Grace King: or, Recollections of events in the life and death of a pious youth: with extracts from her diary. Published for the benefit of youth

Front matter

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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Preface

There is something deeply affecting in the death of the young ; it looks like the falling of unripe fruit : or like the blasting of the promising blossom by a late and untimely frost. But if they die like the subject of our recollections, in the full hope of the life to come, we feel better reconciled to their exit. Though we lament the early fall of Grace King, and have often wished that she had been spared, yet there was every thing in the improvement of her mind in knowledge, and in the advancement of her heart in goodness, as the extracts from her diary will show, that is calculated to reconcile us to the providence which removed her from earth so young.

The reader ought to be informed, that the family in which Grace King was reared consisted of Mr. and Mrs. G., and of four daughters of mature age, of a good education. This will account for the apparent precocity of intellect manifested by little Grace.

Grace King.

b PREFACE.

The thoughts contained in the " Extracts from her Diary" are her own. The compiler, indeed, has attempted to improve the language, and, as is thought, to render it more fit to meet the public eye. The plea he offers for the liberties which he has taken is, that he found the entries, as they were first made by Grace herself, without any correction; but he pledges his word that no sentiment or opinion has been changed.

It is believed that no young persons, and perhaps not many adults, can read the history and opinions of Grace King, without being both pleased and profited. It is a conviction of the probable usefulness of this little work that has influenced the compiler to lay it before the Christian public. May the blessing of God attend it.

New -York, 1839.

GRACE KING.

My Deaji Young Friends,

I undertake to give you a few recollections of one of the loveliest children that I ever knew. Her name was Grace King. She was an orphan, her father and mother being both dead. She was born, was reared, and she

GRACE KING.

died, in one of the most beautiful, healthy, and romantic manufacturing towns for which the Westriding of Yorkshire is so very remarkable.

Grace was about five years of age when I first saw her, and was residing in a religious family, who were intimate friends of her deceased parents* In personal appearance this child was lovely; she might be truly called beautiful. She had a fine, lofty, and expanded forehead ; her eyes were a deep, dark blue ; her skin was clear and fair ; her lips were bright as rubies ; and her full cheeks were like blooming roses. She was by nature of a sweet and teachable temper, and her manners were such as reflected great credit on the judgment and piety of her deceased mother. At the time I first saw her she could read well, and was very fond of good books.

I would affectionately warn my

GRACE KING.

young readers against indulging peevish, angry, and revengeful tempers, on account of the bad effects which they never fail to produce on the personal appearance and manners of such as indulge in them. It has long been known that fretful and boisterous tempers give their impressions to both the features and manners of children. Therefore, if you wish for comely persons, and graceful manners, you must guard against all angry and impatient feelings.

The family of Mr. G , in which

I first met this interesting orphan, was composed of persons who had long been devoted to God, and who were well fitted to educate the young, and to train the infant mind ; and it is due to them to say, that they spared no pains to polish and bless their lovely charge.

Grace was early led to the sabbath school, where she distinguished herself by her diligence in committing to memory portions of Scripture, sacred hymns, and other good pieces ; and she continued, through her short life, to be held up as" a pattern worthy the imitation of others. This child was in the constant habit of inquiring after the meaning of the scriptures and hymns which she learned at the sabbath school, and by this means she early acquired a stock of Biblical and religious knowledge, seldom attained even by adult Christians. In fact, the geography and chronology of the Scriptures ; the manners, customs, laws, &c, of the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, were familiar to her ; and, before she was eight years of age, she read the Bible with great judgment and much delight. She was, no doubt, greatly indebted to the labours of the family of Mr. G for her great acquirements; but still these were owing, in a great measure, to her thirst for knowledge, and her diligent inquiry ; and I would say to my young reader, "Go thou and do likewise."

When little Grace was about six years old a glorious revival of religion took place in the Methodist congregation at R , the village in which

she resided, which soon extended to the sabbath school. Among the early subjects of this revival was found this interesting orphan. Her infant mind became deeply affected by a discovery of her sinfulness and perishing condition. Being asked why she wept, she replied, " Because my heart is wicked." When asked how she knew that her heart was wicked, she answered, "Because I know I do not love God." And when asked how she knew that she did not love God, she answered, " Because I think of any thing, and I talk of any thing more than I do of God."

This little penitent continued to mourn, and weep, and pray, and refused to be comforted, for some weeks.

The family of Mr. G , and the

friends who knew her, felt very deeply on her account, and laboured in different ways to minister peace to her troubled heart.

One elderly lady, addressing her, said, '" Be comforted, child, for I am •sure you have always been good, and very good ; I do not believe that you ever committed a sin in your life ; and I am sure God must love you." To this she replied, with her beautiful eyes full of tears, and her little breast heaving with sighs, " I know that God must love me, or he would not have sent the beloved Jesus to die for me ; but I am sure that I am not good, or I should have loved God, and praised him for the gift of his Son."

One day, after spending a few hours alone, in reading, meditation, and prayer, she entered the room where Mr. G sat ; her sorrowful countenance seemed somewhat relieved of its former heaviness, and she addressed her earthly protector, saying, " Father," (the title she always gave

Mr. G ,) " if God were not willing

to pardon my sins, and save my soul, would he have given his Son to die for me V Being answered, " No," she said, " Then I will give myself into his hands, and will wait for the answer of peace, expecting it for Christ's sake alone." Her father hearing this, said, " My child, thou art not far from the kingdom of God ; go back to thy room, and say to God what thou hast said to me ; go just now, and say to him, Here, Lord, I give myself up to thee; I cannot save myself; thou hast given Jesus to be my Saviour ; I rely only on his merits, and I expect that thou wilt accept and save for his sake alone."

Grace took this advice ; she went directly to her closet, and it was but a short time before she returned to the room where the family was assembled, with a face radiant with joy, saying, " Rejoice with me, for my blessed Lord has done that for me which none of you could do, and which I could, not do for myself. He has met me in mercy ; he has taken the burden from my heart ; he has taken possession of my soul ; he has filled me with peace, and he has given me power to love him. Yes, he alone has done it, and I will praise him, for now I know that I love God." In these and similar words did this dear child continue to express herself for some time. She then said, "Let us all kneel down, and 1 wish you all to praise God for what he has done for me. I wish you to praise him, and to give him thanks, because you can do it better than I." Perhaps I need not add, that the whole family instantly complied, and joined the infant believer in the delightful exercise of thanksgiving to God.

Now, my young reader, let me ask you, what dost thou know about these things ? Didst thou ever see the sinfulness of thy heart ? Didst thou ever mourn and weep before God, on account of thy guilt and danger ? Didst thou ever feel the struggle after salvation which was felt by Grace King? And didst thou ever believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and so believe on him as to feel peace and joy in thy heart? Remember, thou art sinful and guilty, and thou must feel these things, or thou canst not get to heaven. O, think on these things, and lay them now to heart.

It is not uncommon, in this day of improvement in sabbath school instructions, to see young children become the subjects of religious impressions during the course of revivals ; but, unhappily, such children are too often neglected, from the notion that all their seriousness will vanish as soon as the revival ceases. It is a painful fact, that very frequently such children become as thoughtless and trifling as ever. But is not this, in some measure, owing to the want of good care and persevering nursery on the part of parents and members of the church ? If these children were properly instructed, watched over, and prayed with, would not the result, in many instances, be widely different ? The guilt, therefore, of their religious declension, will be found chargeable to the church, to parents, and to guardians. Think of this, ye who speak lightly of " the day of small and feeble things !" Remember the charge of the great Shepherd, " Feed my lambs."

The child whose history is the subject of these recollections remained " steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding" in goodness, devotion and piety, to the close of her life, which event happened in her 14th year. Up to this time she enjoyed a remarkable state of health, and was able to attend sabbath school, and the means of grace in general, without interruption. She always entered the sabbath school well qualified to recite her lessons, and attended the public means of grace prepared by previous private devotion. She always went from her 2 closet to hear preaching, to prayer meetings, and to her class.

Grace had her regular and stated hours for reading and private devotion ; and she was never known to fail in her attendance on these duties at least three times a day. She also attended to other studies and duties prescribed by the family with religious exactness. It was never found necessary to request her a second time to do the bidding, or fulfil the wishes of any member of Mr. G 's family ; and she

always did everything willingly, and with an air of pleasure and satisfaction I hope all my young readers will imitate Grace in this particular ; for nothing can be more afflicting to your parents than to see you unwilling to comply with their reasonable requests. Besides, what unkindness, and what wickedness, in the sight of God, it must be, not to be obedient to our dear parents, who have kindly watched over us, and provided for our wants, during many years of helpless infancy. Remember that " Honour thy father and thy mother is the first commandment with promise."

Many persons seem to doubt and call in question the genuineness of the conversion of young children. They seem to think that religion, and the means of obtaining it, are matters so much above the comprehension of children that they cannot be the real subjects of Christian experience. These doubters ought to remember that conversion is the work of God; and that it is a little thing with him "to ordain praise out of the mouths of babes and sucklings." Besides, the infant mind is much more susceptible of religious knowledge and impressions than many parents seem to believe. Let them only set to work in earnest to train their children for God and they will soon be convinced of this. If strict and persevering attention to devotional duties; if meekness, humility, kindness, and docility of spirit; if integrity of principle and practice ; if deep and growing solicitude for the prosperity of the church and the salvation of the world ; if these be genuine fruits of religious experience, and the real evidence of a work of grace on the heart, then the religion of little Grace King was pure and genuine.

She was remarkable for her fidelity and zeal in instructing, warning, and urging to repentance all the ignorant and careless children that fell in her company. And these labours of childhood were not in vain; the Lord owned and blessed them ; for there are some burning and shining lights in the church now who can trace their first religious impressions to her labours.

When Grace was nearly fourteen years of age she was seized with a violent fever, which caused great anxiety to Mr. G 's family, and to her

friends generally. She was watched and nursed with the deepest care, and the best medical advice was summoned for her relief. But the fever resisted all skill and care, and remained violent and unyielding for three weeks; and when it did subside, it left such marks of ravage and waste of the constitution as rendered the prospect of her recovery very doubtful. During the continuance of the fever she laboured under almost constant delirium. But it was remarked by all around her that she never said any thing, or did any thing, but what served to show, in the words of one of her physicians, li that the suffering body was inhabited by a pure and sainted spirit." During- the delirium she would sing, and pray, and recite Scripture, and exhort sinners.

When the fever was broken, she became perfectly herself. She knew all her friends, and conversed with her former intelligence, according to her strength. She was conscious that she had been very sick ; and she continued calmly and firmly to declare that she should not get well, but that her sickness would soon end in death. When asked the~ state of her mind, she uniformly answered, " I have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." When questioned in reference to her future and eternal prospects, she replied, " My future prospects are good ; my sky is unclouded, and my pathway is bright with celestial light." At other times she would say, "My prospects? why, they are transporting ! I am going, yes, I am going to the abode of angels, and to the presence of God ! O glory ! hallelujah !"

One day Mr. G — — said to her, " My dear Grace, are you not sorry to know that you are going to die, and to leave me and the rest of the family 7* After looking steadily at

Mr. G for a moment, as if in

great surprise, she firmly answered, " No ! sir ; though I love you and your family most dearly, yet I love my God and Saviour a great deal more!" After a long and painful fit of coughing, during which she was supported

by Mr. G , she said, "Father, I

thank you for holding my throbbing head. I believe you and the whole family intend to meet me in heaven?" Being answered, " Yes, we do," she very quickly said, " Why then should I not go first, that I may be ready to welcome you all there V And looking affectionately at Mr. G , she added, "Father, when I get home to glory, I shall continue to look for you until I see you enter ; it will not be long that I shall have to look for you, for your locks are getting very gray." This was a melting scene. We all wept. Who could have witnessed this interview between the young disciple and the aged patriarch, and not be melted to tears? To me it appeared as if they were both striving to reach heaven first; and yet they were both willing to go in company. On the last day of her mortal life,

Mr. G said to her, " Grace, it is

now nearly nine years since your own dear mother died. I saw her die, and I have no doubt that she is now in glory with the Saviour." On hearing this, the little sufferer raised her wasted hands and her swimming eyes

GRAGE KING. 25

to heaven ; and as soon as she could articulate, she exclaimed, " Let me go ! let me go ! I want to see that holy and happy mother ; and I want, still more, to see the glorious Saviour !"

This emotion proved too much for her feeble state of body. Her hands fell, her eyes became fixed, and, to all appearance, she ceased for some minutes to breathe. We all thought her dead ; but after a while we saw again the signs of remaining life. In half an hour she opened her eyes, and, looking on all around with a strong expression of sweetness and pleasure, she said, " I have had a glimpse of heaven ! my happy mother is there ! and — " she appeared desirous of saying more, but was prevented by along and violent fit of coughing. When this had ceased, she lay very still for some minutes, with her eyes closed ; she then gradually raised her hands,

GRACE KING.

without opening her eyes, and, with a faint and sinking voice, said, " I am going to Jesus ! farewell ! farewell !" In a very few moments she ceased to breathe. v

There was one very commendable trait in the character of Grace King which we must not forget to record, and that was her great industry. She was never, after her conversion, unemployed, nor was she ever triflingly employed. To the study of her daily lessons she applied herself with all her powers ; and when these were finished, she either strove to make herself useful in the household business, or she plied her needle to some useful and profitable purpose. In fact, such were her constant habits of useful labour, that Mrs. G- has often

been heard to say, " Grace is no bill of cost to us ; she regularly pays her way." Thus, we see, this dear child w r as " diligent in business," as well as " fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." How much better it is for little children to be engaged in some useful employment than to be suffered to trifle away their hours in entire idleness, or in killing time by ruinous and dissipating amusements. Besides, if children are not early taught habits of industry, they generally, in after life, become indolent and worthless members of society, and not unfrequently vagabonds, and a curse to their generation; for

" As the twig is bent the tree's inclined."

Idleness is a sin against God and nature, and it is the fruitful parent of wretchedness, and of many vices. The child that is not engaged in some useful or innocent employment will not long remain pure and guiltless,

" For Satan finds some mischief still For idle hands to do."

And the Scriptures speak very strongly against idleness. It is there said, " If a man will not work, neither shall he eat ;" that " an idle soul shall suffer hunger;" that " drowsiness shall clothe a man in rags ;" and that " want shall come upon the sluggard as an armed man." Let my young reader hear this, and guard against idleness. After her conversion, little Grace continued to give strong evidence of her love to the cause of God, and of her heartfelt concern for the good of souls, by labours to support the institutions of benevolence and religion, and by the conversations which she held with children in the neighbourhood. This lovely child was incessant in her efforts to obtain contributions for the Bible and missionary societies, and for the sabbath-school cause. A great many small, and not a few large contributions were obtained by the mild and untiring solicitations of this little labourer. Indeed, she made successful applications for money where almost every other person would have despaired or failed. I will relate an anecdote in point. A certain gentleman, who made no profession of religion, and who was universally notorious for his parsimony, was asked, why he always gave money to Grace when she applied to him: lie replied, " There is something so sweet, so modest, and so heavenly in the very looks and manners of that child, that I am constrained to give ; I cannot refuse her; indeed, I am so fully impressed with the belief that it will be w r isely and usefully applied, that I cannot deny her request." Many a Bible has been furnished to the destitute, many a missionary of the cross has been cheered in his toil, and many a sabbath-school scholar has been aided in acquiring saving knowledge, by the money collected by Grace King. Though young in years, yet she had many works of faith and labours of love ; and she is now reaping her reward in heaven ! O, I wish my young readers could have seen this little girl, with her - bright countenance, and her book for subscriptions in her hand, passing from house to house. I think 4 her example would have provoked them to similar exertions.

We have said, too, that Grace improved every opportunity to instruct and to admonish the children who fell in her way ; and she was every wayqualified for such duties ; for she had clear views of the great doctrines of revelation, and she possessed a happy faculty of communicating her knowledge to children of her own age, and of doing this in language which they could feel. Her admonitions and exhortations were always offered with such mildness, seriousness, and fervour, that they were both received and felt by the children to whom they were addressed. But the labours of Grace were not confined to children, as the following short letter will show. It was addressed to a lady who did not profess religion, and it was written but a short time before she was taken sick.

" Dear Madam, — Do not be angry with me for the liberty which I now take in addressing a few lines to yon ; but be pleased to forgive the seeming forwardness of a child. Nothing short of deep concern for your greatest benefit could have moved me to take this course. I wish to discharge what I feel to be my duty, and therefore entreat you to bear with me, and to forgive me if I err.

u Dear madam, you have lived a great many years in God's world. You have received and enjoyed a great many mercies and blessings from your Maker's hands. You have been blessed with a great many privileges and means of being made a holy Christian; and the 'Lord has indeed done great things for you.'

GRACE KINO. 33

But have you properly improved your time, your mercies, and your powers, to the glory of God ? Have you given 'all diligence to make your calling and election sure V Have you done your duty to yourself, to your fellowcreatures, and to your God ? Are you now prepared by grace for death, for judgment, and for heaven ?

" Pardon my boldness, madam, for my fears urge me on. I think you must Know that you are not prepared to die. Are you not neglecting, wholly neglecting the great salvation ? Do you not know that if the Scriptures be true, you have no solid hope ? For without a present sensible interest in Christ, and without holiness, no one can see the Lord.

" O, madam, suffer a child, who has

'tasted that the Lord is gracious,' to

exhort you to think on these things,

and to lay them to heart O, now,

1 while it is called to-day/ resolve to break friendship with the world, to deny yourself of sin, to give yourself to God in Christ, and to live the rest of your days wholly to the glory of your Maker and Judge. Remember, your time is short! death may be standing at your door ! and eternity, yes, eternity is just before you !

" Believe me, madam, when I say it is love, pure love to your soul, that has constrained me to write these lines. If it appear mere forwardness to you, pray forgive me this wrong, and believe me to be yours sincerely,

" G. King."

These labours of love were not in vain, for there are numbers now living who still bless God for the admonitions and instructions of this child ; and though the lady to whom the above letter was addressed really appeared to many to be " a hopeless case/' yet it is known that the child's labour made a deep impression upon her ; and it is the opinion of her friends that she was saved at the eleventh hour.

A few days before Grace died, she requested permission to see all the children of the sabbath school belonging to her class, and in this she was indulged. When they stood around her bed, and she w^as raised to a sitting posture, she surveyed them with a meek and heavenly smile. Though she was but the shadow of a human form, being so much wasted by disease, yet she addressed the children with a clearness and a force which astonished all that heard her. Having looked around upon them for some time, with a sweet and conciliatory smile, she commenced her address by thanking them for coming to see her in her affliction. She told them that she expected soon to die ; that she was going soon into eternity ; that she was not afraid of death, and that she had a desire to be gone. She told them she knew that she was by nature unholy, and that she had sinned against God ; but she knew, also, that there was a Saviour ; and she knew that that Saviour was her Saviour, And "This" she exclaimed, "this is the reason why I am not afraid to die!"

She now proceeded to speak to the children on the subject of their sinfulness, their danger, and their duty; and so pointedly, so pathetically, did she speak, that there was not a dry eye in the room. Nothing was heard, excepting her sweet voice, but sighs, and weeping, and mourning. After a few prayers had been offered, she took leave of the class, by taking each by the hand, and charging them, individually, to " meet her in the glorious heaven above." It is believed that her last interview with her class was signally owned and blessed of God. The adults present felt it, and were moved to give themselves wholly to the Lord. And many of the children who were then present are now " burning and shining lights" in the church. They have given themselves to God, and are walking so as to adorn their high and holy calling. Thus this dear child, " being dead, yet speaketh" in the fruit of her labours.

While little Grace lay on her last bed of sickness she was visited by a maternal uncle, who had long been absent from home, a soldier in foreign lands. When she was told that he was her own mother's brother, she affectionately embraced him, and pressed her pale lips to his cheek, while tears bedewed the cheeks of both. After she became composed, she said, " Uncle, I love you, because you are the brother of my own mother. My mother G- tells me that

my own mother was your sister ; that my mother was a true and devoted servant of the Saviour ; and that she died ascribing praise and thanksgiving to him ; now, I hope you are as good and as happy as my dear mother w r as." The uncle took deep interest in the welfare of Grace, and laboured to entertain her by relating the wonders he had seen and heard in his travels. To these relations she often listened with fixed attention. One day she said, " Uncle, you certainly have seen many great and strange things in your travels ; but suffer me to ask if you ever met with the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinner's great friend ?" She added, " I put this question for two reasons; first, because you do not often mention his name when you tell me of what you met with ; and secondly, because I feel anxious that you should know him, and the power of his resurrection." This was an attack not to be evaded. After a short pause, she took her uncle's hand, and looking him affectionately in the face, she said, " My dear uncle, do you know the Lord Jesus Christ; and do you feel that he is your Saviour ?" The old veteran could resist no longer ; he burst into tears, and said, " I do not, but I hope I shall." To this she devoutly answered, "Amen"