Page images
PDF
EPUB

indescribable, while her bodily sufferings were excruciating. Yet was she patient. She behaved and quieted herself as a weaned child. There were sometimes outbursts of grief, but her soul soon returned to its rest in God. On one occasion, when a friend suggested the probability of her decease without seeing her husband and son, she was so overwhelmed with sor• row that she covered her face with the drapery of the bed, and gave free vent to her feelings. But after a struggle she became composed, and looking up, said, in a subdued tone, “Well, if Mr. Morris can do more labour for the Church by my deprivation, I shall try to be resigned." And she was resigned to his long absence; pleading only that she might behold both her husband and her son once more on earth.

She was an intelligent Christian. She studied the Holy Scriptures. She not only gave her Bible the preference to all other books, but made it a matter of conscience to read it every day in the year, times of sickness excepted. And if anything unusual occurred to prevent reading the ordinary lessons of the day, she made it up at night, frequently by curtailing the period of sleep. This duty she performed with uncommon delight and profit. There are very few private Christians so familiar with the Bible

as she was, being able to turn at once, without a Concordance, to almost any prominent text in the Old or New Testament, and to quote hundreds of passages from memory. Her recollection of even the historical parts was clear and extensive. When unable to read on account of ill health, she had the promises of God's word in her memory.

She was a sanctified Christian. More than seventeen years ago she did, while agonizing for the blessing in her own chamber, experience that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin. For months after not a cloud arose to darken her sky. And though she did not always enjoy a clear evidence of full salvation subsequently, yet she often felt that "perfect love casteth out all fear that hath torment." It is true, such were the views she entertained of her own unworthiness, and such her fear of not living up to her profession, that she never made any public declaration of the grace of sanctification. This was an error, and was probably one reason why she did not enjoy it more fully. But in death her testimony was explicit, and she sent an affectionate message by her leader, urging her class-mates to seek this full salvation.

Finally, she was useful to others. Of this there are living witnesses, who trace their conversion

to her pious conversation.

her crown.

Such will be stars in

And now, reader, the grace which made her holy, can train you for the same useful career on earth—the same happy death-the same glorious heaven. May you follow her as she followed Christ!

The following inscription, is from a plain, handsome monument erected over her grave in the Wesleyan Cemetery, in 1842.

"Mrs. ABIGAIL, wife of BISHOP MORRIS,

A native of Va., died May 17th 1842, aged forty-nine years and four months.

In her life and death, she exhibited a practical comment on social excellence and pure religion.

Her last words were, "Jesus is precious.”

Mrs. Jane B. Rust.

BY HER FATHER, BISHOP MORRIS.

MRS. Rust, my only daughter, was born at Spicewood Cottage, Cabell county, Virginia, February 27, 1815, and was baptized the same year by Rev. David Young, of the Ohio Conference. Her constitution was naturally feeble, and her health delicate all her life; but that did not materially injure her mild and amiable disposition. Neither her parents nor teachers ever had any difficulty in governing her; she was as steady and thoughtful in childhood and youth as most persons are at mature age. The most striking features of her character were meekness and kindness; the former appearing in everything pertaining to herself, and the latter in whatever respected others. As a member of the family, she was always attentive to her duties; and as a student, to her studies. When only five years old, she read fluently and gracefully. She learned her lessons with great facility, especially such as were committed to memory; and being always diligent in preparing to recite them, seldom failed to stand first in her class; but was never known to take any credit

or praise to herself on that account,-on the contrary, kindness to her classmates frequently led her to extra exertions in teaching the dullest and most negligent of them, to keep them out of difficulty with their teachers.

When Jane left Science Hill Academy, at Shelbyville, Kentucky, in the fifteenth year of her age, she had acquired all the essential elements of a sound and useful education, and some of the ornamental branches, and bid fair to excel in literary attainments. The state of her health, however, about that time, rendered it necessary that she should exchange her sedentary habits and mental exertions for an active life in the domestic business of the family, then residing in Lebanon, Ohio; but subsequently, by reviewing and extending her studies, she improved her education, so that, when seventeen years old, she read her French Bible nearly as well as the English. Her books were then all the recreation from domestic business that she desired. No place was so pleasant to her as home, however humble its appearance. She strictly regarded the rules of Christian courtesy toward all classes of society, which to her was an easy task, but had no relish whatever for fashionable amusements or gay company. She never wore a particle of jewelry or any super

« PreviousContinue »