His General Character
From the preceding pages, it will be seen that the general character of iMr. Mills is one of no ordinary elevation. Its real dignity and glory are not easily described. No tinsel glare, no meretricious ornament confounded the purity of its lustre; but always simple, always uniform, it appeared in growing beauty; and, like the rising light, shone more and more unto the perfect day.
In nothing was he more distinguished from other men, and from his brethren in the ministry, than his DEEP AND UNIFORM PIETY. Few possess more disinterested love to God and man than he; or have given higher demonstrations of its influence in forming the human character. He was one of those rare instances of exalted piety, which owe little to the caresses of others, and which shone, not by the light of surrounding orbs, but by the flame of heavenly love. There was in his heart, and in his life, something more easily explained by reference to the higher exercises of religion, and the influences of ttie Spirit of God, than by any knowledge of human nature, or observation of ordinary piety. There was a constancy and uniformity of christian affection, which, to an unusual degree, adorned his character with the “beauty of hoHness.”
None that knew him will question that he possessed a MOST HEAVENLY MLND. Thcrc appeared to be nothing in his heart, and certainly there was nothing in his life, that evinced an attachment to the wealth, or honours, or enjoyments of earth. That “love of gold,” which tarnishes the character of so many who profess to have “their treasure in heaven,” and which does not leave untarnished the reputation of many an ambassador of the cross, seemed to have no access to his bosom. He lived as though he was “a stranger and pilgrim” on the earth, and had nothing to expect, except from above.
He was eminently a man of prayer. He appeared to take great delight in this exercise. On common occasions he said but little: but he conversed with God. In every recurrence of doubt or difficulty, prayer was his resort and his relief His freedom in this exercise, was equalled only by the fervency and disinterestedness of his petitions. There were some observable peculiarities in his devotions, and that not only in those that were public, but those that were merely social, and of a more private kind. He seldom prayed much for himself: but the burden of his desires seems to have been for others. I weep with joy, when I read in one of his last letters to his father, “Long may you live to pray for Zion!” Some of his friends will recollect, with much satisfaction, the prominent place which the person, and mediation, and gov ernment, and glory of the Redeemer were wont to hold, in his addresses to the mercy-seat. In all his devotions also he imbibed the habit of presenting the object of his present desires, with almost exclusive urgency. That which lay with most weight upon his heart, and predominated in his conversation, was the principal, and often the only subject of his entreaties. In a recent communication, the father of Mr. Mills remarks: “One thing noticeable, with regard to my son, is this: — that he wonderfully succeeded in every benevolent plan he devised and became engaged in, so far as my knowledge extends, without being frustrated in any instance. The thought hath turned on my mind, whether this consideration does not afford abundant evidence that he was in the habit of committing all his concerns to providence, and seeking God’s aid and guidance in every measure he pursued.” There are plans of benevolence which bear no relation to the closet, and which flow from no other motives than those which might dwell in the bosom of a virtuous heathen. Another day will show how far they fall short of what God requires and approves. What Mr. Mills proposed seemed to be suggested and matured by prayer; and flowed from the elevated and holy sentiments originating at the throne of grace, and aiming at the glory of God. In the duty of prayer Mr. Mills greatly abounded. Beside many days of fasting and prayer, unknown to others, unless by accident, he often invited a small Society at Andover, of which he was the founder, to set apart a dav fof that purpose. One of his intimate friends, and a member of this Society, remarks: “Often have I met him in the fields, or in the woods, absorbed in meditation, or lost and overcome in communion with God. Sometimes when I have called on him in the morning, with a view to some engagements previously contemplated, something in the conversation would awaken in him an insurmountable desire to devote the day to fasting and prayer.”
One of the charms of Mr. Mills’ character was hie UNFEIGNED HUMILITY. His modesty and unobtrusiveness concealed his excellence from vulgar observation. His most intimate companions felt that the world knew him not. He loved what he conceived to be a kindred spirit; and would sometimes unbosom himself in such a manner as to make his auditor blush and be silent. Among the few occasions on which he was ever known to advert to the wonderful results which God had been pleased to bring about through his instrumentality, was an interview with Mr. Burgess, on the afternoon of a Sabbath, while on their voyage from England to Africa. They were alone in the cabin; but to be more secure from interruption, Mr. Mills invited Mr. Burgess into his state-room. With a mind evidently burdened, and wishing to unbosom itself, he said something of the nature of their embassy to Africa, and of the propriety of their possessing a more perfect knowledge ol each others’ history, views, and hopes. In the course of the conversation he was led to speak of the course of divine providence toward him, and the operation of divine grace upon his heart. While
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remarkinsr on the imperfect evidences of his personal piety, and the usual lowness of his spiritual enjoyments, he wept. Supposing his mind to be rather in a state ofdepression, Mr. Burgess alluded to his life and exertion for the cnu’^e of the Redeemer, as affording to his friends a better testimony of the power of religion, than any which he himself could otherwise give. This brought into view what God had done by his instrumentality, and the important part which he had been called to act, in giving existence to some of the great systems of benevolent exertion which bless our land, and do honour to the christian name. Mr. Mills replied, that from the time he began his education, it had been his uniform desire, and the extent of his ambition, to sit down in some obscure corner of the earth, where he might adore the sovereign grace of God, and instruct a few who were perishing for lack of knowledge, in the knowledge of the only Saviour. He continued to weep much, and said that this retirement was still his desire and hope. His friend remarked that divine Providence had marked out his path, and qualified him for his work; and if his life should be protracted, he should be grateful for the opportunity of still more extensive services. Here Mr. Mills made some efforts to give utterance to his feelings; but the deep self-abasement, the tears of gratitude, the admiration of God’s goodness, with which he spake, were such as never to be forgotten. To adopt his friend’s representation, “he appeared to be broken in heart, to annihilate himself, and to be unable ever again to look on the face of man.” Such was the impression of thi»
interview upon the mind of his companion, that though he thought he had long been acquainted with the excellenec of his friend, he saw that he had been a stranger to it till then; and though he had had great evidence of his humility, he never witnessed such lowliness in any individual before. What a lesson to the great mass of men, to see such a man overwhelmed with abasing views of his own vileness? It is truly affecting to hear Samuel J. Mills say, “I many times fear that I shall yet be dashed in pieces as a vessel in which the Master has no pleasure.”
More than in most other examples, the real dignity and glory of Mr. Mills’character consisted in simple BENEVOLENCE. Hc wcut about doing good. His highest delight appeared to be in doing the will of God. As it was in this that he abounded, and was indefatigable, so it was in this that he enjoyed the highest satisfaction. It was to him the most pleasant thing in the world to “be about his Father’s business.” He sought not his own, but the things that are Jesus Christ’s. It is but justice to say, that our admiration of his character is not divided between his benevolence, and a multitude of other more splendid, but less useful qualities. After all that affection can say for his memory, his benevolence was that which most distinguished him. In this one quality he stands forward, and commands our admiration and love. When contemplating the main projects of benevolence, in which this eminently useful man was engaged, we are not to forget that he was a preacher of the everlasting gospel, — instant in season and out of sea.son, to inculcate its doctrines, and enforce its oh-
ligations in their purity and power. At one time, he was pointing out to some Society an important missionary station; at another, he was procuring some useful sermon, or tract to be printed and circulated; at another, he was visiting some hospital or prison, and there distributing the Bible, or dispensing the word of life from his own lips. Every place he visited, every person he saw, furnished him the opportunity of doing or obtaining some good, which he knew how to improve, and seldom failed of improving, His singleness of heart carried him forward, though silently and unheeded by the votaries of fame, yel with a sure and steady progress.
Nor was his benevolence often, if ever, defeated by rashness or imprudence. He possessed no small degree of judgment and discrimination. The wisdom of the serpent was scarcely less conspicuous in him, than the innocence of the dove. Eagerly as he was bent upon the accomplishment of hit work, perhaps he has not been known to go forward at the expense of practical wisdom. He seldom failed to give proof of the superiority of his discretion, in pointing out the means of operation, in enlisting and combining extraneous agency, and in selecting the agency best adapted to his purpose. There was a wonderful adaptation to times, and places, and men, in his topics of conversation. He seemed to know almost intuitively on what subjects any particular individual could give him information, or could be profited by information he had to give. When his object required the co-operation of great men, he wrought upon them through the medium of their own thoughts and impressions rather than his, and gained the conquest without betraying the power. He carried his measures, rather by his prudence, his perseverance, and by the various means he brought to bear on any particular project, and which he kept* concealed from the public eye, than by a show of commanding talent, or personal address. Indeed, he himself seemed unconscious of his inluience, because the exertion, of it was always subordinate to noble ends.
It is hardly necessary to add, that with this benevolence and practical wisdom, he was not destitute of GREAT ENERGY OF 3irND AND ACTiox. Whether in intellectual endowments he was superior to the great mass of mankind, some who loved him may have been disposed to question. But if a mind teeming with plans, and those the most extended and judicious; if a life accomplishing a greater amount of good than has fallen to the lot of most of the greatest, and the best to accomplish, be evidence of greatness, Mr. Mills was great. Of no man may it with greater truth be said, that the resources of his mind were known only to those who were intimate with his heart; and were perhaps, fully appreciated by few even of them. They were not developed upon set occasions, or by studied effort; but brought out as the objects for which he lived required them, and were never found unequal to the emergencies of a career so extraordinary and illustrious, and a life so full of labours and events as his. The propriety of his appointment to Africa was, in the first instance, questioned by some who knew him only by a little
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personal intercourse, and who did not know that under the appearance of something like indifTerence and inertness, was concealed an activity of mind, a resource in the adoption of means, and an immutability of purpose, which nothing could divert or discourage. I have seen men who could devise for a section of the church, and for a kingdom; but I never saw a man who, from the extent of his information and the correctness of his judgment, could devise so well, so benevolently for a world. And he knew not only how to devise, but how to execute. He was not only the author of those plans which marked the course of his own exertions, but ever fruitful of the details requisite to their accomplishas ment, and foremost to perceive and obviate the objections which might be raised against them, as well in every enterprise, to set an example of steady, laborious zeal. He was not inspired by a bright and glowing genius; he alTected no mere accomplishments of manners, or of mind; he made no pretensions to high attainments in science; he possessed no eloquence but that of a benevolent heart, every where breathing through an energetic mind, and consecrated to the most sacred cause.
Another very observable trait in the character of Mr. Mills, was his LiBEUALrrv of sentiment towakd
CHRISTIANS OF DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS. Hc WaS indeed very far from being an advocate for that latitudinarian liberality and modern Catholicism, which make no distinction between essential and unessential doctrines, and which yield their confidence to every class of errorists without discrimination. Few meu understood and loved the important doctrines of the gospel better than he, or were more willing to bear their proportion of the contempt and reproach attached to a firm adherence to the truth.
But while he understood and loved the truth, he manifested great candour and forbearance toward those whose prejudices or whose ignorance led them to the adoption of views in some respects different from his own. He took great pains to cultivate harmony among different sects and denominations of christians, as well as different parties of the same denomination. He had long been convinced that good men attach too much importance to principles in which they differ, and not enough to those in which they agree. He used often to say, that he found pious men in all denominations, and all parties; and enjoyed high satisfaction in holding fellowship with christians of every name.
The habits of his life were well adapted to the cultivation of these generous and delightful sentiments. In his pity for heathen lands, he could hardly have patience to be obstructed in his progress by the unessential points of difference which agitated churches that had long enjoyed the blessings of the great salvation. Whatever may have been his views of their importance in some departments of christian duty, he always lost sight of them when they appeared to come in competition with extended plans for the advancement of the Redeemer’s Kingdom. Presbyterians and Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Baptists, all gave him their hearts as a christian, and have been
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known to open their pulpits to him as a mniistor of the gospel. Ho lived arid died as though the salvation of” the heathen was an object important enough to unite the thoughts and afTections, the prayers and labours of the great family of believers throughout the world; and to the everlasting abjuration of all that party spirit, those narrow prejudices, and those sleepless jealousies which have so long disturbed the tranquillity of the Church. When shall the spirit of mutual animosity and crimination be superseded and eradicated by the irrepressible desire to glorify God, and see him glorified in the conversion of the world! O that the season of chilling alienation had gone by — that “the winter were past, and the rain were over and gone; that the time of the singing of birds were come, and the voice of the turtle were heard in our land!” — But I forget my theme.
Such was Samuel J. Mills. But I must forbear saying more of one, who was ever reluctant to speak or to hear of himself, and seek rather to possess than publish his virtues.