Women -- Biography; Women -- Social and moral questions
Upon her removal from London to Stoke Fleming, near Dartmouth, Devon,
which took place in consequence of protracted indisposition; her
energies were still employed in the service of her Redeemer, and of His
Church. During the first summer of her country residence, she regularly
attended the parish workhouse at seven o’clock, to explain the
Scriptures to the poor previous to the commencement of their daily
labour. The children of the parish were the objects of her constant
solicitude. She drew out questions upon the parables and miracles as
helps for Sunday-school teachers; and, when prevented by illness from
attending the school, she assembled the children at her own house for
instruction. The young women also in the parish occupied a large share
of her anxious thoughts, and she appropriated a separate evening for
their instruction. She was a constant cottage visitor. The following
passage from her mathematical manuscript is beautiful, and shows
clearly the high and consecrated spirit with which she connected this
humble ministration with her intellectual pleasures. “Do you ever
experience this proud internal consciousness of superior genius or
learning? God has placed a ready antidote within your reach. The abode
of learned leisure is seldom far from the humble dwelling of some
unlettered Christian. Thither let your steps be directed. ‘Take sweet
counsel’ with your poor uneducated brother. There you will find the
man, whom our ‘King delighteth to honour.’ His mean chamber, graced
with one well-worn book, is as ‘the house of God, and the very gate of
heaven.’ Observe how far the very simplicity of his faith, and the
fervour of his love, exceed anything you can find in your own
experience, cankered as it is with intellectual pride. God has taught
him many lessons, of which all your learning has left you ignorant.
Make him your instructor in spiritual things. He is a stranger to the
names of your favourite poets and orators; but he is very familiar with
the sweet psalmist of Israel. He can give you rich portions of the
eloquence of one who ‘spake as never man spake.’ He can neither ‘tell
you the number of the stars, nor call them by their names;’ but he will
discourse excellently concerning the Star of Bethlehem. He is unable to
attempt the solution of a difficult problem; but he can enter into some
of those deep things of God’s law, which to an unhumbled heart are dark
and mysterious. He will not talk to you ‘in words which man’s wisdom
teacheth;’ but oh! what sweet and simple expressions of Divine love are
those ‘which the Holy Ghost has taught him’! He ‘knows nothing but
Christ crucified;’ but this is the excellent knowledge, to which all
other knowledge is foolishness. He has ‘the fear of the Lord; that is
wisdom. He departs from evil; that is understanding.’ When your soul is
refreshed by this simple and lovely communion with one of the meanest
of God’s saints, return to your learned retirement. Look over your
intellectual possessions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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