Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Donations in aid of the Fund for the Widows' and Orphans' of Missionaries.

Milne, Duckworth, and Co

76, Fleet Street.

Mr. G. Slack

.........

500

[ocr errors]
[graphic][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed]

SUPPLEMENT

TO THE

EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE.

FOR THE YEAR 1826.

MEMOIR OF MARTHA, THE LATE WIFE OF THE REV. T. L. LAMB, OF WELLINGTON, SALOP.

MRS. LAMB was born May 5th 1798, of parents who being themselves brought to the knowledge of the truth when she was a mere child, endeavoured thenceforward to train 66 her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." During her childhood, she was, like most children, childish. Two things, however, may here be remarked. The first, That from the time that she came to know what truth was, she scrupulously paid it the most sacred regard. A lie was her abhorrence: nothing pained her more than the bare supposition that she could have uttered an untruth; and so extremely guarded was she in this respect, when but a child, that whenever she was appealed to for an answer on any, even the most common subjects, she would only reply-"I believe," "I think," "I hope," so and so; so cautious was she of uttering a decided "Yes" or "No," lest her reply might not be religiously right. And this extreme fear of thus "offending in word," characterized her till her reason was lost in delirium. The second: When she was about eight years old, her father died. Seeing her

66

VOL. IV.

mother disconsolate after her father was "given over," she artlessly enquired, "Mother why do you cry?" "Because your father is dying," was the reply," and the doctor can do no more for him.” "Do no more for him," she reiterated, "but I can do something for him ;" and immediately left the room. Her mother, struck by her remark, and her retreat, followed her unobserved, when she saw her kneel down, and heard her supplicate God to restore her expiring father. These things may not indeed appear striking to general readers, but pious parents will at once take an interest in them, and augur favourably from them. We shall now consider her character, as it appeared when she was about sixteen; observing, however, that during the interim, she was often remarked for her attention when hearing sermons, and that she appeared to take much pleasure in the company and conversation of pious ministers. When she had attained the age just mentioned, sixteen or thereabout, religion--the religion of Christ, began to engage her thoughts in good earnest. Dissatis3 E

fied with taking upon mere report, and receiving on the bare authority of parental education, that with which she knew, if it were real, her eternal interests must either stand or fall, she brought all the powers of her mind to bear on the important question "Is the religion of Jesus divine in its origin and character?" Various were the works on the Evidences of Christianity to which she had recourse; and many and severe were the conflicts with Satan and innate corruption which, in this pursuit, she had to maintain. But she at last triumphed in the truth. The promise, "If any man will do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God," was amply verified in her experience. She found the religion of Christ to be a reality; and she rested her hopes on that rock; and now, seeing that of all the people in the world, "the Lord's people" alone had reason as well as religion on their side, she virtually and decidedly said to them, "I will go with you, for I know that God is with you." Thus satisfied, both from reason and faith, that the Bible was what it claimed to be considered, "the Word of God," she unhesitatingly made it "the man of her counsel and the guide of her youth;" and she habitually endeavoured at once to understand, receive, and act upon its instructions. These instructions were now her delight, and her attendance on the public means of grace, not only on Lord's Days, but on other stated occasions, proved her relish for that "bread," of which, "if a man eat, he shall never die." Week-evening sermons and prayer-meetings were interesting services to her, and her regular attendance on these occasions evinced that, as a new-born babe, she desired the sincere milk of the word." And the instruction that she received she was eager to communicate, as appeared in her regularly walking four miles every Sabbath-day, whether

66

the weather was fair or rainy, to fulfil the humble but honourable duties of a Sunday-School teacher.

When she was about nineteen, she first became acquainted with Mr. Lamb, whose attachment to her has been uniformly increasing by a knowledge of her worth up to the period when she left him to bewail her loss. With respect to this acquaintance, the following fact is characteristic of her humility and diffidence of herself. Mr. L., when he first knew her, had not directed his thoughts towards the engagements of the ministry. When, however, their acquaintance had been comparatively matured by upwards of two years' continuance, he was in prospect of immediately entering on a course of study at Hoxton Academy, whither he soon after went. knowing this, she appeared feelingly alive to a sense of the importance of the situation to which she might one day be introduced. From the anticipated responsibilities of this situation she tremblingly shrunk; and she declared that, had not their acquaintance been advanced, as has been mentioned, the apprehension that she was likely to become a minister's wife, would have compelled her to request Mr. L. to discontinue his visits.

On

From this time she continued to go on adding to her stock of religious knowledge. And the habitual diligence with which she now read the Scriptures; the interesting and important passages marked in her Bible for repeated consideration; the constant references which she made to Commentaries and other books calculated to throw light upon divine truth; her conversations on religious subjects with her relative (the Rev. D. W. Aston, of Buckingham), and her letters, many of which are in existence, and which consist principally of enquiries and reasonings on sacred subjects; these things speak at once, her thirst for truth, and

« PreviousContinue »