To this early training, to the example of a noble father and excellent mother, to the trials which came so quickly in her life, the rapid development of Mrs. Mott’s intellect is no doubt greatly due.  Thus the foundation was laid, which has enabled her, for more than fifty years, to be one of the great workers in the cause of suffering humanity.  These are golden words which we quote from her own modest notes:  “I, however, always loved the good, in childhood desired to do the right, and had no faith in the generally received idea of human depravity.”  Yes, it was because she believed in human virtue, that she was enabled to accomplish such a wonderful work.  She had the inspiration of faith, and entered her life-battle against Slavery with a divine hope, and not with a gloomy despair.

The next great step in Lucretia Mott’s career, was taken at the age of twenty-five, when, “summoned by a little family and many cares, I felt called to a more public life of devotion to duty, and engaged in the ministry in our Society.”

In 1827 when the Society was divided Mrs. Mott’s convictions led her “to adhere to the sufficiency of the light within us, resting on the truth as authority, rather than ‘taking authority for truth.’” We may find no better place than this to refer to her relations to Christianity.  There are many people who do not believe in the progress of religion.  They are right in one respect.  God’s truth cannot be progressive because it is absolute, immutable and eternal.  But the human race is struggling up to a higher comprehension of its own destiny and of the mysterious purposes of God so far as they are revealed to our finite intelligence.  It is in this sense that religion is progressive.  The Christianity of this age ought to be more intelligent than the Christianity of Calvin.  “The popular doctrine of human depravity,” says Mrs. Mott, “never commended itself to my reason or conscience.  I searched the Scriptures daily, finding a construction of the text wholly different from that which was pressed upon our acceptance.  The highest evidence of a sound faith being the practical life of the Christian, I have felt a far greater interest in the moral movements of our age than in any theological discussion.”  Her life is a noble evidence of the sincerity of this belief.  She has translated Christian principles into daily deeds.

That spirit of benevolence which Mrs. Mott possesses in a degree far above the average, of necessity had countless modes of expression.  She was not so much a champion of any particular cause as of all reforms.  It was said of Charles Lamb that he could not even hear the devil abused without trying to say something in his favor, and with all Mrs. Mott’s intense hatred of Slavery we do not think she ever had one unkind feeling toward the slave-holder.  Her longest, and probably her noblest work, was done in the anti-slavery cause.  “The millions of down-trodden slaves in our land,” she says, “being the greatest