"FEBRUARY, 1804.

"A new thing is on the wheel in the city of New York. A society
of ladies, organized for the purpose of relieving widows with small
children, was new in this country. It is now, by the blessing of God,
apparently established. It was entered upon with prayer; it has been
conducted thus far with prayer. The blessing of God has rested upon
it, and much good has been done by it. Some of us have looked long,
and requested of God to open a way by which the children of these
widows might be instructed and taught to read his word, and by his
blessing on it, come to the knowledge of the way of salvation. One
means has been attempted of an ordinary kind: twelve children were
last week placed at school with Mrs. L----, to be taught to read, and
some more are to be placed with another of our widows, for the same
purpose. But this indeed is new. A society of young ladies, the first
in rank in the city, in the very bloom of life, and full of its
prospects, engaged in those pleasures and amusements which tend to
engross the mind and shut out every idea unconnected with them, coming
forward and offering--not to contribute towards a school, but their
own personal attendance to instruct the ignorant, O Lord, prosper
their work. If this be of thee, it shall prosper, and be productive of
much good; but if thou bless not, it will come to nothing but shame.
No good can be done but by thee, for there is none good but One;' and
what are all thy creatures, but instruments in thy hand, by which thou
bringest to pass the purposes of thy will? _Christians_,
redeemed, enlightened, sanctified, are no more; thou workest all their
works in them; they themselves are thy workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which thou hast prepared, that they should walk
in them. Worldlings also are thy instruments: by them thou workest and
bringest to pass the counsels of thy will; thou puttest into their
heart the good thing which thou workest, and girdest them for the
purpose: though not the children of thy covenant, they are the
instruments of thy providence.

"O Lord, take up this matter; gird these young women to this very
purpose, and prosper them in the art of teaching these orphans of thy
providence. And Oh, Lord, hear my more important petition. I am not
worthy to be heard. O Lord, I am not worthy to be named in connection
with any good done by thee. I am the chief of sin