In admiring the virtues and moral excellence of one who holds a high
rank in society, who fills a distinguished place in the State, or
occupies a responsible seat in the halls of science or in the church, we
are liable to be swayed in our judgment. His social position is a kind
of magnifying lens, through which all his virtues are viewed. But when a
comparatively obscure individual from the humbler walks of life claims
our attention, we are better able to estimate his virtues at their true
value.
Such a one we meet with in the subject of this brief sketch. Miss Hannah
S. Shedd was born in Boston, February 5, 1826. The death of her father,
preceded as it was by the death of her mother, left her an orphan at the
age of eight years. She was the second of three surviving children by
their father's second marriage, all of whom were left in charge of a
half sister, who was the eldest of five children by a former marriage,
and who was all to them that a mother even could be.
One of the parents was an Episcopalian in sentiment, the other a
Universalist. The elder children were attendants upon Universalist
worship in the School street Church, while the younger attended one of
the Baptist churches of the city. Hannah, the subject of our sketch,
continued under the influence of Baptist doctrines and worship until
about fifteen years of age, when at her own earnest solicitation she was
permitted to attend the Universalist church, and become a member of the
School street Universalist Sunday school.
The influence upon her feelings of the change in regard to a place of
worship, was very marked. She was naturally inclined to religious
meditation and reflection, but was never satisfied with what she had
been accustomed to hear. Nor can she be regarded as singular, in this
respect. However true it may be that Christianity is adapted in its
simplicity to the susceptibilities of the young--and I believe this is
eminently true--it is equally true, that the ordinary partialist
interpretations of it are not thus adapted to their susceptibilities.
The young are not satisfied with these. The clearer their perceptions,
and the more comprehensive their thought, the greater is their
dissatisfaction. It was so with Hannah, even when but a child.
But when the hungerings of her soul found their appropriate aliment in
the ministrations of the venerable Hosea Ballou, then the sole pastor of
the church to which she turned for peace, the change was in the highest
degree salutary. Her satisfaction was very great. She also found great
pleasure in accompanying her eldest sister to the Rev. Mr. Streeter's
Friday evening meetings; and so highly did she prize these religious
privileges, that she could scarcely submit to be deprived of them for a
single evening or Sabbath without shedding tears.
Her natural amiability and generosity of disposition--a generosity
especially marked in her demeanor towards her eldest sister, who had
become a mother to her--made the Universalist interpretation of
Christianity to be to her indeed the "bread of life." Not only did she
seek for this spiritual nutriment in the regular ministrations of the
sanctuary and in the conference meeting, but she turned also to the
Sabbath school with the same fond devotion to Christian truth.
During the connection of the Rev. Mr. Soule with the School street
Society, he established a Bible class, of which Miss Shedd became one of
the earliest members. She has often spoken to the writer of this of the
great profit she was conscious of having derived therefrom. She was also
one of the earliest members of the class formed by the present junior
pastor of the Society, Rev. Mr. Miner, and in the discharge of her
duties in that capacity she showed uncommon clearness of perception, and
not a little vigor of thought.
At the age of fourteen she left school and took up the needle that she
might aid her sisters in gaining for the family an honorable
maintenance. She has been known to ply the needle with all diligence
till ten o'clock at night, and then turn to her Sunday school book to
make preparation for the Sabbath. If this is an example of too severe
application to toil, it shows at the same time a devotion to spiritual
culture in the highest degree commendable.
Strict integrity and a strong sense of justice characterized her even in
her childhood. A little circumstance bearing upon this point I will
relate. She had been to an apothecary's shop for some medicines, and on
reaching home found that she had received back more change than was due.
Of her own accord she proposed to return it, nor would she willingly
delay for a moment the performance of so manifest an act of justice. She
received from the apothecary the highest encomium, and a reward for her
integrity. In all her transactions she showed the same scrupulousness in
matters of right, and thus became a bright example for all children to
imitate.
She was not less remarkable for her obedience to the wishes of her
sister, than for her regard for justice. She not only obeyed, but obeyed
readily and cheerfully. And so sensible is that sister of her great
excellence in this respect, now that she has passed away, that she
cannot speak of her but with the deepest emotion.
She seemed to have very little power to bear disappointment. Her
feelings were very tender, and her sensibilities great. Disappointment,
therefore, brought the ready tear to her eye; and solicitous affection,
if possible, removed the pressure which had caused it. But some of the
later revelations of her life indicated rare ability to endure
disappointment, and to cherish hope even in the audience-chamber of
death. Thus will it appear in the end that her heart was full of
Christian confidence and holy trust.
In the course of June, 1850, it was observed by her friends that her
health was manifestly declining. She was advised to leave her employment
at once, and seek in relaxation and change of scene the reestablishment
of her health and the restoration of her accustomed vigor. Accordingly
accompanied by her brother, she spent some three weeks of the month of
July in various parts of Maine; but health did not come back to her.
Disease was too deeply seated to be beguiled away.
She returned to her home but to languish and die. When the news of her
mortal illness reached the Sabbath school, in which she had now been a
faithful and beloved teacher for about a year, it produced the most
intense interest and solicitude. All felt that a dearly beloved sister
had become the victim of the destroyer. That, however, which was a
source of unmingled grief in the beginning, became a sanctifying power
in the end.
When first informed that it was feared her disease would terminate
fatally, she betrayed the deepest emotion, with scarcely the utterance
of a word. Her natural sensibility made the weight upon her spirits seem
insupportable. But when the first shock was past and her powers had had
time to rally, she was found equal to the trial that awaited her. That
truth which she had long loved, and which had produced very little of
that Christian display by which the world judges, had wrought silently
but powerfully upon her understanding and her heart. It had begotten
hopes in a naturally hopeful spirit, stronger than death itself.
When her pastor from time to time spoke to her of the labors and
sacrifices of Christ, of the love of the Father and of the blessedness
of immortality, leading her sometimes to meditate upon the highest forms
of Christian truth, the smile of satisfaction that played upon her
countenance, showed not only that her powers were equal to the effort,
but that her heart was satisfied with its fruit.
Her disease, which was consumption, was of a very painful character,
especially as regarded difficulty of breathing. She was compelled to sit
up continually, almost to the hour of her death. Yet in the moment of
expected dissolution, so generous was her nature, her heart was yearning
for blessings on others rather than herself. At one time just before her
death she requested her pastor to remember in his prayer an absent
sister, that she might recover from a critical illness; and in one of
his last interviews with her, she desired him to "attend her funeral and
comfort her brothers and sisters, and especially that sister who had
been a mother to her." "_Oh, Hannah has always been a good girl_" burst
from the lips of that sister,--an involuntary tribute to cheerful, ready
obedience, and true excellence of heart. She had given some little
memento of affection to each of the family and friends, and enjoined
upon her brother, who still remains with the sisters, to "be sure and be
kind to them," when she quietly fell asleep.
Thus died an excellent young woman, Oct. 2d, 1850, aged 24 years and 8
months. The strength of her trust and the depth of her Christian
experience could be seen in her meek submission to suffering, in that
remarkable patience which allowed not a word of murmuring to escape her
lips through the whole progress of her disease, and which enabled her to
believe that every providence of God is ordered in perfect wisdom.
Humble in her outward position, her spiritual attainments were of the
most exalted character. The stores of excellence treasured in her heart
were made manifest in the hour of great trial, and the Christian
instruction to which she was accustomed to apply herself, begat the
holiest resignation and the most confident trust.
The fact that this good was in no small degree wrought in the Sabbath
school, should lead the Sabbath school teacher to understand the dignity
and importance of his office, the opportunities he enjoys for directing
the affections of the young heart, and the necessity of a large measure
of Christian attainment to qualify him for the successful discharge of
so great responsibilities. May the example of our departed sister be
sanctified to the good of all thus employed.