tihvavy oftU ^heolo0ical ^rnxnavy 
 
 PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY 
 
 FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 ROBERT ELLIOTT SPEER 
 
 BR 1725 .F73 M4 1870 
 
 Memorial of Kate Benedict 
 
 Freeman . . 
 
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MEMORIAL. 
 
 ^ 
 
MEMORIAL 
 
 OF 
 
 Kate Benedict Freeman. 
 
 f rinleir for ^ribale Cirtulatmn:. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS, 
 530, Broadway. 
 1870. 
 
Cambridge: 
 printed by john wilson and son. 
 
"She liveth long who Hveth well : 
 All other life is short and vain ; 
 She liveth longest who can tell 
 Of living most for heavenly gain. 
 
 •' She liveth long who liveth well ! 
 All else is being flung away; 
 She liveth longest who can tell 
 Of true things truly done each day." 
 
 BONAR. 
 
K^4^ 
 
 THE SCHOOL-GIRL. 
 
 ^ 
 
"/^^OOD lives are like rays of sun- 
 light, that gladden the world 
 while they shine, but leave it dark 
 and chilly when they depart. Feeble 
 and faint at best must be the image 
 of a life transferred to a printed page, 
 in comparison with that life itself, as 
 it was felt by friends while it lasted, 
 and is remembered still ; but if the 
 original were indeed a sunbeam sent 
 from heaven to cheer a portion of 
 this dull earth, a copy, to some extent 
 true and suggestive, may be taken 
 and kept." 
 
I O MEMORIAL. 
 
 This little Memorial lays no claim 
 to being a biography, but aims merely 
 to give a brief outline of the dear 
 departed one, to help friends more 
 vividly to recall the vanished life. 
 
 Kate Benedict was born in the city 
 of New York, on the 19th of May, 
 1841. 
 
 As a child she was remarkable for 
 her vivacity and wit, and for the zest 
 with which she entered into both her 
 employments and enjoyments. 
 
 Her education was mainly acquired 
 at the Spingler Institute, under the 
 kind care of the Rev. Gorham D. 
 Abbott. 
 
 One of her teachers writes: "I re- 
 member her perfectly, and her dis- 
 tinguishing traits of character; affec- 
 tionate, talented, studious, bright, sus- 
 
THE SCHOOL-GIRL. II 
 
 ceptible always to the highest motives. 
 If I wished to move her to a certain 
 course of action, which perhaps was 
 new and strange to her, I had merely 
 to appeal to her sense of right, and a 
 conscience evidently educated by the 
 word of God would invariably respond 
 to my call. Her temperament was 
 peculiarly cheerful, kind, and genial, 
 and she was therefore a universal 
 favorite with her t&achers, and also 
 her associates. She won easily, and 
 retained the love of all. 
 
 " As I write, one characteristic oc- 
 curs to me, which illustrates her cheer- 
 fulness as well as her kindness of 
 heart. She loved sport, — a play upon 
 words, or an innocent joke, — but 
 would never go so far as to wound 
 the feelings of any. On the contrary, 
 
1 2 MEMORIAL. 
 
 I remember she would be among the 
 first to cheer a schoolmate who was 
 depressed, or incite her to renewed 
 study so as to avoid censure; or, as 
 in one case particularly before my 
 mind, bring them to me repentant, 
 and go away with the forgiven one 
 apparently as happy as if she herself 
 had been forgiven." 
 
 One of her classmates writes as, 
 follows : — 
 
 " I well remember the first time 
 that Katie's bright, good-natured face 
 appeared in our school-room; and 
 from that day until we finished the 
 prescribed course of study, five years 
 afterwards, she was truly the life of 
 the class. In the times of intermis- 
 sion, there was always a laughing 
 group of girls gathered about her. 
 
THE SCHOOI^GIRL. 1 3 
 
 enjoying her funny sayings. In fact, 
 we grew to expect ^ fun ' as a matter 
 of course, when Kate was present, 
 and she seldom failed to respond to 
 our desire. Add to her readiness of 
 speech a great facility with her pen- 
 cil, and you will perceive that she 
 was a treasure to us. 
 
 " Under this joyous exterior Kate 
 treasured deep, even enthusiastic, feel- 
 ings on many subjects. 
 
 "At that time her religious senti- 
 ments were mostly shut up within 
 her own heart, — not a subject of con- 
 versation with others. 
 
 " She was exceedingly fond of the 
 study of histor}', not as a school-study, 
 but for her own home reading; and 
 often as we sat together painting, with 
 our easels side by side, would she 
 
H 
 
 MEMORIAL, 
 
 express her admiration for certain 
 historical personages. I remember 
 her once saying to me that she would 
 rather have been Mme. Roland than 
 any other historical personage she 
 knew of. Her sympathy with the 
 noble, self-sacrificing spirit of that 
 unfortunate lady will perhaps show 
 some of her own characteristics." 
 
 During this period she was pre- 
 sented by her father with a neat little 
 gold watch, which she greatly valued, 
 not only for its own sake, but also 
 for the sake of the giver. But of 
 course she had to take it to Spingler 
 to show to her schoolmates. After 
 returning from school one afternoon, 
 she missed it. Diligent search was 
 at once made, but all in vain. 
 Though then perhaps not a Christian, 
 
THE SCIIOOL-GIRL. 1 5 
 
 yet she knew well the power of prayer ; 
 for she dwelt in a household where 
 prayer was much valued. So she 
 took her trouble to the Lord. She 
 prayed that He who knew all things 
 would point out to her where her 
 watch was. She followed up these 
 petitions with fresh efforts in the way 
 of search, but still no clew could be 
 found to the missing article. Before 
 retiring to rest for the night, she once 
 more committed the matter to the 
 Lord, and again on rising in the morn- 
 ing. She started for school at the 
 usual time, and as she passed down 
 to the street from the front door, on 
 the lowest step, fast embedded in the 
 ice, lay her lost treasure. It certain- 
 ly seemed a remarkable answer to 
 prayer; for both in the evening and 
 
1 6 MEMORIAL. 
 
 again in the morning, a great many 
 had passed up and down that thorough- 
 fare (Madison Avenue), but their 
 eyes had been holden so that they 
 should not see what really lay so con- 
 spicuously before them. 
 
 In this little incident we have the 
 key to her subsequent success in the 
 service of the Master. Whenever 
 any trouble arose, she went and told 
 Jesus. When she was in doubt or 
 difficulty, she took both doubts and 
 difficulties to Him. The extracts from 
 her letters and journal in this little 
 Memorial show this, and her life ex- 
 emplified it still more conspicuously. 
 
 Her attainments at school, without 
 being marked, were highly satisfac- 
 tory. I 
 
 There have been preserved twenty 
 
THE SCHOOL-GIRL, I 7 
 
 of her compositions, neatly folded, 
 and tied up with a pink ribbon. 
 These show more facility in expres- 
 sion and more vigor of thought than 
 is usually found in the writings of girls 
 at her age. 
 
 While at school, the summer months 
 were always spent at Lake Mahopac, 
 N.Y. 
 
 Here she was the leader in every 
 innocent frolic, such as making mo- 
 lasses candy, picking blackberries, 
 enjoying a straw ride, or rowing, as 
 the case might be. 
 
 Here that remarkable unselfishness, 
 afterwards so conspicuous a trait in 
 her character, began to develop itself. 
 She was the universal favorite among 
 all the girls, — for it was the com- 
 panionship of her own sex only that 
 she souo^ht. 
 
1 8 MEMORIAL. 
 
 No letters of this period have been 
 preserved to throve Hght on her char- 
 acter and employments. But all w^ho 
 knew^ her think of her as a warm- 
 hearted, loving, witty, clever girl; 
 somewhat of a romp, perhaps, but a 
 romp that never hurt any one's feel- 
 ings, and was always doing kind 
 things to others. 
 
•^©^^s^=©^ 
 
 II. 
 
 THE YOUNG WOMAN. 
 
r\N the first Sabbath in April, 1858, 
 Kate united with the Madison- 
 square Presbyterian Church (Rev. 
 Dr. Adams's) . Her Christian charac- 
 ter is well expressed by the words of 
 Scripture, " The path of the just is as 
 the shining light that shineth more 
 and more unto the perfect day." Its 
 sreat characteristic was orrowth. That 
 growth was particularly marked and 
 rapid in the last year of her life. 
 
 In 1864 her father removed to 
 Audubon Park, 155th Street. Here 
 she and other members of the family 
 
2 2 MEMORIAL. 
 
 united with the Presbyterian Church 
 under the pastoral care of the Rev. C. 
 A. Stoddard. A strong bond of at- 
 tachment soon sprang up between the 
 pastor and this loving parishioner. 
 There was here an ample field for 
 Christian labor. She became imme- 
 diately an earnest worker in the Sab- 
 bath school. 
 
 Twice a month she invited her 
 scholars to her house, and gave them 
 a little entertainment as well as read 
 to them. It is remembered that 
 on one occasion, finding that four of 
 her scholars wanted very much to 
 see the panorama of Bunyan's Pil- 
 grim's Progress, then exhibiting in Dr. 
 Cheever's church, with no little self- 
 denial she took them all with her 
 to see it. 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 23 
 
 Aofain, hearino^ that two of the little 
 girls had never seen Broadway or 
 Stewart's store, she took them by 
 stage (a kind of conveyance they 
 had never travelled in before) down 
 Broadway, and carefully showed them 
 all the wonders of Stewart's, as well as 
 took them to the Egyptian museum 
 at that time on exhibition. 
 
 One case of a very sick woman is 
 now vividly recalled, whom she visited 
 every day, and sometimes twice, carry- 
 ing always some delicacy suited to her 
 feeble condition and flagging appe- 
 tite. In fact she took upon herself 
 nearly the whole care of this woman, 
 and was with her when she died. 
 
 At the funeral she led the little 
 children by the hand, and followed the 
 coffin as chief mourner to the grave. 
 
24 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 About the death of this woman she 
 writes, April 9th, 1865: — 
 
 " Poor Mrs. died Wednesday 
 
 morning; so gently, so calmly, as if 
 going to sleep. Just before she passed 
 away she opened her eyes, a sweet 
 smile came over her face, she stretched 
 out her arms, and joyfully whispering, 
 ^ Happy J happy ^ was gone. I felt 
 so unhappy before: I could not rid 
 myself of the terrible thought I was 
 answerable for the indifference (if 
 such it was), — I could not help but 
 recall neglected opportunities. But 
 now I am sure she is with Jesus. 
 Why did those eyes unclose, and the 
 smile come over those wasted features, 
 unless they had seen that blessed face 
 looking down in love and forgiveness ? 
 What could make her stretch out 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 25 
 
 those poor thin arms, and exultingly 
 cry, ' Happy, happy,' when the dark 
 river was yet to be crossed alone? 
 Alone! ah, no! she saw the Saviour's 
 arms outstretched to receive her, and 
 hastened to meet Him. Folded in 
 that loving embrace, with her head 
 pillowed on His bosom, she can utter 
 words of joy. Safely now the dark 
 river is crossed, — its waters did not 
 overflow her; up, up to the pearly 
 gates of heaven she is borne, and as 
 they open wide to receive her, there 
 the white-robed ones are waiting to 
 welcome ^ mother,' united never to 
 part again. There at the feet of 
 the Saviour may it be she has found 
 that 7?^^/ which only He can give." 
 
 It was proposed some time since to 
 enter more earnestly on the work of 
 
26 3IE MORTAL. 
 
 tract distribution, and the Church 
 called for volunteers to visit in certain 
 peculiarly difficult districts. Kate 
 came forward at once and offered her 
 services. Hers was one of the hardest 
 to do, because she had to distribute 
 them among her own friends. 
 
 She never went down town without 
 taking a few little books or tracts with 
 her, to give to such children as she 
 might meet on the way. 
 
 One striking peculiarity was her 
 thoughtfulness about others, — her 
 desire to do kind things to those who 
 misfht be overlooked, or those who 
 had few friends. 
 
 On one occasion, for instance, she 
 sent a kind letter to a dress-maker, 
 w^ho had w^orked for her, accompa- 
 nied by Dr. Hall's admirable little 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 
 
 27 
 
 book, " Care Cast upon the Lord." 
 On being spoken to about it, she re- 
 marked that a dress-maker's life must 
 be so full of trials and cares that she 
 thought this little book would be a 
 comfort to her. 
 
 Calling one day on a neighbor, she 
 learned through a little child in the 
 family that the grandmother's birth- 
 day would be in a few days. Kate 
 said nothing about it at the time, but 
 when the day arrived, thinking that 
 the excellent old lady would perhaps 
 have no one to remember the day, 
 outside of her own family, sent her a 
 pot of full-blown roses, charging the 
 bearer not to tell who sent them. 
 
 A few ddivs after, she met the 
 lady's daughter in the car, on the wa}^ 
 to New York. The latter, not sus- 
 
28 MEMORIAL. 
 
 pecting Kate's connection with the 
 matter, spoke of the flowers her moth- 
 er had received on her birthday, 
 and how happy they had made her. 
 Kate, without thought, exclaimed, — 
 " I am so orlad she Hked them ! " and 
 then added, " Oh, I did not mean to 
 tell, but please say nothing to your 
 mother about it." Her wishes were 
 respected, and the aged servant of 
 Christ knew nothing about the giver 
 till after Kate's death. 
 
 When the war broke out, " she used 
 to tell me," says a schoolmate, from 
 whose letter we have already made 
 quotations, ^~ of her desire to make 
 herself useful as a nurse to the wound- 
 ed soldiers in hospital; and although 
 the plan was not carried out, she kept 
 up her interest in them, and she re- 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 29 
 
 counted to me the pleasure it gave 
 her to distribute magazines to them, 
 or to leave a few choice flowers by 
 the pillow of a sleeping soldier, so 
 that their beauty and fragrance might 
 cheer him when he awoke." 
 
 Twice or three times every week 
 she visited the soldiers' hospital, at 
 Central Park. She carried them jel- 
 lies and other tempting viands, as 
 well as books, tracts, and flowers; 
 and, what was perhaps best of all, 
 gave them many loving words of 
 sympathy and encouragement. 
 
 Afterwards she received several 
 letters from the convalescents. 
 
 One of these poor fellows, in a 
 cramped hand, the words badly 
 spelled, and with little regard to gram- 
 mar, says : " I am writing to express 
 
30 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 the warm thanks I feel. You do not 
 know the pleasure that them flowers 
 you gave me produced. I smell them 
 now, and likewise the books that you 
 gave me. I hope that you may get your 
 reward in heaven. You are the sol- 
 dier's friend. When you came in the 
 ward and gave out these flowers and 
 then said you was sorry you had no 
 more left, you gave me one and 
 smiled so pleasantly." 
 
 Another one sent his photograph, 
 and says: "There is nothing that will 
 comfort a soldier so much as kind 
 words from a lady. I am happy to 
 say that I am a soldier of the cross, 
 as well as a soldier in this war. I 
 may soon be on my way to the front, 
 to stand my chance once more in the 
 thinned ranks, where once stood a 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 
 
 31 
 
 thousand strong. If I go and don't 
 have the pleasure of seeing you, please 
 remember me in your pra3'Xrs." 
 
 Many a poor home was made 
 brighter by her friendly visits; many 
 a little want supplied; many a loving 
 word spoken for the Master, for 
 whose sake she did it all. 
 
 She took great delight in hanging 
 up on the walls of the houses of the 
 poor, and especially of the sick poor, 
 copies of the " Silent Comforter," 
 which consists of large-type Scripture 
 texts, and hymns. 
 
 In her attention to her duties as a 
 servant of the Lord Jesus, she did not 
 overlook that intellectual culture 
 which became one in her position and 
 with her opportunities. She acquired 
 great skill in drawing and painting. 
 
3 2 MEMORIAL. 
 
 as the walls, alike of her first home 
 and her last one, attest. She also 
 contributed some interesting^ articles 
 to one of the religious newspapers. 
 Extracts from letters of this period 
 follow, illustrative of her Christian 
 character. These letters evince a 
 remarkable devotion to duty. When 
 the question was once settled what 
 she ought to do, she lost no time in 
 setting about it. She was one of the 
 most gifted of letter-writers. It is 
 greatly to be regretted that that spark- 
 ling wit with which they overflowed 
 was generally of such a strictly per- 
 sonal or private nature as to forbid 
 their being printed. It must not be 
 supposed that because these extracts 
 are largely of a serious character that 
 there was any thing sad, morbid, or 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 33 
 
 melancholy in her religion. On the 
 contrary, she was, both in conversa- 
 tion and correspondence, as all who 
 knew her will testify, one of the live- 
 liest, wittiest, and most entertaining 
 of persons. 
 
 Her letters were many of them not 
 only of the most amusing sort, but 
 they were often illustrated with pen- 
 sketches of inimitable drollery. 
 
 In May, 1866, her father, having 
 occasion to go to St. Louis to attend 
 the General Assembly, took Kate with 
 him to Niagara Falls, and after spend- 
 ing some time there, took her to a 
 friend's house in Western Canada 
 (now Ontario), where he left her till 
 his return. 
 
 In a letter to her mother she gives 
 some of her experience in a sleeping- 
 car, on the outward trip : — 
 
34 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 "While we were quietly sitting by 
 our window the man put his head 
 in: ^ Want your bed made, sir?' Up 
 we jumped, going out into the dress- 
 ing-room, to wait until it was ready. 
 I watched the mysterious proceed- 
 ings, — tumbling down shelves, drag- 
 ging out sheets, tossing up pillows, 
 and all prepared in about two min- 
 utes. I looked with a little trepida- 
 tion at the size of the room after the 
 bed was made. It was all bed from 
 window to door, and from wall to 
 wall. I lay down on the outside, en- 
 tirely dressed except my hat; put 
 something between my head and the 
 pillow, and wondered would I ever 
 sleep in that place. . . . 
 
 "I lay staring awake; I could hear 
 the wheels scratching and groaning, 
 
THE YOUNG WO^fAN. TfS 
 
 and hear the shriek, and feel the jerk, 
 cHckety click, sic, sic, sic, blickety 
 blick, bic, clic, clic, clic; and then 
 faster, — blickelty blick, blickelty, 
 blickelty, blickelty, until I wanted to 
 scream. Somehow I did fall asleep, 
 though when I cannot conceive; but 
 I jumped up at every station, and 
 heard the voices outside and baggage 
 put off, and the train move on. It 
 must have been near two o'clock, 
 when I felt this could be endured no 
 longer. I sat up in bed and thought. 
 I remembered they were all asleep 
 in that whole train. I bes^an to think 
 every thing was asleep in the world, 
 — that the world had stopped mov- 
 ing, — that the engineer was asleep 
 too, and the train was rushing off to 
 destruction. For a moment the 
 
^6 MEMORIAL. 
 
 thought was horrible. I wanted to 
 bang on the door and wake ever}^ 
 one up. Then I suddenly recollected 
 the robber was to come for my rings, 
 and he ought to be along soon, for it 
 was going on to morning. I put 
 them on the end of my thumb, so 
 they might be conveniently stolen 
 without sawing off my fingers, — raised 
 up my chin that he might see my 
 breast-pin, without hacking off my 
 head, — and waited. He was asleep, 
 too ! Thank his blessed bed for that. 
 I felt cheered; and, in that sweet re- 
 flection, fell asleep." 
 
 To Mr. Freeman she writes of the 
 following day's travel: — 
 
 " The journey the next day was per- 
 fectly delightful. Such a beautiful 
 country, so open, so wild, and so 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 37 
 
 charmingly picturesque. The motion 
 of travelHng was so even and smooth 
 that we glided rather than rushed 
 past the fields and fences. Now we 
 would be hanging over a very great 
 height, where right below lay a lovely 
 lake sweetly sunny, and reflecting the 
 sky above us in its clear blue surface; 
 then, speeding past the thick, dark 
 wood, little openings now and then 
 showed us the wood-slides cut in the 
 mountain-side; now a quick curve 
 into a lovely table-land, stretching 
 far, far away, and all a bright golden 
 green. Only for a moment, though; 
 for with a shriek and a snort, our wild 
 horse rushes past a wooden house, 
 making me involuntarily draw back, 
 frightened lest the man at the window 
 might suffer. But I look back, and 
 
38 MEMORIAL. 
 
 see him smiling and tossing his hat in 
 welcome, all safe. Here we leave a 
 barn, almost destroyed, when hurrah ! 
 we find it again, as if godmother fairies 
 had granted the annual boon: oh, it 
 was glorious, this mad flight through 
 the air ! And then to go slower, slower, 
 slower; to hear the pant and pufl", to 
 feel the motion, gentler, gentler, and to 
 see the train move into the rural depot, 
 where would be crouching in comfort 
 on rude settles the weather-browned 
 fathers of the land, wonderingly ey- 
 ing us travellers from the great 
 ^ York.' How I enjoyed it! I have 
 thanked my father, who so continually 
 added each moment to my comfort 
 and enjoyment. But 02cr Father in 
 Heaven I cannot thank enough for so 
 much happiness, and such a profusion 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 39 
 
 of blessings. I am brought after every 
 mercy nearer to Him. I feel my own 
 sinfulness and utter unworthiness to 
 receive these privileges. Oh! then 
 may I live more devotedly for His ser- 
 vice, and serve only for His glory." 
 
 In the same letter she gives her 
 impressions of Niagara Falls, which 
 she saw now for the first and only 
 time: — 
 
 ^^ I cannot tell you how the Falls 
 affected me. They are so awful, 
 horrible, maddening, the tremendous 
 fall of waters! Nothins: I ever con- 
 ceived is like it. The rapids where 
 the water is howling, shrieking, dash- 
 ing over the rocks, rolling up in great 
 billows to break in the air, or to leap 
 into another, and then struggling to- 
 gether, go down, down, down that 
 
40 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 frightful fall. As I watched them and 
 listened to the awful roar, I felt per- 
 fectly fascinated. I wanted to plunge 
 in, that I might feel the great mystery. 
 Then my knees trembled so that I 
 sank down, crying and calling to 
 father to come and save me. Father 
 was so good, and kept his arm around 
 me all the while. With him to hold 
 me, I could look up and admire the 
 dizzy height? but my feeble knees 
 tottered even then, and I only breathed 
 freely when w^e were up the long 
 stairway again, awa}^ from the roar 
 and whirl. It seemed like Hell, and 
 the rapids like those struggling to 
 o-et free, but too late whirled down 
 to destruction, and the eternal vol- 
 ume of waters and horrible roar, like 
 an avenofinor God. I could not think 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 4 1 
 
 of Him as the same sweet and loving 
 Jesus I wanted to please and live 
 for." 
 
 "The next day I went again with 
 father to see the Falls in the sunlio:ht. 
 They were too bewilderingly, glori- 
 ously magnificent for me to describe: 
 the changing color, — the soft white 
 spray, — the swift, steep fall of water. 
 God grant 3^ou to see it all, and to won- 
 der at the might of our Father's power 
 to command the waves and winds to 
 obey Him ! The rapids ! Oh, how 
 they would delight you ! How they 
 danced, shouted, roared, laughed, and 
 frolicked in the greatest glee; rising 
 high in air to scatter spray mischiev- 
 ously, wanting to make us feel their 
 furious power; crashing over rocks, 
 striking into one another, madly strug- 
 4 
 
A 2 3IE MORTAL. 
 
 gling in the air, then rushing different 
 ways to foam and boil the water 
 everywhere. Then to look 'way up 
 the lake, as far as the eye could reach, 
 and to see the rapids there higher in 
 air, showing the gradual descent of 
 water, and clearly demonstrating the 
 cause of the terrible rush of all that 
 great gathering into one stupendous 
 descent." 
 
 Under date of May i6, to Mr. 
 Freeman, she says: — 
 
 "And now I am in Canada, the land 
 of old John Bull. No Britainer am 
 /, though ! American from head to 
 foot; loyal^ too, to the very core! 
 And a strange life I am living among 
 the queer old Canadian farmers. Not 
 half-and-half farmers, but real, true 
 farmers: clean, though; every thing 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 43 
 
 scrupulously neat, from the kitchen 
 floor to the old man's cow-byre." 
 
 "Yesterday afternoon I went to a 
 neighbor's — a mile and a half away — 
 to spend the afternoon and take tea. I 
 had a splendid time. It is a real farm 
 family; even the father has never 
 been to Nezu York! But they were 
 all so hospitable and intelligent, and 
 treated me elegantly. Just imagine, 
 they have a melodeon, and one of the 
 dauo^hters takes lessons in sinorino- 1 
 Of course, I played, and they were 
 delighted, imagining I must be Signer 
 La Pokee I ! There was a crazy- 
 looking man staying there, a singing- 
 master, and such a funny man he was 
 too. He was one of that kind who^ 
 when they sit down, seem to melt 
 into the legs of the chair, and you 
 
44 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 wonder where they have gone to. I 
 don't know what he thought, but he 
 laughed at every word I said, and 
 seemed to enjoy ^the New- York lady' 
 very much. It is a great thing to 
 come from ^the States;' and here they 
 think you something wonderful if 
 they hear you are from ^ New York.' 
 There was to be a concert in the 
 ^ Hall ' at Mount Hope, about three 
 miles from their house. Of course I 
 must go everywhere, so off we went, 
 in a pouring rain too. But I did not 
 get wet, for it was a covered wagon, 
 and my lovely singing-master drove 
 the '■ team.'' Over bridges and brooks 
 we went, until we drove into a mite 
 of a village, and up to the hall. How 
 they stared at me ! I could see the 
 voung: men nudo^ino^ one another to 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 45 
 
 know who I was, and then the staring 
 would go on fiercer than ever. The 
 concert began very shortly after we 
 had our seats in this queer ^ hall,' and 
 do you believe it was only three 
 men, who sang quartets, triplets, and 
 duets all together ? But they did 
 have elegant, deep voices, only they 
 made up such funny faces, as if they 
 smelt something very peculiar." 
 
 Three days later she thus describes 
 a scene in the Canadian woods in a 
 letter to Mr. Freeman: — 
 
 "Oh! it is so perfectly beautiful 
 out in the wild woods where I am 
 now. I cannot describe to you the 
 charming spot we have chosen in 
 which to spend the day. It is too 
 exquisitely beautiful, I am sitting on 
 a fallen tree, close by the water. 
 
46 MEMORIAL. 
 
 Very near me is a ruined saw-mill, 
 with the logs and beams heaped to- 
 gether in most picturesque confusion. 
 I cannot see a house or the faintest 
 sign of any habitation. It is all wild- 
 wood and green meadow-land ; bright 
 green : ok, suck a lovely green I The 
 trees are not so densely foliaged but 
 that I can look beyond to broader 
 fields and deeper w^oods and sunnier 
 meadows than even this seems to be. 
 The birds are singing loudly in the 
 branches overhead. I can hear the 
 squirrels, and see them besides, as 
 they run to and fro. And now I hear 
 the tinkling of bells. How very ^ 
 rtiral I I look up and see four cows 
 •coming down to drink from my sweet 
 little brook. Our dog ^ Help ' sitting 
 beside us watches them for a moment; 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 
 
 47 
 
 and then springing up, clashes over 
 the water, plunges into a thicket, and 
 is gone! ^ He has seen something,' 
 Marie says. Sure enough, with a 
 wild cry, a flock of birds rise in the 
 air, wheel in circles for an instant, 
 and then sweep away in the distance. 
 Back comes the rude invader, shakes 
 off the water in our very faces, 
 crouches down into the most com- 
 fortable position, and now lazily 
 closes his eyes, pretending to be very 
 innocent. Oh, how I love it! This 
 place is so beautiful, and yet so 
 grandly wild. It is all God every- 
 where, Man has not placed his hand 
 here. God speaks in this very still- 
 ness, and shows me the worthlessness 
 of man's invention compared to His 
 own glorious works. It is just the 
 
48 MEMORIAL. 
 
 beautiful scenery that would charm 
 you. I think if we were here together 
 now, we would know better how to 
 praise the God who formed us, and 
 allows us, even for a season, to enjoy 
 the delight of living in such a beauti- 
 ful world, — a world defiled only by 
 sin, but which if peopled by angels 
 would be almost heaven." 
 
 To her little sister during the same 
 visit she writes : — 
 
 "... They have five cows, and I go 
 out to see them milked. Sometimes 
 they almost kick the pail over, and 
 throw their tails around so funnily. 
 And they have such lovel}' ducks, that 
 say ^ gabble, gabble,' all day. And 
 such a big dog, named Help. I was 
 afraid of him when I first came, he 
 looked so fierce: I thought he would 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 49 
 
 eat all my bones. Now I am getting 
 used to him, and I don't mind at all 
 when he crawls under the table at 
 dinner time and lies down at my feet. 
 There is another dog, too, but he is a 
 dear little one named Judy. I am not 
 afraid of him. One day I saw such a 
 large pig in the road, and what do 
 you think ? There were seven little 
 mites of pigs running after her. They 
 looked so funny with their short tails 
 just about as long as your little linger, 
 all wriggling in the air; and you don't 
 know how they squealed as they ran 
 after their mother. I think they 
 must have loved her dearly; but I 
 am afraid she hadn't punished them 
 enough, they were so rude and un- 
 gentlemanly to make such a loud 
 noise. 
 
50 MEMORIAL. 
 
 "Oh! I must tell you something 
 else. Marie has the loveliest pet lamb, 
 named Abraham Lincoln. Jessie has 
 another, named Jefferson Davis. They 
 are so sweet, and as white as snow. 
 We go in the fields where they are, 
 and the moment they see us coming, 
 down they will scamper to meet us. 
 Wasn't it too bad, Jessie sold her 
 lamb to the butcher? She wanted to 
 keep him very much; but then you 
 know the money would do her a great 
 deal more good, and the butcher gave 
 her two dollars and a half for it. 
 You must ask Georgie to tell you 
 how many pennies this is. I suppose 
 the dear little lamb had his cunning 
 white head taken of^' yesterday, and 
 somebody may eat him by and by. 
 He had an ugly name, didn't he? — 
 Jeff Davis. 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 5 I 
 
 "Marie says she will not se^ hers; 
 so it is very nice to think that I am 
 to have Abraham Lincoln for my 
 friend while I am in Canada: isn't it? 
 I have seen Johnnie Grey and Jessie 
 Grey and Bessie Grey and Charlie 
 Grey. Jessie Grey is just like a little 
 boy. She can climb fences and run 
 on stone walls and do all sorts of 
 wild things, and she is only four years 
 old! She says my name is Miss 
 Benk-kit. Isn't that a funny name 
 for me ? 
 
 "When I was there yesterday she 
 had a little gray pussy in her arms. 
 If it scratches her she rolls it up in 
 the bedclothes and lays it in the 
 cradle. Then she rocks the cradle 
 so fast that, between the bedclothes 
 and the rocking, the poor puss almost 
 
5 2 MEMORIAL. 
 
 smothers. I think it must be very 
 glad when Bessie's mamma puts her 
 little orirl to bed for the nio^ht: don't 
 you? Charlie is the baby, so he does 
 nothing but crow and kick his feet 
 all day long. 
 
 I miss you very much, darling; but 
 then I try not to, for God is very good 
 to make me so happy: isn't he? Are 
 you trying to be good, dear, too? 
 You mustn't forget what I told you 
 about your prayers. Remember not 
 to pra}^ for to-morrow; only to ask 
 God to make you a good little girl 
 for to-day. Then to-night you must 
 think what you have done naughty, 
 and ask Jesus to forgive it all. After- 
 wards pray Him to watch you safely 
 through the night, and to-morrow ask 
 Jesus to love and keep you through 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 53 
 
 the day. Isn't that a nicer way than 
 to say such long prayers? for Jesus 
 would rather have us tell Him all 
 what we do naughty, and what we 
 want good: then He can give us all 
 we need to make us good Christian 
 children. Be kind to Georme: won't 
 you, darling pet? Remember Jesus 
 is looking at you all the while, and 
 every time you please Him you make 
 that naughty Satan go away from 
 your heart, and the dear Jesus comes 
 in. Be kind to Matilda too. You 
 know poor Matilda's mother lives far 
 away in Germany. You would feel 
 lonely sometimes if your mother lived 
 there: wouldn't you? So be kind to 
 her, and Jesus w^ill love you very 
 dearly if you do every thing just 
 because you want to show Him how 
 dearly you love Him." 
 
54 MEMORIAL. 
 
 To a dear sister at school she thus 
 writes. May 14, 1866, from Audubon 
 Park: — 
 
 "I pray God to keep you well, 
 happy, and full of His sweet Spirit, 
 so that every one in school will love 
 you, and see that 3'ou love Jesus." 
 
 The followino: words of encourasre- 
 ment are addressed to the same sister 
 in July: — 
 
 " I notice so many times lately that 
 you have given up your own will to 
 please others. Jesus has said, ^ If any 
 man love me let him den}^ himself, 
 and take up his cross and follow me.' 
 You may be sure then that you do 
 love Jesus when you deny yourself, 
 and are willing to suffer little annoy- 
 ances for His sake. ... So you will 
 keep on exerting a good influence: 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 
 
 55 
 
 won't you, dear sister ? Don't be 
 discouraged if you can't see any good 
 done. Remember Jesus has said, 
 ^Whatsoever ye ask, believing, you 
 shall receive.' He doesn't say right 
 av^^ay now. We must believe it will 
 come some time." 
 
 In July, 1866, she spent two weeks 
 with her sister and brother-in-law at 
 Stockbridge, Mass. She thus de- 
 scribes her experience in the boat for 
 Albany : — 
 
 " Our state-room was in the centre 
 of the boat (the St. John), very com- 
 fortable and every thing convenient. 
 Mr. Carter's was next, so that made 
 us feel almost at home. Of course 
 we were so anxious to catch the first 
 glimpse of Audubon, that our eyes 
 hurried over other objects. At last 
 
5 6 MEMORIAL. 
 
 we saw the Iron Foundry, the River 
 House, and then home. But oh we 
 were so disappointed ! You didn't 
 seem to be there at all. It looked like 
 so many croquet sticks. I mean black 
 winning-posts. I only recognized 
 one, and that was little Jessie. ... I 
 saw father dip the flag, or rather 
 just saw the flag dipped, — we could 
 not recognize any one. Emma, not 
 feeling very well, went to her room 
 early. Mr. Carter made a sweet little 
 prayer with her before she went to 
 sleep; and then he and I, like two 
 grave married folks, sat on deck, 
 peering out into the dark waters. 
 We noticed every point of interest, 
 St. Anthony's Nose, Cro' Nest, West 
 Point, and oh so many magnificent 
 high peaks, almost mountains, close 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 57 
 
 to the water's edge ! We sat on deck 
 till it was near ten o'clock: another 
 prayer was said for me as we knelt 
 down together in the little state- 
 room, and then we separated for the 
 night. I had been in that cramped- 
 up place but a few moments, when 
 Emma awoke. She felt a great deal 
 better. 
 
 "The window in our room looked 
 out on something, we puzzled our 
 heads to find out what. It looked 
 like a long counter. ... I felt very 
 nervous. I thought of the sign reit- 
 erated on every column in the saloon, 
 ^ Beware of strangers handsomely 
 dressed who invite you to play eu- 
 chre.' I could see the long counter 
 just outside, and, in imagination, the 
 handsomely dressed stranger stretched 
 5 
 
58 MEMORIAL. 
 
 upon it gazing in at us. ^Emma,' I 
 asked, ^suppose that man comes and 
 asks us to play, what will you do?' 
 ^Oh!' she said, ^play of course,' and 
 then we both laughed." 
 
 Ten days later she writes to her 
 father from Stockbridge : — 
 
 "I know I am comins: home in two 
 or three days, but nevertheless I must 
 write you a few little lines. We 
 have had a delightful visit. Mr. Car- 
 ter and Mary have taken us every- 
 where, I should think, and yet they are 
 continually proposing new excursions. 
 We walk and ride a part of every 
 day, and are getting so thoroughly 
 acclimated that one would suppose, 
 from our healthy countenances and 
 hearty appreciation of the Berkshire 
 hills, we were children of the soil. 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 59 
 
 Not only have we become interested 
 in Stockbridge, but also in Lenox 
 and Great Barrington. We thought 
 Lenox lovely, and the view from the 
 Aspinwall place grander than any I 
 have seen. I should say more beauti- 
 ful^ — for the valley below and distant 
 mountains are seen distinctly here; 
 whereas, at Mount Washington and 
 Catskill, it is their indistinctness, and 
 the great extent of country, far, far 
 below and around you, that makes the 
 view so grand. 
 
 "Great Barrington we visited yes- 
 terday. The drive out was delightful, 
 by the Housatonic River the entire 
 way. I did not go into raptures, 
 though; for the track was close at our 
 side, the cars were expected in a little 
 time, and our horse was terribly afraid 
 
6o MEMORIAL. 
 
 of the locomotive. However, fast 
 driving brought us into Great Bar- 
 rington before the appearance of the 
 dreaded train. 
 
 "We had to leave in a pretty heavy 
 shower, in order to reach Stockbridge 
 in time for tea; but we had water- 
 proof cloaks, so we drove home in 
 fine condition. It was a much pleas- 
 anter ride back, because we left the 
 railway altogether, coming over Mon- 
 ument Mountain. 
 
 " Sunday morning we attended 
 church in Stockbridge village. It is 
 a very large building, and well filled 
 by the ' old families.' 
 
 "I saw the Rev. Dr. Field there; 
 and he looked so finely, with that 
 beautiful silver hair so smoothly fall- 
 ing on his shoulders. 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 6 1 
 
 " It was through one of the mem- 
 bers of the Field family that Mr. 
 Carter heard, after church, of the suc- 
 cess of the Atlantic Cable. I could 
 imagine the joy such an event must 
 produce throughout all England and 
 America; and I could imagine too 
 how delightedly you, dear father, must 
 have read the thrilling despatch that 
 the cable was laid, and how earnestly 
 you thanked God in prayer, and de- 
 sired that it might continue a success 
 and a blessing to the world. 
 
 " I wish I could give you a good 
 description of the graveyard we went 
 through in Stockbridge. I can only 
 give you a faint one, for all such 
 places must be seen in order to be 
 perfectly appreciated. It is very 
 prettily and neatly laid out, just as 
 
62 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 every thing is in Massachusetts. 
 There are many plain white monu- 
 ments reared to commemorate our 
 Revolutionary Fathers, and by their 
 side newer graves and fresher slabs 
 to honor the younger brave of the 
 Massachusetts 49th. So side by side 
 '76 and '61 rest together. 
 
 "What interested me most was the 
 Sedgwick burying-ground. This is 
 portioned off entirely from the other 
 part. In the centre is a large column 
 to the memory of the father, while 
 clustered round it are the children 
 and grandchildren. There was one 
 very pretty grave: the head-piece 
 was a brown-stone cross, and around 
 the centre part a plain belt of the 
 same stone with just the name ^ Helen,' 
 while at the foot was a brown-stone 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 6^ 
 
 dog beautifully carved, and sitting just 
 as if in life. On the collar was the 
 name ^Grip.' It seems the dog loved 
 little Helen very dearly. It w^as such 
 a pretty idea, and made the tears come 
 w^hen looking at it. 
 
 " Right in among the family names 
 was a bright white stone, and on it 
 ^Elizabeth Freeman, known as Mum- 
 Bet.' And then it said that she had 
 been for thirty years of her life an 
 African slave, — that she had never 
 neglected a duty, never violated a 
 trust. Such a beautiful eulogy to the 
 Christian life of that bondwoman, 
 that I almost envied her such a life. 
 It seemed as if her life should be a 
 lesson to us, that if an African slave 
 could be such a Christian, how much 
 must God expect from us living under 
 such different circumstances." 
 
64 MEMORIAL. * 
 
 A highly cultivated ladj^ the wife 
 of a Presbyterian clergyman, in north- 
 ern Illinois, who was very intimate 
 with Kate, writes thus, under date of 
 March 20, 1870: — 
 
 " On my last visit to her father's 
 house, a sympathy sprang up between 
 us from the fact that she was expect- 
 ing to assume the responsibilities of 
 a pastor's wife. We talked over its 
 blessings, its duties, and its trials. 
 She expressed an entire willingness 
 to leave her delightful, happy home, 
 and work for Jesus anywhere. 
 
 " The last morning I spent in that 
 beautiful home, the bell rang for 
 prayers. (Her father had been called 
 away the day previous on business.) 
 As I entered the dining-room, I found 
 the family all assembled (fifteen of 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 65 
 
 us), including the servants and coach- 
 man, and dear Kate in her father's 
 accustomed seat, with the Bible, from 
 which she read a chapter, and then 
 knelt and offered up a prayer, so full 
 of love, so appropriate to each of our 
 cases, so full of trust and confidence 
 in the precious promises of God, that 
 I could not but admire the noble girl 
 whose piety shone so brightly. None 
 could help feeling that she had been 
 with Jesus, and learned of Him." 
 
 This was not a solitary instance of 
 taking her father's place in his ab- 
 sence, but her constant habit, through 
 many years. 
 
 The following letter from Kate was 
 addressed to this excellent lady, under 
 date of Dec. 14th, 1866: — 
 
 " Father is very well, and just as 
 
66 MEMORIAL. 
 
 strongly pre-millennial as ever. Of 
 course we have the benefit of his 
 careful researches at morning prayers. 
 Sometimes it is about ^ going up,' or 
 the rapid decline of the Papal power. 
 Yesterday morning he told us that 
 the Pope had gone to some place, I 
 forget the name; and father spoke so 
 excitedly of the horrors of such a 
 system, that the coachman rolled his 
 eyes around wildly, and squeezed his 
 chair close to the wall, as if he feared 
 the Pope might cram in behind him. 
 
 "No matter what horrible event 
 might occur, it would be to father 
 nothing but a glorious fulfilment of 
 the prophecies. But he is such a 
 good man, such a darling father, and 
 such a perfectly beautiful Christian, 
 that everybody loves him, even our 
 old cat. 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 67 
 
 " He has taken up (father, — not the 
 ^ old cat ' ^) Revelation now, as a 
 study in his Bible class; the exposi- 
 tions are certainly most thrillingly 
 interesting: every verse seems to 
 speak for itself. . . . 
 
 " I could not help loving that good 
 man, your husband, when I heard 
 you relate those stories of hospital 
 life, and what he did to relieve the 
 suffering of the poor soldiers. . . . 
 Give him the books I send. I would 
 like to send him a whole library full. 
 I know the little I do give will be 
 
 * This parenthesis is not so unnecessary as a 
 stranger might suppose; for Dr. Faustus, as this 
 great, wise, and companionable household favorite 
 was called, was no ordinary cat. He lived to ex- 
 treme old age, and his portrait, life-size, painted bj 
 Kate's skilful hand, remains to commemorate his 
 virtues. 
 
68 MEMORIAL. 
 
 blessed to him, as I give it from love 
 to Jesus; and given with that love in 
 the heart to one whose sole aim is to 
 do the greatest amount of good, I do 
 feel that the Saviour will make the 
 gift a useful one. . . . 
 
 "The weather has been very cold, 
 — very cold indeed. I don't know 
 what I should do to live on a prairie. 
 . . . Just wait, dear Mrs. C, till our 
 parsonages join, and then see if I am 
 not a good neighbor; running in 
 every moment of the da}^, at the very 
 times you are the most busy, and have 
 to wish ^ she would stay at home.' " 
 
 To the same lad}^, Jan. 7, 1867, she 
 writes: — 
 
 " I am so glad your husband was 
 pleased with the books, — dear, good 
 man. If I could only give him a 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 69 
 
 line church, parsonage, and five thou- 
 sand dollars a year, that would be 
 worth thanking me for. But I want 
 to be remembered in his prayers. I 
 long to become like Jesus ; and, as 
 I remember that the prayers of the 
 righteous avail much with God, I 
 shall be a million-fold repaid if he 
 will take me with him sometimes to 
 the throne of grace, and ask the bless- 
 ed Saviour to make me every thing 
 needed in my future work. 
 
 "What very cold weather you must 
 have, — the thermometer two degrees 
 above zero! I should think those 
 prairie hens, so famed there, and so 
 exceedingly delicate here, would be 
 frozen to death. How I would love 
 to see a prairie! I cannot imagine 
 one. Sometimes I picture out an 
 
70 MEMORIAL. 
 
 immense, barren plain, perfectly cov- 
 ered with hens and chickens; and 
 then, out of pity for the poor creat- 
 ures with no roost, I have to lay out 
 a number of forest trees, and a com- 
 fortable rail fence. . . . 
 
 " Dear father is just as much inter- 
 ested in the prophecies as ever. I 
 could not begin to tell you the num- 
 ber of pamphlets and books he has 
 upon pre-millenarianism. They have 
 each a different name ; and yet the 
 contents seem so much the same that 
 I should think one person had written 
 them all. One drawer in his desk 
 looks positively frightful. As you 
 open it, enormous headings stare into 
 your face, and on the cover of one is 
 the funniest picture, representing the 
 great battle. There are Turks rush- 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 7 I 
 
 ino^ across the desert on foamino^ 
 steeds, and the greatest confusion 
 everywhere, brought out more boldly 
 by a threatening sky. I had to laugh, 
 and father laughed too, at the idea of 
 representing such a scene. ... I do 
 not mean any thing wrong: I believe 
 most certainly what father believes, 
 but I am content to rest there. I really 
 am perplexed when I read so many 
 persons' opinions. 
 
 " I think if we love our Saviour 
 with all our heart, and try faithfully 
 to serve him, if we hold the things 
 of earth very slightly, and ^ have our 
 conversation in heaven, from whence 
 also we look for His appearing,' it 
 ought not to trouble us when He shall 
 come. All Jesus asks is to have us 
 ready to meet Him. 
 
72 ME MORTAL. 
 
 "And besides, this way of bringing 
 the ^time, times, and half a time' 
 near makes me feel I will not buy 
 any more things than I absolutely 
 need, and so I put off and put off get- 
 ting what I want, going round the 
 house dressed like a Randall's-island- 
 er. Then when John comes home I 
 look at him with great, wistful eyes, 
 and think, ... I do want to be your 
 wife, how I would love to work 
 with you in the ministry ; but that 
 drawer full of books and that alarm- 
 ing battle-scene knock away my de- 
 lightful hope, and I have to give a 
 long sigh." 
 
 A few months later, to the same 
 lady, she writes: — 
 
 " I was perfectly delighted with 
 your last letter, telling me about the 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 73 
 
 parsonage, and looking at the con- 
 templated plan. The only sadness I 
 felt after reading it was that I could 
 not be Mrs. George Peabody for an 
 hour, and give you the required sum, 
 and a great deal more." 
 
 To a sister at school, January lo, 
 1867, she playfully says: — 
 ^ " Georgia is getting along finely in 
 his lessons. As for geology, he can 
 tell just how old all the dirt is in the 
 garden, and what age it flourished in. 
 Our gravel appeared first in the Ston- 
 crean age, and the catnip-bushes at- 
 tained their greatest grandeur in the 
 Cataluvian age, just before man came." 
 And again, on the 17th, — 
 ..." Hasn't this been a very wild 
 day? I wish you could see the Park. 
 It has drifted in great piles, looking 
 6 
 
74 3IEM0RIAL. 
 
 like hills of snow. Father says he 
 does not remember such a storm since 
 he was a boy." 
 
 Under date of March ii, 1867, 
 she thus urges the same sister, in 
 whose spiritual welfare she took a very 
 warm interest, to make a profession of 
 Christ before men : — 
 
 " I know the dear Saviour loves 3^ou, 
 and has given you His Spirit. And 
 now, dear sister, would you not love 
 to confess Him before every one.'^ 
 Father and mother are sure you love 
 them, but they are pleased when you 
 tell them so; and don't you believe 
 the blessed Saviour would love to 
 have you tell Him? . . . When you 
 think of what He did for you, won't 
 you do the one thing He wants most 
 of all, — confess Him before men ? . . . 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 75 
 
 Think of the reward Jesus promises, 
 ^They shall be mine in that day when I 
 make up my Jewels.' Think of Christ 
 owning you then, telling His Father 
 and all the angels you are His. 
 
 " Our communion is the second Sun- 
 day in April. I thought you would 
 be at home then, and perhaps you 
 might be willing to unite with the 
 Church. Don't mind if your poor 
 little heart beats fast as you think of 
 it. Christ will be with you. 
 
 " Do not be afraid that you may not 
 live consistently afterwards. Just trust 
 Jesus, darling. He has promised to 
 help you; and those who have once 
 belonged to Christ, He says no one is 
 able to pluck out of His hand. 
 
 • • • "No one knows, dear sister, 
 what I have written, — no one but 
 
76 MEMORIAL. 
 
 Jesus. Won't you honor Jesus and own 
 Him at the next communion? I will 
 strengthen you all I can. I will go 
 with you before the Session, and that, 
 3^ou know, is composed in our church 
 of only the minister and two elders, 
 and I will stand by you when you 
 confess His name." 
 
 It is very pleasant to add, that her 
 wishes in this matter were complied 
 with by her sister, and the two, side 
 by side, commemorated together the 
 dying love of our Blessed Lord. 
 
 She adds the following words of 
 encouragement a few days later 
 (March 20th) : — 
 
 "Jesus will take the very best care of 
 His own. Why, has He not promised 
 that all things shall ^work together 
 for good to them who love Him'.^ 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 
 
 77 
 
 For good! — just think, for good! — 
 trials, persecutions, suffering, all for 
 good. It doesn't seem hard to be a 
 Christian: why, I think it is the most 
 delightful kind of happiness, — you feel 
 so peaceful all the while. To be sure, 
 we must take up the cross; but what 
 is that to bear, when the Saviour 
 lightens the load by bearing it for us ? 
 We must bear His yoke, but then the 
 yoke He puts upon us is lined with 
 love. 
 
 " I suppose when we get to Heaven 
 and receive the crown, we will not 
 think our cross was too heavy then. 
 It seems to me that we will wish we 
 had done a great deal more for Jesus, 
 that we might feel more w^orthy of 
 enjoying the beautiful things He re- 
 serves for them that love Him." 
 
78 MEMORIAL. 
 
 A few months later she writes* to the 
 same sister, — 
 
 "Just try to please Him, dear; never 
 mind what others think of you. Jesus 
 will make you exert a good influence 
 over them, though 3^ou may not see 
 the effects. And if 3^ou never see it 
 on earth, think how sweet it may be 
 in Heaven when Jesus shall tell you 
 of some one who might not have been 
 there had it not been for you." 
 
 She kept a journal, beginning May 
 20, 1867. She made entries in it 
 with considerable regularity through 
 1867 and '8. It was omitted during 
 1869, but began again in 1870. 
 
 We regret that our space will only 
 allow of a few brief extracts. 
 
 On May 24, 1867, is the following 
 entry : — 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 79 
 
 " Had an invitation to attend an 
 entertainment for the benefit of a 
 Sunday school in Yonkers. Oh, how 
 I long to go! I know I murmured 
 because my tract distribution would 
 prevent me. 
 
 " Prayed God to bless the distribu- 
 tion of my tracts before I went out 
 with them. Every one received 
 them kindly. I have not grown in 
 grace t9-day. I have been discon- 
 tented with my life. Others seem to 
 have so much enjoyment on this 
 lovely day, and my work seemed such 
 drudgery, I forgot I was doing my 
 Father's work. I forgot the reward 
 He promises, and yet I would rather 
 forget that than lose the deeper mo- 
 tive of doing all from love to Jesus. 
 Oh the yearnings and strivings to be 
 
8o MEMORIAL. 
 
 like Jesus ! and bitter, bitter, are the 
 tears I shed over failures and disap- 
 pointments. It is trul}^ only in 
 Mooking to Jesus' that I gain strength 
 and hope to go on." 
 
 " May 30. 
 
 " I have done a great amount of 
 copying to-day, but then that w^as 
 General-Assembly matters for dear 
 father. I didn't mind it a bit, for it is 
 a perfect pleasure to do any thing for 
 such a dear, good man; and I pray 
 God that I may have every oppor- 
 tunity given me to help father, even 
 if he never knows I did it." 
 
 " Sabbath, June 2. 
 
 " I felt very earnest speaking to the 
 children at Sabbath school of the Sa- 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 8 1 
 
 viour's love. It seemed to me that I 
 could not let one child go home with- 
 out making them tell me that they 
 did love Him. Oh I must have them 
 Christians ! I must indeed pray more, 
 w^ork more, and find opportunities to 
 speak to them directly about Jesus. 
 It must not be that these souls shall 
 be lost through my negligence." 
 
 "July 14. 
 
 "To me the communion w^as a very 
 joyful season, though I trembled w^hen 
 I saw the bread coming towards me: 
 I felt so unworthy to touch it. But 
 the next moment I remembered that 
 Christ wanted me to come ^just as I 
 am,' and though I was doing nothing 
 for Him, I felt with Peter, ^Lord, Thou 
 knowest that I love Thee,' for I do 
 
82 MEMORIAL. 
 
 love Jesus with all my heart. I am 
 willing to give up every thing, and 
 will do any thing for His sake. All 
 through the day I find myself saying, 
 ^ Lord, what wilt Thou have me do ? ' 
 Use me in some way, any way, but, 
 oh, let me feel You think me worthy 
 to work for You! Let it be in little 
 things, that no one sees but You; and 
 may I expect no commendation from 
 any one, satisfied if I feel within me 
 love, joy, and peace, blessed fruits of 
 the Spirit." 
 
 "July 25. 
 
 "My dear, dear Saviour, I am all 
 Thine, — use me, — do with me as 
 seemeth good to Thee: only draw 
 me nearer, nearer." 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 83 
 
 " Sept. 15. 
 
 " I had a sweet time in prayer. I 
 felt Jesus was with me, right by my 
 side. Oh, when I have such glimpses 
 of His beauty, His love, and His 
 tender mercy, I long to go right to 
 Him, and throw my arms round His 
 neck and stay there for ever! I cannot 
 believe I will ever want to leave Him 
 in heaven. It seems to me that 
 through all eternity I will want to be 
 kissing those dear hands and feet, 
 and cry over them to think how sweet 
 He was to die for me; but I know in 
 that land there will be no tears shed, 
 and yet it would be so sweet to have 
 Jesus wipe away mine with His own 
 hand. Dear, dear Jesus! Can I ever 
 love Him enough, or live so as to 
 glorify His name ? Saviour, help me." 
 
84 MEMORIAL. 
 
 "Jan. 27, 1868. 
 
 "Mrs. L. has instituted a female 
 prayer-meeting. I feel timid, fearing 
 I may have to take part; but I want 
 to leave it all to God, and pray for 
 strength when the time comes." 
 
 Three days later she writes thus of 
 the first meetino^: — 
 
 " I wish I could describe the meet- 
 ing. Mrs. Y. conducted the exer- 
 cises. First she made a prayer, then 
 we sang the hymn, — 
 
 ' How blest the tie that binds.' 
 
 Afterwards she asked Mrs. L. and 
 Mrs. S. to pray. Oh, what beautiful 
 prayers they both made! I listened 
 astonished. I thought, God is surely 
 helping them, and I know He will 
 help me. I wondered how they could 
 be so calm; but I saw when they 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 85 
 
 arose that their cheeks had bright red 
 spots on them, so I felt encouraged, if 
 I was called upon, to attempt it. 
 Mrs. Y., after reading some extracts 
 on the power of prayer, asked me, 
 would I pray. I said, ^I will try.' 
 I knelt down, and, glory to God, I did 
 pray. The words came: I did not 
 falter. All the way through I was 
 helped: the tears are coming while I 
 write; it was so good in God. Oh, 
 how I trembled! I felt my body 
 shaking from head to foot. When I 
 arose I felt I had passed through a 
 fiery trial; but, thanks be to God, I 
 gained the victory through Christ." 
 
 A lady who was one of the main 
 supports of this meeting speaks thus 
 of Kate's connection with it: — 
 
 "I knew and loved Kate best in 
 
86 MEMORIAL. 
 
 the little praying circle, where she so 
 often met us for a year or longer 
 before her marriage. We all were 
 much impressed with the peculiar 
 directness and simplicity of her peti- 
 tions, and how naturally, with child- 
 like trust, she talked with Jesus. It 
 was usual for us there to speak for 
 one another in prayer, and say we 
 ask — give us. But often when Kate 
 led our petitions, after one or two de- 
 corous sentences, in which she evi- 
 dently felt oppressed by the presence 
 of others, as she approached her 
 Saviour, she would lose this con- 
 sciousness, drop the formal ^Thee' 
 and ^ Thou,' and in her rapid, earnest 
 way would talk as friend talks with 
 friend: ^Dear, precious Jesus, keep 
 always near my side, — yes, in my 
 
THE YOUNG WOMAN. 87 
 
 heart, — and then I never can forget; 
 for You know I would not willingly 
 do wrong, my dearest Jesus.' Once 
 after her marriage she was with us, 
 and then I recall her as she joined in 
 the hymn, — 
 
 * Jesus, Lover of my soul, 
 
 Let me to Thy bosom fly ; 
 While the billows near me roll, 
 While the tempest still is high.' 
 
 Little could we think then that she 
 in her freshness and strength would 
 be the first of our circle to reach the 
 haven. Every one of us had seen 
 more of sorrow and toil than she. 
 One had spent long years as a mis- 
 sionary in a foreign land, — another 
 had labored a score of years in the 
 service of Christ at home, — and some 
 of us, though younger than these, 
 
88 MEMORIAL. 
 
 have long tried to fight the good 
 fight, and have again and again been 
 overshadowed by sorrows Christ has 
 sent. Yet she was the nearest Jesus: 
 her walk was close with Him; and 
 He loved her so, He took her to Him- 
 self. Even as when on earth He 
 wept for the friend He loved, and 
 called him back to His companion- 
 ship, so He longed for this sister who 
 cherished her Saviour so fondly, and 
 He took her home. Jesus ^ ^ the 
 sweetest word on mortal tongue,' was 
 ever on her lips in prayer and praise; 
 and Jesus^ ^ the sweetest word in 
 seraph's song,' will be her joyful 
 theme for ever." 
 
III. 
 
 THE MINISTER'S WIFE. 
 
/^N the 17th June, 1868, Kate was 
 married, at her fathers resi- 
 dence, to the Rev. John Newton 
 Freeman, the newly elected pastor 
 of the First Presbyterian Church, at 
 Peekskill, N.Y. The ceremony was 
 performed by her pastor, the Rev. C. 
 A. Stoddard; the Rev. John How- 
 ard Smith, of the Episcopal Church, 
 offered the prayer. The ceremony 
 was at one o'clock, on one of June's 
 balmiest days. Audubon Park never 
 looked more beautiful than it did that 
 day; and the pleasant little company 
 
ME2I0RIAL. 
 
 assembled agreed that it was an aus- 
 picious beginning of her new life. 
 
 Anticipating this event, she writes 
 to the pastor's wife, in Illinois, from 
 whose letters we have already given 
 several extracts : — 
 
 " I look forward to my home at 
 Peekskill with a little trembling, be- 
 cause of m}^ responsibilities as the 
 wife of the minister; and yet I am 
 very hopeful, because I take Christ 
 at His word and have Him to lean 
 upon. Isn't it the sweetest kind of 
 peace to trust Jesus? The darkest 
 trouble and heaviest care are nothing 
 when laid upon Him. I have found 
 lately that the moment I begin to 
 worry, if I go right to Jesus and 
 tell Him that I do not want to have 
 the thing trouble me, I feel instant 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. 93 
 
 relief. . . . Lately I have been un- 
 happy because my life seemed so inac- 
 tive. I could do nothing for Jesus 
 without having a terrible headache or 
 feeling tired out. I do not feel sad 
 now, because I have been reading a 
 sweet piece which comforted me very 
 much. It says that it is just as much 
 work for Christ to remain inactive as 
 to be continually occupied; and very 
 often we glorify God more by suffer- 
 ing patiently and waiting quietly, than 
 when engaged in the work we love 
 to do. I feel now that I am willing 
 to do or be any thing Christ thinks 
 best." 
 
 And again, to the same lady, about 
 a month before the wedding: — 
 
 " Our home is looking lovely now, 
 the trees are leafing so beautifully; 
 
94 MEMORIAL. 
 
 but I am not one bit sad to leave 
 it. ... I love the M^ork in which my 
 life is to be spent. I love it with 
 all my soul. I want to consecrate 
 myself entirely to it. I pray to have 
 such a burning desire to save souls 
 that all other things shall appear of 
 little consequence. God knows I am 
 ignorant of the duties called for in 
 such a work, but I am willing to learn 
 them. . . . O Mrs. C, won't you and 
 your dear husband ask God to show 
 me the way clearly? I need, so much, 
 wisdom from above. . . . You must 
 put the little card enclosed in your 
 looking-glass. You will be sur- 
 prised to find how many a heart- 
 ache it will save you. Indeed, 
 looking up does bring down the 
 blessing." 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. 
 
 95 
 
 This card read, — " If you want to 
 be miserable, look within. If you 
 want to be distracted, look around. 
 If you want to be happy, look to 
 Christ." 
 
 While somewhat anxious about 
 the new duties so soon to devolve 
 upon her as a minister's wife, she de- 
 rived great comfort from attending 
 Rev. Dr. John Hall's Bible class one 
 Saturday afternoon, when in New 
 York. His subject was the call of 
 Moses to be the deliverer of Israel 
 from Egyptian bondage, and his 
 doubts and difficulties in view of that 
 great work. The good doctor little 
 thought, as he discoursed in his prac- 
 tical and earnest way, applying Mo- 
 ses' difficulties to those in every-day 
 life, that he was comforting one of 
 
g6 MEMORIAL. 
 
 the Lord's children, unknown to him, 
 but well known to the loving Master 
 whom both served, — outside, it is 
 true, of the doctor's own flock, but 
 included in that greater fold of which 
 Jesus himself is the Shepherd. 
 
 Instead of going away on a mar- 
 riage trip, she preferred to go direct 
 from her father's house to her new 
 home and untried labor at Peekskill. 
 The house was all furnished, read}^ 
 for their use, by her parents, so they 
 had only to enter and occupy. It 
 was full of beautiful things, and 
 was kept by the 3''oung housekeeper 
 with scrupulous neatness and order. 
 Though the Lord called her so 
 suddenly and unexpectedly from us, 
 yet after her death her things were 
 found as perfectly arranged, every 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. 
 
 97 
 
 article as neatly folded, as if she had 
 anticipated her sudden removal, and 
 had made every arrangement accord- 
 ingly. 
 
 In a letter of consolation to a dear 
 friend bereaved of an only child, she 
 writes, — 
 
 " Though you may look up through 
 blinding tears, I know you say from 
 the depth of your heart, ^ It is well.' 
 May God bring you out from this 
 trial more hol}^, more into His like- 
 ness! and you know a Father's hand 
 will one day wipe away all tears, and 
 a Father's home will re-unite all 
 parted ones." 
 
 To her western correspondent, 
 April 19, 1869, she writes from Peeks- 
 kill:— 
 
 "Father and mother spent a Sun- 
 
98 MEMORIAL, 
 
 day with us about three weeks ago. 
 Father spoke for a Sabbath school 
 here in the afternoon, and afterwards 
 occupied Mr. Freeman's pulpit, giving 
 us a grand explanation of the Parable 
 of the Laborers in the Vineyard. Oh, 
 how I enjoyed it, it was so like the 
 old home days; and you may be sure 
 if it was right I was proud of my 
 father. In the evening father spoke 
 by invitation in the New-School 
 church. It was just as interesting as 
 the afternoon service. I do think he 
 is a wonderful man." 
 
 To her mother she writes, February 
 4, 1869: — 
 
 " It was so pleasant to have a letter 
 from 3'OU last night! I liad not ex- 
 pected you to write to me this 
 week; so it was a double surprise. 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. 
 
 99 
 
 It does seem a long time since I was 
 at home, because I had no visit with 
 yo2c, I must come soon again, so that 
 we can have one of our old-fashioned 
 talks together. So E. has returned: 
 I am real glad that she is better. 
 When the weather gets milder I 
 would love to have her visit me, but 
 I will not urge her to come while 
 the stoves are up, as we shall find it 
 very expensive to keep her warm. 
 
 " To-night we have the congrega- 
 tional meeting to see about the Par- 
 sonage. Of course I am going to be 
 on hand to propose lots of closets and 
 very few stairs. . . . On all the fences 
 in town there are large bills posted, 
 with the most brilliant pictures, and 
 enormous letters telling of some grand 
 performance in one of our public halls. 
 
lOO , MEMORIAL. 
 
 Of course I know all's not gold that 
 glitters; but I do want to go: you 
 know I always was more fond of 
 Barnum's and Van Amburgh's, than 
 the other children, — yet I can't do it. 
 Now if I was only a foundrj^-man or 
 the fish-boy, what bliss! By and by 
 some old, worn-out speaker will come 
 here to lecture upon the "^ manifest 
 proclivities and inherent infirmities, 
 as evinced by the practical evolutions 
 in physical chemistry: ' then John and 
 I can buy a ticket. Oh, what pleasure 
 to look forward to ! " 
 
 To her correspondent in Illinois she 
 writes : — 
 
 "There is a young girl's prayer- 
 meeting connected with our church, 
 which was commenced this year. At 
 our first meeting we were a little com- 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. lOI 
 
 pany of three, now we number four- 
 teen: of this number only five are 
 Christians. I do pray God that all 
 may be brought to love the Saviour. 
 We meet every Thursday afternoon 
 at three o'clock. Will you sometimes 
 remember us then in prayer?" 
 
 About this meeting she writes to 
 a young lady in Peekskill, one of its 
 most active supporters : — 
 
 " God is gradually increasing our 
 numbers, and we must labor and pray, 
 believing that He will make us, 
 through the Spirit's guiding, the 
 means of bringing all our little band 
 to the Saviour. Yes, dear T., God has 
 used just such unworthy means before. 
 He will do it now if we only do all 
 we can, praying for His blessing to 
 follow every word and act done for 
 
I02 MEMORIAL. 
 
 His glory, or to influence one soul to 
 come out boldly for Christ. 
 
 " And let me tell you a plan (just 
 between us two) . I thought of it lately, 
 and I feel it is the only way to make 
 an eflfort direct and eflectual. Will 
 you choose out from among your 
 friends 07ie upon whom you will be- 
 stow special labor; that is, pray more 
 for; seek an opportunity to drop a 
 word for Christ, — always praying, 
 with dependence on the Spirit, that 
 God will treasure it up in her breast? 
 I, too, have chosen one. We need 
 never tell one another: but, dear T., if 
 we are faithful, prayerful, and hope- 
 fully patient, one glad Communion 
 day will reveal to one another that 
 our prayer has been answered." 
 The girl that Kate selected in 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. IO3 
 
 conformity with the above plan was 
 P. H., one who had no love for God in 
 her heart. Not content with praying 
 for her, she strove also to bring her 
 into this little meeting. This was a 
 work of some difficulty, but was 
 finally accomplished. The next step 
 was to gain her attendance at the 
 Church prayer-meeting. P. H. finally 
 consented to this, on the condition that 
 she might go with Kate. Every 
 Wednesday night thereafter she was 
 promptly at the Parsonage, ready to 
 accompany the young pastor's wife 
 to the meeting. 
 
 How earnestly dear Kate both 
 labored and prayed that God would 
 give her this " one soul " is seen in 
 her diary and letters. At last, with 
 great satisfaction, she makes the fol- 
 lowing record, — 
 
1 04 MEMORIAL. 
 
 '' I had a talk with P. H. after the 
 prayer-meeting. Thank God she 
 does love the Saviour, and is willino- 
 to confess Him. Oh ! I must pray for 
 her. It is all Christ: I can do nothing; 
 Christ must be all in all." 
 
 Kate v^as spared to sit down at the 
 Table of the Lord with this dear one 
 whom the Lord had given her; and it 
 was one of the most delightful events 
 of her life. 
 
 It is pleasant to add that P. H. 
 has been the means of brino^ino; four 
 others into this afternoon prayer-meet- 
 ing, and is herself one of its stanch- 
 est supporters. 
 
 On Thursday, April 29, 1869, at 
 3 o'clock in the morning, Kate was 
 taken with convulsions, w^hich con- 
 tinued, with brief interruptions, till 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. 
 
 lOS 
 
 eleven o'clock that evening. Many 
 days of w^eakness and unconscious- 
 ness followed, during which she was 
 watched over by ladies of the con- 
 gregation with as much fondness, ten- 
 derness, and loving care, as if she 
 had been sister to them all. For 
 weeks her life was despaired of; but 
 finally, in answer to many prayers, 
 she was raised up again to compara- 
 tive health. 
 
 As soon as she was able to travel, 
 she spent a month, with her husband, 
 in her father's house, at Audubon 
 Park (July) ; and the next one at 
 Greenport, L.I., hoping to derive ben- 
 efit from the sea air. 
 
 One of her sisters who was with 
 her at Greenport, furnishes the fol- 
 lowing incidents: — 
 
I06 MEMORIAL. 
 
 The washerwoman whom they em- 
 ployed had two little children. They 
 were always sent with the clean 
 clothes. Every time they brought 
 Kate's, she would take them into her 
 room, and, after talking with them 
 for a while, she would give each of 
 them a picture-card and some candy. 
 
 An old man, going for his cows, 
 passed the house morning and night. 
 Kate always managed to see him, 
 and say a few kind words as he 
 passed; for she said it made him feel 
 happy. Before she left he came to 
 bid her good-by. 
 
 There was a little colored boy that 
 she often met. She never failed to 
 speak to him, and present him with 
 a bright picture-card. 
 
 On Sabbath, if she saw any one 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. 
 
 107 
 
 reading an irreligious book or paper, 
 she would unobtrusively put some 
 pleasing and attractive little books or 
 tracts on the parlor-table. 
 
 There was a girl in the house who 
 had been confined to bed eiofhteen 
 years. Kate sent her every day a 
 pretty little book or some flowers, 
 and always accompanied them with 
 loving words of sympathy. 
 
 In alluding to her severe illness, 
 in a letter firom Greenport to her eld- 
 est sister, she says: — 
 
 " I do feel very grateful to God for 
 restoring me from such a sickness. 
 I was almost in the border land, 
 when He brought me back. I some- 
 times feel as if I had caught a glimpse 
 of the new Jerusalem, and the shining 
 ones at the gate. It was a lonely feel- 
 
I08 MEMORIAL. 
 
 ing I had when I came to conscious- 
 ness and found the little stranger — 
 the little daughter that I had longed 
 for — gone. I used to be so happy: I 
 never felt lonely, for I had that sweet 
 hope, that delightful motive, to thank 
 God for every moment. Now, when 
 I see others with darling children, with 
 just such tiny ones, I look up and 
 ask, ^ Was it necessary, Father.' I 
 know it must have been; I know 
 God did right, He always does. 
 Yes : He has brought me nearer to 
 Him; I love Him ten thousand times 
 more ; I trust Him more. ... I do 
 long to, — oh, I long to save souls; 
 but I will be patient, remembering, — 
 
 ' They also serve, who only stand and wait.' 
 
 And I am sure, this summer, God 
 wants me to wait." 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. IO9 
 
 In another letter, from the same 
 place, she says: — 
 
 " We attend the Presbyterian 
 Church. They have had a precious 
 revival, and are full to overflow^ing 
 with the Spirit. The evening meet- 
 ings are very impressive. Last night 
 several spoke who were converted 
 last winter. One was a sea-captain. 
 It was very touching to hear him tell 
 how the Spirit had striven with him ; 
 though in homely language, it brought 
 tears into every one's eyes." 
 
 After her return to her own home, 
 she writes to her father, Sept. 3, 
 1869: — 
 
 " I was feeling rather blue yester- 
 day: you know the shady side of a 
 minister's life comes sometimes, and 
 after such a long vacation it is rather 
 
no MEMORIAL. 
 
 hard to commence work again. We 
 have the dearest people you could find 
 anywhere; but, like all people, there 
 are always some who think the pastor 
 and wife have nothing to do but to 
 make calls ; and this cannot well be 
 done often, when you have over three 
 hundred to visit. Don't think I don't 
 love the good work; indeed, I would 
 choose it rig^ht over ao^ain. I remem- 
 ber the ^ servant cannot be above the 
 Master ; ' all these troubles tell me 
 that I am not a bastard, but a real 
 son of God! I do thank God for 
 sending them, as we are very apt to 
 become indifferent to our growth 
 in grace when all goes on prosper- 
 ously. And after all, father, it is the 
 way we take them: we ourselves 
 either make them trials or blessino-s. 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. Ill 
 
 Well, as I said, I felt blue, and a real 
 old-fashioned homesick feeling, when 
 John came in and gave me a letter. 
 When I saw yom' picture, I just 
 looked at it and had a good cry. It 
 is so like you, — so like when you 
 don't exactly understand, and say, — 
 ^ Now, — now let me see. I haven't 
 got it straight. Just wait a minute; 
 who, when, where, what is it? ' I 
 felt rio^ht at home ao:ain with all the 
 family, and in a little while I was a 
 great deal happier. I had to sleep 
 with you under the pillow, and the 
 first thing I did when I woke up was 
 to pull you out, and say, ^Good-morn- 
 ing.' 
 
 " I am so glad to have it. I do 
 believe I can work better with you 
 looking at me." 
 
112 MEMORIAL, 
 
 Her mother wrote to her ever}^ 
 week. About these letters, she says, 
 (Jan. 19, 1870): "I did have such 
 a nice letter from you. O mother, 
 your letters are such a delight to me, 
 — so brimful of news. I do thank 
 you over and over again for them." 
 
 At another time she writes: — 
 
 "Your splendid letter came to me 
 yesterday. Oh, I was so glad to get 
 it. I had no idea you were well 
 enough to write, and when I saw it 
 was really from you I was so happ3\ 
 And it was so full of news. Nobody 
 writes such a good letter as you 
 do." 
 
 In a letter to her mother, dated 
 Oct. 4, 1869, she thus alludes to the 
 death of one of her most beloved 
 parishioners, — 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. II3 
 
 " I have lost my best friend, in 
 Mrs. Nelson's death. Oh, how I miss 
 her! Most every day I have a little 
 cry to think I will not see her here 
 again." 
 
 How little she then thought that 
 in less than six months she would 
 meet her in the abode of redeemed 
 souls! 
 
 To one of her sisters she writes 
 about the same time: — 
 
 " Be sure God has some work for 
 you in 3^our home, and only you can 
 do it, and without you it will never 
 be done. Remember, darling, that 
 life is uncertain, time is short, and 
 we must work for Christ every day. 
 Never mind if you see no good com- 
 ing from the word spoken : don't for- 
 get that God has said, "^ His wo7^d shM 
 
114 MEMORIAL. 
 
 not return unto Him void, it will ac- 
 complish that whereunto it was sent.' 
 Not one good word then is lost ; 
 remember that. Don't be afraid, 
 darling, to speak or live for Jesus. It 
 will be worth all the strus^o^le when 
 He confesses us as His childre^i.) be- 
 fore His Father, at the last day." 
 To her mother she writes : — 
 
 Dec. 5, 1S69. 
 
 " I don't feel as if my time was my 
 own, as it used to be. We are the 
 Lord's, consecrated to His work here. 
 He has a great deal for us to do, and 
 I know He will not bless us unless 
 our first desire is to do His will. . . . 
 Oh, I do love my home and people so 
 dearly! As for our church, you know 
 Dr. Hall's or Beecher's could not 
 begin to compare with it." 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. II5 
 
 The loving congregation were 
 building a most beautiful parsonage 
 for the young pastor and his wife. 
 Many parts of it had been planned 
 according to her excellent taste. She 
 thus alludes to it, Dec. lo, in a let- 
 ter to her mother: — 
 
 " Our house is going up like magic. 
 It is surprising to see it grow. The 
 frame is all up, and now they are 
 laying the boards on the outside. All 
 day I hear the hammering, and it is 
 a very pleasant sound to me.'' 
 
 It was not quite finished at the time 
 of her death. 
 
 To her brother-in-law she writes : — 
 
 Dec. 10, 1S69. 
 
 " I want you to select some books 
 that you think profitable for John, as 
 helps to study: some that are newer, 
 
1 1 6 MEMORIAL. 
 
 and that he would not be apt to have. 
 And one I would like to be the ^ Life 
 of Brainard.' 
 
 " You know John is away ; and I 
 thought if you could send them to 
 the house before Tuesday night I can 
 put them aside, and he will not know 
 about it till Christmas mornino^. I 
 feel a perfect confidence in your 
 judgment, so don't be afraid of not 
 pleasing me. I promise at the outset 
 to be pleased. . . . Oh, how I would 
 love to give everybody something!" 
 
 On the reception of the parcel, she 
 thus playfully writes (Dec. 13) : — 
 
 " The splendid-looking bundle has 
 come, written over so grandly that I 
 feel as if I must be Lady Mary Wort- 
 ley Montague, or Madame Guyon, 
 receiving Fenelon's confessions. You 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. II7 
 
 see I don't have often such a huge 
 package addressed to the Rev. Mrs., 
 so it is no wonder my head is a Httle 
 turned. ... I know the books w^ill be 
 just what John wants. I feel sure of 
 it. Indeed, I almost think he must 
 have been praying for them." 
 
 And to the same, in another letter 
 of about the same date, she writes: — 
 
 " How differently we grasp the 
 promises oftentimes! It seems easy 
 to believe for others, but so hard to 
 believe for ourselves. When we see 
 others succeeding in a good work, 
 we think God has made them for 
 that work, — we never could do it. 
 Alas! we forget that "^ to him that 
 hath shall be given, and more abun- 
 dantly.' We do not try our feeble 
 strength in the service of Christ, and. 
 
I 1 8 3IEM0RIAL. 
 
 waiting for more, lose so many pre- 
 cious opportunities perhaps never 
 aofain to be recalled. If we would 
 only do our little every day for Christ, 
 and leave all the rest to him, 
 wouldn't our homes be full of the 
 Spirit and some parts of our land 
 brighter because of our short sta}^ 
 here?" 
 
 On the ist of January, 1870, she 
 resumes her journal with the follow- 
 ing entry : — 
 
 "Yes, I am going to commence 
 again. It has been such a pleasure 
 to read over the other two diaries 
 (1867 and 1868), that I re-commence 
 this one. I hope to keep it up. My 
 sickness all the fall and winter has 
 prevented me from attempting any 
 new thing. Perhaps now I will learn 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. 
 
 119 
 
 to look away more from myself. I 
 long to advance in holiness. I love 
 to see my grow^th from year to year. 
 God grant that I may be led by His 
 Spirit to give Him all the glory." 
 
 January 4. 
 
 " A few of our good ladies met 
 with me to talk about our havino^ a 
 prayer-meeting. We have decided 
 to commence it this Friday, at two 
 o'clock. May God guide, and be 
 present with us." 
 
 She was only permitted to attend 
 two of these meetings. 
 
 January 6. 
 
 " I feel as if I had lived a year since 
 I last wrote in my diary. This 
 morning I woke up about two o'clock, 
 feeling that I was suffocating. I told 
 
I20 MEMORIAL. 
 
 John that I felt nervous over the 
 prayer-meeting, feeling that I could 
 not lead it. We talked two hours. 
 May God bless my dear husband for 
 the Christian advice he gave me. Oh, 
 I see my whole life so plainly now! 
 Yes : I have thought that things could 
 not be done unless I did them, for- 
 getting Christ must be and do all. I 
 have given up my afternoon prayer- 
 meeting^s now until after the little one 
 comes. I feel that God is leading me 
 to see that I must be nothing that 
 He may have all the glory." 
 
 January 19. 
 
 " Oh, how precious was our evening 
 prayer-meeting! Christ seemed very 
 near us. I do long to have the power 
 of Christ rest upon me. I know I 
 want to be all His. Dear Jesus, in 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. 121 
 
 whatever way You think best, take 
 away all of myself, and give me Thy 
 precious, precious self" 
 
 On January ii, she writes to her 
 little sister : — 
 
 " We had such a good time on 
 Sunday. Saturday night ten children 
 from the Howard Mission came here 
 to Peeksk.ill. We knew they were 
 coming, so they were all provided 
 for. I took two : the others were di- 
 vided around. My two little girls 
 were real sweet. They were a little 
 bit afraid at first, but afterwards they 
 jumped about the room so happy. 
 They thought the organ was wonder- 
 ful. I let them play on it. When 
 they went to bed, they wanted to lock 
 the door, they thought it would be 
 such fun ; but I told them it was a 
 
 9 
 
122 MEMORIAL. 
 
 great deal nicer to keep it open. 
 They told me in the morning that 
 they did no^ sleep any all nighty be- 
 cause the wind blew so hard; but I 
 guess they did. Sunday afternoon 
 we had an immense meeting in our 
 church. Everybody cried. There 
 was a baby four months old, and two 
 other children about three years old, 
 a little girl often, and a boy of twelve 
 to be given away. The baby was 
 so sweet. It looked all around the 
 church, and put its little hand up 
 to the missionary's face, and never 
 cried. 
 
 " All the little girls sang together, 
 then my little girls sang alone. After- 
 wards they had a collection of $ 1 05 .00. 
 Wasn't that good.?" 
 
 The following little hymn was 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. I 23 
 
 sung, and the air so impressed itself 
 on Kate's mind that she was heard 
 humming it to herself as she went 
 about the house in the discharge of 
 her duties: — 
 
 There's a land that is fairer than day, 
 
 And by faith we can see it afar ; 
 For the Father waits over the way 
 
 To prepare us a dwelHng-place there. 
 
 Chorus. — In the sweet by and by we shall meet on 
 that beautiful shore, &c. 
 
 We shall sing on that beautiful shore 
 The melodious songs of the blest ; 
 
 And our spirits shall sorrow no more, 
 Not a sigh for the blessing of rest. 
 
 In the sweet by and by we shall meet on that beau- 
 tiful shore, &c. 
 
 To our bountiful Father above 
 We will offer the tribute of praise. 
 
 For the glorious gift of His love, 
 
 And the blessings that hallow our days. 
 
 In the sweet by and by we shall meet on that beau- 
 tiful shore, &c. 
 
1 24 MEMORIAL, 
 
 She had a drawer in her bureau 
 which she called "sinners' drawer," 
 full of tracts and books, adapted to 
 the thoughtless and careless, from 
 which she distributed as she had op- 
 portunity. Not till the last great day 
 of account shall we know what fruit 
 has sprung up from this good seed, 
 watered with prayer. 
 
 The following extract from a letter, 
 dated January 19, 1870, shows her 
 loving sympathy for others, and her 
 readiness to rejoice with those that 
 do rejoice : — 
 
 " Oh, I am so glad dear sister has a 
 little son, and is doing nicely! I have 
 thouo:ht of her so much latelv, and 
 have always taken her with me to 
 God in prayer ; and now the answer 
 has come. Isn't it sweet? ... I didn't 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. I 25 
 
 think I ever would be so delighted 
 over another such event, but this 
 morning I am smiling all over with 
 real joy. ... I cannot do any thing 
 heartily to-day, I am so full of sister 
 and the baby. Isn't God good? Oh, 
 ought we not to love Him with all 
 our hearts ? " 
 
 Writing home a few days later, 
 January 25th, she says: — 
 
 " What a splendid visit we did 
 have from father. Such an evening! 
 Oh, why did I not listen more when 
 I was at home! Never did I realize 
 so deeply before what a glorious 
 expositor of Scripture he is (yes, I 
 did too) ; but somehow I did feel it 
 very strongly that evening. Listen 
 to every thing that father says, dear 
 sisters: remember that some day you 
 cannot enjoy them so often. 
 
126 MEMORIAL. 
 
 "Dear father, may God reward him 
 for the good he does others by com- 
 municating these precious truths. I 
 pray God to bless him for the benefit 
 he has conferred on me in making me 
 love the Bible ten thousand times 
 more." 
 
 The last two entries we give entire. 
 They record a struggle and a victory, 
 and are a fit close to the precious 
 journal. 
 
 February 8. 
 
 " Such another terrible day of bit- 
 ter rebellion and fightings within I 
 pray God I may never experience 
 again. Towards evening a flood of 
 tears relieved me, and my Saviour's 
 strength was made perfect in my 
 weakness. 
 
 " Poor Kate. . . . Blessed Jesus." 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. I 27 
 
 February 9. 
 
 ^^ But to-day I have been ver}^ happy. 
 God has helped me to bear my cross 
 for His sake, and I do want to have 
 His w^ill my will. I was greatly 
 strengthened to do my morning du- 
 ties." 
 
 Kate never fully recovered from 
 the effects of her severe illness in 
 April, 1869. The trouble seemed to 
 linger in her system. But while there 
 was much feebleness of body, all who 
 saw her could not fail to note her 
 remarkable growth in grace. 
 
 Whilst her letters and conversation 
 lost none of that wit and vivacity so 
 peculiar to her, yet with this there 
 was an increased earnestness and 
 devotion to the Master's work ob- 
 served by all. 
 
128 MEMORIAL. 
 
 Her loving affection for the people 
 among whom God had cast her lot as 
 a minister's wife was very remarkable. 
 She always said that she would never 
 leave Peekskill. 
 
 From the sea-shore, where she had 
 gone for the benefit of her health, in 
 the prospect of returning home she 
 writes, "I shall be so glad to be 
 among my own people again." One 
 of the last complete sentences she 
 was ever heard to utter was, " God 
 bless our church when I die." 
 
 From the ist of March, she was 
 subject to brief periods of great pain, 
 accompanied by severe headache; 
 but on Saturday (the 5th) these pains 
 became much more violent as well 
 as more frequent. That w^eek there 
 was read to her a very able and 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. I 29 
 
 eloquent article on affliction, in one 
 part of which the thought was beauti- 
 fully brought out that trouble is but 
 the shadow of Jesus, so when we are 
 suffering we may be sure that He is 
 near. While she was enduring one 
 of these paroxysms of pain she said to 
 her husband. "Jesus must be very 
 near me now, for I feel His shadow 
 all over me." Then she continued, 
 "Jesus can take all this pain away, or, 
 what is just as good, give me grace to 
 bear it." 
 
 Well might we imagine her saying, 
 in the words of the poet, — 
 
 " So I am watching quietly 
 
 Every day. 
 Whenever the sun shines brightly, 
 
 I rise and say ; 
 ' Surely it is the shining of His face ! ' 
 And look unto the gates of His high place 
 
 Beyond the sea ; 
 
I30 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 For I know He is coming shortly 
 
 To summon me. 
 And when a shadow falls across the window 
 
 Of my room, 
 Where I am working my appointed task, 
 I lift my head to watch the door, and ask 
 
 If He is come ; 
 And the angel answers sweetly 
 
 In my home : 
 Only a few more shadows, 
 
 And He will come." 
 
 About three o'clock in the afternoon 
 she was taken with convulsions, which 
 continued every half-hour till seven 
 the next morning. 
 
 About ten on the previous evening, 
 amid these convulsions, the babe — 
 little Kate — was born. 
 
 The last one of these spasms, on 
 Sabbath morning about seven, was 
 much more severe than any that had 
 preceded it, and left her so entirely 
 
THE MINISTERS WIFE. I3I 
 
 prostrate that no hope was enter- 
 tained of her recovery. At one time 
 it was thought she would not live an 
 hour; but at three in the afternoon 
 she rallied wonderfully, and fond 
 hope, ever ready to spring, up on the 
 slightest encouragement, again com- 
 forted us. She lingered in an uncon- 
 scious state till Thursday, March 
 10, 1870, when congestion of the 
 lungs set in, and at two o'clock that 
 afternoon she went home to Jesus. 
 
 Again, as at her previous sickness, 
 ladies of the congregation waited 
 upon her night and day with the most 
 untiring devotion. May the Lord 
 abundantly reward them for their 
 labor of love. 
 
 And the little daughter, for whose 
 sake the mother gave her life, — the 
 
132 MEMORIAL. 
 
 little Kate, — may God's best blessing 
 descend upon her ! The mother's 
 praj^ers, offered for her before she 
 was born, will not be forgotten by 
 our loving Lord. May she prove a 
 blessing to all with whom she comes 
 in contact here; and when life's rest- 
 less voyage is over, join her loving 
 mother whom she will never know 
 till then, in the " Christian's Home in 
 Glory." 
 
 The funeral was on Monday, March 
 14, at one o'clock. 
 
 An entire car-load of friends went 
 from the city to attend it. A thin 
 covering of snow was spread over 
 the ground, but the sky was bright 
 and beautiful. The members of the 
 family and intimate friends gathered 
 at the house, where a prayer was 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. 1 33 
 
 offered by the Rev. L. N. Mudge, of 
 Yonkers, after which, the coffin, liter- 
 ally covered with flowers, was carried 
 over to the church by the elders. 
 There a great audience, even as many 
 as could find entrance, were already 
 assembled. A selection of Scripture 
 passages was read by the Rev. Mr. 
 Millard, of the Second Presbyterian 
 Church, and prayer offered by the 
 Rev. Wilson Phraner, of Sing Sing; 
 after which a discourse was delivered 
 by the Rev. C. A. Stoddard, her 
 former pastor, full extracts from 
 which will be found at the end of 
 this Memorial. 
 
 At the close of these exercises the 
 long procession wended its way to 
 the cemetery, where, in the blessed 
 hope of a joyful resurrection, we laid 
 
134 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 all that was earthly of her we loved 
 so tenderly. 
 
 But dear Kate is not there : she 
 sleeps not in the new-made grave on 
 the hillside, — that only holds the 
 frail tenement of clay. She, a ran- 
 somed and glorified spirit, is now in 
 the home of the blessed, with the 
 dear Saviour whom she loved so well. 
 
 "That clime is not like this dull dime of ours ; 
 
 All, all is brightness there ; 
 A sweeter influence breathes around its flowers, 
 
 And a far milder air. 
 No calm below is like that calm above. 
 No region here is like that realm of love ; 
 Earth's softest spring ne'er shed so soft a light, 
 Earth's brightest summer never shone so bright." 
 
 Think of her 
 
 " Where the faded flowers shall freshen, — 
 Freshen never more to fade ; 
 Where the shaded sky shall brighten, — 
 Brighten never more to shade ; 
 
THE MINISTER'S WIFE. 
 
 Where the sun-blaze never scorches ; 
 
 Where the star-beams cease to chill ; 
 Where no tempest stirs the echoes 
 
 Of the wood or wave or hill ; 
 Where the morn shall wake in gladness, 
 
 And the moon the joy prolong, 
 Where the daylight dies in fragrance, 
 
 'Mid the burst of holy song : 
 
 Sister, we shall meet and rest 
 'Mid the holy and the blest !" 
 
 ^?>S 
 
IV. 
 
 EXTRACTS 
 
 REV. C. A. STODDARD'S SERMON AT 
 THE FUNERAL. 
 
 "^ 
 
 10 
 
'' r^OULD I follow my feelings this 
 afternoon, I should take my 
 place among the special mourners 
 who crave consolation and instruction 
 on this sad occasion. For so effi- 
 cient was the help, so faithful the 
 labor, so cheering the words, and so 
 hearty the sympathy in the time of 
 my own sorrow, of our departed sis- 
 ter, that I cannot but feel that I have 
 sustained a personal loss in her de- 
 cease. But I stand here to-day to 
 discharge a sacred trust, — to fulfil the 
 request of one who never needed to 
 
140 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 be asked twice by her pastor to do 
 any Christian or kindly work. 
 
 "This, my friends, is more than a 
 family affliction. A large circle of 
 relatives mourn here to-day ; this 
 church grieves for one whom they 
 quickly learned to love and prize; my 
 own church sorrows for the removal 
 from earth of one of its highly es- 
 teemed members ; little children, 
 whom she taught the way to Heaven, 
 are looking upward with tearful eyes, 
 with a sorrow in their hearts akin to 
 that which the disciples felt when 
 their Master was taken from them; 
 and in lonely dwellings, in tenement- 
 houses, in the homes of the poor, in 
 the hearts of the sick and feeble, there 
 is sincere grief for this sad event to- 
 day. 
 
SERMON AT THE FUNERAL. I4I 
 
 " But, blessed be God, we do not 
 sorrow as those who have no hope. 
 Our sister sleeps; she rests from her 
 labors; she is for ever with the Lord, 
 and her works do follow her. For 
 her to live was Christ, for her to die 
 was gain. Death, though it has sep- 
 arated her from us, has only brought 
 her into closer union with Christ, — 
 a union that can never be disturbed. 
 Freed from the anxieties, the cares, 
 the infirmities, the fears, the miseries 
 of this uncertain earthly lot, relieved 
 from sorrow, sin, and pain, she is with 
 Christ, which is far better. Blessed 
 and holy is her state of rest, — the pre- 
 lude to a still more blessed and glori- 
 ous reward, when Christ who is our 
 life shall appear, and she shall appear 
 with Him in glory. ^ Eye hath not 
 
H' 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 seen, nor ear heard, neither have en- 
 tered into the heart of man the things 
 which God hath prepared for them 
 that love Him.' 
 
 " Our departed friend and sister 
 w^as a child of the covenant. Given 
 to God in early years, she was in- 
 structed thoroughly in the word of 
 God, and daily commended to Him 
 in prayer. She had that inestimable 
 treasure, a Christian home training; 
 and few, even of Christian homes, 
 could compare with hers, where the 
 word of God was made the theme of 
 daily conversation, and the teachings 
 of Christ were faithfully applied to 
 common life. 
 
 "Added to these teachings was 
 the potent influence of consistent 
 Christian example. Religion was 
 
SERMON AT THE FUNERAL. 
 
 H3 
 
 made a joyous and desirable thing in 
 this household, and it is not wonder- 
 ful that the Holy Spirit found ready 
 entrance into a prepared heart, and 
 led her early in life to ratify the con- 
 secration of parental piety and love 
 by her voluntary act. Precious, in- 
 deed, must be the reflection to these 
 bereaved parents, that their labors 
 and prayers for this beloved daughter 
 w^ere so abundantly answered. No 
 regrets for undone duty • no drops of 
 bitterness for unfaithfulness minHe 
 
 o 
 
 with the tears which nature sends to 
 relieve their aching hearts. 
 
 " She grew up in this happ}-^. Chris- 
 tian home, developing a lovely and 
 vigorous Christian character. With 
 rare gifts of mind and graces of per- 
 son and manner, she easily w^on and 
 
144 
 
 MEMORIAL, 
 
 retained the love and friendship of all 
 who knew her. 
 
 " In her, wit and keen perception 
 were admirably blended with tender- 
 ness and sympathy, so that her wit 
 was never used to wound, nor her 
 lively appreciation of character ap- 
 plied to ridicule or injure others. She 
 could cheer the downcast, and bring 
 smiles into gloomy faces ; and also 
 weep with those who wept, and sym- 
 pathize with the distressed. 
 
 " She possessed artistic talent in 
 no mean degree, and many memo- 
 rials of her taste and skill adorn the 
 walls of her family and friends. To 
 a thorough education she added a 
 taste for valuable literature, and con- 
 tinually enriched her mind with the 
 treasures which learning offers to the 
 eager student. 
 
SERMON AT THE FUNERAL. 1 45 
 
 " But all her gifts and talents were 
 consecrated to Christ's service, and 
 her special enjoyments were found in 
 direct and personal labors for the 
 Lord. Her Sabbath-school class 
 loved her, because they knew, with 
 the quick perception of youth, that 
 she loved and labored for them with 
 all her heart; the aged, the poor, and 
 the distressed welcomed her visits, for 
 they felt that she came in the spirit 
 of her Master, and brought His bless- 
 ing to their humble abodes, as well 
 as food and clothing and comforts ; 
 and the little circle of praying women, 
 with whom she sought the mercy- 
 seat, gladly followed her in that 
 loving approach to a Saviour near 
 and precious, which her prayers re- 
 vealed. 
 
146 MEMORIAL. 
 
 " And when she went from her 
 father's house to adorn and bless a 
 new home, as the wife of a much 
 loved man of God, prayers and bene- 
 dictions followed her to this place. 
 What she has been here, in the home 
 now desolated by her death, in this 
 church so deeply bereaved, and in 
 this community so largely represented 
 in this audience, most of you know 
 full well. 
 
 " Her house was always attractive, 
 and all were welcomed there. She 
 entered with a lively interest into 
 all the plans and labors of her hus- 
 band for the spiritual welfare of this 
 people, and exhibited the unselfish- 
 ness which was a prominent feature 
 of her character, in the cheerfulness 
 with which she lightened his burdens. 
 
SERMON AT THE FUNERAL. 1 47 
 
 and the assiduity with which she aid- 
 ed him to extend his influence and 
 follow up his ministrations. 
 
 " When, a year ago, she was 
 brought near to the gates of death, 
 her mind was stayed on God ; and 
 those who have seen her since have 
 marked a growth in holiness and like- 
 ness to Christ, which permits us to 
 apply to her the Saviour's beatitude, 
 ^ Blessed are the pure in heart, for 
 they shall see God.' 
 
 " To some it may seem a sad pri- 
 vation that during the last days of 
 her life she was unconscious ; but 
 dying words could add no witness to 
 the testimony of thy life, dear friend, 
 that all is well with thee. We will 
 not find fault with infinite wisdom 
 for taking thee away, nor for the 
 
148 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 manner of thy departure ; but rather 
 bring a tribute of gratitude to God, 
 for such a life, and, placing it upon 
 the coffin, humbl}^ pray that the pre- 
 cious fragrance of thy example may 
 be inbreathed by all these sorrowing 
 relatives and friends. 
 
 " My brother in Christ, it has been 
 my pleasure and privilege to know 
 you in those intimate relations which 
 bind hearts closely together, to 
 counsel and to guide you, and to re- 
 joice at your happiness, and increas- 
 ing honor and usefulness as a minister 
 of the Gospel ; and now ^ I am dis- 
 tressed for thee, my brother.' The 
 sympathy and prayer which you can 
 claim are freely given ; but our best 
 human efforts fall short of your great 
 need. Therefore we commend you 
 
SERMON AT THE FUNERAL. 1 49 
 
 to God, and to the word of His grace, 
 
 — that gracious word from which you 
 have often been able to draw conso- 
 lation for afflicted members of your 
 flock. May the peace of God keep 
 your heart and mind through Jesus 
 Christ. May this bereavement be 
 a means of sanctifying you for the 
 duties of life, and of preparing you for 
 a blessed reunion with your departed 
 wife. This church that you have 
 instructed, counselled, and prayed 
 for, shares deeply in your grief, and 
 invokes the presence of the Holy 
 Comforter to heal your own and 
 their wounded hearts. May He come, 
 
 — the Messenger of Christ, — bring- 
 ing to both pastor and people a bless- 
 ing from the Man of Sorrows, which 
 shall make this affliction the means 
 
ISO 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 of a far more exceeding and eternal 
 weight of glory. 
 
 "We commend these parents and 
 grandparents, brothers and sisters and 
 friends, to the gracious Saviour. Oh, 
 what sweet and soothing memories 
 will brood, as on dove-like wings, 
 over that home from which our sister, 
 less than two years ago, went forth. 
 As these recollections arise, may God 
 make them divine ministers to point 
 you all onward in the path of duty; 
 and, as the little babe which God has 
 kindly spared to bear the face and 
 name of her departed mother, grows 
 into womanhood (which God grant), 
 may the Saviour print His Gospel 
 on her heart, and make her such 
 a servant of Christ as this mother 
 was. 
 
SERMON AT THE FUNERAL. I5I 
 
 " If there are any here without a 
 hope in Christ, and without experi- 
 ence of what it is to be a Christian, 
 may God teach them the worth ot 
 such a hope in a time of affliction, 
 and give them grace to learn from the 
 character of our departed friend how 
 to live as disciples of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
'I GO to life and not to death ; 
 
 From darkness to life's native sky : 
 I go from sickness and from pain 
 
 To health and immortality. 
 
 ' For toil there comes the crowned rest ; 
 
 Instead of burdens, eagle's wings ; 
 And I, even I, this life-long thirst 
 
 Shall quench at everlasting springs. 
 
 ' God lives ! Who says that I must die ? 
 
 I cannot, while Jehovah liveth ! 
 Christ lives ! I cannot die, but live ; 
 
 He life to me for ever giveth. 
 
 ' Let our farewell then be tearless, 
 Since I bid farewell to tears; 
 
 Write this day of my departure 
 Festive in your coming years." 
 
 BONAK. 
 
Princeton Theological Seminary-Sp 
 
 1 1012 01039 7885