:

Memoir of the late Hannah Kilham. London Darton and Harvey, 1837. Edited by her Daughter-in-law, SARAH BILLER.

Most of our readers have, probably, before this time, read this little volume. To those who had the privilege of knowing the subject of it, it will vividly recall the image of one whom to know was to love. To others it will present, on a careful perusal, along with much to admire, some incongruities. It may be called, however, rather the sentimental journal of Hannah Kilham, than an account of her life and labours; the narrative, in these respects, being greatly deficient.

An earnest desire to do good to her fellow-creatures, especially to the poorest and most degraded, was the one conspicuous feature of her character. It amounted to a passion, as absorbing as the thirst of glory to the hero, or the love of accumulation to the miser. How seldom, alas! do we meet with such a moral phenomenon!

Let us

endeavour to trace it, in its origin and its progress; distinguishing, as far as we are able, between the work of Divine grace, and the errors arising from human infirmity. It is for want of this care that the failings of good men have been so often not merely forgiven, but admired by the church; and that thus, through the weakness of our nature, and the wiles of our spiritual adversary, we have followed them in their errors,

rather than in whatsoever things they followed Christ.

Love to God, gratitude to him for his unspeakable gift, and love to man in consequence, were evidently the foundation of Hannah Kilham's character. The following extracts may serve to give some idea of her early experience :

"Blessed, ever blessed be God that there is balm in Gilead; there is a physician there, and the wounds, however deadly, of the children of men may be healed. It is now a little more than twelve months since I first knew the salvation which is in Jesus. A year of mercies indeed it has been; my soul has been borne up by the Spirit of God, and kept from sinking back into nature's darkness."

"I am often unfaithful to God; then my strength begins to fail, of course, and instead of returning at once to the blood of sprinkling, I stand poring over my temptations and my unworthiness, till I sink into myself, and become weaker and weaker. I lament this inconsistency of conduct: do, gracious Lord, give me power to overcome it. I know that by the power of thy Spirit, through faith in Jesus, I may be every moment conqueror."

"I hate the tyrant's chain, and it distresses me to think that the enemies of Christ should have any part in my soul. Oh that I might more fully see the depth of corruption there is in my

heart! then I should surely shrink from myself, and take refuge in the hope set before me."

"If we felt truly the awful importance of the work of seeking to bring souls unto Jesus, of how little moment, in comparison, would be any present ease or comfort of our own seeking! Should we not rather be ashamed to put any thing in competition with it?"

66

As you observe, the views which God gives us of himself in the holy Scriptures are calculated to fill our hearts with admiration and love. My soul has always the most exalted, yet most encouraging views of God, when I behold his glory in the face of Jesus. In looking to Jesus we cease to have gloomy views of God. We remember

that in him the Lord is our reconciled Father, full of compassion and love towards us. This view is the most assimilating and strengthening, as well as comforting to our minds. I can never so well obey the Lord, (whether in pleasing or painful circumstances,) as when I feel that he loves me. There is no other way of obtaining this feeling, except by looking to him who has given himself to restore us to God."

us pray that we may be taught to imitate him."

To the latest period of her life this zeal for the temporal and spiritual good of the miserable of her fellow-creatures was beautifully exemplified. Her labours in Africa, in St. Giles's, in Ireland, in the formation of "bettering societies" at home, all evince the devotedness of her heart."

We shall endeavour to trace the history of Mrs. Kilham's mind rather than the occurrences of her life; we therefore extract, from page 66, the following :

:

My mind was sometimes pained on account of a want of clearness in my understanding of Divine things. In regard to some things concerning religion there appeared a confusion, an inconsistency, both in myself and others with whom I conversed. I had many reasonings about truth, and different manifestations of truth which were given to mankind. In regard to ourselves in this country, I was thankful for the revelation in the Scriptures, and was deeply convinced that the writers of them were inspired by Him who made the heart, and who knows what

passes therein. I reasoned, not without pain, on the revelations of truth which were used for the enlightening of other nations and people, and inquired anxiously, in my own mind, and of others, whether those truths which were necessary to our happiness were not self-evident to all men every where ; and again, I anxiously inquired whether there was such a thing as self-evident truth."

Here we perceive that the excellent subject of this memoir had now been led away from the path of believing what God has made known to us, into the bewildering maze of human reasoning. She appears to have forgotten that "the secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever;" and to have needed

a check something like that with which our Lord once rebuked Peter's curious inquiry about another-" What is that to thee? follow thou me."

The effect she describes thus :

"My mind got confused-even distressed; some things which I thought as clear as daylight, when represented to a friend whose judgment I highly esteemed, were considered as, in general, inconclusive arguments. I was weary of thinking, and almost afraid, at length, to think, on account of my confused and undecided state of mind. thought I would endeavour, through the help of the Almighty, to engage my time, as much as possible, in the service of my fellow-creatures, and especially of the young; but not to think much, and to pass my time as well as I could."

I

In this state of mind she appears to have imbibed the following sentiments; and subsequently to have relinquished her connexion with the Methodist Society, and to have joined the Society of Friends.

"In regard to instruction, I believe the principal point is to have the attention turned to the Divine Teacher in the heart, that true light' which is the 'life of men,' and which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world.' The Almighty has, indeed, seen it good to make men instrumental in turning each other's attention to the heavenly light, and to make this instrumentality one means of uniting his people to each other, and calling into exercise many grateful and heavenly affections."

It is truly grievous to see the views of so devoted a character thus perverted on a vital point. She certainly did not learn this from the volume of inspiration, nor from the pages of experience; and thus she was led into a path tending directly away from making the glad tidings of the Gospel the basis and centre of Christian instruction. Surely, the principal point in instruction, whether to old or young, is that which the apostles of old were divinely led to

make the chief subject in their preaching and in their writing, even the setting forth of Jesus of Nazareth as the Saviour; thus leading men (by his help who had promised to be with them always) to a living faith in him whom the Jews by wicked hands had crucified and slain, and, through this faith, to justification and sanctification. And this truth, foolishness as it may be, and a stumbling-block to others, yet remains to be the power of God to salvation to them that believe-the divinely-appointed means for reforming a fallen world.

It is only justice to the subject of this memoir to add, that she, too, was at length brought by experience to a conclusion the very opposite of that into which she at this time was led. Thus, in reference to Ireland and Africa, we find her writing: :

"Were the state of the poor more generally inquired into, and their disadvantages, from lack of real Christian instruction in early life, considered and deeply felt, many things would be remedied by greater care."

"Children want guiding, in some degree, even in searching the Scriptures; and I have felt satisfied to present subjects of importance before them, and afterwards, by either asking the questions in regular succession or promiscuously, to observe how far they appear capable of understanding and applying what they have learned.

"I do not know a more interesting engagement than that of thus seeking to draw the susceptible minds of the dear children to the most interesting of all subjects; and I do earnestly desire and hope that we shall not, in our pursuit of the general education of the poor, forget that the great object of education is to direct the mind to those principles of general Christianity which are unfolded in the Scriptures, and the reception of which, through the Divine influence, will make the world wise and happy, beyond all human knowledge or human power."

"My spirit has been this morning sensibly consoled in receiving what seemed as the breaking forth of the Sun of Righteousness from behind the clouds, in the remembrance of that inestimably precious declaration,' God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Yes, it is the love of God which is the light, the brightness, and the happiness of created beings; and it is in the prevalence of Christian love and Christian feeling alone that we can hope, and this will lead to all good efforts for the welfare of the bodies and the souls of all men. We must scatter the seed of Scripture truth up and down in Africa, even among Mohammedans. My heart cannot consent to select such parts only as Mohammedans would not reject; my proper business is, I believe, openly to avow my belief and trust in the Redeemer of men, and to hope for the prevalence of his power for the recovery of mankind from sin and wretchedness."

We think that the disgust Mrs. Kilham had experienced in witnessing the repetition of words unfelt amongst some of her early religious associates, had driven her to a dangerous position, when she came to the conclusion that "if we worship him [the Almighty] in spirit and in truth, it matters not whether in words or in silence,"-p. 79. How was this silent worship to be equally effectual in edifying others, (an important part of that for which we meet,) with a sound and spiritually-gifted and scriptural ministry? And are the hearts of a whole congregation likely to be so attuned to prayer, that it matters not whether utterance be given to it or not?

Here again we find her, towards the end of her course, brought to see, that however congenial silence might be to her own mind, it was not equally suited to the mixed state of things around her. We would recommend the following, written near the close of her life, to the

"I wish that we had some small social meetings for open conference on subjects of spiritual interest, for instructive reading, and for Christian retirement together; something correspondent with what was said of them that feared the Lord, spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it; and a book of remembrance was written before him, and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.'

"Will such assemblies-such social meetings, of those who long to be in all things the sincere disciples of Jesus, be formed among the members of one religious class of society, or will they be between Christians in heart of various names?"

66

My mind is much turned to the subject of cherishing, by every right means, the disposition to devotional feeling; and I do apprehend that some, in looking only at the fear of uttering expressions unfelt, have not, on the other hand, been sufficiently aware of the danger of supineness and total want of feeling. Should we not if sincere, always be prepared to utter some expressions of devotion? Supplications for what we need are very different from professions of experience to which These are, we have not attained. doubtless, abominations in the sight of God, when offered as a substitute for obedience and devotedness of heart and life. Still one extreme, although it may induce an opposite, cannot call for, or even justify an extreme on the other hand; and we ought to think whether we have not, in our own Society, too much renounced the practice of vocal supplication for wants that are common to all who are, or desire to be, sincere professors of Christianity; and, indeed, to every human being awakened to sense of the sacred truths of the religion of Jesus."

a

"I believe it is likely to have a more impressive effect on the mind of a child to be taught the devotional language, 'Thou art good,' than the more distant acknowledgment, implying mere reflection. Still may we keep as close to truth as ever, acknowledging that a silence, or the attention of the mind, is the first lesson in military discipline, so it must be also in that which is spiritual. Let this silent attention be called for in the commencement of our meetings for the dear children. But why should any prohibit singing in these meetings? Have we not the highest authority, when the Redeemer and his disciples sang a hymn together? and was there not an exhortation to the right singing of psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs,' singing with grace and melody in the heart ?"

Whether, or to what extent, some of her philanthropic efforts were misdirected by the unscriptural views which she had previously entertained, it would be difficult fully to estimate.

As respects herself, it is true, her dependence upon the Lord Jesus, and her first love, appear never to have been altogether lost. Again and again we find her rejoicing for a season, when some strong beam of Christian truth pierced through the cloud; and towards the end of her career they shine brightly for th. Thus, in 1817, we find her writing,

“On looking back, I feel convinced, as I have often done before, that had I no ground for final salvation and acceptance, but the correctness of my own doings, I should despair."

And again, in 1831, she writes,—

For a long time, however, after imbibing the opinions above alluded to, our Lord's mediatorial character, and the whole doctrine of justification by faith, appear to have been greatly obscured in her view ;-a cloud which probably extended also to her preaching.

A marked feature of the less favourable side of this devoted Christian's character was, the desultoriness of her proceedings. Her friends often, with regret, saw her abandon an object on which she had bestowed much labour, and that at a time when it still needed her fostering care, to pursue some fresh plan of benevolence, which, in its turn, would be either entirely dropped, or thrown upon the care of others less interested.

Mrs. Kilham was married in April, 1798, to Mr. A. Kilham, whose name is so well known in connexion with the

Methodist Society. She had the bitter trial, in December of the same year, of losing her attached husband, whom she survived thirty-four years. Mr. Kilham appears to have correctly appreciated both the excellences and the defects of her character, as may be seen by the letters published in this Memoir. one letter he says,

In

You will never be delivered from evil reasonings unless you venture constantly by faith on the Son of God. Remember Peter walked on the waves as on a pavement, while his eye was kept on the Lord Jesus; but when he looked down he saw the waves, and began to sink.

"Let us live by faith, and not by our feelings. The weather, exercises from various quarters, &c., may alter our feelings, but God is unchangeable."

In another he remarks,

Though it is past midnight, the weather exceedingly stormy, my fire low, my poor tottering body oppressed with cold, travelling, and other exercises, and I have three times to preach on this dawning day, as well as to travel