CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. MISS FANNY WOODBURY, daughter of Mr. Isaac and Mrs. Anna Woodbury, was born at Hamilton, Mass. Sept. 10, 1791. In her infancy she was dedicated to God in baptism. Possessed of a slender constitution, she rarely knew what it was to enjoy good health: and was often brought appar ently to the very gates of death. When about three years old, her sense of hearing was greatly impaired by a fever; and her deafness, which was sometimes much greater, than usual, was one of her greatest trials through life. It is probable that her afflictions were one mean of leading her to realize the importance of religion. The particular occasion of bringing her to deep and solemn consideration, was an account of a revival of religion among the members of Bradford Academy, which she received in a letter from her sister. The next summer, 1807, while a member of that seminary, there is reason to hope that she was brought to feel that she was a sinner-"that her heart," to use her own words, "was exceedingly sinful, and opposed to God, and her will so stubborn, that it would not submit to Him." "After this," she writes, "my feelings were chang ed; I saw God to be holy, just and good, and, as such, I loved Him." She soon after made a profession of religion; and was enabled, during the rest of her life, in a very high degree, to adorn the doctrine of God her Savior. It is confidently believed, that those, who had the best opportunity of judg ing of her character, regarded and loved her, not only as a real Christian, but as eminently pious. Highly estimating the importance of improving the female mind, she took fast hold of instruction. With all her getting, she was determined, if possible, to get understanding. For this object she made very great exertions. With elose attention, and manifest advantage, she read much. Her reading was almost wholly of a religious kind. The Bible she regarded as the book of books, incomparably superior to all others. Next to the Bible she valued Scott's Com. She joined the Second Church in Beverly, of which the Rev. Moses Dow was Pastor. mentary; as it afforded her so much assistance in discovering and improving the deep wisdom of God, revealed in the lively oracles. The whole of this great and admirable work she read twice in course-once in the short period of six months. She not only improved her mind by reading, but by writing. In the latter part of her life, however, she regretted having made so great efforts to attain an elevated style. She was exceedingly delighted, when she could gain instruction by hearing, either in public or private. Tho she had a high relish for social intercourse, espe cially for social worship, yet her dearest, sweetest, noblest comforts, she found in solitude. There, in her beloved chamber, which she seemed to regard as a little sanctua ry-there, secluded from every mortal eye and mortal care, she could most freely and fully enjoy her pen, her Bible, and her God. Three times a day, like Daniel, did she retire, to hold sweet intercourse with Him, in whom her soul delighted; and sometimes she continued the employment for hours. When her friends desired an interest in her prayers, she was deeply impressed with the importance of complying with their requests. A few months before her death a friend said to her, "I have a cousin, whose situation is peculiarly favorable to self-examination. Do pray for him, Fanny; for he is very stupid." About six weeks afterwards there was some reason to hope that he had found Christ, as his all in all. It was said to Miss Woodbury, "Have you ever prayed for him?" She replied, "I have not once attempted to supplicate the throne of grace, without pleading on his behalf." She had a very deep sense of the worth and preciousness of time. But holy time was in her esteem by far the most precious. Very few, if any, could more feelingly, "call the Sabbath a delight." Notwithstanding her difficulty of hearing, she had a remarkable fondness for public worship. To one, who often walked with her to the house of God in company, she was accustomed to say, when about to enter the sanctuary, "Now I do hope our souls will be richly fed." "Do let us hear as for eternity," and the like. Her religious sentiments were decidedly evangelical. The great doctrines of the cross were her meat and her drink, her joy and her glory. She often lamented the abounding errors of the day, especially that, which robs the Savior of his divinity, by reducing him to the level of a dependent peing. Teeply imbibing the spirit of the doctrines which she love and advocated, she seemed constantly to breathe forth Tore to God, and good will to mankind. As a child, she. was respectful and obedient; as a sister, affectionate and kind; as a friend, sincere and constant; as a correspondent, punctual and faithful. Tho in consequence of her natural diffidence and inability of hearing, she was in general rather reserved, yet to a few intimate friends, whom she tenderly loved as the friends of Immanuel, she was remarkably open and communicative. Of the two principal characteristics of true friendship, tenderness and faithfulness, it may be difficult to ascertain for which she was most distinguished. When about to part with her friends, she was accustomed to give them some warm exhortation, such as, "Do live near to God;" "Pray much and fervent;" "Press forward with all speed." With regard to the poor, she was by no means disposed to dismiss them with, "Be ye warmed, be ye filled," when it was in her power to relieve them. So far from stopping her ears at the cry of the poor, or turning away her eyes from beholding the needy, she sought them out in their dreary cells; and there she caused the heart of the widow and the fatherless to sing for joy. Nor was she satisfied with relieving their temporal wants. It was her ardent prayer and exertion, that they might be fed with the bread of life, and clothed with the garments of salvation. The sick and the afflicted had a share in her tender sympathies; and it was her melancholy delight to visit, assist, and console them. She was a striking example of industry and economy. A large part of her time was spent in discharging the duties of the domestic circle. When her eyes were occupied with reading, her hands were generally employed to some useful purpose: Like Dorcas, she made garments for the poor. After her death, several garments, suitable for the approaching season, were found, which she had carefully prepared, and laid by for distribution. Almost the whole of what she bestowed in charity was the fruit of her own industry. She often expressed her astonishment, that Christians would suffer so much of their time to be lost in idleness; adding, that if their own circumstances did not require the fruit of their labors, the poor were ever needy. Her conversation was happily seasoned with the salt of grace. "During the two last years of her life," observes one of her correspondents, "I have had the privilege of being in her society more or less almost every week; and, I think, all that passed between us, upon things not relating; to seriousness, might be communicated in one hour." The extension of Christ's kingdom was a subject, which peculiarly affected her heart. To hear of a revival of r ligion was to her, like life from the dead. The poor heathen were much upon her mind. She took a very lively interest in exertions, to spread the gospel, and evangelize the world. Her humility was very conspicuous, and shed a lustre over all her other virtues. It really did seem, that she was free from the abominable sin of thinking of herself more highly than she ought. She appeared to entertain a very low opinion of herself, and of every thing she did.* Tho she was much grieved for the sins of others, yet her greatest grief, her deepest lamentation, was for her own sins. Perhaps the most remarkable trait in her character was a realizing sense of future seenes; especially during two or three of the last years of her life. It really seemed, that the world was dead to her, and she to the world. She manifestly felt, that she wrote for eternity, and lived for eternity. Eternity, with all its tremendous realities, seemed present to her view. It was remarked by those, with whom she met for social prayer, that she appeared to feel a strong impression, that her time on earth was short. They observed an unusual fervor in her petitions. She seemed already an inhabitant of the heavenly world. Long, long, will that little circle remember her. Long will they mourn, that they shall hear her voice no more; no more witness her fervent devotion; no more hear her plead for sinners. ADVERTISEMENT, In preparing these writings of Miss Woodbury for publication, "I have sometimes changed a word, sometimes, but not often, the form of an expression; but, to the best of my knowledge, I have not altered one of her sentiments, nor added one of my own." From her journals, and from most of her letters, published, I have omitted not only words and phrases, but often whole sentences, and some times paragraphs. Wherever less than half a letter is pub. lished, the word Extract, or Extracts, is prefixed. J. E. *She therefore destroyed all the letters, which she had written to Mrs. Newell, except one, which probably es caped, by being mislaid. Newton. |