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MEMOIR 
 
 IBH^o S.MS'iSIilL] IlIEIS)ISllSr< 
 
 .^ 
 
 BY £1. O. COGSIVEIX. 
 
 \ 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY CROCKER & BREWSTER, 
 
 47 Washington Street. 
 
 1842. 
 
F4-4- 
 
 Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1842, 
 
 BY E. C. COGSWELL, 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of N. H. 
 
 Printed by A. Prescoit, > 
 Gilmanton, N. H. > 
 
TO 
 
 CHRISTIAN PASTORS 
 
 THIS MEMOIR 
 
 OF AN EMINENTLY DEVOUT AND FAITHFUL SERVANT 
 OF GOD, IS RESPECTFULLY AND AFFEC- 
 TIONATELY DEDICATED 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR. 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 tirement. The few scraps which have been 
 found are deeply interesting, and must serve 
 as a key to his whole character ; yet a 
 knowledge of the feehngs of his soul during 
 the successive days of bis long and eventful 
 life, would now be highly gratifying. But 
 incessantly engaged in active labors, he was 
 compelled to speak, rather than write, the 
 sentiments of his heart. 
 
 His correspondence also was limited, his 
 letters generally being of a confidential 
 character, so that few have been inserted 
 entire and but few extracts made. 
 
 The brief extracts v/hich are given from 
 his sermons, though highly interesting, must 
 fail to do him justice. They need the spar- 
 kle of his eye, his gushing tears and melt- 
 ings of soul. 
 
 The likeness prefixed to the volume has 
 been procured at great expense, the minia- 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 ture being first painted from a profile view 
 and verbal representations. The task was 
 difficult, but the result happy, though the 
 picture is not in all respects perfect. The 
 execution, however, both of the painting 
 and engraving, is fine and in most respects 
 strikingly conforms to the original. 
 
 If the jierusal of the following pages shall 
 afford the reader as much pleasure as the 
 writer has experienced in composing them, 
 his object will be obtained. The work was 
 not undertaken with the expectation of reap- 
 ing pecuniary reward or literary applause, 
 the Author being conscious that the state of 
 moneyed affairs would not warrant the for- 
 mer, nor his abilities the latter. 
 
 This memoir is a grateful and affectionate 
 tribute to the memory of a universally be- 
 loved, faithful and humble servant of Christ, 
 whose " name is still like a sweet savor 
 
VlJl PREFACE. 
 
 among the people of God." It is now com- 
 mended to the candor of the virtuous with 
 the devout hope, that it may conduce to 
 their spiritual benefit and with humble pray- 
 er to Almighty God, that He would smile 
 on the feeble effort of the Author and cause 
 it to advance the glory of his great Name. 
 Gilmanton, May, 1842. 
 
^ 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Birth — Parentage — Early thirst for knowledge — 
 Bound as an apprentice — Youthful ardor — Leaves his 
 master — Enlists in tiie Army — Returns home — Enlists 
 again — Stillwater — White Plains — Measles — Enlists 
 again — War-song — Enlists as a Privateer, - - 17 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Goes to Gilmanton — Teaches school — Rev. Mr. 
 Smith — Visits Dartmouth College — Prepares for Col- 
 lege — Religious impressions — Conversion — Humility 
 — Industry — Testimony of President Wheelock — Pe- 
 cuniary anxiety — Elasticity of mind — Reliance on God 
 —Christian boldness—Donaiions — Graduates - 39 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Tamworth — Charter — First Family — Second — 
 White inhabitants — Their hardships — Scarcity of 
 
XII CONTENTS. 
 
 bread — Wild animals — Sickness — Enterprise — Inter- 
 est in Religion — Petition — Participation in the War 
 — Interest in Education 64 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Mr. Hidden returns to Gilmanton — Studies Theolo- 
 gy — State of his mind — Doctrine of Free Grace — Ex- 
 tract of Mr. Smith's letter — Licensed — Call — Arrives 
 atTamworth — First Sabbath — Simplicity of the peo- 
 ple — Proposals for settlement — Accepts — Greatly 
 beloved 77 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The day of his ordination — Great Rock — The 
 
 Council — Church formed — Controversy Proceed 
 
 to the ordination — Extracts from letters — First church 
 meeting — The Sacrament — His marriage — Inter- 
 course with his people — Meeting-house Prayer- 
 meeting — Revival 96 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Revival — Extract of a letter — Change in his salary 
 - — Missionary tour — Revivals — Spotted fever — Cold 
 seasons — His interest in the sufferers - ■ - 121 
 
CONTENTS. Xlll 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Revivals — Protracted meetings — His influence — Os- 
 sipee — Sandwich -...----... 143 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 His interest in education — Knowledge of the clas- 
 sics — His interest in the young — His patriotism — 
 Benevolence — Familiarity with others — Cheerful- 
 ness - -- 174 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 His labors — Devotions — Writings — As a Speak- 
 er 211 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 His family — Letters — Strong faith — Interest in 
 the cause of temperance — His social character — Let- 
 ters 240 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Retrospect — His illness — Triumphant death 283 
 Appendix 326 
 
MEMOIR. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Birth — Parentage — Early thirst for knowl- 
 edge — Bound as an apprentice — Youth- 
 ful ardour — Leaves his master — Enlists 
 in the Army — Returns home — Enlists 
 again — Stillwater — TMiite Plains — 
 Measles — Enlists again — War song — 
 Enlists as a Privateer. 
 
 Samuel Hidden, the subject of the fol- 
 lowing sketch, was born at Rowley, Essex 
 County, Massachusetts, on the 22d day of 
 February, 1760. 
 
 He was the son of Price and Eunice Hid- 
 den, formerly Eunice Hodgskin, whose child- 
 ren were Samuel, the subject of this memoir 
 Mehitable, married to Mr. James Burnham 
 of Manchester, Ms., Eunice, married to Mr* 
 
18 MEMOIR OF 
 
 William Clark, formerly of Beverly, Mass., 
 afterwards removed to Tamworth ; Mrs. 
 Clark is still living in Bangor, Me.; Martha, 
 married to Mr. Joseph Kilborne of Rowley, 
 Ms., William Price, now living in Tamworth, 
 Betsey and Jonathan, who died young, and 
 Ephraim, who lived in Tamworth, and was 
 drowned in Bearcamp river, 1824. 
 
 His father was by trade a Combmaker, 
 and in indigent circumstances. His mother 
 was a pious woman and early taught him 
 the Assembly's Catechism and various parts 
 of the Scriptures, the historical portions of 
 which he read, when even a child, with great 
 interest. He early discovered a strong de- 
 sire for learning and improved every oppor- 
 tunity for acquiring a knowledge of those 
 branches of English education then taught 
 in common schools. 
 
 At the age of nine years, he was bound 
 to an Inn keeper, who was also a shoemaker 
 by trade, as an apprentice. He was found 
 very adroit in dealing out liquors and in at- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 19 
 
 tending to his master's interest. His master 
 was an austere, avaricious man, and afforded 
 him but few opportunities for mental im- 
 provement, and often required of him the 
 labor of a man. 
 
 Samuel was of a sanguine temperament 
 and lively imagination. He early laid plans 
 foi- future greatness, and gave intimations to 
 his master that he was not always to be un- 
 der his control. 
 
 The country was new and far-reaching in 
 every direction.. The spirit of enterprise 
 was widely diffused. Adventure was abroad, 
 and he who would, might make ^fortune. 
 Besides, his chivalrous soul was animated 
 with tales of valor. The ocean was infest- 
 ed with pirates and the Indians made depre- 
 dations upon the frontiers. The marines 
 were victorious and the militia were success- 
 ful. His mind was ardent, bold. He long- 
 ed for freedom. The confinement of the 
 shop and bar ill suited his active tempera- 
 ment. He resolved to seek his fortune far 
 
20 MEMOIR Oi* 
 
 from the scenes of his childhood, but was 
 prevented by the vigilance of his master and 
 the tender advice of his mother. He felt 
 bound to obey his parents in all things, and 
 a sense of his obligation to them was a 
 strong restraint upon his youthful passions. 
 The controversy between the colonies 
 and England arising, confinement was insuf- 
 ferable. B}^ the old militia law, every male 
 inhabitant, from sixteen years old to sixty, 
 was obliged to be provided with a musket 
 and bayonet, knapsack, cartridge-box, one 
 pound of powder, and twenty bullets and 
 twelve flints. In time of peace, these re- 
 quisitions were neglected, and the people in 
 general were not completely furnished. 
 Young Hidden entreated his master, at the 
 age of fifteen, to procure him the above 
 mentioned materials for service. Being re- 
 fused, he determined to procure them for 
 himself and by extra labor obtained means 
 for purchasing them. He immediately 
 showed them to his master, saying, " What 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 21 
 
 I have earned I can use. This shall make 
 the British dogs howl." That enthusiastic 
 patriotism which elevates the soul above all 
 considerations of interest or danger had now 
 become his ruling passion. 
 
 The year 1775, was the commencement 
 of that struggle which resulted in the inde- 
 pendence of the Colonies. The country 
 was alive with the bustle of preparation, and 
 in every countenance could be read the ex- 
 pectation of important transactions in which 
 all must participate. Independent compa- 
 nies were formed ; voluntary trainings were 
 frequent ; the old and the young, the rich 
 and the poor devoted their hours of amuse^ 
 ment and of leisure, to exercises calculated 
 to fit them to act a part in the anticipated 
 conflict. 
 
 None manifested greater zeal than young 
 Hidden. He had now arrived at the age of 
 sixteen. The whole country was in arms. 
 Charlestown was in ashes and the Battle of 
 Bunker's Hill had been faught ; the north* 
 
22 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ern frontier was awake to liberty ; the brave 
 and generous Montgomery had fallen and 
 disasters continued to discourage. But there 
 was no hope of reconciliation. The last 
 humble petition of Congress to the king had 
 been presented ; but their petitions had been 
 slighted ; their remonstrances had produced 
 additional violence and insult ; their suppli- 
 cations had been disregarded ; and they had 
 been spurned, with contempt, from the foot 
 of the throne. ' They had done every 
 thing that could be done, to avert the storm 
 which was coming on. And now an appeal 
 to arms, and to the God of hosts, was all 
 that was left them. They felt that there 
 was a just God, who presides over the des- 
 tinies of nations, and who would raise up 
 friends to fight their battles for them. That 
 the battle was not to the strong alone ; but 
 to the vigilant, the active, the brave.' Thus 
 circumstanced, the famous Declaration of 
 Independence was unanimously adopted in 
 Congress on the 4th of July, 1776, and 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 23 
 
 welcomed by the people with joy which was 
 displayed by extraordinary public festivals. 
 The watch word from Maine to Georgia, was 
 " Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, 
 I give my hand and my heart to this Dec- 
 laration." Every man was ready to say 
 with the patriotic John Adams, " All that I 
 have, and all that I am, and all that I hope, 
 in this life, I am now ready to stake upon it. 
 It is my living sentiment, and by the bless- 
 ing of God, it shall be my dying sentiment ; 
 independence now ; and independence for- 
 ever /" 
 
 While such was the feeling in the com- 
 munity generally, no wonder young Hidden 
 burned with patriotic zeal and resolved to 
 glory in the success of his country or die in 
 her defeat. He frankly communicated to 
 his master his resolution to leave him and 
 fight for his bleeding country. " To deal 
 out your liquors while others are dealing out 
 their blood for freedom is ignominious," 
 said he to his master who, at length finding 
 
24 MEMOIR OF 
 
 that the spirit of his apprentice was indomi- 
 table, unawed by threatenings and unseduc- 
 ed by promises, gave his reluctant consent. 
 
 Thus relieved from bondage he returned 
 to his parents and found them in great need 
 of his assistance. On leaving his master 
 he had resolved to enter the army immedi- 
 ately, but finding his parents destitute of the 
 comforts of life, brothers and sisters crying 
 for bread, he changed his plans and hired 
 with a man in his native town for six dollars 
 per month, and expended his wages for corn 
 at one dollar and fifty cents per bushel to 
 support the family. In the winter he labor- 
 ed at shoe-making for the same wages and 
 for the same object. 
 
 In May, 1777, at the age of seventeen, he 
 enlisted under Captain Johnson of Andover, 
 Massachusetts, whose father then command- 
 ed the regiment. He enlisted in this com- 
 pany of militia to serve two months. They 
 forthwith marched to Bristol, Rhode Island. 
 
 disaster had followed the American army 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 25 
 
 and reduced its number. But the brilliant 
 victories gained by Washington, at Trenton 
 and Princeton, raised from the lowest de- 
 pression, the spirits of the American people, 
 and many rallied around the standard of 
 Washington. 
 
 The company in which young Hidden 
 enlisted consisted of volunteers resoh^ed on 
 liberty or death. But as the seat of the 
 war was now removed to the south of Rhode 
 Island, they were not forced into any action 
 with the enemy, and orders were issued to 
 Col. Johnson to march with his regiment to 
 Bennington, Vt. to join that portion of the 
 army under Gen. Stark. 
 
 As Mr. Hidden's time of service for 
 which he enlisted had expired he returned 
 to Rowley ; but as inactivity ill suited his 
 nature, within four days of his return, he 
 again enlisted under Captain Benjamin Ad- 
 ams of Rowley, in the same Col. Johnson's 
 regiment, for four months. 
 
 The British were now concentratin«: a 
 
36 MEMOIR OF 
 
 large force about Lake Cbamplain, and 
 Burgoyne with his army was at Fort Ed- 
 ward which General Schuylor had just 
 evacuated. The American General, before 
 leaving Fort Edward, issued a proclamation 
 calling to his aid the militia of New-Eng- 
 land and New- York. Aroused by the dan- 
 ger multitudes obeyed his call. " Vermont 
 poured forth her daring Green Mountain 
 boys ; the other States of New-England their 
 hardy yeomanry, ardent in the cause of 
 freedom ; New- York, her valiant sons indig- 
 nant at the invasion of her territory, and 
 determined to protect their property from 
 pillage and destruction. These beset the 
 invaders on every side, impeding their pas- 
 sage, cutting off their supplies, and fatigu- 
 ing them by incessant attacks." Thus cir- 
 cumstanced, Burgoyne dispatched Colonel 
 Baum with five hundred Hessians to seize the 
 stores of provision at Bennington. With 
 this detachment. General Stark with a par- 
 ty of New-Hampshire militia, fought a fierce 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 27 
 
 and sanguinary battle on the 16th of Au- 
 gust, most of whom he either killed or took 
 prisoners. The prisoners he immediately 
 sent to Boston, whom Mr. Hidden on his 
 march to Bennington met at Northampton. 
 
 This decisive victory diffused confidence 
 and joy. The friends of independence, be- 
 fore depressed by disaster and defeat, were 
 now animated by the prospect, which sud- 
 denly burst upon them, of a glorious victory 
 over an arrogant and once dreaded enemy. 
 Again crowds of militia flocked to] the re- 
 publican camp. 
 
 The company in which Mr. Hidden en- 
 listed arrived at Bennington ; thence march- 
 ed to Manchester, where General Warner 
 took the command of the Brigade. From 
 Manchester they marched to Powlet and 
 joined Gen. St. Clair's division ; thence to 
 Castleton ; thence to Hubbardton ; thence 
 to Mount Independence, which is situated 
 on the strait through which the waters of 
 Lake George and East Bay flow into Lake 
 
28 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Champlain, in the north west part of the 
 town of Orwell, m Rutland County, Vt., 
 and opposite Ticonderoga. A vigorous 
 attack was made upon the fort in which, Mr. 
 Hidden bore his share of toil and suffering. 
 He remained here five days, and then they 
 returned to the head of the Lake by water. 
 They arrived at Stillwater on the 6th of 
 October, where Gen. Gates with Generals 
 Lincoln and Arnold had advanced. Bur- 
 goyne on the 17th of September, encamp- 
 ed near the American army. He was daily 
 puting his army into a more hazardous sit- 
 uation ; and it was determined that no ex- 
 ertion be wanting on the part of Americans 
 to complete the ruin of his boasted enter- 
 prise. 
 
 On the ISth of September, the first bat- 
 tle of Stillwater was fought. Both armies 
 fought with determined resolution. Night 
 put an end to the conflict. 
 
 Burgoyne pressed on all sides, resolved on 
 another battle. He made dispositions to 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 29 
 
 commence the action with the right wing 
 of his army, Gen. Gates made a sudden and 
 vigorous attack upon the left. This battle 
 X\^as furious, obstinate, and more bloody than 
 the other. Toward night the British gave 
 way. Darkness put an end to this action. 
 Gen. Gates endeavoring to surround Bur- 
 goyne, the latter retreated to the bights of 
 Saratoga pursued by the Americans. The 
 situation of the British troops was now dis- 
 tressing in the extreme, and Burgoyne, by 
 the unanimous advice of his principal ofR-* 
 cers on the 1 7th of October, surrendered 
 his whole army prisoners of war. During 
 one of these battles Adjutant Simpson, fa- 
 ther of Judge Simpson of New-Hampton, 
 receiving a bullet near his eye fell into the 
 arms of Mr. Hidden, and by him with the 
 aid of others was carried from the field of 
 battle. 
 
 Immediately after the surrender of Bur- 
 goyne's army, the regiment in which Mr. 
 Hidden served, with others marched to Al- 
 
30 MEMOIR OF 
 
 bany. They performed a march of forty 
 miles, and forded the Mohawk river, below 
 the falls, in the space of fourteen hours., 
 The design of this rapid movement was to. 
 check the progress of a detachment, com- 
 manded by the British General Clintoa ;; 
 who threatened Albany with the same de- 
 struction which he had spread in the coiMitry 
 below; but on hearing the fate of Bur- 
 goyne, he returned quietly to New- York. 
 
 Finding that the enemy had departed 
 Johnson's regiment proceeded to Newburgh, 
 thence to Tarry Town by water, and thence 
 to White Plains where Mr. Hidden was 
 seized with the measles. The season was 
 now inclement and he was thinly clad, and 
 sometimes obliged to sleep on the earth with 
 only a blanket for protection. Thus ex- 
 posed he narrowly escaped death. Frosm 
 the effects of the measles he never entirely 
 recovered. He lost in some measure the 
 use of his limbs. He received all the at- 
 tention it was possible to bestow under such 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 31 
 
 circumstances. He had greatly endeared 
 himself to his comrades in arms as well as 
 to his commanders. He was young, but 
 bold. No danger could intimidate. He was 
 fearless in battle and fought for liberty as 
 for life. But when sickness visited him he 
 felt the need of some friendly voice to cheer 
 and some kind hand to assist. A mother's 
 voice would then have sounded like music^ 
 and her presence been like an angel's visit. 
 This was the first time he had longed for 
 " sweet home." The stirring scenes of the 
 camp and battle field had given him no time 
 to think of the past. The present and the 
 future absorbed his mind. 
 
 Remaining here a few days, and the time 
 for which he enlisted having expired, he, 
 with most of the company in which he 
 served, returned home the last of November, 
 feeble and suffering with hunger. He re- 
 mained in Rowley, laboring to support his 
 father's family during the following winter 
 and spring of 1778. Count D'Estinghav- 
 
•52 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ing arrived with a French fleet to co-operate 
 with the American army, it was resolved to 
 regain those posts in Rhode Island then oc- 
 cupied by the British. Gen. Sullivan was 
 appointed to conduct the operations, who 
 called upon the militia of New-England, to 
 aid him in the enterprise. His army soon 
 amounted to ten thousand men. 
 
 Mr. Hidden could not remain at home 
 while others fought. In July, 1778, he 
 again enlisted in Captain Jonathan Kortus' 
 company in Col. Wade's regiment for four 
 months, and immediately marched to Rhode 
 Island. At Providence, he met the conti- 
 nental troops with Gens. Sullivan, LaFay- 
 ette. Glover and Green. On the ninth of 
 August, General Sullivan commenced the 
 siege of Newport. But unsupported by the 
 fleet, by an unforseen event, he was obliged 
 to withdraw, after several skirmishes and the 
 loss of some men. 
 
 Col. Wade's regiment spent the rest of 
 the four months in East Greenwich and 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 33 
 
 North Kingston. Mr. Hidden then return- 
 ed and labored with Mr. William Price of 
 Newburyport, to pay him a debt of his fath- 
 er's amounting to about one hundred dollars. 
 He continued here two years, until 1781. 
 
 jDuring this period, notwithstanding the 
 stirring scenes of war, and the necessity of 
 constant toil when at home, he did not neg- 
 lect mental culture. He had improved ev- 
 ery opportunity for acquiring the rudiments 
 of the English language. He usually spent 
 his evenings and sometimes entire nio;hts in 
 die study of the natural sciences and read- 
 ing history. He gave much attention to 
 vocal and instrumental music. He read with 
 deep interest poetry which so well suited 
 his lively imagination. 
 
 In the spring of 1781, he resolved again 
 to enlist in his country's cause. Ships own- 
 ed and manned by private individuals were 
 commissioned by the States to seize the 
 vessels of the British, and thus annoy their 
 commerce. In one of these vessels he re* 
 3 
 
34 MEMOIR OF 
 
 solved to ship. The spirit which animated 
 his youthful breast may be best perceived 
 by the perusal of a " War Song/' written 
 by him just before leaving on this expedition, 
 and dedicated to Miss Betsey Price, his 
 cousin, afterwards wife. 
 
 A WAR SONG. 
 
 Come all ye sons of temptest sted, come hark to war's 
 
 alarm ; 
 Leave sports and plays and holidays, and hark away 
 
 to arms ; 
 A soldier is a gentleman, his honor is his life, 
 And he that won't stand by his post, will ne'er stand 
 
 by his wife. 
 
 For love and honor are the same or else so well allied, 
 That neither can exist alone, but flourish side by side; 
 So fare ye well sweet-hearts awhile, ye smiling girls 
 
 adieu, 
 And when we have drove those dogs away, we'll kiss 
 
 it out with you. 
 
 The spring is up, the winter's gone, the fields are 
 
 green and gay, 
 And all inviting honor calls, away my boys, away; 
 To shady tents by cooling streams with hearts so firm 
 
 and free, 
 We'll toss the cares of life away, in songs of liberty. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 35 
 
 No foreign king shall give us laws nor British tyrants 
 
 reign, 
 For independence made us free, and independence 
 
 we'll maintain ; 
 We'll charge our foes from post to post, attack their 
 
 work and lines, 
 Or by some well laid stratagem, we'll make them all 
 
 Burgoynes. 
 
 And when the wars are over, boys, then down we'll 
 
 sit at ease ; 
 We'll plow, we'll sow, we'll reap, we'll mow and live 
 
 just as we please, 
 Each hearty lad shall take his lass, all shining like . a 
 
 star. 
 And in her softer arms, forget the dangers of the war. 
 
 The rising world shall eing of us a thousand years to 
 
 come. 
 And to their children's children tell the wonders we 
 
 have done ; 
 Come honest fellows here's my hand, my heart, my 
 
 very soul, 
 With all the songs of liberty, good fortune and the 
 
 bowl. 
 
 He enlisted to serve on board the ship, 
 Pilgrim, commanded by Captain Robinson, 
 carrying eighteen nine pounders and one 
 
36 MEMOIR OF 
 
 hundred and thirty men, commissioned by 
 the State of Massachusetts for eight months. 
 This vessel sailed from Beverly, and in a 
 few days fell in with the British Brig, Alfred^ 
 having sixteen guns and forty -one men, from 
 Liverpool. 
 
 The action was commenced on the part 
 of the Americans, and met with great obsti- 
 nacy on the part of the British. After a 
 struggle of one hour and a half, the British 
 Brig surrendered and was sent into Salem. 
 Mr. Hidden was sent in with the prize, 
 though the Pilgrim continued on the ocean 
 the time for which it was commissioned, and 
 was successful in several encounters. A 
 share of all the prizes he drew according to 
 the regulations of such v^essels. 
 
 On the 18th of October, Cornwallis sur- 
 rendered to Gen. Washington. The joy of 
 the people at this intelligence was unbound- 
 ed. ^ To the Giver of all good, they united 
 in rendering, with grateful hearts, thanks- 
 giving and praise for the decisive victory 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 37 
 
 which he had enabled them to gain. From 
 the nature and duration of the contest, the 
 affections of many had been so concentrated 
 upon their country, and so intense was their 
 interest in its fate, that the news of this 
 brilhant success produced the most raptur* 
 ous emotion.' Early in the spring of 1782, 
 pacific overtures were rnade to the Ameri^ 
 can government, and both nations desisted 
 from hostile measures. 
 
 The prosperity of the country began to 
 i*evive. Industry every where prevailed. 
 The young and the old addressed themselves 
 to the cultivation of the soil, and to 
 gaining a livelihood by other means of in- 
 dustry. 
 
 Hitherto Mr. Hidden had labored exclu- 
 sively for the support of his father's family, 
 and the freedom of his country. He had 
 bared his bosom to the dangers of a sangui- 
 nary war the most unnatural in the annals 
 of civilized nations, and prosecuted with a 
 barbarity on the part of the British most re« 
 
38 MEMOIR OF 
 
 volting to humanity. But the hardships of 
 war were at an end, peace and contentment 
 pervaded the people. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 39 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Goes to Gilmanton — Teaches school — Rev, 
 Mr. Smith — Visits Dartmouth College — 
 Prepares for College — Religious impres- 
 sions — Conversion — Humility — Industry 
 — Testimony of President JVheelock — 
 Pecuniary anxiety — Elasticity of mind 
 — Reliance on God — Christian boldness 
 — Donations — Graduates, 
 
 In 1783, Mr. Hidden went to Gilmanton, 
 New-Hampshire, and labored with Mr. 
 William Price, teaching school for the first 
 time during the winter. Notwithstanding 
 the nature of his employment and the un- 
 remitted attention to labor, his inextinguish- 
 able thirst for knowledge had led him to 
 qualify himself to teach in all those branches 
 o[ English education then usually taught. 
 
40 MEMOIR OF 
 
 He possessed a vigorous intellect. Without 
 an instructor, and with means the common- 
 est and rudest, he had become a prodigy as 
 a '^ school master. ^^ He greatly signalized 
 himself in this occupation. While teach- 
 ing day schools he also taught vocal music 
 in which he was without a rival in all that 
 region. He moreover often recited to Rev. 
 Mr. Smith, pastor of the Congregational 
 church in Gilmanton ; often walking five 
 miles for this purpose. He at once won 
 the esteem of his teacher, He soon became 
 acquainted with the families of Hons. Jo- 
 seph Badger and Thomas Cogswell, also 
 Gen. Joseph Badger, Jr. He taught schools 
 in their sections of the town ; also in their 
 houses and boarded in their families. They 
 deemed him a young man of a high order 
 of intellect and worthy esteem. He 
 was familiar with the history of the country, 
 ready to communicate, pleasing in manners, 
 kind, cheerful, enterprising, and promised 
 to niake a man of eminence. They con* 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 41 
 
 sidered liim a valuable appendage to iheir 
 families, and so completely captivated were 
 tliey as to deem him indispensable to their 
 enjoyment. The social visit was insipid 
 without his conversation to enliven and his 
 voice to cheer. He gave life to every en- 
 terprise. Their children were his pupils 
 and companions. They relieved his wants 
 and encouraged him in his employment. 
 
 He was unwearied in acts of kindness to 
 his parents, his brothers and sisters. The 
 avails of his industry were cheerfully devot- 
 ed to their comfort. Self was always for- 
 gotten when others needed. 
 
 Thus he continued to teach mostly in 
 Gilmanton, sometimes in other towns. In 
 1785, he was employed to teach at Gilman- 
 ton Centre. He resided in the family of 
 Gen. Joseph Badger, Junior, having for his 
 pupil and bed-fellow, William Badger, late 
 Governor of New-Hampshire. When the 
 school-money was expended they obtained 
 
42 MEMOIR OF 
 
 private schools. He also continued to teacli 
 with great success vocal music. 
 
 During this time, he was induced by Rev. 
 Mr. Smith, to attend Commencement at 
 Dartmouth College. This College com- 
 menced its operations in 1770, the first Com- 
 mencement being held the following year. 
 A deep interest w-as felt in its success 
 throughout the country. President Whee- 
 lock, its founder, had wisely conducted its 
 concerns and it was beginning to exert ex- 
 tensive influence in the cause of education 
 and piety. It was natural that any young 
 man of promising talents should be advised 
 to obtain a liberal education, and that many 
 should be disposed to assist such young men 
 as could be spared ; for at this time they 
 were few. As often as Mr. Smith sufjgest- 
 ed this course, Mr. Hidden remarked, there 
 were insuperable obstacles. He felt that 
 he was too far advanced in years and desti- 
 tute of the requisite means of support. 
 The former objection iMr. Smith could easi- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 43 
 
 ly remove by referring to himself as having 
 commenced study preparatory for college at 
 an advanced age, and the latter appeared 
 less formidable from the consideration that 
 he had wealthy friends in Gilmanton, who 
 would render aid. 
 
 He had often in imagination visited Dart- 
 mouth College in the forest and acted a 
 prominent part, but these were only castles 
 in the air that soon vanished. He now em- 
 braced an opportunity in company with Mr. 
 Smith, Mr. Eliphalet Wood of Loudon, Mr. 
 William Price and others, to visit this loved 
 retreat and witness the exercises of the Com- 
 mencement season. 
 
 A Commencement at College is admirably 
 adapted to awaken the latent energies of the 
 youthful mind. The sparkling eye, the 
 flush of youth, the countenance radiant with 
 joy, the bosom swelling with bright hopes, 
 the last greetings of classmates, the severing 
 of thousand ties, the tender meltings of 
 heart at leaving their Alma Mater, stir the 
 
44 MEMOIR OF 
 
 soul and provoke strong aspirations for a 
 participation in like scenes. 
 
 A mind like his must be deeply moved. 
 Naturally fond of learning and of ardent feel- 
 ings, laudably ambitious, active and ardent, 
 he returned resolved on his subsequent 
 course. He was delighted with what his 
 eye had seen and his ear heard. He soon 
 entered upon the study of the classics with 
 Mr. Smith, continuing in the mean time to 
 teach. He recited once a week regularly. 
 By his kind disposition, familiar manner of 
 communication and acquired knowledge of 
 the common branches of education, acquired 
 by redeeming t^me, he became a highly pop- 
 ular teacher. 
 
 In this employment he took great delight. 
 He spared no labor to prove useful to his 
 pupils. Besides the usual instruction he 
 formed a company of militia of young men, 
 whom he taught tactics. Many of these 
 now survive and remember him with the 
 liveliest emotions. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 45 
 
 His progress in the study of the classics 
 Was very rapid, and in September of 1787, 
 he entered Dartmouth Colleo-e, a2;ed twen- 
 ty-seven, having spent less than one year's 
 study in his preparatory course. He left a 
 large circle of warm friends who wished 
 him success and promised to welcome his 
 return. He carried with him his shoe mak- 
 ing instruments expecting by them to sup- 
 port himself in College in a great measure. 
 He is related to have expressed the most 
 enthusiastic joy on being presented, just be- 
 fore leaving Gilmanton, with several new 
 knives and awls by Gen. Badger, Junior, 
 which he procured at Portsmouth, and a 
 large quantity of bristles given him by his 
 pupils. It might have been foreseen from 
 Mr. Hidden's earliest displays of character, 
 that he was formed to be an instrument of 
 extensive evil or of eminent good. ' There 
 was a decision — a daring — an untameablc- 
 ness in the structure of his mind even when 
 a boy, combined with a tone of authority 
 
46 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and command, and a talent in the exercise 
 of these quahties, to which the minds of his 
 associates yielded an implicit subjection. 
 Fear of consequences never entered into his 
 view. Opposition, especially if accompa- 
 nied by any thing like severity or oppression, 
 awakened unrelenting resistance. Yet this 
 bold and untameable spirit was allied to a 
 noble and generous disposition. There was 
 a magnificence in his mind. His mind was 
 too noble, to have recourse to other means 
 or to aim at other ends, than those which 
 he avowed ; and too intrepid not to avow 
 those which he did entertain, so far as might 
 be required or expedient. Notwithstanding 
 this trait of character, he possessed a deep 
 sympathy-^a sympathy which sprung less 
 from that softness and sensibility which are 
 the ornament of the female, than from the 
 generosity of his disposition. He would 
 have all men happy, and it gratified his 
 generous nature to ease the burdens of sufFer- 
 Of his religious impressions we 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 47 
 
 have DOt hitherto spoken. Being early 
 taught the Scriptures of truth and educated 
 according to the customs of the Pilsfrims, 
 he was early the subject of religious impres- 
 sions. Conscience was often alarmed. A- 
 midst the scenes of the camp and battle 
 field he never forgot the presence of God. 
 He remarked that he always uttered men- 
 tally the Lord's prayer as he engaged with 
 the enemy. While at Gilmanton, he was 
 by all considered a strictly moral man, and 
 by many pious, though he made no profes- 
 sion of religion. Such was the state of hi? 
 mind that he always felt it his duty to pray 
 morning and evening in his schools. He 
 habituated himself to secret prayer. He 
 was sometimes deeply affected in view of 
 his lost condition as a sinner. He was like 
 the young man in the gospel nigh to the 
 kingdom of Godj but refused to enter. 
 
 When he entered College, as he often re- 
 marked, he '• hoped he should become pi- 
 ous." He felt called by a voice within to 
 
48 MEMOIR OF 
 
 do good. He resolved eventually to conse- 
 crate the powers of his mind to the service 
 of Christ. But so prone is man to defer 
 the work of repentance, he did not become 
 pious until his Sophomore year in College, 
 uniting with the church at Hanover, June 
 i^O, 1790. A revival was then enjoyed in 
 that institution, and he surrendered his heart 
 to Christ and enlisted all the energies of his 
 soul in the cause of his Redeemer.* His 
 
 * Rev. Ebenezer Price of Boscawen, his brotlier-in- 
 law, and three years companion in College, supposes 
 him to have been pious previous to his entrance into 
 College. After speaking of the motive which induced 
 him to obtain a liberal education, he remarks : '• This 
 opinion, however, supposes a change of heart ; when 
 that change took place, I have not had the means of 
 knowing. It is true, he made public profession of re- 
 ligion after he entered College. Audit is also true, 
 that he had for years previous to his College life, in 
 the view of his intimate friends sustained not anly a 
 fair moral character, but furnished strong evidences of 
 Christian feeling and conduct. That was done by hia 
 uniform attachment to the institutions and truths of 
 the gospel — by his constant and conscientious? attend- 
 ance upon sanctuary worship as he had opportunity — '■ 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 49 
 
 spiritual joy was unbounded though he was 
 humbled in the dust. His humility was a 
 
 by his veneration of the truly religions and his delight 
 in their company. Furthermore, from the commence- 
 ment of his school keeping, he invariably began and 
 ended each day with prayer ; and as occasion requir- 
 ed he conversed in school and in young company upon 
 the subject of religion, administering Christian re- 
 proof when called for with faithfulness and aflection ; 
 leaving the impression upon young and old, that he 
 was in the sincerity of his heart the fritnd of God. 
 
 I therefore suppose, my view of Mr. Hidden is vir- 
 tually the same with that of his numerous friends at 
 Gilmanton, that he had experienced the renewing 
 grace of God years before entering College ; but then 
 in the revival his hope was confirmed and his duty so 
 forcibly impressed that he could no longer refrain from 
 uniting with the church of Christ. Though associated 
 with the most pious and engaged Christians in and out 
 of College, he was essentially the same thoughtful, cir- 
 cumspect man of God, who had for years been our 
 companion and friend. 
 
 I will but add, that this last thought sufliciently ex- 
 hibits the exalted motire which fixed his choice and 
 made intense labor easy in securing a College educa- 
 cation, viz. the ministry of reconciliation." 
 
 The above is confirmed by several letters written 
 before he entered College, which hovrever were un^ 
 
 4 
 
50 MEMOIR OF 
 
 prominent characteristic. * It was not that 
 humihty which debases itself that it may be 
 exalted, and which is offended if its profes- 
 sions be believed ; but the humility which 
 arose from abiding and growing conviction 
 of his infinite distance from the standard of 
 perfection, from God, and a neglect of those 
 means which he had enjoyed for approach- 
 ing that standard. It led him to feel dissat- 
 isfied with every thing he had done and to 
 feel his own insignificance in comparison 
 with others. It led him to acknowledge 
 the worth of others.' He had an unfeira- 
 
 o 
 
 ed regard for worth wherever it was found. 
 He loved whatever God had made. 
 
 After his conversion he immediately re- 
 solved to devote himself to the Christian 
 ministry. He grew rapidly in grace and in 
 the knowledtre of God. All the feelings of 
 his nature were enlisted in the work of sav- 
 
 derstood to have been written as mere literary efforts. 
 It is certain that he had no confidence in any hope en- 
 tertained previous to liis Sophomore year in College. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 51 
 
 iiig men. He exhorted, with great ferven- 
 cy, his former associates and acquaintances, 
 to embrace that Saviour now so precious to 
 his soul. 
 
 On entering College he was almost desti- 
 tute of money. He devoted every leisure 
 moment to shoemaking and teaching vocal 
 music. Hitherto the science of music had 
 been greatly neglected in that institution. 
 In fact no singing school had ever been 
 taught in that place. His musical talents 
 soon gained him much notoriety. He was 
 immediately employed to impart instruction 
 and was thereby enabled to defray a part of 
 his expenses. 
 
 President Wheelock one day found him 
 making a pair of shoes. At which Mr. Hid- 
 den discovered some little mortification. 
 But the President told him he had no occa- 
 sion to be disconcerted, and that for the fu- 
 ture he would employ him to supply him- 
 self and family. Being thus encouraged he 
 
52 MEMOtR OF 
 
 no longer worked clandestinly : but labored 
 whenever opportunity was presented. 
 
 He would often labor while his classmates 
 slept. When reading was his business some 
 classmate would read aloud while he worked. 
 This was done partly because, sometimes he 
 could earn a little thereby and at others be- 
 cause he could benefit some indigent class- 
 mate, or friend, by thus working for him 
 with the awl and hammer while he read au- 
 dibly for his benefit. Many an hour did he 
 thus benevolently labor. Benevolence gave 
 character to his every action. 
 
 At the commencement of his second year, 
 he and Mr. Ebenezer Price of Gilmanton, 
 then about to enter College, afterwards set- 
 tled in Boscawen, drove a cow to Hanover, 
 subsisting upon milk on their journey thither 
 and when there. This lessened their expen- 
 ses and was considered highly commenda- 
 ble. 
 
 He often received valuable donations from 
 friends in money and clothing. Visiting 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 53 
 
 some acquaintances in Exeter during a vaca- 
 tion, a gentleman with whom he tarried ask-r 
 ed him the evening before leaving for Dart- 
 mouth College, if he would carry a large 
 pack upon his back to Hanover if he would 
 present him one ? Mr. Hidden assured him 
 he should be grateful for any thing he might 
 give. The next morning the gentleman car- 
 ried him in his carriage to Brentwood, and 
 gave him a large pack of clothes which he 
 did not examine until he arrived at Hanover. 
 On opening it, to his great joy he found three 
 suits of clothes but little worn, and many 
 other valuable articles. Calling to his room 
 some of his fellow students in as needy cirr 
 cumstances as himself, he generously distribr 
 uted a large share of his goods to them 
 Freely receiving he freely gave. He often 
 remarked that this bundle of clothing, 
 though it cost him much labor to carry it 
 upon his back so far, " was the most gratify- 
 ing gift he ever received, for it relieved the 
 pecessities of so fnany." 
 
54 MEMOIR OF 
 
 He was also allowed to be absent occa- 
 sionally to teach. The following I shall 
 here insert not only to substantiate this fact, 
 but to show in what estimation he was held 
 by the President of the College. 
 
 " This certifies, that the bearer, Samuel 
 Hidden, is a member in regular standing 
 with the Junior Class of this University. 
 He is a young gentleman of talents, of un» 
 blemished moral character, and of respecta- 
 ble acquirements in literature for his station. 
 As his circumstances render it necessary for 
 him to be absent a few months ; and to un- 
 dertake in the instruction of a school during 
 that time, he is hereby most sincerely and 
 cheerfully recommended for that employ- 
 ment to the friendly notice and considera- 
 tion of the wise and good. 
 
 Given under my hand at Dartmouth, he. 
 this 14th day of July, 1790. 
 
 J. Wheelock, President^' 
 
 Thus it is obvious he sustained a fair rep- 
 utation for scholarship and was highly 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 55 
 
 esteemed. It may naturally be asked how 
 he so well sustained himself as a scholar, or 
 how his mental habits, and especially the 
 rapidity of his intellectual operations, can be 
 accounted for. ' A partial answer may be 
 found in the fact that his time was divided 
 between labor and study. And moreover 
 whatever might be his employment he en- 
 gaged in it with cheerfulness and prosecuted 
 it with fidelity. The ruling passion of his 
 soul was thirst for knowledge. This he 
 sought to quench, or rather to cherish, by 
 resorting to his book at every interval from 
 toil, however short, when he tasked his 
 mind to the utmost of his power, intent on 
 making the greatest possible acquisition in 
 a given time. His mind, though strung up 
 to the highest pitch of exertion at those 
 seasons, suffered no injury thereby, as it was 
 soon diverted from its employment by a call 
 to labor ; and every repetition of the pro- 
 cess extended its capability and power. 
 The acquisitions, in this way obtained, fur- 
 
56 MEMOIR OF 
 
 nished materials on which to employ his 
 thoughts while engaged in manual labor, 
 which he would not fail to digest and lay 
 up in store for future use, — a voluntary dis- 
 cipline of most auspicious influence, as it 
 respects the faculty of acquiring knowledge, 
 and the power of retaining it.' Thus his 
 intellectual powers acquired unusual vigor 
 and elasticity. He possessed a wonderful 
 versatility of mind. These characterized 
 him in subsequent life. 
 
 He often remarked that his pecuniary em- 
 barrassments occasioned him great anxiety, 
 so much as at times unfit him for study. It 
 was not so popular then for young men to 
 live on cred^it as now. This destructive 
 practice was then but little known, and we 
 would it never had been ; for it crushes the 
 intellect and blunts the moral feelings. Of 
 all the galling miseries that a young man of 
 sensibilities is heir to, the most intolerable, 
 the most debasing, the most corroding to the 
 jieart, the most destructive to the mind, is 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 57 
 
 the consciousness of debt without the means 
 of payment. ' Oh ! what days of humilia- 
 tion, what nights of nervous wakefulness, or 
 else of dreaming horror does he abide on whoso 
 oppressed spirit, is laid the load of payments 
 he cannot meet, of obligations he cannot 
 cancel. For him, though the sun shines 
 abroad, there is no beauty in his beams. 
 The earth is clothed with verdure, and a 
 thousand odorous flowers are scattered in his 
 path. He heeds them not ; their perfume is 
 wasted on him. The moon rides in liquid 
 lustre, and the myriad stars break forth in 
 light, and the whole heaven is clothed with 
 exceeding glory ; but there is darkness iu 
 his soul no light can penetrate — a grief at 
 his heart, no beauties of nature can assuage. 
 His energies are dead ; they fester beneath 
 the pall of despair.' No, there is no killing 
 like that of consciousness of inability to 
 meet demands. 
 
 Notwithstanding to endure this be a pain- 
 ful and bitter task, ' it has sometimes hs re- 
 
58 MEMOIR or 
 
 demption. There are some whom the light- 
 ning of fortune blasts, only to render holy. 
 Amidst all that humbles and scathes — 
 amidst all that shatters from their life its ver- 
 dure, smites to the dust the pomp and sum- 
 mit of their pride, and in the very heart of 
 existence writes a sudden and " strange de- 
 feature," they stand erect, riven, not up- 
 rooted, a monument less of pity than of 
 awe. There are those who, exalted by a 
 spirit above all casualty and wo, seem to 
 throw over the most degrading circumstan- 
 ces a halo of an innate and consecrating 
 power ; the very things, which seen alone 
 are despicable and vile, associated with them, 
 become almost venerable and divine ; and 
 some portion, however dim and feeble, of 
 that intense holiness which, in the Infant 
 God, shed majesty over the manger and the 
 straw^, is not denied to those who, in the 
 depth of affliction, cherish the angel virtue 
 at their hearts, and fling over the meanest lo- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 59 
 
 calities of earth an emination from the glo- 
 ry of heaven.' 
 
 It is in this latter condition, Mr. Hidden 
 presents himself. His mind was elastic. It 
 could not be wholly crushed. It dispersed 
 the clouds, and, like the sun, when the fog is 
 past, was stronger in its course and more 
 piercing in its rays. 
 
 " The beings of the mind are not of clay ; 
 Essentially immortal they create, 
 And multiply in us a brighter ray 
 And more beloved existence." 
 
 Though he was at times depressed, his 
 energies rallied. He raised his eye to 
 heaven, and saw the hand of God in his 
 affliction. He rose in the native dignity of 
 man and felt that, if he were depressed with 
 poverty whose iron hand laid rudely and 
 heavily upon him, he might take courage. 
 Mighty ones had been his predecessors and 
 had withstood the current of opposition that 
 threatened to overthrow their frail bark. 
 
 He had a practical reliance on Provi- 
 
so MEMOIR OF 
 
 dence in all the most minute and seemingly 
 indifferent affairs of his life. He was em- 
 phatically, to use his own expression, " a 
 pupil of signs" — ' waiting for and follow- 
 ing the leadings and openings of divine 
 providence in his affairs. His faith in God 
 was unwavering. This divine principle 
 quite realized and substantiated to him the 
 things which are not seen and eternal. It 
 was like another sense. The things of time 
 were nothing. Every thing that came be- 
 fore him was referred to a spiritual standard. 
 His one great object was fixed, and this ob^ 
 ject engrossed his whole soul. Here his 
 foot stood immovable, as on a rock. His 
 hold on the truths of the Scriptures was so 
 firm, that he acted on them boldly and un- 
 reservedly. He went all lengths, and risk- 
 ed all consequences, on the word and prom- 
 ise of God.' He had no misgivings. 
 
 He had resolved to consecrate all he pos- 
 sessed to the service of Christ. Therefore 
 poverty could not intimidate him, ^ The 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 61 
 
 world in arms would not have appalled him, 
 while the glory of Christ was in view. 
 Nor would he have hesitated for a moment, 
 after he had given to nature her just tribute 
 of feeling and of tears, to go forth from his 
 friends and join " the noble army of mar- 
 tyrs" who expired in the flames, had the 
 honor of his Master called him to this sac- 
 rifice ; nor would his knees have trembled, 
 nor his look changed.' 
 
 Thus relying upon God for support, and 
 resolved to do his will, he visited Gilmanton. 
 just before graduating, destitute of money 
 and poorly clad besides being to some ex- 
 tent in debt. He was about to return, and, 
 being at Gen. Badger's, the elder, who said 
 to him, " Samuel, where do you expect to 
 obtain your guinea ?" which was then the 
 fee for Diploma ; " I do not know, sir," 
 he replied. The General then requested 
 his daughter *' to bring from the desk a 
 guinea for Samuel to pay the President for 
 his Diploma." 
 
6:2 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Immediately after, calling at the house of 
 the Hon. Thomas Cogswell, the Judge said 
 to him, " Well Samuel you are about to 
 graduate and I. suppose you will have some 
 small bills to pay ; perhaps this won't do 
 you any hurt," and put into his hands twen- 
 ty dollars. 
 
 He was also presented by Mrs. Cogs- 
 well, Smith and Badger, wife of the younger 
 Badger, with a suit of new clothes and val- 
 uable linens suitable for Commencement. 
 Thus he returned to receive the honors of 
 the College, laden with the rich experience 
 of God's goodness. These expressions of 
 kindness awakened the liveliest gratitude to 
 the Giver of every mercy and tended to 
 strengthen his faith in his promises. 
 
 He graduated August •24th, 1791, full of 
 zeal in his Master's cause. His bosom 
 swelled with hope ; his heart beat high. It 
 is true College life is a little ' dream of hu- 
 man passions and human infirmity to many 
 voun": men. It is the same eternal tract of 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 63 
 
 disappointment, over which folly vaults and 
 ambition staggers — a record of youthful 
 happiness written on a summer's leaf, it 
 glitters for a moment and iiides away be- 
 neath the spirit which freshens it into beau- 
 ty. It is a miniature arena in which human 
 life first disports its vices, its hopes, and its 
 imaginings — and if no other knowledge be 
 acquired, the collegian can look with pride 
 on his acquaintance with the world, its fol- 
 lies and its pleasures, and hug to his bosom 
 that kernel of truth which has been wrest- 
 ed from the hard husks of disappointment.' 
 But it had been more than this to him. He 
 had learned to look far down into his own 
 heart. He had learned the chief end of 
 life. College life had been to him no youth- 
 ful dream but a reality, stern yet joyful. 
 He had struggled with poverty ; yet he had 
 been made rich. God had wonderfully pro- 
 vided for his wants and crowned his efforts 
 with great success. He resolved that God 
 should have all the glory. 
 
64 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Tmmvo rth — Charter — First family — Sec- 
 ond — White inhabitants — Their hard- 
 ships — Scarcity of bread — Wild animals 
 — Sickness — Enterprise — Interest in re- 
 ligion — Petition — Partcipation in the 
 War — Interest in Education. 
 
 As the history of Tamworth is identified 
 with that of Mr. Hidden after his settlement, 
 a sketch of its early incidents seems indispen- 
 sable ; and though it be local in its nature, 
 it cannot fail to interest the general reader. 
 
 The charter of Tamworth was granted 
 1766, under the Provincial government, in 
 the sixth year of " the reign" of Gov. Ben- 
 ning Wentworth, under George the Third. 
 Col. Jonathan Moulton was the original 
 Proprietor of the town, he having presented 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 65 
 
 Gov. Wentworth with the names of fifty- 
 two men who were the Grantees. " One 
 share," or four hundred and fifty acres, was 
 reserved for the Governor — " One share for 
 the Society for the propagation of the gos^ 
 pel in foreign parts ;" " One share for the 
 Church of England ;" " One share for the 
 first settled minister of the gospel ; and an* 
 other for the benefit of a school "in said 
 town forever." 
 
 The town, owing to the difficulties of the 
 times, however, was not settled until 1776, 
 the first town meeting being held on the 
 second day of July, 1777. At which meet- 
 ing Ephraim Hackett was chosen Modera- 
 tor, Timothy Header Town Clerk, John 
 Fowler, Bradbury Jewell and William 
 Eastman Selectmen. Other town officers 
 were also chosen. This meeting was held 
 at the dwelling house of Mr. Ephraim Hack- 
 ett. 
 
 The first family of whom the whites had 
 any knowledge was that of one Sabatis, an 
 
66 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Indian, having a wife and five children. 
 He was known to men in Sandwich and 
 Mouhonborough, and gave a flattering des- 
 cription of this then unexplored tract of land. 
 
 The second family was half Indian — the 
 mother being a native of Canterbury, whose 
 aifectionshad been won by the dusky inhab- 
 itant of the forest. Her name is now forgot- 
 ten, but it is remembered to have been relat- 
 ed that she possessed a tall, elegant figure, 
 dark eyes and unrivalled beauty of expres- 
 sion. Though strenuously opposed by 
 her fond parents, she resolved to link her 
 destiny with one who loved to wander 
 amidst the solemn grandeur of nature. This 
 family pitched their tent on the land near 
 where Nath'el Hubbard's house now stands. 
 They there planted apple seeds from which 
 several trees sprang, two or three of which 
 are now living 
 
 There were other Indians in various parts 
 of the town of whom nothing is definitely 
 known ; as soon however as settlements 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 67 
 
 were made by white men most of them to- 
 gether with the two families above mention-r 
 ed removed to the Androscoggin River. 
 
 The first white man who settled in this 
 town was Mr. Mark Jewell, (1772) whose 
 father resided in Sandwich. He settled on 
 what is now called Stevenson's Hill, remov- 
 ing about six years after to what is called 
 Birch Interval. Mr. Jewell is now living 
 (1842) in comparatively good health, aged 
 about 89. His mental faculties retain an 
 unusual degree of vigor. He was married 
 to Ruth Vittum of Sandwich, 1776, by 
 Esquire Beedy. Soon after Mr. Jewell's 
 settlement in Tam worth, he was followed 
 by his brother, Bradbury Jewell and Mr. Da^ 
 vid Philbrick, the latter of whom was killed 
 by the fall of a tree, leaving a wife and six 
 children to mourn his loss. He settled on 
 what is called the River road. About this 
 lime several other families settled near Bear- 
 camp River and in various other parts of 
 the town* 
 
68 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Thus the town wds settled by a few har- 
 dy pioneers. The families were few and 
 remote from each other. Their sufferings 
 were indescribable. They lived in contin- 
 ual anxiety. The Indian lurked in every 
 hiding place ready to wreak his revenge on 
 the helpless and unoffending. The land 
 was pathless — they found their way from 
 one settlement to another by spotted trees^ 
 over steep hills and almost impassable 
 swamps. The only road into the town was 
 through Sandwich and Moultonborough ; 
 thence to Tuftonborough and Dover. They 
 were obliged to perform the labor now as- 
 signed the ox and the horse, for these were 
 rarely seen. The land was covered w4th a 
 growth of sturdy trees. The winters were 
 long and severe ; the snows fell in great 
 quantities and the frost came early to blast 
 the fruits of their labor. 
 
 Their corn thus cut off, they were obhg- 
 ed to procure provisions at great expense 
 and at a great distance. They often car- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 69 
 
 ried on their backs, or on hand sleighs, com 
 and other grains from GiUnanton and Can- 
 terbury. One man, unable to procure bread 
 for his wife and seven children, and believ> 
 ing they must perish with hunger, left home 
 in pursuit of com, resolving that he would 
 never return destitute. He could not sec 
 the wife of his bosom and children of his 
 warm affections, die with famine. As he 
 left, he gave them a warm embrace, saying 
 that " God would provide." He arrived at 
 Gilmanton, wearied and oppressed, destitute 
 of money and means of obtaining food for 
 his perishing family. But through the kind* 
 ness of friends he was provided with two 
 bushels of com with which he returned with 
 incredible speed. He found his family all 
 alive but suffering with excruciating hunger. 
 They found access to the contents of the 
 bag and attempted to supply the demands 
 of nature with the dry meal. Often were 
 families reduced to live on the smallest allow- 
 aaqe of bread and lay down at night desiring 
 
to MEMOIR OF 
 
 death. One woman, having put her child^ 
 ren into their beds, went to her neighbor, 
 Col. Mason, and said, " I have put my 
 children to bed to die ;" but God preserved 
 them. 
 
 In addition to this they were in constant 
 fear of ferocious beasts. The wolf prowled 
 about their dwellings by night ; the cata- 
 mount watched for prey ; the wild-cat lurk- 
 ed by the foot path and the bear watched 
 in the thicket. Domestic animals were 
 seized— children terrified and mothers driv- 
 en frantic. 
 
 Moreover, sickness prevailed ; the mother 
 might be seen watching by the bedside of 
 the sick by day and by night and at last 
 closing the eyes of a beloved son, or dutiful 
 daughter ; single families performing the 
 last sad offices to the dead with none to 
 mingle a tear, or sooth the anguish of be- 
 reavement. 
 
 Notwithstanding all these embarrassments, 
 the hardy sons of Tamworth stood, like the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 71 
 
 trees of centuries that overshadowed them, 
 shaken, but not uprooted. They braved ev- 
 ery danger ; endured every hardship, rely- 
 ing on the God of their life. " Stern men 
 were they and true." They never lost sight 
 of their great interests : the trees were fell- 
 ed ; roads were early constructed, and 
 bridges built. As early as Jan. 24, 1778, 
 at a Town Meeting it was voted to build 
 two bridges over Bearcamp river ; one at 
 the easterly end of the town and the other 
 at the west. A committee was- chosen to 
 carry into effect this vote, also solicit " the 
 Proprietor's assistance therein." 
 
 These men, having early known the val- 
 ue of the gospel, earnestly desired the stated 
 means of grace. Up to 1778, they had 
 enjoyed preaching occasionally. Rev. Josh- 
 ua Nickerson from Cape Cod was the first 
 man who preached north of the Lake Win- 
 nepisiogee. He preached in Moultonbo- 
 rough, Sandwich and Tamworth. He iden- 
 tified himself with no sect, but was esteem- 
 
72 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ed a very pious man. He was of great 
 service to the early inhabitants in sustaining 
 a lively interest in the cause of religion. It 
 would seem that he had designed to be set- 
 tled as the first Minister of the town ; since 
 an article was inserted in the warrant for the 
 annual Town Meeting in 1778, " to see if 
 the town would settle Joshua Nickerson as 
 Minister of the town, or otherwise employ 
 him." But they unanimously refused to 
 settle or in any way employ him. The 
 following petition to the Proprietor drawn 
 up at this meeting will show the true state 
 of their feelings. After some preliminary 
 remarks, the petition proceeds thus : 
 
 " The Petition of the Inhabitants of said 
 Tam worth humbly showeth, that we, your 
 Petitioners, ever since our settlement have 
 here had in view the settlement of the Gos- 
 pel Ministry among us whenever our cir- 
 cumstances and the situation of the Town 
 would admit of it. But our own inability 
 and fewness in number, which we impute to 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 73 
 
 the difficulties of the times, have hitherto 
 prevented our obtaining any regular preach- 
 ing of the Gospel among us. The same 
 difficulties remaining will doubtless prevent 
 our immediate increase, so that we cannot 
 expect a settled Ministry, at least till the 
 War subsides ; yet as it is our duty howev- 
 er small in number, or embarrassed with the 
 cares of life, not to sink into a supine state 
 in respect to the means of Religion, so we 
 have a sincere desire to make all the provi- 
 sion, in our power for hiring of preaching 
 here for a season, and beg leave to lay our 
 circumstances before you and beg you would 
 consider our peculiar situation and incapac- 
 ity of ourselves to provide a preacher for 
 any term of time, and pray your kind help 
 and donation towards hiring preaching for 
 any time you may think proper ; at the 
 same time assuring you we shall ever be 
 ready to aid and assist in the accomplish- 
 ment of the full and regular settlement of 
 
74 MEMOIR OF 
 
 your Township. And your Petitioners as 
 in duty bound, shall ever pray." 
 
 The above petition was favorably receiv- 
 ed, but. owing to the peculiar circumstances 
 of the times, they failed to procure preaching 
 for many years. The War with England 
 then prevailed and men's hearts failed them, 
 for fear of those things about to come upon 
 them. The town was frequently called up- 
 on to furnish its quota of men for the conti- 
 nental Army, which occasioned great dis- 
 tress among the inhabitants. In 1777, four 
 men enlisted. Mr. Moses Head was the first. 
 He left a wife and several children to pro- 
 vide for themselves. As he was going out 
 of the town he called on Col. Mason and 
 with great agitation said to him, " Sir, I have 
 taken the last look of my dear wife and 
 children ; I go to die for my country dearer 
 than all else. I pray you be kind to them." 
 He soon fell a victim to the merciless tyran- 
 ny of England. In the same year Abial 
 and Phineas Stevens and Isaac Head enlisted 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 75 
 
 and died in the cause of their bleeding coun- 
 try. Others after having fought for liberty 
 returned to the bosom of their families to en- 
 joy the fruits of their toils. 
 
 Under the pressure of all these calamities 
 they did not neglect the education of their 
 children. These were taught by their moth- 
 ers at the fireside. The Catechism was ear- 
 ly committed to memory as well as portions 
 of the sacred Scriptures. They were 
 taught to respect their superiors and to rev- 
 erence God. They availed themselves of 
 such other instruction as could be obtained. 
 As early as 1782, at a Town Meeting it 
 was voted to build two school houses — one 
 near where Mr. Jabez Page's house now 
 stands, and the other near the house of Mr. 
 Henry Remick. The first school master 
 was Elijah Hutchinson of Gilmanton. Af- 
 ter this period school houses were rapidly 
 multiplied, the population and prosperity of 
 the town having greatly increased, though 
 
76 MEMOIR OF 
 
 as late as 1778, only twenty-two votes were 
 cast for Governor. 
 
 Between 1778 and 1786, the town took 
 no public measures to procure the stated 
 preaching of the gospel. But March 4th, 
 1783, it was " voted to raise fifteen pounds 
 for preaching some part of the year," 
 though in November of the same year, it 
 was " voted not to raise said sum." Two 
 years after, March 10th, 1789, it was " voted 
 to raise twenty pounds for preaching to be 
 paid in produce." But it does not appear 
 that any money was ever directly raised for 
 preaching until 1792. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 77 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Mr. Hidden returns to Gilmanton — Studied 
 Theology — State of his mind — Doctrine 
 of Free Grace — Extract of Mr. SmitKs 
 letter — Licensed — Call — Arrives at 
 Tamworth — First Sahhath — Simplicity 
 of the people — Proposals for settlement — 
 Accepts — Greatly beloved. 
 
 Having taken his degree of Bachelor of 
 Arts, August 24, 1791, at Dartmouth Col- 
 lege, Mr. Hidden returned to Gilmanton and 
 immediately entered upon the study of The- 
 ology with Rev. Isaac Smith, his former in- 
 structor. This opened to his mind a new- 
 field of thought and investigation. He pros- 
 ecuted this study with his characteristic vig- 
 or. He grasped subjects most abstruse and 
 difficult with an energy that astonished his 
 
78 MEMOIR OF 
 
 teacher. Doctrines which others could un- 
 derstand only by close investigation he un- 
 derstood almost by intuition and was able to 
 explain difficult points with great perspic- 
 uity. 
 
 The state of his mind on entering the 
 study of Theology may be best learned from 
 a scrap of his own writings. 
 
 " Sept. 1691. I have now commenced 
 the study of Theology. And what a study ! 
 I tremble at the thought ! Shall I so vile 
 and unworthy attempt to find out God, — his 
 character and attributes ? Is not the thought 
 rash ? Forgive me, gracious God. I pros- 
 trate my soul before thee, humbled in the 
 dust ! If Moses trembled well may I ! 
 Yet thou dost condescend to let thy charac- 
 ter be known. Oh what condescension ! 
 Jesus, this is for thy sake. Thou hast made 
 it consistent for God to reveal himself in 
 mercy. Oh what a debt of gratitude I owe 
 thee. I give myself to thee. Accept me 
 all unworthy. Teach me the path of duty* 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 79 
 
 Enlighten my understanding. Humble my 
 heart. Make me just what thou wouldest 
 have me to be, and I will praise thy name ; 
 I will speak of thy truth ; ' I will teach 
 transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be 
 converted unto thee.' I will never attempt 
 to investigate any subject until I have im- 
 plored thy aid. I will not lean upon my 
 own strength ; for I have none. I will ev- 
 ery morning and evening enter my closet 
 and hold communion with thee. Every 
 hour will I bless thee. Jesus, Jesus, guide 
 me. Uphold me lest I M\ ! Let me not 
 be presumptuous." 
 
 The above gives us an insight into the se- 
 cret of his heart. It shows the overflowings 
 of a soul " humbled into the dust ;" his 
 strong aspirations for a close and more inti- 
 mate walk with Christ, and for the assistance 
 of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Another scrap is found bearing date, De- 
 cember. Nothing more is known of the 
 time when it was written : but it would seem 
 
80 MEMOIR OF 
 
 probable that it was written December, 
 1791. 
 
 '' December. I have just been examining 
 the Doctrine of Free Grace. Never did it 
 appear in so clear a light. I see through it 
 now. And what a glorious doctrine ! Glo- 
 rious in God, but humiliating to man ! Is man 
 so fallen ! Has he stooped so low ! Yes, 
 blessed Jesus ! And thou hast raised him 
 up ! Oh, what love ! Angels, proclaim it. 
 Chant it, ye celestial choirs ! Let all heav- 
 en and hell proclaim that man's salvation is 
 a free Gift. Not that we loved God but 
 that God first loved us. This is the great 
 secret. Then what have I to boast ? 
 Alas ! I deserve the hotest hell. And yet 
 my cruel heart has rebelled against this doc- 
 trine so obviously taught in the blessed Bi- 
 ble. I have tried to find worthiness in my- 
 self and to obtain salvation by keeping the 
 law. But there is not a law I have not vi- 
 olated and tried by which I must be con- 
 demned forever ; and this condemnation 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 81 
 
 would be just. Yes, I should proclaim it so 
 amidst the torments of the damned ! Noth* 
 ing can I now do to gain the favor of Heav- 
 en ; the law is broken ; I am condemned. 
 But I see a way of escape through the Atone- 
 ment of Christ. And how my heart will 
 burst for joy ! Oh ! what joy. Salvation — 
 free salvation, is bought by Christ ! How- 
 sweet the words — Free Salvation ! Never 
 did the plan of Salivation appear so stupen- 
 dous, so glorious. Loud will I proclaim it — 
 Free salvation bought by Jesus' blood 1" 
 
 Those who were acquainted with Mr. 
 Hidden in his later years will not fail to re- 
 cognize the above as gushing from the same 
 full soul which gave utterance to his fervid 
 ejaculations in the pulpit as well as in pri- 
 vate conversation. They are the outpour- 
 ings of genuine feeling. They are undis- 
 guised sentiments — warm — melting — ten- 
 der. The effusions of a contrite soul. 
 
 The following extract of a letter written 
 by Rev. Mr. Smith Nov. 13, 1791, will show 
 6 
 
82 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ill what estimation Mr. Hidden was held by 
 his valued teacher. 
 
 "You ask for a description of Samuel Hid- 
 den : I would therefore say that he is a young 
 man of the first order of intellects — his per- 
 ception is quick — ^his judgment sound ; his 
 imagination lively ; his sensibilities warm ; 
 his soul is alive to devotion ; he is cheerful, 
 gay, sober, merry, grave. He is kind-heart- 
 ed, passionate, gentle ; and in short, he is a 
 real apostle, becoming all things to all men. 
 In his studies he has made rapid progress ; 
 he grasps the most difficult subjects with 
 Herculean strength and sees through every 
 thing almost intuitively. He is destined to 
 do great good in the church of Christ. The 
 spirit of Christ appears to be in him." 
 
 A versatility of mind was a prominent char- 
 acteristic of Mr. Hidden through life. Said 
 an aged man to the memorialist, " I once 
 met Mr. Hidden after he graduated at Dart- 
 mouth College, at Hon. Thomas Cogs- 
 well's. At first, being told he was a student 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 83 
 
 of Divinity, I was quite disgusted with him ; 
 his laugh was so boisterous, as I thought, 
 and he talked so readily upon all subjects — 
 music, tactics, war, love, death and mar- 
 riages. But when I heard him talk o£ the 
 Bible, its doctrines, its promises and threat- 
 nings, my disgust was changed to admiration. 
 When he prayed he carried us all up to heav- 
 en and we seemed to hear the songs of an- 
 gels. When he sung, his countenance 
 beamed with delight and his eye sparkled 
 with joy. You would have thought you 
 saw his soul looking out its windows. Won- 
 derful man ! said I to myself. He was just 
 such a man as my imagination had pictured, 
 but whom T had despaired of seeing. 1 
 would go on Pilgrimage to Mecca if I could 
 see another such." 
 
 Such had been Mr. Hidden's proficiency 
 in Theology that he was licensed to preach 
 at Kingston, Oct. 4th, 1791. The follow- 
 ing is his license : 
 
 ^' Mr. Samuel Hidden having offered him^ 
 
84 MEMOIR OF 
 
 self to an examination for an approbation for 
 preaching the gospel, we, the subscribers, 
 having carefully attended to his sentiments, 
 his knowledge in divinity and religious expe- 
 rience, are satisfied, and cordially recom- 
 mend him to the Church wherever God in 
 his providence shall be pleased to call him." 
 This is signed by Nathaniel Noyes, Elisha 
 Thayer, Isaac Smith, Curtis Coe, Christo- 
 pher Paige, Jedediah Tucker and Jesse 
 Rennington. 
 
 He preached his first sermon to Rev. Mr. 
 Smith's congregation and is related to have 
 made the whole congregation weep profuse- 
 ly. While he remained in Gilmanton he 
 preached occasionally in various parts of the 
 town, generally however, at the house of 
 Philbrick Rand, in that part of the town now 
 called Gilford. 
 
 Such was Mr. Hidden's character and the 
 estimation in which he was held towards the 
 latter part of December, 1791, when after 
 having spent most of one night in meditation 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 85 
 
 and prayer for God's direction in his future 
 course, he fell asleep and dreamed that two 
 men called on him to employ him to preach, 
 and he complied. He recollected distinct- 
 ly the circumstancet) of the place and the 
 character of the people. This dream made 
 a deep impression upon his mind ; he regard- 
 ed it as an intimation from God. About 
 this time at a special meeting ofthetownin 
 Tamworth a committee was chosen to pro- 
 cure preaching and this committee, having 
 heard of Mr. Hidden by means of the Hon, 
 Thomas Cogswell of Gilmanton, who had 
 now become an extensive land-holder in 
 Tamworth, proceeded directly to Gilmanton 
 to secure his services. He consented to re- 
 turn with them. On arriving in Tamworth 
 every thing appeared natural ; the situation 
 of the place, the character of the people, all 
 corresponded with his dream. 
 
 He arrived in Tamworth on Saturday and 
 preached the next day, being the fifteenth of 
 January, 1792, in Mr, William Eastman's 
 
86 MEMOIR OF 
 
 dwelling house. He preached in the fore- 
 noon from Acts 10: 29. " Therefore came 
 1 unto you without gainsaying, as soon as 
 I was sent for : I ask therefore for what in- 
 tent ye have sent for me ? " In the after- 
 noon he preached from John 1 : 13. 
 " Which were born not of blood, nor of the 
 will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but 
 of God." Previous to this many were prej- 
 udiced against a " College learned marC^ 
 and " resolved not to like him." The wife 
 of Mr. William Eastman, when she saw 
 him coming, said, " she had as lief see the 
 Devil," though she was ever after his warm- 
 est friend. Mr. Hidden at once gained the 
 admiration of every hearer. All were en- 
 thusiastic in his praise. This was a new 
 epoch in his life. The town was sparsedly 
 settled and the inhabitants were rudely dress- 
 ed and more rude in manners. 
 
 " Here was seen 
 
 No trace of man's pomp or pride ; no silks 
 Rustl'd, no jewels shone, nor envious eyes 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 87 
 
 Encounter'd : no fantastic carvings show'd 
 The boast of our vain race to change the form 
 Of God's fair works." 
 
 As he looked around the room crowded with 
 Hstening spectators, he saw the women 
 dressed in long waisted gowns with strait 
 sleeves and checkered aprons, all of domes- 
 tic manufacture, and the men clothed with 
 materials of the same character ; the shape 
 of whose garments it would be impossible 
 to describe ; but they were such as to give 
 them a grotesque appearance. Capt. Geo. 
 Dodge and lady were, however, exceptions ; 
 he having breeches and long stockings and 
 other garments of more costly material ; and 
 she having what was called a " white Hol- 
 land" apron. Notwithstanding the contrast 
 between these men and those with whom he 
 had resided, he felt at home ; that here was 
 a field for usefulness, and men were perish- 
 ing for want of the gospel of Christ. He 
 felt strengthened and blessed. " Never," 
 said he, " did I feel happier than on that 
 
88 MEMOIR OF 
 
 d£ty." He continued to preach with signal 
 success in private houses, or barns, until 
 March 13, 1792, when in the annual Town 
 Meeting, it was proposed to settle him as 
 the Minister of the town. The following 
 is a copy of the transaction of the town in 
 relation to this subject. 
 
 " Voted, That it is the unanimous de- 
 sire of the Inhabitants of Tamworth to set- 
 tle Mr, Samuel Hidden in the Ministry in 
 this Town, provided it can be done upon 
 such terms as they think themselves able to 
 comply with. 
 
 Voted, That a committee be chosen con- 
 sisting of fifteen persons to inform Mr. Hid- 
 den of the minds of the Town, and to 
 know of him if he will settle with us if rea- 
 sonable proposals be made and to invite him, 
 (in case he should give encouragement,) to 
 preach with us a certain time, and in the 
 mean time to draw up some proposals to 
 make to said Hidden and report to the 
 Town when met.'* 
 
SA»nJEL HIDDEN. 89 
 
 Said Committee met and agreed that the 
 following proposals be laid before the 
 Town. 
 
 1st. " To build a house for Mr. Samuel 
 Hidden one story high of 28 and 38, or 30 
 and 40 feet as said Hidden shall think best, 
 and to clapboard, glaze, shingle, build a 
 stack of chimnies with four smokes, dig a 
 cellar under one end of said house, and fin- 
 isl] one half of said house in two years from 
 December, 1791. 
 
 2d. That thirty three pounds lawful 
 money be the sum offered to Mr Hidden for 
 his yearly support — three pounds of the 
 same to be paid in cash- — fifteen pounds in 
 good merchantable beef at eighteen shillings 
 per hundred, and fifteen pounds lawful 
 money in merchantable corn at three shill- 
 ings, rye at four, and wheat five shillings the 
 bushel ; the above sums in produce, cash 
 and beef, to be paid 3'early for three years : 
 these expired, then said Hidden's salary is to 
 be raised yearly as the Town may increase 
 
90 MEMOIR OF 
 
 according to polls and estates that may be 
 liable to be taxed for the support of said 
 Hidden as the present Inhabitants are now 
 taxed including what polls and estates may- 
 be added in the aforesaid three years till it 
 amounts to fifty pounds ; three pounds of 
 ihe fifty to be paid in cash ; twenty three 
 pounds ten shillings in good merchantable 
 beef and the remaining twenty three pounds 
 ten shillings to be paid in good merchanta- 
 ble Indian corn, rye and wheat. 
 
 3d. That when the above tax amounts 
 to fifty pounds that then said Hidden 's sala- 
 ry to stand fixed and to be paid in cash, 
 produce and beef at the prices as mention- 
 ed above, yearly." 
 
 The above is signed by David Gilman for 
 the Committee. 
 
 " April 2, 1792. In annual Town Meet- 
 ing on adjournment, 
 
 Voted, Unanimously to accept the report 
 of their Committee respecting settling Mr. 
 Samuel Hidden." 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 91 
 
 At a previous meeting they had voted to 
 " raise money to pay Mr. Samuel Hidden for 
 what he had preached and that the above 
 named Committee, (if Mr. Hidden should 
 accept,) should make provisions for his Or- 
 dination" and " carry the whole matter 
 through." And in a subsequent Town 
 Meeting, May 7, 1792, it was voted to give 
 " up all the right that they have unto the 
 Right of Land granted in the Charter of 
 Tamworth to the first settled Minister in 
 said Town, unto Mr. Samuel Hidden to be 
 his own property as soon as he is ordained 
 here." At the same meeting it was also 
 " voted that Mr. Hidden's salary shall be 
 continued no longer than he is the Minister 
 of this Town." 
 
 Previous to the town's call to Mr. Hid- 
 den it had been made a subject of devout 
 prayer to God for counsel. This call was 
 not given under some spasmodic influence 
 but from the sincere and deliberate convic- 
 tion that God had so ordered things as to 
 
92 MEMOIR OF 
 
 make it evident that Mr. Hidden should be 
 their spiritual guide. They longed for one 
 in whom they could confide and from whom 
 they might derive instruction and conso- 
 lation. They conceived him adapted 
 to their circumstances. He also felt the 
 solemnity of the anticipated relation and 
 commended the subject to God at the throne 
 of grace. Many and weighty were the in- 
 ducements to decline the call. But the 
 feelino- that God designed him to labor in 
 this field pervaded his bosom. He was of- 
 ten heard to say, his dream-, (though the in- 
 credulous may smile at it,) had more influ- 
 ence in gaining his assent than all else. 
 Consequently May 8, 1792, he made known 
 his acceptance of the town's call in the fol- 
 lowing communication. 
 " To the inhabitants of Tamworth : 
 
 You have thought it expedient, after ma- 
 ture considerations and earnest prayer to 
 God, as I trust, to give me an invitation to 
 settle with you in the gospel ministry ; and 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 93 
 
 .have voted certain things for my encourage- 
 ment and support in that important office. 
 I am conscious of inability rightly to con- 
 duct in so important a station. But that 
 God, by whose remarkable Providence I 
 am what I am, I have no reason to distrust ; 
 on his mercy I wish to rely for strength to 
 discharge what he in his Providence may 
 call me to perform. After serious consider- 
 ation and earnest prayer to Almighty God 
 for direction, I have thought fit and do here- 
 by accept of your proposals, if there is a 
 church peaceably formed. As I live at con- 
 siderable distance from my friends, I would 
 reserve four Sabbaths in a year to visit them, 
 if I please. Also if I am taken sick while 
 laboring among you, you must still grant 
 me my support until I am again able to dis- 
 charge the duties of my office. You are 
 sensible, my friends, the duties of a minister 
 are great and important ; therefore I hope 
 you will be ever ready to assist me, by 
 punctuality in payment, advice in difficult 
 
94 MEMOIR OF 
 
 cases, and by your constant attendance on 
 God's preached word and ordinances, and 
 your constant, fervent prayer, that I may 
 be faithful to God, to myself, to your souls 
 and those of your children ; that we may 
 all appear at God's right hand, in the day 
 when he maketh up his jewels. 
 
 Samuel Hidden. 
 
 May the 8th, 1792." 
 
 These conditions were agreed upon and 
 the twelfth of September next was appoint- 
 ed for his Ordination. Mr. Hidden contin- 
 ued to preach, twining the affections of the 
 people about him still closer. Never did a 
 people love more their spiritual guide ; nev- 
 er place more implicit confidence in any 
 mortal. They would have plucked out 
 their eyes for him. Said an aged, venerable 
 man to the memorialist, " We would all 
 have surrendered our lives for him. We 
 loved him next to Jesus Christ. I verily 
 believe he could have made no demand 
 which we should not have cheerfully grants 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 95 
 
 ed." Thus the people sustained him by 
 their prayers and affections. They were 
 impatient for the time when they might call 
 him their pastor. They were feasted with 
 his preaching and delighted with his conver- 
 sation. His word was their law from which 
 none appealed. 
 
96 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 *The day of Ms ordination — Great Rock- — 
 The Council — Church formed — Contro- 
 versy — Proceed to the ordination — Ex- 
 tracts from letters — First Church meet- 
 ing — The Sacrament — His marriage — 
 Intercourse ivith his people — Meeting 
 house — Prayer meeting — Revival, 
 
 The ordination of Mr. Hidden took place 
 September 12th, 1792. This was one of 
 those rich, mellow days of September when 
 nature seems in a thoughtful, but happy 
 mood ; when the feelings of man corres- 
 pond with the aspect of nature. The 
 foliage was slightly tinged with autumnal 
 hues. The sun on that eventful day rose 
 with unusual splendor ; his rays gilded the 
 tops of the surrounding mountains and darted 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 97* 
 
 through the ahiiost impenetrable forest, 
 awakening joy in many a heart. For this 
 was a gala-day to the inhabitants of Tam- 
 worth. All was life and animation. The 
 grove resounded with the voice of gladness. 
 The wilderness and the solitary place were 
 glad and the desert began to blossom as the 
 rose. Early in the morning of that day 
 might be seen some farmer from Fryeburgh 
 with his wife and one or two children on 
 his faithful steed, winding their way along 
 some foot path guided by spotted trees and 
 other indications, towards the centre of the 
 town ; young lads in all the buoyancy of 
 youth ; elderly men whose heads had been 
 whitened by the frosts of many winters ; 
 mothers with their smiling daughters dressed 
 in their best attire of domestic manufacture. 
 Many walked ten and even fifteen miles from 
 Conway, Eaton, Ossipee, Sandwich and. 
 Moultonborough to witness the novel, but. 
 solemn scene of an Ordination. Near the 
 
 place where the Meeting House now stands. 
 
 7 
 
98 MEMOIR OF 
 
 is a large rock about thirty feet square and 
 fifteen feet high. The surface is almost 
 level. On this it was resolved that Mr. 
 Hidden should be ordained, since there was 
 no Meeting House ; nor any building suf- 
 ficiently large to convene the crowds that as- 
 sembled. In fact, there was but one house 
 within any considerable distance from the 
 place. It was a dense forest on every hand 
 with only here and there an opening. 
 Around this rock the multitude assembled, 
 eager to witness the ceremony. But a dif- 
 ficulty arose which occasioned much delay. 
 A Council had been invited, consisting of 
 Rev. Mr. Smith of Gilmanton, Shaw of 
 Moultonborough, Williams of Meredith, 
 Porter of Conway, Piper of Wakefield and 
 Coe of Durham. Up to this day no church 
 had been formed. There were several pi- 
 ous individuals in the town of different re- 
 ligious persuasions — Congregationalists, Cal- 
 vinistic Baptists and Free-Will Baptists. 
 And the only difficulty in the formation of a 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 99^ 
 
 church consisted in the rite of Baptism. 
 They were all united in other points. But 
 Mr. Hidden drew up the following article 
 of Covenant in addition to others which 
 met the cordial approbation of all. 
 
 " 4th. But willing to exercise all due 
 candor and benevolence in condescension to 
 each other's infirmities, we now unanimous- 
 ly agree that if any of our members think it 
 their duty to present their children to God 
 in the ordinance of Baptism, or think it not 
 their duty to present I heir children in this 
 ordinance, neither of them shall be consid- 
 ered as offenders for acting agreeably to 
 the dictates of their own consciences in this 
 respect, and that Baptism by Immersion, by 
 Sprinkling, Affusion, or Washing, shall be 
 no bar to our Christian communion and fel- 
 lowship ; we also agree and covenant that 
 children who are devoted to God and his 
 people in this holy ordinance, shall be con- 
 sidered as under the parental care and sub- 
 
100 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ject to the discipline and government of the 
 Church." 
 
 Nineteen this day subscribed to the arti- 
 cles of Faith and Covenant ; others had not 
 removed their connection with other church- 
 es but stood pledged so to do. Thus the 
 church was formed, consisting of thirteen 
 males and six females. But the Council re- 
 fused to ordain Mr. Hidden in consequence 
 of this article of Covenant in relation to 
 Baptism. They were strenuously opposed 
 to it and insisted upon its being given up ; 
 but the church and people as strenuously re- 
 fused. The Council first met at Capt. 
 Dodge's house but this beino- wanted for 
 other purposes and too small to accommo- 
 date them and others who came to consult 
 with them, they adjourned to Capt. Dodge's 
 orchard. Long were the debates ; — the 
 whole town were there determined that Mr. 
 Hidden should be ordained. Mr. Coe how- 
 ever was in favor of proceeding to the ordi- 
 nation and exerted all his influence to pre- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 101 
 
 vail on the rest of the Council. At length 
 Mrs. William Eastman, (who when she first 
 saw Mr. Hidden, said she had as lief see 
 the Devil,) came into the Council and de- 
 clared with great energy and decision 
 " Mr. Hidden shall be ordained this day." 
 At a late hour in the day it was announced 
 to the people that the Council had consented 
 to proceed to the ordination. The joy at 
 this announcement was unbounded. Said 
 an eye witness, '' The air was filled with 
 joyful acclamations. The people kneeled 
 on the ground and gave thanks to God. 
 Tears of gladness flowed copiously and the 
 • hour was one of unalloyed happiness. I 
 have never witnessed such a scene since 
 and never expect to another until I get to 
 heaven." 
 
 " The groves were God's first temples. Ere man 
 
 learned 
 To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave, 
 And spread the roof above them, — ere he framed 
 The lofty vault, to gather and roll back 
 
102 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The sounds of anthems, — in the darkling wood, 
 Amidst the cool and silence, he knelt down 
 And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks 
 And supplication." 
 
 The Council with Mr. Hidden ascended 
 the rock where a table and seats were pre- 
 pared while the eager multitude stood in si- 
 lence around to witness the novel ceremony. 
 The services were brief, the day being so 
 far spent. Mr. Porter offered the first 
 prayer, Mr. Smith preached the sermon, Mr. 
 Shaw gave the Charge, Mr. Coe the Right 
 hand of Fellowship and Mr. Williams made 
 the concluding prayer.''^ 
 
 The following letter, found between the 
 leaves of an old sermon and in which no 
 name is found, it being much mutilated, will 
 serve to throw some light upon this occasion, 
 and cannot fail to be interesting. It bears 
 
 * It is little remarkable that that part of the rock 
 on which Mr. Williams stood fell off, since the found- 
 ation on which he built his hopes for heaven soon after 
 proved like the rock, insecure. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 103 
 
 date, " Durham, Sept. 27, 1792." After 
 stating some circumstances relative to the 
 ordination the letter proceeds ; — 
 
 " Now, Sir, I will tell you about the ordi- 
 nation : and yet I know not where to begin 
 or what to say ; it defies description. Af- 
 ter much wrangling between the Council and 
 the people, Mr. Hidden was ordained on a 
 large rock on which fifty men might stand. 
 His foundation must be secure, and solid ; 
 for this rock will stand till Gabriel 
 shall divide it with the power of God. 
 Early in the morning the people assembled 
 around this rock, men, women, boys and 
 girls together with dogs and other domestic 
 animals. It is an entire forest about this 
 place The scenery is wild. On the north 
 is a high hill and north of this is the moun- 
 tain called Chocorua which touches heaven. 
 On the south and in all directions are moun- 
 tains, steep and rugged. I had expected 
 to have heard jthe howling of the wolf and 
 the screeching of the owl : but instead ot 
 
104 MEMOIR OP 
 
 these were heard the melting notes of the 
 Robin and the chirping of the Sparrow and 
 other birds that made the forest seem like 
 Paradise. The men looked happy, rugged, 
 and fearless ; their trowsers came down to 
 about half way between the knee and ankle ; 
 their coats were mostly short and of name- 
 less shapes. Many wore slouched hats, and 
 hundreds were shoeless. The women look- 
 ed ruddy and as though they loved their 
 husbands ; their clothing was all of domes- 
 tic manufacture — Every woman had on a 
 checkered linen apron and carried a clean 
 linen handkerchief. Their bonnets ! Well, 
 I cannot describe them ; I leave them to 
 your imagination. But think of the grand- 
 eur of the scene. A great rock the pulpit, 
 the whole town the floor of the house and 
 the canopy of heaven the roof, and the tall, 
 sturdy trees the walls ! Who could help 
 being devotional ? This is the place nature 
 has formed for pure worship. Long shall 
 this rock stand like the rock on which our 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 106 
 
 fathers landed. Long may these woods re- 
 sound with the praises of Jehovah. Long 
 may this Church make the wilderness and 
 the solitary place glad and the desert blos- 
 som as the rose." 
 
 — ^" Father, thy hand 
 Hath reared these renefable columns ; thou 
 Didst \v«ave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down 
 Upon the naked earth, and forthwith, rose 
 All these fair ranks of trees. They in thy sun 
 Budded and shook their green leaves in thy breeze, 
 And shot towards heaven. They stand tall and dark, 
 Fit shrine for humble worshipper to hold 
 Communion with his Maker." 
 
 Mr. Hidden, thus constituted the spiritu- 
 al guide of his little flock and the teacher 
 of the whole town felt deeply the responsi- 
 bilities that rested upon him ; but he sunk 
 not under them. He viewed the Christian 
 warfare a delightful one. He longed to be 
 the means under God of saving souls and 
 looked forward to a life of usefulness. In a 
 letter to a friend immediately after his ordi- 
 nation he describes his feelings thus : 
 
106 MEMOIR OF 
 
 " I was last week ordained as pastor of 
 this infant church and Minister of the town. 
 You cannot imagine how small I feel. Had 
 not Jesus promised to be with his servants 
 to the end of time I should sink under the 
 weight of responsibilities which press upon 
 me. But thanks to God, through Jesus 
 Christ helping me, I can do all things. 
 When I think of him I stand firm as a rock. 
 All the gates of hell cannot prevail against 
 me. Oh, what consolation in Christ ! I 
 never felt the blessedness of the gospel so 
 much as while preaching it to others. Here 
 are souls destined for eternity. They must 
 be saved by the preaching of the gospel or 
 go down to hell ! I preached last Sabbath 
 to an attentive assembly. They were eager 
 to catch every word. 1 felt that God 
 strengthened me to proclaim his word. I 
 know that the Spirit of Christ is here and 
 believe that he is about to visit this people 
 in mercy. May showers of grace descend. 
 How happy I should be if all these immortal 
 
SA»nJEL HIDDEN. 107 
 
 souls could speedily be brought into the 
 fold of Christ. I am more and more pleased 
 with my people. They are kind hearted 
 and ready to do every thing for my comfort. 
 The Lord will reward them. I will pray 
 for them with my latest breath. Do you 
 pray for me that I may prove a blessing to 
 this people." 
 
 This letter shows a heart deeply humbled 
 but overflowing with love to souls. He had 
 felt the power of truth upon his own soul 
 and ardently desired that others might share 
 in the same blessedness. Said a man who 
 accidentally found him praying in the forest 
 to God for his people, " I stood for a mo- 
 ment and gazed on his countenance ; he was 
 upon his knees with his face turned upwards 
 and his hands raised. The tears rolled in 
 torrents down his face ; his soul seemed to 
 sit upon his countenance. He was praying 
 for his little church. He prayed with such 
 fervency that my soul melted within me and 
 I fell prostrate upon the ground and ejacu- 
 
108 MEMOIR OF 
 
 lated a prayer to God. He continued pray- 
 ing a long time with thesajne fervor. That 
 was a dehghtful prayer meeting. I never 
 got so near to God before ! Mr. Hidden 
 rose and I did the same. ^ Well,' said he, 
 ' this is a good place for a prayer meeting ; 
 let us pray longer f and we prayed there a 
 whole hour. I have often wished to meet 
 him so again." 
 
 He now began to take rfieasures for the 
 building up of his church and improvement 
 of the people. On the 20th of September, 
 1792, the first church meeting was held at 
 the house of Mr. William Eastman. At 
 which meeting George Dodge was unani- 
 mously chosen Clerk, and William Eastman 
 and Oliver Fowler Deacons. The church 
 being thus organized, it was voted, '' That 
 the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper be ad- 
 ministered on the first Sabbath in Novem- 
 ber." The communion season was antici- 
 pated with great delight. The little church 
 now (Nov. 4,) numbered nineteen, thirteen 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 109 
 
 males and six females. The long desired 
 season arrived. This was the first time 
 many of the congregation had witnessed the 
 celebration of the Lord's Supper. A deep 
 solemnity pervaded the audience. To the 
 church it was a Pentecostal season. Pre- 
 vious to passing the bread Mr. Hidden re- 
 minded them of the love of Christ, his 
 death and atonement. He reminded them 
 of his last supper and his sufferings in the 
 garden. Said he, " I come to break bread 
 to you here in the wilderness. The manna 
 is ready. Eat ye all of it." This season 
 cannot be better described than in the words 
 of one who was present. " This season," 
 said he, " was awfully solemn. There was 
 not a man, women, or child who was not af- 
 fected to tears. This was the first time such 
 a season had been enjoyed in the town, and 
 we were so thankful that we had now the 
 stated means of grace, a church and a pas- 
 tor, dearer to every heart than life itself, we 
 could express our gratitude only by deep 
 
110 MEMOIR OF 
 
 sobbings of the heart. The fountains of 
 our souls were broken up. We felt that 
 Christ was present with us. We blessed 
 him and covenanted to be his forever. This 
 was a foretaste of heavenly communion ; it 
 was the house of God and the very gate of 
 heaven." 
 
 The following lines of Mr. Hidden are 
 fraught with great interest. 
 
 " I have to-day, for the first time, admin- 
 istered the Lord's Supper to my little flock. 
 The act was new to me. As I looked 
 round on those who partook of the elements 
 of Christ's body and blood, I thought how 
 happy we shall be in heaven when we sit 
 around Christ's table and he at the head. 
 Then these bodies will be changed. They 
 will be like Christ's glorious body. Our un- 
 holy passions will there be unknown. Not 
 a wave of trouble will roll across our peace- 
 ful breasts. No tear will bedew our cheek. 
 Our hands will wave palms of victory. 
 Our voices will proclaim Christ the Re- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. Ill 
 
 deemer of our souls. We shall then be 
 clothed in garments washed in Jesus blood. 
 We shall tune our harps of gold. Here our 
 houses are of clay. We are clothed with 
 rags, and for these we must labor hard, but 
 there the richest crowns and garments of pure 
 white are laid up for us. Here we com- 
 mune with Christ, as it were, at a great dis- 
 tance, but there we shall lean upon his bo- 
 som, look full into his face which shines 
 with a brightness that outdazzles the sun. 
 We shall there drink of the stream that 
 flows fast by the throne of God. The sun 
 will not scorch, nor the winter blast us. 
 Full fruition will be ours. More will be 
 offered us than we can contain. There 
 will be a surplus of every joy. Oh blest 
 scenes of pure delight ! What a contrast 
 with those of to-day ! We have had a bles- 
 sed season here, but there more blessed. I 
 long for that home where death will be swal- 
 lowed up in victory. I have attempted to 
 sing to-day, but in heaven how will ray 
 
11*2 MEMOIR OF 
 
 voice echo ! O ravishing thought ! I 
 seem almost to be there ! The voices of 
 angels sound sweetly upon my ear! I 
 catch the note, I begin the song, glory to 
 God and the Lamb, that has bought us with 
 his blood ! Halleluiah ! Halleluiah ) Let 
 the echo fly. How am I rapt in contempla- 
 tion ! But, oh ! I am still here, prisoner of 
 earth, vile, and sinful. But, dear Jesus, I 
 will labor for thee and love thee though I 
 be sent to hell as I deserve. I delight in 
 thy service. I love thy word. It is my 
 meditation day and night; sweeter to my 
 taste than honey or the honey comb. Ena- 
 ble me so to teach it to others as that they 
 also may love it and find by happy experi- 
 ence that in keeping thy commandments, 
 there is great reward. Make me a faithful 
 Shepherd to this little flock, that I may be 
 able to lead them in green pastures and by 
 still waters and feed them with knowledge 
 and understanding, that they may be trained 
 up a peculiar people, zealousof good works. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 113 
 
 May all who have communed at thy table 
 to-day eat bread at thy right hand. Oh 
 keep them, blessed God. Save them to the 
 end. Let them, while they sojourn here^ 
 hold constant intercourse with heaven.'^ 
 
 Mr. Hidden was married Nov. 29, 1792, 
 to Miss Betsy Price, daughter of Mr. Wil* 
 Ham Price of Gilmanton. The town, as 
 stipulated, had erected him a house and fin- 
 ished a part of it. They welcomed his 
 bride, with great cordiality. The intercourse 
 between his family and the inhabitants was 
 of a character adapted to improvement. 
 It was open, free, confiding. There was 
 no restraint. His house was open for the 
 reception of his parishoners at all hours of 
 the day. This gave him an opportunity to 
 know his people and their wants. On this 
 account he was always fortunate in the se* 
 lection of subjects for his sermons. Never 
 8 
 
114 MEMOIR OF 
 
 was man more skilful in adapting his ser- 
 mons to the occasion and circumstance. 
 This was owing to great familiarity with 
 men and things. From his earliest youth 
 he had accurately studied human nature. 
 He saw through men. He could construe 
 them, analyze them. This made him supe- 
 rior to others. His people felt it, and sought 
 his counsel on all occasions. His opinion 
 was law in matters spiritual and tempo- 
 ral. 
 
 Up to this time, he had preached in Capt. 
 Dodge's bam, or in some dwelling house as 
 the Selectmen had provided. But now he 
 held his meetings in his own house, having 
 a room fitted up for that purpose. During 
 the week he lectured as often as three times 
 in different parts of the town. In Oc- 
 tober, they had voted to build a house 
 forty four feet long, thirty-seven and half 
 wide and one story high ; and a plan of the 
 pews having been drawn they were sold at 
 auction, for between three and six dollars 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 115 
 
 per pew. But in March, 1793, nothing 
 farther having been done, the town voted to 
 build the house two stories high instead of 
 one, and refused to sell the pews by a new 
 auction, and voted to raise the money to de- 
 fray the expenses of the house, (in addition to 
 that raised by the sale of pews and fifty dol- 
 lars granted by the proprietors) by a direct 
 tax on every man in the town. Many 
 complained of this as oppressive, since 
 some lived at so great distance as rendered it 
 impracticable to worship in the contempla- 
 ted house. Such an act at the present day 
 would not be tolerated. But considering 
 that the town built the house and that almost 
 all would meet in it for worship there is less 
 room for censure. 
 
 It is lamentable to find on record such 
 an act as the following ; " voted to procure 
 one Barrel of Rum for framing and raising 
 tlie Meeting House." But we must not try 
 them by the same standard by which we 
 judge men of the present day. Future gen- 
 
116 MEMOIR OF 
 
 erations will condemn in us many acts which 
 we esteem virtuous. They acted in accord- 
 ance with the light they enjoyed. Let us 
 do the same and guard against the errors 
 they committed. Let their errors perish with 
 them. 
 
 Much debate arose about the location of 
 the building. Some were for one place and 
 others for a different. Several meetings 
 were successively held. March 25, 1793, 
 it was voted to erect the house on the spot 
 where it now stands. The frame was raised 
 in August following, when a dinner was 
 dressed for the occasion at the expense of 
 the town. The exterior of the house was 
 completed during the autumn, the interior 
 beinor deferred until the ensuing summer. 
 As soon as the frame was boarded and 
 shingled, a temporary Pulpit was erected 
 and seats prepared, and in it they held their 
 meetings during the winter and following 
 spring. 
 
 At the close of 1792, the church consis- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 117 
 
 ted of twenty nine members. But in the 
 winter of 1793, and 1794, the church was 
 visited with a refreshing shower of divine 
 grace. The 6rst intimation of the special 
 presence of the Spirit was observed in a 
 prayer meeting held at Dea. Eastman's 
 house. A member of the church was called 
 upon to pray. He rose and prayed with 
 unusual fervor for a revival of religion. 
 When he sat down Mr. Hidden, bursting 
 into tears, exclaimed, " There, brother, the 
 revival you wanted has come ! Don't you 
 see how Christ fulfills his promises ? Evea 
 while you were praying he answered !" A 
 deep solemnity pervaded the meeting. 
 They confessed their faults one to another 
 and covenanted to begin anew the Christiaa 
 life. They left the house of prayer with 
 hearts warmed by the Spirit of Christ, say- 
 ing, " Did not our hearts burn within us ?" 
 Mr. Hidden spent the whole night in wrest- 
 ling with the God of Jacob. He prevailed. 
 Early the next morning he called at the 
 
118 MEMOIR OF 
 
 house of Dea. Eastman and found him 
 
 asleep. " What," said he, " can you not 
 pray one night ? Come, Deacon, get up, 
 and let us have a prayer meetmg this morn- 
 ing. Why, don't you see that Christ is com- 
 ing to make us a visit ? Let us prepare for 
 him." This was Friday morning. The 
 influence of the last evening's meeting began 
 to be felt in every direction. One heart 
 warmed another until the whole Church 
 was revived. Prayer meetings were held 
 in different parts of the town and wherever 
 two or three met, there was a prayer meet- 
 ing. The people came from all parts of the 
 town through the woods in deep snows, on 
 sleds drawn by oxen every Sabbath ; this 
 being the more common mode of convey- 
 ance. The snow was often so deep th<it 
 the paths were impassable to horses. This 
 did not keep them from the house of wor- 
 ship. They feared not the cold of winter 
 while their hearts were warmed with holy 
 love. Mr. Hidden preached with great 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 119 
 
 zeal ; often every day in the week. Much 
 time was spent in religious conference with 
 those who came to his house to receive in- 
 struction and consolation. When any came, 
 anxious for their souls' salvation, after 
 properly enlightening their minds with di- 
 vine truth, and urging them to submit to 
 Christ, he commended them to God in 
 prayer and would say, " Come, now you 
 pray." At one of these conferences a man 
 dechned praying ; " What," said he, " wont 
 pray for yourself when I have been praying 
 for you ! Come, pray nowJ^ The man 
 replied that he could not think of any thing 
 to say. " Say !" exclaimed Mr. Hidden, 
 " Say, Oh, Lord Jesus, forgive me !" "Ah 1" 
 said the penitent man, " I can pray now," 
 and fell on his knees and gave his heart to 
 Christ. " There," said Mr. Hidden smiling 
 through his tears, '^ you have got the door 
 open. Keep it so." Thus the work of 
 grace progressed with great power. The 
 elderly portion of the community were espe- 
 
1^ MEMOIR OF 
 
 cially the subjects of this revival. Abewt 
 thirty were hopefully converted. This was 
 a large number considering the small popu- 
 lation of the town. Fifteen were added to 
 the church at the close of 1793, and others 
 at the commencement of 1794 ; between 
 which time and 1800, about fifty were add- 
 ed. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 121 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Revival — Extract of a letter — Change in 
 his salary — Missionary tour — Revivals 
 — Spotted fever — Cold seasons — His in- 
 terest in the sufferers. 
 
 We have seen that during the last eight 
 years, the church had enjoyed refreshings 
 from the Lord and that a good degree of in- 
 terest continued through all this period. 
 We are now to record a work of grace un- 
 paralleled in the annals of church history, 
 considering the number of inhabitants and 
 the distances at which they lived from the 
 place of worship. 
 
 This revival also took its rise in a prayer 
 meeting in the north western part of th-e 
 town. Previous to this meeting it had been 
 observed that Mr. Hidden preached with 
 
122 MEMOIR OF 
 
 unusual fervor, that his prayers breathed 
 more of heaven and a deeper solemnity rest- 
 ed upon his countenance. He remarked to 
 one of his Deacons ; " Sir, what is to be 
 done ? Here are hundreds in this town go- 
 ing to hell if not saved soon ! I feel that 
 God is about to pour out his Spirit. We 
 have prayed long ; and I know God will an- 
 swer prayer. Why. I know we shall be re- 
 vived again ! Pray for it, deacon. Don't 
 leave off praying. God is merciful. We 
 shall prevail." His faith was well founded. 
 God soon appeared, not in the whirlwind 
 nor the storm, but his still small voice was 
 heard. The waters began to be agitated. 
 A ripple was seen. Soon a mighty wave 
 of salvation rolled over the town. A few 
 days after the prayer meeting above spoken 
 of, one, who attended it, remarked that he 
 believed they " really should have a revi- 
 val." " Believe," replied Mr. Hidden, '■' I 
 have no belief about it. I know we shall 
 have one. And it is here now. I prayed all 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 123 
 
 last night, and God has removed every doubt. 
 I have the assurance that all these souls 
 will be converted." Prayer meetings were 
 held every evening in the week — These 
 were crowded. The principal business for 
 some months was prayer and religious con- 
 versation. Whole nights were spent in sup- 
 plication and singing praises to God. They 
 went from house to house, telling what God 
 had done for their souls. Mr. Hidden's 
 house was crowded with anxious inquirers. 
 He removed their doubts. He led them to 
 the Lamb of God. Thus the work pro- 
 gressed until it extended over the whole 
 town. It pervaded almost every heart. 
 Not only did Tamworth enjoy this glorious 
 work of grace but it extended to Conway, 
 Eaton, Ossipee, Moultonborough and Sand- 
 wich. Some of these towns shared laro^elv 
 in it. During the whole revival he had no 
 assistance from abroad. He preached on 
 the Sabbath and often during the week in 
 various parts of the town. A few Sabbaths 
 
124 MEMOIR OF 
 
 however, such was the deep feeling which 
 prevailed, the people did not desire preach- 
 ing. They spent these days in prayer, ex- 
 hortation, singing and in rehearsing God's 
 goodness to their souls. This revival was 
 characterized by great depth of feeling 
 without any unnatural excitement. The 
 people were calm and resolved. They felt 
 that they were acting for eternity. It was 
 also characterized by permanency of iflter- 
 est. Of the subjects of this revival it is re- 
 marked very few went back into the ways of 
 the world but by their lives have shown this 
 work to be of God. The fruits of this revi- 
 val were nearly three hundred converts, 
 about two hundred of whom subsequently 
 united with the Congregational church in 
 Tam worth, others with churches in the sur- 
 rounding towns, and some went to other de- 
 nominations. 
 
 The following extract from a letter of 
 Mr. Hidden written after this revival can- 
 not fail to interest the reader. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 125 
 
 *' The revival which we have just enjoyed 
 seems to astonish some. I am not aston- 
 ished at all. It is just what we had reason 
 to expect. Christians don't open their arms 
 wide enough. They should expect great 
 things. According to the desire of thy heart 
 be it unto thee, is the only limit I find. 
 Why should we expect small things when 
 Christ has paid so great a ransom ? What 
 we have witnessed is only an earnest of what 
 God is about to do for his Church. Our re- 
 vival has been a glorious work. Sinners 
 have been saved and Christ glorified. Be 
 all the glory his. His is the work. We 
 have done nothing. We have been only 
 the instruments in his hands. Blessed be 
 God, that he has condescended to make use 
 of such unworthy means. I can't be half 
 thankful enough that God has made use of 
 me (as I trust he has) in the salvation of 
 these precious souls. For four months past 
 I have preached almost every day. Every 
 moment of my time has been occupied in 
 
126 MEMOIR OF 
 
 leading souls to Christ. But amidst all 
 these labors I think I am growing fleshy. 
 It does me good to preach ! The work is 
 delightful ! 
 
 " Sweet is the work, mj God, my King, 
 To praise thy name, give thanks and sing. 
 To show thy love by morning light, 
 And talk of all thy truth at night." 
 
 I have scarcely felt the need of food or 
 rest since our revival commenced. Prayer 
 is food enough. Oh, I desire to die praying 
 and praising God. Our revival commenced 
 in prayer and was continued in prayer. 
 Prayer literally moves God's hand. It will 
 be the great means under God of the world's 
 salvation. Praying breath is never spent in 
 vain. We have realized the truth of this. 
 Nearly three hundred souls have been con- 
 verted. Nearly two hundred have joined 
 this church. Is not this a glorious work ? 
 This is the work of the Spirit. We have 
 had no excitement, no noise. All has been 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 127 
 
 calm, solemn, glorious. The work is almost 
 complete. But, Oh my soul, what will be- 
 come of those who have remained unrecon- 
 ciled to God ? I know not how they can 
 ever expect to be converted after resisting 
 so long! But God's mercy is unbounded. 
 Spare them Almighty God " 
 
 The influence of this revival upon the 
 Church and town has not ceased to be felt. 
 The amount of good which has, and will re- 
 sult from it is incalculable. The aspect of 
 the whole town was changed. The morals 
 were improved. Industry was encouraged 
 and education advanced. This work did 
 not cease at once even in its special mani- 
 festations. The drops of divine grace were 
 distilled from time to time throughout the 
 whole year. Prayer meetings were regular- 
 ly attended and Christians grew in grace. 
 Harmony pervaded the church until the close 
 of 1805, when Mr. Hidden complained that 
 he did not receive his salary as stipulated. 
 They were tardy in payments. He was 
 
128 MEMOIR OF 
 
 sometimes distressed for means of support. 
 It grieved him that a people so distinguished 
 with special mercy should be negligent in 
 supplying the necessities of their spiritual 
 guide. Besides this, they were practicing a 
 fraud which he felt bound to rebuke. It 
 will be recollected that in the proposals 
 made to Mr. Hidden, it was stipulated that 
 alter a certain number of years his salary 
 should be fifty pounds yearly. Three 
 pounds were to be " paid in cash ; twenty 
 three pounds ten shillings in good merchant- 
 able beef at eighteen shillings per hundred 
 and the remaining twenty-three pounds ten 
 shillings in corn at three shillings, rye at 
 four and wheat, five shillings the bushel." 
 But when these articles would sell for more 
 than the stipulated price they paid him the 
 money, and when they sold for less they 
 brought him produce. For instance, corn 
 was stipulated at three shillings per bushel ; 
 but when it was six shillings, (which was 
 often the case) they would, instead of the 
 
SAMtJEL HIDDEN. 12i9 
 
 corn, bring three shillings. Thus Mr. Hid- 
 den would receive only half his due. The 
 same was often the case with the other arti- 
 cles specified. He deemed this a species of 
 iniquity and condemned it. He felt that he 
 was indulging them in a speculation obnox- 
 ious to their spiritual interest and offensive 
 in the sight of God. Finding that stern re»- 
 bukes failed to remedy the evil he announced 
 his resolution, unless a remedy could be de- 
 vised, at once to absolve the relation which 
 existed between them as pastor and people. 
 This was no rash act on his part. He had 
 ■fitade it a subject of earnest prayer. He 
 loved the people. He looked upon most of 
 the town as his spiritual children. He felt 
 that his interest was identified with theirs. 
 It sorely grieved his heart to find the people 
 whom he cherished with his warmest affec- 
 tions 60 regardless of justice, of their own in- 
 terest and his feelings. 
 
 They, finding that they must loose their 
 Minister unless something was effected, at 
 9 
 
130 MEMOIR OF 
 
 their anntial meeting, March 11, 1806, chose 
 a committee to devise some change in the 
 mode of paying his salary. This commit- 
 tee, actuated by motives honorable to them- 
 selves, made an estimate of the average val- 
 ue of the articles of produce specified in the 
 contract, together with the " three pounds 
 in cash," and found it to be two hundred 
 and one dollars. They made a report at 
 the same meeting and it was unanimously 
 voted that from that time Mr. Hidden's sal- 
 ary should be two hundred and one dollars 
 in lawful money in lieu of the old contract. 
 This vote was announced to Mr. Hidden. 
 It met his approbation. Before the assem- 
 bled town he returned thanks to Almighty 
 God for this act of justice. He exclaimed, 
 " This is the happiest moment of my life ! 
 I am not to be severed from my spiritual 
 children and the people whom I love." 
 Said he to the memorialist many years after 
 this transaction, " I laid awake all that night, 
 I was so thankful that a reconciliation had 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 131 
 
 been effected. If I had left, it would have 
 rent asunder the tenderest ties that ever 
 bound minister to his people. It would 
 have been a severing of a part of the body. 
 For I conceive myself identified with my 
 people, one and inseperable, till death di- 
 vides us." " Ah !" exclaimed he, " death 
 won't effect a long seperation. We shall 
 be united in heaven !" Never perhaps did 
 man love his church and people more. It 
 was his delight to do them good ; to see 
 them prosper in things spiritual and tempo- 
 ral. 
 
 At this time religion in the church was at 
 a low ebb. The high-toned piety of 1800, 
 had degenerated. The prayer meetings 
 were neglected. Many ceased to tread 
 Zion's courts. A worldly spirit crept into 
 the church, and Mr. Hidden was " appoint- 
 ed by the Society for propagating the Gos- 
 pel among the Indians and others in North- 
 America, a Missionary for Districts No. 2, 
 3, 4, in Maine, for two months. Ther 
 
132 MEMOIR OF 
 
 '' Journal of his proceedings/' in which he 
 recorded *' the baptisms administered, the 
 churches organized, the schools established, 
 the books distributed, the monies received, 
 and in short, all transactions and occurren- 
 ces of interest," I have been unable to ob- 
 tain. His absence, however, was suffi- 
 ciently long to teach his church the worth of 
 his services among them. His tour was 
 productive of great good. On his return, la- 
 menting the low state of religion in the 
 church, he, after some consultation, ap- 
 pointed a day of fasting and prayer. Said 
 he in giving out this appointment, " Breth- 
 ren, we have got down, not in the valley of 
 humiliation, but in the valley of spiritual 
 death ! Now let us come together and 
 pray ourselves out of it. Prayer is the only 
 instrument that can extricate us. If we re- 
 main here longer the Devil will cover us all 
 over with filth ! Brethren, do let us pray !" 
 This day was generally observed by the 
 church. A deep interest pervaded the meet- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 133 
 
 ing. Many who had absented themselves 
 from the special meetings of the church were 
 present. Their hearts warmed. Their first 
 love returned. There was a shaking 
 among the dry bones. The valley of death 
 teemed with life. The church began spon- 
 taneously to visit each other. They went 
 from house to house, praying and exhorting. 
 Prayer meetings were commenced anew, 
 and all the means of grace were cheerfully 
 observed. Soon the voice of joy was heard. 
 Souls were born into the kingdom of Christ. 
 Said a subject of this revival, to the memo- 
 rialist, " One Sabbath Mr. Hidden preached 
 from Gen. 6: 3. " My Spirit shall not al- 
 ways strive with man." He showed the 
 danger of resisting God's Spirit and that 
 there was a point beyond which his patience 
 would not extend. He applied it to those 
 present and exhorted us to fear lest we 
 should provoke the Spirit to depart forever. 
 Never shall I forget that sermon." Said 
 he, " i thought he was personally address- 
 
134 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ing his words to me and I trembled before 
 God. I could not sit still upon my seat. 
 My anguish of spirit was almost insupporta- 
 ble. "JXow," said Mr. Hidden, "what is to 
 be done ? The Spirit is hovering over you 
 — is knocking at the door of your heart, 
 saying, Open to me : for my head is filled 
 with dew, and my locks with the drops of 
 the night. Turn you at my reproof; be- 
 hold I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I 
 will make known my words unto you ! 
 Will you give heed to this voice, turn and 
 live ? If you do not, remember that God 
 w^ill say unto you, ' Because I have called, 
 and ye have refused ; I have stretched out 
 my hand, and no man regarded ; but ye 
 have set at naught all my counsel, and 
 would none of my reproof; I also will laugh 
 at your calamity ; I will mock when your 
 fear Cometh. Oh the awful condition of a 
 soul forsaken of God ! Hearken, and your 
 soul shall live. This day repent. Defer it 
 not until to-morrow : then your spirit may 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN, 135 
 
 be in hell ! Come, sinner, are you ready ?" 
 Such were the melting appeals which he 
 was accustomed to address to his audience. 
 They always reached the heart. He 
 preached'' flymen not around them." Or- 
 dinary means of grace were the only means 
 used in this revival. It was consequent up- 
 on prayer and preaching God's word. As 
 the fruits of this revival nineteen males and 
 ten females were admitted to the church. 
 The effects of this display of divine grace 
 were permanent. The church was strength- 
 ened and roused to action. The salutary 
 effects of a revival in a church should nev- 
 er be estimated only from the number of 
 conversions in a given time. We should 
 also take into consideration the deeper tone 
 of piety occasioned in the church and the 
 improvement of society generally. 
 
 A lively interest from this time in religion 
 was continued until 1811, when the church 
 was again visited with the special presence 
 of the Spirit. Perhaps this revival should 
 
136 MEMOIR OF 
 
 be regarded as a continuation of the one en-^ 
 joyed in 1809 and 1810. In this the fe- 
 male portion of the community seem to have 
 been the special subjects. Twenty eight 
 were added to the church. 
 
 Up to 1813, the town and church had 
 enjoyed a great degree of prosperity. But 
 this year they were called to witness the 
 ravages of the Spotted Fever. This broke 
 out early in the year and spread over a large 
 portion of the State. This epidemic was 
 very malignant. In some places men died 
 almost instantly in their fields, or wherever 
 they chanced to be I No warning was al- 
 lowed them. They died and were buried 
 in the same apparel. Putrefaction was so 
 rapid that the living dared not afford a wind- 
 ing sheet. The mother saw the infant blos- 
 som perish upon her bosom. The strong 
 man bowed and the fearless was struck with 
 dismay. Merriment was changed to lamen-* 
 tation. The dead and the dying were seei> 
 on every hand. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 137 
 
 May 13th, 1813, a special Town Meet- 
 ing was called in which it was voted, " that 
 the town provide medical aid and medicine, 
 if the spotted fever, which now prevails in 
 other towns, shall prevail in Tamworth." 
 The greatest anxiety was experienced. The 
 victims of this disease in Moultonborough, 
 Sandwich, and elsewhere, were falling in 
 great numbers. At length it entered the 
 town " in all its native ugliness." Scarce- 
 ly a family escaped a visit from this destroy- 
 er of men. Before him beauty faded, 
 health fled, muscles stiffened, the streams of 
 life ceased to flow. Mr. Hidden fearlessly 
 " walked amidst the shadows of death and 
 found them not shadows." He administer- 
 ed comfort, temporal and spiritual. He 
 chid their murmurings ; bade them be calm 
 and ready to meet the " grim messenger." 
 What he wished others to be he was him- 
 self. Soon he was called to struggle with 
 this emisary of death. The combat was 
 
138 MEMOIR OF 
 
 violent and for some days doubtful. But 
 through the mercy of God he prevailed. 
 He was raised up to continue a blessing to 
 the church and people of his charge, though 
 he suffered even to his death with a disease 
 in one limb which was occasioned by this 
 fever. 
 
 Opportunity was here afforded him to 
 witness the sustaining influence of religion 
 on those who had been converted through 
 his instrumentality. The lambs that he had 
 gathered into the fold sickened and died, 
 but experienced in their latest moments 
 " peace which passeth understanding." He 
 was often heard to say, " well, these lambs 
 are now under the care of a Shepherd more 
 faithful than I. Oh, how sweetly they will 
 sing glory to God and the Lamb ! They 
 will ascribe all the glory of their salvation 
 to Jesus who has washed them in his blood. 
 In his presence they shall hunger no more, 
 neither thirst any more ; neither shall the 
 sun light on them, nor any heat. For the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 139 
 
 Lamb which is in the midst of the throne 
 shall feed them, and shall lead them nnto 
 living fountains of waters ; and God shall 
 wipe away all tears from their eyes." Said 
 he to a mother lamenting the death of a 
 beloved child, " Why do you weep ? There 
 is no fever where Mary is gone ! The spots 
 which we see here are all washed off by Je- 
 sus' blood ! She looks as white as an angel 
 now ! You will hardly recognize her when 
 you get to heaven, she will look so glorious. 
 She is making more music there than you 
 and I both can make here." 
 
 This event cast a gloom over the church 
 and town. Sorrow, and almost despair were 
 depicted on many a countenance ; but he 
 was ever cheerful. 
 
 " He allured to brighter worlds and led the way." 
 
 The effects of this epidemic had not 
 ceased to be felt when the " cold seasons" 
 of 1815, 1816, and 1817, came on. This, 
 though it wore not so frightful an aspect as 
 
140 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the Spotted Fever, was in the end more dis- 
 tressing. Though the victims of famine 
 fell not as suddenly, nevertheless as surely. 
 Great suffering was experienced through the 
 whole country. The famine was sore in 
 the land" and men knew not where ^'to buy 
 com." There was no Egypt into which 
 they might " go down." No large " store 
 houses'.' were to be opened. The cold was 
 excessive and the little that grew was 
 not suffered to ripen. The frost blast- 
 ed every green thing. This was emphati- 
 cally true in Tamworth. The town was 
 yet new. Many families had just begun to 
 make settlements and were dependent upon 
 older farmers for bread. No stores of pro- 
 visions had been laid up for such an emer- 
 gency. The neighboring towns were in 
 nearly the same condition. Consequently 
 they were obliged to procure corn and other 
 grains from Portsmouth, Exeter, Gilmanton, 
 Canterbury, and places still more remote. 
 
SAMtEL HIDDEN. 141 
 
 Destitute of money, they were forced to go 
 thirty, and even forty miles with sythes and 
 other agricultural implements and labor for 
 corn, and then carry it home to their half 
 starving families, on their backs. A day's 
 hard labor would sometimes procure only a 
 peck of corn. Many a man was glad to 
 labor a whole day for a half bushel of pota- 
 toes. Many families lived chiefly on ber- 
 ries for weeks together. Wheat flour sold 
 for eighteen dollars per bushel, rye for ten. 
 Such was the distress that the town was 
 obliged to procure corn for the sufferers, 
 dealing it out to the most needy. This 
 they were obliged to do three sucessive 
 years. 
 
 In the sufferers Mr. Hidden took a deep 
 interest. Rarely does a Congregational 
 minister have the good fortune to be able to 
 relieve the necessities of his parishoners. But 
 he had a good farm which yielded more 
 bountifully than some others. He was 
 ready to divide his last meal. The needy 
 
142 MEMOIR OF 
 
 always found in him " a pitying friend," a 
 heart to sympathize, and a hand to bestow 
 where ought could be found. He assisted 
 the poor in the payment of their taxes by 
 allowing them to labor on his farm. He la- 
 bored with his own hands, thus setting his 
 people an example of industry. Special 
 fasts were observed by the church. The 
 appeals at the throne of mercy were solemn 
 and not to be denied. They '' prayed with 
 heart and soul." 
 
 At length the dawn of happier days ap- 
 peared. The warm and genial rays of the 
 sun fructified the earth and their hearts 
 were filled " with food and gladness." 
 Hill and valley rang with joyful acclama- 
 tions. Public thanks were offered and 
 many a wretched hovel bore witness to the 
 heart-felt gratitude of its lean occupants. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 143 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Revivals — Protracted meetings — His influ- 
 ence — Ossipee — Sandwich — North 
 Sandwich. 
 
 We have now followed Mr. Hidden 
 through a period of about sixty-two years ;, 
 thirty of which are identified with the church, 
 of which he was pastor. This is the most 
 eventful period of his life, though not the 
 most interesting perhaps. It was full of 
 " stirring incidents." The struggles of his 
 youth, his hardships in war, the temptations 
 of a College, his conversion to God — his 
 zeal in entering the sacred ministry ; — his 
 call into the wilderness to lead a little band 
 of Christians; his trials and labors, in a 
 newly settled town, his extensive revivals, 
 and the marked success of his labors are of 
 
144 Memoir of 
 
 no ordinary interest. His life was not one 
 of inactivity and ease. He loved to labor 
 in the service of Christ. How far his en- 
 deavors to save immortal spirits were blessed 
 we have already seen. We are now to no- 
 lice farther displays of God's grace. 
 
 Since 1811, the church witnessed no 
 special token of divine mercy. The town 
 had suffered more than language can paint 
 from the ravages of the Spotted Fever and 
 " lean famine." The heavens were brass, 
 over their heads. The air was infected with 
 vapors of death. The earth was cold and 
 barren. The sun withheld its genial rays. 
 There was no bow of mercy, or star of hope. 
 But at length hope revived and the church 
 put on her " beautiful garments." The year 
 1822, opened with brighter prospects. 
 
 Mr. Hidden up to this time had labored 
 with his chracteristic zeal. Finding that 
 no drops of mercy descended, that the 
 church had settled down into a cold and 
 lifeless state, he, at times felt almost to de- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 145 
 
 spond. But he was not a man to yield to 
 such a feeling. It was not in his nature. 
 Besides, he had witnessed too signal displays 
 of God's grace to distrust his promises. A 
 member of his church about this time la- 
 menting the apathy which prevailed in the 
 community, and fearing " the Spirit had de- 
 parted," " Why, brother," said he, " has 
 not God promised to hear prayer ? He is 
 trying your faith. He loves to have his 
 children pray long ; because it does them 
 good. If he always answered prayer im- 
 mediately, his people would not pray at all, 
 the blessing would come so easy. Go and 
 pray, brother. Pray till you get tired and 
 see if he won't hear you. His ear is not 
 heavy that it cannot hear, nor his arm short- 
 ened that it cannot save. I really believe 
 iftwoor three members of this church would 
 intercede at the throne of sovereign mercy 
 we should have another revival." 
 
 A few pious females at this time were in 
 the habit of meeting to converse on religious 
 10 
 
146 MEMOIR OF 
 
 subjects and to pray for a revival. " Now/' 
 said Mr. Hidden on learning this, " we 
 shall have a revival ; "for when the women 
 pray neither God nor man can resist. Oh ! 
 these praying mothers will do more towards 
 inducing the Spirit to visit us than all the 
 rest." An aged mother in Israel called on 
 him one day for religious conversation and 
 said, " I know not what is to be done ; we 
 are in so cold a state." " Done I" replied 
 he, '^ why keep on importuning. You 
 women are great hands to importune. God 
 will not be angry with you. This is all 
 you have got to do. God will visit us. I 
 feel assured of it. We must have patience 
 and carry our complaints to Jesus. He 
 knows what is best for us." 
 
 About this time a man was suddenly 
 sent into eternity by the fall of a tree. He 
 had lived without God in the world and 
 was now sent into eternity without a mo- 
 ment's warning. It created a deep sensa- 
 tion in the community. Mr. Hidden im- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 147 
 
 proved the occasion and endeavored to deep- 
 en the feehng. The church were deeply- 
 affected, and impenitent men felt the un- 
 certainty of life and the awful destiny that 
 awaited the ungodly. A meeting of the 
 cliurch was held, in which they confessed 
 their sins one to another and asked forgive- 
 ness. Mr. Hidden was accustomed to re- 
 mark that it was useless to expect a revival 
 until the church could confess to each other 
 tlieir faults. Said he, " if they don't con- 
 fess them to each other they will not to 
 God." At this church meeting he said, 
 " Now brethren and sisters, we have got to 
 work hard to get back where we were 
 eight years since. But we can get back ; 
 God will help us and we shall feel enough 
 better when we get where we ought to be to 
 pay us for our pains." 
 
 The church was soon roused to activity. 
 Said Mr. Hidden, " This was literally a re- 
 vival of the church. This is what consti- 
 tutes a revival, viz. to have eveiy member 
 
148 MEMOIR OF 
 
 of the church alive to duty." But this work 
 of grace was by no means confined to the 
 church. There were not less than fifty 
 hopeful conversions ; more than thirty of 
 whom joined his church ; the rest went to 
 other churches; This season of mercy was 
 enjoyed with deep gratitude by Mr. Hidden--. 
 His joy at the conversion of a sinner was 
 unbounded. A thank offering was contin- 
 ually made to God. No man ever felt more 
 the necessity of the Spirit in the conversion 
 of the soul. He bad no confidence in 
 means only so far as the Spirit's influence at- 
 tended them. 
 
 A good degree of interest was preserved 
 in the church till 1827, when another show- 
 er of mercy descended to make glad the 
 church of God. This was a season of great 
 interest. There were about thirty hopeful 
 conversions to Christ. 
 
 In 1829, he enjoyed another revival. 
 This work of grace began in the centre of 
 the town. A young man had attended 
 
I 
 
 SAMUEL HIDDEN. 149 
 
 school at Newhampton and while there ex- 
 perienced the influence of divine grace. 
 He returned late in the autumn with a strong 
 desire to do good, to lead his friends and 
 associates to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Prayer meetings were commenced through 
 his instrumentality and many were induced 
 to attend. Mr. Hidden improved every 
 opportunity to deepen the impression already 
 begun and roused the church to prayer and 
 effort. The interest increased. The whole 
 congregation were deeply affected. Never 
 did they wrestle harder at the tlirone of 
 grace than at this time. In the church 
 were some who had sustained their pastor 
 from almost his first settlement. They had 
 witnessed many a refreshing from the Spirit 
 of the Lord. They felt that this would be 
 the last work of divine grace they might ev- 
 er witness this side eternity. Many, fervent 
 and importunate were the prayers they ad- 
 dressed to heaven. So deep was the feel- 
 ing that, for several Sabbaths, the after- 
 
150 MEMOIR OF 
 
 noons were spent in prayer and conversa- 
 tion with those who were sohcitious for the 
 salvation of their souls. For many months, 
 meetings for inquiry were held. In these 
 Mr. Hidden seemed more like an inhabitant 
 of heaven than like mortal. He was filled 
 with rapturous joy. He felt a permanent 
 and lively interest in the young. This 
 work of mercy was confined almost exclu- 
 sively to them. To see the lambs over 
 whom he had watched coming into the fold 
 of Christ filled him with holy emotions. 
 
 This work continued through the winter 
 of 1829, and spring of 1830. It resulted 
 in the salvation of thirty, or forty souls, 
 most of whom united with the church soon 
 after. 
 
 In 1831, the church had another season of 
 spiritual interest. A protracted meeting. 
 was held in the early part of the summer in 
 which Mr. Hidden was assisted by clergy- 
 men from neighboring towns. This was 
 the first time he ever resorted to unusual 
 
I 
 
 SAMUEL HIDDEN. 151 
 
 means of grace, or received special aid from 
 abroad. Hitherto his people had listened to 
 the truths of the Bible ; believed them and 
 were saved. ThouMi himself of a sanguine 
 
 o o 
 
 temperament, he sedulously guarded against 
 any unnatural excitement of the passions. 
 He taught his people to discriminate be- 
 tween the transient emotions of nature and 
 the deep and permanent workings of the 
 Holy Spirit. He appealed to reason, to 
 common sense. At this time protracted 
 meetings had been held in various places 
 and attended with signal success. After 
 much deliberation and earnest prayer on the 
 part of the church and pastor, a season for 
 this purpose was designated. The church 
 had opened their hearts wide. They had 
 strong faith. Their prayers were importu- 
 nate. They employed every means for 
 preparing the way of the Lord. At the ap- 
 pointed season people came from all parts of 
 the town and from neighboring towns also. 
 The house was crowded with those anxious 
 
152 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to hear the truth and gain the salvation of 
 their souls through Jesus Christ. Sermons 
 adapted to the occasion, were preached and 
 set home to the heart and conscience. 
 Prayers were offered in faith. The Spirit 
 descended and many leaped for joy. They 
 found peace in believing and joy in the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 The result of this meeting was glorious. 
 Not less than fifty were hopefully convert- 
 ed, though only about thirty subsequently 
 united with the church. The rest united 
 with other churches in neighboring towns. 
 
 In the autumn of the following year, a 
 similar meeting was held ; but the result of 
 it was by no means equal to the preceding. 
 The church however was benefited there- 
 by. Some drops of mercy distilled. The 
 hearts of Christians were warmed. Their 
 graces were revived. The church grew 
 and multiplied. 
 
 In recording the revivals which Mr. Hid- 
 den witnessed in his church, we have allud- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 153 
 
 ed to those only of marked importance. 
 There were others of less note in which the 
 mercy of God was displayed. His church 
 was a church of revivals. We doubt if any 
 other enjoyed more in the same period 
 of time. It was always made the occasion 
 of special prayer if the church did not ex- 
 perience the Spirit's special influence. Mr. 
 Hidden was never satisfied with preaching 
 from year to year and not see the word set 
 home to the heart and conscience. He al- 
 ways felt that something was wrong in the 
 pastor or church. He endeavored to exam- 
 ine his own heart and life, and humble him- 
 self before God. His closet witnessed his 
 tears of contrition, and his strong aspirations 
 for more holiness, nearer conformity to the 
 will of heaven. He endeavored to be hke 
 his blessed Master, and to make the mem- 
 bers of his church eminent for holiness. 
 Lukewarmness and apathy found no coun* 
 tenance with him. He felt that no church 
 had a right to be considered the churcli of 
 
154 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Christ if his Spirit dwelt not in it. Conse- 
 quently he acted on this principle, and revi- 
 val followed revival in quick succession. 
 
 Nor are we to judge of the extent of his 
 influence and usefulness from the revivals in 
 his own church and the number added there- 
 to. His influence was by no means limited 
 to his own people. It b true, more than 
 five hundred were added to his church who 
 had been converted through his instrument- 
 ality. But this is not half the number of 
 those who believed on Christ through his 
 preaching. His influence was felt over a 
 large extent of territory. He was the great 
 Apostle in all that region in which he dwelt. 
 He was the sun around which lesser planets 
 harmoniously revolved. When he settle-d 
 in Tamworth there was no church in Eaton, 
 Ossipee, Effingham, Newfield, or Sandwich. 
 He was consequently the only Congrega- 
 tional preacher for all these towns. They 
 looked upon him as their spiritual guide. 
 They resorted to his meetings. He went 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 155 
 
 from town to town preaching " the word." 
 Occasional Sabbaths were spent in these 
 places. But during the week he preached 
 in private houses and school houses, or barns. 
 It was his common practice to ride ten, or 
 fifteen miles, once or twice a week to preach 
 in these destitute places. Thus he was 
 rearing up churches in the wilderness. He 
 had here Christians zealous for the honor of 
 Christ. 
 
 Ossipee. 
 
 In 1806, a church was gathered in Ossi- 
 pee through the influence of Mr. Hidden, 
 consisting of twenty members. To this 
 number there were added subsequently about 
 forty through his instrumentality. This in- 
 fant church, surrounded by foes and beset 
 by temptations, he fostered with the same 
 care a mother bestows upon her infant child. 
 As often as duty would allow he broke to 
 them the bread of life. He visited the 
 
156 MEMOIR OF 
 
 members of the church, strengthened their 
 resolutions and exhortad them to stand fast 
 in the Lord. He often came among them 
 unexpectedly, and calling on some beloved 
 family would exclaim with a hearty shake of 
 the hand, " Well, I have come to preach to 
 you. Come, where shall we hold the meet- 
 ings here at your house, or at some other 
 place ? We must make haste, I must re- 
 turn to-night ; but I can't go without preach- 
 \ug with you." Forthwith the whole neigh- 
 borhood would be in agitation ; men would 
 leave their fields, and women their dairies 
 "to hear the good man preach." The 
 house would soon be crowded and he would 
 preach with demonstration and power. 
 These meetings were of a most interesting 
 character. The people came together spon- 
 taneously, literally " hungry for preaching." 
 It did tliem good. Their faith was strength- 
 ened. Their hopes confirmed. They had 
 a foretaste of heaven. Mr. Hidden felt 
 these to be most precious seasons to his own 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 157 
 
 spirit. He would often say, after having 
 preached on such occasion, " There, I feel 
 better. Preaching does me good." 
 
 He inspired a deep reverence in all who 
 saw him. They felt he was the messenger 
 of God, a prophet of the Most High. They 
 felt too that he was their spiritual friend. 
 
 At one time going into Ossipee to preach, 
 he passed some men laboring near the road- 
 side. They saw him passing and took off 
 their hats in token of respect. One man 
 however did not observe him until he had 
 passed beyond him. He feit that he had 
 offered an indignity to the man of God. 
 How to atone for it he knew not. But ob- 
 serving Mr. Hidden to stop some ways be- 
 yond to converse with a stranger, he ran 
 dlong the field beyond him and there busied 
 himself in some mock-labor until he should 
 pass by. Soon he rode up and the man 
 made a most respectful bow, " hat in hand." 
 " Why," said Mr. Hidden, '' I thought I 
 saw you back there just now." He spoke 
 
158 MEMOIR OF 
 
 this with such a penetrating look and arch- 
 ness of meaning that the man thought he 
 was betrayed and, with blushes, confessed 
 the whole. 
 
 At another time passing a school house in 
 which he sometimes preached, the pupils 
 besought their instructress to permit them 
 to meet " the minister," seeing him upon 
 rising ground. Permission was granted. 
 They in silence and with modest smiles, 
 took their stand on either side of the road ; 
 and as he passed bowed and courtesied. 
 This scene deeply affected Mr. Hidden. 
 He liorhted from his horse and blessed the 
 
 o 
 
 little immortals and commended them to 
 God in a most fervent prayer. 
 
 " Even children followed with endearing wile, 
 And plucked his gown, to share the good man'8 smile; 
 His ready smile a parent's warmth expressed, 
 Their welfare pleased him, and their cares distressed." 
 
 So well did the people know that he 
 came among them only to preach and pray, 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 159 
 
 that once passing through the town on his 
 way to some more remote place, the people 
 seeing him, followed, supposing he would 
 preach at a certain house. It is true, he 
 called at this house but only to inquire after 
 health. But they canle in and besought 
 him to preach. This was just what he 
 wished, but did not expect. He preached 
 and was obliged to ride in the night as a 
 consequence. 
 
 Having at one time appointed a meeting 
 at a private house and the people being 
 assembled, he called for a Bible. The man 
 was a miser and consequently thought more 
 of a bright dollar than of a new Bible. He 
 however presented Mr. Hidden with an 
 apology for a Bible. Its leaves were shat- 
 tered and a considerable portion of it gone. 
 That part in which he had selected his text, 
 before leaving home, was torn out. " Have 
 you not a whole Bible ?" asked Mr. Hid- 
 den. " There is as much as you will be 
 able to preach from to-day," stammered the 
 
160 MEMOIR OF 
 
 raan. He thought there was truth in the 
 remark and selected another text without 
 gainsaying. 
 
 September, 1829, this church settled a 
 pastor. Few in number and limited in re- 
 sources they were obliged to make sacrifices. 
 They did it cheerfully. Any plan suggests 
 ed by him met their cordial approbation. 
 They had already erected a convenient 
 house, at the dedication of which he preach^- 
 ed, and now they selected one to be their 
 spiritual guide. This was the occasion of 
 great joy to him. He felt how much they 
 needed some one to minister unto them in 
 spiritual things continually. The church 
 multiplied and the cause of Christ prospered. 
 But they never loved Mr. Hidden the less. 
 They looked upon him as their father. 
 They sought his counsel in all difficult cases. 
 They abided by his decisions. He never 
 withdrew his care from them. In the revi- 
 vals which the church afterwards enjoyed 
 he was present. The Lord added unto the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 161 
 
 church daily such as were ordained unto 
 life. In relating their experiences, it is re- 
 marked, that almost all referred their first re- 
 ligious impressions to some sermon he had 
 preached, prayer offered, or some precious 
 word he had spoken. 
 
 The difficulties which the church after- 
 wards experienced occasioned unspeakable 
 sorrow. For whole nights he gave no 
 sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eyelids. 
 He prayed that the divisions might be 
 healed and that he who had been constituted 
 their spiritual guide might prove in heart 
 and life what he had pledged himself to be. 
 But in this his hopes were blasted. Said 
 he, " I have never had my heart wrung with 
 such anguish in all the trials I have wit- 
 nessed. This is a bitter cup. It seems as 
 though the Lord was making a trial of my 
 faith." 
 
 The church however was preserved. It 
 has since experienced the displays of divine 
 grace. They have continued to enjoy the 
 11 
 
162 MEMOIR OF 
 
 preached word. The wilderness and the 
 sohtary place have been made glad for 
 those, 
 
 " Who stand on Zion's hill ! 
 
 Who bring salvation on their tongues, 
 
 And words of peace reveal I" 
 
 Sandwich. 
 
 Sandwich, like Ossipee, had been desti- 
 tute of a church until 1814, and without a 
 settled ministry, until 1827. This was also 
 the field of Mr. Hidden's usefulness and la- 
 bors. With no Congregational preacher, 
 they were accustomed to ride ten miles, or 
 more, to attend his preaching. His influ- 
 ence on this town was great. The revivals 
 which commenced at home extended here. 
 He spent occasional Sabbaths with them and 
 often preached during the week. They 
 welcomed him as their spiritual guide. 
 They joyed at his approach and wept at 
 his departure. All sought his company. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 163 
 
 He had here some choice spirits who loved 
 him as their hfe. Their houses were ever 
 open for his reception. He went among 
 them to labor. He preached in barns, school 
 houses and private dwellings. They hast- 
 ed to the place of worship. They were fed 
 with heavenly manna. Said Mr. Hidden, 
 '' I love to preach to the people of Sand- 
 wich, they love preaching so well." 
 
 In 1814, a church was gathered through 
 his influence in connexion with the Mission- 
 ary labor and influence of Rev. William 
 Cogswell. He administered to them the 
 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. He ex- 
 horted them to be united and steadfast in 
 the Lord. He cherished this little flock 
 with his warmest affections. He conceived 
 them to be a branch of his own famity. 
 He warned them of their danger. He estab- 
 lished them in the faith. He fed them with 
 spiritual food. He endeavored to train them 
 for hidier and holier scenes in heaven. 
 
164 MEMOIR OF 
 
 " And as a bird each fond endearment tries, 
 To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies, 
 He tried each art, reproved each dull delay, 
 Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way." 
 
 He saw this little church at length able 
 to settle a pastor. He rejoiced that they were 
 to have a shepherd to lead them in green 
 pastures and by still waters. For this he 
 had long prayed. They had already erected 
 a house of worship and dedicated it to Al- 
 mighty God, he preaching on the occasion. 
 In 1827, a pastor was installed over this in- 
 fant church. It has since enjoyed the out- 
 pourings of the Spirit. Its numbers great- 
 ly increased. During his whole life he 
 continued to exercise a parental care over 
 it. In their seasons of revivals he was 
 there. His presence was deemed indispens- 
 able. The people almost felt that nothing 
 could be done without him ; that no man's 
 prayers prevailed like his at the court ot 
 heaven. 
 
 In a seniion of his preached before this 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 165 
 
 church and people he holds the following 
 lano;uao;e. 
 
 " To you my brethren and sisters I must 
 address a few words. The Lord has won- 
 derfully preserved you. He has blessed 
 you even beyond what you had anticipated. 
 To you this is an interesting occasion. You 
 have one now to break unto you continually 
 the bread of life. He will feed you with 
 knowledge and understanding. He will 
 counsel you in trials. He will administer 
 consolation under affliction. He will visit 
 you in sickness and pray for your souls. 
 Yes, my brethren, he will preach your 
 funeral sermons ! When the soul has gone 
 to its reward he will tell of your deeds and 
 console those left to mourn. This is a sad 
 office. Oh, how sad, if the soul departs 
 unreconciled to God ! 
 
 It becomes you first to pray for yourselves 
 and pastor. Prayer must not be neglected. 
 The prophets prayed and God heard them. 
 The Apostles and Martyrs prayed and God 
 
166 MEMOIE OF 
 
 heard them too. You pray in faith and you 
 shall be heard. You should pray lest you 
 fall into temptation, lest you become cold in 
 your affections. You should pray for your 
 pastor. He needs your prayers. Pray that 
 he may be guided into all truth ; that he 
 may have wisdom to direct his steps ; that 
 he may go in and out before you in all sin- 
 cerity and love. 
 
 You should pray for union. Union is 
 strength. United, you stand ; divided, you 
 fall. Oh ! if disunion and discord, wrang- 
 lings and hard feelings creep into this 
 church, God only knows the baneful effects 
 which will result ! Stand ye firm and im- 
 moveable. Turn not to the right hand nor 
 to the left. Let it ever be said, " see how 
 these Christians love ope another. God is 
 a God of union. He frowns on him who 
 rends and divides. If you have hard feel- 
 ings go right to the throne of mercy and 
 banish them. Let love be without dissim- 
 ulation. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 167 
 
 Oh, my brethren, I rejoice with fear and 
 trembling for this church. You are my 
 children in Christ. I have preached unto 
 you the gospel, and I have tried to feed you 
 with such meat as was suited to your wants. 
 I have been with you in prosperity and in 
 adversity. I have stood by your sick beds 
 and administered the consolations of the 
 gospel. I have sprinkled holy water upon 
 you in baptism and have heard you cove- 
 nant before men and God to be his forever. 
 I have prayed for you and your children. 
 And now I am old, gray headed. My days 
 are almost numbered. I must soon stand 
 before God in judgment. Oh, shall it be 
 found that the blood of any of you is upon 
 my skirts ! God forbid. Shall any of you 
 upon whom I have invoked the name of the 
 Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, 
 fail to meet me in heaven ? Brethren, this 
 is an awful reflection ! I tremble while I 
 stand in this sacred desk and look around on 
 these precious souls, and think of the awful 
 
168 MEMOIR OF 
 
 scenes of the judgment day. There pas- 
 tors and people, parents and children, will 
 be separated forever ! Oh, the thought of 
 such a separation ! Let it not be so with 
 us. God is my witness that without ceasing 
 I make mention of you always in my prayers. 
 I now commend you to God and the word 
 of his grace. Pray, brethren. Do pray. 
 God will hear your prayers. And we shall 
 get to heaven at length through Jesus Christ 
 strengthening us." 
 
 Such was his love for this people and 
 such his apprehensions. How far the latter 
 have been verrified time has shown. But 
 this much is certain, his love for them was 
 deep and pervading. Well may his mem- 
 ory be dear to this people. Well may they 
 cherish it. He first loved them. He first 
 taught them to lisp the name of Jesus. Un- 
 grateful must they now be to forget the 
 warmest friend, the safest guide, the unerr- 
 \n<i counsellor, and the humblest Christian. 
 Let them venerate his name, perpetuate his 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 169 
 
 memory, listen to his advice, follow his ex- 
 ample, and seek to meet him in heaven. 
 This was the burden of his prayers. He 
 prayed long for them. His closet witnessed 
 his devotion, and his tears. The very pa- 
 per on which he penned the words we have 
 just quoted was bedewed with his tears. 
 Indications of them are on every page. 
 Precious tears were those ! They were all 
 seen by God himself. They had their rise 
 in a soul whose love was deep, almost 
 boundless. They gushed from an overflow- 
 ing heart. The sympathies of his nature 
 were all warmly enlisted. He saw the dan- 
 gei-s that beset this little band he had cher- 
 ished. But he weeps no more ! 
 
 North Sandmch. 
 
 This little church is situated in the north- 
 ern part of Sandwich, about six miles from 
 tlie one we have just mentioned. Former- 
 ly it was united to the other, but in 1 832, it 
 
170 MEMOIR OF 
 
 was formed into a distinct church. Hither- 
 to it has united with that in the support of 
 the ministry, one pastor being settled over 
 both churches. This enjoyed preaching 
 one thu-d of the time. This church is lo- 
 cated in an isolated spot, surrounded almost 
 by an amphitheatre of mountains and hills. 
 Here Mr. Hidden was early accustomed to 
 preach. Here lived a little band of kindred 
 spirits. Announcing his intention to preach, 
 the information was soon given to all the 
 families. 
 
 " With ready zeal each honest rustic ran," 
 
 to hear proclaimed the truths which were 
 spirit and life to his soul. He trained up a 
 little band for heaven. 
 
 " A skilful workman he 
 In God's great moral vineyard ; what to prune 
 With cautious hand he knew, what to uproot; 
 What were mere weeds, and what celestial plants 
 Which had unfading vigor in them, knew ; 
 Nor knew alone, but watched them night and day. 
 And reared and nourished them, till fit to be 
 Transplanted to the Paradise above." 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 171 
 
 One time having an appointment to 
 preach at this place and assaying to go 
 there, found the road blocked up with 
 snow. Consequently he called on a family 
 with whom he was partially acquainted, 
 told them what his business was and said, 
 " why can't we have preaching here ? I 
 can't get there. Come, call in your neigh- 
 bors and I will preach." They cheerfully 
 acceeded to the proposal and as many came 
 as circumstances would allow. Some 
 months after a man came to him in great an- 
 guish of spirit to know what he should do to 
 be saved. Said he, I *' have not had a mo- 
 ment's peace since you preached in our 
 neighborhood. I am bowed down to the 
 earth. Tell me. Sir, what I must do." 
 Mr. Hidden directed bun to the Lamb of 
 God and commended him to God at the 
 throne of grace. '' Now," said he, '* pray 
 for yourself." He did so and left the house 
 a new creature in Christ Jesus. 
 
 **Ah!" said Mr. Hidden, ''I never 
 
172 MEMOIR OF 
 
 thought of any good coming from that meet- 
 ing, yet God has saved an immortal spirit by 
 means of it." 
 
 He ever cherished a parental regard for 
 this little church. He preached here occa- 
 sionally until his death. 
 
 Thus we see Mr. Hidden planting these 
 little colonies. He fostered them by his 
 prayers and labors. He had no desire to 
 build up one church only ; his views were 
 broad. He saw that by planting those little 
 colonus they would become flourishing 
 churches with places of worship dedicated 
 to Almighty God and those to watch for 
 their souls as they that must give an ac- 
 coimt. He foresaw that in future years glo- 
 rious revivals would be witnessed in them. 
 This proved to be the fact. Great have 
 been the results ; greater than others could 
 have anticipated. It must have been a 
 source of great delight to Mr. Hidden's pi- 
 ous heart, to see these little churches plant- 
 ed in the wilderness increasing in numbers. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 173 
 
 growing in influence and giving indications 
 of future greatness. But he ever felt that, 
 though he had planted and watered, it was 
 God who gave the increase. 
 
174 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 His interest in education — Knoivledge of 
 the classics — His interest in the young — 
 His patriotism — Benevolence — Famili- 
 arity with others — Cheerfulness. 
 
 Hitherto we have spoken of Mr. Hidden 
 only in connection with his own church and 
 other churches planted through his instru- 
 mentaUty. 
 
 We are now to speak of him in his other 
 departments of labor and influence. 
 
 Mr. Hidden took a lively interest in the 
 education of the risino; o;eneration. When 
 he came to Tamworth but little progress 
 had been made. There were but four 
 school houses in the town. The amount 
 of money for the support of these was small. 
 The inhabitants generally were too much 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. ♦175 
 
 engrossed in the cares incident to a new 
 country, to do much for the instruction of 
 their children who could not be spared from 
 labor without great sacrifices and when 
 they might be spared often no competent 
 teacher was to be found. From the several 
 acts of the town it appears they were ready 
 to make what sacrifices might be made. 
 School houses were early erected, and teach- 
 ers employed so far as circumstances would 
 allow. 
 
 Mr. Hidden gave a new impulse. He 
 early engaged in teaching. This he did 
 with a special reference to qualifying young 
 ladies and gentlemen for the important and 
 responsible duties of teachers. These were 
 what the town at that time most needed. He 
 soon raised up teachers well qualified to in- 
 struct in the rudiments of education. 
 Schools multiplied and a general interest 
 was felt by the people. Previous to this 
 various superstitions prevailed among the in- 
 habitants such as are natural to a new settle- 
 
176 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ment and such eventful periods. But — 
 
 " Where'er he went, 
 This lesson still he taught, To fear no ill 
 But sin, no being but Almighty God.". 
 
 He induced the town to devise more lib- 
 eral measures for the support of common 
 schools. Accordingly they raised more 
 money than the law required. He had the 
 cure of all the schools. He stimulated the 
 pupils to more vigorous study by holding up 
 to them characters worthy their imitation ; 
 by unfolding to them the destinies that 
 awaited ; by pointing out a life of honora- 
 ble deeds as the legitimate result of close 
 application to study in youth, and by re- 
 minding them of the claims which their pa- 
 rents had to their unremitted toil. He al- 
 ways made these visits cheerful and interest- 
 ing. 
 
 During the seasons in which the com- 
 mon schools were not in operation he opened 
 
 ii 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 177 
 
 his own house and instructed classes in the 
 various branches of education. 
 
 The following has been kindly prepared 
 for this work by a gentleman who enjoyed 
 his instruction. 
 
 '' Agreeably to your request I seat myself 
 to pen you a few thoughts relative to the 
 character of Mr. Hidden's instruction. I 
 would therefore ask you to imagine yourself 
 seated in his reception room with a class of 
 ten or fifteen pupils. 
 
 During the whole recitation he seems ab- 
 sorbed in reflections of a solemn nature. 
 He feels that a great responsibility is resting 
 upon him ; that he is moulding characters 
 for eternity ; shaping their destinies. Will 
 these grow up to be useful members in soci- 
 ety ? Will they guard well the liberties of 
 their country, purchased with blood, when 
 we who are now acting our part, are sleep- 
 ing beneath the clod ? Will these become 
 firm pillars in the spiritual temple of the 
 Lord Almighty ? Will they adhere to the 
 12 
 
}78 MEMOIR OF 
 
 faith of their fathei's and sustain the prec- 
 ious ordinances of the gospel ? Or will 
 they prove recreant to their highest interest ? 
 Prove a curse to their country and a scourge 
 to the church ? Will they finally be admit- 
 ted to God's right hand and spend an eter- 
 nity in celebrating the wonders of redeeming 
 love — 
 
 " Sing loud, and vvavo 
 Their palms of triumphs ! sing where is thy sting. 
 O Death ! Where is thy victory, O grave ! 
 Thanks be to God, eternal thanks who gave 
 Us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.'' 
 
 Or shall they sink to a night of eternal 
 wailing ? Such seem to be the thoughts 
 that occupied his mind. We saw him — 
 
 " Burning with love to souls, 
 Unquenchable, and mindful still of his 
 Great charge and vast responsibility." 
 
 He ever seemed to feel that he was trans- 
 acting business for eternity and to do good 
 was his chief delight. As a teacher I think 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 179 
 
 he must have been (juite accurate. With 
 the ehissics he was very fainihar. He un- 
 derstood tlie philosophy of lan«ruage. The 
 Greek and Latin were favorite studies. He 
 never hiid them aside ; but rather grew in 
 the knowledge of thoni. Never shall I for- 
 get the interest with whieh I read Virgil to 
 him. This I/Uiii jmet was perfectly famil- 
 iar to liim. 1I(^ had an exhaustless fund of 
 anecdotes and illustrations wherewith to 
 render perspicuous every sentiment. He 
 carried us hack to the time of the great poet 
 of nature and we seemed to live amidst the 
 scenes of which he sung. Wo mingled in 
 the strife of war, llio din of battles, the rus- 
 tic dance and the hall of merriment. He- 
 roic valor was there ; Herculean strength ; 
 undying love of liherty, friendship's silken 
 lies. These were stirring scenes for our 
 youthful spirits. He took delight in witness- 
 ing the youthful eye sparkle with joy and 
 the countenance radiant with hope. Ho 
 endeavored to make this author beloved by 
 
180 MEMOIR OF 
 
 US. He succeeded. We vowed eternal 
 friendship for the bard that could throw such 
 a charm over the dull realities of life, and 
 gild nature with such gorgeous tints. 
 
 Not less interesting did he make our reci- 
 tations in Cicero. The history of Greece 
 and Rome were at his command. Every 
 battle fought, every victory won or lost ; 
 every interesting anecdote of statesmen, 
 poets, and orators were all familiar. His 
 memory was a store-house of whatever had 
 been heroically done or felicitously said. The 
 facts of their history, the deeds of their he- 
 roes, the philosophy of their sages, were 
 all treasured up. The thoughts that breathe 
 and words that burn were at his command. 
 He entered into the spirit of the author ; 
 pointed out the beauties. When the great 
 orator frowned upon the traitor Cataline, he, 
 
 " Frowning now indignantly, seemed 
 As if offended Justice, from his eye, 
 Streamed forth vindictive wrath !" 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 181 
 
 I have never seen a man who could speak 
 the sentiments of his heart so well with his 
 eye, and the expression of his countenance. 
 If he could not give us the exact shade of 
 meaning by words, he would read the origin- 
 al and we watch his countenance, and the 
 truth was made plain. 
 
 He read the Greek with great fluency. 
 In reading the Testament, all the powers of 
 his great mind were brought into action. 
 Of the genius and philosophy of the lan- 
 guage, he was complete master. But the 
 great truths it revealed inspired the most 
 elevated thoughts and the deepest venera- 
 tion. The difficult parts he elucidated by 
 happy illustrations from nature. His com- 
 ments partook of a profundity of theological 
 knowledge rarely surpassed. I have ever 
 wondered at the extent of his views and the 
 vastness of his comprehension. 
 
 '* His intellectual strength 
 And knowledge vast, to men of lesser minds 
 Seemed infinite ; yet, from his high pursuits, 
 
182 MEMOIR OF 
 
 And reasonings most profound, he still returned 
 Home, with an humbler and warmer heart; 
 And none so lowly bowed before his God." 
 
 Had he been placed in different circum- 
 stances ; had God cast his lot where — 
 
 '' Thought meeting thought, and thought awakening 
 
 thought 
 And mingling still with thought," 
 
 he would have shown a star of the first mag- 
 nitude in the galaxy of literary men. He 
 possessed a giant intellect. His thoughts 
 were profound ; his perception quick ; he sur- 
 veyed vast regions at once. His analytical 
 powers were unsurpassed. His imagination 
 was lively ; his memory vast, his judg- 
 ment deep. He had all the elements of a 
 great mind. He had studied human nature 
 with great accuracy. He looked 
 
 " Far down 
 
 Into the heart, where passion wove a web 
 
 Of thousand, thousand threads, in grain and hue 
 
 All different." 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 183 
 
 But God shapes the destinies of men. He 
 planted him in the wilderness to make it 
 vocal with praise. His influence, in the wil- 
 derness though he might be, was greater 
 than that of almost any other man. Eterni- 
 ty will only reveal its extent. But let it ev- 
 er be remembered that his — 
 
 *' Main design. 
 In all his contemplations, was to trace, 
 The wisdom, providence, and love of God, 
 And to his fellows, less observant, show 
 Them forth." 
 
 Not only did the youth of his own town 
 avail themselves of his instruction, but great 
 numbers flocked to him from neighboring 
 towns. They came even fifty, or sixty 
 miles, becoming permanent scholars. 
 
 Not only did he teach the natural and 
 moral sciences, but fitted large numbers for 
 the higher departments of instruction. He 
 instructed many for entrance upon the study 
 of medicine ; of others for the study of Law ; 
 
184 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and great numbers for Colleges. Rarely 
 has any private man qualified more. These 
 men are now in their spheres shaping the 
 destinies of the nation. Their influence is 
 felt not only in this State but others. Many 
 of them are men of eminence. 
 
 He also assisted others in the study of 
 sacred Theology. These have been teach- 
 ing the way of life and salvation. Souls 
 have been saved through their instrumen- 
 tality. 
 
 Another branch of Mr. Hidden's instruc- 
 tion was Sacred Music. He early mani- 
 fested a strong passion for this delightful 
 branch of education. He felt that all nature 
 moved in wonted harmony. There was 
 something in music which corresponded to 
 that within. His soul was most in harmony 
 with heaven. To sing the praises thereof 
 touched cords that thrilled with the keenest 
 emotions. Notes of music waked his soul 
 to love and transport : it was the toc^ 
 sin of his soul. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 185 
 
 On coming to Tamworth he opened 
 schools and quahfied many to lead choirs. 
 He had a choice choir in his own Church, 
 of which he was always the chorister. In 
 all his meetings he pitched the tunes and 
 sung, standing erect in his pulpit, never sit- 
 ting after the commencment of service until 
 the close of it. He continued to do so 
 through life. He possessed a correct ear 
 for music, a discriminating taste, a strong, 
 stentorian, mellow voice, modulating any 
 note from the base to the treble. There was 
 no music he could not read with accuracy. 
 He taught it in many of the neighboring 
 towns. 
 
 He was also, an amateur of instrumental 
 music. The Bass-viol was his favorite in- 
 strument. With this he discoursed music 
 to admiration. 
 
 Another department of Mr. Hidden's use- 
 fulness in imparting instruction was the Bi- 
 ble-class. To this he devoted himself with 
 great zeal. He had ever lamented the igno- 
 
186 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ranee of the Bible, which prevailed in the 
 Churches generally. He felt that more 
 thorough biblical knowledge was the great 
 desideratum. He dreaded ignorance more 
 than any vice. Consequently, early in his 
 ministry he instituted the Bible-class, and 
 taught with great success. He took an ac- 
 tive interest in the instruction of the children 
 on the Sabbath. He had urged upon pa- 
 rents the duty of teaching at home the Cate- 
 chism, that most invaluable mode of impart- 
 ing religious knowledge. This was gener- 
 ally observed. A child who could not re- 
 peat his catechism was considered a disgrace 
 to the community. What, find in those days, 
 a child ignorant of the contents of that little 
 book ! No : this was in every family. 
 The parents every Sabbath evening assem- 
 bled their children and asked questions, and 
 they answered them with scrupulous exact- 
 ness. 
 
 Such was Mr. Hidden's influence in the 
 cause of education in all its departments. It 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 187 
 
 is true he was honored by no high Degrees 
 or proud Titles. These he never sought — 
 
 " Remote from towns he ran Jiis godly race, 
 
 Nor e'er had changed, nor wislied to change his place. 
 
 Unpractised he to fawn or seek for power, 
 
 By doctrines fashioned to the varying hour ; 
 
 Far other aims his heart had learned to prize, 
 
 More bent to raise the wretched than to rise." 
 
 He was however for many years Presi- 
 dent of the Board of Trustees of Fryeburg 
 Academy. He labored for its prosperity and 
 deeply lamented the troubles which so long 
 distracted this institution. For a lono: time 
 its usefulness was suspended. God howev- 
 er removed some of its enemies, and since 
 it has continued to exert a salutary influence 
 on the community. Mr. Hidden felt a live- 
 ly interest in its welfare and prayed for its 
 success. 
 
 His Patriotism. 
 
 As we have already seen, Mr. Hidden 
 early embraced the cause of his suffering 
 
188 MEMOIR OF 
 
 country. He cheerfully shared in her suf- 
 ferings, fought her battles, and won her vic- 
 tories with the daring spirits of '76. His was 
 not a spirit to sit down in ease while his 
 country bled. He preferred sheding his 
 own blood to ignominy. Naturally bold 
 and generous, the camp and the stirring 
 scenes of war waked his chivalrous soul. 
 
 These same principles which actuated his 
 youth guided him in after years. He loved 
 his country devotedly, and rejoiced in her 
 prosperity. He looked to the " God of 
 Hosts" for her protection. He informed 
 himself accurately of all the great political 
 questions of the times, weighed the argu- 
 ments on either side, and formed an opinion 
 of their merits. He felt himself interested 
 in whatever concerned the public good. Be- 
 cause he had taken upon him the office and 
 duties of the ministry he never dreamed, 
 with many of the present day, that he must 
 lay aside his character of the patriot and feel- 
 ings of a soldier, actuated with holy motives. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 189 
 
 Blood and carnage, were as repugnant to 
 his sensibilities as to those who are willing 
 to lay aside the character of the man and 
 sink into a state of insignificance where little 
 minds repose. He held that religion did not 
 require him to sacrifice any inherent princi- 
 ple of his nature. It required the soldier to 
 lay aside his arms and the love of them in 
 times of peace, but when the alarm of dan- 
 ger was heard, to resume them again. 
 
 He often remarked that he could " not 
 conceive how the country could well dis- 
 pense with the talents and piety of those 
 who are called to the ministry. The priests 
 were formerly commanded to sound the 
 trumpets and go around the walls. Moses 
 must stretch his hand over the plain, and 
 Aaron and Hur must hold it up. They too 
 were interested in all the affairs of the 
 state. But now the priest must observe the 
 silence of death. He must stand a mere 
 machine, a mummy well embalmed." He 
 thought that they who were safe guides in 
 
190 MEMOIR OF 
 
 morals and religion should exercise a due 
 influence in politics. He taught his people 
 to mingle religion in all the transactions of 
 life, not to lay it aside as some costly jewel 
 to be looked at and worn on special occa- 
 sions, but that it should be an every day 
 garment ; that it should pervade, sanctify 
 and elevate the whole life. 
 
 He was as far removed from the spirit 
 and conduct of the demagogue as heaven is 
 from earth. He looked with pity upon such 
 a man. He would have men go to the bal- 
 lot-box unbiassed and fearless. This he al- 
 ways did. This was a sacred right due to 
 a patriot and soldier. He gained respect 
 thereby. No man will be despised for act- 
 ing out his honest principles. It is not in 
 nature to do it. 
 
 The difficulties which led to the war of 
 1812, he had devoutly prayed might be 
 amicably adjusted. But had he seen a spir- 
 it of oppression in the conduct of England, 
 his was not a voice to be raised asrainst the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 19*1 
 
 act of Congress. Had his country needed 
 his services he would have obeyed her sum- 
 mons with the same cheerfulness and spirit 
 which animated his youthful bosom at the 
 capture of Burgoyne. The anniversary of 
 our Independance was to him a season of 
 deep gratitude to the God of battles. He 
 always took this occasion to remind his peo- 
 ple of the sufferings and dangers, the noble, 
 generous patriotism of our fathers ; of the 
 oppression which forced them to arms ; and 
 of the goodness of Jehovah in going to bat- 
 tle with them ; of the distinguished privi- 
 leges they, their posterity, now enjoyed and 
 the obligations under which they were laid 
 to respect their memory, to guard well the 
 liberties entrusted and to return grateful 
 thanks to Almighty God for his signal mer- 
 cies. 
 
 Previous to elections he was accustomed 
 to preach " election sermons." In these he 
 explained and enforced the duties which, 
 theV; as citizens owed their country, and 
 
192 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the manner in which these duties should be 
 performed ; with what spirit they should be 
 actuated ; the motives which should lead to 
 action. 
 
 These were delivered with a spirit of 
 candor and fairness. They had a salutary 
 eftect in allaying the harsh and angry feel- 
 ings engendered by the exciting nature of 
 pending controversies. They were adapted 
 to remind them of the cognizance which 
 God takes of all actions and their liability to 
 err in judgment. He always opened elec- 
 tions whh an address to the throne of grace. 
 
 He officiated as chaplain to the nine- 
 teenth Regiment of Militia for about thirty 
 years. When thus called to address the 
 throne of mercy he never lost sight of his 
 great object, viz. to do good. He prayed 
 with much fervor and, what by many may 
 be deemed almost incredible, some have 
 ascribed their first permanent religious im- 
 pressions to the prayers he offered on the 
 field. This is a well authenticated fact* 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 193 
 
 Silence every where prevailed when he en- 
 gaged in this solemn act. They viewed 
 him as the — 
 
 " Great plenipotent of heaven, 
 And representative of God on earth." 
 
 In his own town whenever the soldiers 
 were assembled for a 'driir they were drawn 
 up in a " hollow-square," and he in the 
 midst offered devout supplications to heaven. 
 This gave a solemnity to the occasion. 
 
 " Light-thoughted Mirth grew serious, and wept 
 The laugh profane sunk in a sigh." 
 
 He felt that in all places where there was 
 a heart, there was an opportunity to do good. 
 His fellow men were assembled in obedience 
 to the laws of the State. It was his duty 
 to encourge this obedience. And besides, 
 an opportunity was here offered him to sym- 
 pathize with them under the burden thus im- 
 posed. He thereby gained their esteem ; won 
 13 
 
194 MEMOIR OF 
 
 their affections and prepared the way for 
 more extensive influence over their minds by 
 removing prejudices which naturally exist 
 between such men and tlie preacher. 
 
 His Benevolence. 
 
 Benevolence was a prominent characteris- 
 tic of Mr. Hidden. By benevolence we do 
 not mean simply the bestowal of this world's 
 goods, but we mean a benevolence in feel- 
 ing as well as in giving. It is true, his house 
 was ever an asylum for the needy and dis- 
 tressed. Many a man has been fed at his 
 table and clothed from his wardrobe. Such 
 were his circumstances in that new country, 
 that he was able to assist the poor. He em- 
 ployed them on his farm and paid their taxes. 
 He often did this to his own injury. But 
 the law of love was in his heart. It lived 
 there and glowed. It gave character to his 
 every action. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 195 
 
 " Wliat he possessed he counted not his own, 
 
 But like a faithful steward in a house 
 
 Of public alms, what freely he received 
 
 He frcelj gave, distributing to all 
 
 The helpless, the last might beyond his own 
 
 Temperate support, and reckoning still the gift 
 
 But justice, due to want." 
 
 Many a school-boy has found at his house 
 what he despaired of enjoying at home. 
 The httle lads, poor and hungry, were often 
 called in by his wife and fed with a kindness 
 which often drew tears of joy from the little 
 sufferers. They now rise up to pronounce 
 blessings. 
 
 The various benevolent objects of the day 
 shared in his sympathies and prayers. He 
 looked upon these as the means under God 
 of the world's conversion. The Bible, 
 Tract, and Missionary cause found a pow- 
 erful advocate in him. 
 
 He took broad views of their operations. 
 The thouglit of the world's conversion to 
 Christ, to which these objects looked, filled 
 him with holiest joy and transport. None 
 
196 MEMOIR OF 
 
 who ever attended, can forget the interest 
 with which he sustained the Monthly Con- 
 cert of Prayer for Foreign Missions. He 
 prayed that the time might soon come when 
 the islands of the sea should wait for God's 
 law and dark and benighted Africa stretch 
 her hands to heaven. His was an expansive 
 benevolence. He embraced the entire world 
 in his affections. 
 
 "As one 
 Sole family of brothers, sisters, friends, 
 One in their origin, one in their rights 
 To all the common gifts of providence. 
 And in hopes, their joys, their sorrows one 
 He viewed the universal human race." 
 
 It mattered not to him whether they wor- 
 shipped at the shrine of the great Prophet, 
 shouted before the Carr of Juggernaut or 
 offered incense to some " unknown God." 
 They were all his brethren. 
 
 His benevolence was particularly manifes- 
 ted towards the sick. He viewed this world 
 a great hospital in which prevailed every 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 197 
 
 Species of malady and woe ; where were the 
 sick and the dying. He conceived it the 
 duty of those in health to minister cordials 
 to the sick : to pour wine and oil into their 
 wounds and assv.age their anguish. What 
 he was in sentiment, he was in action. 
 
 " Beside the bed where parting life was laid, 
 And sorrow, guilt, and pain, by turns dismayed, 
 The reverend champion stood. At his control 
 Despair and anguish fled the struggling soul ; 
 Comfort came down, the trembling wretch to raise, 
 And his last faltering accents whispered praise." 
 
 He made his visits to the cot of poverty 
 as readily as to the mansion of wealth. The 
 cry of distress had a power to enlist his sym- 
 pathies from whatever source it came. The 
 early mom, dewy eve and midnight's silent 
 hour, found him by the bed of the sick and 
 dying. No cold of winter or heat of sum- 
 mer prevented. There he was in tears. He 
 cheered them amidst their gloom and sad- 
 ness, speaking of the Balm of Gilead and 
 of the Physician there. He directed their 
 
198 MEMOIR OF 
 
 thoughts to the Lamb of God. He always 
 led them upward and spoke of the joys which 
 are laid up for the redeemed. To the un- 
 converted he spoke words of mildness, but 
 assured them of the awful doom that awaited 
 the ungodly. He insisted upon an immedi- 
 ate surrender to God. He pointed out the 
 danger of procrastination. They became 
 alarmed and prostrate for mercy called. 
 
 Never perhaps did any man effect more at 
 the bed of sickness and death. There his 
 great soul had room for action. No pen- 
 cil can paint, or language describe the varied 
 aspects his countenance assumed during the 
 same visit. He knew how to adapt himself 
 to their various necessities. He smiled when 
 peace of spirit prevailed, but when the spir- 
 it was about to rush into the presence of 
 God unforgiven, the anguish within was de- 
 picted in his countenance. 
 
 This was the secret of his great success in 
 twining about him the affections of all 
 classes; and in winning souls to Christ. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 199 
 
 " Needy, poor 
 
 And dying men, like music hoard liis feet 
 Approach their beds ; and guilty wretches took 
 New hope, and in his prayers wept and smiled 
 And blessed him, as they died forgiven and all 
 Saw in his face contentment, in his life, 
 The path to glory and perpetual joy." 
 
 Without his presence the dying thought it 
 hard to die. Those who cursed him while 
 in health, when the " grim messenger" came, 
 when they were to launch into eternity, ask- 
 ed for his prayers. He often remarked that 
 "there was one time when the ungodly 
 would listen to his preaching, on a sick and 
 dying bed. " In his duty prompt at every 
 call," he was there to light the spirit on its 
 way through the valley and shadow of 
 death, to pray its passage safe to the haven 
 of eternal rest. The blasphemer and the 
 thoughtless in deep repentance prayed before 
 him and found forgiveness. 
 
200 MEMOIR OF 
 
 His Familiarity. 
 
 Familiarity with all persons was a remar- 
 kable trait in his character. Perhaps no 
 charge is oftener preferred against clergy- 
 men of the present day, than the want of 
 this valuable trait of character. To be use- 
 ful the preacher must in some way manifest 
 a fellow-feeling with all men — a sympathy 
 convincing all that his only motive is love ; 
 and his object the salvation of their souls. 
 To all men, however are not allowed the 
 same gift. When one qualification is deni- 
 ed, another is given as a compensation. Yet 
 it is the duty of all ministers to aim at per- 
 fection in manner and life ; to be qualified 
 for every good word and work, that by any 
 means they may save some. 
 
 This was Mr. Hidden's aim through life. 
 Gifted by nature beyond the common lot of 
 men, he strove to adapt himself to the ca- 
 pacities and circumstances of all. He had 
 all the sensibilities of a man. No Monkish 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 201 
 
 austerity was his. The cowl and the clois- 
 ter httle suited his nature. Moroseness, af- 
 fected sanctity, a sad, gloomy countenance, 
 when there was no occasion for it, were to 
 him sure indications of a heart ill at ease. 
 Cheerfulness, a countenance beaming with 
 christian joy, frankness of manner, " a soul 
 all love," in his estimation were the badges 
 of a pious heart. He conversed with all 
 with the same ease. His acquaintance with 
 men and things enabled him to converse on 
 all topics with the same interest, making all 
 subjects and all occasions subservient to his 
 great aim, the impressing the mind with re- 
 ligious sentiments. 
 
 This familiarity, instead of diminishing the 
 dignity and respect due the ambassador of 
 heaven, increased it. No man maintained 
 dignity or gained respect more successfully 
 than he, though he seemed never to think of 
 either. He knew his duty and resolved 
 to do it. He thought not of that ty- 
 rant, public opinion. He courted the favor 
 
202 MEMOIR OF 
 
 of none but heaven, knowing^ that by so do- 
 ing he should win the esteem of all good men 
 and silence the mouth of the ungodly. He 
 avoided every thing of a mechanical nature 
 in his intercourse with his people. He act- 
 ed spontaneously. He would not suffer the 
 restraints which are now thrown around the 
 preacher. He was never hedged in, crippled 
 trammeled and bandaged up like modern 
 men. He moved in his own orbit and suf- 
 fered none to divert him therefrom. 
 
 In our day there are ten thousand re- 
 straints imposed upon the preacher, not so 
 much to keep him from doing ill as from 
 acting at all. He is not allowed to act him- 
 self freely. Public opinion with its Argus 
 eyes watches over him more keenly than 
 ever. It describes the path to be trod and 
 the duties to be performed, and wo to him 
 who chances to pass the line of demarca- 
 tion. Forthwith " his usefulness is at an 
 cndy^ and he must take up his line of march. 
 The ties which he has formed must be sev- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 203 
 
 ered. Not a charge, perhaps, that would 
 weigh in the balance of heaven, is preferred 
 against him, yet he must go. And why ? 
 Because " his usefulness is at an end.^^ Be- 
 cause he does not suit the fastidious taste of 
 those who find it hard to maintain the ap- 
 pearance of religion without constant novel- 
 ty. Excitement alone keeps them from ap- 
 pearing in all their native deformity. Such 
 men can exhibit signs of life only when '^ the 
 pressure" is high. A new minister can 
 alone raise the temperature. 
 
 Thus the preacher's influence is crippled. 
 Instead of prescribing what others should 
 do they dictate what he must perform. The 
 tables are turned. The ministry is insecure. 
 The cause of Christ bleeds in consequence. 
 Mechanism, coldness every where prevails. 
 
 This state of things, Mr. Hidden began to 
 witness before his death and depricated it. 
 He felt keenly on this point. He resisted 
 such a state of things with all the energy of 
 his pious soul. He trembled lest his own 
 
204 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Church should become infected, with the 
 spirit which elsewhere prevailed, after his 
 " departure." He wished to see a whole- 
 hearted ministry, fearless of all but God — 
 faithful anlbaSsadors who, 
 
 " High in the temple of the living God, 
 Should stand, amidst the people and declare 
 Aloud the truth, the whole revealed truth, 
 Ready loseal it with their blood." 
 
 On this principle he acted. When the 
 path of duty was plainly made known, he 
 did not ask what this man, or that woman 
 would say of this, or that course ; but he 
 sought direction only from an unerring God. 
 He performed the duties which were obvi- 
 ous, knowing that the best teacher of duties 
 which lie dim to us is the performance of 
 those which are at hand and are seen. He 
 mingled freely among his people. He knew 
 what they did and what they needed. He 
 lived among his people and at the same time 
 ahove them. He was not a man to closet 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 205 
 
 himself up in his study, a mere book-worm, 
 and come forth to his people at stated times 
 with " doctrines fashioned to the varying 
 hour," to 
 
 " Mount the pulpit with a haughty mien. 
 
 Where more of pride tlian godliness is seen," 
 
 and "blunder through his prayers," not 
 knowing what kind of food his congrega- 
 tion needed. The Sabbath was to him a 
 day of love, of '' scalding" tears and melting 
 invitations to the gospel banquet. 
 
 This familiarity gave him great influence. 
 Others sought his advice in all difficulties. 
 He was ever ready to counsel. He was no 
 " non-commitalist." He was warmheart- 
 ed, frank, honest. His people confided in him 
 because they were persuaded that he knew 
 what was for their interest and would ad- 
 vise accordingly. They were never left in 
 doubt in regard to his opinions. 
 
"206 ' MEMOIR OF 
 
 His Cheerfulness. 
 
 Cheerfulness was a prominent character- 
 istic of Mr. Hidden. His motto was, 
 -' who will, may groan ; who will may sing 
 for joy." It was never a question with him 
 whether the cup of mortal life had more of 
 sour or sweet. If most w^as sour it was ow- 
 ing to the drinker not the cup." He held 
 that every man possessed in himself the 
 means of turning the bitter to sweet or the 
 sweet to bitter ; that, 
 
 " The sweet was in the taste, 
 The beauty in the eye, and in the ear 
 The melody ; and in the man, — power 
 To form the taste, to purify the eye, 
 And tune the ear, that all he tasted, saw, 
 Or Jieard, might be harmonious, sweet, and fair." 
 
 He was by nature cheerful. He had a soul 
 in harmony wfth nature ; alive to all her 
 varied charmes. The tints of the rainbow, 
 the sparkling dew-drop, the fervid sun, the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 207 
 
 Starry firmament, and not less the lily, the 
 rose and the violet, all were lovely in his 
 sight ; all were cheerful. They waked the 
 native fountains of his soul and stirred the 
 holy tides of feeling. They caused his 
 heart to drink from its own treasures, 
 draughts of perfect sweet. " A merry heart 
 maketh a cheerful countenance." His heart 
 tvas merry ; it was so from his very make. 
 Why then should he not be cheerful ? Sad- 
 ness was a libel on nature. Cheerfulness is 
 her face. Her " shady groves," her "brooks 
 and crystal founts," " her weeping dews, 
 her myrtle bowers" and solitary vales re- 
 sound with joy and gladness. Why should 
 not his heart speak out of its abundance ? 
 It should. He held it to be a duty to wear 
 the aspect of joy. Accordingly his smiles 
 shown through his tears like the sun through 
 rain-drops. This trait of character did not 
 arise from a necessity of always smiling ; 
 for he at times was solemn as eternity. His 
 frown, when called for, was insufterable. 
 
208 ftlEMOIR OF 
 
 It made the offender quail before him and 
 sink back into his own nothingness. The 
 contraction of his brow and the glance of 
 his dark eye indicated a power behind them 
 that was all-prevalent ; but no sooner was 
 repentance seen than, 
 
 " With mercy now 
 And love, his face illumed, shone gloriously." 
 
 Cheerful and happy by nature, religion 
 made him more so. Religion as seen in 
 him was lovely. It wore no frown. It fill- 
 ed the soul with transport. It caused his 
 soul to exhibit itself in his eye, countenance 
 and merry laugh. He endeavored to make 
 others as happy as himself. In his visits 
 through his parish he strove to be cheerful. 
 At the bed-side of the dying Christian, he 
 was the happiest of men. He tried to ban- 
 ish all fear, — that the spirit might take its 
 flight to the throne of God without the 
 slightest trepidation. He felt to rejoice, 
 rather than mourn : because soon a spirit 
 
SAMUEL HIt>DfcN. 209 
 
 would be freed from life with all its cares, 
 and plume itself for the abodes of angels. 
 He therefore often sung the most lively and 
 ravishing anthems, to give the soul a foretaste 
 of the music which would soon burst upon 
 its ear. He always endeavored to withdraw 
 the thoughts as much as possible from the 
 perplexities and anguish of earth, and raise 
 them to things unseen and eternal. Thus 
 he made the dying bed a cheerful scene, 
 
 " privileged ; 
 Quite on the verge of heaven !" 
 
 This cheerfulness made the dying eye 
 bright and grow brighter as it approached 
 nearer death, just as the gentle flower looks 
 fairest in the ' silver beam which is reflected 
 from the thunder cloud that soon comes 
 down to scatter, far and wide, its loveliness.' 
 
 Not only at the dying bed was he thus 
 
 happy, but he every where taught the duty 
 
 of cheerfulness ; that it was doing injustice 
 
 to religion to wear a gloomy countenance. 
 
 14 
 
210 MEMOIR OF 
 
 He taught that the christian, of all men, 
 should rejoice ; for peace of mind was his, 
 the hopes of eternal felicity animated his 
 hosom ; knowing too that all things shall 
 work together for good to those who love 
 the Lord Jesus Christ. What he taught 
 others, he was himself, and what he was in 
 life he was, as will hereafter be seen, in 
 death. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 211 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 His labors — Devotions — Writings — As a 
 Speaker. 
 
 Perhaps no inquiry is more frequently 
 made than that which relates to a Minister's 
 labors. In fact we often judge of the whole 
 character of a man from the nature and ex- 
 tent of his labors. The labors of all min- 
 isters may be arduous ; while those of some 
 must be. It is true the same amount is not 
 called for in all. Mr. Hidden was by na- 
 ture possessed of great energy of character. 
 Thrown upon his own resources from his 
 childhood, all the powers of his nature had 
 been brought into action. He had never 
 known the ease consequent upon wealth. 
 Poverty's iron hand had been rudely laid 
 upon him, and he must labor, or die. To 
 
^12 MEMOIR OF 
 
 this he had no reluctance, but cheerfully- 
 submitted to all hardships. Early morn 
 and the midnights' silent hour bore witness 
 to his diligence in business. Though not 
 possessed of the firmest constitution in his 
 early years, he at length acquired Herculian 
 strength. He indurated his constitution and 
 made it like iron. 
 
 His labor in preaching was immense, 
 preaching three sermons during the Sabbath; 
 two at the usual place of worship and a 
 third in some remote part of the town. This 
 was his practice through life. Besides these 
 three sermons on the Sabbath he preached, 
 almost invariably, in three different sections 
 of the town during the week and not unfre- 
 quently five, or even six. 
 
 He saw that these meetings called out 
 many who would not attend church during 
 Sabbath ; but when the gospel was brought 
 directly to their doors they could do no less 
 than hear it. And often as he passed their 
 dwellings, he would call, and say, ^' Well 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 213 
 
 you are going to the meeting, are you ? 
 Come, it is almost time to begin it. Let us 
 be there in season." If they could have 
 been secreted from his eye, they would have 
 staid at home, but now there is no excuse. 
 On the day of one of these meetings a certain 
 woman said to her husband, you are going 
 to attend the meeting at the school house 
 this afternoon I suppose ? "No : I am not," 
 replied the man. I am going to work 
 behind the great hill, and he wont get sight 
 of me to-day, I know." He immediately 
 left the house and was just losing sight of 
 the road when to his vexation, Mr. Hidden's 
 voice was heard, " What o'clock is it ? Is 
 it not about time for the meeting to com- 
 mence ? I am going to call at your house 
 a few moments. You will be at the meet- 
 ing ? " Yes," replied the man, half pleas- 
 ed, and half angry, " / am just going to see 
 about my cattle /" At an early hour he 
 was at the meeting, and there, said Mr. 
 Hidden^ '' the truth took hold on him, H^ 
 
214 MEMOIR or 
 
 went, home in great distress and besought 
 me to pray for him. I did so, and the next 
 time he met me, " Oh," said he, in tears. 
 " I will never attempt to run away from you 
 again. God has, I trust, forgiven me ;" and 
 then his wife told the whole circumstance. 
 
 At one time meeting a man with his team, 
 *' Come," said he, " are you going to the 
 meeting this afternoon ?" " I shall not be 
 able to attend to-day. I am rather back- 
 ward in work, and I have got my team all 
 ready to plough." " Let your cattle stand 
 in the road," said Mr. Hidden, " and as soon 
 as the sermon is through, you can come out. 
 Come, the school house is right here." Mr. 
 Hidden then entered the house and the man 
 drove on, but his conscience troubled him. 
 He could not keep his mind on his work. 
 Every thing went wrong. His oxen 
 seemed unkind, and his work was badly 
 executed. Out of all patience, the man, 
 with an oath, left his oxen standing in the 
 furrow and hasted back to the school house. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 215 
 
 Mr. Hidden was at that moment preaching 
 from the words, " For what is a man profit- 
 ed if he gain the whole worlc, and lose his 
 own soul ? or what shall a man give in ex- 
 change for his soul ?" He observed the 
 man as he came in, and saw the anguish of 
 heart depicted on his countenance. He 
 adapted his remarks to the very circum- 
 stances of the man. "Now," said he, in 
 closing, '^ what is to be done ? Will you 
 seek this world and neglect the soul ? Ten 
 thousand worlds cannot save your soul from 
 hell !" The man's distress was too great 
 for endurance. He fell on his knees and 
 prayed to God for mercy. " I stopped 
 preaching very readily," said Mr. Hidden, 
 ^' and we all prayed for the distressed man. 
 Soon he gave his heart to Christ and was 
 happy enough." 
 
 Moreover at these meetings children at- 
 tended who had never seen a Minister any 
 where else. He took great care to instruct 
 them, thereby to induce them to church. He 
 
216 MEMOIR OF 
 
 had a happy faculty of pleasing. His smile 
 was worth more than a crown. But there 
 were children who would hide as well as 
 men. He had appointed a meeting at a 
 school house, and just before the hour arriv- 
 ed the pupils were dismissed and the httle 
 lads ran to hide in a thicket near. He saw 
 them running, and supposing the cause of 
 it, rode near the house, hghted from his horse 
 and said, " Boys, do you want to ride my 
 horse ? Out came the boys eager to ride 
 the faithful steed. " There," said he, hav- 
 ing raised some two of them upon his horse, 
 " ride him down to the brook and let him 
 drink." He remained until they returned. 
 " Come, my httle lads, now we will go 
 into the house," said he. By this time they 
 had forgotten their former plan, and entered 
 the house. 
 
 Calling at a certain house previous to en- 
 tering the school-house to preach, the lady 
 remarked to him that she could not induce 
 her son, then at school, to stay during the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 217 
 
 meeting. Mr. Hidden had often noticed 
 that quite a large lad was always leaving the 
 house, just as he arrived. As he entered at 
 this time, he met this lad and said, " I wish 
 you would run home and bring me my Bi- 
 ble ; I left it at your house." Before the 
 lad returned Mr. Hidden had commenced 
 services, and the boy was then ashamed to 
 leave. The sermon at that meeting was 
 founded on the words, " Wherewithal shall 
 a young man cleanse his way ? By taking 
 heed thereto according to thy word." The 
 young man listened with deep interest. The 
 truth was sent home to his heart and in a few 
 weeks he was to all appearances, an heir of 
 heaven, and two years aftenvards died in 
 the hopes of a glorious immortality. 
 
 Not only in his own town did he thus 
 preach, but as we have elsewhere stated, in 
 other towns, — Eaton, Ossipee, Newfield, 
 Effingham, Parsonsfield, and Sandwich. 
 The distance being great, much time was 
 spent in traveling to, and from these places ; 
 
218 MEMOIR OF 
 
 but he cheerfully preached to them Christ 
 and him crucified. He was the spiritual 
 teacher of all that region. 
 
 In addition to these are his funeral ser- 
 mons. It was his invariable practice to 
 preach a sermon at every funeral he attend- 
 ed, and these were numerous. He has left 
 on record between six and seven hundred 
 at which he preached and these were all in 
 his own town, while he attended nearly as 
 many in neighboring towns. He went some- 
 times twenty miles to preach on these occa- 
 sions. 
 
 Such were Mr. Hid den's public labors. 
 Allowing five sermons a week, he preached 
 in each year 260 sermons. Thus in forty- 
 five years, he must have preached 11,700. 
 Add to these, one thousand funeral sermons 
 and it amounts to 12,700! This is a low 
 estimate, incredible as it may seem to some. 
 
 Moreover, as we have noticed in a pre- 
 ceding chapter, he devoted much time to 
 the instruction of youth, in all the branches 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 219 
 
 of education. He examined all the teach- 
 ers of the town. Revisited, generally, all 
 the schools at least twice in a year, some- 
 times four times. He taught many smging 
 schools, and devoted much time to Sabbath 
 school instruction. He was present at all 
 conferences, associations, and many ordina- 
 tions and protracted meetings in which his 
 voice was always heard and his tears always 
 seen. 
 
 He was ever an attendant upon the sick. 
 His presence was generally required as soon 
 as the physician's, and often sooner. He 
 was called at midnight's silent hour as well 
 as at noon day. 
 
 He was also frequent in his parochial vis- 
 its. He visited the hut of poverty as well 
 as the mansion of wealth. 
 
 To crown the whole it must be recorded 
 that he labored much on his farm. Many a 
 day has he spent there in toil, and this to 
 gain a mere livelihood, his salary amounting 
 only to two hundred and one dollars : con- 
 
220 MEMOIR OF 
 
 sequently he depended much upon the in- 
 come of his farm for subsistence. He culti- 
 vated, exclusively with his own hands, a 
 very large garden. Hours has he toiled 
 there. That lovely face, so often bedewed 
 with tears, has often been wet with the sweat 
 of labor. 
 
 To all these, let the nearly one thousand 
 marriages solemnized by him be added, and 
 well may it be asked, where shall an equal 
 amount of labor, performed by any other 
 man be found ? 
 
 Such an amount of labor seems quite in- 
 credible. But it must be remembered that 
 he was always busy. He devoted but few 
 hours to sleep, and none to idleness. Bur- 
 dened with the cares of a large farm and 
 those incident upon a considerable family, 
 his house ever crowded with visitors, he was 
 nevertheless enabled to accomplish more 
 than almost any other man. For this pur- 
 pose God had raised him up, and made his 
 strength equal to his day. Amidst all his 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 221 
 
 labors, he never complained of fatigue. He 
 had no hours of gloomy despondency ; no 
 shrinking from duty. When called to any 
 service, he never complained of the pressure 
 of labors. 
 
 Devotions. 
 
 To know the entire character of a man, 
 we must see him in his hours of retirement, 
 as well as in the active scenes of life. It is 
 true, we cannot judge accurately of the 
 character of one man except as we see him 
 in his intercourse with his fellows. But not 
 the less true is it, that we must enter within 
 and observe the main springs of action ; see 
 him as he exhibits himself to the eye of 
 heaven. A man may appear to his fellow- 
 men what he is not in the sight of God. 
 Circumstances will often present a man in a 
 wrong light ; but enter his closet and see him 
 where he stands alone, unbiased by extrane- 
 ous circumstances and his true character will 
 
222 MEMOIR OF 
 
 be seen. Man will not be hampered and 
 hedged in by public opinion, when no eye 
 beholds but that of God. This is emphati- 
 cally true of the Christian. He can not 
 wear a false garb in his loneliness. He will 
 appear as he is, in his loveliness or deformi- 
 ty. Hypocrisy is a garment for the day, 
 not for the night. It is of no service in the 
 dark. '' The livery of heaven need not be 
 stolen to serve the devil in" when men 
 sleep. Flaunting robes are designed to re- 
 flect the rays of light ; not to flutter in the 
 darkness of midnight. 
 
 Let us view Mr. Hidden in his hours of 
 retirement in converse with his own heart 
 and communion with God, and here his 
 character will assume its loveliest aspect. 
 In his retirement he 
 
 " Had a source 
 Of happiness, that men could neither give 
 Nor takeaway ; the avenues that led 
 To immortality before him lay ; 
 He sasv, with faith's far reaching e)c, the fount 
 Of life, his Father's house, his Saviour God, 
 And borrowed thence to help his present want." 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 223 
 
 Reading the Bible and meditation upon its 
 truths were his constant practice. Few men 
 were ever more famihar with that book ; 
 none prized it more. He could turn to any 
 passage, quote any verse, with great readi- 
 ness and accuracy. The Bible was to him 
 the most precious gift of God. He would 
 often clasp it to his bosom and exclaim, 
 *' had it not been for this blessed Book what 
 would have become of my soul ! The 
 world would have been in the darkness of 
 death !" He not only acknowledged this to 
 have brought hfe and immortality to light, 
 but felt it. It wrought in him the deepest 
 gratitude. The deep heavings of his bo- 
 som, gushing tears, and fervent ejaculations 
 were the heralds of his heart. The Psalms 
 were a favorite portion of the Scriptures. 
 No where else could he find language so 
 consonant to his feelings, none that breath- 
 ed so much of heaven. He would often re- 
 peat them with his soul beaming in his coun- 
 tenance, his eyes suffused with tears, and 
 
224 MEMOIR OP 
 
 his soul filled with the liveliest adoration. 
 In reading some portions which excited joy- 
 ful emotions, he would raise his voice and 
 seem enraptured with the same holy emo- 
 tions that inspire the angelic throng. "Oh," 
 he once exclaimed to the memorialist, after 
 quoting one of these passages, " that is the 
 very language we shall use when we get to 
 heaven !" 
 
 The lofty strains of Isaiah, the plaintive 
 language of Jeremiah, the bold metaphors of 
 Ezekiel were to him spirit and life. 
 
 The New Testament he always carried 
 with him, and read in his closet, in the field, 
 by the road-side, in the sick room, and 
 wherever he could find opportunity. The 
 story of the cross roused his soul and the 
 agony of the garden bowed his spirit. The 
 love of Christ melted his heart. 
 
 The Bible was to him the bright candle 
 of the Lord, darting its rays through the 
 darkness of the soul. He viewed it as the 
 star of eternity — " the only star by which 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 225 
 
 the bark of man could navigate the sea of 
 life" and finally reach the haven of bliss — 
 the only star which " rose on time" and on 
 its dark and troubled billows, threw a ray of 
 heaven's own light and pointed the sinner's 
 eye to the hill of God. 
 
 Mr. Hidden was literally a man of prayer. 
 He was accustomed to rise early in the 
 morning and hold converse with heaven. 
 He prevented the morning's dawn. Even 
 during the hours of the night, when nature 
 was mantled in darkness, when the thoughts 
 of heaven filled his soul with delight, he 
 would rise from his pillow and pour out his 
 heart to God in prayer. He loved to go 
 before the throne of mercy and look God full 
 in the face. While other men pray as if 
 the Being they address was as far from them 
 as the east is from the west, he prayed as to 
 a Being at hand who could witness his deep 
 prostration of soul. He felt that God was 
 about him like the air he breathed. 
 
 Wherever he went or looked, he saw his 
 15 
 
326 MEMOIR OF 
 
 presence. Thus when he prayed his pray- 
 er was poured directly into the ear of his 
 heavenly Father. He never felt that God 
 had taken a journey into a far country, or 
 that sweet sleep had closed his ear. He 
 never prayed as though his prayers had a 
 long journey to perform before they could 
 reach heaven ; but he viewed heaven as 
 brought down to earth and the Almighty at 
 hand. This accounts for the fervor of his 
 prayers. Had he the impression that it was 
 doubtful if God ever heard him — had he 
 thought it possible that the Almighty was 
 attending to more important affairs in some 
 region far away beyond the flight of any 
 planet, his prayers would have been like oth- 
 er men's, cold and formal. His prayers 
 were the spontaneous overflowings of a warm 
 heart. Like some living fountain that sends 
 its waters gurgling forth, so his prayers came 
 gushing, warm from a fountain supplied from 
 the eternal Source. Thus they went up 
 before the throne all glowing, warm. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. "227 
 
 They were offered in faith. He beheved 
 that every prayer he offered went winged to 
 the Eternal ear and if it returned without 
 answer Hke Noah's dove without a green 
 leaf, he sent it forth again until, like the 
 dove, it returned with a token of mercy. 
 
 His prayers were importunate. He would 
 take no denial. He felt that he must wres- 
 tle with Jehovah, or his prayers would be 
 unavailing. While he prayed he reached 
 forth his hands for the blessing he desired. 
 He felt the dignity of prayer ; the impor- 
 tance which God himself attaches to it. 
 Consequently he felt that all heaven must be 
 moved when redeemed man supplicated. 
 He was accustomed, previous to his attend- 
 ance on any special means of grace, to make 
 the anticipated occasion a subject of devout 
 prayer. When a protracted meeting was to 
 be held, either in his own church, or in 
 neighboring towns he made it a subject of 
 fasting and supplication, and so hard would 
 he wrestle at the throne of Mercy that he 
 
228 MEMOIR OP 
 
 often, as he himself testified, gained " assur- 
 ance'' that the spirit would be manifested in 
 the conversion of souls. Having preached 
 at a meeting of this kind in Sandwich and 
 being obliged to leave immediately after the 
 sermon, he was asked, as he left the pulpit, 
 if he thought there would be any conver- 
 sions as the result of the meeting, I ^^Icnow'' 
 said he, " there will be many, I have the 
 assurance of it." The meeting resulted in 
 the conversion of more than an hundred 
 souls ; the greatest revival with which that 
 church has been visited. 
 
 He always made particular individuals 
 subjects of special prayer. This fact he 
 once related to the memorialist, "And," said 
 he, " I know of more than one hundred such 
 individuals who have been converted to 
 Christ, and some of them are now rejoicing in 
 glory." 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 239 
 
 Writings. 
 
 Endowed with gifts of soul which have 
 been imparted to few of our own race, and, 
 conscious of having consecrated them 
 through hfe to God and mankind, Mr. Hid- 
 den was regardless of his future fame, and 
 has consequently left but few monuments of 
 his intellectual greatness. All that remains 
 of his writings seems no more than a poor 
 mutilated fraction of what was in him ; brief, 
 broken glimpses of a genius that never show- 
 ed itself on paper. Of the elements of his 
 mind we have already spoken. Born at an 
 age when there was but little refinement in 
 literature in this country, and thrown amidst 
 such stirring scenes in a new settlement, 
 among an illiterate people, where every 
 thing was to be done and the materials for 
 doing it were few and imperfect, it would be 
 ungenerous to expect in him the style of a 
 finished writer. So numerous were the de- 
 mands upon his time, so multiplied were his 
 
230 MEMOIR OF 
 
 labors, and so far removed was he from lite- 
 rary scenes, that we are astonished to find 
 him what he really is. No man can perform 
 his labors aside from the pulpit, and preach 
 nearly 13,000 sermons, written in correct 
 taste and finished style. Mr. Hidden, as 
 would naturally be suggested to the reader, 
 did not write out all his sermons. Some are 
 complete, others are imperfectly written ; 
 while others still are mere skeletons, contain- 
 ing the leading thoughts, with references to 
 Scripture texts. Let it not be thought from 
 this circumstance that he was not a labori- 
 ous student ; that he devoted no study to 
 his sermons. This would be far from the 
 truth. He devoted every moment at his 
 command to study. Rarely did he preach 
 without having the thoughts well arranged 
 in his memory, and on paper too. He was 
 not a man to talk when he had nothing to 
 say. With a memory which was a store- 
 house of whatever was valuable in Scrip- 
 ture, in history and nature for illustration, 
 
SABfUEIi HIDDEN. 23i 
 
 lie always had something new and interest- 
 ing. 
 
 We readily admit, owing to circumstances 
 abovementioned, that he was not a finished 
 writer. Yet there are great excellences in 
 his compositions. In his early writings it 
 might be objected that his sentences are too 
 protracted, thus rendering his style difficult, 
 obscure. " We are aware that simplicity 
 and perspicuity are important qualities of 
 style ; but there are vastly noble and more 
 important ones ; such as energy and rich- 
 ness, and in these Mr. Hidden is not sur- 
 passed. A mind like his will indulge in pro- 
 tracted sentences. A full mind will natu- 
 rally overflow in long periods, and in the 
 moment of inspiration, when thick-coming 
 thoughts and images crowd upon it, will of- 
 ten pour them fourth in a splendid confus- 
 ion, dazzling to common readers, but kind- 
 ling to congenial spirits. There are writ- 
 ings which are clear, through their shallow- 
 jQess. We must not expect in the ocean the 
 
232 MEMOIR OF 
 
 transparency of the calm inland stream. We 
 delight in long sentences, in which a great 
 truth, instead of being broken up into num- 
 erous periods, is spread out in its full pro- 
 portions, is irradiated with variety of illus- 
 tration and imagery, is set forth in a splen- 
 did affluence of language, and flows, like a 
 full stream^ with a majestic harmony which 
 fills at once the ear, and the soul." The 
 prominent characteristic of his style is ener- 
 gy. He writes with gigantic strength. He 
 goes straight forward, like the resistless 
 stream. He expresses himself in strong 
 language. He uses bold figures, striking 
 metaphors. His periods glow with life. He 
 rouses every energy of the soul. He hur- 
 ries us on with the impetuosity of the tor- 
 rent. The mind is wholly absorbed in what 
 is said. It catches fire at his glowing 
 thoughts. 
 
 These are not always the most refined, but 
 they come gushing up from a deep fountain. 
 They come from a daring intellect, not spur. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 233 
 
 in the loom of fancy, but rough hewn. 
 They stand out in bold relief. You see 
 them even if they be amidst rubbish. Some- 
 times he rises to sublimity rarely surpassed. 
 The thunder roars and the lightnings flash ; 
 all nature is in arms ; and then he has the 
 simplicity of the child, and the sweet- 
 ness of poetry. He touches the softest 
 passions and melts to contrition and tears. 
 '' We see in him gentleness and pity, togeth- 
 er with deep earnestness and passionate ar- 
 dor. Tears lie in him, and consuming fire ; 
 as lightning lurks in the drops of the sum- 
 mer cloud. He had a resonance in his bos- 
 om for every note of human feeling." Thus 
 his writings are a mirror of himself. 
 
 There is a marked sincerity in his style. 
 No man would mistrust he had the slightest 
 intention of speaking what he did not him- 
 self believe. There are no circumlocutions ; 
 nothing that looks doubtful. In his writ- 
 ings generally, there is a marked perspicuity. 
 He seizes a subject, holds it up and looks 
 
234 MEMOIR OF 
 
 directly through it, and enables others to do 
 so. The most weighty arguments he han- 
 dles with perfect ease in his own way. 
 
 He is happy in his illustrations. They 
 are often very striking. They force convic- 
 tion upon the mind. They send arrows of 
 truth all quivering to the heart. He is felicit- 
 ous in his descriptions. They are often 
 graphic. There is also a melting pathos. 
 The more dehcate sensibilities of our nature 
 are set in motion. We sob, we weep. He 
 knew the force of Horace' rule " Si vis me 
 fiere,^'' that he who would move and convince 
 others must move and convince himself. In 
 him there was 
 
 " Joy answering joy, and sigh responding sigh, 
 Through all the fibres of the social heart." 
 
 In his writings there is sometimes exhib- 
 ited keen sarcasm, amounting almost to in- 
 vective. When religion was in peril, when 
 its enemies discovered themselves, he felt 
 that interests of infinite moment were at 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 235 
 
 Stake. He spoke in piercing and awful 
 tones. " At such periods, men gifted with 
 great power of thought and loftiness of sen- 
 timent, are especially summoned to the con- 
 flict with evil. They hear, as it were in 
 their own magnanimity and generous aspira- 
 tions, the voice of a divinity ; and thus com- 
 missioned, and burning with a passionate de- 
 votion to truth, they must and will speak 
 with an indignant energy, and they ought 
 not to be measured by the standard of ordi- 
 nary minds in ordinary times. The deeply 
 moved soul will speak strongly, and ought 
 to speak so as to move and shake nations." 
 We have spoken thus freely of Mr. Hid- 
 den's writings because it is often said, he was 
 no writer admitting his other virtues J' And 
 this is said without taking into consideration 
 his peculiar labors and circumstances. It 
 should be remembered that his means were 
 the commonest and rudest ; and the mere 
 work done and left on paper is no measure 
 of his strength. ^' A dwarf behind his steam 
 
236 MEMOIR OF 
 
 engine may remove mountains ; but no dwarf 
 will hew them down with the pickaxe ; 
 and he must be a Titan that hurls them 
 abroad with his arms.* It is in this latter 
 shape that Mr. Hidden presents himself. 
 His hbrary was limited. He was not 
 brought in contact with a literary atmos- 
 phere ; and his labors were almost incredi- 
 ble. Thus his writings had not that refine- 
 ment of style which is now thought indis- 
 pensable. It should be remembered too, 
 that he had no Systematic training in a Theo- 
 logical Seminary ; but left the walls of a 
 College almost immediately for the pulpit. 
 But he had all the elements of a great 
 mind. 
 
 The sermons which he has left are mere 
 fragments. The plan of a mighty edifice is 
 sketched; some columns, porticos, firm masses 
 of building, stand completed, the rest is 
 more or less clearly indicated ; with a far- 
 stretching tendency, which studious and 
 friendly eyes can now trace towards the pur- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 237 
 
 posed termination. His sermons are some- 
 times broken off in the middle, almost in the 
 beginning. They stand beautiful, but un- 
 finished, and as if he meant to seal up their 
 contents from the knowledge of man he has 
 written them with an illegible hand. The 
 words are so often run together, and the con- 
 tractions so numerous that they are as un- 
 intelligible as so much Hebrew. 
 
 As a Speaker. 
 
 In Mr. Hidden there was no affectation 
 of manner. He exhibited himself in the 
 pulpit just as he was. There were no as- 
 sumed airs. It may with great truth be 
 said of him that, 
 
 " At church, with meek and unaffected grace, 
 His looks adorned the venerable place, 
 Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, 
 And fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray." 
 
 He was of middling stature, possessed a 
 dark, penetrating eye, elevated brow, and a 
 
238 MEMOIR OF 
 
 countenance varying from cheerfulness to 
 austerity. His appearance in the pulpit was 
 commanding, adapted to inspire reverence. 
 He possessed a powerful, stentorian, but 
 mellow voice, varying from the lowest to 
 the highest key. He generally spoke rap- 
 idly. His thoughts came gushing forth with 
 resistless energy. His were thoughts that 
 breathe and words that burn. Sometimes 
 he gave utterance to his thoughts with great 
 precision, and with protracted, solemn ca- 
 dence. When his subject was unusually 
 grave, his countenance exhibited the same 
 aspect ; it inspired awe. But when he 
 spoke of heaven, it lighted up with a radi- 
 ant smile. His emotions were easily excit- 
 ed. His tears flowed in great profusion ; 
 they followed the utterance of every affect- 
 ing word. When he wished to make others 
 weep he always set them an example by 
 pouring forth a torrent of tears that came 
 gushing out warm, and coursed down his 
 cheek like some little crystal stream from 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 239 
 
 the hill-side, which a summer's shower has 
 sent leaping, sparkling down. His emotions 
 at times almost choked his utterance, and 
 quick-coming words were indistinctly articu- 
 lated. The fountains within overflowed. 
 His manner was such as to rivet the atten- 
 tion of the hearer to the subject. The 
 hearer was often in tears and assenting to 
 the truths uttered, before he was aware. 
 He was urged onward with great velocity. 
 He had no time to fortify his mind against 
 the truth, but was led captive by the preach- 
 er, and carried too far to retreat. He was 
 open to conviction when he thought not, 
 and truth was set home to the conscience 
 and compelled submission. Such was the 
 man, 
 
 " Who in the curront of destruclion stood 
 And warned the sinner of his wo ; led on 
 Immanuel's members in the evil day ; 
 And with the everlasting arms embraced 
 Himself around, stood in the dreadful front 
 Of battle, high, and warred victoriously 
 With death and hell." 
 
240 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 His Family — Letters — Strong faith — In- 
 terest in the cause of temperance — His 
 social character — Letters, 
 
 The children of Mr. Hidden were five ; 
 two of whom only are now living, viz. Wil- 
 liam Price, residing in Tamworth, and Eliz- 
 abeth, now the wife of Dr. Ebenezer G. 
 Moore of Wells, Maine. Sophia, who be- 
 came the wife of Lieut. Jonathan C. Gil- 
 man, leaving a husband and seven children, 
 died in the triumphs of faith, May 15, 1832, 
 aged thirty-seven. Sarah was a rare spirit, 
 amiable in life, and lovely ev^en in death. 
 She died Nov. 5, 1819, aged twenty -two. 
 George, his second son^ by nature possessed 
 an open and frank disposition, a kind heart 
 and delicate sensibilities. But having early 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN^ ^41 
 
 imbibed an inordinate desire for intoxicating 
 liquors, he brought anguish to the heart of 
 kind parents and an aftectionate wife ; dis- 
 grace upon his relations and ruin upon him- 
 self. He was a son that caused shame. The 
 entreaties of a father and of a mother, the 
 embraces of a wife and advice of friends 
 failed to effect any radical change in his 
 conduct. His moral strength was paralized. 
 His better nature had been abused, out- 
 raged and failed him. But, notwithstanding 
 the darkness that hung over the future, his 
 father lived in faith that ere long his soil 
 would be washed in that blood which cleans- 
 eth from all sin, though it wrung his heart 
 with the keenest anguish to see the object of 
 his affection given up to a beastly appetite* 
 
 The following letter will here be inserted 
 to show the state of his feelings. 
 
 Tamworth, Sept. 24, 1835. 
 My dear son George. — My heart is ready 
 16 
 
242 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to burst with sorrow and grief, while I write 
 these Hnes to you, my son, dear son. I take 
 this method of making known my concern 
 for you because I am afraid I should be un- 
 able to command my feelings in conversing 
 with you, and I beg you would read this 
 with a serious prayerful attention. God is 
 witness of my love to you, my son, and my 
 feelings for your temporal and eternal wel- 
 fare. God has given you abilhies to be re- 
 spectable and useful in this life, and to live 
 in his presence, where are pleasures forever 
 more ; yes to be the comfort of your aged 
 parents, the beloved of your friends, of your 
 fellow men and of the people of God, and to 
 share with them in all the joys of eternity. 
 Pray, my dear son, consider the deep inter- 
 est your friends have in you, and their feel- 
 ings for your welfare. Will you, can you 
 break a father's heart which never felt any 
 thing but love for you ? Can you send a 
 mother tottering with age and infirmity to 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 243 
 
 the grave, with sorrow ? Will you force 
 your best friends to discard you ? Will you 
 sink yourself in the eyes of all worthy men ? 
 Can you forego all the bright hopes of eter- 
 nal glory — for what ? for the indulgence of 
 one animal appetite ? Were it not for this 
 you would always have been respected by 
 the best society, and you would have been 
 the delight of your relations, and friends. 
 Even now you might reinstate yourself 
 in their esteem by banishing forever the 
 intoxicating bowl. I beseech you my son, 
 to consider the loss of property already sus- 
 tained in consequence of this. When oc- 
 curred any bad bargain, or mistake in calcu- 
 lations but under the influence of drink ? 
 Pray consider the loss of character. Can 
 you respect those who indulge in this vice ? 
 My son, there is something within your 
 breast which says, no. Character is too 
 valuable to be bartered away for intoxicat- 
 ing spirit. Be assured that intemperance 
 and a respectable character cannot exist to- 
 
244 MEMOIR OF 
 
 gether at the present day in the same indi- 
 vidual. When character is gone all is gone ; 
 all confidence ; all respect of virtuous man ; 
 all hopes of friends. And moreover such a 
 man is continually exposed to the scoffs and 
 reproaches of his enemies. But above all, 
 the hopes of the favor and the presence of 
 God are cut off. O, what, my son, is this 
 eternity before us without hope in Christ ! 
 Better had we never been born. I conjure 
 you, my dear son, to consider this. O, you 
 and I must stand together at the judgment 
 seat of Christ. Your father is a minister of 
 the Gospel and believes what he preaches to 
 you and others. He expects to meet both 
 you and them when all books shall be laid 
 open and sentence passed. Now, my dear 
 George, will you not abandon your darling 
 sin ? You have said you would, but have 
 failed. Now I pray you to ask help of God. 
 Do go to God in prayer in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ who has died for you and 
 is ready to give the Holy Spirit to those who 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 245 
 
 ask in his name. You must do this or be 
 lost forever. You may yet be saved. O, 
 you may repent and be received into God's 
 favor and have him for your friend forever. 
 Now begin without delay. You must leave 
 sin or be undone. I feel myself writing in the 
 presence of God and to a son whom I love, 
 and the thought of a separation from him for- 
 ever rends my heart asunder ! O remember 
 the calls you have had and the resolutions 
 you have made, and now return. Remem- 
 ber your dear Almira, her prayer and part- 
 ing kiss. O, recollect the dangers you have 
 escaped when exposed by intoxication, and 
 how a compassionate Saviour has wrought 
 all these deliverances because he waits to be 
 gracious. O, what melting love is this ! 
 How can you escape if you neglect so great 
 salvation ! O, my son, George Dodge Hid- 
 den, my son, my son ! My heart is melted 
 within me for thee, my son. How can I 
 give thee up for lost ! I must pray and hope 
 and tremble and weep as I have done, but 
 
246 MEMOIR Of 
 
 it is you who must repent and believe on the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, or you and I must part 
 forever ! This is the first time I have ever 
 written you, and it will probably be the last. 
 I know I write from pure affection for you 
 and the glory of God. I beg you read it 
 carefully and lay it up and keep it. Do not 
 destroy it. Keep it till I am dead. It will 
 be read over in the lightof eternity and you 
 and I shall hear it together, with dear Al- 
 mira. O, may God Almighty have mercy 
 on your soul and mine, my dear son. 
 
 Your afflicted, affectionate father, 
 SAMUEL HIDDEN." 
 
 This letter betrays a heart full of anguish. 
 His allusion to Almira, his son's wife, who 
 but a few months previous had given her 
 husband " a parting kiss," commended him 
 to her God and then departed, Dec. 4, 1884, 
 to the land of pure spirits, is heart-rending. 
 Mr. Hidden knew that this chord would 
 vibrate in the bosom of his son. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 247 
 
 This letter, however, produced no perma- 
 nent change in his character. He continu- 
 ed to make the heart of his father bleed at 
 every pore, and from the abundance of his 
 heart he indited another letter, leaving it in 
 the care of his son, William, enjoining him to 
 keep it till after his death before presenting 
 it to George. He felt that the hour of dis- 
 solution was at hand, and he could not die 
 until he had once more reminded his son of 
 the awful retribution that awaited him. This 
 letter is dated, 
 
 Tamworth, May 6, 1836. 
 
 My Dear Son Gearge, — You are not a 
 father, therefore you cannot know the feel- 
 ings of a father towards a son whom he loves. 
 Yet you can read them when drawn on pa- 
 per, by one who begat you and still loves 
 you in the most tender manner. What I 
 now write, I really expect to hear read over 
 with you at the judgment seat of Christ, and 
 I hope you will read this under the same 
 impressson. You must know the evil effects 
 
248 MEMOIR OF 
 
 of Strong drink on your soul and body, wheth- 
 er it be distilled liquors or cider. Find, if 
 you can, one instance of improper conduct 
 for many years past but took its rise from 
 this source. Had it not been for this no man 
 in town of your age would have been more 
 respectable than yourself. Shall good sense, 
 good disposition, kind and obliging temper, 
 sound and healthy body ; all the hopes of 
 eternal happiness,be sacrificed to a more than 
 beastly appetite ? God forbid. It must 
 not be that the feelings of a father, mother, 
 brother and sister, be tortured almost con- 
 tinually to gratify the taste of one relative, 
 and this gratification prove his destruction ! 
 No, no, my son. Must the usefulness of a 
 father, a minister of the Gospel, now old 
 and gray-headed, be lost in consequence of 
 the excesses of his beloved son ? No, my 
 dear son. You must reform. God has laid 
 his hand upon you, and he might have 
 quickly hurled you into the shades of des- 
 pair ; but he has not done it ; for which you 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 2^9 
 
 are laid under new and fresh obligations. 
 But his patience will not last forever. I be- 
 seech you lay it to heart. You may now 
 have a new character, new hopes, new joys, 
 by asking God for help and by immediately 
 leading a new life. I would ask your con- 
 science, why it is that all your resolutions 
 you have, from time to time, formed, have 
 been broken ? Is it not because you have 
 not asked assistance of God, having made 
 them in your own strength ? Now pray to 
 God for assistance and you shall be saved 
 and God glorified. Can you forget the pray- 
 er and farewell embraces of a wife now in 
 glory and perhaps watching over you with 
 intense interest, though you wrung her heart 
 with anguish while living by your unhallow- 
 ed indulgence in a darling appetite ? My 
 dear son, you must lead a different life, or 
 God will take you away and place you be- 
 yond the reach of all hope ! May I not ex- 
 pect this of you ? Must I give you up and 
 all my fond hopes of you from your infancy 
 
250 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to this day ? give you up forever ? O heart* 
 rending thought ! What a bitter cup is this ! 
 It is quite overwhelming, and will sink me 
 unless God grant me support, which I trust 
 he will through Jesus Christ his dear son. 
 George, you must remember I shall by divine 
 assistance endeavor to keep my character as 
 a minister of Christ and not suffer my prop- 
 erty to be wasted by the extravagance of any 
 one, if I have ability to prevent it. God 
 knows I would not wrong you of one hair of 
 your head, but it must not be said and be 
 believed by this people that what they give 
 their minister goes to maintain the vices of 
 his son. This would prevent the gospel from 
 exercising its designed influence on them and 
 their children. Be assured my dear son 
 that a minister's influence depends in a great 
 measure upon the character of his children. 
 How many times has it been said, " that is 
 George Hidden, the minister's son !" and 
 then the hellish laugh ! How many times 
 has the cup been offered you merely because 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 251 
 
 you were the minister's son, though you 
 thought of no such thing. Then at church 
 the next Sabbath they first looked at the 
 preacher and then at his son and what good 
 did the prayers and sermons do such men ? 
 Perhaps you never thought of these things ; 
 yet they are solemn facts and ought to be 
 felt by the minister and his children. Will 
 you think of them, my dear George ! O. 
 you certainly will and pray over them too, 
 I hone *Tr*4FTF# ^^#£ 
 
 hope you will remember what a blessing you 
 had in your dear Almira who loved you as 
 her own life. I hope you will not plant 
 thorns on your pillow every time you lie 
 down where the dear saint reposed on your 
 bosom. My dear son, conscience may sleep 
 but it never dies. It cannot die, for it is the 
 voice of the living, all-seeing God. Remem- 
 ber you have an aged father and a tender, 
 infirm mother, whose love to you can never 
 die. Pray, my son, do not weary out their 
 lives and hasten them into eternity. You 
 
252 MEMOIR OF 
 
 can never have another father or mother 
 who begat and brought you forth and reared 
 you up with the tenderest affection. O Lord 
 God Ahuighty, bless George D. Hidden, 
 and save him from destruction, and make 
 him the subject of thy boundless grace for thy 
 own name's sake ! I write this because I 
 fear my own feelings and yours, in conver- 
 sation. I beg you to read it over calmly 
 and deliberately and pray over it ; and for 
 God's sake do not reject or despise it. I feel 
 that God sees me while I write and I rejoice 
 that he does. He knows that it flows from 
 a father's heart, as an effort for the eternal 
 irood of a son for whom he feels the most 
 tender affection. I know this will be read 
 over at the last day. I shall keep a copy 
 of it, that I may look at it and rejoice in it, 
 when you have become another man and 
 sustain a character which God, men and an- 
 gels will love and delight in forever. 
 Your affectionate 
 
 Father." 
 
SAftlUEL HIDDEN. 253 
 
 The faith expressed in this letter that his 
 son would " become another man and sus- 
 tain a character which God, man and angels 
 would love and delight in forever," arose to 
 assurance. Said he, a few months previous 
 to his death while speaking of his son, " I 
 believe that George will die a good man. 
 Yes,'' said he with great emphasis, " I have 
 the assurance that he will die a Christian. 
 God has promised to hear prayer, and why 
 should I not believe him ?" He lived not 
 however to see the fulfilment ; yet that son 
 did die a humble Christian. That insidi- 
 ous disease, consumption, preyed upon his 
 vitals, and, August 14, 1840, after a pro- 
 tracted illness, he left earth for heaven. He 
 went to meet that father who had prayed in 
 faith for him and in answer to whose prayers 
 he had obtained the hopes of everlasting 
 life. Some months previous to his death he 
 became a new creature in Christ. He gave 
 evidence of vital piety, and united with the 
 churcli militant just before his enterance in- 
 
254 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to the church triumphant. Who can de- 
 pict the interview of father and son on the 
 confines of heaven ! This should encour- 
 age pious parents to pray in faith for their 
 children. " The prayer of the righteous 
 man availeth much." 
 
 Mr. Hidden early espoused the cause of 
 temperance and labored for its success. His 
 feelings in regard to the sale of intoxicating 
 drinks may be learned from a letter to a 
 dealer. This letter was obviously written 
 with his son before his mind, and therefore 
 I shall insert it in this connection. 
 
 " Dear Sir, — It is supposable that you 
 being educated among Christian people 
 have a conscience, and believe in a state of 
 future rewards, if not of punishments. It is 
 therefore humbly asked how it is that you 
 can deal out the intoxicating draught to your 
 fellow creatures when you well know that 
 every draught will prove their destruction ? 
 Can you, dear sir, humbly kneel before your 
 Maker and ask him to bless you forever for 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 255 
 
 sending poison, death and destruction into 
 so many families ? How can you behold 
 before you the young, the middle aged, and 
 the gray headed, the magistrate, who would 
 otherwise be deemed respectable in society, 
 in a state of partial, if not total, intoxication, 
 and continue to deal out the delicious 
 draught ! Dear sir, many lives have been 
 sacrificed already and many more are in 
 danger. Is- the love of gain so strong as to 
 compel you to this course ? Are you sure 
 that your gain will be lasting, or that your 
 children will inherit it ? Pray, sir, recollect 
 the present situation of others who are in 
 the same traffic. What security have you 
 that yourself will be an exception to the 
 general government of Providence ? Are 
 you sure that your son who now laughs at 
 the railings of those intoxicated in your 
 store and continues to deal out the poison, 
 will not himself become a drunkard? Then 
 what will become of property, reputation, 
 life ? O, my dear sir, you are a father. 
 
S56 MEMOIR OF 
 
 You have the bowels of a father. You 
 think you love your children. Pray love 
 them properly. Remember that you cannot 
 have reputation among the virtuous portion 
 of the community ; and this is all that is 
 worth possession in society. Can a virtuous 
 father wish you prosperity in your unhallow- 
 ed business when his son comes home intox- 
 icated ? Could he, in his sober moments, 
 pray for your prosperity ? Could you your- 
 self doit if he were your own son ? O, 
 you could not. Can that virtuous wife, 
 whose husband, after her long, anxious 
 watching, comes staggering home, send up 
 one petition for your prosperity in this traf- 
 fic ? Pray, sir, look at her, with tearful 
 eyes, viewing her approaching husband, in- 
 to whose arms she has thrown herself for 
 life ; then look on her children, the pledges 
 of her affection to him ; and now with sobs 
 and tears raising her eye to God's mercy 
 seat above, and tell me if there can be room 
 in her broken heart for a wish, or a prayer for 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. SSt 
 
 you, unless it be that you may be prevented 
 from dealing out the deadly draught ? How 
 her heart throbs when she sees her husband 
 again directing his feet towards your store ! 
 Now, sir, you are a man of feeling. Sup- 
 pose it were your own wife. Have you no 
 regard for those who wish to regard you and 
 daily pray for your best good, your eternal 
 felicity ? In the name of the eternal God, 
 in whose presence this letter has been writ- 
 ten and before whom it has been spread in 
 prayer, you are besought and entreated to 
 spare the heart rendings of fathers and moth- 
 ers, brothers and sisters, wives and helpless 
 children ? O, spare the throbbing, aching 
 heart of the virtuous portion of your fellow- 
 creatures, if there is any such thing as relig- 
 ion or virtue on earth. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 Samuel Hidden. 
 
 In the domestic circle Mr. Hidden's char- 
 acter appears to great advantage. It will 
 17 
 
258 MEMOIR QF 
 
 not suffer by a close inspection. It is too 
 often the case that men wear the garb of a 
 saint abroad and that of a fiend at home. Too 
 often does the professional man appear amia- 
 ble to others but ugly to those in his own 
 family. The minister may be the haughty 
 tyrant of his wife and children — while to 
 others he has the meekness of Moses. He 
 may lord it over his domestics and make 
 them ministers of his pleasures while he 
 preaches condescension and kindness in the 
 pulpit. Professional men, burdened with 
 public duties, numerous and urgent, are lia- 
 ble to fail in those lesser regards which so 
 much enhance the 
 
 " only bliss 
 
 Of paradise which has survived the fall." 
 
 He who wears the aspect of the tiger at 
 home, whatever be his reputation abroad, is 
 unworthy esteem. 
 
 Of Mr. Hidden it may be said that he was 
 ever assiduous in his attention to those mi- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 259 
 
 nute regards which constitute the aggregate 
 of domestic enjoyment. He was an affection- 
 ate husband, ready to take upon himself a 
 portion of those cares incident to a family. 
 He retired not to his study regardless if 
 weal or wo betide those who had a right to 
 his sympathies. He felt that a wife should 
 share in the trials of a family, not hear them 
 all. 
 
 He was a kind parent, ever ready to in- 
 dulge his children in every thing which 
 might be for their interest. He sought to 
 render life happy and cheerful. He endeav- 
 ored to impress their minds with the feeling 
 that life was a blessing for which they should 
 be grateful to their great benefactor. 
 Some are too apt to give their children the 
 conviction that life is a curse ; that they are 
 forced to wear a load quite too oppressive, 
 to be laid on them by a merciful Creator. 
 This is often done by a moroseness of man- 
 ner, by monkish austerity, and an unkind 
 impatience, which rise not out of real piety. 
 
3fi0 MEMOIR OF 
 
 They are the result of an unsanctified na- 
 ture, and should be sedulously avoided. 
 Parents should impress upon their children 
 the feeling that life with its ten thousand 
 sources of enjoyment was designed to be a 
 cheerful passage to eternity. 
 
 These enjoyments are designed to make 
 life a foretaste of heavenly felicity ; and if 
 they are imbittered, they are so with our own 
 follies. These call for the deepest gratitude 
 to God. Children should be taught to ex- 
 ercise this feeling. They should be made 
 to realize that these are the gifts of a boun- 
 tiful and indulgent Father. They should 
 be taught early to lisp his praise. This was 
 Mr. Hidden's great object. He felt un- 
 speakable gratitude for the innumerable ex- 
 pressions of God's goodness and labored to 
 inspire the same emotion in every bosom. 
 Life, hallowed by the religion of Christ, was 
 to him a delightful existence, notwithstand- 
 ing its disappointments, its conflicts, its an- 
 guish. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 261 
 
 This chapter will close with extracts from 
 his letters to several individuals. 
 
 To his Daughter, Mrs. Moore. 
 
 Tamworth, Dec. 12, 1826. 
 We were greatly pleased to hear of your 
 good health, and pray it may be continued. 
 Forget not your dependance on God who 
 giveth us all things richly to enjoy, when we 
 realize our dependance on him. Acknowl- 
 edge him in all your ways and he will direct 
 your steps. May he pour out the richest 
 of his blessings upon your family, lengthen 
 out your life, enlighten your mind, lead you 
 into all truth, comfort your heart under all 
 your sorrows and employ you in his service 
 when your parents are sleeping in the dust, 
 and finally admit you to the joys of heaven. 
 We must now commit each other ibtb thto 
 hands of God. May this be our privilege 
 day by day, and may it be rightly improv- 
 ed, so that after improving our talents here. 
 
262 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 we may be together in a world of glory for- 
 ever. 
 
 Tamworth, May 21, 1832. 
 
 Your sister Sophia, sung with me and 
 Major G. together with his two daughters, in 
 raptures on the sixth inst. Wednesday she 
 was very sick and grew worse until Tues- 
 day, when she breathed her last. Her child 
 was baptized that morning in her presence, 
 and died just one hour before her. She had 
 her reason and talked as long as her strength 
 lasted. There was an angelic smile on 
 her own face and on her child's when laid 
 out, but they soon changed. They were 
 buried on Thursday, and I was obliged to 
 preach her funeral sermon, being disappoin- 
 ted by Mr. — . I preached from Psalms 
 49 ; 15, to a crowded assembly. God help- 
 ed me. Four mother and I have as much 
 as we can bear, but we hope God will not 
 forsake us, though he take our children from 
 us. How vain are all things here below» 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 263 
 
 Poor J. with his seven children will, we 
 hope, be helped by the arm of Jehovah 
 which is everlasting strength. You will not 
 forget them in your prayers to God. You 
 have now no sister and your father and 
 mother cannot be with you, but God is nigh 
 at hand. May he abundantly bless you and 
 carry you through all trials. There is infi- 
 nite safety in trusting in him. He will be a 
 rock of salvation to all who trust in him. 
 
 Let us be faithful and delay not in our 
 master's business, performing the patience 
 of hope and the labor of love and the work 
 of laith, and soon he will say, sit down with 
 me on my Father's throne. At what time 
 we are afraid let us trust in God, give our- 
 selves unto prayer in the name of our pre- 
 vailing Advocate at the right hand of the 
 Father above, and we shall not be forgot- 
 ten or forsaken. 
 
 Our dearest friends are above. Let us 
 not faint then, but confide in God and soon 
 the days of our mourning will be ended. 
 
964 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Let us have an interest in your prayers dur- 
 ing your protracted meeting. May God be 
 there and bring all Wells to bow to the scep- 
 tre of his grace. Kiss little Charles and 
 Eliza for us, and tell them about their moth- 
 erless cousins. 
 
 That we may meet daily at the throne of 
 grace and have a seat near the throne of 
 glory at last, is the prayer of your afflicted 
 father. 
 
 Tamworth, April 12, 1839. 
 We are all in tolerable health by the 
 blessing of our heavenly Father, and rejoice 
 to hear from you by your affectionate epis- 
 tle, for which we thank you, and continual- 
 ly pray that God will have you and your 
 little ones in his holy keeping. Your father 
 is old to preach every Sabbath three times, 
 and three times during the week. Notwith- 
 standing his age, the people seem willing to 
 hear. We had a good meeting yesterday^ 
 our Fast-Day^ having preaching in the morn,-v 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 265 
 
 ing and examination of candidates for ad- 
 mission into the church in the afternoon. 
 The church also made arrangements for the 
 Sabbath School and Bible Class ; also for 
 monthly distribution of Tracts. 
 
 Tamworth, July 18, 1835. 
 Our days fly swiftly away and soon will 
 be numbered and finished. What we do 
 must be done quickly ; may it then be well 
 done and we prepared to enter into that rest 
 prepared for the people of God. May the 
 God of Abraham bless you and give much 
 of his grace to train up your family for him. 
 I greatly rejoice in the way you have begun 
 with them. Only go on and if your Yive^ 
 are continued and God's grace granted, you 
 will fit them to stand and fight in the battle 
 of the great day of God Almighty, which 
 no doubt will be fought in their age. How 
 awfully responsible are the duties of this age 
 to the next generation. May they be suitably 
 felt by those going off the stage and those in 
 
266 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the meridian of life. Tiius prays your aged 
 father. 
 
 To a young lady, a relative, 
 
 Tamworth, May 21, 1832. 
 
 Our Bible Class and Sabbath School 
 flourish, and nothing is wanting but more 
 vigorous effort on the part of professed 
 Christians. It is enough to make one shud- 
 der to contemplate the blood of souls in the 
 garments of the professed friends of the 
 Lamb of God. I hope you, my dear, live 
 very near to God and are much engaged in 
 the cause of your dear Redeemer. He wants 
 all his friends to labor in his cause. There 
 is much for them to do, and he has engaged 
 to help them perform it. This age is preg- 
 nant with most important events. The next 
 will probably be in the midst of the battle 
 of the great day of God Almighty. Satan 
 and his cause will not fall without a struggle. 
 Sin will not be banished from this world 
 without a mighty effort. He, who died to 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 267 
 
 give the victory will lay hold on the great 
 Drae;on and chain him and cast him into the 
 bottomless pit, by the hands of his servants 
 and handmaids here on the earth. The 
 next generation will be in the contest, and 
 this generation must prepare them for it. 
 Who can look upon the rising age in this 
 view without the most lively and glowing 
 emotions. What awful responsibilities rest 
 on your age and those above you in years ! 
 May old and young let these considerations 
 have their full weight and power over all 
 their contemplations and actions. The 
 church and the world are now in commotion 
 and preparation for the contest, whether sa- 
 tan or Jesus, shall triumph and reign. We 
 know whose the victory will be, yet we must 
 do all in our pov/er to help it forward. If 
 not permitted to be here to fight may we be 
 in heaven to sing and shout the victory, 
 '' Halleluiah, for the Lord God omnipotent 
 reigneth. He hath triumphed gloriously !" 
 
268 MEMOIR OF 
 
 To his grandson then at Bangor, Me, 
 dated Sept. 26, 1835. 
 
 My dear grandson: — Although at a 
 distance, you are not forgotten by your aged 
 grandfather whose name you bear. I am 
 deeply interested in all your concerns, and 
 pray God to guide you in the path of holi- 
 ness and grace. You, my dear child, have 
 been devoted to God, the Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghost, in your baptism and are the 
 son of many vows, prayers and tears of 
 your mother who is now above and, perhaps, 
 as a guardian angel, is often near you, 
 watching your every act. I hope you find 
 time to read your Bible and call on the God 
 of heaven daily. You may go to him 
 through the blood of the Redeemer and un- 
 bosom all your concerns without any reserve ; 
 and be assured he will not turn you away, 
 but will hold communion with you and man- 
 ifest himself to you as he does not to the 
 world. He will have you in his holy keep- 
 ing and give you that peace which the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 269 
 
 world cannot give or take away. Be not 
 afraid to go to God who has said, they who 
 seek me early shall find me, and who is in- 
 finitely pleased with the dews of our youth. 
 God began to call after you when very 
 young and made divine impressions on your 
 mind which, I hope, will never be forgotten, 
 but result in your entire consecration to God, 
 in time and to all eternity. 
 
 I heartily rejoice in the religious privileges 
 you enjoy and pray that they may be a sa- 
 vor of life to your immortal soul. 1 beg of 
 you not to neglect any of them. Take 
 some part of the word of God into the shop 
 with you every day. It will cheer your 
 heart in the midst of the business of the day. 
 There can be no greater enjoyment than in- 
 tercourse with God by prayer and medita- 
 tion upon his perfections as revealed in the 
 Bible. I rejoice to hear of your commend- 
 able conduct hitherto and hope you will 
 continue to conduct properly and remember 
 that a fair character is the richest earthly 
 
270 MEMOIR OF 
 
 inheritance, and to form and maintain this 
 we need the assistance of a merciful God. 
 I hope you will be faithful to your employ- 
 er. Be benevolent, kind and obliging to 
 all with whom you may be connected. Re- 
 member of what immense advantage the 
 good behavior of Joseph was, both to him- 
 self and others. You may have the same 
 help from God as he. You have only to 
 ask for it and you have it ; for he has said 
 ask and you shall receive ; seek and you 
 shall find ; knock and it shall be opened. 
 O, what love and condescension in the great 
 Jehovah ! Be sure then that you have the 
 Redeemer of sinners for your bosom, your 
 unchangeable friend. This is all you need. 
 
 You should remember that as our charac- 
 ter is when we enter upon the active scenes 
 of life, so it will generally be through life. 
 This is an old proverb. I now remind you 
 of it. Let it have its due influence in form- 
 ing your character. 
 
 That God would bless you and spare 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 271 
 
 your life, enrich your soul with his grace and 
 prepare you to be eminently useful in life, 
 and prepare you for a happy eternity, is the 
 daily prayer of your aged grandfather. 
 
 Samuel Hidden. 
 
 To his granddaughter. 
 
 Tamworth, Aug. 31, 1835. 
 
 As you are about to leave your father's 
 house for a season and enter a public Semi- 
 nary, I would address a few lines to you by 
 way of precaution and advice. 
 
 You will remember, my dear, that you are 
 the daughter of many prayers of a tender 
 mother now in heaven, and of many friends 
 now on earth, whose eyes are on you and 
 whose expectations are raised concerning 
 you, as they see your opening faculties ap- 
 proaching maturity. Their happiness is in- 
 terwoven with the propriety of your con- 
 duct and the character you are forming and 
 which they hope you will sustain through 
 life. In order to be safe vou will remeni- 
 
31$ MEMOIR OF 
 
 her to put your trust in Christ to whom you 
 were committed by a dying mother. He has 
 been watching you every moment and 
 waiting to receive your affections and pre- 
 pare you for great usefulness here and for 
 the enjoyment of himself above. He gives 
 you liberty to come to him as your bosomj 
 unchangeable friend, always present, ready 
 and able to help you. He bids you wel^ 
 come to himself. He allows you to commit 
 all your concerns to him. He will never 
 leave nor forsake you. 
 
 I beg you not to attempt any thing, not 
 even your studies, without consulting him 
 and imploring assistance. Your grandfath- 
 er knows the benefit of this, by his own ex- 
 perience in his studies, and believes the 
 blessed Redeemer is as able and willing to 
 help his beloved granddaughter as he was 
 to help himself; and he cannot bear to think 
 that his dear E — should fail to receive the 
 aid of such a friend as the Son of God. You 
 will hold intercourse with him daily, and 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 273 
 
 carry all your cares and sorrows to him, re- 
 lying on his goodness and faithfulness to per- 
 form all his promises in his word. 
 
 Never omit reading some portion of your 
 Bible every day. In that Book you will 
 find directions at all times and in all cir- 
 cumstances. You should remember that your 
 Father in heaven is speaking to you every 
 time you open this word ; and there is infi- 
 nite safety in trusting in all which it declares. 
 '* There is more good grammar in the Bible 
 than in any other book/' says Mr. Murray. 
 It contains the most correct history, the 
 most sublime poetry and moving eloquence 
 of any book ; and the correctness of its geog- 
 raphy is established by all modern divines. 
 In this Book only, is found the way of sal- 
 vation for sinners. There is spread a bound- 
 less prospect of increasing felicity to every 
 humble believer. O, then be intimately ac- 
 quainted with your Bible. Make it your 
 constant companion. It will speak to you 
 18 
 
274 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and converse at all times and make you 
 wise unto salvation. 
 
 You will learn to take care of yourself 
 and be obedient and respectful to your in- 
 structors and follow their directions in what- 
 ever they enjoin. This will endear you to 
 them and benefit yourself. 
 
 Now may the God of all grace keep you 
 as in the hollow of his hand ; furnish your 
 mind with all needful science ; sanctify 
 your soul by his Spirit ; keep you from all 
 evil ; prepare you to do good and make you 
 ready for his heavenly kingdom. This is 
 the prayer of your aged grandfather. 
 
 Samuel Hidden." 
 
 To an afflicted Mother. 
 My Dear Madam ; 
 
 I have just received the melancholy in- 
 telligence of the death of your beloved child 
 and take this opportunity to express the deep 
 interest I feel in your affliction. I know how 
 to sympathize with you. Death has taken 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 21b 
 
 two of my own children. They are now in 
 glory. The cup has been a bitter one, but 
 my heavenly Father has enabled me to 
 drink it, and I feel that it is good for me to 
 be thus afflicted. Before I was afflicted J 
 went astray, but now I have learned to give 
 up all into the hands of Jehovah. Our chil- 
 dren belong to God, and has he not a right 
 to his own ? If I had put ten dollars into 
 your hands and told you to take care of them 
 until I called, should I not have a ri^ht to 
 take them when I please ? Thus our chil- 
 dren are entrusted to us. We must take 
 care of them and train them for heaven. We 
 must hold them in readiness for the Saviour. 
 Your little child was lent you, and God has 
 now called for it. You loved your child, but 
 Christ loved it more ; he loved it more than 
 you possibly could. He redeemed it by his 
 blood and has now taken possession of his 
 purchase, and he will deal with your child 
 kindly. Already has he put into its little 
 hands the harp of gold and a palm of victo- 
 
276 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ry. Then why should you lament that your 
 daughter has gone to heaven ? Would you 
 be so selfish as to keep from Jesus Christ 
 what was his own by purchase ! No. I 
 know you would not. Your child has now 
 escaped the sorrows and pains of life. She 
 sweetly sleeps in Jesus. Had she lived she 
 would have been like yourself a woman of 
 sorrows. Could she now speak, she would 
 say, " weep not for me, my dear mother ; I 
 am happy. I am with Jesus the friend of 
 sinners. He is my everlasting friend. Be 
 patient a few years and then he will be so 
 kind as to bring you to this happy place and 
 here we will praise him together." Oh, we 
 ought to rejoice when our friends are thus 
 taken home to glory. In your affliction you 
 will look to God for support, and remember 
 that this was designed for your own good. 
 You needed this chastisement. God knew 
 what was for the best and how to make you 
 a perfect person in Christ Jesus. " Whom 
 the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourg- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 277 
 
 eth every son whom he receiveth ;" and you 
 should remember that though '^ no chasten- 
 ing for the present seemeth to be joyous but 
 grievous ; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth 
 the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto 
 them which are exercised thereby." Yes, 
 my dear sister, when we get into eternity we 
 shall see the wisdom and goodness of God 
 in thus removing from us those on whom we 
 had placed our affections. Another prec- 
 ious promise is left on record for our conso- 
 lation. " For our light affliction, which is 
 but for a moment, worketh for us a far more 
 exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; 
 while we look not at the things which are 
 seen, but at the things which are not seen." 
 Let this passage comfort you. You will not, 
 you cannot distrust God. Mysterious as is 
 this dispensation of Providence, you should 
 bow submissive, feeling that God will do 
 all things well. Carry your case to Jesus ; 
 he can sympathize with you ; he can com- 
 fort. Your child is dead but Christ liveth. 
 
278 MEMOIR OF 
 
 You will find much support in prayer. This 
 should be your business. Leave all in the 
 hands of God, and soon you will go where 
 your child is. It can never come to you, 
 but you will go to it. Live then by faith on 
 Jesus Christ, and repine not. I deeply 
 sympathize with you, and pray God that you 
 may be supported in this hour of affliction. 
 Yours affectionately. 
 
 To a gentleman who had recently buried 
 his wife and seemed inconsolable. 
 My Dear Sir, 
 
 I have received your letter informing me 
 that your dear wife is no more. She then, 
 who slept in your bosom, now sleeps in 
 death ; her body is in the embrace of the 
 tomb and you are left to weep, and as you 
 say, you cannot be comforted. Now, broth- 
 er, what am I to understand by this ? You 
 loved your wife as no one can doubt ; but 
 your wife has always been a sufferer and had 
 she lived she must still have suffered and 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 279 
 
 Jesus Christ knew this, and to relieve her 
 has taken her to himself, where she will be 
 perfectly happy, and you cannot be recon- 
 ciled at such an act ! Had she lived, it 
 would have been a source of happiness to 
 you, while she must have suffered. Had 
 you not rather she would go to heaven ? 
 And besides, whose was she ? who purchased 
 her with blood ? who gave her to you ? 
 Most certainly Jesus Christ. Then he has 
 taken his own and you have no right to com- 
 plain. You have great reason to be thank- 
 ful that she was prepared to go into eternity. 
 She was a devotedly pious wife, and she 
 has only gone to glory to await your com- 
 ing. Perhaps she now watches over you 
 and sees your grief. Would it not be bet- 
 ter for you to thank God for his mercy in 
 taking her to his right hand instead of al- 
 lowing her to live and suffer ? She now 
 praises Jesus Christ for redeeming love and 
 you should praise him also. Now instead 
 of murmuring because she is taken from you, 
 
280 MEMOIR OF 
 
 you should endeavor to be prepared to meet 
 her in heaven. It will be but a few days 
 before you will go into eternity, and cannot 
 you be willing that she should be absent a 
 few days ? You would not complain if she 
 had gone to visit some earthly friend ; and 
 now she has gone to pay a visit to the King 
 of kings and you think it very hard. Now, 
 my dear sir, dry up your tears and trust in 
 Christ and remember that this affliction is 
 designed for your own good. God will not 
 afflict men willingly ; but sees that this is the 
 best way to make them feel their depend- 
 ance on him. He shows you by this afflic- 
 tion that you should trust in nothing which 
 death can touch ; and you profess to be sen- 
 sible of this. Then why not now act the 
 part of a Christian ? Let your Christian 
 principles prevail. If you are thus incon- 
 solable will not the impenitent say your re- 
 ligion fails to support you in the hour of tri- 
 al ? Now, dear brother, seek help from God, 
 Pray earnestly for divine assistance and 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 281 
 
 rouse yourself and be a consistent man. The 
 Psalmist says, ''Before I was afflicted I went 
 astray ; but now have I kept thy word. It 
 is good for me that I have been afflicted ; 
 that I might know thy statutes. I know, O 
 Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that 
 thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." Now 
 you should view this affliction in the same 
 light. You should feel that God has afflict- 
 ed you in mercy. This should make you 
 a better man, a more eminent Christian. But 
 remember, brother, that to murmur against 
 God is an awful sin. Oh brother, be 
 strengthened, trust in Jesus Christ. Pray 
 continually, and God will grant you help. 
 Read the word of God and observe its 
 promises, and let them strengthen you. Be 
 assured that I fully sympathize with you in 
 this affliction. I feel it to be a personal af- 
 fliction. Your wife was a dear friend of 
 mine. I deeply lament her loss, but death 
 is her gain. She is rejoicing in glory, but 
 you and I shall soon be there with her, and 
 
28^ MEMOIR OF 
 
 then we shall be happy ; there will be no 
 separation. Oh my brother, let us be pre- 
 pared to follow your dear wife. This is 
 the prayer of your friend. 
 
 Yours, he. 
 
 Samuel Hidden. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 283 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Retrospect — His illness — Triumphant 
 death. 
 
 Mr. Hidden had now (1832,) arrived at 
 the age of seventy-two, and had labored 
 forty years as a preacher of the gospel. He 
 found Tamworth a wilderness, containing 
 but forty legal voters, (one having died ;) 
 destitute of a church and house of worship. 
 Under his influence a church was formed, 
 and a convenient house of prayer erected, 
 (the temporary pulpit of which he, with his 
 own hands, constructed in a few hours,) ed- 
 ucation advanced and the town increased in 
 population. He became the beloved of all 
 and the prime mover of every moral and re- 
 ligious enterprise. Great success attended 
 his labors. The revival of 1800. was a 
 
284 MEMOIR OF 
 
 signal display of divine mercy, which 
 brought into the church those who were his 
 support through the subsequent years of his 
 eventful life. After this showers of grace 
 were frequent and copious. 
 
 He now looked back upon the church, 
 reared and cherished by his efforts and 
 prayers, with deep interest. Those who 
 welcomed him in 1792, and encouraged him 
 amidst all his labors and trials were now si- 
 lent in their graves. He could visit the spot 
 which their ashes hallowed and let fall a tear, 
 but their voices, as of yore, greeted him 
 not. He had stood by their bed-side and 
 prayed their spirits safe to the land of the 
 just. He had preached their funeral ser- 
 mons, exhorted the living to imitate their 
 virtues and avoid their errors. And now he 
 stands almost alone. As a faithful warrior, 
 who has fought bravely while his compan- 
 ions have fallen, pauses to observe the is- 
 sue of the battle, and finds himself alone 
 amidst the slain ; so he stood amidst the 
 
I 
 
 SAMUEL HIDDEN. 285 
 
 dead. He asked for the fathers, hut the on- 
 ly reply was an echo, " Where are they ?" 
 
 We have already remarked, most of his 
 old friends slept, and a new race had risen 
 up that " knew not Joseph." He saw that 
 his influence was in some measure diminish- 
 ed. Many would have preferred a new 
 preacher and a younger man ; though noth- 
 ing was openly said, yet he divined their 
 feelings and was grieved. Still he labored, 
 if possible, with increased zeal for the sal- 
 vation of his hearers. His fortieth annual 
 sermon was full of interest ; in which he 
 enumerated the various incidents which had 
 occurred since his settlement, and contrast- 
 ed the present state of the church and town 
 with that of 1792. His text on this occa- 
 sion was Deut. 8: 2, 3. 
 
 The opening of the year 1887, showed 
 conclusively to the church that the Lord 
 was about to take from them their spiritual 
 guide. 
 
 On the fifteenth of January, of this year, 
 
286 MEMOIR OF 
 
 he preached his forty-fifth annual sermon. 
 Just forty-five years ago this Sabbath he 
 preached for the first time in Tamworth to 
 a few souls in a private dwelling. And now 
 he stands before his church and people to 
 deliver to them the words of life. His race 
 is almost run. He, who had led this church 
 in the wilderness forty-five years, was now 
 delivering the last message of Jehovah on 
 the Sabbath. He had stood long between 
 the living and the dead and prophesied in 
 the name of the God of hosts. He preach- 
 ed this day with great zeal and fervor. He 
 exhorted the Church to more difigence and 
 greater exertion in the cause of Christ. His 
 appeals to them were melting. He was al- 
 most overpowered by his emotions. " Now 
 brethren, "said he, "we must awake to duty 
 and newness of life. We must be more 
 faithful for Christ. We must love him more. 
 We must serve him unreservedly. How is 
 it ? Will you consecrate yourselves entire- 
 ly to Christ ? Before another year rolls 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. "287 
 
 round, I, in all probability, shall be laid in 
 the grave. What account of yon shall 1 
 carry to heaven ? Shall I tell them there 
 that you are all coming safe on your pil- 
 grimage ? Shall I tell them that you are 
 6ghting the fight of faith, led on by Jesus 
 Christ, the great Conqueror ? Oh, my 
 brethren, shall we continue to live in this 
 cold state? Now, arise, come, let us shake 
 off slumber and watch the coming of the 
 Bridegroom. He will be here soon and we 
 must enter to the mamage supper of the 
 Lamb, or be shut out forever ! God Al- 
 mighty grant to awaken you to a sense of 
 duty and preserve you unto the end. 
 
 And now, my impenitent hearers, I must 
 once more warn you of your danger and ex- 
 hort you to immediate repentance. You 
 have been invited to come to Christ, Sab- 
 bath after Sabbath, and yet you are unrecon- 
 ciled to God ! Can I present any new con- 
 sideration or urge you with more fervor ? I 
 tell you that except ye be born again you 
 
288 MEMOIR OF 
 
 can never see the kingdom of God. Will 
 you remain hardened in sin and die ungodly ? 
 Oh, I tremble for your souls. You are in 
 danger of eternal damnation, and yet you 
 seem indifferent ! If your houses were on 
 fire you would not be indifferent. But now 
 you are exposed to the fire that shall never 
 be quenched and you fold your hands and 
 desire to sleep on. Oh now seek help from 
 God. Call upon him while he is near. He 
 will yet save you and make you the trophies 
 of his grace." 
 
 Thus he addressed his church and peo- 
 ple on the last Sabbath, he was allowed to 
 preach in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Up 
 to this time he had continued to preach three 
 sermons every Sabbath and lecture in three 
 different parts of the town during the week. 
 After this he was called to preach two funer- 
 al sermons. He had sometimes walked a 
 mile to visit one of these individuals. She 
 was a pious woman, and he delighted to 
 converse with her about heaven. Being 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 289 
 
 asked why he visited her so often when he 
 was so feeble, "Oh," said he, "I am paid ev- 
 ery time I visit her by her heavenly conver- 
 sation !" The day before her death he said 
 to her, " I shall never probably see you 
 living after to-day. When you get to heav- 
 en tell Jesus Christ I am coming. I shall 
 soon meet you there." At her funeral after 
 having addressed others, he said, " now I am 
 going to address myself. I am now an old 
 man and perhaps it is the last time I shall 
 enter this sacred desk. My health is feeble 
 and death is making his ravages in the midst 
 of us. I feel that I shall live but a short 
 time. There is but a step between me and 
 eternity and I, who have so often exhorted 
 others to prepare for death, may well exhort 
 myself to prepare for the same solemn event. 
 I would therefore endeavor to fefl that death 
 is nigh, and that soon I must stand at the 
 judgment seat of Christ. Oh, my hearers, 
 we shall all be there soon, every one of us 
 must give an account to God ; I, how I have 
 19 
 
290 MEMOIR OF 
 
 preached and you how you have heard. The 
 grave to-day will close over one of your fel- 
 low creatures and before another week shall 
 roll round, who of us shall be here in our 
 coffin ? Death is cutting down the old and 
 the young ; we are all going. Let us be 
 prepared for death ; be prepared to meet in 
 heaven this sister and others who have gone 
 before us." Said he to one after the servi- 
 ces were past, "I never felt before that I was 
 so near eternity. I can almost look beyond 
 the veil ! I am going now ; my work is 
 about finished and I must commend this 
 Church and people to God." 
 
 Though his outward man failed, yet his 
 inward man was renewed day by day. 
 " The spirit continued willing" long after the 
 " flesh failed." He labored with unusual 
 zeal ; he felt that what remained to be ef- 
 fected must be done soon. He labored in- 
 cessantly to advance christians in the spirit- 
 ual life, and to induce the ungodly to imme- 
 diate repentance. Never did men feel the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 291 
 
 power of truth more sensibly. He spoke out 
 of the abundance of a pious heart. He of- 
 ten gave vent to the emotions which strug- 
 gled in his bosom, by warm appeals to the 
 conscience. He endeavored to render chris- 
 tians more sensible of their accountability to 
 God as redeemed sinners, and of the right 
 which Christ had to expect their entire con- 
 secration to his service. The truth was ap- 
 plied with unusual adaptedness to circum- 
 stances. He made his congregation feel that 
 he was the ambassador of the Lord Al- 
 mighty. This gave energy to his words. 
 His language was inspiration. 
 
 January 20, 1837. (Tuesday.) Having 
 been feeble for some days. Mr. Hidden 
 was seized with the lung fever. '* Well," 
 said he to his wife, " the time of my depar- 
 ture is at hand. I had hoped to have 
 preached once more, and more faithfully 
 have warned the impenitent of their danger." 
 She expressing a hope that he would soon 
 recover, " Do not have any hope about it. 
 
292 MEMOIR Of 
 
 Let God do just as he pleases. He knows 
 what to do with us best." A member of the 
 church remarking that sickness was an afflic- 
 tion, " It is no affliction at all," replied he. 
 " What is a fever compared with the suf- 
 ferings of Jesus Christ ! I lay here suffer- 
 ing a little and think a great calamity has 
 befallen, when Christ suffered ten thousand 
 times more than all we ever suffered ! We 
 ought not to think so much about a little 
 pain. We ought to think more of the agony 
 in the garden and that will assuage our dis- 
 tress. I have always tried in all my visits 
 to the sick to make them forget themselves 
 and think of Jesus. The martyrs in the 
 very flames were happy and sung praises to 
 God. Oh think of Stephen ; while the 
 stones were pelting against his head, he look- 
 ed right up into heaven, and saw Jesus on 
 the throne. He did not stop and cry out, 
 ''O, how you bruise my body ! I am suffer- 
 ing excruciating pain !" Do you think Paul 
 and Silas talked about their afflictions in 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 293 
 
 prison ? Certainly not, if they had the an- 
 gel would never have loosed them from their 
 stocks and brought them out of it." I once 
 visited a man in great distress and he con- 
 stantly complained of his pain and said he 
 could not see why it was that God made 
 him suffer so much. Why, said I to him, 
 God is doing with you just as you would 
 deal with one of your children ; if after you 
 had punished a little child he continued to 
 whine and complain you would whip him 
 until he was silent. Just so God will make 
 his people suffer until they feel to say, 1 will 
 be quiet." 
 
 Jan. 21. Wednesday. His fever being 
 mild, he received visitors and conversed 
 freely with them. A member of the church 
 remarked to him that since he was so far 
 advanced in life it was doubtful if he recov- 
 ered, '' Yes," rephed he, " I am old, but 
 then it will make but little difference in the 
 time I shall have to spend with Jesus. And 
 I have had fair sailinoj for a long time. 
 
294 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Christ is a glorious pilot ; with him I have 
 outrode the storms of life thus far. Now and 
 then a storm has arisen which threatened to 
 overwhelm my frail bark, but he has always 
 whispered, " Peace, be still, and there was 
 a calm." So it will be until I arrive at the 
 port above. I recollect visiting Mr. G. 
 once and found him in Bunyan's Slough of 
 Despond. He seemed to be up to his chin 
 in mud ; but I was satisfied that he was a 
 pious man. Well said I, you are sinking fast ; 
 take care that you don't let the water run 
 into your mouth and thus be strangled. I 
 told him he was just like Peter, for only a 
 short time since he was all faith. The poor 
 man sighed and groaned and said he believ- 
 ed he should die, and he feared he was not 
 prepared for death. I told him to pray for 
 Christ's assistance ; for 1.3 was just behind 
 a little fog. So I prayed with him and he 
 prayed also, " There," said he, ''the fog is 
 blown away ; I see Jesus walking on the 
 sea. All is calm now ;" and the good man 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 295 
 
 went out of the world rejoicing. As for 
 myself I have lived about long enough, I 
 should think from present appearances, for 
 God seems to be taking down this building 
 to remove me to another, and a much better 
 house. There will be no fevers there." 
 
 Jan. 22. (Thursday.) Nothing alarm- 
 ing hitherto had been apprehended by his 
 physician. The symptoms were rather fa- 
 vorable though less so to-day. The mem- 
 bers of the church called on him but he was 
 not quite so free in conversation as usual. 
 He seemed solicitous for the church and ex- 
 horted those present to constant prayer and 
 more diligence. 
 
 Jan. 18. (Aiday.) This day he was 
 delirious. His fever was more violent. In 
 the afternoon he requested his son William, 
 to " bring him Nehemiah,'' meaning the Bi- 
 ble. He caught the Bible and clasped it 
 to his bosom with much emotion and offered 
 to God a most fervent prayer for the resto- 
 ration of the Jews ; another for his own 
 
296 MEMOIR OP 
 
 church and people. This latter prayer was 
 of great length and importunate. He offer- 
 ed a third prayer for the pastor who should 
 succeed him, a fourth for his family. 
 
 Jan. 24. He continued about as yester- 
 day, his mind wandered. The church were 
 apprehensive that this sickness would re- 
 move '' from their head their master." 
 
 Jan. 25. (Sabbath.) This morning his 
 reason returned and, though much exhaust- 
 ed, conversed freely with the members of 
 his family. His son's children were presen- 
 ted to him, whom he addressed very feeling- 
 ly. He requested them to read the forty- 
 eighth chapter of Genesis. They did so, 
 "and now" said he "my little children, I 
 want you to love Jesus Christ. You have 
 been consecrated to him in baptism, and 
 now give your hearts to him. I am going 
 to leave you soon, but if you love your Sa- 
 viour you will come where I am going. You 
 must not forget to pray and Christ will help 
 you ; trust in him ; he will never forsake you. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 297 
 
 Suppose some stranger should come and tell 
 you that if you would love him he would 
 make you rich and happy, would you not 
 love him ? Now Jesus Chris; promises ever- 
 lasting joy at his right hand, if you will but 
 love him. And more than this, he has shed 
 his blood for you ; he died on the cross and 
 his hands and feet were nailed to the wood 
 and his side was pierced, and even now be 
 says, " come unto me !" yes, he will take 
 you into his arms and sustain you through 
 life and finally bring you to heaven, if you 
 will obey and love him, read his word and 
 pray to him every day." 
 
 After this, other grand children were pre- 
 sented whom he in like manner addressed 
 and commended to Christ. 
 
 In the afternoon after some refreshing 
 sleep, he roused up and said to his son Wil- 
 liam, " Come, we ought to have a meeting 
 to-day ; we should not spend the Sabbath 
 so ; call them all in, and we will have a 
 
 k 
 
^98 MEMOIR OF 
 
 having called for his Bible, Hymn Book and 
 glasses, he selected his hymns and text, sung 
 and offered prayer. He then preached from 
 John 18 ; 9. " Of them which thou gavest 
 me have I lost none." His sermon was 
 practical and impressive. He directed most 
 of his remarks to professors of religion. It 
 should be remarked here that his preaching 
 and exhortations were generally to an un- 
 common extent directed to professors of re- 
 ligion. ^ Towards them particularly, if in 
 a languid and unbeheving state, he used 
 great plainness of speech. It was with ex- 
 ceeding difficulty that persons of that class 
 could listen to his appeals unmoved. They 
 must either return from their wandering and 
 become efficient co-workers with Christ, or 
 withdraw beyond the reach of his voice. He 
 had formed a high standard of personal holi- 
 ness. He looked on professing Christians 
 as those who ought to be the " salt of the 
 earth, and the light of the world." He 
 knew that upon them, with the aid of the 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 299 
 
 Holy Spirit, the salvation of the world was 
 depending.' This day he addressed them 
 with great fervency. He warned them of 
 the dangers to which they were exposed 
 and the disgrace which they would bring 
 upon the cause of Christ by any sin. " I 
 exhort you," said he, " to stand fast in the 
 Lord. Yield to no temptation. Give satan 
 no advantage over you ; keep yourselves 
 unspotted from the world. This is the last 
 time I shall ever address you. I am going 
 into eternity and commend you to the great 
 Shepherd of souls, him whom I have served 
 these more than forty-five years. I com- 
 mend to him this church which I have cher- 
 ished with prayers and tears and am now 
 to leave for the church triumphant. 1 have 
 watched over you with a father's care. 1 
 have fed you v/ith knowledge and under- 
 standing. I have aimed to make you per- 
 fect men in Christ Jesus. I have preached 
 the doctrine of the cross plainly and have 
 kept back nothing of the word of God. I 
 
300 MEMOIR OF 
 
 call you to witness that I have warned and 
 entreated day and night from my first com- 
 ing among you. I call God to witness that 
 I have coveted no man's wealth but have 
 labored with my own hands, that I might 
 not be burdensome. I have watched for 
 your souls as one that must give account. I 
 have the testimony of my conscience that 
 in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with 
 fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God I 
 have lived and labored among you. Many 
 souls has God given me and none of them 
 have I lost. When we all get to heaven 
 there will be a great family of us to bow be- 
 fore Jesus Christ and to ascribe the glory of 
 our salvation to him who has washed us in 
 his blood. My brethren, do be faithful after 
 I am gone." 
 
 These are a few remarks he is remember- 
 ed to have made. Notwithstanding the 
 feeble state of his body, he occupied in this 
 service an hour and a quarter ; but instead 
 of exhausting him it seemed to revive. His 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 301 
 
 Utterance was easier and his articulation 
 more distinct. The following day he had 
 no recollection of what we have just record- 
 ed. 
 
 Jan. 26. (Monday.) He was much dis- 
 tressed from hard respiration, and in the eve- 
 ning was thought dying from suffocation. 
 
 Jan. 27. (Tuesday.) After the struggle 
 of last night he found himself this day more 
 comfortable. His respiration was compara- 
 tively easy, and his usual animation of spir- 
 its returned. A member of his church be- 
 ing present and congratulating him on the 
 prospect of recovery, "Yes," said he, "death 
 is kept at bay a long time. I may conquer 
 yet, though I almost thought I had got just 
 over the dark valley. I do not think it look- 
 ed so forbidding to me as it did to Bunyan's 
 Christian. I have assisted so many over 
 this valley that I am quite familiar with the 
 way. I recollect the compliment, Dea. M. 
 paid me just before he died. He had a few 
 doubts, but I endeavored to clear them all 
 
302 MEMOIR OF 
 
 away and prayed with him. ^' Well," said 
 he, "I am fearless now for you are John 
 Banyan's Great Heart and will conduct 
 safely to the Celestial City. I am now in 
 the land of Beulah." Thus he went home 
 to glory." 
 
 He talked much about the church, regret- 
 ted that they had had no preaching the last 
 Sabbath and hoped, if it was God's will, he 
 might be able to preach to them again. 
 
 Jan. 28. (Wednesday.) He continued to 
 recover. A female member of his church 
 called to see him. '' You remind me of Bun- 
 yan's Christiana. Her husband commenced 
 pilgrimage and arrived at the Celestial City 
 before his wife would consent to com- 
 mence ; so your husband became pious and 
 went home to glory, and then you started 
 after him, and here you are, on your way. 
 I am glad to see you. Don't be afraid of 
 the lions, or giants by the way. Your hus- 
 band and I shall be ready to meet you in 
 glory. God has seen fit to spare me thus 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 303 
 
 long though I have been an unprofitable ser- 
 vant. O, I feel to ask forgiveness every 
 moment. My heart is very treacherous. I 
 can look upon nothing I have done with the 
 slightest satisfaction. I am ashamed of eve- 
 ry action. Christ is my only hope. 
 
 February 1. (Thursday.) Several pro- 
 fessed Christians called on him, to whom he 
 said, I rejoice to see you, brethren, for I want 
 to tell you how I feel in regard to the doc- 
 trines of the Bible, yet I cannot find lan- 
 guage adequate to the description. They 
 seem more lovely than ever. To say that 
 the Bible has brought life and immortality 
 to light is all I can say ; but it does not ex- 
 press half I feel. The attributes of Jehovah 
 appear lovely, glorious. It seems unaccoun- 
 table that Christians do not love to meditate 
 more on these. My faith was never so 
 strong in all the doctrines 1 have preached 
 as at this time, and were I to preach as 
 many more sermons as I have, I believe 
 more souls would be saved thereby. 1 have 
 
304 MEMOIR OF 
 
 sometimes been afraid that some thought I 
 did not belim^e what I preached ; but if I 
 could preach now I think I could convince 
 them of my sincerity. I tell you, brethren, 
 when you get where you can just look 
 through the veil, the awful reality of God's 
 truth will be felt. 
 
 Being asked if heaven seemed to his mind 
 more glorious, he said, " Yes, a thousand 
 times more glorious. How can it be other- 
 wise, so long as Jesus Christ is there ? He 
 would make any place happy. I am afraid 
 many live without any very distinct idea of 
 heaven. They seem to think it rather de- 
 sirable, upon the whole, to get there, but 
 they are not ravished with the thoughts of 
 heaven. Some seem so well satisfied with 
 this world, as to be willing to remain here 
 forever. But we ought to feel that heaven 
 is worth striving for, and worth our burning 
 all our life long at the stake. We become 
 so engrossed with the cares of this world that 
 we forget the future and here we stay indif- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 305 
 
 ferent to an eternity of unspeakable joy. I 
 wish we were more spiritually minded." 
 
 Feb. 2. (Friday.) He expressed his 
 anxiety for the church. To a brother pres- 
 ent he said, " I fear the church will become 
 indifferent to religious things. When they 
 have no one to preach they ought to be 
 more prayerful. I fear when the Shepherd 
 is taken away the flock will be scattered. I 
 have spoiled this church by doing so much 
 for them ; no other man will be found who 
 will be able to labor so much as I have. But 
 all I can do is to pray for you. I leave you 
 in the hands of Christ. Try to induce the 
 church to continue in prayer to God." 
 
 Feb. 3. (Saturday.) His health con- 
 tinued to improve and he was able to sit up 
 some hours during the day. 
 
 Feb. 4 ; (Sabbath.) He expressed a 
 great desire to preach. " O nothing can 
 wean me from my people ; they are a part 
 of myself." Some of the members of his 
 church called, to whom he said, " I have not 
 20 
 
306 MEMOIR OF 
 
 been permitted to attend church to-day, bat 
 it has been a precious season to my soul. 
 Christ has manifested himself to me in an 
 unusual manner. I have had a delightful 
 season in prayer. I have been praying for 
 this church, and I believe God will answer 
 my prayer. Now, brethren, do endeavor 
 to live more to the glory of God. Chris- 
 tians are apt to be too worldly. If they 
 loved Jesus Christ as much as their farms, 
 this world would speedily become the Para- 
 dise of God. What is this world compared 
 with the glory of Christ ? When you come 
 to stand on the confines of eternity the 
 world will sink into its proper insignificance. 
 O, how worthless it seems to me 1 I have 
 done with the world ; the few remaining days 
 of my life I shall spend in communing with 
 heaven. I wish I could make Christians 
 feel the importance of a higher standard of 
 holiness." 
 
 To one regretting that his health had not 
 allowed him to preach that day, he said, 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 307 
 
 " We ouijht to be thankful that we can en- 
 joy the Sabbath if we can have no preaching. 
 We can read the Bible and there is preach- 
 ing enough if we will only attend to it. 
 Christ preaches plain doctrines. I have of- 
 ten thought that if I were cast upon an un- 
 inhabited island and could have my Bible, 
 1 would not complain ; I would make every 
 day a Sabbath. But then I do not think I 
 should be quite happy, for I should want 
 every body to praise him." 
 
 To a member of the church he said in 
 the evening, " Well, brother, how have you 
 enjoyed the Sabbath ? I thought of you to- 
 day and desired to know how you felt. I 
 want you to be faithful in the cause of 
 Christ. Tell your children much about Je- 
 sus that they may love him. Parents are 
 too apt to delay making religious impressions 
 upon the minds of their children until they 
 become corrupted with sin. They think them 
 unable to love Jesus Christ until they are 
 almost men and women. This is a great 
 
308 MEMOIR OF 
 
 mistake ; little children can very early be 
 made to feel that they are sinners and need 
 washing in the blood of Christ. They are 
 easily affected at the story of the cross, and 
 they will love the Saviour for his great kind- 
 ness. I have known children quite young 
 to die believing on Jesus, giving him 
 glory. " O," said a child five years old to 
 me, " I love Jesus more than my father or 
 mother and am going to dwell with him in that 
 happy place you told me about." And to 
 her mother, * Do not weep for me, for I shall 
 soon be happy with Jesus and you will come 
 soon, for I have heard you pray to him, and 
 I know he will bring you where I am go- 
 ing.' 
 
 Now christians ought to be encouraged 
 and teach their children to read the Bible 
 and to pray over it and when they die they 
 will go to heaven. You should tell your chil- 
 dren about httle Samuel and young Timothy; 
 teach them to read the history of Joseph 
 and, above all, the history of Jesus Christ.'' 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 309 
 
 Towards evening he rose and dressed 
 himself being very comfortable and symp- 
 toms quite favorable. 
 
 Feb. 5. (Monday.) Early this morning, 
 Mr. Hidden was seized with the Typhus 
 Fever and Hickups. It was now apparent 
 to all that this would be his last sickness. 
 He had become much debilitated and nature 
 was wearincr out. 
 
 o 
 
 Feb. 6, 7. He continued to fail physi- 
 cally but his intellect brightened and his 
 spiritual joys increased as he approached the 
 grave. Being asked if his mind enjoyed 
 continued peace, " Peace ! yes it passeth all 
 understanding. I am so happy that if my joy 
 increases as it has some days past it will be 
 insupportable. The view of the * Celestial 
 City' which I continually enjoy is delightful ! 
 Delightful! no ; that will not half express 
 it. It is indescribable ; more than glori- 
 ous !" 
 
 To his wife he said, " You can have no 
 idea of my joys. If I am to be happier in 
 
310 HEMOtB OF 
 
 heaven than I am now, my capacity for en- 
 joyment must be greatly increased. A mo- 
 ment Hke this is worth a whole life of suffer- 
 ing. I never imagined such enjoyment.'* 
 
 Feb. 8. (Thursday.) He addressed his 
 wife and children and others present in an 
 affecting manner. To his second son he said, 
 " George ! George ! What shall I say ? I 
 must now leave you in your sins ! The thought 
 almost breaks my heart ! This is the last 
 time I shall warn you of your danger. You 
 can yet be saved by believing on Jesus 
 Christ. He has been merciful to you in not 
 cutting you off in your rebellion against him. 
 He still waits to be gracious ; his hand is 
 stretched out and his blood is ready to wash 
 your soul. O George I George ! My son, 
 my son ! can you resist such love ? Can 
 you crucify continually that Saviour ? Seek 
 help of him and lead a new life. Your soul 
 is precious. Must I be forever separated 
 from you ! God forbid. No ! You must 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 311 
 
 believe on Jesus Christ and be saved. I 
 commend you to him." 
 
 To some members of his church he said, 
 " I can say to you as did Paul, Behold, 
 I know that ye all, among whom I have 
 gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall 
 see my face no more. Wherefore I take you 
 to record this day, that I am pure from the 
 bloodof all men. For I have not shunned 
 to declare unto you all the counsel of God, 
 Therefore watch, and remember that by the 
 space of forty-five years I ceased not to 
 warn every one night and day with tears. 
 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, 
 and to the word of his grace, which is able 
 to luild you up, and give you an inheritance 
 among all them which are sanctified. I am 
 willing to trust you in the hands of Jesus. 
 Before long I trust to meet a great company 
 of you in the church triumphant." 
 
 To a young Christian he said ^^ Now, set 
 your standard of piety high ; do not be satis- 
 fied with living like most Christians. Be 
 
312 MEMOIR OF 
 
 more humble and devoted. A humble 
 Christian is the loveliest object in the sight 
 of heaven. Humility so becomes us that I 
 wonder we are not more desirous of being 
 clothed with it, as with a garment. O how 
 hateful a proud heart must be in the sight 
 of heaven 1 What has the Christian to be 
 proud of but the death of Christ ? Nothing. 
 He may boast of this, but he should bow 
 down in the dust in view of himself." Be- 
 ing asked by Mrs. Hidden if he was in pain, 
 " Pain ! pain ! What, in pain when going 
 to heaven ? going where Jesus is ? I know 
 nothing about pain. If you were going lo 
 visit some dear friend do you think you 
 could feel pain ? I am going to see Jesus 
 and I am happy. Yes I can sing of grace. 
 I am sustained by infinite Power. God's 
 promises are sure. They never fail. It is 
 wonderful that a being so sinful and un- 
 worthy as I am should be permitted to ex- 
 perience such happy hours. Christ died in 
 unspeakable anguish. He bowed his blessed 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 313 
 
 bead, and gave up the ghost on the cruel 
 cross, but not a wave of trouble rolls across 
 my breast, 
 
 'Jesus can make a dying bed 
 Peel soft as downy pillows are ; 
 While on his breast 1 lean my head, 
 And breath my life out sweetly there.' 
 
 Yes, I lean my head On his breast and all 
 is peace. 0, it is a blessed thing to trust 
 entirely ifi Christ for support. I have no 
 will of my own ; his will is mine, and I yield 
 submissive and find he is present. This 
 promise of God is wonderfully verified, and 
 O, how precious it is to my soul ! * Thy 
 sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy 
 moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be 
 thine everlasting light, and the days of thy 
 mourning shall be ended.' The days of 
 my mourning are ended and my sun does 
 not decline. Jesus grants me light en- 
 ough." 
 
 Feb. 9. (Friday.) Notwithstanding the 
 
314 MEMOIR OF 
 
 certainty that he must soon be in eternity, 
 pleasantry would occasionally exhibit itself 
 in his expressions. 
 
 To his eldest son's wife presenting him 
 some gruel, and saying she wished him to 
 take it for it was very good, he said, ^'Well, 
 I will say of your gruel as Mr. C — said of 
 my preaching, it is the best of the kind." 
 
 An aged member of the church coming 
 into the room, he said, " I am glad to see 
 you, brother Mason. To look upon you 
 seems like seeing the old Apostle Paul. 
 Come, brother, pray with us." 
 
 After the prayer he said, " Well, we have 
 prayed together a great many times, and 
 soon we will praise together. Just see the 
 wisdom of God in this ; first we must pray 
 and then praise. This is the way I have 
 found it through my whole life ; when I 
 have been in trouble and doubt, I have al- 
 ways prayed and soon all was joy. We 
 cannot prize the privilege of prayer half high- 
 ly enough. If we knew the value of pray- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 315 
 
 er, we should pray every moment. Chris- 
 tians first lose their love for Christ and then 
 leave off praying, so that when you find a 
 man who does not pray you will find a man 
 that does not love. You never knew one to 
 abandon the throne of grace until Christ was 
 abandoned from his heart. When you have 
 rudely forced your best friend out of your 
 house, you will not ask a favor of him or de- 
 sire to commune with him. Just so the 
 Christian cannot pray to Jesus after he has 
 thrust him from his heart, nor will he desire 
 to hold communion with him. I wish Chris- 
 tians would think more of this. They do 
 not seem to realize that Christ is in their 
 souls only while they enjoy a spirit of pray- 
 er. We must pray i(y^e would enjoy. You 
 have found this so by experience." Being 
 asked if he desired to recover, he said, I have 
 no desire about it. If I Hve, blessed be God, 
 and if I die, glory to God. It is a blessed 
 thing to lose our will and let Christ do as 
 he sees best. If for me to live would most 
 
316 MEMOIR OF 
 
 advance the cause of the Redeemer, I wish 
 to live ; but if to die is his will, then it is 
 my gain." 
 
 He felt that ' man in his blindness, may 
 mark out the destinies of his fellow-man, 
 but it is the Creator alone who knows what 
 is meet for the creature he has made. He 
 plants the lily by the stream — the rose in 
 the valley — and bay on the hill-side ; there 
 they bloom for his glory, 
 
 " Whose breath peffafhes them, 
 And whose pencil paints." 
 
 He felt that God knew infinitely better 
 what was for his glory thati himself. Said 
 he, " as God wills so I will. He does all 
 things right." Men would not fear to die 
 if they had implicit confidence in Christ. I 
 have visited Christians just like Bunyan's 
 " Mr. Despondency" and his daughter 
 "Much-afraid." When they are just to cross 
 the river they begin to take courage though 
 they have been troublesome through all their 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 317 
 
 pilgrimage. Let Christians rely on Jesus 
 and they will have no despondency all their 
 life long, and will be fearless of death. 
 Christians should live so as to be ready to 
 go whenever they are summoned. But this 
 they can never do so long as they have a 
 will of their own. O, it ip a blessed thing 
 to be one with Christ iij ail things." 
 
 Feb. 10. (Saturday,) Early in the niorn- 
 ing he commenced singing the songs of Zion 
 in which he had always delighted. He re- 
 quested the members •of the choir belonging 
 to the congregation .and all present to unite 
 with him in this delightful exercise. He 
 selected and sung the hymn commencing, 
 
 " I'Jl praise my Maker with my breath ;" 
 
 also the hymn, " Lo \ he comes ! with 
 clouds descending ;' and some of the most 
 ravishing Anthems, and Psalms such as 
 '' Lift up your stately heads, ye doors I" 
 " Make a joyful noise unto the Lord ;" " O 
 
318 MEMOIR OF 
 
 come let us sing unto the Lord ;" — " Lift 
 up your heads, eternal gates." 
 
 He continued through almost the entire 
 day to sing in angelic strains, notwithstand- 
 ing the weakness of his body. Prayers were 
 occasionally offered in w^hich he joined with 
 deep interest." 
 
 Feb. 11. (Sabbath.) His spiritual joys 
 continued to increase. Mrs. Hidden saying 
 to him that she was afraid it would injure 
 him to sing so much, he replied, " I proba- 
 bly shall not be tired singing when I get to 
 heaven, and why should I not sing now ? 
 This is heaven begun. I cannot refrain 
 singing. I am a Christian ; and should I 
 not praise God ? I am redeemed by the 
 blood of Jesus ; and should I not give him 
 glory ? I am an heir of glory ; and should I 
 not shout aloud ? I am going to heaven and 
 shall 1 not rejoice ? I shall through all eter- 
 nity sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, 
 saying, * Salvation to our God which sitteth 
 upon the throne and unto the Lamb,' and 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 319 
 
 shall I be silent now ? No ; while I have 
 breath I will sing. I know my Redeemer 
 liveth and I will triumph in his resurrection.. 
 If I am going to the abodes of the blessed, 
 ought I not to become familiar with their 
 employment ?" 
 
 He requested one to read the fifteenth 
 chapter of the first of Corinthians, and as the 
 tenth verse was read, '^ Yes," interrupted 
 he, " by the grace of God 1 am what I am." 
 He seemed filled with the liveliest emotions 
 during the reading of the whole chapter, but 
 when the latter part was heard, he exclaim- 
 ed, raising his hands to heaven, " Death is 
 swallowed up in victory ! O death, where 
 is thy sting ? O grave where is thy victo- 
 ry ? Thanks be to God, which giveth us 
 the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 O, sweet consolation ! Glorious hope ! 
 Shout it angels. Let it ring through all the 
 arches of heaven — " Death is swallowed 
 up in victory 1" Come, let us sing. We 
 must not be silent. This place is almost 
 
320 MEMOIR OF 
 
 heaven." He desired a clergyman, who 
 was about to offer prayer, to read the twen- 
 ty-third Psalm ; " The Lord is my shep- 
 herd, I shall not want," &z:c.,* also the nine- 
 ty-first ; " He that dwelleth in the secret 
 place of the Most High, shall abide under 
 the shadow of the Almighty, &ic." " These 
 are sweet portix)ns of God's words,*' he re- 
 marked ; '^ 1 have feasted upon them many 
 years.'* 
 
 February 12. (Monday.) Being asked 
 how heaven now appeared to him he re- 
 plied, " O glorious ! inexpressibly glorious ! 
 I am almost there. The sight is almost too 
 dazzling for flesh and blood. Jesus Christ 
 is more lovely than ever. 1 am ravished 
 with the view !" He then sung with a 
 countenance all radiant with extatic joy the 
 hymn commencing, 
 
 " Vital spark of heavenly flame ! 
 Gluit, O quit tliis mortal frame ! 
 
 His joy seemed complete. No language 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 321 
 
 can adequately describe the scenes of this 
 day. His soul struggled for release from 
 clay, to expand itself and mount to the bo- 
 som of God. To one saying to him that 
 his joy seemed complete, he exclaimed, 
 " Complete ! yes it is more than full ; it runs 
 over. My soul has not room enough here. 
 It wants to fly. It seems like a bird entang- 
 led in the snare of the fowler. It will be 
 released soon ; for heaven seems open, and 
 I catch the strains of angels. They are 
 waiting to welcome me to heaven. O glo- 
 rious sight 1 Come, Lord Jesus, come 
 quickly. 
 
 'Haste my beloved, fetch my soul 
 Up to thy bless'd abode, 
 Fly, for my spirit longs to see 
 My Saviour and my God.' 
 
 Ah, I see him ! He comes ! He comes ! 
 
 This vision is transporting. It is dazzling. 
 
 How wonderful it is that one so unworthy 
 
 should enjoy such a moment as this. It is 
 
 21 
 
322 MEMOIR OF 
 
 because Jesus has died and ascended to 
 heaven. Come, let us sing with our last 
 breath his love. Sing, brethren, do sing." 
 Then he sung with lively emotions, 
 
 "Angels, roll the rock away 1 
 
 Death, yield up thy mighty prey," &c. 
 
 To a clergyman who had sung with him 
 until he was quite exhausted, he said, 
 " Come, are you tired singing ? You must 
 sing." He desired that the ninety-sixth 
 Pslam, " O sing unto the Lord a new song ; 
 sing unto the Lord all the earth," might be 
 read ; also the one hundredth, " Make a 
 joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands ;" 
 and the one hundred and third, " Bless the 
 Lord, O my soul ; and all that is within me, 
 bless his holy name." 
 
 After a short sleep he awoke exclaiming, 
 " Victory ! Glory ! He comes ! He comes!" 
 He then commenced singing. Just before 
 his death he said to his eldest son, " Just 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 323 
 
 draw back the veil, and I am there,*' and 
 while the words, 
 
 " Angels, roll the rock away, 
 Death yield up thj mighty prey," 
 
 escaped his lips, the spirit took its triumph- 
 ant flight to heaven, February 13, at one 
 o'clock in the morning. 
 
 " So farewell, 
 Leader in Israel ! — thou whose radiant path 
 Was like the angel's standing in the sun, 
 Undazzled and unswerving — it was meet 
 That thou shouldst rise to light without a cloud." 
 
 On the following Wednesday, the funeral 
 services were attended by a large concourse 
 of people. Rev. Mr. Dodge of Moultonbo- 
 rough preached on the occasion. His body 
 was interred in the burying ground near the 
 Meeting-house, amidst the great congrega^ 
 tion of the dead, whom he had seen there 
 consigned. 
 
 A monument was erected, partly by the 
 
324 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Church and partly by his eldest son, consis- 
 ting of a slab of white marble, mounted up- 
 on six granite pillars, bearing the following 
 inscription : 
 
 " Rev. Samuel Hidden, died Feb. 13, 
 1837, aged 77 years, and in the 46 year of 
 his ministry. He was born at Rowley, 
 Mass. Feb. 22, 1760. Graduated at Dart- 
 mouth College in August, and licensed to 
 preach in Oct. 1791. Ordained upon a rock. 
 Pastor of the Congregational Church in 
 Tamworth, to which were added during his 
 ministry 503. As a Christian, he was meek 
 and humble, active, faithful, and devoted, 
 with a heart and hand of expansive benevo- 
 lence and hospitality. He was a pattern of 
 literature, the friend and instructor of youth, 
 and through life a distinguished lover of 
 sacred music. In preaching the gospel his 
 promptness, zeal, plainness, happy illustra- 
 tions, and meltings of his heart for immortal 
 souls rendered him beloved and respected by 
 all. His long day was literally and cheer- 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 325 
 
 fully spent in the service of his Lord and 
 Master, and the hope of being soon with his 
 Saviour God, inspired his triumphant excla- 
 mation in death, " Just draw back the veil, 
 and I am there," and tuned his enchanting 
 lyre for his last song, 
 
 " Angels, roll the rock away, 
 Death yield up thy mighty prey." 
 
 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in 
 the first resurrection." 
 
326 MEMOIR OF 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 The letters from which the following ex- 
 tracts have been taken, owing to circum- 
 stances over which Rev. Mr. Price, to whom 
 they were addressed, had no control, were 
 not received until most of the preceding 
 pages went to press. For that reason they 
 are here inserted. Mr. Hidden married a 
 sister of Mr. Price. 
 
 In answer to Mr. Price's letter informing 
 him of his call to settle in the ministry at 
 Belfast, Me., he writes, 
 
 "Tamworth, Oct. 29, 1796. 
 
 " As to your settling with the people at 
 Belfast, I have not a word to say, either jwo 
 or con, only that where you may be most 
 useful, there I hope you may be settled by 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 327 
 
 divine Providence. God's word and spirit, 
 together with your own conscience, will af- 
 ford direction in so important affair. 
 
 We have had some sweet and delightful 
 meetings of late in our neighborhood. These 
 are refreshing to drooping souls. I rejoice 
 to hear of God's work at the east. May it 
 go to the west, south and north, even to the 
 utmost bounds of the earth." 
 
 " Apkil 11, 1797. 
 
 Dear Brother, — I received your epistle 
 with joy. We were glad to hear of your 
 return to your people with safety. How 
 rich are the bounties of Providence ! Let 
 us praise his name and rejoice together. I 
 hope he will carry us through all our trials 
 and present us before his throne without spot 
 and blameless. 
 
 You desired me to inform you how it was 
 with Capt. G. in his last hours. There was 
 no alteration in his mind after you saw him. 
 
328 MEMOIR OF 
 
 He was forty-eight hours in the agonies of 
 death. 
 
 His quiv'ring lips hang feebly down, 
 His pulses faint and few ; 
 Then speechless, with a doleful groan, 
 He bade the world adieu. 
 
 May his last agonies never be effaced 
 from my memory. I have lost a valuable 
 friend and the town a worthy citizen. How 
 uncertain are all sublunary joys ! May we 
 who preach then so, realize these things so 
 as to meet our people at God's awful tribu- 
 nal with an approving conscience and the 
 smiles of our Judge." 
 
 "May 6, 1797. 
 I have just finished my sermons and now 
 steal this moment to write you, my brother. 
 Saturdays and Sabbaths are the happiest 
 days I enjoy. A great dignity is put on us 
 to speak in the name of the great Jehovah 
 to those who are candidates for eternity. 
 
 1 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 329 
 
 May the Lord make us wise as serpents and 
 harmless as doves. We need the patience 
 of Job, the wisdom of Solomon, the piety of 
 David and the humility of Paul rightly to 
 discharge our calling. But God is able to 
 help us and the cause is his own." 
 
 '^Sept. % 1797. 
 May God grant us grace to stand in this 
 evil day. It is a time of great declension 
 here. Th& call is loud for the ministers of 
 the Lord Jesus to be faithful in giving warn- 
 ing, in order to free themselves from blood- 
 guiltiness. To-mOrrow our Sacrament will 
 be administered, and I hope we shall feel 
 the influence of your prayers. Night before 
 last we had a heavenly interview at Dea. 
 Eastman's. I remember but one more 
 delightful in all my life. What match- 
 less condescension to vouchsafe to visit such 
 worthless creatures ! How precious are 
 such foretastes of the joys above. What 
 would saints, and ministers especially, do 
 
330 MEMOIR OF 
 
 without them. May God ever grant such 
 seasons whenever we begin to feel faint and 
 our spirits droop." 
 
 Written after great afflictions. 
 
 " March 20, 1798. 
 
 God has supported me through a fatiguing 
 winter, pregnant with trials in my own fami- 
 ly and with those incident to the ministry. 
 He has also kept me from sinking under the 
 weight of my own corruptions. Join with 
 me, my dear brother, in praising his holy 
 name. 
 
 You and I are engaged in the same great 
 cause which requires the utmost exertion of 
 every power and faculty ofour being as well 
 as the powerful energies of divine grace. 
 The farther we progress in this our calling, 
 I imagine, we shall see more of the depravi- 
 ty of the human heart, the stratagems of 
 Satan, and the absolute necessity of an en- 
 tire dependance on the aid of God's grace. 
 
SAMUEL HIDDEN. 331 
 
 Our business is a self-denying employment ; 
 but this we find true, viz : that the most self- 
 denying duties, when rightly performed, af- 
 ford the most exquisite pleasure. Hence 
 the greatest encouragement to persevere and 
 keep constantly in view Him who endured 
 such contradiction of sinners against himself 
 lest we be faint in our minds. Let us see 
 that we have those qualifications which give 
 a title to that promise, ^ Lo, I am with you 
 always, even to the end of the world !' This 
 will support us in the darkest hour and though 
 Israel be not gathered, yet shall we be glo- 
 rious in the eyes of the Lord. Let us then 
 be faithful and endure hardness as good sol- 
 diers, and fight the good fight and keep the 
 faith, for our labor is not in vain in the Lord. 
 May the great. Head of the Church endow 
 you with every ministerial gift and cause 
 you to shine with peculiar lustre in the can- 
 dlestick where you are placed and crown 
 your labors with great success." 
 
332 memoir of samuel hidden. 
 
 '^ Tamworth, April 19, 1800. 
 God has wrought wonders among us in 
 the course of the past winter. We have had 
 the greatest number of conversions accord- 
 ing to the number of inhabitants, and the 
 work has been the most rapid and regular of 
 any I ever experienced. We have received 
 into the church, with those who are now 
 candidates, one hundred since last January. 
 There are many more who, I hope, have re- 
 ceived grace. You see what blessings we 
 have received and how great are our obhga- 
 tions to God. You can easily imagine our 
 situation and will devoutly pray for the con- 
 tinuance of the Spirit to perfect what he has 
 begun here. I am, myself almost astonished 
 at th6 display of divine grace. Blessed be 
 God for^he Sheep and Lambs he has brought 
 into his fold. All things are in his hands. 
 He will keep what belongs to him by his 
 mighty power through faith unto salva- 
 
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