Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-09-21
A PURITAN WOMAN.
A DAIRY SHOWING DEEP AND HUM
BILE PIETY

1t Also Reveals Delightful Visions OF
Fcmininity-"An Edifyins Conversation
| With Brother Jonathan Last EVEN
| ing.
| Esther Edwards, the eldest daughter
of the Rev. Timothy Edwards of Wind
sor, Conn.,, and eldest sister of Jona-
| than Edwards, who is held by many
profound and critical scholars to be
the first intellect OF America, was
born Aug. 6, 1895, and died June IT,
1766. 1t is said that Timothy Edwards
had very tall daughters, ten in num-
Der, who were colloquially called his
sixty feet of daughters. She was mar
ried to Samuel Hopkins and came to
West Springfield in 1927, and froms
her girlhood in 1872 to the year ] II
she kept a diary which is still extant.
Little as it tells us about the times
in which she lived or the people among
whom she lived (even of her neigh
bors and intimate friends, about whom
everybody always loves to hear, the
diary gives some quaint and interest
ing revelations of herself. Although
carefully preserved, it is evidently
written in such simplicity of self-in-
trospection that she makes it clear
that she never had the thought Of its
ever meeting the eye of any other
person. 1t is almost wholly about her
| spiritual condition from-day to day
and quite frequently of changes occur
ring at different periods of the same
day.
her maidenhood was evidently
thoughtful as you may imagine from
the entry, Had a very edifying con-
versation with Brother Jonathan last
evening in the garden" Before her
marriage she well considered the
step. January IA, 1724, she writes:'
Much perplexed about settling in
life. Am told that the best thing I
can turn upon is the advice of par
ents'' On the following May l she
writes: "The time draws near when
1 must determine which of the two
gentlemen to proceed with" Eight
months later, in December, she says
she Committed the weighty affair Of
- - to God"
Here are extracts indicating COM
bination of saintliness with femininity,
which is just what men like and must
have won her many suitors. In 1925,
Sept. 9, she writes, Gods presence
considered sense of spiritual things. I
was also in the evening stirred up to
thankfulness by new garment" On
the 18th she writes, Had in the morn
ing the sweet influences of Gods
spirit, and so in the main in the fore
noon and first part of the afternoon and
then considerable deadness-just now
am some recovering" On the 18th,
Business SO urgent have not been
able to make any remarks these two
days-to-day comeliness- of person,
stirred up to bless God for that and
other Of his favors."
Again, years later, she entererd one
day, Thanked the Lord for more than
usual eomeliness of countenance.
In 1741 one days record only re-
ports herself as "a little quickened''
and on the next "Woe is me what dead
already" The next day she writes, |
Il went to Westf1eld, had more of |
Gods presence in conversation by the |
way and at private meeting than for |
some days past" When she went to |
Chicopee she found herself mot per-
fectly dull in morning and evening |
prayer nor by the way"
The chastising seriousness of the re- |
ligion of her day showed itself early |
and late in her life. Witness these |
records, 1725 (Sept. u, 81 was dead |
and dull yesterday" Q2th) ''Tempta-
tons of the DEVIL" (13th) Detected
until reading chap. of Lev" (20th) |
so exceedingly dull and senseless this
A NJ. do not know what to do" (22d) |
Looked to God and trusted in Him"
(Sabbath) livery confused, scottish, !
yerey confused indeed" |
She was very laconie In some
records one dAy pretty duh" and The !,