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PREFACE.

IN presenting to the public these extracts from the voluminous Journal of a tenderly-loved parent, it seems only necessary to observe that every effort has been made, both by her daughter and by judicious, and long-tried friends, to bring forward in a collected form such parts as may throw light on the character, labours, and dedicated life of the deceased. If they have not succeeded in giving as continuous an account as might be desirable, it has been owing to a paucity of information; one reason of which may have originated in the retired spirit of their precious relative and friend, who always preferred that what she did should be little known, and still less the subject of conversation.

The selection has been made with increasing interest, and no regret was felt till the close obliged us to take leave of a character so full of instruction and encouragement; yet this regret has given place to the hope, that by the perusal of these pages many may be led to appreciate more fully the inestimable privilege of retirement, and waiting on the Lord, in order to follow the gentle intimations of His Holy Spirit, and thus be prepared for such a part in the world's vineyard as the Great Master shall appoint.

St. Petersburg, April 4th, 1836.

MEMOIR.

CHAPTER I.

Her early Life-First religious Impressions-Joins the Society of Wesleyan Methodists - Extracts from her Journal.

HANNAH KILHAM was the daughter of Peter and Hannah Spurr, who were respectable tradespeople in the town of Sheffield, in which place she was born the 12th of 8th month, 1774. Of her early years little is known. Her constitution was delicate, and her mind much disposed to reflection. When very young her mother died, and she, under the superintendence of an elder sister who was married and lived near, took charge of the family, and was incessant in her exertions that all should be comfortable and in order for her bereaved father, brothers, and younger sister. Through the kindness of two of her early associates we are indebted for the following detail: "Our acquaintance commenced at the vicarage day-school' when your beloved mother was about

1 Many years afterwards, in writing to a friend, she says, “I account it one of the greatest happinesses of my earlier days, to have been frequently under the care, for religious instruction, of one whose affectionate parental kindness will always claim from me the warm returns of gratitude and respect,-I mean one of the ministers in the Establishment wherein I was brought up,

B

ten years of age, she was then a most amiable, talented, and serious girl, and set an example worthy the imitation of her school fellows. At that time she regularly attended the evening prayers at the parish church; and, however she might be engaged with her companions, she always left them at the hour for worship. Her sympathy with, and care for the poor manifested itself when she was very young; and my sister remembers she had her weekly pensioners for whom she saved her pocketmoney, for she often accompanied her at the stated time for carrying her pence to those on her list. She also at that time kept a diary of her good and bad deeds, which she placed on opposite columns; but she gave it up, because she soon found the bad to preponderate."

At fourteen years of age she was sent to a boarding-school in Chesterfield, where she conducted herself to much satisfaction, and made so much progress in the study of grammar as to displease her master, who, in those days, when that science was not taught to girls, thought her overstepping the bounds of the female province. At sixteen she returned home, and, from changes in the family, was thrown into gay life; but its vanities never were agreeable to her, and she entered into its follies principally to satisfy her relations and friends.

When about nineteen or twenty she was struck with the change of deportment and engagements in some of her intimate friends; and being under

who, during the summer, used to meet the children of his congregation, or of any who chose to send their children, once a week for religious instruction. And his labours, I believe, were not in vain."

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