MRS. SHERWOOD.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] Sru,—Referring to the article in the Spectator of July 30th
on Mrs. Sherwood, the criticism on her religious opinions is scarcely a just one, as I hope to prove in Mrs. Sherwood's own words from her diaries. You say that "the narrow and almost revolting theology with which she was infected she perhaps never wholly escaped from, though she mellowed and softened in later life." That mellowing of her character, as she herself admits, was chiefly due to the distinctly advanced views which she held after her return from India, and for which she suffered much loss of popularity as a writer and much severe criticism and abuse from the Evangelical party in Worcester and elsewhere. The prejudice was so strong against her universalist belief that when the first Life was edited by her daughter from the diaries all references to it were omitted. In rewriting her diaries in later life Mrs. Sherwood says :-
" The grand idea of the final salvation of all mankind and the adoption of this wonderful truth began to set my mind at rest upon subjects which till then had perplexed and irritated me. I had often been the slave of angry passions which had made me violent. The more deeply I was led to consider the importance of what I understood to be religion and the possibility of a human creature becoming an outcast from the divine mercy, the more had I striven to compel where I had the power those under my influence to do what was right, making myself oftentimes very unamiable and my religion everything but attractive.
1836. I had already fallen into disfavour on account of the principles respecting universal salvation and was made first to experience the disapprobation of all the old Worcester Evan- gelical party. The doctrine was then called Mrs. Sherwood's."
Mrs. Sherwood was requested to read no more to the women at the gaol. She received a letter desiring her to go no more to the penitentiary in Worcester, a charge being made that she had asserted that our Lord would in due time save all mankind. A violent and bitter review of the fourth volume
of "Henry Milner" appeared in the R3cord. "An American called to see me from New York and rated me soundly for my universalist principles as he termed them. He drank tea
with us and attacked us all and made himself superlatively disagreeable." She had through various stages of belief been led to perceive
"that if a portion of God's creatures are lost either divine love is not infinite or there must be conditions annexed to the salvation of one and the perdition of another which I did not comprehend.
Before I was permitted to see the truth I had not enjoyed that knowledge which coming with love casteth out fear."
I hope that these extracts will help to disprove much of the general misconception prevailing about the theology of
Mrs. Sherwood.—I am, Sir, &c., LUCY MORTLOCK. Abington, Wigston, _Leicester.
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