The Christian's Secret of A Happy Life - Softcover

The digital copies of this book are available for free at First Fruits website.
place.asburyseminary.edu/firstfruits

Preface

THIS is not a theological book. I frankly confess

I have not been trained in theological schools,

and do not understand their methods nor their

terms. But the Lord has taught me experimentally

and practically certain lessons out of His Word, which

have greatly helped me in my christian life, and have

made it a very happy one. And I want to tell my

secret, in the best way I can, in order that some others

may be helped into a happy life also.

I do not seek to change the theological views of

a single individual. I dare say most of my readers

know far more about theology than I do myself, and

perhaps may discover abundance of what will seem

to be theological mistakes. But let me ask that

these may be overlooked, and that my readers will

try, instead, to get at the experimental point of that

which I have tried to say, and if that is practical

and helpful, forgive the blundering way in which it

is expressed. I have tried to reach the absolute

truth which lies at the foundation of all "creeds"

and '' views," and to bring the soul into those per-

sonal relations with God which must exist alike in

every form of religion, let the expression of them

differ as they may.

I have committed my book to the Lord, and have

asked Him to counteract all in it that is wrong, and

to let only that which is true find entrance into any

heart. It is sent out in tender sympathy and yearn-

ing love for all the struggling, weary ones in ,the

Church of Christ, and its message goes right from

my heart to theirs. I have given the best I have,

and could do no more. May the blessed Holy Spirit

use it to teach some of my readers the true secret of

a happy life!

HANNAH WHITALL SMITH.

Hannah Whitall Smith (Feb. 7, 1832-May 1, 1911) is perhaps best known as the writer of the holiness classic Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life, but her interests extended much farther than religious revival. This Quaker from Pennsylvania and her husband, Robert Pearsall Smith, were very much influenced by William E. Boardman and became leaders in the Holiness Movement in The United States and the Higher Life Movement in Great Britain. Hannah quickly outshone her husband in speaking and she carried on an extensive correspondence with many people, but especially women both within and outside of these movements. Hannah befriended social activists like Frances Willard of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, and Susan B. Anthony along with other supporters of women’s suffrage. She also took an active interest in how the doctrine of sanctification could spin off into religious fanaticism, and so she maintained relationships with Anna Spafford of the Overcomers, who founded the American Colony in Jerusalem and Lord and Lady Mount Temple, who were known Spiritualists. Her correspondence shows a wide area of interests and her very rational approach to holiness is revealed in her religious writings.