The Dairyman’s Daughter: A True Account of Amazing Faith

By Legh Richmond

A moving and true account of the short life of Elizabeth Wallbridge, the daughter of a dairyman on the Isle of Wight in England. The story starts when Elizabeth contacts Rev. Legh Richmond to arrange the funeral of her sister. Elizabeth and Rev. Legh Richmond soon become close spiritual acquaintances, exchanging many letters, with the vicar making frequent visits to Elizabeth and her parents. We read here of Elizabeth Wallbridge’s conversion in a Methodist Chapel where she only went to mock the congregation, her immediate desire to share the Gospel of salvation with family and friends, and her amazing faith that was severely tested in her final illness. This edition has been sensitively abridged to keep the story of the Dairyman’s daughter moving. The letters are reproduced exactly from the original book, and which were independently checked for the first publication to ensure that they were genuine, although (unfortunately) corrected here by Legh Richmond for grammar and spelling before publication.

• Language: English
• Publisher: White Tree Publishing
• Release date: Feb 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781912529315

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About the Book

A moving and true account of the short life of Elizabeth Wallbridge, the daughter of a dairyman on the Isle of Wight in England. The story starts when Elizabeth contacts Rev. Legh Richmond to arrange the funeral of her sister. Elizabeth and Rev. Legh Richmond soon become close spiritual acquaintances, exchanging many letters, with the vicar making frequent visits to Elizabeth and her parents. We read here of Elizabeth Wallbridge’s conversion in a Methodist Chapel where she only went to mock the congregation, her immediate desire to share the Gospel of salvation with family and friends, and her amazing faith that was severely tested in her final illness. This edition has been sensitively abridged to keep the story of the Dairyman’s daughter moving. The letters are reproduced exactly from the original book, and which were independently checked for the first publication to ensure that they were genuine, although (unfortunately) corrected here by Legh Richmond for grammar and spelling before publication.

The Dairyman’s Daughter

By

Legh Richmond

(1772-1827)

First published in serial form in 1810/11

Enlarged edition first published 1814

This eBook is from the 1815 edition

Illustrations are from various editions

This edition ©White Tree Publishing 2019

eBook ISBN: 978-1-912529-31-5

Published by

White Tree Publishing

Bristol

UNITED KINGDOM

More books on www.whitetreepublishing.com

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All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this abridged edition.

Table of Contents

Cover

About the Book

White Tree Publishing Introduction

Good to Know Before Starting

Publisher’s Note

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

White Tree Publishing Note

Appendix 1 A Short biography of Legh Richmond

Appendix 2 Extended Introduction to 1851 edition

Appendix 3 Elizabeth’s Will

Appendix 4 More letters from 1857 edition

Appendix 5 Visit to Elizabeth’s father in 1813

Appendix 6 Various cuttings

About White Tree Publishing

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White Tree Publishing Introduction

This is a true account of amazing faith, although there were those who doubted that a domestic maid, the daughter of a dairyman, could write the letters reproduced here by Rev. Legh Richmond, the author of this book, or that the events described had really taken place. These doubts were fully and satisfactorily addressed by Rev. Thomas. O. Summers, D.D. in an edition published in Nashville for the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1851, in the form of a lengthy Introduction that included copies of more letters and other information.

White Tree Publishing sees great value in this research, but we believe that an Appendix following the true story is the better place for it, when readers will have a greater interest in finding out more details. So we have placed this lengthy 1851 Introduction to The Dairyman’s Daughter by Rev. Thomas Summers in Appendix 2. It is so long that we feel that many of our readers would put this book down before getting to the main story, if it was in its original place at the beginning!

When Rev. Legh Richmond, the author of this account, receives his first letter from Elizabeth Wallbridge, the dairyman’s daughter, he writes, It was but indifferently written and spelt; but this rather tended to endear the hitherto unknown writer, as it seemed characteristic of the union of humbleness of station with eminence of piety.

Elizabeth wrote, I ought to make an excuse for my letter, I spell so badly. This was a great neglect when I was young. I gave myself greatly to reading, but not to the other; and now I am too weak and feeble to learn much.

On another occasion, she writes, Pray excuse all faults, and correct my errors. She presumably intended this to be taken to mean corrections in the mind while reading. Unfortunately, for readers today, Legh Richmond has now permanently corrected the grammar and spelling, perhaps to save embarrassing the family. However, there can be no doubt from independent checks that apart from these corrections, the letters are absolutely genuine, and the result of Elizabeth’s extensive reading of Christian books.

Our White Tree Publishing edition of The Dairyman’s Daughter has been carefully abridged, removing much of Richmond’s philosophizing at the beginning of chapters to keep the story moving. For the same reason, long sentences and paragraphs have been broken up, and the occasional word updated. The letters are untouched, although we have added a capital H when referring to the Deity where this is missing, to be consistent throughout the book. We can assume that ignorant means lacking a full education when used by Elizabeth and her father, rather than indicating a lack of intelligence. Their humbleness, that might seem excessive to us today, was according to the custom of the time between social classes. There can be no doubt that Elizabeth was both intelligent and articulate.

Good to Know Before Starting

The Rev. Legh Richmond was an Anglican clergyman who was born in Liverpool in 1772, but was living on the Isle of Wight at the time of this story, where for many years he held the joint curacy of Brading and Yaverland parishes. He was married and had twelve children, eight of whom were still living at the time of his death in 1827. There are more details about Legh Richmond in Appendix 1.

In the story that follows, Legh Richmond doesn’t give many details of Elizabeth Wallbridge’s conversion until Chapter 6. So before starting this book, this must be the right place to read an account of Elizabeth’s conversion told by Methodist minister Rev. Benjamin Carvosso in A Further Account of the Dairyman’s Daughter, written at Newport, Isle of Wight, July 1837, and published in the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine, for February, 1838. (The full account is included in Appendix 2.)

Carvosso writes:

Robert Taylor [a recent convert], at the time of which I write, was a truly pious member of the society, and zealous for the salvation of his fellow servants. Elizabeth Groves and Elizabeth Wallbridge both went to the Established Church, and had never yet heard a Methodist preacher.

By Elizabeth Wallbridge, Methodism was viewed with much contempt, and even angry dislike, especially after her brother had connected himself with a sect everywhere spoken against, and had even ventured to address an admonitory letter to his sister, affectionately exhorting her to seek the salvation of her soul.

Mr. Crabb being about to preach at the room one weekday evening, Robert Taylor, happening in the course of the day to enter a room where Elizabeth Wallbridge and Elizabeth Groves were at work together, he said to them, Maids, will you go this evening and hear preaching at the Methodist chapel? they called the little room. Mr. Crabb, the missionary from the Isle of Wight, is to preach. He is very much liked as a preacher; and I think if you were to go and hear for yourselves, you would be pleased with him.

Elizabeth Wallbridge, with her characteristic levity and vivacity, gave Robert such a reply as left him no ground on which to rest any anticipation of a favourable result. But there was an overruling Power at work; curiosity was at work; and as Elizabeth and her companion talked over the strange proposal that had been made to them — so they considered it — they became influenced by a strong desire to agree to it, and to hear Mr. Crabb; and eventually they were found that evening among his hearers.

This step was not in itself decisive, but still it was a most important one. It was the step which, in their case, led to salvation. Prejudice was overcome; a degree of respect was gained both for the preacher and the service; and they both resolved to attend again! Mr. Crabb soon returned to Southampton for the services of an entire Sabbath, and Elizabeth heard him in the morning.

Still a captive to the vanity of the carnal mind, she was led to put on her gayest attire, that her foolish heart might be gratified by her utmost display among the poor humble Methodists.

While the preacher, with the authority of an ambassador of Christ, bore hard on the sins of vanity, self, and pride, the light of truth enabled Elizabeth Wallbridge to see that she was the very reverse of being clothed with humility. Wounded by the sword of the Spirit, she returned home in silence, indignant at herself. There was now no foolish talking and jesting about things sacred; her mouth was stopped; she felt herself guilty before God, and trembled in His presence.

Ignorant of the great change that was taking place in her mind, her fellow servants were astonished that the giddy, trifling, and talkative Betty Wallbridge had become serious, and slow to speak. ... All parties concur in testifying that from the day of her conversion she was entirely and steadily devoted to God. She seemed to be actuated literally and permanently by the impression of that great truth, that the things which are seen are temporal, while the things which are not seen are eternal.

Publisher’s Note

In Victorian times especially, the Christian faith was usually referred to by writers as religion, presumably because no other religion was known by the majority of Christians. Nowadays religion tends to convey a hard list of dos and don’ts, rather than an active trust in the living Saviour. The word religion when used here can be taken as personal faith in Jesus Christ. Bible references and other information in brackets [thus] have been added by White Tree Publishing.

The engravings in this book come from various editions in which they were commissioned to illustrate the locations in Richmond’s The Dairyman's Daughter, rather than using generic countryside plates from stock.

Following the 6 Appendices after the main story, we have included a short selection from our extensive range of Christian biographies and autobiographies. Our full catalogue for readers of all ages is on our website www.whitetreepublishing.com.

Arreton is circled on this old map of the Isle of Wight.

Chapter 1

In general, if we want to see religion in its most simple and pure character, we must look for it among the poor of this world who are rich in faith. How often is the poor man’s cottage the palace of God! Many can truly declare that they have there learned the most valuable lessons of faith and hope, and there witnessed the most striking demonstrations of the wisdom, power, and goodness of God.

The present narrative is given from real life. I first became acquainted with Elizabeth Wallbridge by receiving the following letter, which I transcribe from the original now before me:

Rev. Sir,

I take the liberty to write to you. Pray excuse me, for I have never spoken to you. But I once heard you when you preached at — Church. I believe you are a faithful preacher, to warn sinners to flee from the wrath that will be revealed against all those that live in sin, and die impenitent. Pray go on in the strength of the Lord. And may He bless you, and crown your labour of love with success, and give you souls for your hire.

The Lord has promised to be with those whom He calls and sends forth to preach His Word to the end of time: for without Him we can do nothing. I was much rejoiced to hear of those marks of love and affection to that poor soldier of the S.D. [South Dorset] Militia. Surely the love of Christ sent you to that poor man!

May that love ever dwell richly in you by faith! May it constrain you to seek the wandering souls of men with the fervent desire to spend and be spent for His glory! May the unction of the Holy Spirit attend the word spoken by you with power, and convey deep conviction to the hearts of your hearers! May many of them experience the Divine change of being made new creatures in Christ!

Sir, be fervent in