There being no public, free, or Sabbath-schools in the city, Mrs. Graham used her endeavors to promote such as would at least furnish education to the children of the widows under her care; and several young ladies offered their services, which she thus notices: 

“FEBRUARY, 1804.

“A new thing is on the wheel in the city of New York.  A society of ladies, organized for the purpose of relieving widows with small children, was new in this country.  It is now, by the blessing of God, apparently established.  It was entered upon with prayer; it has been conducted thus far with prayer.  The blessing of God has rested upon it, and much good has been done by it.  Some of us have looked long, and requested of God to open a way by which the children of these widows might be instructed and taught to read his word, and by his blessing on it, come to the knowledge of the way of salvation.  One means has been attempted of an ordinary kind:  twelve children were last week placed at school with Mrs. L——­, to be taught to read, and some more are to be placed with another of our widows, for the same purpose.  But this indeed is new.  A society of young ladies, the first in rank in the city, in the very bloom of life, and full of its prospects, engaged in those pleasures and amusements which tend to engross the mind and shut out every idea unconnected with them, coming forward and offering—­not to contribute towards a school, but their own personal attendance to instruct the ignorant, O Lord, prosper their work.  If this be of thee, it shall prosper, and be productive of much good; but if thou bless not, it will come to nothing but shame.  No good can be done but by thee, for there is none good but One;’ and what are all thy creatures, but instruments in thy hand, by which thou bringest to pass the purposes of thy will? Christians, redeemed, enlightened, sanctified, are no more; thou workest all their works in them; they themselves are thy workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which thou hast prepared, that they should walk in them.  Worldlings also are thy instruments:  by them thou workest and bringest to pass the counsels of thy will; thou puttest into their heart the good thing which thou workest, and girdest them for the purpose:  though not the children of thy covenant, they are the instruments of thy providence.

“O Lord, take up this matter; gird these young women to this very purpose, and prosper them in the art of teaching these orphans of thy providence.  And Oh, Lord, hear my more important petition.  I am not worthy to be heard.  O Lord, I am not worthy to be named in connection with any good done by thee.  I am the chief of sinners, the chief of backsliders; every thing in me, of me, or by me, is vile as far as it is mine.  All that is otherwise, all good implanted in me, or done by me, is thine own; it is grace, free grace, the purchase of thine own Anointed, my dear Redeemer, my dying, risen, ascended