MRS. SARAH SAVAGE.

MRS. SARAH SAVAGE, the eldest daughter of that eminent servant of Christ, the Rev. Philip Henry, and sister of Matthew Henry, the Author of the Family Commentary on the Bible, was born at Broad Oak, in Flintshire, Aug. 7, 1664. She was the eldest of four daughters. Of two of her sisters, Mrs. Radford and Mrs. Hulton, memorials have been preserved, which exhibit them as equally worthy of their truly honourable parentage and kindred. The character of the other sister, Mrs. Tylston, was not less estimable. Particular attention appears to have been paid to the education of Mrs. Savage. At the early age of seven years, she had made such proficiency in the Hebrew language, by the aid of a grammar which her father compiled for her use, that she could readily read and construe a psalm in the original. At ten years of age, she used to write the outlines of the sermons which she heard preached, with tolerable exactness. She mentions in her Diary, that she afterwards read these sermons with great comfort and edification at the distant period of sixty years. This custom she continued to old age, and many volumes are still extant of the sermons which she took down; besides which, she preserved in writing, her honoured father's stated expositions in the family, and used them, through life, in her private perusal of the Scriptures. On reviewing, when seventy years of age, this period of her life, she thus expresses her gratitude to God, for the pre-eminent religious advantages which she enjoyed.

"My great Creator and Benefactor endued me "with understanding, reason, a capacity to learn; "but Infinite Goodness gave me early advantages by

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"religious parents, such as, I am ready to think, the "whole world can hardly produce the like. I was "betimes taught my catechism and other things proper for my age. I had excellent examples. Religion "was set before me in the clearest and best light. Secured, by privacy, from so much as seeing the corruptions the world abounds with, for the first "twenty years of my life, I do not remember to have "heard an oath, or to have seen a person drunk. "But still, this was but negative religion. The free grace of God, in infinite mercy, took early hold of "me, and brought me to feel something of the powers "of the world to come."

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In her sixteenth year, Miss Henry partook, for the first time, of the Lord's Supper; and on that occasion, she devoted herself to God with a sincerity and solemnity which proved a source of satisfaction to her in the retrospect. Henceforth, her papers discover an increasing anxiety that, by departing from all iniquity, she might adorn her Christian profession, and walk worthy of the Gospel of Christ. A few years after making this public profession, she com menced that series of closet compositions to which her Biographer has been chiefly indebted in compiling her Memoirs.* The following extract from her papers, will shew the views and feelings with which she adopted this resolution.

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"Aug. 1686. I have had it in my thoughts to do something in the nature of a Diary, being encou"raged by the advantages others have gained thereby, and the hope that I might be furthered by it in a godly life, and be more watchful over the frame "of my heart when it must be kept on record. I "would approve myself to God, who alone knows "the sincerity of my heart. To him I have made "my request known herein; and I heartily beg that "what I shall at any time put down, may be the true

"Memoirs of the Life and Character of Mrs. Sarah Savage, "&c. By I. B. Williams.” 12mo. London. 1821.

"workings of my heart, and that I may in nothing "bear false witness against myself."

The fear of self-deception here intimated, shews that the writer was well aware both of the deceitfulness of the heart in general, and of the abuse to which the practice referred to is liable. Diaries of religious feelings were much more common in those days than they are now. They have of late fallen into some disrepute, from the injudicious publication of too many private records of the kind, which were not fit for the public eye. The minuteness with which sometimes unimportant circumstances are detailed in them, has, in print, a ridiculous effect; and there is always danger lest the writer should mistake mere sentiment for the genuine operation of feeling, and 'put down" the workings of the head as the record of the heart's emotions. Yet, when properly conducted, such a memorial is adapted to be eminently conducive to self-knowledge and self-improvement. It secures the habit of retirement, and the practice of self-examination; and is especially useful, as keeping alive an observant remembrance of the dealings of Divine Providence.

The following year, (March 28, 1687,) Miss Henry was married to Mr. John Savage, a respectable farmer and land-agent, of Wrenbury Wood, near Nantwich, Cheshire. Her notice of the annual return of that day, evinces the satisfaction and gratitude with which she looked back on the event. She was not "unequally yoked." She and her husband made it their constant practice to pray with each other morning and evening, besides engaging in family and private devotion. Providence continued them long together, not less than forty years, blessings to each other and to all around them, so far as their influence and ability extended.

Mrs. Savage was the mother of nine children, but four daughters only survived her. She was remarkable for her care and tenderness towards her children in their infancy, but still more for the concern which

she manifested for their souls, as they grew up, and became capable of receiving instruction. Not only was a considerable part of the Sabbath evenings devoted to the important duty of instructing them, but it was her daily endeavour, both by precept and example, to train them in the way wherein they ought to go. She had a happy method of rendering religion interesting to young people, by encouraging them to ask questions, and to converse freely on the subject; and she was careful not to represent it in a forbidding light, by any thing harsh or severe in her manners or temper. To these means of improving their minds, she daily added the most affectionate prayers both with them and for them. Many instances might be adduced of her pious care over them, both in the serious advice which she gave them, and in the letters which she wrote to them when abroad. Whenever she saw it needful to give them reproof, it was always done in a manner which shewed that she had nothing in view but their real welfare. Her Diary abounds with expressions of concern for their spiritual welfare. For that of her domestics, also, she cherished a holy zeal, which discovered itself in her regular and patient efforts to instruct them. She thus writes soon after her marriage: "Oh, that the family might be the better for "me! As far as I know my own heart, I earnestly "desire the salvation of every soul under our roof. "Oh, that they did but see what I see of the excel"lency of Christ, the sinfulness of sin, and the vanity "of creatures!"

Although Mrs. Savage was constant in her retirements morning and evening, and, in the latter part of her life, at noon also, yet, she never suffered these religious exercises to interfere with her domestic duties. She attended diligently, says her Biographer, to the routine of the kitchen and the dairy, the market and the fair. "Conscientious waiting upon "God," it is stated in the funeral sermon preached on occasion of her death, "neither prevented her dis

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charging her duty to those who were about her, "nor hurried her to the neglect of her temporal concerns. So remarkable was her diligence in her "family, that, excepting the portion of time which "she consecrated to God, it is said of her by one that "observed and knew her well for forty years, that "she was not idle or unemployed, no, not for a mo"ment. She very well understood and knew that "her duty to God did by no means oblige her to neglect the duties of a wife, a mother, or a mis"tress. When out of the more immediate service "of God, she was constantly discharging these. "Religion is no friend to sloth, confusion, or indo"lence." She habitually rose early, was a great economist of time, and, during the last years of her life, usually kept the Bible by her while at work, that she might employ her mind in religious meditation on particular portions of the word of God. By these means, she found time for works of charity and benevolence. "The pleasure with which she gave alms, or did any other good office to the poor or distressed," we are told, "is not to be described. She willingly employed herself in making garments for "their clothing. She always spoke of the plenty of "a farm-house as one of the chief advantages of her station, in that it allowed her greater opportunities "of supplying the wants of the poor, and feeding "the hungry, which she always did with her own "hands." Her own language on this subject, will shew the truly Christian principle by which she was actuated. "I find," she says, "the duty of giving, "hard to manage aright; to keep the eye single. I "find it much easier to draw out the hand to the hungry, than to draw forth the soul in inward compassion. Oh, this inside of duty is that which I find so very hard."

In the year 1721, Mr. and Mrs. Savage were visited with a peculiarly sharp affliction, in the loss of