Another Letter

I just posted a letter written by Benjamin Hamilton dated September 11, 1826. You can read it here.

September 11, 1826 letter to his wife and children from Benjamin Hamilton

September 11, 1826

To: His Wife & Children

From: Benjamin Hamilton

This appears to be a letter which Benjamin wanted his children to read upon his death. He wanted to ensure that they accepted Christ as Savior and know that they would have eternal life in Heaven.

Scan of 1826-09-11 Benjamin Hamilton to Wife & Children

Come my beloved wife and children, come hear you father speak, although he is dead and gone, these are his words. Now my children, are you ready to come after me? We all must die and go into the eternal world. Would you believe me if I could be permitted to come and speak to you! If you would, why could you not believe Christ that has come and told us all things that we need. The time is short that you can stay here in this world. Die we must whether we are ready or not, we must go when God calls. Mans life in this world is but a vapor, tis gone before you think. Let me ask you, have you ever thought of dying? You read death comes like a thief in the night. Now we have all sinned and fell short of the law and we can say nothing for ourselves, but to fling ourselves at Christs feet and cry for mercy, and believe in him, he is able to save us, and no one else can help us. The Lord that sets above the skies divides their rage below, he speaks with vengence in his eyes and strikes their spirits through. Well he remembers all our sighs. His love exceeds our best deserts. His love accepts the sacrifice of humble groans and broken hearts. Death and the terrors of the grave stood around me with their dismal shade, while floods of high tempest rose and made my sinking soul afraid. When you read this remember the warnings that your Father has warned you of.

Benj- Hamilton Sept 11th 1826

Our lips shall tell them to our sons and they again to theirs. And now when I go to behold Christ dying & bleeding is this holy lamb of God sacrifice & slaughter for my sins. Lord teach my heart that it may be suitably affected with the sight; so as to intensly live my blessed Savior, and to hate my cursed sins.  Oh! How should I at this be covered with shame and loath myself, who has both procured the death of Christ by sin, and sinned against his death by slighting his blood and neglecting his great salvation. I am chargeable both with the guilt of Christs blood, and of murdering my own soul.

Be not contented with a fair profession of religion, or with a form of Godliness, and a name of life among men.

I sit down under his shadow with great delight and his fruits are sweet to my taste. How lovely is my stricken Jesus, even when bleeding and mangled by my sins.

Lord, I am ashamed of the hardness of my heart, let me go, then, to thy table with faith and love, and thankfulness to remember Christ and his dying love. Let me go and remember the woundings and pierceings of my Redeemer, with a pierced and wounded heart, for these cursed sins which nailed him to the cross.

Oh! My God & my Father in Heaven & Earth I give my heart and soul up to Christ and pray for him to fit and prepare it for his use and service. Have mercy upon me O God, wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sins. Bestow unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit. In the day of my trouble I sought thee Lord. Thou shalt guide me by thy counsil and afterward receive me into glory. Trust in the Lord and wait patiently. My heart and tongue their joys express, my flesh shall rest in hopes, thou will reveal the path of life & raise me to thy throne on Heavens Eternal hills. May I ascend above the skies where Christ has gone to plead the sinners cause. When from the dead he raised his son and called him to the sky, he gave our souls a lively hope that they should never die. We walk by faith as strangers here until Christ shall call us home.

Ye sinners seek his grace, whose wrath ye cannot have, fly to the shelter of his cross and find salvation there. Look up, ye pairs of endless joy nor let your fears prevail, Eternal life is your reward when life on earth shall fail. The soul that longs to see my face, is sure my love to gain.

I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is past from death unto life, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. We have all sinned and come short of the law, we are all guilty alike, so we can do nothing more than fling ourselves at Christ’s feet and cry for mercy. We can say nothing for ourselves, more than, Lord have mercy on me a sinner.

And now my children listen to your Father’s words which are these, my children near & dear, you all have souls to save or lose, and now let me beg and pray of you to seek after Christ before it is too late. I feel anxious for you children, but I can do no more than to warn you, beg and pray, of you to seek for your souls before it is too late.

Christ says, “Now is the time.” We have no promise of tomorrow. What shall I say more, now do you think of the warnings I have given you all, to seek for Christ.

Age and sorrow long hath blasted
Every youthful pleasing dream
Quivering age with youth contrasted
Oh! how short lifes glories seem[1]

——-

[1] This letter was sent courtesy of Sue Rood, who is descended from Benjamin Hamilton through his daughter Jerusha. Jerusha Hamilton married a cousin, Zeri Hamilton, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts on September 13, 1811