While at Mrs. Smith's home in Germantown, both she and Miss Willard
urged me to sign a Temperance Pledge that lay on the table in the
library. I would have accepted almost anything either of those good
friends presented for my attention. So after thinking seriously I
signed. But after going to my room I felt sure that I could never keep
that pledge. So I ran downstairs and told them to erase my name, which
was done without one word of astonishment or reproof from either.
I wish I knew how to describe Hannah Whitehall Smith as she was in her
everyday life. Such simple nobility, such tenderness for the tempted,
such a love for sinners, such a longing to show them the better way.
She said to me: "If my friends must go to what is called Hell I want
to go with them." When a minister, who was her guest, was greatly
roused at her lack of belief in eternal punishment and her infinite
patience with those who lacked moral strength, he said: "There are
surely some sins your daughters could commit which would make you
drive them from your home." "There are no sins my daughters could
commit which would not make me hug them more closely in my arms and
strive to bring them back." Wherewith he exclaimed bitterly: "Madam,
you are a mere mucilaginous mess.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153