor and
energy, he was an object of peculiar interest to all of
us ; and his eminently social and generous disposition
might now have endangered him, amid the manifold
evil influences incident to college life inclining as he
was to become somewhat wild, though still very
reluctant to throw off the hallowed restraints of
paternal instruction had not the mighty hand of
God been stretched out, at that important crisis, to
transform him suddenly from the bounding young
lion to the subdued, quiet lamb. The ever memor-
able revival in Amherst College, at this period, was a
blessed epoch to many, but to none more so than to
Henry. From the commencement of that wonderful
work of grace, your brother was the subject of many
THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 211
fervent prayers on the part of his pious classmates,
probably more so than any other individual in col-
lege.
I find a few notices of him in my journal of that
perigd, -which will of course be a more accurate record,
though very brief, than any I could make out from
memory after the lapse of more than a quarter of a
century. They are the following :
" April nth, 1827. I attempted to converse with
Lyman, and found him arrayed in opposition to all
that pertains to religion. He is made a subject of
special prayer in my class.
" April 18th. Every countenance is expressive
of solemnity. Lyman, of my class, is borne down
with a sense of his sins. Little interest has been
taken this evening in our literary society meetings.
The voice of prayer is heard from room to room.
"April Vdth. Some one knocked at my door soon
after I returned from breakfast. I opened it, and
found LYMAN trembling, and inquiring, ' What shall
I do to be saved ?' We soon afterward had a meet-
ing at my room for all who belong in the entry.
Several of the impenitent were in.
"Every thing indicated the presence of God. A
more solemn meeting I never attended.
" Lyman visited the president in the course of the
forenoon. He was much cast down. About three
o'clock in the afternoon he resolved to seek no longer.
He went from room to room announcing his deter-
212 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
mination to give up the concerns of his soul. All
were filled with deep anxiety for him.
"April 20th. Lyman has again resolved to seek
the salvation of his soul.
"April 25th. Cases of conversion are frequent.
The pious students devote much of their time to
prayer, self-examination, and conversation with the
impenitent. This evening our ordinary society meet-
ing was converted into a .season of prayer. Lyman
attended our little meeting at nine o'clock, and told
us of his joys, in the hope of having made his peace
with God.
"April 21th. This afternoon we had a very
pleasant assembly at my room. Some of the con-
verts took a part. 0, is it possible that Henry
Lyman has become a Christian ? Yes, we hope he
has. Never were my feelings more deeply affected
than when he rose and addressed his former com-
panions in sin on the great subject of salvation. 0,
what hath God wrought?"
These incidental allusions to your brother, which I
find in my journal, give, of course, but a faint view
of the pungency of his convictions, of his dreadful
struggles with the great enemy of souls, his agony by
day and by night, until he at length found deliverance
and joy at the foot of the cross. At the time, during
his convictions, when he resolved to seek .no longer,
and was going through college, proclaiming his deter-
mination to that effect, his look of desperation struck
THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 213
terror to the hearts of the impenitent, and did much
to quicken the progress of the revival. He stated his
purpose, also, to write his father and mother, and re-
quest them to stop praying for him : I am not aware
whether he did so. Almost overcome with solicitude
for him, I called on President Humphrey, and in-
formed him of his case, and my fears, on which the
reverend man turned to me with a smile, and calmly
said, "I trust God will take care of His own work
in Lyman, if Christians only keep on praying for
him."
From the hour of your brother's conversion, his
peace was like a river, and his path from that time
onward to the end of his college life, was that of the
just, shining brighter and brighter. His face was
radiant with heavenly serenity, while his zeal in the
cause of that Saviour, who, he deeply felt, had pur-
chased him with His own blood, never tired. In sub-
sequent seasons of religious interest in college, he was
ever active and useful, being unwearied in labors and
prayers, both among the impenitent and the hopefully
pious. Indeed with him there seemed to be an unin-
terrupted revival. The strong and universal impres-
sion in college, from the time of his conversion till he
finished his course, was, that he was a very holy
young man an impression which I hardly need say,
the sequel of his short life fully confirmed. Not long
after his hopeful conversion, if I mistake not, he
decided to become a missionary, and never after-
214 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
ward halted or wavered in his consecration to that
work.
On leaving college, your brother went to Andover
to commence his theological course, while I lingered
a year as an instructor in Amherst Academy.
On joining the seminary at Andover, the next
year, I found that your brother held gloriously on, in
his luminous course as an active and devoted Chris-
tian. He had improved much in general manliness
and stability of character. He now stood very high
among the missionary candidates, whose number was
then quite large I think larger than at any other
period during the history of that missionary nursery,
owing probably to no earthly influence more than to
his example and efforts. The cause of missions was
as his life, his standing theme at all times, and in all
connections ; in his walks with beloved brethren, in the
social meetings, and at the public altar ; and formed
as he was by nature to be a leader in whatever enter-
prise he espoused, it is not strange that he held such
a place in the estimation and the hearts of his fellow-
students most of whom were much his seniors in
years especially in the cause of missions. And
while he did so much to promote it at Andover. as he
had also done in Amherst College, he in turn was not
a little indebted to that sacred cause. The reciprocal
effect of the missionary spirit which he so ardently
cherished in his own soul and diffused among others,
was very apparent and striking in its elevating, ex-
THE. CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 215
paneling, and hallowing influences on his mind, and
heart, and entire character.
Not the seminary alone felt the power of his whole-
souled consecration, and his fervent appeals. The
churches of the town also, and of the surrounding
towns, where he visited, and held prayer-meetings,
received a strong impression of his ardent devotion to
Christ and the cause of missions, and many were
stimulated to action by his influence.
Your brother was fruitful in inventing ways and
means for advancing the cause of missions while a
student. I distinctly remember his delivering an ad-
dress before tl:e Society of Inquiry at Andover, on
the Condition of Females in Heathen and Moham-
medan Countries, which he had prepared with great
labor, and which produced a strong impression at the
time. With some modifications, that address was af-
terward published as a tract. He was always careful
to be furnished with missionary tracts, and other
"words in season," to dispense in all companies and
on all occasions for the advancement of Zion, and es-
pecially for the promotion of the cherished cause of
missions.
One of the last interviews I recollect to have en-
joyed with your brother was just before he left
Andover. A beloved college class-mate a Baptist
brother who was a very sweet singer, had come from
Newton Theological Seminary to Andover, to jpass a
Sabbath with us just before one of the glorious sum-
YR (
216 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
mer sunsets, so celebrated on Andover Hill ; as the
hallowed hours of that Sabbath were drawing to a
close, a few of us assembled at your brother's room
for a prayer-meeting. When about to separate, dear
Henry said, "Now, brother Chapin, sing that sweet
hymn,
'"Our souls by love together knit, 1
just as you used to sing it at Amherst." The hymn
was sung by brother Chapin in his melting style the
rest of us who could sing following him while a
flow of Christian fellowship, affection, and holy joy,
swelled every bosom, not often surpassed in this vale
of tears.
Your brother left Andover, and spent a few months
in attending medical lectures, and making other prep-
arations for his missionary work, and then boldly set
his face toward south eastern Asia, as an explorer,
with the intrepid Munson, ready to be offered there,
where he at length fell a prey to the cannibals of Su-
matra a very precious sacrifice on the altar of mis-
sions only to be thus the earlier ushered into the
high and holy employments and enjoyments of heaven.
How blessed are the parents who have trained a son so
worthy to be a Christian and a missionary martyr !
I in due time made my solitary way to distant
Persia, where I still live and labor, now in my twenty-
first missionary year, anticipating may I not say
longing for ? the day, when I shall join your sainted
THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 217
brother, and other loved ones gone before, in the
realms of glory, to be separated no more forever.
I am very respectfully, and most truly yours,
J. PERKINS.
FROM THE REV. H. B. HACKETT, PROFESSOR IN THE
NEWTON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.
NEWTON CEXTER, June Wi, 1853.
DEAR Miss LYMAN:
I regret that your letter should remain so long
unanswered. It has been contrary to my intention,
and in spite of my efforts. I was not, as you sup-
posed, a class-mate of Henry's either in college or at
Andover, though like every one else, who was at
either of those places while he was there, I was quite
well acquainted with his character and history. The
change in him was so marked, and his influence so
decided, that no one who had enjoyed only general
opportunities for knowing him, could fail to retain
distinct recollection of an individuality so peculiar.
You may remember that Rev. S. F. Smith, pastor of
the Baptist church in this place, was a member of the
same class with your brother in the theological semin-
ary ; I therefore placed your note in his hands with a
request that he would perform the office for which his
more intimate connection with our common friend
rendered him so well qualified. His testimony will
be the more acceptable to you inasmuch as Smith is
well known to the public as the author of several of
10
218 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
our most popular religious hymns. The Missionary's
Farewell
"Yes, my native land I love thee,
All thy scenes, I love them well"
is from his pen. It was composed, I think, during
the period of his intimacy with your brother. His
employments interfered with a prompt compliance
with my request, and it is this chiefly that has occa-
sioned the delay. I can join heartily in every word
that he has written. Henry has always stood before
my mind as one of the most signal examples of the
transforming and elevating power of the Gospel that
I have ever known. He was a whole-souled Christian :
every one who came in contact with him felt that he
was a man above the common stamp. He kept none
of his powers back from the service of his Lord and
Master. No one doubted but he would face death in
any form sooner than desert the faith. He seemed
born to be a martyr. Distressing as his fate was, it
always struck me as being in singular harmony with
his bold, energetic spirit. His moral qualities had
something answering in them to his imposing exterior :
they may be thought to have shaped his manly, ex-
pressive countenance, and his commanding form. Not
one of the hundreds who knew Henry Lyman at
college can ever fail to associate with his name a
distinct image of the mind and physical man. That
image will live in their minds as a source of no ordi-
nary religious fervor.
THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 219
It will come back to them, from time to time, as
long as they live, full of stirring energy ; full of re-
proof for reserve, inaction, half-heartedness in relig-
ion ; and full of admonition to the indifferent and
the irreligious. The manner in which Henry has
connected himself with the remembrance of so many
of his youthful associates should be taken into account
in forming an estimate of the value of the result of
his brief but efficient career.
I am very respectfully and sincerely,
Your friend,
H. B. HACKETT.
FROM THE REV. S. F. SMITH.
I take pleasure in contributing a share to the me-
morial of my esteemed friend and brother Lyman.
Munson and Lyman were my class-mates at the
institute in Andover. I was intimate with Munson,
as we were for a considerable period fellow-boarders
in a private family. Of Lyman I knew less, though
I often saw him* and always with pleasure. There
were, however, in his character, peculiarities which
stood out, so as to be' obvious to the most careless ob-
server. I knew the history of his conversion, and
could easily read, by a slight inspection, the promi-
nent elements of his mental constitution. I was
impressed with the fact that every thing in him
was perfectly consistent, perfectly in keeping with all
that nature had done for him, and with what grace.
220 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
had wrought in him. As the natural characteristics
of the great apostle were visible in his acts and bearing
subsequently to his conversion, so it was with Lyman.
One who saw him in his converted state could easily
conceive what he was in his unregenerate state. A
natural energy and force were constantly active within
him. He had a courageous spirit, not readily shrink-
ing from danger, nor turned aside by difficulties. It
was precisely the spirit required for the success of an
enterprise such as that in which he lost his life.
He was eminently and habitually cheerful. On
the morning on which he sailed from Boston, his col-
league, Munson, playfully bantered him in reference to
his cheerfulness, saying, " Do, brother Lyman, for
once, put on a sober face." Care sat lightly upon
him, and when he saw his long cherished hopes so
near the point of fulfillment, he had no place for sor-
row. True, he had a heart that could feel. But he
had taken leave of most of his early friends and
kindred previously, and now saw before him only
the broad ocean, and beyond that ocean the end for
which he lived, and the accomplishment of the wishes
which had dwelt for years in his heart.
Yet, notwithstanding his cheerfulness, he was a
man of fervent piety. He was always ready to ex-
hibit the Christian. Often in a casual conversation
he made it manifest on what subjects he delighted to
dwell, and what interests lay nearest his heart. He
fell into religious discourse as the most natural thing
THE CHAPLET FOE THE DEAD. 221
in the world. He delighted in prayer. None that
ever heard him could fail to be impressed with the
fervency of his manner. His prayers were pleading
with God. None that ever heard him could forget
the tones of his voice, the evident ardor of his spirit,
the* variety and suitableness of his language, the
wrestling with the angel of the covenant, in which
soul and body seemed to be alike engaged. A person
who knew so well how to pray, must have had much
communion with God, and it was in such communion
that he acquired the fitness for his great work.
I remember Mr. Lyman as a person of extra-
ordinary openness and sincerity of temper, and of
an unsuspicious disposition. He acted freely and
naturally, with the utmost innocence, speaking out
and speaking on, in his own way. as if the question
"What will others think of it?" never crossed his
mind. He was kind, affectionate, affable, an ardent
friend, and free from censoriousness. But the most
prominent characteristics of his nature, as they ap-
peared to me in the period of my acquaintance, were
his frankness, his cheerfulness, and his piety.
S. F. SMITH.
BEBEK, CONSTANTINOPLE, April ISth, 1854
DEAR Miss LYMAN:
Your name reminds me of one of the most intimate
and precious friends I ever had. He was in the
junior class in the theological seminary in Andover
222 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
when I was a member of the senior class ; as I staid
in Andover a year beyond the regular time, Henry
Lyman and myself had two years to cement our fel-
lowship as Christians and as missionaries of the cross,
which we had fully resolved to become.
I well remember the time vhen he entered the
seminary, together with his room-mate, David T.
Lane, brother to the present Mrs. D wight of our
mission at this capital. Both these brethren were
fully resolved as to their duty to the missionary
cause, and it was by their influence that a kind of
missionary inquiry meeting was commenced among the
members of their class, which was to be continued till
every man should have come to a satisfactory result
before God, whether it was his duty to go to the
heathen, or to labor at home. I was invited to come
into these meetings as an older brother, who was also
preparing for the missionary work, and who, in fact,
had already been on missionary ground. It was in
one of these meetings and most solemn seasons they
were that I saw and conversed with Samuel Mun-
son, the fellow-martyr of Lyman. That good, con-
scientious man was not yet resolved what his duty
was, but cherished a spirit of solemn, honest, un-
flinching inquiry, ready to follow duty wherever it
might lead. I shall never forget the solemnity of
that evening, and especially the anxiety with which
brother Munson put the question to me, how a man
could know that he was called to the foreign field ?
THE CHAPLET FOB THE DEAD. 223
Brother Lyman, on the other hand, enjoyed the most
perfect and settled conviction of duty, and was
happy in the prospect of his missionary life. The
following year the junior class then entering, fol-
lowed the noble example of their older brethren.
That year I left America myself, but I believe
the practice continued through several years, each
class entering being anxious to settle the solemn
question.
From the time of my leaving America to the day
I heard of the death of our brethren in the Batta
country, I exchanged no letter with either of them.
They left a year after me, I believe. We were then
struggling with the many and stubborn obstacles
existing in this country, and being almost two thirds
of the year in the midst of plague, were hardly ever
out of imminent danger of life. When I heard of the
death of these two good men, Lyman and Munson, I
was thunderstruck. It appeared to me more myste-
rious than any providence I had seen for many years.
But I could not deny that the more inscrutable God's
ways are with us now, the more glorious they will be
in a world where we shall see as we are seen know
as we are known.
I might now enter at large upon what my grateful
memory has preserved of the character of our dear
brother. I have a clear recollection of his personal
appearance, and I might almost hear him talk. But
these are all things far better- known to those who
224 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
were with him from his youth, and after I left the
western shores.
But let me not close these lines without expressing
to you my satisfaction in knowing that a memoir of
Henry Lyman is being prepared. May the* good
Lord guide its compiler. The memoirs of mission-
aries are not too many as yet by a great deal, and
they may always have a special, and permanent, and
general interest, by being so closely and so naturally
connected with the history of the missionary field
where the individual has lived and died.
May we be made faithful unto death to be at last
admitted among those who have not counted their
lives dea* unto themselves, but have lost their lives
for Christ's sake, that they might gain them !
Yours most truly,
W. G. SCHAUFPLER.
CONSTANTINOPLE, July Uh, 1854.
DEAR MADAM :
I was a class-mate of your sainted brother, Henry,
both at Amherst College, and at the theological
seminary, Andover. Well do I remember the days
of his first love of Christ ; and that ardor which dis-
tinguished his first consecration of himself to the
Lord, continued in a remarkable degree through his
subsequent course. His zeal for the cause of Christ,
and especially for missions to the heathen, glowed
always bright. Whatever dark hours he passed
THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 225
through in his own personal experience and who
does not pass through dark hours ? he always came
out strong in Christ and for Christ.
Having been absent from the seminary during large
portions of the first and second years of the course. I
am not able to give particular reminiscences of that
period. My impression is that his dedication of him-
self to the missionary service dated from the begin-
ning of his theological studies. A zeal like his could
not be satisfied with home service. Nothing could
satisfy him short of doing what he could, and this, in
his view, required, or rather permitted, engagement
in the* foreign field.
When, during our second year, we were earnestly
engaged in the examination of theological questions,
always interesting, sometimes very exciting, it was
his habit to view every thing in its bearing upon his
chosen work. While others would be studying them
in a more abstract and general manner, he would often
raise the question, How does this or that bear upon
preaching to the heathen ?
Your brother did not, however, so look abroad as
to prevent an earnest interest in perishing souls at
home. He felt that he who does not seek first the
kingdom of God at home, is not fit to go abroad, and
will have no more genuine zeal for Christ among the
heathen than he has in a Christian land. Both be-
fore and after being licensed to preach, he was earnest
in seeking and improving opportunities of attending
226 THE MAKTYR OF SUMATRA.
meetings and laboring for the universal revival of
pure and undefiled religion. This earnestness led him
to go to the utmost limits permitted by the regulations
of the institution, and sometimes perhaps even to
transgress the letter of them, when he thought there
was an opening for doing good to immortal souls.
He was not unaware that the ardor of his temper-
ament led him into some danger of imprudence or im-
patience ; and it was pleasant to observe, toward the
close of his seminary life, how artlessly and affection-
ately he spoke of the aid and advantage he hoped to
derive from the somewhat opposite qualities of his
prospective associate. Mr. Munson's room was just
opposite mine ; and this gave occasion to much pleas-
ant intercourse. He was a man of deep and steady
piety, in temperament sedate and cautious. He, too,
was equally aware of the advantage to himself of be-
ing associated with your brother. The one needed a
spur, the other a check ; and both were prepared to
furnish these aids to each other in the spirit of Chris-
tian meekness and love.
When we parted, nearly twenty-two years ago, I to
proceed to south eastern Europe, and he soon to follow
to the more distant region of south eastern Asia, your
brother gave me a card which I have preserved among
mementoes of departed friends, and it is before me
while I write. On the one side he has written my
name and his own, with the year (1832), and on the
other these solemn words from James v. 20: "He
THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 227
which converteth the sinner from the error of his way
shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a mul-
titude of sins." The spirit which animated him was
manifest in the choice of this text, and the object to-
ward which he looked with longing was equally evi-
dent from the words which he had underlined : " save
a soul from death" May his short and striking
course prove in the great day to have been the means
of saving many souls from death ; and may we be pre-
pared to join him in that blessed world where "he
that soweth and he thfat reapeth shall rejoice to-
gether."
I remain yours,
In the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,
ELIAS RIGGS.
FROM THE REV. IRA TRACY, WISCONSIN, FORMERLY
MISSIONARY OF THE A. B. C. F. M. IN SIAM.
" # # # My first and only acquaintance with
Henry Lyman was at Andover, except that I met
him for a few moments at Springfield, after leaving
the seminary. He was an early member of a little
company that had resolved to devote their lives to the
missionary work, and a most regular and interested
attendant of their meetings. His heart seemed al-
ways alive to the interests of the Redeemer's cause,
and he was ready to do whatever he could for its
promotion. The buoyancy of his spirits, and his
Christian cheerfulness, made him a pleasing associate,
228
THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and I think we all felt that he was one of our most
esteemed members. He seemed to love prayer, and
to rejoice to hear of the progress of the Lord's cause
in any part of the world. He prepared several
articles on missionary subjects while in the seminary,
one of which was on ' The Condition of Females in
Heathen Countries.' This was heard with much
interest, and it was proposed that it be prepared for
publication by some member or members of our
missionary circle. It was put, I think wrongfully,
into the hands of a committee, of which he was not
one. This was, of course, trying to him ; but such
was the strength of his Christian feelings and prin-
ciples that it produced no alienation between him and
the brother who was chief actor in the matter. I
mention this incident to show his meekness of spirit.
I have always, in recalling the circumstances, felt
that it was a noble exhibition of piety, for which I
loved and admired him.
" He was very regular in all the duties of seminary
life ; and seemed to be pursuing that course of alter-
nate mental and physical labor which best disciplines
and informs the mind, without the diminution of
strength to work with, and to make a man useful to a
dying world. He was a teacher in a Sabbath School,
probably all the time he was at Andover; I think
most of the time in the next parish. The labor of
going thither did not weigh much with him, when
there was a prospect of doing good. He walked to
THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 229
neighboring towns to attend meetings occasionally;
and probably as often as any one in the seminary :
such was his vigor and care of time that he once
walked to Boston, twenty miles, attended to business
there with several persons, and returned the same
day. As a student his standing was respectable, I
think above the average ; but he seemed a man for
active, rather than sedentary life ; for going forth to
speak the truth, rather than for searching for it by
deep and continued study.
" As a speaker, he was heard with much interest,
and I recollect that his address on missions seemed to
awaken new zeal in the breasts of many.
" I will add that I have never seen any justification
of the course pursued by these two martyr missiona-
ries, that seemed to me to present the matter as I
would like to have it shown. Had they turned back
when told that there was danger in their course, it
would have been said by most people, that they had
acted the part of fools and cowards. What could
they expect but that the natives would endeavor to
dissuade them from going ? Could they take all their
sayings for truth ? No one who has any considerable
acquaintance with the heathen will answer in the
affirmative. When the natives told them of danger
it did not prove there was danger. They had no
means of learning the state of the country before
them. The two or three attempts made to prevent
their advancing into it, would, if they had yielded to
230 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
them, and turned back from their chosen course, have
been regarded as altogether insufficient motives for
giving up their plan of exploration ; and they would
have been considered cowardly men, and unfit for the
work to which they had been sent.
" I hope these remarks will suffice to give my view
of the case, and that the writer of the memoir will
set the matter in a strong light, so that the readers
of it will feel that the brethren are not to be regarded
as having been rash, as they would seem, had they
been where the words of men can be relied upon."
A missionary lady, in the course of a most inter-
esting private letter, in which she attributes to her
friend Lyman's influence, her own determination to
engage in the missionary work, says :
"It is with pleasure .1 call to mind the precious
interview we had with him in Boston, when on our
way to 'these fair ocean isles.' He rejoiced in our
prospects, and felt that he had a long time to wait,
ere he could say farewell, to his native land. A
friend said to him, ' Supposing the Prudential Com-
mittee will not send you on a mission.' ' Then,' said
he, ' I will work my passage on board of some ship,
for, the Lord willing, I am determined to go.' At
the same time he expressed himself strongly in regard
to entering a new field. I regret that I can not recall
more of his expressions, so as to give a correct version
of them."
THE CHAPLET FOR THE DEAD. 231
FROM THE REV. D. B. LYMAN, MISSIONARY TO THE
SANDWICH ISLANDS.
HILO, HAWAII, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, August 5, 1853.
DEAR MADAM:
Your welcome favor of March 4th, came to hand
a few days since. Why it was so long on the way,
or by what conveyance it came, I do not know.
Probably the contemplated memoir will have been
fully prepared for the press, if not published, ere this
reaches you. I regret this the less, however, from
the conviction that what I might be able to say would
only be the testimony of another witness to points
which had before been clearly established.
It is in reference to your brother's course at Ando-
ver you request me to write. I fear you will feel
disappointed that I am able to say so little of one
whose remembrance is so much cherished. I hope
and trust, however, you have applied to those who,
from their previous acquaintance with him, and close
intimacy, are able to present a more full and complete
view of his whole course at the seminary than I can
give.
When your brother and myself were at Andover,
the number of students was large. We were in dif-
ferent classes, and in different divisions of the Rhe-
torical Society. I was never in any other institution
where close study occupied so large a portion of the
time ; and our hours for exercise were mostly spent
232 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
at the bench in the carpenter's shop. This, though
favorable to health, and tending to prepare the poor
minister to endure poverty at home, or in a foreign
field, gave little time for forming new acquaintances.
I can hardly say that I had any intimate personal
acquaintance with your brother till the last six months
of my residence at Andover.
He entered the seminary comparatively young.
But we soon learned from his college acquaintances
that he was a man of decided character, and one that
might be depended upon for the foreign field.
Though a warm-hearted Christian, and eager to be
engaged directly in the work of winning men to
Christ, he rightly judged, that in the seminary, his
first duty was, by diligent improvement of the means
offered, to qualify himself to go forth " a workman
needing not to be ashamed." In looking back upon
his course it seems to me he was unusually free from
all appearance of wishing to attract attention to him-
self. There was no effort to seem to be a leader.
Enough for him that the great object was effected.
Like Paul, he ardently desired to preach the Gospel
where Christ had not been named. But this was not
to gain a pre-eminence ; he would that all his breth-
ren could enlist in the same work and become even
as himself.
He had a warm and feeling heart. But his feelings
were little exhibited, except in noble, manly, judi-
cious action, in the sphere of kbor to which he was
THE CHAPLET FOB THE DEAD. 233
best adapted. So far as it came under my observation
in the seminary, for a man of so warm feelings, uni-
formly at his post, and in the unexceptionable discharge
of every duty, his course of action was remarkably
unobtrusive. I think he exerted an influence, rather
than appeared either to himself or others to exert it.
Tke same reasons, probably, which led him to
choose the foreign field, for the labors of his life, led
him in no ordinary degree to make efforts to awaken
a missionary spirit in fields less cultivated than the
seminary. In doing this, though he iiad something
for all, and was not backward to address the meeting
for conference, or the more public assembly, yet pri-
vate personal efforts with individuals, were those
which he seemed to have. most at heart. In these
efforts he was patient, persevering, hopeful, and, I
may add, successful. To awaken an interest by a
public address, and so increase the contributions of a
church to the missionary cause was a thing not to be
despised ; but to lead one, two, or more members of
that church to go themselves to the heathen and
thus open a fountain which would flow on and be
perpetual, was the object at which he specially aimed.
With this object in view, it was easy for him to per-
form a journey of three hundred miles on foot, in a
short vacation, and to follow it with correspondence
till he had seen, in consequence of his efforts, two or
more fairly enter the missionary field.
You are aware, probably, that I was not at Anduver
234 THE MARTYR OP SUMATRA.
during the last year of your brother's seminary course.
I much regret, therefore, that it has been impossible
for me to confer with Mr. Parker of our mission, who
was his class-mate both in college and in the seminary.
But this is impossible, Mr. P. being absent at the
Marquesas whither he has gone to assist in the loca-
tion of a new missionary sent out from these Islands
in June. The particulars of this interesting move-
ment at the Marquesas you will have learned from
the publications of the day, ere this reaches you.
Your brother in the Gospel,
D. B. LTMAN.
FROM PROFESSOR MAXWELL, MARIETTA COLLEGE,
OHIO.
MARIETTA, September 5th, 1853.
MY DEAR Miss LYMAN :
Your note needs no apology. With pleasure will I
answer it, though time forbids me to go into detail,
and my own feelings will not allow : for although
more than twenty years have gone by since we met,
tears will blind my eyes whenever I think of him.
We were, as perhaps you know, class-mates in college,
and class, and room-mates at Andover, so that after
an intimate acquaintance of more than six years it is
not strange that I should feel strongly attached to
him. Henry was a very devoted and active Christian,
and entered warmly and heartily into every good
work. He was active either as teacher or superin-
THE CHAPLET FOB THE DEAD. 235
tendent in the S. S., and with his friend Munson held
one or more meetings every week. He was one who
took the lead in such affairs, and the advancement of
the Redeemer's kingdom lay very near his heart. I
used often to feel reproved by his activity and zeal.
As a student he was a close one, though he did not
always take the course marked out. When he pre-
pared that very valuable paper, "The Condition of
Females in Heathen and Mohammedan Countries,"
and from which a tract has been published, he devoted
nearly all his time day and night for several weeks to
the exclusion of almost every thing else, and when I
once said to him, "Brother Lyman, will not that
infringe on your regular studies?" he replied, "I
don't know but it will, but it will do others more good
than the lectures will me." So the event proved, as
I fully believe. He seemed to have been moved by
the Divine Spirit to perform that work and thus to
open the eyes of the Christian world to a sight hardly
dreamed of before.
I rejoice that a memoir of him is in progress. I
think it is due to the Church. His name ought to be
in lasting remembrance, and I wish I could do more
than this brief sketch, toward rescuing it from for-
getfulness among mortals. I know it will never fade
from one memory till hope shall be lost in bright
and glorious fruition.
Yours, etc,
SAMUEL MAXWELL.
VIII.
ft.
, Strange scenes, strange men ; untold, untried distress
Pain, hardships, famine, heat and nakedness,
Diseases ; death in every hideous form,
On shore, at sea, by fire, by flood, by storm,
"Wild beasts and wilder men ; unmoved with fear,
Health, comfort, safety, life, they count not dear,
May they but hope a Saviour's love to show,
And warn one spirit from eternal wo ;
Nor will they faint ; nor can they strive in vain,
Since thus to live is Christ, to die is gain.
MONTGOMERY.
Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they
should see his face no more. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.
VIII.
THERE is little of incident to record in the time
that intervened between Mr. Lyman's ordination and
his embarkation. The study of medicine engrossed
the missionary party both in Boston and Brunswick,
Maine. His letters will supply all the necessary
details, though these were less frequent, as medical
studies pressed heavily upon him. A few extracts,
which follow, from some of these, show that the ruling
passion was still the same.
TO AN AUNT.
"BOSTON, November 2d, 1832.
" * * * Methinks you must be somewhat
lonely, now that Lucy has left. However, since she
is gone in our Master's service, you will have not a
word to say. It will not do for us all to ' settle down
on the old farm.' We should be as narrow-minded as
old E. D. This scattering of families not only brings
the ends of the world together and enlarges our
minds, and extends our knowledge, but it binds
together the family of Christ. It leads us to a
deeper interest in, and of course to more earnest
240 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
prayer for, the prosperity of the distant branches of
the great Vine. When will the members of the
Church have their hearts thus enlarged ? When will
all the followers of Jesus Christ feel that when He
said, ' Go ye into all the world,' he meant them in
particular? 0, that the mantle of the Master might
fall upon His disciples ! If Christians only knew how
much real happiness they lose by not praying more
fervently for the universal spread of the religion of
Nazareth, they would no longer remain in this state
of apathy. I verily believe that he, who by his
prayers shall be the means of a revival of religion at
one of our missionary stations, will do more towards
rousing the church at large to action, will do more for
the actual conversion of the world, than the mission-
ary who goes forth and merely labors, or the man who
only contributes his thousands of dollars. 0, that I
could pray ! If I could only take hold of the
promises of God, I should think I could accomplish
something."
"BOSTON, December 2th, 1832.
"DEAR SISTER:
* * * I h ave seen j us t enough of disease
and death to make me loathe life. All my time is
employed in visiting the sick, witnessing surgical
operations, and hearing descriptions of the ten thous-
and diseases to which flesh is heir. It seems as
though there was nothing in the world but sickness-
and distress. Oh, the woes, I often exclaim, that sin
THE VOYAGE. 241
has brought upon us ! But I can assure you, dear
sister, these scenes have not made redeeming love
appear any less valuable. More and more they lead
me to cling to the Saviour, and to feel that in Him
alone is help and strength. I think it enables me to
preach on the Sabbath with greater zest : for I am led
to feel more forcibly the misery of those who have no
Saviour to whom they can flee.
" I was truly rejoiced to hear that you had come
out from the world and separated yourself. I would
have you call to mind your responsibility, by recol-
lecting how you looked upon those who were pro-
fessors before you indulged a hope, and remember
that others will watch you, and any wanderings from
the strict path of Christian duty will be marked
against you. And what then shall you do? The
only way to live unimpeachable in the sight of the
world is to live so in the sight of God. Aim then to
glorify God in all that you do. ' Let your standard
be high. Do not think it enough that you give
negative evidence of being a Christian. This is
insufficient for the nineteenth century. Aim to be a
Christian wholly a Christian. Strive to lead the
minds of others to the contemplation of Divine truths.
To do this you must be a devout, humble, closet
Christian. Pray much, read your Bible much,
read other good books, meditate upon holy things.
Especially read that chapter in Baxter's ' Saints'
Rest' upon l Holding communion with God all day
11
242 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
long,' I think it is. That you may be enabled to
overcome this wicked world, and at last stand ' puri-
fied, and justified, and sanctified, in the name of
the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God,' is
the prayer of
"Your brother,
" HENRY."
TO A YOUNG GIRL, WHO ASKED HIM " HOW CAN I
FIT MYSELF FOR A MISSIONARY?"
BOSTON, January 16th, 1833.
As to the main question of your letter, it deserves
more attention than I can possibly bestow at this op-
portunity. Suffice it to say, in brief be much in
prayer. Set apart seasons of prayer and meditation
on this subject. Put full confidence in God that He
will guide you aright. Look to Him for direction.
Aim to talk less about trifles that do no good to
yourself .or others. Be more active, physically.
Be more regular in your habits. Form a set of
resolutions in which you guard against your easily
besetting sins, and engage to perform the most ob-
vious duties. Examine yourself frequently by these
resolutions, and whenever you have broken them ask
help of God, that you may do so no more. Follow
these directions, dear , and you will fit your-
self for any station to which God in His providence
may call you. . Yours, etc..
HENRY.
THE VOYAGE. 243
FROM A LETTER TO CHARLES LYMAN.
"Bostox, January \1tfi, 1833.
" Last Lord's day I preached at Reading, and spent
Monday there (annual day of fasting and prayer for
the conversion of the world). The church entered
into the spirit of the occasion. The prayer-meetings
were like those where a revival of religion prevails.
" This church has sent forth two missionaries :
Temple, of Malta, and Parker, now on his way to
the Sandwich Islands. They have a great deal of the
spirit that acknowledges ' the field is the world.'
Old Mr. and Mrs. Parker are full of joy. They
think ' Christians must send off their children and
then they will know how blessed it is to pray for the
heathen.' 0, if we could all the time possess a spirit
of anxious desire for the salvation of the whole world,
how full of joy should we be ! There is something
so ennobling in embracing all the human family in
one's prayers, and spreading their case before the
throne of grace, as would lead one 'to be often
there.' When we let ourselves and the little things
of time dwindle away into their own insignificance,
and grasp all the heathen world, how it expands the
soul ! I think the first Monday in January had a
good effect upon those churches that observed it."
Under the same date, in writing to his parents,
Lyman says, in regard to the fast at Reading :
244 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" It seemed like a revival season. 0, could
prayers, thus fervent, continually go up for me,
what should I have to fear even among the most
barbarous savages? To see those of God's people
who remain at home thus alive to this great work,
and sympathizing so deeply in the trials of mission-
aries, and commending them thus fervently to Him
who can do all things for them, is enough to encour-
age me onward with a firm, unyielding purpose.
None seemed so joyful there as the father and mother
of Mr. Parker. Mrs. P. wished me to give her love
. to my mother, and tell her that she would be amply
repaid for all the sacrifices made of her own feelings
for the good of souls ; that she might be thankful
that she was permitted to be the humble instrument
of raising up children to go forth in this glorious
work, and to win souls to Christ. 0,' said she,
' you can not tell how full of joy I have been since
Wyman left.' "
TO A SISTEK.
"MEDICAL SCHOOL, BRUNSWICK, MAINE, March 12th, 1833.
" * * * The prospect now is that I shall
remain here till about May 10th, then proceed to
Boston, attend to the ' consummation devoutly to be
wished,' and leave the same day for Keene, Peacham,
Montpelier, Troy, Amherst, etc. However, when
these things are decided on I will write you forth-
with. * * *
THE VOYAGE. 245
" One of our number wa,s yesterday called to Mass-
achusetts to pay, probably, his last visit to Miss ,
whom he expected to take with him to S. E. Asia.
She is not expected to live long. So you perceive,
dear sister, that our health and life are not our own,
even if we live in America under our own father's
roof. Three of my fellow-students who intended to
sail this season, to preach Christ to the heathen, are
no more. Messrs. Barr, and Lane, and Packard were
not permitted, in the mysterious, but all-wise Provi-
dence of God, to rear the standard of the cross among
the heathen : the two latter were my Andover class-
mates, and one my room-mate. I noticed briefly the
character of Mr. Lane in the Recorder a few weeks
since, and have sent an obituary of Mr. P. to that
paper for this week. We are apt to think we are not
so much dependent on God when surrounded by
friends. Herein, / think, is the glory of missionary
life. It makes us feel more our dependence, and
resign ourselves more implicitly to the Lord for safe
keeping.
" And how do you, and your husband, and little
Emily flourish this winter? I regret not having
had more opportunity of becoming acquainted with
him.
"I suppose as you both advance in life you feel
more and more the responsibility resting upon you as
heads of a family. In reference to many things I
can not say any thing better than recall to your mind
246 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
the manner in which father's family was conducted
when we were children. I would not hold it up as a
model in all points ; but in its excellencies it was
truly excellent. For example, the manner in which
the Sabbath was observed was, you know, worthy of
imitation. The principles that were instilled into our
minds were good. Remember how permanent they
are, and how they now influence our conduct ; and that
you too .have little immortals under your care, whom
you are training up, and whose minds you are form-
ing. Form them for the Lord, and when He calls
for them give them up willingly."
A postscript informs his sister that " Northampton
and Northboro' people are at work for my especial
benefit; also Bowdoin-street church for Miss P."
The unconverted state of many of the medical
students pressed heavily upon Lyman's mind, not
only because "we need pious physicians at our bed-
sides, but we need medical men as missionaries;" and
he concludes the subject in a letter to his cousin
Charles, with the appeal, " Brother pray for us."
Again in a letter to a friend :
"How rich is the Lord, in mercy toward us. He
says, ' Ask, and ye shall receive.' Make known to
Him our wants, and like a kind father He will bestow
upon us to the extent of our necessities. If we see
ourselves deficient in any thing, especially in spiritual
strength, He stands ready with a thousand mercies to
bestow as soon as we make the request. Let us then,
,V THE VOYAGE. 247
dear E., never cease our importunities. Let us ever
come to the throne of grace like little children, with
the simple prayer, ' Lord teach me what to do ; Lord
instruct me how to grow in grape,' and then we shall
be guided aright.
" We often pray for ourselves, E., that we may have
' the light of God's countenance.' What is this
' light ?' Is it not an entire succumbing to the will
of God? It seems to me there is nothing half so
sweet as to get a frame of mind, humbled and BROKEN
DOWN into the dust at Jesus' feet. It is sweet thus
to live. that it were so with my soul always. 0,
for a humble, contrite heart that esteems others better
than itself, and that knows its own depravity. When
in your closet you bestow a thought upon your absent
friend, dear E., there is no greater boon for which you
can petition heaven in his behalf than this. It is
such a frame that leads one to bear the apparently
adverse things of life with a happy resignation to the
Divine will, to which the worldly-minded and self-
sufficient Christian is an utter stranger; that leads
one to that holy, childlike resignation, 'Even so
Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight;' that
feels ' it is all for the best' even should we be called
to resign that which appeared to us eminently calcu-
lated to promote our happiness. So long as our self-
sufficiency and pride prevail, we forget to look at an
over-ruling Providence, which though it dashes the
cup from our lips when about to drink a delightful
248 THE MAETYR OF SUMATRA.
draught, yet does it for our profit : and though we
can at the moment see no good reason for it, yet sub-
sequent time reveals that there was poison in it."
We give a few extracts from the journal of this
period :
" April 14*A, 1833. I feel from day to day
stronger in the Lord ; and the things of religion are
more and more delightful. It is more pleasant to be
spiritual, than to be carnal. Still I want an earnest-
ness, an unction, a moral courage, a humble bold-
ness in the Lord's service. 0, I want to be swallowed
up in the thoughts of eternity ; to be supremely de-
voted to God. I want that God should be all in all
with me. Come, 0, Holy Spirit, and take up thine
abode in my heart never to depart therefrom. Come,
Lord Jesus, and make me entirely thine."
"April IQth. 0, to sit all the time at the feet of
Jesus. Thanks to God that the pursuit of holiness
has been so delightful, increasingly so, since I have
been in Brunswick.
"This morning Chase was taken to heaven. Lord,
why was not I permitted to go ? But I will not re-
pine. So long as thou dost see fit, I will stay here
and toil. I desire to lie in thy hands like a little
child. I give thee a blank with my name signed,
and pledge myself to acquiesce in thy filling out.
Thou knowest best. I have no wish but thine. Only,
I pray thee, keep me from sin."
THE VOYAGE. 249
" May 1, Evening. It has been a day in which I
have been joyful, though not enough in the Lord.
Our destiny is decided, and we are soon to embark for
the heathen. 0, Lord, of what avail any happiness
unless thou art in it ! Prepare me for the great, the
arduous work, upon which I am so soon to enter. I pray
for thy Spirit to be with me in the changing scenes which
are so immediately before me. Two short months and
the farewell will have been spoken, and the last look
taken. Lord prepare thy servant for these things."
May 16th, 1833, Henry Lyman was married to
Miss Eliza Pond, of Boston, and after a rapid journey
through Vermont, going as far as Stanstead, C. E.,
they met under the paternal roof all his family save
one. A busy season it was. The stores for ship-
board which had during the past year gradually been
preparing in the household must be packed and for-
warded. The mother must find time for the last charges
about her son's health. The children must make
Henry array himself in his white linen suit, that '
they might know how he would look in Batavia. It
was a time of cheerfulness, yet of sore grief. The
parents' hearts were full of sorrow, for though they
would not for worlds have recalled their offering to
the Lord's cause, they could not but mourn that their
first-born son was going forever from them. Twenty
years ago the return of missionaries was less common
than now. Many months were required for the
transmission of intelligence from the East Indies,
11*
250 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and though none of the Board's servants had yet
suffered death, from savage violence, it was well
known that these young men were to encounter fierce
animals, and almost fiercer men.
Christian friends commended them to God, and a
brother and sister accompanied them to Boston, but the
parents abode in their own house, their very heart-
strings quivering with the separation.
The instructions to the missionaries were delivered
in Bowdoin-street church, Boston. More than one
remembers the manly form* and earnest bearing of
Henry Lyman as Rev. Dr. Anderson read the follow-
ing sentences :
" Your labors may be soon terminated by death.
But you have given yourself to Jesus Christ without
reserve, for the work of missions among the perishing
heathen. That work, you know, He regards with pe-
culiar favor ; for none is so nearly like His own and
that of His beloved apostles. He has pledged to you,
everywhere, and in all circumstances, His special
presence, assistance, and comfort. ' Lo, I am with you
always.' ' My grace is sufficient for thee.' ' As
thy days, so shall thy strength be.' ' When thou
passest through the waters, I will be with thee ; and
through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee ; when
* In complexion, height, and figure, even in the arrangement
of the hair, the resemblance of Mr. Lyman to that holy man of
God, Dr. Duflj was most remarkable, though the profiles were
very different. Mr. Lyman's nose inclined to the aquiline.,
THE TOYAGE. 251
thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thce : for
I, Jehovah, am thy God, and the Holy One of Israel
thy Saviour.' ' Touch not mine anointed, and do my
prophets no harm.' ' For ye shall go out with joy,
and be led forth with peace ; the mountains and hills
shall break forth before you into singing, and all the
trees of the field shall clap their hands.' ' Be ye
faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of
life.' What need you fear in such a work, with such
a Saviour, and such promises ! May you have hearts
filled with love to Him and His cause, and faith to
realize continually His presence, and preciousness, and
power, and to trust the wisdom and plenitude and
unchangeableness of His love."
June 10th, 1833, Messrs. Lyman, Munson, Robin-
son, and Johnson, with their wives, embarked at Bos-
ton for Batavia, Isle of Java. The two latter gentle-
men were destined for Siam. The incidents of the
voyage will be gathered from the correspondence and
journals. For his spirit on the occasion we may
refer to the letter of the Rev. S. F. Smith, in the
preceding chapter.
SHIP "DUNCAN," AT SEA, LAT. 34 37' N.
LONG. 36 40' W. June 22d, 1833.
BELOVED PARENTS:
I commence my correspondence by addressing you.
We have not yet been a fortnight at sea, and this
252 THE MAETYK OF SUMATRA.
may not take a homeward-bound course till it has
been wafted some twelve thousand miles eastward.
If my lines are not straight, and my letters true, you
must blame the winds that rock the vessel and not
my nerves. The circumstances of our journey to
Boston, the kindness of friends there, in making us
ready, the farewell services in Bowdoin-street church,
the appearance of our ship, and the pleasing circum-
stances of our final departure, you have, doubtless,
learned from sister A.
I was exceedingly gratified at the joy manifested at
our departure. Few tears were shed. This is as it
should be. Sure I am, it was a joyful day to me.
Not one desponding feeling, not one heart-rending
emotion, not even a suppressed sigh was elicited by
giving the parting hand to so many friends, and
taking the last look of the steepled churches of my
native land. I had long looked forward with a kind
of dread to parting with my parents. This, I thought,
would be a trial. Had we been less hurried at, our
departure, I know not how it would have been. As it
was, the composure of my parents, and the thought that
we should soon meet in heaven buoyed up my spirits.*
There were several causes of regret to me in our
being so suddenly called to embark. One, and by no
* The author asked one of the younger children if she remem-
bered her brother's parting, and if he wept. "Yes, indeed," was
the reply, "the great tears rolled down h\a face, and father and
mother wept all the day after he left.".
THE VOYAGE. 253
means a small one, was that I did not have an oppor-
tunity of expressing to you, my father and mother,
the obligations under which I feel myself laid, for
your ten thousand kindnesses in all my past life.
All that I am, I owe, under God, to you : my edu-
cation, my character, even, in a great measure, my
salvation. I wished, too, to ask your forgiveness for
all the trouble I have willfully cost you, and to
entreat you to help me to praise God for His un-
bounded grace toward me. You are not. I believe,
aware how great a sinner your son has been ; how I
was foremost among my companions in Northampton
and in college, in carousing and profanity. But I
will not enter into particulars. It is enough that I
rehearse my iniquities in the ears of the Lord, and
ask His forgiveness.
Still, during the whole of my wanderings in by and
forbidden paths, the voice of parental caution, and the
effects of parental prayers, were not entirely lost.
No, I have retired from the midnight revel unable to
forget myself in sleep till I had first called on God,
the Being whose name I had been for hours using in
the most profane manner; and this because of the
early instruction of those who watched over my
infancy. I often complained in my early life of your
strictness. Now I thank you for it. I have caused
you much trouble and anxiety, and you would have
suffered even more could you have followed me to all
my scenes of dissipation. All the return I can make
254 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
is to pray for you a compensation which will nei-
ther feed nor clothe you; but, if the prayer is ac-
cepted, will enable you to bear hunger and nakedness.
It was in my heart to send you some small, but
substantial, token of filial affection, but there were a
thousand things at the last which drew away dollar
after dollar, till I found it utterly impracticable to do
as I desired. The Lord reward you a thousand fold.
If you have done all in His name He will reward
you. It will be you instead of me whom the heathen
will rise up and call blessed, if the Lord sees fit to bless
my labors. I will teach them to pray for those who
have raised me up and sent me out to do the work.
Be not discouraged, my dear parents, at the way-
wardness of any others of your children. Methinks
you can have none so reckless as he who is now
addressing you. Though they may not seem to hear
your instructions, yet, "in due season you shall reap
if you faint not."
Thus far the Lord has prospered us on our voyage.
We have a large ship, ample accommodation, a pleas-
ant, obliging captain and fellow-passengers. Besides
our missionary party there are Mr. Hooper of Marble-
head, supercargo, and Mr. Carter of Boston, half
owners of the ship and cargo. The wind has been
favorable. We are now about seventeen hundred
miles from you, though for the last three days we
have not made forty miles a day. My sea-sickness
was very slight. It has been otherwise with Eliza.
THE VOYAGE. 255
She was wearied out when we went on board, and has
been much prostrated. She has now only strength
to sit up for a few minutes at a time.
I wish you could just pop in and see how comforta-
ble we are in our little state-room. Perhaps A. de-
scribed it. We have since lined the inside of our
berth with white cotton cloth, hung up the looking
glass, pictures, etc., and it is as convenient as that
little room could be made at the head of your back-
stair-case. We are reminded of you, dear mother,
every time we eat pickles, every time we use our
spoons, etc., etc.
July 26th. For particulars of our voyage I refer
to the Boston Recorder. I have prepared letters for
that, and what the editor does not print, he is to hand
to Deacon Noyes, who, after our Boston friends have
read them, is to forward them to you. This is only
for yourselves to read. I don't want all I write home
to be " known and read of all men."
Your affectionate son,
HENRY.
Extracts from letters on the voyage :
" As to sea-sickness, Mrs. M. and E. have had, I
think, the most serious time. The former quite
alarmed us. We watched her one day and night
with much anxiety, while her husband was too sick
to counsel or aid. Thank God, we are getting better.
No one but he who has experienced sea-sickness can
256 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
duly estimate all the trials attending it. Had it not
been for the little extras furnished by the kindness of
friends, especially Mrs. N. 's grocery box, Mr. N. 's
medicine chest, and brother Edward's fan and per-
fumery, I know not how we could have weathered
it."*
"BATAVIA, JAVA, October 4th, 1833.
"MY DEAR SISTER A.:
" The story of our voyage is to me an old one, there-
fore suffice it to say we arrived in safety with only
the loss of a hat or bonnet apiece, and a yard or two
from the mainmast, in one hundred days from Bos-
ton to Java Head. It was not until three or four
days after coming in sight of land that we anchored
in the road. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and Mr. and
Mrs. Robinson remained a week and then took ship
for Singapore. Mr. and Mrs. Munson and ourselves
were most kindly received by the Rev. Mr. Medhurst
of the London Missionary Society, and remained with
his family until a week since when we moved into
our 'own hired house.' It is a snug little place,
without windows, except in front, without fire-place,
chimney, garret or cellar. Our kitchen, or ' cook-
house,' servant's room and store-house are in a separate
building. Our floors are stone, or brick, our outside
walls brick up to the windows, and bamboo the rest
* Mr. Lyman addressed to his missionary brethren at Andover,
a long letter giving them the benefit of their party's experience,
in " advice for the voyage."
THE VOYAGE. 257
of the way ; the roof is of atap, a kind of weed
used here for thatching. The windows are mere
openings with bars across to keep out intruders, and
close shutters to lock at night. A verandah runs
completely around the dwelling, in front twelve feet
wide. A hall, used as a sitting-room, is the first
apartment you enter, and on each side is a bed room,
and a little room that serves for a study.
" We live four miles from the business part of the
city, on one side of the 'King's Plain,' which is a
park three miles in circumference surrounded entirely
with elegant edifices. The present is the most un-
healthy season of the year, yet I see no great differ-
ence between the salubrity of the climate here, and
in New England. It is almost certain death, at any
rate certain fever, for a European to sleep on the
lower floor in the business part of the city."
Mr. Lyman then goes on to give a detailed account
of the illness of Mrs. Lyman, who seemed to be a
victim to consumption; so that he apprehended a
speedy parting. But it was God's will to disappoint
their fears. lie adds,
"Mr. Munson has been somewhat troubled by the
change of climate, fever, etc., but is better. Desola-
tion and moral death prevail all around us. Many of
the European residents are very dissipated. A few
go to church, but the number is small. We have
preaching twice every Sabbath at the English chap-
el, from Mr. Medhurst, his assistant, Mr. Young,
THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Mr. Munson, or myself. There is one service on
ship-board, and there are two Malay services in town.
During the week there is preaching once in English,
once in Malay."
In a letter to his parents we find the following de-
tails of domestic affairs :
"Everything here costs money except servants.
Four of them cost as much as one with you, and
will accomplish just about as much work. We have
one to cook, one to take care of the horses, one to
watch at night, one for the table, and one for the
rooms. We give them at the rate of $2.50 per
month, and they board themselves. You may be
inclined to think us extravagant, yet our establish-
ment is very small compared with those around
us.
"Then we keep horses. A European would not
live three months in this climate, if he were to walk
any considerable distance. He must ride, or soon be
carried to his grave. Our friends here do not allow
us to walk or stand in the sun, even a few minutes
at a time. Its rays are so powerful as to cause my
head to ache in a few minutes. The horses used are
small. We gave thirty-two dollars for two at auc-
tion. But if. we drive one to town to-day, as I must
to carry these letters, we can not use him to-mor-
row.
" We should enjoy our home much, but we can not
THE VOYAGE. 259
trust our servants. We are annoyed by mosquitoes,
who bite us ; by white ants, who eat up all our fur-
niture, and by rats ; and the lizards are running about
our walls all the time, day and night. But we shall
soon become used to these things.
" Our field of usefulness is very great. There are
hundreds of thousands of natives all around us; a
whole village within a stone's throw of our house.
In this city are about two hundred thousand Moham-
medans, twenty thousand Chinese, and one thousand
Europeans, mostly Dutch, and a few Americans.
I shall give you a more particular account of this
beautiful country, and its terrible moral desola-
tion. This is merely to let you know how, and
where we are. My Malay teacher, a Mohammedan
hadji or pilgrim, has come, and I must say fare-
well.
"Your affectionate son,
"HENRY."
"If you see any member of the Social Union of
(Amherst) College, say to him that I have already a
package of curiosities for them, and am picking up
more to send by the first ship to Boston."
We conclude this chapter with a few notes from the
private diary :
" Batavia, Friday, December 27th, 1833. I
am at last landed in Java. I have arrived at the
260 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
field of my future labor. I have seen an answer to
iny long-offered prayer. But what am I, or what is
my father's house, that this honor should be conferred
upon me, of preaching Christ ?
" Unexpected difficulties are before us. But can
not the Lord cause the wrath of man to praise Him,
and the remainder can He not restrain ? Lord, I
know thou canst do all. Grant me then an over-
coming faith. Give me such a lively sense of heavenly
and Divine things as that I may at all times feel
that my hope is in God, and in Him is everlasting
strength.
" October 25th. Almost a month has elapsed and
I have not noted the dealings of God with my soul.
Well, it is nobody's loss but my own. Now, that
once more I have a study, a place that I can call my
own, a corner where I can run away and be alone
with God, I am in hopes not only to keep along, but
to know how I do it.
" Lord, I consecrate this study to thy service,
and pray that often I may here meet my Saviour,
and that I may never be left to sin, so as to forfeit my
privileges. And, Lord, I need grace to enable me to
rule over this household with humility, and in the
fear of the Lord. Do thou evermore guide me.
Make me this day to live to thy glory. Let me not
become secularized by the multiplicity of cares that
come upon me. To thee, Lord Jesus, I commend
my soul."
THE VOYAGE. 261
Mourning over his ignorance of the language, Mr.
Lyman says :
" It seems as if most of my life was to be spent in
preparations to do good. When shall I begin to
work ?" Again :
" Sunday, December Is/. All my life will be
spent in preparation to do good ! When shall I be
able to tell the heathen about Christ ? It seems as
if my heart would break to be with them so much,
and yet not able to talk with them.
" December 29/A. that I had more of the
spirit of the apostles and primitive Christians. The
Lord have i9&rcy upon my soul and cause me to
'awake to righteousness and sin not.' Lord, come
thou, come and blot out my sins, come and take full
possession of my heart. Thou knowest my weakness.
0, leave me not for the great Redeemer's sake !
Leave me not, but fill me with THYSELF."
IX.
f
4 oft these hearts will whisper,
That better 'twould betide
If we were, near the friends we love,
Andjwatching by their side ;
But jjire.thou'lt love them dearer, Lord,
For trusting thee alone ;
And sure thou wilt draw nearer, Lord,
The further we are gone.
Then why be sad 7 since, thou wilt keep
Watch o'er them, day by day ;
Since thou wilt soothe them when they weep,
And hear us when we pray.
MONSELL.
I will be the God of all the families of Israel. JEREMIAH
zxzLL
*
IX.
THE island of Java lies four hundred and twenty
miles from the eastern peninsula of India ; it is about
six hundred miles long, and one hundred broad. The
thermometer ranges from 72 to 84 in the dry
season, from April to September, and from 8i
to 90 in the rainy season. There are no violent
storms and hurricanes, as in many tropical islands,
though the thunder and lightning are at times fear-
ful. Earthquakes occur, but never so severe as to
destroy the European villas. The wet season has its
days of sunshine, and the dry is varied by pleasant
showers.
It was the deliberate opinion of Sir S. Raffles that
" Java need no longer be held up as the grave of
Europeans, for, except in the immediate neighbor-
hood of the forests and salt marshes, as at Batavia
and two or three other places on the north coast, it
may be safely affirmed that no tropical climate is
equal to it in salubrity. From its lofty peaks it pos-
sesses the great advantage that in a few hours' ride,
any degree of cold may be found." Ice, a fourth
12
266 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
of an inch in thickness, has been seen on the mount-
ains.
The ruins found in some places attest a higher
degree of civilization in former days than now, and
the decaying temples prove that the worshipers of
Boodh were once numerous. At present the false
prophet holds the Malay population in subjection.
The Chinese do most of the business. They are
only industrious when working for themselves. The
Malays are less numerous than in other large islands.
The Javanese are, according to Raffles, "an agricul-
tural race, attached to the soil, of quiet habits and
contented dispositions, almost entirely unacquainted
with commerce and foreign trade, and little inclined
to engage in either." They are easy and courteous
in their manner, respectful even to timidity, circum-
spect, and slow of speech.
Such, briefly, is tTava, where our missionary family
first pitched its tent. That household is gone. Mr.
Medhurst, too, has left the island, and its multitudes
still are going down to death without the light of the
Gospel. When shall Satan be there hurled from his
throne ?
Our narrative draws rapidly to a close. We have
followed the young missionary from his loved New
England to the spicy groves of the tropics, and we
linger around his missionary home, loth to leave the
hallowed spot where, daily, the four young Christians
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD.
worshiped God. Soon time's record is to close for
them. Ere twelve months have elapsed desolation is
to sweep over that happy circle. Its strongest and
wisest are to be taken from it. Will those left
behind be able to say, "Even so, Father, for so it
seemed good in thy sight?"
We introduce here an extract from one of Mr.
Munson's letters to the Missionary Society of Barn-
stable county, Massachusetts, which was pledged for
his support :
" It is a blessed work, and I wish to bind myself to
it by every chord that can entwine itself around a moral
being. Every day that I look at the great enter-
prise before me it appears greater and more glorious,
and my prayer is, that it may go on increasing in
magnitude and splendor, till it shall fill the whole
horizon of my moral vision, so that I shall see, and
feel, and be warmed and fired by nothing else. Time
will not permit me to state particulars, but be assured
I never felt more confident of the final and speedy
success of the Gospel. The obstacles which the
church will have to encounter in preaching the Gos-
pel here are many ; the enemies that oppose are
numerous and formidable ; yet, in the name of the
Lord 'we shall conquer. ' They that are for us are more
than they that be against us.' But. dear brethren, what
we do let us do quickly. ' Behold, I come quickly, ' says
the Lord of the harvest, ' and my reward is with me.'
Even so come, Lord Jesus, come quickly."
268 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Nor was Mr. Lyman less earnest. The cocoa-nut
and cinnamon-trees that overshadowed his dwelling,
the " coffee-plants beneath the window," the reptiles
on their walls, above all, the besotted idolaters about
them, all reminded him that the desire of his heart
was granted. He was on heathen ground. Yet hia
zeal had not grown cold. His efforts had not relaxed.
Speedily was 'the order of exercises for the day
marked out, and faithfully was each moment im-
proved.
Mr. Munson began the study of Chinese, Mr.
Lyman that of the Malay, and even before they
could speak these languages they commenced the
distribution of tracts. They also drew up a petition
to be presented to the governor, that he would grant
them permission to settle in any part of Netherlands'
India, "with the express understanding," it is said,
" that we confine our labors to the pagan population,
inasmuch as the government is bound to protect the
Mohammedan religion. The government looks with
a jealous eye upon any effort made to pour light into
the dark minds of those whom they compel to fill their
coffers. They say to the natives, you must raise so
much coffee, and you must sell it to us at such a
price, whether you will or not. They then dispose
of it at auction, at from one hundred to two hundred
and fifty per cent, profit."
A dispensary was procured rent-free through Mr.
Medhurst's exertions, and by the first of November,
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 269
eight or ten patients were in attendance. It was no
small advantage that these young laborers had the
privilege of accompanying Mr. M. in his rounds,
learning from his example, profiting by his experience,
and receiving from him the wisest instruction. It is
difficult to make selections from the very copious and
interesting journals which were kept. We will give a
few specimens.
" September 28th. Toward evening witnessed a
Malay wedding procession. First came, dancing
along, hideous images of a man and a woman, made
of light basket work eight or nine feet in height, and
very broad in proportion, with black faces and tiger-
like teeth, the man having a drawn kris in his hand,
and the woman a small baby under her arm. A man
was inside each of these monsters. Next followed
music of various kinds, then the presents, consisting
mostly of artificial flowers, and paper cut into divers
fanciful shapes. The friends of the bridegroom followed
on horseback. Then advanced that important personage
himself, also mounted ; loaded with jewels, and fanned
by a friend. Others on horseback, and a crowd of
men and boys, closed the procession.
" And here we must pause to say a few words of
that which had preceded this parade. When the
time of the marriage is fixed, the family of each party
inform all their friends, and say to one : We should
like you to furnish so many flowers,' to another,
' Will you send us so much pastry ?' etc. ; so that
270 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
when the time comes there is no want of the where-
withal to make merry. The preparation is going on
at the house of the bride for three or four days, during
which time music is playing, even all night. When
all is ready, the bridegroom remains at the bride's
house three days, then returns to his own home for
three days. Both then visit her parents, afterward
all their other friends ; then they are ready to begin
housekeeping. These arrangements occupy about a
month.
" To return ; when we arrived at the bride's house,
gongs, cymbals, torn toms, drums, fifes, and ' all
kinds of music,' were almost drowning the cheers of
the crowd. Through dust, noise, half naked men,
women, and children, we made our way to the throne
a bamboo platform where the happy pair were
seated, almost stifled by the immense quantity of
fancifully cut paper with which they were surrounded,
and scarcely able to hold up their heads for the quan-
tity of jewelry.
" But the multitude seemed to care more for the good
things without the house, than for the company within.
Large bamboo sheds had been erected for the occasion,
under which tables were spread with four times the
variety and twice the quantity which is found on a
plentifully supplied Thanksgiving table. The board
spread for the women fairly groaned beneath the
pastry.
" October 7th. This morning accompanied Mr.
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 271
Medhurst to town for the distribution of tracts. Vis-
ited the Arabian Campong. One of the men led us
to the High Priest, who is quite a learned man and
an acute reasoner. Mr. M. was obliged to contend
with him, while forty or fifty priests and people gath-
ered around to hear. The old man was at home in
the Socinian argument. Indeed, the whole force of
his reasoning, and of all the Mohammedans here, is
precisely that of the Unitarians of Massachusetts.
" October 9th. This morning at five o'clock started
for Dep5k, a Christian village twenty miles from this.
Horses are supplied for Mr. Medhurst by the govern-
ment, which feels obliged to furnish D. with a preacher.
Two horses ran with the phaeton four miles to the
first post-house, when they were walked back to town
by a servant, 'and four fresh ones were attached for
four miles more, etc. At the third post we took sad-
dle horses and rode across the fields three miles to the
village.
"I can not well judge of the appearance of the coun-
try, as it is near the close of the dry season, and vege-
tation is suffering from the long drought. The surface
is a little undulating with no high hills. The village
is very romantically situated on the banks of a river,
and contains about two hundred souls, all of whom
profess Christianity. Sixty are communicants. Their
lands were formerly the estates of a Dutch gentleman,
and these people his slaves. At his death he freed
them and secured to them his property on condition
272 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
of their becoming and remaining Christians. They
are a very meek, unassuming, kind-hearted people,
and much in advance of the pagans in every point of
view. Most of them are clad in black ; the men in
drawers with a gown over them, while the women
substitute a petticoat for the drawers. The houses
are as comfortable as a thatched, floorless, bamboo
tenement can be made.
" They eat with their fingers, yet at our lunch we
had two different kinds of pastry, besides rice-flour
prepared in several ways, with coffee. At another
house seven kinds of preserves were placed before us,
besides tea, cakes, fruit, etc., while at dinner we had
seventeen different dishes. As soon as seated at table,
a servant brought water to wash our hands, and the
same office was performed after dinner.
"Mr. Medhurst visits this place once a month, and
appoints the schoolmaster, or sends some one to offi-
ciate in the chapel on the Sabbath. Soon after we
arrived, the sound of the church-going bell was heard,
echoing and re-echoing through the forest. The fol-
iage is so thick that every thing is literally a forest.
Mr. Medhurst preached in the chapel. After serv-
ice a couple were married, and two infants were
baptized. A case of discipline was then attended to.
The school was visited and forty-two pupils were ex-
amined in the Scriptures, the Catechism, reading and
writing. The appearance of these intelligent children
would put to the blush most of our New England
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 273
schools. Not a word was missed ; not an answer but
was at the tongue's end ; not a sum given at which
they hesitated ; not a blot upon their copy books, and
the bill of absences for the month was surprisingly
small.
" Afterward a class of young men and women,
catechumens, met in the church and recited, and
heard explained, a portion of the Catechism. Here,
too, all was attention, and every one perfectly pre-
pared. The mission-house at this place, which is
now vacant by the death of Mr. four years
since, stands near the church. It is high and airy in
its situation, affording an eligible retreat for mission-
aries when exhausted with their labors at Batavia.
Besides, it offers just work enough to do for a short
time by way of recreation. A few weeks' residence
there is well adapted to refresh and invigorate."
The return in the evening was through a hard
thunder shower. The spectacle of a Christian Malay
village was to Mr. Lyman, however, an ample reAvard
for twenty miles of driving in wet clothes.
Frequent mention is made of preaching on board
the ships in the roads, and of labor among the crews,
also acknowledgments of presents of American articles
of food to the mission family from the captains. We
give the following to show in what manner the light
is diffused in the tropics :
" November llth. Saw a Dutch missionary from
Moa, a small island of the Timor group. He has
12*
274 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
there two hundred children in the schools, and eight
or ten hopeful Christians. There are seven mission-
aries in all those islands, and seven in the Mo-
luccas.
11 The early missionaries baptized all whom they
could, by hundreds, and those who thus received the
sacrament are the worst part of the population. It
is difficult to induce the children to attend school.
All the instruction is given in Malay. The mission-
aries were sent from the Netherlands with the promise
of support, but nothing has been done for them, and,
after contracting debts for five years, till the credit of
the Society is exhausted, the little band have sent
Mr. Hoffker to this place to see whether money
can be raised, or whether the operations must be
stopped.*
" November 13M. Favored with a view of the
mountains back of Batavia. They seem more grand
than any I have seen in America, perhaps because
contrasted with the dead level around. The drought
produces such a haze as usually obscures them in the
dry season.
" December \st. Oh, how long ere these heathens
will ' hear and live.' My heart at times almost
breaks with sorrow that I am obliged to be with them
so much, and yet am unable to direct them to the
* "What a cause of gratitude is furnished us that the course of
the A. B. C. F. M. to her missionaries stands in such bright con-
trast to this picture.
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 275
'Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the
world.' We attempt to cure the bodies of men, but
what good so long as we can not tell them of the
physician of souls? Come, Lord, speedily take
possession for the great Redeemer's sake.
"January 5th. Atmosphere very clear and cool
when in the draft."
TO A SISTER.
"B ATA VIA, JAVA, November 8th, 1833.
" DEAR SISTER :
* * * I often long to see you, and to learn
concerning your spiritual welfare. Let your standard
of piety be high. Do not be afraid of aiming too
high. You never will go beyond your mark if you
take the Gospel standard, and there is danger of your
falling below it. In whatever you do, whatever
question you have before your mind, always inquire,
How can I best serve the Lord ? There is a great
inclination among Christians to accommodate religion
to the world. This will not do if one would advance
rapidly toward heaven. We must sometimes do
violence to our own natural feelings for the sake of
promoting the interests of our own souls, and the
souls of others. Be faithful unto death. Do every
thing by prayer. Read often the thirty-seventh
Psalm, and the God of peace be with you and bless
you in this life and the life to come, is the prayer of
your brother "HENRY."
276 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
TO HIS PARENTS.
"BATAVIA, November 30th, 1333.
" MUCH-LOVED PARENTS :
"Absence from the parental roof has not cooled
filial affection. I have a map of Amherst nailed
upon the door that separates my study from the
bed-room, so that I can constantly view the scene*
which meets your eyes whenever you look from the
front windows. I have also marked out the farm on
the map, and often love to wander over the ground in
my mind.
"I send with this, by the Florence of Boston, a
box of curiosities to the Social Union of Amherst
College. You will please to call for a part of them,
viz., one set of the shark's back-bone, some of the
shells where there are duplicates, the little palm-leaf
wagon, two of the nutmegs, one of the cotton-pods,
and the basket which contains the Chinese god the
image itself is for the Society. We took the shark
on board the Duncan. He was eight feet long. The
little wagon I thought would amuse Frances and
Emily. Put the axle-tree through the holes at the
bottom of the body, and then into the center of the
wheels. The axles turn and not the wheels, as is the
case with all the native made carts. Its material is
a species of the palm, and it is quite a curiosity.
The cotton-pods are not the real cotton, but a native
flk
* The view of Mount Pleasant
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 277
kind with which all beds, pillows, and cushions here
are stuffed. The basket was sent merely for the safe-
keeping of the fat old god. I hope it will be none
the less useful, coming from a far country.
" Methinks you ask, How do you get along ? I re-
ply, we stay here yet. Just settled down in our new
house, it is sold over our heads, and we must look out
for another. There is no such thing as written leases,
and landlord and tenant do each as they choose.
However, this is a small trouble. Ha ! ha ! ha ! I
just raised my eyes and looked out of the window,
before which I am sitting, when lo, a white horse
and chaise exactly like Uncle E.'s, so I thought he
had come down to make us a visit, being Saturday.
Oh ! no, it is an old Chinaman. Farewell to the
visit.
"My health never was better. Not so with E.
* * * As for climate, this is the best in the
world for her. We have a physician here not a whit
behind Dr. Flint, who attends missionaries gratis, and
the doctor is confident she will be raised up to perfect
health. However, our affairs are all in the hands of
God. ' Let Him do as seemeth Him good.' If He
sees fit to continue us long here, we will rejoice in
being permitted to labor for Him. If He prefers to
remove us hence, we shall be ' forever with the Lord.'
We all need to live as though journeying to the
grave, for we know not what an hour may bring forth.
Farewell. The Lord bless you all with abundant
273 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
spiritual blessings. Do not forget to send me the
Gazette or Northampton Courier, or both, and write
often, all of you. I preach every Sunday in English
either on ship-board, or in the English chapel. I can
jabber some in Malay. Farewell."
TO CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ.
" BATAVIA, December 4:th, 1833.
" DEARLY BELOVED :
* * * \\r e hope and pray [alluding to his
wife's illness] that if the Lord see it to be necessary
to afflict us, He will bestow so much of His Spirit, that
the afflictions may be sanctified. Pray for us that
our faith fail not. I believe that there is an impres-
sion abroad in the Christian Church that there is no
need of praying that the souls of missionaries may
prosper. People sometimes say, that there is no situ-
ation in which a man can be placed so favorable to
growth in grace, as that of a missionary. Instead of
which, every thing is against a man's spiritual prog-
ress, and this may be the very reason why some ad-
vance so rapidly. Every thing tends to draw them
away from God, and hence they are led to seek Him
more earnestly. I never before found so many obsta-
cles to a holy life, and feel more than ever the need of
an interest in your prayers.
* * * You have heard that Malay is the Ital-
ian of the East. I will give you a few verses from
the Malay hymn-book in the Roman character :
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 279
1. Eesa soodah dating pgnggl 1. Jesus hath come to call
Orang akan tobat ; Men to repentance ;
Tapee bookan orang adil But it is not righteous men,
Haaya orang jakat. But wicked men.
2. Kaloo barang orang ing-at 2. If any man thinks
Dere bookan salah, He is not guilty,
Eea teeda heudak tobat He does not choose to repent
Pada Tookan allah. Before the Lord God.
3. Kaloo keeta teeda rasa 3. If we do not think
Dosa keeta bauyuk, Our sin great,
Muta tooloong pada Eesa To ask assistance of Jesus
Mana keeta heudak. How shall we wish ?
4. Kaloo hatee keeta, dooka 4. If our heart is sad
Olee sebub dosa ; Because of sin ;
Soongoo keeta banyak sooka Surely we all joy
Samboot rah mat Eesa. Shall receive from Jesus' mercy.
5. Jangam keeta ecnet ing-at 5. Do not let us think
Deeree keeta adil, That we are righteous,
Hauya segrah brama tobat But immediatelybring repentance
Sedang Eesa pfing-gil. While Jesus calls.
" I admire these hymns for singing because they are
so free from the hissing sounds, common in English.
"This is a large city, its inhabitants wholly given
to idolatry. I fear there is scarcely enough good in
the fifteen hundred Europeans here to save it from
destruction. There is a spirit of inquiry excited.
Ten years ago it was impossible to distribute a single
book. Now two thousand are scattered monthly in
Malay and Chinese. The Malays, two hundred thou-
sand, are Mohammedans. The Chinese, thirty thou-
280 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
sand, are all idolaters. Oh, it makes my heart sick
to see these thousands dying, and going to their ' own
place,' and my tongue tied, so that I can not preach
to them a word. In a month or two I hope to speak
Malay.
" There are here no such things as books or news-
papers, or any thing literary or scientific. Send,
therefore, all the newspapers you can, also occasional
sermons or any thing new. * * *
" As ever, yours in the Gospel,
"H. LYMAN."
Again in a letter to the same friend dated Janu-
ary 1st, he says :
* * * But I trust, dearest beloved, you
have already taken warning, and laid up your treasure
above. How happy shall we be when our pilgrimage
is over to sit down in heaven !
" ' With joy shall we stand, when escaped to the shore ;
"With harps in our hands, we will praise Him the more ;
We'll range the sweet plains, on the banks of the river,
And sing of salvation, forever and ever.'
" Blessed ' HIM !' Who would lay up treasure on
earth ? Who would have his portion here ? I envy
not that man, even though he sit upon a throne, and
have millions at his command. Give me an interest in
Jesus' love, and I ask no more. As we are constantly
receiving new pledges of God's mercy, how does it
become us to consecrate ourselves more exclusively to
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 281
His service. Let us be all the Lord's and we shall
be the gainers.
" My dear wife joins me in love to you all. She is,
thank God, better of her first attack."
To a letter, from Mrs. Lyman to his parents,
he adds :
"We wish you a happy New Year! not only
temporally but spiritually. I was never happier in
my life than since the 10th of last June."
In the same communication, Mr. Lyman speaks of
the anticipated arrival of the Emily Taylor. By
her they would receive letters from home. Not one
word of intelligence had reached them since they left
Boston, seven months before. At length the ship
came, bringing, in its supercargo and his wife, kind
friends. Indeed, scarcely did an American vessel
arrive but some act of courtesy is recorded of its
officers. Presents of hams, butter, apples, etc.,
articles which had the home look, were constantly
bestowed.
But the long-expected Emily Taylor brought also
sorrow. Just two months after the departure of
his son, the father, who, up to that moment, had
scarcely known a day's illness in his life, was seized
with congestive fever, and in less than a fortnight
went to his rest, August 13th, 1833. Most peace-
ful and happy were his last moments. He trusted
his family, five of whom were under seventeen years
282 THE MARTYR OP SUMATRA.
of age, to his covenant-keeping God. His only
anxiety concerning them seemed to be that they
might be earnest Christians.
By some accident the letters from Amherst, giving
an account of Mr. Lyman's last moments, did not
reach Boston for the Emily Taylor. The only intel-
ligence Henry received concerning it was contained
in the journal-letter of a sister, who, absent from
home, and supposing the family would send par-
ticulars, merely said, " Since I last wrote you our
dear father has been taken from us. Of course you
will hear the details from the others," etc. It was
the young missionary's first experience of bereave-
ment. We give its effect upon him in his own
words:
TO A YOUNGER SISTER.
BATAVIA, February loth, 1834.
SISTER DEARLY BELOVED :
You have doubtless ere this received many letters
from me, as I have also your long epistle, which I
pronounce the greatest treat that I received by the
Emily Taylor. Not one word else from any of
the family except A.' s of June 20th. And is it so,
I asked myself again and again, that my mother is a
lone widow, and my brothers and sisters are father-
less? I could hardly believe it, yet there was your
assertion of the fact. Yet when, where, by what
means, in what frame of mind, father left the
world, I am yet ignorant. Cruel, cruel friends ! I
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 283
said again and again. They must all know my
ardent attachment to my family, and the deep
interest I have always taken in the welfare of every
member of it, and yet not a word about father's
death, and the circumstances of the others. For this
I wept. For my father I have no tears but those of
joy. He has gone home to rest. Long have I
prayed that his passage there might be easy, and
I believe the Lord made it so. Blessed be God that
he gave evidence that all his treasure was not on
earth. And for the last two or three years of his
life the world daily diminished in his estimation, and
eternal things increased. So may it be with us.
We know not, dear sister, when our time may come.
Let us have our work done every night, and all our
spiritual accounts settled.
You are truly left upon the wide world. But
cling to the cross. Never desert your closet, and
you will do well. Desert that, .and, however flatter-
ing may be worldly prospects, they will in the end
"bite like a serpent and sting like an adder." Re-
member the world is deceitful. Strip every thing of
its false colors by the light of eternity. Do not
believe every fair exterior honest at heart. Deliber-
ate long. Count the cost. Have two or three tried
friends. Open to them all your heart.
Would that I had time to point out all the diffi-
culties I see in your path. When of your age I did
not think they were thorns. It was only when
284 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
I was wounded by them that I believed what others
told me. Had I not prayed much, very much, I
should have been destroyed by them. Be prayerful.
Be watchful. Remember 2 Cor. xi. 14.
Do you wish to know how much you ought to
commune with God ? I reply, How much grace do
you need ? I will tell you, inter nos, what I used
to do in college. I spent half an hour in the morn-
ing in reading in the New Testament, with com-
mentary, meditation, and prayer; half an hour at
noon in reading the Old Testament, with prayer;
half an hour at evening in reading some religious
book like " Saints' Rest," a review of the day's duty,
and prayer. Beside I used to pray when I wrote a
letter, or when I read one, when I sat down to study
a lesson, when I was going to a religious meeting,
visiting, or the like. So I would have you do, or
rather more. For with all this I advanced but
slowly in spiritual things. My soul always moved
sluggishly. Perhaps other people do not need so
much prayer, to advance at the same rate I did.
But sure I am, if most Christians would pray more,
they would see the need of more prayer.
Farewell ! In haste, but nevertheless in Christian
love and brotherly affection,
Yours, etc.,
HENRY.
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 285
TO MRS. THEODORE LYMAN.
"BATAVIA, January 21th, 1834.
" BELOVED MOTHER :
" ' The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of
God the Father, and the communion of the Holy
Ghost be with you all.' But I trust you have already
felt that the Lord is good, and though he afflicts, yet
he accompanies affliction with mercies.
" And is it possible, I ask myself, that I must pray
for the widow and the fatherless'? I can hardly per-
suade myself that I am not dreaming. Yet there it
is on paper. I can not be mistaken. It is even so.
' You see desolation written on the post of every door.'
But, mother beloved, I weep not that one of our
family has gone home to rest, to be no more troubled
with the cares and sins of the flesh. If it were not
wicked to wish otherwise than God has ordained,
I would wish we were all with him we so much loved,
uniting in that unending anthem. I wept, however,
and wept bitterly, as I thought of those left behind.
All the news I got from America, while all others
have letters in abundance, is one solitary epistle of
June 20th, from sister A., and one from , in which
she" says, ' Since I last wrote you,' etc. * * *
" You must not wonder, then, that I wept. I knew
not whether the widow and fatherless had found an
earthly friend, nor whether the Divine Comforter was
near to pour the balm of consolation into the wounded
spirit. For once I wished myself at home. I felt
286 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
distressed that I could not have been there at the
time. I then found how good was prayer. Eliza and
I knelt at the throne of grace, and commended the
bereaved to the care of Him who has promised to be
the widow's God, and the Father of the fatherless.
We remembered the promises. They were sweet. I
can now say I feel resigned to leave you all in the
hands of Him whom I have ever found to be a faith-
ful God. We commend you all to the Saviour, and
feel confidence in Him, who has brought us in so
much safety hitherto, that He will care for you, that
He will grant you His Holy Spirit, that He will raise
you up friends, and in short, that all things shall be
ordered well concerning you. * * *
"In his last moments how did father look upon all
his self-denials to prepare me for the ministry ? Poor
man ! they were many. I always felt it, but never
expressed it to him. Kich man ! he has his full re-
ward. I bless God, yea, I would magnify His name
forever and ever, that I have been permitted for BO
long a time to pray that he might be prepared for his
final change. I trust in God that it was so. I can
not believe that he was left in darkness. It can not
be otherwise than that his lamp was trimmed and
burning when the Bridegroom came. Must
give up the idea of being a minister ? I wish I could
have little Helen with me. But I commend you all
to the Lord and ' to the word of His grace,' in which
I am joined by Eliza. Yourson 3 HENRY."
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 287
From the time of Mr. Ly man's embarkation two
separate journals were kept, the one intended as a
reference book, a mere record of occurrences. The
other was for his own spiritual profit. The para-
graphs which follow, are taken sometimes from the
one, sometimes from the other, and show that his
watchfulness and prayer increased, as his temptations
multiplied :
"January 12th. In just glancing at my cove-
nant and resolutions I am wholly condemned. How
then would it be were I to examine closely ? I want
to arrange my time. How much am I wasting for
want of a fixed plan. But then I want to fast and
pray over my plan, over my studies, over my ser-
mon, and over my soul, and over souls around me.
Lord, bless me.
"January \kth. This morning had a precious
season at family devotions. It was really getting
near to God. My heart felt soft and light, and I
desired that God would search out all my secret sins,
and purify me entirely by His Spirit. I wanted God
to set up His throne in my heart, for surely I am His,
and all the glory of my salvation belongs to Him.
" January ZQth. My soul is not yet waked up to
serve the Lord with all its energies. A poor sinner
I am ! vile and polluted !
" I notice by the papers just received, the death of
some friends, particularly of my former class-mate,
H. B. McLellan, of Boston. But he has gone to
288 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
heaven. No more sorrow or trouble will he have!.
Would I could feel the same of P., poor soul! Once
he had the strivings of the Spirit. But ambition had
more powerful claims than immortality. In the midst
of his anxiety he received a literary appointment) in
some college exhibition probably) and when he car-
ried for criticism the performance, to write which he
had thrown off his trouble as a sinner, he said to his
instructor, 'There is the price of my soul.' I hope
he may have since met with a change ; but hearing of
his death has brought gloom over my mind, and led
me to exclaim, ' How unsearchable are His judgments,'
while the account of Me L.'s death filled me with all
joy, for though he was soon to have preached the
everlasting Gospel, yet he will never serve God in a
more exalted manner.
" February ~\.st. Wrote to Seaman's Friend Soci-
ety, an account of our labor here, also an account of
Captain Laming's covenant with God, and his death.
" Early this morning witnessed the embarkation of
his excellency the Commissary General of Nether-
lands' India. The pomp of the Malays lining the
road for three miles, the military, the music, the arch,
appeared different from the offering of grateful hearts
rejoicing in view of his administration. He has gone,
and were his influence over these islands to end here,
all would rejoice. But he has obtained the appoint-
ment of Minister for the Colonies, and still must
rule.
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 289
" February 5th. It seems as if I was making no
advancement in my studies, and was in no way pro-
moting the great work for which I was sent here.
But I must be up and doing. In reading brother
Smith's [Rev. S. K] article on 'Ardent Piety,' in
the Baptist Magazine, I was led in some degree to
see my short-comings, and to seek the Lord for guid-
ance to enable me to be more faithful."
We beg to call special attention to the statement
that follows :
"February Qth. Was introduced this evening to
Mr. Francis, Dutch Resident at Padang. He was
very polite, gave us much information, and promised
to send us an account of Nyas. He spoke of the
Battas as opposed to Mohammedanism, and rather
favorable to the Christian religion. Every thing he
said encouraged us much as to the great. object of our
mission, although he laid before us many trials of a
minor character, such as being obliged to travel on
foot amid leeches, etc., etc., exposed to robbery, and,
perhaps, death. ' But none of these things move
me, neither count I my life dear to myself,' etc.
" February \\th. Learned that Mr. H , who
has been long residing in the interior of Borneo, is
murdered.
" Sunday, 23d Preached on board the Eugene.
We had a good congregation on account of distributing
printed notices. Heard of an earthquake at Padang
which very much damaged the hill ; opened the river
13
290 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
so as to make it dry, and filled it with fish not known
before. It also drove upon this coast a large shoal of
fish, never before seen here, something like alewives."
February 27th, 1834, the little household was
gladdened by Mrs. Munson's giving birth to a son.
In Christian lands such an arrival is a joyous event,
but in the missionaries' lonely home it would be
difficult to describe the thrilling excitement it pro-
duces. And as the little creature grows, and puts
forth its infantile charms, the whole circle claim it as
then- own. We can never read without emotion of
the death of an infant at one of our missionary
stations. For we know that the pang that wrings
the exiled mother's heart is far more keen than that
which is felt by her who, surrounded by brothers and
sisters, sees her baby snatched from her bosom. And
thus a new delight was added to this home so soon to
be made desolate. Two months only might the boy
cheer his father's heart in this vale of tears. Then
must he be written fatherless !
" March 5th. A Chinaman came to Mr. Med-
hurst saying he was convinced, from the books, that
Jesus was a great prophet and worthy to be wor-
shiped, and desired to be directed whether he should
make an image of him, or burn gilt paper. When
Mr. M. expounded the way of salvation, ' he went
away sorrowful, for he had great' pride in his heart.
It is easy to see hence how the Roman Catholic relig-
ion spreads among the heathen.
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 291
" Every month seems a year till I can preach to
the natives in their own tongue."
a
So jealous are the Dutch government of all inter-
ference with their Indian possessions that special per-
mission was necessary for the missionaries to prosecute
their explorations. At length, after two interviews
with his excellency the governor, and the prepara-
tion of a duplicate copy of the petition to make their
tour, they were permitted to set out. " Both the
Commissary General, Van der Bosch, and the gov-
ernor, Bonde, expressed themselves favorably disposed
toward the establishment of a mission at Puloe Nyas,
and, in the same breath, advised the establishment
of a mission in the Batta country of Sumatra."
We find recorded an interesting account of the
Parapattan Orphan Asylum, established through Mr.
Medhurst's influence, where numbers of Malay youth
were trained in a Christian manner, who would other-
wise have been sunk in heathen degradation. A visit
to an opium shop stirred Mr. Lyman's inmost soul,
especially when, in connexion with its deep vice, he
remembered that it was a Christian government that
permitted, nay, derived a revenue from these abom-
inations, "these ante-chambers of hell."
In preparation for his departure, Mr. Lyman care-
fully reviewed his spiritual history since leaving
America, and continues :
" I have no fear that I shall fall away and be lost.
292 THE MARTYR OP SUMATRA.
Mj fear is that I shall not so live under the light of
God's countenance, and so seek to be guided by Him,
as that I shall glorify Him and promote His kingdom.
When I look at the troubles that will assail me, and
the responsibilities under which I am to act, what can
I do without God's blessing ?
" The troubles that will assail me. I must bid
farewell to my wife, perhaps forever, as her health is
so delicate. I thank the Divine grace which has
already brought me to say 'Thy will be done.' Not
only do I need grace to bear me up at this time, but
during all my absence, to save me from uneasiness or
trouble on her account ; to prevent me from imagining
her pining away in disease without the attention and
care of her husband ; to keep me from the too san-
guine expectation of again meeting her on earth. I
must therefore pray to Him who gave me such an
overflowing abundance of support during the painful
trial of bidding adieu to my early home, and my
country, asking that God would impart to me the
same strength now.
"Having bidden my wife farewell, and having fairly
embarked, I shall be exposed to sickness and to
sudden death. In either case I need to have strength
imparted from on high, that I may glorify God. To
have my throat cut by a /cris, or my body run
through by a spear, or to be roasted slowly to death,
is to me horrible, horrible in the extreme. Neverthe-
less I must fear these things so little, and trust so
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 293
implicitly in God. that I shall go fearlessly forward
in the discharge of duty. Especially I need to be
guarded lest a fear of death shall warp my judgment
as to duty. The Lord give me grace in all time of
my trouble. The Lord help me to be fearless and
humble, without being reckless.
"Again, my temper will be much tried by ten
thousand little indefinable things. * * *
" The responsibility under which I shall act. I
must recommend the religion of Jesus wherever I go ;
often to those who have never before listened to the
way of salvation, and who will never again have the
opportunity. How, without the Holy Ghost, can I
win them to Christ ?
"Again, I am commissioned by the churches to
investigate personally the condition of these countries,
and to report upon the location of a mission. Does
the spy, sent to examine the stronghold of an enemy
and report upon the most favorable point of attack,
tremble from a view of the consequences attending his
statement? I more. I go to report upon the in-
troduction of the Gospel into a whole nation. The
salvation of hundreds of thousands of souls is in-
volved.
" Some of my friends deem me rash and self-
confident. I am so in little things I freely ac-
knowledge, but, Lord, thou knowest whether I
look to thee ; whether I am rash in any thing re-
lating to thy cause.
294 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" But there will arise multitudes of unforeseen
trials. I commend my soul to thee, God, in all
times of trouble and difficulty. By prayer, and by
an attentive perusal of such Scriptures as Romans
viii., I hope to derive strength. He who com-
missioned me will fulfill His promise, and as my day
so shall my strength be. ' If God be for me, who
can be against me ?' Amen.
"Sunday, March Qth. And now comes the last
time that I am for six long months, perhaps forever,
to look at my heart in this quiet place. All now will
be bustle and confusion. And will it prove
" ' A friend to grace
To help me on to God ?
Sure I must fight if I would reign :
Increase my courage, Lord,
To bear the cross, endure the pain,
Supported by thy word.' "
Sunday, April 6th, there gathered in the little
mission chapel at Batavia the usual assembly. The
dear baby received the rite of baptism, and the
name of his father. 0, who can tell how that
father's heart yearned over the boy, whom he felt he
might never again see ? Who can conceive the un-
utterable longings for the Divine ratification of the
solemn sacrament.
Then fifteen gathered round the Lord's table, and
their blessed Master met them. His banner over
them was love. "Lo, I am with you always," was
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 295
fulfilled. Twenty-two years have passed away, yet
never more have these bowed together before the
memorials of Jesus' love. To most of the party they
have been years of toil, of anxiety, of struggling with
sin, but for Munson and Lyman they have long
been "more than conquerors through Him who loved
them."
We can not forbear to introduce some of the letters
of welcome which met the mission-band at Batavia.
They are fresh proofs of the oneness of spirit which
exists between these soldiers of the cross :
FROM THE REV. DR. BRIDGMAN OF CANTON.
CANTON, December 20th, 1833.
DEAR BROTHER:
I have great pleasure in acknowledging yours " at
sea, September 18th, 1833," and of hearing of your
safe arrival at Batavia. Brother Medhurst, I dare
say, has ere this initiated you into the work. He is a
good pattern for you, as well as counselor. He will
show you more than I can tell you.
The field before you is wide and desolate, and
requires all mind, might, and strength. We send you
a copy of the Chinese Repository from the begin-
ning, and hope you will do something toward filling
its pages. Brother Tracy goes to the Chinese man-
darin, or court dialect. Brother Williams learns the
Canton dialect ; they both enjoy good health, and go
about their work in good earnest.
296 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Write to us as often as you can, and remember us
in your prayers. Live as in the presence of Christ
He is with us. Love, and cherish, and strengthen,
each other, and all who labor in Christ. Farewell.
Yours over,
E. C. BRIDGMAN.
Love to Mrs. L. and all who are with you.
FROM THE REV. EDWIN STEVENS.
CANTO*, November 6th, 1833.
VERY DEAR BROTHER IN THE LORD :
Having nothing in the way of business to com-
municate, I thought that I might still allow myself
the gratification of adding my welcome to that of
others. Welcome to this great harvest-field of our
Redeemer, for to Him it does belong; it must be
reclaimed for Him, and bring forth fruit to the glory
of His grace. We have heard of your safe arrival at
Batavia, but I do not know the destination of each of
you, as. perhaps, you do not yourselves. Brother
Gutzlaff, who is now with us, but is going again up
the coast in a day or two, says the mission to Siam
/ f
must not be abandoned. I hope it will not be, but
that the fire which you may help to light there will
meet the already kindled flame from Burmah > till
nation after nation shall see the light of salvation,
and rejoice in the hope of the glory of our God.
Dear brethren, who go to Siam, and sisters also,
T think the Lord will show you there how great
THE MISSIONARY HOUSEHOLD. 297
things you must suffer for His name's sake. Jones,
who has gone there, has been deeply afflicted by
sickness, but the Lord restored him, and he is able to
restore you and to preserve you from the heat, and
the moisture, and the vapors of that climate.
The Lord of hosts go with you the God of Jacob
be your refuge. There lie the remains of poor Mrs.
Gutzlaff, whose heart was so set on coming into
China with her husband that when it was thought
she ought not to go, she replied that then she should
die. she knew that she should die. And she did die
before he went. Her prayers remain yet to be
answered, and may prepare the way for you there in
Siam.
Will those of you who remain in Batavia study the
Chinese language? Mr. Medhurst is so good a
Chinese scholar that some of the best assistance may
be had there. But in all these matters I will not
presume to say any thing. But permit me to add
my most hearty welcome to you, and thanks to
Almighty God who has inspired your hearts to re-
member these populous nations, and who has watched
over you, and brought you thus where Satan's seat is.
I view it as indicative that in the mind of the Lord
there is more good in store for these our degraded
fellow-men. 0, if the Redeemer's heart is now fully
set upon the renovation of these nations, we shall see
change after change, and all conspiring for the fulfill-
ment of His gracious plans.
13*
298 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Though I have welcomed you in so paternal a
style, yet the term of my residence here has been but
one year. Let me introduce myself. I am now in
the service of the A. S. F. Society, at the post of
Canton, with the ultimate hope and design of trans-
ferring myself to the missionary service.
How much brother Medhurst has suffered in Bata-
via, and been impeded in his work by unholy Chris-
tians, no one else can fully appreciate. Bridgman is
well and busy, and very useful. Dr. Morrison is
feeble : I think he never will do much more work in
his shattered body.
His son is increasingly active and useful.
Give my bachelor welcome to your beloved part-
ners ; they are the first American females who have
come so far eastward, solely for the Lord's work. I
think there will "once," as Gutzlaff says, be room
for them in China.
Yours very affectionately,
EDWIN STEVENS.
X.
Gales from heaven, if so He will,
Sweeter melodies can make
On the lonely mountain rill,
Than the meeting waters make;
Who hath the Father and the Son
May be left, but not alone.
Sick or healthful, slave or free,
Wealthy or despised and poor,
What is that to him or thee
So his love to Christ endure?
When the shore is won at last,
Who will count the billows past ?
KEBLB.
Surely the isles shall wait for me. ISAIAH. Ix. 9.
X.
THE true missionary work of the young brethren
was now to commence. Like the apostles of old they
were to go forth in their Master's name. Nor did
they proceed blindly. Well did the little household
feel that an unhealthy climate, a perilous voyage, a
fatiguing journey, were not the only dangers to be
encountered, and heart-rending and solemn was the
farewell. what an hour was that when the last
adieu was spoken, the last embrace given! With
what sickening hearts the poor wives sat down to their
lonely meal, or knelt at the family altar ! The
household band was broken. Would it ever again
be united?
The island of Sumatra stretches along, on the
west of the peninsula of Malacca, from which a nar-
row strait separates it. Its beauty of scenery and of
vegetation can hardly be exaggerated. The flower-
scented breeze warns the voyager of his approach to
its shores, and the agreeable impression is not re-
moved by a closer inspection of the land.
The inhabitants of the coast are principally Ma-
lays. Those of them who are not pirates, are the
302 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
most trusty people on the island, and even with re-
gard to piracy, it is more than probable that much
which is so called is but savage revenge for the out-
rages of Europeans.
The native Sumatrans are, in general, mild,
peaceable, and forbearing, except when roused by vio-
lent provocation. Then their anger is implacable.
Their only beverage is water. Their diet is mostly
vegetable, and though they will kill a fowl, or a goat
for a stranger who lodges with them, they rarely par-
take of it themselves.* They are devoid of cunning,
yet endued with quickness of apprehension, and a
good degree of penetration and sagacity. On the
other hand, the Sumatrans are described by the same
author as indolent, addicted to gaming, dishonest in
their dealings with strangers, regardless of truth,
servile, filthy in their apparel, and improvident.
The island is divided into several small kingdoms,
and the habits and customs differ somewhat in the
different tribes, of which the Batta is perhaps the
most interesting. Large and populous as are their
villages, the earth brings forth abundantly for all
their wants ; while cattle, pigs, goats, and fowls are in
the best condition, and without number. They have
manufactures of cotton and silk, and are, in the main,
a simple, inoffensive, and happy people.
They believe in three gods : one above, one in the
air, one below, but they offer no petitions, and pay no
* Anderson's " Sumatra."
THE BATOB GROUP." 303
adoration. Their only worship is beating a drum.
When they die they believe they shall become ghosts.
But one dark stain rests upon this fair picture.
The demon of war rouses into malignity this other-
wise gentle people, and whenever a captive is taken,
a feast is celebrated, at which his flesh is devoured,
while his skull is suspended as a trophy in the house
of his captor. Such is human nature without the
Gospel. Such was the tribe to whom Munson and
Lyman were to go.
The Dutch have settlements on the western coast
of Sumatra at Padang, Palembang, and Bencoolen,
and not far from these lies a long chain of islands to
which the attention of the missionaries was to be first
directed. Afterward they were to return and explore
the country of the Battas.
We shall endeavor to select from the journals what-
ever is of special interest, and of the few letters written,
omit only such parts as are repetitions of others.
Each day, according to an agreement with his be-
loved mother, Henry read the text in " Daily Food,"
so that the same portion of manna supplied each.
And at family prayer the two lonely wives read by
agreement, the same Psalm which was sustaining the
faith of their sea-tossed husbands. Mr. Lyman writes :
"Monday, April 1th. Embarked on board the
Diederieka Captain Townsend, for Padang. In
looking forward to this time, I have had some anxicm
forebodings as to the future, and even the startling
304 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
question came up, Can I leave my family ? But the
Lord happily brought me to a full and entire acqui-
escence in His will, in a way peculiarly His own. A
few evenings since, a thunderbolt broke so near our
house, that the sound seemed to catch my attention,
before the flash, and with a startling crash such as I
never before heard. It brought home to my mind with
such force the power of the Almighty, that it was His
to take life, even when we might be dwelling under the
same roof, and to preserve it, even though we might be
exposed to the ferocity of wild men and wild animals,
that I fell like a little child at His feet, and have since
felt naught but a perfect acquiescence in His will on
the subject. I have rejoiced that my name is written
in heaven. And truly I can say when the time of
separation came, I seemed to lean on the promises,
' As thy day is, so shall thy strength be ;' ' Lo I am
with you always,' as one would lean on the arm of
a friend. I thought I could say with all my heart,
if I must return and find my wife in the grave, ' Thy
will be done ;' or if I must be sacrificed to the un-
tamed passions of cruel men, or to the ferocity of
wild beasts, ' Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good
in thy sight,' shall be my language. Still hope has
not deserted me. I had not rode a mile toward the
ship, before I began to say, ' Only six months more,
and I hope to be restored to home.'
" To separate from one's family, and plunge still
deeper into the depths of heathenism, is quite another
THE BATOE GROUP. 305
thing from leaving home, to go on a foreign mission.
Still the great God can, and will protect. He who
could open the Red Sea, stay the flames of the fiery
furnace, and shut the mouths of lions, can now do
the same. So 'I will not fear what man can do
unto me.' 'If God be for me, who can be against
me?'
" Tuesday 8th. We weighed anchor this morning,
and with a gentle breeze, soon left the shipping of the
roads far on our stern. It is encouraging to reflect
that as the sails are filling with the breeze, to bear us
on our perilous and responsible enterprise, the friends
of Christ are assembling in our native land for united
prayer to the God of missions, thatf He will prosper
those who are laboring in foreign lands. And we, too,
are especially remembered by some, because of the
reference which our labors have to the cause of God.
To move out of the harbor under the prayers of the
church is indeed animating.
' ' We find our accommodations good in the extreme,
if we except the annoyance of cockroaches, ants, and
centipedes. But alas ! I am not on board a temper-
ance ship. At eleven o'clock the old square bottle
is brought out, and I must witness the same scenes
that I might have done formerly in my native land.
All on board have their allowance of arrack, except
the convicts, twenty-five of whom are here in chains.
" Tuesday night we passed Angier, and are now,
Thursday, in sight of the coast of Sumatra, and
306 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
fifteen miles from it. It is an even highland, without
any mark to guide the ship.
"April \\th. To-day and yesterday have been
reading 'Landers' Expedition to Africa.' I could
not but reflect if these men were willing to undergo
so much for the sake of benefitting science and obtain-
ing their wages, shall I shrink back when my object
is to benefit the soul for time and eternity ? No, no.
Blessed be God if I may be ' counted worthy to suffer
for His name.' If I am never permitted to return
and reap the reward of my labors here, by seeing the
kingdom of God established among these people to
whom I am sent, while in this world, yet I know in
whom I have trusted, and in eternity all will be seen
to be right.
" Our passengers consist of a lieutenant in the
Dutch service, a French Catholic infidel, and a
young man in the employment of government.
"We had this evening quite an interesting dis-
cussion. The lieutenant had read Voltaire ten times,
but the Bible not once, because he was not allowed
by the priests to do so. With him it was ' all a lie,'
' on the same footing with the Koran,' etc. He is
very much of a gentleman, and stated his objections
with a great deal of apparent honesty. I endeavored
to answer them at some length, although I regretted
that my limited knowledge of Malay, in which lan-
guage only we can converse, prevented my presenting
the arguments as clearly as I could wish.
THE BATOE GROUP. 307
" But the most convincing argument in favor of
the Holy Scriptures as being what they profess to be,
and that which I have often found most successful
with skeptics in New England, was the incomparable
excellence of their doctrines and precepts, and their
tendency to make society better, as well as the lives
of those who adhere most closely to their precepts,
particularly as manifested in their benevolence.
"It is a lamentable fact that infidel books are
abundant in India, having been brought out and sold
at auction at just sufficient to cover the duty. Who
will try the speculation of sending in the same way a
cargo of Bibles ?
" Saturday 12th. This afternoon we drew near
the coast, and most beautiful was the scenery. A tier
of hills two or three hundred feet in height, sometimes
rising abruptly from the ocean, at others with a gentle
slope, interspersed with woodlands or cultivated fields,
was overtowered by others, some of them deserving
the name of lofty mountains. Floating along their
blue sides, or resting upon their summits, were light,
fleecy clouds, sometimes heavy enough to resemble a
newly-fallen snow-bank. In the morning we were
favored with a sunrise more beautiful than any thing
I have ever seen. The sun's rays pouring out from a
small opening in the cloudy canopy above us, gave
the water the appearance of a sea of molten silver."
308 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
TO HIS WIFE.
"BARK DIEDERIEKA, AT SEA,
OFF WEST SUMATRA, April \3th, 1834.
"You perceive, my dear -wife, that it is the Sab-
bath day, yet we are floating on the mighty deep.
Rat Island and Bencoolen are just in sight. Twenty-
four hours of such fair wind as we often had on board
the Duncan, and we should soon drop anchor in our
destined port. * * *
" And now you ask, dearest, how we are employ-
ing our Sabbath. With ninety souls on the ship you
suppose us to be preaching and doing much good
otherwise. But there are thirteen or fourteen differ-
ent languages spoken on board. True, all under-
stand a little Malay, but it is only a little. I have
been reading to-day in Baxter's ' Saints' Rest,' and
if you are troubled at all with despondency, or mis-
givings as to the future, I advise you to read, nay, to
study it. Surely in view of the rest that remaineth
for us, we can not be borne away and overwhelmed
by the troubles that may fall to our lot, in this proba-
tionary state. With Christ our friend, God our sup-
port, the Holy Spirit our comforter, and heaven the
end of our toils in the flesh, why need we ' fear what
man can do unto us?' Even supposing the very
worst that may befall us, though it may be ten
times more than Paul's ' thorn in the flesh,' and the
afflictions of Job, yet will not we be afraid, for nothing
shall be able to ' separate us from the love of Christ.'
THE BATOB GROUP. 309
I Lave thought much since leaving you that there
must como at some time a separation between us, for
this world. We can not both expect to live here
always. I hope and pray that, if consistent with His
will, it may not take place during this tour. Then,
again-, I ask myself, Shall I be any more willing for it
to occur at another time ? and I am unavoidably led
to say, ' Not my will, but thine, God, be done.'
Only grant that we may be so prepared that that
hour shall not ' so come upon us as a thief in the
night,' but whether it be to-day, or to-morrow, or
next year, it may find us fulfilling the responsible
duties devolving upon us as soldiers of the cross. So
let us live, E., not over anxious as to what shall
befall us, but discharging the duties of each day, and
then, if the Lord in mercy spares us to meet in the
flesh, we shall enjoy it far more than if our absence
had been passed in brooding over the future.
" Think often of the portion of ' Food ' for the day
I left Batavia roads, April 8th.
"To-day is no time for news. You may expect
other letters, and I will retire to my state-room to
pray God on your behalf, and to gain strength for my
own soul." * * *
"MY DEAR WIFE: Not at Padang yet? you
will say. Nay. Not long after my last we encoun-
tered a north-west gale which floated us back forty-
five miles per day. After rolling and tumbling one
day and two nights, and having our shrouds carried
310 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
away, our sails split, and our seamen almost killed
with incessant labor, we put in to Poeloe Bay, near
Bencoolen. Monday morning we went up to Ben-
coolen, twelve miles."
" April 2Qth. Went on shore to see if any mis-
sionary work could be done. Had a long and inter-
esting conversation with a Malay gentleman, formerly
a writer for the government. He was far the best
specimen of his race that I have seen. He invited
me to stop with him while the ship remained in the
bay, and, at any rate, to come to-morrow and hunt
wild deer. In giving him medicines, I asked for a
piece of paper. He called for his writing-desk with
the nonchalance of an old veteran in civilization.
He gave me to drink what he said was cocoa-nut
water, taken that morning and slightly fermented.
The taste was exactly that of wine whey flavored with
nutmeg. When his servant approached him, it was
in a squatting position, waddling up for six feet
or so.
" The houses are all of bamboo, with verandah and
floor of the same, elevated about five feet from the
ground, on posts. Some of them were cleanly swept
beneath, while others were untidy. Their padatis,
or buffalo carts, are of a peculiar construction. The
wheels, about three feet in diameter, are solid, and the
cart is raised upon a frame on the axletree, about one
foot above the top of the wheels. The roof is like
THE BATOB GROUP. 311
that of a house, except that the ridge pole is depressed
in the middle and the front point is a little higher
than the one behind. It is covered with mats. A
small door in front gives ingress and egress. I should
judge them to be three feet wide by five long, designed
for one buffalo.
" The grass was not far from three inches in height,
and without exaggeration, twice as fine, and four times
as thick as I ever saw it in the most cultivated parts
of New England. It was truly like velvet.
" April 21st. We learned much in Bencoolen,
that is likely to be of use to us. We have hitherto
been advised in regard to Nyas, to make our chief
residence at a Malay or Mohammedan village, and not
to trust ourselves among the Nyas people. Now we
are told to avoid the Malay village, but to go directly
in among the people, and we shall be well received.
There is a Christian, a native of Tappanooly, on the
island, Mr. Messam, married to one of the Prince's
daughters. We have previously been advised to go
armed, which we have strongly resisted, and -had
determined to risk the contrary course. Now we are
recommended to go without arms, and to give up our-
selves to the generosity of the natives. This is the
advice of a worldly man. Much more may we pur-
sue this course going, as we do, in the name of the
Lord.
" Bencoolen was built by the English, and was only
given up by them to the Dutch in 1825, as an equiva-
312 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
lent for other places. It now forms a part of the
Residency of the western coast of Sumatra, and has
an assistant Resident stationed here, the Resident liv-
ing at Padang. The former assistant Resident was
murdered last year by the natives, on account of his
tyranny, and when the government came to investigate
the matter, his course had been so outrageous, that
the people could hardly be blamed.
' ' The town is built on a point of land on the outer
entrance to Poeloe Bay. A sand-bank and coral
reef extend far out, so that ships of large burden
usually anchor at Rat Island, seven miles distant.
The fact that most of the houses have, for want of
inhabitants, been going to decay, together with the
damage done by earthquakes, gives to the place any
thing but an appearance of life, business, and im-
provement. There are five hundred Chinese, then a
mixture of Malays, Bugis, Nyas, etc., all professing
Mohammedanism. The whole number of inhabitants
is not far from one thousand five hundred. The trade
is in the spices which grow luxuriantly. The nutmeg
and clove have much the appearance of the pear-tree."
The next day, the missionaries called on the Res-
ident who expressed himself as kindly disposed toward
them, and gave them permission to distribute books.
Mr. Lyman took the Malay part of the population,
but met with little success, until encountering a priest,
he says, " I entered into conversation with him, giv-
ing him a Testament, and two tracts, after reading
THE BATOB GROUP. 313
aloud which for a few moments he walked on with
them in his hand, through the bazaar. Soon I was
necessitated to return to my lodgings for more books,
and when all were gone, I had still applications for
them.
"Mr. Munson was as successful, and like myself
regretted the small supply we had brought from the
ship. I was surprised at the number of children able
to read, and the earnest request of their parents for
books for them. The Lord grant that this seed may
bring forth fruit an hundred fold.
"Fort Marlborough built by the English, is the
strongest fortification in the Eastern Archipelago. Its
white walls in contrast with the lively green of the
grass around and on the top of its bastions, together
with its square tower, present a beautiful, though
formidable appearance.
" While British power prevailed, Mr. Ward and his
associates in the missionary work, labored here, and
some of the productions of the mission press are still
extant, and are most valuable. At evening we put
off to the ship.
" April 2Sd. At sunset, we enjoyed one of those
pleasant scenes that appear on a sea- voyage like an
oasis in the desert. The breeze fanning one with its
gentle breath, neither hot nor cold, but most delicious,
fitting one to view the sun gradually sinking in the
west, and to watch while the vessel glides on silently
and easily, the almost unruffled surface of the dark
14
THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
blue waters contrasted with the gradually melting
golden hues of the sky spotted here and there by a
fleecy cloud, till one star after another begins to
twinkle. One could not well avoid meditation, nor
being subdued into a heavenly state of mind, at peace
with himself, at peace with his fellow-men, at peace
with God. So may it ever be with me while I live
on earth.
" April 2Qth. About noon, Padang Head and
Poeloe Pisang were in sight, and just as the sun was
setting, orders were given to let go the anchor. We
proceeded immediately to the town, distant three miles,
and after a voyage of nineteen days, once more took
lodgings on terra jirma.
" The coast, all day, has been extremely romantic.
Lofty mountains come boldly down upon the sea, com-
pletely wooded, broken into peaks and ridges, towering
one above another. The small islands, too, which are
numerous near the coast, and in themselves are low
mountains, add much" to the scenery by presenting to
the eye the appearance of small bays and inlets, while
here and there the view opens on a fisherman's hut
or small village on a bit of level ground with a cocoa-
nut grove.
"The row from the anchorage to the town is very
picturesque. We landed in a little bay, and blindly
followed our captain till we found ourselves comfortably
situated in his father's family circle.
" April 29#A. Spent most of the day with Mr. N.
THE BATOE GROUP. 315
M. Ward, formerly of the English Baptist Society.
He now cultivates a sugar plantation, but still pur-
sues the study of Malay. He has translated the New
Testament and has collected forty thousand words for
a Malay dictionary. This is many more than Mars-
den has accumulated. He came out as missionary
printer, and labored successfully for five years at
Bencoolen, having established well-regulated schools
in all that vicinity. When the Dutch took possession,
Mr. Ward removed to Padang, where he labored for
two years. Mr. Evans, who had toiled here for five
years, left for England about the time Mr. W. came.
" Mi'. Burton labored for two years at Tappanooly,
and vicinity, among the Battas. He gathered two
small schools, when ill health compelled him to pro-
ceed to Bengal, where both he and his wife died. A
manuscript collection of Batta words, made by him,
and some other of his manuscripts, are in the college
at Serampore. Copies of them might be obtained
which would be of use to future missionaries.
" These missionaries found the Dutch officials al-
ways fair-spoken, but as regularly secretly opposing
their efforts.
" Messrs. Ward and Burton made a short incursion
into the Batta country, but did not reach the most thick-
ly inhabited part, which is on the borders of the great
Lake Tobah. The furthest point they obtained was a
fine level plain, covered with rice and houses as far as
the eye could see. It is called the Salindong District.
316 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
They went up at the invitation of the people, who
traded at Tappanooly and soon after starting fell in
with a chief who accompanied them, and at whose
house they remained during the six days of their
stay, making three short excursions. Everywhere
the people gladly received them.
" As the first white men known there, they attracted
great attention. The whole population came out to
see them, and feel of them, whether they were flesh
and blood. Sometimes the crowd fairly blocked up
the way. The missionaries carried the British flag
always flying. This was reverenced by the Battas as
a charm. A double-barreled fowling piece, or ' a
gun that could speak twice,' excited their wonder, as
did their clothes, candles, etc.
" All the chiefs in the vicinity assembled to hear
the object of the missionaries explained. The ten
commandments were read and expounded to them, and
they discussed whether or not they should follow the
moral law. Then they had two dances, one to the
English flag and one to the missionaries. The meet-
ing lasted from 9 A. M. to 3 P. M.
" Lake Tobah is thirty miles in length, and has a
regular tide ; attributed by the natives to the influence
of evil spirits.
"The natives had a dread of white men. They
are opposed to the Mohammedan religion.
"April 30^A. Visited Mr. I., a truly venerable
patriarch, a Dutchman. . The half century passed by
THE BATOE GROUP. 317
him in India has left him healthy and vigorous. For-
merly he used to translate sermons into Malay and
read them of an evening in the church to a congrega-
tion, in that language.
"We found at his house many American pamph-
lets. Among them was a ' Farmer's Almanac,' and
the first number of ' The Shrine' published at Am-
herst College. The latter' awakened a train of pleas-
ing associations which exhilarated my spirits, and long
after I retired kept me from sleep. That institu-
tion interests me more and more, the further I recede
from it.
" We are now living in the old mission-house which
is yet unsold. It is in a healthy and pleasant neigh-
borhood, within a few yards of the beach, and the
waves roar, break, and die along the shore just under
our windows.
" M<jy ~Lst. Captain B. was once at Tappanooly
when an intelligent chief came to invite him and the
Post-holder to a feast upon a boy seven years of age.
The boy's father, thirteen years before, had murdered
the Rajah's brother. So the boy was to be eaten for
the sins his father had committed six years before
the son came into the world. Captain B. expostulated.
' 0,' said the chief, ' I know how bad it is, as well as
yourself, but it is the law of my country, and I must
abide by it.'
" Called upon the Resident, who offered every as-
sistance in his power ; letters to Post-holders, etc.
318 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
"May 5th. Wrote to the sultau of Indrapore.
The former power of his family gives him great influ-
ence over his people, though he has now scarcely the
shadow of authority. He was two years in Mr.
Evans's school here, reads and writes English, is very
much interested in the cause of education and the
improvement of his people, and delights in intercourse
with Europeans.
" May Qth. Met to-day with a Chinaman bora at
Bencoolen, who spoke English and Malay, and also
reads the former language, while Malay he can
scarcely read, and Chinese not at all. He seemed
to understand that Christ was the only way of salva-
tion. At my request he called this evening, when we
endeavored to impress on his mind the necessity of
making Christ his friend, prayed with him, gave him
some tracts, and promised if possible to obtain for him
an English Testament, before he leaves for Bencoolen
to-morrow. 0, that he may be taught of God and
become the spiritual guide of many of his deluded
countrymen. He is another proof of what Mi.
Ward's schools accomplished in those few years at
Bencoolen. One needs only go to that place to see
I
the results of those efforts, if superior intelligence and
a reading community are any proof.
" May 1th. Copying charts for our tour. Re-
ceived a note from the Chinaman, alluded to yester-
day, requesting the Bible. Having been unable to
obtain one here, I sent him the gift of my mother
THE BATOE GROUP. 319
when I entered college ; my guide to Jesus Christ,
and subsequent conductor in the way of salvation. It
was a hard struggle for me to part with it, but how
could I resist ? I have a Testament and Mr. M. a
Bible, so I can manage till I return to Batavia, where
there is an abundance. The Lord send His Spirit,
and make the book what it has been to me, and I
shall not regret having parted with it."
We insert the note of the Chinaman verbatim et
literatim. It is written in a fine clear English hand,
and superscribed
TO THE MISSIONARY.
SIR:
I beg leave to take the liberty of writing to you
these few lines, and beg you will have the kindness
to deliver the Testament and the Bible which you
promise me yesterday if you have any to supply,
by so doing I shall feel extremely oblige forever.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
HAN AQUANQ.
5th May, 1834.
" The Resident has appended to the resolutions of
government in reference to us, a circular to the local
authorities of Natal, Tappanooly, and Poeloe Batoe,
also a letter to the Malay chiefs, and another to the
Nyas chiefs on Nyas. He had also, in a report
recently made to government on the Residency,
recommended that missionaries be sent into the
320 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Batta country, also into Borneo. He does not, how-
ever, refer to Dutch missionaries. If the A. B. C.
F. M. occupy the field it is all the same. He advises
that the missionaries should reside at Natal, Tappa-
nooly, or Poeloe Batoe, and make occasional visits
there, while acquiring the language.
" He thinks the great point in gaining influence
over the natives is to be able to think and speak in
the native tongue. Eloquence will do what the sword
can not. They are neither difficult to approach nor
to be persuaded. A man must know them, allow for
their prejudices, bear with their ignorance, be patient
under their stupidity, and enter into their feelings, and
there will be no trouble. Since we have been here
the nights are cooler than in Java. There has been
rain almost every night. I have frequently caught a
glimpse of a bird flying with what seemed an ex-
tremely long feather in its tail, but I find it to be a
creature like our chipping-bird in New England,
which comes down, plucks a blade of long, broad grass,
which grows just beneath my window, and carries it
off to build its nest."
We beg especial attention to the statements recorded
as made concerning the Battas. The young mission-
aries, it has sometimes been insinuated, were not quite
prudent in venturing their lives where they lost them,
and it is only by marking the statements which from
time to time they received concerning this people,
that a correct judgment can be formed.
THE BATOE GROUP. 321
H. G., who has traveled all around these islands,
and speaks all their languages, informed Mr. Lyman
at this time, that "the Batta country extends from
Ayer Bangy to Sinkel on this coast, a distance of
perhaps ninety miles. He recommends our entering
it from Sawkeem. Thence to the lake is a journey of
about fourteen days. The Rajah of Sawkeem, who is
half Malay, half Batta, says, the people about the
lake are as thick as trees : that there is nothing there
but men and cattle. The head chief of the Battas
was, within the year, killed in a battle with the
Padrees, who overran the Row district and made
advances toward the lake ; many of the people took
refuge on the island in the middle of the lake.
" These Padrees are a new sect of Mohammedans,
who are pushing their conquests, but, as the Dutch
protect the Battas, have only succeeded in conquer-
ing the Row district.
" May 9/A. We are clear from the custom-house,
and in the morning at seven o'clock, the Lord pros-
pering us, we hope to be under way.
' ' As to missionary life, every thing seems to have
been but preparation until now. I resolved to go. but
it was distant. I left my father's house and country,
but it was in company with my wife, to reside in a
city where was enlightened, Christian society. I
bade my wife adieu, but it was to sail with pleasant
company in a fine ship, to remain a few days among
a Christian people, to make inquiries and prepare for
14*
322 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
the work. Now the work of preparation is at an end ;
all is completed. We have spent the evening in a
pleasant circle of friends (at. Captain Townsend's),
and have bidden them farewell. We stand now on
the verge of civilization, just poising for a leap among
the untamed savages, and the perils of exploring a
new country. And do these things move me ? As I
am not a brute nor a madman that I should be des-
titute of feeling, I feel. I have at times almost been
led to say, ' Why was not I settled over a snug parish
in New England ? and why did not the Lord send by
some other ?' But no ; the consolations of the Gos-
pel, the strength of the Lord, the fulfillment of that
promise, ' Lo, I am with you alway,' has subdued
every other feeling. I have, thanks to the Saviour,
found my strength equal to my day. I rejoice ; I
triumph. I envy not one of my New England
settled class-mates. ' I am now ready to be offered.'
In the words of to-day's ' Daily Food,' ' for me to
live is Christ, and to die is gain.' In our evening
devotions the twenty-seventh Psalm was read; my
soul seemed to enter into every word of it ; prayer
was sweet ; it was pleasant to thank the Lord that He
counted us worthy for the work, and to resign all into
His hands for life or death ; it was pleasant, too, to
return thanks for all His dealings, in bringing us to
this time, and to pray for all those friends whom, in
His infinite mercy, He has raised up to assist us. It
was sweet, also, in breaking away from this last point
THE BATOE GROUP. 328
of the civilized world, and plunging for months into
the depths of darkness and moral desolation, to raise
one more anxious prayer in behalf of Christendom,
that the Church may be watered, and her watchmen
may not cease to lift up their voice.
" Especially did my soul reach forth after a blessing
upon the colleges of my native land. those fount-
ains ! those fountains ! The arbiters of the fate of
so many millions ! Standing as I now do between
the light of salvation, and all the darkness of death,
with what importance do they rise before me ! 0,
that I had, while a member of one of them, seen and
felt their connection with the world's salvation in the
light that I now do ! How would I have prayed and
labored. My soul has been much weighed down ;
my prayers have ascended on their behalf, especially
for that which was the scene of my espousals."
In a letter to his mother dated Padang, May 3d,
1834, after speaking in tenderest terms of his wife
and of the trial of parting with her, he goes on :
" The struggle, however, was short. The consolations
of the Gospel have been so abundant, that I have
been quite happy all the time. Yes, dear mother,
the Lord Jesus is so kind in fulfilling His promises,
notwithstanding my neglect of Him, that I can truly
say, I rejoice in Him with 'joy unspeakable and full
of glory.' Now and then, when I see one of the
happy Padang families, enjoying domestic life, and
824 THE MARTY R OF SUMATRA.
think of the four or five months yet before us, I say
to myself, How happy are these. But immediately
the thought comes home with peculiar force, ' There
remaineth therefore a rest,' and Jesus Christ and
His salvation appear most precious.
" When at home, I used to say, Never grieve for me ;
Jesus Christ will sustain me in all times of trouble.
Now, dear mother, I can say in all time of trouble
Jesus Christ does sustain me, and the nearer danger
and death come, the more desirable does Heaven
appear.
"With past experience of mercy from the hand of
God, shall I not go on in His service ? Surely, so long
as the promises continue yea and amen in Christ Je-
sus. Look, for example, at the ' Daily Food' for to-
day, ' Fear not, for I am with thee ; be not discouraged
for I am thy God/
" ' When I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay ;
A word of thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away."
" ' Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of
the world.'
" But trust in the promises of God which relate to
the support of myself as one of His children is not all.
I heard nothing from you, dear mother, and those
with you before I left, and, of course shall not expect
to hear, till next October, fourteen months after the
THE BATOE GROUP. 325
death of my beloved father. At times, anxiety springs
up as to the circumstances of my family. But in the
promises to the widow and fatherless I find consola-
tion. The Lord ' doeth all things well.' Whatever
may have been the circumstances of father's death,
and whatever may be your circumstances, I endeavor
to leave all things with Him who has ordered them.
" To another I would not write so much of my own
feelings. I know not. how I can more conduce to
your happiness than by referring you to the Word of
God, assuring you that you are not forgotten in those
hours when the Christian loves to remember his
friends.
" If the Lord prospers us we shall leave this place
on Wednesday or Thursday next, in a little boat of
eight tons, and one mast, manned by seven men,
(equal to two Yankees.) for the island of Nyas.
Having explored that, we shall land at Tappanooly,
and take a journey of two months or so, on foot, staff
in hand, and having passed around the great lake
where no European has yet been, return as speedily
as possible to Batavia, where, if the Lord prospers us,
we shall be sitting in our little family circle by the
time this reaches you. * * *
" As this goes by Batavia, I shall leave the corners
for Eliza to fill up, and only add, the Lord be with
you and bless you, is the prayer of your son
" HENRY."
826 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
TO A SISTER.
, May llih, 1834.
"DEAR SISTER:
" * * * Truly now I can say that in all I
have experienced of missionary life, I have ever found
a something within, so comforting, so consoling, such
a firm support, yea repaying with such a manifold in-
crease, that were I at liberty to choose between what I
have passed through and a comfortable situation at home
I would prefer the former yes, parting with my dear
wife added. Truly it is sweet to be made recipients
of the Lord's favors. I mention His sustaining good-
ness to add my testimony to that of thousands of oth-
ers. It is, as I always told you it would be : the Lord
calls no one to a particular duty, but He gives sus-
taining grace. 0, dear sister, put all your trust in
God. You perhaps think it terrible to be exposed,
as we expect to be. Believe me when I say, I am
glad to think I may again see my E., but I rejoice, I
triumph in the thought of going home, to be ' forever
with the Lord.' "
After describing their plans, and the delay in sail-
ing owing to the indolence of their crew, he goes on :
" As to our boat, it is of eight tons, with one mast
and manned by seven Malays. Of course there is
nothing but deck and hold, the former sloping like a
house-roof with its ridge-pole within one foot of the
spanker boom. Then below, even where it is highest
in the middle, I cannot stand up with my hat off.
THE BATOE GROUP. 327
We have partitioned off, with mats, six feet in length in
the after part, and have arranged our chests on each
side, as a sitting, eating, and sleeping place, there not
being room sufficient between them to place even a
very small table and leave a passage-way. I never
before attempted to live in such small, hot, ill-aired
quarters.
"The remainder of the hold is appropriated to
the stores, a few goods, the crew, and three men who
accompany us."
In a letter to his wife of May llth, we find :
"The situation of Padang is exactly like that of
Montpelier, Vermont, except that it has the sea on
one side. All those wild mountains surrounding it,
and a pretty river running through the midst of it,
really I thought myself again among the Green
Mountains. In the sides of the hills, close by the
village, is as sweet and nearly as cold water as that
of Vermont springs.
" # * * I hope I am not deceived when I say
that our separation has been sanctified to my spiritual
good, weaning me in some measure from earth. In
whom can we now trust but in the Lord ? It seems
as if I was driven near to Him. But it is sweet
getting there at any rate."
We resume the extracts from the journal :
" May \\th. This morning we found ourselves
still in the river, there having been no wind during
the night. Not wishing to sail on the Sabbath
328 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
\ve took breakfast at our old home, Captain Town-
send' s. Most of our conversation this evening has
been in reference to the temperance cause. All over
India the brandy, gin, and wine, come upon the table
of every European as regularly every day as his food,
and no less regular is his cigar ; but it will be best,
perhaps, to give a view of a day's living as I have
observed it. A cup of coffee is the first thing when
out of bed ; then bathing, dressing, exercise, etc., till
breakfast, at eight or nine o'clock, which is served up
with coffee, tea, or wine, or all. At eleven o'clock
comes strong drink ; at twelve or one o'clock, luncheon,
with wine ; half past five, dinner, at which wine is
drank without reference to quantity, accompanied
usually with strong beer ; after the cloth is removed
the ladies retire to the drawing-room to take their
coffee or tea, and the gentlemen remain, furnished
with fresh supplies of wine, together with a stand of
brandy, gin, etc., etc. Every gentleman, almost, has
a servant following "him with a lighted rope, as if not
a breath could be drawn inseparably from tobacco-
smoke. Such is the general character of the East
India Europeans in reference to living, though there
are many exceptions. Where the English customs
prevail, the people are much more temperate, and
approach nearer the New England style of living, as
at Padang. Still here are the strong drink and cigars.
Under such circumstances, with the apparatus before
us, the discussion was highly interesting."
THE BATOE GROUP. 329
This subject of intemperance greatly disturbed Mr.
Lyman. May 18th, on board their boat, he addressed
a letter to John Tappan, Esq., of Boston* as to one
who would be interested in the subject, in which
he says :
" My heart is sick with seeing the glass filled and
emptied before breakfast, with breakfast, at eleven
o'clock, before dinner, with dinner, and continually
after, till bed-time. Wherever I have been in India,
wine is placed on the table in the morning ; when the
table is cleared the decanter-stand of strong drink
makes its appearance ; with dinner, wine and beer are,
like water, in abundance, and after dinner, strong drink
again. I believe the quantity consumed is diminishing,
but still it is terrible. Formerly it was so pernicious
in its effects at Padang, that it obtained the Malay
name of Pakoe (nail), because the people said, ' It
drove one more nail into a man's coffin.' You might
hear them call to their servants, ' Bring me the red
nail ;' or, ' Bring me the white nail.' Mr. Vangrale,
of Bencoolen, told me that when he came to India,
twenty years since, the young men when warm with
wine, would go out, fasten weights to the legs of the
table and the chairs, and sink them in the canal,
then sit in the water till daylight, drinking.
" The influence of the American Temperance So-
ciety has been felt here. A spark has been kindled
that ought to be fanned into a flame. I dined and
spent some time with the governor-general (Bonde),
330 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and almost all the time I could spare from my mis-
sionary business was employed by him in making
inquiries concerning the temperance movements in
the United States. In every place where I have not
introduced the subject, the people have. Our tem-
perance ships, and temperance captains and super-
cargoes, have done wonders. And now, dear sir, what
is to be done ? For done something must be."
Again he says: " Ships are coming hither daily.
They can bring any quantity of temperance publica-
tions. If no one else will take the trouble, send them
to me. I will (D. V.) forward them to every station,
whether missionary, civil, commercial, or military,
where a man can be found to read the English lan-
guage."
The situation of Padang .Mr. Lyman describes as
being very beautiful, along the banks of a river, and
stretching out into a plain, which, like a basin, was
shut in on all sides, except that washed by the sea,
by mountains from two thousand to four thousand
feet in height. Excepting just on the stream, the
cocoa-nut trees, as in all towns here, conceal the
houses, so that they are almost hidden from one
another.
" The principal business of the place is done on tho
northern bank of the river by Europeans and Chinese.
The great export is coffee. Then the Malay bazaar
stretches for a mile and a half on each side of a long
street. The goldsmith's work is exquisite, and,
THE BATOE GROUP. 331
wonderful to say, made with no other tools than a
file, a pair of pliers, and a hammer and plate for
drawing wire. The whole number of inhabitants on
the Padang plain is about thirty-five or forty thousand.
About four hundred are Europeans, or their descend-
ants ; the rest are native Chinese, Malays, Bugis, and
Nyas people. Of these last, two thousand are slaves.
" The dwellings are mostly of wood, on account of
the earthquakes which are here very frequent. The
climate is healthy, being on a sandy soil, and among
the mountains. It is too near the equator to have a
regular rainy season. The small church is so injured
by earthquakes that it ought to be taken down. Mr.
Hartig, a laborious missionary of the Netherlands'
Society, expects to be stationed here. He would be
a hearty friend to any missionaries.
"The Chinese have one temple; the Malays have
twelve mosques. The Dutch have one school, taught
by a common soldier."
Mr. Lyman then strongly urges the propriety of
sending a missionary to Padang, stating what articles
he should, carry with him, and what should buy there.
"May ~L2th. Landed at Priaman, in the praou's
boat, hewed out of the trunk of a tree. The passage
is between breakers, but we had the good fortune to
escape with but one surf breaking over us. The
country, like Padang, is a large plain, bounded by
mountains. But the harbor is so wretched that all
the coffee is carried down in boats to Padang.
832 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" I called immediately upon the Toeangkoe, or Ra-
jah. In front of his house, which was not unusually
large, and built as a portico to it, was the bally-bally,
or bechara (consultation house), forty feet square,
larger than the main body of the house.
" He is an inveterate opium smoker, as his eyes,
his house, etc., gave lamentable proofs. He is not,
however, alone in this, for from this solitary campong
of two thousand five hundred persons, the income of
government is 2,040 guilders per month for opium.
" I began to make inquiries about his people, but
he ' could answer no inquiries,' until he had asked of
the men who accompanied me, whether I belonged to
government; I saw from whence the trouble arose,
and explained fully who and what I was, and showed
him Medhurst's school-book, in which he. was inter-
ested, and was very desirous of retaining it to teach
his own children.
" He would be glad to have schools established, and
the children taught. There are here but twenty per-
sons who can read. The priests instruct at their
houses.
"There are twenty priests, two hadjies, and one
mesjid (mosque), a miserable, dirty, little place, in
which -a priest resides.
"I discoursed a while with his excellency, upon
the way of salvation, and bade him a ' salamat tingal,'
(good by,) with apparently much good-will on both
sides.
THE BATOE GROUP. 333
" About one o'clock we weighed anchor and soon
left Priaman far astern.
" Our praou having come to anchor, and all things
being in readiness, we left at one o'clock for Ayer
Bafigy, distant eight or ten miles. Ayer Baiigy is
the first town on the west coast, in the Batta country,
though no Battas of consequence are found until a
day's journey.
"The Malays, or Malay Battas, usually inhabiting
the coast, are not considered within the precincts of
that country.
" We saw here to-day the gourd used for water-
goblets. New England was forcibly brought to mind.
And no less so, as we gazed upon the undulating
surface of the hill north of the town, covered with
light green grass. The whole bay is beautiful. It
may rather be called several small bays within a bay,
all having fine head-lands at their entrance and grace-
fully curving back upon a level country. At a little
distance inland, ranges of mountains rear their lofty
summits, only to be overtopped by others, particu-
larly that of Ophir.
"We saw to-day the son of the Rajah of the Row
or Rawd country. He had as heavy a beard, long,
bushy mustaches and whiskers, and handsome curly
hair, as is seen upon the finest European head.
"The Row is the Batta district which has been
mentioned as having been subdued by the Padrees;
most of the people have become Mohammedans.
334 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
"The Dutch were not driven out of the district
until after being shut up in a fort nine days, and re-
duced so near to starvation that they devoured their
dogs and horses. They made their egress in the
night, in silence, and escaped to the Mandheeling
district, where they have two forts to defend that
people, at their own request, from the incursions of
the Mohammedans. To the inquiry whether it would
he now safe to travel there ? he replied, ' Perfectly,
if a man behaves himself well.' So all say, and so
we have hitherto found it ; treat the natives well, and
they will treat us well.
" May \th. The wind continuing ahead, we did
not weigh anchor till day-light this morning : and
soon after, the wind coming ahead again, we cast
anchor five or ten miles in advance of this morning,
near Pulo Poegago. This island is, for the most part
low, and covered with cocoa-nut trees. Half a dozen
families reside here, and have a few buffaloes, fowls,
and goats. Here we found a small praou from Natal ;
its owner was quite an intelligent man. He had been
twenty days in the Batta country, (Mandheeling dis-
trict.) He advised an entrance at the Tobah district,
by way of Tappanooly. He says that if we declare
ourselves Englishmen or Americans, the Battas, Bugis
or Achinese, will receive us at once as friends. If
the latter suppose us to be Dutchmen, nothing would
induce them to spare our lives.
" Our conversation, on collecting the islanders, and
THE BATOE GROUP. 335
some from the main, who had come here, two or three
miles, to obtain cocoa-nuts, turned on the plan of
salvation, which was brought forward and discussed,
with no other apparent effect than to lead them to
suspect that I was a Padree.
" The Sumatran shore, from Ayer Baflgy to Pulo
or Poelo Tamong, where we left it for Pulo Pingie,
is wild, mountainous, and deeply indented with bays.
Passed this morning Doesaen Telloe LdLlng, which
four or five years since was destroyed by the Padrees.
At that time it contained two hundred inhabitants.
- ' Had a conversation to-day with the Nakkoda
upon some of the Mohammedan superstitions, as em-
braced by the Malays. He did not, nor did any of
the Malays, to his knowledge, abstain from the use
of wine and strong drink because the Koran prohib-
ited them, but because they were of no use, but rather
tended to make men worse. Nor did he abstain
from the use of pork because the Koran prohibited it,
but because if a Malay ate it. it would cause his skin
to crack, and his hair to fall off.
" The Nyas people are said to be treacherous : un-
der a pretense of examining a man's fire-arms they
use them against him ; under the pretense of leading
him to a fine hunt of wild hogs, they lead him into
an ambuscade. This spirit, if it exists, has been pro-
duced by the nefarious traffic in slaves, which has
been so long carried on there. More than two hun-
dred per annum are now actually carried off by the
336 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Dutch government, and private individuals under the
gentle appellation of ' debtors.'
" The encouragement of the trade leads every vil-
lage to be continually in arms with a neighboring
village, and every man with his neighbors. Even the
child who is sent to the spring for a little water, may
never find his way back to his home again. The
Rajahs seize their subjects, their subjects seize one
another, and foreigners, Dutch, French, Chinese,
Malays, etc., seize whoever they can lay their hands
upon.
" May 18th. It was some time, in making out our
outfit, before I could bring my feelings to put down in
the list, firearms and ammunition, they appeared so in-
consistent with our object. But Mr. Ward joined all
others in saying, that while it would be a temptation of
Providence to go where wild beasts were so abundant
without arms, they would be a kind of scare-crow to
all the natives, and save us, not by their use, but sight,
from much trouble and insult, and insure us, on the
contrary, safety and respect. This, together with the
fact that all natives go armed, and that we are on a
tour of investigation, finally overcame my scruples.
But I must confess I would almost as soon allow my
own life to be taken, as to take that of a fellow-man,
though a savage. However, God will lead us into
no trial but He will find a way of escape. In Him
we trust."
The small islands which were passed by our voy-
THE BATOE GEOUP. 337
agers were extremely beautiful, always with a beach
of white sand and coral reefe; the people mostly
simple and accessible. Mr. Lyman complains of the
want of elementary books, and wishes some of Gal-
laudet's were translated into Malay.
Poeloe Batoe or Pulu Batu, is a small rock, which,
on account of its peculiar appearance, gives its name
to a large group of islands off the west coast of
Sumatra, between Nyas on the north, and Si Boeroe
on the south. The largest is called Tanah Massa.
Since the whole group is named from the one island,
there has arisen an apparent contradiction of travelers
as to the situation of Poeloe Batoe.
The emporium of the group is Tclo, situated at the
head of a fine bay, on the east side of Si Boehari,
forty-eight hours' sail from Natal and from Ayer
Buugy, and about three days from Padang. Telo is
a small town, containing only one hundred and fifty
Malays, and thirty Chinamen. It is the residence
of a Post-holder, with some native police. There
are six or seven hundred" Nyas people, and many
small craft resort thither to purchase oil, sago, and
sea-slug. Thus the intercourse with other places
is constant.
The whole number of people in the group is about
eight thousand, living on nineteen different islands, of
whom seven thousand three hundred and fifty-seven
are Nyas, three hundred and fifty are Malays, one
hundred are Chinese, and three are descendants of
15
338 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Dutch, making in all seven thousand eight hundred
and ten.
The population was diminished nearly one half by
the small pox, a few years since. The people pay no
taxes. They use sago instead of rice.
" Having spent most of the morning with the Post-
holder pro tern., we visited the nearest Nyas cam-
pong. At its entrance we found some men who
informed us that several persons were sick with the
small pox, and we could not enter, the village, as they
were making medicine, i. e., sacrificing to their idols.
The taboe is, in such cases, laid on all not belonging
to the campong for eight days. The chief and twenty
or thirty men and boys came down to see us. We
found him an intelligent man, and able to speak
Malay. Their dress was a strip of cloth, not more
than three inches in width, passing between the legs,
and wound about the body from one to six times.
Sometimes strips of three or four colors were intro-
duced, and in front several ends hang down, as a kind
of loose curtain.
The women are more modestly attired, wearing the
Malay sarong, which fastens about the waist, and
hangs down to the knees ; and when they go out of
the village a loose cloth is thrown over the shoulders.
Many wore the Nyas kris, which has a defense for
the hand, consisting of a ball three or four inches in
diameter, containing bits of iron, shells, little wooden
images, and other charms. This is their full-dress
THE BATOB GROUP. 339
weapon. There is a smaller one always in the girdle.
Some had the shield. There seemed to be no one
mode of arranging the hair. Some wore it long,
some shaved, others were half shaved. Some had
the finger-nails stained. When a young man begins
to act for himself in life, his teeth are cut off close to
the gums and stained black. The right ear had a
large slit, increased by the weight of the huge rings
they wore. The teeth of the women are also cut.
They appeared more open-hearted, manly, intelligent,
independent, and friendly, than the Malays, Javanese,
or central Sumatrans. They seem to be much in-
terested in our object in visiting these parts, and
expressed a willingness to have schools. I then took
out my pencil and showed them how their language
could be written, and their king could give his orders
and be understood without leaving his house, and they
could correspond with one another ; at this they were
highly delighted, and could hardly find words to
express themselves. We left them, much gratified
with our introduction to the people for whom we had
so long prayed, and whose salvation has taken such
deep hold of our hearts.
"In the afternoon called on the Malay Datuk, or
Head-man. He brought a Bengal edition of the
Malay Testament, which had evidently been much
used.
" May 2\st. Disappointed in our plans for the
day, we went again to the campong. The curiosity
340 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
of the natives in examining the spy-glass and watch
was very great. After selling us plantains and oil
they made us a present of another bottle of oil
and some eggs. This would never be done by a
Chinaman or Malay.
"We saw a Nyas fishing.- He had a bundle of
fibers, I should think made of the cocoa-nut leaf, bound
together two inches from each end. This he threw
into the water with such dexterity that fish stuck
between the fibers, and, as the rod floated, he went
and secured both. His string of fish was exquisitely
splendid. Each seemed to possess all the colors of
the rainbow, but no two were similarly variegated."
In a letter to the Secretary of the A. B. C. F. M.,
of May 18th, Mr. Lyman says: " If we are unable
to enter Nyas, we beg you will not say, ' There are
yet four months and then cometh the harvest.' In
Padang and the Batoe group are at least ten thousand
Nyas people, all bowing to gods which their own
hands have made ; loving pork and hating Moham-
medanism ; friendly to Europeans, and free to choose
life or death ; people of intelligence, ingenuity, and a
cast of mind superior to any Asiatics we have yet
seen."
THE BATOE GROUP.
TO CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ.
ON BOARD THE PRAOU " TANJAH," among the Batoe
group of Isles, nearly on the Equator, May 18th, 1834.
DEAR COUSIN CHARLES:
I should like exceedingly to step in this evening at
the corner of Albany-street and learn how you fare in
your Zion-bound course. It is now nearly one year
since I heard aught concerning you or any of your
family. Taking it for granted that you are all well,
I sometimes allow my imagination to run away with
me, in endeavoring to conjure up the particular cir-
cumstances in which you are all placed. * * *
I can never retire to pray for friends without seeing
your image and calling to mind that natural friend-
ship which for so many years has been strengthening
between us. And if I could only learn, were it but
in a word, that the Lord is leading you in mercy, and
making your way prosperous toward heaven, it would
gratify me exceedingly. Not that I doubt it, but to
be assured of it from yourself, is my desire.
Of my own poor self I can say I never enjoyed so
much in America in one year as since I have left
there, nor so much anywhere as since I have left
wife and all, and commenced the present voyage.
True, I have not been free from troubles, but you
know medicine is sometimes made exceedingly pleas-
ant to the taste, by an excess of the medium in which
it is taken, and after its operation leaves the body in
342 T11E MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
a more healthy and vigorous state : so has it been
with -what little I have seen of trouble. The separa-
tion from home, and recently from my wife, were
bitter pills, but I would like to go through with the
same again next week, if it could be attended with
the same consolations from on high. I mention this
to make one remark, viz. : a New England home,
with all its endearments, is not a sine qua non for
happiness in this world. Many in America thought
I was making myself perfectly miserable in engaging
in the missionary labor. I could not convince them
that God can make thorny beds as "soft as downy
pillows are." Now I can speak from experience.
While the blessings of New England are rich, and
calculated to make one happy in this life, yet happi-
ness does not consist in them, but rather in the mind,
in the man himself. One may be perfectly wretched
in America, while in the midst of savages another
may be perfectly happy. And why can a missionary
be happy? Because God fulfills His promise, " Lo,
I am with you always, even unto the end of the
world;" and also according "as thy day is, so shall
thy strength be." In our little boat of eight tons,
managed by Malays, who are rather indifferent navi-
gators, in our little cabin, partitioned off by mats in
the back part of the hold, with not room sufficient to
stand upright amidst all the smell of bilge-water
and ship-stores with our chests on each side for
sleeping and writing, and a clean mat spread on the
.
THE BATOE GROUP. 343
floor, on which to eat our rice and chicken broth, for
want of room to place a table, / was never more
happy, if I except the few first hours after I opened
my eyes in the kingdom of Christ.
Why is it that so many will cling to the good
things of this world ? as if in them was centered all
happiness; as if God had no power to make these
very blessings the bane of their existence ; as if He
were unable to give them grace sufficient when they
follow His commands, and make what appears to be
a sacrifice, a blessing. The truth is, no Christian
makes a sacrifice when he follows Christ, any more
than the impenitent sinner does when he gives up the
world, and yields his heart to his Saviour. He
receives a hundredfold more; if not in this world,
yet he lays it up in a sure banking-house for the
next. 0, had I a voice that could be made to ring
in every Christian's ear, I would send peal upon peal
the cry, Live for Christ devote all to Him, until
it should make an abiding impression upon his heart,
and lead him to throw away his unsatisfying reliance
upon worldly gratifications, and seek all good in
endeavoring to build up the kingdom of Christ. Not
that he must necessarily leave his home and country,
but that he must daily ask the Lord with an earnest
anxiety to know the truth, " Lord, what wilt thou
have me to do this day ? So guide and direct me that
my influence may be felt in eternity, and so direct
344 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
my affairs in all future life as that the greatest glory
may redound to thy holy name."
Much love to all your family and Uncle L.'s.
With your father's carpet-bag before my eyes all the
time, my head on aunt Mary's pillow-case, a shaving
apparatus from Abby, etc., etc., etc., I can not for-
get you all if I would. May you all experience
richly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, commu-
nion with God the Father, and the fellowship of the
Holy Ghost, is the prayer of your cousin,
HENRY.
TO HIS WIFE.
" ON BOARD THE PRAOU ' TANJAH,' off the north coast
of Poelo Pingie, Sunday, May 18th, 1834.
" DEARLY BELOVED :
" ' Grace be unto you, and peace from God our
Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.' ' We give thanks
to God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
praying always for you, that ye might be filled with
the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding ; that ye might walk worthy of the
Lord unto a,ll pleasing, being fruitful in every good
work, and increasing in the knowledge of God ;
strengthened with all might, according to His glorious
power, unto all patience and long-sufiering with joy-
fulness : giving thanks also unto the Father who hath
made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of
the saints in light, and who hath delivered us from the
THE BATOE GROUP. 345
power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of His dear Son.'
" Truly it is a blessed Gospel which the Lord hath
revealed unto us, and it is a signal display of grace
which has constrained us to accept its rich privileges.
And now, whether at church in a Christian land, or
mingling our songs and prayers with a little number
of saints in the midst of a heathen population, or
confined at home to a bed of sickness, or tossed about
on the ocean in a little boat, or wandering among
savage men, and more savage wild beasts, we can
still draw nigh to the same throne of grace and obtain
consolation and strength from the same common
source. We are still one in Christ Jesus, and through
His blood look forward to the same common rest which
He has prepared for those that love Him. This one-
ness in Christ Jesus, this common interest ^v-hich we
have to-day at the same place of audience leads me
almost to forget that for six long weeks we have not
bowed the knee in one of those delicious seasons of
social retirement, when, alone with God. we could
unreservedly pledge ourselves to Him and ask through
Jesus for blessings on ourselves and those we love ;
and that hundreds of miles now intervene between us.
" If you are regular in seeking your portion of
' Daily Food,' our thoughts often run in the same
channel, and we find ourselves condemned, and our
hearts comforted, by the same declarations of the
Gospel and the same rich promises. Yesterday my
15*
346 THE MARTYE OP SUMATRA.
mind was so carried away with evil thoughts, and I
became so estranged from that sweet, pure communion
with God which I have enjoyed for many days past,
that this day's portion was truly adapted to my case.
" 'He will subdue our iniquities.' How rich ! He
will subdue our iniquities. He will bring under,
will conquer, will destroy, will blot out, will forgive,
will forget, all our willful wanderings and thoughtless
neglects ; will purify, cleanse, sanctify us and make us
a meet residence for His Holy Spirit. Yes : even
though ' our very frame is mixed with sin,' yet,
" ' Such virtues from his sufferings flow
At once to cleanse and pardon too."
" And when once made partakers of His heavenly
calling, to what glory are we permitted to look forward
as our portion ! One would think it designed for
kings and princes of a more glorious, if not even a
celestial character. ' But behold ! only a shell full
of dust, animated with an invisible rational soul, and
that rectified with as unseen a restoring power of
grace, is the creature that is to inhabit that peaceful
place where unbroken, sweet, tranquillity prevails ;
that free place where none are servants ; that resting
place where none are tired with their labors ; that
rich place where there is no more hunger, thirst, or
nakedness ; that equable place where are no pinching
frosts or scorching heats ; that healthful place where
none are sick ; that joyful place where there is no
THE BATOE GROUP, 347
more sadness or sorrow ; that social place where there
is no lack of friendship, nor separation of friends;
that princely place where all are kings ; that holy
place whele all are priests ; that spiritual place where
there is no more flesh or sense ; that glorious place
where God shall be all in all ; where we shall no
more look into our cabinets and miss our treasures:
into 'our hearts and miss our Christ, and no more seek
him from ordinance to ordinance,' but all be merged
into a full fruition ; an unbounding, unending enjoy-
ment of God our Father, Jesus Christ our Redeemer,
the Holy Ghost our sanctifier.
"Indeed, I forget that we are not on the throne of
a little kingdom ; we are contented, happy. One rea-
son is, that this kind of life agrees so perfectly with
my iaste ; another that God has given me a kind of
easy disposition, in the long run, to take things s
they come, and make the best of them, and. last,
though by no means the least, the Lord has blessed us
abundantly, having thus far kindly ordered all things,
so that scarcely any thing has occurred of an adverse
kind. To His name be all the glory. You must
think of us only as happy in our labors, willing and
desirous to perform all with fidelity, and then with no
less eagerness and desire to run to those we love and
recount all the Lord's dealings with us in our absence.
So says your
"HUSBAND."
348 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" May 22d. Information was received here this
morning that a Padang praou, with eight Malays on
board, was cut off at Nyas, and all murdered."
The same day at half-past seven in the 1 morning,
the missionaries, with a lunch on board, set off, and
in three hours, dashing through a very narrow pas-
sage in the breakers opposite the banyan-tree which
shades the boat-sheds and entrance of a small village,
they found it almost deserted, most of the people
having gone to a wedding-feast, of which the mis-
sionaries had already heard, at Bambavo Si Toeru.
At length some men made their appearance and sup-
plied the cook with fire for the preparation of break-
fast. The brethren walked on for a mile on the beach,
to another village. " The boat-sheds, as usual, marked
its entrance. From these, a broad path led up through
fjMiick grove, used for a cemetery, with here and there
a trunk, or a mat and pillow, or perhaps cooking uten-
sils, set upon a stone, or hung upon a stick for the use of
the dead, to the gate of the village about twenty rods."
Their arrival being announced, the Head-man came out
and led them 'in; the reception was rather cool, till, find-
ing they were Americans, & hearty "good, very good,"
burst forth, and " we were conducted to the Head-
man's house, where we found twenty or thirty women
who remained sitting, and the floor was immediately
crowded with men to the number of two hundred. The
chief then informed the people where we were from,
and inquired if our coming was pleasant to them.
THE BATOE GROUP. 349
Immediately they gave three loud cheers till we were
almost stunned. When the people had gratified their
curiosity and began to retire, we commenced collecting
ourselves. My first thought was that I was among a
large assembly of that interesting people for whom I
had so long been praying. I felt so overjoyed, and
my heart was so drawn out to them, that I could not
but express it to the chief. He repeated it to the
people, when again came three cheers. I- never shall
forget my feelings. Home, country, and wife were
forgotten in the desire to remain, and endeavor to lead
this people in the way of salvation.
"As to the village. A wall of about six feet
high, much like the stone fence of America, sur-
rounds a level space, supposed to be four or five hun-
dred feet. The only entrance is at the head of the
path from the beach by a wooden door wide enough f6r
four persons to enter abreast. On three sides are the
houses fronting toward the center ; the Head-man's
or Ametjoer's being in the center opposite the gate.
In this village there were twenty-five houses ; fourteen
on the longest side, and the remainder on the ends.
In the center of the inclosure, and facing the
entrance, is the guardian deity, as stupid as a
rudely-carved piece of wood, firmly planted under
a bamboo-shed, can be.
" The houses are constructed of wood, raised about
seven feet on large pillars of the same, leaving room
beneath for the surue. From the floor up, the front
350 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and back walls incline outward to the height of seven
or eight feet, or rather jut out like the after part of
a ship, and the inside is something like a cabin, the
first being, perhaps four feet wide, for a platform,
and the second narrower, for a seat. Above the seat
the whole is slatted or latticed, and generally in the
center is a scuttle in the roof, which serves for a win-
dow or opening, affording light and air. An atap, or
thatched roof, extends up with an extremely acute
angle at the ridge-pole, leaving room sufficient in the
attic for two tiers of rooms, but it is all occupied with
an immense quantity of timber, sufficient, with its
ingenious construction, to support the whole weight of
a, well-tiled roof of the same size. The jointing of
the floors, hanging of the doors, etc., display much
skill. There is an entrance from the ground to every
two or three houses, and all are connected by inter-
mediate doors. Several families occupy one. house,
each keeping its own account of outlay, and without
dispute dividing the labor.
" There were the Ametjoers of seven villages with
many of their people, not less than a thousand persons,
met to celebrate the marriage of this Ametjoer's
daughter. We descended to the square. Near the
god-house was a high pole, from the top of which
floated in the breeze a banner at least ten yards long,
composed of two strips, one scarlet (the bridegroom's
color), the other yellow (the bride's color). At
a little distance on either hand were four other
THE BATOE GROUP. 351
streamers, one of chintz, one of white, one of red and
white, and another of blue. Around the center flag-
staff a large party were dancing, perhaps a hundred
and fifty people, each sex by themselves, arranged
according to age. The movement was a kind of
spring, obliquely forward and back, and a measured
step around the circle, to no other music than a half
shout, half singing. Then half drew off and the other
half closed round the bride and some of her com-
panions, while those inside performed similarly to the
Malay dancing-girls.
" While this was going forward, another party were
busy at the extremities of the inclosure slaughtering,
singeing, and cutting up eighteen or twenty hogs,
throwing every part of them into huge caldrons,
temporarily set. After the dance the women retired
to an awning made of a sail. The pork for which there
was not room in the kettles was then laid in separate
portions for each village. Then was the time for dis-
tributing presents. One shabbily-dressed old man
gave away gold ornaments that could not have cost
less than $200. The feast was now seryed up,
and portions were brought to us : a plate of dark-
looking boiled rice, and a bowl of the boiled pork
with a quantity of dirty salt poured upon it, and
water to drink. We swallowed as much as we could,
and then distributed our presents. Some of them
were a yard of red camlet, a coarse handkerchief, a
brass pencil-case, a pen-knife, and a large hair-pin
352 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
for the bride. We took our leave, exceedingly in-
terested, and leaving the natives as much so.
"With Savoevo the Ametjoer of Sigese, one of
the villages of Sigata, the most populous island in
the Batta group, I was much pleased. He spoke a
little Malay, was quite intelligent, and very inquis-
itive. All with whom I conversed would rejoice to
have schools established and the children instructed.
" The holiday dresses were very splendid. The
women especially were many of them tastefully at-
tired. The hair was knotted behind with a frame-
work of brass or gold ornaments, resembling some-
what an immense comb. A band of the same passed
around the forehead. In the ears were gold orna-
ments, four or five inches long. A scarlet petticoat
hung from the waist. Above, on the upper part of
the body, was wound round several times a long piece
of chintz, and over it was thrown a cape [a berthe]
of yellow beads terminating just below the waist in a
kind of fringe of little bells and white shells. Just
around the hips was wound an immense quantity of
brass wire chain. Beside there were necklaces,
bracelets, and rings of gold, brass, and ivory. In
contrast with all this were their bare feet, and wad-
dling, sailor-like walk. There was more variety in
the dress of the men ; a mere strip of cloth, a cotton
jacket, and even a long, full robe of yellow silk,
or crimson broad-cloth, or camlet with a fancy border.
" The Head-man of Sasara, had, in addition to his
THE BATOE GROUP. 353
gold breastplate and collar, a piece of (I thought,)
brass passing round his upper lip, and fastening
behind his head. From the corners of the mouth
upward, extended a pair of large tusks, in imitation
of the wild boar, while a piece of the brass fastened
under the chin.
"May 23rf. At Oro Hili, at the north part of
Si Boehasi found the Ametjoer's house on a hill more
than a hundred feet high, overlooking the village,
which has no wall about it, and was not well built. The
wife was present during my interview with the chief. .
Her infant of four months was as white and sprightly
and interesting as an American child. Its little ears
were dragged half way to the shoulders by fourteen
rings about an inch in diameter, mostly of lead wire.
' ' In their color, the Nyas people are fairer than the
Javanese or Malays, while their cast of countenance is
far superior to any other Asiatics I have met, many
of them reminding me strongly of friends at home.
They are open and frank, unlike in this, to both Ma-
lays and Chinese.
"The women generally occupy a back apartment,
and are timid in their deportment. The curiosity to
see a white man could scarcely draw them nearer to us
than the next room.
"May 26th. Though the rain poured in torrents,
we went to visit Rajah Boekit. The town, which is
situated on an eminence ascended by a flight sixty
feet in height, of narrow, rude, steep stone steps, is
354 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
poor and filthy, built in the Nyas fashion. The Ra-
jah received us very courteously, with a semicircular
group of men in attendance. He is a talkative, active
man, showing energy, strength, and decision of mind
in every word. His cast of countenance indicates a
superior parentage. He is nominally the native head
of the Batoe group. But like all other kings on
Sumatra and its dependencies, his monarchy is a
feudal republic, the real authority residing in the
chief of each village. Boekit receives no revenue
from the people, but about forty dollars per annum
from the Dutch government. His ancestors were
originally Mantaivi people. They settled on Massa
about two hundred years since. At that time in all
these islands (which being coral have been constantly
increasing in size) there were not more than one hun-
dred people. When the Nyas began to emigrate here,
they acknowledged the sovereignty of these Rajahs.
"Boekit appeared quite interested in the plans of
the Board. He and his people would be glad to re-
ceive missionaries and their instructions.
" Thence we sailed two hours to Mari, landed, and
walked across the island to Goroe, which is a fine
large village containing sixteen houses. We saw here
the first Nyas blacksmith's shop that we have seen.
The forge consisted of a few small stones laid around
in a circle on the ground. The bellows were two
perpendicular wooden cylinders, with a cotton-stuffed
swab in each, which a boy. standing on an elevation
THE BATOE GROUP. 355
equal to the top, worked alternately .up and down, on
the principle of an air-pump or syringe, and thus
forced the air through a small bamboo at the bottom
of each, which directed from both a continual stream
upon the coals.
" )Vhen a person dies he is not buried, but placed
in the grove above ground the next day. After lay-
ing him aside in a coffin, in the morning, the family
of the deceased make a feast, as they do at the birth
of a child. These feasts are like those of the mar-
riage, which has been described, pork being the prin-
cipal dainty. The head of the person buried is always
placed in a plate or large earthen dish, and the mat,
pillow, clothes, and a plate, are fastened to a stake
near by, that they may decay with him who used
them.
" A month after birth, every male child receives a
slit in the right ear, every female child in both ears,
at which time the name is fixed for life.
" In their persons they are neat, using no oil. At
each village is a bathing-place for the women, walled
in by stone. Wherever we went we were sure of
finding a clean seat, and cleaner mat. The platforms
and seats before described (page 350), are the only
furniture. In one house I saw an ill-shaped arm-
chair. Overhead the whole of the attic is open.
Large plates, each in a wicker case, are suspended
from the lower beams. Among the upper timbers,
are the larger Penates, ani hung about on the walls
356 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
are the smaller ones, of divers sizes and shapes. The
skulls of hogs killed in ' duaking 1 (making medicine)
are also suspended here. Back of the principal apart-
ment, are the sleeping and eating rooms.
" The people are quiet and peaceable, living together
in great harmony, and exchanging visits and feasts.
Their principal articles of trade are cocoa-nut-oil, sago
and the sea-slug, so much prized by. the Chinese.
Many of them acquire considerable property. The
only way in which they expend money for ostentation
is in earthen plates and ornaments.
" Their women are treated with more respect than
in almost any other heathen nation. They are on
terms of companionship with the men. They are
very fair, extremely interesting, and there is more of
the wife and mother about them, than I have seen in
the natives of Java and Sumatra.
"No person can marry more than one wife at a
time. Upon the decease of a man's wife he can
marry again if he chooses, in two or three days.
When a woman's husband dies she must wait as many
months before she again marries. No man can put
away his wife as long as she retains a good character.
In case he designs to do it, he must apply to the
Ametjoer, whose decision is final. If he objects they
can not be divorced. If he gives his consent, the man
must pay the woman twenty dollars.
"When a young person is detected in a lie by his
parents, he receives a chastisement. When the delin-
THE BATOE GROUP. 357
quent is older he is brought before the Ametjoer, and
if he Avill not confess his fault, and exhibit penitence,
he is fined twenty dollars.
" When one is found out in theft, if he will not
confess his fault to the Ametjoer, ask pardon of the
one he has offended, and restore the property, his
hands and feet are bound together, and he is cast into
the sea.
' ' Adultery and murder are punished with instant
death by decapitation. These crimes occur so infre-
quently that some of the Ametjoers have almost lost
the run of the laws. Some of the oldest inhabitants,
in some villages, can not recollect when either of the
above crimes has occurred.
" One Ametjoer, of Oro Hili, informed me that if a
Nyas man became a Mohammedan, it would subject
him to expulsion from the Bunwa (village). When
asked how they would regard a man's throwing away
his idols and becoming a Christian, he replied, no,
such case had yet occurred, and he knew not how far
it would interfere with their customs. It would be
time to decide, when one had become a Christian.
Others, however, informed us that there was no notice
whatever taken of a man's turning Mohammedan.
He would be obliged, however, on his own part, to be
very careful not to become defiled where there were
so many swine.
" Rajah Boekit says, that but one has turned to
the ways of the false prophet, and he resides still in
358 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
his Bunwa. Others say there are twenty in Pulo
Batu.
" They believe that a benevolent deity resides
above, and a malevolent one below. The latter,
Ladoe Radano, is the most powerful while men
reside in this world, retaining them here and inflicting
upon them whatever trouble or disease they may
experience. Death, however, frees one from 1m
power, and gives the soul liberty to ascend to the
good deity, where it dwells forever. The celestial
king they have no occasion to propitiate ; but it is
different with the evil deity. The large, ugly image
always found in the center of the Bunwa, or village,
and the images suspended in their houses, are all
representations of Satan. Ladoe Radano does not
dwell in any particular place, but walks up and down
in the world, and we could not but add to their
description, ' seeking whom he may devour.'
"The priests are only employed to 'make med-
icine,' i. e., to offer sacrifices of hogs to the god when
any one of the people is ill. For this last they re-
ceive a fee, otherwise they support themselves.
"We have witnessed nothing among them that for-
bids the introduction of the Gospel. They have great
dread and reverence for white men, and great love for
the English. They would rejoice to have their chil-
dren taught to read and write, if it can be possible to
write the Nyas language. A missionary among them
would be well received. He would be sufficiently far
THE BATOE GROUP. 359
removed from the eye of the Dutch to escape inter-
ference from them, while sufficiently near to receive
aid in times of trouble. He must, however, be careful
that he always pursues such a course as to convince the
people that he has no connection whatever with gov-
ernment, while at the same time, according to Gospel
principles, he must render ' tribute to whom trib-
ute is due, and custom to whom custom,' and be
cautious that he never does or says aught that will
if
prejudice the minds of the people against the govern-
ment.
" There is no question that now is the time to look
after these eight thousand souls. Every facility
possible presents itself for present labor. The situa-
tion of the people in a village, afibrding facilities for
establishing a church and school is unparalleled in
the history of missions. It is as easy calling them
together, and the people would have no further to go
than the students of a New England college. Then
their superiority of mind and elevation of character,
their present exemption from vice, the looseness of
their bonds to heathenism, their respect for foreigners,
their love for the English, every thing seems to say the
field is white, already white for the harvest. Then
its relation to Nyas. It is like a portico to a house.
If a man does not find labor sufficient, one day's sail
will carry him to two hundred thousand speaking the
same language, and possessing the same customs. Or
in connection with this might be established a school
360 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
or two at Padang, where are one thousand ' free, and
two thousand slave Nyas."
Some extracts from letters close this long chapter :
" May 25th 0, to have a will swallowed up in the
Lord's Avill ; to entirely acquiesce in His government,
this is the acmd of Christian attainment. That I may
have such a spirit, iet your prayers continually
ascend.
" Notwithstanding our raised expectations, we are
more than ever interested in the Nyas people, and for
one, I should rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, could I
be permitted to learn their language and spend my
life in leading them in the way of salvation. I long
to go home, bring you, and go about it at once.
" June 7th. The Sabbath has dawned upon us
once more, bringing with it the close of one third of
the time allotted for our absence. I hope it finds you
as it does us, still in the enjoyment of health and of
every blessing needed for you. 'Hitherto,' can we
truly say, ' hath the Lord blessed us.' While you
have been in church I have been taking a little re-
freshment with friend Baxter, and think I can truly
say,
" ' Though ail the flocks and herds were dead
My soul a famine need not dread,
For Jesus is my living bread.' "
THE BATOE GROUP. 361
Juno 15th, near Tappnnooly
and all well, having finished
our investigations at Nyas.
On board the Praou " Tai jah," off tho
east coast of Nyas (a little below Goe-
nong Stoli), Sunday, June 1st, 1834
DEAR SISTER:
My friends generally, and those especially from
whom I have received no letters, can lay no claim to
a scrawl while on my tour. But the gratitude caused
by your long epistle by the Emily Taylor induces
me to spend a few moments of to-day in penning a
word to you.
I long to look in upon you after the separation of a
year, and see how you have improved not only in the
formation of mind, but also in the growth of your
soul in Divine things. Since the death of our beloved
earthly parent, you have doubtless been constrained
to look oftener, and with more child-like confidence to
your Father in heaven, and herein the death has been
sanctified to you. You will doubtless now, while
trusting more in the Lord, look to some other earthly
friend for advice in matters of doubt and perplexity.
But I hold to some notions which I have often heard
derided; even by Christians so called. One is, to look
to the Lord for advice and direction in ALL affairs.
I love to contemplate the Lord as one to whom I have
consecrated all my powers of body and mind. One
who is all wise and powerful ; One who can control
the hearts of men and all natural circumstances ; One
who can bring good out of evil; One who can so
manage little circumstances as that his children shall
16
862 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
be led in the right way ; One who if we act as wisely
as possible and look to Him with all earnestness, will
so direct us, that we shall glorify Him, and if there
is difficulty will provide a way of escape ; One who
does not scorn the ignorant, and who will bear with
our weaknesses, and when we feel them ourselves,
give us strength. Feeling God to be such an one,
and placing unlimited confidence in His mercy and
care of me, unworthy, sinful, and hell-deserving as I
am, I have ever gone to Him in my troubles and per-
plexities, with a minuteness of request for aid, and
advice and guidance, that I have often heard ridiculed
in others, and I have ever found deliverance and guid-
ance, far beyond what I had expected. At times I
have been led in rather a dark dubious way, but either
I have found a resignation to the Divine will, or an
implicit confidence in God, that all would be for the
best, or something else to comfort and console. Some-
times things have apparently gone against me, but in
such cases I have learned a lesson, that under the
same circumstances perhaps I should not, if the Lord
had not in mercy sanctified to me the dispensation of
his providence. I do not think that a lesson I learn
with/wu/i is on that account any the less of the Lord's
teaching.
As your elder brother in the Lord as well as in the
flesh, I make this statement of my own experience in
making the Lord a friend and adviser, in the hope
that you may be able to draw some hints as to the
THE BATOB GROUP. 363
beet course for yourself to pursue. But do not un-
derstand me as having always gone to the Lord. I
would not belie my own character so much, lest my
shame should be greater at the judgment day. I
mourn that I have lived so far from Him, that I have
sought Him so little, and that I have leaned so much
to my own understanding and the judgment of others.
It is a wonder to me since I have been so neglectful
of the Lord, that He has been so mindful of me, that
when I have so often forgotten to ask His assistance
He should always aid when I have asked. This one
thing I can say, I have found it good to go to Him,
as counselor and guide, and intend still so to do, and
wish to impress upon your mind the importance, the
profit, the superiority of pursuing the same course.
Endeavor to sacrifice every interest to the glory of
God, no matter how dear it may be. Let every thing
that is not glorifying God in the highest possible de-
gree be put far away. Be decided on this point. Let
it be your only wish, your only desire to glorify God.
Be assured the quicker you bring yourself to thig
point, the better. So long as you keep back part of
the price, pursue any darling plan, cherish any
thoughts, or cling to any thing whatsoever that con-
science tells you is not the most for God's glory, you
will never find perfect peace. Commit your ways en-
tirely to the Lord, and He shall direct your steps.
Lean entirely on His arm and you will find support.
Renounce all your own means of support and become
364 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
a dependent on Him, and He will be bound by His own
promises to furnish every thing. And now may the
God of all peace be with you, and comfort, and
strengthen, and support you ; and that you may find
all consolation in serving Him in time, all support in
trusting Him in death, and all joy in praising Him in
eternity, is the prayer of your brother
HENRY.
Read Baxter's "Saints' Rest," through and through.
Get your heart steeped in his spirit. Amen.
XI.
Pl-Il.
soft are the breezes that wave the tall cocoa,
And sweet are the odors that breathe on the gale,
Fair sparkles the wave as it breaks on the coral,
Or wafts to the white beach the mariner's sail.
The forests are brilliant with gay, glossy plumage,
And flowers deck with splendor the mountain and lea,
But the shadow of death o'er the whole scene is lying,
And Satan is lord of these isles of the sea.
ANONYMOUS.
For He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee in
nil thy ways. PSALM xcL 11.
XI.
CONSPICUOUS among the islands on the west of
Sumatra lies Nias, or Nyas as it is sometimes spelled.
To explore it and to see if it were possible to establish
there a Christian mission was one great object which
Messrs. Munson and Lyman had in view, and thither
they now steered their praou. Encouraged by what
they had seen of the emigrants from Nyas, they
fondly hoped to find there "a people prepared for
the Lord." But the accursed slave-trade had turned
every man's hand against his brother. War was uni-
versal, and traveling dangerous.
It is worthy of notice that the brethren carefully
weighed the conflicting testimony concerning the safety
of an inland journey, and finally abandoned the idea,
because it was deemed perilous. Resolutely they
turned away, and sailed for Sumatra, only to encounter,
unwarned, that which they deemed they had avoided.
So similar are the customs of the Nyas to those of
the emigrants, that fewer extracts will be given from
the journal. The same large villages were noticed,
differing only in situation. But we will leave Mr.
Lyman to speak for himself.
368 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" May 28th. At early dawn I was on the look-
out and speedily discovered the highlands of the long-
desired Nyas. Soon after noon we were just off the
south-east corner. The coast is much broken into
bays. The mountains are neither high, nor wild and
ragged in their appearance. Some of the hills are
cultivated to their summits. Arriving toward night
at Simambawa, a fine green plain was spread out be-
fore us, presenting a strong temptation to land. In
the harbor were three sail, with the Dutch flag
hoisted. We heard that the Chinese meditate an
attack on Goenong Si Tolis, intending to possess them-
selves of the whole island. Surely if ever news was
received with heavy hearts, this was. The idea of re-
turning, at once brought on temporary fever. The
Arab slaver revived our hopes, the captain assuring
us that there would be no danger to the English.
" May 29th. Spent part of the morning in con-
versation with the Arab. He says around this bay
v /
are five thousand people, but under different chiefs.
The villages are upon the summits of the hills, and
almost entirely concealed by the heavy foliage. He
is commissioned here by government a Christian
government for the purchase of slaves.
" The Dutch gravely talk of ' debtors,' of ' sending
to Nyas for debtors.' But here things go by their
right names. It is selling slaves. They are brought
down to the beach corded, and while the trade is going
on, are bound to a post ; and when the bargain is
NT AS.
concluded, handed over like dumb beasts to the pur-
chaser, and na.kcd except a bit of bark about the loins,
are led by the cords to the boat, apd on board are fet-
tered, and carried to a foreign land. ' And why do
they fetter them ?' I asked the Arab. ' Because they
would throw themselves overboard, or in some other
way destroy themselves : and perhaps they will do it
now, as many do, before they arrive, or as soon as
they arrive and are freed. I never fetter those who
go willingly.' All the men on board were fettered.
I saw on the guard-boat that accompanied him a very
interesting boy and girl, of about four and five or six
years of age. Their father and mother having died,
their uncle, having the temptation laid before him,
had sold them. The government purchase them for
a number of years, at the expiration of which they
are free. In the mean time they make coolies of
them, and give them their clothes, food, and $1.20
per month ; or they sell their services to others. I
have never yet, in all my inquiries, met with any one
who has seen these people return to their native land,
or who has known them to be liberated. It may be
said the slaves are better off than in Nyas. But who
created them free ? And who is to be responsible for
turning the hand of every man against his neighbor,
and filling a nation of two hundred thousand most in-
teresting people with the worst of crimes, stealing and
trafficking in human flesh, and to obtain it, wading
through their neighbors' blood ?
16
870 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
" About eleven o'clock two Rajahs, one over three
hundred, the other over two hundred and fifty people,
came down to the audience-house, which is a small,
temporary building on the beach. The greatest
Rajah was quite an intelligent man, of apparently-
great decision and firmness of purpose, but a notorious
beggar. He had upon him five badjoes, or jackets
of different materials. These form a shield against the
kris, as also did the twelve rings of brass and ivory
which he wore on his arm. All the people were well
armed.
" When he learned we were Americans, he would
take us up to his village, if we would supply him
with grog, as he said Americans always carried it.
He would scarcely believe that we belonged to the
Temperance Society. Next, we might go if we
would give him some tobacco, etc., etc. He informed
us, however, that we could go to no other village with
safety."
Each day the missionaries heard a different report
as to the state of the island. Their crew were very
much alarmed, and desired to return immediately
to Padang, but subsequent reports were more favor-
able.
" June 1st. The wind is cold and damp, so that
a cloak is comfortable when sitting on deck in the
evening.
"June 2d. Last night (Sunday), I lay awake a
long, long time in delightful contemplations of the
NY AS. 371
future triumphs of the Gospel, and in studying how I
can best bring my poor efforts to bear upon the good
cause. Prayer succeeded for the descent of the Holy
Ghost upon our colleges, that missionaries may be
raised up. Then my thoughts turned to absent
friends, and they were commended to the care of
God Almighty, and the blessedness of His grace.
"This evening I have been reviewing the past.
Now, anticipations are closed, I am in the field at
work. I have nothing before me but to toil faith-
fully till death shall end the scene, and I rest from
my labors. When that shall be, or through what
previous changes I must pass, I would not desire to
inquire. Of one thing I am certain, INDUBITABLY
CERTAIN. I ' know in whom I have believed.' He
will do ' all things well.' His grace shall be sufficient.
In Him I have implicit confidence. He desires the
highest good of all His kingdom. He will make
every thing turn to the promotion of His glory,
causing even 'the wrath of man to praise Him.'
Like a little child, then, would I throw myself into
His arms, hoping and praying that when the Son of
man shall come I may be found doing His work, with
my lamp trimmed, and my loins girded. Even so.
Amen. Amen.
" June 3d. This morning we anchored before a
Malay village, Mene. It is palisaded by sharpened
bamboos, and entered by a door at each end of a for-
tified way, which is twenty feet or more in length.
372 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
There are perhaps fifty people. The prospect was
delightful. Before us was the breaking surf, the
white beach, an interval of a quarter of a mile,
checkered with patches of trees, underwood, cultivated
fields, and scattered huts, backed by a long range of
hills of an undulating surface, divided between the
wildness of nature and the improvements of the hus-
bandman, with their tops covered with cocoa-nut
groves, and villages of the Nyas ; behind these rose a
higher and still higher range, till their outline was
lost in the blue vail of distance. As we drew nearer,
the further summits became hidden from view, till we
found ourselves beneath a highland on whose top were
fields of Indian corn, whose luxuriant growth would
have cheered the heart of the husbandmen of my
native meadows. On the peak that looks directly
down upon us the large house of the village chief
peers above the trees, with the high quadrangular
pyramidal roof, surmounted by his god, and, with the
glimpses obtained of other houses, seems to carry one
back to the castles of the old feudal lords. But what
gives a beauty to the scene, unknown in the more
temperate climates, is the tall, gracefully waving
palm.
r
" Thursday, June th. We left the Malay vil-
lage about nine o'clock, in company with Mr. Messam
(see page 311), and the Malay Datoek, or Head-man,
with Mr. Messam' s servants, to visit the Rajah of
this district, Erenoqueah. A walk of more than a
NTAS. 373
mile brought us to the foot of a conical hill, perhaps
fifty feet high and a third of a mile in circuit at its
base, on the summit of which stood the house of the
Rajah of the sea-coast. He was planting rice, but
soon made his appearance, with his twelve brothers.
Soon after, their wives entered, tugging great loads at
their backs. The house was single, like all those in
this district, and was very poor. It was soon to bo
replaced by a new one. After chatthlg, drinking
cocoa-nut water, and giving medicine to some of the
people, the Datoek having received his instructions,
intimated that he had affairs of a public nature
to communicate. The Rajah called one of his
brothers, and they placed themselves exactly in
front of the Datoek, a few feet distant on the floor,
and signified that they were ready to hear. The
Datoek then made a long speech, in which he ex-
plained our object, the wishes of the good people of
America to send men to reside among them, and
instruct them, etc., etc. The Rajah expressed a
great deal of pleasure at the proposal, and further-
more said he was very desirous such men should
come, and no doubt they would be joyfully received
by all the people. I could not but notice the elo-
quence with which the speeches on both sides, but
particularly by the Rajah, were delivered.
" The language was more soft and smooth than any
I have before heard (being the court dialect), and was
perceptibly different from that spoken in the same
374 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
room by others. The chief sat on the floor holding
his infant in his arms, and from time to time hushing
its uneasiness. In all his answers he seemed to con-
sult his brother. We attempted to explain to him
how his own language could be written ; then he took
down a bamboo containing some Dutch and Malay-
documents. Though the ink was much faded we
made out the date, May 26th, 1755, signed by one
Krygsman as one party, and various Nyas chiefs as
the other party.
" On the corner post of the house hung in a wicker
frame a human skull, taken some years before by the
Rajah's father. After making some presents, we
took leave."
To the house of another Rajah the missionaries
now turned their steps ; and after walking for a mile
" through grass higher than our heads, through under-
brush, and then thick forests, we came upon a large
plot of ground where four or five women in a state of
nudity excepting one small bit of cloth wrapped about
the hips, and extending nearly to the knees, were en-
gaged in gathering and burning the brush which
some men were cutting. Another man was resting
for a while under a little shed near which two children
were playing, and a woman was cooking. We were
much surprised, on drawing near the shed, to be in-
troduced to the Rajah for whom we were in search.
He was much chagrined at being found at labor, and
scarcely knew what to say. But we reassured him by
NTAS. 375
some remarks commendatory of his industry, and he
took us to his house. After climbing for two miles a
path, which in some places might have been ascended
on horseback, and in others led us -up a flight of very
steep stone steps, we finished the ascent of about nine
hundred feet at noon. So many months having elapsed
since making such an effort, I was completely ex-
hausted. I threw myself upon a mat and found rest
in sleep.
"The dwelling itself, though its proprietor is
powerful, was miserably poor and dirty. But the
situation was very beautiful. There was on the top
of the hill just sufficient space for the house and a
semicircular grass-plot, bounded by a terrace, faced
with stone, with steps of the same, and" a row of
cocoa-nut trees on the edge, while below, the land
gently sloped away, showing to full advantage the
rich verdure which covered it. At a short distance
rose another thickly-wooded hill, on whose summit
was the former Rajah's house. A winding path,
planted on each side with the betel-tree, led to it.
" This old house bears marks of former magnificence,
and contains many idols : rude wooden images as large
as life and quite naked. The female figures had a bit
of cloth tied about the waist.
" On the timbers above was a museum of idols.
The house is the one we had observed facing us from
the harbor. The green hills descending to the water's
edge, the sea sparkling in the sun, and the whole ter-
376 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
minated by the mountains of Sumatra, all present a
picture of wonderful beauty, while the prospect on the
land side, though different, is not less lovely. Our
bitjara or conversation with this chief was attended
by the same formalities as the other. lie not only
expressed the same opinion as the other Rajah, but
said he would send to school all his own children,
amounting to six or seven.
" He said, also, that there would be no necessity of
seeing the other five chiefs of this district, because he
and his colleague were at the head of affairs. After
leaving a present, we took our leave and commenced our
descent. The soil we observed was a rich clay above
a bed of coral rock, in which we saw imbedded some
shells. Houses were scattered all along for the last
mile, but always situated on an eminence.
" We returned to the praou not a little rejoiced to
find again a resting place and some food, having tasted
nothing since breakfast. No sooner had we dined,
than a praou, with a dozen of patients, drew near.
An hour was employed in dealing out medicines to
them, and then I was ready for a night's rest.
" There are five dialects of Nyas besides the court
dialect, or that used by the Rajahs in their public
consultations on state affairs. The common people
scarcely understand this.
" In the Erenoqeah and Gunong Si Toolis districts,
there is much parental and filial affection ; but in the
south-eastern districts scarcely any at all. A man
NY AS. 377
there seizes his neighbor, binds him, and offers him
for sale as a slave. If the unhappy man complains
to the Rajah, a few dollars from his captor makes all
quiet, and he can obtain no redress. Sometimes, in
this way, parents sell their own children, and children
their own parents. When a man's wife dies, he makes
nothing of selling a child or two she has borne him,
to purchase a second wife. Messam himself once
bought a child sold in this way. As to the number
of slaves annually carried hence, there are conflicting
opinions. One, who has many years been engaged in
the traffic, says, two hundred from the whole island.
Another, who has resided here fifteen years, and was
formerly engaged in it, says one thousand from Sim-
ambawa alone. Perhaps they will average five hun-
dred per annum.
" The Dutch government have now a large praou
on the coast, engaged to obtain two hundred in six
months. They likewise wish for one hundred more
in the same time. They allow about twenty dollars
per head, and four dollars more as a premium.
" The Achinese also purchase them, and occasionally
the French. About two years since, a French ship took
four hundred as a cargo, and landed them on the Isle
of France.
" In some things, the women appear to have an
equality with the men. Though they are not allowed
to eat with their husbands, and are compelled to labor
hard, yet no man can purchase any thing without his
378 THE MARTYR OP SUMATRA.
wife's consent. A man can marry as many wives as
he has means to support. There is no divorce, and
there are few quarrels between the wives. The
price of a wife differs according to the rank or wealth
of her family. M. paid six hundred dollars in gold
for his, the daughter of a Rajah. When a man
wishes to marry he mentions it to some friend, and he
tells it to the girl's parents, who express their willing-
ness, and the price is paid. When this is settled, the
parents, or if they are dead, some near relation, knock
together the heads of the couple, and they are married.
A feast ensues, in which pork forms the principal
dish.
"Adultery and murder are punished by death.
For theft a fine, according to its degree, is levied.
Stealing gold and men is by law worthy of death, but
bribery can prevent its infliction
" When a Rajah dies, his eldest son, or if he has no
son, his nearest relation, and if he has none, the man
who will give the people the most -money is made
Rajah. Women are never allowed to assume this
power. When a man is to be introduced into office,
the people assemble and make a great feast, dance,
and carry upon their shoulders a platform upon which
the new Rajah exhibits himself in a dance.
" There are on the island deer, hog-deer, monkeys,
hogs, dogs, and cats. The Malays have also buffaloes,
goats, and four or five horses. Snakes are numerous.
There are no singing-birds, but many small green
NYAS. 379
parrots. Fowls are raised in small numbers and com-
mand a high price.
" The more common fruits of the climate have been
introduced by the Malays. Coffee is raised, though
inferior in quality to that of Padang. Beside slaves,
rice is the only article of exportation, and this must
be transplanted in order to yield well.
"Hogs are the principal food of the Nyas, and
their consumption forms the great distinction between
themselves and their Mohammedan neighbors.*
"A few edible birds' -nests are obtained in the north,
and sold to the Chinese at twelve dollars per pound,
averaging about thirty to the pound.
"The water is said to be good, which is possible,
where the springs are in the coral rock. The island
is generally healthy. Last year the small-pox raged
fearfully.
"The Nyas have no temples, or what may be
strictly called, public priests. They have no holi-
days. They believe in two gods, Love Langi, the
benevolent god above, and the least powerful, and Batoe
Bedani, Satan, who has power over all men and evils
in this world. To the latter they make all sacrifices,
as being the most powerful, by the intervention, how-
ever, of the images in their houses. Besides these
* It is possible that this enormous amount of pork consumed
may be the cause of the kind of leprosy, or white scurf, which is
nearly universal among the Nyas, and very disgusting to Eu-
ropeans.
380 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
representations of Satan, they have in their houses
images of all their family who have died, and when
they make a feast, they give a portion to these ; be-
lieving that when they cease paying their respects to
the dead evil will befall them. They have, also, at-
tached to the handle of their krises, a charm, to pre-
vent a blow upon the head, and two or three little
images, which are able to give rain when it is needed,
and direct them in the right road at night.
" They bury their dead in the northern districts,
generally beneath the ground, and in the southern,
above, generally near the house, under a small shed,
with a roof built up to a high peak, and terminating
in some sort of device.
"If a missionary wishes to reside in the island, he
would do well, as I have said before, to bring with
him his household furniture, iron work for building,
and stores, such as sugar, coffee, tea, etc., etc., and
goods for purchasing the necessaries of life, and
making some few presents. Goods should consist of
tobacco, iron and steel, and coarse cloths particularly.
When arrived here, he should pay his respects imme-
diately to all the chiefs in the district ; state distinctly
that he is not a Dutchman, but an American. He
should ask them for a piece of land, or. rather, select
a piece and tell them he wishes to build upon it. His
timber he will purchase cheap. Laborers he will
obtain, who will make his house after a fashion, if he
can have ' patience to give them an exact plan, and
NTAS. 381
show them all the parts. When he is ready to raise
it, he must purchase a few hogs, and get ready a few
pieces of cloth, and invite all the chiefs of the district.
They will come, bring" some of their followers, par-
take of his feast, receive his presents, raise his house,
confer upon him a Nyas name, and he will ever be
considered an initiated citizen, able to go anywhere in
the district, unattended, and be admitted to sit in the
bitjaras of the chiefs. This ground he can fence in,
too, and cultivate, and it will ever after be considered
his property.
"He would do well to raise his own vegetables,
fruits, fowls, hogs, sheep, and to keep a horse, with a
saddle and bridle. Rice and potatoes he could always
purchase cheap, with goods. He must, of course,
first obtain leave of the Resident at Padang before he
establishes himself permanently.
" The farming utensils of the Nyas are extremely
simple. The men are of middle stature, well made,
and manly in appearance. Many of them have fine
foreheads. They have no beard, and their hair is
black and straight like the Malays and Javanese.
The women are short, thick, and heavily made, gen-
erally bandy-legged, and with an awkward, waddling
gait. The people here are neither so neat nor so in-
telligent as those of Batu, the reason being that the
emigrants to that group were from the south of this
island, which is superior to the north in every thing
but peaceableness. "
882 THE MAETYE OF 8UMATEA.
"The southerners live in fortified villages, have
more trade, more ingenuity, more independence, and
more nationality of character. The Batu people
combine with these qualities the gentleness of the
northerners.
"The people here live in detached houses of an
oval or circular form, always well placed, and some-
times fortified. But they are small, ill-built, and
dirty, compared with those of Batu.
" June Qth. Spent the whole day in going to
Gunong Si Toolis, encountering head-winds and a
squall.
"June 7th. Left our praou at anchor in the bay,
and in the lampan or skiff proceeded up the river and
landed at the Malay campong. This is situated some
little distance from the banks, amidst a grove of
cocoa-nut and durion-trees. It is damp, filthy, and
unhealthy.
" The people seemed interested in our exposition of
our object, and Hadji Palembang, son-in-law of the
Datoek, the most intelligent Malay here, who speaks
a little Arabic, Portuguese, Chinese, and English,
and is one of the Panghooloos, or members of council,
said he had no children, but if we would establish a
school he would give a building for it, and see that
the Malay children were gathered in ; also, that we
might obtain a suitable teacher here for about three
dollars per month, payable in goods. About fifty
people came in and listened to the bechara or bitjara ;
NY AS. 383
to a few we administered medicines. But as for books,
it was impossible to supply their demand. We had
application upon application all the time we remained,
till, after making at least fifty promises to bring more,
we became tired. It was with the greatest difficulty
that I brought away Medhurst's school-book. It
seemed as if every one could read. I think I never
before met with more free, frank, open-hearted, intel-
ligent Malays.
" June 8th. After breakfast visited the Malay vil-
lage with my medicine, fifty tracts, and a volume of
the New Testament. The books went like the dew ;
and I was obliged not only to use sharp language, but
to pull them away by force from those who could
read none, or but little, and who had taken them from
the bundle before I was aware. In point of intel-
ligence and vivacity I have never seen any Malays
like them ; and to-day, as I went from house to house,
I was surprised to find that the children were as fair
as Nyas children of the same age, and as bright and
intelligent ; they approach so much nearer than the
Malays of Java to Europeans, that I could hardly
persuade myself that they were pure Malay, but the
inhabitants assured me that they were.
" The house of Nakhoda Si Addi, is more than
seventy feet long, and so well fortified with a stone
wall eight feet in height, and a ditch four feet deep
and six wide, that as I entered its arched gate, or
rather the wicket in the large gate, above which were
384 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
swivels, a gong, etc., I thought I was entering the
castle of some feudal lord of former times."
Juno 9th was devoted to a visit to the Rajah of
Gunong Si Toolis. After various difficulties in pro-
curing an interpreter, etc., the party set out, and
being, through the ignorance of their guide, led fur-
ther than was necessary, did not reach their praou
till evening, exhausted by twenty-five miles of most
fatiguing travel, which had been performed without
other refreshment than a bit of cocoa-nut. But from
this chief they received the same encouragement as
from the others. He and his people were ready to
welcome the ministers of Christ.
" About four o'clock, p. M., the anchor was hoisted
and we sailed rapidly down the coast ; our helmsman
wishing to go south before he crosses over to Tappa-
nooly, rather than directly across, on account of
breakers occasioned by Drake's reef.
" Our visit has been, indeed, short, and our inves-
tigations brief. But we think we have acquired
sufficient information to direct the movements of the
Board, and further explorations would be attended by
extra expense and danger.
" The island is divided into several small districts,
containing a number of villages. Over each village is
a chief, and over the whole district is a head chief, or
two who act as colleagues. The district chiefs, how-
ever, exercise no unlimited power, but are merely
moderators of their councils, etc. And in South
NYAS. 385
Nyas each village is often quite independent. In the
middle and northern portion of the island all causes
are decided, and all justice consummated by a council
of all the chiefs in the district, in which they use the
court or high dialect The great mass of the popula-
tion reside in the southern part of the island in walled
villages, while in the middle and northern part the
people are more scattered ; and, though living on the
summits of the hills, do not generally build in com-
pact bodies, or in rows of connected houses. Their
dwellings are detached and circular. The south is
more given to trade than the north : principally in
slaves and rice, which they exchange for tobacco, iron,
steel, and cloths. The people in the interior trade
with the Rajah nearest the coast, and he with the
boats and ships. The slave-trade curses this island
also, and the greatness of a man is known by the
number of heads he possesses. Foreign heads stand
in great estimation. Those of the Chinese higher
than the Malays, and white men higher than either.
The rich buy them of their poorer neighbors who are
so fortunate as to take them.
" Their offensive armor is a spear and two knives, or
krises, one perhaps eighteen inches, the other two feet
in length. The spears are of their own manufacture ;
the head is of steel, sometimes straight, at others
with an inverted prong, sharp on its outer edge.
The handle is of a dark-colored, hard wood; some-
times ornamented with plates of braided rattan, lead,
17
386 THE MAKTYB OF SUMATRA.
steel, or brass, two inches asunder ; sometimes inlaid
with a spiral plate of brass one half or three fourths
of an inch in width, and sometimes ernamented just
below the head with a tuft of hair, according to the
fancy of the owner. The knives are also native,
with wooden sheaths ornamented like the spear han-
dle, or plain, according to fancy. The smaller is the
common knife, which they employ for all the purposes
for which we use a multitude of complicated tools,
and it is never laid aside at home or abroad. It is
generally plain and made for hard work. The larger
is a full-dress weapon, for purposes of war. A large
ball is formed by binding some light substance on
the outside just below the hilt, as a guard for the
hand ; on the outside of this are bound by narrow
strips of different colored cloths, little wooden images,
whose province is to give rain, direct the way in the
night, etc. ; besides these, there are various other
ornaments, according to the taste or wealth of the
owner.
"Their defensive armor consists of a light, oblong
wooden shield, and in some cases, a wooden breast-
plate, and a jacket reaching to the hips, made of the
bark of trees, or of cotton of native manufacture,
woven without seam, thick and hard, offering nearly
as much resistance as a coat of mail; or they wear
four, five, or six jackets of different kinds of cloth
for the same purpose. The native jacket they value
at about eighty cents or a Spanish dollar, payable in
NY AS. 387
goods; the shield at the same; and the spear and
knives according to quality, varying from eighty cents
to four dollars each.
" In the use of their weapons they are very expert,
and for a little tobacco any one of them will go
through with the evolutions. These consist in dex-
terously throwing the body from side to side, into the
air, and again squatting, constantly defending it with
the shield, and brandishing the spear until it leaves
the hand, when the knife is drawn and a tremendous
onset is made with that. Their aim is taken just
over the upper left corner of the shield. Not only
would it be difficult to one unaccustomed to their
movements to hit them with a spear, but they will
allow a person to throw stones at them as fast as pos-
sible, one at a time.
" Southern Nyas is the most populous. One vil-
lage there, Baba Babds town, contains two thousand
men, the same as the whole district of Erenoqeah or
Larago (Gunong Stolis), and another has one thou-
sand five hundred men, Paleta's town. The Nyas
reckon more women than men, and from all we have
seen and heard, we should say the smallest calculation
for children would be equal to both, and I should think
it might be even double the number of men and wo-
men. Taking, however, the equality, we make eight
thousand people in one village, and six thousand in
another.
" Of the Malays who have established themselves
388 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
in villages on Nyas, it is said they do not lose sight
of education or religion, but like most other Malays,
they have only the form even of Mohammedan godli-
ness. They have one miserably poor mosque and
two praying places only. Their priests are eight,
and hadjis three. I saw some half dozen or more
copies of the Koran in different houses ; the first I
have ever seen among the Malays. Some few Arabs
reside here, who, of course, are rigid followers of the
false prophet ; but they never can influence the Ma-
lays where their own interest is concerned. Some of
the Malays I think would oppose a mission on their
own account.
" The population we had no means of ascertaining ;
yet I should suppose it would be safe to put it at two
hundred thousand.
" The missionaries on Nyas will find that letters
from government, etc., will not procure for them so
much respect and attention as their American name,
their own character, and their own purses. The
Dutch name is everywhere feared by the Malays.
By no people, perhaps, is it more hated, than by the
Achinese ; whereas they hail as a friend every English-
man or American. Still, the favor of government
must be obtained so far as residence, etc., is concerned.
And nominally, government affords protection to all
who have leave of residence, by application to the
nearest civil officer ; but it is such a heavy machine,
and moves so slowly through its different grades of
N T A S . 389
officers, and under-officers, that the best protection
would always be the affections of the people among
whom the missionary resides.
" We observed among them no signs of musical
taste. We saw no instruments of native manufacture,
except, perhaps, one or two rude drums, which must
have been patterned after the Malays. Their song,
which accompanies the dance, is a rude kind of
bawling.
"All the attempts of a missionary nature that
have been made among this people, were by two
French papists, about two years since. They ob-
tained Nyas servants at Penang, and learned a little
of the language. One of the servants became a
convert. They arrived at Padang ; spent a short
time in visiting the military posts on Sumatra ; and
were well received by the Catholic officers and soldiers.
They were, from all we learn, monkish, clownish en-
thusiasts. Their pay was but one hundred Spanish
dollars per annum, and they were miserably fitted
out. They, however, refused all assistance for them-
selves, but willingly received old clothes from the
officers, to give to the Nyas. One of them embarked
at Padang, in a little open boat, which, after he had
put in his own baggage, scarcely contained room for
himself. He arrived at Gunong Stolis, and was
kindly received by Messam, who offered him his own
house. But he chose rather to erect a little miserable
open shed, on the hill, near the house of a petty chief.
390 THE M.ARTYR OF SUMATRA.
He visited among the people, and obtained a child of
that chief as his pupil ; but in a short time took a
fever, and died. His servant, also, had the same
fever, but returned soon after to Padang, and resided
a while with Mr. Embrycht. This man was hardly
dead, and his goods sealed up, ere the other came,
having embarked at Natal, where he had been to visit
the upper stations of the Dutch. But the fever was
already upon him, and he only landed at Gunong
Stolis, to linger out eight or ten days, and go to his
final account.
" The papists do not yet despair. They have held
correspondence with Mr. Embrycht on the subject of
sending out other men, and expressed a determination
to do so. It would be a very easy matter for the fol-
lowers of the Pope to substitute their pictures and idols
for the idols of the Nyas, and engraft their mum-
meries, and impose their dazzling, pompous ceremonies
upon them. They would not, like the Mohammedans,
meet an insuperable obstacle at the threshold : an un-
conquerable attachment to pork.
" In the summer of the present year six French
Catholic priests came to Batavia, three of whom pro-
ceeded toward Cochin China and Siam, and three to
Padang. The latter, on arriving at their destination,
began to study the Nyas language, and officiate in the
mean time among the Catholic soldiers found there.
One of them, however, finding his salary, one hun-
dred dollars per annum, too small, returned to
NT AS. 891
Batavia in the same vessel that took them from
thence, to remonstrate with their superiors on the
necessity of increasing their allowances ; but, after a
short conference with his friends here, he proceeded
immediately to Macao. The Praefectus Apostolicus
Scholten, who presides over all the Catholics in
Netherlands' India, went this fall, in person, to
Padang ; doubtless with a view of arranging and con-
solidating their missions in Sumatra ; from thence he
goes to Rome, for which he has obtained leave of
absence for two years. From all this we may pre-
mise that, the Catholics intend doing great things in
that quarter.
"How long the people may be preserved in a wait-
ing posture, for American Christians to lead them to
the fountain of life, who can tell ? The curse may
even now be hanging over them, ready to fall in the
shape of Papal delusion, or Mohammedan hatred.
The time for action is the present. The Lord will
give success. Their houses shall be purified, and
Satan no longer command the offerings of the family
altar. Their hearts shall be cleansed and rejoice in
redeeming love, while the sound of the church-going
bell shall soon peal over these valleys, and reverberate
among the hills, and echo shall answer to echo, as the
songs of salvation rise from the full choir of the con-
gregated multitudes."
Two or three letters will conclude this chapter.
392 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Surely, had Henry Lyman known that they were his
last, they could hardly have been different.
From a letter to his wife, dated "just below Tap-
panooly, June 15th, 1834," we make the following
extract :
"We have finished our researches on Nyas, and
are on the point of entering Tappanooly bay, to make
the Batta tour. Our health has been extremely good,
our labors, at times, severe, our accommodations small
and filthy. Since we left Nyas we have been exposed
to something of a squall, considering how small our
boat is, but
" ' The gates of the devouring grave
Are opened wide in vain,
If He that holds the keys of death
Commands them fast again.'
" Four of our little number have been laid aside by
sickness from their labor. We have climbed the hills,
waded knee-deep through the soft clay, tumbled up
and down rocky precipices, or slid over those of clay ;
measured the long beaches reflecting from their white
sand the noon-day sun, have been exposed all day in
a little canoe on the ocean ; threatened with destruction
in our praou, toiled from six A. M. to eight P. M.
without a mouthful of food ; and we must acknowledge
the goodness of God in delivering us out of all these
trials, and bringing us in health, safety, and pros-
perity to this place : and shall we distrust Him for the
future ? No. He who has saved us, still will save.
NYAS. 393
We trust all to Him, and, relying on His almighty
arm, go on cheerfully to the remainder of our labor,
whether for life or for death. I would not, if I could,
return home before the work is completed. When it
is done, if the Lord spares us all, you may hope
again to see my long, homely face. Till then be not
over anxious.
" I have collected about two bushels of shells, and
intended to send them on direct from Padang to
Amherst College, but I have changed my mind, and,
if you like, will carry them home, and we will spend
an hour a day in studying conchology, and then for-
ward them. * * *
" Tuesday Morning, June Vlth. By the good
Providence of God we were enabled, Sabbath evening,
to come under Poeloe Ely just as a heavy squall met
us from the north-west, accompanied by a flood of
rain. Had we been out at sea I think we must have
been lost, for I doubt if our frail bark would have
weathered the storm. We are now safe inside Tap-
panooly bay, with a prospect of leaving the praou to-
morrow. Glad shall we be. We have slept on board
of it forty nights, and have been sailing, in that time,
more than twenty days. Every thing has reached
the ne plus ultra of all possible filth. Our men are
bad navigators, and as lazy as the day is hot. Had
we been in a good craft, well managed, we should have
saved one third of our time.
"This bay is truly beautiful. The mountains from
17*
894 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
its gracefully-curved shore rise ridge above ridge,
and peak above peak, in majestic wildness, here
deeply furrowed by valleys and defiles, and the wild-
ness broken in upon by the husbandman's toil, so that
the green fields look out in gladness; while there,
nought but the somber hue of forests, terminating
only with the highest peaks, presents a vivid picture
of the natural character of its inhabitants. Far up at
the left is Pangchun island where we are to land
with its fort. The flag is visible with the glass.
Till we stop there, farewell.
TO A SISTER-IN-LAW.
"Praou 'TANJAH,' west coast of Sumatra, a little
below Tappanooly, June 15th, 1834.
"MY DEAR MARY:
" Allowing for the difference of longitude, you have
not yet consulted your Daily Food. When you do,
your thoughts will doubtless run in the same channel
that mine have, as you read, ' In the world ye shall
have tribulation ; but be of good cheer, I have over-
come the world.' The chapter of Baxter's Saints'
Rest, which occurred this morning in my course of
reading, was quite a comment upon it, and although
the whole work, is interesting at any time, occurring as
this did; so apropos, has made it doubly so. How
ashamed we shall be at the judgment day, when we
look back, and see how little we have kept in view
the prize of our discipleship. Our Saviour informs
NT AS. 395
us in the outset, that in the world we ' shall have
tribulation.' But when afflictions come, we exclaim
that all these things are against us, and envy those
who are freed therefrom. We would feign believe
that because we are the children of God, He is bound
to free us from the common evils of life, and make
all our way smooth and easy. God has nowhere thus
promised. He will send His rain on the evil and the
good ; He will send tribulation, not free us from it.
He fulfills his part of the covenant, not by
" ' Our being carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease, 1
but by comforting and sustaining us,
" ' While we fight hard to win the prize,
And sail through bloody seas.'
" It is in bearing us through the Red Sea, not in
destroying the enemies behind us, that the Lord dis-
plays His grace to His children. Had we no troubles,
how ill should we be fitted for our everlasting rest !
Our affections are all centered in the world, ' till af-
flictions cool and moderate them.' ' Afflictions speak
convincingly, and will be heard when preachers can.
not.' ' If our Lord did not put these thorns under
our head, we should sleep out our lives, and lose our
glory.' Every Christian, as well as Luther, may
call affliction one of his best school-masters ; and with
David he may say, ' Before I was afflicted I went
astray, but now have I kept thy word.' ' Oh, what
396 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
difference is there betwixt our prayers in health and
in sickness ; betwixt our repentings in prosperity and
adversity ! Alas ! if we did not sometimes feel the
spur, what a slow pace would most of us hold toward
heaven !' I believe the more we study the Divine
government and our own past experience, we shall find
that although at the time many things have appeared
dark and mysterious, yet all has been well ; there has
been no mistake in the government of God. Why,
then, is it that we are so slow to learn the lesson our
kind heavenly Father is desirous of teaching ? Why
can not we show our gratitude to the Redeemer by
trusting Him when clouds obscure the Sun of right-
eousness, or the cold damps of the world cut off the
soul-reviving rays of the Spirit? Oh what strange
creatures are we ! What strange things our hearts !
We see that prosperity makes us easy, happy, con-
tented here and yet we complain when that is sent
which tends to wean us away from earth, and center all
our affections in the object of the saint's love and the
angel's praise.
" Dear sister, I would say it to- my own heart, and
trust you will not object if I say, let us strive more
to look upon all the events of life as directed by the
hand of infinite wisdom ; upon all the adversities as
coming directly from Him ; though it may be through
the agency of some fellow-creature ; and learn a les-
jn from Providence for the benefit of our souls ; not
finding fault with ourselves as the objects of this ad-
NT AS. 397
versity, nor with our fellow-men in various circum-
stances of life, as the immediate agents of the evil.
If we can bring ourselves to ' be of good cheer' amid
the tribulations of the world, we shall let our light so
shine before men, that others, seeing our good works,
shall be led to glorify our Father who is in heaven.
Read the whole of that tenth chapter of Baxter ; if
it does you as much good as it has done me, you will
find yourself amply repaid.
"I do not forget that, while rocked about in the
filthy hold of this little praou, in a room partitioned
off at the ends by mats, scarcely six feet long and
eight broad, with only room sufficient to sit and lie
down, and eat on the floor or on chests, God is as
near as He will be in your large, airy, nicely-finished
church. But really it seems as if it would refresh
my soul once more to unite with your large congrega-
tion of intelligent Christians in the worship of the
sanctuary; especially to have my thoughts raised
upward, my heart melted, and my soul brought into
sweet unison with the solemnities of the day, by the
performance of your well-trained choir, and the full-
swelling notes or softening melody of your fine organ.
But farewell ! a long farewell ! ! I have voluntarily
given up this, to me most exquisite pleasure, and ex-
pect on earth to receive no equivalent, until I can,
Sabbath after Sabbath, look over a throng of those
now dreaming out existence in the darkness of hea-
thenism, and hear from them songs dictated by hearts
398 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
warm with a new redemption. Oh how I long to
stand, like Richmond, on some eminence, and view
the crowded avenues of the multitudes flocking to
hear the word of life ! Perhaps this goodly sight
will never be granted me. I may be doomed always
to go out into the wilderness, leveling the mountains
and raising the valleys, and preparing a way. If
the Lord chooses so to employ me, His will be done.
But there is one consolation. Glory, glory to God in
the highest ! Let us rejoice and triumph in it ! There
is a consolation ! There is an organ there is a choir !
But human hands ply not the keys, and human voices
raise not the sound. Now and then we catch a gentle
whisper of the symphony, as it comes wafted on some
gentle breeze. But soon, Mary ! soon we shall
swell our voices as never yet they have poured forth
notes. Higher and higher yet shall they rise, and
the soul with all its powers join, till all enwrapped in
the harmony, without fatigue, or dread of its close,
we shall no more envy the choirs of earth, nor sigh
for joys marred by cumbering flesh." * * *
III.
0, weep not for him I He but rose to his rest,
From his own lov'd land of the fervid line,
With his silvery sheaves of the dawn all gleaned,
Ere bright dews blazoned the sun's decline.
He shall toil with tears In the gloom of a dim
Lone harvest no more. Oh ! weep not for him I
Weep not I In the home where the sinless meet,
Lingers no lonely yearning for this,
As the pilgrims sorrow'd and smil'd the while
In dreams, o'er the visions of banish'd bliss :
No sorrow enters that radiant realm,
No mourning, no yearning; oh! weep not for them!
ANONYMOUS.
Grant, Lord, that in all our sufferings here upon earth, for the
testimony of thy truth, we may steadfastly look up to heaven, and,
by faith, behold the glory that shall be revealed ; and being filled
with the Holy Ghost, may learn to bless our persecutors by the
example of thy first martyr, St. Stephen, who prayed for his mur-
derers to thee, blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand
of God to succor all those that suffer for thee, our only " Mediator
and Advocate." COLLECT TOR ST. STEPHEN'S DAT.
XII.
IF there had been any one portion of their field of
labor toward which the hearts of Munson and Lyman
had turned with especial longing, it had been the
island of Nyas. Yet they had quietly relinquished
the exploration of the southern and more interesting
part of it, because "it would be dangerous in the
extreme ;" "a risk they had no right to run."
They reached Tappanooly June 17th, and the Post-
holder says, were earnestly dissuaded from attempting
to prosecute their journey. Three men in office under
the Dutch government told them they would be in
danger from the natives, yet they went on, like ob-
stinate men, careless of life, not even mentioning in
letters to their wives that such statements had been
made to them. They were met on their journey by
natives, apparently friendly to them, who informed
them of fearful hazard ; still these missionaries who
so carefully balanced probabilities, and sifted truth
from chaff on Nyas, refused to return, but proceeded !
We can not but feel that the case needs only to be
thus put, in order to clear the missionaries from any
402 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
suspicion of rashness. It is incredible that one month
could have changed them from careful and considerate,
into reckless and headstrong men.
The friends of Henry Lyman have always dis-
believed the statements made by the Post-holder con-
cerning his own course, since no record can be found
of it in communications of either gentleman. More-
over, to allow them quietly to go off, and then, fearing
blame from his own government, to attempt to excul-
pate himself, by charging the dead with obstinacy, is
in exact accordance with the representations uniformly
given of the course of similar officials in Netherlands'
India.
We proceed to give the last written words of Mr.
Lyman, who thus concludes his letter to his wife, of
Sunday, June 22d :
' ' We leave to-morrow, accompanied by eight coolies
for carrying our baggage, an opas, or police-runner, to
look after them, a Malay Rajah as interpreter, and my
instructor, our cook (a Nyas man), and Ian Cing Sa.'
Mr. M.'s Chinese teacher remains here. You would
laugh to see how our baggage has dwindled down.
[Then follows a list of articles taken.] Every thing
else we send back to Padang. You will learn some
things from our letter to the Board which M. has
written. We expect to be absent from this place one
month. If no longer, you may expect to see us in two,
if our health is preserved, and we are not detained for
want of a passage, which will probably be the case, so
THE MARTYRDOM. 403
that we may not arrive in Batavia before three months
from this.
" We expect many difficulties in our route, but
when you receive this they will probably be all passed,
and we safe again under the roof of our very kind
friend, Mr. Bonnett. The Lord keep you and us is
the prayer of your husband."
The many difficulties expected are explained in the
following communication, and will be seen to arise not
from the ferocity of men :
TAPPANOOLT, June 22d, 1834.
REV. DR. ANDERSON,
Secretary of the A. B. C. F. M.
DEAR SIR : We can not permit any favorable
opportunity of acquainting you with our circumstances
to pass unimproved. Since we last wrote you from
Poeloe Batoe we have finished our observations there,
also on the island of Nyas, and have arrived in safety
at this place. Though some of our boatmen were
visited by disease, yet our own lives and health have
been mercifully preserved.
We can not, in a single letter, fully communicate
the result of our observations, yet we wish to give
you the impressions that have been gradually spring-
ing up and maturing in our own minds. The facts
from which these impressions have originated will be
stated at length in our report to the Board. But, in
the mean time, we would say we have decided to
404 THE MARTYR O.F SUMATRA.
recommend strongly to the Committee the immediate
establishment of a mission among the Nyas people.
Padang, as we before stated, holds out every possible
facility for the acquisition of the language, and for
reducing it to writing. The Batoe islands offer a safe
retreat for the commencement of a mission. Four or
five thousand inhabitants grouped together in singu-
larly compact villages of from fifty to three or four
hundred souls each, present many and great advan-
tages for familiar intercourse with the people, for the
establishment of schools, and, indeed, for introducing
and carrying forward the whole train of missionary
operations. Our impressions respecting the charac-
ter of the Nyas people are exceedingly favorable. We
consider them as superior to the Malays in every
respect, except that the latter are able to read. After
the most diligent and repeated inquiries we can not
learn that any customs or prejudices prevail among
them which will be likely to hinder the progress of
the truth.
From Batoe we had a quick passage to Nyas, where
we remained two weeks. We visited Sumbawa, Mana,
and Goenong Stoli, and called on several Rajahs ; but
did not penetrate far into the interior. The reason
of these partial investigations on Nyas will be fully
stated in our report. But we now say in a word, it
is unsafe travelling in the interior of the island.
After the information we gained at Batoe, we did not
think that the object to be gained by a journey inland
THE MARTYRDOM. 405
would compensate for the time, the labor, and ex-
pense. There are some places in Nyas where a
missionary might live in safety, yet we do not con-
sider it as the best point to commence the work of
reform. We arrived at this place last Tuesday, since
which we have been making diligent preparations for
our journey into the Batta country, hoping to pene-
trate as far as the great lake which is in the heart of
the Batta territory; and return by another route to
this place. Mr. Bonnett, the Post-holder here, who,
though a Catholic, treats us with great kindness, has
himself been in the country. He thinks we may be
able to accomplish the journey in one month. All
testimonies concur in pronouncing the way very
difficult, owing to high mountains and impenetrable
forests. Our arrangements are now completed, and to-
morrow we start. Should we return in one month we
may possibly reach Batavia early in September. Thus
far the Lord has prospered us beyond our expectations.
We trust the Board and the churches will make every
possible exertion to follow up these incipient efforts,
and to thrust in laborers wherever the fields are white
and ready to harvest. The work that has been as-
signed us is beset with perplexities ; it is laborious
and trying to both body and mind. Yet we labor
cheerfully. Our greatest danger is that our faith will
fail us, and the grand object be lost in the shade of
minor considerations.
Yesterday we visited the village where Mr. Burton
406 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
formerly resided ; but nearly all traces of his opera-
tions are now obliterated. His house is removed, his
school scattered, and, indeed, no vestige of missionary
efforts now remains. With many prayers that you
and we may be guided by unerring wisdom,
We remain, dear sir,
Yours very truly,
SAMUEL MUNSON.
HENRY LYMAN.
Alas ! alas ! we can not trace the route of these
beloved men. The documents that follow are all the
intelligence we have of their fate. The Post-holder's
letter of self-justification is hardly corroborated by the
account of Si Jan, who had been some years in the
employ of the missionaries at Batavia, and who,
though simple, was believed to be truthful.
LETTER FROM MR. BONNETT.
"TAPPANOOLY, July Id, 1834.
" To my bitter grief I find myself under the neces-
sity of communicating to you the following melancholy
account :
" On the 17th of June there arrived here, on board
the praou Tanjah, under the command of Malim
Soctan, from Padang and Nyas, the Rev. Messrs.
Lyman and Munson, both American missionaries of
the reformed persuasion, who informed me that it was
their intention to undertake a journey into the Batta
THE MARTYEDOM. 407
country, to Tobah, etc., for which end they requested
my assistance in the providing the necessary guides,
interpreters, and coolies for their baggage, which were
accordingly provided by me, consisting of fourteen
persons, viz : Datoek Radjae Mankoeta, the head of
Kalangan district, together with a police-runner,
named Si Rakim, and ten coolies, to which were
added their own two servants; but not before I
myself, together with the second lieutenant, Schack,
military commandant here, and Mr. Sickman, com-
mander of his Netherlands majesty's schooner Argo,
had most strongly dissuaded them from their purpose,
but in vain. On the 23d of June they went from the
island on which the fort was built, by way of Tappa-
nooly to Tobah, and on the 30th there appeared before
me the above-named Datoek Radjae Mankoeta, the
police-runner, all the coolies, and one of the servants
of the above-named gentlemen, called Si Jan, return-
ing out of the Batta country, who, both severally and
collectively, related to me the following tale :
<: That after their departure from Tappanooly they
passed the first night in the village of Si Boenga-
Boenga, at the house of Rajah Si Boendae ; the
second night in the village of Rappet, at the dwelling
of Rajah Swasa; the third at Pagerau Sambong, at
the place of Rajah Gooroo Si Nongan ; and from
thence they went to Goeting, to the house of Rajah
Amani Bussir (iron father), by all which chiefs they
were received with hospitality and respect, who. not-
408 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
withstanding, most strongly advised them not to prose-
cute their journey any further towards Tobah, saying
that at Tobah there existed disturbances ; that at that
moment the journey was not to be undertaken without
danger, and that they could not, and would not, be
responsible for the consequences. To which Messrs.
Lyman and Munson gave answer to the Rajahs, -that
since they came not as enemies but as friends to visit
the Batta country, they had therefore no reason to
fear the least danger, and thus they would prosecute
their journey to Tobah. In this resolution they
remained firm till the 28th, when they again pros-
ecuted their journey from Goeting toward the village
Sukka, at Selingdong, with the intention of spending
the night with the Rajah Berampak, at that place.
While they were upon the march, about half way
there, just at noon, they were met by five armed
Batta people, who entreated them to return, and not
to prosecute their journey any further if they would
avoid exposing their lives to danger.
' ' That the above-named gentlemen, notwithstanding
all these warnings, and the urgent request of their
own followers to return, would pay no attention to all
this ; and the five Battas, after being provided with a
little tobacco, were sent back with orders to tell their
Rajah that they saw no danger in prosecuting their
journey to Tobah, since they came to visit them as
friends and not as enemies. Whereupon they pro-
ceeded upon their march, till about 4 p. M., when
THE MARTYRDOM. 409
suddenly they saw themselves surrounded, in a wood,
by a band of about two hundred armed Battas, who
made them lay down their arms, and then inhumanly
murdered both Messrs. Lyman and Munson, and one
of their servants. In the mean time the rest were
enabled, after having forsaken the baggage, to jump
into the thicket and, by flight, to save themselves.
" That they, on their retfeat hither wards, had heard
that Mr. Lyman and his servant, the same evening on
which they were murdered, and Mr. Munson the fol-
lowing, morning, had been made away with by their
murderers.
"You will thus, by this declaration, be pleased to
observe, that however great this misfortune has been,
the gentlemen themselves have been much to blame,
because neither here nor in the Batta country, would
they give ear to any one's warning or good counsel.
"The property of the deceased, as much of it aa
was found here, shall be sent by me to Mr. Boyle, at
Padang, according to their request before they went
from hence into the Batta country."
Si Jan who returned to Batavia and was then ques-
tioned by Mr. Med hurst and Mesdames Munson and
Lyman. stated that, " they found the road exceedingly
difficult, consisting of hills and ravines covered with
thick forests, so steep in many places, that they were
obliged to ascend by means of rattans, tied from the
tops of rocks, and to descend on their haunches. The
coolies were compelled to tie their burdens on their
18
410 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
backs, being unable to carry them on their shoulders
or heads. The brethren, however, were enabled to
master these difficulties. The thicket was so dense,
that they were not much troubled with the heat of
the sun, and the road so solitary, that they seldom
met above four or five individuals in the course of a
day's march. No houses or villages were seen on the
road, and only at the end* of each day's journey did
they come to any thing like a village. The journey
was, of course, performed on foot, and yet they man-
aged to advance about ten or twelve miles per day.
When they arrived at a village, they were immedi-
ately surrounded by : multitudes of natives, men, wo-
men, and children, who showed no sort of timidity at
the presence of Europeans, but came boldly up to the
travelers, and examined their persons and dresses with
eagerness, asking importunately for tobacco. On the
second night after their departure, they fell in with a
Rajah Swasa, who told them that it would be better
not to attempt to enter the Batta country at first, but
stay at Pauchan until he should have time to go into
the interior and make inquiries, when he would send
them a letter from Tobah. to inform them whether or
not they would be well received. The brethren re-
plied, that they came with peaceable intentions, and
that there was' no necessity for such a measure." On
being questioned whether he had joined in persuading
the brethren not to proceed, Si Jan replied that ho
had not ; but while staying at Tappanooly and hearing
THE MARTYRDOM. 411
such fearful accounts from the Malays residing there,
of the murderous practices and cannabalic habits of
the Battas, he had requested Mr. Lyman to be allowed
to remain behind, with the Chinese teacher, but that
Mr. Lyman replied, he must go, and that they could
not do without him. He therefore went, accordingly.
The following village which they came to, with the
names of their Rajahs, Si Jan does not recollect ; he
only remembers crossing a very rapid river, which
they effected by swinging across on rattan, tied from
one side to the other. The day on which the brethren
fell, he thinks must be Saturday, because he heard
Mr. Lyman propose stopping a day at the next stage
for the Sabbath. He has no recollection of the Jive
Battas met* on the day of their murder, who cau-
tioned the brethren to return, nor any other warning
but that given by the Rajah Swasa.
It was Saturday, because Mr. Lyman proposed
stopping a day at the next stage for the Sabbath.
And on that Saturday morning, knowing from the
preceding pages something of the habits of the men,
we can picture a part at least of their procedure.
We can see them waked by the chattering of mon-
keys, or the shrill scream of the parrots, rising at
very early dawn, and can follow each as he goes like
Nathanael "under the fig-tree," to commune alone
with God. We can mark Lyman as, after gazing
abroad on the gorgeous display of vegetable life which
* According to Mr. Bonnett
412 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
surrounds him, he opens his Daily Food. It carries
his thoughts far away to " Pleasant Valley." The
widow and the fatherless rise before him, and he can
only find peace in trusting them to God. But there
is a nearer and dearer home, and his thoughts dwell
lovingly there, as he wonders whether his wife has
yet opened her eyes to the gladsome light. 0, how
his whole frame quivers with emotion as he remem-
bers that she may be stretched upon a sick-bed, may
be dead !
He opens the little book and reads,
" The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob
is our refuge." Psalm xlvi. 7.
" Great God, assist mo through the fight,
Make me tiiumphant in thy might:
Thou the desponding heart can raise
The victory thine, and thine the praise."
" We are more than conquerors through Him that
loved us." Romans, viii. 37.
Ah ! his eye is dry now. His fears are gone.
That dreadful sinking of heart is "swallowed up in
victory." He falls on his knees. Who that ever
joined with Henry Lyman in prayer, but can think
how he poured forth his thanksgiving for such " a
strong-hold in the day of trouble" for such a
Saviour. Like Paul he exulted in hope of the glory
of God. Strengthened, invigorated, calmed, he joins
his companion at their frugal meal.
Then comes their family prayer, and they read
THE MARTYRDOM. 413
aloud that precious ninety-first Psalm. It is a new
sound for Sumatran breezes to catch. Angels rejoice
as amid the perfume of wild spices floats on the air :
" He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most
High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."
The attendants know not the meaning of the words,
they join not in the fervent worship that follows, but
they see the face of each "as it had been the face of
an angel," and they reverence that which they can not
comprehend.
Si Jan tells us not of the especial perils of that
day, but we know that whatever they were, One was
with them ; that their weary feet forgot fatigue in the
recollection of those which trod the ascent to Calvary ;
that the heated brow was refreshed by a thought of
the crown of thorns, and as we read the concluding
statement of Si Jan, we feel that in that short and
fearful encounter, in those dying moments, they wore
"more than conquerors through Him that loved"
them.
This is what Jan says :
" About four o'clock in the afternoon of that day,
they came suddenly upon a log fort, which was occupied
by a number of men armed with muskets, spears, etc.
To this fort they had approached within a hundred
yards without being aware of it. On spying the fort
and the men ; the interpreter offered to go first and
parley with them. After him followed the coolies
with the baggage, and the brethren, their two servants,
414 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
and the police-runner behind. When the interpreter
arrived at the fort, Si Jan heard a disturbance, and
on looking round, found a band of about two hundred
armed men close upon them, from the side and the
rear. The coolies, upon seeing the troop, and hearing
the noise, threw down their burdens and fled, escaping
on the other side ; the interpreter also became invisi-
ble. Immediately the crowd of Battas came upon
them, hallooing and brandishing their weapons, threat-
ing to dispatch the travellers at once. They came so
near with their pointed spears and muskets, that Mr.
Lyman was enabled to push by their weapons with
his hands, entreating them to wait a little, and come
to an explanation, taking off, at the same time, their
hats and throwing them to them, with some tobacco
which they had. This not pacifying the rabble, Mr.
Lyman delivered up his pistols, as did also Mr. Mun-
son, which were received and handed to the rest, but
the disturbance continued. Mr. Lyman then asked
Si Jan for the musket which he carried, but Si Jan
refused to deliver it up, saying he then should be left
defenceless. Si Jan even offered to fire, but Mr. Ly-
man withheld him, and asked for the musket for his
own use. Si Jan gave it to him accordingly, and Mr.
Lyman immediately handed it over to the Battas.
Mr. Lyman then said, ' Call the interpreter;' Si Jan
ran a little way to call him. but not perceiving him,
turned round to go to Mr. Lyman, when he heard the
report of a musket, and saw Mr. Lyman fall, calling
THE MARTYRDOM. 415
out 'Jan ! Jan !' A shout then rose from the Battas,
which was answered by those from the fort. A rush
was then made on Mr. Munson. who was run through
' O
the body and fell. Another shout then followed.
The cook, who had on a jacket given him by Mr.
Munson, was the next victim. On seeing the breth-
ren fall, he attempted to escape, but was pursued, and
by one blow of their cleavers, had his arm cut off,
while the cleaver went through the arm into his side.
Si Jan and the police-runner now ran for their lives,
and got into a' thicket at a short distance. Here they
secreted themselves under the bushes, and remained
all night (the evening shades having already set in),
until five o'clock next morning. While Si Jan was
in the thicket, he heard much shouting and rejoicing;
and about seven o'clock the Battas fired off all their
muskets, and then remained quiet."
The missionaries had resolved to rest for the Sab-
bath at Sacca. He who had " loved them even unto
the end;" He for whose dear sake they had rejoiced
to bear hunger, and toil, and pain; He had said,
" Come up higher." He had determined that " the
rest that remaineth for the people of God," and of
which, on their tour, He had afforded them such sweet
glimpses, should now be theirs. Sacca was but the
door to the blessed abode where they "go no more
out forever." Blessed privilege ! Only twenty- four
and a half years of the earthly, to be succeeded
by the everlasting heavenly inheritance. Their
416 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
Sabbath commenced at Sacca. It hath Dot yet
ended.
Later travelers have found that the poor natives
being at war with a neighboring village, were sus-
picious of all strangers, and rushed out to attack
these, slaying them before there was time for explan-
ations. And rarely has there been found in history
a more fearful instance of retribution than that re-
corded in the following words :
"When it became known from natives on the
coast, and from others on the road, that the brethren
were good men, and had come to do the Batta nation
good, all the villages around leagued together for
vengeance against the village where the outrage was
perpetrated, and to require blood for blood. The un-
happy village was named Sacca. In an unsuspected
hour the surrounding population came upon it, set the
houses on fire, killed as many of the inhabitants as
they could, and destroyed their gardens and fields.
Those who escaped were dispersed, some in one direc-
tion, and some in another, so that their community
was dissolved. In their fields, and the place where
their village stood, a thick jungle or swamp is now
growing up. and the name of Sacca is no more
heard."
From the "Memoir of Munson and Lyman" we
make the following extract of a letter addressed by
the Rev. Mr. Medhurst of Batavia, now of China, to
THE MARTYRDOM. 417
the Barnstable county Auxiliary Missionary Society,
which had supported Mr. Munson :
" By the report of the Post-holder, he appears to
have freely offered to the brethren his advice, and
strongly to have persuaded them against the journey ;
yea, he repeats this so often, and urges it by so many
considerations, as strongly to excite the suspicion that
he is mainly anxious to exonerate himself from blame
in allowing them to proceed on such a dangerous ex-
pedition. The impression on my mind is that he did
not use those strong dissuasives which he gives out,
and that, on the contrary, he represented the journey
as comparatively free from danger, though the travel-
ing would be extremely difficult. This appears from
a letter written by Mr. Munson the day previous to
his departure from Tappanooly, and by the report of
the Chinese teacher, who speaks much more strongly
on the subject than I have ventured to insert in the
report. I have been a traveler myself on exploring
tours something similar to those undertaken by our
beloved brethren, and I know that it is exceedingly
difficult for travelers to know how to act on the advice
given them. Sometimes I have had an undertaking
represented to me as certain destruction, when the
result has turned out favorable, and, on the other
hand, have not recived a single warning when dangers
thick and many awaited me. If the brethren must,
therefore, perform the duties required of them, it was
incumbent on them frequently to act on their own
18*
418 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
judgment, independent of the advice given them, or
to compare different accounts together, and decide ac-
cording to their own impressions. A pusillanimous
and hesitating line of conduct is bad policy in the
common affairs of life, much more so on an exploring
tour. Something must be ventured, and we have
instances enough on record of the success attending
such expeditions, to encourage us to persevere, though
now and then a melancholy fact of a contrary nature,
to teach us not to presume. I am one of those who
do not regard missionaries as under peculiar protec-
tion as to temporals ; they must bear their share of
the ills of humanity as well as the rest of mankind.
This, however, is certain : a good man is immortal till
his work is done. Their warfare was accomplished,
the crown of glory was awaiting them, and the Lord
saw fit thus early to call them up to wear it. To
them sudden death was sudden glory ; they departed
and were with Christ, which was far better. The
manner of their death was violent, and, to human
feelings, dreadful ; but of Stephen, who died a more
dreadful death, an inspired penman assures us that
he ' fell asleep.' Thus of our brethren it may be said.
' they sleep in Jesus,' etc. With regard to the in-
terests of religion, and the salvation of the Battas,
the prospects, indeed, appear gloomy, and Zion may
mourn because her sons have fallen ; but when did
the interests of the Christian Church ever appear
more gloomy than when the disconsolate fellow-
THE MARTYRDOM. 419
travelers exclaimed, ''We hoped that it had been He
who should have redeemed Israel, and besides all this,
to-day is the third day since these things were done ;'
and yet, when did an event ever take place so favor-
able to the interests of true religion, and when before
were poor heart-broken saints so near the period of
their comfort ?"
We append Mrs. Lyman's own account of the
thunderbolt which this time fell not "near"* but in
the house :
" Language is utterly impotent to describe our
feelings at the reception of such tidings as fell upon
our ears September 4th, 1834.
" It was evening, and many of our American friends
who were to sail the next morning had called for the
last time. They congratulated us upon the arrival
of the vessel from Padang, and expressed many kind
wishes for the safe return of our dear husbands, whom
WA had been expecting to see all that day. No sooner
had they taken their leave than another carriage rolled
into the yard, at the sound of which we started, and
were at the door in a trice, confidently expecting to
meet those who had been the objects of our tenderest
solicitude for many months, but they were not there.
Judge then of our disappointment and surprise at
seeing our kind friends Mr. and Mrs. Medhurst who
we supposed were already in the chapel, it being a
* See page 304, chap. X.
420 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
little past the time for the commencement of the
evening lecture, to which I was about going.
"They met us not as usual with cheerful saluta-
tions, which led me for a moment to think that some
accident had befallen them. The question was asked ;
but no answer returned. Again Mrs. Munson asked,
' Mrs. Medhurst, is any thing the matter-?' My eye
at the same moment falling upon Mr. M.'s counten-
ance as the light from the verandah shone full in his
face, saw the struggle, and I answered, ' Yes.' How
changed now the scene ! A moment previous how
bright were our anticipations ; now, all was dark; fore-
bodings the most fearful took possession of our minds.
Not a word was spoken, and for some time our im-
aginations were left to picture out the most horrid
scenes of savage cruelty. At length the tale was
told, and our worst fears realized. Desolation swept
over us like a surge. It seemed as though we were
literally forsaken of God ; surely clouds and darkness
were round about the throne, and we were rcadv to
exclaim, 'To whom shall we flee?' All our plans
and most sanguine hopes for future usefulness were
suddenly destroyed, our offering seemed to be re-
jected, and we smitten by the ' rod of His wrath ;'
nevertheless it seemed just.
" True, our fears had been greatly excited in regard
to the dangers and difficulties they might be called to
encounter, but hope, at the same time, predominated.
We felt that they were in the path of duty, engaged
THE MARTYRDOM. 421
in the service of One who was able, and who would
protect them from all danger, and return them in
safety if it should be consistent with His designs of
mercy to a fallen race ; and the feeling of our hearts,
though unexpressed, was that their lives would be
precious in the sight of the Lord, inasmuch as He had
raised them up, qualified them for, and led them to,
that part of his vineyard which was so destitute of
laborers. But not so. Our ways were not the Lord's
ways, and it was some time ere we could adopt the
language, ' Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in
thy sight.'
" That night brought us nothing but the Post-
holder's communication to the governor, the main
object of which seemed to be to exonerate himself,
and to impute rashness to them. Thus another barb
was added to the sharp arrow which had already
pierced our hearts, and we knew not but the same mys-
tery and darkness might ever shroud the melancholy
evej|t. But the Lord in great mercy and kindness
permitted us to receive their journals and letters up to
the date of their entering the Batta country, which
was by no means a small consolation, although the
sight of them increased, if possible, the anguish of our
hearts; still it was again soothed in some degree
when we learned (that which I doubted not) from
their own writing that their waiting eyes were unto
the Lord ; by His Spirit they were guided, and ad-
422 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
vanced only in His strength, ready to be offered up
if the glory of God should require it.
" It was not until we could look away from ' things
that are seen to those unseen,' and see the 'great
refiner and purifier sitting by,' that we were enabled
through grace to say, ' Though He slay me, yet will I
trust in Him.'
"It now became necessary to prepare communica-
tions for the Board, and other friends, to bring all our
affairs to a close as speedily as possible, and to make
preparations for quiting the field which we had hoped
was to be the scene of our labor until death. Painful
as it was, we had scarcely a doubt in regard to the
expediency of such a course, for our spirits were so
crushed that we had neither strength of body or mind
to assist in carrying forward the great work to which
we had devoted our lives."
Nothing could exceed the kindness manifested for
the missionary ladies by the European population of
Batavia. A purse of $1,700 was presented to them,
and all vied in expressions of sympathy. Mr. and
Mrs. Medhurst especially, who well knew "the heart
of a stranger," were devoted to them. In a short time
every thing was sold, the cottage occupied by other
tenants, and the sorrow-stricken mourners returned
to their native land.
But there was another home where these tidings
O
must go. The reverberations of the peal had at once
THE MARTYRDOM. 423
been heard across the ocean,* but autumn had suc-
ceeded summer, and it was now a bright January day.
For the first time since her husband's death the widow
had been singing some of the beautiful lines of her
favorite Watts,
" Why do we mourn departing friends,
Or shake at death's alarms,
'Tis but the voice that Jesus sends
To call them to his arms."
A sleigh drives up to the door. She hastens to
meet her only brother and beloved sister, welcoming
them with more than her usual glad hospitality.
But her smile is unanswered, and she hardly knows
why gloom has settled upon her soul. Gently her
brother communicates the fact, first, that one of her
band is taken then, that it is Henry.
She. goes to her bed. Gentle hands smooth the
* June 28th, 1834, Mrs. Lyman had been unaccountably op-
preffied. Remarkable through her whole life, for cheerfulness and
hope, she could, on that day, rouse herself to no exertion, but as
she moved about her desolate home, again and again sank into a
chair exclaiming, "I cannot throw off this depression. "Why
should it come to day ?" On receiving the next day the intelli-
gence that a favorite nephew had died on the twenty-seventh, she
said as she marked his name opposite the date in Daily Food,
" Strange I should have felt so the day after, instead of the day
on which "William was called away." The months rolled by, and
when she came at length to record in the little book the date of
her son's departure, to her astonishment she found it the same as
that on which the cloud had overshadowed her spirit
424 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
pillow, but like Job's friends they can but sit down in
the dust with her, for they see that "her grief is
heavy/' Yet she only knows that Henry has gone !
At Batavia, she supposes, with his wife, he has died.
But as she lies there, the Comforter draws near, and
she can whisper, " Though He slay me, yet will I trust
in Him."
The" children are summoned from school, and the
mother sits with them while the letters are read to
them. Then flashes across her for the first time the
idea, that by violent hands her son has been destroyed.
A groan of unutterable anguish, and grace has tri-
umphed. She feels herself supported by the ever-
lasting arms.
Then she exclaims, while the tears stream down her
cheeks, " 0, these poor people, what can they do with-
out the Gospel?"
In the mean time the Rev. Dr. Humphrey, her
friend, and her son's spiritual father, hjs own heart
rent with anguish at the sad intelligence, and probably
bearing a letter from Dr. Wisner, went to the house,
supposing that he was carrying to the sorrowful widow
the first intelligence of her fresh bereavement.
But the grace has been "sufficient," though her
whole being quivers with intense suffering. As Dr.
H. says, "The tears flowed freely, it is true, but
what a light shone through those tears !" Almost as
soon as she could say any thing, she exclaimed, "I
bless God who gave me such a son to go to the hea-
THE MARTYRDOM. 425
then, and I never felt so strongly as I do at this mo-
ment, the desire that some other of my children may
become missionaries also, and may go and teach the
truths of the Bible to those savage men w.ho have
slain Henry."
This was no stoicism, no Spartan mother's bravery,
or heartlessness rather. Mrs. Lyman's children well
remember the days of anguish and of weeping which
followed. They recollect that the chest which con-
tained some of Henry's clothes, and which had been
forwarded from Padang to Amherst, remained for
months unopened, because their mother had not the
courage to look therein. And when, as was sometimes
the case, that chord was struck by rude, though well-
meaning hands, even twenty years after the event, a
sleepless night, weary tossings to and fro, and the
pallid face of the next day would testify to the depth
of feeling in the mother's heart.
We subjoin Dr. Wisner's letter, probably one of
the last written by that blessed man of God :
MISSIONARY ROOMS, Boston, January 20th, 1835.
MRS. SUSAN LYMAN, AMHERST, MASS. :
MY DEAR MADAM : We have intelligence to-day
from your son, and our beloved missionary, Henry Ly-
man, whom you gave up to God to use as He should see
best for the promotion of His kingdom and glory, which
I feel it my duty to communicate to you, as you may
not have received it in any other way. He has been
426 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
released from pain, and toil, and sin on earth, and re-
ceived to the service and enjoyment of God in heaven.
The release took place on the 28th of June last. He
and Mr.- Munson, in their explorations, had <jome to
Sumatra, and left Tappanooly on the coast, for the
Batta country in the interior, -with attendants, on the
23d of June. On the 28th they came unexpectedly to
a log fort, from which rushed about two hundred armed
natives, who attacked them with tumultuous noise, and
the result was their massacre and that of an attendant
in European dress. The other attendants fled, and
reached Tappanooly, and gave to the Dutch officer
there the accounts which he transmitted to Batavia,
whence they were sent to this country. The Dutch
officer at Tappanooly represents them as having rashly
gone into the interior, against his warning and that of
others. But a letter from them, written at Tappanooly
the night before they set out, satisfies us that they
are not to be blamed in that particular. Their
wives have been heard from at Batavia, as late as
September 10th, when they were well, but greatly
afflicted, yet having there sympathizing and kind
friends.
And now, dear Madam, may the Lord sustain and
comfort you under this severe trial, and sanctify it to
you and other friends, and to the Church, in reference
to their great work of evangelizing the world. Doubt
not the goodness and faithfulness of God. Think of
the happiness and usefulness of your son now in
THE MARTYRDOM. 427
heaven. Rejoice that you were permitted to be the
mother of one who was honored to follow Christ so
nearly, in sacrificing his life for the salvation of the
world. The Lord be with you, and give you His grace
as you need.
Yours, with much respect,
B. B. WlSNER,
Sec. of the A. B. C. F. M.
Many now live who recollect the thrill caused by
the news of the martyrdom of Munson and Lyman.
" Show us wherefore thou contendest witji us?" was
the language of many a heart, as in secret the friends
of missions poured out their souls before God. At
the theological seminaries "there were great search-
ings of heart" among those who had consecrated
themselves to the work of foreign missions. Up to
that time the lives and health of the missionaries had
seemed very "precious" in God's sight. Romance
had wrapped her flowing drapery around the work.
There was danger that youthful enthusiasm might be
mistaken for the voice of God to the soul. But this
startling event dissipated such illusions and separated
the tares from the wheat.
Extracts from some of the letters received by
Henry Lyman's mother may better show the state
of feeling than mere description.
The first is from his friend and benefactor,
428 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
CHARLES LYMAN, ESQ., OF TROY, TO MRS. THEODORE
LYMAN.
"TROY, February 1th, 1835.
"MY DEAR AUNT:
"When I penned my last letter how little did I
imagine the sad tidings which the next passing breeze
was to bring to our ears, that one, concerning whom I
had formed so many, fond expectations of usefulness to
come, was already cut down and set aside ! Yet, the
thought that the Lord had done it. and knew what
was best, both for the accomplishment of His holy
purposes of love and salvation to our race, and for the
happiness and holiness of His faithful ones, who had
with such singleness of purpose left all for Christ,
seemed so comforting, I had not a heart to repine.
So also the reflection that the beloved Henry should
have been already six months in heaven, in the enjoy-
ment of all its Divine entertainments, was a source
rather of joy than of sorrow, and, although the dis-
pensation was one of unfathomable mystery to so poor
a creature as myself, I have felt that it was, never-
theless, perfectly right as well as wise. And I doubt
not, my dear aunt, the same considerations have
brought the like results to your mind. Truly, this
is a vale of tears, and we can not but weep, if it were
only at our own weakness, when we see those we love,
in the full vigor of their existence, crumbling back to
dust. Yet we may learn how plainly this earth is not
THE MARTYRDOM. 429
our home, that we are strangers and pilgrims here
below, having no abiding-place, but seeking one to
come. I hope the Lord will grant you all the con-
solations of His word, with His abundant 'blessing
which niaketh rich and addeth no sorrow,' and that
you may find Him a present help in trouble, since it
is. He that destroys 'the hope of man.' But your
beloved, martyred son has not lived in vain. Much
has already been accomplished by his writings, which
have been' published in the periodicals of our country.
You will find extracts from his last letter to me in
the New York Observer of January 31st. It is the
same to which I referred in my last to you. In the
same paper you will see an account of our Tract
Anniversary. The extraordinary effort then made
was in a great measure accomplished by the arrival of
the appalling news of the martyrdom of the mission-
aries on that day, and, though dead, cousin Henry
spoke that night, through his letter to me, read by
Mr. Tucker, with a power and effect that he never
could have done while living. The words, ' Live for
Christ devote all to Him /' fell like an electric
spark upon that assembly, and led every man to ask
himself, ' Have / done what I could for Christ ? How
do my sacrifices for Christ compare with those of
these dear missionary martyrs?' The amount sub-
scribed will tell to what effect."
430 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
FROM A FRIEND.
"ANDOVEB, February 20th, 1835.
" MY DEAR MRS. LYMAN :
"I have had it in my heart to write you for several
weeks past, but whenever I have been about to fulfill
my purpose I have thought ' What can I say ? what
words of sympathy can I address to this afflicted
friend that will not cause her heart to bleed afresh ?'
I could hardly think of you for days without a groan,
and I knew that unless an almighty arm sustained
you, you would 'perish in your affliction.' 'Vain
is the help of the tenderest earthly friends in such an
hour, and I feel that all that I can say will be vain
indeed, except that our hearts are soothed sometimes
when others mingle their grief with ours.
" I rejoice to know, dear Mrs. L., that the Most High
did appear for you, that he hastened to fulfill His
promises to you in the extremity of your grief; and
having enabled you freely to surrender this dear son
to His service, I trust He also enabled you to acquiesce
in the manner in which He has been pleased to
glorify Himself in him. Do you not feel as if far
more will be accomplished (probably), in consequence
of his death than could ever have been done in his
life ! Will not the service of a missionary be stripped
of all vain glory, and our young men be led to search
and see what manner of spirit they are of, so that
those who go will be holier men, and ready to die
THE MARTYRDOM. 431
' for the name of the Lord Jesus.' Only think how
many petitions now ascend for the poor Battas from
those who would never have thought of them in their
prayers but for this awful event. I know of Chris-
tians who believe that they shall yet hear of the con-
version of these murderers, and for this I believe they
will often pray. And will any Christian mother
withhold her children from this work because she
fears for them a death like this ? Would you, even
you, dear Mrs. L., if God would accept your other
sons for His service, and grant them the spirit of the
departed one, refuse to yield them to the heathen ? I
have heard of one mother who has said that if she
knew God would appoint to her children so terrible a
death, she should not dare to withhold them from His
service. I know that the hearts of some mothers
tremble when they look round upon their flock of
little ones whom they have given to God, but still
they give them to Him anew, and strive to make no
conditions as to the manner in which He shall use
them for His glory. And this is one of the ways in
which God will bless His Church, through this afflic-
tion, for every true member of -it in this land, and in
every land where the cause of missions is known and
loved, has been dismayed, and distressed, and grieved,
at this appalling bereavement. Wherever this event
is known his widow is borne on pious hearts before
God, and, dear Mrs. Lyman, do you think there is a
mother that knows how to pray that does not remem-
432 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
f
ber ' his mother' before Him who, in all our afflic-
tions, is afflicted ? I have been thinking that one of
the last things recorded of our Saviour was an act of
tenderness toward His mother, in commending her to
the sympathy and care of His 'beloved disciple;'
and does He not tenderly pity those believing mothers
whom His own hand bereaves, especially when He
sees fit to appoint circumstances which aggravate
and embitter their grief? Dear Dr. Wisner brought
the letters from Batavia to Andover, and read them to
a large assembly in our chapel : afterwards he let me
have them to read. I asked him about you, and he
told me he had written you. We had a very solemn
visit, and when he parted from us it was with peculiar
tenderness and seriousness, as if he might never see
us again, and we spoke of it after he was gone. In a
little more than a fortnight we heard that he was in
eternity!"
*****
Resolutions expressive of sympathy were trans-
mitted to Mrs. Lyman from the Social Union of
Amherst College, and from the Association of Minis-
ters of Hampshire county, the same that had licensed
and ordained her son, and the sympathy and prayers
of thousands availed to the gradual healing of her
lacerated heart.
The American Board of Missions did not forget
the islands consecrated by the blood of the martyrs.
Dr. Cheever says in his sketch of Munson and
THE MARTYRDOM. 4G3
Lyman:* "The exploring expedition in the Indian
Archipelago could not easily be renewed,, because the
movements were so greatly restricted by the Dutch
government. They were forbidden to establish them-
selves anywhere in Netherlands' India except in
Borneo. Of the missionaries who were sent out by
the American Board, soon after the death of Munson
and Lyman, one of them explored a part of Sumatra ;
and, while in the Batta country, in the very region
where his predecessors had been murdered, he was
himself taken sick, and treated with great kind-
ness, being carried by the Battas in a litter of split
bamboos upon their shoulders six days, and then
transported in a canoe to Tappanooly. "We may be
sure that those isles are yet to be a scene of the
Divine glory. There will be displays of grace as
wonderful as those in the Sandwich Islands, and
as mighty and extensive in their influence."
One more item of information was gleaned by the
friends of Lyman. Through the exertions of Schoch
the skulls of the two brethren were not left to adorn
the bamboo huts of the Batta chiefs. It was not
difficult to distinguish them from those of the Asiatics,
and they were forwarded to the Secretary of the A.
B. C. F. M. When they reached America it was
easy to tell which had contained the calm and thought-
ful brain of Munson, and which the busy, energetic,
one of Lyman. The widows met in Boston, and
* American Missionary Memorial.
19
434 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
there, with solemn and touching prayer, by him who
had instructed these beloved men to go forth, they
Avere committed to the tomb. We are not sure but
Lyman would have preferred to have his remains left
upon Sumatra, as holding possession of it for his
Lord and Master.
But, we doubt not, the time is at hand when the
King will himself assume the scepter. Speedily the
feast upon the slaughtered enemies shall be exchanged
for the blessed festival of love which commemorates
the Divine philanthropy of Him who was " taken and
by wicked hands was crucified and slain."
While on his last tour Henry Lyman addressed to
the Monthly Missionary Concert of Prayer in Amherst
College an interesting paper on the Chinese of Bata-
via. After begging a place in their prayers for Rev.
Mr. Medhurst and his work, he concludes :
" Not only will I ask you to pray, but, brethren,
who is girding himself to come forth to this part of
the battle ? While yet a dweller on that consecrated
eminence which you are now privileged to occupy, my
thoughts were to this part of the world. Thank God,
feeble as I am, I am counted worthy to labor here,
and I would fain persuade some, yea, many of you, to
' lift up your eyes and look upon the field, for it is
white already to harvest.' '
Twenty-two years have passed since this earnest
appeal was made ; yet Batta, and Nyas. and Sumatra,
are unchanged by the Gospel. The grain then ripe
THE MARTYRDOM. 435
has been gathered. Was it by heavenly reapers?
Twenty-two years of cruelty, and war, and can-
nibalism ! !
Verily, the children of this world are, in their gen-
eration, wiser than the children of light. Of this we
have a remarkable exemplification in the proceedings
of Great Britain with regard to Sebastopol. The
news reached England of various disasters. The
troops were starving, dying ; the officers cut down.
Mean time the foe was mighty. The fortifications
were daily strengthening, the hope of success daily
diminishing. The wail of widows and orphans might
be heard all over the land. The people clamored. Was
their cry "Abandon the field? Send no more officers
to die; no more men to perish?" Nay, nay. An
immense widows' and orphans' fund was provided
that those brave men who fought might feel how their
country loved and prized their services ; the youth
pressed forward to enlist. Forsaking wife and kin-
dred, the officers contended to lead "the forlorn
hope." Delicate and tender women consecrated them-
selves to the care of the wounded, and the treasures
of the rich, and the little hoards of the poor were
poured forth like water.
And then the siege. Men saw comrades killed at
their sides. It but nerved their arm, steadied their
aim. A ladder was no sooner planted than it was
mounted. A man fell, and the gap was filled up by
436 THE MARTYR OF SUMATRA.
another. Nothing was counted dear for the glory of
victory.
And the result? Sebastapol fell! Great were
the rejoicings. Every face beamed with delight.
Every heart gave thanks. Did meetings for con-
ga tulation satisfy them ? Scarcely had the booming
of cannon and the merry peal of bells died on the air
than forth went the cry: "Ye have done well. Ye
have taken one stronghold. Hundreds remain to be
destroyed. Up and be doing." Army and navy
heard and obeyed. The ranks are all full, and on
they press, driving back, step by step, the foe.
" There must be no flinching till the allies can dic-
tate a peace," was the universal cry.
The contrast between all this and the niggardly
supplies of men and money which are doled out to our
missionary Boards is too obvious to need another
word. Where is the church's fund for the widows
and orphans of her soldiers ? Where the young men
who press on to fill the ranks ? Where the wealth
poured forth for their support? Where the deter-
mination that there must be no flinching till the king-
doms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord
and His Christ?
" Now, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown,
but we an incorruptible."
" Verily, I say unto you, there is no man that
hath left home, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
THE MARTYRDOM. 437
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake
and the Gospel's,
" But he shall receive an hundred fold now in this
time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers,
and children, with persecutions ; and in the world to
come, eternal life !"
WHO WILL ACCEPT THIS SERVICE, WITH THIS
REWARD ?
THE END
V
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