Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-02-02
From the Boston Recorder.
DEAF AND DUMB.
Extract Of letter from gentleman to
has friend in Boston.

ECtTdCt ~ teiJeT from gentleman to
has friend in Boston.
Dear Sir-Being on journey through
the state of Connecticut 4 few weeks since,
it providentially happened that l should
spend the Sabbath in Hartford attend
ed worship in the Rev. Mr.. Hawes' meet
ing house, where it was communion day.
In the course Of the morning services,
several candidates presented themselves
Tor admission in the church, among whom
was a young lady, pupil ia the Deaf
and Dumb Asylum. The scene was Pc
culiarly interesting. The Rev. Pastor
observed to the congregation, that the
case of Miss Fowler, the unfortunate can
didate before them, was SO peculiar, he
felt himself bound to state, that she had
for some time past manifested a strong
desire to unite with the church under his
care; that he had repeatedly examined
her with respect to her acquaintance with
lthe simple and important tfutds Of The
Bible; that she had ever given the most
satisfactory evidence, not only of her
knowledge of these truths, but also OF
their renewing and sanctifying influence
on her heart, and of the purity of her
motives in thus presenting herself to make
a public profession of religion /; that he
viewed this Instance of hopeful conversion
to be signal instance Of the interposition
of Providence in favour of the Asylum,
aud one that ought to call forth the Deep
est gratitude of all present. The connte-
nance of the candidate evidently discov-
cred that she deeply felt the solemnity Of
the occasion She came forward with
great composure, bowed her assent to the
covenant which had previously been ex-
planned to her, received the ordinance of
baptism, and then retired to her seat to
partake of the consecrated aliment, all 10
a manner fully evincive of realizing
sense of the solemn VOWS she had taken
upon her.
The scene was witnessed by large and
very respectable audience, who, together
with the companions of the candidate in
misfortune, were all deeply affected at a
sight SO novel and interesting. Never
did l see so many tears shed on such an
occasion. All felt abundantly rewarded
for all their prayers, and charities, and
labours, to build up this infant establish
ment.
While witnessing this most affecting
scene, could only regret that those, into
whose hands the Lord has committed much
of the silver and the gold, could not have
been present TO have had their hearts
melted with ours, and opened to contribute
of their abundance to provide the means
for the instruction and salvation Of hun.
dreds of our kindred and of our families,
Whose intellectual! and moral powers are
now chained 10 darkness. Little are the
public aware how many parents there are
around us, who have been called to weep
over the sou or daughter Of their hopes,
whose mind, by the hand Of nature or
disease, is for ever barred, as they have
supposed, from all Improvement in human
or divine knowledge. o that those to
whom God has given children perfect in
all their senses and faculties, would feel
for these parents, and cause their tears to
cease, by casting ia their mite to build up
an institution so wonderfully calculated to
raise these sons and daughters Of suffering,
to knowledge and usefulness in this world
aud immortal felicity in the world to come
By aiding in this benevolent object, We
surely are using the most efficient means
forthe Introduction of that happy period
when " the eyes Of the blind shall bs
opened, aud the ears Of the deaf shall b.
unstopped; when the lame man shall lear