Longacre Sc.
H. MARTYN.
THE LIFE
OF
REV. HENRY MARTYN.
WRITTEN FOR THE AMERICAN SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION,
BY JOHN HALL.
WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF ABDOOL MESSEEH,
A HINDOO CONVERT.
REVISED BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION.
AMERICAN SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.
PHILADELPHIA:
NO. 316 CHESNUT STREET.
Entered according to the act of Congress in the year1831, by Paul Beck, Jr. Treasurer, in trust for the AmericanSunday School Union, in the Clerk’s Office of the DistrictCourt of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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PREFACE.
This volume has been principally compiled fromthe tenth English edition of the Memoirs of Mr.Martyn, by the Rev. John Sargent.
The author of the present publication has endeavouredto present his subject in a manner whichmay not mislead the young, in forming their estimateof Christian character, and to propose thehumble missionary, as an imitable example, ratherthan an object of vague and curious admiration.To effect this design, he has avoided, as much aspossible, the use of terms of personal eulogy; inhopes that the perusal of the biography will leaveupon the youthful reader a deeper impression ofthe indispensable need of Divine power, to enableany creature to lead a useful and holy life. Childrenare taught, at least by implication, to believe,that the eminent instances of piety and zeal, whichare recorded both in sacred and ordinary history,are exceptions to the doctrine of Christ, whodirected his disciples to say—even after they shouldhave done “all those things which were commanded—we[Pg 4]are unprofitable servants; we havedone that which was our duty to do.” Thiscourse is likely not only to create an illusion whichmore mature knowledge will but imperfectly dissipate,but to diminish the splendor of the singleexample of perfect righteousness which has blessedour world. Its tendency, moreover, is to fosterthat hidden corruption of religious vanity in theheart of the young Christian, which usually needsno extraneous aid to assist it in impeding thegrowth of grace.
It would seem, that the Memoirs of a Christianshould be rather adapted to instruct the living, thanto applaud the dead; and it is surprising that sofew works of the kind are extant, prepared withevangelical discrimination. It is especially importantthat this principle should be regarded inbiographies designed for pupils in Sunday schoolsand it would be a new honor to the institution, ifthe productions in this