h I was greatly attached
and could vie with almost any of my age."[1] He soon formed the habit
of studying the Bible and early made a profession of faith in the
Christian religion. While young he was baptized by the Reverend
Jonathan Huntington.

He quickly mastered the studies of the district school but he
struggled forward, becoming his own teacher and subjecting his mind to
unremitting and severe discipline. The scarcity of books was one of
the severest difficulties which he had to encounter. There was no
public library in the place. The Bible, Psalter, spelling-book, and
perhaps a volume or two of sermons, comprised the library of the
intellectual people of those towns. But says he: "I was constantly
inquiring after books, especially in theology. I was greatly pleased
with the writings of Watts and Doddridge, and with Young's _Night
Thoughts_. My good master encouraged me in the matter."[2]

There came a turning point in Haynes's life when in 1775 the excellent
and pious Mrs. Rose died. She had been more to him than an employer.
Adopting him as her own son in early infancy, she tenderly trained him
up to intellectual and Christian manhood. Speaking of this, Haynes
said: "Soon after I came of age, God was pleased to take my mistress
away, to my inexpressible sorrow. It caused me bitter mourning and
lamentation."[3] Prostrated thus, he sought relief from his affliction
in the service of the continental army.

Lemuel Haynes was a patriot of the Revolution. He early imbibed those
great principles respecting "the rights of man," in defense of which
the colonies fought Great Britain. In 1774 he enlisted as a minute
man. Under the regulations of this enlistment he was required to spend
one day in the week in manual exercises, and to hold himself in
readiness for actual service, but soon after the battle at Lexington
the following year he joined the regular army at Roxbury. The next
year he volunteered to join the expedition to Ticonderoga to expel the
enemy. Referring to this service in an address some years later Haynes
said: "Perhaps it is not ostentatious in the speaker to observe that
in early life he devoted all for the sake of freedom and independence,
and endured frequent campaigns in their defense, and has never viewed
the sacrifice too great. And should an attack be made on this sacred
ark, the poor remains of life would be devoted to its defense."

After the close of his northern campaign he returned to his f