LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
^ 
 
THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST; 
 
 OK, 
 
 WILLIAM THOMAS BIDDLE, 
 
 ACCEPTED MISSIONARY TO BUK.MAH, 
 IX 
 
 HIS EFFORTS TO DO GOOD AT HOME, 
 
 AXD 
 
 IN HIS CONSECRATION TO THE WORK 
 
 OP 
 
 MISSIONS ABROAD. 
 
 y 
 
 BY ISAAC W. BRINCKERHOFF. 
 
 PUBLISHED BV^M tc 
 AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 
 
 150 NASSAU-STRKET, NEW YORK. 
 •J- CDRNHJLL, BOSTON. 
 
 & s. sS>s-F- 
 

 The Librae 
 ov . Congress 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S58, by Isaac 
 W. BRrxcKERHOFF. in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the 
 Southern District of the State of New York. 
 
 Right of publishing transferred to the American Tract Society. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Preface, - 5 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 HIS CONVERSION. 
 Early religious impressions— Knowledge of the Scriptures — 
 First thought of preaching* — Lines, "There is a God 1 ' — 
 Learns a trade — Letters home — Interest in foreign mis- 
 sions, - 9 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 AT WORK. 
 Residence in Brooklyn and New York — Tract distribu- 
 tion — Personal conversation — Sabbath-school — Church — 
 Tests of Christian character, 32 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE ENCOURAGEMENT. 
 Licensed to preach — Enters Madison University, 45 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 
 
 Six years residence at Hamilton, N. Y. — His aim the glory 
 
 of God — Dr. Judson's visit — Revival in Baptist church — 
 
 Visit of missionaries — {i Spirit of Moravian Missions " — 
 
 Sabbath-school at Cole Hill — Time, how occupied,--- 56 
 
4 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE SINGLE PURPOSE — CONTINUED. 
 Interest in the spiritual welfare of children — Self-denying 
 faithfulness — Tutor in the University — Reasons for keep- 
 ing a journal, -- - 102 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE COLPORTEUR. 
 Labors for the American Tract Society in 1847 and 1849 — 
 Incidents, 131 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. 
 Conscientiousness — Early choice of a companion — Disap- 
 pointment — God's hand discerned,- ---- 146 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE MISSION WORK. 
 Glances at particular fields of missionary labor — Lines, "To 
 my missionary sister " — Appointment as missionary — 
 His "future home*' — Advantages of an "early decision 
 of duty to the heathen '* — " Encouragements to spread 
 the gospel,"' 157 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE DEPARTURE. 
 
 Ordination — Marriage — Graduation — Preparation for the 
 voyage — Sickness — Last hours — Death— Funeral servi- 
 ces, 189 
 
 Conclusion, - - - - 20o 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The following just remarks were written by 
 Mr. Biddle as introductory to a "Biographical 
 Sketch of Felix Neff," prepared by him as a 
 literary exercise : 
 
 "The injunction of the apostle Paul, 'Be ye 
 followers of me, even as I also am of Christ/ 
 coming as it does from the pen cf inspiration, 
 is an all-sufficient reason for writing and read- 
 ing the biography of the good men whom God 
 has been pleased to make 'living epistles 7 of 
 his truth. 
 
 "And while we admit but one standard of 
 holy living, Jesus Christ, we may certainly 
 with great advantage look frequently and care- 
 fully at those representations of his character 
 which, although like the orreries of the astron- 
 omer infinitely inferior to their original in per- 
 fection, grandeur, and power, are yet by no 
 means insignificant aids to the student in ob- 
 
6 PREFACE. 
 
 taming a just conception of the original. In- 
 deed, Christ may be said, in the person of each 
 of his faithful disciples, to tabernacle again on 
 earth. 
 
 " It is not, however, the lives of otherwise em- 
 inent persons, who were Christians, which most 
 strongly incite to spirituality. The simple 
 memoirs of Samuel Pearce, Harlan Page, and 
 the Dairyman's Daughter, are, we think, better 
 adapted to promote the state of mind of which 
 we speak, than, for instance, those of Dwight 
 and Edwards. Not that those individuals were 
 less spiritual, or that they had a less instruc- 
 tive Christian experience, but their memoirs 
 have a double character to represent: they 
 were both great and good. We can scarcely 
 ever think of their goodness without having 
 the thought, as it were, profaned by the intru- 
 sion of reflections on their greatness. In the 
 case of the humble individuals of which we 
 speak there is no such diversion of the feelings. 
 They were good, and that is about all we know 
 of them ; and we can concentrate all our con- 
 templations on this single element of their 
 character. It is meditation upon this element 
 which strengthens the spiritual man. Besides, 
 
PREFACE. T 
 
 if we could easily dissociate the goodness and 
 the greatness of the individual, their biogra- 
 phers would not allow us to do it; their 
 business is to portray the whole man, to display 
 his talents and attainments as well as his vir- 
 tues, and they are necessarily more or less min- 
 gled. We do not say that this is improper, 
 we are inclined to believe it perfectly right ; 
 but we do say, that those biographies rarely 
 reach the heart as do those of the simple and 
 unrenowned.'" 
 
" Rouse to the work of high and holy love, 
 
 And thou an angel's happiness shalt know — 
 Shalt bless the earth while in the world above ; 
 
 The good begun by thee shall onward flow 
 In many a branching stream, and wider grow ; 
 
 The seed, that in these few and fleeting hours, 
 Thy hands unsparing and unwearied sow, 
 
 Shall deck thy grave with amaranthine flowers, 
 And yield thee fruits divine in heaven's immortal 
 bowers." 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 OF 
 
 WILLIAM THOMAS BIDDLE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HIS CONVERSION. 
 
 11 If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." 
 
 2 Cor. 5:17. 
 
 The American Baptist Missionary Union has 
 adopted as a device emblematic of a mission- 
 ary's peculiar and entire consecration to the 
 service of Christ, an ox standing with a plough 
 on the one side, and on the other an altar upon 
 which is the sacrificial fire, with the motto, 
 " Ready for either." 
 
 The spirit indicated in this device is that of 
 labor and sacrifice in accomplishing the will 
 of God irrespective of all personal considera- 
 
10 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 tions. This is the spirit of Christ, most im- 
 pressively exemplified by the Saviour in his 
 advent into the world, and by his obedience 
 unto death for the salvation of men. He sought 
 not his own will, but the will of the Father 
 who sent him. 
 
 Of this same spirit the apostles and the first 
 preachers of the gospel partook largely, as 
 also did the humble disciples who, in primitive 
 times, so liberally sacrificed earthly good and 
 comfort that they might witness for Christ. 
 
 By the grace of God, and through the agency 
 of the Holy Spirit, this spirit of consecration 
 has been preserved to the present day. In the 
 lives of faithful, devoted men — pastors, mission- 
 aries, and private members of the churches — 
 is furnished abundant material for the illustra- 
 tion of the power of this principle. 
 
 One example we have in the history of a 
 young disciple, the sweet savor of whose mem- 
 ory is fragrant in the hearts and minds of all 
 who knew him. Though cut off in the first 
 years of manhood, he lived long enough to 
 devote himself wholly to the Lord, and to 
 prove the reality of his consecration ; " and by 
 it he, being dead, yet speaketh." 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 11 
 
 In the spring of 1838, when about the age of 
 fourteen, during a revival of religion in the 
 Baptist church in Stamford, Connecticut, of 
 which his father was pastor, William Thomas 
 Biddle became a new creature in Christ. In 
 the sufferings and death of the blessed Saviour, 
 as recorded in the nineteenth chapter of John's 
 gospel, he saw the exceeding sinfulness and 
 just demerit of sin, the deep depravity of his 
 nature, and the great love of God in giving his 
 Son to die for sinners. He felt that Christ 
 loved him, and had given himself for him ; and 
 taught from above, and renewed in heart and 
 mind by the effectual working of the Holy 
 Spirit, he yielded himself to God. 
 
 A brief narrative of this event, and the im- 
 pressions which at various times preceded it, 
 we give in his own words. 
 
 " I had been/' he says, " the subject of serious 
 impressions from my earliest recollections, and 
 know of no time when a faithful conversation 
 would not have induced me to promise attention 
 to the interests of my soul. I can remember 
 the impression made on my mind by preaching, 
 sometime before I was eight years of age, and 
 particularly by one sermon from a student — I 
 
12 WILLIAM T. BIDDLL. 
 
 have often wished that I had the means of 
 knowing who he was — at Boxmoor, England, 
 from the words, ' None saith, Where is God my 
 Maker, who giveth songs in the night V The 
 ingratitude of the sinner was portrayed, and 
 I felt condemned. What resolutions I then 
 made I know not, for all passed away. Several 
 years after, I was also much impressed under a 
 sermon by brother Dunbar of the Macdougal- 
 street church, New York, I think from the 
 words, l There is no discharge in that war.' 
 I purposed at that time to give attention to 
 the subject of my soul's salvation ; but I wanted 
 
 to have D D go with me, and I dared 
 
 not say any thing to him, so the fear of man 
 kept me back. To ease my conscience, though 
 I knew not that any others held that belief, I 
 adopted a sort of Universalism much like what 
 I find current among men. I reasoned thus : 
 If Christ be the Judge, he is too merciful to 
 condemn me ; I know I can escape. But I 
 dared not trust to this ; I was afraid I might 
 be mistaken, and then all would be lost. In 
 1838 at Stamford, during a series of meetings 
 at which some were anxious, my mind was again 
 called to the subject of religion, and I said to 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 13 
 
 myself, 1 1 admit that I ought to be a Christian ; 
 why not become one now? I shall never be 
 more inclined to it ; it is self-denying now, but 
 when will it be any thing else ? Besides, I may 
 not be spared to see another such season/ I 
 had but little feeling, and set about the work 
 as a matter rather of duty than of deep concern. 
 The consequence was, I struggled hard against 
 shame, and sometimes well-nigh concluded to 
 give it up. I certainly felt less deeply then 
 than I had some few weeks before when broth- 
 er J. Roberds talked seriously and plainly to 
 me on the subject, and drew from me a pledge 
 that I would at once attend to the matter. 
 This interview I think prepared the way for 
 the reception of the truth during the meetings. 
 I was soon led to cast myself upon the mercy 
 of God. It occurred while listening to the 
 hymn, 
 
 'Alas, and did my Saviour bleed!' 
 
 and at the words, 
 
 1 Here, Lord, I give myself away ; 
 'T is all that I can do.' 
 
 But peace did not follow for some hours. 
 When it did come it was like a river. I was 
 happy in the thought that I was in God's 
 
14 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 hands. I could not sleep, until I had more 
 than once knelt at the bed and thanked God 
 for the calm content, and asked the same for 
 others. One week from that time I was bap- 
 tized.' 7 
 
 There is great reason to believe that this 
 result was the fruit, with the blessing of God, 
 of seed sown in early life by his parents, and 
 especially by his mother, who, when William 
 was about eight years of age, died in the tri- 
 umphs of faith. Through her assiduous atten- 
 tion, he was able to read the Testament w 7 hen 
 but four years old. Believing that the know- 
 ledge of the holy Scriptures is the best know- 
 ledge which parents can impart, it was their 
 endeavor to store his mind with it, by requir- 
 ing him, according to his age, to commit to 
 memory first the historical parts of the New 
 Testament, and then other books. In this way 
 he committed to memory the whole of the book 
 of Proverbs when about ten or eleven years 
 of age. 
 
 Of this instruction he felt the benefit in after- 
 years. Speaking of it in a letter to his father 
 some twelve years after his conversion, he said, 
 ; * If ever I am enabled to do any good in the 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 15 
 
 world, it will be owing in no small degree to 
 your careful labor in teaching me the Bible. 
 My knowledge of the text is of great service 
 to me. It used to seem hard to be compelled 
 to get it by heart, but I know of nothing in 
 the way of knowledge which would not be 
 parted with more willingly than this know- 
 ledge if I must let some go." 
 
 "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the 
 evening withhold not thy hand ; for thou 
 knowest not whether shall prosper, either this 
 or that, or whether they both shall be alike 
 good." Eccl. 11:6. 
 
 " Sow away, parents ; sow away, teachers," 
 said Mr. William Dawson, in a sermon ; " har- 
 vest is nearer every day. Be not weary in 
 well-doing ; for in due season ye shall reap, if 
 ye faint not." 
 
 Shortly after his profession of faith in Christ, 
 the family removed from Stamford to New 
 Canaan in the same state, and William became 
 connected with the church at Norwalk. Dur- 
 ing the two years in which he remained in that 
 place, he says, "I wandered far- from God, and 
 felt for months that I was no Christian. At 
 
16 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 the dedication of the meeting-house at Nor- 
 walk, or rather just succeeding it, a protracted 
 meeting was held, and I was much revived. I 
 took an active part in the meeting, and contin- 
 ued to do so after the close. In the spring of 
 1839, having been at one of the meetings down- 
 town in the school-house, and having spoken, I 
 
 went to brother P 's to stay over night in 
 
 company with a student from Hamilton, New 
 York, who had been at the meeting. In the 
 morning he accompanied me to New Canaan; 
 and on the way he asked me if I had ever 
 thought of preaching. I was surprised, and 
 answered, No. He asked me to think of it. I 
 promised to do so. This was the first thought 
 I had on the subject." 
 
 The pastor of the church at that time, Rev. 
 J. J. Woolsey, says, " My recollections of him 
 are those of a devotedly pious young man. 
 Residing at some distance from the meeting- 
 house, he was not engaged in the Sabbath- 
 school connected with the church, but was em- 
 ployed as a teacher in a school in his own 
 neighborhood. He had an ardent thirst for 
 knowledge, and was desirous of becoming 
 thoroughly prepared to preach the gospel. He 
 
HIS CONVERSION. It 
 
 employed his leisure time in study, and thereby 
 obtained a tolerable knowledge of the Greek 
 language, and made considerable progress in 
 other branches. Every interview with him 
 increased my conviction that he was daily ad- 
 vancing in divine knowledge and grace, and 
 indications were not wanting that the great 
 Head of the church intended him for eminent 
 usefulness. 77 
 
 During his residence in New Canaan, the 
 village and vicinity were visited by an unusu- 
 ally severe thunder-storm, so violent that con- 
 siderable damage was done. At the time Will- 
 iam was alone in his father's study, in a build- 
 ing detached from the dwelling. He was so 
 affected that he buried his face in his hands 
 and rested them upon his knees. The impres- 
 sion made upon his mind by this event is indi- 
 cated in the closing part of the following lines, 
 penned some years afterwards. 
 
 "THERE IS A GOD." 
 
 Oh, tell me not, that I live in a world 
 
 Over which no God bears sway ! 
 For I 've seen the trace of his mighty hand 
 
 On all sides, by night and by day. 
 
 E:M?e. 2 
 
IS WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 Yes, I \re marked the myriad host of heaven, 
 
 The glittering stars so bright, 
 Like gems in a monarch's diadem, 
 
 At the stilly hour of night. 
 
 And each of these diamonds has seemed to say — 
 For they spoke by their twinkling light — 
 
 That they stand in the sky as letters of gold, 
 To teach of a God at night. 
 
 I have seen the moon in her glory shine, 
 
 When the flying cloud passed by, 
 As her course she held in the spangled vault, 
 
 The queen of the evening sky ; 
 
 And methought that a voice addressed my ear, 
 
 As I paused a while to gaze, 
 Which said, Sure a God has marked the path 
 
 She holds through the starry maze. 
 
 I have gazed on the ocean, whose restless waves 
 Lash in madness the rock-bound shore, 
 
 When the autumn gale o'er its bosom sweeps, 
 And its deep-hidden caverns roar ; 
 
 And I heard a voice in its thundering tone, 
 
 Which spoke to my inmost soul 
 Of a Euler above who was mightier far, 
 
 At whose mandate those billows roll. 
 
 When the gathering clouds by the whirlwind driven 
 
 Emitted the lightning's glare, 
 And the muttering thunder still louder grew, 
 
 I thought that a God was there. 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 19 
 
 When it onward came, and the vaulted arch 
 
 By the thunder's bolt was riven, 
 And the fearful crash for a moment seemed 
 
 To mingle with earth the heaven ; 
 
 Then a silent awe o'er my spirit came, 
 
 And I bowed my knee in prayer : 
 I asked for a shelter beneath his hand, 
 
 For I knew that a God was there. 
 
 In the spring of 1840, he went to Banbury 
 for the purpose of learning the carpenter's 
 trade. 
 
 A few brief extracts from his letters home, 
 written during the latter part of his residence 
 in Danbury, will furnish an idea of the difficul- 
 ties which he encountered in regard to spiritual 
 things, and also his engagedness in the work 
 of serving the Lord. It will be borne in mind 
 that at this time William was only a babe in 
 
 Christ. 
 
 "Danbury, July 22, 1841. 
 
 "Dear Father — I have not enjoyed prayer 
 
 much of late, partly owing to the situation in 
 
 which I am placed. I have to start off to work 
 
 as soon as I get up, and can only steal a few 
 
 moments for devotion. I take considerable 
 
 pleasure in reading the Bible ; I think it more 
 
 precious to me every year. What an abundant 
 
20 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 source of wealth it is — wealth which can never 
 perish. I cannot attend the evening meetings 
 regularly, and if I miss one I seem to lose a 
 week." 
 
 " February 3, 1842. 
 "I have some good seasons in prayer, but 
 have little faith. My time has been much oc- 
 cupied with meditation, yet I seem in the dark 
 as to every duty. I think I see more of the 
 depravity of my heart than formerly ; ' the 
 heart ? s a sink of sin. ? I want to be more use- 
 ful in the cause of Christ, and feel determined 
 to make greater efforts in the Sabbath-school 
 cause, and also to deny myself daily. I have 
 read Mason on Self-knowledge, and intend to 
 read it again ; also the Life of Franke. 
 
 After mentioning several encouraging signs 
 that the Lord was about to bless his people, 
 and several places in the neighborhood where 
 the showers of grace were already abundant, 
 he writes : 
 
 '•Danbury, Conn., Feb. 7, 1842. 
 
 "Dear Father — As regards myself I do not 
 know what to think, much less what to say. I 
 find every day new trials ; I falter, Satan tempts, 
 and I fall. Sometimes I feel totally unfit for any 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 21 
 
 thing. When I attempt to pray, I feel as though 
 it were mockery to confess my sins, for it is 
 almost certain that I shall yield again. I almost 
 conclude that I know nothing of the reality 
 of religion experimentally ; before is darkness, 
 behind destruction. I know I am lax in duty, 
 yet I feel no satisfaction in doing any thing. 
 Something is altogether wrong in me. I want 
 to grow in grace, yet how can I when my mind 
 is so perplexed ? I cannot tell you how I feel. 
 Perhaps this condition arises from the fact that 
 I almost always look at the dark side. I know 
 this is my habit. I recollect making it a prac- 
 tice when yery young, always to think the 
 worst respecting any thing, in order not to be 
 disappointed. I cannot bear the thought of 
 continuing so, yet how to avoid it I know not. 
 I feel the want, yes, the necessity of religious 
 conversation, in order to enjoy religion. This 
 I have been without almost entirely for a long- 
 time. 
 
 "You suggested that it would be a good 
 plan to unite with some one in special prayer 
 for a revival. That is my mind exactly. I 
 have been reading the life of Harlan Page, in 
 which reference is made to the practice, and 
 
22 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 have been looking around for some one to join 
 with me ; but those who would be likely to do 
 so, live two or three miles off. I wish we had 
 a pastor." 
 
 The tendency to ' look at the dark side/ was 
 not a characteristic of him in after-life. His 
 piety preeminently commended itself by its 
 cheerfulness. He was a happy Christian. 
 
 " April 10, 1842. 
 
 " Dearest Parents — that my mind were 
 in a state to appreciate duly the blessings of 
 the conversion of sinners, especially that of a 
 sister. Accounts of revivals of religion pour 
 in from every quarter, yet here we are, shall I 
 say lifeless, in the great cause. Every moral 
 enterprise is low except the temperance cause. 
 In that respect Danbury, Bethel, and adjacent 
 towns, are undergoing a thorough reformation. 
 I suppose, here alone, from fifty to a hundred 
 drunkards have been reclaimed, besides moder- 
 ate drinkers." 
 
 Appended to this letter, he wrote the fol- 
 lowing to his younger sisters, indicating a 
 Christian brother's interest in their spiritual 
 welfare. 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 23 
 
 To H andM . 
 
 " Dear Sisters — The Bible says that Jesus 
 Christ told his disciples to suffer little children 
 to come unto him, and forbid them not ; for of 
 such is the kingdom of heaven. I am glad to 
 hear that you hope that God has forgiven your 
 sins, and that you love him. Keep close to 
 God by praying and reading his word. Pray 
 for those who do not love God, that they may 
 love him." 
 
 To an older sister he thus writes : 
 
 " D anbury, June 12, 1842. 
 
 " Dear Sister S No one, except those 
 
 who have been thus situated, can tell the un- 
 pleasantness of a situation where one is con- 
 tinually in the company of the impenitent, 
 especially such as many carpenters are. How 
 deceitful is the great adversary of souls. He 
 holds out some temptation which he says is 
 harmless, and after that something a little more 
 objectionable. One sin follows another until 
 we lose confidence in ourselves. Then we feel 
 unable to pray, and consequently less able to 
 resist temptation ; yet — O what a precious 
 thought — ' we have an Advocate with the Fa- 
 ther, Jesus Christ the righteous.' 'Through 
 
24c WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 him our prayers acceptance gain.' let us 
 determine, dear sister, through his assistance, 
 which we know is indispensable, to live more 
 to God's honor and glory. n 
 
 Concerning his impressions at this time re- 
 specting the work of the ministry, and also of 
 his personal duty to the perishing heathen, we 
 have the following record by his own hand, 
 prepared some years later. 
 
 " When I went to Danbury as an apprentice, 
 I took an active part in the meetings and en- 
 joyed religion. This induced me to think of 
 what my future life might be, and what my 
 position in the church. Many were members 
 who never spoke on the subject of religion and 
 took no active part. Should I be one of those ? 
 By and by the thought occurred, Perhaps it 
 may be my duty to preach ; something must 
 have suggested the thought to the brother who 
 had, months before, spoke to me on the subject : 
 perhaps he had good reason to think I ought to 
 be a preacher. Such thoughts as these would 
 arise, but they were disposed of very soon by 
 the thought that for me to be a minister was 
 preposterous. I was not a consistent Christian. 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 25 
 
 A minister ought to be unusually pious. But 
 the idea was continually suggested, Perhaps 
 you ought to be one. I was miserable. I 
 wanted to do right, but I could not decide that 
 I ought to preach, nor could I get the subject 
 out of my mind. My trials on the subject 
 arose, not from a want of willingness to do it, 
 if it were my duty, but from a want of Chris- 
 tian consistency, which ever presented itself as 
 an obstacle to my engaging in such a work. I 
 could not think that the Lord was calling me 
 to the work. I thought of the responsibility of 
 the minister, and his exposure to all the oppo- 
 sition of the enemies of the truth, and dreaded 
 it from my soul. Months elapsed while I was 
 in this state. 
 
 "During this time, as in fact often before 
 my conversion, my mind was turned towards 
 the heathen, and I thought that I might be the 
 means of doing them some good. Allusions to 
 and narratives concerning missions were min- 
 gled with my earliest information of the state 
 of the world, and of my own observation. And 
 I have indistinct recollections of attending 
 missionary meetings at St. Albans when I could 
 not have been seven years of ao;e. I remem- 
 
26 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 ber the deep interest taken in the persecution 
 of the missionaries in the West India islands 
 at that time, and the more because my father 
 had a personal friend, Mr. Gardner, among 
 them. 
 
 " A dear friend of my father's, and a beloved 
 pastor of a neighboring Baptist church, about 
 this time went out to Ceylon — the Eev. Eben- 
 ezer Daniel of Linton, Bedfordshire — and thus 
 my mind was led in that direction occasionally. 
 What other information of this character I 
 then received I do not know, but I remember, 
 after reaching America, reading three volumes 
 of the Sunday-school Union, entitled, t Tahiti 
 without the Gospel/ ' Tahiti receiving the 
 Gospel/ and ' Tahiti with the Gospel. 7 This 
 induced me to read regularly the journals of 
 the missionaries at that and the neighboring 
 islands, as contained in the first three or four 
 volumes of the ' Transactions of the London 
 Missionary Society/ In the same volume, I 
 found the journals of missionaries in Vizagapa- 
 tam, etc., which I also read. I next took up 
 the file of the Missionary Register, which in 
 my father's library embraced twelve to fifteen 
 volumes. I read regularly the history of the 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 21 
 
 New Zealand mission and parts of others, espe- 
 cially that in West Africa. The journal of 
 Mr. Coan, then in Patagonia, in the Missionary 
 Herald about this time, attracted my attention, 
 and I begged my father not to give up taking 
 the work, as he contemplated, because I wished 
 to read it. 
 
 " After my conversion, I read to my father 
 the accounts of the revival in the Sandwich 
 Islands, in which I was considerably interested. 
 Malcolm's Travels served to acquaint me more 
 thoroughly with Burmah than previously, though 
 the reading of the Baptist Magazine in the 
 monthly concerts, ever since 1834, had deeply 
 interested me ; so much so, that I can even at 
 this time recollect how delighted I used to be 
 with the occurrence of that evening in the 
 Macdougal-street meeting-house. 
 
 " Until I went to learn my trade in 1840, 1 
 kept myself very fully informed of the state of 
 missions, especially at Burmah ; but not seeing 
 the magazine much for two years during that 
 apprenticeship, I got much confused in respect 
 to the state of things there, a confusion it took 
 several years to rectify. Tyerman and Ben- 
 nett's voyages in the capacity of a deputation 
 
28 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 I also perused about this time, and with great 
 interest, because I had, when very young, either 
 heard Bennett myself, or had heard my father 
 relate some of his speeches. I was unhappy 
 constantly when allowing my mind to dwell 
 upon this subject, and I spoiled many a piece 
 of carpentry by reason of my anxious state of 
 mind, which rendered me incapable of keeping 
 my thoughts upon my work. 
 
 One occasion of note occurred near the time 
 of release from my engagements to my em- 
 ployer. I was engaged in putting up a small 
 building on Mill Plain, and as the evenings 
 were of sufficient length, I wished to spend 
 some time in reading. The book cupboard of 
 the old farmer with whom I boarded was not 
 very well supplied, and I selected a tract ; it 
 was one by Dr. Scudcler, ' The Harvest perish- 
 ing for want of Laborers.' It was the only 
 thing I cared for, so I sat down and read it. 
 It seemed designed especially for me. I retired 
 to my room, and there had a delightful season 
 in prayer. My soul was melted. I felt for the 
 woes of the world, and I pleaded for them. I 
 vowed that if God would send me to heathen 
 lands I would go. That was a night long to 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 29 
 
 be remembered ; I moistened my pillow with 
 my tears. Thenceforward I became anxious 
 to leave my place, which had become exceed- 
 ingly unpleasant from the fact that my anxiety 
 of mind had caused me to spoil much work ; but 
 do what I might I could not help it. Never 
 before nor since was I so painfully situated. 
 
 " Previously to this I had resolved to learn, 
 if possible, the trade of a printer,* and thus go 
 out to the East. The date of this resolution I 
 do not know, but the place and circumstances 
 are before my mind. It was one Lord's day 
 evening, at the monthly concert of prayer ; an 
 unpleasant evening made the audience small, 
 but in the little narrow lecture-room of the old 
 Baptist church in Danbury, while the pastor 
 was reading of the labors of an English mis- 
 sionary in South Africa, of the success that 
 attended his labors, and the desire of the peo- 
 ple to have the word of life, feeling my obliga- 
 tion to serve God to the best of my ability, and 
 
 * Mr. William Ward, missionary printer in India, 
 during his voyage out from England wrote in his diary 
 the words : " Unto me, who am less than the least of all 
 saints, is this grace given, that I should print among 
 the heathen the unsearchable riches of Christ." Cox's 
 Tlist. of Bapt, Missions. 
 
39 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 feeling that the missionary field ought to be 
 more fully occupied, and seeing no reason why 
 I should not go, I said, in the fulness of my 
 soul, ' Here am I ; send me. 1 11 go, if God 
 will let me. ? 
 
 " But the thought that I might be more use- 
 ful as a minister renewed my anxieties, and thus 
 I continued to be harassed. My father at length 
 perceived that something disturbed me, and 
 when on a visit pressed me to tell him what 
 troubled me. I evaded the inquiry, for I dared 
 not tell any one that I had thought of the minis- 
 try. I supposed that every one would see that 
 it was not my duty, and I should be blamed for 
 entertaining the thought. My surprise then 
 was great when, after having drawn it out 
 of me, my father said that he had suspected it, 
 and so also had my pastor. I was greatly re- 
 lieved. The issue was release from my appren- 
 ticeship, with a view to my preparation for the 
 ministry. 
 
 "My expectations concerning study, how- 
 ever, were disappointed by the state of my 
 fathers affairs in 1842 and 7 43. I taught 
 school in winter, and then went to Brooklyn, 
 N. Y., to work at my trade, holding myself in 
 
HIS CONVERSION. 31 
 
 readiness to engage in preaching whenever the 
 church should license me ; for my view had al- 
 ways been, that I should not leave my trade until 
 the inward call which I had long felt had been 
 sanctioned by the outward call through the 
 church. My mind all the while was directed 
 to the foreign field, and I longed to go." 
 
 " Thou didst well that it was in thy heart." 
 For " in the whole compass of human benevo- 
 lence, there is nothing so grand, so noble, so 
 Christian, so truly godlike, as the work of 
 evangelizing the heathen." w. Ome. 
 
32 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 AT WORK. 
 
 " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Acts 9 : 6. 
 
 While awaiting an open door to the work 
 of the ministry, Mr. Biddle was by no means 
 inactive. Having entered into the Lord's ser- 
 vice, he felt that his duty was to labor faith- 
 fully as present opportunity offered, and leave 
 to a wise Providence the designation of the 
 particular department for future labor. 
 
 Some instances of care for his own and others' 
 spiritual interests, are furnished in the details 
 of an excursion which he made in the summer 
 of 1844 to Piermont, on the Hudson river. He 
 
 " Arriving at the steam-boat, I sat perhaps 
 half an hour; when finding that I had three 
 quarters of an hour to spare, I started to dis- 
 tribute tracts. I passed several vessels before 
 I could muster courage to commence the work." 
 He narrates several incidents that occurred ; 
 among them his visit to a sloop, to which lie 
 had been told it would be of no use to go. He 
 
AT WORK. 33 
 
 went, however, and all on board received the 
 tracts. " Returning across another sloop," he 
 says, " I found a cooper, who said he belonged 
 to the same party as myself. I asked him if 
 he did not find the service of Jesus pleasant. 
 He said he did ; that he hoped he had been a 
 Christian about three years, and during that 
 time he had given away hundreds of tracts 
 when working on board of vessels." 
 
 Comparing as he passed up the river the 
 beauty of nature, as seen in the country, with 
 the monotony and dulness of the city, he re- 
 marks, " I feel no inclination to look back, not 
 the least. I wish I could say so with regard 
 to the heavenly journey." 
 
 This interest was further manifested by the 
 general distribution of tracts wherever he went, 
 and in his labors for the spiritual good of his 
 Sabbath-school class ; in fact, of all with whom 
 he had intercourse. It was his custom, in cross- 
 ing the ferry from Brooklyn to New York, 
 -which he often did, to distribute tracts and 
 religious handbills on the boat, for the passen- 
 gers to read while crossing and carry with 
 them on leaving. 
 
 For this work he was peculiarly adapted. 
 
34 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 A member of the Baptist church says of him- 
 self, that while unrenewed in heart, his prac- 
 tice was to rebuff all who spoke to him of his 
 eternal interests, by proposing questions on 
 difficult portions of Scripture. This plan suc- 
 ceeded in every case except that of Mr. Biddle. 
 Such was his sincerity and courteousness of 
 manner, his directness of address and tact in 
 presenting a subject, that he could not resist, 
 and a lasting impression was made upon his 
 mind. 
 
 Another who knew Mr. Biddle intimately, 
 says, " He was always ready to talk upon the 
 subject of religion. I well remember that in 
 passing the spot at the foot of Twelfth-street, 
 where he was at work upon the timber for the 
 Oliver-street meeting-house, which was then 
 being rebuilt, having been destroyed by fire, I 
 often stopped to listen to his heavenly discourse, 
 and ever felt it good to be there. And now, 
 when passing the place, the words which he 
 spoke as he recounted the Lord's doings to his 
 soul, and talked of the love of Christ, are ever 
 present to my mind." 
 
 Writing to his father from Brooklyn, N. Y., 
 April 22, 1844, he says, 
 
AT WORK. 35 
 
 11 1 have just been reading the life of Harlan 
 Page for the third time. Next to the Bible I 
 value that book, for it is the Bible with prac- 
 tical comments — religion lived out. how 
 often do I wish that I had moral courage suffi- 
 cient to live as he did. He emphatically lived 
 not to himself. He never was easy unless ac- 
 tively engaged in doing good. He labored to 
 bring souls to Christ continually, and he suc- 
 ceeded. 
 
 "I think I feel more and more the absolute 
 necessity of the accompanying influences of the 
 Spirit in all our labors. I try to bring home 
 as pointedly as possible to the minds of my 
 class, the necessity of repentance and faith ; 
 but I cannot bring them to realize that the duty 
 must be attended to now. They all admit, 
 individually, that they cannot be saved without 
 it, and that they have no excuse for rejecting 
 the truth. I told them a week ago that on 
 the next Sabbath I should expect them to tell 
 me why they had not repented. The two who 
 were present yesterday said that they had 
 no reason to give. l Every mouth shall be 
 stopped.'" 
 
 The spirit which urged him to faithfulness 
 
36 WILLIAM t. BIDDLE. 
 
 and zeal in the Sabbath-school may be gath- 
 ered from his injunction, several years later, 
 to a young friend who had just become a teach- 
 er : " Do not teach" says he, " with any object in 
 view short of the conversion of your class" 
 
 On the first Sabbath in June, Mr. Biddle was 
 received into the fellowship of the Berean Bap- 
 tist church, New York, then under the pastoral 
 care of Rev. Aaron Perkins. Respecting this 
 eyent, the superintendent of the Sabbath-school 
 connected with that church made the following 
 entry in the diary of incidents which he had 
 regularly kept for years : 
 
 " June 2, 1844. Brother William T. Biddle 
 to-day received the right hand of fellowship as 
 a member of our church, and the superintend- 
 ent was glad also to give him the hand of fel- 
 lowship as a teacher in the school." 
 
 How bright an example this for all the youth- 
 ful members of our churches. Too many of 
 them fail to discern the close relation of the 
 Sabbath-school to the church, and consequently 
 neglect to labor for Christ as they should in 
 that interesting department. 
 
 Here Mr. Biddle labored. The subsequent 
 pastor of that church, Rev. Dr. Dowling, thus 
 
AT WORK. 37 
 
 testifies: "At the date of my removal from 
 Providence to New York, in 1844, I found 
 brother Biddle a member of the church under 
 my care, and a faithful, beloved, and devoted 
 Sabbath-school teacher." 
 
 Though ardent, he was not impulsive. He 
 always acted from a clear conviction of duty. 
 Rigidly conscientious, his reasons for what he 
 might do were based upon the will and require- 
 ments of God as learned by a prayerful study 
 of the Scriptures. His views of Sabbath-schools, 
 and the responsibility of all who thus engage 
 in directing the young in the way of life, were 
 of the most elevated character. To him it was 
 no mean employment ; it was his delight. In 
 writing to his father, December 11, 1844, he 
 says, 
 
 "If we should enjoy a refreshing, I doubt 
 not it will begin in the Sabbath-school. One 
 boy in my class is, I think, seriously inclined. 
 This is encouraging, although in a class of elev- 
 en, of whom ten are unconverted, it is a small 
 proportion. it needs much grace to be a 
 faithful teacher. The more I examine it the 
 plainer it appears. I suppose one reason why 
 I feel it more than usual is, I have been writing 
 
38 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 a series of articles for the ' Advocate ' on the 
 subject. What a strong resemblance it bears 
 to the work of the gospel ministry." 
 
 His views on this point are fully expressed 
 in the following extract from one of the arti- 
 cles referred to. Respecting " the responsibili- 
 ty of our station" as a motive for "increased 
 activity in the discharge of our duties," he 
 says, 
 
 " We, as Sabbath-school teachers, are placed 
 by God in a situation intimately resembling 
 that of the pastor, or watchman of Zion. His 
 is a wide and extended field, ours a small plot. 
 He is called and qualified by the Holy Spirit 
 to preach the gospel of reconciliation, and take 
 an oversight of the flock of God; we are, as 
 we hope, incited by the selfsame Spirit to teach 
 in a more humble way the same truths to a 
 smaller company. After all, our object is the 
 same as that of the ministry — the conversion of 
 souls. 
 
 " Shall we not then," he continues, " be as 
 accountable to God for the discharge of our 
 duties in our field, as the minister of Christ is 
 in his ? Certainly we shall. No more will be 
 required of him, in proportion to his talents, 
 
AT WORK. 39 
 
 than of us. With this view, what efforts should 
 we not make to accomplish our object. Can 
 we in any way increase the interest of our 
 scholars in the lessons, or attract their atten- 
 tion to the truths of revelation ? Then God 
 requires it of us ; and the responsibility resting 
 upon us, with the account we shall be called to 
 render, make it a duty we owe to ourselves. 
 1 We watch for souls, as they that must give 
 account/ Would a minister discharge his 
 duty were he generally, or even occasionally, 
 to come before the people unprepared? No. 
 Then can we neglect careful preparation for 
 our duties, and yet be guiltless? Certainly 
 not. ' Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do 
 it with thy might. 7 " 
 
 With this view of the subject we do not 
 wonder that he adds in his letter, " When I 
 reflect that I have had a class under my charge 
 for six months, and none of them have been 
 converted, it makes me inquire, ' What have I 
 done, or neglected to do, which has prevented 
 the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them V " 
 
 As he felt, so he practised. His constant aim 
 in all his instructions to his class was, that each 
 member of it might be saved. Nor did his 
 
40 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 anxiety, Hs prayers, or his labors for their 
 spiritual good, cease with his or their connec- 
 tion with the class. With some, if not with 
 all, he maintained occasional correspondence, 
 and thus endeavored to renew and enforce the 
 instructions of previous years. Such of these 
 letters as have come under our inspection, are 
 characterized by forcible appeals to the con- 
 science and earnest persuasions to seek an in- 
 terest in Christ. 
 
 His heart was at the same time equally 
 engaged in promoting directly the spiritual 
 growth and increase of the church of which he 
 was a member. He writes, 
 
 " New York, Nov. 4, 1844. 
 
 " Dear Father and Mother — My health is 
 good, and I have as many opportunities of 
 attending meeting as I can improve. The Sab- 
 bath is fully occupied ; in fact, 7 t is the most 
 wearisome day of the week as regards the 
 body. I never knew how to appreciate its 
 blessings so well as since I have been obliged 
 to spend the week among those who are wholly 
 destitute of religion. It is delightful to meet 
 on the Lord's day those who have a better aim 
 in living than merely the gratification of self. 
 
AT WORK. 41 
 
 I sometimes think that we take more pleasure 
 in anticipating the joys of heaven than in the 
 discharge of our duties on earth, which ought 
 not so to be. It is a fact which never struck 
 my mind until lately, that the apostle did not 
 wish those to whom he wrote much happiness 
 in the Christian course, but that, as he express- 
 es himself in the epistle to the Hebrews, they 
 ' might be perfect in every good work.' " 
 He writes again, 
 
 " February 1, 1845. 
 
 " Dear Parents — You recollect that in my 
 
 letter to S , I wrote that there were some 
 
 tokens of reviving. Since then the Holy Spirit 
 has awakened a few among us, and many of the 
 brethren and sisters are praying as though they 
 really wished God to bless. A week last 
 Thursday there was a prayer-meeting at broth- 
 er V ? s, and those who were there found 
 
 that Jesus fulfilled his promise, and was there 
 also. On Tuesday evening, at the close of the 
 lecture, an invitation being given, six or seven 
 rose for prayer. Since that time two, if not 
 more, have given their hearts to Christ. Last 
 Thursday evening the meeting was at sister 
 C ? s. The two large rooms were filled, 
 
42 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 and hearts seemed united. Thus you see that 
 there is still room for hope, yes, encourage- 
 ment." 
 
 Calling on a Saturday evening in April a;t 
 the house of a member of the church, the con- 
 versation turned upon the subject of religion, 
 and he inquired of the two daughters the state 
 of their feelings on the subject. One of them 
 expressed her mind very freely, but the other an- 
 swered only with a flood of tears. He engaged 
 in prayer, and returned to his own home. In 
 the course of a few days he handed to them a 
 letter, in which, after intimating a suspicion that 
 they both had experienced seasons of doubt and 
 fear regarding their spiritual state, he offers 
 such encouragement and consolation as his 
 own experience enabled him -to do. He also 
 suggests the following searching tests whereby 
 they might try themselves and know whether 
 they were really new creatures in Christ. He 
 inquires, 
 
 " Does meditation upon the merciful charac- 
 ter of Christ in connection with what he has 
 done afford you the sweetest contemplation of 
 any thing in the world ? Was it always so ? 
 Did you always have love for Christians ? I 
 
AT WORK. 43 
 
 mean not merely respect, but an affection for 
 them because they exhibit in some degree the 
 holiness of Christ? And do you now love 
 those most who are the most devoted, and love 
 them too because they are so ? Does the omis- 
 sion of duty or the commission of sin cause you 
 to mourn the want of conformity to Christ's 
 image ; and can you cover up the fault and 
 forget it, and feel as though all were right? 
 Was it always so ? Did you formerly in such 
 a case apply some flattering unction to your 
 conscience, such as, 'I had no bad motive in 
 doing so?' Can you do so now? Do you 
 wish, or have you any desire thus to dispose of 
 the case ? 
 
 "You always loved to read the Bible, but 
 what parts did you prefer ? Were they those 
 which contained most of the doctrines of sal- 
 vation exclusively through Christ ? How is it 
 now ? Could you formerly read the one hun- 
 dred and thirty-ninth Psalm with the same feel- 
 ings as now ? Could you always with pleas- 
 ure reflect that the days of man upon earth are 
 as a shadow, or a vapor, and yourself like the 
 grass and the morning flower ? Although you 
 sometimes perhaps mourn over the little fervor 
 
44 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 you manifest in closet devotion, yet do you not 
 view that duty in a different light than former- 
 ly? Finally, are all your hopes and wishes 
 respecting the future centred upon the will of 
 your heavenly Father ? Are you willing to do 
 or suffer all his righteous will, if he only grant 
 you strengthening grace ?" 
 
 Our young friend was indeed a laborer for 
 Christ — a workman that needed not to be 
 ashamed. And he had his reward : " He that 
 winneth souls is wise." 
 
THE ENCOURAGEMENT. 45 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE ENCOURAGEMENT. 
 
 " Thou hast heen faithful over a few things ; I will make 
 thee ruler over many things." Matt. 25 : 23. 
 
 Soon after the entrance of Dr. Dowling upon 
 the pastorate of the Berean church, " while 
 engaged as a carpenter in making a door from 
 my study to my pulpit/ 7 says Dr. Dowling, 
 " Mr. Biddle first made known his mind to me 
 in relation to the work of a minister and mis- 
 sionary of Christ." His progress in this mat- 
 ter we gather from his correspondence at that 
 time. Writing to his father from Brooklyn, 
 October 10, 1844, he says, 
 
 " My principal object in writing to you is to 
 inquire your opinion respecting my speaking 
 before the church with a view to receiving 
 from them a license. 
 
 " When I consider the responsibilities devolv- 
 ing upon a minister of Christ, I almost con- 
 clude that it is not my duty to engage in the 
 work. Yet I long to be the means of doing 
 good in that field. I feel that I am not wor- 
 thy of the office of a preacher of righteousness. 
 
46 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 There is such an immense field to cultivate 
 within, that my life, were it long, needs to be 
 taken up in cultivating it. how much grace 
 do I need every day. Remember me as a very 
 needy one at the throne of divine grace." 
 
 In March, 1845, he writes, 
 
 "Dear Father — I am aware that you feel 
 somewhat disappointed by my stay here, but I 
 think you will acknowledge that I have good 
 reasons for staying, when you learn all the facts. 
 
 " For rather more than two weeks we have 
 been holding meetings each evening, and I felt 
 that it would be wrong to leave them for the 
 sake of recreation. As yet there is not that 
 descent of the Holy Spirit which we have rea- 
 son to expect when a church is united in earnest 
 supplication for it. Some six or eight have 
 requested prayer, although I am not aware that 
 any have given themselves to Christ. There 
 is evidently a languor among most of the mem- 
 bers of the church, which shows that the soul 
 is not in health, though some are, I believe, 
 ' zealously affected 7 and active. that I were 
 as devoted as I should be to the cause of our 
 Master. I find it as difficult to be really hum- 
 
THE ENCOURAGEMENT. 41 
 
 ble, as to keep an inflated bladder under water ; 
 if pride is pressed down in this place, it rises 
 in some other. 
 
 "Another reason I have for staying is, that 
 brother Dowling has mentioned to me that 
 probably at the next church meeting, Wednes- 
 day evening, some action will be taken upon a 
 suggestion of his, to invite me to speak before 
 the brethren. 77 
 
 Just previous to being licensed to preach the 
 gospel, May, 1845, he penned the following 
 lines expressive of his feelings, perhaps, in view 
 of the work before him, to which he felt that 
 he was called of God. They indicate earnest 
 zeal and a deep sense of personal weakness. 
 
 " Gird, gird thee, my soul, and haste on in the race ; 
 Why loiter at all in the way ? 
 The prize is before thee, thy foes are behind ; 
 haste thee, nor dare to delay. 
 
 " Is it sloth that besets thee or trammels thy feet ? 
 Loose it from thee, and haste thee away : 
 Leave the world and its pleasures so tempting behind ; 
 haste thee, nor dare to delay. 
 
 " Speed thou on in thy flight, for old Satan thy foe, 
 Still counting on thee as his prey, 
 Marches forth like a lion, to slay and devour : 
 haste thoe, nor dare to delay. 
 
43 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 u Keep thine eye upon Jesus ; turn not aside, 
 Though trouble and care thee waylay : 
 Even trouble and cara shall assist in thy flight ; 
 haste thee, nor dare to delay. 
 
 " Thy race will soon* end, thou art near to thy goal, 
 A mansion in glory for aye, 
 Where spirits redeemed are attuning their lyres ; 
 haste thee, nor dare to delay. 
 
 " Victorious, victorious o'er sin, death, and hell, 
 Was the Master who calls thee ; obey : 
 In his strength thou shalt conquer, for He is thy 
 strength ; 
 haste thee, nor dare to delay." 
 
 And he hastened; for his "path" was hence- 
 forth that " of the just, which shineth more and 
 more unto the perfect day." 
 To his father he writes, 
 
 "June 12, 1845. 
 
 " Next Lord's day I am to be at Middletown, 
 brother Griffith's. I realize more and more 
 the importance of the work, and often feel as 
 though I could not go forward — as though I 
 must be wrong in supposing it my duty, because 
 I am so very imperfect a follower of Christ. 
 If sustained by the Saviour, I need not fear ; for 
 he is strength itself, and will not fail to do all 
 that he has promised. But still I find it diffi- 
 cult to do all to the glory of God. I feel the 
 
THE ENCOURAGEMENT. 49 
 
 need of a more extended and deepened sense of 
 the value of the soul. If a minister has this, he 
 cannot help being in earnest in his labors. 77 
 
 His earnest endeavor to be well furnished 
 for his work, that he might be " a workman that 
 needetli not to be ashamed, 77 is evinced by the 
 following extract from a letter to a friend. 
 
 After asking an interest in the prayers of 
 
 this friend, he says, " You will excuse me, , 
 
 if I request that you will some time give me an 
 account of the mercy of God to you. In doing 
 so, mention as circumstantially as possible the 
 various steps and hinderances through which 
 you passed. I consider it to be the duty and 
 privilege of a minister of the gospel especially 
 to know the various obstacles and causes of 
 delay which the awakened meet ; and as I hope 
 some day to devote myself to that arduous work, 
 I would lay up a stock of information on the 
 subject which may be of use. The cases of 
 those who are religiously educated are, I think, 
 often most difficult. They know what is re- 
 quired, but often they delay, and do not find 
 peace so soon as others. 77 
 
 His work in the Berean church and Sabbath- 
 
50 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 school was now drawing to a close. With the 
 approbation of the church, he determined to 
 pursue a course of study for the gospel minis- 
 try, with special reference, if it should prove to 
 be the will of God, to going far hence unto the 
 heathen. 
 
 In August he went to Hamilton, Madison 
 county, N. Y., expecting to enter the " Literary 
 and Theological Institute," (afterwards incor- 
 porated as " Madison University/ 7 which name 
 it now bears,) located in that beautiful village. 
 
 This institution is under the fostering care 
 of the Baptist denomination, and by their pray- 
 ers and benefactions it has been sustained. 
 
 Of Madison University it was justly said, 
 " The missionary spirit from the beginning has 
 been the highest element of her life, her most 
 precious characteristic, and the crown of her 
 glory. From the first class, in respect to which 
 the Holy Ghost said, ' Separate me' Wade and 
 Kincaid ' for the work whereunto I have called 
 them/ to the one now before me, she has laid 
 upon the mission altar her first-fruits, her choic- 
 est sons. Through her whole history, that altar 
 has been crowned with a ceaseless flame, not 
 always indeed of equal intensity, but never ex- 
 
THE ENCOURAGEMENT. 51 
 
 tinguished. It is this fact, above all others, 
 which has made this institution so dear to the 
 churches, and to Him who is head over all. It 
 has been the ever reliable pledge of the divine 
 favor."* 
 
 To no more suitable place could a young and 
 ardent aspirant for the missionary work go, 
 than where the associations were of this char- 
 acter. Of these associations Mr. Biddle felt 
 the influence. Writing home in the following 
 December, he says of the missionary spirit ex- 
 isting there, " This is the principal feature in 
 the institution which would make me prefer it 
 to others." 
 
 By the diligent improvement of his leisure 
 time, previously to going to Hamilton, he was 
 so far advanced in the studies required for 
 admission to the collegiate department as to 
 justify himself in the hope, that by studious 
 application during the vacation, and after en- 
 tering the class, he would be able to make up 
 the deficiency. 
 
 Under date of November 5, 1845, he wrote 
 to his pastor Dr. Dowling : 
 
 * Dr. Geo. W. Eaton's address to the graduating 
 theological class of 1851. 
 
52 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 " Dear Pastor — Since I wrote you last my 
 plans have been quite changed, though not my 
 resolutions. I pursued my studies during the 
 vacation as steadily as I could, having been 
 led to expect that I might, like others before 
 me who were not fully prepared, enter the 
 Freshman class in two studies, and take private 
 lessons in the other ; but in this I was mistaken. 
 Although in mathematics in advance of the 
 class, and equal in Greek, the faculty thought 
 that they could not permit me to enter, since I 
 was so much behind in Latin. They expected, 
 as I learned, that I would enter the academical 
 department ; but I had resolved not to spend a 
 whole year upon such studies as I could com- 
 pass in much less time ; so I took a room in the 
 village, and am at present taking private les- 
 sons with some of the students, expecting to 
 find myself nearly, if not quite, with the Fresh- 
 men in the spring. I consider my time too 
 precious to be kept back a year, although the 
 committee of the faculty informed me, that they 
 had considered the fact of my being so young, 
 one reason for declining to grant my request. 
 I shall not, however, lose by the decision, as I 
 now advance quite as fast as if in the class, and 
 
THE ENCOURAGEMENT. 53 
 
 my expenses are not more than they would 
 have been had I entered. 
 
 " My health has been quite good during my 
 residence here, though I fully expected the con- 
 trary. I find I have occasion to watch closely, 
 lest my studies take my mind away from Christ, 
 which I dread more and more every month, for 
 I find it so difficult to return ; besides, the dis- 
 honor done to him should make me fear it. I 
 sometimes think that I see a little of the vast 
 importance it is to a minister of Christ to be 
 thoroughly imbued with the spirit of his Mas- 
 ter ; yet 7 t is but a partial view, I know. I 
 long for more of that spirit of humility which 
 trusts God when he cannot be traced, and leans 
 upon the arm of Christ with the fullest confi- 
 dence. I often wish for a clearer view of the 
 worth of the soul ; for I think if I had this* I 
 should feel more willing to spend and be spent 
 in the service of the Master. Though I am 
 conscious of great unworthiness, so much so as 
 to doubt at times whether God has called me 
 to the great work of preaching, when I read of 
 the need there is of missionaries, I only wish I 
 were ready." 
 
 At an earlier day he wrote, 
 
54 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 " Hamilton Institute, Oct. 2, 1845. 
 
 "Dear Father — Accept my sincere thanks 
 for your kindness in procuring the work of 
 which you wrote, and permit me here to ex- 
 press my sense of obligation to you, long, long 
 felt, though not expressed as it ought to have 
 been, for being furnished so well with religious 
 books, and above all, for being instructed in the 
 Bible. I have ever been aware that it was a 
 great blessing ; but I feel it now, and have much 
 more than ever since I left home a year and a 
 half ago, especially when I see how ignorant 
 of the Bible many good men are, in comparison 
 with what I had supposed them to be. The 
 instruction you have given in this respect will, 
 I have no doubt, be of greater value when I 
 shall enter upon public life. I find that those 
 parts of Scripture which I committed when 
 quite young, furnish me with matter and illus- 
 trations when explaining other parts. 
 
 " With regard to my studies, you need not 
 fear that I shall injure myself, as I have all 
 along been cautioned ; and my close applica- 
 tion for these few weeks is not intended to last. 
 Besides, since I received the tool-chest, I have 
 been at work until yesterday in fitting up one 
 
THE ENCOURAGEMENT. 55 
 
 of the recitation-rooms. I have had the offer 
 of more work than I could accomplish in the 
 rest of vacation, but I shall do no more of con- 
 sequence, as my time is too precious. New 
 students are coming in every week, and we 
 shall be full enough for comfort." 
 
 Having, as he purposed, taken private les- 
 sons in Latin with one of the students, he en- 
 tered the Freshman class in the spring. 
 
56 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 
 
 " Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Con. 
 10:31. 
 1 ' This one thing I do. " Phil. 3:13. 
 
 In prosecuting the work of preparation for 
 the ministry, Mr. Biddle's object was decidedly 
 the glory of God. He studied, he taught, he 
 labored and prayed, seeking, as did his Lord 
 and Master, not his " own will, but the will of 
 Him that sent him." So much of his time as 
 was needed for proper attention to his studies 
 he sacredly devoted to them, but never was he 
 at a loss for time in which to do many other 
 things becoming his duty as a member of the 
 church of Christ. 
 
 For six years his principal employment was 
 that of a student. And were we attempting a 
 biography, it would be proper to present him 
 to the reader in that aspect. His studies were 
 regarded by him only as means to an end, and 
 hence it will comport better with our design 
 to refer to his attainments as a student only in- 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 5? 
 
 cidentally. As a student for the ministry, how- 
 ever, increasing his stock of knowledge and 
 exercising his gifts, we shall often view him. 
 
 A perusal of his correspondence touching 
 this subject will discover that learning was 
 never disparaged by him, but esteemed as high- 
 ly desirable for the minister and the mission- 
 ary. He felt, as he afterwards expressed, that 
 "all the learning a missionary could acquire, 
 provided it be not a substitute for piety, can be 
 well employed. 77 His dependence, however, for 
 success in preaching the word, either at home 
 or abroad, was solely upon the assistance and 
 power of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Rev. T. Allen, now of the Tavoy mission, 
 Burmah, says, • ■ I remember many incidents of 
 college life which illustrate the devotedness of 
 brother Biddle, but to commit them to paper 
 would be like attempting to gather up the 
 sparkling dew-drops from the morning grass. 
 His whole life was one of devotion to Christ. 
 
 "He was emphatically a friend to the poor 
 and destitute, and it was in labors for such 
 that his devotedness was more particularly ex- 
 emplified. If any were sick or otherwise un- 
 able to attend the means of grace, he was sure 
 
58 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 to find it out and to go to their bedside to 
 impart spiritual consolation. 
 
 "I well remember a poor widow, living in 
 an obscure place in Hamilton, who had been 
 for years unable to attend church. It was my 
 custom to visit her once or twice in a week to 
 impart the consolations of the gospel. On two 
 successive Sabbath evenings brother Biddle 
 came in on the same errand of mercy ; and in 
 that humble cot we mingled our voices in pray- 
 er for blessings upon the widow and fatherless. 
 He continued his visits until he left Hamilton. 77 
 
 Portions of his history during the six years 
 spent in Hamilton, are reserved for other chap- 
 ters. In this and the following chapter, we 
 shall present a general view of his efforts to 
 do good in the period of time designated. In 
 perusing it, the reader will be impressed with 
 his abundant labors and the evident purpose 
 of his heart to do all to the glory of God. 
 His heart was in the work of God, wherever it 
 was in progress ; and in his own neighborhood 
 he was ever watching for souls : his interest in 
 the Sabbath-school was lively and active ; and 
 in preaching the word he was " instant in sea- 
 son and out of season. 77 His constancy with 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 59 
 
 respect to the mission work will also promi- 
 nently appear. 
 
 We now give in the order in which they 
 were written, extracts from his correspondence 
 with his father and a few intimate friends. 
 His interest in the spread of the gospel and 
 his views of revivals of religion may be clear- 
 ly seen in the following : 
 
 " Hamilton, Nov. 10, 1845. 
 
 "Dear Father — I received your letter on 
 the 25th ult., and you may be assured that its 
 contents were very refreshing. Truly the Lord 
 thinketh not as we think, nor does he work as 
 we should. Little did I think New Canaan 
 would be a place where, amid such a general 
 dearth, divine grace would make the choicest 
 of blessings to be enjoyed. It must be exceed- 
 ingly cheering to you, to see those who have 
 so long been careless, brought under convic- 
 tion for sin, and rejoicing in hope. It is quite 
 a long while since I have seen such an out- 
 pouring of the Spirit, and I hardly know how 
 I should feel were I placed suddenly in the 
 midst of it. But this much I am assured, that 
 it would be to me a pleasant and profitable 
 season. I hope most sincerely that the Lord 
 
60 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 will continue to bless you, and that many more 
 are under the convicting influence of the Spirit. 
 
 "I hear of some seasons of refreshing in the 
 upper part of Pennsylvania, where some of the 
 students spent the vacation. I have for some 
 time had the expectation that God would bless 
 the land this winter, and I think that there is 
 a spirit of inquiry gradually spreading among 
 the members of the churches as to the cause of 
 the general declension. I say this winter, but 
 I do not mean that alone. I hope for some- 
 thing more than the spasmodic revivals of the 
 years gone by. I hope that Christians have 
 learned something from the Bible, and from 
 experience of the past. I think that not a few 
 who have before thought differently, now see 
 plainly that much of the success that attends 
 protracted effort, is the fruit of faithful labor 
 and toil for Christ in seasons of no special 
 meetings, and that they are rather the seasons 
 of gathering in the fruit of seed sown, than of 
 sowing and reaping immediately. 
 
 " Yesterday, quite unexpectedly, we had the 
 pleasure of seeing Dr. Judson. At the close 
 of the services in the morning he spoke a few 
 words through the pastor, as he is unable to 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 61 
 
 speak much above a whisper himself. One 
 thing which made us all ashamed of the little 
 we had done in the cause of Christ was, he 
 confessed, that he had been unfaithful, and 
 hoped that he might be forgiven. If one who 
 has done and suffered so much for Christ is 
 unfaithful, what are we? what am I? In the 
 afternoon he spoke a very few words to the 
 students on the hill, which I took down, and 
 shall send them to you as soon as I can. They 
 all took the parting hand, and I was careful to 
 do so too. He then met the members of the 
 ! Eastern Association 7 * of the institution, and 
 they say they had a melting time. He prayed 
 that all of them might meet on Burman shores. 
 such humility and love for Christ: that is 
 almost all he talked about." 
 
 The " very few words to the students " by 
 Dr. Judson, preserved by Mr. Biddle as they 
 fell from the lips of the veteran missionary, 
 were as follows : 
 
 "There are a thousand things which rush 
 
 * An association of the students, "organized in 1831 
 as a means of cherishing in a private manner, by mu- 
 tual conversation and prayer, the flame of missionary 
 zeal already kindled in the hearts of a few." 
 
62 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 upon my mind to which I would gladly give 
 utterance, but I will confine myself to one 
 point — one of deep importance, and which 
 should rest with great weight upon the minds 
 of all students for the ministry. I would say, 
 1 Look to Jesus. 7 Looking to Jesus is the great 
 means of growing in grace, and becoming like 
 the Saviour. 
 
 " Perhaps the reason why we grow so little in 
 grace is, that so many things occupy our minds, 
 and we spend so little time in looking to Jesus. 
 We must turn our faces to Jesus until we get the 
 habit of looking to Jesus : look to Jesus, look 
 to him on the cross ; behold him writhing in 
 agony as he yields up his life for sinful men. 
 Look to him on his throne : love sits upon his 
 face ; his countenance sheds a radiance through 
 all the mansions of the redeemed. If we look 
 to Jesus in the hour of temptation, that will 
 destroy all fear, and break the power of temp- 
 tation. When we are crushed, one look to Je- 
 sus will revive the soul. You who are study- 
 ing for the ministry are the hope of the church ; 
 you are the hope of the heathen. Christ looks 
 on you, and longs to take you in his arms and 
 bless you. Let all the young men be assured 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 63 
 
 that he loves them so much, that if there were 
 but one of them to be saved, he would pour out 
 his life's blood for that one. What better can 
 we do than look to Jesus ?" 
 
 " Hamilton, Dec. 22, 1845. 
 
 "Dear Parents — I am well, and in good 
 spirits. I get along with my studies full as 
 well as I anticipated. Besides cutting my 
 wood and going up hill half a mile each day 
 to recite, and an occasional run to the post-office, 
 my study does not miss me. I have gotten so 
 much in advance of the class in Greek, that I 
 shall lay it aside for about four or five weeks, 
 and take a double dose of Latin. With the 
 latter I find very little difficulty. In one of 
 the recitations, a doctor who is preparing for 
 China is my classmate ; in the other I am alone. 
 I believe that three at least of the brethren in 
 the theological class will leave for the East as 
 soon as they close ; one goes with brother 
 Dean next year. The Missionary Association 
 is quite large, and there is a good deal of mis- 
 sionary spirit here. 
 
 " I see more and more the necessity of a good 
 education and a thorough course, to prepare me 
 for the mission work. I think, yes, I am sure 
 
64 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 I see more of the necessity of being taught of 
 the Spirit than ever before ; for I am confident 
 that I can do nothing usefully without it. 
 
 " The school which I attended on the Sab- 
 bath out of the village, has been discontinued 
 for the cold season, but I have a class in the 
 Sabbath-school in the village. 
 
 " I have preached on the last two Lord 7 s-day 
 evenings, and expect to do so all winter in one 
 of two school-houses about two or three miles 
 from the village. The people give good atten- 
 tion, and I do not know but the Lord may bless 
 the seed, although it is sown in weakness." 
 
 Between his father and himself there was a 
 difference of opinion respecting the propriety 
 of the course of study usually pursued in col- 
 leges. Eeferring to this point, he writes, 
 
 " January 28, 1846. 
 
 "Dear Father — I hope that I shall always 
 feel that these studies — the classical — are all 
 inferior, far inferior to that of the Bible, espe- 
 cially when it is accompanied with the illumi- 
 nating influences of the Holy Spirit. I think I 
 see more and more distinctly, that a thorough 
 knowledge of the Bible is indispensable to the 
 servant of Christ. 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 63 
 
 " Your remarks are so closely interwoven 
 with the same love which has always marked 
 your communications to me, that I feel them the 
 more. I know that you express this opinion 
 because it is the conviction of your conscience, 
 and therefore I feel the more regret that you 
 should think me to be doing wrong in spending 
 my time here ; but I cannot find it to be my 
 duty at present to change my course, nor do I 
 regret that I came here. 77 
 
 The Baptist church in Hamilton was now 
 blessed with a revival of religion. Mr. Biddle 
 thus writes to Dr. Dowling respecting it : 
 
 "February 23, 1846. 
 
 " Dear Pastor — I take my pen just as I have 
 returned from the delightful services of the 
 place where the presence of the Master has 
 been evident. The mercy of our God began a 
 good work some distance below us in the val- 
 ley, at Coventry, early in the winter; some 
 hundreds were happily converted there; and 
 now at Norwich, some twenty miles south, the 
 Lord is pouring out his Spirit, and a very large 
 number are rejoicing in his mercy, while the 
 interest does not diminish. A delightful state 
 of things in this place encourages us to ask and 
 
66 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 expect great things. Alas, that we depend so 
 much on sight. The pastor, Elder C. P. Shel- 
 don, has preached every evening, Saturday ex- 
 cepted, for some three weeks, and although he 
 is now troubled with a cold, so as to be unable 
 to speak every evening, the meetings continue 
 to increase in interest. I suppose at least fif- 
 teen have a hope of forgiveness through the 
 peace-speaking blood of Christ, and many came 
 forward for prayer, I should think some forty- 
 five. The work began with a few before the 
 meetings commenced; the church have been 
 coming up and confessing every week, and 
 quite a large number of backsliders acknow- 
 ledge their neglect of duty and conformity to 
 the world. All seems like the gentle breeze 
 of the summer morning, or " like the sound of 
 a going in the top of the mulberry-trees." 
 Every night lately some have come to the 
 light, and with few exceptions they are willing 
 to declare it publicly. 
 
 " Truly the Lord appears to be answering 
 prayer put up during the past two years. But 
 though in the midst of the blessings of God, I 
 find so much to mourn over in my heart, that I 
 have to spend by far the largest portion of my 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 67 
 
 devotional hours in endeavoring to obtain a 
 blessing upon myself, instead of asking forgive- 
 ness for others ; but notwithstanding, I have 
 a right to be thankful that I do feel more for 
 the blessed cause of my Master than I did a 
 few months since. for a complete devotion 
 to Christ, a whole consecration. I find a 
 strange reluctance to cast all upon Him, who 
 calls for, and has a right to my highest con- 
 fidence. I feel almost as did the spouse when 
 neglectful of the call of the Beloved ; she suf- 
 fered him to depart, and then had much trouble 
 to find him again. I do sometimes catch a 
 glimpse of his face, and I am sure I feel more 
 anxious to see it continually. I have had, for 
 a week or two past, a severe conflict with the 
 enemy of all righteousness, and I think I real* 
 ized somewhat of the meaning of Christian's 
 conflict with Apollyon. But grace, all-sufficient 
 grace is engaged to all who ask it, and there 
 I obtained aid. I feel deeply that I am unwor- 
 thy to be appointed a herald of the cross, and 
 have felt as though I must be mistaken in sup- 
 posing it my duty. I am so ignorant of the Bi- 
 ble, although I have learned so much of it, that 
 I feel ashamed to speak in public. I wish to 
 
68 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 become mighty in the Scriptures ; I would that 
 I had some one near, whom I might be in- 
 structed by, in some things which are hard to 
 understand. I want clear views of the main 
 doctrines of the Bible ; indeed, there is no end 
 to my wants when I sit down and think of 
 them." 
 
 In a letter to his father about a month later, 
 he gives further particulars of this work of 
 grace, and renewed evidence that by this 
 shower his own heart was watered. He writes, 
 March 18, 1846 : 
 
 " A large number have been converted and 
 reclaimed, and many more are anxious. Twen- 
 ty-three have been baptized, thirteen on last 
 Lord's day. I never saw so delightful a scene. 
 They were with one exception young people, 
 many of them connected with the academy. 
 I cannot describe the meetings nor the prog- 
 ress of the work ; one must see it to know it. 
 The work has extended to the seminary. One 
 of the Seniors was among the first baptized. I 
 believe there is but one in the seminary who is 
 unconcerned. There nev£r was, it is said, such 
 a revival in the seminary. The unconverted 
 were anxious before any one looked for it, 7 ' 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. G9 
 
 " Madison University, May 28, 1846. 
 
 11 Dear Father and Mother — Hamilton and 
 the neighboring hills seem almost like a para- 
 dise. I never saw such a beautiful prospect as 
 the village in the valley and the surrounding 
 hills furnish from the eminence back of the 
 University buildings. 
 
 "Brother Dean and Ko A Bak are here. 
 They both addressed the students yesterday 
 afternoon. After all that has been said and 
 done, and when we all thought there was no 
 lack of candidates for China, brother Dean 
 says they have been able to find and secure one 
 only. He seems to feel very sad that they can- 
 not return with four at least, and thus have two 
 at each station, namely, Hong Kong, Ningpo, 
 Canton, and Bankok. There are several who 
 came here with that object in view, and after 
 all are unwilling to go when prepared." 
 
 The Sabbath-school out of the village, which 
 had been discontinued during the winter and 
 spring, was now reopened with encouraging 
 prospects of success. 
 
 The vacations were not unfrequently spent by 
 Mr. Biddle in supplying churches in the neigh- 
 borhood destitute of pastors. This practice, 
 
10 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 he states, was of some pecuniary aid to liim in 
 prosecuting his studies. At this time he had 
 been preaching for the church in North Lan- 
 sing. Respecting his labors he writes, 
 
 "North Lansing, Oct. 1, 1846 
 
 "Dear Father — I have spent much of ray 
 time in visiting, but I feel that these visits have 
 not been so beneficial as I could wish, though 
 I have endeavored to make them strictly relig- 
 ious. The congregation is increasing, and I 
 was never better pleased with the attention 
 paid than here. Sometimes I have great free- 
 dom in speaking, and at other times the re- 
 verse. At times I am obliged to speak when 
 I feel very little the importance of what I 
 preach. Now will not this in the end produce, 
 or rather, is it not hypocrisy ? This makes me 
 feel doubly the importance of a deep work of 
 grace in the heart, and a constant indwelling 
 of the Holy Spirit. 77 
 
 The seed sown was not lost. In the spring 
 following, evidence was received that his 
 strength had not been spent for naught. He 
 thus speaks of it, under the date of April 16, 
 1847: 
 
 "I received a few davs since a letter from 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 71 
 
 one of the friends at North Lansing who has 
 lost a son. He died a very happy death. 
 When I was there last fall he was quite un- 
 well, and they wrote me that he was failing. 
 I addressed a few lines to him, urging him to 
 attend to the salvation of his soul. It happened 
 that upon the same evening in which my letter 
 was received, he manifested considerable con- 
 cern for his soul. After a few days he obtain- 
 ed a hope, and was constantly warning his com- 
 panions who came to see him, and praying for 
 them during the four or five remaining weeks. 
 After his conversion, he told his mother how 
 he had been affected under my preaching dur- 
 ing the few weeks I was there. The know- 
 ledge of this gives me a little encouragement, 
 though I feel humbled by the fact that I neg- 
 lected my duty to him by not conversing with 
 him personally." 
 
 "Madison University, Oct. 27, 1846. 
 " Dear Father — I arrived here on Thursday 
 evening and found my room selected for me, so 
 the remainder of the week was spent in clean- 
 ing and fitting it up. Then the lessons of 
 course came on, and the neglect of study for 
 two months made it rather difficult. I have 
 
12 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 not been able to make out, as yet, a plan of 
 my studies and other duties, which I intended 
 to have made ere this. ' Churn' and I have 
 commenced reading the Greek Testament in 
 course. We read from it at morning devotion, 
 and intend by reading several chapters on the 
 Lord's day to complete it by the close of the 
 session. 
 
 "I intend, should nothing unseen prevent, to 
 go out on Saturday and see whether I can find 
 a place to preach in on Lord's-day evening. 
 
 "I have just purchased a number of the 
 Tract Society's publications, such as Edwards' 
 History of Redemption, Flavel's Touchstone, 
 Keeping the Heart, Bogue's Essay, Life of 
 Pearce, etc., which I think will be very profit- 
 able reading." 
 
 To Rev. Dr. Dowling he writes, Nov. 28, 
 1846: 
 
 "We have had a delightful meeting of the 
 Eastern Association this evening, and as one 
 of the essays which was read was a sketch of 
 the Assam mission, it necessarily mentioned 
 the lamented Jacob Thomas ; and while the 
 mention of his name is enough to thrill every 
 heart with an indescribable sensation of solem- 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. fj 
 
 mtjj some remarks made by one of the breth- 
 ren who knew him, and who made mention of 
 his piety and prayerfulness, seemed to make 
 me, at least, insignificant and unworthy of be- 
 ing doorkeeper in the house of the Lord, much 
 less a teacher of his ways, and still less a mis- 
 sionary. I see most distinctly that unless I 
 have more of the Spirit of Christ, I must give 
 up the idea of going as a missionary, and in- 
 deed of preaching Christ. The other essay, 
 on the life and missionary character of Samuel 
 Pearce, as you may imagine, tended in no slight 
 degree to heighten the contrast between my- 
 self and the great Pattern. I cannot live so : 
 I must have more of the Spirit of Christ, or I 
 shall be miserable. It seems to me that if any 
 one needs the prayers of God's people, I do." 
 
 "December 19,1846. 
 "Dear Father — I hope you will pardon my 
 delay in answering yours of the 18th ult., as I 
 am now availing myself of the first opportunity 
 of replying which my leisure affords. I should, 
 however, say that the engagements which have 
 detained me are not laid upon me by the rules 
 of the institution, but arise chiefly from my 
 connection with the iEonian Literary Society, 
 
U WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 and a desire, perhaps a little too strong, to be 
 equal with my classmates. I know that there 
 is danger in the indulgence of this feeling, but 
 the opportunities I have enjoyed under your 
 own careful tuition and instruction have been 
 greater than I imagined, and than most others 
 have had, and therefore I am anxious to make 
 up in other things in which they excel me. 
 
 "I must acknowledge to you my sense of 
 gratitude for your frequent admonitions to see 
 to the keeping of my heart. I know, I feel that 
 I need them, and they tend to stir me up to 
 more carefulness." 
 
 "January 12, 1847. 
 
 " Dear Father — I wish I had an opportunity 
 of preaching occasionally ; but being unable to 
 find time to secure a place during the fall, I 
 suppose that it would be impossible to com- 
 mence a meeting at this season of the year. I 
 have preached but once since I left Lansing, 
 and that was for the Methodist church in the 
 village. I had, however, one other invitation 
 to preach, but declined in favor of one of the 
 Junior theologians who had sent the messenger 
 to me. 
 
 "I read sometime since most of that little 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 75 
 
 work on holiness which you kindly gave me, 
 and found many excellent things in it. I feel 
 conscious that the subject has not sufficiently 
 interested me, because I have not given to it a 
 due share of attention. I have been reading 
 Flavel on Keeping the Heart, and rereading 
 the Memoir of Samuel Pearce. They are excel- 
 lent. I have commenced the life of Schwartz, 
 and also Edwards' History of Redemption. I 
 have read considerably in Home's Introduction. 
 It seems good, after being driven all the week 
 with study, to catch a few hours on Saturday 
 eve and the Lord's day for the perusal of such 
 works. I sincerely wish I had more time to 
 spend on such reading." 
 
 "April 16, 1847. 
 " We have been favored, during the past two 
 weeks, with the visits of brother S. S. Day of 
 the Teloogoo mission and brother Jones of the 
 Siamese. Their object was to secure, if possi- 
 ble, some men for those stations, both of which 
 are now closed by the absence of these their only 
 missionaries. The Senior theological class 
 consists of only seven, and they have left with- 
 out securing one of them. There are many in 
 the lower classes who would go, if desired. 
 
75 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 "The picture brother Jones drew of the 
 wants and accessibleness of Siam was most in- 
 teresting. Like most of the eastern systems, 
 their religious and scientific opinions are mat- 
 ters of revelation ; and so intimately are they 
 connected, that if the one is destroyed the other 
 must be also. They have learned enough of 
 true science from Europeans to acknowledge 
 the fallacy of their own, and the intelligent 
 among them are wavering, and this therefore 
 would seem to be the time to have the truth 
 presented to them. When brother Jones left, 
 the printing-press was stopped. They were 
 engaged upon the second edition of the New 
 Testament. The sheets were laid on the shelf, 
 the bindery is closed, the schools broken up, 
 the daily worship unattended, and the Sab- 
 bath worship suspended. This seems deso- 
 late. Every thing favors the prosecution of 
 the work, but there are no men to carry it on. 
 It is like a factory without hands to work the 
 machinery. " 
 
 "June 10,1847. 
 
 " Dear Father — Last Lord's-day evening I 
 presented a report before the c Society of In- 
 quiry/ on the ' spirit of Moravian missions.' 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 17 
 
 This has cost me a great deal of labor, but I 
 have been amply repaid for it in the presenta- 
 tion to my mind of so interesting a subject. I 
 was not a little surprised in making one calcu- 
 lation, to find that, contrasting our efforts for 
 the spread of the gospel with theirs, while there 
 is in our denomination but about one mission- 
 ary to every seven hundred members, among 
 the Moravians there is one to each fifty-two. 
 If we should send out during the coming year 
 as many in proportion as they did in 1840, we 
 should send fifteen hundred. If we had as 
 many in the field in proportion to our numbers 
 as they have, there would be 13,461, instead of 
 100. The self-denial of the men, joined with 
 an unwavering confidence in God, is also wor- 
 thy of notice." 
 
 Having in the essay referred to mentioned 
 briefly the leading facts in the history of Mora- 
 vian missions, he continues, 
 
 " Their selection of missionaries furnishes a 
 criterion of the spirit that actuates them. They 
 send none but volunteers so strictly, that if any 
 wishes to leave the work, even though he has 
 gone on board a vessel and is ready to sail, he 
 is considered as no longer of use, and is dis- 
 
78 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 missed. "While other organizations meet with 
 difficulty in procuring men for the work, the 
 Moravians always have men in abundance. If 
 any of their missionaries are carried off by 
 sickness or casualty, men of the same stamp 
 are ready to supply their places. 
 
 " To be well versed in the sacred Scriptures, 
 and to have an experimental knowledge of the 
 truths they contain, is judged indispensably 
 necessary. But a good understanding, joined 
 to a friendly disposition, and above all, a heart 
 filled with the love of God, are considered the 
 best and most essential qualifications. Yet 
 men of learning are not excluded, and their 
 talents have been made useful in various 
 ways. 
 
 "Another indication of their spirit is found 
 in the prominence they give in their preaching, 
 to the plan of redemption by Christ. Upon 
 this point they learned an important lesson in 
 their earliest efforts for the conversion of the 
 heathen. The first missionaries to Greenland 
 began their instruction of the natives by talk- 
 ing to them of the wisdom and power of God, 
 and such other of his attributes as they sup- 
 posed would excite in their minds admiration 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 79 
 
 of his character. They continued this practice 
 for six years without success. At length, as 
 one of them was translating the account of 
 Christ's sufferings and death, a Greenlander 
 named Kayamack wished to know what he 
 was writing. The missionary read it. Kaya- 
 mack requested to hear it again, and his con- 
 version was the result. Since that time, in 
 their teaching, they have dwelt chiefly upon 
 the atonement of Christ, and wherever they 
 have gone, their principal theme has been 
 1 Christ, and him crucified. 7 The same spirit 
 pervades their writings. The accounts which 
 they give of their efforts and success abound 
 with acknowledgments of their indebtedness 
 to the mercy of God. 
 
 " Their spirit is still further manifest, from 
 the fact that in some of their stations they not 
 only support themselves by their labor, but 
 even contribute to the aid of others. In the 
 Danish West India islands. Surinam, and the 
 Cape of Good Hope, there are assistants who 
 reside with the missionaries solely for the pur- 
 pose of supporting them by their labor. 
 
 "With the Moravians, to give the gospel to 
 the heathen has long been considered one of 
 
80 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 the chief ends of their organization as a church ; 
 it is interwoven into all their plans. 
 
 " Nor do they, in our opinifcn, err in regard- 
 ing this as the chief object of church organiza- 
 tion. Almost all the later instructions of the 
 Saviour to his disciples relate to the propaga- 
 tion of the gospel abroad. The first efforts of 
 the church at Jerusalem were directed to the 
 conversion of the strangers convened on the 
 day of Pentecost; and when afterwards the 
 church seemed to be settling down content with 
 laboring at home, the great Head of the church 
 employed persecution to send them about their 
 appropriate work, and ' they went everywhere 
 preaching the word. 7 
 
 " The growth of the missionary spirit among 
 them is to be attributed to the estimate which 
 they place upon the value of the gospel, by 
 which they and their fathers were supported, 
 amid the trials to which they had been exposed 
 for centuries ; to the constant study of the Bi- 
 ble, and their familiarity with it ; to the habit 
 of frequent devotion, and the diffusion of mis- 
 sionary intelligence in every family. 
 
 " It is no wonder that under such heavenly 
 influences, and impelled by such pure motives 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 81 
 
 as love to God and man, they are ever cheer- 
 ful and buoyant in spirit, 'rejoicing in hope, 
 patient in tribulation, continuing ^instant in 
 prayer. 7 
 
 He also writes, June 10, 1847, 
 
 " Two brethren with myself go about seven 
 miles to a neighborhood called Cole Hill, to 
 teach a Sabbath-school and preach on three 
 Lord's days in the month. The place is desti- 
 tute. We have the use of a house built for 
 Unitarians." 
 
 In writing about a month later respecting 
 this school, he says, "The Sabbath-school at 
 Cole Hill goes on well, and though after a te- 
 dious walk in the sun we find but few who 
 attend our preaching, we have about as many 
 children as three can conveniently attend to. 
 Two of us gave five dollars for a library, and 
 wrote to the Sabbath-school of the First Bap- 
 tist church in Brooklyn, who supply for half- 
 price to Sabbath-schools in the western valley. 
 They kindly stretched their bounty over us, 
 and so we have a nice library of one hundred 
 volumes. 77 
 
 Of Mr. Biddle 7 s plans and labors in connec- 
 tion with this effort to do good, one of the 
 
82 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 brethren who assisted in the enterprise thus 
 speaks : 
 
 " He selected brother J- B and my- 
 self to aid him in the work. He and brother 
 
 B had spent a whole day in travelling 
 
 around the country in the vicinity of Madison 
 University, and Cole Hill was the nearest 
 place that offered an encouraging field for mis- 
 sionary labor. To carry on a Sabbath-school 
 and preach the gospel so far from the institu- 
 tion, and walk that distance and back every 
 Sabbath, amid occasional showers and the heat 
 of summer, would call forth considerable pa- 
 tience, labor, and sacrifice. William T. Biddle 
 knew all this before he undertook the work, 
 and he was the man and the Christian who 
 was prepared to meet it. He cared nothing 
 for labor and sacrifice, could he but lead the 
 young in the path of virtue and to the gate of 
 heaven. And his efforts were not confined 
 alone to the youth, but in connection with this 
 school, and at its close, all classes assembled, 
 and to them he preached the gospel. 
 
 " We generally attended meeting on Sabbath 
 morning at the institution; but occasionally, 
 when it was extremely warm, we started early 
 
THE S1XGLE PURPOSE. 83 
 
 in the morning, and after arriving there we 
 would spend the time in going from house to 
 house conversing upon the subject of religion 
 and praying in families. In this work our 
 good brother Biddle was accustomed to take 
 the lead. It seemed to be a pleasure to him to 
 labor in the Master's service, and to make sac- 
 rifices for the cause of Christ. In our walks 
 to and from the school, he always had some- 
 thing to converse about that was interesting 
 and instructing. 
 
 " I shall never forget his farewell address on 
 closing that school. The scholars loved him, 
 and in parting with their superintendent and 
 teacher, they were bathed in tears. It was a 
 deeply affecting season to us all, and especially 
 to brother Biddle. It was the earnest desire 
 of his heart that he might meet these dear 
 scholars in heaven, where parting would be no 
 more." 
 
 To a fellow-student who had entered upon 
 the active duties of the pastoral office, and was 
 tempted to discouragement, he writes, 
 
 " Madison University, Jan. 25, 1848. 
 
 " Dear W Do not be discouraged. 
 
 You seem to have a hard field to plough, but 
 
84 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 remember that no soil brings better crops, 
 when once well turned, than real tough sward : 
 and though the plough may creak and crack, 
 or even break, the farmer should not be dis- 
 couraged. Your situation, bad as it may be, 
 is not worse than has been that of many others, 
 and yet they have succeeded. Had I time I 
 might mention several instances in proof of 
 this. You may, however, lean on a still firmer 
 support. I should not wonder if you had been 
 hobbling along with this blessed crutch under 
 your arm : ' Cast thy bread upon the waters, for 
 thou shalt find it after many days ; ? perhaps 
 with the addition of this also : c He that goeth 
 forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall 
 doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing 
 his sheaves with him. 7 
 
 " ' How can I sink, with such a prop 
 As my eternal God V 
 
 " Do not look at the difficulties of the work, 
 nor at the feebleness of the instrumentality, 
 but think of the all-sufficiency of the almighty 
 Saviour, in obedience to whose command you 
 are where you are. It is much better to be a 
 mere sickle in the hand of God, than an inde- 
 pendent reaping machine. Have you a more 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 85 
 
 difficult lot than Elijah had when he fled from 
 the land of Israel into the desert, to the mount 
 of God ? yet God seemed not very well pleased 
 with his run-away-from-duty course of conduct. 
 There was something of rebuke, I ween, in the 
 inquiry, ' What doest thou here, Elijah ? 7 
 
 " Look to Jesus, now that you have taken hold 
 of the plough. Probably a severe lesson like 
 that which you are now having, may be just 
 what you need to enable you to cast all your 
 care upon Him that careth for you. 
 
 " I doubt not but you have learned the bless- 
 edness of the throne of grace. You have, I 
 imagine, often come from your me 3 ting to your 
 closet and attempted to commit all your labor 
 to God's hand and trust him with the disposal 
 of it. That is good, delightful work. 77 
 
 "Madison University, Feb. 16, 1848. 
 
 " Dear Father — I know that the news that 
 the Lord is evidently about to pour out his 
 Spirit here, and has already begun, will be 
 more welcome to you than any thing else. Dur- 
 ing the past two weeks the church in the vil- 
 lage have been holding daily meetings, at which 
 brother Kingsley has preached. A number are 
 anxious, and three or four are entertaining a 
 
86 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 hope in Christ, and the work seems to be 
 spreading. We have been well-nigh as cold 
 as we could be, but now we begin to feel that 
 we are cold. May we indeed feel the warming- 
 influences of the Spirit. To-day I was present 
 at a meeting for fasting and prayer in the vil- 
 lage. It was well attended, and quite interest- 
 ing ; but I am not prepared to enjoy it. I feel 
 that I am far behind in spiritual matters. 77 
 
 Mr. Biddle's engagedness during this season 
 of revival, and his desire to spend and be spent 
 in leading souls to Christ, as also the faithful- 
 ness of God in answering prayer, are clearly 
 set forth in the following letter to one of his 
 sisters : 
 
 "Madison University, Feb. 25, 1848. 
 
 "Dear Sister Sarah — Most gladly do I 
 seize a few moments to tell you that we are in 
 the midst of a gracious outpouring of God's 
 blessed Spirit; as to describing it, I could not 
 should I make the attempt. My time has been 
 taken from my lessons and every thing else, 
 more or less, for the last week, and I have 
 grudged even the portion spent in sleep and 
 meals. Help us to praise God for his surpris- 
 ing grace. Of some twenty- three or four in 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 87 
 
 the University who were unconverted, only 
 nine remain so. Oh, such rich displays of par- 
 doning grace, such a smiting down of the 
 impenitent, such cryings and prayers, I never 
 saw. The work is one which commends itself 
 to all hearts as that of God. Some answers to 
 prayer have been most striking. I will men- 
 tion one or two. 
 
 " On Wednesday evening, at the request of 
 some of my pupils, I went, as on the night be- 
 fore, at the close of the meeting, to the Acad- 
 emy, to unite with them in a prayer-meeting. 
 One of the young men whom we had especially 
 remembered, and who was among the first who 
 became anxious, though under deep conviction, 
 refused to pray for himself; we could not per- 
 suade him to offer even the prayer of the pub- 
 lican. One of the brethren addressing him, 
 told Mm that unless he did he would one day 
 pray for the mountains to fall on him. This 
 brother then prayed again, and left ; some of 
 us continued on, and at length concluded to 
 close the meeting. We were just leaving, when 
 I thought that I would speak to him again. I 
 asked him why he could not pray. He replied 
 that he had no words. I reminded him of the 
 
88 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 publican, etc. His trouble then became so 
 great that he writhed in agony. The dear con- 
 verts, whose hearts were deeply interested in 
 his case, stood around ; and seeing him so un- 
 willing to give up and humble himself before 
 God, they began to weep. I told them that 
 though it was eleven o'clock I could not leave 
 him so, and asked those of them who felt as 
 though they could pray, to do so. AH fell upon 
 their knees, and he also. Most ferveat prayers 
 were then offered ; and amid sighs and groans, 
 he too prayed, ' God be merciful to me a sin- 
 ner. 7 While they prayed I was endeavoring 
 to point him to the Saviour; and I felt as 
 though all my soul was drawn out to God for 
 him. Such was his anguish, that I was begin- 
 ning to fear that he could not live. While the 
 most fervent prayers were offered for him, I 
 trust he gave himself up to God. When I 
 learned from him that he had given up, and 
 could trust himself in God's hands, I informed 
 the others ; we then ceased prayer, and sang a 
 hymn. 
 
 "Next morning I went down to meet them 
 again at seven. He came into the room with 
 his face full of smiles, and thanking God. There 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 89 
 
 was joy there among the converts, and after I 
 had read the one hundred and third Psalm it 
 would have done any one good to hear all sing 
 the hymn, 
 
 " ' how happy are they 
 Who the Saviour obey,' etc. 
 
 Sarah, such taking hold of the promises ; 
 such pleading ! I felt that we could not fail. 
 If God ever enabled me to pray in faith it was 
 then. I really believe I could not have left all 
 night, had not the Lord heard. the precious- 
 ness of the promises, they furnished such pow- 
 erful arguments. 
 
 "Such is a meagre account of one scene; 
 others no less interesting have occurred fre- 
 quently, and several cases of conversion which 
 seem scarcely credible." 
 
 "Madison University, April 1, 1848. 
 " Dear Father — I have been most providen- 
 tially provided for, just when I was well-nigh 
 on shore: the offer made me to become an 
 instructor in the academy supplied my imme- 
 diate wants ; and through divine mercy, hence- 
 forth, if I behave myself, I shall have neither 
 board nor tuition to pay, as I am to have the 
 benefit of brother Vinton's scholarship. It is 
 
90 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 a missionary one ; that is, I suppose, by accept- 
 ing it I am pledged to a foreign mission. The 
 last beneficiary of it was brother Lord, now of 
 China. Brother Vinton founded this scholar- 
 ship by savings from his salary, in addition to 
 a few hundred dollars which he earned over 
 and above his support when here. 
 
 " I feel that an increased responsibility now 
 rests upon me, and that things look more real 
 in that respect than ever before. Why, only 
 three and a half years more, and I, the Lord 
 willing, shall be on the ocean on my way to 
 the heathen. Well, all I can say is, may I be 
 prepared for the soul-trying work : yes, this is 
 my heart's desire ; and then let it come as soon 
 as may be, I shall rejoice to go. I sometimes 
 shrink from the work from a sense of utter un- 
 fitness for it, but I think from no other reason. 
 ? T is true, the prospect of doing good in this 
 land is sometimes rather alluring ; but, bless 
 God, my purpose never wavers. I feel the need 
 of much grace, that I may be wholly conse- 
 crated to the work in all its bearings : not merely 
 in the sacrifice of leaving dear, dear friends, 
 but of laboring there alone perchance, and amid 
 discouragements. You will imagine that I am 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 91 
 
 anticipating a little too much : yes, I am ; there 
 are other trials to undergo before that time, 
 which may be as severe as even those." 
 
 The session of the academy in which he was 
 engaged as teacher was now closed. Respect- 
 ing it he writes, 
 
 " It has been a delightful session. You can 
 scarcely imagine how loving the scholars are. 
 When I commenced the instruction of my class- 
 es, I felt it to be a duty to ask that the connec- 
 tion between us might be profitable in respect 
 to religious as well as intellectual acquirements. 
 At first I hesitated about doing so publicly; 
 but at length I did so, and it seems that my 
 efforts were not in vain. In one class, all were 
 converted who were not previously ; in another, 
 some five or six, and one who had been far 
 backslidden was reclaimed. The principal has 
 been the leader of the inquiry-meetings, and 
 has devoted himself wholly to the work, as 
 also the preceptress in the female department. 
 On the day that the school closed, after the 
 exercises were over, it was pleasing and affect- 
 ing to see the young ladies parting : those who 
 had come together unconverted, now parted as 
 
92 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 sisters in Christ ; some of them would hang 
 on one another's necks and weep. They came 
 from various places, and we hope they will 
 carry the good spirit with them." 
 
 " May 5, 1848. 
 
 " Dear Father — You may feel some desire to 
 know how I look upon the influence my studies 
 have exerted upon my mind and spiritual state. 
 Of the former, I can say that I am sensible of 
 some improvement — albeit my letters do not 
 manifest it — and have made one considerable 
 attainment, namely, I see that I do not know 
 much, and probably, yes, surely never shall. 
 I am more ignorant now than ever. 
 
 " To some extent my spiritual state has been 
 affected unfavorably, but I apprehend not more 
 so than by as much engagement in any worldly 
 business in which I should likely be found. 
 Ambition has, I must confess, sadly absorbed 
 my energies, and of all things I feel that has 
 most prevented the expansion of my soul. I 
 see more to be dreaded in it than in every thing 
 else in college. My tendency to this often 
 makes me wish myself out of all influence of it ; 
 but where this would place me, I am much at a 
 loss to imagine. I fear that I shall suffer from 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 93 
 
 it everywhere, and if this is the case, it is folly 
 to attempt to run away from it ; it would be 
 like running away from myself. It must be 
 conquered, and if so, it can be done here. The 
 remedy I know ; I have attempted to apply it, 
 but much as a man amputating his own limb 
 would apply the knife. Faithful discharge of 
 duty has at times completely banished it, and 
 always will, I am confident." 
 
 " June 14, 1848. 
 
 " I have just added to my other duties the 
 superintendence of the Sabbath-school in the 
 village. I have done so for two reasons : 
 first, I need to have some stronger induce- 
 ments to the study of the Scriptures ; and sec- 
 ondly, the school has so sadly declined that 
 we have need of some effort to increase its 
 efficiency. I have, however, only taken it for 
 a few weeks. 
 
 " While this will add considerably to my 
 labors, now well-nigh all-sufficient, it will, I 
 think, be no cause of regret. Last Sabbath 
 things looked encouraging, with fifty-five schol- 
 ars and ten teachers. 
 
 u Should I take charge of the school perma- 
 nently, I shall endeavor to find employment in 
 
94 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 this vicinity during next fall vacation, and so 
 visit home only for a few days. 
 
 " I wish that I could bring myself as readily 
 into the service of God in reality as in appear- 
 ance; but it is much easier to undertake all 
 this responsibility, than to perform some duties 
 of but a few minutes' length. I can labor far 
 better than deny myself. Yet the latter is 
 placed first in the list of Christian duties : 
 'Deny thyself; take up thy cross, and follow 
 me.' I have occasion to regret, I sometimes 
 think, that the path of duty with me has for 
 the most part lain very near that of inclina- 
 tion. Perhaps, however, before I complete my 
 pilgrimage I shall find the distance between 
 them widening. I may have to undergo some 
 things which will require nerve, resolution, and 
 strong faith." 
 
 " September 12, 1848. 
 
 " I am at present reading Harris' Great Com- 
 mission. It is very profitable. I am convinced 
 more and more that the great qualification for 
 the mission work is piety, and I really feel per- 
 plexed, in view of my low attainments in this 
 respect, to account for the fact that I feel it my 
 duty to go ; but go I must" 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 95 
 
 To a friend, formerly a student in the univer- 
 sity, he writes, 
 
 "Hamilton, Sept. 13, 1848. 
 
 "Dear Brother F We are enjoying 
 
 beautiful weather ; indeed, I am almost inclined 
 to think that most of the students do not see 
 Hamilton at the sweetest season of the year. 
 
 the ripe, the mellow autumn, how I love it ! 
 
 1 sometimes fancy that the close of life will be 
 like it; then, the fruits of life's summer all 
 gathered in, we shall mark the shortening of 
 the days, and the occasional nipping frosts tak- 
 ing one beauty after another, but really adding 
 in return others more solemn. Some love 
 spring best ; I like all seasons, but autumn best 
 of all. 
 
 " My duties in the academy have begun again, 
 and contrary to my expectations I am to have as 
 much to do there as ever. How in the world do 
 you contrive to use such an enormous amount 
 of time in visiting ? I do not know the secret 
 of visiting so long without wishing myself back 
 at my books. I love to go and see the folks 
 and talk with them, but I can do all that in 
 one week, and then I am like Jack ashore. 
 
 "How do you get along in divine things? 
 
96 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 This is the most important of all matters, yet 
 how strangely inclined are we to put off all 
 conversation on the subject. If we felt right 
 we should not act thus. We are not accus- 
 tomed to set our affections upon things above ; 
 earth, earth with all its follies is greater in our 
 eyes than heaven. I wish I could get some 
 conception of the greatness of heaven. I need 
 resolution to keep the known path of duty, and 
 quite as much to recover it when lost." 
 
 Desiring earnestly a thorough revival of the 
 work of God in his heart, he writes to his 
 father, Sept. 29, 1848, 
 
 " I hope that your letters will ever be direct- 
 ed to the promoting of it. For this reason I 
 am glad that in your last letter you addressed 
 me very plainly. I have always felt the benefit 
 and importance of those remarks in your let- 
 ters which treat of personal piety. I am 
 most painfully conscious of a misimprovement 
 of many opportunities for getting good, and a 
 great tendency to place worldly knowledge 
 above spiritual. On this point I shall ever 
 esteem it a high privilege to be faithfully 
 reproved, as well as advised." 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 97 
 
 " October 21, 1848. 
 " Two weeks ago to-morrow I went down to 
 North Norwich, about twelve miles south of us, 
 where they are enjoying a precious season of 
 refreshing, and tried to address them from the 
 words, ' I will arise, and go to my Father.' It 
 was to me a very solemn time ; the house was 
 crowded to overflowing. It was an ordinary 
 sized school-house, perhaps a little larger, and 
 there must have been about two hundred per- 
 sons in the room. Every eye indicated interest 
 and attention. I went there to receive benefit, 
 and I had no occasion to repent it, though I 
 walked almost the whole distance down and all 
 the way back. Some twenty or thirty have 
 been hopefully converted. It was encouraging 
 to see sinners asking for the prayers of Chris- 
 tians. When shall we hear of more attention 
 to this subject?" 
 
 In the following letter we see this young 
 Christian " diligent in business, fervent in 
 spirit, serving the Lord." 
 
 "Hamilton, Dec. 2, 1848. 
 " Dear Father — I thank you for the heads 
 of your charge to brother - . Most likely, in 
 
 Biddle. ^ 
 
98 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 the course of three years, you will have the 
 opportunity of charging me in view of a foreign 
 field. I tremble when I think of it. Oh, how 
 can I endure the temptations of such a station? 
 I shrink, yet feel unwavering. I wrote to 
 brother Ingalls of Akyab last spring, and re- 
 ceived an answer a few weeks ago. I inquired 
 for advice as to preparation. His reply was, 
 1 To be thoroughly acquainted with the charac- 
 ter of Christ ; the preaching of Christ is the 
 appointed means, the only means for the over- 
 throw of Budhism.' 
 
 " I am at present examining the character of 
 Christ with reference to a sermon on the words, 
 1 To you therefore who believe he is precious/ 
 It is a delightful subject. 
 
 " But my hands are so full. It is enough to 
 carry on my studies only ; but to teach three 
 classes besides, and a fourth in a few days, 
 besides other duties which cannot be avoided, 
 is too much : this winter must end my teaching, 
 I think. How I shall be provided for I do not 
 know, but I will trust Providence if it be my 
 duty to do as I purpose. 
 
 " Perhaps it would be interesting to you to 
 know how my time is occupied. Well, to be- 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 99 
 
 gin, I get up as soon as I can in the morning : 
 my rule is five o'clock, but this is infringed 
 upon by sitting up generally from two to three 
 hours beyond my set time, ten o'clock ; but it 
 seems wholly unavoidable, so I rise say at from 
 six to six and a half; devotions and reading 
 of the Bible and Septuagint till seven and a 
 half ; then breakfast, or before that I cut wood 
 
 for Mrs. C- to help pay my board. After 
 
 breakfast I go to the hill — for I sleep in the 
 academy — and study till eleven, when we recite 
 in Greek ; then dinner — studying over the les- 
 son I have to hear while I eat ; next I hear the 
 recitations of two classes in algebra, and one 
 in geometry ; then run on the hill, to be in time 
 for my Latin. At the close of that comes men- 
 tal philosophy ; then at five I go to the village 
 or my room ; then tea ; then to my studies and 
 writing letters, etc., till bedtime. I omitted 
 that I make it a rule to have my evening devo- 
 tions before studying, as I am generally too 
 sleepy at bedtime. My evenings, however, 
 are spent in this way only once in a while ; for 
 once a month the Monday evening is taken up 
 till eight, or eight and a half, with the monthly 
 concert: Wednesday evening is class prayer- 
 
100 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 meeting, which lasts till seven and a half, thus 
 preventing my studies till eight or later : Thurs- 
 day evening I take charge of the Sabbath-school 
 teachers' meeting ; this occupies till eight and 
 a half or nine o'clock, and has of course to be 
 prepared for. Friday evening is the meeting 
 of the Literary Society, which holds from seven 
 till nine, ten, or eleven, as the case may be. As 
 I am now censor in our Society, I must once a 
 month give a general critique on the proceed- 
 ings of the Society, and also criticise the ora- 
 tions pronounced, which, when the appoint- 
 ments are full, are four each month. Saturday 
 evening is twice a month devoted to the meet- 
 ing of the Eastern Association, occupying till 
 nine. For this I have now to prepare an 
 essay ; then too I have an oration — one of the 
 institution duties — to prepare for delivery next 
 term in the chapel. Add to this, that as super- 
 intendent of the Sabbath-school I must be exert- 
 ing myself constantly ; must find matter to ad- 
 dress to the children, keep on the watch to pick 
 up scholars, purchase library books, label and 
 catalogue them, collect a subscription to buy 
 them, and look up teachers when any leave, as 
 well as act as chairman of the library commit- 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 101 
 
 tee of our society, and thus collect its funds, 
 liold meetings of the committee, purchase 
 books, etc., and as corresponding secretary of 
 the Eastern Association keep up correspond- 
 ence with the missionaries. Then you would 
 find fault if I did not write you once in a while, 
 and some dozen others would do the same. Now 
 am I not far from idle ? I am afraid that you 
 groan and say 'tis too much, that I ought to 
 give up some of these. I have looked over 
 them all for the same purpose, but see none 
 which I can conscientiously give up, as I think 
 I could show you, had I time. One thing is 
 certain, it makes me more of a practical being 
 than most are, but it robs me of the advantages 
 of leisure study. I get the horrors sometimes 
 when I think that I have to endure all this 
 labor the whole winter, but I get through it 
 each week, and am happy as a king, for the 
 most part. 
 
 " P. S. I have not given this schedule of 
 duties by way of boasting, but that you may 
 know how I spend my time, and may make 
 allowance for me." 
 
102 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE SINGLE PURPOSE— CONTINUED. 
 
 Writing to a friend, Feb. 10, 1849, lie says, 
 " Last Sabbath two were baptized here ; one 
 of them a boy of some thirteen years, a member 
 of our Sabbath-school, and also of the academic 
 department of the university. He is a dear, 
 lovely boy. Another of the children, a little 
 girl, in the inquiry-meeting to-day, expressed 
 to me a hope. I do think that we have some 
 ground to hope for her, but she is so young — 
 about eight or nine — that I do not know wheth- 
 er she fully comprehended all that I asked her ; 
 at all events, her replies were very satisfactory. 
 I asked her why she thought her heart was 
 changed — for she had just told me that she 
 thought so — she replied, ' Because I asked God 
 to change it. 7 what a reproof! To me it 
 was like saying, ' thou of little faith/ I 
 had last week, at a similar meeting, where she 
 was present, dwelt on the importance of faith 
 in Christ's word, and quoted the promise to 
 answer prayer. I hope we are to see good 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 103 
 
 days yet among the children. May God grant 
 it. How it glorifies Him for children to be 
 converted. I love the dear creatures. If one 
 boy who was baptized last Lord's day should 
 live, he will become a missionary, I hope. He 
 thinks much of it. He boards with me at Mrs. 
 C 's. Some few weeks before his conver- 
 sion, he said to me, ' Mr. Biddle, as mother 
 told me I might choose my own profession in 
 life, I have been thinking that I should like to 
 be a missionary.' Said I, ' There is something 
 necessary before that can happen, you must love 
 God.' ' I know it,' said he, ' but if I should be 
 converted, I hope I shall become a missionary.' " 
 
 Mr. Biddle loved the children, and the chil- 
 dren loved him. Says the little boy referred 
 to in the above extract, in a letter to Mr. Bid- 
 dle after his own removal from Hamilton, " I 
 don't know what to do with my arms at night, 
 I have become so accustomed to putting them 
 around your neck." 
 
 A fortnight later, he writes respecting the 
 interest of the children in religion, " In addi- 
 tion to the boy of whom I wrote before, two of 
 the little girls give pleasing evidence of being 
 born again. Others are serious, but I fear not 
 
104 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 deeply so. Thus the Lord has blessed our 
 labors, and to his name be all the praise. The 
 clear little ones are very much at home with 
 me. Many of them attend the academy, and 
 when I go in and out to and from my classes, 
 they will run and hold out their arms, smack- 
 ing their lips for a kiss." 
 
 Though happily situated and successfully 
 prosecuting his studies, his soul was not at 
 rest. In a letter to a friend who was also pre- 
 paring for the foreign field, he says, 
 
 " We students sometimes say, and we think 
 it, ' I do not believe we shall ever see happier 
 days than these. 7 But on such occasions we 
 forget that there is a luxury in doing as well as 
 getting good. The student's life, under favora- 
 ble circumstances, is a happy one, but I would 
 not, for all its real pleasures, forego the joy of 
 living as a recognized and faithful ambassador 
 of the court of heaven in the most refractory 
 province over which the God of heaven pre- 
 sides. No, I would not hesitate now, were it 
 evidently my duty, to go Burmah or elsewhere 
 to spend the few days I have to live, in travel- 
 ling about as did the Master and his faithful 
 apostles, 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 105 
 
 " I think I can say, I know I have said with 
 brother Brown, 
 
 " ' Henceforth, then, 
 It matters not if storm or sunshine be 
 My earthly lot — bitter or sweet my cup : 
 I only pray, God fit me for the work ; 
 God make me holy, and my spirit nerve 
 For the stern hour of strife.' 
 
 " And what but the grace of God can arm us 
 for the duty? Knowledge will not, mental 
 energy will not, zeal will not. Knowledge 
 may fail, mental ability be perverted, and zeal 
 burn out, but grace can never fail, be per- 
 verted, or expire. how important that we 
 rightly inquire, Have we each become possessed 
 of it? Let the Searcher of hearts give us 
 divine light while we make the examination. 
 To be deceived here, how ruinous! ; t is fatal. 
 That was a comprehensive prayer of Paul when 
 he bowed his knee to ask that the eyes of the 
 understanding of his brethren might be enlight- 
 ened, that they might know what is the hope of 
 Christ's calling. But it did not include so much 
 as that in which he besought that God would 
 grant to them, according to the riches of his 
 grace, to be strengthened with might in the 
 inner man by his Spirit, that Christ might dwell 
 
106 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE 
 
 in their hearts by faith, and they be rooted 
 and grounded in love." 
 
 " November 19, 1849. 
 
 "Dear Father — We have some interesting 
 meetings here, and I think that a desire for a 
 revival generally pervades the minds of the 
 students. "We are by no means impressed as 
 we should be with a sense of our need. I do 
 hope that this state of things may not continue ; 
 we are not living epistles ' known and read of 
 all men.' A few of us hold a morning prayer- 
 meeting, but I fear we are not engaged in the 
 prayers as we should be. We ask, I fear, be- 
 cause we know we need, rather than because we 
 feel we need. 
 
 " When in New York, a brother in the six- 
 teenth-street church asked me concerning my 
 studies, and hearing that I was in want of 
 funds, said that he would give me twenty dol- 
 lars this year, if the Berean brethren would 
 give forty more. I did not suppose I could get 
 it, but a few days since I wrote to a commit- 
 tee of the church on the subject, and on Friday 
 last received answer that the money should be 
 forthcoming. So God has kindly provided me 
 with all I asked for." 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 107 
 
 " Hamilton, Dec. 21, 1849. 
 
 11 Dear C To-day the funeral of Elder 
 
 John Peck* took place at his old residence, 
 Woodstock. Thus has fallen one of the old 
 standard-bearers ; and who shall take his place ? 
 Full of years, and loved by all who knew him, 
 he has finished his course. How blessed the 
 righteous when he dies ! Could others feel as 
 well assured with regard to us, were we to be 
 taken ? Many might hope, but how many could 
 feel assured ? 
 
 " One of my classmates is sick, and may be 
 so unto death. I have thought, What if it were 
 I instead of him? Should he depart, we all 
 know that his would be the death of the right- 
 eous. 
 
 11 Some sing, ' for an overcoming faith/ I 
 
 am not sufficiently advanced to ask even for 
 
 this. I need the first buddings of confidence. 
 
 Where is the heart-swelling consciousness of 
 
 * For thirty-one years a laborious and successful 
 pastor, and afterwards the indefatigable agent of the 
 New York State Baptist Missionary Convention. " In 
 almost every public enterprise originated and prose- 
 cuted for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom in 
 connection with the Baptists of New York, he bore a 
 prominent and leading part." 
 
108 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 need from above ; not the cold and ready con- 
 viction of judgment, but the deep, soul-moving 
 longing after God ? Where that hour of child- 
 like, simple, sincere pouring out of the soul in 
 secret before Him who seeth all ? Where that 
 sensible communion with God? Where the 
 melting, sweetly subduing effusion of divine 
 grace? Where the joy of a conscience freed 
 by the blood of atonement from all the bonds 
 of death ? Where the ardent longing, the burn- 
 ing desire to lead, aye, draw others to the same 
 blessing ? Gone ! Can it be that it has gone ? 
 Is it possible that I am living without any real 
 intercourse with my Father ? Oh, I would that 
 I had the assurance that it were not so. But 
 I find it not. A void, yes, an aching void is 
 here, and I have no thought of filling it with 
 any thing I know of in the world. I know that 
 it must ever be thus, unless Christ and the 
 Spirit fill it. 
 
 " Oh, a world for the feeling of David when h£f 
 penned that sweet twenty-third Psalm. I have 
 been reading it in Hebrew ; it is very rich." 
 
 Writing to the same friend on the first day 
 of the new year, he says, 
 
 "I have tried to-dav. I did yesterday try to 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 109 
 
 pray that 1850 may be to me a year of deliver- 
 ance from bondage, that I may see the King in 
 the glory which as Saviour and Mediator he 
 bears. But my heart sinks within me as I 
 write, since I have so often had higher hopes 
 than these most completely dashed. Were 
 there not mercy with God, that he might be 
 feared, I should despair. 77 
 
 A few days later he writes, 
 
 " Madison University, Jan. 18, 1850. 
 
 " Dear Father and Mother — A happy New- 
 year to you, if it be not too late. How swiftly 
 are we borne on time 7 s most rapid wing 1 An- 
 other quarter of a century, and probably our 
 scattered family will be together again ; if not 
 here, may we certainly be together in the eter- 
 nal world of joy. This is our hope. Our bodies 
 may be reposing at the distance of half the 
 globe ; but what matters it ? 7 T will be as easy 
 to die in India, in some bamboo house, as on 
 the softest bed in father 7 s house; aye, much 
 sweeter, if the intervening period be spent in 
 teaching the dark dull pagan how to love the 
 Saviour. Europe holds the ashes of a brother, 
 America those of two sisters ; Africa will prob- 
 ably furnish a tomb for a sister, and I hope to 
 
110 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 sleep in Asia ; but when the trump shall sound, 
 may it be true of us that we shall come from 
 the east and from the west, and sit down in 
 the kingdom of God. 
 
 " One of our number, brother William Ward, 
 goes out to Assam in June. One or two may 
 go out in the fall, but it is doubtful. Then 
 next comes our class. Brother Bright, secre- 
 tary of the Missionary Union, will be here in 
 a few weeks, and I shall probably have some 
 talk with him about an appointment, but of 
 course I do not know what the result will be. 
 
 "I have some expectation of spending the 
 spring vacation in Ohio, preaching and teach- 
 ing as assistant in a large academy there. I 
 shall in that case infringe on the summer a 
 little, but I must try and get out of debt. I 
 have a good offer. I do not know how I shall 
 get on, but I shall not have more to do than I 
 have frequently had here. It was not thought 
 of by me until the invitation came. I have not 
 fully decided." 
 
 Respecting this offer, he writes in a letter of 
 earlier date, " Whatever I do, I mean to keep 
 my eye on the mission field." 
 
 There is almost a painful interest in the fol- 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. Ill 
 
 lowing illustration of his self-denying faithful- 
 ness and desire to benefit souls. 
 
 " Madison University, Feb. 9, 1850. 
 
 " Dear Father — Last Saturday I took a walk 
 of some thirty-five miles to preach on the Sab- 
 bath ; the last three hours of the time occupied 
 in performing it, was passed in a snow-storm. 
 I went rather to please a good brother, who is 
 trying to do good to a little church in that 
 vicinity, than because there were other indica- 
 tions of duty. 
 
 " I felt rather blank, on arriving in the morn- 
 ing at one of the places where there was an 
 appointment, to find the house closed and the 
 fire unlighted, though it was past the time for 
 service. Going to a brother's house, I found 
 he had his razor in hand, preparatory to wash- 
 ing and dressing for meeting. In about an hour 
 the congregation were assembled. In the after- 
 noon, there were present at another place about 
 fifteen. In the evening we had a good prayer- 
 meeting. On Monday I returned to Hamilton, 
 having walked all day. I was not disappointed, 
 nor did I regret the tour, though when time is 
 precious as it is now, I can employ my time to 
 better advantage here." 
 
112 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 Again we see his energy and fidelity in task- 
 ing himself to preach the glorious gospel of the 
 blessed God. Writing to his father, he says, 
 
 " I found myself depending too much on my 
 old sermons ; so a week ago I put sermons and 
 sketches all in the fire except two, which I 
 thought were of such a nature that I should 
 not depend on them. Now I must go to work 
 and prepare some new ones. I shall need to 
 do something soon, for if I go to Ohio I shall 
 not have much time to prepare for the Sabbath. 
 But I need more of love to God to prepare 
 sermons. 77 
 
 " Hamilton, June 24, 1850. 
 
 " Dear C 1 preached yesterday at Wa- 
 
 terville from the words, c Jesus Christ, the same 
 yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 7 It is a glori- 
 ous theme. What an exalting thought, that we 
 are so intimately attached to one who is un- 
 changeable. How it magnifies his character as 
 Intercessor, as Mediator, as Friend and Helper, 
 in every sense of these words. 
 
 " And this is He who says to you and me, if 
 he calls us to go abroad, yes, if to stay at 
 home, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake 
 thee. 7 What shall separate us from the love of 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 113 
 
 Christ? To go and labor for years amid the 
 trials of sickness and discouragement, is not so 
 easy but that the thought of it makes me trem- 
 'ble, lest I be found unable to resist tempta- 
 tion. 7 ' 
 
 Writing, July 2, to the same friend, respect- 
 ing a work of grace which was in progress 
 among the pupils of the Institute at New Hamp- 
 ton, N. H., he says, 
 
 "I feel interested to know how it is with 
 those who were anxious. You will of course 
 let me know. It is delightful work, when one 
 can do it, to point with an anxious heart the 
 inquiring soul to God. "What a difference it 
 makes in the pleasure of this act, however, if 
 we are sensible of doing it only from the im- 
 pulses of the judgment. I had rather know 
 but little, and feel what I do know, than to 
 know all about the duty of a sinner and his 
 relation to God, and yet be unmoved by it. 
 Much of our enjoyment, should we be permitted 
 to enter the field abroad, will arise from a sat- 
 isfaction that we are doing what is greatly 
 needed ; and if we can always add to that the 
 pleasure of being in earnest in our entreaties 
 to men to become reconciled to God, I do 
 
114 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 not know where we could be more happily 
 situated." 
 
 On account of frequent absence, he was now 
 obliged to resign his superintendence of the 
 Sabbath-school in the village. He writes, 
 
 " This I would not do, could I avoid it con- 
 sistently, for I have an undiminished interest 
 in the success of the school. In looking back 
 upon the time that I have been superintendent, 
 now nearly or quite two years, I find it has 
 been a great source of profit to me in several 
 ways, and not least in giving me confidence to 
 address an audience. Notwithstanding all my 
 pleasure, however, I am sad when I reflect that 
 during that period but few have been converted 
 to God. 
 
 " In view of the fact that I am not positive 
 of ever having been the means of leading one 
 soul to God, I sometimes think that perhaps 
 here is an evidence of my not having been 
 called to the ministry, though this alone would 
 not make me feel so, did every thing else ap- 
 pear right." 
 
 On this latter subject he writes, July 25th, 
 " I love to preach when I can feel the truth. I 
 do not know of any thing which I had rather 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 115 
 
 be doing when death comes. Oh that I were 
 wise to win souls. 77 
 
 Hannah More, in her excellent work on 
 Practical Piety, remarks, "Humility does not 
 consist in telling our faults, but in bearing to 
 be told of them, in hearing them patiently and 
 even thankfully, in correcting ourselves when 
 told, and in not hating those who tell us of them. 77 
 That Mr. Biddle possessed this humility is evi- 
 dent from the following record, which we find 
 in his "Arcanum, 77 under date of July 4, 1850. 
 
 " This evening my chum called my attention 
 to a great defect in my character, one which I 
 have for some time suspected to exist, but 
 which I hoped did not — an acerbity of manner 
 which is exceedingly painful to those towards 
 whom it is exercised. Upon this I have had 
 some reflections. 
 
 " I. What influence will this have upon my 
 character as a missionary? A ruinous one. 
 It will make me an unwelcome companion to 
 other missionaries, prevent me from approach- 
 ing the heathen as I otherwise might, and unfit 
 me for training up converts. 
 
 " II. What will be its influence upon those 
 who are dear to me? It will be a source of 
 
116 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 great pain to them, it will cause me often to 
 wound their feelings ; and though I have no 
 doubt that such a result will make me as sad 
 as it does them, yet if I should be once guilty 
 of it, it may inflict an irreparable injury on 
 their happiness, and possibly on their char- 
 acter. 
 
 u III. How does it affect the subjects of it ? 
 Chum says that he ' would as lief be struck, as 
 addressed in that way,' It is then a moral 
 violence, and worse than physical, since it 
 affects a more sensitive and exalted nature. 
 
 " IV. May not this be the reason why, when 
 in the company of the more modest and retir- 
 ing, I am often pained by observing a sort of 
 timidity and a disinclination to cross my opin- 
 ions ? I think it must be. 
 
 "V. How has it been produced? It is a 
 natural inclination, fostered in no little degree 
 by regarding sharp and cutting replies and 
 laconic phrases as indicative of mental power, 
 and accordingly cultivating it in a partial de- 
 gree ; by having during the past few years 
 occupied places of direction in the university, 
 and also as superintendent of the Sabbath- 
 school, where my wishes have been law. 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 11? 
 
 "VI. How can it be cured? Nothing but 
 the grace of God can eradicate it, and I must 
 make use of both ordinary and extraordinary 
 means which God has appointed for that pur- 
 pose, making it a matter of special prayer for 
 aid. It has probably grown upon me, and will 
 ruin me, if not soon checked. Lord, help, for 
 thy name's sake and glory. It is entirely op- 
 posed to thy Spirit, blessed Jesus ; for ' if any 
 man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none 
 of his.'" 
 
 How true are the words of Solomon, " Re- 
 buke a wise man, and he will love thee ;" and 
 what a confirmation of the words of a wiser 
 than Solomon, il If thy brother trespass against 
 thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and 
 him alone : if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained 
 thy brother. 17 
 
 Twice during the two preceding years Mr. 
 Biddle had been invited to the position of a 
 tutor of mathematics in the university, but felt 
 it his duty to decline. 
 
 The offer was now renewed by the faculty, 
 and pressed upon his acceptance. As the du- 
 ties of the station would materially interfere 
 with progress in his own studies, and not un- 
 
118 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 likely delay his departure to the heathen at 
 least a year, he hesitated ; nor would he decide 
 at all, until it was evident that there would be 
 no opportunity for him to go to the East during 
 that year. 
 
 To present his character in this new position, 
 and to show the effect it had upon him, we will 
 digress somewhat, and group together such 
 parts of his correspondence as relate to this 
 matter. 
 
 Having asked his father's advice on the sub- 
 ject, and receiving an answer making sundry 
 suggestions, he thus replies to one of them : 
 
 "Hamilton, Oct. 2, 1850. 
 
 " Dear Father — In answer to your first in- 
 quiry I must say, No. No appointment from 
 any faculty whatever, nor board either, shall 
 interfere with my going east." 
 
 To a friend in New York city he writes, 
 Oct. 19, 
 
 " Dear Our vacation of nine weeks is 
 
 just coming to a close, and I have before me 
 the duties and anxieties of a new station. My 
 appointment to the tutorship in mathematics is 
 not of my own seeking, by any means ; indeed, 
 I had twice before, during the past two years, 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 119 
 
 declined the same situation, which was tempo- 
 rarily offered me. 
 
 " This appointment is not to interfere with 
 my departure for the East next year. If God 
 will, I shall therefore be ready to go next fall. 
 Some subjects to which I had hoped to devote 
 my undivided attention this year will necessa- 
 rily be matters for future and more thorough 
 investigation. I shall probably then be able to 
 leave Hamilton free from all debt, save what I 
 shall owe to my father, and possibly I may be 
 free from that. This will be an advantage. 
 Another is, that I shall have a very thorough 
 course of mental training this year, and it will 
 probably be the most valuable of my whole 
 course. 
 
 " I have found that my responsibilities have 
 increased every year that I have been here, 
 and the freedom from care so desirable to a 
 student has not been my lot. I am so consti- 
 tuted that I feel interested in every thing 
 which I regard as good, and cannot sit and 
 look on, as many of my fellow-students can. 
 True, it renders me liable to become too much 
 involved in business, but every temperament 
 has its own evils." 
 
120 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 " October 26, 1850. 
 
 " None can appreciate fully the self-denial I 
 am practising in sparing so nmcli time for teach- 
 ing this winter, but it is severe. Many doubt- 
 less think I take the appointment as something 
 of the nature of an honor, and that it is pleas- 
 ing. These are trials, but they will not harm 
 me. God willing, I will show them that I 
 think less of these honors than of the priva- 
 tions of missionary service.* 
 
 i; 'My soul is not at rest. There comes a strange 
 And secret whisper to my spirit, like 
 A dream of night, that tells me I am on 
 Enchanted ground. ' 
 
 " And when this duty 7 s done, ' 1 will go. ? 7: 
 
 "November 10, 1850. 
 " I find my employment very profitable and 
 pleasant, and I hope my services are acceptable 
 to my classes. I have adopted the rule of open- 
 ing every recitation with prayer. I conceive 
 that it has a good influence on the recitation. 
 
 * His spirit was that of the venerable William Carey, 
 who, when the Eangoon government showered honors 
 upon his son Felix, gave vent to his feelings in these 
 remarkable words : " My son is shrivelled from a mission- 
 ary into an ambassador" Cox's History of Baptist Mis- 
 sions. 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 121 
 
 It tends to check asperity on the part of the 
 teacher, and disrespect on the part of the pupil. 
 Albeit it is rather difficult to pray on such oc- 
 casions without repetition. Of all places, how- 
 ever, I find the duty of leading in chapel service 
 one of the most trying ; I feel quite hampered.' 7 
 
 "December 5, 1850. 
 
 "You can hardly conceive how rapidly my 
 time dashes away; it seems really, without a 
 particle of exaggeration, more like a dream 
 than a reality, that I am where I am, and pass- 
 ing through the duties of the day. It seems 
 like eating and going to bed by the half day, 
 rather than by the whole day. I make long 
 days of them too, retiring at eleven and get- 
 ting up at six, of course taking some time to 
 get asleep. I get about six and a half hours' 
 rest. 
 
 " My time is fully occupied, and I think the 
 drilling I am now getting as a teacher will im- 
 part to me no inconsiderable benefit. It makes 
 me more exact than I am naturally inclined to 
 be, and this is indispensable. I am contemplat- 
 ing taking a Bible-class of young ladies. I 
 find that there are few exercises which make 
 the study of the Bible more successful than the 
 
122 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 obligation of meeting and explaining it to in- 
 telligent persons. I think I shall take such a 
 class, and study the Bible topically." 
 
 "January 15, 1851. 
 
 "I am contented in my present position, and 
 feel no misgivings as to duty. I think I was 
 in the path of duty when I accepted here, but 
 yet I shall not be sorry when other duties shall 
 call me away from my colleagues and associ- 
 ates." 
 
 Speaking of the hope expressed by a young 
 lady that she had been benefited by his labors 
 for her and others' good, he says, 
 
 " Since then I have been thinking that I 
 might have been instrumental of much more 
 good in a similar way, had I spent this winter 
 in preaching, as I might have done, instead of 
 teaching. But after all, perhaps my influence 
 here, small as it is, has effected something in 
 building up the cause of ministerial education, 
 and thus rendering permanent an institution 
 which shall still go on to bless the world. This 
 was my intention, and certainly our prospects 
 are brightening." 
 
 In this important trust he continued, doing 
 and getting good, until the close of his connec- 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 123 
 
 tion with the institution. The estimation in 
 which his labors were held is expressed in Dr. 
 Eaton's parting address to the class graduat- 
 ing from the theological department in 1851. 
 
 11 In regard to the official station which you, 
 my brother, have sustained as a member of the 
 board of instruction," said Dr. Eaton, "it is 
 enough for me to say here, in behalf of my col- 
 leagues, and of the constituted guardians of the 
 institution, that so highly do they esteem your 
 services and influence in this relation, that 
 nothing but the paramount claims of the sacred 
 cause to which you have consecrated your 
 future life, could make us willing to give you 
 up. To that cause we cheerfully resign you, 
 for to it we hold the institution itself, and our 
 own selves, with all our official and personal 
 interests, as subordinate and subservient ; and 
 no offering in our power to make, could we 
 regard as too costly to lay upon its hallowed 
 altar." 
 
 We will now resume the regular order of the 
 correspondence. 
 
 "Hamilton, Dec. 23, 1850. 
 
 " Dear C 1 have just been reading the 
 
 sixtieth of Isaiah j and I never can do so with- 
 
124 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 out feeling an elevation of spirit. My first 
 discourse was from the nineteenth verse of that 
 chapter, and I should like to preach from it 
 again : ' Thy God thy glory.' Did we but 
 realize it, we should never be the miserable 
 grovelling beings we are. Earthly honor, fame, 
 wealth, ease, power, would be but the dust ot 
 the threshing floor. what a change is that 
 which makes God our glory! If he be our 
 glory, what matters it where we spend our 
 lives ? Let us go to the glowing tropics or the 
 eternal snows, to the enlightened or the de- 
 graded, to the wise or the unwise, happy, 
 happy we. Earthly glory may fade, will fade, 
 and fade too when the place it occupied in the 
 heart cannot be unoccupied. This glory ever 
 gathers brightness, and pours a rich flood 
 of delight over the soul. Men very often dis- 
 cover that they have gloried in their shame, 
 that their noblest achievements have only 
 brought disgrace upon themselves; but not so 
 with him who has God for his glory. 
 
 " I have long been convinced that one great 
 error of my life has been to hope for more 
 favorable circumstances in which to work for 
 God than those in which I was placed, and 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 125 
 
 therefore to delay the exercise of all my pow- 
 ers where I might be. If we do not labor faith- 
 fully now, we have not the slightest reason to 
 believe that we shall when otherwise situated. 
 It is a fearfully effective temptation of Satan. 
 May we both be delivered from it. 77 
 
 " February 7, 1851. 
 
 11 1 have this evening been visiting a young 
 lady who is under concern of mind. She seems 
 to be greatly concerned, and was all in tears. 
 Her younger sister has just come out very hap- 
 pily. They were members of the Sabbath- 
 school when I came here, and have grown up 
 in it. Their mother died two years ago, and 
 they have been very thoughtful ever since. As 
 the church have no pastor, and as I have been 
 conducting their meetings of conference, I 
 thought it to be my duty this evening to call 
 on them. I did so the more cheerfully because 
 the one converted thinks that my remarks in 
 the meetings had been blessed to her." 
 
 Referring again to the unconverted sister, he 
 writes, February 24, 
 
 " A week ago yesterday, with special refer- 
 ence to her case and that of another young 
 lady, I preached from, ' Come unto me, all ye 
 
126 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 that labor/ etc. The truth was blessed of 
 God's Holy Spirit to her good, and she thinks 
 she was enabled that afternoon to go to Christ. 
 If this be really so, surely here is occasion for 
 joy and humility. 
 
 " Another young lady whom I visited on 
 Thursday evening, is in a very singular state 
 of mind. She says she has many doubts of the 
 truth of religion, the existence of God, etc., and 
 yet she wishes to be a Christian, and loves the 
 prayer-meeting and the company of Christians. 
 She once thought she was converted. I wish 
 you to remember her in your prayers. She 
 has but a little time to stay in Hamilton, and 
 her brother, one of the students, is very anxious 
 that she should be relieved from this dreadful 
 state of mind ere she leaves. She rises for 
 prayer, and seems much concerned, but com- 
 plains of a hard heart." 
 
 On the first of June in this year, Mr. Biddle 
 commenced keeping a journal, as this exercise 
 would be required of him by the rules of the 
 "Union/ 7 on entering the missionary service. 
 On opening it he writes, 
 
 " Nearly six years have elapsed since I kept 
 a journal, and those have been in many respects 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 12T 
 
 the most important in my life. My habits are 
 now to a great degree fixed. A journal, ju- 
 diciously kept, might have been of great benefit 
 to me, enabling me to see the general bent of 
 my mind, my besetting sins, and the most suc- 
 cessful means of obtaining a victory over them. 
 It would also have been eminently instructive 
 to myself to see in what particulars and in what 
 way my mind has been changed, for I find that 
 many changes have taken place during six 
 years. I am in reality living in a world which 
 then was almost a terra incognita. 
 
 " I gave up my journal simply because I found 
 in myself a tendency to record only such 
 thoughts as would appear well to another were 
 he looking it over. This I knew was a species 
 of deception, and would probably result in com- 
 plete self-deception. 
 
 " In again commencing a journal, I am appre- 
 hensive on the same score ; but I am induced 
 to resume the practice from the following con- 
 siderations : 1. I shall be under obligation ere 
 long to keep a journal for the Executive Com- 
 mittee, in accordance with the regulations im- 
 posed upon all missionaries. 2. I know it can 
 be made useful to me, in the respects above 
 
128 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 mentioned. 3. The habit of accuracy which it 
 will foster is greatly needed by me. 4. With 
 the change in my habits of thought and obser- 
 vation produced by a course of study, I may 
 expect many thoughts to occur to my mind 
 which, for my own sake, and that of my useful- 
 ness as a public teacher, I ought to record for 
 reference. 
 
 " And here at the outset I would entreat the 
 aid of the divine Spirit, that I may keep this 
 record with Christian integrity and Christian 
 industry. May it be such a record of my life 
 as will present to my own view, at any future 
 time, a true portrait of myself, and an exhibi- 
 tion of God's dealings with me. May it be 
 neither too favorable to my faults, nor a mere 
 journal record of a few meagre incidents writ- 
 ten because I must write." 
 
 Owing to the unsettled state in which he was 
 at this period, his journal was kept but irregu- 
 larly, and we therefore find but little worthy 
 of particular attention. We give, however, a 
 few extracts from the latter portion of it. 
 
 " June 27. My duties in the university press 
 heavily upon me, and I really cannot see how 
 I shall meet all that lies before me in the next 
 
THE SINGLE PURPOSE. 129 
 
 eight weeks. I find that my intellectual efforts 
 are feeble ; and that I tend to slip round a duty 
 that presses hard upon me. I cannot at pres- 
 ent concentrate my mind as I wish to do ; this 
 may be attributable to the multiplicity of en- 
 gagements which I have." 
 
 " July 3. There is some serious defect in my 
 method of living. I read and study almost to 
 no purpose. For two days past I have been 
 reading ' Harris 7 Commission/ and similar 
 works, preparatory to entering upon the writ- 
 ing of my graduating oration, which will 
 probably be on some missionary topic ; but I 
 make no headway. I drop asleep at any time, 
 and cannot make a beginning, though I have 
 the main divisions distinctly before me. I feel 
 very much in the condition of Samson, when 
 the Lord departed from him. My devotional 
 exercises are repeatedly cut short by falling 
 into a doze ; in fact I seem to be under the 
 reign of stupidity. I hope I shall recover from 
 this, or I shall be a useless thing in India." 
 
 How applicable to his case just then were 
 the words of the Saviour to his apostles, " Come 
 yo yourselves apart into a desert place, and 
 rest a while." Mark 6:31. While in the flesh, 
 
130 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 the faithful servant needs and must have rest of 
 mind and of body. It is in heaven only that we 
 can serve God, " resting not day nor night." 
 
 " August 3. This morning I have thought, in 
 view of the long neglect of my journal, that I 
 ought to take a few moments for making a 
 memorandum of the past two weeks. The main 
 reason for this neglect has been the pressure 
 of duties attendant upon the plan of having my 
 ordination take place before Commencement." 
 
 In all that he did, Mr. Biddle was deeply 
 impressed with the truth, that without Christ 
 he could do nothing. In a sketch of a sermon 
 of his on John 15 : 5, the following on the sub- 
 ject occurs : 
 
 " '-Without me ye can do nothing/ is written 
 upon the first page of the Christian's life ; like 
 the subject of a book, it stands in capitals at 
 the head of each page, and it is the closing 
 sentence of the volume. The apprehension of 
 this truth is the dawn of salvation in the soul 
 when sunk under the oppressive gloom of con- 
 viction ; the full understanding of it is the 
 noontide splendor of heaven ; and it is written 
 upon the tombstone of all who die in the faith." 
 
THE COLPORTEUR. 131 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE COLPORTEUR. 
 
 "A sower went forth to sow." Matt. 13:3. 
 
 Desiring to spend the summer vacation of 
 1847 profitably to himself, and at the same time 
 be the means of benefiting others, Mr. Biddle 
 directed his attention to the subject of colpor- 
 tage in connection with the American Tract 
 Society. With a friend and " fellow-helper in 
 the Lord," he received a commission to labor 
 for two months on Long Island. 
 
 Of his views respecting this work, he thus 
 writes from the university : 
 
 " July 12, 1847. 
 
 " Dear Father — I feel that it is an impor- 
 tant work, and one in which there is ample 
 room for the exercise of every talent as well 
 as grace. When engaged in tract distribution 
 in New York, I almost invariably went to my 
 district with a good deal of hesitancy; but 
 generally I found satisfaction in doing the 
 work assigned me, though I never was fully 
 satisfied with what I did. I feel verv much 
 
132 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 the same now, and am fearful that I shall be 
 insufficient for the proper performance of the 
 work. The pecuniary profits are next to noth- 
 ing, as it will cost me nearly half of what I 
 shall receive to go and return home again. 77 
 
 With his fellow-laborer he entered on his 
 work on the fourteenth of August, and labored 
 till the first of October. We have a general 
 summary of his labors and their results, so far 
 as they were discernable, in a few brief extracts 
 from letters to his father. 
 
 " September 7, 1847. 
 
 " Our success in selling has been quite good. 
 We have disposed of $180 by sales, and near- 
 ly $10 by grant. With regard to our suc- 
 cess in other labors. I cannot speak so favor- 
 ably. I often fear that I am not so faithful as 
 God requires — lest a want of moral courage 
 has prevented me from doing all my duty in 
 every instance. What to say is often a ques- 
 tion with us. If we say this, it may not suit ; 
 if that, it may be no less objectionable. In- 
 deed, if any good results from my conversations, 
 it must be solely because the Lord chooses to 
 bless his truth. The work is a good one, and 
 I should think that the experience of a year 
 
THE COLPORTEUR. 133 
 
 would give a much greater relish for it than a 
 shorter period. One needs to be familiar with 
 a multitude of things which can be better learn- 
 ed in this way than in any other. I cannot but 
 hope that the distribution of so many books of 
 a valuable character may tend to the good of 
 the people ; and in many instances they may be 
 read by the young when those who purchased 
 them are dead and gone." 
 
 Again he writes, 
 
 " The work in villages is not so profitable 
 in any respect as in the country. If I were 
 to engage again in the work, I should choose a 
 field where such labor is more needed. Here 
 the people are tolerably well supplied with 
 religious books. I think that the work has 
 been thus far of considerable profit to me in 
 making me feel more deeply the necessity of 
 increased love to God, and more anxiety for 
 the welfare of my fellow-men. 
 
 " Generally we have been treated with much 
 kindness ; in but two instances was I addressed 
 in a way which hurt my feelings, and only once 
 was I compelled to sleep in a barn." 
 
 In his report to the Society at the close of 
 his labors, October 1, he says, 
 
134 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 " My views of the importance of this work 
 have not changed since I entered upon it, unless 
 it be that I see more clearly its importance and 
 admirable adaptation to the wants of the coun- 
 try. I have felt repeatedly, during the past 
 two months, that I could engage in no work 
 more profitable to my own soul. The gratitude 
 of many of the dear children of God for the 
 visits made them is a sufficient compensation 
 for the unpleasant things connected with the 
 work ; their thanks and well wishes, which 
 often made me feel ashamed of my imperfect 
 discharge of duty, evinced the recognition of it 
 as labor done for God. 
 
 " The necessity for a general outpouring of 
 the Spirit of God has been deeply felt by me, 
 and my endeavors to point out the means which 
 each should employ to obtain such a blessing, 
 have impressed on my own mind the duties I owe 
 to my Saviour ; and I return to my studies with 
 a fresh motive for watchfulness and prayer. 
 My interviews with the impenitent have made 
 me feel most deeply the importance of a faith- 
 ful and consistent course of conduct before the 
 world, and an earnest longing for their conver- 
 sion. I regard this work as of no little value 
 
THE COLPORTEUR. 135 
 
 in prepariDg me for instructing sinners in the 
 truths of the Bible, and combating error in its 
 multiplicity of forms." 
 
 In the spring of 1849, he received another 
 commission from the Society for a longer peri- 
 od, and entered upon the same field of labor. 
 How his mind was providentially led to this 
 work at this time, is set forth in a letter to the 
 Secretary of the Society, dated, 
 
 " Darien, Conn., April 18, 1849. 
 " Rev. E. S. Cook : 
 
 "Dear Brother — I have just laid down 
 your little work on 'Home Evangelization;' 
 and influenced by the considerations which it 
 urges, I have commenced this sheet. When I 
 left you a little more than a week ago, I was, 
 as you are aware, undecided as to my duty to 
 ask a commission from the Society. My rea- 
 sons were, that my last year in college had 
 brought upon me a debt, and the salary I would 
 receive, should I engage in the Society's ser- 
 vice, would only meet that at most. In view 
 of this, I was almost disposed to seek some 
 other employment, but the perusal of that lit- 
 tle work has decided me to offer my services 
 to the Committee. I shall consider the dispo- 
 
136 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 sition you make of my request as the indication 
 of the divine will in the matter. It requires 
 some faith in the providence of God to come to 
 this decision ; and to strengthen the little that 
 I have, and to show that His name and charac- 
 ter is still c Jehovah Jireh/ a gold piece was 
 slipped into my hand yesterday by one who, 
 though far from rich in this world's goods, 
 desired to contribute her mite to the work of 
 completing my course of study. I cannot but 
 consider this incident as an intimation that I 
 need not concern myself about my pecuniary 
 wants. 
 
 "You will therefore have the kindness to 
 present my case to the Committee at their next 
 meeting. 77 
 
 He entered upon the work at this time pre- 
 pared to profit by the experience which he 
 had acquired during his previous engagement. 
 This is evident from his reasons for keeping a 
 daily journal. He says, April 30, 
 
 "The variety of incidents which transpire in 
 the course of a few months 7 labor as a colpor- 
 teur is so great, and many of them are so in- 
 structive, that I have determined to keep, if 
 
THE COLPORTEUR. 131 
 
 possible, a diary of all that may be of interest. 
 I hope also by this means to stimulate myself 
 to greater exertions in behalf of the Redeem- 
 er's cause." 
 
 " To-day is one of much interest to the inhab- 
 itants of Sag Harbor. A whaler has arrived, 
 bringing home those who have been absent 
 forty-two months. Such occasions are both 
 joyful and sorrowful. The captain of this ves- 
 sel comes home to find his house desolate. Dur- 
 ing his absence his wife has died, and he learn- 
 ed this morning for the first time that he is a 
 widower. how my heart feels for him. 
 Prom this vessel eleven men have been lost — 
 five by fever, others by the destruction of boats 
 by the whale." 
 
 We shall give but brief extracts from his 
 journal, embracing the more interesting inci- 
 dents. 
 
 "May 1. In the evening accompanied Mr. 
 
 E the Presbyterian minister to a meeting 
 
 in North district. Spoke a few moments, and 
 
 was cordially recommended by Mr. E to 
 
 the Christian regards of the people." 
 
 "May 2. To-day commenced operations. Vis 
 
138 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 ited sixteen families, and spoke a few words to 
 the unconverted. In the evening I went with 
 brother S to his meeting in a district call- 
 ed Sagg, where we expect to labor to-morrow. 
 Spoke to the people from Psalm 17 : 15. I en- 
 joyed some freedom in speaking ; but I do not 
 feel all the force of the truths I speak. My 
 spirit seems to wear fetters which prevent the 
 going out of the soul after God as I desire. 
 In my prayers I have some freedom, but it is 
 not like venting the pent-up desires of an over- 
 flowing heart. Shall I be satisfied with any 
 thing short of this ? If I am to bear the glad 
 news of salvation to the heathen, I must be 
 consumed by the zeal of my Father and his 
 house. No half-hearted efforts will be of ser- 
 vice there. that I may be absorbed by the 
 thoughts of the glorious plan we go to pro- 
 claim/ 7 
 
 " May 3. Visited the poor-house. I found 
 some who were concerned for their souls. One, 
 an old woman, wept at once on my asking her 
 if she thought herself a Christian, and replied, 
 No. Another, a young man, promised to attend 
 to the matter forthwith. May God bless the 
 poor creatures. Found to-day the brother of 
 
THE COLPORTEUR. 139 
 
 a young man to whom I sold FlaveFs Redemp- 
 tion two years ago. He says that he would 
 not part with it for five dollars, if he could get 
 no other. 7 ' 
 
 "May 4. I wish we were in some more des- 
 titute field ; but perhaps I should not, for we 
 are here, not from choice, but by the direction 
 of Providence. I felt glad each time to-day 
 when I found myself among the poor ; I am at 
 home there. ,; 
 
 " May 5. My visits this morning were among 
 those who do not attend the house of God 
 statedly; and in conversation with them I 
 found profit and pleasure. One woman, who 
 is a Catholic, was induced to buy James' Anx- 
 ious Inquirer. I think that she is quite open 
 to the impression of truth ; prayed with her, 
 and was invited to call again." 
 
 " May 13. During the past week I have been 
 frequently led to reflect upon the question, Do 
 my traits of character as exhibited in the dis- 
 charge of my duty as colporteur, meet the ne- 
 cessities of the mission work? Sometimes I 
 feel discouraged by an ungracious reception, 
 and discover a lingering wish that I had not 
 engaged in this work. This does not argue 
 
140 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 very favorably for the mission spirit, and it 
 depresses me to see it. Cannot this be reme- 
 died ? for remedied it must be, ere I can go out 
 successfully. I see but one remedy, and that 
 is most effectual — a deep and abiding impres- 
 sion of the worth of the soul, its perils, and the 
 wonderful love displayed in the provisions of 
 grace for its recovery. If I but think properly 
 of these, I can sacrifice, and that cheerfully, the 
 approving smile of friends, can bear the taunts 
 of enemies, and * endure hardness as a good 
 soldier of Jesus Christ. 7 I am satisfied that 
 one of my weak points is a strong desire for 
 the good opinion of those with whom I have 
 to do, and as a consequence I suffer much when 
 I do not have it. My friends generally seem 
 to take the very worst possible course in my 
 case. They rarely cross my track, are always 
 complaisant, and strongly inclined to flatter. 
 Of course when I am not thus met, as must 
 often be the case, I am too sensitive. This is 
 a state of feeling which I have to overcome, 
 and this is one reason for my engaging in my 
 present employment ; here all cannot be smiles. 77 
 " May 19. Of some twenty families whom I 
 visited, only two made purchases, one to the 
 
THE COLPORTEUR. 141 
 
 amount of eighteen cents, the other of forty 
 cents, while I gave away one dollar and fifty 
 cents' worth. This looks like very dull work, 
 but I have enjoyed it to-day extraordinarily 
 well. I devoted much time to the closest con- 
 versation on the subject of personal religion, 
 and had many good seasons in prayer. The 
 people are all fishermen, and there is, I suspect, 
 but little real religion among them ; and as a 
 consequence, the unconverted are not very anx- 
 ious for themselves. With one man I had a 
 peculiarly good time. He is no hypocrite, and 
 knows his duty just as well as I do, but he will 
 not do it. I felt that it did indeed need the 
 power of God to reach him. I could weep 
 over him. What a sight to see one who knows 
 his duty totally impervious to all argument, 
 and what a relief to know that there is a power 
 which can reach such a heart. I did try to 
 plead for him. May God have mercy on him." 
 "May 25. A few days ago I was informed 
 by a man at whose house I had called, that he 
 wanted to see me, as he understood that I was 
 a Baptist minister, and he had been waiting 
 some time to be baptized. I had some know- 
 ledge of him before, as one who had hardly 
 
142 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 ever attended church, as a semi-Universalist, 
 etc. I told him that Baptists believed that 
 conversion came before baptism, and to join 
 the church he must be able to give some ac- 
 count of a work of grace in his heart. This 
 seemed to take him all aback, and he said but 
 little more about baptism. I found he was no 
 Universalist, but came nearer to being a Mor- 
 mon. I had a pretty close talk with him, and 
 he said he would like to see me longer when 
 he had more time. 
 
 " Last night I was somewhat interested in a 
 conversation with two young married men. 
 They urged a number of the ordinary trifling 
 objections to the Bible. One or two I cleared 
 up, but told them that I wanted not merely 
 the assent of the head, but rather that of the 
 heart; and after some exhortation, I prayed 
 with them. I felt very much for them, and 
 gave them a copy of Nelson on Infidelity, hop- 
 ing that they may be led to examine the sub- 
 ject." 
 
 " May 29. This is missionary work in min- 
 iature." 
 
 " June' 25. My visits from house to house 
 teach me the necessity of a deep feeling my- 
 
THE COLPORTEUR. 143 
 
 self, in order to a proper presentation of the 
 truth so as to make others feel. Often the 
 flowing tear gives evidence that there is feel- 
 ing, and we then pray in faith, but we stay not 
 to see the fruit of our labors. We hope, though 
 sometimes against hope, that we shall find fruit 
 at the last day." 
 
 " July 4. We have had very good success 
 in the sale of books, but I do not think that 
 my visits have been as profitable in a spiritual 
 point of view as they might have been. I have 
 too much fear of man. I find that the bold- 
 ness which becomes the servant of Christ is 
 not in sufficient exercise. Yesterday in conning 
 over my reasons for thinking the colporteur 
 work very hard, I found that most of them are 
 such as I ought to rejoice in. They are such 
 as should rather make me feel that I am en- 
 gaged in a good work : the trials are in kind, 
 though not in degree, such as the Master him- 
 self endured. A general apathy on the subject 
 of the soul's interest, and a love of the world 
 mixed with a great amount of profession, are 
 the trials most commonly met with." 
 
 " If one is disposed — and why should I not 
 be? — he may learn in this work, patience under 
 
144 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 trying circumstances, meekness under reproach, 
 forbearance with the opposition of others, and 
 above all, a knowledge of himself, his weak- 
 ness,^ and the crooked devices of human na- 
 ture! 7 ' 
 
 " July 20. Pound a young woman sick and 
 very much concerned, but not for her soul. 
 She feared she would not get well ; she did not 
 fear the consequences of death, but death itself. 
 I talked to her of the fulness of Christ, and the 
 need of looking to him and rejoicing in him 
 even in view of death. She wept very much, 
 but I fear she was more anxious for health than 
 for any thing else." 
 
 " Called on a family consisting of an old man, 
 his wife, and daughter ; the latter kept out of 
 sight. I talked very closely with each of the 
 old people. They are pretty near the borders 
 of the grave, and neither expressed a hope. 
 After talking a while, the old lady said, ' Well, 
 this is the first time that ever any one came to 
 our house and talked so to us ; I love to hear 
 it.' I prayed with them, read to them two 
 tracts and commented on them. On my way 
 back, I asked a man whom I met if he were a 
 Christian, and finding that he was not, I gave 
 
THE COLPORTEUR. 145 
 
 him the tract, 'Why are you not a Chris- 
 tian r 
 
 " Met with an old man full of Paine's ribald- 
 fry. I warned him as solemnly as I could. His 
 daughter-in-law, living in the same house, was 
 deranged religiously ; she kept saying that she 
 was preparing for heaven and immortal glory. 
 I gave her a tract to read, to keep her still 
 while I talked to a young woman. 
 
 u I expect, from the state of feeling I witness- 
 ed here, to be informed of a revival of religion 
 ere long. The drought which has been prevail- 
 ing here, there having been scarcely any rain 
 in two months, is but a symbol of the spiritual 
 drought. I have often made use of the former 
 to introduce the subject of the latter." 
 
 His commission having expired, he now re- 
 turned to the university. From Hamilton, 
 August 7, 1849, he thus writes : 
 
 "Dear Father — The time spent on Long 
 Island, although of little pecuniary benefit, has 
 been by no means lost time. A thorough drill- 
 ing in the great doctrines of the Bible has been 
 my lot all summer, though I have had less time 
 to study the Bible than when here." 
 
 Biddle. 1 
 
146 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. 
 
 u He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, ia 
 not worthy of me." Matt. 10:38. 
 
 Conscientiousness was characteristic of Mr. 
 Biddle. A classmate who knew him well says, 
 " He was conscientious almost to a fault, as an 
 incident mentioned in one of his letters to me 
 will show." The letter referred to is dated 
 September 12, 1848. He says, 
 
 " There is one little matter, I should not say 
 little, which I ought perhaps here to mention. 
 It has given me much anxiety, for I am sensible 
 that I did wrong. 
 
 "You recollect that letter I showed you 
 
 purporting to be from some lady in H . I 
 
 left you with the impression that I did not 
 know who wrote it. I knew all the while, and 
 though intended merely for a piece of sport, it 
 was a deception for which I trust I am ashamed, 
 and too much so to repeat it. The law of the 
 gospel in my opinion requires abstinence even 
 from harmless deception, and my conscience 
 
FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. 147 
 
 has given me, as it should, much anxiety for my 
 sin. I hope you will pardon me. Now I be- 
 lieve I can ask forgiveness of a higher source." 
 
 This strict regard for right, and an earnest 
 endeavor to do right regardless of sacrifices, 
 was observable in his whole life. 
 
 Early in his Christian course, and almost at 
 the outset of his preparation for the missionary 
 work, he had fixed his mind upon a Christian 
 friend of whom he indulged the hope that she 
 would be for him not only a suitable compan- 
 ion in life, but also in the work to which he 
 had consecrated himself. 
 
 As to the wisdom of so early an attention to 
 this subject, we would say nothing to encourage 
 what is so very common in young students for 
 the ministerial work, namely, premature engage- 
 ments which cannot be honorably broken, how- 
 ever unsuitable or undesirable the connection 
 may in future appear to be. And yet, as will 
 subsequently appear, his attention to this sub- 
 ject at this early period was overruled for the 
 development of traits of Christian character, 
 which show beyond question that the work of 
 which he was the subject was indeed of the 
 operation of the Spirit of God. 
 
148 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 Seeking a favorable opportunity, Mr. Biddle 
 frankly opened his mind to this friend, present- 
 ing the subject in the light of a call to unite 
 with him in labor for the salvation of perishing 
 heathen, when the providence of God should 
 open the way. On this point, as on a pivot, he 
 desired the decision of the important question 
 to turn. The answer was unfavorable. 
 
 He was disappointed. Keenly did he feel it, 
 but he would not murmur, nor for a moment 
 indulge the thought of relinquishing the object 
 to which he had conscientiously devoted his 
 life. 
 
 To save himself from all danger of entangle- 
 ment, and with a decision which evidenced him 
 to be indeed a good soldier of Jesus Christ, he 
 concluded it to be his duty to refrain from all 
 communication with his friend. For this step 
 the following reasons were assigned. 
 
 " First, my duty to God requires it. Called, 
 as I humbly trust, to the work of preaching 
 Christ among the heathen, every thing which 
 would make me hesitate to obey the call must 
 be removed. Our correspondence or communi- 
 cation will thus affect me. Whenever I hear 
 from you, of course I think of you ; and then 
 
FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. 149 
 
 I am so weak as to begin to plan for myself 
 in the matter, or murmur in my heart at the 
 dispensation of God's providence. This must 
 not be. 
 
 " Secondly, my duty to the heathen requires it. 
 Among them I believe is to be my field ; their 
 conversion is to be my aim; to that all my 
 energies must bend; and whatever cripples 
 those energies, whatever hinders me in the 
 least, whatever makes me hesitate, must be 
 removed. 
 
 "Again, my soul cannot prosper while unre- 
 signed to the will of God; and I cannot be re- 
 signed to that will while cherishing any feel- 
 ings of regret, which will be so long as we 
 communicate our thoughts on any subject to 
 each other. This must not be. This latter 
 reason includes, and more than includes all the 
 others. 
 
 " Hamilton, Oct. 24, 1845." 
 
 Through one of his sisters whose heart was 
 also fixed upon the mission work, and who is 
 now laboring among the Zulus in Western 
 Africa, he learned, some three years after the 
 event alluded to above, that an intimate friend 
 of the family had been led in the providence of 
 
150 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 God to consider the question of her personal 
 duty to the heathen. 
 
 Having a favorable opinion of her Christian 
 character, and being satisfied by a long acquaint- 
 ance that in other respects she would be a suit- 
 able companion, he considered her consecration 
 to the work of missions as a providential indi- 
 cation of his duty in the matter; and fully 
 assured that "the thing proceeded from the 
 Lord/ 7 he embraced an early opportunity to 
 open a correspondence on the subject. 
 
 Of this correspondence we shall present only 
 those portions which manifest Mr. Biddle's de- 
 votion to God, and evidence that his zeal and 
 consecration to the cause of missions had not 
 abated. In perusing these extracts, the reader 
 will be struck with his evident determination 
 still to know nothing but Christ and the work 
 of missions. He writes : 
 
 "Hamilton, Sept. 9, 1848. 
 
 " Deak My own wishes and happiness 
 
 are considerations vastly inferior to those 
 which stand out upon the page of every letter 
 from foreign lands, why you should go to the 
 heathen. If there be not binding upon you a 
 sense of duty, I cannot hope, I cannot wish 
 
FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. 151 
 
 that you should go. Let the wants of a world 
 perishing in sin, some portion of which it is 
 your duty doubtless in some way to relieve — let 
 the command of the Saviour — let the success 
 God has given to the laborers already sent— let 
 the love to God and man which I hope and 
 trust you know something of, all have their due 
 weight in the decision of so important a ques- 
 tion. Seek wisdom from above. And let me 
 remind you of what you already know, that 
 nothing will be so conducive to a correct de- 
 cision as a spiritual frame of mind. Without 
 this your decision will be made upon incorrect 
 views of the wants of the world, and of your 
 obligations to Christ. The only time in which 
 you can safely decide is when you can say of 
 him, * Thou art precious to my soul. ? " 
 
 Having written, Sept. 26, 1848, respecting a 
 state of declension and the evidence of a return 
 to God, he continues : 
 
 "I intended to speak of the result of the 
 change in your spiritual feelings, and to drop 
 a suggestion or two which may be worthy of 
 consideration ; and as they will be of a differ- 
 ent nature from what you. might expect, you 
 
152 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 will be convinced that there is nothing of self 
 in them. 
 
 " Under the influence of the arguments pre- 
 sented in Dibble's Thoughts on Missions, which 
 you have read, there is great danger of a de- 
 cision being made, or at least a strong bias 
 given in favor of going, when, after all, it may 
 not be duty. Under less influence, probably, 
 the sainted Pearce fully believed at one time, 
 and almost fully believed for years, that it was 
 his duty to go to the East. The conclusion, 
 taking his own feelings as arguments, was in- 
 evitable ; but God saw fit to disappoint him, for 
 he was grievously disappointed in not going. 
 Now I wish to suggest to you, as worthy of con- 
 sideration, whether your feelings at that time 
 were produced under a careful examination of 
 both sides of the question. 
 
 " Another suggestion is, Have you examined 
 separately the question, whether it were duty 
 for females to go at all ? You know it is ques- 
 tioned by some. This is important, because 
 any female who goes will find many who will 
 take strong ground against it ; and what is 
 more, will find, sooner or later, when fairly in 
 the field, the question presented from within, 
 
FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. 153 
 
 and then to entertain the thought for the first 
 time must be a dreadful thing. I am led to make 
 this suggestion by a reperusal, since I wrote 
 you, of the sketches in the Judson Offering, and 
 while reading them was ready to question the 
 propriety of females going at all ; and the 
 thought occurred to me, how important to de- 
 cide the question now. I imagine that in such 
 circumstances as brethren Judson and Price, 
 Hough and Wade were placed in, I should re- 
 proach myself for having taken any female, 
 especially one I loved, to a scene of such trial. 
 
 And you know, dear , that such trials must 
 
 be reckoned in when balancing tne account; 
 for there is no certainty that you would not be 
 called to undergo them, and even worse. 
 
 "You will readily believe me when I say that 
 I make these remarks, not from any desire to 
 deter you from a just decision, but from a hope 
 that your decision, when made, will be as just 
 as I know it will be final." 
 
 " The promise of support is not to those who 
 forsake all for any earthly object, but Jesus 
 says, 'for my sake, and the gospel's.' No real 
 Christian, in a proper frame of mind, would 
 ever wish for any other subscription than, 
 
154 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 1 Yours for Christ's sake f nor could lie dread 
 a greater evil than to be the means of inducing 
 any one to substitute for it, L Christ's for your 
 sake. 7 Follow Christ, and you will be happy 
 and useful anywhere. 77 
 
 Congratulating his friend upon the termina- 
 tion of a period of painful anxiety respecting 
 her duty to the heathen, he writes, 
 
 "Madison University, Dec. 1, 1848. 
 
 " Dear With regard to the various 
 
 exercises of your mind upon this subject, I am 
 deeply interested in the details, and feel that I 
 also have reason to bless God that the decision 
 was made only in casting your all upon Him 
 who never disappoints our confidence. 
 
 " I feel that so far as my course in this mat- 
 ter is concerned, I have been like the blind led 
 by a way which I knew not. Should our union 
 be consummated — should we be permitted the 
 unspeakable honor and privilege of living, labor- 
 ing, and dying among the heathen — should God 
 give us to see of the fruit of our labors there, 
 how much shall we have occasion to bless his 
 name. 
 
 " But Oh, the responsibility ; where shall we 
 gain strength to endure it ? Where shall we 
 
FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. 155 
 
 turn, night and morning, to ask direction? 
 Where, but to the Saviour? How desirable 
 that from this moment we make a renewed 
 consecration of ourselves to Him who gave 
 himself for us. 77 
 
 December 16, 1848, he writes, " We have 
 committed ourselves to a responsible work, and 
 we need all the spiritual preparation we can 
 get each day." 
 
 The young friend upon whom his affections 
 were now set, and to whom a few years later 
 he was united in that bond which death only 
 severs, was the same individual from whom, 
 more than three years before, he had parted 
 because it did not then appear to be her duty 
 to labor in heathen lands for the good of souls. 
 
 Writing to her in the spring of 1851, and 
 referring to this point, he says, 
 
 "April 8, 1851. 
 
 " Deae C Yes, you are mine and I am 
 
 yours for Christ's sake. Yes, it is for his sake. 
 I turned away from you once because I could 
 not enjoy you and serve my Master. I have 
 wondered that I did so. It was the grace of 
 God, not my own goodness, that enabled me to 
 
156 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 do it. And when I did turn away, neither of 
 us had any thought that it was possible that 
 we should sustain the relation to each other 
 that we now do. God be praised. He brought 
 it about by his Spirit for his glory, and I know 
 you will unite with me in saying, ■ Let us die, 
 or be sundered by half the sphere for life, be- 
 fore we make our union subservient to any 
 thing inconsistent with our relations to him.' 
 My only fear with regard to going East is, lest 
 my faith fail. If this does not fail, if my trust 
 is unwavering in God, I can endure any thing ; 
 but if this be not the case, what shall I do ? 
 This is my burden, and I will cast it on the 
 Lord. I have no hope aside from him. This 
 is a sweet thought, ' Ye are not your own.' 
 Our Owner will take care of his property, our 
 Father of his children, our Saviour of his re- 
 deemed, our Sealer of his sealed." 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 157 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE MISSION WORK. 
 
 u Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
 creature. 77 Mark 16 : 15. 
 
 " The romance of missions has faded away. 
 I think I know, as well as one can know with- 
 out experience, what an undertaking it is to go 
 as a missionary ; but I believe it is my duty, 
 and now, as ever, my convictions amount to 
 this, and no more. 77 
 
 Thus wrote Mr. Biddle at the close of a nar- 
 rative of his experience respecting the mission 
 work. The condition of the heathen, and the 
 desire to labor for their salvation, had occupied 
 his mind, as he tells us, " for full half of his 
 life. 77 The subject was always in his thoughts, 
 yet at particular times his attention was espe- 
 cially directed to the particular locality in 
 which he might be called to spend the remain- 
 der of his days. His courage and faith were 
 strengthened and increased by visits to the 
 cross, and by communings with his blessed 
 Saviour. The love of Christ constrained him, 
 
]58 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 and because the Saviour had sacrificed so much 
 for him, he was now willing to sacrifice all for 
 his blessed Saviour. 
 
 That this may more prominently appear, we 
 have gathered from the later portions of his 
 correspondence those parts which refer more 
 particularly to this subject, and present them 
 in this chapter. A deep sense of the difficulties 
 to be encountered, and of the responsibility of 
 the work, rested upon his mind, and he ever 
 felt that it was only by God's grace that he 
 could hope to be sustained in the prosecution 
 of it. Though the prospect was, humanly speak- 
 ing, dark and forbidding, yet he knew that 
 " there is no restraint to the Lord to save by 
 many or by few. 77 And in the strength of the 
 Lord he pursued his course. 
 
 " Madison University, July 15, 1848. 
 
 "Dear Father — The rapidity with which 
 time passes makes me think much of the im- 
 portance of heart preparation for the great 
 work of preaching Christ to the heathen. The 
 magnitude of the work is, I think, each month 
 more deeply impressed upon my mind, for I get 
 more accurate views of the difficulties which 
 attend such a course. I do not wonder that the 
 
THE MISSION WORK 159 
 
 apostle cried out, ' Who is sufficient for these 
 things? 7 The recent intelligence from the East, 
 though of itself forbidding, is nothing in com- 
 parison with the internal trials which the mis- 
 sionary must undergo. Temptations which are 
 by no means insignificant here, there are much 
 magnified ; for the means of grace, the restrain- 
 ing, strengthening influence of the society of 
 experienced Christians are almost unknown, 
 and trials peculiar to the missionary are super- 
 added to all these. The death of brother Clark, 
 and Mr. and Mrs. James, the return of brother 
 Jencks, and the rumor of Dr. Judson's return, 
 and also brother M. Bronson's, conspire to 
 make the prospect very dark. But one thing 
 is encouraging, some others are willing to go. 
 The Board hope to send out six missionaries 
 with their wives this year." 
 
 "September 29, 1848. 
 "I often try to imagine myself sitting in 
 some eastern dwelling, and writing to or read- 
 ing letters from my friends ; or more frequent- 
 ly, endeavoring to perform the active duties of 
 missionary life, and try to conceive how I shall 
 feel under all the trials which must fall to my 
 lot as a missionary. I think that I can endure 
 
160 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 them with patience, if I can but have the assur- 
 ance that I am in the path of duty. But these 
 hopes are all given to the winds when I reflect 
 that under the very favorable circumstances in 
 which I am placed now, I can feel no more 
 consecration to God, and submission to the 
 divine will. If Satan has the advantage over 
 me under these circumstances, how much more 
 will he when I dwell where his seat is ? 
 
 " As the time draws near — for three or four 
 years will pass very quickly — I feel the impor- 
 tance of a thorough revival of the work of God 
 in my heart, and I shall be thankful for any 
 means which God sees fit to employ for the 
 accomplishment of this end." 
 
 His sister, of whom mention has already been 
 made, was now married to Rev. Andrew Abra- 
 ham, and they were expecting soon to sail for 
 Africa as missionaries under the care of the 
 American Board of Commissioners for Foreign 
 Missions. Respecting them he writes, 
 
 " Hamilton, Jan. 16, 1849. 
 " Dear Father — They both seemed to be in 
 very good spirits, and glad to see us. Yet I 
 know they have, they must have many anxie- 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 161 
 
 ties ; dangers and trials for the sake of Christ 
 are not far off, and a few weeks must make a 
 vast difference in their prospects. We may 
 [talk and think of these trials at the distance of 
 years, but when they are brought within the 
 compass of a few months or weeks, then there 
 is a trial of faith. I have often wondered why 
 I never felt any reluctance to go as a mission- 
 ary since the question of duty was settled; 
 indeed, it has been a cause of anxiety to me 
 that I always felt so willing to go. I feared 
 that I did not realize the sacrifices involved in 
 it, and yet I think I looked at it under the 
 most favorable circumstances to obtain light. 
 All trouble on this score, however, is passing 
 away, and every month brings a heavier weight 
 upon my mind. I am viewing the work more 
 nearly. Although I harbor no thoughts of stay- 
 ing here, yet by the extension of my acquaint- 
 ance I hear much concerning settlements here 
 and there, and the vision of a pleasant pastor- 
 ate and an affectionate people compels me to 
 contrast my future lot with that of thousands 
 in our own land, and thus I see something more 
 of its privations than I used to. But there are 
 many other things of far greater importance 
 
 BiJdie. 1 1 
 
162 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 which contribute to the same result. As my 
 knowledge of man increases, I appreciate more 
 and more the difficulties with which the mis- 
 sionary has to contend in battling with sin and 
 error in its worst forms. Then too I think I 
 see more of my own ignorance, and certainly 
 more of my own moral delinquencies. And 
 can I do otherwise than say, as well as feel, 
 1 Who is sufficient for these things V " 
 
 His feelings on parting with his sister, who, 
 not long after the interview referred to above, 
 sailed for her distant field of labor, are beauti- 
 fully expressed in the following lines written 
 to be read by her when far at sea. He re- 
 marks of them, " They aspire to be nothing 
 more than an expression of affection." 
 
 "TO MY MISSIONARY SISTER. 
 
 " And meet we no more ? Are those pleasures all o'er 
 
 Only known when each other we see ? 
 Shall affection's fond smile, which doth sad thoughts 
 beguile, 
 
 Never more pass between me and thee ? 
 
 Has the last glance been given, which on this side of 
 heaven 
 
 May bespeak our strong love for each other ? 
 Can my eye never move to catch thine, full of love, 
 
 My sister's fond love for her brother ? 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 163 
 
 May that sister's sweet kiss never heighten my bliss 
 When I greet the dear inmates of home ? 
 
 Or invite me to stay, as I hasten away 
 Full of hope for the pleasures to come ? 
 
 Will that voice ever dear never more greet my ear 
 Till we pass the dark land of the grave ? 
 
 Must its accents be drowned in the tempest's wild 
 sound, 
 A.s it sweeps o'er the land and the wave ? 
 
 Ah yes, they are o'er, I shall know them no more ; 
 
 These pleasures, dear sister, are past, 
 And the tear fills my eye, while my heart heaves a sigh 
 
 At the thought that I Ve tasted the last. 
 
 Yes, sundered are we, and the billowy sea 
 
 Between us will constantly roll ; 
 Yet oft we shall meet, and our union be sweet — 
 
 We 're united, my sister, in soul." 
 
 To his intended companion, he writes, 
 
 " Madison University, Jan. 10, 1850. 
 
 " Dear C 1 do not contemplate the 
 
 work in which we are to engage without many 
 anxious fears ; and the nearer the time of my 
 departure from this place comes, the more do I 
 experience the feeling of which brother Dean 
 spoke when he said, ' I feel as if I were going 
 down into the deep dark tomb.' 
 
 " Such feelings must arise when we get a 
 
164 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 clear and correct view of the position which 
 we are to occupy. But we can afford to expe- 
 rience this when it is done from love to souls. 
 When Christ came to our world, it was beyond 
 all doubt to him an undertaking indescribably 
 more repulsive than any thing of which we can 
 have any conception ; but he said, 1 1 delight to 
 do thy will.' I trust I can say the same. I 
 desire to be wholly consecrated to the service 
 of Christ." 
 
 " March 1, 1850. 
 
 " Brother Moore, of the Arracan mission, has 
 lost his wife and child. Mrs. Moore was one 
 of my pupils in the academy here, and promised 
 considerable usefulness. Cut down so soon! 
 That Arracan coast is as fatal to females as 
 Africa. 
 
 " These things cause me some anxiety ; but be 
 the draught ever so bitter, if it be necessary, I 
 hope to be able to say, c Thy will be done.' " 
 
 " March 9, 1850. 
 
 "Brother Ward says the Board send with 
 him to Assam brother Whiting of Newton, and 
 they have in prospect some one from Ohio to 
 join brother Dean at Hong Kong. The next 
 mission to be reinforced is Bangkok. Brother 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 165 
 
 Goddard's departure to Ningpo has left the 
 Chinese department vacant. This is to be filled. 
 Next, West Africa is to have two men ; then 
 the Teloogoo mission one. I suppose no other 
 appointments may be looked for till next year, 
 so we may be assigned to either of these fields. 
 I confess that to me each of these fields has 
 some dark spots; and this consideration has 
 led me to feel more than usual the self-denial 
 of the missionary life, and to throw myself 
 more upon the wisdom and goodness of God 
 for support. 
 
 11 They are all of deep interest, so far as the 
 numbers to whom the gospel is to be preached 
 are concerned. At Bangkok the climate is 
 confessedly deleterious. Mrs. Dean died be- 
 fore reaching there, brother Reed in less than 
 two years after arriving, Mr. Jones in five 
 years after going there, brother Slafter in less 
 than three, and Mr. and Mrs. Davenport re- 
 tired, unable to endure the climate. Now you 
 have the prospect before you ; are you prepared 
 for the sacrifice ? Here is an ample field, and 
 a good prospect of success. This spot was 
 included in the great commission. I strongly 
 suspect we shall have this for our future home. 
 
166 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 " But look at the Bassa mission. At present 
 it is destitute of white teachers. All the males 
 have died, and the females have returned to 
 this country. Every one knows the fatality of 
 this mission, but God has certainly blessed it. 
 This possibly may be our place. The Teloogoo 
 mission is on many accounts desirable. It is 
 located among an immense native population, 
 and a large number of Europeans. 
 
 " The realities of life are beginning to press 
 upon us both, and while we must expect rough 
 weather as well as fair, we may be assured that 
 God will, if we are his, fully protect us." 
 
 "June 19, 1850. 
 
 " This week we expect to take leave of our 
 brother Ward. It devolves on me to address 
 him a few words at parting. When I reflect 
 that my turn may be next, I wonder that God 
 has put it into my heart, unworthy as I am, to 
 go to the heathen. Why not send better men ? 
 Why not call some more suitable instrument ? 
 But then God's thoughts are not our thoughts, 
 nor his ways our ways. He may find some 
 place which is too small for a better man, and 
 put me in there. If so, it will be right. God 
 fit us for the work. 77 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 16? 
 
 " July 18, 1850. 
 
 " How delightful it will be, when we first 
 acquire the language, to tell some poor igno- 
 rant soul, who never heard it before, the way of 
 life, and thus to proclaim, even though it be in 
 unwilling ears, the news of salvation through 
 the blood of the Lamb. 77 
 
 " Madison University, Nov. 10, 1850. 
 
 "Dear Father — I am expecting the Secre- 
 tary from Boston here, either this or next week, 
 and shall, in case he comes, have a definite opin- 
 ion as to what I may expect. He wrote me 
 about a week or ten days since, making inqui- 
 ries. And now the time draws near when, if 
 at all, I shall be called upon to pledge myself 
 for foreign service — a life-long toilsome ser- 
 vice. I have witnessed, on three or four occa- 
 sions since I have been here, the anxieties and 
 struggles of my brethren when they came to 
 this point. Some have stood like brave sol- 
 diers, others have retreated. May God enable 
 me to do his will. I had a foretaste of what it 
 will cost me to part with friends, when the 
 other day I took a last farewell, in all proba- 
 bility, of three dear brethren who have been 
 for years members with me of the Eastern As- 
 
168 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 sociation. They go to Rochester, and I stay 
 here. It was surprising to me how strong my 
 attachment to them was ; we prayed and wept 
 and sung together, and parted probably never 
 to meet again, unless it be in heathen lands. 
 And thus I hope to be called to leave all my 
 other dear friends ere long. I hope so, because 
 I do not wish to live here, so long as there is 
 so much need of service abroad. God, who 
 knoweth the heart, knows that I would for no 
 other reason leave this dear land; but most 
 emphatically should I feel the woe, if I suffered 
 the ties which bind me to my dear parents, 
 brothers, and sisters, and loving friends, to de- 
 tain me." 
 
 " Madison University, Jan. 23, 1851. 
 
 " My dear C Last Lord's-day evening, 
 
 being alone, I sat down and in a cursory man- 
 ner drew off a narrative of my experience on 
 the subject of becoming a missionary, from my 
 earliest recollections to the present time. I 
 find that it has been a theme of the first im- 
 portance for full half of my life, and my read- 
 ing has been more extensive upon that subject 
 than upon any other. Yet, if we are permitted 
 to go, I shall have many things to learn, of 
 
THE MISSION WOEK. 169 
 
 which I could have but little idea here. Friends 
 are precious jewels, as you say, but Christ is 
 much more precious ; and if any man forsake 
 father or mother, or wife or children, or lands, 
 for Christ, we have the promise that even here 
 he shall receive a hundred-fold. It must 
 not, however, be done with reference to the 
 reward, but simply for Christ's sake. The 
 very thought that it is done for Christ, of itself 
 produces delight. See the case of Mrs. Corn- 
 stock parting with her children. She found 
 consolation in that which she expressed as she 
 gave them up : ' All this for the blessed Jesus. ' " 
 
 Referring to an anticipated meeting with the 
 missionary committee at Boston, with a view 
 to an appointment in the missionary service, he 
 writes, March 17, 1851, 
 
 "Dear Father — So at last the question is 
 about settled that I go this fall. And I can 
 assure you, dear father, the knowledge of this 
 fact makes me feel as if I were in a new state 
 of things ; perhaps it would be as well express- 
 ed, should I say I feel as though I were five or 
 ten years older than this time last week. It 
 seems but a few days, in looking over the 
 weeks which are to elapse, ere I bid all good- 
 
170 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 by for this world — a few days, before I take 
 upon me responsibilities which throw all I have 
 yet borne into the shade. I have much to do 
 in internal as well as external preparation for 
 the work. I do not regret that I have had my 
 mind upon it for so long a time. I feel that it 
 has in a certain measure prepared me for the 
 work. But notwithstanding the anxiety it 
 occasions me, I feel a great peace. I have no 
 doubt which makes me uneasy. I think if I 
 ever sought the direction of God, I have done 
 so in this matter. For nearly ten years it has 
 been a prayer which scarcely has been omitted 
 a single day, 'Lord, what shall I do in this 
 matter ?' I see defects which will impair my 
 usefulness, but I cannot make them excuses for 
 not going. I think I can leave the whole mat- 
 ter of future life unhesitatingly in the hands of 
 God." 
 
 Eeturning from Boston, he thus writes to his 
 
 father : 
 
 " Steamer Bay State, May 6, 1851. 
 
 "Well, the great matter is decided. Ten 
 
 years, or nearly so, of anxious expectation have 
 
 passed, and I am to go to the heathen in a few 
 
 months, and spend my days in the laborious 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 171 
 
 but honored work of winning souls to Christ. 
 May He who fed Elijah, and accompanied the 
 three Hebrew youths in the furnace, go with 
 us. I can do all things through Christ, which 
 strengthened rue." 
 
 " Madison University, June 2, 1851. 
 
 "Dear Father and Mother — I shall not 
 often write you hereafter from this beloved 
 spot ; my time here is measured out, and I feel 
 it very forcibly. I begin to make my arrange- 
 ments to leave. I shall soon, very soon take 
 my last look of the beautiful amphitheatre of 
 hills, and the neat little village 'set down so 
 snug the hills among. ; I used to think I should 
 feel very sadly at the prospect of doing so ; 
 but although I shall in all probability shed 
 some tears when the parting moment comes, at 
 the present I feel quite anxious to have that 
 moment come. I feel anxious to be on my way 
 to India ; not that I am tired of this place, or 
 home, or arfy other place, but I feel an irresisti- 
 ble longing for the work. I feel that I am no 
 longer a citizen of this goodly land. India is 
 my home ; there I am to be permitted, as I 
 hope, to live a few years, and probably there 
 to take my last look of earth, and those who 
 
112 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 shall have shared with me its toils and cares 
 and joys. 
 
 " Here I think at present my desires centre. 
 May I and my dear companion be fitted for our 
 work. This implies a good deal. 
 
 " Pitted in physical concerns. We need each 
 of us the kind watch-care and preservation God 
 only can bestow. We may early fall victims 
 to the climate, but I do not really anticipate 
 any such result. I want health, that we may 
 do much. 
 
 "Pitted mentally. I feel weak h£re, where 
 the cool winds and invigorating air keep cool 
 and quiet my brain ; how then shall I be able to 
 toil intellectually under a burning sun and an 
 enervating, stupefying climate? We shall need 
 this blessing. 
 
 " Pitted spiritually. We both of us feel, and I 
 thank God it is so — we both of us feel the need 
 of a deeper interest in the salvation of the 
 soul, and the great plan of redemption through 
 Christ. We want to know more of these things, 
 and to feel more. 
 
 " For my part I feel isolated, alone ; not very 
 painfully so, but solemnly alone. Who, I often 
 think, feels as I do? My former associates 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 173 
 
 here are mostly gone, and I am no longer asso- 
 ciated familiarly with the students. They look 
 up to me, and this is not what I have been 
 accustomed to. They expect probably, that as 
 I am now an accepted missionary, I feel less 
 interest in their plans and employments than I 
 used to. Well, 'tis somewhat so in the last 
 particular. My thoughts are undoubtedly di- 
 vided between America and India. I question 
 very much whether I could be happy here for 
 another year. But I am not melancholy, far, 
 far from that. I enjoy my duties, and I take 
 real pleasure in amusing Professor Beebe's 
 sweet little baby about meal-times. ,? 
 
 7 T is true, he felt himself no longer a citizen 
 of this goodly land. His home was elsewhere — 
 where, we are touchingly informed in the fol- 
 lowing lines written by him while on a visit to 
 a friend, a very short time previous to his ex- 
 pected departure to his " future home." 
 
 " We had a home, but now no more 
 Is home upon Columbia's shore : 
 Those who our future home would see, 
 Must cross with us the billowy sea. 
 We, lingering, pause a while, 'tis true, 
 As though our home were still with you : 
 
174 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 But 't is not so — with time has flown 
 The right to call this rest our own. 
 We heard a voice — its accents stole 
 Down to the chambers of our soul ; 
 And echoing there a hallowed name, 
 We doubted not from whence it came : 
 It spoke of love beyond the ken 
 As much of angels as of men — 
 Love which its best Beloved gave, 
 Not friends, but enemies to save. 
 When ceased, all melted by its strain, 
 Yows long since made were made again : 
 Then fell again> distinct and clear, 
 Its accents on our listening ear : 
 ' Depart to Gentile lands far hence, 
 And call my sons and daughters thence : 
 My boundless love shall be your plea ; 
 The sweet constraint, your love to me.' 
 What then was home, however sweet? 
 What all things, viewed from Jesus' feet? 
 A taper's faint and sickly ray, 
 Lost in the clear, broad light of day. 
 Hence, 't is no home we have to-day, 
 In distant lands our vows we pay ; 
 Hence, those who our dear home would see, 
 Must dare with us the billowy sea." 
 
 EARLY DECISION OF DUTY TO THE HEATHEN. 
 
 Mr. Biddle's consecration to the work of 
 missions was made early in life. He after- 
 wards felt that this was to him an advantage 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 115 
 
 in preparing for the service. In an essay on 
 " Indications of Personal Duty to the Heathen," 
 prepared for the Eastern Association con- 
 nected with the university, he specially urges 
 an early decision of the question. We quote 
 the material portions of the essay relating to 
 this subject. He says : 
 
 " There have been probably but few students 
 for the ministry, in whose mind the inquiry has 
 not arisen, t Is it not my duty to preach the 
 gospel in some foreign land? 7 And there is 
 perhaps, among students, no question more fre- 
 quently decided by default. Examination and 
 decision are deferred repeatedly and indefi- 
 nitely, until delay has rendered it no longer a 
 question, or some desirable location at home 
 puts an end to all indecision. 
 
 " That such a course is hostile to the best inter- 
 ests of the heathen, is too evident to need proof. 
 
 " There is an opinion prevalent, constantly 
 seducing others to the same course, that the 
 indications of personal duty to the heathen 
 are not legible until near the close of one's 
 course of study, and consequently that an early 
 decision to become a missionary cannot be con- 
 sistently made. 
 
176 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 " The advice given by many is, ' Hold your 
 mind unbiassed in regard to the home or 
 foreign field, until about to enter upon the 
 active duties of the ministry. The uncertainty 
 of external circumstances renders it impossible 
 to determine duty at such a distance of time ; 
 and the years of a college course and the ear- 
 lier years in the theological seminary are 
 needed to acquire the knowledge necessary to 
 an advised decision. The maturity of mind 
 attained also will render the close of the course 
 a more suitable season for such a decision; 
 and besides, early decisions often prove of no 
 avail.' " 
 
 Having considered the above advice as pre- 
 senting so many objections, and having answer- 
 ed them satisfactorily, he continues : 
 
 " But it is desirable to present some reasons 
 why an early decision should be made. We 
 need hardly say that he who passes his college 
 course in uncertainty whether the knowledge 
 he acquires will be employed in the investiga- 
 tion of the principles of law, in judging of the 
 nature and remedies of disease, in teaching the 
 sciences, or instructing men in their duties to 
 God, passes his time to disadvantage, no mat- 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 177 
 
 ter what his abilities may be. He is unable to 
 avail himself of any course which may contrib- 
 ute specially to prepare him for the peculiar 
 station he is to occupy. Thus is it, in some 
 degree, with the individual who is undecided 
 respecting his duty to the heathen. But hav- 
 ing devoted himself to the mission work, sub- 
 jects which by others may be deferred to some 
 future period, will receive his special attention 
 at once; and other subjects which have no 
 special interest to one who stays at home, will 
 be carefully examined by him. In fact, he 
 will view many things from a very different 
 stand-point than that from which they are 
 viewed by others. 
 
 " A natural, though not necessary result of 
 an early decision, will be a strengthening of 
 faith in God. In missionary life this is a grace 
 upon which special draughts are made. And 
 he who becomes familiar with the history of 
 missions, will not only find aliment for faith in 
 the remarkable displays of God's special provi- 
 dence, but if he contemplates engaging in the 
 work, he will be led to feel the need of special 
 preparations of heart to meet the trials to 
 which he will be exposed. The fact that he is 
 
 Piddle. 12 
 
1?8 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 pledged to the work will be a constant stimu- 
 lus to devotion and faith. 
 
 " An early decision will prepare one to be 
 of more service to the mission cause while at 
 home. A person who has decided that God 
 has called him to the work of foreign missions, 
 is certainly better prepared to urge upon his 
 brethren the consideration of the claims which 
 the heathen have upon them, than he who is 
 halting between two opinions. The fact that 
 they had themselves decided what they should 
 do if Providence permitted, gave efficiency to 
 the appeals made to their brethren by those 
 young men who were wont to meet on the 
 banks of the Hoosack for prayerful consulta- 
 tion on their duty in this matter. And the 
 same fact gave to the early members of this 
 association an influence in favor of missions in 
 our own institution, not wholly lost to this 
 day. 
 
 " It also strengthens a man for his work. To 
 reflect, when under trial, that the decision was 
 deliberately made under the most favorable 
 circumstances, and that in after-years, under 
 many temptations to reversion, it was fre- 
 quently reviewed and still adhered to, will be 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 179 
 
 a priceless support — a support entirely want- 
 ing to him who is conscious of having decided 
 the question under the agitation attendant 
 upon the knowledge that when once made, it 
 was to be immediately executed and irrevo- 
 cable. 
 
 " Nor will it be any disadvantage if, as some- 
 times will be the case, one has reason to revoke 
 the early decision. He will be better prepared 
 to do the home-work necessary for the mission 
 cause ; and he who has become thoroughly im- 
 bued with the missionary spirit will find it no 
 little aid in pastoral labors. We might point, 
 for example, to some who were once members 
 of this association, but we will only refer to the 
 lives of Samuel J. Mills and Samuel Pearce. 
 
 " The nature of the work is such that we 
 might expect from God such indications of his 
 will as would lead to an early decision. Hence, 
 when asked, 'Why not make, on the ground 
 of the advantage to be derived, an early de- 
 cision with regard to the particular field of 
 labor in this country V we reply, ' The cases are 
 widely different. To settle in any portion of 
 our country does not involve a final separation 
 from friends; to go to the East does. Nor 
 
180 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 does it involve the spending of one's life in a 
 manner almost wholly different from previously 
 formed habits ; to go to the East does. This is 
 true of associates, language, and religious privi- 
 leges." 
 
 Having considered at some length the differ- 
 ence between the two cases, he proceeds : 
 
 " When the Saviour sent out the twelve to 
 labor in Palestine, we have no intimation, nor 
 is there reason to suppose that notice was given 
 long beforehand ; but when they were commis- 
 sioned to take the world for their field, it was 
 months, at least, before they were required to 
 go abroad ; and that period included a season 
 in which they were miraculously endowed with 
 power from on high. 
 
 " When the seventy were sent, the case was 
 the same as in the first mission of the twelve. 
 But when Paul was called to preach among the 
 Gentiles, God gave him at least three years' 
 notice before calling on the church at Antioch 
 to set him apart to the work. 
 
 " An early decision is actually required, from 
 the fact that Christ has so commissioned us 
 that the question is properly, not, What indi- 
 cations aro there in favor of going ? but, What 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 181 
 
 in favor of staying? Notice these undeniable 
 facts : God has called us into the ministry of 
 his Son ; it is the ministry of reconciliation, 
 the ministry in which the twelve apostles were 
 engaged, a ministry not confined to any part 
 of the habitable globe. Its sole object is to 
 bring men to God ; an object equally concern- 
 ing the eternal interests of the Laplander and 
 Hottentot, the Indian and the Malay, the culti- 
 vated European and the well-nigh imbruted 
 New Hollander. Notice too the fact, that with 
 but one or two exceptions, there is not a coun- 
 try on the globe which has any thing like the 
 light which we enjoy. The disproportion be- 
 tween the work to be accomplished abroad, 
 and the means for doing it, is so great as to 
 overwhelm any thing but faith; while here, 
 most of the population, if they desire it, have 
 access to the means of grace. 
 
 " Is there not then reason to believe that the 
 indications that God has called one to the min- 
 istry at all, are indications that he has called 
 him to go abroad, unless special reasons can be 
 shown to the contrary ?" 
 
 That his own devotion to the work of foreign 
 missions was in obedience to the command of 
 
182 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 Christ, and that his hope of support and suc- 
 cess rested alone upon the Saviour's promise, 
 " Lo, I am with you," is evident in all that he 
 said and wrote upon the subject. His views 
 on this point are clearly and forcibly presented 
 in the address which he delivered at his grad- 
 uation from the theological department of Madi- 
 son university, August 20, 1851, on 
 
 "THE ENCOURAGEMENTS TO SPREAD THE 
 GOSPEL 
 
 " The foundation of all our obligations is the 
 will of God. If he command, cheerful obedi- 
 ence is our duty. Nor, in deciding that ques- 
 tion, have we a right to inquire whether suc- 
 cess will or will not attend. 
 
 "If then the encouragements which God 
 vouchsafes supplant his commands by exerting 
 a stronger influence than they, there is evi- 
 dence of an alarming defect in our motives, and 
 consequently in our moral character. What 
 is true in this respect of individuals, is true 
 also of that body of believers denominated by 
 way of convenience the Christian church. 
 
 " In the work of spreading the gospel, the 
 energies of the church are without doubt be- 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 183 
 
 coming more and more enlisted ; but the con- 
 viction has been repeatedly forced upon us, that 
 there is also a growing tendency to make the 
 encouragements to the work the sole argu- 
 ments for its prosecution. Efforts made under 
 such circumstances are not necessarily unsuc- 
 cessful ; but such is the sacrifice of principle 
 involved, that every member of the body of 
 Christ may well tremble. If unexercised, the 
 feelings of duty arising from the command be- 
 coming weaker and weaker, then follows what, 
 there is reason to fear, we have already — the 
 spectacle of an active and growing church giv- 
 ing tokens of a general decline in faith and 
 self-denial. Such is an abuse of the encourage- 
 ments which God has given ; but they have a 
 wise design, and are exerting their legitimate 
 influence only when conducing to that design. 
 
 "A heart willingly engaged in this work 
 may be a sad one; these encouragements are 
 to cheer and gladden such a heart : they can- 
 not furnish the basis of obligation, but they 
 may make that obligation more manifest. Our 
 sense of duty to God increases with our per- 
 ception of the perfection of his nature and 
 character. His promises to give success to the 
 
184 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 gospel when faithfully preached, and the fulfil- 
 ment of those promises, throw new light on his 
 wisdom, power, and love, and paint in more 
 vivid colors the perfections of his character, 
 and thus strengthen our sense of obligation to 
 obey. 
 
 "These encouragements also make it evi- 
 dent that we are bound to spread the gospel, 
 because it will do good to our neighbors : thus 
 the command, ' Thou shalt love thy neighbor as 
 thyself/ combines its influence with that already 
 given. We need to be cheered in this great 
 and arduous work. We need to be more fully 
 sensible of our obligation to obey our Master's 
 great command. We need also to know how 
 the commands of God combine to urge us for- 
 ward. The nature and extent of these encour- 
 agements are therefore well worthy of our con- 
 sideration. 
 
 "When the disciples withdrew their eyes 
 from the cloud overhanging Olivet, which had 
 wrapped their Master's ascending form, they 
 could hardly fail to reflect upon the extent of 
 the commission he had just given them. The 
 words were, • all the world/ ' all nations, 7 ' every 
 creature.' " 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 185 
 
 Referring to the triumphs of the gospel from 
 the Saviour's time to the present, and haying 
 shown that it was through the "foolishness of 
 preaching, n and the active zeal and devoted 
 labors of Christ's servants, aided by the Holy 
 Spirit, that their victories were won, he con- 
 tinues : 
 
 "It must not be forgotten that almost all 
 these triumphs have been gradual, and to many 
 who were honored in aiding in them they were 
 almost imperceptible ; but like strokes of the 
 battering ram of Titus against the walls of 
 Jerusalem, though long apparently ineffective, 
 the result showed that no part of tne labor had 
 been in vain. From this we have also strong 
 ground for encouragement, since we may depend 
 upon it that the fruits of the labors of many 
 years already gone by are yet to become man- 
 ifest. 
 
 " Do any ask then, What encouragement does 
 the history of the past afford? I tell them 
 that it has for many long years been crying 
 out, with a voice ever waxing louder and louder 
 as the tokens of success become more and more 
 apparent, ' Go ye into all the world, and preach 
 the gospel to every creature/ 
 
186 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 " But the encouragements derived from the 
 adaptation of the gospel to the wants of the 
 world, and from its success, were never the 
 only supports of the heralds of the glorious 
 gospel. They were preceded by the promise of 
 God, and that has been their chief support. 
 Other encouragements were mighty, but this 
 was mightier far than they. The promise of 
 God ! Who can estimate the resources brought 
 to bear upon its fulfilment ? His perfect wis- 
 dom, power, integrity, and love, are all en- 
 gaged in accomplishing it. Hath he said, and 
 shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall 
 he not make it good? The heavens shall pass 
 away, together with our earth, but one jot or 
 tittle of all He has spoken shall in no wise 
 fail. 
 
 " Turn to the record of His holy purposes 
 and read, ' All the ends of the earth shall re- 
 member and turn unto the Lord ; and all the 
 kindreds of the nations shall worship before 
 thee. ; Psa. 22:27. 'And in that day there 
 shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for 
 an ensign of the people, and to it shall the 
 Gentiles seek ; and his rest shall be glorious. 7 
 Isa. 11 :10. 'For from the rising of the sun 
 
THE MISSION WORK. 18? 
 
 even unto the going down of the same, my name 
 shall be great among the Gentiles ; and in 
 every place incense shall be offered unto my 
 name, and a pure offering : for my name shall 
 be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of 
 hosts.' Mai. 1:11. 'And it shall come to 
 pass in the last days, that the mountain of the 
 Lord's house shall be established in the top of 
 the mountains, and shall be exalted above the 
 hills ; and all nations shall flow unto it.' Isa. 
 2:2. 
 
 " Such are the encouragements to all en- 
 gaged in spreading the gospel. It is wisely 
 designed and adapted to the wants of the world. 
 It has already triumphed gloriously, and God 
 has declared that it shall be widely spread and 
 as widely received. 
 
 "In view of these encouragements, he who 
 gives and labors and prays for the success of 
 the gospel, may do so with a cheerful and 
 thankful heart, until he is called to exchange 
 giving for receiving, labor for rest, prayer for 
 praise. 
 
 " The missionary of the cross may stand up 
 in all the vigor of youth, and joyfully proclaim 
 his unequalled message of love ; he may do the 
 
188 WILLIAM T. B1DDLE. 
 
 same when the burning sun of a tropical clime 
 shall have enervated his wasting strength ; he 
 may cheerfully continue the same work when 
 a premature old age shall be rapidly furrowing 
 his brow ; aye, and upon the bed of death, in 
 view of these encouragements, so ample, so 
 complete, he may exclaim, with an overflowing 
 heart, ' It is enough.' " 
 
THE DEPARTURE. 189 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE DEPARTURE. 
 
 u Depart; for I will send thee far hence unto the Gen- 
 tiles/' Acts 22 :21. 
 
 " The time of my departure is at hand." 2 Tim. 4 : 6. 
 
 Mr. Biddle's preparatory course was now 
 completed, and all that remained for him was 
 to be in readiness for his departure. 
 
 At the commencement of the vacation he 
 visited his friends in Brookfield, Conn., where 
 his father was settled as pastor, and in New 
 York city, where he was sincerely beloved by 
 all who knew him. On Wednesday, August 
 13, 1851, he was ordained in the Berean church, 
 New York, to the work of the gospel ministry ; 
 and on the following day he was married, in 
 the same place, by his father, to the young 
 Christian friend upon whom his tenderest affec- 
 tions had been early placed. On the follow- 
 ing Wednesday, with his friend and colaborer 
 in the colporteur work of previous years, he 
 graduated from the theological department of 
 Madison university. On the next day, with 
 
190 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 his companion, he was designated, with appro- 
 priate services, as a "missionary preacher' 7 to 
 the Pwo Karens in Burmah. During the same 
 week he presented, in a few extemporaneous 
 remarks, his fraternal farewell to the brethren 
 of the " Eastern Missionary Association," with 
 whom he had been so long connected. 
 
 On the next Lord's-day morning, after a 
 most interesting missionary discourse by Mr. 
 Haswell of the Maulmain mission, who was at 
 that time on a visit to this country, he admin- 
 istered the ordinance of baptism, for the first 
 and only time, to two young Christian sisters, 
 members of his Bible-class, whom by God's 
 grace he had been the means of leading to 
 Christ ; and in the afternoon he gave to them 
 both, in behalf of the church, the right hand of 
 fellowship. 
 
 By this token of the divine favor and bless- 
 ing his heart was greatly cheered. Nor could 
 he now doubt that the Lord would be true to 
 his promise, " Lo, I am with you alway, even 
 unto the end of the world." 
 
 On Thursday he bid farewell to friends with 
 whom he had often " taken sweet counsel," and 
 to scenes endeared by many delightful associ- 
 
THE DEPARTURE. 191 
 
 ations. On Saturday he arrived with his com- 
 panion in the city of New York, and during 
 his stay made his home with his former pastor, 
 Dr. Dowling. On Sabbath evening, September 
 6th, he preached his last sermon to the Berean 
 church, of which he had long been a member, 
 fromHeb. 12 : 1, 2 : " Wherefore, seeing we also 
 are compassed about with so great a cloud of 
 witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and 
 the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let 
 us run with patience the race that is set before 
 us, looking unto Jesus." 
 
 And now, with the energy and zeal of one 
 conscious that he was engaged in the Master's 
 work, he prepared, by laying in stores and 
 making other arrangements for the voyage, to 
 join the veteran corps already upon the mission 
 field. But upon that work he never entered ; 
 the Master would take him to himself. 
 
 An interesting narrative of the circumstances 
 attending his sudden sickness and triumphant 
 death, is furnished by Dr. Dowling. Of this 
 narrative we here give the substance. 
 
 " On Friday evening, September 12th, he first 
 complained of slight indisposition, after a day 
 of most exhausting toil, spent in making vari- 
 
192 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 ous purchases. This, however, appeared at 
 first to be but a slight and temporary illness, 
 which he would hardly have mentioned, but as 
 a reason why he thought it prudent to decline 
 an engagement to supply a neighboring pulpit 
 on the coming Lord's day. 
 
 " On Saturday he complained of soreness in 
 the throat, and difficulty in swallowing. On 
 Sunday, his physician pronounced the disease 
 to be putrid sore throat, but gave no intima- 
 tions of approaching danger. On Monday 
 evening the disease assumed a more serious 
 aspect. In the middle of the night he was 
 seized with a difficulty of breathing, and for a 
 few moments seemed to be in great distress. 
 It was caused by a gathering of phlegm in his 
 throat, upon discharging which he obtained 
 immediate relief. In allusion to this attack he 
 wrote on a slip of paper the next morning, 
 being unable to use his voice in conversation, 
 1 I never knew what it was to be sick before, 
 having never been sick since nine years of age. 
 I shall learn a lesson of sympathy. Last night 
 I did not see but that I must cease in a few 
 minutes to breathe, but I felt no anxiety.' 
 
 " Being told on Tuesday morning that the 
 
THE DEPARTURE. 193 
 
 doctor thought him a very sick man, he replied, 
 ! Well, I have cast myself upon God. If ever 
 a poor creature did so, I have done it. What- 
 ever I have done that is good I cast it all away, 
 and depend entirely on the free grace of Christ 
 to save me. I have no anxiety for the future. 
 I leave it all with God.' Soon after, he said 
 to his deeply affected wife, ' You remember, 
 Kate, the motto, ' Ready for either.' I am ready 
 
 FOR THE YOKE, OR FOR THE ALTAR.' 
 
 " As evening drew on, his pain had nearly 
 subsided, and he could speak, though with some 
 difficulty. Mortification was evidently making 
 rapid progress, yet while the outward man 
 decayed the inward man was renewed. Fre- 
 quently did he ask his wife to pray that his 
 mind might be collected and kept from wan- 
 dering. After hearing the hymn, 
 
 1 Rock of ages, cleft for me/ 
 
 repeated, he broke out into a kind of soliloquy : 
 1 Yes, yes ; I simply cling to the cross. I have 
 no other refuge.' Towards midnight this hymn 
 was sung, after which we engaged in prayer. 
 During the prayer he seemed full of emotion, 
 frequently responding aloud, 'Amen, Amen.' 
 
 Biddie. 13 
 
194 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 At the close the dying man broke forth in fer- 
 vent prayer, in a much louder tone than he had 
 been able to use during his sickness. ' Lord/ 
 said he, ' I beseech thee, do answer that prayer. 
 If it can be consistent, Lord, raise me up, 
 and spare me to go and preach the gospel to the 
 perishing heathen. I ask not for my own sake, 
 but for the sake of the poor Karens. Yet 0, 
 dear Saviour, I pray that I may have no will 
 but thine* Do what thou wilt with me. 
 precious Saviour, let me see the road clear, 
 and help me, without wandering, to concen- 
 trate my soul on thee and heaven. And 
 Lord, I beseech thee, bless my dear connections ; 
 and Oh, bless this my dear companion," putting 
 his arm around her neck as she knelt by his 
 side. " If she must undergo this bereavement, 
 grant that she may be sustained by all the 
 rich consolations of the blessed gospel. 
 Lord, pour out a missionary spirit upon all the 
 rising ministry throughout the land. Lord, 
 bless that dear institution I have left, and grant 
 that if I should be taken away, it may lead 
 many of the dear young men to consecrate 
 themselves to the missionary work. And 0, 
 Jesus, may I feel thee precious ; may I feel 
 
THE DEPARTURE. 195 
 
 thee near. And do bless my dear compan- 
 ion, and all my dear connections. Amen and 
 Amen.' 
 
 " Soon after, he said to his wife, ' I wish 
 brother Dowling would come up and pray with 
 me again/ When I had complied, he seemed 
 to sink into a lethargic state, which so often 
 precedes dissolution, and we doubted whether 
 his eyes or his lips would again unclose on 
 earth. 
 
 " ' We watched his breathing through the night, 
 His breathing soft and low, 
 As in his breast the wave of life 
 Kept heaving to and fro. 
 
 So silently we seemed to speak, 
 
 So slowly moved about, 
 As we had lent him half our powers 
 
 To eke his being out. 
 
 Our very hopes belied our fears, 
 
 Our fears our hopes belied ; 
 We thought him dying when he slept, 
 
 And sleeping when he died.' 
 
 " The two or three hours that he yet contin- 
 ued to breathe were varied by alternate fever- 
 ish wanderings and lucid intervals. At one 
 time he woke up, and seemed to be in a strug- 
 
19G WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 gle with the adversary. He requested his wife 
 to repeat some passages of Scripture. After 
 listening to some which he did not seem to 
 think exactly met his case, he himself exclaimed, 
 1 Ah, now I have it/ and repeated the passage, 
 1 When the enemy comes in like a flood, the 
 Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard 
 against him/ ' Ah/ said he, • that is it/ and 
 repeated it a number of times. ' There/ said 
 he, soon after, ' I see the way clear. Now I 
 can sleep sweetly / and then he tried to draw 
 the bedclothes over him, and was soon in a 
 doze. In this last sleep on this side Jordan, 
 we heard him whisper, ' Happy, happy ! Bright, 
 all bright! 7 The question was asked by a 
 dear Christian friend, the superintendent of 
 the Berean Sabbath-school, ' Brother Biddle, 
 can you put all your trust in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ V He faintly whispered, ' Yes.' Soon 
 the last spasm came, two or three feeble gasps, 
 and at precisely half-past three on "Wednesday 
 morning he ceased to breathe. He had fallen 
 asleep in Jesus." 
 
 On the afternoon of the same day, at five 
 o'clock, the remains were taken to the Berean 
 church and placed before the pulpit; on the 
 
THE DEPARTURE. 197 
 
 very spot where, but a month before, he had 
 been solemnly ordained to the gospel ministry, 
 and united in marriage to his youthful com- 
 panion. After singing and prayer, and the 
 reading of a portion of Scripture, Dr. Dowling 
 improved the occasion by interesting remarks 
 embodying a sketch of the life and labors of 
 the deceased, and the closing scenes of his 
 earthly career, as given in the pages immedi- 
 ately preceding ; and was followed by Dr. 
 William R. Williams, who clearly and forcibly 
 directed attention to some of the important 
 lessons to be learned from this dispensation of 
 God's providence. 
 
 There had been no little discussion, said Dr. 
 Williams, as to the amount of education and 
 attainment necessary for the missionary work. 
 Here we found a polished shaft, a brother of 
 the highest order of talent and education, en- 
 dowed with every conceivable qualification for 
 the work, prostrated before them, and forbid- 
 den to enter into it. By this, it appeared to 
 him that God would have us understand that 
 while he condescended to use such instruments, 
 he did not need them. 
 
 Another lesson taught by this dispensation 
 
198 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 was humility and resignation to ttio will of 
 God. It was his prerogative to rule, our duty 
 to obey. His providence is inscrutable to us. 
 Human wisdom would have supposed that the 
 labors and presence of the youthful Stephen 
 were absolutely necessary to the infant church 
 of Christ, but God weaned the repose of the 
 saints from their most valued coadjutors to 
 attach it more closely to himself. The instance 
 also of the sainted Thomas, to which allusion 
 had been made, was another illustration. He 
 died with the sickle in his hand in sight of the 
 harvest field ; so our beloved brother put on 
 the armor, God having tried him as he tried 
 Abraham, discharged him from the war before 
 he had entered into it. Prom this touching 
 event we may also learn the preciousness of a 
 Saviour, a rock of ages on which to rest in the 
 hour of death. 
 
 Dr. Williams concluded by enforcing upon 
 the attention of all the great truth, that such a 
 Saviour was just as necessary for those most 
 distinguished for eminence, for learning, and 
 for genius, as for the most humble, the most 
 ignorant, the most debased. 
 
 On the next day the remains were removed 
 
( THE DEPARTURE. 199 
 
 to Brookfield, Conn., where his father resided, 
 and, after a sermon by Rev. Aaron Perkins of 
 Danbury, were committed to the earth to await 
 a joyful resurrection when the archangel's trump 
 shall sound. 
 
 A plain stone, with the following inscription, 
 marks his resting-place. 
 
 3n ftlemorg 
 
 OF 
 
 WILLIAM THOMAS BIDDLB: 
 
 BORN IN ENGLAND, JUNE 8, 1824 ; 
 
 ORDAINED IN NEW YORK, AUGUST 13, 1851; 
 
 MARRIED AUGUST 14; 
 
 DESIGNATED AS A MISSIONARY TO THE PWO KARENS, 
 
 AT HAMILTON, NEW YORK, AUG. 21; 
 
 DIED IN NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 17, 1851. 
 
 " PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD IS THE DEATH OF 
 
 HIS SAINTS." 
 
 " Gone to the grave in all his glorious prime, 
 In the full vigor of his zeal and power ; 
 The Christian cannot die before his time — 
 The Lord's appointment is the servant's hour. 
 
 " Gone to the grave? no ; seated high above, 
 Thy blessed spirit present with the Lord, 
 Where faith and hope are changed to perfect love 
 And open vision for the written word." 
 
200 WILLIAM T. BIDDLB. 
 
 Though not inscribed upon the marble, yet 
 in the memories of all who were privileged 
 with the acquaintance of the departed, his epi- 
 taph is, as about six years before his death, in 
 a few lines on " Seeking Pleasure," he desired 
 it should be : 
 
 " My work completed here, let me die ; 
 In silence, 'neath the sward, my ashes lie : 
 My monument, ' Souls turned from sin to God;' 
 My epitaph, i He in Christ's footsteps trod'" 
 
 Swiftly over the wiry road, with lightning 
 speed, the painfully solemn tidings came to 
 Hamilton that William Thomas Biddle was no 
 more on earth. The hearts of loving friends 
 there were smitten and nigh unto breaking. 
 In giving vent to his own feelings in view of 
 the sad event, in a letter to Dr. Dowling, Dr. 
 Eaton, senior theological professor in the uni- 
 versity, well expressed the feelings of many 
 others to whom the deceased was dear as a 
 brother in Christ : 
 
 " Madison University, Sept. 22, 1851. 
 
 " Dear Brother Dowling — Then it is even 
 so. Your note confirming the telegraphic in- 
 telligence came while my mind was contriving 
 how it might be erroneous, and refusing to 
 
THE DEPARTURE. 201 
 
 admit the reality. 0, my brother, I was not 
 at all prepared for this. It had never entered 
 my mind that Biddle could die. There is a 
 shadow upon my spirit, and my heart is very 
 heavy. What meaneth this ? I cannot under- 
 stand it ; and yet I will be dumb and question 
 not, because thou, God, didst it. 
 
 "I read your letter, and one from brother 
 Armitage, to the congregation in the Baptist 
 church yesterday morning, and made such re- 
 marks as my feelings would permit ; and they 
 bowed down and wept very sore. Truly it 
 was a Bochim, for brother Biddle was very, 
 very much beloved. . . . 
 
 " I have no doubt God designs to accomplish 
 more for the cause of missions in the death of 
 this precious brother just at this time, than 
 would have been effected by his life, though 
 continued for many years. I am inexpressibly 
 anxious that this event should be so improved 
 as to be in the highest degree subservient to 
 the spiritual benefit of the students, and to the 
 increase of the missionary spirit among them. 
 " Affectionately yours, in deep sorrow, 
 
 " GEO. W. EATON." 
 
202 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 The afflictive event was duly improved by 
 public services in the Baptist meeting-house, 
 and a sermon by Dr. Dowling from the words, 
 " Then went this saying abroad among the 
 brethren, that that disciple should not die. 77 
 John 21 : 23. 
 
 The Hamilton Literary and Benevolent As- 
 sociation testified their regard for his worth by 
 the adoption of the following : 
 
 " Whereas it has pleased our heavenly Fa- 
 ther, in the wise dispensation of his providence, 
 to remove by death our highly esteemed and 
 dearly beloved brother William T. Biddle, with 
 whom, as a member of this society, it has been 
 our privilege some years to associate ; therefore, 
 
 " Resolved, That the rare constellation of ex- 
 cellencies that met and blended in the life and 
 character of our departed brother, his consist- 
 ent piety, his meek and amiable spirit, his fidel- 
 ity and perseverance in the discharge of every 
 duty, his fine natural endowments, and his va- 
 ried scholarship, conspired to make him one of 
 the brightest ornaments of our Society. Each 
 department found in him one of its most able 
 and successful promoters. We shall long cher- 
 ish with grateful remembrance his interest in 
 
THE DEPASTURE. 203 
 
 the Grand Ligne mission, and his untiring ef- 
 forts in the cause of benevolence. Nor shall we 
 soon forget the many and varied contributions 
 from his pen, that often fell upon our ear with 
 thrilling power, and breathed into us as it were 
 a ' newer life. 7 
 
 "Resolved, That in this mysterious dispen- 
 sation of divine Providence, we recognize a 
 call to renewed fidelity and devotedness to the 
 service of Christ : that we cherish the parting 
 words of our brother, ' which he spake unto us 
 while he was yet with us, 7 and that we en- 
 deavor to keep alive the spirit of missions 
 among us by prayer and frequent contribu- 
 tions, laid upon the altar on which he devoted 
 himself a living sacrifice. And we devoutly 
 pray that the allwise Disposer of events will 
 make this mournful dispensation the means of 
 great spiritual blessings to this Society. And 
 while we weep for the poor Karen, who will 
 watch in vain towards the setting sun for his 
 coming, may we seriously inquire what is our 
 own duty to the benighted, the erring, and the 
 lost. 
 
 "Resolved, That while we mourn that his sun 
 went down while it was yet noon, we would 
 
204 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 be grateful to our heavenly Father that we had 
 with us so long the clear, brilliant light of so 
 holy an example of Christian fidelity, and that 
 our brother, though departed, still lives among 
 ns, and is destined long to live, by the happy 
 influence of a devoted unblamable life. His 
 name will awaken a long train of hallowed 
 associations, bringing back scenes of pleasure 
 and social enjoyments, of trial, of labor, of self- 
 denial, of prayers, of tears and sacrifices, and 
 then our faith would pierce the veil and behold 
 him a redeemed spirit among the glorified." 
 
 In a letter of condolence to Mrs. Biddle, 
 dated Boston, Sept. 24th, 1851, Dr. Bright, 
 Home Secretary of the Missionary Union, says, 
 " We thought of him as one who would become 
 a pillar in our missionary superstructure on 
 earth ; but God has assigned him a nobler and 
 more enduring position in the house not made 
 with hands." 
 
 " Blessed are the dead which die in the 
 Lord from henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, 
 that they may rest from their labors ; and 
 their works do follow them." Rev. 14 : 13. 
 
THE CONCLUSION. 205 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The object of the preceding pages is, that 
 being dead, the devoted Biddle may still speak 
 for the cause of missions — the cause of Christ. 
 By his death, sudden and triumphant as it was, 
 a new interest in the missionary enterprise was 
 awakened in the churches ; and of students for 
 the ministry, several who had been undecided 
 determined to go and tell the story of the cross 
 to the perishing. 
 
 Is it too much to hope that by this humble 
 record other laborers in the Lord's vineyard 
 will be led to look beyond the ocean, and de- 
 sirous to glorify God in toils for the salvation 
 of the ignorant and degraded heathen, devote 
 themselves also to the glorious work. 
 
 " What an element of moral power the mis- 
 sionary spirit is ; how it elevates, purifies, and 
 blesses — filling the soul with charity, the life 
 with action, and the church with joy ; and how 
 eminently is fulfilled, through its instrumental- 
 ity, the declaration of Solomon, { There is that 
 scattereth, yet increaseth ;' and of Him who 
 
206 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 was greater than Solomon, ' It is more blessed 
 to give than to receive/ "* 
 
 " The spirit of missions is the spirit of con- 
 cord. The key-note was struck on the plain of 
 Bethlehem ; and all who have sympathy with 
 the angelic announcement, are sure to think, 
 feel, utter, and act in concert, both with the 
 heavenly host, and with one another. "t 
 
 Youth of the Sabbath-school — Have you like 
 Mr. Biddle remembered your Creator in your 
 youth, and consecrated the vigor of your early 
 years to the service of the Eedeemer ? If not, 
 may the Holy Spirit bless the perusal of this 
 record of youthful piety to awaken in your 
 mind an earnest consideration of the claims of 
 the blessed Jesus. The bleeding Saviour upon 
 the cross says to you, " I have done this for 
 thee ; what hast thou done for me V- 
 
 If your heart has been given to God, then 
 ask yourself, What can I do for Christ ? What 
 to spread abroad the glad tidings of his salva- 
 tion? 
 
 You can do much. Like Mr. Biddle, you 
 may consecrate yourself to the work of the 
 
 * Cox's Hist, of Bap. Missions, 
 f Baron Stow, D. D. 
 
CONCLUSION. 207 
 
 ministry with direct reference to the foreign 
 field. Like him, you may pray for the success 
 of those already in the field. Like him, you 
 may actively engage in interesting others in 
 the great work ; securing their sympathies for 
 the perishing, and their benefactions for the sup- 
 port of missions. It is a ground of rejoicing, 
 and betokens hope for the future, that so much 
 is now being done for this cause by the youth 
 of our Sabbath-schools. That little bark the 
 " Morning Star," built and equipped at an ex- 
 pense of thirteen thousand dollars,* by the dime 
 contributions of Sabbath-school scholars, plough- 
 ing its way over the ocean, and wandering 
 among the isles of the sea, is a noble monument 
 of the Christian, enterprise and active zeal of 
 Sabbath-school children and youth, and an 
 argument for endeavors to do more for the 
 spiritual good of dying heathen and the glory 
 of the Saviour in their salvation. 
 
 Alumni of Madison and Rochester Universi- 
 ties — To many of you the brother whose mis- 
 
 * A fund of over fifteen thousand dollars for defray- 
 ing the expenses of the vessel, has also been provided 
 from the same source ; the total contribution being 
 $28,600. 
 
208 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 sionary life we have sketched was personally 
 known. You were witnesses of his zeal and 
 devotion to the cause of his Master ; you know 
 how fervently he prayed that the Lord of the 
 harvest would send forth laborers, and you 
 know also that having thus prayed, he cheer- 
 fully said, " Lord, here am I ; send me." And 
 now, while you weep over his apparently un- 
 timely end, does the question arise in your 
 mind, " Is it not my duty to go to the heathen 
 and tell of the blessed Saviour's love, and point 
 them to the Lamb of God which taketh away 
 sin ? 77 T is the voice of your ascended Lord, 
 " Go, teach all nations. 77 Heed it. For your 
 own sake, heed it ; for the sake of the poor 
 heathen who are waiting to hear the gospel, 
 that they may live for ever, heed it. 
 
 In the Twenty-fifth Annual Report of the 
 Board of officers of the Society for Inquiry, of 
 Madison University, of which Mr. Biddle was 
 secretary, we have the following closing appeal 
 from his pen — an appeal which we would affec- 
 tionately commend to the attention and prayer- 
 ful consideration of all students for the gospel 
 ministry. After alluding to the numbers from 
 
CONCLUSION. 209 
 
 their Society who had entered the foreign field, 
 he says, 
 
 "Brethren, does not the position we have 
 hitherto occupied impose upon us a great re- 
 sponsibility ? Have we not by the past given 
 pledges for the future — pledges which are not 
 forgotten by our brethren in the East — pledges 
 which have encouraged them to labor on under 
 the most oppressive burdens, in hope of relief 
 erelong ? Do not the tombs of our departed 
 brethren stand as monuments to remind us of 
 these pledges ? 
 
 " But our responsibility does not arise mainly 
 from what we have been ; no, 7 t is from what 
 we now are. We are most of us candidates for 
 the gospel ministry, and while that class has for 
 some time been decreasing in number, the de- 
 mand for men has been growing more and more 
 urgent. In 1812, missionaries from America 
 scarcely knew where to turn to a single field 
 in which they would be permitted to labor. 
 Indeed, it is but a few years since, that access 
 was denied to near four hundred millions of 
 the human family ; now, we can scarcely point 
 to a country where the gospel may not be 
 preached. While we hope and pray that God 
 
 BiddJe. 14 
 
210 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 would call the attention of the churches to the 
 inadequacy of the efforts now made, it certainly 
 becomes us to be more vigorous, to labor more 
 earnestly in preparation, that we may toil the 
 more successfully. Let the stern determination 
 seize our hearts which nerves a veteran army, 
 resolved that diminished numbers shall be no 
 cause for defeat. And at the same time, let us 
 repose confidence in God, who has said, c I will 
 never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 7 Discour- 
 aging appearances should not shake our faith, 
 present diminution in numbers should not lead 
 us to think that the cause is waning ; it is dear 
 to God as ever. ' As I live, saith the Lord, 
 the earth shall be filled with my glory.' " 
 
 Brethren and sisters in Christ, disciples of 
 the blessed Jesus, by whose blood you have 
 been washed from sin, and by whose death a 
 title to heaven and eternal life is given to you, 
 it jnay not be yours to go to the heathen and 
 carry the good news of salvation, but it is your 
 privilege and your duty to send the word of 
 life and the living preacher, that the same gos- 
 pel from which you learned the way to heaven, 
 may guide them also into the paths of right- 
 
CONCLUSION. 211 
 
 eousness, and turn them from idols to the ser- 
 vice of the true God. 
 
 Would you know a missionary's estimate of 
 the value of the Scriptures in the vernacular 
 of a heathen nation? Said Mr. Thomas, as 
 he longed for the completion of the transla- 
 tion of the Bible, upon which his colaborer 
 Mr. Carey was engaged, " I would give a mill- 
 ion pounds sterling, if I had it, to see a Ben- 
 galee Bible. most merciful God, what an 
 inestimable blessing will it be to these millions ! 
 The angels of heaven will look down upon it 
 to fill their mouths with new praises and ado- 
 ration. Methinks all heaven and hell will be 
 moved at a Bible's entering such a country as 
 this. Lord, send forth thy light and thy 
 truth.' 7 
 
 And with respect to the living teacher, How 
 shall the heathen hear without a preacher? 
 And how shall they preach, except they .be 
 sent ? If you cannot go yourself, can you not 
 send one who can go ? If unable, can you not 
 hdp to send one ? 
 
 " On the part of the missionaries," as we are 
 told in the history of the earlier Baptist mis- 
 sions in India, " it was continually and very 
 
212 WILLIAM T. BIDDLE. 
 
 judiciously urged upon their native converts, 
 that God had converted them, not only for the 
 purpose of fitting them for heaven, but for the 
 sake of their heathen and Mohammedan neigh- 
 bors ; and consequently, if they were person- 
 ally unable to itinerate for the spread of the 
 gospel, they were bound to aid in the main- 
 tenance of those who were so capacitated and 
 disposed." And is not the same principle ap- 
 plicable to converts in Christian lands ? Freely 
 ye have received, freely give. 
 
 But stop not here. Bring your offerings ; 
 but with the gift let your prayers for the cause 
 of missions ascend unceasingly to the throne 
 of God, that he would bless the societies at 
 home — their members, their directors, their 
 committees ; that he would richly endow with 
 grace and faith the missionaries abroad, as in 
 the name of our Lord they raise the standard 
 of- the cross, and in the sight of the heathen 
 unfurl the gospel banner, upon which is in- 
 scribed, God so loved the world, that he 
 
 GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER 
 BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE 
 EVERLASTING LIFE. 
 
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