A Picture of Christian Womanhood - Jonathan Edwards Comments on His Daughter Esther

What kind of young women do we pray for in times like these? Certainly not uneducated backward or repressed women, but those who are marked by their happy faithfulness to the biblical vision and characterized by what is best in Christian virtue. Jonathan Edwards saw these things in his daughter Esther and comments on in it,

"she exceeded most of her sex in the beauty of her person, as well in her behaviour and in conversation. She discovered an unaffected, natural freedom towards persons of all ranks with whom she conversed. She had a lively, sprightly imagination, a quick and penetrating discernment, and a good judgment. She possessed an uncommon degree of wit and vivacity, which yet was consistent with pleasantness and good nature ; and she knew how to be face-tious and sportive, without trespassing on the bounds of deco- rum, or of strict, serious religion. In short, she seemed formed to please, and especially to please one of Mr. Burr's taste and character, in whom he was exceedingly happy. But, what crowned all her excellencies and was her chief glory was religion."

Closing remarks from the diary of Esther Edwards