Preface to the American Edition

There is no modern name dearer to the church than that of Henry Martyn. A volume from his pea on any subject could not fail to interest the Christian public, much more one like this, which contains the records of his heart. All those who have read his life, will earnestly desire to read his Letters and Journal.

The author of his life speaks of “the distracting riches of his journals,” of the “masses of ore” left behind, when he made the extracts which are woven into the narrative. Those reserved “riches” are now, for the first time, presented to the American public. We doubt not they will be eagerly appropriated and highly prized.

The reader of this volume will be admitted to a still nearer view of Martyn’s character than is given in his Memoir. He will become familiar with the processes by which Martyn’s eminent attainments in piety were made. He enjoyed no peculiar advantages for progress in the divine life. He had the same temptations to resist, the same difficulties to overcome, as other men. His temptations to anger, envy, evil speaking, and worldly mindedness were quite as great as those which beset the majority of men. His spiritual attainments were made by an earnest, diligent, and persevering use of the means within the reach of every professed follower of Christ.

This book is specially adapted to become a companion for the closet. We trust that, through it, Martyn will speak to the heart of many a Christian as he retires for self-examination and communion with God; that he will stimulate thousands to strive after that entire consecration of which he was so bright an example.

Books which, like this, appeal directly to the heart, which show, by example, how it can be kept with all diligence, are greatly needed at the present time, to aid in checking the tide of worldliness which is rising in consequence of our prosperity, and that conformity to the world so rapidly increasing, notwithstanding the declaration of Christ, “ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

We would earnestly commend this book to young men in our colleges and seminaries of learning.

Martyn was a scholar of varied and profound attainments, but he counted it his highest honor to lay his laurels at his Saviour’s feet. Oh, could all the young men in our colleges go forth in his spirit, the strongholds of error and sin would be speedily shaken, and from all parts of a redeemed world would there go up a shout, “Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”

NKW-YOKK, March 27, 1851.