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Title: Gathering Jewels - The Secret of a Beautiful Life: In Memoriam of Mr. & Mrs. James Knowles. Selected from Their Diaries.
Author: Knowles, James Sheridan, 1784-1862, Knowles, Matilda Darroch
Language: English
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GATHERING JEWELS.
JAMES KNOWLES.
[Illustration: THE LITTLE ORPHAN'S PRAYER
When only eight years old and left an orphan, at her father's death,
she went to the corner of the house and asked God to be a father and a
mother to her--Page 85]
GATHERING JEWELS;
Or,
The Secret of a Beautiful Life.
In Memoriam of Mr. & Mrs. James Knowles.
Selected from Their Diaries.
"They shall be Mine in that day when I come to make up My Jewels."
Edited by Rev. Duncan Mcneill Young.
New York:
William Knowles,
104 East Thirteenth Street.
1887.
Copyright, 1887.
By Wm. Knowles
PREFACE.
The present volume is a purely pastoral attempt, emanating from a
fraternal affection for two of God's honored saints, and an
increasingly growing desire for the glory of God in the salvation of
souls.
In presenting the following pages to the friends, acquaintances, and
co-laborers of our departed brother and sister I desire to record my
appreciation of the good achieved by two whose example among us was as
beneficial as that of the angel at the pool of Siloam, stirring up the
sluggish waters to fresh life and utility, and teaching us that
Beyond this vale of tears
There is a life above,
Unmeasured by the flight of years;
And all that life is love.
While a proper and very natural sentiment demands that the memoirs of
the beloved ones should not appear until some time has passed away, it
is also proper that their publication should not be put off till all
trace of the facts recorded and the impressions there from made have
been forgotten. During the preparation of these memoirs nothing has
been more clearly manifest to me than the steady recurrence, throughout
their lives, of a deep and earnest unison of feeling between man and
wife, in such unfailing sweetness as to find its way at once to our
hearts and clothe it with the freshness of a living, loving presence.
The subjects whose earthly career we are about to delineate, were
whole-souled enough to elicit the respect of all who knew them, hence
they made lasting friends, whilst to their own immediate family their
loss is irreparable, and it is hard to realize that they are no more;
for who is there among us who does not know what it is to be united by
a fond and passionate affection to those who are no longer with
us--ever to think of the beloved ones, and to feel ourselves constantly
under the influence of the vanished presence?
It cannot be claimed for James Knowles that he was a great man, a
learned scholar, or one possessed of extraordinary intellectual culture
above his fellows, but, as Hamerton says: "It is not erudition that
makes the intellectual man, but a sort of virtue which delights in
vigorous and beautiful thinking, just as moral virtue delights in
vigorous and beautiful conduct." So it was with our brother, he made the
most of the talents God endowed him with, and whatever he undertook to
do, he did with might and main; hence his success in any undertaking, or
any cause he espoused, for he seemed to realize that success in a _good_
cause is undoubtedly better than failure, while the result in any case
is not to be regarded so much as the aim and effort, and the striving
with which worthy objects are pursued. Although the Elder may have been
less than a Huss, a Calvin, or a Knox in public fame, he had emulated
them in self-contemplation and humility.
As for Matilda Knowles, our missionary, she was more than a Dorcas, and
equally vigorous in spirit with a Lydia; hence we speak of her in the
sphere in which it pleased God for her to labor. Those who will
carefully read the chapters devoted to her work, will at once perceive
that little is left for me to speak of in words of praise.
Let our Bible women study the pages of this book containing the record
of her toil in the vineyard, and note the fruits thereof for over a
quarter of a century; for no work purely imaginative in its character
ever outrivalled it in intensity of interest, especially to those who
have the salvation of the unregenerate at heart. To our children and
co-workers and successors we earnestly commend it; praying that the
Divine blessing may accompany its circulation and perusal in our own
and other lands until He shall come whose right it is to reign.
With these few prefatory remarks, with no claim to literary excellence,
and a prayer for the blessing of the Holy Spirit, I commit this
imperfect production to the perusal of all co-workers in the vineyard
of the Lord.
I also sincerely trust that it will be acceptable to every evangelical
denomination, where the love of the Great Creator, and the advancing
perfection of human life predominates over all forms of sin and
superstition.
DUNCAN M. YOUNG.
NEW YORK, August 18, 1887.
CONTENTS.
JAMES KNOWLES.
PAGE.
CHAPTER I.
Brief Sketch of the Life of James Knowles, 15
CHAPTER II.
Correspondence and Covenants, 24
CHAPTER III.
Scripture Texts, 29
CHAPTER IV.
The Last Hours, 38
CHAPTER V.
The Dead Who Die in the Lord, 46
CHAPTER VI.
A Brief Historical Sketch of the Allen Street Presbyterian Church, 70
MATILDA KNOWLES.
PAGE.
CHAPTER VII.
Brief Memoir of Matilda Knowles, 85
CHAPTER VIII.
The Value of Prayer, 89
CHAPTER IX.
The Story of William the Consumptive, 94
CHAPTER X.
Sowing and Reaping, 105
CHAPTER XI.
Daily Missionary Work, 113
CHAPTER XII.
Destitution and Reformation, 120
CHAPTER XIII.
Her Faithfulness in Little Things, 125
CHAPTER XIV.
The Power of Influence, 132
CHAPTER XV.
Miscellaneous Extracts from Her Diary, 136
CHAPTER XVI.
Struggles and Triumphs, 149
CHAPTER XVII.
Leading Souls To Christ, 156
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Dying Mother and the Intemperate Husband, 159
CHAPTER XIX.
Help and Loving Kindness, 163
CHAPTER XX.
Reaching the Heart, 166
CHAPTER XXI.
Winter Life and Scenes, 171
CHAPTER XXII.
Circulating the Scriptures, 175
CHAPTER XXIII.
The Ninety and Nine, 178
CHAPTER XXIV.
Answered Prayer, 185
CHAPTER XXV.
The Sin of Idolatry, 192
CHAPTER XXVI.
Peace Through Believing, 197
CHAPTER XXVII.
Drawn by the Cords of Love, 202
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Love for the Hebrews, 206
CHAPTER XXIX.
Thankfulness to God, 211
CHAPTER XXX.
Lost, but Found, 214
CHAPTER XXXI.
Sea-Side Excursions for Mothers and Children, 219
CHAPTER XXXII.
The Intemperate Wife, 223
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Her Love of Children and of Praying, 226
CHAPTER XXXIV.
The Conversion of Children, 231
CHAPTER XXXV.
Asleep in Jesus, 235
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Testimonials and Letters of Condolence, 264
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Conclusion, 278
Dedication.
To the Pastors, Elders, Sabbath-School Workers, and
the New York Female Bible Readers' Society,
who were Intimately Associated
with the deceased
in Winning Souls to Christ,
These Memoirs are Affectionately Dedicated
BY THE EDITOR.
In Memoriam.
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF MR. AND MRS. JAMES KNOWLES.
They died within a week of each other, after a married life of forty-seven
years, and each at the age of seventy-five.
Ever faithful to the cause of their Master, they died as they had
lived--in triumphant faith.
Hand in hand, together they trod
Through years twoscore and seven;
Their only staff was the Word of God,
Their path was the way to heaven.
Hand in hand, e'er the burning sun
Had drunk up the morning dew,
They started their earthly journey to run,
While the heavens were fair and blue.
But life's path lies not through a grassy dell,
In the cool of the morning's shade;
There are scorching sands, and torrents that swell,
As well as the flowery glade.
There are crags to climb in the mountains fast,
There are gorges, and canyons deep,
And the blinding snow, and the wintry blast
Must over the landscape sweep.
And the shoulders must bear a wearisome load,
Whether o'er mountain or moor,
Or through forest, or dusty highway, lay the road,
Or the feet be bleeding and sore.
But hand in hand we see them still,
When the sun had drunk up the dew;
They were toiling steadfastly up the hill,
Ever keeping the end in view.
They scaled the crags of the mountain steep
When the noontide sun was high;
And they forded the flood of the canyon deep,
When the sun lay low in the sky.
But their tired feet are no longer as light
As in days of the long, long past,
And their youthful tresses have turned to white
With the snows, and the wintry blast.
Now hand in hand, they stand by the shore
Of a river dark and wide;
And the songs which the seraphs are wafting o'er,
They catch from the other side.
And their faces beam with unearthly light,
In the rays of the setting sun,
As their eyes peer far beyond mortals' sight,
And they learn that life's journey is done.
Hand in hand by the river, they stray
Where the dark waves wash the shore;
And they hear the splash, and the feathery spray,
As the ferryman dips his oar.
Now the father waves a loving adieu,
As he looses his claspèd hand;
And the ferryman plies his oar anew,
Till he reaches the golden strand.
By the silent waves of the river of death,
The mother is waiting still,
With eager eye and with bated breath,
The call of the Master's will.
Now her face is illumed by a heavenly light
As sweet as angels' breath;
For she knows that the unclasped hands will unite,
Across the river of death.
GEORGE F. SARGENT.
NEW YORK, February 17, 1887.
[Illustration: JAMES KNOWLES]
GATHERING JEWELS
CHAPTER I.
BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JAMES KNOWLES.
"God bless thee, bairn--my bonnie bairn,"
She said, an' straikit doon his hair;
"O may the widow's God be thine,
And mak' thee His peculiar care!"
James Knowles was born at sea, December 5, 1811, his father, the
previous day, having been swept overboard and lost. Unfortunately no
record of the misfortune was kept to be available for the present
purpose; hence we are unable to give either the name of the ship, or
the latitude and longitude it was in when his birth occurred. Picture
to yourself the deck of a vessel in mid-ocean, where the widow of a day
becomes a mother the next, the subject of this sketch being the infant
presented to her bosom, and you have a glimpse of the situation--though
it be unconnected with either a cottage, a mansion, or a palace.
The mother returned with the infant to the home of her father at
Ballymena, Ireland, where her relatives then undertook the care of the
fatherless babe, which eventually grew into healthy boyhood of the most
affectionate character.
As a youth he made rapid progress in the elementary branches of
education, often surprising his teachers with the patience and care he
exhibited in keeping in advance of his fellow-students--for he was
almost always at the head of his class. He was noted for his quiet,
unobtrusive disposition, underlying which was an internal force, which
made him prompt in action, and to the point in word, when the display
of such characteristics was sometimes necessary to establish his
individual superiority with more than usual power among his
fellow-schoolmates.
In 1826 he commenced his apprenticeship as a compositor, under the care
of Mr. Dugan, in the city of Belfast, Ireland, where he continued until
the expiration of the time of his indentures.
In 1832, after an ocean passage of sixty days in a sailing vessel, he
arrived in Philadelphia, Pa.
During this long and tedious voyage across the Atlantic, he and the
captain of the ship became very intimately attached to each other, and
he was frequently invited to dine with the officers.
After a brief stay in Philadelphia, he came to New York City, where he
found employment. Immediately after his arrival in this city, he became
a member of the Rev. Dr. McLeod's Reformed Presbyterian Church, in
Chambers Street, and continued with this church until after they had
removed to Prince Street.
In 1835 he became an employé in the office of the _Journal of Commerce_.
He frequently recalled that fearful night during the great fire in New
York, when the greater part of the lower portion of the city was totally
destroyed, and some of the large buildings had to be blown up with
gunpowder, to stop the ravages of the flames; he took an active part in
carrying the printing "forms" to a place of safety.
In 1839 he was married to Miss Matilda Darroch, who was a member of Dr.
McCarthy's Canal Street Presbyterian Church and a teacher in the
Sabbath-school.
As a Christian man, at this time, we find him teaching a large
Bible-class for young men in the above church, and to the end of his
earthly career he was constantly engaged in the Sabbath-school.
In 1849 the Prince Street Church property was sold to erect a new
building on Twelfth Street, where he continued to attend the services
until the year 1850, when some of the members, being anxious to enlarge
their borders, and continue the work in the lower part of the city,
formed the Second Reformed Presbyterian Church. They organized, and
called the Rev. Spencer L. Finney to the pastorate, who commenced to
hold services in the hall of the Apprentices' Library, No. 472
Broadway, where they worshipped for one year, and then secured more
ample accommodations in which to worship God, in the rooms of the
Medical College, Crosby Street, near Spring.
In 1850 he was carefully examined, and when found qualified for the
sacred office, was duly ordained a ruling elder in the Second Reformed
Presbyterian Church.
During the year 1854 the Church purchased the building in Mulberry
Street, near Grand, belonging to the Lutheran body.
At this time he continued to reside on the west side of the city, and
attended two sessions of the Sabbath-school morning and afternoon, with
two preaching services, and one prayer-meeting in the evening.
As soon as the congregation were permanently settled in a church
building, he removed from the west to the east side of the city, to the
Tenth Ward, in order to be in close proximity to his church work.
He continued to worship with the Second Reformed Presbyterian Church,
under the pastorate of the Rev. S. L. Finney, who, in 1863, was called
to Princeton, N.J.
The Rev. Geo. S. Chambers was subsequently called to take the pastoral
charge. Eventually, it was found essential to change their
ecclesiastical relations from the Reformed Presbyterian Church to the
Old School, from which time (the two religious bodies having become
united), the congregation became known as the Ebenezer Presbyterian
Church.
In due course it united with the Fortieth Street Presbyterian Church,
afterward called the Murray Hill Presbyterian Church, because at the
time, though in possession of a church building, they had no pastor.
Mr. Knowles continued to attend regularly until the imperative demands
of age and time called for change, when he became united with the Allen
Street Church.
In 1870 he accepted an invitation from his uncle to visit his native
place; and he frequently afterward remarked that the scenes of his
boyhood's days had materially changed as much as he had; realizing that
change, progress, and decay were written upon all things terrestrial.
During this visit to Europe, he greatly enjoyed rambles over the
country roads, admiring the beauties of the surrounding scenery.
On one occasion, while passing the school-house of his boyhood days, he
was found by an old friend, wistfully gazing at the building, who said,
"What are you looking at?" And upon entering into conversation, he
discovered that he and the gentleman who addressed him had been former
schoolmates together.
We find recorded in his diary the following:
"I now commence filling this book, which I brought with me from New
York, in the steamship Italia. I am now in Fenagh, Ireland."
From the record of this journey, we notice that he was very careful in
watching the signs of the times, and the changing moods of the weather.
For example, he writes thus:
_Sabbath, January 4, 1874._--When I rose this morning, I found the
ground covered with snow; the first fall of the season, and like the
little captive Syrian maid, though far from home and friends and
among comparative strangers, I do not forget God or the sanctuary.
_Monday, January 5th._--A fine day, but cold, and snow on the
ground.
_Tuesday, January 6th._--A fine day, and a fine thaw, which resulted
in the removal of the snow which had fallen a short time previously.
_Wednesday, January 7th_ (morning).--A fine day. Afternoon, clouds
gathering; lightning and thunder; came on to rain.
_Thursday, January 8th._--A fine day of the season.
_Friday, January 9th._--A fair day.
_Saturday, January 10th._--A fine day. I went into Ballymena myself,
and called at several places, and upon Mr. White, the printer, who
did not know me, or remember anything about me. I called also on
Mrs. McQuitty, who treated me in a very kindly manner. I also called
on Mr. Kilpatrick's, but I only saw two of his daughters, and a
little child. On the same day I bought McComb's almanac in
Ballymena; paid two pence for it. I also bought the _Ballymena
Observer_ from Mr. White. I walked into Ballymena, and also returned
in like manner, only that in returning I took a circuitous route,
that I might see a portion of the country that I had not seen for a
length of time before my departure for America, in June, 1832.
_Sabbath, January 11th_ (forenoon).--I heard Mr. Moody lecture from
the 16th chapter of John, and 16th verse.
_Afternoon._--Nehemiah, 9th chapter and 19th verse: "Yet Thou in Thy
manifold mercy, forsookest them not in the wilderness; the pillar of
the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way;
neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way
wherein they should go."
_Monday, January 12th._--A cold day. I received a letter from my
son, William Knowles, in New York City.
_Wednesday, May 19, 1875._--A fine day. I went to Belfast in an
excursion train, and called at several places, and in the evening
took a cabin passage for Glasgow, Scotland. I went from Greenock to
Glasgow in the train; I arrived on Thursday morning in Glasgow,
about six o'clock, and went to my brother-in-law's, Mr. William
Darroch. The day is cold, blowing, and showers.
_Glasgow, Sabbath morning, May 23d._--Heard the Rev. Mr. Douglass
lecture from the 6th chapter of Matthew.
_Afternoon._--A lovely day. Heard another minister preach in the
same church, from the 3d chapter of Philippians, and 8th verse: "Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but lost for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord."
_Tuesday, May 25th._--I went with Mrs. Darroch and her daughter,
Maggie, to Edinburgh, and after visiting the castle, and a number of
other places of interest, returned to Glasgow the same day.
_Saturday, May 29th._--Returned to Belfast.
_Sabbath morning, May 30th._--A beautiful day. Heard Dr. Houston,
pastor of my boyhood, lecture from the 13th chapter of John; then
preach from 1st Thessalonians, 3d chapter, 12th and 13th verses.
Lecture in the evening, from the 6th and 7th chapter of Revelations.
I took dinner and tea with Rev. Dr. Houston and his family. A fine
day throughout.
Before returning to this country he expressed his love and unfeigned
gratitude to the memory of his sainted mother (who early taught him the
ways of God) by erecting a substantial monument over her grave to
perpetuate her revered name.
After spending two years in Europe he returned to New York, and was
elected an Elder in the Allen Street Church.
On Easter Sabbath, April, 1877, he was regularly installed into office
as a Ruling Elder.
So I ask Thee, Lord, to give me grace
My little place to fill,
That I may ever walk with Thee,
And ever do Thy will,
And in each duty, great or small;
I may be faithful still.
Of course, the life-work of such a man as we are contemplating was full
of little peculiarities (eccentricities, society calls them), which even
his most intimate relations with the world does not divulge to the
inquisitive of his day. It is only after such men pass away and their
relatives are permitted to look into the "private jewel-box," as it
were, that we come across the brilliant diamonds of thought, the
glowing rubies of expressed gratitude and, may be, some softly-tinted
pearls of faith, hope and charity, all lying together in the receptacle
which, even if humble in workmanship, is full of priceless treasures.
The Bible of our friend was very often used for over forty years, until
it showed that it was never allowed to preserve a dainty appearance
through a want of use, nor the dust to accumulate on cover or edge by
reason of its owner's non-usage of the sacred pages. It was a useful
Reference Bible, and, no doubt, of immense value and comfort to him,
for the pages are pretty well worn, even where no marks are made
indicative of favorite passages, etc.
Next among the eccentricities of our friend was the disposition to keep
a quiet order of memorandums, and a diary extending back for many
years, from which had we the space to spare in this book we would place
before the world some of the gems found in his jewel-box, as indicative
of the man's industry and the Christian's freedom from ostentatious
display.
Help each step upon the way,
Strength sufficient for the day,
All things easy in Thy might,
Work for thee a felt delight.
Courage, patience, grace supplied,
All things needful--at Thy side;
Such my happy lot will be,
Working, dearest Lord, with thee.
Agreeably with the spirit of our labor, we will take an impartial view
of our friend as a Christian, in the eyes of the world, and among
laymen generally. That he was no drone in the Christian hive, all the
world could see; that he was active and unusually laborious for Christ
and the Church, no one who follows the spirit of the sermon eulogizing
his memory, or who reads this work, can deny; as an Elder of the
Church, he was faithful in anything he was requested to perform,
especially in public prayer-meeting, individual devotional study, and
self-contemplation.
His sympathy for suffering humanity in any form, was, indeed, very
large, in fact so easily moved, that he would habitually visit the sick
members of the Church after being relieved from such duties. To him all
men and women were brothers and sisters, the distance of relationship
(if very strained and far between in some instances), he would claim,
was closer, more congenial, and intimate in others.
As a builder among the builders, a workman among the workmen of the
temple; or as a brother among brethren of the same house, he was
meekness itself; his spirit of patience never failing him in instances
where "to wait was gain," either for God, the Church, or himself.
His acquiescence in the decision of his brethren, when they at last
decided upon changing the location of their place of worship, was
secured at the price of sacrificing his own preferences in the
matter--and all for the sake of peace, harmony, and continued brotherly
love. In this he was a "light shining upon a hill-top."
The interest he always displayed and the anxiety he expressed for the
continued welfare of the Church, manifesting the same in the labors
performed or duties undertaken, was always profound, as it embraced
among other items of care the temporal welfare and spiritual prosperity
of the various clergymen with whom he had labored.
In his demeanor he was never in a hurry to do to-day what he should
have done yesterday, because having no faith in procrastination, he
left nothing undone to-day to be performed on the morrow, if by any
means it could be accomplished, or the duty performed at once. In going
to the House of God, he left all worry about the world on the outside
of it, the moment he entered the porch; the drudgery of every-day life
did not go with him into the pew; the prejudices of an ambiguous man
troubled him not, while the disposition to "take things easy," while
others bore the burden, was never fostered by him.
But he did carry something into the house every time he entered! He
took in with him his Bible, his sweetest temper, his most charitable
disposition, a vigorous condition of soul-life, a sensible care of the
temporal body, and also the continued desire to be always walking with
God, as well as the desire for larger acquisitions of intuitive
spiritual knowledge--very proper things to take into the House of God
with you at all times; and our departed brother had enough of these,
and to spare.
But to cease from reflection, we close this chapter with one of our
friend's favorite little gems of poetry, believing that when you have
read it, you will agree with us that James Knowles was a man to be
beloved, indeed; for through these few lines his spirit breathes back
again to us from the great beyond:
If you cannot be a leader
In the crowd that pours along,
Raise the fallen, lying prostrate
Under foot, amid the throng.
Though your work be never mentioned,
Though your name may not appear,
Speak one word for "Jesus only,"
And the Lord, at least, will hear.
CHAPTER II.
CORRESPONDENCE AND COVENANTS.
The following letter was written to his mother while an apprentice as a
printer in the city of Belfast, Ireland:
BELFAST, January 15, 1829.
DEAR MOTHER:--I write this letter to you for the purpose of letting
you know how I am doing. I am devoting the most of my leisure hours
to reading and improving my mind, some way or other. Indeed, it is
not much time I have to devote to things of that nature; but all the
time I have I am busy. I meet with a good many advantages in every
respect, where I am now. I have the advantage of having a room to
apply my time to whatever study I resolve to persevere in. If I had
time, I would give you a more correct account of my transactions
through the day; but if I have time to meditate a little, I hope I
will be enabled to give you some account of the sermons that I hear,
as I think it would be greatly to my own interest, for if I pry into
that part of information, there is no danger but that I will have
success in whatever situation I am placed in life. I may be thankful
that I have a room to read my Bible in on Sabbath days. I have none
to speak to me or give me annoyance of any sort whatever. I hope the
next letter I write you, that it will be in a more correct sense. I
hope you will write me by Johnny, when he is coming back to town,
and let me know how you are succeeding in work, and how Jane is
succeeding in the business of the shop. I send my love to all my
friends (everyone in particular), I hope you will let me know how
they are all doing; but I have nothing more to say at present. But I
trust you will write me in the beginning of the week. I must
conclude, as it is now too late for me to say anything more. All
here are well, but Mrs. L----, who is in a bad state of health.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
The following letter is a sample of many to his old pastors, showing
his strong attachment to those who labored with him in word and
doctrine:
NEW YORK, March 26, 1883.
MR. PHELPS--Reverend and dear friend and Christian brother: It has
been my purpose for some time to write to you and yours, even if it
should be but a few lines, to assure you that you are not forgotten
by us; for although you are absent from us, yet your faithful and
earnest appeals still live in our remembrance, and I have no doubt
will continue to do so; and while I may not be able to recall much
of the many sermons which I have heard you deliver, yet the
impressions made upon my mind while sitting under them are retained.
I might, however, state here, that I was sorry to part with you and
your family, and to feel that your pastoral relationship with us
would soon be broken up; I had made up my mind to stay by the Church
while you remained, if I lived, as I was attached to you and your
family as to personal friends.... My wife and I unite in love to you
and Mrs. Phelps and your son.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
COVENANTS WITH GOD.
"Dear Lord, and shall Thy Spirit rest
In such a wretched heart as mine?
Unworthy dwelling! Glorious Guest!
Favor astonishing, Divine!"
* * * * * *
The following acts of consecration will, no doubt, be of interest to
the reader:
NEW YORK, Thursday, June 21, 1860.
I do solemnly resolve from this day onward to endeavor, relying on
thy Holy Spirit, to serve _Thee_ better. This is my covenant, and I
would ask Thee to own and bless me with peace and joy in believing.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Saturday, October 6, 1860.
I now promise, as I have formerly promised to do, from this day
onward, to serve God better than I have been doing; depending on
God's spirit for assistance; and will now ask to be prospered as
God may see good for me.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Friday, October 18, 1861.
I resolved to serve God with renewed efforts, determining to look
alone to God for help.[1]
JAMES KNOWLES.
[1] The Fulton Street Noon Prayer Meetings found him an
occasional visitor during these days of national peril, anxiety,
and prayer.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Thursday, April 9, 1863.
Entered into an agreement with my Heavenly Father that, through the
strength of His divine grace, I will live more for the glory of God
than I have ever done.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Saturday afternoon, April 22, 1865.
I renewed my covenant with God in the City Hall Park while standing
there, which I some years ago made, and now I again renew it, that
I would serve God better than formerly.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Thursday, April 19, 1866.
Renewed my engagement with the Lord to serve Him better than I had
done before, after having prayed to Him to be justified through
faith in the righteousness of Christ; and asked for other blessings
which I felt satisfied I would receive, for I feel my great need of
these, as I felt very helpless in myself, but that there was
abundant fulness in Christ.
I write this and the above on this Saturday night, the 22d of
April, 1866.
JAMES KNOWLES.
* * * * * *
NEW YORK, Wednesday, December 5, 1866.
My birth-day, and a fine day.
I resolved on this day to endeavor to serve the Lord better, and
renewed my covenant with the Lord, which I formerly made, and have
again and again sought or attempted to renew. May the Lord aid me
in the future.
And thus, from these few specimens of his constantly self-convicted
weakness and appeals for more spiritual strength, we get a look at
the inner life of a practical Christian worker which it is rare to
find among us in these days. He could not stand alone; his last
self-examination always found him short, though it consisted of but
a few questions put by the spirit to the flesh at the end of every
devotional service incidental to the life and work of each day,
thus:
Did I this morn devoutly pray
For God's assistance through the day?
And did I read His sacred Word,
To make my life therewith accord?
Did I for any purpose try
To hide the truth and tell a lie?
Did I my time and thoughts engage
As fits my duty, station, age?
Did I with care my temper guide,
Checking ill-humor, anger, pride?
Did I my lips from aught refrain
That might my fellow-creature pain?
Did I with cheerful patience bear
The little ills that all must share?
For all God's mercies through this day
Did I my grateful tribute pay?
And did I, when the day was o'er,
God's watchful aid again implore?
CHAPTER III.
SCRIPTURE TEXTS.
1858.
"I want a meek, a gentle, quiet frame,
A heart that glows with love to Jesus' name;
I want a living sacrifice to be
For Him who died a sacrifice for me."
The following extracts from his diary reveal to us his carefulness in
noting the texts of Scripture and the analysis of sermons he heard
preached on the Sabbaths and week days from 1858 up to the time of his
death.
_Thursday_ (_fast-day_), _September 16, 1858._--Heard a sermon
preached by Dr. Crawford from the 57th chapter of Isaiah and the
15th verse: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth
eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place,
with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the
spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
_Saturday, September 18th._--Preached by Mr. Sanderson, from the
15th chapter of St. Luke and the 2d verse: "And the Pharisees and
Scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth
with them."
_Sabbath, June 20, 1859._--Preached by Mr. Finney, from Ecclesiastes,
chapter 9, verse 10: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with
thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest."
_Sabbath, December 16, 1860._--Preached by Mr. Finney, from the 53d
chapter of Isaiah and 11th verse, last clause: "By his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many: for he shall bear their
iniquities." Afternoon.--"Therefore being justified by faith, we
have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." It is like the
love of my mother. What an inexpressible peace and love and
gentleness is launched upon you; which none but a mother can bestow,
oft do I sigh in my struggles with the hard, uncaring world, for the
sweet, deep security I felt, when of an evening, nestling in her
bosom, I listened to some quiet tale. In my younger years I read in
her tender and loving voice an invaluable incentive to be good. I
can never forget her sweet smile upon me. When I appear to sleep, I
feel her sweet kiss of peace.
* * * * * *
A MOTHER'S LOVE.
Children, look in those eyes; listen to that dear voice; notice the
feeling of a single touch that is bestowed upon you by that gentle
hand. Make much of it while yet you have that most precious of all good
gifts--a loving mother. Read the unfathomable love of those eyes; the
kind anxiety of that tone and look, and by analogy remember the
tenderness and compassion of Jesus.
_New York, November 12, 1865_ (_Sabbath Day_).--Heard Mr. Finney
preach from the Gospel according to St. Luke, 24th chapter and 23d
verse: "And they said one to another, did not our hearts burn within
us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us
the Scripture?" It was powerful and impressive to all present, as:
1. The doctrinal teaching of Christ, as understood in this part of
the chapter. 2. It is scriptural. 3. It is faithful. 4. It is
pointed. 5. It is instructive to the understanding.
_Friday, December 12, 1867._--I attended our church, and heard a
sermon preached from the 3d chapter of St. Matthew and the 3d verse,
last clause: "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight." Afterward Mr. Chambers was ordained to the office of the
gospel ministry, and the charge was given to him by Dr. Campbell;
and the charge to the people by Dr. Hall. After the conclusion of
the services, the congregation congratulated our newly-ordained
pastor in his new relation to us.
_Sabbath, October 1st._--Preached by Mr. Chambers to the children of
the Sabbath school, in the Fortieth Street Church, from Luke ii.,
verses 27 to 32. Simeon was led by the Spirit into the Temple, and
for an important object. He had been waiting in expectancy of this
great event, and at the appointed period was led to the temple,
where he became satisfied in beholding the Lord's Christ, and thus
his faith became constant in the fulfilment of God's promise to him,
and found that the desires awakened in his soul was now satisfied;
and although he had been comparatively unknown to others, yet he now
enjoyed not only a convincing proof of God's goodness to himself on
this occasion, with such an appearance of love, but he enjoyed the
privilege of prophesying concerning his own people, and also the
effects of the gospel upon the Gentile nations.
_Sabbath, November 21st._--Preached by Mr. Chambers, from Jeremiah,
2d chapter and 19th verse: "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee,
and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that
_it is_ an evil _thing_ and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord
thy God, and that my fear _is_ not in thee, saith the Lord God of
hosts."
In one of his notes, as if he had just heard a sermon upon the subject,
he writes: "In lives of faith and long obedience to the command of our
Lord and _Master_ Jesus Christ, we have first presented to us something
of the operations and workings of the mind of the depth of humility and
gratitude expressed in his own words, and the evident absence of
everything of a proud spirit. Thus when the sinner is brought to Christ,
the change will become manifest not in giving expression to similar
feelings in only thankful acknowledgments in words, but a becoming and
thankful spirit will be seen in the entire life, in proportion as Jesus
is followed and kept in view. But when Jesus is received into the heart,
the recipient of this precious gift will feel anxious to do good to
others, that they, too, may partake of the benefits of His salvation.
First, then, deep repentance of sin. Second, a heart full of gratitude
to God for this free gift. Third, the Apostle is not ashamed to
acknowledge his entire indebtedness to God. What encouragement we may
have from this circumstance in common with others to endeavor to do
good; for if it was such an advantage to this man to be made whole, how
great, then, must the advantage be to those, who are led to believe in
Christ, and are delivered from condemnation, and become heirs of God,
and joint heirs with Christ."
_New York, Sabbath, March 6, 1870._--Sermon [preached by Dr.
McElroy's assistant] from 1st Thessalonians, 5th chapter, 17th
verse: "Pray without ceasing."
1. By observing stated seasons for prayer.
2. Always maintain a prayerful spirit.
3. Always acting as in the immediate presence of God.
4. Turning everything into prayer.
_New York, Sabbath, March 20, 1870._--Sermon preached by Mr.
Chambers, to the Sabbath-school, from 6th chapter of Romans, 23d
verse: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord."
1. The death of character.
2. The death of all good prospect.
3. The death of the body.
4. The death of the soul.
_Fortieth Street Church, Sabbath, December 3, 1871._--Sermon
preached by Mr. Chambers, from the 25th chapter of St. Matthew, 31st
and 32d verses: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and
all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of
His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and he
shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his
sheep from the goats."
Subject, the goats and sheep.
G--Go into dangerous places.
O--Often annoy the sheep.
A--Appear like sheep.
T--Take poisonous food.
S--Stubborn.
S--Seek the fold.
H--Hear the shepherd's voice.
E--Ever the same.
E--Eat the wholesome food.
P--Peaceful and peaceable.
_New York, Sabbath, December 30, 1883._--Heard Rev. Dr. Conkling
preach from St. Matthew, 17th chapter and 8th verse: "And when they
had lifted up their eyes they saw no man save Jesus only."
1. Take Jesus as your guide.
2. Trust Jesus as your Saviour.
3. We should follow Jesus as our example.
4. We should love Jesus with a supreme love.
I heard Mr. Moody preach from the 11th chapter of Hebrews and the
16th verse: "But now they desire a better country, that is, an
heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for
he hath prepared for them a city." This he divided into three
parts:
I. The persons referred to are believers.
(_a._) They lived by faith.
(_b._) They died in faith.
II. They were called by His name; and realized His presence.
III. _He had prepared for them a city._
_Sabbath, November 21st._--Preached by Mr. Chambers to the children
of the Sabbath-school, from Proverbs 20th chapter and 11th verse:
"Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and
whether it be right." Subject: How children may be known. First. We
will take the word Lord, and let each letter stand for a word, or a
particular part.
L--Love. Love to God, etc.
O--Obedience. Obedience to God and to their parents.
R--Respectful to their superiors.
D--Doing good.
How bad children are known:
Take one word and let each letter stand for a particular subject.
By their
D--Disobedience.
E--Enticing others to evil.
V--Vanity and pride.
I--Insulting to their superiors.
L--Love of sin.
Heard Mr. Chambers preach from the 19th chapter of St. Matthew's
gospel and the 13th and 14th verses: "Then were brought unto him
little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray:
and his disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said: Suffer little
children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the
kingdom of heaven."
A. Approach of the parents to Christ.
B. Blessing sought.
C. Conduct of the disciples.
D. Displeasure of Christ.
E. Encouragement of Christ to the parents of the children.
F. Familiar reception of those parents and the children on the part
of Christ.
G. Gracious words of Christ.
H. Heavenly requirements.
Improvement, or instructions from lesson. Under the 8th head of the
discourse, Heavenly requirements, he referred to five
characteristics of children as designated by the five letters of
the word child; viz., C, Confiding. H, Happy. I, Inquisitive. L,
Loving. D, Dependants.
Citing another interesting sermon, he writes:
_New York, September 25th_ (_Sabbath_).--Heard Rev. George O. Phelps
preach from the 3d chapter of Acts and 6th verse, "Then Peter said,
Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." The true
followers of Christ, in their desire to do good, will frequently
find cases to excite their sympathy. Here was a most affecting case,
a man lame from his mother's womb, but is suddenly cured by the
power of God. He was directed by Peter to look upon John and
himself, assuring him that they had neither silver nor gold, but
such as they had he would give. He had only to look upon them, Peter
and John, at the beautiful gate that is supposed to divide the
Gentiles from the inner Court.
1. The power of Christ displayed in such a remarkable manner on this
occasion. 2. The faith of the man in doing as he was told, and the
effects produced. 3. The faith of Peter and John, united with their
desire to work a miracle in this man's case. 4. The gratitude of
this man; he had received far more than he had expected.
Their success was even more than they had anticipated. They had gone
forth at the command of Christ. They had not only respect for His
authority, but they gave testimony to this by their ready obedience
to the command of Jesus, and thus far they had the satisfaction of
doing the will of their Lord and Master.
It was a loving obedience, as can be seen by the results that
followed.
They commenced their work _right_, receiving their instructions from
their Saviour Himself. They went forth relying upon Him for the help
and assistance required.
They returned again to give him their report, and they rejoiced to
feel that their success was even beyond what they expected. And yet,
while the Saviour heard their report, He cautioned them not to let
their success occupy too much of their attention, but rather rejoice
because their names are written in heaven. It is pleasant to know
that when we obey the Lord, as these seventy disciples did, that we
adhere strictly to all His words of command; and that we know that
we have experienced the love of God in our hearts; but yet we are
not to make this the ground-work of our rejoicing, but trust more in
that which is done without us than in that which is done within us.
Another grand characteristic of the elder was his almost invariable
custom to watch and note the providential dealings of God with the
officers of the church, whenever they met for the transaction of
business.
His fidelity in noting the texts preached from, down to the last
Sabbath he spent on earth, is a proof of his unparalleled perseverance
and painstaking in keeping his diary.
We close this part of our work by giving our readers a sample of his
carefulness at this time.
_New York, October 10th_ (_Sabbath evening_).--Heard Mr. Young
preach from the 5th chapter of Romans and 1st verse: "Therefore
being justified by faith," etc., and onward, giving an account of
Rome the imperial city, and its surroundings; also the triumphs and
advances of Christianity notwithstanding the opposition which the
church had to encounter.
The last sermon he ever heard on earth was peculiarly appropriate to
prepare his mind and heart for the peaceful closing hour of this mortal
life. He again writes:
_New York, October 17th, 1886_ (_Sabbath evening_).--Heard Mr. Young
preach from the 11th chapter of St. John's Gospel, and the 39th
verse: "Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.... Said I not unto thee,
that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of
God?" Unfolding the omnipotency of Christ's love in the hour of
sickness and sorrow--also the profound sympathy with the sorrowing
sisters of Bethany in their great bereavement; and His matchless
power over death and the grave, because He said, "I am the
resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live."
In closing this part of our work we would remark, that there are very
few men who have been so painstaking and methodical as to record in
their diary all the texts, time, and place, and the preacher's name, in
connection with the sermons to which he was permitted to listen.
Their commencement, continuation, and close, is all that space allows
for further insertion.
CHAPTER IV.
THE LAST HOURS.
I often feel impatient,
And mourn the long delay,
I never can be settled
While he remains away.
But we shall not long be parted,
For I know he'll quickly come,
And we shall dwell together
In that happy, happy home.
We were about to say farewell to the loved brother whose end was
rapidly approaching. His going from this life to that beyond the grave
was one of the most remarkable for faith and hope, quietly exhibiting
the spirit of Him who went about continually doing good.
There was no attempt to argue with death, and ask for a respite to
prepare for the journey through the valley of the shadow of death to
the golden shore beyond. We cannot do better here than lay before the
reader the following communication written by their son to their former
pastor, the Rev. George O. Phelps, of Utica, N.Y. It is a brief
narrative of their last hours on earth, which were a triumphant ending
to a long life of devotion to their Master:
NEW YORK CITY, November 15, 1886.
Your kind letter was duly received and contents noted. At your
request, I will endeavor to give you a brief account of the
"goings" of my departed parents. In a spirit of humility I desire
to avoid all expressions of fulsomeness when speaking of their
lives and last moments, though it might be said that those who were
at the death-bed of either, and saw them in their last hours, would
have been willing to have left all to exchange places with them. I
would say, in the words of one of old, "Let me die the death of the
righteous, and let my end be like theirs." As they lived so they
died! As father lay down, so he never moved until he was carried
into the arms of Jesus.
All through his two days' sickness, as we put our ears to his lips,
we could hear him earnestly praying for Allen Street Church, her
minister and people, and for his family. Our mother would
frequently speak to him, saying:
"Just one word, papa!"
But he would only shake his head, without uttering a word.
The history of his going was as follows:
On Tuesday, October 19th, father left the office for the last time.
When Wednesday morning, October 20th, dawned, he complained of a
pain in his side, remarking that he "did not think he would go to
the office before noon." He did not go at all.
I went to the house in the evening, to find that the doctor had been
called _twice_, and that father had pleurisy. We passed through the
night watching and hoping for favorable changes; but, unfortunately,
the next (Thursday) morning, October 21st, pneumonia set in, and the
case became complicated. Already very weak, he grew more feeble
every hour. He had done his part of this life's work, and seemed
conscious that the Universal Master was about to finish the mansion
into which his servant was fully prepared to enter. A peaceful,
quiet Christian in the home circle; a zealous worker in the Church;
watchful in his business relations with the world, he looked the
very embodiment of peaceful repose in his last moments, and on his
earthly bed of sleeping rest--so life-like, too, that I dare not say
bed of death--as he breathed his last at 2.10 A.M., Saturday,
October 23d.
The expressions and sentiments of many who visited the house during
his sickness, and while lying in the casket (Roman Catholics,
believers, and unbelievers) were all in harmony with the idea that
"if ever a human being entered heaven, he had gone straight to that
realm of blissful repose."
But to go back just prior to his demise, when the doctor quietly
told us he could not live another day. We tried hard to be resigned
on that Friday night, feeling sure that the end was near. After the
meeting at the Church was dismissed, the minister came to the house
and remained with us until after midnight, obtaining from father
the words and signs that are precious as he passed away; the last
audible words to me being: "William, God bless you and your
family!"
In the history of _my_ mother's demise, I will briefly state that,
on Saturday night, October 23d, while father lay asleep in Jesus,
she went to the store, as was her life-long custom, with some
tracts, and to purchase a few things. On her return after coming
up-stairs she threw herself down upon the sofa with the words, "No
papa to come and carry up the basket for me to-night!" and there she
sat in deep affliction, as if her heart would break.
On Sabbath night, October 24th, when quite a number of people were
in the house, she very earnestly exhorted them in Christ Jesus,
allowing no one to pass unobserved. In turning to one young wife, I
heard her kindly urge, "Always be cheerful and happy; don't
discourage your husband by always complaining. He will also get
discouraged. That is what ruins many a happy home." Singular to
note, my mother had scarcely got through, when she, too, complained
of a pain in her side, remarking, "It is papa's pain."
On Monday morning she arose to eventually lie upon the sofa in an
unconscious state. The funeral services over father's remains were
to be observed in the Allen Street Presbyterian Church at 1 P.M.:
therefore the doctor came in to arouse her, and gave her a
stimulant, so that she went to the church with us, returning home
instead of going to the grounds, after the services; and here I may
say her pastor preached a very solemn sermon, exactly in harmony
with the tenor of father's private and public life.
One thing happened (when the relatives were invited to step forward
and see the remains for the last time) that was singular, viz.: As
my mother bent over to take a last look at the life-long partner of
her joys and sorrows, her veil became attached to the handle of the
casket, which my sister was compelled to stoop and unloosen.
Without being superstitious, this looked like the dead reaching
forth to the living.
At all events, on Tuesday, October 26th, mother was confined to her
bed, and, as she had said, she had "papa's pain"--pleurisy. The
next day, Wednesday, October 27th, pneumonia followed, when it
required three persons to care for her in the day, and three to
attend her through the night, with no change for the better.
On Thursday there was no favorable sign to note--suspense was still
in the balancing beam. Toward Friday night, October 29th, all hope
having vanished, my mother was quietly informed that "her day was
short!" To which she responded: "My day is short. I must finish my
work!"
"Then occurred a repetition of the previous call upon the Allen
Street Church, a second Friday in succession. In response, the
minister, elder, and' several young men came promptly to the house
to hear the testimony of a sainted mother in Israel going to rest.
After supplication in prayer and a hymn of praise, the minister
asked mother:
"Have you any word for me, sister?"
Turning over and taking his hand, she said:
"No! you know these things yourself. Preach the gospel uncolored!"
To a Roman Catholic she remarked:
"There are no forms about my religion!"
To her daughter-in-law, my wife, she remarked:
"You have a mother!"
To the young men present she lovingly urged:
"Avoid bad company; learn of Christ; seek to be like Him, little by
little."
To Mrs. ----, who is a visitor, she firmly said:
"You are well liked, and can do a great deal of good; but pray with
the people you visit!"
Then at times she would exclaim:
"Oh, I have so much to do; but I am so weak!"
When Esther, my sister, soothingly said:
"Mother, please do not talk so much, it weakens you;" she responded
with:
"The doctor says my day is short!"
Later on, requesting my wife to remove her stockings, she remarked,
"I have got to the edge of the river!" Finally: "Once I was young;
now I am old, and have _never_ been forsaken!" were the last words
of testimony she left those present to bear witness to as she fell
asleep in the Lord.
What a blessed "going" for a life-long, zealous Christian who was
left an orphan when only eight years of age (as seen and recorded
in another chapter), with a rich uncle who would have done anything
for her if she had only married as he desired. What an
encouragement it holds forth to the living to trust everything to
God, and simply follow as He may direct.
Death had no sting or terror for her. She spoke calmly of the last
rites to be observed over her remains, saying she would like to be
buried like "Papa" (father), and asked my wife if the services
would be held over her at the house, or in the church. When
informed that the service would be held in the church, she
smilingly said, "Very well," and cheerfully resigned herself from
earth to heaven.
Her last exhortation to myself was: "Be faithful, humble, meek, and
constantly keep at the Master's feet until He calls you up higher.
Be kind, gentle, and patiently forbearing with your sister." In her
discourse with my sister she was very anxious and urgent that her
daughter would ultimately meet her parents in heaven, for which we
pray. Her faith was great; she had no fear or thought for self; her
great concern was for the heavenly welfare of those around her. She
spoke and acted as if her seat or place in the realm of bliss had
been long secured to her--in that great faith she died, but not
before, in her parting words, she had instructed me, "To gather up
the books and tracts; to see that they were properly distributed,
and that not one sheet be lost, so that the work would go on after
she was gone."
This second source of anxiety having been allayed, she rapturously
extended her hands to meet the angels, and raising herself up in
bed, turned her head and raised her eyes as if to gaze upon the
celestial messengers sent to bear her home, before she said to us:
"Be faithful till the Master calls!" then grasping the hands
reached out to hers, she was gone--gone from a finite life into
heavenly rest!
One or two other items I must note. In looking over my father's
papers, I find that he kept a private diary (which forms a part of
the contents of this work) of the texts and sermons he heard on the
Sabbath, from the year 1858, to the Sabbath before he died, and
much significance is given to one he heard you preach from the Book
of Jude, 23d verse: "Hating even a garment spotted by the flesh." I
feel confident that he grew in grace under the Word of Life
conveyed to him by you, and assisted by a close study of his own
Bible. In his usual course of reading the Scriptures, he read on
the day he was taken sick the 20th Psalm, though not permitted
again to drink from the same fountain of Eternal Life, for he was
going, unconsciously, to realize the efficacy of the 21st Psalm--a
favorite with him--and to receive the crown of gold and life
everlasting.
The general remarks of the outside world at the time fostered great
interest in the fact of such peaceful "goings" from earth to heaven
of two such worthy Christians, at dates so close to each other.
Neither of them feared death. Both had lived and worked in harmony
for the same great end.
Both to be ultimately called up higher in one week and two hours of
each other.
WILLIAM KNOWLES.
I desire to supplement the foregoing account of the "Last Hours," by
stating that when we reached the house of sickness and death, we found
her son reading that precious portion of God's Word, the 14th chapter
of St. John's Gospel, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in
God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions; if it
were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you,"
etc. The scene was deeply affecting. Loved ones were gathered around
the bedside.
After reading the Scriptures, and prayer, we united in singing that
well known hymn,
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high,
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm of life be past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last!
The dying missionary endeavored to join in the singing though extremely
faint, and life's latest sun was sinking fast, for the hour of her
departure had come, and she heard the voice that called her home, and
at last she peacefully entered into that rest that remains for the
people of God.
Three thousand copies of the "Last Hours" were printed in pamphlet form
and widely scattered over different parts of the country. And the Lord
has been graciously pleased to bless their circulation to the spiritual
edification of those who had the privilege of reading them.
It was a singular coincidence that the last chapter read by the Elder
was the same as the one selected by the minister as the Lesson of the
Day, on the occasion of the celebration of the Jubilee exercises in
honor of the noble and beloved Queen Victoria, in Westminster Abbey.
CHAPTER V.
THE DEAD WHO DIE IN THE LORD.[2]
"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the
dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that
they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them"--Rev.
xiv. 13.
[2] The substance of a sermon preached in the Allen Street
Presbyterian Church, New York City, October 25, 1886, on the
occasion of the death of Elder James Knowles, who triumphantly
fell asleep in Jesus, October 23, 1886, in the seventy fifth year
of his age.
Elder James Knowles is at rest--sweet, sweet rest. It is the rest for
which he sighed and for which he prayed. His favorite hymn was:
O land of rest, for thee I sigh,
When will the moment come,
When I shall lay my armor by,
And dwell in peace at home?
To keep an eye on the home above is consummate wisdom. Hence the
injunction of the Holy Apostle, "Set your affections on things above."
This exercise of the heart can only be attained by first seeking an
interest in the atoning blood and justifying righteousness of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
"John looked, and, lo! a Lamb (the Lamb of God) stood on the mount Sion,
and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's
name (the new name) written in their foreheads, and I heard a voice
from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great
thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and
they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four
beasts and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the four
hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the
earth." Those who had here below redemption through His blood, even the
forgiveness of their sins, according to the riches of His grace. These
are they who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus
Christ. Concerning such is this solemn affirmation made, corroborated
by the attestation of the Divine voice, that the dearly beloved John
heard, saying, "Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."
You know that the original signification of the word "blessed" means
happy. In Christ's inimitable Sermon on the Mount He declares, "Happy
are the beggars in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." All
the uninterrupted felicities of the glory land are theirs at the hour
of dissolution. Their joy is augmented by the pure fellowship and
friendship of the Saviour and the saints before the throne of the
Eternal.
There is a broad avenue opened up to the saved of pleasing and familiar
intercourse with the general assembly, and the spirits of just men made
perfect. They share the attention and affection of the heavenly host,
and are gladdened by the presence of Him who is the King eternal,
immortal, but not now invisible, for they behold the King in his
beauty.
"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." Death to the Christian is
represented in the Scripture as a sleep. "Them that sleep in Jesus will
God bring with Him." He is redeemed from the power of death. "For
Christ came to deliver them, who, through fear of death were all their
life time subject to bondage." (Heb. ii. 15.) All believers, therefore,
need not dread death--he is a conquered enemy. And so every one of us
who are here to day in Christ can say humbly, but truly, "O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" No Christian,
however weak he may be, need fail to feel with Paul, and ask the same
question, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
peril, or sword?... Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord."
The last great conflict is inevitable, but the secret of a triumphant
departure from this life is found in the language of the "Faith Psalm,"
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me." It is not really death that we have to grapple with. It is only
the shadow of death. We do not fear the shadow of a sword, or the
shadow of a serpent. The above verse of the twenty-third Psalm is very
frequently misquoted. It is called the dark valley. But you remember
that when Bunyan's pilgrim came down to the valley it was not dark, for
Jesus, the light, was with him. The sting of death is not simply
concealed; it is completely destroyed by the death of Christ. He
conquered the great enemy. "The sting of death is sin, the strength of
sin is the law; but thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Thus understood, the Christian is truly blessed in his death. He cannot
be separated from Christ, or from his symmetrically developed spiritual
character. Death is not the extinction of being. We must make a
distinction between natural and spiritual death. It is sin unforgiven
that gives death his power. It is a fearful catastrophe to those out of
Christ. Hence the holiness of others will not avail them at the hour of
dissolution. "When the soul raves round the walls of its clay tenement,
and runs to each avenue, and shrieks for help when no help can come,"
then the door of salvation is eternally shut. The last ray of hope is
then forever faded. "There are no acts of pardon past in the cold grave
to which we haste." Oh, let us not content ourselves with a mere
external profession of Christianity. True wisdom consists in having the
graces of the Holy Spirit in the heart. Walking day by day by faith in
Jesus Christ, so that when the cry is made, "Behold the Bridegroom
cometh, go ye out to meet Him," we go forth with joy and not with
grief.
Scriptural facts concerning death go to show that it is not an
unimportant event. To the soul who is found clothed not in his own
righteousness which is of the law, but with the righteousness of the
Redeemer, to die is gain, for precious in the sight of the Lord is the
death of his saints (or holy ones). It is then the refining process is
thoroughly completed. They are ready to be offered. The honor and favor
of the Father is now about to be received. The union formed on earth is
at death gloriously ratified in heaven.
The obedience of Christ's death is fully realized to be laid to their
account. The life and immortality brought to light by the Gospel is
then permanently enjoyed. The clouds and mysteries that cluster around
this earthly life are then dissipated. The full communion of the
populace of glory is wonderfully experienced without interruption or
restraint. The "conflict is over, and the prize is won." "Let me die
the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." It is
then we view the Divine glory, for this was a part of Christ's prayer:
"Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory."
You see, then, how the believer is ushered into the beauties and
blessedness of the beatic state. There is, therefore, nothing to be
dreaded by the approach of the last enemy. For, says the prophet, He
"will swallow up death in victory: and the Lord God will wipe away
tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of the people shall he take
away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it." It is by a
realization of his security in death that the believer in Jesus can
calmly meditate on the hour of dissolution--that he is blest with
longings for home; that he is soon to be delivered from the present
evil world; in short, that he is completely constituted an actuality in
the Church triumphant. He is at last brought into intimate alliance
with Christ, not now by faith but by sight, not by prayer, but by
praise; not by earthly circumscribed anticipation, but by the power of
unfathomable and constraining grace, and a deep sensibility of soul
which springs from the knowledge that he is forever with the Lord; now
the strugglings of faith are ended.
When Peter, James, and John beheld Christ transfigured on the summit of
the mount, and as they gazed upon the glory of the scene, they said,
"It is good to be here." It was a sight of Moses and Elias that
enraptured their soul. That was only a transitory sight. But at death
the Christian is admitted into endless glory. It is day without a
night. It is to be admitted into the House of the Lord. "The house not
made by hands, eternal in the heavens." Through much tribulation they
enter into the kingdom. Soon shall close their earthly mission; soon
shall end their pilgrim days; hope shall change to glad fruition. God
is continually guiding our feet to those mansions above, where flowers
that never fade do deck the heavenly plains. Where our loved ones gone
before shall meet us and greet us on the golden strand. Many are the
voices so sweet and tender, and true, who are calling us away to join
the holy ones, that no man can number, who stand around the throne
clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. The angels beckon
us away to join their ranks. Truly blessed are the dead who die in the
Lord.
In the Treasury Hymnal there is a Pilgrim Song by Dr. Horatius Bonar,
and the music is from Beethoven; it is very sweet and cheering in this
connection:
A few more years shall roll, a few more seasons come,
And we shall be with those that rest asleep within the tomb.
Then, oh, my Lord, prepare my soul for that great day,
Oh, wash me in my Saviour's blood, and take my sins away.
We truly spend our years as a tale that is told. But in heavenly love
abiding, no change my heart shall fear. How precious is this thought;
though friend after friend depart, "For who has not lost a friend?"
What though the storm of bereavement and affliction howl without?
Still, amid it all, the unbounded, uncomprehended love of God changeth
never.
Though our days are determined, and the number of our months are with
God; "though He hath appointed the bounds that He cannot pass, yet He
will hide us in the grave; He will keep us secret until His wrath upon
the ungodly is past." We read, however, His power to redeem and deliver
His elect, even amid the wreck and ruin of years and the gloom of the
grave, for Christ is the resurrection and the life.
There is rest, yonder; only just across the river. It is only a narrow
stream. "This is not my place of resting; mine's a city yet to come;
onward to it I am hastening; on to my eternal home." "I go to prepare a
place for you," said Jesus. No threatening danger or death there. It is
no desert dreary. It is freedom from pain and weariness, from sin and
sadness, in the dominions of the Bridegroom. For He says, "I have
betrothed thee unto me forever; I have betrothed thee in righteousness,
in the judgment, in loving kindness, and in mercy, and in
faithfulness."
"_In the Lord._" How significant the words. It is to have the infinite
arms of love and power encircling us. It is not to receive the spirit of
bondage again to fear. It is to rise above the uncertainties of this
life to the realities of that land where congregations ne'er break up,
and Sabbaths have no end. Linked to the eternal, never broken chain of
God's goodness, what can affright? Can the consolation of God be small
with those who are His, when we are informed that He will ransom His
people from the power of the grave? Shortly it will be all over with you
in your pilgrimage journey. Watch and wait, therefore, for the coming of
the King.
On earth, here and now, those who die in the Lord have attentively
listened to His kind remonstrances, concerning reconciliation and
entire renunciation of every false hope of heaven only through faith in
the name of Jesus. They realize that God's methods of mercy are
peculiarly calculated to impart peace in the hour of sickness and
death. They see the city which hath foundations whose builder and maker
is God, where the inhabitants say, "I am sick, I am weary no more."
They know that their Redeemer liveth, and though worms may destroy the
body, yet in their flesh they shall see God. They know there are realms
where
The voices of song never cease 'neath a burden of tears,
And the music falls sweet from those radiant spheres.
God's children on earth are remarkable for their love to Christ and His
Church, and delight to meditate on the glories of heaven. Hence when
death comes they are prepared to enter upon their purchased
possessions, for which they habitually awaited with bright
anticipations, knowing full well that He that had promised is able also
to perform.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven, but He that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven." "For to be carnally minded is death (death eternal), but to be
spiritually minded is life and peace."
Henry says, "The _Providence_ that removes God's saints has a loved
voice which crieth in the city to the survivors. The death of the saints
speaketh the evil of sin." It is owing to that they die, for "the body
is dead because of sin." It speaks the vanities of life, and of all its
delights and enjoyments; for if the favorites of heaven are dying daily,
and going out of this world it is a sign that the things of this world
are not the best things, else those whom God loves best would not be
taken soonest from them. It speaks that all things come alike to all,
and that one event happeneth to the righteous and to the wicked, "so
that none knows love or hatred by all that is before him in this world."
But he that would know it must look before him into the invisible world.
Lay your ears this day to the coffins and graves of departed saints, who
though they do not pray for us, yet preach to us in the words of Christ,
"Be ye also ready." (Matt. xxiv. 44.) They are gone, and we are going;
their glass is run out, and ours is running; and therefore it concerns
us to daily die unto sin, and be alive to holiness, standing on the
watchtower, like the sentinel, with "loins girt," and "lamps burning,"
knowing that it is not the stroke, but the sting of death from which the
imputed righteousness of the Redeemer delivers.
God's saints are like a green olive-tree, in the house of God, because
they trust in His manifold mercy. They are like trees planted by the
rivers of water, and whose leaf shall never fade. While death can lay
his cold and icy hand upon the Christian's body, yet his soul he can
never touch. While God destroys the wicked at death, and plucks him out
of his dwelling-place, and roots him out of the land of the living, yet
to die in the Lord is to sing with the Psalmist, "I will not be
afraid," "I will render praises unto thee, for thou hast delivered my
soul from death," "and thou shalt bring me up again from the depths of
the earth."
Heaven is propitious. Streaming love flows from the fountain of Divine
compassion. "God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son,
that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life." Oh, this constant untiring love of our kind heavenly father.
"Scarcely," says Paul, "for a righteous man will one die: yet,
peradventure, for a good man some would even dare to die; but God
commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ
died for us." If we would _die in the Lord_, we must get a sight of
Calvary. He has died that we might live. We must behold His pierced
hands and feet and side. It is this sight that saves.
Not all the blood of goats and bulls,
On Jewish altars slain,
Can give the guilty conscience peace,
Or wash away the stain.
But Christ, the heavenly Lamb,
Takes _all_ our guilt away.
It is the free gift of grace that, through saving faith, that will hold
us until this short life is past, and then when we come to the river of
death, like our dear Elder, we will reach our home safely. "Where sin
abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto _eternal
life_ by Jesus Christ our Lord."
Are we all who are here to-day to this funeral _in the Lord_--"I in them
and thou in me?" Perhaps, some have been living at a distance from Him.
Others may have been grieving the Holy Spirit. The Master has come (by
this death) and calls for thee. He is standing to-day at the door of thy
heart knocking and saying, "If any man hear my voice, and open the door,
I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." No friend
so forgiving, so gentle as he. Oh, wilt thou let Him depart? Patiently
waiting, earnestly pleading, Jesus thy Saviour knocks at thine heart. Is
there some idol that you are cherishing? Is there some secret, darling
sin to which you are clinging? Oh, what wilt thou do in the swellings of
Jordan without an interest in the atoning work of Jesus? Are you still
slighting the Saviour? He waits for thee. How tender the look. He says
unto you as he said to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "How often would I
have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens
under her wings, but ye would not."
Christ alone is our true Shechem, our City of Refuge. He is the living
well of Jacob and the rifled tomb of Joseph. Isaiah says, "A man shall
be as an hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest, as
rivers of water in a dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a
weary land." What boundless resources are found in Christ. We are
guilty, but He atoned for our guilt; He paid the ransom price; He
engaged in the great work of paying the penalty due to our sin, for He
was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him. "We could never have been saved without
Divine interference, save from going down to the pit, for I have found
a ransom," was the declaration of the stupendous wealth of God's free
love. For it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, even the very chief.
The mysteries of redeeming love are solved at Golgotha.
Listen to the sweet singer of Israel as he surveys the administration
of mercy seen anticipatively at the Cross:
I love the Lord, because my voice
And prayer He did hear;
I, while I live, will call on Him
Who bowed to me His ear.
He was greatly encouraged to serve God in view of the alliance and
assistance of Jehovah towards the redemption of Israel. In the fortieth
Psalm he illustrates this thought still further:
I waited for the Lord my God,
And patiently did bear.
He took me from the fearful pit,
And from the miry clay,
And on a Rock He set my feet,
Establishing my way.
The nature of salvation is the same all the world over. The scheme is
sovereign. The objects are poor, helpless sinners. The results are ever
the same, namely, the forgiveness of sin--justification by faith alone;
and then, at last, an abundant entrance is afforded into the beautiful
mansions of light, where friendship is changeless and carkering care is
unknown, and no more pale faces with mute hearts breaking every day.
Yonder we shall be clad in the beauteous wedding garments of the King.
To die in the Lord will be an ample equivalent for all of earth's
sorrows and difficulties. In the meantime, we must continually say
concerning such providences as the present, "Draw me, we will run after
thee. Awake, O north wind and come thou, south, and blow upon my garden
that the spices thereof may flow out." This loss will work together for
our good if we hear His voice. It calls us to the necessary duty of
immediate decision. We must not halt any longer between two opinions.
If the Lord be God follow Him, but if Baal be your God follow him no
longer. But please remember that the wages of sin is death. You are
called to decide for Christ, to decide for heaven, by this sad
bereavement. He draws you with the cords of love as with the bands of a
man. Will you run after Him?
There is no one can help you in the hour of death and the judgment but
Jesus. Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. Yield, oh! yield to His
call! Say yes, "My beloved is mine and I am His; He feedeth among the
lilies until the daybreak, and the shadows flee away." Oh! turn your
eyes upwards:
Where high the heavenly temple stands,
The house of God not made with hands,
A great High Priest our nature wears,
The guardian of mankind appears.
If we would die in the Lord, we must recognize Christ, not only as
having died that we might live, but also as having triumphed over the
grave, and is now sitting at the right hand of God making continual
intercession for us. By day and by night He pleads our cause. Don't try
to get to heaven by the intercession of saints or angels. Christ alone
is the Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Disobedience
in this direction will prove disastrous.
Say, "who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments, from Bozrah
travelling in the greatness of His strength?" I that speak in
righteousness, mighty to save. This is your Daysman, your Mediator. He
hath opened a fountain for sin and uncleanness.
Five bleeding wounds He bears,
Received on Calvary,
Now pour effectual prayers
And strongly speak for thee.
If you would die like our dear Brother Knowles, _in the Lord_, then
to-day behold His wounded hands and side. We have all sinned against God
and abused His mercy; but, oh, let us to-day consecrate ourselves to
Christ, and like the prodigal son say, "I will arise and go to my
father." Christ is our great representative before the throne. Oh, that
He would ever teach us to offer this prayer:
Lord God of Hosts, my prayer hear;
O Jacob's God, give ear!
See God, our shield, look on the face
Of thine anointed dear.
I tell you, my friends, we do not want any new school theology. The
holy religion of our fathers is good enough for me. Here it is a loving
father, a crucified and triumphant and pleading saviour for us poor,
miserable and helpless sinners, and a Home beyond the flood.
I will arise now and go about the city, in the streets, on the cars, in
the workshop, on the ship, on the sea and land where-ever God may guide
my wandering footsteps through each perplexing path of life. And I will
seek Him whom my soul loveth.
_They rest from their labors and their works do follow them._ The
Psalmist says that our strength is labor and sorrow. The more we toil
for Christ and His church the more we honor Him and become
fruit-bearers. By a constant course of activity and devotedness for the
welfare of fallen humanity, the capacities of the soul are greatly
enlarged, and we apprehend more fully the fact that God hath put the
treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of
God and not of man. Sometimes, too, our good will be evil spoken of and
attributed to selfish motives. We may be traduced by tongues which
neither know our faculties nor our person. 'Tis but the rough road that
virtue must go through. We must not allow any discouragements or censure
to retard our aggressive work, remembering constantly that the Master
was accused of having a devil, and that he cast out devils by the power
of Beelzebub. Oh, what wrong ideas men have of the great work of saving
souls. What prejudices, what indifference, what neglect, what
lukewarmness have the true servants of Christ to encounter as they
earnestly toil in transplanting souls into the vineyard _of the Lord_.
The life of Christ on earth was a life of generous labor; and when He
called His disciples, He said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers
of men." Kempis, in his "Imitation of Christ," says, "by the words of
Christ we are taught to imitate His life and manner, if we would be
truly enlightened and be delivered from all blindness of heart." "Learn
of me," said Jesus, as well as "Come unto me. I have set the Lord
always before me, said David. What a glorious thing it is for the
servant of Christ to know that he is earnestly engaged in the work of
His Master. It is our labors of love that alone meets with the smile
and approbation of God, for He is cognizant of everything we try to
accomplish for His cause on earth. Oh, that we may say from the heart,
I must work the works of Him that sent me; the night cometh when no man
can work."
The trees of the Lord are full of sap, they are fat and flourishing. We
are all familiar with the work of blessed beneficence of Howard, the
great philanthropist, and Henry Martyn, the self-denying missionary. To
be a true Christian, then, requires a life of toil. "For man goeth
forth unto the work and to his labor until the evening." How sweet,
then, is rest to the laboring man. When the harvest is gathered in. A
harvest of souls for Christ. Here am I, Lord, and the children which
thou hast given me. Paul said that I may so preach and labor that I may
present every one of you perfect before God. This is no mean toil. What
prayers. What watching. What toil. What tears. Ah! but at eventide it
shall be light. Strange language.
What a beautiful and touching description does Burns give, in his
"Cottar's Saturday Night," of the sweet rest and joy that springs into
the soul when the weary work is over. He says:
The toil-worn cottar frae his labor goes,
This night his weekly moil is at an end,
Collects his spades, his mattocks and his hoes,
Hoping the morn in ease and rest to spend,
And weary o'er the moor his course does hameward bend.
The next stanza can be truly applied to our Elder in his Christian
experience:
The parent pair their secret homage pay,
And proffer up to heaven the warm request,
That He who stills the raven's clamorous nest,
And decks the lily fair in flowery pride,
Would in His way His Wisdom see the best,
For them and for their little ones provide,
But chiefly in their hearts with _grace Divine_ reside.
I think this is the most descriptive, and true, and touching scene of a
Christian man's experience that can be found in any language. Burns
knew how to touch the tender chord of a human heart. "An honest man's
the noblest work of God." "They rest from their labor and their works
do follow them."
Paul, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, says, "Beloved, we are persuaded
better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we
thus speak: For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the
love which He showed unto His name."
Listen, then, to this sweet, silent voice calling us to go and do
likewise.
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? It is to a life of toil, not of
indolence, we are called. The fields are white already, unto harvest.
Who will bear the sheaves away? Who among our young men in this
congregation will take the place of Elder Knowles? Can you be engaged
in a grander or nobler work? He that winneth souls is wise. Is there
any purer pleasure in this world than the joy that is experienced in
the heart when souls are converted to God? Oh, young men, deeply
meditate on that precious passage. He that converteth a sinner from the
error of his ways, doth save a soul from death, and doth hide a
multitude of sins. Are not the opportunities great in this city for
doing good? Is not the wickedness great? Are not souls perishing around
you for lack of knowledge? Resolve, from this day, that, God helping
you, you will dedicate all your powers of heart, soul, and strength to
the blessed service of Christ. You are not your own. You have been
saved, that you may save others by pulling them out of the fire. Haste
then, haste to the rescue. Souls may perish, and go down to hell, while
you are deliberating.
I remember, years ago, while coming into New York Harbor, we lost a
very promising young man overboard. The life-boat was launched, and the
life-buoy was cut adrift. But through some delay, the young man
perished. What a tremendous disappointment those parents experienced as
they stepped on board the frigate at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and
learned that their darling boy had found a watery grave.
I never think of the above sad occurrence but I am forcibly reminded
that through the delays and sad neglect of Christian parents and
Sabbath-school teachers, many young persons perish, and I inquire, Who
is responsible for their destruction? Many ask the question that Cain
impudently put to the Lord, "Am I my brother's keeper?" We can be
guilty of other men's sins. This is a mysterious fact, but it is
nevertheless true. If you are an idler in the Master's vineyard, you
are, to a certain extent, responsible. Oh, that the Holy Spirit would
show us our duty to our fellow-men.
Our departed brother realized this truth. Just look at a man
seventy-five years old, occupied every Lord's Day teaching a large
class of youth in the Sabbath-school. But you must remember that for
six days in the week he nobly toiled as a printer, from eight in the
morning until six at night. And he seldom missed the prayer-meeting, or
other gatherings of the Church. He was, indeed, a worker that needeth
not to be ashamed.
In the absence of the pastor he frequently led the prayer-meeting, and
his expositions of the chapter read as the lesson of the night were
very scriptural, cheering, and full of encouragement.
He was familiarly acquainted with the Word of God, and his prayers were
earnest, solemn, and to the point, because his soul was surcharged with
Divine truth.
It is no wonder, then, that everybody loved him--his young men in the
various Bible-classes especially. Eternity alone will reveal the amount
of good he accomplished by his kind, gentle, meek, cheerful, and quiet
spirit.
Servant of Christ, well done; you rest from your labor, and your works
do follow you.
Let us look at his work as a ruling Elder of the Church of Christ.
Paul, in writing to Timothy, says: "Let the elders that rule well, be
counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word
and doctrine" (1 Timothy v. 17). An elder is one who rules the house of
God. They are, therefore, the magistrates of the Church. They are to
administer the laws of His holy sanctuary. How great and important this
work. Who is sufficient for these things? The pastor, in apostolic
times, was called an elder. But as an under-shepherd his labors are
greatly assisted and augmented by the hearty co-operation of a
judicious selection of men filled with the spirit of God, and duly
ordained for their work. Men who recognize among their fellows no moral
superiority, but that spiritually-mindedness that flows from prayer and
the study of God's Word. Their work is immortal. Their duties are
great. But their peculiar privileges are greater--to rule well the
House of God.
It is, certainly, a sad sight to see men filling this sacred office
without the requisite qualifications. The negotiations between man and
man are so stupendous, that it is not every member of the Church who is
fitted for this responsible work. We ought to study adaptation in the
selection and ordination of ruling them.
Every time I looked in the face of Elder Knowles, I was deeply
impressed with the thought that no blunder had been committed when he
was chosen and set apart in this line of Apostolic toil. For he was a
good soldier of Jesus Christ.
He knew full well how to rule his own spirit, and he that can do that
is more mighty than he who taketh a city. Self must be slain by the
sword of the spirit, if we would lead the army of the Lord on to
victory. Hence the solemn injunction of Paul: "I charge thee before
God, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without
preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.... Lay
hands suddenly on no man" (1 Timothy, v. 21-22).
We commend, for attentive perusal and prayerful reflection, the
qualification of an elder, as laid down by Paul, and elaborated by the
holy McCheyne, strictly germane to the life of Elder James Knowles.
They are fundamental requisites. The good McCheyne, of St. Peter's,
Dundee, says: "I feel, brethren, that a minister alone is incapable of
ruling the House of God well. If a minister is to thrive in his own
soul, _he must be half of his time on his knees_; and therefore, if
Christ's house is to be ruled well, there must not only be pastors, but
there must be ruling elders."
"The first qualification is grace. Grace in the heart. If it be a
qualification in a church member that he should have grace, then much
more ought it to be a qualification in one who rules the Church of God.
How is it possible for him to admit any to the Lord's table, when he is
but a judge himself?" How is it possible to excommunicate, when he
ought to be excommunicated himself? So, brethren, a graceless elder is
a curse instead of a blessing.
We can safely say our dear departed elder had grace. This was
remarkably developed in his Christian character. Patience found a
permanent home in his heart. It occupied a significantly prominent
place there, and was strenuously cultivated. It was copied and
commented upon by all who knew him, and uniformly evoked universal
favor and approval by the various ministers and sessions of the
different Presbyterian churches in this city, in which he was an elder.
He had many trials, and we think he could say with Paul, in his letter
to the Church at Rome: "We glory in tribulation, also knowing that
tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience."
It seems they had some little misunderstanding in the session of one of
the churches to which he (our elder) formerly belonged. And some remark
made by the elder to the pastor was so cutting, that the minister said
unless the elder would take back what he said, that next Sabbath he
would tender his resignation to the congregation.
The elder replied that he would not take it back for him. To preserve
harmony, and be a peacemaker, Elder Knowles stepped up to his brother
in the session, and asked him if he would not take it back for his
sake, and the sake of the blessed Jesus. At this, the elder said, with
tears in his eyes, "Yes, James, for your sake, I will take it back."
Perhaps the minister was partly to blame, and also the elder, but by
having the grace of patience, not only was a reconciliation brought
about, the pastor was retained, and permitted to resume his work, and
precious souls were added to the Church. Oh, how much trouble and
scandal might be averted in some of the churches if our elders and
deacons and church members would only strive to cultivate the grace of
patience.
We have great need of this grace in our hearts, as we work for the
Master. May the Holy Spirit work it in us, for, as Paul says: "Ye have
need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might
receive the promise" (Heb. x. 36).
The life of a ruling elder in the Church, and in the world, is like the
erection of a beautiful building. Great patience is requisite, in order
to bring it to a successful completion. So, as a wise master buildeth
for eternity, we most build the structure of Christian character upon
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ, Himself, being the chief
corner-stone. What a model of patience is Jesus. What difficulties He
encountered. What trials clustered around Him. What provocations he
meekly endured. All through His life, and even amid His unutterable
agonies on the Cross on Mount Calvary, when His body was shedding the
last drop of blood to seal the mysterious work of redemption, even
then, amid mockings and scoffings, and tortures, the sacred lips of the
Crucified Christ uttered this prayer for his enemies, "Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do" (Luke xxiii. 34).
The dear Master considered this prayer essential before He could
conscientiously exclaim, "Consummatum est"--It is consummated, or
finished. Our dear elder was like his Lord in this respect. He could
say, with Newton,
"Christ's way was much rougher and darker than mine,
Did Christ, my Lord, suffer, and shall I repine?"
Again, another qualification in a ruling elder is wisdom. "Be ye wise
as serpents," said Jesus, "and harmless as doves." Are all these
professing Christians wise? Are all elders wise? Are all ministers
wise? Dr. Bonar says:
Be wise and use thy wisdom well.
_Be what thou seemest._ Live thy creed;
Be what thou prayest to be made.
Lift o'er the earth the torch Divine,
Let the great Master's steps be thine.
Blessed words these. Who can read them without thanking God for such
words and such men, that our kind Father above raises up to instruct us
in these things that pertain to our everlasting well-being? For all
well-being is the result of _well-doing_ in time and in eternity.
Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you, let him show,
out of a good conversation, his works with meekness of wisdom. This
meekness of wisdom Elder Knowles preeminently possessed. The psalmist
says, concerning such: "The meek shall inherit the land. And shall
delight themselves in abundance of peace. Strike, said Diogenes, to his
instructor, Antichenes, the philosopher; but you will find no staff so
hard that it will drive me away from your school. I love you, and I
have made up my mind to suffer anything for the sake of learning." This
yearning desire on the part of the true elder after fitness for his
office, ought to be willing to bear reproach for the sake of Him who
died, that we might live. There is great wisdom displayed in bearing
the Cross meekly for Jesus. If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign
with Him.
It is a blessed thing to suffer in love for Christ. To bear injustice
and conquer. Herein is consummate wisdom displayed. "If ye have bitter
envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the
truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish. For where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every
evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good
fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (James iii. 14-17).
But the wisdom of the elder now lying before us in the coffin was
displayed not only in his meekness, but in his _gentleness_ of
disposition.
His wife used to say, "Why, he is just like a child. So gentle and
peaceable. So easily intreated." I remember quoting that hymn at the
prayer meeting:
I want to be like Jesus,
Meek, lowly, loving, mild;
I want to be like Jesus--
The Father's holy child.
And at the close of the meeting he shook me warmly by the hand, and the
sentiment in the stanza seemed to give him unspeakable pleasure.
Once more, another qualification for the eldership that our deceased
brother possessed, was, _that he had a good report from without_. (See 1
Timothy, iii. 7.) Our dearly beloved was not only highly esteemed for
his work's sake by the members of the churches and the various pastors,
as their letters in this volume testify, but his walk and conversation
was such in the outside world, that his fellow-workmen, and those who
lived in the same house with him, and had opportunity to know him,
learned to revere and love him. You know the eyes of the world are
constantly watching the Christian. I notice on the casket to-day a
lovely bouquet of flowers, and I read on the card: "Presented to James
Knowles, by the printers where he was for years employed."
This is, certainly, a token of esteem to the memory of him with whom
they were long so affectionately associated.
In every professional life there are daily occurrences that try men's
tempers. But by the grace of God, our brother was enabled to adorn the
doctrine of God, our Saviour, and to live unspotted from the world. As
all elders have to mingle more with the world than a minister, how
essential it is that the outside world should see that their walk and
conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ.
Again: another qualification of an elder, is, that "he should be a
_prayerful man_." Our brother had all through life cultivated a spirit
of prayer. This "is the Christian's vital breath." It was his habit to
shut himself up in his room, and pour out his soul in earnest
supplication to God. He prayed in his family, as well as in the church.
He had secret prayer. "And thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy
closet?" said Jesus. Oh, the power of prayer is marvellous. He prayed
audibly. And his wife used to say of him: "He pleads with God as one
_pleading for his life_."
When he became so weak that he was unable longer to testify for Christ
on his death-bed, his loved ones bending over him, and putting their
ears down to his lips to catch his last articulations, they heard him
praying, not for himself, but for Allen Street Presbyterian Church and
its minister.
Lastly, an elder ought to cultivate the habit of _systematic beneficence_
for the support of the Gospel. This, our brother was constantly in the
habit of doing. He remembered the injunction, "It is more blessed to
give than to receive." It is worthy of observation that, during the
three years during which his son was out in the late war, he paid
monthly the pew rent for his boy during his absence, until at last his
pastor would not allow him to do it longer.
Oh, that all of our office-bearers and church members would feel it
their duty to give largely and in a worshipful spirit to the cause of
their Redeemer, as the Lord has prospered them.
Blessed are such dead who die in the Lord; they rest from their labors,
and their works do follow them.
Man cannot cover what God can _reveal_. Says the poet Campbell:
'Tis the sunset of life gives me mystical lore,
And coming events cast their shadows before.
Their works do follow them. Where? On to the judgment. Where selfish
ambition and avarice will be exposed in its true light. Where "man's
inhumanity to man" will be thoroughly scrutinized. For the books will
be opened, and we will be judged according to our works.
In that great and awful day when the great white throne is erected, and
when the heavens shall be removed as a scroll, when it is rolled up;
and every mountain and island shall be removed out of their places. And
the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and
the rich, and the strong, shall hide themselves in the caves and in the
rocks of the mountains; and they shall say to the mountains and the
rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sitteth on the
throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of His wrath
is come: and who is able to stand?
Oh, let us remember that now broken hearts can be healed by the power
of the Gospel of Christ. Their works do follow them. Yonder? Yes! Here?
Yes! The salutary influence for good by the consistent life of our
elder can never be lost or forgotten.
We lay our brother's body to-day in Cypress Hills Cemetery, but his
spirit hovers o'er us.
This tenement of dust is empty, but Jesus says: "I am the resurrection
and the life."
We have deep feelings to-day, for we realize that we have lost a
friend. No more. "God bless you, my brother, in your work." No more
shall we see you at the prayer-meeting. Farewell, dear elder and
co-worker. We say farewell but not forever. "We shall meet beyond the
river."
And God grant
That we may stand before the throne,
When earth and seas are fled;
And hear the Judge pronounce our name,
With blessings on our head.
God's voice, by this solemn dispensation of His providence, speaks
loudly to us all. May our faith in God be greatly strengthened. May our
love for perishing souls be made more deeper and _stronger_. May God
help us to go out into the streets and lanes of this wicked city, and
constrain them to come in, that His house may be full.
And God grant that this deep affliction which this church has sustained
may be the means, in the hands of the Spirit, of constraining us to
have more earnest and believing prayer, for the manifestation of His
power to save unto the uttermost. That Jesus may see, of the travail of
His soul, and be abundantly satisfied.
To the bereaved son and daughters, and grandchildren, who are left
behind, let me affectionately commend you to the unchanging love of Him
who sympathized with the sorrowing sisters of Bethany. Put all your
trust in His dear name. Serve Him from day to day, by reading His
blessed Bible, and holding sweet communion with Him, by prayer and
supplication, that at last when God shall call for you to leave this
stage of action, you may go to meet your dear ones in the happy home
above, and sit with them at the "marriage supper of the
Lamb."--AMEN.
CHAPTER VI.
A BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE ALLEN STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of hosts to me,
The tabernacles of thy grace,
How pleasant, Lord, they be.
"Glorious things of thee are spoken, O city of God." This saying can be
emphatically applied to the above church, for the living truths
proclaimed from her pulpit have saved and sanctified many sons and
daughters, and clad in the beauteous garments of Prince Immanuel, have
gone forth to other churches and to other lands, to lead thousands to
the same Saviour that they had found.
Let us glance at its origin.
While Christ is the head of the Church, the tried corner-stone elect
and precious, yet his members are the living stones, and have built up
a spiritual house unto the Lord. The portion of "Zion" to which we have
reference, originated on the corner of Catharine Street, near Madison
Street. It was duly organized on Wednesday, May 28, 1819.
The seal of the church is an open Bible, and the words _Holy Bible_ upon
it, with the inscription surrounding it: "_Allen Street Presbyterian
Church_."
The location of the place of worship was changed to Allen Street in
1823.
The Rev. Ward Stafford was appointed by the New York Female Missionary
Society, who nobly toiled, and was succeeded by the Rev. William Gray.
During the first year of its history, twenty-one members were added to
the church-roll, and as an expression of her unfeigned gratitude to God
for this mark of kindness she became the mother of the same number of
ministers of the Gospel, who were called and commissioned, and who have
courageously proclaimed the unsearchable riches of Christ, in distant
parts of the country. Among them was the present pastor of the Church
of Sea and Land, Rev. Dr. Hopper. It is worthy of observation that this
church has been able to pay its running expenses by voluntary
contributions.
In a historical discourse delivered by Rev. George O. Phelps, he says:
"It is a source of untold satisfaction in this day of presumptuous
spires or burdensome church debts, that the Allen Street Presbyterian
Church has no such encumbrance--not one dollar of mortgage rests upon
it; that at the close of each fiscal year, by means of the voluntary
system, and the kindly aid of friends interested in the prosperity of
the church, and the maintenance of the preached word in this part of
the city, all obligations are fully discharged.
"For this, we most heartily thank our God to-day, whose favor is thus
constant.
"True as it is, that this church can be regarded at no period as among
the affluent--as there are those to-day who expend more for church
music than our entire congregational expenses, so there have ever been
those who could drop into the treasury of a single board, in a single
year, more than all our contributions to benevolent objects during
fifty years, we hope it may be equally true that we have been most
definitely, spiritually pronounced.
"Whatever may be said of her ecclesiastical loyalty, the evidences are
numerous of fervent loyalty to Christ, in doctrine, in the word
preached, in influence exerted, in means used for the extension of His
kingdom, and of consequent fidelity to man touching questions of social
and of national importance.
"A not unimportant element of influence and success, next to a becoming
spirituality, is the _social-religious_ element. This is proverbial of
the Allen Street Church."
Not to refer to the regular weekly prayer-meeting in this connection
would do great violence to a complete record as well as harm to many a
saint in Israel. For years this meeting has been a great power in
Christian life and work. Hundreds maybe said to date their first
serious impression, and very many their conversion, to the scenes of
that hour and place; and how perennial its influence, and refreshing
upon the host of God's people.
Among the most prominent pastors of this church, we may mention the
Rev. Henry White, D.D., regularly installed March, 1829. He resigned
March 9, 1837, and became the first Professor of Systematic Theology in
the Union Theological Seminary, New York City. He died August 25, 1850,
aged fifty years. A man of decided character.
Rev. George B. Cheever, D.D., was installed October 10, 1839, and was
dismissed April 24, 1844. He afterward became the pastor of the Church
of the Puritans on Union Square. He now resides at Englewood, N.J., a
man of vast resources, both personal and acquired, eloquent and
effective in address, in views extremely radical.
Rev. David Benton Coe, D.D., was installed October 14, 1844. He was
dismissed May 13, 1849. He became one of the secretaries of the
American Home Missionary Society. He was of a retiring habit, scholarly
attainment, instructive as a preacher, and devoted and sympathizing as
a pastor.
Rev. Dr. Newell was installed February 8, 1860. His pastorate ceased
February 2, 1874, being the longest pastorate of the church, embracing
one quarter of its history.
In this brother the pastor and the evangelist were happily united. Of
deep sympathies, ardent in faith, Christ crucified became the one theme
of his ministry. He was second to none in religious zeal, and untiring
in effort.
Each succeeding ministry has not been wanting in the evidences of the
Spirit, in which the being of the church seems to have been cast.
The pastorate of Mr. Lucas, for example, deserves more than a passing
notice. It was marked by two interesting works of grace: one soon after
his coming to the field (1855), and that of 1858. During these seasons
not a few of the best friends of Allen Street were brought to Christ.
Not all were equally favored, however, with beholding what men too
often regard exclusively as signs of success. In illustration of this,
it is enough to suggest that the loss experienced yearly during a large
period of her history has by no means been supplied through additions
by letter. This source of gain alone would not have spared her the
extinction which early threatened the church through removals. On the
contrary, as previously observed, the balance has been favorable
through all these years of depletion--a monument to the grace of God in
no general sense.
Perhaps it may not be disparaging to say that _the_ revival period of
the church is embraced in the pastorate of Dr. Newell, the fourteen
years of which were distinguished for their revival spirit. I think it
may be truthfully said, that he would have deemed his own ministry a
miserable failure in the absence of revival seasons.
With two exceptions each year of his ministry was marked with
ingathering. A large proportion of those now worshipping here were
brought to the Saviour within these years; while many others are known
to be justifying the spirit of their birthplace in other communions.
The most powerful work of grace, in many respects, occurred in the
winter of 1866-67.
On March 24, 1867, one hundred and fifty-four subjects of that work
publicly professed faith in Christ; upward of two hundred joined the
church during the year.
The following notice is taken from the New York _Evangelist_ soon after,
the editor of which was present:
"A goodly sight, indeed, and worthy the words of hearty welcome
uttered by the pastor. As he led the congregation in the song,
'There are angels hovering round,' the house seemed to be full of
heavenly influence. There were a large number of baptisms. There was
visible emotion as the symbol of purity was lifted to the brow of a
lady in deep mourning. Her husband (Mr. George Betts) had been an
elder of the church twenty-eight years. It was his constant cry to
God that he might not die until his wife became a Christian. Two
weeks before he had heard her examined and received by the session.
On his way from church he was struck with paralysis, and died."
He adds: "I have never seen a better appearing multitude stand in any
church. The sexes were about equally divided."
"These seasons," said the pastor, in his farewell discourse, "have not
been the result of accident. They were thoroughly planned and provided
for, and sought of the Lord. We have found that appropriate means was
wisdom, that persistent concentration was power; that enthusiasm for
souls was force; and that belief in God was success."
A complete history of that one revival would occupy a volume. It was
deep, wide-spread, and confined to no particular class. The official
capacity of the church recently has been largely exercised by men
converted at that time. Men holding trusts in the Society to-day were
without hope previous to that work.
It is gratifying to record the continuance of the gracious favor, that
this last year of the century, the fifty-seventh of our existence,
should be crowned with still another work of grace--gradual in
inception, first indicated by increasing interest in the ministration
of the Word, in the absence of special means, only finding in the Week
of Prayer an occasion for decided development--continuing with
deepening and widening interest, until attention was necessarily
divided between this and a more general work in connection with the
coming of Messrs. Moody and Sankey to our city. As visible proof of
this quiet work, fifty-seven have been added to the church--forty-six
making profession of their faith on March 12th, of all ages--youth from
the Sabbath-schools, adults, and several heads of families.
A church of such continuous revival record ought, indeed, to raise her
Ebenezer to-day. While as patriots we fling out our Centennial Banners,
let us, as subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ, set up a memorial to the
praise of His boundless, matchless grace.
During the ministry of the Rev. George O. Phelps, the blessing of the
Lord attended his untiring and loving labors.
We cannot omit mentioning here the kindness of the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel
Conkling, who cheerfully supplied the pulpit for eighteen months
without any remuneration; and during this time the pastor's study was
neatly furnished, and the church property renovated. Also a number of
young persons were led to Christ and united with the church; some of
these young men are to-day actively engaged in the Lord's work in the
lower part of the city, at the Church, and in connection with the
"Young Men's Institute," on the Bowery.
It only remains for me to speak of the _Sabbath-schools connected
with this church_.
Imperfect, indeed, would be this narrative, without a record of this
department of Christian work.
Mr. Samuel Kennedy was its first superintendent, which office he held
for twenty-three years. He was a man of great kindness of heart, strict
in discipline, and devoted to the interest of youth.
The present superintendent is Martin Ralph.
The following named gentlemen have held the office of Superintendent in
regular succession: John D. Camp, Benjamin N. Goldsmith, Daniel O.
Caulkins, Amos P. Hawley, Lewis S. Benedict, Mahlon T. Hewitt, William
C. Bradley, H. C. Southworth, Joseph W. Lester, Edward P. Tibballs, H.
G. Fraser, and G. A. Koos.
There is also related to this church a Mission-school, superintended by
one of its elders--Mr. J. H. Owens--known as the "_Ludlow Street Mission
Sabbath School_," at present occupying the public school building on
Ludlow Street, between Rivington and Delancey.
The superintendents are tireless in exertion, and fully devoted to its
interest, encouraged by a zealous band of officers and teachers, the
influence of whose work upon the children and the families they
represent in that locality, eternity alone can tell.
Next to Elder Knowles, as the ruling elder, we might mention the name
of Joseph W. Lester, of whom it may be said that he endeared himself,
by an unusual force of character, to a large acquaintance, best known
in connection with the Allen Street Church, but a pillar of strength to
every good work throughout the city; of strict integrity, a judicious
adviser, largely benevolent, prompt to act, of wonderful energy,
reliable everywhere, zealous to win souls, esteemed for his business
qualities, and a true patriot.
But amid all the changes to which both the church and school have ever
been subject, there remains one, who, as a dutiful son, and an apt
scholar, took his place forty-seven years ago; so now his fidelity and
constancy are no marvel, since, with the Psalmist, he is a "door-keeper
in the House of the Lord," and like John the Baptist, "An
_unshaken_ Reed."
* * * * * *
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS ON THE REMOVAL OF THE CHURCH.
The _New York Times_, of Monday, May 9, 1887, gives a brief account of
the origin of the church:
The Allen Street Presbyterian Church had its beginning in Madison
Street, then Bancker, in 1816. A missionary society in 1817 built a
wooden structure at a cost of a little over two thousand dollars,
near the corner of Catharine Street. The society was incorporated
as the "Mission Church in the City of New York," and that title has
never been changed, except by common usage. In 1823 an edifice was
erected at a cost of about three thousand dollars. For years the
church did not prosper, and was on the point of selling its
property, when the Rev. Absalom Peters offered to act as Pastor for
a time without salary. He pulled the society through its troubles.
The present building was erected in 1833 at a cost of twenty
thousand dollars. Since then the church has been humbly prosperous.
For the present, until a site is secured, the congregation will
worship in the Church of the Sea and Land, in Market Street.
On the same date, under the heading of "After Fifty-four Years," and
"The Last Services in the Old Allen Street Church," the same paper
says:
Another of New York's old churches will soon be torn down.
Yesterday the last services were held in the Allen Street
Presbyterian Church, near Grand Street. For many years the church
has been a sort of half-way house between up and down town, and its
congregation has been an ever-changing one. It has never been a
large nor a rich church, although it has had among its members many
who are to-day wealthy, and its total membership, since its
organization, is much greater than that of many a larger church.
The last services were made interesting, not only by the presence
of nearly all the present members, but of members of twenty and
twenty-five years ago, who came from churches further up town and
from Brooklyn. In the afternoon there was a union service of the
church, Sunday-school, and the Ludlow Street Mission. Later the
young people held a prayer-meeting, and in the evening reunion
services were held. The pastor, the Rev. D. McNeill Young, read
letters from many former members who had left New York, all
regretting the necessity for demolishing the old building. The
reading of the letters was interrupted by the puffing and rattle of
the elevated trains directly in front of the door--one of the
principal causes of a change of location--that made more prominent
the fact that, though sentiment might desire to save the church, it
could never again be a pleasant place of worship. After the letters
were read familiar hymns were sung, and, without any formality, the
older members and their former associates gave reminiscences of the
early days of their church.
As a proof of its spiritual power not less than _fourteen hundred and
forty-three_ persons have been connected with it in the service of the
Master, the number of active members at the time of changing location
being _five hundred and sixty three_, showing that though old in years
it still retains its usefulness.
The _New York Evangelist_ of April 21, 1887, under the heading of
"Another Land-mark to be Obliterated," says:
The old Allen Street Presbyterian Church building, where God's
people have continued to battle against sin and Satan for some
sixty-four years, has at last yielded to the pressure of the
advancing tide of business on Grand Street, and been sold. The
present expectation of the Church is to remain in the neighborhood,
and it is hoped that a more desirable location may be obtained, and
a building, suited to the times and the needs of the people, erected
thereon. Farewell services will begin on Friday evening, May 6th,
with the preparatory lecture, to be followed by an earnest season of
prayer for the divine blessing on the exodus. On Sabbath, May 8th,
the farewell communion service will be held at 11 A.M. A union
meeting of the Home and Ludlow Street Sabbath-schools will be held
in the main audience room of the church building at 2 P.M. The
exercises of the Young People's Prayer and Conference Meeting will
take place at seven o'clock, followed by the closing farewell
service in the Church at 7.45 P.M. Then the last good-by will be
said in the dear old home which has been the spiritual birth-place
of many, many precious souls. It is earnestly hoped that these
services will bring together many who can tell of former refreshing
times from the presence of the Lord, and of hallowed associations
within the sacred walls of the old Allen Street Church. It is
expected that some of the former pastors will be present to add
interest to the occasion. It is well understood that this well-known
church property has been purchased by Messrs. Ridley & Co. for
$75,000. They thus secure large additional space for their enormous
mercantile business. It should, perhaps, be known that the building
of the Elevated road, just in front, has greatly injured "Old Allen
Street," as it was popularly called, for all church purposes. The
noise of the passing trains was very annoying, especially in warm
weather, when windows and doors were open. The sum realized will, it
is hoped, enable the congregation to build elsewhere in the
neighborhood.
The New York Daily _Tribune_, of the same date, thus comments on the old
church:
LEAVING THEIR OLD CHURCH HOME.
Yesterday the Allen Street Presbyterian Church held their last
service in their present home. The building has been sold to
Messrs. Ridley & Sons for mercantile purposes. The church moves
temporarily to Market Street, where they will worship with the
Church of the Sea and Land. There were the regular morning
services, followed by communion. The church was tastefully
decorated with flowers, the gift of the Bethany Society of the
Church, in commemoration of their last services. On May 28, 1819,
the church was organized, although the building had been dedicated
on October 25, 1817. This building was in Madison Street, and when
it became too small they moved to their present place in 1834.
In the afternoon the home Sunday-school and the Mission school in
Ludlow Street held a reunion in the home church. The programme in
the afternoon and evening consisted of short addresses and music.
It was a reunion of old members and new, of old pastors and people,
of old officers and those whom they were accustomed to oversee. The
Rev. N. D. Conkling, assisted the pastor, the Rev. D. M. Young in
the services, preaching the morning sermon. There were twelve
persons received into the church on profession of faith.
RESOLUTIONS OF THE ALLEN STREET CHURCH.
NEW YORK, March 2, 1887.
_Whereas_, It has pleased Almighty God, our kind and compassionate
heavenly Father, in the solemn dispensations of His providence to
remove from our midst by death, our dear and highly esteemed friend
and brother, Elder James Knowles, and his wife, Matilda Knowles, of
the Allen Street Presbyterian Church; and
_Whereas_, It becomes us not only as brethren in Christ, but as a
Session of said church, to express our hearty appreciation of their
work in and worth to the cause of Christianity, which they so dearly
loved; and while we bow in humble submission to the Divine will,
nevertheless we strongly realize that, as co-workers together with
them in the Master's vineyard, we have sustained a severe and
irreparable loss by this sad bereavement;
Therefore be it _Resolved_, That as a Session now assembled, we do
hereby tender our heartfelt sympathy and sorrow to the bereaved
family in their great grief; and we do earnestly and sincerely
commend them to God and the Word of His grace, that is able to keep
them from falling, and to give them an abundant entrance into His
everlasting kingdom; and be it further
_Resolved_, That the Clerk of Session be requested to enter these
resolutions on the records of the church, and that a copy be
immediately forwarded to the family of the deceased.
(Signed),
DUNCAN M. YOUNG, _Pastor._
J. H. ALLEN, M.D.,
J. M. MORRISON,
J. R. BATTY,
MARTIN BRAITMAYER,
_Elders._
JEROME H. OWENS,
_Clerk of Session._
[Illustration: MATILDA KNOWLES]
GATHERING JEWELS.
MATILDA KNOWLES.
BEING THE RECORD OF A CONSECRATED MISSIONARY
WOMAN'S WORK FOR OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY
IN THE TENTH WARD OF NEW YORK CITY.
"She hath done what she could."
CHAPTER VII.
BRIEF MEMOIR OF MATILDA KNOWLES.
They walk with God whom none can shame
From trusting in His holy name;
Who looking for a glorious morn,
Shrink not before the lip of scorn.
The subject of this memoir was born in Tichon, near Ballymena, County
Antrim, in the north of Ireland, March 22, 1811. Her ancestors fled
from Scotland during the dark days of persecution, "when the minister's
home was the mountain and flood." Little can be gleaned of her early
history. Her mother died when she was six years old, leaving a sister
older than herself, and a brother, a baby eight months old. Her father
died shortly after her mother. When she was only eight years old, she
went to the corner of the house, and asked the Lord to be a father and
a mother to her. She was ultimately taken to her uncle's, at which
place she resided until she came to America.
During her stay with him, she became acquainted with a young girl, who
told her of the love of Jesus, and shortly before her death, she would
frequently say how good God was to her, in bringing her in contact with
her friend, who early told her of the life of the Saviour, and His
never-dying love. At the same place, being filled with those desires,
and having those Christian principles instilled into her heart, and not
having conveniences to study and pray in the house, she would repair to
the barn, to attend to her devotional duties, experiencing the
truthfulness of God's Word, "They that seek me early shall find me." At
this time she committed to memory the Psalms, and the Book of Proverbs,
and several passages of the New Testament.
It seems that certain influences were brought to bear upon her, for the
purpose of getting her settled in life, contrary to her own wishes; but
the party so chosen was without Christian character, and although every
inducement was offered, so far as wealth was concerned, she remembered
the injunction of the Scriptures, "Be ye not unequally yoked to
unbelievers," and like Moses, who refused to be called the son of
Pharaoh's daughter, but chose rather to suffer affliction, penury, and
loss with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a
season, she declined to enter into the proposed matrimonial connection.
And then she decided to emigrate to the United States, friendless and
alone.
In 1833--the time of the great cholera epidemic in this country--she
was left by herself, in a house where all its occupants had fled
through fear. Trusting in the God of Israel for protection, she
experienced the full force of those sublime words of King David: "He
that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under
the shadow of the Almighty. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and
under His wings shalt thou trust. Thou shalt not be afraid for the
terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the
pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that
wasteth at noon-day." On arriving in New York, she immediately
connected herself in church fellowship with the Canal Street
Presbyterian Church, under the ministry of the Rev. Dr. McCarthy, and
became a Sabbath-school teacher. Some of the first impressions made on
her mind by her pastor were continually repeated, even up to the hour
of her death.
In one address, delivered to young people, he begged them not to allow
Satan to get even his little finger in, for he generally commenced with
little sins, and by and by he would get his two fingers in, and then
his whole hand, and twist you around as he chose, instead of allowing
you to obey the commands of God.
Shortly after she landed in this country she was invited by an
acquaintance to go to Brooklyn, to church. She consented, and attended
the service; but, on her return, while stepping off the ferry-boat, she
slipped, and fell into the river, and narrowly escaped drowning. She
resolved, by God's grace, that she would never put her foot on a
ferry-boat on the Sabbath again, while she lived, which vow she kept to
the close of her life.
It was her usual custom on the street, if she heard any person using
profane language, to reprove them, by saying, "Don't dare take the name
of my Saviour in vain."
In the year 1839 she was married to Elder James Knowles, by the Rev.
Dr. McLeod, of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church, Prince's Street.
At this time she joined the above church, that she might be in full
fellowship at the same communion-table with her husband.
In her earnest endeavors to faithfully serve her Lord and Master, she
was sorely tried by a woman who lived in the same house with her. And
herein do we see the goodness of God, in imparting grace to her to
strenuously resist temptation. This woman did all in her power to lead
her astray by offering her strong drink. She would visit her frequently
after her husband had gone to his business, and bring the bottle and
glass. She determined to change her place of residence, and before her
husband returned home, she had engaged new apartments, and had her
furniture all removed. Even after her removal, the woman followed her
up, and became a tenant in the same house, and the same temptations
were renewed. She once more got up and moved out of the house, never
once yielding to the woman's persistent temptation.
In the summer of 1848 she met with a narrow escape in a burning
building. In trying to extinguish the flames, she was badly burned from
the points of her fingers up to her shoulders. In this house she
succeeded in getting some people to attend church; and at this time,
seeing some women ordained to go to India, she earnestly desired to be
in their place.
In 1860, when in her fiftieth year, she removed to the Tenth Ward, the
scene of her future labors. When her son William went to the war, she
was recommended by Mrs. Warren to Rev. Mr. Finney, who engaged her as a
Bible Reader and Visitor in the district.
In the spring of 1862, during the great fratricidal war, she started a
sewing-school in Rivington Street, which eventually merged into the
Harper and Fiske Industrial School in Ludlow Street, which met every
Saturday. Gathering together from seventy-five to one hundred children,
she taught them to sew, and endeavored to lead them to Him who said,
"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for
of such is the kingdom of heaven."
CHAPTER VIII.
THE VALUE OF PRAYER.
Oh, teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.
Mrs. Knowles's life, throughout, was characterized by great sincerity
and steadfastness of purpose. As an evidence of it, I will give a
sketch of her experience and work from her own pen, illustrating how
the closing hours of her life were chiefly devoted to "Gathering
Jewels" for Christ, as the secret of a truly beautiful life.
"In my field of labor I have met with much success and
encouragement, though, indeed, there are more cases very trying and
painful to witness, but _all difficulties can be encountered, and
many overcome, by prayer. I feel more and more the blessedness of
the privilege I enjoy in being permitted to labor for Christ in the
salvation of so many poor souls_, and in being the means of aiding
so many who are sick, cast down, and discouraged. How many there are
who neglect the house of prayer from the contagion of bad example
around them, and the want of a kind word of invitation, until the
habit becomes fixed, and it needs urging to remind them of their
duty? _I often think of the words of Christ_: '_Compel them to come
in_.' Yes, compulsion of the right kind is very needful, and a word
of interest and encouragement such a help. One poor woman whom I
visited a short time since, told me her lot was the hardest in the
world--that she had seven children all out of Christ. I told her not
to be disheartened; that if she could say God was her God, she could
say he was the God of her seed, and that Jesus had said: 'Whatsoever
ye shall ask in my name, believing, ye shall receive.' She said: 'I
have hoped so long, but now I am discouraged.' I told her the mother
of St. Augustine said she had prayed for fourteen long years for her
son, and her friend said to her: 'I tell you the subject of so many
long and earnest prayers cannot be lost.' And that son, of whom she
was then in search, and whom she met a short time afterward, was
then under deep conviction, and soon afterward brought to Christ,
and became an earnest and devoted minister; 'and you, my friend,
need not be discouraged, for the same Spirit can work as powerfully
on the hearts of your children as on his.' I prayed with her, and
left her begging me to pray for her; calling on her a few days
since, she met me with a cheerful countenance, and told me what I
had said, together with reading the promise of an answer to prayer,
had greatly encouraged her, and that her eldest son, who was the
most unruly of all, had accompanied her to church on the last
Sabbath, and she believed now the rest would be led to follow his
example. I told her to doubt no longer, and with a word of cheer
left her."
Here I will make a few comments on the above.
_All difficulties can be encountered, and many overcome by prayer._--How
true and weighty is this remark. Remembrance of this would guard and
govern aright the actions of Christians, and deliver them from all
unprofitable and injudicious murmurings. It suggests the only true
antidote for the ills of life. A pleasant path to tranquillity of mind
is prayer. Whether amid the crowded city or in the quiet hamlet, on land
or on sea, at home or abroad, no matter where we are, God's ear is
always open to the cry of His children. Prayer is the divinely appointed
means to the attainment of peace. It lifts the soul above the cares and
vicissitudes of life. Its effect is nearness to God. Earth's sighs are
numerous. The tears flow thick and fast. Tears of affright. The enemy
comes in like a flood, but the Lord lifts up a standard against them
all; and the blest remembrance of the promise, "Cast thy burden by
prayer on the Lord, and He will sustain thee," imparts fresh courage
amid the conflict. The man who forgets to pray in the hour of trial is
like one who has lost his way on a dark, stormy night; he is, indeed, a
benighted traveller on a lonesome, dreary road. But let us thank God
that--
From every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat;
'Tis found beneath the Mercy Seat.
_I feel more and more the blessedness of the privilege I enjoy, in being
permitted to labor for Christ in the salvation of so many poor
souls._--When we labor with an eye to the glory of God, and the
exaltation of the name of Jesus in the salvation of lost sinners, it
always imparts perpetual pleasure. It was for the joy that was set
before Jesus that He endured the Cross. Pure pleasure springs from the
motive of doing good. This was the standard from which Christ labored.
His compensation consisted in clarifying the natural and spiritual
vision of those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death. This is the
true explanation of His mysterious patience with those who frequently
repelled His teachings and doings, when they were attributed to the
power of the Prince of the Air. But the incarnate Son of God fainted not
in His work, until He exclaimed, "It is finished." It is even so with
all faithful missionaries. They feel it to be an unspeakable privilege
to be co-workers with Christ; recognizing the fact that it is not their
work but God's, and while they acknowledge their utter inability to save
a single soul, yet, doubtless, their joy and satisfaction in all their
work springs from the sacred consciousness that there is not only
rejoicings and gladness of heart experienced on earth, but "joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."
_I often think of the words of Christ, Compel them to come in._--The
scene is changed. From prayer in the closet, to kindly compulsion in the
lanes and streets of the city. Here the reader will find the true secret
of her beautiful life; namely, frequent reflection on the words of
Christ, relative to Christian work in the world. "Go ye out into the
highways and lanes," etc. This is the only method by which we can have
communication with the souls of men and women who are perishing for lack
of knowledge. The question has often been asked by the philanthropic men
of the present day, How can we reach the masses? How can we save the
non-churchgoers? It is calculated that with a population of almost a
hundred thousand souls in the Tenth Ward alone, of New York, only about
one-fourth attend any place of worship. These facts and figures are
startling, but they are, nevertheless, true. These precious souls, for
whom Christ died, must be made the object of our affection. Our
knowledge of the spiritual destitution of the down-town masses is
strictly based upon our experience and observation. And hence we say
that a house to house visitation, systematically arranged, constitutes
one of the essential characteristics of Christ-like work. He labored not
only in the temple and the synagogue, but in the market-place, and on
the streets. His pulpit was the stern-sheets of the ship, on the Sea of
Galilee.
_With a word of cheer left her._--Think of the power of a kind word.
Amid all the busy scenes of life, is there no time for a cheerful word?
When the Chief Priests and Pharisees sought to lay hands on Jesus, they
feared the multitude because they took him for a prophet. What rays of
celestial sunshine sometimes stream into the soul of the disheartened
one when the missionary whispers, "Put all your trust in Jesus, and he
will care for you." There is balm in Gilead, and there is a physician
there. Look at the power of a kind word uttered by the Master. Are there
no tumultuous fears allayed in the breast of those two blind men as they
sit by the wayside to Jerusalem? They cry, "Have mercy on us, O Lord,
thou Son of David." Is there not a stupendous wealth of kindness and
potency portrayed in yon scene when Jesus stood still and called them,
and uttered those strange kind words: "What will ye that I should do
unto you?" How sad is the sight of a blind person! How intensely dark
their surroundings! How they excite our pity! How many, alas! are
blinded by sin, sickness, and sorrow. "They say unto him, Lord, that our
eyes may be opened. Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes,
and immediately their eyes received sight and they followed him." Is
there any wonder that the whole city was moved, saying, "Who is this?
This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee." Now the Saviour
said, "As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you into the world."
Kind Christian words contain the rich unction of encouragement and
inspiration to the sorrowful, heavy-laden heart. So daughter, be of good
cheer, thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven thee.
CHAPTER IX.
THE STORY OF WILLIAM THE CONSUMPTIVE.
Oh, fill me with Thy fulness, Lord,
Until my very heart o'erflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.
_Our Missing Link_, a journal devoted to missionary work, has given many
graphic recitals of the good work she accomplished in numerous fields,
but none of much livelier interest than the case of
WILLIAM AT ST. LUKE'S
"William" is a young Englishman. He came to this country eight years
ago. He is now about twenty-four. I first saw him some time last
winter. His sister, who lives with her family in our mission block, had
told me that she had a brother in New York, who was out of health and
out of employment, and was very unhappy in consequence.
I expressed my sympathy, but not knowing of anything that I could do,
asked no questions at the time. A few days after she came to say that
the brother referred to was in her room; that it had become evident
that he was in consumption. He would like to talk with me. I was
alone, and bade her invite him in. He came immediately. A tall, thin
young man, with a pleasant face and easy manners. I did not speak to
him very directly on religious subjects. I believe that I perceived in
this first interview that his views were not very clear. I encouraged
him gradually to tell me about his circumstances. His confidence was
easily won, and in the course of this and subsequent interviews I
learned that his only home was with an aged father, who was himself out
of work and in straitened circumstances. William's clothing was too
thin for the inclement weather we were then encountering, and it was
plain he could not have the nourishing food his declining appetite
required. The sister who first introduced him to me was anxious about
him, but her tenement was too small to accommodate her own family, and
her husband's wages hardly equal to the wants of his own household.
William's great desire was to procure employment. He would work to the
utmost of his failing strength if only he could get work to do. I
obtained from the Sick Relief Fund a few shillings' worth of groceries
per week for him; but employment, means to help himself, was his one
aspiration. I felt sure he was not able to work, but was anxious,
nevertheless, though in vain, to gratify his wish. One evening I
communicated to him a slight hope of an opening to some employment. The
increased brightness of his eye, the red spot on each cheek, and his
sleeplessness that night, proved that he was not able to bear even the
excitement of a sudden hope. Poor fellow! it was plain he would never
work much more.
I must mention here that William's constitution had received the seeds
of disease while at sea during the war. He ran away from home and
engaged in the revenue service. He also served in the army. He has
never been well since his return. His friends tell me that he has been
wild, not that he was immoral, to use their own expression. He had been
religiously trained in England, did nothing that the world would call
bad; but he was wayward, and the occasion to them of great anxiety and
displeasure also.
As I said before, we did not talk much at first about religion, not
that he avoided the subject. He was very conscious of his own situation
as far as the uncertainty of his life was concerned, but he had
apparently no sense of sinfulness before God. Perhaps the reserve was
on my side. I think I never felt so much as in this case the utter
powerlessness of human influence to bring the soul to God. He spoke
calmly of death; but when I asked him what was the ground of his hope
beyond the grave, he replied:
"I have never done any one harm; I have tried to live right."
I replied earnestly: "Do not trust to any such refuge as that."
I then warned him against any hope not founded on Christ alone. He
acknowledged that what I said was true, and seemed for a moment
disturbed. I cannot recall another conversation in our earlier
acquaintance, in which I was able to speak with any earnestness, or in
which he seemed at all impressed. I could only pray: "Lord, open his
eyes!" It is very wonderful to me, on looking back, to see how God was
leading him all this time. Once he told me of a sermon which he had
heard months before, upon the text: "Set thine house in order, for thou
shalt die, and not live." He had never been so impressed by a sermon;
he could not forget it.
Occasionally, I observed that his mind was well stored with the Prayer
Book version of the Psalms. Sometimes he would quote a petition,
telling me it had been specially upon his mind. Upon inquiry, I found
that at home in England, he had been a chorister boy at church. He has
since told me he used to sing the Psalms without any sense of their
meaning. Probably the words were never explained to him, or impressed
upon him in any way. It was a mere form of a church which confirmed its
members at fifteen years old, with very little cognizance of their
spiritual life. William, however, had not been confirmed. It would seem
from his subsequent life that the words he had chanted, from Sunday to
Sunday, had no effect on him, but now, in his last days, God was
bringing them home to his heart, over all the years of his
carelessness, and accomplishing that which he pleased. It has helped me
to believe that it is not in vain to store the mind of thoughtless
Sunday-school scholars with the Word of God, and that in the most
formal Christian Church the words of Scripture are not lost.
But all this time William's temporal wants were increasingly pressing.
His father had been obliged to sell their little stock of furniture,
and the house was broken up. One night his sister told me that William
had not so much as a place to sleep in. She took him in with her own
children for a few days. I recommended that he should go into St.
Luke's Hospital for a month. Perhaps the rest and nourishment he would
find there would enable him to get through the trying spring weather,
and in the summer he might be better. While this plan was under
consideration, William found that he could stay in the room that his
father had just quitted until the end of the month, which was half
gone. Still clinging to the hope of finding employment, he gave up the
hospital plan, while in his almost empty room was neither food nor
fuel. His sister did what she could. I applied to the Sick Relief
Society for some coal, which was immediately granted. All this time I
had not applied to my Superintendent, whose kind and ready sympathy
never fails me. The reason was, I have constantly on my heart and hands
so many cases of suffering that I cannot represent them all, and am
anxious to get through difficulties, as far as possible, without
unusual assistance. But in this case God's plans were above my reach.
One day Mrs. Knowles called at my room. While we were talking about
some mission business, there was a knock. It was William. I had an
instant sense that he had providentially called.
"Come in," I said, "and tell your story to my Superintendent." This
interview was the beginning of better times for poor William. Mrs.
Knowles immediately provided him with better clothing. I had only
succeeded in getting some flannel from the Society. Her kindness did
not stop here. In a few days she procured him a job of cutting wood.
_A Difficulty._--William did his first day's work with all the energy
his feeble strength would allow, but on being summoned to the same place
again, an unfortunate circumstance occurred. I think it right to state
the facts, because it shows how wonderfully God's grace can overrule. He
commenced his work as before, but his strength giving out, he accepted
an invitation from a lady in an adjoining house to come in and rest. His
delicate appearance enlisted sympathy. She had had some conversation
with him in his previous day's work, and was now prepared to express the
kindest feelings, especially as she herself had lost a brother with
consumption. Observing his exhausted state, she brought forward a glass
of whiskey, which she made him swallow, strongly advising him to procure
more and use it as a stimulant. The lady's intention was only kind, but,
unfortunately, William acted indiscreetly upon the advice. Encouraged by
the momentary relief afforded by the exhilarating beverage, he did
procure more. Whether it was the same day or the next, I am not quite
sure, but he went to his sister's at last, sadly under the influence of
liquor. His weak state, the uncomfortable condition of his affairs,
acting with the liquor upon his brain, caused him for a day or two to
behave in a very inconsistent and unnatural manner. He seemed even to
vary from his habitual truthfulness. Much disgusted, his sister rebuked
him sharply, declared that she would tell me, and of course, the
inference was that I should tell Mrs. Knowles. But that good woman knew
about it as soon as I did. She was grieved and disappointed at what had
occurred, but her uniform kindness did not fail. It was evident he was
no longer able to make any exertion for himself, and she procured him
admission into St. Luke's Hospital.
He went, in the midst of these trying circumstances, not coming to bid
me good-by, and knowing that his sister was seriously displeased. Poor
William! disgraced, unhappy, and sick, he went to that bed which was
about to become to him as the gate of heaven. I went to see him as soon
as possible. I went, intending to talk over with him what had passed,
but found him so humble and so suffering that I had no heart to make
any allusion to it. We neither of us spoke directly upon the subject.
In fact, I said very little upon any subject, for as he lay there with
the tears upon his thin face, expressing brokenly his pain and his
penitence, I felt that God was teaching him, and taking hold of the
very lesson to show him his true character. He was now coming upon a
new ground never understood before.
_The Blessed Change._--Mrs. Knowles saw William before I went to him a
second time. She, too, forbore alluding to the unpleasant circumstances,
but she talked to him of our human sinfulness before God, and our need
of a Saviour. Some of his most interesting conversations have since been
with her. The second time I visited William his bodily strength had
greatly failed, but his face was beautiful with a new light I had never
seen there before.
"I feel very differently now," he said, "God has forgiven all my sins."
He then went on to express his sense of his own unworthiness; not that
he had led a vicious life, but he felt he was a great sinner before
God. In the course of conversation I told him his sister had inquired
kindly about him; his eyes filled with tears, and he said:
"Tell her I have been converted; I am very happy." The week before
Easter, when the Bishop visited the hospital to administer
confirmation, William was placed in a chair to receive the rite, and on
Easter Day partook of his first communion. It was a glorious day for
him. Mrs. Knowles visited him on that day.
A few days after, as I sat by his bedside, he was speaking, as he
always did now, of his sense of sinfulness, and his sense of pardon,
when I reminded him of the early conversation, before alluded to, in
which he had rested on his own moral character for acceptance with God.
"Yes," he replied, "I used to think so, but I have been all wrong. Now
I have no dependence but upon Jesus Christ."
A little before this, he had said to Mrs. Knowles: "I never knew that
just trusting in Christ would give me such peace."
He has said repeatedly: "This sickness is the best thing that has ever
happened to me. If it had not been for this, I should have gone on in
worldliness."
William has never been accustomed to the common religious phraseology.
He is such a babe in such things, that his expressions are sometimes
strikingly artless. At one time I was speaking of his sufferings, he
looked up with a smile, and hesitating how to express the thought in
his mind, said:
"I think it is out of his affections God afflicts us."
His sister had wept much when I delivered his message. As I returned a
kind reply from her, he said:
"Tell her I pray for her and her family every day." Then, when after a
little conversation I had bidden him good-by, he called me back, and
said:
"Be sure and tell my sister I pray for her." He frequently said to me:
"I pray for you everyday;" and on saying this to Mrs. Knowles, he
added, at one time:
"I speak your name to God when I pray."
When he says this with so much earnestness, we always feel that his
prayers are a rare treasure, since the helpless, self-renouncing
prayers are most prevalent in Christ. The tenderness with which William
speaks of his sister's family has sometimes touched me. There is
nothing like the peace of God to beget good will to man. Knowing that
the family had many trials with his sister's ill health and scanty
means, he often sends by me messages of sympathy. A few days since it
was suddenly discovered that their youngest child, two years old, and a
little pet of William's, was in danger of being crippled for life. This
new and unexpected sorrow filled the family with great distress. I
accompanied the father when the child was brought to St. Luke's for
examination. After the physician's opinion had been given, and
arrangements made for placing it in the Children's Ward, we went to see
William. The unexpected appearance of his brother-in-law, whom he had
not seen since coming to the hospital, affected him much. Indeed, the
interview was trying to both. I left them alone, and on my return
shortly afterward, found William still in tears. He was not so well
that morning, and grief for the child, and the sight of the brother
reviving the painful memory of their late alienation, was too much for
him; yet his peace was not greatly disturbed, for all alienation from
man, as from God, had been healed for him.
_The Tried Word._--I went to see the little child the next morning, and
then reported him to his uncle, whose first words were a question,
rather anxiously put, concerning the little one. Wishing to set his mind
at ease, I said:
"Oh, it is all well with him. I just met him coming down, stairs with a
flock of children, and his hands full of bread and butter."
He gave a smile of quiet amusement, which showed the playfulness of
other days might yet be touched. I then went on to tell him the case
was not likely to prove as serious as we had feared, and suggested he
should get the nurse, when convenient, to bring the child in her arms
to his bedside. He was pleased with the idea; but presently the
conversation fell off from the subject. William's eyes wandered to the
texts of the "Silent Comforter" at the foot of his bed. With the air of
one who caught the sight of unutterable things, and has not much more
to do with the world:
"See," said he, "I have a good verse for this morning." He began to
read: "Fear not, I am with thee."
Beginning to cough, I went on: "When thou walkest through the waters,
they shall not overflow thee; and through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned. That is just right for you, William."
"Yes," he replied, with his own peculiarly beautiful smile.
"I notice," said I, "that the very words of God are best for you. You
love the hymns, but, after all, God's own words are the safest to rest
upon."
"Yes," he replied, "I live upon those texts. When the nurse comes in,
in the morning, to turn the leaf over, _I am eager_."
I did not speak, but watched him as he lay, his longing eyes fixed upon
the words before him, with an absorbed and admiring gaze, as if all
else were forgotten. His soul was hanging its eternal destiny on the
words of God. A few days before this he had said to Mrs. Knowles:
"You remember when we first talked of the Shepherd's Psalm, I said I
should be glad when I could say: 'When I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil' Now," he added, emphatically, "_I
can say it._ I fear no evil, for thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
His listener then went on to speak of the beautiful figure of the rod
and staff.
_Sunshine and Shadow._--God leads his little ones gently, the Good
Shepherd bears the lambs, that the enemy may not too much affright them
through the dark valley.
"Is your peace never disturbed, William?" I asked one day.
"Not often," he answered. "Sometimes there comes a cloud--it is a
temptation, I suppose."
"Yes," I said, "Satan, perhaps, envies you. He knows that he will never
get your soul, but he will trouble you a little."
"I suppose so," he replied thoughtfully.
Wishing to express to me his happiness in God, and not knowing quite
how to do so, he said:
"It is like this, sometimes--I feel like a boy let out from school; I
am so happy, I want to shout." At another time he said:
"I have much _communion_." Then, as if to illustrate this, he added:
"Last night, I awoke about two o'clock, and I was praying in my sleep."
"Can you recall your prayer?" I asked.
"No," he said, "but I was praying to God."
"God is very good, William, to let you talk with him so in the night."
"Yes," he answered; and then turning his face toward his pillow, he
said, in a low voice: "Praise God!"
"And bless his holy name," I responded.
We were both silent for a few moments, and then--I think it was in
connection with this conversation--I asked:
"William, if you were to get well now, do you think you would try to
live to the glory of God?"
"Indeed, I would," he answered.
"And bring others to know him?" I asked.
"Yes," he said again.
"Well, William, I suppose you think that here upon this bed you cannot
do much; but I think you can glorify him here on this very bed."
"Yes," he answered, a little doubtfully; then added: "I try to pray to
him all the time."
I was half sorry for the suggestion, which seemed somewhat to bewilder
him, and said: "That is all you can do, is it not?"
"And that is little enough," he replied sorrowfully.
I tried to make him understand that to receive much of God's grace was
the surest way to serve him.
"What shall I render unto God for all his benefits? I will take the cup
of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord."
When I saw William the next morning, he said, immediately:
"I did last night what you told me. I prayed for strength to glorify
God here."
"I think," I answered, "that you will do that if you lie here and
meekly suffer his will; and I must tell you that, after these
conversations with you, I go home thanking God for what you have told
me of His love to you. I think I love the Saviour better, since I have
seen what he can be to one in sickness and death."
"_That is good_" he said emphatically, "_I would have it so_."
As I left him this time, the thought in my own mind was: "Oh, speak
good of the Lord."
On my return to William and his brother-in-law, after the interview
which I described in my last paragraph, and which occurred only a few
days ago, I saw that he was too much agitated for conversation. I read
him a hymn and said a few words. He was suffering more than usual that
day, and his usually peaceful spirit seemed a little clouded. When I
rose to go, it seemed that he would have detained me. We had bidden
good-by, and turned away, when I looked back. I wanted to leave some
word of Christ or thought of him at the last. "William," I said,
bending over him, "Jesus says: 'Let not your heart be troubled--in my
Father's house are many mansions.'"
He took hold of my hand, and looked up, the red lines of tears about
his eyes. I could not quite understand their expression of unutterable
longing, but I could feel at the moment that death must be penal, and
its waters cold sometimes, even to a believer.
In these deeply anxious hours,
O, if Jesus only smile!
Only Jesus
Can these restless tears beguile.
CHAPTER X.
SOWING AND REAPING.
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noon-tide and the dewy eves;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
The blessed Master says, in his Sermon on the Mount, "With what measure
ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." If we attempt great things
for God, and expect great things from God, He will bless us
accordingly; for He cheers us by saying: "Ye shall reap, if ye faint
not."
Mrs. Knowles tells us of instances where this truth has been verified.
"One woman, whom I have been visiting for years, but apparently without
any success, until a few months since, when she was taken sick, sent
for me at that time, and said, 'she felt so sorry she had led such a
wicked life,' and putting her arms round my neck, said, earnestly, 'Oh,
pray for me, that the Lord will have mercy on me, and save my poor
soul.' I did so, and when I rose from my knees, she held my hand in
hers, and looking up for some time, she cried, 'Lord help me, and
answer the prayers that have been offered for me;' and when I told her
to cast herself wholly upon Jesus, that He was ready to save her, she
said, 'Oh, but I have been such a sinner.' 'He is ready to save the
chief of sinners, if they will only come.' She clasped her hands,
crying, 'Oh, Jesus, save me, for I trust in thee.' I left her with a
heart full of anxiety, but believing the Lord had begun the good work
in her heart, and that in His own good time he would finish it, and I
was not disappointed; for in a short time she was brought to rejoice in
Christ as her Saviour, and although for weeks she passed through
intense suffering, she never complained, but looking up, she would say
to her family, and others who came to visit her, 'My Saviour helps me
to bear all my trials;' and so he did, for I never saw a more patient
sufferer, or a happier death.
"A lady whom I met there said to me, 'You have been sowing seed here a
long time, and now you see what encouragement you have to labor.' The
family are still out of Christ, but I earnestly hope to see or hear of
them all brought to their mother's God.
"Another woman, who did not attend church at all, was like a little
child, helpless and humble. Her situation became so critical, none were
allowed to see her; but if she heard I was there, she always wanted me
to pray with her; and often after offering a short prayer at her
bedside, she would take my hand when about to leave her, and say, 'Oh,
pray for me;' And when I kissed her, she would look up so earnestly,
saying: 'I know you will pray for me.'
"It pleased the Lord to bless the means used for her recovery, and now,
nearly well, she cannot express her gratitude to God for having
preserved her. A few days since, when I told her of a poor woman who
had returned from the hospital not much better, she gave me a dollar
for her; indeed, her whole desire seems to be to do good, and bring up
her children (she has a large family) in the right way. She said to me,
'When you came at first to see me, and spoke to me about being a
sinner, I did not see how it was that I could be so, for I felt I was
as good as you was.'
"These are cases that encourage us in our labors, for although our work
at the time may seem fruitless, we may safely leave the seed in His
hands, who maketh it grow and bud and blossom in His own good time.
"A woman whom I had not seen for some time, as she had moved away, told
me a missionary had called to see her, and, talking to her as I had
done, she asked if he knew me. He said, 'No, he was a stranger; but his
words impressed her so much, that I still hope she may soon be brought
to Christ; and thus it often is, if we sow in faith, 'one soweth and
another reapeth.' In many instances a Bible that I have left, neglected
at the time, has, through another's teaching, become precious; and some
have shown me _one_ left by other teachers, to which I have had the
privilege of directing the attention of the otherwise careless owner."
She continues her deeply-interesting narrative thus:
"We have commenced our Saturday Sewing-school in a beautiful room,
which has been secured for us, and hope to accomplish a great deal of
good this winter through its means. My Sunday-school will be in
connection with the Ludlow Street Mission, and I trust, as my health
and strength seem renewed, I may be truly useful in working for the
Master."
Here we have a vivid description of Christian waiting, in expectation
of results. When we take into consideration that this woman was fifty
years old when she commenced directly to work as a missionary, we know
that she was fully equipped for the task, and entered upon it with all
her energies of heart. St. Paul says, in his letter to the Church, at
Rome, that "tribulation worketh patience." Now, there are many
God-fearing ministers who cannot stand a rebuff. There are many good
Christian people, and some of them excellent workers in the
Sabbath-school, who could not stand to be looked upon coldly, much less
to have the door slammed in their face. I am sure they would give the
work up in despair, if, after they had attempted to reach some stranger
several times, and had not succeeded. But, oh, here is a weak woman,
for years visiting another of her own sex, year after year,
remonstrating earnestly and patiently, and lovingly with her, in order
to lead her to Christ. Is not this the way that God deals with us? Line
upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, there a little.
Surely, he is the Lord God, "merciful and gracious, long-suffering,
slow to anger, abundant in goodness and in truth."
What does Christ say in the Apocalypse? "Behold, I stand at the door,
and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come unto
him and will sup with him, and he with Me."
Does not the Holy Spirit work in this very same manner? Patiently!--oh,
how patiently, He strives, He pleads, He warns. Was it not the Holy
Spirit in this woman's heart, that, led her again and again to visit
this home? Yes, most assuredly. Oh, that this self-same spirit would
whisper to every reader of this memoir to go and do likewise!
See how beautifully Divine Providence harmonizes with the Spirit's
work, and with those who faithfully toil in the vineyard. How unique
the operation. Sickness is the efficient cause.
But we must constantly remember that it was the almost incomparable
faith of this woman in the God of Jacob, amid the greatest difficulties
and discouragements, that gave her such remarkable success.
Incompetency for Christian work is a lack, not only of patience, but of
faith in the great love of our God, and the triumphant death of Christ,
and the persistent power of the Holy Spirit, combined with a humble
trust in our own capabilities to do valiantly for Jesus. These are the
allied forces in waging war against the powers of darkness in this
wicked world. Christ said, "As the Father hath sent me, even so send I
you into the world. And greater works than these shall ye do, because I
go to my Father." Confidence in the word of our dear Incarnate Lord is
the warrant, not only of the stability of God's method of saving souls,
but in the progressive propagation of Christian principles. There is
growth in work for Christ, as well as in nature. And our younger
brethren would do well to remember that like this woman, we must expect
success, or we will never get it.
Dr. McCosh, the President of Princeton College, made the following
remarks in an address before the General Conference of the Evangelical
Alliance:
"It is useless to tell the younger naturalists that there is no truth
in the doctrine of development, for they know that there is truth which
is not to be set aside by denunciation. Religious philosophers might be
more profitably employed in showing them the religious aspects of the
doctrine of development; and some would be grateful to any who would
help them to keep their old faith in God and the Bible with their new
faith in science."
Again, in his book on "Development," Dr. McCosh says:
"It is no use denying in our day the doctrine of evolution, in the name
of religion or any good cause. It can now be shown that it rather
favors religion by its furnishing proofs of design, and by the
wonderful parallelism between Genesis and geology."
In this part of Mrs. Knowles' diary, the careful reader will observe a
most dramatic account of human nature, under the controlling power of
the Holy Ghost. The woman whom she had long visited was at last
conquered. The city of the soul was successfully bombarded. The sorrow
for sin, the sad lamentation over a misspent life, the flinging of her
arms round the neck of the missionary, the urgent request, "Oh, pray
for me, that the Lord may have mercy on me, and save my poor soul,"
together with the statement of transition from shadow to sunshine, from
grief to joy, from alienation to adoption, reveal to us the judiciously
connected operations of the deity, in the salvation of immortal souls
brought about by the power of prayer.
Why should we remain incredulous about God's willingness to save
sinners, after such a marvellous manifestation of Divine mercy?
_Brought to rejoice in Christ as her Saviour._--The term "brought," is a
very emphatic Scriptural one. It ascribes the glory, and honor, and
power of man's deliverance to the free, sovereign, unmerited favor of
God. David sings:
"I waited patiently for the Lord. And He inclined unto me, and heard my
cry.
"He _brought_ me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay:
"And He set my feet upon a rock, and stablished my goings.
"And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praises unto our God; many
shall see _it_, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."
A judicious acknowledgment of the sovereignty of God as the author of
salvation is essential to Christian calmness and courage, and
continuance in the path of duty. Man may break his promise, but God
never. Man's objection to God's methods of salvation arise from a
desire to take the glory to self, and the disposition to discontentment
on the one hand, and a feeling of distrust on the other. Let us learn,
from the foregoing account of the conversion of this woman, to isolate
ourselves from man's ways of working, and accept God's communications
regarding His approaches to the avenues of the heart; knowing that He
will ultimately send the converting power of the Holy Spirit to the
soul of the most hardened and obdurate sinner.
We must go back once more to Mrs. Knowles' narrative, and observe that
among the principal causes of her success with the poor and fallen, was
not only her intimate acquaintance with God's dealings with both saint
and sinner, but her marvellous and confirmed habit of always offering a
short prayer at the bedside of the sick and suffering and dying. There
was, therefore, elicited the pungent request, "Oh, pray for me,"
corroborated by the impressive ejaculation of confidence in her
fidelity to the divine command, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I
will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." How inexpressibly
encouraging it must have been on this occasion to hear the remark, "I
know you will pray for me," accompanied with the look of earnestness
and helplessness, realizing that God alone could restore her to her
accustomed health and strength.
Who can tell of the gratitude and gladness that sprang up in this
woman's heart in answer to earnest prayer on her behalf, for her
recovery which God was graciously pleased to bestow? The donation of
the dollar to the other poor woman recently returned from the hospital,
was conclusive evidence that she joyfully appreciated what great things
God had done, not only for her soul, but for her frail body. Let us
learn, dear reader, from the foregoing account of God's dealings with
His dear departed saints that, in the first place, we must not be weary
in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not, for,
as Mrs. Knowles says, "Our work may seem at the time fruitless, yet we
may safely leave the seed in His hands, who maketh it grow and bud and
blossom in His own good time."
In the second place, we must remember that to be actively engaged
working for God's glory is the best and surest, and, in fact, the only
safe remedy for disappointment and discouragements in aggressive
Christian work. "In many instances," she says, "a Bible that I have
left, neglected at the time, has through another's teachings become
precious." We can speak from heart-felt experience on this point, for
some of the sweet psalms and hymns we sang, perhaps thoughtlessly, in
the days of sunny childhood, are to-day the most soul-stirring,
imparting fire, force, and fervency while working for Jesus. Here is
one of them:
I think when I read that sweet story of old,
When Jesus was here among men,
How He called little children as lambs to His fold,
I should like to have been with them then.
I wish that His hands had been placed on my head,
That His arm had been thrown around me,
And that I might have seen His kind look when He said,
"Let the little ones come unto Me."
Yet still to His footstool in prayer I may go,
And ask for a share in His love;
And if I thus earnestly seek Him below,
I shall see Him and hear Him above.
In that beautiful place He has gone to prepare
For all who are washed and forgiven;
And many dear children shall be with Him there,
"For of such is the kingdom of Heaven."
Throughout her life Mrs. Knowles constantly experienced the blessing of
sowing and the happy reward of reaping. Numerous instances could be
cited, had we the space to spare, in which direct answers to her
prayers have come to her while in the act of beseeching God's aid and
blessing upon some one object of interest to her. Her own son was one
among many of such cases. In the early part of 1857 he had become
associated with many bad companions and was a source of anxiety to both
his parents. His father thought if he could get him to attend church
the good influence there obtained would tend to lead him to Christ and
into the paths of salvation. But the youth refused to go, and the
mother at once besought the aid of God in influencing her son's heart.
At first, after praying with him for some time, she found him asleep on
his knees. She roused him up and prayed again with him, and on her
husband's return from church he found his penitent son beseeching Jesus
to forgive him and lead him into the way of righteousness.
CHAPTER XI.
DAILY MISSIONARY WORK.
Shall He come and find me faithful
To His parting words to me;
"If I go--a place preparing--
I will quickly come to thee."
Shall He come and find me working
In the vineyard full of love;
Only working, till the glory
Breaks upon me from above?
The following part of her narrative of Christian work, taken from _Our
Missing Link_, is deeply interesting, and deserves the reader's careful
perusal.
At one time Mrs. Knowles wrote that, during part of the summer months
great weakness and general debility prevented her from laboring as much
as usual; and when she resumed her visits, she found many had been
making inquiries after her in church, not knowing her place of
residence. One young woman especially, who had made an unfortunate
marriage, and who had been badly treated by her husband, was extremely
anxious to see her, to tell her what comfort she had derived from a
Bible given her by Mrs. Knowles. She said she had never read so much in
one before. She had been brought up a Roman Catholic, but having lived
a few months in a Protestant family, she had there seen a Bible, and
occasionally read in it. That upon leaving the family the lady
presented her with one, which she was obliged to hide away in her bed,
lest her mother should know she possessed it. It afterward disappeared
and she thought one of her family must have seen her reading in it, and
since then she had never been able to procure another. "When I gave her
this one, her husband had spent all her wages, and she had not the
means of paying for it; but now she paid me for it, and hoped I would
come again soon and talk with her about it.
"I am kindly received wherever I go in my new district. There has been
much sickness, especially among the children, and much care is needed.
One man I visited presented a pitiable condition. When I entered his
room he was far gone in consumption. A little girl was raising his head
to give him drink, as the mother had gone to her work. He looked
surprised to see a stranger enter his room, but I went forward and asked
him if he was looking unto Jesus. He said, like many while in health, he
had thought too little about those things. I read and prayed with him.
Upon leaving him he shook my hand and asked me to come again, saying the
Lord must have sent me. I returned soon with some nourishment, which was
greedily partaken of--'It tasted so good.' He lived but little more than
a week, and I visited him daily, reading and praying with him. I carried
with me the little book _Come to Jesus_, which he loved to hear, as, 'It
was so full of Jesus;' but he said he had neglected the Saviour, and how
could he hope He would have mercy on him now. I told him how Christ died
praying for his enemies, and that the thief on the cross looked to him
and was saved, and repeated to him the hymn 'Just as I am,' etc. This
seemed to encourage him, and he said he wanted to trust in the mercy of
God through Christ to save him; while all who came to see him, he would
urge not to delay, as he had done, coming to Jesus. He said I was the
first to speak to him about the salvation of his soul, and expressed
great gratitude to me, and great solicitude about his wife and children,
till I told him he could surely trust One, who had done so much for him,
to care for them. He finally became too weak to speak, but toward the
last I saw him clasp his hands together, while he repeated, 'O blessed
Jesus, save me.'
"The woman whom I mentioned in a former report as so solicitous about
her children being all out of Christ, tells me she is much encouraged,
as her eldest son now attends church with her, and is so changed and so
much concerned about the other members of the family, she has great
reason to hope for great things for all the rest.
"If those dear ladies who furnish us with means could only see for
themselves how grateful these poor creatures are for any small kindness
done them, or for a word spoken in kindness, how greatly encouraged
they would be. And how great is the responsibility of the Bible woman,
as she goes from house to house, and from one apartment to another,
listening to the many tales of distress which greets her ears, and
witnesses for herself the many objects of pity and destitution which
meet her gaze, while she knows that something is expected from her to
alleviate, in some measure, the sorrow of these poor sufferers; and
then, when these people look up to her for counsel and advice, she is
often at a loss to know what to say to them. I often entreat them to go
to Jesus, and kneel and pray with them that the Lord may direct them
what to do.
"I have brought a number of persons to church, and trust, through
blessing, prayer, and continued efforts, much more may be accomplished
in the future."
It is only by an experimental knowledge of the condition of the
citizens of New York and other large centres of population, who are
huddled together in the high tenement houses, that we are able to form
a correct understanding of the peculiar circumstances that surround the
daily life of the faithful city missionary, especially when they are
not thoroughly acclimated. A native-born American does not feel the
stifling heat of the summer sun like those who are born in a more
northerly European country. But even the Americans themselves suffer
severely from the heat. Hence, many of them close their churches and
Sabbath-schools, and resort to their summer retreats by the seashore,
at Ocean Grove or Long Branch, while others seek rest and refreshment
to their jaded spirits at Saratoga, or snuff the balmy breezes at Mount
McGregor, where General Grant breathed his last, and ended his
creditable career in the cause of his country.
At this time we find that she suffered much during the summer months of
1867. Great weakness and general debility hindered her from laboring
incessantly, as was her usual custom for her dear Saviour. Sickness
seems to have been the only limitation to her labors. When I think that
I am writing not about some imaginary character, but one with an
untainted reputation, a _beau ideal_ as a Christian worker, known
perhaps to a few outside of the circle in which she lived and labored,
encouraged not by applauding throngs, but attracted and held to her
toil, year after year, by sorrowful hearts and weeping eyes, and
helpless hands that hang down the widow and the fatherless--these were
the objects of her Christ-like and heart-felt compassion.
Chalmers observes, in a sermon preached at an Anniversary Missionary
meeting, held in the High Church in Edinburgh: "What the man of liberal
philosophy is in sentiment, the missionary is in practice. He sees in
every man a partaker of his own nature, and a brother of his own
species. He contemplates the human mind in the generality of its great
elements. He enters upon the wide field of benevolence, and disdains
those geographical barriers by which little men would shut out one-half
of the species from the kind offices of the other. His business is with
man, and let his localities be what they may, enough for his large and
noble heart that he is bone of the same bone. To get at him he will
shun no danger, he will shrink from no privation, he will spare himself
no fatigue, he will brave every element of heaven, he will hazard the
extremities of every clime, he will cross seas, and work his
persevering way through the briars and thickets of the wilderness. In
perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by the heathen, in
weariness and painfulness, he seeks after him. The cast and the color
are nothing to the comprehensive eye of the missionary. His is the
broad principle of good-will to the children of men. His doings are
with the species, and, overlooking all the accidents of climate or of
country, enough for him if the individual he is in quest of be a man--a
brother of the same nature--with a body which a few years will bring to
the grave, and a spirit that returns to the God who gave it. The
missionary is a man of large and liberal principles."
These characteristics, enumerated by the warm and large, and
generous-hearted Chalmers, dwelt richly in her whose biography we have
tremblingly attempted to portray. She knew little of the soothing
influences of nature and solitude. Her life's work was spent in this
city, so cosmopolitan, composed, almost, of every creed and color under
heaven.
After restoration to health, the great purpose of her life was joyously
resumed. And at this time we have an opportunity of knowing thoroughly,
and weighing precisely, the opinions of her parishioners regarding her,
for when she began to resume her labors she found that the dear ones
she had brought to Jesus were kindly inquiring about her. Surely, it is
good to be missed, when either laid aside by sickness or called away by
death.
How precious are the promises of God's Word, amid domestic difficulties
and trials. The relations of the home circle are such that, unless
there is the utmost harmony and good-will, one toward another,
everything seems to go wrong. Hence, the importance of the injunction
of the Apostle, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers."
Her own domestic happiness was constantly preserved. They told me on
the steamer, during a summer excursion, "that during the forty-seven
years of their wedded life, they never needed to be reconciled." And
the secret of their joy at home, even when they commenced housekeeping,
was that they erected the family altar, and established a church in the
house. Conceive, then, her feelings of gratitude to God, when she
learned that the young Roman Catholic wife, unfortunate in her
marriage, who was badly treated by her husband, was greatly comforted
through the prayerful perusal of the Bible. Her deep feelings of moral
sensibility enabled her to truly sympathize with her own sex in their
home troubles.
Her intense love for the children was a magnificent trait in her
character. Why? Because she felt the significance that attaches itself
to the sayings of Christ, bearing on the children. His authority must
be recognized. He said: "Suffer the little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." There is a
beautiful passage in Isaiah, that illustrates how tenderly God cares
for the little ones:
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs in
His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
"Whoso," said Jesus, "shall receive one such little child in my name,
receiveth me."
There are too many instances in our daily experience where the children
are sadly neglected, and where they are looked upon as little heathens,
and discouraged in their endeavors to follow Jesus in early life. It
should be the constant care of parents and Sunday-school teachers to
take the children to Him who will in no wise cast them out. Who can
look into the clear, bright, blue eyes of a little boy or girl, and not
see in their countenance a holy radiance expressive of trustfulness,
innocence, and affection? It is no wonder, then, that Jesus said:
"Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye can in
nowise enter into the kingdom of heaven."
"Are you looking unto Jesus?" she said. Where can we look for a more
important searching question to shadow forth the indispensable
necessity of not only this consumptive man, but all men, whether in
health or sickness, to renounce all other methods of trying to get to
heaven, but by "looking unto Jesus." No change of character can take
place in any other way. "Look unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends of
the earth, for I am God, and beside me there is none else." They looked
unto Him and were lightened. "O! it is easy to look to the hills from
whence cometh our help," when the Holy Spirit is working upon the
heart. But ah, it is a tremendously difficult task to perform when the
poor sinner is bereft of this divine power.
CHAPTER XII.
DESTITUTION AND REFORMATION.
Oh, use me Lord, use even me,
Just _as_ Thou wilt, and _when_ and _where_,
Until Thy blessed face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.
Her willingness to toil in any direction attests the grand purpose of
her life and the ingenious methods employed in assisting and saving
souls.
"I visited one family," she writes, "a few days since who had not eaten
anything for twenty-four hours. The father was out of employment, and
in desperation was just about to take the children to some charitable
home, when I came in time to supply their wants and procure aid and
work for him. Many others, rather than make known their wants, have
pawned everything they possessed. I have had to give and lend them
articles of clothing to cover them, and have procured coal and
groceries for nine families during the past month."
The remarkable and unprecedented success of this one woman in reaching
others of her own sex is nearly unparalleled. This fact has encouraged
us to persevere in our attempt to make these truths known to the
Christian world; for how emphatically true are the words of Gray:
"Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear,
And full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air."
This thought stimulates us to renewed efforts to present her experience
in her own language, as she conscientiously discharged her duty with an
eye single to the glory of God.
She mentions a case of reformation of an intemperate woman who had
deserted her home, and after pawning and ridding herself of all she
possessed, was at length brought to herself and sent for the Bible
woman, and, through the omnipotence of loving-kindness, has been won to
reformation, which she trusts may be permanent.
This case presents a sad and dark picture in the history of womanhood.
An intemperate woman, through the blasting and blighting influence of
liquor, leaving her home, and like the prodigal, spending her substance
in riotous living, and at length being compelled to feed on the husks.
A fallen woman seeking pleasure away from home with all its
endearments. Alas! alas! "There is no peace saith my God unto the
wicked. Whither, oh, whither can they fly as wretched wanderers from
their homes?"
"Home, sweet home!
There is no place like home!"
It is a divine institution. A place of rest and peace and joy. To
forsake home is to despise bliss and accept woe. It is to reject
felicity and receive sorrow. When God has been so kind as to furnish a
peaceable, well-governed home, nothing should tempt the young to leave
it. All that is necessary for pure pleasure can be found in the family
circle. The unwary are sometimes induced to leave home through false
representations, and a desire to gratify every earthly propensity. Idle
curiosity may be greatly augmented, and the new acquaintances formed
may, for the time being, partially please the senses; but the calm
recollection of former unalloyed joys in the cottage home naturally
extorts the old cry from pale quivering lips, and a broken heart, "I
will arise and go to my father, and will say: father I have sinned
against heaven and before thee."
Such a course of turning to God, and such a cry, is always richly
rewarded. Personal reformation is not only gratifying to relatives and
friends, but well-pleasing to God. "Won to reformation" by the Bible
woman through the omnipotence of _loving kindness_! We are reminded by
this incident of a story we heard told by the late John B. Gough. It was
part of his experience a few days after he became a total abstainer. He
had returned to work. But his burning thirst for liquor was intense. In
his agony of mind and body, he said to his employer, "I have signed the
pledge." The reply was, "You will keep it about a week." "If so, then I
will go and get a drink now, for I cannot endure this awful agony any
longer," he retorted. He rushed out of the room and down the stairs
leading to the street, when he was accosted by the kind, gentle voice of
a strange gentleman who met him.
"How do you do, Mr. Gough? I am so glad to see you; I was delighted to
see you at the meeting last night, and I am so thankful that you had
courage given you to go forward and sign the pledge. I simply called
over to shake you by the hand and wish you God speed in your noble
endeavor. Here is my card; I want you to call at my office, as I desire
to get acquainted with you." Those kind words entered into his heart,
and from that auspicious hour he resolved to be steadfast and immovable
in his renunciation of his drinking habits.
God loves and prospers those who, like Jesus, speak kind words of
encouragement to those who have gone astray from the paths of
rectitude. The brevity and uncertainty of life ought to teach us the
practical lesson that if we would save men and women from their sins we
must be watchful and willing at all times to rescue the wanderers from
their critical condition, constantly remembering that He has said, "Let
the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and
let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to
our God for he will abundantly pardon."
"When I was hungry ye gave me meat; when I was thirsty ye gave me
drink; naked, and ye clothed me." Little did this noble-minded woman
think that when she was entering her daily experience in her diary that
her deeds of charity were to be brought to light after death. A story
is told of Xenophon, the disciple of Socrates, that while offering a
solemn sacrifice he heard that his eldest son was slain at Mantinea. He
did not, however, desist, but only laid down his crown and asked how he
had fallen. When he understood that his son had fallen in battle
fighting bravely for his country, he calmly replaced the crown upon his
head, calling the gods to witness that he received greater pleasure
from the bravery of his son, than pain from his death. We do not,
naturally speaking, like to lose our loved ones, but when we think of
their bravery and fidelity, we feel disposed to praise God for them. O,
what transcendent dignity and honor are conferred on the faithful at
the hour of death. It seems there is a reciprocal response on earth to
the acclamations of heaven perpetually ringing in the ears of the
ransomed, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
The Church's loss is her gain. Still the deeds of mercy call forth
praise. Let us ever remember that a holy and just and good God is
treasuring up all our words of faith and labors of love against the
great day of account--the day of recognition and remuneration. Pollock
beautifully describes the man or woman like her of whom we write, a
person of enlarged benevolence and liberality, as practically
illustrated in the foregoing authentic record of Christian experience.
He says:
"Breathe all thy minstrelsy, immortal harp!
Breathe numbers warm with love while I rehearse,
Delightful theme! remembering the songs
Which day and night are sung before the Lamb!
Thy praise, O Charity! thy labors most
Divine! thy sympathy with sighs, and tears,
And groans; thy great, thy god-like wish to heal
All misery, all fortune's wounds; and make
The soul of every living thing rejoice--
A finishing and polish without which
No man e'er entered heaven. Let me record
His praise; the man of great benevolence,
Who pressed thee softly to his glowing heart,
And to thy gentle bidding made his feet
Swift minister of all mankind, his soul
Was most in sympathy with heaven;
Nor did he wait till to his door,
The voice of supplication came, but went abroad
With foot as silent as the starry dews,
In search of misery that pined unseen,
And would not ask. And who can tell what sights
She saw, what groans she heard in that cold world
Below, where sin in league with gloomy death,
March daily through the length and breadth of all
The land, wasting at will and making earth,
Fair earth! a lazer-house, a dungeon dark!
Oh, who can tell what sights she saw, what shapes
Of wretchedness! or who describe what smile
Of gratitude illumed the face of woe?"
Similarity of character is the firmest bond for forming permanent
friendship, hence Christ says to all his followers, Ye are my friends,
if ye do whatsoever I command thee. A glance at the picture presented
to us in St. John's gospel, eleventh chapter, at the Feast of the
Passover of the Jews, remind us of the character and spirit of Jesus
when he took the loaves, and when he had given thanks he distributed to
the disciples, and the disciples to the multitude who were set down
upon the grass. For services of this kind God selects his servants. By
filling them with the spirit of Jesus, they are thus thoroughly
qualified to minister to the necessitous.
CHAPTER XIII.
HER FAITHFULNESS IN LITTLE THINGS.
There are small things in daily life
In which I may obey,
And thus may show my love to Thee;
And always--every day--
There are some little loving words
Which I for Thee may say.
"He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful in much."
She continues to write with her usual forcible descriptiveness: "I found
a mother and daughter in a damp room, on the ground floor of a tenement
building, in a wretched condition. The room was furnished with a broken
stove, one chair, two trunks, and some bedding spread on the floor, as
they had no bedstead. _Both_ were very lame, and the girl quite feeble
for want of care and nourishment. After relieving their immediate wants,
I tried to lead them to Christ. The girl was so sick and discouraged it
was difficult to convince her that any one cared for her, but at length
she cried, and said, 'How nice it is to have some one talk kindly to
me.' From that time she began to read the Bible for herself, and would
often speak to me of different passages of the Scriptures. But after a
while the landlord ordered them to move, because they could not pay
their rent, and with some effort I succeeded in sending the mother into
the country, and placing the girl in a hospital.
"Two other persons, who through a blessing on my labors have become
deeply interested, and even led to study the Bible, have now openly
professed Christ."
Take another glance at the above touching scene and behold the lively
exercise of her wonderful sagacity and powers of observation. This
graphic representation of squalor and consummate misery gives
pre-eminence to her adaptedness as a successful missionary of the cross
of the Lord Jesus Christ. The eyes of the blessed Jesus, the model
worker, were not closed to the wants and woes of humanity, hence his
formidable power in preparing an entrance into the hearts of the people.
Her Christ-like visits, carrying the rich treasure of the glad tidings,
found an echo in the soul of those she visited. Although her elementary
education had been sadly neglected, yet nevertheless, by her close study
of God's Word and her varied experience for over fifty years in the
lower part of a city like New York, she knew full well how to adapt
herself to circumstances. Let us calmly follow her footsteps into this
lofty tenement building and watch her movements. See how minutely she
describes the sad scene. If a murder had been committed in the house and
a reporter from the _New York Herald_, or any other paper, had called to
take notes, he could not have been more minute in his description of the
surroundings than she. All the collateral or subordinate information
essentially necessary to convey an accurate idea of a true picture
peculiarly calculated to throw a flood of light on the whole panorama
are carefully furnished us by her notes. And here we are forcibly
reminded of the pithy and succinct saying of Scotia's beloved bard,
Burns:
"A chiel's amang ye taking notes."
Notice how she enumerates the persons and things in the apartment. The
mother and daughter. The damp room. The ground floor. The wretchedness.
The broken stove. The one chair. The two trunks. The bedding spread on
the floor. The absence of a bedstead. The lameness. The feebleness. How
consummate the skill displayed in her graphic and touching description
of pitiable facts emanating from her pen with such brilliancy of
rhetorical power; and all spontaneously springing not from the schools
of moral and intellectual philosophy, but from the school of Christ
Jesus her Lord who said to his sorrowful disciples: "These things have I
spoken unto you, being yet present with you, but the Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, _he shall teach
you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I
have said unto you_." The _Paraclete_, who is infinitely competent to
perform the instruction necessary amid all the exigencies of life, and
by whose divine influence every difficulty and trial is easily adjusted,
was evidently her great instructor.
"The girl," she says, "was quite feeble for want of care and
nourishment." In a public address recently delivered in this city by the
good and kind Dr. John Hall, of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, at
the opening of a Newsboys' Lodging House, on the corner of Eighth Street
and Avenue B, an institution built through the liberality of Mrs. Robert
L. Stuart, at a cost of $50,000, the doctor said, "A man left to himself
will choose the bad rather than the good, because the majority do, and
it is easier besides. As crime breeds misery, so misery too often breeds
crime. _We should take note of this fact and try to mend it._"
Mr. Bruce, another speaker, said "thousands of children, assisted, have
gone West, and now own farms and are prosperous." He concluded his
address by asking the boys to cheer Mrs. Stuart, which they did
gratefully for their new home provided by this inestimable and generous
lady.--_New York Daily Tribune_, Tuesday, March 29, 1887.
It is the philanthropist's great aim to defend the moral honor of the
homeless as well as to minister to their temporal necessities. This
important service was rendered to thousands by our model missionary
woman, and eternity alone will disclose the gigantic results.
But let us more specifically analyze her course of conduct under the
foregoing circumstance. In the first place _she immediately relieved
their wants_. I have read somewhere the story of Dr. Guthrie when he was
first called to the metropolis of Edinburgh. Of their filling his
pockets with tracts, and with all the ardor of his noble heart,
commenced his great work. He ascended the creaking stairs of a high
building in the old town, and knocking at the door, an elderly woman
made her appearance, whereupon he proffered her a tract. Looking
earnestly upon him, and in a loud shrill voice she exclaimed,
pathetically: "'Deed, Sir, I dinna want yeer tracts, I weed thank ye for
a loaf o' breed." Ah! he thought to himself, here is a case of
destitution, and excusing himself he hurried down-stairs, and going to
the baker he ordered bread, and to the butcher he ordered beef, and to
the grocer he ordered some English breakfast tea and sugar, a few
dainties, and a cart of coal, and requested them to be sent at once to
the woman in want. Calling a few days afterward he found her comfortably
seated with a neighbor around a cheerful hearthstone drinking their
newly made tea. When she opened the door she enthusiastically exclaimed,
"Come awa, noo, Doctor, I am ready to hear you on the subject o'
religion." Our departed sister also recognized the necessity of
attending to the temporal as well as the spiritual wants of her
parishioners simultaneously. "_After relieving their wants I tried to
lead them to Christ._"
We shall now proceed to show that this incident, in conformity to the
teaching of God's Word, assures us that suffering and want are the
means used by the kind providence of God to lead the careless sinner to
seek a saving interest in the Lord Jesus Christ. David says, "Before I
was afflicted I went astray, and thou in faithfulness hast afflicted
me." He delivereth the poor in his affliction. "The Lord will not cast
us off forever. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion
according to the multitude of his mercies." And here is the reason
given: "_For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of
men_."--Lam. iii. 31-33.
In this instructive part of the diary we find described a truly
pathetic and animated scene. A humble missionary woman leading souls to
Christ. This employment excites the deep interest and profound
admiration of heaven. The general assembly and church of the first born
above are intently gazing on, not as idle spectators, but the angels
may be observed pressing through the crowd of crowned ones with
glory-lit face, and sanctified step, communicating the cheering
intelligence of accessions to the ranks of the church militant which
must swell the highest strains of celestial music and deeply increase
and augment the joy of the church triumphant.
In the hour of deep distress this woman was sent by God to relieve the
wants of this stricken household, and at the same time lead them "to
the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world." There are many,
alas, who see no beauty in the despised Nazarene until, by deep
suffering, they are absolutely compelled to completely renounce self
and to fall down, wounded and bleeding and bruised and heart-broken at
the feet of Him who shed the last drop of his crimson blood on the
Cross of Calvary for our salvation.
"Two others," she adds, "at this date, have been led to _study the
Bible_ and have openly professed Christ." What extraordinary events
cluster around this _special agency_ employed by the Holy Spirit to
bring about such a glorious result. It is the enemy's intention to lead
persons in distress and misery to commit crime. This is the testimony of
all history, but God saves His own in the hour of peril, and not
unfrequently by weak instrumentalities. Near Loch Katrine, encircled by
lofty mountains and where the scenery which fringes it is of the wildest
character; where, as Scott says in his "Lady of the Lake," the briar
rose and fell in streamers green,
And creeping shrubs of thousand dyes,
Waved in the west wind's summer sighs,
Boon nature scattered free and wild
Each plant or flower, the mountain's child,
Here eglantine embalmed the air,
Hawthorn and hazel mingled there.
The primrose pale and violet flower,
Found in each cliff's narrow bower;
Foxglove and nightshade side by side,
Emblems of punishment and pride;
Gray birch and aspen wept beneath;
Aloft the ash and warrior oak,
Cast anchor in the rifted rock;
And higher yet the pine-tree hung,
His shattered trunk, and frequent flung
Where seemed the cliff to meet on high,
His boughs athwart the narrow sky,
So wondrous wild, the whole might seem
The scenery of a fairy dream.
Here, in a roughly wooded island, the country people secreted their
wives and children, and their most valuable effects from the rapacity
of Cromwell's soldiers during their inroad into Scotland. The soldiers
resolved to plunder this island; an expert swimmer swam toward it to
fetch the boat to his comrades, which had carried the women to their
place of refuge. It lay moored in one of the creeks; his companions
stood watching on the shore; but just as the soldier reached the
nearest point of the island, and was laying hold of a black rock to get
on shore, a heroine who stood on the very point where he meant to land,
hastily snatching a dagger from below her tartan apron, with one quick,
sharp stroke severed his jugular vein, killing him instantly.
The soldiers on the other shore seeing the disaster, relinquished all
future hope of revenge or conquest, and made the best of their way out
of a perilous position. Thus the women and children and valuables were
saved by the bravery of this noble heroine, Ellen Stuart. Such is the
way God saves the family to-day, by guiding the feet of our missionary
to many a distressed household, instantly relieving their wants, and
putting in their hands the Word of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
Let this record be an incentive to others to go and do likewise, by
pleading for the poor and the fatherless. God grant that her words may
be as goads to arouse sleepy professors to a realizing sense of their
great obligation to Him who is the God of Israel, our father's God, and
we will trust Him.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE POWER OF INFLUENCE.
I cannot do great things for Him
Who did so much for me;
But I would like to show my love,
Lord Jesus, unto Thee;
Faithful in very little things,
O Saviour! may I be.
In the course of her daily missionary work Mrs. Knowles met with the
following interesting case which she herself records:
"Calling on a poor afflicted widow, I found her in great want, much
discouraged, and very sad; she said she did not feel much _desire to
live_.
"'Can you not trust God?' I said. 'Have you not always been cared for?'
"Her little boy, a child of six years, was sitting by her side
scribbling on a slate. He looked up and said:
"'Mamma, do you know what God says?'
"'What?' said she.
"'He that believeth in me hath everlasting life; and God don't want our
money. He don't want us to pay the debt with money.'
"'What does He want?' said she.
"'He wants our hearts, and won't you trust Him, mamma?'
"This roused the mother at once.
"'Oh, how wicked I have been!' she exclaimed, 'to murmur against the
will of the Almighty. I will trust Him, for He has always cared for me
in the past, and I will trust Him for the future.'"
I cannot refrain from making a few comments on this case, and drawing a
lesson therefrom.
Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and
verily thou shalt be fed.--Ps. xxxvii. 3.
He hath given meat unto them that fear Him; He will ever be mindful of
His covenant.--Ps. cxi. 5.
I will abundantly bless her provision, I will satisfy her poor with
bread.--Ps. cxxxii. 15.
He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.--Ps. cxlvii. 14.
The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul.--Proverbs xiii. 25.
Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them: Are ye
not much better than they?--Matt. vi. 26.
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied.--Joel ii. 26.
Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: Behold, my
servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty.--Isaiah lxv. 13.
* * * * * *
SUGGESTIVE OBSERVATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN WORKERS.
What a deeply interesting and instructive picture is here presented to
our view. Notice the synopsis:
_Destitution._--"_In great want._"--This missionary was sent by God to
this house--sent like the raven to Elijah. Man's extremity is God's
opportunity. He frequently overrules poverty, and it contributes to the
good of His children.
_Discouragement._--Confidence in God's promises, the great panacea for
all the difficulties of life. "_Won't you trust Him?_" the child asked.
_Despondency._--This widow was "_very sad_." When there is no bread in
the house and the children are clamorous for food, it is enough to
produce despondency. But afflicted women should remember that God has
promised to be a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherless.
_Despair._--"_No desire to live._"--A sad, very sad condition! When God
sends affliction it is our duty _to pray_ and not despair. Amid the
gloom of earth's trials, the Holy Spirit alone can cheer; sorrow and
despair can be changed, by God's matchless grace, into gratitude and
gladness. Newton used to say, when inclined to dark, foreboding
feelings:
Begone, unbelief, for my Saviour is near,
And for my relief will surely appear;
By prayer let me wrestle and he will perform;
With Christ in the vessel, I can smile at the storm.
* * * * * *
LIGHT AMID DARKNESS.
_God's Word assures us that a little child shall lead them._--"Mamma, do
you know what God says? He that believeth in me hath everlasting life."
To behold Christ the light of the world is everlasting life.
_Strong devotion to children will lead us to notice their sayings and
doings._--What a beautiful and forcible illustration is this incident
recorded by her, the sayings of Christ, "out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings he hath perfected praise." God is always doing wonders. He
confounds the mighty.
_Children are Christ's best representatives._--To teach the disciples
humility he set the child in their midst and said, "Except ye be
converted and become as little children ye shall in no wise enter into
the kingdom of heaven." The day spring from on high visited this family.
* * * * * *
LOVE REMEMBERED BEGETS CONFIDENCE IN GOD.
_I will trust Him for He has always cared for me in the past._--How
beautifully appropriate in this connection is the twenty-third Psalm,
that we used to sing among the purple heather in the sunny days of
childhood with those who have gone home to yonder land of light and
love.
The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want.
He makes me down to lie
In pasture's green; he leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
My soul he doth restore again
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness
Ev'n for his own name's sake.
Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale,
Yet will I fear none ill,
For thou art with me; and thy rod
And staff me comfort still.
My table thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God's house for evermore
My dwelling place shall be.
Said an old Christian (a member of my church) seventy-eight years of
age, whose dear partner of his joys and sorrows whom I called to see in
her deep affliction (for she had fallen and broken a limb), as I read
the above psalm to them before engaging in prayer, "I remember when a
boy at home of hearing my dear kind mother rocking the children to
sleep singing that good old psalm of the Hebrew bard."
I received a telegram recently to call and see a wealthy manufacturer's
mother from Ayrshire, who was stricken with paralysis. As I entered the
room and took her hand, I said:
"I suppose you feel now in your sickness that the Lord is your
shepherd."
"Yes," said she, "and He leadeth me beside the still waters." Shortly
afterward she peacefully fell asleep in Jesus.
CHAPTER XV.
MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS FROM HER DIARY.
Have you heard of that wonderful city,
Whose walls are of jasper and gold?
Whose inhabitants ever are happy,
And never grow weary or old?
Have you heard of those emblems of vict'ry,
That all of the glorified bear?
Of the star-bedecked crowns of rejoicing
Which all of the ransomed shall wear?
HER GRATITUDE TO THE NEW YORK FLOWER MISSION.--In the middle of a busy
summer she writes: "The Flower Mission has enabled me to bring some
brightness and pleasure to the sufferers on sick beds, for which I am
very grateful."
Her ardent love of "sweet, sweet nature" is fully exemplified by
frequent visits to the New York Flower Mission Society's Rooms.
How refreshing to the sight of the sufferer are those gifts of earth's
adornment. And how pleasing are the words of the poet Burns:
"The snowdrop and primrose the woodlands adorn
And the violets they bathe in the weet of the morn."
THE YOUNG JEWESS.--Writing under this head, she says: "Some time since I
became acquainted with a young Jewess, who was very sick. I visited her
from time to time, carrying her some little comforts and a bouquet of
flowers. I also read and prayed with her, which displeased her mother.
But ere long her daughter became a Christian, and when I asked her one
day if she fully believed in Jesus as her Messiah, she replied, 'Oh,
yes.' She always came to church, but being an invalid and dependent on
her mother, she could not come out boldly and confess Christ. I have
learned since that she has married a Christian man, is a member of the
Presbyterian Church, and is a happy woman."
It is quite possible for this young Jewess in her sickness to have been
led to the holy cross of Jesus through the missionary's thoughtfulness
in bringing sunshine into this sick room by those beautiful and
fragrant flowers.
THE FORSAKEN GERMAN WOMAN.--Of this case she states: "A poor woman who
had come from Germany not long ago, felt herself forsaken by all, and
longed for her old home. Telling her of the love of Christ, she seemed
to receive God's word with gratitude, and was very thankful for the
little temporal aid I could give her."
The great charm in her life was her almost universal benevolence to all
in deep distress. Consider this German woman forsaken and far from her
native home. She sighed for
Her dear sweet fatherland, and gazed across the sea,
But could not get a blink o' her ain countrie.
Oh! how blessed! truly blessed are those who are thus like minded. Oh!
the rich and inestimable value of such a life. Who can really estimate
the power of such human affection? It is emphatically real, true,
solid, and substantial. How influential! How full of Christ-like
generosity! Where can we find one so full of the spirit of her dear
master? Her life was spent for the temporal as well as the spiritual
welfare of those with whom she was providentially brought in contact.
See how tenderly she _noticed_ the change wrought among her
parishioners, after her return from a short respite from her incessant
labors. Some were dead, others were sick. To minister to these was her
continuous occupation. She felt her days were short, and as she remarked
on her own death-bed, "I must finish my work." Hence, short were her
intervals of repose. She says:
"The prospects of the poor are beginning to brighten. Some, who have
been out of work for some time, have now found employment. In the month
of February, of the two hundred families I visited, forty on whom their
families were depending for support were without any employment. I have
gathered several into the church and the Sabbath-school, as well as the
prayer-meeting, which is well attended. God help the poor!"
And again, after a somewhat short respite from her labors, she writes:
"On my return from my vacation, I found many sick, and some had been
called away from this life. Mrs. L., whom I had long visited, had
fallen asleep in Jesus. Another poor woman who had lost her husband and
a darling child was greatly afflicted. She was willing and glad to hear
of the Saviour who knows all our sorrows, and has promised to comfort
the afflicted with His own presence."
Yes, this is emphatically true. For what sayeth God through the Prophet
Isaiah:
"Oh! Israel, fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by
thy name; thou art mine. When thou passeth through the waters, I will
be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:
when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither
shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy
One of Israel, thy Saviour. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and
Sebia for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been
honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee,
and people for thy life."
A Storm of Starvation, Sickness, and Death.--The Widow's Lament.--A
Father and Three Children Rescued.--The Stranger in the
City.--"During the last month I have met with a great deal of
destitution, many persons out of employment, several families without
fire or food, and the most of them had never known want before, but
knew not where to apply for aid.
"One poor woman, whose husband was in the Island Hospital, I called to
see on the Wednesday before the last great storm. She had just sent her
little boy to see his father, and was, with her five children, without
fire or food. The day before she had divided her last five cent loaf
among them. I immediately went to the Visitor of the district, who gave
her groceries and coal, but before she received the aid word came that
her husband was dead. She is a Protestant, but has been living in
careless neglect of her duty to God. She now became very penitent, and
lamented her past life, believing, as she herself affirmed, that God
had been afflicting her for her sins. I think I shall be able to get
her aid from the Widows' Society.
"Some time ago, visiting in a tenement house, I inquired at one of the
doors if there were any children there who did not go to
Sabbath-school, and was answered by a boy that he did not go. I then
asked him to go to our school. He consented, and on the following
Sabbath three of the children came, and since then have induced their
father to attend church, and he appears to be one of the most attentive
hearers there.
"A few days since I visited the family, and found his wife to be a very
interesting woman. As I entered the room, the children told their
mother I was from the church. She seemed glad to see me, and told me of
the many trials she had met with. She was a stranger in the city,
having recently come in from the country, where they had lived in
comfort, but since then have been greatly reduced. She wept sore, as
she told me that her husband had no employment at present. He looks
over the papers every day, but as yet can find no situation. I begged
her not to be discouraged, but put her trust in the Lord, and He would
not forsake her. She said she felt much encouraged from the interest
her husband had taken in matters of religion, and regretted she had
never made a profession herself. Before I left I prayed with her, and
when I bade her good-by, she put her arms around my neck and wept,
saying it was the Lord who sent me to her, and asked me to come soon
and often.
"That same evening her husband attended our prayer-meeting, and it was
remarked by several present how very attentive and interested he
appeared."
Fidelity in the performance of duty is always rewarded by getting
assistance from kind Christian friends. The last five cent loaf is
divided among the children. It is a terrible picture to study. A storm
without, starvation within, and a father sick in the hospital. Can you
imagine a more heartrending scene than the one so graphically portrayed
by this missionary woman? Picture the moral heroism displayed in her
tender appeals for help to this death-stricken household.
Bible illustrations are always the best:
"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou
anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over."--Ps. xxiii. 5.
"There is no want to them that fear Him. They that seek the Lord shall
not want any good thing."--Ps. xxxiv. 9-10.
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these
things shall be added unto you."--Matt. vi. 33.
"My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by
Christ Jesus."--Phil. iv. 19.
"Godliness with contentment is great gain. Who giveth us richly all
things to enjoy."--1 Tim. vi. 6, 17.
"I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or
what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on: is
not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Wherefore, if
God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is
cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little
faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What
shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."--Matt. vi. 25,
30-32.
* * * * * *
DISCOURAGEMENT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
She begged this woman not to be discouraged, but to put her trust in
the Lord. How comforting is the word in this connection, "He that
dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my fortress; my
God, in Him will I trust."
1. Consider the happiness of those who put their trust in the Lord.
Everyone who neglects to do this may reasonably expect that God will
hide his face from them.
2. See the benefits that flow from the reciprocal influence of
religion. She felt encouraged because her husband was interested in
religion.
3. Trials ought to be spiritually discerned. We form a very wrong
estimate of religion if we think that God's gifts of grace are
invariably conferred upon the prosperous. Many have the smiles of His
providence who are not basking in the sunshine of His reconciling
countenance.
* * * * * *
IF WE FORSAKE GOD, HE WILL ALSO FORSAKE US.
_She had not discharged her duty to God, etc._--How quickly she
recognized the vital importance of discharging duty to God as infinitely
superior to all others. Penitence for sin omitted and committed against
a holy Being who has purer eyes than to behold iniquity. This thought is
put in the foreground; sin brings affliction. Repentance was the first
subject selected by John, and Christ himself, to proclaim to the people
of Palestine, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." Why does
it imply simply a change of mind?
_Laments her past life._--Living in the careless neglect of her duty to
God, she censures herself, evidently experiencing that Godly sorrow for
sin which needeth not to be repented of. How many, alas! sadly neglect
to confess and forsake their sin until the setting of life's sun.
_He consented, etc._--The old story-telling with gentle, winning words,
at the door of the tenement-house, accompanied with the loving
invitation to come to Jesus, are deeply impregnated with never-ceasing
influence. Three children and a father persuaded to attend the means of
grace on the Sabbath, in God's sanctuary. What a striking reflection of
the character of Him who sat weary and way-worn on Jacob's well. Surely
a truly devoted missionary of the holy cross of Jesus is an angel on
this sin-blighted earth, where, through penury and sorrow, hearts are
almost crushed with despair. She is Christ's ambassador.
_Seemed glad to see me, etc._--Why, dear Christian reader? Because she
brought rays of heavenly sunshine of God's peace and gratitude and
gladness into many a benighted heart; thus inspiring, encouraging, and
arousing within the soul blessed remembrances of a covenant-keeping God,
even toward His poor, wayward, backsliding children.
What an unspeakable privilege to unbosom one's trials and difficulties
into the ear of a faithful servant of God. But ought we not to thank
the Father of Light that the throne of grace has been erected, and we
are kindly invited to come boldly into His immediate presence, through
the rent veil of our Redeemer's flesh, that we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help us in every time of need?
Consider the change from comfort in the country to circumstances of
cheerlessness in the city. Many make a sad mistake in leaving their
country home to come to the city to be crowded in a tenement-house.
Drawn thither, perhaps, by the glare and din and bustle, to mingle in
the sin and sorrow. She described the woman as weeping sorely. "Weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." What an
inexpressible comfort to those who feel their loneliness in the city,
then Jesus wept and said that he was friendless and homeless. "He hath
trodden the wine-press alone, of the people there was none with him."
Poverty and hunger is a great temptation to a woman in the city. How
comforting to know that Christ was tempted in this respect. For we read
in God's divinely inspired word:
"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
of the devil. And when he Had fasted forty days and forty nights, he
afterward hungered. And the tempter came and said unto him: If thou art
the son of God, command that these stones become bread. But he answered
and said: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil
taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the
temple, and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself
down: for it is written,
"He shall give his angels charge concerning thee:
And on their hands they shall bear thee up,
Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.
"Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not tempt the
Lord thy God."--Matt. iv. 68.
To such weary ones we would say, remember the words of the blessed
Jesus: "Let not your hearts be troubled," etc., for
I have read of a land whose inhabitants say
"I am sick, I am weary," no more,
And I pine, 'mid the burdens and heat of the day,
For a glimpse of that life-giving shore.
Eye hath not seen it, and ear hath not heard,
Yet all my spirit with longing is stirred;
Oh, glory exceeding my heart's utmost pleading!
Eternal, eternal the weight of thy bliss!
_On Resisting Temptation._--Thomas A. Kempis says: So long as we live in
this world we cannot be without tribulation and temptation.
Hence it is written in Job, "The life of man upon earth is a life of
temptation."
Every one therefore ought to be careful about his temptations, and to
watch in prayer, lest the devil find an advantage to deceive him; for
he never sleepeth, but goeth about, seeking whom he may devour.
No man is so perfect and holy, but he hath sometimes temptations, and
we cannot be altogether without them.
Nevertheless temptations are often very profitable to us, though they
be troublesome and grievous; for in them a man is humbled, purified,
and instructed.
All the Saints passed through man's tribulations and temptations, and
profited thereby.
And they that could not bear temptations, became reprobate, and fell
away.
There is no order so holy, nor place so secret, as that there be not
temptations, or adversities in it.
There is no man that is altogether free from temptations whilst he
liveth on earth: for the root thereof is in ourselves, who are born
with inclination to evil.
When one temptation or tribulation goeth away, another cometh; and we
shall ever have something to suffer, because we are fallen from the
state of our felicity.
Many seek to fly temptations, and fall more grievously into them.
By flight alone we cannot overcome, but by patience and true humility
we become stronger than all our enemies.
He that only avoideth them outwardly, and doth not pluck them up by the
roots, shall profit little; yea, temptations will the sooner return
unto him, and will be more violent than before.
By little and little, and by the very beginning, unlearn evil habits,
lest perhaps by little and little they draw thee to greater difficulty.
Oh! if thou didst but consider how much inward peace unto thyself, and
joy unto others, thou wouldst procure by demeaning thyself well, I
think that thou wouldst be more careful of thy spiritual progress.
_Of the Profit of Adversity._--It is good that we have sometimes some
troubles and crosses; for they often make a man enter into himself, and
consider that he is here in banishment, and ought not to place his trust
in any worldly thing.
It is good that we be sometimes contradicted, and that men think ill or
inadequately; and this, although we do and intend well.
These things help often to the attaining of humility, and defend us
from vain glory: for then we are more inclined to seek God for our
inward witness, when outwardly we be contemned by men, and when there
is no credit given unto us.
And therefore a man should settle himself so fully in God, that he
needs not to seek many comforts of men.
When a good man is afflicted, tempted, or troubled with evil thoughts,
then he understandeth better the great need he hath of God, without
whom he perceiveth he can do nothing that is good.
Then also he sorroweth, lamenteth, and prayeth, by reason of the
miseries he suffereth.
Then he is weary of living longer, and wisheth that death would come,
that he might depart and be with Christ.
Then also he well perceiveth, that perfect security and full peace
cannot be had in this world.
_Before I left, I prayed with her._--This brings before us another very
touching scene in the life of St. Paul. His final farewell to the elders
of Ephesus. When he had spoken unto them he kneeled down and prayed with
them all. And they all wept sore and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him.
Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they should see
his face no more, and they accompanied him unto the ship. If this course
was persistently pursued by all Christian workers how manifold would be
the blessings conferred on our labors. It would be found that many a
poor sin-burdened heart would be instantly relieved of its load of care.
For "if we ask, we shall receive."
We are called upon, not to go forth in our own name, or in our own
strength, but in the name of Him who said, "Lo! I am with you alway,
even to the end of the world;" and when one reflects on the many sad
scenes and circumstances with which she was constantly surrounded, we
ought to thank God that in every age of the Christian Church, he has
raised up men and women who were willing to go with the name of Jesus
to the distressed and dying, and to speak that name in all its living
power.
* * * * * *
A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER GIVEN A BIBLE AND ITS RESULT.
Of this incident she writes: "A woman and her daughter, whom I have
been visiting for some time, and to whom I have given a Bible, have
become greatly changed, and attended our place of worship last Sabbath.
They gave evidence of having been very deeply impressed. The mother
said, with the Lord helping her, she will live no longer as she has
done. This woman has been greatly tried. On the day of the great storm,
her husband left Washington, where he had been employed some time, and
has never since been heard of. He was her only means of support, as the
rest of the family were out of employment. Her daughter is a very
interesting young woman, and would like a situation as seamstress and
nurse. I would have no fear in recommending her to any one who might
need her services."
Notice, 1. That love and reverence for God's Word inspires one with a
desire to distribute the Sacred Scriptures. There are various reasons
for this. In the first place, because of the moral influence the
revealed will of God has had on the world. When we think of the benign
and salutary influence of the Bible by its circulation throughout the
length and breadth of the land, nay, all lands, by the British and
Foreign Bible Society, and the American Bible Society, we have great
reason to rejoice at the marvellous success that has attended their
labors. Surely it is indited by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It
has been transmitted to us, from generation to generation, unaltered
and uninjured; the simple yet sublime boon--God's loving letters to
mankind.
"What glory gilds the sacred page!
Majestic like the sun!
It gives a light to every age;
It gives but borrows none."
"The power that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat;
Its truth upon the nations rise;
They rise but never set!"
In the beginning was the Word. _Christ is the Word._ It giveth light.
Read His power in the Gospel. Notice the connection between natural
light and spiritual faith in Christ.
"And as they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed Christ.
And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that
Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou
son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold
their peace; but they cried out the more, saying, Lord, have mercy on
us thou son of David. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said,
What will ye that I should do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that
our eyes may be opened. And Jesus being moved with compassion touched
their eyes, and straightway they received their sight and followed
him."
2. The infinite superiority of the Divine Word to that of all earthly
traditions, and the best literary productions is best judged by
results. The works of Plato, Lycurgus, Demosthenes, Homer, Virgil,
Dante, Milton, Scott, Burns, Bryant, and Longfellow are not for one
moment to be compared to the Bible. When Scott, the great writer, was
departing life, he turned to his son-in-law, Lockhart, and said:
"Bring me the Book."
"What book?" asked Lockhart.
"There is but one Book--the Bible!" was the reply. What spiritual and
spontaneous enthusiasm in Divine things are stirred within us when we
read the sacred pages.
Now turn to the picture painted by her who is now with the redeemed on
high; she says:
"_After receiving the Bible they were greatly changed, and attended our
place of worship on the Sabbath._ They gave evidence of being now deeply
impressed." What impressed them? Two things worthy of notice: 1. The
Word. 2. The Worship. Now, there are some people who imagine that they
can go to heaven if they stay at home and read the Bible. This is all
very well in its place, but we must not forget the assembling of
ourselves together as the manner of some is. Some try to live a
Christian life outside of the Church. This is a sad mistake.
CHAPTER XVI.
STRUGGLES AND TRIUMPHS.
Oh! land of the blessed, thy shadowless skies
Sometimes in my dreaming I see:
I hear the glad songs that the glorified sing
Steal over eternity's sea.
Though dark are the shadows that gather between,
I know that thy morning is fair;
I catch but a glimpse of thy glory and light,
And whisper. Would God I were there!
O Saviour, prepare my spirit to share
Forever with thee those mansions fair.
There is never a day so dreary but God by his Holy spirit can illumine
the darkness by revealing to the Christian the home beyond the flood.
"He giveth to his beloved songs in the night." There is no pathway in
life so intricate but what if we ask divine guidance He will give it.
There are crosses in this brief life, that must be carried patiently
and joyfully until the end of the journey. Oh! how comforting is the
thought that in all our afflictions Christ was afflicted, and the angel
of His presence strengthened Him. Those hands that were nailed to the
Cross on Calvary, are constantly stretched out to assist the way-worn
traveller up the rugged road of life. There never was a human heart so
crushed and broken by the sorrows of earth but what Christ can heal,
for that heart that was broken on Golgotha pants and heaves toward
earth's sufferers. How beautifully expressive is the paraphrase:
"Though now ascended up on high,
He bends on earth a brother's eye."
The tender watch care of the God of Israel is the same to-day as it was
when Ruth, the Moabitess, said unto Naomi: "Let me now go to the field,
and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace." And
she said unto her: Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned
in the field after the reapers, and her hap was to light on a part of
the field belonging unto Boaz.... And, behold! Boaz came from
Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers: "The Lord be with you." (Ruth ii.
2-4.) In this whole narrative we behold the law of loving kindness of
Jehovah strikingly exemplified through His own covenanted people. He
reveals, in a marvellous manner, His grace and goodness to thousands of
them that love Him and keep His commandments. Hence, the virtue of
every benevolent transaction lies in the motive by which we are
actuated. As Paul says: "The love of Christ constrains us." Whatever we
give, whatever God's children do for the alleviation of the sorrows and
sufferings of earth, they do it with an eye single to His glory, they
continually hear Christ's voice saying unto them: "This do in
remembrance of me."
We see these principles practically illustrated in the wonderful
experience of her whose struggles and triumphs for the blessed Christ
we are now prayerfully considering. For example, in February, 1874, she
writes:
"Through the kindness of those interested in the poor, I have been
enabled to supply the wants of many. One kind lady, belonging to the
Bible Society, gave me ten dollars, part to assist one family with fuel
and groceries, and the rest for another, where the husband had been ill
for a long time, and finding it difficult to obtain employment, had
been suffering for the common necessaries of life. I also received
orders from this lady for coal and groceries, for other poor families,
to be obtained through the visitors of the poor.
"In one home where I placed some provisions on the table, a little boy
said to his mother, 'Mamma, mustn't you get down and pray, and thank
God for these things?' When I enter some of these homes they are full
of sadness and gloom, but I am often thankful to feel I leave hope and
cheerfulness behind me, when I go away. In the greater number of these
families it is want of employment that causes the trouble--they are
willing and anxious to work, but it cannot be procured.
"One family, consisting of a husband, wife, and three children, the
youngest ten days old, was found very destitute. They had parted with
even every article of clothing, except what they had on, and had
neither fuel nor food. The poor woman wept as she said, 'She had never
before known such destitution.' I gave them some relief, and then
engaged in prayer with them. They were both much affected, and said it
was the first time a prayer had ever been offered in that house by any
one. I sent them some coal, and procured other relief for them, and now
they are comfortable, the man having obtained some work.
"Another family, in which there are two children (the father dying of
consumption--the mother very delicate), are wholly dependent on
charity. The woman is very industrious, and always ready to do what she
can, but it is hard to procure employment. I have read and talked with
the man, after supplying their temporal wants, and especially impressed
upon him the promise, 'Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name it shall be
given to you.' He listened--had been thinking of his past life--but he
said all seemed dark to him. I have prayed with him, and he thought
light broke in upon him. He said, 'He saw more clearly,' and after some
days professed to be happy. And now, while the tears rolled down his
cheeks, he says, 'I am willing to go and (looking around on the little
circle) resign all these into the arms of Jesus.' I prayed with him
before I left.
"A friend asked me to go and see a poor sick woman in the same
destitute circumstances, the husband being out of work. A sad sight met
my eyes; the poor woman lay coughing on the bed, as if she could not
last much longer, the children standing by the bed, dirty and uncared
for; the floor black, window curtain hanging in rags, while the mother
could do nothing. They receive one dollar a week from the Poor
Association. I assisted her, and promised to look to the children;
talked with her and then read and prayed. She clasped my hand as I
arose from my knees and said, 'You are the first person who ever prayed
with me; oh! it makes me happy, and I hope God will hear your prayers.'
Trial seems to open the hearts of these poor ones to religious
impressions.
"A few days since, visiting a little girl (belonging to a Catholic
family) who is in our Sewing-school, the mother put her hand in her
pocket and took out some change, saying, 'This is all the money I have
at present, take it and use it for the poor; I wish it was a great deal
more, and,' she added, 'when you find any one hungry and wanting a loaf
of bread, come to me, and I will give you some money; my little girl
often tells me what you say to her in the Sewing-school, or when you
meet her in the street.' Thus I receive encouragement on every side, and
am never in want of some aid for those who need it so much. My dear
friend, who was removed from me by death last summer, often used to say,
'Never fear, Mrs. Knowles, when the Lord takes away one support, he
raises another.' And so I have found it. My Superintendent is always
ready to assist, and our Sewing-school, aided by her and other ladies,
is very prosperous. Perhaps _want_ may drive many to us, but we trust
they will be also benefited by the instruction there received, and carry
the lessons home.
"One poor woman gave me a dollar for a Bible I left with her some
months since. 'For,' she says, 'the Lord has blessed her since she has
begun to read it.' Another poor woman paid 25 cents for one, for 'she
wanted it in the house for the good of the children.' And two others
were also sold.
"A number of children have been brought to Sabbath-school, and several
induced to attend church. In beginning a New Year, I trust increased
devotion to the work will bring on added blessing."
How tenderly and lovingly she notes the kind lady who gave her the ten
dollars for the sick family whose prop and stay was out of employment.
Those who are familiar with the sad sights of want and woe in all our
large cities, will be able to appreciate the naturalness of the
foregoing description of missionary work among the poor and lowly.
Shakespeare's account of a complete lady lacks one essential qualification,
_benevolence_. He says:
"If lusty love should go in quest of beauty,
Where should he find it fairer than in Blanch?
If zealous love should go in search of virtue,
Where should he find it purer than in Blanch?
If love ambitious sought a match of birth,
Whose veins bound richer blood than Lady Blanch?"
What a magnificent portrait is here drawn of truly rounded,
symmetrically developed Christian womanhood, and true ladyship is here
pencilled in the diary of the departed. There are some women who win
men toward them by their wonderful conversational powers. They can talk
by the hour; but when you approach them on the question of finance, for
the cause of Home or Foreign Missions, they are like the colored man
who was a great talker and a lusty singer, but a very poor giver, and
when the collection box was being passed around, he closed his eyes and
kept on singing, "Roll, Gospel, roll;" when the deacon put the box
under his nose, and said, "I say, Brother Sam, what are you gwine to
give to make the Gospel roll around the world?" The distinction is very
positively affirmed by Christ between those who will be at the last on
his right hand, and those on his left, by the "inasmuch as ye did it
not unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it not unto me."
I remember once during the same year in which the circumstances we are
now commenting on transpired, of calling upon a friend, a broker in
Wall Street of this city, and after some general conversation about
Christian work, he called me into his rear office and said:
"How are you getting along financially?"
"Well," I said, "I am able to keep my head above water."
"Ah!" he replied, "I have been watching you in your work, and want to
make you a present of fifty dollars for your immediate wants."
I looked upon him with astonishment and exclaimed:
"How is it, my friend, you can be so kind to me, as I am a comparative
stranger to you?"
"Well," he said, "I believe you are doing the Lord's work, and I feel
that all the money belongs unto Him, and I am only his steward."
What is the ultimate design of Christ knocking at the door of the heart?
Is it not that we may be like Him? He gave himself for us. Can we then
withhold our alms to the poor? He may take His departure, and we may
receive in our hearts the spirit of avariciousness and selfishness. I am
sure if any of the ladies connected with the New York Bible Society will
read the simple story of God's dealings with this missionary woman,
their hearts will swell with great gratitude and gladness, to think that
God enabled them to contribute of their substance to the poor and needy,
through this humble worker in the master's vineyard. Let us ever
remember that we are under peculiar obligations to God for _all_ we have
and all we so richly enjoy. Our true condition is one of absolute
subserviency and absolute dependence. We are not our own, we are bought
with a price, even the peace-speaking blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our hand must clothe the humble poor,
Our store the hungry feed.
Our homes the stranger must receive
And shelter in his need;
Each others burdens we must bear,
Each others faults forgive,
And thus in perfect peace with all,
And perfect union, live.
What an astonishing amount of pathos is manifested in the joyous
outbursts of gratitude and thankfulness in the heart of this boy when
their wants were supplied, indicated by his child-like words: "Mamma,
mustn't you get down and pray, and thank God for all these things?"
Absorbed in serious reflection, he instantly and spontaneously
recognized God as "the giver of every good and perfect gift, the father
of lights with whom there is no variableness, nor the least shadow of
turning." Surely out of the mouths of babes and sucklings He hath
perfected praise. It is remarkable how quickly children recognize
heavenly things. Train up a child in the way it should go, and when it
is old it will not depart from it. The early desire to pray deeply,
implanted in the tender breast by the mother, can never be obliterated.
CHAPTER XVII.
LEADING SOULS TO CHRIST.
Hark! through Nature's vast cathedral,
Blended echoes ever rise,
Swelling in a mighty anthem
To its overarching skies.
Every great and noble action
Is re-echoed o'er and o'er;
Life itself is but an echo
Of the lives that were before.
Our daily life ought to be an echo of the life of Christ. Just as God
is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing unto man
his trespasses, so the great aim of the Christian ought to be to lead
souls to Jesus. The Rev. Dr. W. M. Taylor, of the Broadway Tabernacle,
tells the story of how, when Hector was going to his last battle, and
his wife Andromache accompanied him as far as the gates of the city,
they were followed by a nurse carrying in her arms their infant child.
When he was about to depart, Hector held out his hands to receive the
little one, but, terrified by the burnished helmet, and the waving
plume, the child turned away and clung, crying, to his nurse's neck. In
a moment, divining the cause of the infant's alarm, the warrior took
off his helmet and laid it on the ground, and then, smiling through his
tears, the little fellow leaped into his father's arms. Now, similarly,
Jehovah of hosts, Jehovah with his helmet on, would frighten us weak
guilty ones away; but in the person of the Lord Jesus He has laid that
helmet off, and now the guiltiest and the neediest are encouraged to go
to His fatherly embrace and avail themselves of His support.
Under date of February, 1875, Mrs. Knowles writes that she has been
successful, during the past two months, in bringing many persons to
attend church, and a number of children to the Sabbath-schools; and she
adds:
"I am much encouraged by the attention paid to the reading of the
Scriptures. I have also made many hearts glad by supplying their
families with food and clothing, and at some places where I have not
given anything, and have referred to it, I have been answered with:
"'You have done a great deal for us by teaching us to trust in the
Lord.'"
Thought ought to operate between two limits--the one of time, the other
of eternity.
The Sabbath-school and the Church are inseparably linked with earth and
heaven. "Train up a child in the way it should go, and when it is old
it will not depart from it." The first book put into my hand when a
boy, in the public school of my native land, was the Bible. And the
first book I had to study in the Sabbath-school was the Shorter
Catechism. These two books have exerted a benign and salutary influence
on my whole life. Now, what the study of mathematics is to the
intellect by disciplining and imparting the power to reason
consecutively, thus tranquillizing the judgment by furnishing
demonstrative knowledge, even so the sermons heard in the House of God,
and the lessons taught in the Sabbath-school, and all the outward
spiritual truth conveyed to the heart of the hearer, quickens the soul
into newness of life; hence the injunction of the Apostle:
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He
is faithful that promised;)
"And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good
works:
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of
some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the
day approaching.
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of
the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.
"But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,
which shall devour the adversaries.
"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three
witnesses."
Her chief delight was to lead men, women, and children to the house of
God. It does not seem strange, therefore, when we find the foregoing
emphatic declaration in her diary: "_I am much encouraged by the
attention paid to the reading of the Scriptures._" This is the glorious
result of getting people first to attend to the means of grace in the
sanctuary on the Lord's day. How greatly cheered she must have been in
her work to hear the welcome words: "_You have done a great deal for us,
by teaching us to_ TRUST IN GOD."
What is God's estimate of those who trust in Him? Here the mind is
forever set at rest. He proffers innumerable blessings to those who
_confide_ in Him, and we will, right now and here, give our attention to
a few of the many precious promises by which God richly entertains his
children:
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee;
because he trusteth in thee; trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the
Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."--Isa. xxvi. 3-4.
"He that putteth his trust in me, shall possess the land, and inherit
my holy mountain."--Isa. lvii. 13.
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord
is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth
out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her
leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought,
neither shall cease from yielding fruit."--Jer. xvii. 7-8.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE DYING MOTHER AND THE INTEMPERATE HUSBAND.
I know there are realms where the voices of song
Never cease 'neath a burden of tears.
And I seek, 'mid earth-discord, the sound of a strain,
Falling sweet from those radiant spheres.
We scarcely ever knew of a more _touching_ account of a dying mother,
than the following graphic narrative:
"One poor woman whom I mentioned before has just died. Surrounded as
she was by Romanists, she stood firm in the belief in which she had
been instructed by her father in her youth. Some time since I took her
little girl to Sabbath-school, and a short time ago her teacher found
her earnestly seeking Christ. She has since given good evidence of
being a Christian, and has united with the church. I was the only
friend visiting the mother during her last illness, whom she desired to
come to read and pray with her. She mourned over much of her past life,
but had much to contend with from those around her. A few days before
she died she said, 'she would be better soon.' I asked her what she
meant. She answered, 'When I go to be with Jesus;' but she added, 'Who
will see to my little girl?' I told her I would. Once again I saw her;
she was composed and at peace, saying, 'She would soon be at home.'"
See how she pictures the intense solicitude of the mother after her
child, in the loving and sweet inquiry (so faithfully remembered and
carefully recorded), "Who will see to my little girl?" See her quiet
and Christ-like spontaneous response, that she would. Here we are
forcibly reminded of a scene in New Testament times. In the ninth
chapter of the Acts of the Apostles we read:
"Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which, by
interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and
alms-deeds which she did.
"And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom
when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
"And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard
that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he
would not delay to come to them.
"Then Peter arose, and went with them. When he was come, they brought
him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping,
and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with
them."
The last part of her diary is extremely touching. But this sorrowful
sight presented to our view is only one of the many that frequently
occur in a city like New York. They harrow the refined feelings of the
faithful missionary. If such scenes are so distressing, what must have
been the experience of Him who was made sin for us, and who daily
mingled with sinners. He who knew no sin that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him. Let her tell her own story.
"A few days since I visited a woman whose husband had beaten her till
she was almost helpless. She told me about his coming to her with a
knife, and expected he would have taken her life. She asked me to engage
in prayer with her. He sat by, apparently unmoved. When I was leaving,
he asked me to forgive him. I told him it was not me he must ask; he
must go to God for forgiveness. It was distressing to see the poor wife,
as she asked me what she must do, as she had no friend on earth but me.
I then spoke to the husband; he said he was very sorry he had acted so
badly, and would _drink no more_. I intend getting him to sign the
pledge, which he says he will do.
"The evils of intemperance meet us in so many ways, we often feel
discouraged, and yet at times a case occurs which bids us _work on_ and
hope on. The man mentioned above from that time continued to refrain
from drink, and has treated his wife well ever since. She wept with
gratitude as she told me, a few evenings since, that he came in and
handed her all his money as he had received it for work, never having
opened it. She could never forget the day when I came in and found
almost everything in the room broken to pieces, and his promise which he
faithfully made to me that he would _try and do right_."
Eternity alone will reveal to our astonished gaze the number of forlorn
and sad hearts that were made to rejoice in the pardoning mercy of God
through her weak instrumentality.
How comforting is the thought that His word shall not return unto Him
void, but it will accomplish that which He please, and prosper in the
thing wherein he hath sent it. "It either proves the saviour of life
unto life, or of death unto death." If we harden our hearts in the day
of affliction we grieve the Holy Spirit away from us. But sickness and
penury properly received soften the heart and lead to repentance and
transformation of life. Here is a practical illustration of this truth:
"Another family I found, with two children lying ill with diphtheria.
They were living in a basement room, and were very poor. The father had
been out of work for some time, and the mother's sewing had supported
the family, but now her time was taken up with attending to the sick
children. I provided some nourishment, and the next time I called, the
mother was lying ill with typhoid fever. A poor woman was taking care of
them, risking her own life and that of her own children, and another
poor neighbor had taken home the third child to preserve it from
infection. They had but little covering, and I procured what was needed
from the Home of the Friendless, and a dear friend gave me a bundle of
clothing for them. They have since recovered, and having a friend who
owned a tenement-house, I spoke to her about them, and they are now
removed there, and are quite comfortable. Our kind ladies who assist us
at the sewing-school having sent us some turkeys for distribution at
Christmas I was able to furnish them with one; and better still, the
husband has obtained employment. They say they never will forget the
time when they had nothing, and now they have _everything so comfortable_.
They seem to feel it came from God."
Yes, He is the giver of every good and perfect gift, the Father of
lights with whom there is no variableness nor the least shadow of
turning. Without this perception and unless we return to God our
grateful acknowledgments, we cannot truly enjoy His blessings from
above. If God makes us the happy recipients of His favors it is our
bounden duty to return to him our heartfelt gratitude. This was the
feeling of the Psalmist when he said:
"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy
name.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
"Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with
loving-kindness and tender mercies;
"Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is
renewed like the eagle's."
CHAPTER XIX.
HELP AND LOVING KINDNESS.
Oh, give Thine own sweet rest to me
That I may speak with soothing power
A word in season, as from Thee,
To weary ones in needful hour.
That Mrs. Matilda Knowles, our _beau ideal_ missionary, possessed a
thankful heart, we glean from her diary. She gives a deeply interesting
account of the recognition, on her part, of the gentle and generous
loving-kindnesses of those ladies who heartily co-operated with her in
lifting the burden of sin, sorrow, and sadness from poor suffering
humanity. She writes at the close of 1875, thus:
"Our sewing-school kept its usual festival, thanks to our kind
ladies, Mrs. Harper,[3] with Mrs. Fiske, and their friends, who
supplied us liberally, and made many very happy. I have also,
through the generosity of friends, been able to _aid_ and even
_supply_ the wants of many who are in need, and I trust, in
beginning a New Year, I may be able to work even more earnestly than
ever before."
[3] Wife of Mr. Fletcher Harper, of Harper Brothers, publishers,
Franklin Square, New York.
This wealthy and inestimable lady (Mrs. F. Harper) has also recently
entered into her rest and reward. We are glad to know, however, that
her daughter has taken up all her mother's work, as the following
communication will testify:
"LAUREL HOUSE, LAKEWOOD, N.J.,
February 21, 1887.
"REV. DUNCAN M. YOUNG,
"DEAR SIR: I regret that I shall not be in New York for perhaps a
couple of months, and therefore cannot see you in regard to the
subject of Mrs. Knowles' work. She assisted my dear mother for many
years in the Industrial School, and was greatly honored and beloved
by all connected with her in that work.
"I do not think I can give you any information that you do not
already know, in regard to Mrs. Knowles; but if I knew a little
more as to what were your plans and desires in regard to getting
out a book from her notes, I might consider what I could do. In any
case, it can be only in a very slight degree that I am able to aid,
as I have taken up Mrs. F. Harper's work in all directions, as well
as my own. Any further communication addressed here will reach me.
"Very sincerely yours,
"MRS. D. H. SIBLEY."
In our correspondence for the Master we are reminded of two things,
first, the letter sent by the beloved disciple, John, in his second
epistle:
"The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the
truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
"For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us
forever:
"Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from
the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
"I rejoiced greatly, that I found of thy children walking in truth,
as we have received a commandment from the Father.
"And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new
commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning,
that we love one another.
"And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the
commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should
walk in it."
And second, her place of residence for her health is the scene of our
former labors for the Lord. In the vicinity of Lakewood we held revival
services, and preached every night to a crowded house for over two
months. Among those who were led to Christ was a physician and his
wife, three public school-teachers, and two brothers--young men--one of
them is now a minister of the gospel, the other the editor of a
Temperance paper in the city of Philadelphia. But we are rapidly
travelling to eternity, and these will, we know, be among the fruits of
our labor. Still, we have to watch for souls and the bringing in of a
brighter and better day, when one need not say to the other, "Know ye
the Lord?" for all shall know Him from the least even to the greatest.
"When the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters
cover the channels of the great deep."
How beautiful and descriptive are the words of Mackay in his "Watcher
on the Tower," that points to the time when, through the labors of His
servants, truth shall be triumphant, and sorrow and sighing shall flee
away:
It breaks, it comes, the misty shadows fly,
A rosy radiance gleams upon the sky;
The mountain-tops reflect it calm and clear;
The plain is yet in shade, but day is near.
CHAPTER XX.
REACHING THE HEART.
Jesus, let me thus be waiting,
Full of hope, and love, and zeal
Let Thy coming, to my spirit,
Be a hope divine and real.
Dr. Hanna once said: "The heart is an interpreter. It is not in the
intellect, it is in the conscience, in the heart, that the finest, most
powerful organs of spiritual vision lie. There are seals that cover up
many passages and pages of the Bible which no light or fire of genius
can dissolve; there are hidden riches here that no labor of mere
learned research can get at and spread forth. But those seals melt like
the snow-wreath beneath the warm breathings of desire and prayer, and
those riches drop spontaneously into the bosom of the humble and the
contrite, the poor and the needy."
The great President Edwards, in his admirable work on the affections,
declares that that religion which God requires, and will accept, does
not consist in weak and lifeless inclinations raised but a little above
a state of indifference. God, in His word, insists upon it, that we
should be in earnest, fervent in spirit, and having our hearts
vigorously engaged in religion. "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy
God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his
ways, and to love him; and to serve the Lord thy God with _all thy
heart_ and with all thy soul." "And the Lord thy God will circumcise
thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."--Deut.
xxx. 6.
The primary object of the successful worker then is to reach the hearts
of the parents through the children, constantly remembering the
divinely inspired words, "that a little child shall lead them." Let the
following extracts from her pen speak for themselves:
"During the last month I have made two hundred and five visits, and
brought eight children to the Sunday-school. I often find if we can
gain the affection of the children it opens a way to the parent's
hearts. For example: On entering a room one day, I asked if they had
a Bible. The father, a rough-looking man, said, 'We have no money to
buy Bibles--we need all our money to get something to eat.' 'Oh,'
said I, 'if you have not the means to buy one I will give you one
for nothing.' 'If I get it for nothing, I will thank you for it.' I
took him one the next day; he thanked me very politely, and said, 'I
will read it.' I handed the little girl a tract, in which was a
picture of a child kneeling in prayer. The father seemed pleased,
and before leaving, I said to the child, 'Now, my dear, if you learn
to do as that little girl does, God will love you.' She looked up
and said, 'Yes, ma'am.' When I called a few days after, the father
said, 'My little girl did not forget her promise to you. Every night
and morning she kneels down and prays, and thinks we should all do
the same. I have been reading in the Bible. It tells us a great many
good things, and when I get some clothes I shall try and come to
church.'"
* * * * * *
We must form our opinion of aggressive work for Christ by the fruits
that are produced. The pictorial tract put into the hands of the little
girl, and her subsequent conduct, elicited the attention of that
rough-looking father, and oh, what a blessed testimony to the power of
divine grace in the parental statement, "Every night and morning she
kneels down and prays, and thinks we should all do the same." It is
evident that children feel the full force of the words of the apostle:
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the
blood of Jesus, by a new and living; way, which he hath consecrated for
us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high
priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in
full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."
* * * * * *
"In another place," she writes, "where I visit, the father keeps a
dining saloon, and sells liquor. His daughter is in our Sunday-school,
and he always appears glad when I call. 'You are the only one,' he says,
'who comes to do me good; I hope you will be blessed in your work; go
up-stairs and see my daughter. _She is a lady_,' he added, 'although
brought up in this way.' I generally read and pray with her, and as I
left her the last time, she said, 'I hope I shall not always have to
live in this way.' Her father was at the door as I came down-stairs; he
met me, saying, 'May the Lord bless you. Come as often as you can; I
would like to live a different life!' The daughter is pleasing, and
mourns still for her mother, who died three years since."
* * * * * *
"Christ said I came not to send peace on earth but a sword." Now the
word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. The
key of knowledge of the depravity of the heart is furnished the liquor
dealer in the above interview, by the concession, "_I would like to live
a different life._" The saloon keepers generally attribute their
remaining in the business to the necessity of it in order to obtain a
livelihood. But there are other occupations in which they could be
diligently employed in order to maintain their families. Imagine a
frail, aged, weak woman, cheerfully bringing gospel light into these
dark dens of iniquity. It has been wisely said that the organ of pluck
and perseverance has been prominently developed in the weaker sex from
time immemorial, as in the case of Joan of Arc, Jennie Mac Rae, and the
noble band of Christian workers connected with the Women's Christian
Temperance Union of this country. The power of womanly kindness is
indescribable. Hence we must ever remember that God has chosen the poor
and weak things of this world to confound the mighty.
But to return to the diary. Here we find her intensely interested in a
poor blind girl, for she writes, in November of this year, the
following:
"About three years since, a young girl, a Roman Catholic, who was
then a pupil at the Institution for the Blind, was brought to my
notice. She became deeply interested in the Bible, and afterward
embraced the Protestant faith, and since that time has continued
firm in her belief and practice. She remained at the Institution
until the end of the term, which expired in June. It was now
necessary for her to seek another home. She was taken to the house
of a relative, who insisted on her going to confession. This she
refused, and was on this account rendered homeless. It was a source
of great anxiety to know how to provide for her. The girl was
sincere, evidently willing, 'not only to believe in Christ, but also
to suffer for His sake.' Her case was stated to some ladies who felt
an interest in her, and although they could not give her a home,
they kindly assisted in paying her board; other friends to whom the
case was made known did the same, and she is now learning a trade by
which we hope she will soon earn enough for her own support. Her
employer speaks well of her, and considers her very industrious.
"Another case is that of a family who took no interest in the
subject of religion. They had a little daughter eight years of age,
who loved to sing of Jesus, and would always sit still to listen to
the reading of Scripture. One day she urged her mother to give her
the baby, who was eighteen months old, as _her own_. The mother
laughed, and said: 'You cannot take care of yourself; what will you
do with him?' But she continued urging her request that the child
might be given to her, until at last her mother said: 'Jimmy is
yours.' 'Well,' said the child, 'if he is mine, I will take him
wherever I go.' Soon after both children were taken sick, and both
died, and were buried at the same time. This made a great impression
on the minds of their parents; their hearts have been softened, and
they now listen with attention to the words of truth, and we trust
they may be led to follow the dear Saviour, who so loved their
little ones, that He gathered them into his fold."
* * * * * *
The death of loved ones frequently softens the heart. A few days ago, I
buried a dear, sweet girl belonging to the Sabbath-school, only sixteen
years of age. At the funeral service a man who had been formerly an
infidel was completely broken down. Why? because his little boy was
taken regularly to the school by this girl, and he inquired of his
father, "Now that Fannie is dead, and has gone to be with Jesus, who
will take me to the school?" The father responded, and said, "I will."
Ever since the father takes him there, and now attends the services at
the church.
CHAPTER XXI.
WINTER LIFE AND SCENES.
Shall He come and find me standing
From the worldling's joy apart,
Outside of its mirth and folly,
With a true and loyal heart?
On one occasion, in reference to a severe winter, she writes: "This has
been the hardest winter I have known for years." The winters in New York
are sometimes very severe. And here we are reminded of Thomson's vivid
description of it in his "Seasons." He prefixes it with this wonderful
prayer:
"Father of light and life! thou God supreme!
O, teach me what is good! teach me Thyself!
Save me from folly, vanity, and vice,
From every low pursuit! and feed my soul
With knowledge, conscious peace and virtue pure;
Sacred substantial, never-fading bliss!"
"SNOW MANTLES THE EARTH. DISTURBS THE COMFORT OF MANKIND.
"The keener tempests rise; and fuming down
From all the livid east, or piercing north,
Thick clouds ascend; in whose capacious womb
A vapory deluge lies, to snow congealed.
Heavy they roll their fleecy world along,
And the sky saddens with the gathered storm."
We all know that a northwest snow-storm in this city is very cold and
biting. But amid the blinding snow-drift this woman could be seen
wending her way to homes of want, poverty, and wretchedness.
In order to recognize and appreciate her labors we have only to
contrast her aims and aspirations with another and far different class
that abound in all large cities, so graphically described by Pollock:
Ah! little think the gay licentious proud,
When pleasure, power, and affluence surround;
Ah! little think they of the sad variety of pain:
How many pine in want; how many bleed,
How many pine, how many drink the cup
Of baleful grief, or eat the bitter bread
Of misery; sore pierced by wintry winds.
Amid all such sad scenes this heroine bids us labor on in faith, and
she adds, "_Our labor will not be in vain._" No, never! "For, they
that go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall _doubtless_
return again rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them."
What is faith? Faith is simply taking God at His word. Paul, in the
eleventh chapter of the Hebrews, reveals to us the victories God's
people obtained through faith. There is often something startling to
our sluggish spirits by a critical examination of the almost incredible
account of the power of faith. How tremendously efficacious. Oh! that
the Holy Spirit may reveal to us its vast importance.
"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed
about seven days.
"By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not,
when she had received the spies with peace.
"And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of
Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jepthae; of David also, and
Samuel, and of the prophets:
"Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
"Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of
weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the
armies of the aliens.
"Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were
tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better
resurrection:
"And others had trial of _cruel_ mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover
of bonds and imprisonment:
"They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain
with the sword: they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins;
being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
"(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in
mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received
not the promise;
"God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us
should not be made perfect."
To lift with tender pitying hand,
Sin's victims, from the dust;
Reproach them not, nor chide their wrong,
Be kind as well as just;
A word may touch a sleeping chord
Of mem'ry pure and sweet,
And bring them, sorry for their sins,
To bow at Jesus' feet.
Go, seek them out--poor, wand'ring sheep,
That on the mountain cold,
Are hungry--starving now for bread--
Go, lead them to the fold;
There comes a cheering thought to those
Who toil in patient love--
Each soul reclaimed shall be a star
To deck their crown above.
If we but prayerfully consider the sad condition of the unregenerate,
and the innumerable antagonistic diabolical influences to which they
are constantly exposed, we will be able to accurately understand the
nature and importance of a city missionary's work, and the great need
there is of giving heed to the injunction of the Master, "Be ye wise as
serpents and harmless as doves." There are few vices which cannot be
conquered by the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth. Here the reader will behold this illustrated,
for she writes again:
"In many places I have found it distressing to visit, the destitution
being so great; but through the assistance of kind friends, I have been
able to assist them in various ways, and thus have found a way to their
hearts, and they gladly receive me in many houses, and listen with
great attention to reading and prayer. One poor woman whom I found, had
been ill for some weeks, and while ministering to her temporal wants I
have not neglected her spiritual needs. She seems truly awakened to the
sinfulness of her past life, and feels her need of Christ. She begged
me to visit her daughter and try to influence her. I have spent some
happy seasons in that attic-room, and when I leave she puts her arms
around me, kissing me, and asking me to come again.
"A man asked me for a Testament, saying he wanted to read it for
himself. I gave him one, and on visiting him again, he said, 'I have
been reading your book, and like it so very much, I will pay you for
it;' and he handed me a dollar.
"Notwithstanding this has been the hardest winter I have known for
years, I have been much encouraged in my work, having been enabled to
help every deserving family I have met with; and one, where I have been
visiting for years without being able to induce them to attend church,
have now been brought in, and have united with the church, both mother
and daughter rejoicing in the Saviour, and feeling they have never
known happiness before. Let us, therefore, labor on in faith, and our
labor will not be in vain."
CHAPTER XXII.
CIRCULATING THE SCRIPTURES.
O land of the blessed, thy hills of delight
Sometimes on my vision unfold;
Thy mansions celestial, thy palaces bright,
Thy bulwarks of jasper and gold.
Dear voices are chanting thy chorus of praise,
Dear eyes in thy sunlight are fair;
I look from my valley of shadow below,
And whisper: Would God I were there.
Amid the toil and sufferings of earth, how comforting is the assurance
in our hearts that Jesus is preparing a place for his people. O, how
cheering, when we can adopt the language in the song of Solomon, and
say:
"My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. Until
the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou
like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether."
It will not be long before we will be done with the cares and
vicissitudes of life, and enter into that "Rest that remains for the
people of God." I am sure that in the midst of her toil, she ever found
joy in the hope that one day she would be forever with the Lord. She
had indeed laid up treasures in heaven, and her earnest desire
evidently was, not to go to heaven alone, but to take some others with
her. This was the joy of her life. Like the Master who, for the joy
that was set before Him, endures the cross. Hence she enjoyed a uniform
experience of peace, although she witnessed many a sorrowful sight. A
late writer, the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, has well observed:
"Joy will reach farthest out to sea where troubled mariners are seeking
the shore. Even in your deepest griefs you can rejoice in God. As waves
phosphoresce, let joys flash from the swing of the sorrow of your
souls. Low measures of feeling are better than ecstacies for ordinary
life. God sends His rains in gentle drops, else flowers would be beaten
to pieces."
Ah, it was the peace of God that passeth all understanding that enabled
her to bear up during the hot summer months in which she penned the
following, wherein she says:
"The past three months have been the most trying of any I have
experienced since I began my work. There has been much sickness and
many deaths. But I have been kept and sustained amid many difficulties.
I have been kindly received in many Roman Catholic and Jewish families.
A poor woman whose husband was killed a year since, who had lost one
child, and has another very sick, is glad to have me read and pray with
her, and when I point her to the Saviour she says He is, indeed, her
best friend. Another Catholic woman said, she did not see why her
priest forbade her reading the Bible, 'for what you have read to me is
so beautiful.' When asked if she would like to have a Bible, she said
she would, and when I took one to her she gave me twenty-five cents,
and said she wished she could give me more. One day I was addressed in
the street by a little girl, who asked me to go and see her mother.
When I enquired who she was, I found she was a woman whom I had visited
some time before. She was very glad to see me, showed me the Testament
I had given her, and asked me many questions which would have led to
argument; but I told her I only taught the religion of the Lord Jesus,
and I wished them to come to Him and seek for light and salvation. She
urged me to come again, and gladly listened when I read to them from
the Scriptures.
"A young woman on being asked to attend church said, 'The only church I
go to is the theatre.' I gave her a Testament which she promised to
read; she has now begun to go to church regularly, and says she hopes
never again to live the life she has lived. I have been able to take a
number of mothers and their children to the sea side, which has been a
great blessing. I have given the Bible to two women who have paid for
it, and wished for one for a neighbor."
* * * * * *
It is a true and striking fact, that there are very few women who ever
labored so assiduously for the good of others as this Missionary,
especially in trying to save souls and make others happy.
We may say we believe in Jesus and, therefore, we will be saved; but we
must remember also that faith without works is dead, and on the great
day of judgment all will be made known, for St. John says in the
Apocalypse: "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written
in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were
in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE NINETY AND NINE.
When he lived on earth so lowly,
Friend of sinners was his name;
Now enthroned among the holy,
He rejoices in the name.
When Jesus was here upon earth the question was asked, 'Can any good
thing come out of Nazareth? But it is said that the thirty years of
Christ's obscurity was the foundation of his three years'
manifestations. He was there, however, not alone, for he was under the
fostering love and anxious solicitude of His heavenly Father. Nazareth
is beautifully described thus:
It was "a handful of pearls in a goblet of emerald. No great road led
up to this sunny nook. Trade, war, adventure, pleasure, pomp, passed by
it, flowing from west to east, from east to west, along the Roman road.
But the meadows were aglow with wheat and barley. Near the low ground
ran a belt of gardens, fenced with loose stones, in which myriads of
green figs, red pomegranates, and golden citrons ripened in the summer
sun. High up the slopes hung vintages of purple grapes. In the plain
among the corn, and beneath the mulberry-trees and figs, shone daisies,
poppies, tulips, lilies, anemones, endless in their profusion,
brilliant in their dyes. Low down on the hillside sprang a well of
water, bubbling, plentiful and sweet; and above this fountain of life,
in a long street straggling from the fountain to the synagogue, rose
the homesteads of many shepherds, craftsmen, and vine-dressers. It was
a lovely and humble place, of which no poet, no ruler, no historian of
Israel had ever taken note."
Even so, it was a very humble sphere that our missionary filled, but she
was precious in God's sight. Her work was among the poor and the lowly.
Lost sight of perhaps by men on this account, but the more like her
divine master in her work and ways. O, how true are Christ's own words:
"Whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot
be my disciple. Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost
its savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is fit neither for the
land nor for the dunghill: _men_ cast it out. He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear.
"Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him for to
hear him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, this
man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."
Yes! sinners--unworthy, hell-deserving sinners--it is to such, that He
cries _if any man thirst_, let him come unto me and drink. How
refreshing are the well-known words:
Aid the dawning, tongue and pen;
Aid it, hopes of honest men;
Aid it, paper--aid it, type--
Aid it, for the hour is ripe,
And our earnest must not slacken
Into play.
Men of thought and men of action,
Clear the way!
The following account of the origin of the well-known hymn, the "Ninety
and Nine," may have a tendency to stimulate others to go and do
likewise. It is taken from "Sabbath Reading," published by the late Mr.
Dougal of this city, who has recently passed away into his everlasting
rest.
A humble lady in Melrose, Scotland, was led to see the beauty of the
character of Christ in the parable of the Good Shepherd. She possessed
genius, and sometimes expressed her best thoughts and feelings in
verse. The vision of Christ leaving the glories of Heaven and becoming
a seeker of men who had gone astray, like an Eastern shepherd seeking a
wandering sheep in perilous places, touched her heart with poetic
fervor, and she wrote the hymn beginning:
"There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold."
One of the stanzas most vividly and tenderly expressed her clear view
of Divine sympathy and compassion:
"But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed;
Nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed through
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
Out in the desert He heard its cry--
Sick and helpless, and ready to die."
The poem was published in a local paper, and the lady soon afterward
died, and went to the Good Shepherd, whose love for the wandering and
perishing had gained the affections and service of her life. She was
buried in one of the churchyards of beautiful Melrose.
The efforts of a sincere life always meet with the needs of others, and
are often given, under Providence, a special mission in the world. The
simplicity and fervor of the little poem gained for it an unexpected
recognition.
The American evangelist, Mr. Sankey, was one day returning from
Edinburgh to Glasgow, to hold a farewell meeting there. Glasgow had
been the scene of the most signal triumphs in the work of Messrs. Moody
and Sankey, and this farewell gathering promised to be one of
thanksgiving and tears, of wonderful interest, power, and feeling.
Mr. Sankey, on this occasion, desired to introduce a new hymn which
should represent Christ as a compassionate and all-sufficient Saviour.
"Before getting on the train," he says, "I went to the news-stand and
bought two or three papers--some secular, some religious--and in one of
them I found these verses:
"'There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold,' etc.
"I said to my brother Moody, 'That's just the hymn I have been wanting.
I think the Lord has really sent it to us!'
"Next day this little tune or chant it is set to, came to me.
"We went into the noon meeting, and dear Dr. Bonar, who has written so
many beautiful hymns ('I was a Wandering Sheep and did not Love the
Fold,' and 'I Heard the Voice of Jesus say, Come unto Me and Rest') was
there, and the thought came to me, 'We must sing now this new hymn that
the Lord has sent us.'
"The tune had scarcely formed itself in my head yet, but I just cut the
words from the paper, put it in front of me on the organ and began to
sing them, hardly knowing where the tune was coming from. But the Lord
said, 'Sing it,' and as we were singing it His Spirit came upon us, and
what a blessed meeting we had!"
The meeting was a very crowded one, and tender feelings were awakened
in all hearts, bringing vividly to all minds, as it did, the fact that
the world is full of farewell. The imagery of the hymn, the shepherd,
the sheep-fold, the dark-night on the hills, the anxious search and the
joyful return, was in harmony with Scottish associations, and touched
the best feelings of the converts and inquirers. Christ stood revealed
in the song, and it seemed as though the listeners went up some living
Tabor, and again saw Him transfigured.
Away in the gallery there sat a lady who was at first startled, and
then deeply affected by the hymn. She was unable to speak with the
sweet singer in the confusion that followed the close of the meeting,
but she soon after wrote to him from Melrose, and said, "I thank you
for having sung, the other day, my deceased sister's words. She wrote
them five years ago. She is in Heaven now."
The hymn has had a tender mission. Thousands seeking the help of a
power outside of their own sinful nature, have seen in it the vision
that the prophet saw: "And I looked, and there was none to help; and I
wondered there was none to uphold; _therefore mine own arm brought
salvation unto me_."
What a true and striking picture is painted by the dear Saviour in this
immortal parable! They are the words of Him "who spake as never man
spake:"
"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth
not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that
which is lost, until he find it?
"And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
"And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and
neighbors, saying unto them, 'Rejoice with me; for I have found my
sheep which was lost.'
"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner
that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need
no repentance."
The intensity of that joy is indescribable. What a glorious company are
yonder. Here they toiled and suffered, and sacrificed for Christ, but
now they are in the land of light and love.
How sweet as we journey, to pause for a moment
And look at the foot-prints we see in our way;
The foot-prints of pilgrims who've crossed over Jordan
And now are rejoicing forever and aye.
O blessed Redeemer, ere long thou wilt call us
To join the great army beyond the dark sea;
They fought the good fight, their course they have finished,
And now they inherit the kingdom with thee.
What must be the joy in heaven when the meeting and greeting time
comes. The holy apostle said, "Set your affection on things above."
Why; what does he mean? It is that we may richly enjoy a foretaste of
its unutterable bliss preparatory to our departure.
Hark the song of holy rapture,
Hear it break from yonder strand,
Where our friends for us are waiting,
In the golden, summer land.
They have reached the port of glory,
O'er the Jordan they have passed,
And with millions they are shouting,
Home at last, home at last.
Oh, the long and sweet re-union,
Where the bells of time shall cease;
Oh, the greeting, endless greeting,
On the vernal heights of peace;
Where the hoping and desponding
Of the weary heart are past,
And we enter life eternal--
Home at last, home at last.
Look beyond, the skies are clearing;
See, the mist dissolves away;
Soon our eyes will catch the dawning
Of a bright celestial day;
Soon the shadows will be lifted,
That around us now are cast,
And rejoicing we shall gather,
Home at last, home at last.
It is no wonder that St. John in the Apocalypse, speaking anticipatively,
says:
"A voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his
servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the
voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying,
Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of
the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
"And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto
the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the
true sayings of God."
Who are the true called to the marriage supper of the Lamb? Who are
arrayed in white linen, pure and white?
They are those who try to be like Him who said, "I am the good shepherd
who gave His life for the sheep." Here, in this wilderness of
wandering, it is our imperative duty to go out after the suffering and
sorrowing and straying, and bring them into the fold.
CHAPTER XXIV.
ANSWERED PRAYER.
I want to go home, to know it all--
The Saviour's love for the sinner's soul,
The mercy of God and the glory given
To saints when they're safely brought to heaven.
"Here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come." Ours is a
camp life. Moses, in his wonderful prayer, claims God as his guide and
protector amid all the changing scenes of life. "Lord, thou hast been
our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were
brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even
from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to
destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand
years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is passed, and as a
watch in the night."--Ps. xc. 1-4.
How essential then to constantly seek the guidance of God in all we
undertake for His glory.
He directs and controls all our affairs just as much to-day as He did
this ancient Israel by the great miraculous cloud by day, and pillar of
fire by night, stretching far high into the heavens.
* * * * * *
HOPEFUL CASES.
Concerning such, she writes: "Some encouraging circumstances present
themselves amidst the scenes of trial and suffering with which my daily
walks render me familiar, and I will note a few which have excited my
warmest sympathy. Among others, there is one family of a father,
mother, and three small children, whose whole subsistence depends upon
what the mother is able to make by washing. The man has been for two
months lying ill, with what the doctor calls typhoid fever; but which
seems now to have settled on his lungs, attended with a severe cough,
and no hope of recovery. I have been enabled to assist them from time
to time with a little nourishment. When I entered their house one day
with what I had provided for them, I found they had nothing but a
little bread. As I showed them what I had brought, they looked from one
to the other, and were so filled with gratitude, and overcome by the
unexpected supply, they appeared unable to speak. I find thus, not only
an open door to their home, but also a welcome to their hearts. They
have not been in the habit of attending church, and, as might be
supposed, the duty of personal and family religion was also neglected.
But it appears evident that these trials have not been sent in vain by
the Lord. The sick man loves to have me read the Scriptures, and pray
with him: and the children delight to see me, often running to meet me,
and take me by the hand before I reach the house."
Recognizing the necessity of prayer for the Divine blessing in all our
work, she writes in her journal thus:
"MARCH 2, 1875.--In commencing my work this morning I asked for
guidance in the direction of my visits, and I was led to go to a
house quite out of my district, to visit a colored family who were
very destitute.
"I found them at family prayer, asking the Lord to send them some
food; my heart was touched as I listened to the simplicity of the
petition, and I could not but feel the Lord had directed my steps to
the house in answer to their prayer, and was reminded of that
passage of Scripture, '_while they are yet speaking, I will
answer_.' I believed these words, and procured them both food and
fuel. As we then sat down to read God's word, the tears streamed
down the cheeks of these aged women, as I was helped to explain the
word to them, and when we knelt to pray, we were blest together.
Truly, while teaching others our own souls are often refreshed!
"MARCH 6th.--Poor Mrs. L. was visited to-day; she has been suffering
for years from rheumatism. As I went in I said, 'Mrs. L., is Jesus
precious to-day?' The tears came to her eyes as she said, 'I fear I
have grieved Him to-day; I felt like murmuring because my pain has
been so great.' I told her Jesus understood her, and knew she did
not mean to murmur. And then I read to her how He had a feeling for
our infirmities, being Himself tried and tempted; and so she was
comforted, and became quite cheerful. On leaving her I felt what a
blessed privilege it is to be able to comfort the sick poor. A poor
brother sent to my house to-day for something to nourish him, as he
felt quite weak. I prepared some broth and gave it to him, which he
ate with a relish, and that passage from the word came to my mind,
'Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these, ye have
done it unto me.'
"MARCH 8th.--Felt much wearied with visits and climbing stairs, and
was glad to return to a cheerful fireside, and settle for the
evening; but before I had removed my rubbers, a knock at the door
assured me some call had come for me, and so it proved. A child of
one of my families came to say her mother was ill, and wanted to see
me. This woman, a few months before, did not seem to care for
religion, and would not hear me read, saying she had no time for it;
she had to earn her living without listening to what did not concern
her. But when she came to lie upon a bed of suffering, she thought
of me first, and found the word of God was just what she wanted; and
as I read the words, 'Whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise
cast out,' the tears ran down her cheeks, and she at once cast
herself upon Christ, taking him for her Saviour, and her face shone.
As I left her my soul rejoiced, though it was far in the night when
I returned home, that I had been permitted to point one soul to the
'Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.'
"'Oh! that all the world my Jesus knew,
Then all the world would love Him too.'
"One poor woman asked me if I would get her a Bible, and she would
pay twenty-five cents a month. I promised, and am rejoiced at
finding so many that seem eager for Bibles; quite a number have
asked for them, and I trust it may prove a lamp unto their feet and
a light unto their path.
"MARCH 11th.--After the fatigue of the day, I did not feel like
going out again in the evening, but our pastor, Rev. Geo. O. Phelps,
came in, and after tea he said, 'We have not many minutes to spare,
but we will have a few words of prayer before parting.' They were
few, but they cheered and comforted me so, I felt refreshed, and
forgetting all fatigue, I arose and went to the prayer-meeting,
feeling as my people do sometimes when they say to me after a visit,
'Oh! Mrs. Knowles, how your prayer has _rested_ me.'
"MARCH 23d.--A message came to-day, saying Mrs. L. was dying, and
wanted me to come at once. I went, and was helped in return to see
the triumph of spiritual over temporal things. The Lord was present
to bless us at the bedside of the dying one. Her trust and faith are
firm in Jesus, and her whole desire is to be with Him and see Him as
He is."
* * * * * *
Blessed hope, "to see Him as He is, and to be transformed into His
image." John declares:
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what
we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like
Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope
in him purifieth himself even as He is pure."
It was about this time that she penned in her diary the following
touching record of her toil. It reveals how sincere, diligent,
systematic, and unprejudiced she was in her work for Jesus, even
mentioning the names of the streets. She faithfully copied the example
and closely followed the directions of her master, given to Ananias at
the wonderful conversion of the great apostle of the Gentiles, when
giving directions how to find Saul of Tarsus:
"The Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called
Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of
Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth:
"And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting
his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
"Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how
much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
"And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that
call on thy name.
"But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto
me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of
Israel:
"_For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's
sake._"--Acts ix. 11-16.
* * * * * *
She writes: "I called on a woman in Broome Street who was convicted of
her lost condition and ready to yield to despair. Her mind had been
impressed by a letter from her husband who had gone West some time
since on business.
"He had been converted during his absence, being awakened by witnessing
the wickedness and depravity of his fellow-men, the profanation of the
Sabbath, licentiousness in high and low places, and reflecting that if
there were a righteous God, the wicked could not go unpunished. It was
pleasant to be able to tell this distressed woman of the love of Jesus,
and to urge her to go with her husband in the narrow way. On my next
visit I found her more cheerful, and feeling that there is hope for
her. She wishes me to get her a Bible, which she will pay for by weekly
instalments.
"Met with a woman in Eldridge Street,[4] who was given to drinking. As
she was sober at that time, I conversed with her about her sin. She
burst into tears and said, 'I have long wanted some one to talk to me
about my soul.' As I read to her the story of redeeming love, she
seemed to drink it in with delight, and promised to attend the place of
prayer. She, too, wishes to possess a Bible, and to use the money she
has before spent for rum in payment. I am greatly encouraged to labor
and pray for her.
[4] This was the street in which our missionary died.
"Visiting some families in Madison Street, I conversed with one woman
who excited my especial interest. She had been very ill with a sore
throat. She was a Romanist, but the Spirit of God had opened to her
view the evil of her heart, and she now desired to hear from me of the
way of life. I told her of the forgiveness of sin through Christ's
blood. She said she had confessed to the priest, and had received
absolution, but found no relief from her load, which weighed upon her
like a mountain. I directed her to the Lamb of God, who alone can take
away sin. But after conversing with her some time (although her throat
was so much inflamed as almost to deprive her of the power of
utterance), she broke forth into one of the most affecting prayers I
ever heard. Her husband sat by and listened to all that was said, being
very anxious lest she should abjure the Catholic faith and die out of
the pale of the Church. He interrupted me frequently, saying, 'My good
lady, we don't want you to teach us, the priest instructs us in all we
need.' But I told him I had a message from God, and I could not be
prevented from delivering it. He left the room in anger, but I hope
this poor soul may find peace, by trusting in the 'sinner's Friend.'
"Who can tell but what even this poor man may be found at last among
the ransomed ones!"
This short extract from _The Home Mission Monthly_ for May, published by
the Woman's Executive Committee of Home Missions of the Presbyterian
Church, is peculiarly appropriate to the above experience of her who now
sleeps in Cypress Hills Cemetery,
"Under the shadows gray."
"At this spring-time season, when the seed is cast into the brown bosom
of the earth, the lesson taught by the great Teacher, eighteen hundred
years ago, in Palestine, 'as the sower went forth to sow,' is borne in
upon the mind once more, and these lines are the reflex of the impulses
which are astir in many hearts:
"I know my hand may never reap its sowing,
And yet some other may;
And I may never even see it growing--
So short my little day!
"Still must I sow, although I go forth weeping,
I cannot, dare not stay.
God grant a harvest! though I may be sleeping,
Under the shadows gray."
CHAPTER XXV.
THE SIN OF IDOLATRY.
It is not that the city is glorious to behold,
Her walls of lucid crystal, her very pavement gold,
All shrined in dazzling splendor, beyond description fair,
But I am pressing onward to see my Saviour there.
How dangerous is idolatry. When God says, "Thou shalt not make unto thee
any graven image," etc., He means that we should not only avoid kneeling
to them, but we should worship Him alone, and come to Him through the
_only mediator between God and man_--the man Christ Jesus. How explicit
are the words of the beloved John: "Little children, keep yourselves
from idols." (1 John, v. 21.) She seemed to realize the importance of
speaking of _Jesus only_.
There is an alarming and increasing propensity in religious circles, to
look with leniency on the worship of saints, angels, martyrs, and the
Virgin, but the Master himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the
life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me." Pure worship is
spiritual, not æsthetical; hence the use of all pictures, crucifixes,
and figureheads of apostles and saints dishonors Christ.
* * * * * *
In August, 1875, Mrs. Knowles writes: "Among many discouragements, I
meet with enough to cheer me on my way, and induce me to feel that my
labor is not all in vain.
"Among other incidents, I will mention the case of a family I have
referred to before, as having visited. The mother received me very
kindly. She had four children, and as I was speaking to them of Jesus
while the little ones gathered around me, the father came in, a very
rough-looking man, and at the time apparently under the influence of
liquor. The mother and children looked at me, and a feeling of sadness
was visible on their faces. I spoke to him of his family, but he said
little, and I then knelt and prayed with them. I asked if they had a
Bible. He said 'No,' and they had not much time to read. I then asked
him if he would like to have one. He said he would, as 'it was a good
thing to have one in the house.'
"I took them one in the course of a day or two, and he has been led to
read it daily; the mother and children also read it, and a few nights
since he signed the temperance pledge. He said to me lately, while
visiting him: 'No more pennies for rum; those pennies will go toward the
support of my wife and children.' He now attends _evening_ church,
feeling his clothing is not good enough to go by daylight. He has told
me, although they are very poor, he was never as happy as now. He has
not yet been able to procure steady employment, so I help them as I can.
"I have been helped on to perseverance in my work by what was told me
by one I visited. In speaking of herself, she said she owed much to the
efforts of a home missionary, who not only sought her out, but followed
her up; and although she often neglected her duty, and stayed away from
the preaching, he was so persevering and diligent in his efforts to win
her, he at length succeeded, and she is now truly a Christian. A severe
trial has lately come upon her: her son, a boy of ten years, has been
killed by falling from a house. He lived but a short time after the
accident; and as I stood by her at the side of the remains of her
departed child, she was calm and resigned, telling me _the Lord was
helping her_.
"I have been visiting at the hospitals much of late, where I have
procured places for my sick, of whom there have been many this season.
I have also assisted some, and procured work for others; have also
distributed several Bibles, for which some have promised to pay as they
are able. My Superintendent and Pastor are both kind in aiding me; for
while I can truly say, 'of myself I can do nothing,' I can also, I
hope, add, 'I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth me.'"
* * * * * *
We cannot leave this part of the record of the Lord's work without
observing her strong attachment to the children. In this she was very
judicious. What momentous issues are at stake during early childhood.
It is doubtless true that Christ meant to teach a practical lesson with
reference to our tender watch-care of the little ones during His third
brief interview with His disciples, after His resurrection. We read:
"So, when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of
Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith to him, yea, Lord; thou
knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
"He saith unto him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me? He saith unto him, yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou
me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest
that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
Amid such a scene so truthfully depicted in the above narrative, we
behold the insecurity of the children. What a sad sight. An intemperate
father and no Bible in the house. What a statement in this land of
Bibles! Oh, what fearful consequences hang upon the conduct of parents.
What would become of the masses in the lower part of the city, were it
not for our truly devoted Bible women? What victories for Christ and
His Church have been achieved--who can tell?
The cheering light that dawned upon the deeply bereaved mother when her
boy was killed, is beheld as we, in imagination, take our stand by the
bedside with them, and hear that sorrow-stricken mother exclaiming,
"_that the Lord was helping her_." This is a striking proof that He who
comforted Martha and Mary, at Bethany, was in that tenement-house,
saying once again, "I am the resurrection and the life, he that
believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live." Yes, helping
her to look beyond this vale of tears, and say even amid the loss of her
darling boy, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." Surely the
language of Job must have been experienced on an occasion like the
above. "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw
me, it gave witness to me: Because I delivered the poor that cried, and
the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him
that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to
sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was
as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the
lame."--Job xxix. 11-15.
There is a very comforting reflection for bereaved parents in Dr.
Payson's "Comparison of Departed Children to Jewels." To a mother
mourning the death of a child, he said:
"Suppose, now, some one was making a beautiful crown for you to wear,
and you knew it was for you, and that you were to receive it and wear it
as soon as it should be done. Now, if the maker of it were to come, and
in order to make the crown more beautiful and splendid, were to take
some of _your jewels_ to put into it, should you be sorrowful and
unhappy because they were taken away for a little while, when you knew
they were gone to make up your crown?"
In endeavoring humbly to interpret the language of the deceased, and, at
the same time, call attention to her superior magnanimity of heart, I
would not for a moment dare to make it appear that I was compromising
human merit with the free, rich grace of our Heavenly Father, so richly
displayed in His imparted _power_ to His children, enabling them to do
valiantly in the salvation of souls. This power is the presence of the
Holy Spirit in the heart. Just listen to the closing sentence of the
last paragraph: "_I can truly say of myself I can do nothing!_" though
I can also, I hope, add, "_I can do all things through Christ who
strengtheneth me_." Ah! here is the secret of distinguished merit in the
great conflict against all the forms of evil in the world. The
instruction to the disciples were to tarry until they received this
Divine strength. Tarry, how? Well, let us read the record:
"To whom also He shewed himself alive after his passion by many
infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the
things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together
with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem,
but wait for the promise of the Father, which, sayeth he, ye have heard
of me. _For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized
with the Holy Ghost not many days hence._ When they therefore were come
together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time
restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, 'It is not
for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in
his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is
come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and
in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.'
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up;
and a cloud received him out of their sight."--Acts i. 3-9.
CHAPTER XXVI.
PEACE THROUGH BELIEVING.
Oh, the unsearchable riches of Christ!
Wealth that can never be told;--
Riches exhaustless of mercy and grace,
Precious, more precious than gold!
At the sixty-eighth annual meeting of the New York Female Auxiliary
Bible Society, the Rev. Dr. William M. Taylor, in his earnest masterly
address on the occasion, happily said:
"In the prosecution of the excavations at Pompeii, the workmen laid
bare an ancient spring, the water of which, as soon as it was set free,
flowed forth as copiously as ever, and carried refreshment with it
wherever it went. For centuries it had been buried beneath the ashes of
the volcano, but the moment it was again uncovered, it sent out its
stream of blessing with all its pristine fulness and wholesome
influence.
"Something like that was the work which Martin Luther did for the
fountain of truth in the Sacred Scriptures. For many generations that
had been virtually stopped up by the rubbish of tradition and entombed
beneath the weight of authority, but by his sturdy strength, his steady
persistence and his dauntless courage, he dug it clear again; and it
became once more, as at the first, the well-head of the river of
progress among the nations."
What was said of the great German Reformer can be truthfully applied to
this humble mother in Israel.
At the above meeting it was stated that this Missionary woman in her
advanced age made four hundred and forty visits in two months, she had
read the Scriptures in many homes, prayed with a large number, comforted
dying believers with Christian song, administered first aid to the
injured; thus bringing into practical use the instructions _she_ had
received, and receiving the commendations of physicians, distributed
religious reading, and suspended the "Words of Life" in the rooms of the
sick. Streams from this uncovered fountain of truth are turned by the
cheerful, willing, working hands, heads, and hearts of our Bible women
into human habitations in this city, where degradation, poverty,
drunkenness, vice, and squalor sink the inmates to the level of brutes.
The cleansing waters, as if by magic, convert these dark places into
homes of joy and brightness, sobriety, industry, cleanliness, and
godliness.
The effulgence born of the lustre of Christ drives out the darkness of
sin and sorrow, and the thoughts of regenerated souls are indeed
carried upward to the throne of God. All sorts and conditions of men,
all varieties of human life, find their adaptation in the religion of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
Later on she writes: "During the month of January, 1876, I have been
greatly encouraged in various ways. Knowing how many were the wants,
and how small the means for supplying them during the present winter, I
called on my old friend, Mr. M., at his place of business, and telling
him how low our funds were, as he always took an interest in our work,
he gave me twenty dollars for the Society. Much encouragement has also
been afforded me by seeing some, among whom I have been laboring for
years, brought to Christ, and those of whom I had the least hope, now
testifying their love for the Saviour. It is not more than three or
four weeks since they began to attend church, and since then it is
surprising to witness the change. They have risen in the prayer-meeting
and told what the Lord had done for their souls.
"One of those women, when I visited her, told me when I asked her to
attend church, that the devil was her best friend; he helped her out of
all her difficulties, by lying and cheating, and she intended to give
herself entirely to him. Such an expression falling from the lips of
any one, but especially from one for whom I have been watching and
praying for years, rendered me almost speechless; but I kissed her, and
saying there would be no use in my calling on her again, as she had
settled in indifference, I left her. In a few days she sent for me, and
I had another interview with her, which resulted in a promise, on her
part, to attend church. She did not do so for some weeks. A noon-day
prayer-meeting was then established in our church, and I invited her
there. In a few days she came, and since then has been attending both
noon and evening meetings, and coming to church. She has risen to ask
prayers for herself, her husband, and children, and a dear old mother,
nearly eighty years of age, still out of the ark of safety.
"Last Sabbath morning, upon entering the church, and seeing a stranger
in my pew, I could not express the feeling of joy that filled my soul,
upon discovering this was the same woman, now come to the house of God,
having exchanged masters, and forsaken the territory of Satan, anxious
to become the servant of Christ, and receive the gift of God which is
eternal life, instead of the wages of sin, which is death; and which, a
short time since, she avowed herself determined to secure.
"Another woman with whom I had talked about the sin of her encouraging
a love for dress and pleasure in her young daughter, acknowledged the
truth of what I said, and has since attended church, and undoubtedly
been brought to Christ. Her husband, also, who had not set his foot in
a church for fifteen years, but spent all his leisure time in a liquor
store, and associated with a rough class of men, according to his own
statements concerning himself, believes he has found the Saviour, and
attends the meetings regularly. A few evenings since he told me he had
to watch himself very closely, as he had become habituated to profane
swearing. The change that has been made in him is remarkable. It
appears clear to my mind that nothing but a Divine power could have
effected it.
"Another case is that of a young girl who was brought to the meeting by
her mother. She is so impressed herself, that her great concern is for
others with whom she has been associated, to induce them to attend, the
language of her heart being, 'Come with us, and we will do thee good,
for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel.'
"There is a great outpouring of the Spirit in our midst; we have
unmistakable evidence of it. We have but to 'open our mouths wide that
we may be filled with it.' All are ready to hear and learn, and we are
in every way encouraged to labor on with our whole hearts, knowing that
if we are strong, and of good courage, God will not fail in the
performance of His promises.
"Our sewing-school is also improving; the children in good behavior;
the mothers are asking, in many cases, for Bibles, while the
Sunday-school is filling up so fast, we cannot get a sufficient number
of teachers.
"There are many cases of sickness in my district, and a great deal of
distress, occasioned by want of work.
"I made about one hundred and sixty visits during the month, and sold
but one Bible."
* * * * * *
Her gratitude, when any kind-hearted friend like the above gave of
their substance, to carry on the Lord's work, was unbounded. Also, when
those among whom she labored for years were brought to confess Christ,
by testifying at the meetings. Oh! how true are the words of Malachi:
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the
Lord hearkened, and heard it: and a book of remembrance was written
before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his
name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when
I make up my jewels."
No spot on earth was so dear to her heart as the house of God, hence the
expression: "_I could not express the feeling_ of joy that filled my
soul upon discovering this was the same woman, now come to the house of
God, having exchanged masters." She evidently entered into the feelings
of David when he said of the Church, as the recognized holy spouse of
God: "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth,
yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh
crieth out for the living God."
Her practical piety is continually manifested, not only by her
strenuous exertions to save souls, but in the recognition of Divine
power in the execution. She says, "The change is remarkable. It appears
clear to my mind that nothing but Divine power could have effected it."
The doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is here brought to
our view, strongly reminding us that it is not by might, nor by power,
but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
CHAPTER XXVII.
DRAWN BY THE CORDS OF LOVE.
Blest Saviour, slain for me,
In grateful love to Thee
The cross I bear;
Thou didst for me endure,
My pardon to insure,
And thus for me secure
A Crown to wear.
"One poor woman," she writes, "asked me to call and see her, as she
wished to tell me her troubles. She said she was afraid to believe that
God loved her. I have seldom seen any one in such ecstacy as she, when
she was told that God loves her with an everlasting love, and that she
need not be afraid to trust Him, as the more she rejoices in Him, the
more she would glorify Him."
The earnest desire of Paul for the Church at Colosse was: "That their
hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all
riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of
the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
* * * * * *
GRATEFUL OFFERING OF A SAVED SOUL.
She writes again thus: "One woman, to whom I took a Bible, said to me,
'_If it had not been for you I should have died in ignorance_.' Although
she is poor, two Sabbaths since when a collection was taken, she put
down her name for two dollars. She says, 'she can never thank the Lord
enough for bringing her out of darkness into light.'
"I visit a woman who endures great agony from cancer. She lives alone,
in a tenement house, poor and friendless, having been driven from her
home by her relatives because she has become a Protestant. But she has
a firm trust in God, and it is indeed wonderful to see how she is
supported amid terrible sufferings. She cannot read, having never
learned, but says, 'I thank God that He sends His servants to read the
Bible to such as I.'"
* * * * * *
What a picture of all that is conceivable of human suffering. Alone,
poor, persecuted, yet thankful and trustful. Oh! How amazing is God's
grace.
Oh, yes, to the uttermost Jesus is able
To save the poor sinner who cometh to Him;
His word is most sure, and His promise is stable:
Though feeble thy trust and thy faith very dim,
Yet listen again to the soul-cheering sound,
Our Jesus can save to the uttermost bound.
Did I hear some one say, "But what of to-morrow,
For my foes are so strong, and I'm sinful indeed?"
He is able to save to the end of the journey--
To the uttermost bound of thy uttermost need.
That same Jesus who died for us now ever lives,
And as mightily saves as He freely forgives.
* * * * * *
WORK AMONG THE JEWS.
"Though laboring to bring souls to Christ, of any nation, my chief
interest and work is among the Jews.
"I called upon a family of very religious Jews. I talked with them of
Christ as the true Messiah and of His sacrifice for our sins. I saw
that they had the Old and New Testament, given them by a Christian
lady. They said they often read it together, and I could not but think
that the good seed was sown in their hearts.
"I am often discouraged by the opposition of one member of a family. A
child who goes to Sunday-school is kept away by an unbelieving father,
just as the truth has found a lodgement in her heart; but, again, my
heart is filled with joy when I find that my labor has not been in
vain. Such was the case in a family where I have prayed, and conversed
often about their souls' salvation. The mother, a Jewess by birth, had
changed her Jewish religion some time ago. But her heart remained
untouched. I endeavored to make her understand what a change of heart
is, and persuaded her to go with me to a German church. Some weeks
after the father spoke of his faith in Christ, and a week since his
wife also gave evidence of being a Christian woman. During the month of
March I visited a poor woman who had had great sorrows. She asked me
for a Bible, for which she was most thankful. Her husband, a Catholic,
now reads it with her, and shows by his greater kindness to her its
blessed effect. What a blessing, indeed, is this holy book in these
poor homes?"
* * * * * *
ANOTHER YOUNG JEWESS BROUGHT TO CHRIST.
"A young Jewess, who had found and believed in Jesus as her Saviour,
wanted to unite with a Christian church, but her aged mother would not
allow it. I encouraged her to pray for her mother, and one day calling
to see her, I found she had now no objection to her daughter doing as
she wished. I have had many conversations with Jews, and have often
been allowed to read the Bible to them."
* * * * * *
It is certainly very encouraging to read how intensely interested she
was in the conversion of the Hebrew people. We cannot wonder at this
when we consider that they were the chosen people of God; and also to
those who are in the habit of prayerfully consulting their Bibles,
especially the prophecies pertaining to the Messiah, as they behold
them literally fulfilled, not only as to the time and place of His
birth, but His person, life, miracles, death, resurrection, and
ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.
"He surely came unto His own and His own received Him not, but to as
many as received Him them gave He power to become the Sons of God, even
to those who believed in His name."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
LOVE FOR THE HEBREWS.
A weeping sinner kneels,
The chains of death are broken,
And soon his glad heart feels
The Saviour's welcome spoken.
Christ said, "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees." She seemed to hate
everything that looked like spiritual pride, or idolatry, or
worldliness. Hence her sternness and courage in watching for sin in
herself or others was marked. The language of Jesus ever sounded in her
ears: "Take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day
come on you suddenly as a snare: for _so_ shall it come upon all them
that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season,
making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that
shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
She felt also that God was no respecter of persons, and her great
ambition on this account was to try and save the Hebrew people from
their vain delusions that they were still the chosen people of God,
notwithstanding their rejection of the Messiah.
This is evident from the following conversation with a Jewish woman
about God's Word.
"Visiting another Jewish woman, she asked me to sit down, and soon we
were in earnest conversation about the Bible, and her soul's salvation.
After hearing me read some passages, she said, 'We Jews must all be
wrong if you are right.' I told her it was not my word, but the Word of
God. I begged her to search the Scriptures for herself, and left with
her a tract relating to Christ, written by a Jew. She asked to have a
Bible, which I carried to her. Again we conversed on this great
subject. She liked the tract, and had lent it to several of her
friends. She said she would read the Bible with prayer, and if she was
wrong, the Lord would open her eyes. During these four months I have
made over one thousand visits, distributed many tracts and given away
eight Bibles, besides taking several children to the Sunday-school, and
using the Mission funds in assisting the poor.
"There has been a great deal of sickness this summer, especially among
the children. But I have been enabled to do some good by taking these
little ones and their mothers into the country. Among them were several
Roman Catholic families. They expressed surprise that we should do so
much for them, saying, 'It was more than their own people would do for
them.' In visiting one of these women soon after, she said her husband
had told her she had better take my advice and read the Bible. He said
she had better have one, for it could do her no harm. I took her the
Gospel of Matthew, which she has been reading attentively, and her
children learning verses by heart. She gave me fifty cents, asking if
that would be enough to buy a Bible.
"To several Catholic families I have lent Bibles, and they now wish to
purchase them, paying for them in small sums, as they are able. One
man, who has led a very wicked life and abused his family, is now so
changed that when he comes home he asks his children to read to him. He
does not go to church, but says he does not know why his people are not
allowed to read the Bible.
"A poor woman to whom I gave a Bible handed me one dollar, saying she
wished she was able to give more, as it had been such a blessing to her
in her sickness and poverty. I have been much encouraged by the
gratitude expressed for my reading the Scriptures in some families. A
Catholic woman was in great distress for her husband. She begged me to
pray for him, and calling her five children about her, we knelt in
prayer.
"I have a mothers' meeting at my house, at which several women have
desired prayers for their husbands. Visiting in a house where were some
Jewish families, I asked if they would allow me to pray with them. They
said they would not dare to kneel, but would stand and listen. On my
leaving them, they shook my hand, with tears in their eyes, and said
they liked to hear my prayer. Another Jewess said she would be sorry if
she thought we would not meet in heaven. I begged her to pray God to
show her the true way, and read to her in Isaiah the prophecies
concerning the Messiah. She, too, promised to think, and pray for
light.
"I have good hopes of several intemperate persons. They have abstained
from drinking for several weeks, one has joined the Temperance Society,
and another has promised to drink no more. They asked for a Bible,
which I took to them. We have opened our Sewing-school again, and have
the hope of accomplishing much good this winter among the children."
* * * * * *
GLADNESS IN COMING TO THE HOUSE OF GOD.
She continues to write thus: "Some of the women who attend my mother's
meeting have never attended any place of worship, and it is encouraging
to hear them speak of reading the Scriptures, which they have never
done before, and of the pleasure they take in going to the House of
God, and in listening to His Word.
"A Jewess, to whom I spoke of the Saviour, said, 'Your religion must be
very comforting, when you have something to rest upon. I would like to
go to your church, and hear about your Saviour.'
"I found a family where the mother was sick; the father without work,
and four children to be fed. I obtained assistance for them, and after
doing what I could to make them comfortable, I read a portion of
Scripture to them. As the woman lay listening, the father came into the
room and said, 'You are reading the Bible; it is a good book; my
children love to hear it; they learn in the Sabbath-school what will do
them good, but the times are hard; I can get no work, and everything
seems dark.' His wife said, 'God has sent us help just when we needed
it the most.' I urged him to trust in our Heavenly Father, and pray to
Him; he said, 'I will try.'"
Why not? for
E'en the hour that darkest seemeth
Will His changeless goodness prove;
From the gloom His mercy streameth;
God is wisdom, God is love.
The shadows of earth are immediately dispelled when we trust God, for
He says, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee and
thou shalt glorify Me." This passage has been the cup of great blessing
to many a benighted soul.
* * * * * *
She writes: "In another family, the kindness shown has led the father
(who has also been ill) to think seriously of religion, and resolve on
leading a new life.
"One poor woman, to whom I had given a Bible, said to me, a few days
since, that she wanted to 'pay something for her Bible,' it had been
such a comfort to her in her lonely hours. She said she had never read
so much of the Scriptures before, nor found so much comfort from
reading them, as during the last few weeks; and now she wished me take
ten cents as part payment; she had been keeping it for me, and would
add more soon, as she wanted to give me fifty cents. She was living
alone; her husband dead; her son, having married recently, had left
her, but gives a little toward her support. She was also made happy by
some addition for Thanksgiving.
"My visits among the children of the Sewing-school are also productive
of good. One little girl whom I brought to Sabbath-school for the first
time, induced her mother to come to church, where she was enough
pleased to desire to come again. This family have usually spent their
Sabbaths in reading stories in the newspapers, as is the case with many
others from which we have gathered the children, and when they say at
parting, 'Do come and see my mother,' I feel here is a wide field of
usefulness opening before us, inviting us to enter in and work for the
Master."
CHAPTER XXIX.
THANKFULNESS TO GOD.
He is a whole Christ--He is a full Saviour!
He saves to the uttermost all who believe;
His arms of compassion are ever extended,
The contrite and penitent souls to receive.
St. Augustine says: "The Kingdom of Light was from its very
commencement assailed by the Kingdom of Darkness." But, notwithstanding
the opposition of Satan, and the strong prejudices of his ancient
people, how encouraging to read the following narrative from her pen:
"I have been able to supply the immediate necessities of some poor
families, and it encourages my heart to see their gratitude for what is
done for them, but, above all, for their joy at receiving the 'Word of
God,' and knowing that it was their own. From four persons I have
received payment for the Bibles, who were anxious to receive them, and
who read them daily. I have met with some success among the Jews. A
Jewish girl who has been in my Sewing-school is very happy to be there,
and says that now her father does not forbid her to read the Bible or
attend Sunday-school. A young girl who attends the meeting which I hold
in my house has joined the church in Allen Street, and is so much in
earnest that she is trying to induce others to follow her example. I am
thankful that my efforts for the young have not been without results."
Why? we ask; because He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him
up for us all, how will He not with Him also _freely give us_ all
things.
"I have had much encouragement," she continues, "in my labors during
the summer. Visiting at the Hahnemann Hospital, I have become much
interested in some of the patients. They ask me to sit down and talk to
them, and I then point them to Jesus as the best Physician for soul as
well as body. I have been kindly received by Roman Catholics, and have
loaned Bibles to some of them, and some have kept them and paid for
them.
"During the months of July and August, I have found many sick, in
assisting whom I have been aided by the Flower Mission.
"I see a great change in families where the Bible is being read. One
little girl says, 'I read the Bible every day, and so do my father and
mother. Now they do not work on Sunday, as they used to do, but go to
church, and read God's Word.'
"My own church has been closed a part of the summer, but the
prayer-meeting has been well attended, and there has been much interest
evinced. A man who was a drunkard for many years, has given up his bad
habits and is now the support and comfort of his family. I gave him a
Bible, which he reads, and he seems to be a truly converted man. I have
sold several Bibles, as well as given several away."
At one time coming in contact with a very serious case of hardship, she
wrote concerning it, "Formerly the mother depended upon the daughter
for support, but she has lately been obliged to stay at home, and take
care of her mother; and in consequence of this, they have both
suffered, as they belong to that class who are unwilling to make their
wants known.
"I asked if they had attended any place of worship. The mother said she
had been a member of a Protestant church in Troy, but since she came to
New York, and her circumstances had changed, not having clothing to
make a decent appearance, she had not been to church. She added: 'I
must say, it was pride, but I could not overcome it. Now I know and
feel that I did wrong.'
"She is now more comfortable; for I have been able to get her some
little delicacies, which she suffered greatly from the need of.
"It is a great satisfaction to us, when we meet with so many cases of
want and suffering, to give some relief, however small, but the anxiety
and labor that have often to be borne to succeed in the work is great.
I often think that if those who employ us to go forth with the Word of
Life in our hands could see us engaged in our work, giving consolation
and encouragement to the poor and destitute, the sick and dying, and as
far as in our power relieving their wants, they would feel abundantly
rewarded for the good and honorable work in which they are engaged.
"Every month I feel more and more the greatness of the work, and the
necessity of laboring with earnestness, in order to compel them to come
in, that the Lord's house may be filled, and that jewels may be
gathered for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I have brought a
number of children into Sabbath-schools, and have induced several to
attend church, and feel that my labors have been abundantly blessed,
and that during the last month I have been much encouraged.
"I have succeeded in getting five tons of coal for my poor, besides
groceries, etc. Have sold three Bibles, and given one away."
CHAPTER XXX.
LOST, BUT FOUND.
Love of Christ, amazing love!
Vast as His eternity;
Theme of angel choirs above,
Theme of souls redeemed like me!
Outward to creation's bound,
Up to Heaven's serenest height,
Universal space around,
Swells the chorus day and night.
Here she writes about a woman whom she visited several years ago, and
who attended her meetings: "I lost sight of her for seven or eight
years. She moved away from the city. One day recently I was sent for by
a sick woman; I found it to be Mrs. V., who had returned. I read,
prayed, and visited her until she died, believing in Jesus." Here she
reports the conversion of several others whom she has visited and
brought out to religious services.
An unknown Christian lady writes thus: "Mrs. Knowles has great success
in her work, reading God's Word, and leaving the Bible to be read by
those whom she visits, when not able to purchase a Bible; one is given
in some instances; even the poorest will pay a small sum. A great
change is noticeable after the Bible is read with real interest--cleaner
children, better-dressed men and women, and a desire to hear the Gospel."
Why this marvellous success? What brought about this personal
reformation in the habits and character of parents and children? There
are two reasons for this great change, namely: 1. Contact with God's
Word. 2. Contact with a soul set on fire with the love of Christ. Oh!
the tremendous power there is in divinely implanted affection when it
is beautifully blended in a human heart. Sir Walter Scott says:
Love rules the court, the camp, the grove,
And men below, and saints above;
For love is Heaven, and Heaven is love!
* * * * * *
CONSOLATION AMID DOMESTIC DIFFICULTIES.
When we remember that we are penning for publication only a few stray
gleanings from the multiplicity of instances of conversion, the reader,
we trust, will behold the variety of cases recorded, and we sincerely
hope the Christian worker will utilize them for practical purposes.
Some one has said that Paul's favorite illustrations by images are
drawn, not from the operations and uniform phenomena of the natural
world, but from the activities and outward exhibition of human society,
from the lives of soldiers, from the lives of slaves, from the market,
from athletic exercises, from agriculture, from architecture.
At this time she again writes: "I visited a family where the mother was
a Christian, and the father a Jew. The father being sick for two years
past, and unable to support his wife and four children, has gone to his
own people. The eldest girl is a member of my Sunday-school class. The
mother told me one day, as I was speaking to her of the Bible, that she
had not seen or read one since she was married; 'but,' said she, 'since
Amelia has been in your class, she has repeated the lessons she has
learned at home, and I am longing for a Bible.' I gave her one given me
for my Jewish children. She thanked me heartily, and now reads it every
day with her children. One Sunday morning her husband came in to see
them, and found her reading aloud to the children from the Bible. He
asked her what she was reading. She told him it was the Bible, and how
she had got it, and that the children went to Sunday-school, and that
she went to church. He was not pleased, but could say nothing, as he
does not live with or support his family. This poor woman was deeply
convicted of sin, and was earnestly seeking for forgiveness and peace,
and peace has come to her son through humble trust in the Saviour of
sinners. Thus the Lord is prospering our labors, and the meetings begun
in trembling, have been blessed to some souls."
It seems her source of unalloyed happiness was in watching for souls,
at morning, noon, and night. Her prayers were perfumed with sighs, and
cries, and tears for the impenitent. She was one of those so
graphically described by Jeremiah: "They say to their mothers where is
corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the
city, when their soul was poured out into their mother's bosom. What
thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to
thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may
comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like
the sea: who can heal thee."--Lam. ii. 12-13.
Long they sat beneath the shadow,
And the gloom of moral night,
Waiting only for the dawning
Of the promised heavenly light.
But they've heard the glorious Gospel,
Of salvation full and free,
Now they read the "Blessed Bible,"
They are coming, Lord, to Thee.
Hasten, Lord, the coming morning
Of the bright, millennial day,--
And may we who love the Saviour
Labor to extend His sway,
Until every ransomed being,
On the land and on the sea,
Shall unite in one grand chorus,
"We are coming, Lord, to Thee."
* * * * * *
THE FORTUNE TELLER.
"During the last two months I have met with several interesting cases.
One Jewish woman whom I visited was always pleased when I told her of
my interest for her people. Being poor and in delicate health, she
could do but little for her own support, and I learned had resorted to
telling fortunes. I showed her that this was wrong, and that God would
not bless her, as it did not agree with His Word. She said, 'I have
often thought it might be wrong, but I am now convinced of it; but what
shall I do for my living?' I directed her to prayer for guidance, and
assured her that those who put their trust in the Lord would be taken
care of. She has since been to our meeting and requests to have a
Bible.
"I visited another woman, whose husband is a Catholic. Her three
children are in my Sunday-school class, and I am much interested in
them. The mother came to the German church, and I gave her a German
Bible, as she never had one. Calling one day, I found her in great
trouble. She said: 'Oh, Mrs. Knowles, I have been praying for you, and
the Lord has sent you. I read and prayed with her, directing her to the
Friend of sinners for peace. I think she became a true Christian, and
soon she wished to unite with the church. Her husband, however, opposed
it, and threatened to take away the children from her. He did so, and
sent them to the Catholic Sunday-school. But the seed is sown in their
young hearts, and they say to their mother, 'We will never turn to the
Catholics.'"
To such as are sorely tried in their households, how comforting are the
words of the Apostle: "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the
people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth
therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. For here
have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By Him therefore
let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the
fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But to do good, and to
communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
She adds: "During these months I have met with much poverty and
sickness. One would almost think it would diminish at this season, but,
on the contrary, it is rather worse. I met with a family who had been
in the country but two months. The father was a salesman in Germany,
and can get no employment in this country. They had nothing to eat in
their house, but the Lord opened a way, so that something was provided
for them. I read the Scriptures and prayed with them, and the wife
expressed a longing to go to a German church. I took her to church, and
gave her a Bible."
* * * * * *
A JEWESS FINDS THE MESSIAH.
"A poor Jewess, whose husband has been in the Insane Asylum for nearly
two years, finds it hard to support her family by peddling. Calling one
day, I found her going out without any shoes on her feet, and her
health very poor. I bought her a pair of shoes, for which she was very
thankful, and pointed her to Christ as her true friend in time of need.
She reads the Bible, and believes He is the Messiah."
"Another Roman Catholic woman, whom I have been visiting for some time,
continues to attend church regularly."
CHAPTER XXXI.
SEA-SIDE EXCURSIONS FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN.
Sure he, to whom, of mind or hand belongs
Some craft that doth uplift the thought of men
Above the mold, and bring to human ken
The joys of radiance, air and clear bird-songs;
So that the brow, o'er moist with sullen toil,
May catch a breeze from far-off Paradise;
So that the soul may, for a moment, rise
Up from the stoop and cramp of daily moil--
May own his gift Divine! as sure may trace
Its Source, as that of waters kind hands hold
To thirsty lips; nor need he mourn (since grace
Of his hath such refreshment wrought) if gold
Be scant; to him hath richer boon been given
An earth-bowed head to raise the nearer heaven.
There is no sight more truly gladdening to the heart of the
philanthropist than to behold the large barges, built after the model
of Noah's Ark, gliding swiftly through the beautiful waters of New York
Bay, heavily laden with the news-boys, working-girls, or poor mothers
and children of the city. Thanks to the New York Press, and the
contributors to the Fresh Air Fund, for thus giving the multitudes of
children, that are thickly huddled together in our tenement-houses, an
opportunity of inhaling pure air.
One of the pioneers in this good work was the New York _Times_. In 1872,
that paper started the "_Times'_ Excursion for Poor Children;" ay, and
for poor adults, too. The public nobly responded to the _Times'_ appeal,
sending in about $20,000. During the sweltering summer of that year, the
_Times'_ people carried to shady groves and seasides tens of thousands
of children who, for the first time, saw running streams and green
fields. No one can estimate the good done, the lives saved, and the
hours of happiness secured to young and old who have so few happy hours.
Not the least was that of softening hearts and opening purses.
In this noble work we find our deceased friend earnestly engaged
instead of taking a vacation in the hot summer months. In her diary we
find the following concerning one of these summer seasons:
"It has been a great privilege, during the summer months, to be
able to make so many poor mother's happy, by taking them and their
children to the sea-side for bathing and country air. There has
been much sickness in the tenement-houses. It is, indeed,
distressing often to see two sick in one bed, the others nearly
ready to be there, and the poor mothers, with but little means,
scarcely able to do their work and take care of the sick ones.
"It is then a happiness to obtain for them a little nourishment,
and to give them words of sympathy and encouragement. Many are
Roman Catholics, who seem surprised that I should take any interest
in them, as they said it was more than their own people will do.
"A poor woman whom I visited, said: 'I will never again think that
Protestants cannot be saved, as I have been taught; and since I
have read the Bible, I intend to go to a Protestant church and hear
for myself.'
"The Catholics say to me, 'How different your prayers are from
ours. Why do you not pray to the Blessed Virgin?' I tell them that
we only pray to the Lord Jesus Christ, as He is the only Saviour.
While visiting lately in some wretched houses of infamy and talking
to the poor women, they would shed tears, and say that they would
like to live different lives, but it is so hard to begin to do
better. It is surprising to see with what attention they listen to
the words of Scripture and promise to read the Bible themselves."
* * * * * *
A WONDERFUL WORK.
Still continuing the record of her work, she writes: "During last month
I made two hundred and fifty visits, read the Scriptures as often as I
had the opportunity; have given two Bibles to persons who were too poor
to pay for them, and sold one.
"Several Roman Catholic women have asked for Bibles, and are reading
them with pleasure. One woman, whose husband called her a 'turn-coat,'
said she did not care for that, but that nothing should persuade her to
give up her Bible.
"I have induced several persons to attend church, and have taken
children to the Sabbath-school, thus trying to sow the seed, and
looking to God for His blessing.
"A poor man, ill with consumption, is one whom I visit often. I have
aided his family with coal, and also in buying food and nourishment for
himself. He reads a Bible that I gave him every day, and when his
children come from school he gets them to read to him. He says: 'If I
had been a better man; had read my Bible and taken care of my health, I
might have been different, but now I am trusting in the Lord that He
will forgive and accept me, and that is my only hope. I tell my wife
that when I am gone she must never give up the Bible, but read it every
day with her children.'"
We must ever remember, dear reader, that the unfolding of the _Gospel of
Christ_ is the _power of God unto salvation to everyone who believeth_.
What a tremendous power was manifested by the preaching of the Gospel to
the savages of North America, in 1743. Mr. Brainerd, in his journal,
gives an instance of the effects which followed the preaching of the
Word of God. "There was much concern," says he, "among them while I was
discoursing publicly; but afterward, when I spoke to one and another
whom I perceived more particularly under concern, the power of God
seemed to descend upon the assembly, 'like a mighty rushing wind,' and
with an astonishing energy bore down all before it.
"I stood amazed at the influence that seized upon the audience almost
universally. Almost all persons of all ages, were bowed down together.
Old men and women, who had been drunken wretches for many years, and
some little children, not more than six or seven years of age, appeared
in distress for their souls, as well as persons of middle age. These
were almost universally praying and crying for mercy in every part of
the house, and many out of doors, and numbers could neither go nor
stand; their concern was so great, each for himself, that none seemed
to take any notice of those about them, but each prayed for himself.
Methought this had a near resemblance to the day of God's power,
mentioned Josh. x. 14; for I must say, I never saw any day like it in
all respects; it was a day wherein the Lord did much to destroy the
kingdom of darkness among this people." A church was soon afterward
gathered among these poor pagans; and such was the change effected
among them, that many exclaimed with astonishment, "What hath God
wrought?"
He spent whole days in fasting and prayer, that God would prepare him
for his great work; and, indeed, throughout his whole life he was truly
a "man of prayer," lifting up his heart to God on all occasions,
frequently spending whole days in prayer and meditation in the fields
and woods desiring holiness of heart far above every other object.
Mr. Brainerd was sent by the Society for the Propagation of Christian
Knowledge to the Indians at Kaunaumeek, a place in the woods between
Stockbridge and Albany. In this lonely place he continued and endured
many hardships and privations.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE INTEMPERATE WIFE.
If you cannot cross the ocean,
And the heathen lands explore,
You can find the heathen nearer,
You can help them at your door.
If you cannot give your thousands,
You can give the widow's mite,
And the least you give for Jesus
Will be precious in His sight.
In March, 1880, she writes: "I have had much encouragement in my work
during the past month. In a family where I had visited a long time, the
mother was much addicted to intemperance. On calling one day, I saw the
husband, who said he was glad I had come in, for he had resolved to
leave his wife; he said he could endure his life with her no longer--he
would go his way, and she must go hers. She was much distressed, and I
once more entreated her to give up the intoxicating cup and be a good
wife and mother. I then engaged in prayer, beseeching the Lord to enable
her to resist this dreadful appetite. Her husband stood by and said:
"'Now, Mary, you have your choice: either to follow the advice of this
kind friend, or to separate from me forever.'
"She then and there made her decision, and, laying her hand on the
Bible, pledged herself not to touch or taste the poison, and signed a
paper to that effect. Since then, she has attended our meetings, and
says she is happier than she has ever been.
"Some persons to whom I have given the Bible did not seem to care to
read it, but have now begun to do so, and encourage their children to
read to them. One man tells me:
"'I am scarce five minutes in the house before my little girl begins to
read to me, and it does me good.'
"A man and his wife who have attended church this winter, will soon
confess Christ. They have suffered much this season, as the father has
had but little work; but I have been able to give them some assistance.
The mother said she was thankful to the Lord for all that had been done
for them, to bring them through their difficulties--but, above all, that
she and her husband had found rest in Jesus as their Saviour and their
friend."
* * * * * *
WARMLY WELCOMED BY ALL DENOMINATIONS.
"_March, 1881._--During this month I have made many visits among
Jews and Romanists. Some who formerly opposed me are now anxious to
hear me read and pray, and urge me to come to see them often.
Several Roman Catholic families have asked for the Bible; and I have
given several copies of the New Testament, which they value very
highly, as well for themselves as for their children, whom they are
anxious should read and learn its sacred truths. One woman, whose
children had been taught verses from the New Testament, gave me
twenty-five cents to get her a Bible, saying she wondered why their
clergy forbid them reading it.
"The woman mentioned before as being intemperate seems now truly
reformed. She attends our meetings with her boy, and she and her
husband once more live happily together.
"My meeting for young girls continues with much encouragement. They
seem to take delight in reading the Scriptures, and in singing
hymns of praise. They spend the hour in sewing and reading aloud,
and they are greatly improved in deportment and character. The
little Jewish girl, to whom I gave a Testament, is never absent
from this meeting or from the Sunday-school."
What a deplorable sight--an intemperate mother! What a soul-ruinous
example to a daughter! When we consider the relation between the mother
and the child, how great are the maternal responsibilities. The mother
ought to attract the attention of the child by her love. Chilled by the
sin of intemperance, how many, alas! drag down their daughters to infamy
and a life of shame.
But, oh, what a change is wrought in this household after the dramatic
interview, when the husband threatens to leave his wife forever unless
she abandons her cups. What joy enters that family circle after the
mother's transformation. Surely this revolution in her character was not
the work either of the missionary or the person herself. It is not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according _to His mercy_
He saves us.
How sweetly Dr. Horace Bonar sings in this connection:
Thy works, not mine, O Christ,
Speak gladness to this heart;
They tell me all is done;
They bid my fear depart.
To whom, save thee,
Who can alone
For sin atone,
Lord, shall I flee?
When we contrast the previous picture with the closing paragraph of
this last account in her diary, we behold the sudden change from
sadness to sunshine.
She says, "_The young girls seem to take delight in reading the
Scriptures, and in singing hymns of praise._" This is the new song put
into the mouth of the Christian at the hour of conversion: "Happy day,
when Jesus washed my sins away."
CHAPTER XXXIII.
HER LOVE OF CHILDREN AND OF PRAYING.
He loves me now, oh, blessed thought,
He loved me when I knew Him not,
And with His blood my pardon bought,
On Calvary He died for me;
Then with such love my heart to cheer,
How can I doubt or have one fear,
Or ever think the days are drear,
With Jesus near, with Jesus near.
In 1884 she writes: "Ninety-six visits during the last month, and seven
children taken to the Sunday-school. I am everywhere received with
kindness, and especially by the children, through whom I hope to reach
the parents' hearts. I have disposed of several Bibles, for which I
have been paid; and I find there is nothing like reading some verses of
Scripture to excite the desire to possess the Book of God. I have an
interesting class of girls in my own house who study passages of
Scripture every week, and by their example and influence their parents
have been led to attend church and give their hearts to God."
* * * * * *
Oh, how few there are who would be so kind-hearted as this woman to
open their own house to impart spiritual instruction to others. We are
forcibly reminded by this gathering of girls to study God's Word, of a
graphic scene in the Acts of the Apostles: We read that, "On the
Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont
to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted
thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the
city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying,
If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house,
and abide there. And she constrained us."--Acts xvi. 13-15.
We see from the above account of her work the multiplicity of her
avocations: Tract-distribution, visiting and caring for the sick,
teaching the young, not only out of God's Book, but instructing them
how to discharge domestic duties.
Never tired, never weary,
In what she found to do--
Ever winsome, always cheery,
She knew but love for you!
Humble, patient, kindly, sincere,
She loved the Master well;
Always trying, unknown to fear,
She would His story tell!
She continues: "A short time since, on entering a house, the woman who
opened the door asked if I was a missionary. When I said 'Yes,' she
said, 'The Lord has answered my prayer. I prayed that He would send one
to me to read the Bible and pray with me.' Before, when she had been
visited, she would hide away to avoid the visitor, but now she desires
to be a Christian, and wishes some one to read and pray with her often.
She is very poor, but is now seeking the true riches. One who had been
very ill, but had recovered, gladly received a Bible, for which, though
she is very poor, she gave me fifty cents. I have met with much
encouragement in the Sabbath-school and sewing-school. Many mothers
are, through their children, interested in religion, and come gladly to
the mothers' meetings, and my earnest prayer is that the Lord will help
me in the future as He has done in the past."
Her prayerful spirit was marvellous. This was the reason why she was
able to impart such comfort and encouragement to others.
I called recently in the suburbs of the City of Brooklyn to see a
member of the Allen Street Church, and, after reading God's Word and
prayer, our conversation turned to a beautiful portrait that hung over
the mantel-piece. The lady remarked, "That is the picture of my
departed sister, who died in New York. She was faithfully visited
during her sickness by Mrs. Knowles." She continued, "I like to think
of her, because she used to tell me after she was gone, 'I pray for you
by name every day.'" Perhaps that is the reason why she comes now so
many miles through the long, dreary, stormy winter months, to teach a
class in the Allen Street Sabbath-school, and some of the scholars are
Hebrew children. This person for whom she prayed never misses any of
the services at the church.
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost have made you overseers, to feed the church of
God, which he hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that
after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not
sparing the flock."
This is the injunction of the Apostle Paul to the elders at Ephesus,
but it is exceedingly appropriate to all who are engaged in missionary
work of any kind, and it cannot be faithfully complied with unless
there is pastoral work performed from house to house. Who is sufficient
for these things?
During February and March, 1885, she again writes: "During the last two
months I have been engaged as usual in reading the Scriptures from
house to house, and wherever I have visited have been allowed to do so,
with very few exceptions. Visiting lately in a tenement house, a woman
came out, telling me that I would never go to Heaven, and using other
insulting language. I only said, 'Poor woman, I pity you.' A Catholic
woman, who heard her, asked me into her room, took me by the hand, and
with tears in her eyes expressed her sorrow that I should be treated so
ill. I told her it did not harm me as much it did themselves. I then
asked if I might pray with them, and when we arose from prayers several
of those present were in tears. 'How can you pray for one who has
abused you so?' said they. I replied that Jesus prayed for His enemies,
and we must imitate His example. One of these women came to our
mothers' meeting, and asked me for a Bible, and promises to read it."
* * * * * *
Here she complied with the command of Christ: "I say unto you, love
your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
What a wonderful exhibition we have in the above interview of the
spirit of Him who was suspended on the cross for our sins, for we read:
"That when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there
they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the
other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."
The fearful drama enacted on Golgotha excites our wonder when we behold
the amazing love of Jesus, in thus praying for His persecutors. How
true it is that He was clothed with the mock robes of royalty, that we
might be clad in His justifying righteousness; crowned with the crown
of thorns, that we might wear a crown of glory.
Flow on, thou stream; oh, ceaseless flow,
Till every child of sin and woe
Hath plunged beneath thy cleansing tide,
And found the Saviour precious.
I want to say here, that I visited a family by request a few evenings
since in the upper part of New York City. During our religious
conversation I asked the mother of the family how she was led to Christ.
Her husband, daughters, and sons were all seated around her at the time,
a happy family circle. "Well," she replied, "about twenty-three years
ago, when my children were little, Mrs. Knowles met me on the street,
coming from the store. She said, 'Excuse me, lady, will you accept a
tract?' I answered yes. 'Will you read it,' she inquired, 'if I give you
one?' I promised I would. She further asked me, 'Have you any children?'
'Yes.' 'Do they go to Sabbath-school?' 'No.' 'Will you send them if I
call for them next Lord's Day morning?' 'Yes.' She called the following
Sabbath, and asked if the children were ready. 'They are all ready,' I
said, 'but one, and her shoes are not good enough; but wait and I will
go out and buy a new pair.' 'Oh,' said Mrs. Knowles, 'never mind buying
shoes to-day, I will call next Sabbath for them.' I did not know the
reason _then_ why she would not allow me to get the shoes, but I know
_now_. She did not wish me to break the holy Sabbath day. Then she
persuaded me to attend church, until I found Jesus as my Saviour. I was
in the habit of going to her with all my trouble, and she would say,
'Oh, well, never mind, don't tell anyone but your Heavenly Father about
it.'"
CHAPTER XXXIV.
CONVERSION OF CHILDREN.
We are so helpless, Lord,
Thou art all power and might;
Our path is often drear,
Be thou our light.
We have no hope but thee;
Oh, leave us not alone,
Till life's brief day is o'er,
Still guard thine own.
Her joy in bringing children to the Sabbath-school was great, but when
she led them to Christ it was sublime. Why should she not be interested
in their early conversion, when Jesus said, "Suffer the little children
to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of
Heaven." I desire to state here, that when I was a boy, about nine
years of age, I attended a prayer-meeting between the morning and
afternoon services, led by an elder of the Relief U.P. Church,
Greenock, and was so deeply impressed with Divine truth that I gathered
my playmates together, and invited them to a meeting of my own across
the burn at the foot of grandfather's garden, near Dr. McCulloch's
established church, where we boys read God's Word in turn sang the
sweet psalms of David, and offered prayer.
Rev. E. P. Hammond is doing a grand work among children at the present
time in New York. I assisted in his meetings, and found a goodly number
of children inquiring after Jesus, and one afternoon there were a dozen
young men and women rejoicing in their sins forgiven, who had signed
the covenant.
The following letter will speak for itself regarding Mr. Hammond's work
here in this city among children, many of whom were brought to Christ:
"NEW YORK CITY, March 3, 1887.
"DEAR BROTHER YOUNG: I am engaged, night and day, holding meetings
here, I wish you could come up and attend some of the services; I
thank you for all your kind words. I am to be to-morrow at the
prayer-meeting as per bill. If you can be there I shall be glad to
see you.
"_One hundred and twenty_ here, gave their names to us yesterday,
saying they had been converted in these meetings (for the most
part). To-morrow night we go to Carle Hall. It will hold, perhaps,
three or four thousand. Pray for us.
"Yours in Jesus,
"E. P. HAMMOND."
The afternoon I visited the scene of his labors, he presented me with a
copy of his work entitled, "The Conversion of the Children," in which I
have found a very encouraging letter to workers among the little ones.
I use it here to illustrate the power of Divine grace, and to show that
wherever the effort is put forth to save the children, God blesses it.
The following letter will testify also to the power of the Gospel. It
is the production of one whom God has been graciously pleased to bless
in a marvellous manner among the young.
"GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, September, 18, 1877.
"MY DEAR MR. HAMMOND: We oftentimes remember you, though few letters
have passed between us. My daughters and myself will never forget
your visit and the time of blessing then, and they, as well as
myself, send you most hearty salutations.
"Dear brother, my thoughts on the subject of the conversion of
children are the same as when I wrote that tract you refer to.[5] I
think I agreed with you in almost every thing but one, viz.,
expressing publicly an opinion on cases. It seems to me that we
should be cautious in so doing; for children themselves mistake
_feeling_ for _faith_; how easy, then, for us who do not know the
heart, to mistake in them a manifestation of feeling for evidence of
faith.
"But in the awakening which took place under your labors here, and
in awakenings that have been given us since, the cases of young
people have been as entirely satisfactory as any cases we have had.
If conversion be God's work, in which the Holy Spirit reveals
Christ to the soul, surely His work can take place in children as
really as in the old; for it is the young soul meeting with Christ
in the one case and the adult in the other.
"One day, about the time, or perhaps after the time, you were among
us, in the vestry of my church, an old Christian woman, who had
watched the work going on, came to me and said, 'Sir, you will find
many people speaking lightly of the young who come to Christ, as if
there was nothing but feeling in their case; but never mind what
these people say. I was converted in the days of Dr. Kidd, of
Aberdeen, when I was but a child, and two others of my age were
converted at the same time; and we have all three gone on to this
day, following the Lamb.'
"The Lord blesses you amazingly. Surely you will need to 'walk
circumspectly,' 'sober, vigilant,' for Satan will not fail to watch
you, and seek to injure you, that he may injure God's work through
you. If the way be opened for your revisiting Scotland, many among
us shall rejoice.
"Meanwhile, we pray for you, and will not cease. Pray for us still,
dear brother.
"Yours truly, in Him 'Whose we are and whom we serve,'
"ANDREW A. BONAR."
[5] The Conversion of Children, by Dr. A. A. Bonar.
But what makes us to differ from each other? Surely it is simply the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our heart. It is all of free
sovereign grace and mercy, as Paul says, to the Church at Corinth:
"By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed
upon me was not found vain: but I labored more abundantly than they
all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Whether then it
be I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed."
CHAPTER XXXV.
ASLEEP IN JESUS.[6]
Asleep in Jesus; blessed sleep,
From which none ever wakes to weep,
A calm and undisturbed repose,
Unbroken by the last of foes.
"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."--Philippians i. 21.
One week ago to-day, and at this hour, we stood in this historic church
over the precious remains of our dear, departed Elder, James Knowles,
so kind, so gentle, so affectionate, so humble, and so meek in his
manners that we greatly miss him in our work for the blessed Master.
Ah! little did we then think that we were to be so speedily gathered
together to pay the last tribute of respect to the memory of his
faithful and loving wife. But God's ways are not our ways, nor His
thoughts as our thoughts. How inexplicable and profoundly mysterious
are His providential arrangements. It hath pleased our kind heavenly
Father to say to our sainted sister, "It is enough, come up higher."
She also is at rest with her Saviour and her husband, to whom she was
so devotedly attached. She was, indeed, a virtuous wife and loving
mother.
"The race appointed she has run,
The combat's o'er, the prize is won."
[6] The substance of a sermon preached by the Rev. Duncan McNeill
Young, in the Allen Street Presbyterian Church, New York,
November 1, 1886, on the occasion of the death of Mrs. James
Knowles, a city missionary who triumphantly departed this life on
October 30, 1886, in the seventy fifth year of her age.
How blessed the change! How rich the reward! How safe from all sin and
sorrow! In yonder "land of pure delight where saints immortal reign."
_What a meeting! What a greeting takes place at the hour of dissolution!_
How pleasing the contemplation. How inspiring to think of our noble
ancestors; our holy ministers and teachers; our fathers and mothers who
led us by the hand to the house of God on the Sabbath, who early taught
us to lisp the ever precious name of Jesus; who are to-day singing the
song of Moses and the Lamb. Let us thank God at this solemn hour, even
amid blinding tears, for pious, praying parents.
Oh, that the Holy Spirit of God may touch our hearts to-day; that we
may more fully realize the greatness and importance of our work, and
that we may understand that this second great loss to this church is
the voice of the God of Israel calling us, by the solemn dispensations
of His providence, to be more zealous in our Saviour's cause. Clarify
our vision just now, O Thou Divine Enlightener, that we may see light
in Thy light.
I truly believe my theme to-day is a gift from the Lord, the God of
Abraham, and is peculiarly appropriate for this solemn scene, and
adapted to the circumstances and special wants of this church and
congregation. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His
saints." The text, I may add, has been graphically illustrated in the
life and labors, as well as in the death of her who now lies before us
in that beautiful casket, covered with so many rich and fragrant
flowers, the gifts of dearly beloved friends.
While I do not believe in eulogizing the dead, yet, nevertheless, I
think, nay, I experimentally know, that great good is derived from
reflection upon the lives of the great, the pure, and the noble ones
who are beyond the flood. Nothing stimulates me so much to increased
activity and aggressiveness in Christian work as the thought of the
numerous servants of the Most High God now in heaven:
"How bright those glorious spirits shine,
Whence all their white array?
How came they to the blissful seats
Of everlasting day?"--"Par." lxvi. 1.
Paul, who uttered the words of our text, was passing through great
suffering when he wrote this epistle to the Church which he planted at
Philippi. He was at this time a prisoner for Christ in the palace of the
imperial city of Rome: for he declares, "That _the things that happened
unto me_, have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel; so
that," he adds, "my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and
in all other places."
There are just two thoughts that we want to try and develop this
afternoon, namely, that conformity to the likeness of Christ in life
brings glorious gain to the Christian at death. Or, in the words of the
great Apostle of the Gentiles, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die
is gain." From the sacred hour that the blessed Jesus met him on his
way to Damascus, to the day of his martyrdom, his continual cry was,
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of the Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me." "I count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."
"That man," says the Hebrew bard, "hath perfect blessedness, who not
only refraineth from walking astray, but who delights in the Law of the
Lord." _Lex rex_, was his motto--"The Law is King!" For the Master has
said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I
am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." He desires to corroborate the
fact that--"Ye are the light of the world"--hence, he adds, "Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven." "The city set on a hill cannot
be hid."
The true Christian, then, beholds the humility and majesty of Christ in
defining His and our relation to the law that regulates daily life. The
Gospel of the blessed God and the law conjointly elevates and
spiritualizes humanity. The law is our school-master to lead us to
Christ, hence Paul says, "To be carnally minded is death; but to be
spiritually minded is life and peace. For what the law could not do, in
that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that
the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
Our loved one's life was emphatically a life of consecration. It was a
life strictly devoted to the cause of her dear Redeemer. "For her to
live was Christ, hence to die was gain." We all know that to consecrate
is to set apart for holy service. Aaron of old was thus unreservedly
laid upon the altar as a living sacrifice for Jehovah. A person thus
set apart receives the unction of the Holy One. It was beautifully
symbolized under the mosaical dispensation.
Moses took the anointing oil and poured it upon the head of Aaron, in
order that he might be sanctified and set apart for the service of God.
And so, when we can truly exclaim with Paul, "I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the
life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." It is then we receive the
blessed baptism of the Holy Spirit, and are made meet for the Master's
use. None can rightly live for Christ until they receive this rich and
inestimable blessing. "At that time we are _sealed_ with the Holy Spirit
of promise."
Among the personal property of Sister Knowles were found some crumbs
which fell from the Master's table in the form of forget-me-nots of the
Word of God, by Dr. McDuff, author of "Morning and Night Watches."
Valuable little works which I would earnestly recommend, and which I
have endeavored to put into the hands of many young disciples in my
various fields of labor. I will quote a few of the forget-me-nots, as
they are very comforting in these hours of sorrow and separation. For
instance here are a few of them:
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I
will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
with the right hand of my righteousness."--Isa. xli. 10. "Yet will I not
forget thee: Even to your old age _I am He_; and even to hoar hairs will
I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will
deliver you."--Isa. xlvi. 4.
Our dear Sister Knowles corroborated the truthfulness of the above
passages by her last dying words, the last she ever uttered upon earth.
"Once I was young, now I am old, and have never been forsaken."
It is impossible for us to live a truly devoted Christian life without
the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, John said, "I
indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after
me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." This divine blessing
our dear sister pre-eminently possessed.
This was the reason why Christ, our ever adorable Redeemer and Daysman
was continually about His Father's business. The Prophet Isaiah said
concerning him: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the
Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath
sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.... To
comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to
give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be
called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that _He
might be glorified_."
The presence here to-day, in a body, of the "New York Female Bible
Readers' Society," out of respect to the memory of the departed, is a
conclusive evidence of the fact that they recognized her sterling
qualities, and her heroic missionary spirit among the fallen sons and
daughters of Adam in the lower part of this great city. They fully
realize that this church and community have suffered a severe loss in
her removal, and their presence, together with so many elders, and
ministers, deacons, and Sabbath-school workers, give proof that her
life, for over a quarter of a century, during which she incessantly
toiled for Christ, were years of holy and unremitting industry, and
holy consecration in the service of Him whose whole life was one of
self-sacrifice and self-abnegation. "For He came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."
She was like Christ in this respect. Emptied of self, and was found
like Mary of old sitting at the feet of Jesus, and hearing His word. As
He said, "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall
find rest unto your souls."
God has wisely ordained that souls are to be saved through human
instrumentality, especially through those whose hearts are in the work.
He hath put the treasure in the earthen vessel that the excellency of
the power may be of God and not of man. Who can estimate the value of a
holy missionary woman's work in this world of sin and sorrow?
Through the power of an indwelling spirit, who can tell of the many
broken hearts healed by the application of the Balm of Gilead. Many
poor Satan-bound souls have had their shackles severed, and joyously
set at liberty by pointing them to the only Redeemer of God's elect,
who by His great atoning work hath paid for them the ransom price; and
many to-day are singing the song of Redeeming love above, who were led
to put their trust in the blessed Jesus by her prayers and religious
instruction. Many a poor Jew, and Jewess, and Roman Catholic, and
Formalist, and Infidel, and swearer, and Sabbath-breaker, were pointed
by her to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. She
ever displayed great sagacity in every kind of work. She will be
greatly missed in the Tenth Ward of this city.
God grant that as the spirit of Elijah did rest on Elisha as he was
taken up into Heaven, even so may her mantle fall on us who are left
behind. Let us
"With zeal like hers inspired,
Begin the Christian race;
And freed from each encumbering weight,
Her holy footsteps trace."
Krummacher, of Elberfeld, in the valley of Barmen, Prussia, said, "That
Elisha on inheriting this mantle is henceforth called to take the place
of his great Master, and to carry on His work." This singular legacy
was therefore very significant to Elisha. The mantle came flying toward
him heavily laden, but with the commission he received was connected
the encouraging circumstance that it came accompanied with such a
precious memorial of his paternal Master. It was no longer the robe of
his redoubted reformer, but the robe of a blessed heir of Heaven, borne
thither on the wings of the cherubin. This circumstance would tend to
_refresh his spirit in his arduous work_; and, at the same time as
the messenger of peace, who was to announce to the house of Israel,
like the rainbow after the storm, Jehovah's good-will toward men. Oh,
that the remembrance of our ancestors, the great, and the good, and the
holy ones who have gone before would inspire us to go and do likewise!
I remember once standing in the cemetery of Stirling and gazing upon
the monument of two Christian sisters who suffered martyrdom for
Christ, and as I read the inscription on the tombstone, I thought of
how much we were indebted to those who have borne the burden and heat
of the day.
Here is the inscription: "Margaret, Virgin Martyr of the Ocean Wave,
with her like-minded sister, Agnes." Then follows this touching
paragraph: "Love, many waters cannot quench. God saves His chaste,
impearled one! In Covenant true. Oh, Scotia's daughters! _earnest scan_
the Page and prize this flower of Grace, _blood-bought_ for
you."--Psalms ix. xix. The elder and younger sister are exquisitely
sculptured, seated together with an open Bible on their laps, and a lamb
by their side, while an angel is standing behind them gazing intently on
the scene. Who can tell but the departed one gazed upon this very scene
in the days of her sunny childhood, for the Bible was her daily delight.
Ah! dear friends, are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to
minister to them who are heirs of salvation? And are there not many
living martyrs that the world knows nothing of among our Bible Readers
in this city, who are saying as Paul did: "What mean ye to weep and to
break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die
at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus."--Acts xxi. 13.
A French gentleman, a Roman Catholic, who lived in the same house as
sister Knowles for several years, told me that he never met a woman so
humble and straightforward as she was in all her deportment.
What was the secret of her power in eliciting this outside testimony?
She had companionship with Jesus. She lived near Him; she heard His
sweet voice saying: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup
with him, and he with me."
The holy McCheyne, of St. Peter's, Dundee, Scotland, says, concerning
those who walk with Christ on earth, "That they shall walk with Christ
in white, for they are worthy.... Never forget, dear brethren, that you
are to walk with Christ. This walk expresses the most real intimacy
with _Him_. You know it is a mark of real intimacy to admit one to
walk with us in our solitary rambles. Oh, walk with Him now; walk here
with Him, and you shall soon put your head where John put his."
She cultivated a firm and unstaggering confidence in the continued
presence of the Holy Spirit in her heart. McCheyne's directions to his
flock was, "Pray for the Holy Spirit to uphold you, if sensible of your
weakness; then lean upon this proved Comforter.... _Pray much for this
Comforter that He may enlighten your mind, that He may fill your hearts.
Oh, pray for the Spirit of God, for there is no other way of walking to
heaven but by the Spirit. Let Him lead you._ My dear brethren, _in this
way, and in this way alone, will you not defile your garments_." "Thy
Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."--Psalm cxliii.
10. She had faith in the power of the Comforter, or helper.
In the midst of many privations, and sometimes when the week's earnings
of her husband was small, and he would say to her on the Saturday
evening, "I have not much money for you to-night," she would cheerfully
reply: "Never mind dearest, the Lord will provide." Jehovah-jireh! was
her watchword all through her life. She would remark, "That would go
further to them with God's blessing, than three times as much without
His blessing."
Earthly comforts and pleasures might fail, but the joys that spring
from personal piety and firm faith in the Comforter's presence failed
her never. She seemed to fully realize the potency of the prophet's
words, "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be
in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall
yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there
shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will
joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He
will make my feet like hinds' feet."--Hab. iii. 17-19.
She evidently found in the mighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, an
inexhaustible source of strength and comfort and consolation through
her child-like trust in the immutable promise, "I will never leave thee
nor forsake thee."
Conformity to the character of Christ was an essential element in her
every-day life. She had cares, difficulties, and trials, but she cast
them all upon the great burden-bearer, hence prevailing prayer was ever
her chief delight. It is no misplaced and extravagant exaggeration to
say that she breathed the very atmosphere of prayer. This is the wisest
resource at all times. Like Elijah on the summit of Mount Carmel, where
all is peaceful and solitary, alone with God, she made her requests
known unto Him. It was then that the peace of God which passeth all
understanding, kept her heart and mind through Christ Jesus.--Phil. iv.
6-7.
Oh, who can fully estimate the excellency of a devotional temperament?
What evils we are delivered from! What mercies we receive! What
gladness of heart! What light is imparted! What strength God bestows!
For, has He not promised, "Ask, and ye shall receive?" She had no
doubts concerning the faithfulness of her Father to answer prayer. It
was through her importunate pleadings at the throne of grace that her
only son, when quite young, was led to see his need of Jesus. And what
joy was brought into the hearts of those parents when, at the return of
the father from the prayer-meeting, they found their child on his knees
crying for God to have mercy on his soul. Over such scenes as this the
holy angels delight to bend their bright wings and make joyous music in
heaven. (See Luke xv. 10.)
On one occasion during the fratricidal war in this country, when her
boy was fighting before Richmond, some one brought her word that he was
mortally wounded on the battle-field, for they had seen his name in the
newspapers, she calmly and trustfully replied: "Not my son; for I have
made him the subject of earnest prayer, that his young life may be
guarded by God while in his country's battles for continued liberty and
independence." She recognized the truth that piety and patriotism are
inseparably connected.
She seemed to realize that the Saviour was always at her side. She
walked by faith and not by sight. She understood the distinction between
the constituents of faith and the consequences of faith. Chalmers wisely
remarks--that the gratitude, the love, the disposition toward new
obedience; these are not the ingredients of faith; they are but the
effects of it. Observe what follows by making them the ingredients. By
faith we are said to be justified; but if our piety toward God, or our
desire to conform to His law, or any moral characteristic whatever,
shall be regarded as parts and constituents of this faith; then, under
the consciousness of our sad deficiency, we shall never attain to the
solid peace of one who rejoices in a firm sense of his acceptance with
God. But reduce faith to its simplicity, take it in the obvious and
uncompounded sense which _you attach to the mere act of believing,
regard it as purely giving credit to God's testimony, when he sets forth
Christ as a propitiation for our sin, and invites one and all in the
world to cast upon Him the burden of their reliance, and then see how,
by immediate transition, one might enter into peace, and become a
confiding, tranquillized, and happy creature_, simply because convinced
that the most powerful of beings, whom he aforetime regarded as an enemy
and an avenger is pacified toward him, and now makes him a free proffer
of fellowship and forgiveness. It is of the greatest importance to the
secure and perfect establishment of a believer's peace, that it should
be a matter of believing, and believing only. It is also an imperative
necessity that the comfort and confidence should spring from the proper
object of belief, which is the sureness of God's own testimony, and not
from the consciousness of love or gratitude, or any moral quality in
ourselves!
I heard Dr. Andrew Bonar, while preaching in Philadelphia, during a
visit to this country, tell about a dying elder who was asked by
friends who clustered around his couch, "How do you feel, now that the
hour of your departure has come, and you hear the voice that calls you
home? Have you still joy and peace?"
"Oh," he said, "I am not thinking about joy or peace, or my feelings. I
am not thinking about myself at all. I am just lying here _thinking
about Christ_. I am thinking about what He has done and suffered for
me; and what He is doing for me in heaven. Yes, He is 'a hiding place
from the wind.'
"'Rock of ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee.'
"That is what we have to do in life and in death. Where can we find
rest and refuge in a dying hour, but by thinking upon and trusting in
_Him_ who is 'the shadow of a great rock in a weary land?'"
Our peace, our joy, our hope, our all in life and in death, are the
results of confidence in Christ. Our dear, departed sister had heard
the sweet voice of Jesus saying, "I am the dark world's light; come
unto me, thy morn shall rise and all thy day be bright." Her trust was
not in this vain and transitory world, though smiling and fair, she
trusted not His joy, for sorrow was there. Her faith had found an
anchor--a sure abiding home; she had a strong consolation because she
had fled for refuge and had laid hold of the hope set before her in the
Gospel.
The sweet and tender and loving words of John were ever present to her
ear: "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanseth us from all sin." Hence she continually enjoyed four precious
elements of spiritual life and Christian experience; viz., Union with
God, Communion with Christ, Pure Fellowship with the Saints, and
Constant Cleansing by the peace-speaking blood of Jesus--"That blood
which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel."
The application to your hearts of the blood of Jesus by the Holy Spirit
is like the dew upon the new mown grass.
Amid the great rush and roar of business, where men are pressing
against each other on the busy streets, in the race for gold, her mind
was constantly occupied with thoughts relative to the wants and woes of
the sick and the dying. While others were daily seeking their own, not
the things of Christ, she was found bringing children to the
Sabbath-school--reaching out to the hearts of the parents through the
little ones--bringing the blessed Bible to the bosoms of the homes
which had none; circulating tracts and religious literature; visiting
sad scenes of distressing spiritual and domestic destitution. And
whatsoever her hands found to do, she did it quietly and
unostentatiously, and unreservedly, knowing full well, "That there is
no work, nor device, nor knowledge in the grave whither we goeth." She
sweetly rests from her labors, and her works do follow her. And as the
Gospel of the grace of God was in her a well of water, out of the
abundance of her heart, so kind, calm, consistent, and courageous,
there constantly flowed streams of living water of earnest, loving,
prayerful toil in the Master's vineyard.
She gathered daily jewels for the crown of her rejoicing. I have found
in her diary, that this was the aim of her whole life.
Companionship with Christ is constantly manifested by love for the Holy
Scriptures. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask
what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." The will of Jesus is made
known through His word. When the blessed Master was in Capernaum, His
own city, He declared that it was the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh
profiteth nothing: "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit,
and they are life."--John vi. 63.
There is sunshine and beauty in His words. They are practical
principles for the regulation of life, and a humble, holy walk and
conversation is the product. It is in His word we behold the character
of Jesus. In the Mirror of the glad tidings, we behold His lovely
countenance and are changed into the same image, from glory to glory.
It is no wonder that David exclaimed, "The entrance of Thy word giveth
light." Hence the exhortation of Paul to Timothy, "Preach the Word."
Oh, the intrinsic value of the Word of God. It was because of Christ's
own word that the Samaritans believed on Him, notwithstanding the
prejudice they entertained against the Jews and their religion.
Alas! how many professing Christians make shipwreck of faith because
they neglect to read the Word. Christ is the Word. "This is that bread
which came down from heaven. He that eateth my flesh shall live
forever."
What Matthew Henry says of his father at his funeral, may be said with
reference to the dear one who has just left us for the mansions above.
Let us then, as ever we hope to meet her with joy in the other world,
_follow her with diligence now_. Having begun "in the spirit," let us
not "end in the flesh,"--having laid our hands "on the plough," let us
not "look back," lest our latter end be worse than our beginning.
_Being dead, she yet speaks to us to be loving and helpful to one
another._ Her common and undistinguished love to us all was such that it
could never be said which of us she loved the best, and it speaks to us,
now that she is gone, to "_love one another with a pure heart
fervently_." We know very well that our unity was the joy of her heart
while living, and many a time she hath with us blessed God for it. Let
it, therefore, be to the credit and honor of her family, friends, and
the Church, for I find it was her dying prayer for this church and its
minister, not only that we may be _built up in holiness and comfort_,
but that we may be _continued in brotherly love_, and be _a bundle of
arrows which cannot be broken_.
Now that we have lost her who was wont to pray for us, and to be a
common helper to us, let us pray so much the more one for another, and
be so much the more helpful one to another, especially in the things
that pertain to the kingdom of heaven; and let all our bonds of unity
be strengthened and confirmed, and let it be our constant endeavor,
each of us in our place, to be mutually serviceable to each other's
comfort and welfare, and _jointly serviceable to the glory of God and
to the comfort of the Church_, for Christ loved the Church, and gave
Himself for the Church.
When we unbosom ourselves, He lets His love stream richly and
gloriously into our hearts. From day to day, our sister seemed to
realize how strongly and truly Christ loved the Church, and herself, as
an individual member of it. The sacrificial death of the Saviour was to
her not simply an historical fact, but a living reality. The sweet
peace and pure pleasure she daily enjoyed was the result of His death.
For, "He hath made peace through the blood of His cross." And since He
had made her the happy recipient of His grace, it was her daily delight
to walk in the path of obedience. Christ was to her the door of
salvation, and she went in and out and found pasture, in ministering to
the poor and indigent and dying, and in this line of Christian toil she
possessed a remarkable faculty.
She told me on one occasion, during one of my pastoral visits, that she
visited a dying woman and endeavored to point her to Jesus. And when a
clergyman of the Church of Rome, who happened to be present, was
retiring, she suggested that they should have a word of prayer
together. He replied, "That while he enjoyed her religious
conversation, he could not pray with her, as she did not belong to his
church."
At this remark she was deeply affected, and said, with great emphasis
and deep solemnity: "I thought there was but one fold and one
shepherd."
When she sent around, or rather, came herself for me, to the church on
Friday, the prayer-meeting night, to come and see her dear dying
husband, she seemed to be troubled when I asked him, "Are you still
trusting in Jesus?" as I observed he was rapidly sinking, I put the
question that I might employ his blessed testimony for my own good, and
the good of the congregation. He quickly responded very emphatically in
the affirmative, "Yes! yes!" and I think those were the last audible
words he uttered. But she was troubled because she had such faith in
the consistency of the Christian life of her husband, that she knew
full well that he feared no evil, for Christ was with him.
Oh, how tenderly and lovingly she would step up to his bed-side and
kiss his heated brow. When he became unconscious or rather, when his
speech failed him and he would point to his parched lips to have them
moistened, she would tearfully exclaim, "My dear, dear husband, can you
not speak to me? Have you not a word for Esther? My dear husband, how
can I live without you?"
I endeavored to console her on the sorrowful occasion, until after
midnight, by reading the Scriptures, and prayer, and general
conversation about heavenly things, and more especially the precious
promises of Jesus concerning the many mansions, I remember reading 2
Corinthians, v. 1: "We know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens."
About midnight she became perfectly resigned to the will of God, and
felt that life, even amid affliction, is the gift of God, and is a
valuable endowment.
In this she was like Christ, "For me to live is Christ," seemed to be
her motto to the last. I left the house about two in the morning. I
called again between eight and nine A.M., the same day, after her
husband's death, to see how she was bearing her trouble. But oh, how
changed! Her tears were all dried; and as she sat by the bedside where
her husband suffered his last illness, her countenance wore an
expression of perfect peace and Christian fortitude. Like her Saviour
amid the hoary olives of Gethsemane, she could tranquilly exclaim:
"Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done!"
The first words she uttered when I entered the room were: "My dear
husband has gone to glory." These words were uttered very quietly, and
very solemnly. Ah, little did she think that in just one week and two
hours from that time, she also was to pass away from earth to heaven,
"To see the King in his beauty, and be forever with the Lord."
The Saturday night after her husband's death, she went to the store for
some groceries. It was the usual custom for her husband, when he would
hear the door open, to go down-stairs and carry the basket up for her;
she remarked, when she returned home and experienced his absence for
the first time, "No Papa to come and carry up the basket to-night!" How
quickly she remembered this little act of courtesy and kindness on his
part. "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful in
much." Gratitude to God and one another for little deeds of kindness is
well-pleasing in His sight.
She fed the hungry and clothed the naked; many a loaf of bread she
carried with her own hands to the necessitous. Many a poor, crying,
shivering, half-clad child was comfortably clothed through her
instrumentality: "He that honoreth Him hath mercy on the poor."--Prov.
xiv. 31. "The poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always."
Shall the Christian's remembrance of these words be overlooked in the
great day of reckoning? Will the dear Lord not recognize even a cup of
cold water given in the name of a disciple? Verily it shall in no wise
lose its reward. To care for the poor is practical Christianity. The
question will not be asked in the great day of account: Did you preach
long, deep, and eloquent sermons? Or offer long and pharisaical
prayers? No. But He will "say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye
blessed." Why? "Inherit the kingdom.... For I was an hungred, and ye
gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and
ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me:
I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer
Him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink?... And the King shall answer and say unto
them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
As Christian workers we have constantly to remember that while we are
justified by our faith here, and now, we will be judged by our works,
yonder.
Henry Law, in "Christ is All," wisely remarks that, "Fruit is the sign
of healthy trees, and so works evidence that we have life." "By their
fruits ye shall know them." "Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth
his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from
him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?"
* * * * * *
TO DIE IS GAIN.
How frail, how short, how uncertain is human life. "Man that is born of
a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a
flower, and is cut down."--Job xiv. 1. "As for man, his days are as
grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind
passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no
more."--Ps. ciii. 15-16.
"All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of
grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away, but
the Word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the Word which by
the Gospel is preached unto you."--1 Pet. i. 24-25.
These very solemn passages of Scripture reveal to us two distinct lines
of thought: First, The mutable; and, secondly, the immutable. If a man
die, shall he live again? Ah, it is here, amid the ravages which death
makes, that we hear Christ's blessed words, "I am the resurrection and
the life; he that believeth on me though he were dead, yet shall he
live."
While it is true that this body must droop and die, and return to dust,
yet death cannot touch the soul. It is immortal, it has been created in
the image of God. He is a spirit, and a spirit is indestructible. The
essence of the soul is spiritual. From the hour of the new birth, the
soul of man begins to ripen for glory. All its powers and capacities
are gradually developed and made meet for the inheritance of the saints
in light.
This preparation for Heaven is the work of the Holy Spirit. By
providences, by sermons, by the word of truth, and by prayer, God
prepares His servants for the heavenly home on high. Looking, then, at
this life as a state of danger, difficulties, and trials--a life of
probation--we must say with Paul, that when the great conflict is over,
"To die is gain." "The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a
good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day."
But remember he said, _now I am ready to be_ offered.
It is only when we are ready to be offered, that to die will be gain.
Oh, are you ready? Jesus says, "be ye also ready."
There are some here, perhaps, who are still unsaved, unprepared for
death. Oh, if God should call for you to-day, where would your soul go?
You know that God out of Christ is a consuming fire. It will not be
gain for you when you die, unless you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, come to Him while it is the accepted time, and the day of
salvation.
There is no time to be lost in this important matter, for death is upon
our track. While God invites how blest the day. While the Holy Spirit
is speaking and saying, "Prepare to meet thy God." Oh, resist not
entreaties, yield to His power. How is it possible for a soul to be
ready for death, and judgment, and a coming eternity, without
conversion?
"Verily, verily," said Jesus to Nicodemus, "I say unto thee, Except a
man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." "Except ye be
converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven." How is it possible for any to be ready to meet God
in peace unless they are washed in Christ's blood, and clothed in His
spotless and justifying righteousness.
Paul said, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."
There are some, however, who do not believe this comforting doctrine.
They debar the Christian from the enjoyments of Heaven during the
intermediate state between the hour of death and the resurrection. This
condition they call the unconscious state of the dead. They are
soul-sleepers, and generally believe in the pernicious error, namely,
the annihilation of the wicked. A pleasing thought no doubt to the
workers of iniquity, as they shall escape the punishment due to their
iniquities. This is about as dangerous a doctrine as the new school
theology of reformatory punishment, namely, that God is so good and so
full of universal benevolence, that He cannot consistently, with His
attribute of mercy, consign His creatures to everlasting punishment. It
is true that God is full of love and tender mercy; but He never appeared
as a merciful God excepting through a mediator. He can only be just, and
the justifier of those alone who believe in Jesus. "Neither is there
salvation in any other, for there is no other name given under Heaven or
among men whereby we can be saved, but by the name of Jesus." To those,
we believe, He is precious at the hour of death. It is then the believer
is ushered into the presence of the King eternal, immortal, and
invisible. In view of the greatness and glory of the transition from
earth to Heaven, the Apostle exclaimed, "I have a desire to depart and
to be with Christ, which is far better." For it is _then_ that we really
begin to live; now we see through a glass darkly; now we know only in
part, but then, oh, what a change, "Beyond the smiling and the weeping."
"Let not your heart be troubled," said Jesus; "in my Father's house are
many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, I go to prepare
a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come
again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be
also." It is for these mansions we were begotten. "Heirs to an
inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away."
Sister Knowles had the blest assurance of this Heavenly home, she knew
this assurance was attainable, and on earth she enjoyed it, and now she
is reaping the rich reward, and its innumerable and unutterable
advantages. In her dying hour she could triumphantly exclaim, with
Simeon in the temple, "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." And, like Moses, her eye was
not dimmed, nor her natural force abated. Oh! the gain, the bliss of
thus dying.
Heaven as our home is worthy our deepest contemplation. "It doth not
yet appear what we shall be." It is a place of perfect rest. Oh, how
comforting is this thought to the poor, way-worn, toiling pilgrim.
Oh, land of rest for thee I sigh!
The important discovery of this land of rest will nerve our arm for the
great conflict of life. It will inspire us to work more earnestly and
more incessantly for Jesus. It will sweeten every bitter cup of trial
and tribulation that we have to encounter here below. It will distil a
desire and a loftiness of aim in life, that we may at last reach the
rest that remains for the people of God. The struggle with inbred sin
will be more easily overcome, and every lust and evil passion will be
completely conquered by keeping the eye steadily fixed on those
glittering mansions,
Where the wicked cease from troubling,
And the weary are at rest.
Christ Himself will administer this rest to the believer in the
Heavenly Kingdom. Just as He is the source of peace and quiet here on
earth, so is He at this moment surrounded with the saints triumphant in
glory, imparting perpetual peace in the paradise of God to all the
bright spirits who loved Him on earth, and kept His commandments.
Yonder they enjoy eternal Sabbathism.
Let us fear, therefore, lest haply a promise being left of entering
into rest, any of you should seem to come short of it through unbelief.
For indeed we have good tidings preached unto us, and we which believe
do enter into that rest.
Alford, in speaking of the rest on earth that resembles the rest of
Heaven, says: "Our Lord does not promise (here below) freedom from toil
or burdens, but rest to the soul." The rest and joy of the Christian
soul is to become like Christ. To the young men, who surrounded her
dying couch, she said: "_Avoid bad company, learn of Christ_; seek to be
like Him, little by little." It is no wonder King David said, "As for me
I will behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I
awake with Thy likeness."
But we are to behold the royal dignity of the Redeemer, and be brought
forth into a large place because He delighted in us. Yes! to die is
gain. Oh! wondrous change: To behold His illimitable power and partake
of His consummate wisdom and knowledge. One thing have I desired of the
Lord, that will I seek after; "that I may dwell in the house of the
Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to
inquire in His temple, for in the time of trouble He shall hide me in
His pavilion. The Christian is secure at death; he has a building of
God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens."
Here we have a continual conflict; but yonder we are made more than
conquerors through Him who loved us. Here we are sinful and
short-sighted; but yonder we shall partake of His perfect holiness and
inexhaustible love and Divine penetration in the Heavenly Kingdom. Yes
to die is infinite gain.
The spiritual enjoyment of the soul in the land of light is
indescribable. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that
love Him." Yonder you shall behold the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ.
You know this was a portion of the parting prayer of Jesus for His
disciples. He said: "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast
given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory." There
is but a step between us and it. There is but a thin veil that parts us
from the beatic vision of the blest.
I once entered the beautiful harbor of Cronstadt, in Russia, and I
distinctly remember that the entrance was so narrow and land-locked,
that we could scarcely discern its precise location until we had
suddenly entered it. The passage from earth to Heaven is not unlike the
ending of the voyage of a ship, even although many of them reach the
harbor in a dismantled condition. Many a storm has been encountered,
and while sails have been torn to shreds, yet the gallant bark has
outweathered the gale and has escaped rocks, and quicksands, and
whirlpools of destruction. But now the gale is hushed forever, the
sails are all furled, the anchor is cast out, and she rides securely in
the harbor where storms cannot affright. Glorious port of peace! Oh,
blessed and triumphant entry! To go no more out forever; where the Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and lead them unto
living fountains of water, and God Himself shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes.
Beautiful valley of Eden,
Sweet is thy noon-tide calm,
Over the hearts of the weary,
Breathing thy waves of balm.
Home of the pure and blest;
How often amid the wild billows,
I dream of thy rest, sweet rest.
It was the glimpse of this rest beyond the river that lit up the pale
cheek of our dear, dying sister, with seraphic brightness and beauty.
"All my fountains are in thee," said the Psalmist. God is the author of
holiness. In John's vision of Heaven, he describes the four living
creatures, having each of them six wings, round about and within, and
they have no rest day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."
The great object therefore of the Gospel of the blessed God is to
transform us into the Divine image. Another of our sister's dying
utterances was very forcible, "_Now I have got to the edge of the
river._"
"Only just across the river,
Over on the other side."
We all with open face beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image.
It is thus God's people become meet for the holy inheritance. Here we
have to cry out, "Oh, wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body
of this death;" yonder the Spirit's work has gloriously triumphed. The
believer's holiness is effectually accomplished in Heaven. Blessed are
they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the
tree of life and may enter in by the pearly gates into the city.
Heaven is called the land of light. What is light? "Hail, holy light,
offspring of Heaven's first-born." Light is pure. "God is light, and in
Him is no darkness at all. Darkness, in God's Word, is an emblem of
sin. They love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are
evil, and every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to
the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."--John iii. 19-20.
The more we increase in the likeness of God, the greater and stronger
will our light shine in this dark world, and the more will we enjoy
basking in the sunshine of the light of His countenance. We are
partakers _now_ of the Divine nature, but in Heaven we shall continually
walk before Him who is the enlightener and the light. Oh, the gain, the
bliss of dying! For we shall see His face and His name shall be in our
foreheads.
Paul's prayer for the church at Colosse was "that they might be filled
with the knowledge of His will, increasing in the knowledge of God,
giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light."--Col. i. 12.
Oh, that a view of the pure, and the great, and the good ones around
the throne may be as a golden chain to bind our hearts to that home
beyond the skies, where there is no night, and they need no candle,
neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they
shall reign forever and ever.--Rev. xxii. 5.
Dearly beloved, this is the "Night of Weeping;" but oh, remember, that
it is written in His Holy Word that God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor
crying, neither shall there be any more pain.
As we stand by the bedside of our loved ones, and watch them wasting
away with disease, and as we behold their love, their patience, and
Christian fortitude, we think of earth's bitter trials and earthly
relationship, and of the strong tie that binds heart to heart. How
touching the parting words to her only son she so tenderly loved,
"_Be faithful, humble, meek, and constantly keep at the Master's
feet, until He calls you up higher. Be kind and gentle to your sister
Esther._" To her Pastor she said: "Preach the Gospel uncolored!" We
look upon the sinking form of a dear wife and mother, or brother, or
sister, or husband, or friend, and as we sadly muse upon the fact that
we held sweet counsel together and walked to the House of God in
company; and we softly whisper to the physician is there no hope of
recovery? Can you not save that young and precious life, so dear to us,
so gentle, so loving, so kind, so sympathetic, so hopeful? And as in
response to our inquiry, we receive the look of pity, and the sorrowful
shake of the head, it is then, in our deepest agony, amid blinding
tears, and hearts almost crushed to despair, we turn to our great
Father above, and we ask, why must we part? Oh, God, can you not spare
him? How can I live without him?
Providential bereavements are sad scenes in life, for the scythe of
death stops not to ask if they be sweet and precious to some fond wife,
or mother, or brother, who knows? whom their heart chose. On! on! he
pursues his desolating work, amid their sighs, their cries, and tears.
But beloved, there is no tearing of heart from heart in Heaven. There
is no death there; there is no sorrow there; there is no sin there. I
often think of the words of the Apostle as peculiarly appropriate to us
in the hour of sad bereavement: "These light afflictions are but for a
moment, but they work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory."
I have had persons tell me when God has suddenly removed loved ones
from their midst, that God had forsaken them, that He had forgotten to
be gracious. But ah, to such let me say that the Lord loveth whom He
chasteneth. God is love. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the
Lord pitieth them that fear Him.
But what is the object God has in view in thus breaking the family
circle by death? It is that our attention may be attracted to the
saints above, and that we may by faith behold the beauties of the
Celestial city.
You know, David says, "It was good for me that I was afflicted; before
I was afflicted, I went astray." We not unfrequently forget that this
is not our home. But that we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
God has to put us in remembrance of it. Beautiful as this world is,
there is a fairer and brighter, and infinitely more lovely world above
our heads. Lovely as human friendships and fellowships are here below,
what are they in comparison to the felicitous condition of society in
heaven?
"I would not live alway, I ask not to stay,
Where storm after storm rises dark o'er the way."
There are no estranged feelings in heaven. There are no
misunderstandings there. No sickness there. All, all is peace and joy
and love!
Our faith in God, and in the existence of Heaven, and the possibilities
of the future life, can enable us to triumph over the trials and
bereavements in this vale of tears.
Dr. Guthrie asks: "Why should we not lie as calmly in the arms of God's
Providence, as we lay in infancy on a mother's breast? Having an
ever-living, an everlasting, an ever-loving Father in God, how may we
welcome _all_ providences, sweetly submissive to the will of God. Shall
it not fare with us as with the pliant reeds that love the hollows and
fringe the margin of the lake, and bending to the blast, _not resisting
it_, raise their heads anew, unharmed by the storm that has snapped
the mountain's pine and rent the hearts of oaks asunder." "All things
work together for good to them that love God; them who are the called
according to His purpose."
When John was in the spirit on the Lord's Day, he heard a great voice
saying, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto
the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden
manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it."
How can we best overcome the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye,
and the pride of life but by deep and continued meditation on the
blessed change that takes place at the hour of death. The shadows of
earth are instantly dispelled when we set our affections on things
above.
"Who are these arrayed in white robes, and whence came they? These are
they who have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." I remember once
standing at the grave of Richard Cameron, in Ayrs Moss, and as I read
the names of other martyrs engraved on the tomb-stone, I thought of the
general assembly of the Church of the first-born in Heaven, and as I
read God's Word there and sang a sweet Psalm of praise to Jehovah, and
offered a prayer to the Father of lights, the God of Israel, I thought
of the prayer of Peden, the prophet, as he sat on Cameron's grave.
Lifting up his eyes steadfastly to Heaven, he prayed: "Oh, to be wi'
Ritchie!"
"Often at the shades of evening,
When I sit me down to rest,
One by one, I count them over,
They who are in glory blest."
Dearly beloved, I have a _Ritchie_[7] in Heaven, for I have recently
learned of the death of the spiritual guide of my youth, who, in years
gone by, at the close of a cottage prayer-meeting, requested me, for the
first time in my life, to speak a word for Jesus. Pulling a flower from
the hill-side, he said as he held it up, "I can see God in that gowan."
Taking me to his room, he said, "This is my study; these are my books, I
am going to be a minister of the Gospel, and then go to China."
[7] The late Rev. Hugh Ritchie, of Formosa, China.
Handing me a neat, little, precious volume, he said, "Take this book
and study it, and commence speaking for Jesus, and help me in my
meetings." Surely to such to die is gain.
Who; who, would live alway away from his God--away from yonder Heaven,
that blissful abode where the noontide of glory eternally reigns, and
the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul?
Dearly beloved, we may well ask, "Who are these arrayed in white
robes?" Oh, what celebrated personages are above! The prophets, the
apostles, the reformers, and the martyrs of Scotland are there. For in
a dream of the night I was wafted away to the moorland and moss, where
the martyrs lay. When the minister's home was the mountain and flood.
When they dared not worship God in daylight. Only at the dead of night,
when the wintry winds raved fierce, and the thunder-peal compelled the
men of blood to crouch within their den. Then the faithful few--true
followers of the blessed Jesus--would venture forth to some deep dell
by the rock o'er canopied; then, amid the glare of sheeted lightning,
those men of God would open the sacred Book and words of comfort speak.
Ah, it cost something to be a Christian in those days, when from the
high foaming crest of Solway to the smoothly polished breast of Loch
Katrine, not a river nor a lake but has swelled with the life's tide of
religious freedom. From the bonnie highland heather of her lofty
summits to the modest gowan on the lea, not a flower but has blushed
with the martyr's blood. But, beloved, the blood of the martyrs was the
seed of the Church. What holy, loving lessons does God teach us by the
history of the true Church, and a thoroughly consecrated
people--lessons of love, hope, fortitude, and long-suffering!
"Oh, Jesus, our Master, command to beat faster
These weary life-pulses that bring us to Thee."
Our dear departed sister had the true missionary spirit. She feared not
the things she was called on to suffer for Christ in her great work in
this city. Let us who are left behind catch her magnanimous and heroic
disposition in working for the blessed Jesus. Oh, that the spirit of our
noble ancestry might come upon us! Oh, that the Holy Spirit of God may
enter into all our hearts to-day, that we may be more humble, more
loving, more zealous, more sympathetic, and more sincere in our toil for
Christ and His Church; _then to die will be gain!_ and to Him shall be
all the glory, world without end. Amen.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
TESTIMONIALS AND LETTERS OF CONDOLENCE.
I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
So kind, and true, and tender,
So wise a Counsellor and guide,
So mighty a Defender!
From him, who loves me now so well,
What power my love can sever?
Shall life, or death, or earth, or hell?
No, I am his forever.
The following resolutions and letters furnish, in a pre-eminent degree,
conclusive evidence of the high estimation in which His servant and
handmaiden were held by ministers, elders, and Sabbath-school workers
generally:
NEW YORK, January 12, 1869.
MRS. JAMES KNOWLES:
MY DEAR FRIEND--At the Annual Meeting of the Teachers' Association
of the Sabbath-school of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, held last
evening, the following action was taken:
"On motion, the cordial thanks of this Association are voted to
Mrs. James Knowles for her faithful labors in behalf of our
School during the past year."
The following extract from the Annual Report was also ordered to be
forwarded with the foregoing:
"Mention must be made of one of our own church members, Mrs.
Knowles, who has labored most devotedly for our School. In
behalf of the School, the Superintendent would take this way of
expressing our gratitude for her cheerful, earnest, and
persevering labor. She has taken a deep interest in our School,
and has shown it by hard work in its behalf."
I am very glad that the pleasant duty of making you acquainted with
this action has been imposed upon me. Without your help I would
oftentimes during the past year have been very much discouraged.
Your readiness for Christian work, and your thoroughness in it,
have both cheered and satisfied me. May you fully realize the
promise given to those who are always abounding in the work of the
Lord. (1 Cor. xv. 58.) And may the present year show us a
continuance of your willing labors and be marked by a stronger
faith in expectation and more new-born souls, as your joy and crown
in realization. (Psalm cxxvi. 5-6.)
Respectfully yours in the Master,
SAMUEL B. W. MCKEE,
_Superintendent_.
* * * * * *
When we take into consideration the time that elapsed between the
penning of the foregoing resolutions as no vain and unmeaning
compliment, and the departure of her concerning whom they were voted
upon, we are led to see the importance of those words in the Apocalypse:
"He that is faithful unto death shall receive a crown of eternal life."
How significant are the words employed to denote their hearty
appreciation of her worth. "We express our gratitude for her _cheerful_,
_earnest_, and _persevering labor_. She has taken a _deep interest_ in
our School and has shown it by _hard work_," etc.
We trust that our Sunday-school workers may be greatly encouraged to go
and do likewise through a careful and prayerful examination of the
above communication.
The following additional affectionate and deeply instructive tribute to
her worth to the church and Sabbath-school is from one who was her
beloved pastor for seven years--years of pure and uninterrupted
Christian fellowship and disinterested devotedness to the cause of
Christ.
UTICA, N.Y., November 8, 1886.
REV. DUNCAN M. YOUNG:
DEAR BROTHER--In the removal of Mr. and Mrs. James Knowles _we_
sustain a personal loss. The fact was unknown to us previous to your
letter. To enjoy such friendship as they admitted us into from our
first acquaintance, was not unlike a continuous salutation with the
impressiveness of an unqualified _good-will_. Heaven is indeed
richer for their entrance, and by so much is increasingly endeared
unto us.
They were not time-servers, but, in no mere sentimental sense,
God-servers. The feverish world, greedy and rushing, will know
little of their value, nor miss their humble crafts so quickly
trackless, and yet they really laid the world under obligation. If
its life, and aim, and effort were not purer and higher, it was in
spite of their actual godliness, at all times apparent.
My first introduction to Mrs. Knowles was on the first Sabbath in
February, 1874; also, my first acquaintance with the Allen Street
Church. Mrs. Knowles was then teaching in the Ludlow Street Mission.
As a teacher, she was _simple_, _fearless_, and _Scriptural_. Her
ruling passion, perhaps, was a desire to be useful in some way,
adjusting herself with good grace to the requirements of advancing
years. If just a little disturbed at the thought that she must
contract her labors, or "hold up" at some point, the spirit was ever
the same, perhaps too exacting of a body not excessively vigorous.
As a "Bible reader" she did some of her best work, and made her
greatest sacrifices. Faithfulness characterized her covenant
relation--seldom absent from the scenes of public worship; and the
more remarkable in view of her untiring zeal and devotion in her
specially God-given calling. Many will rise up and call her
blessed, because, so true of her, "she went about doing good." My
own indebtedness to her, as a pastor, was great. Her sympathy with
the ministry seemed innate. Full of faith, and rich in peculiar
experience, she was the one "to step in" at the minister's for a
half-hour; and here, incidentally, I may say, that her practical
views of life and knowledge of human ways turned to my advantage on
repeated occasions, whenever she reported a case as worthy or
unworthy. When an application for aid or comfort required
investigation--that is, ultimate cases requiring delicate, careful
treatment, often impossible for the pastor to do--her feminine
instinct and sagacity of experience took it in hand with a
readiness that was surprising, in view of her always full hands. A
gentle, trustful soul, a frank, unwavering friend, a pious, useful
woman, and a faithful wife and mother, her rest will be sweet.
If the beginning of my acquaintance with her companion dates
somewhat later, it ripened early, I suppose mutually so, into a
strong attachment. Integrity of character was my first impression of
the man; whether an instinct or a judgment, there never was a doubt
as to its correctness. Strong in faith, also--_the old-time faith_,
of apostolic color, for he took no pleasure in "new departures."
Sound in doctrine, fervent in spirit, wise in council, stable in
action, he was truly a strong "pillar in the house of the Lord." If
he wrought obscurely, as the world moves, my impression is that he
did some excellent work for eternity in the most quiet sort of way.
I do not think Heaven could be a surprise to one of his habits and
trend of life. He could assimilate the good easily. Though positive
in his feelings, and sensitive of attachment, he was no mere
man-worshipper, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, so long as it
was the _Word of Christ_, faithfully, earnestly preached; he was a
responsive hearer. The chief desire was that the _word_ should be
successful. Perhaps simplicity was as characteristic as any other
distinct trait. If he did not choose the uppermost seats he occupied
them becomingly when once bidden to take them.
I remember him not so much by means of incidents--his life was not
formed on that plan; but by the deep impression of genuine,
unpretentious godliness.
If I have written at too great length, my heart is full. In deep
sympathy with those who will so surely mourn their loss, and
grateful for the privilege of a tribute, I am,
Sincerely yours,
GEORGE O. PHELPS,
_An Ex-Pastor_.
* * * * * *
The more I read and study the phraseology of this letter, welling up
out of a full heart, the more I am convinced of its adaptedness to
impart encouragement to others the same in kind and degree as was
doubtless reciprocally experienced in days of yore, "for as iron
sharpeneth iron, so does the countenance of man his friend."
Here is another tender and terse tribute from the same source to their
only son--the request for particulars regarding their last illness,
which produced the leaflet entitled "A Short Account of the Last
Hours"--that has been already a rich spiritual blessing to many souls.
UTICA, N.Y., November, 1886.
MR. WM. KNOWLES:
DEAR BROTHER--We have just learned of the departure of your dear
parents. Our attachment to them was exceptionally strong, even as
our association in the Master's work was intimate.
I have been looking over your father's letters, too few in numbers;
how full of human kindness, how intensely godly.
Be assured of our sincere regard for you and others in this great
bereavement.
May we not receive, at your convenience, particulars of their last
illness and going? We have no knowledge of either case.
Very sincerely yours,
GEORGE O. PHELPS.
* * * * * *
The subjoined is the answer to the reception of the account of their
last hours on earth.
UTICA N.Y., November 30, 1886.
MR. WM. KNOWLES:
MY DEAR SIR AND BROTHER--You have laid us under great obligation by
your lengthy and painstaking statement respecting your lamented
parents. Seldom have we been affected so deeply as in the reading of
it, which came so appropriately as to time and feeling, just as we
were closing one of the sweetest meetings of our little "_Gospel
Band_." Yes, truly, those dear, true friends of ours were as "little
children" in "the Kingdom of Heaven."
Nothing would afford me greater satisfaction than to be able to add
further by word or incident what you desire to gather up by way of
a grateful memorial. As I stated in my letter to Mr. Young, my
impressions were made by their uniform consistency of character,
and not by any particular event or circumstance. Perhaps the
enclosed letters will afford characteristic illustration of your
father's habitual godliness or tenor of life. As to your mother,
why, she was always "going about doing good," seemingly never
tiring.
What death-bed scenes! If those faithful words of hers are ever
forgotten, somebody will have a hard witness against them at last.
Their memory is indeed blessed. We will all try to profit by their
examples of godly fidelity, and faithful admonitions. With the
sincerest sympathy, I am,
Gratefully yours,
GEORGE O. PHELPS.
* * * * * *
UTICA, N.Y., February 17, 1887.
MR. WM. KNOWLES:
DEAR BROTHER--You have laid us under new obligations. On my study
table is a picture of the pastor of my childhood--It has been there
nearly my entire ministry. You can conceive the influence it is
designed to exert over me. Now there will be, if not in my study
exclusively, in our house itself, the constant stimulus of such
reminders of devotion as these two most welcome pictures.
We are indeed very grateful to you for them; your filial love was
strong while they lived, and must be quickened by their death, but
if anybody _outside_ of the circle of kindred exceeds our veneration
for your parents, _they_ deserve it all. We certainly cannot fail
to cherish what has been so well done by the artist, the expression
in both pictures is so characteristic. It seems, when we dwell
intently upon them and let thoughts come and go at liberty, that the
lips must open and pleasant words come from them as in life; but
they do speak, nevertheless, and as distinctly, and as
affectionately. Oh! that we were more worthy to hear. And that
blessing upon yourself, how valuable and hopeful, or encouraging it
must be.
I know you will share it with others, and so make a saintly life
still reproductive. The world needs nothing so much as _positive
Christian character_.
Permit me to say that we are greatly prospered in our work, and
have hand and heart seemingly full; but, old Allen Street has _a
warm place_ in our affection always. Our united regards.
Affectionately yours,
GEORGE O. PHELPS.
* * * * * *
The reader will surely notice the true, touching, and graphic account
of their work in the next letter.
UTICA, N.Y., April 8, 1887.
REV. MR. YOUNG:
DEAR SIR AND BROTHER--While my mind is full of impressions
concerning the life and work of Mr. and Mrs. Knowles, it is not easy
to withdraw the details, and give you any real satisfaction. The
very simplicity and humility of their ways and deeds render it
impossible to make any adequate illustration--not that incidents are
lacking. Why, there are families in the vicinity of Allen Street who
could relate incidents by the hour touching the gentle care of Mrs.
Knowles for the needy and sick.
Here her life can never be written in full. "Oh, Mr. Phelps, how
sad it is about Mrs. K---- and her little family." "Poor L----, she
is going just like her brother, and they don't want me to tell her
of our fears." "I have just been to see poor Mr. H----, he cannot
live--he doesn't seem to realize it; and then what will become of
his family? I have tried so long to get them into the
Sabbath-school." "I have just come from Mrs. F---- (a woman of
means and Christian charity), who encouraged me greatly in the care
of that family where the father is in the hospital." "Mr. Phelps,
can you go to No. 12 ---- Street, and see a young man who is sick,
and will have to go to the hospital? No friends, and I have been
trying to make him comfortable." "Mr. Phelps, can you attend the
funeral of a child on ---- Street? It did suffer so much--its
mother is on the Island."
These were common to her work, as I now recall them; not
sentimental products of imagination, but facts, only lacking the
details to make the tenor of her life stranger than fiction. To see
her quietly enter some abode of the lowly, her soft and gentle
greeting to the housewife engaged in her home duties, the aspect,
perhaps, a forlorn one, and hear her words of heart-felt sympathy
and encouragement, her solicitude for the little ones, that they
might be "trained in the way of the Lord," and that simple,
fervent, trustful prayer, which seems so befitting as to excite no
repellant feeling; and that parting word which would go straight to
the mother-heart. Here is a picture of Christian-following which
even Munkacsy could not paint.
The Master reserves some things for future inspection. We have no
sufficient canvas for these in such humble, useful lives.
Her faithfulness in dealing with the erring was remarkable;
seemingly without fear of man, and yet always full of gentleness.
We had a way of investigating cases appealing for charity. One day
a girl, nine or ten years of age, came to the door with a basket
asking for something; her mother was a widow and poor, baby sick,
etc., etc.
We asked Mrs. Knowles to look into the case. She went to the place
given, and at first there was some mistake, or, perhaps, a purposed
misdirection; but, nothing daunted by the difficulties encountered,
she succeeded in gaining admittance to apartments on the second
floor, where, instead of poverty and sickness, she found the mother
in the midst of evident comfort, seated at her piano, who at first
denied all knowledge of the little charity girl, and was only
confronted successfully by the entrance unguardedly of the child
herself.
If confusion ever overtook a mortal fraud, in which an active
apprehension and deep humiliation were successfully involved; it was
then and there in the presence of _holy indignation on fire_. Mrs.
Knowles was simply irresistible in such cases.
Now, dear brother, I hardly know what use you can possibly make of
this, but my prayers shall go with your work of perpetuating their
memory.
Very sincerely yours,
GEORGE O. PHELPS
* * * * * *
The thought that the servants of Christ are praying for us is very
cheering in the prosecution of our work.
The facts enumerated in the following letter from Pastor Chambers
contain a thousand thoughts as descriptive of what every Christian
ought to pray for and strive after, namely, to be, as he expresses it,
an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.
How expressive in this connection are the words of the apostle, "_Take
heed_ lest there be found in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in
departing from the living God."
NEW YORK, November 9, 1886.
REV. D. MCNEILL YOUNG:
DEAR BROTHER--Your letter informing me of the death of Mr. and Mrs.
Knowles was forwarded to me from Harrisburg, to this city.
I had seen a notice of Mr. Knowles' death in a New York paper, but
had not known of the departure of his wife, whose death, under such
circumstances, had a pathos peculiar to itself. Her presence at his
funeral, it would seem, was more than her affectionate testimony to
their past devotion to each other. It was her unconscious prophecy
of their speedy reunion in the presence of Him whom they both loved
and served.
You ask me for some information in regard to them, during the time
of my ministry in this city. They both illustrated the truth of the
remark, that "to be useful, it is not necessary to be conspicuous."
Mr. Knowles was "an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile." Gentle
and peaceable in spirit, loving the house of God, rejoicing in the
spiritual prosperity of the church, _speaking evil of no man_, a
firm friend of his minister, relishing all conversation upon divine
things, frequenting the place of prayer where he was often heard
leading the devotions of the people in simple, earnest, Scriptural
petition, and ever willing to help in Sabbath-school work, or any
other form of Christian activity in which he might be of service--he
was just such a man as any pastor is glad to have as a friend and
helper. He was a ruling elder in the church from the time I first
knew him, and in that capacity was one of the first to welcome me to
New York. He was unobtrusive in all meetings of session, but never
failed to give his suggestions on all matters that came before him,
but was happiest when it was his privilege as an elder to welcome to
the communion of the church those who confessed Christ.
Mrs. Knowles I knew as a warm friend of the church, while at the
same time a faithful member of that band of Bible readers whose
blessed work is best known by the Divine Master. She enjoyed that
service for Christ; she loved to talk about it. Her fidelity and
consecration are known to those under whose superintendence she
labored; but the results of her devotion are a matter of divine
record. May it not be that she has now discovered the real dignity
and the glorious consequences of a service which she humbly, yet
lovingly followed here, and that in Heaven's high fellowship the
faithful Bible reader has a place of peculiar honor?
I can only say, in conclusion, that a church is bereaved indeed
when two such Christians are taken from it. The Providence that
calls them away should not only stimulate those who remain to a
holier activity, but should also elevate our thoughts and
affections, and make us the more glad that at the end of our
journey, and the cessation of our earthly activities, we will
discover the still grander meaning of Christ and Heaven.
Yours fraternally,
GEORGE S. CHAMBERS.
* * * * * *
The next letter is from one who materially aided her in helping the
necessitous.
November 21, 1886.
REV. DUNCAN MCNEILL YOUNG:
DEAR SIR--Absence from the city has prevented my answering your kind
note received only last evening.
I have no statistical facts to give you, relative to our dear Mrs.
Knowles, but I can testify to her interest in her work until the
last, her lovely Christian spirit shown under all circumstances,
and her love for her Heavenly Father.
She seemed to me to be supremely happy and content with whatever
lot was given her.
I was not able to be with her when she was ill, but was at her
funeral.
She must be missed in her field of labor, and I am sure I shall
miss her prayers for myself.
Hoping this will be of some use to you, I am,
Yours sincerely,
M. T. FISKE.
* * * * * *
The annexed note of commendation from the Rev. Dr. Conkling, of this
city, who formerly labored in word and doctrine with the deceased, in
connection with the Allen Street Church, is concise yet comprehensive.
How much is implied in these words--_faithful, loving, earnest,
prayerful and consistent Christians!_
NEW YORK CITY, November, 1886.
DEAR MR. YOUNG--My acquaintance with Mr. and Mrs. Knowles was so
limited that my knowledge of them could be only of the most general
character. I knew them, as all who knew them could testify, as
earnest, loving Christians, faithful in their church duties,
prayerful and consistent; and evidently living always near to
Christ. I prized their friendship much; I feel how deep the loss to
the church must be in being deprived of their active influence and
their believing prayers.
With thanks for your kindly note, conveying the sacred request, I
remain, dear sir,
Sincerely yours,
NATH'L W. CONKLING.
* * * * * *
To show how greatly beloved they were by all denominations we insert
this closing tribute from a dear servant of Christ, whose calm, clear
eye of penetration recognized that, by prayerfully studying the
character of Christ we became assimilated to His glorious image. He is
a member of the Society of Friends.
CLINTONDALE, N.Y., June 23, 1887.
DUNCAN M. YOUNG:
DEAR BROTHER--Yours received, bearing us news indeed. We had not
heard before of the demise of our dear Brother and Sister Knowles.
The effect of it at first, to me, was that I could scarcely speak
for a fulness of feeling which it produced, and a home-sickness for
the home where they have gone.
My memory was immediately taken back to the visit I paid them a year
ago last spring, which was _very pleasant_ and soul-refreshing, and
especially to the parting _kiss_ that the dear Mother in Israel gave
me on my parting from them; and also she gave me a supply of
beautiful tracts, which I had the privilege of using to the comfort
of two souls on the cars as I was returning home, and some of the
tracts I have yet, and you can depend on it I place higher value on
them than ever before.
The little leaflet you sent us is very appropriate indeed, but none
can do them justice in writing of them, for we do not know of all
their heart-yearnings and achings over poor wanderers, and their
personal private labors for their salvation, neither can we ever
know until we see the record of it all up there.
And may you, dear Brother, as the honored minister of God, carry
out literally her exhortation to you, "Preach the Gospel
Uncolored."
Accept my sincere thanks for your kindness in writing us, and
sending the leaflets. You asked if I could use any of them? I can,
certainly, and there are a few around here yet living who remember
our departed sister and brother when they boarded at our house.
I unite in interest and prayer with you for your important Work in
the abundant ripe fields of Harvest, and pray that you will receive
many souls for your hire.
I am, yours sincerely, and in the love of the pure Gospel of the
Kingdom of our Christ,
ERASTUS S. ANDREWS.
* * * * * *
"They lived, and they were useful; this we know.
Oh, take who will the boon of fading fame!
But give to me
A place among the workers, though my name
Forgotten be,
And if within the book of life is found
My lowly place,
Honor and glory unto God redound
For all His grace!"
CHAPTER XXXVII.
CONCLUSION.
Oh, could I flow like thee, and make thy stream
My great example, as it is my theme!
Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull;
Strong without rage; without o'erflowing full.
In concluding these memoirs and looking back over the lives of our
departed brother and sister, there is a great lesson to be learned--that
of _example_. Such example as theirs possesses incalculable power of
effecting good. It takes deep and tenacious root; it fructifies with
amazing rapidity and profusion, and flourishes where precept would
utterly perish. Its impression is so indelible, that the greatest
difficulty is experienced when attempting to eradicate it. The salutary
influence which good example propagates, we find stamped on every
avocation in life. In some people a heinous negligence, and in others a
culpable apathy is evinced with respect to the principles their conduct
is implanting. Profuse illustrations abound in every profession,
calling, and trade, of the effect of evil example, and also of the
disregard paid to its consequences. Whether or not this regardlessness
arises from negligence, or ignorance, it is difficult to determine. All
classes of society possess, undoubtedly, though in varying degrees, the
important power of exemplifying good or evil, and it behooves them to
act with greater circumspection and discretion with respect to the
injurious consequences which their examples may evoke, having due regard
to the avidity which is shown by weak minds to follow example, however
pernicious. It is natural for man to imitate a model or pattern, as it
thereby affords him a much easier and more agreeable opportunity of
forming his ideas on any particular subject. Nor is example confined to
those holding high public positions. Its presence and power are
experienced as much from the humblest Bible woman as from the greatest
shining light in the pulpit. I admit that influence, good or evil, is
propagated to a greater extent when the source from which it emanates is
more prominently before the gaze of the world than if it were less
public; but I am persuaded that the closer the relationship between the
one who exerts the influence and the one upon whom it takes effect, the
more deep and lasting will the impression prove, and any endeavors to
eradicate it will involve more strenuous efforts and diligent
application than where there is no sympathetic feeling evinced by the
one toward the other.
The implicitness with which example is followed is subject to
considerable variations, for I am inclined to think that the lower the
moral position the greater the aptitude for imitation is displayed.
This arises from the incapability of those who occupy such positions to
tear asunder the forms which envelope them, and strike a path untrodden
for themselves. They find it much more congenial to their tastes and
pursuits to act as others around them usually do than to alienate
themselves and endeavor to live more in accordance with the laws of
morality. No one can deny, especially those who knew her well, that
Mrs. Knowles's great success was as much derived from her example and
humility as from any power of teaching and persuasion she possessed.
And now, dear readers, those of you who have not the gift of leading
others into the paths of virtue and morality by the gift of ready
speech or the force of your conversation and address, can at least so
regulate your conduct that the little world around you may look up to
_you_ as an example, however humble your position in it may be.
There are lesser lights along the iron-bound coast of England than the
Eddystone; still they serve the purpose for which they were erected.
Yea, the widow's lamp, in the window of the cottage by the sea, saved
her own son from shipwreck. The Talisman's motto ought to be ours:
"Be watchful, be ready, for shipwreck prepare,
Keep an eye on the life-boat, but never despair!"
All along our coast the Government has built massive and strong
light-houses to guide and warn the tempest-tossed mariner. The passage
may have been hazardous to many a staunch ship and brave crew,
occasioned by constant exposure to a multiplicity of dangers seen and
unseen. Who can tell of the deep anxiety of the gloomy days and nights
they spent waiting and watching, while many a keen blast has mournfully
whistled through the shrouds, and many a billow has threatened to
engulf their bark; but how cheering is yonder light streaming forth
amid the densest darkness. It speaks with trumpet-tongue to the
bewildered navigator, and says, "This is the course, steer ye by it."
How refreshing the sight. How assuring those bright beams that quiver
over the perilous sea. Clouds and wind must not affright, for the
gladsome welcome light of example interposes between us and
disappointment and despair. "Ye are the light of the world," said
Jesus. It is by beholding the lights that once shone on earth, that are
now shining as the stars for ever and ever in heaven, that we, seeing
their good works do glorify our Father in Heaven.
How many, alas! are utterly unconscious of the power of a godly example;
it is only prayerful reflection upon it that rivets the connecting link
between earth and heaven. Endearing attachments are formed and
gradually, eternally perpetuated, strengthened by constant companionship.
It is then we become truer-hearted, more gentle, more generous, and more
affectionate. Exquisitely rounded Christian character is only thus
obtained. Our hearts, and glad, willing service ought to be laid on the
same altar as our humble offering, in proof of the profit and pleasure
that we have experienced in reviewing the career of those great examples
worthy of study and imitation. This is the only explanation we can give
for penning this memorial. Our hearts were deeply stirred by the words
uttered with the dying breath of Mrs. Knowles, when she said to me,
"PREACH THE GOSPEL UNCOLORED;" I want to recognize their importance as
synonymous with Paul's exhortation to Timothy, "Preach the Word." Yes,
dear reader, this is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,
and it is quick and powerful. We must wield it earnestly and bravely in
the great conflict of life, constantly reiterating the Bible woman's
dying words:
"MY DAY IS SHORT, I MUST FINISH MY WORK!"
In perusing these memoirs, we ask, Who can read the foregoing
correspondence and record of God's goodness to His saints, and through
them to perishing souls, promiscuously scattered among all classes, and
creeds, and colors, Jews and Gentiles alike, without feelings of
unfeigned gratitude to God for raising up two such worthy persons to
adorn "the doctrine of God, our Saviour?"
Our earnest prayer is, that the Holy Spirit will not allow to pass
unobserved such lives of usefulness and self-sacrifice, without
awakening a deeper interest in the lapsed masses of the lower part of
this city.
We sincerely trust, also, that the publication and perusal of this
humble effort to glorify God by perpetuating the memory of the loved
ones so fondly cherished shall not be all in vain, and fall on the
heart as a dead letter, "like the wind that passes over the rock,
leaving it harder than before." Mr. D. L. Moody once said, "I never saw
a man who was aiming to do the best work, but there could be some
improvement; I never did anything in my life that I didn't think I
could have done better, and I have often upbraided myself that I had
not done better. But to sit down and find fault with other people when
we are doing nothing ourselves is all wrong, and is the opposite of
holy, patient, divine love." May we rather be of that number concerning
whom it is said, "Blessed are those servants, who, when their Lord
shall come, He will find watching."
The sunset of life will come sooner or later, "Let us, then, give
earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we
should let them slip." Especially let us consider the importance of
Mrs. Knowles's final farewell exhortation: "_Be kind, gentle, and
patient. Be faithful, humble, meek, and constantly keep at the Master's
feet until He calls you up higher._" If we take heed to these dying
words, we will be able easily to appropriate as our own the sweet
solacing words in the Song of Songs, "I sat under His shadow with great
delight, and His fruit was sweet unto my taste. He brought me into His
banqueting house, and His banner over me was love."
In bidding our readers adieu, I would, in conclusion, urge that they
seriously reflect upon the significance of the Bible woman's last
triumphant utterances: "Once I was young, now I am old, and have never
been forsaken."
Who to their reward will say them nay,
In Heaven or on Earth:
Brave Pilgrims of Israel, pass'd away--
We till now ne'er knew your worth!
Go! write out their lives on leaves of gold,
With characters of love,
Let the future know, when we are cold,
Of our loved ones gone above.
*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Gathering Jewels - The Secret of a Beautiful Life: In Memoriam of Mr. & Mrs. James Knowles. Selected from Their Diaries." ***
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