Memoir of Mary L. Ware, Wife of Henry Ware, Jr.Hall, Edward B. (Edward Brooks)
Religion
Memoir of Mary L. Ware, Wife of Henry Ware, Jr.
Hall, Edward B. (Edward Brooks)
Unitarians -- United States -- Biography; Ware, Mary L. (Mary Lovell), 1798-1849
In the spring, Mrs. Ware recovered, as to all apparent disease; but she
continued feeble through the summer, and suffered much from her sense
of inefficiency, in body and mind,--"literally unable," as she says,
"to write a letter." Nor do we find any letters before October, when she
wrote in full her own impressions of this important portion of her
experience, with an account of its termination in the alarming illness
of her husband, to whom she was summoned at a distance. His health had
been constantly improving through the winter, and he had performed all
the duties of his office, except preaching, which he had ventured upon
but once for nearly three years, and then only on account of the death
of Mrs. Emerson, the wife of his colleague and successor in Boston. In
the summer vacation of the present year, 1831, Mr. Ware made a
pedestrian tour, with a friend, to the White Hills; and, feeling strong
enough, engaged to preach on his return at Concord, N. H. But before he
could reach that place, he was prostrated with fever, and became
severely, and he himself believed fatally ill. Under this full
conviction, he made a great effort to write a few last words to his
wife; and did write a note, which we wish we were at liberty to use, so
moving as it is in itself and its circumstances, so characteristic of
him who wrote it, and so touching and beautiful a tribute to her whom he
loved, and whom he thought to see no more on earth.
It need not be told that Mrs. Ware went to her husband as soon as she
knew of his sickness, though she had not entirely regained her own
strength. He had been removed to Concord, where she joined him, and
stayed till they could come home together. She seems not to have been
surprised by this summons; it being one of her principles, and a fixed
habit, to anticipate all probable, even possible events, as far as she
could, and make them familiar to her thoughts; not to sadden or weaken,
but to strengthen and prepare her mind for the duties and emergencies to
which she might be called. If the events did not occur, nothing was
lost. If they came, the shock was less, and there was greater
preparation and fortitude to encounter it. This is not the common
course, and will not commend itself to all. Not all would be capable of
it; and it may not be necessary or desirable for all. The common habit
is the very opposite, and the counsel usually given, from the pulpit and
in private, is to anticipate nothing,--least of all, to anticipate evil;
or, as the phrase is, never to "borrow trouble." This is not the place
to discuss the subject. We wish only to record our vivid impression of
the delight and instruction with which we have listened to that
unpretending woman, as she argued the matter with those who differed
with her; not asking them to do as she did, or assuming the smallest
merit for the habit, but only showing them how completely the uniform
experience of a life of trial had satisfied her that this course was
best for _her_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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