A first rate, unpublished manuscript diary ranging from 1857 through 1860 with an addendum from 1867 reflecting on the Lord's work among members of the authoress' family. Excellent revivalist content with historical accounts relevant to the Prayer Revivals of 1857-1859.
Our authoress is Ann Elizabeth [Parmenter] Martin [1819-1885], wife of Rev. William M[ulford] Martin [1812-1898], seems to have been herself, aside from her husband, deeply connected to the Presbyterian church. Professors from Andover dine at her home and she speaks of them intimately; she knows Edward Parks and various other professors. She goes to hear Gardiner Spring, attends Yale to hear President Wolsey speak, goes out to dine with the Pastor's family in Brooklyn, etc.,
William and Ann pastored the Presbyterian church at Woodbridge from 1852 to 1863, when William left to become a chaplain to the troops during the Civil War under the auspices of the Christian Commission. According to the records, "a spirit of revival" accompanied his efforts in Woodbridge, and his ministry was marked by a deep personal holiness. After the War, they joined the American Home Missionary Society and planted a church in Columbia, California. Afterward, most of the remainder of their ministry was serving in Brooklyn as one of the leaders of the newly established YMCA. He raised the funds to build their original headquarters, and was an integral part of the growth of the YMCA, etc.,
Extracts:
"Oh how hard it was to leave Brooklyn, those preaching evening prayer meetings held in our Chapel & Church will not soon be forgotten. The dear Westminster Church & Pastor are greatly revived. Surely those prayers will be heard & answered. We had a Union Female Prayer Meeting on the 23d Thursday in the Church."
"Went into the Sabbath School and read to the children an account of the happy death of little Fereday Peese who was a Sabbath Scholar in the Westminster Sunday School & died recently after one days illness in full possession of his reason to the last, [and] requested his mother to give his money in the Society Bank to buy Bibles for the Heathen, told her he was going to his Father in the Promised Land, called to his father who is not a Christian & said I want you to give all the money (a considerable sum) to the Missionaries to purchase Bibles which you put for me in the Bank in New York. Will you Father?" etc.
"Hedda has had to day six hard Fits, never so many before in one day. Roland is bed-ridden. Very trying days for both Hedda and [her] Husband sick. Oh Lord, as my day is so, grant me grace & strength to discharge duties faithfully & be submissive under these heavy trials & bear willingly all these burdens. This is dear Roland's 39th birthday. The last probably he will ever see on earth. Fanny Hadden [d.1857] is here; had some freedom in praying for Roland at evening Prayers in the family."
Then a detailed account of his "consumptive" state, and "Ann William Wisner, Mrs. Martin, Fannie Hadden, & Edward Park [son of Professor Park] of Andover all dined with us today on account of its being Roland's birth day." Roland, then on his deathbed, has visitors come with whom he earnestly pleads regarding their spiritual state, then passes away and we are provided a deeply moving account of his funeral and her own spiritual experience of it are detailed.
She then heads back to Brooklyn,
"Went to the daily Noon Prayer Meeting in Fulton Street [June, 1857], New York, put up a request for the prayer of God's dear people for some dear ones who have wandered from the Fold; may the great Sheppard bring them back. Will this not be heard from? Seen the Japanese. They were remembered in the prayers of the Meeting. Sunday June 11, Mr. Carpenter preached most excellently from the text, "Pray without ceasing." Dined at Mr. Carpenter's who told me Wisner had received the second Honors of Yale College."
Etc., This is just the first few leaves; she goes to hear Henry Ward Beecher during the Prayer Revival, gives detailed accounts of God's dealings with her, attending Gardiner Spring's church, graduation of William Martin Wisner from Yale [Presbyterian divine, a childhood friend from Woodbridge], and worries that he is being given so many honors, that it will lead his being unfaithful to Christ; hears revivalist Edward Dorr Griffin preach in Boston, then Dr. Jenks; Hedda infected with Cholera; "O Lord, if possible let thy hand by stayed and she healed of this alarming disease" she prays; accounts of minister's meetings, the Presbyterian Jubilee, missionary meetings in New York, deeply spiritual seasons at the Lord's Supper in Woodbridge, she weeps "Oh! Lord, shall none of my children go to heathen shores? Shall none of thy unworthy handmaidens descendants be thus honored? What a privilege to join in such a glorious work with such a class of noble men!" etc., hearing Enoch Pond preach, etc. etc.
54pp with the last 8pp in likely a different hand apparently leaving the MSs diary to a relative. Perhaps it was left in Woodbridge when they left on short notice for William to become a Chaplain. Two pages torn out, but they do not appear to have contained text.