Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent
History
Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent
Women -- United States -- Biography
Few women of modern times have more charmingly exhibited "the beauties
of holiness" than Martha Laurens Ramsay, the wife of the historian of
South Carolina. In his interesting series of lectures on the Christian
graces, the Rev. Dr. Williams very happily refers to her habit of
prayer, to illustrate the spirit of brotherly kindness as shown in the
mutual intercession of brethren in the same church. "It is animating,"
he writes, "and yet, as contrasted with our present remissness,
humiliating, to read how Baxter and his people held days of fasting and
prayer for each other; or to turn to the pages which describe a
Christian matron of the South, the wife of Ramsay and the daughter of
Henry Laurens, President of the Continental Congress, praying over a
list of her fellow-members, name by name, and remembering, to the best
of her knowledge, the cares and wants of each before the throne of
grace."[80]
[80] Religious Progress, pp. 200-1.
Prior to her marriage, and whilst residing in France with her father,
she received from him the handsome present of five hundred guineas.
Appropriating a very small portion of this sum to her own use, with the
bulk she purchased one hundred French Testaments--all to be found in the
market--and distributed them amongst the destitute in Vigan and its
vicinity, and organized a school there for the instruction of youth,
constituting a fund sufficient to oblite rate its annual charges.
Mrs. Ramsay was remarkably economical of time, rising early and devoting
every hour to some useful service; and of money, never indulging herself
in any needless expenditure. This principle of economy was observed even
at her funeral. She directed that it should be at her own private house;
and that her coffin should be plain and without a plate. She died on the
tenth of June, 1811.
COURAGE AND PRESENCE OF MIND OF MARGARET SCHUYLER.
--Courage mounteth with occasion.
SHAKSPEARE.
In August, 1781, when the abduction of General Schuyler from his house
in the suburbs of Albany, was projected, and John Waltermeyer, the bold
partizan of Joseph Bettys, led a motley and blood-thirsty band--tories,
Canadians and Indians--in the daring undertaking, a daughter of the
General acted so courageous and wise a part as to justify us in giving
on outline sketch of the unsuccessful enterprise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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