and christian resignation to his will; and I trust he will bring her out of this furnace, as gold seven times purified. My dear Miss Sproat, I pray God to bless her, and you, and the remaining branches of your family; and feel my heart particularly drawn out for the little baby left in your care, that you may be a mutual blessing to each other; and I remain, with great sympathy and affection, your's, MARTHA LAURENS RAMSAY. Charleston, Sept. 13, 1796. MY DEAR MISS SPROAT, I FEEL myself under the awful necessity of being the bearer of heavy tidings to you; and, I confess, that I shrink so much from the task, that I have hardly resolution to hold the pen. Nevertheless, in cases of duty, we must not confer with flesh and blood, but endeavour to act with firmness. Need I keep your mind any longer in the anguish of suspense ?—Our pious friend, your sister in the flesh, our sister in Christ, our dear Mrs. Keith, shall I say she is dead? or, with more christian propriety, express myself by saying, she who has long lived the life of faith on earth, now lives, as our hope and belief for her in Jesus is, the life of vision and glory in heaven. She who but a few hours ago was embodied in flesh, troubled by sin, depressed by weakness, is now a glorified spirit free from sin, free from sorrow, and has for ever done with the evils of mortality; it is so, indeed, my dear Miss Sproat. At five o'clock this morning, your dear sister bid farewell to sin and sorrow, after an illness (supposed to be an affection of the liver) not deemed dangerous till within these eight days. Mr. Keith and the little girl lately taken under their protection had both been sick for some time. Mrs. Keith was complaining, but not enough to alarm her friends, till about the time I have mentioned above. From the day she was thought seriously ill, she has declined very rapidly, and for some part of this time her ideas suffered considerable derangement. Nevertheless, she has given such testimonies of her confidence in God, of her trust in and dependance on her Saviour, even in the dark valley of the shadow of death, as are highly consolitary to us, who have witnessed them. As long as she could speak, she spoke for Christ, and when she had no longer the power of utterance, with any degree of ease, she gave signs of joy, and short answers, expressive that the promises which we whispered in her ear, were savingly, preciously, comfortably applied to her heart. And now, my dear Miss Sproat, what shall I say to you? I feel disposed to say to you, in the midst of the I sorrows of nature and the bemoanings of sisterly affection, rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice. Let the thoughts of her bliss, of the glory with which she is now surrounded, of which she is now possessed, enable you not only to submit, but even to rejoice in this tribulation; and may the Spirit of grace and consolation bring such promises and gospel supports to your recollection, as may be suited to your case, and which, did I feel myself equal to the undertaking, I could but suggest-he only could apply. should say something of our very dear friend,. Mr. Keith. Oh he behaves under this trial, like the affectionate friend, the tender, bowed down, bereaved husband; yet like the exercised, the experienced, the established christian. I trust, he has learned many an useful lesson from our departed friend, and I hope he will now be enabled to put them in practice. You will excuse me from writing more at length: I feel myself too much overcome to be able to do it. May God support and comfort our dear Mr. Keith, Mrs. Spencer, you, my dear Miss Sproat, and all most intimately interested in the dear deceased; and sanctify this stroke of his providence to many in the congregation, who have been witnesses of her zeal and sincerity in the service of our dear Lord and Master; that, in addition to the good she has done, while living, she, though dead in the flesh, yet living in our hearts, may still speak to the glory of God, and the good of souls. With my sincere prayers for you, my dear Miss Sproat, I remain with sympathizing regard, your friend and servant, MARTHA LAURENS RAMSAY. TO MISS M. E. L. PINCKNEY.* "THAT it is better to go to the house of mourning," is not only one of those assertions, which, coming from the pen of inspiration, we are bound humbly to receive as truth; but I believe, dear Mary, the experience of every feeling heart, which has gone on but a moderate way in the journey of life, will testify, that by the occasional sadness of the countenance, the heart is made better; and that sympathy with our fellow creatures is not only grateful to them, but useful to ourselves. I went early into the garden to breathe fresh air, and delight myself with the fair face of nature, and to cut some sweet flowers for my sweet Fan and you. None of your cousins are yet stirring, and I thought I would write a little note in their stead. The tone of my mind has framed the style of my letter. We are going this morn • This note was not received in season to be inserted in the first edition of these memoirs. ing to attend the funeral of our dear respected Mr. Coram; and this evening or afternoon, our poor Jack will be carried to his last earthly home. As we ought to learn good from every thing, I hope I shall profit by the lesson of today, and not only rejoice in the many sunshine days of my life, but to make a good use too of a cloudy one. It seems a long time since I have seen Fan and you. I think your cousins, as well as myself, would be delighted if you were to come early and drink tea with them. Darling Sabina, with all her youthful spirits, has shown so much feeling for poor Mrs. Coram, as makes me love and admire that sweet elasticity of her virtuous mind, thus accommodating itself to passing circumstances, more than I can express. Adieu, dear girls, and believe me, tenderly, yours, M. L. RAMSAY. |