Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-07-15
HtNTItCtIFIFF., STT,
4ieaa Your friend and fellow citizen,
THOMAS III. BENTON
To Wade M. Johnson, Howard county,
Curious Incidents in the Life of Mrs.
Mowatt. .s.af.Y.,
From The Biography ,critten BY M Ho'cia.

From the Biography qcritteh6 by W. Hosch.
We must now relate little circumstance
which appears TO Us MS remarkable as any
which have gone before, and which proves
that the conscientious discharge of duty,
together with spirit of self sacrifice and
devotiun, form fhe basis of Mrs. Mowatt's
character. A singular cnanre hrnnght her
acquainted with a family of British emu
grants ofihe name of Grey, who, after bav
/ Ing gone through Il series of the most grew
Gus sutferings, were then literally perlshing
with hunger in that land of plenty. The
father was blind, and the mother, in an adj
lvanced stage of mortal malady, was unable
to support her family, which consisted Of
several children, the youngest about two
Years old. Mrs. Mowatt did not shrink
from the picture of al1ect, hopeless misery
before her; on the contrary, all that we
have heard of Sisters of Charity doing, was
done in this case by this angelic woman;
she clothed she fed, she comiorted them;
she difftlsed light amid darkness, hope amid
despair. Within month ofcach other the
parents died, and Mrs. Mowatt found three
Young orphans upon her hands, but she
neither relaxed in her charity, nor was dis7
mayed by the weight of responsibility Of
tnt 'iittt ~.
With the consent of her husband, who
had nobly co-operated in her works of
Christian love, they adopted the children. TO
whom, having no family Of their own, they
had becolae greatly attached. To do all
this, however, much self-sacrifice and self
denial was needed; but they had forttudc
enough for this; which is the sevcrcst trial
of the sincerity of charity as well rs of any
other virtuel For the sake of these, other
wise frieudless children; she was willing to
bear and TO exert herself, often beyond her
strength. Among other things, we may
mention that she made the clothes even Of
the boys, herself, and gave them all daily
instruction. How noble is such a woman!
Far more admirable was she making, with
her own hands, clothes for her orphans,
than il she bad remained the brightest orn-
ame M merely of wealth and fashion. Three
wears have passed since these excellent peo-
pie have become responsible 10 Tod ana
man for these orphan children, and so far,
this deed of Christianity has brought, and
promises yet TO bring, abundant blessings
The children are lovely IN person and dis
position. and devotedly attached to their
benefactors.
II was at this time that the works Of Mrs.
Bremer, through my Transitions, made
their way into America, aud afforded much
pleasure, and created as great sensation
rs they have done elsewhere, and must OF
necessity do, on their first introduction,
wherever sound moral sentiment forms the
foundation Of social life. In Mrs. Mowatt's
heart they met with the sincerest response;
for her mode Of action had long been franz
ed instinciiyely upon the principles adyoca-
ted and inculeaied by Mrs. Bremen. No
wonder. therefore, that she seized upon
them with the utmost avidity, and hence u
is her longest work evelyn" wFtten soon
after this period, is formed so entirely upon
the Bremen model. n this work, rs 10 tie
"Fortune Hnnter,1 the intelligent reader
will also become aware Of '1be Infusion Of
another and nobler spirit, even than ihat
Of Mrs. Bremer-fhe spirit OF Swedenbor-
eian theology, which Rad now been for
some time embraced by Mr.. and Mrs Now
att.
The history Of this conversation, u 80 u Z
may he called, Is not less extraordinary Than
bot we will hardly venture 20
communicate al we know, because the
world Is not vet prepared for the truths Of
spiritual life. 81 the important period 70
which we allude, period Of sickness AMI
deep trial, knowledge was obtained through
suifering,-eyery one of our dlyInest teach
err. which NJ once gave new tone AMI
new value 10 this world and the next. he
Young wife became, ~ IL we're, the teacher
Of Ihe husband, and a. ~ former days, be
had guided and totored her intellect, she