The Power of Christian Benevolence Illustrated in the Life and Labors of Mary Lyon

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THERE is nothing in the universe that I fear, except that I may not know all my duty, or may fail to do it. Mary Lyon. PREFACE. The Power of Christian Benevolence illustrated in the Life and Labors of Mary Lyon, compiled by Edward Hitchcock, D. D., LL. D., President of Am herst College, with the assistance of others, was originally published at Northampton by Messrs. Hop kins and Bridgman, in 1851, and that edition is con tinued in circulation. That work has been made the basis of this but much has been omitted, especially in numerous details of the Mount Holyoke Seminary much has been added, and many parts have been re cast. This has been chiefly done by those who fur nished the principal material for the first edition, and who were long and intimately associated with Miss Lyon in her public labors. Invaluable as their servi ces have been, their names, at their united request, are here omitted, as is also that of the Key. Dr. Hitch cock from the title-page at his own suggestion. The work is intended as a monument, not to its authors, nor to Mis Lyon, but to His most holy praise through whose mighty power and abounding grace she became what she was, and finished the work which was given her to do. The life of Miss Lyon is a lesson and a treasure 4 PREFACE. to the race. The wise may be made wiser and the good better by it. It will teach the teacher and fur nish impulse and encouragement to the Christian min ister. It will kindle in the hearts of many young ladies new desires after knowledge and usefulness. It will show them that they can worthily imitate Miss Lyon by Christian fidelity and energy in their appro priate sphere, though God should not call them as he did her to the work of founding a new and peculiar seminary. It will deepen the public sense of the im portance of Christian education, and show how, by heavenly wisdom and zeal, it may be promoted. It will illustrate the value of moral and religious influ ence in regulating the conduct and forming the character of the young. It will show what a wise econo my there is in making religion the first, the second, and the third thing in a literary institution. It will prove that the entrance of the word of God into a school of any kind giveth light and comfort, and every blessing to teacher, parent, and pupil, as well as to the church and the world. It will do something to stay the general declension from the good old way of our Puritan fathers, who taught their children be times to worship God and fear his holy name. It will add fresh fuel to the flame of missionary zeal, and bring forward many a living sacrifice to the work of the gospel among the heathen. Fathers and moth ers by their firesides may learn wisdom from it. The Christian philanthropist may see where rests the great hope of the worlds regeneration and of the corning in of millennial glory and scarcelv anv trav PREFACE. 5 eller to the shores of eternity can read without nrofit the story of Miss Lyons pilgrimage thither. To the service of the Redeemer, in the fervent hope that it may contribute to these blessed ends, the present work is devoutly consecrated. APRIL, 1858. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. EARLY LIFE, TO HER ENTERING MR. EMERSONS SCHOOL AT BYPIELD. 1797-1821. Ancestors of Mary Lyon Her maternal grandparents Character of her parentsHer own. description of her mountain, home, the farm, the garden, the landscape, vicissitudes Her youthful sobriety Rapid progress in study Early concern about relig ionHopeful conversion in 1816 Marriage of her asters and mother Removal of her brother In the academy at Xshfield Unparalleled avidity for knowledge Alternate teaching and studying, - IS CHAPTER II. LABORS AT ASHFIELD, BUCKLAND, AND DERRY. 1821-1828. Miss Lyon enters Rev...