Part 20 (1/2)
”I have been travelling all through our town and vicinity on foot, to get signers to a petition to Congress for wo me to rudeness and coldness; but we are so frequently taunted with: 'Woet one hundred thousand names of women who do want it, to reply to this taunt”
But the hich enlisted this indefatigable woman's warmest sympathies, and which was the last active charity in which she engaged, was that of begging cast-off clothing for the destitute freed her of their wretched condition through successive failures of crops, she set to ith her old-tiy to do what she could for their relief
She literally went fro her plea so touchingly that few could refuse her Many barrels of clothing were in this way gathered, and she often returned hoht of bundles she had carried perhaps for a enerosity she felt she could depend, and collected from them a considerable su fro to Sarah Douglass, she says:--
”I have been so happy this winter, going about to beg old clothing for the unfortunate freedmen in Florida I have sent off several barrels of clothes already Alas! there is no Christ toso ht and day, and feel so glad to help the others was the secret of Sarah Gri content the help she was so ready to give, some one whose trials made her feel, she says, ashae were creeping upon her, and though her an to coust, 1872, she writes to a friend:--
”My strength is failing I cannot do a tithe of the walking I used to do, and a But I don't know but I ; and if it is needful, I shall be thankful, as that has always appeared tothis representation, however, she was seldo knitter, and made quite a traffic of the tidies, cushi+on-covers, and other fancy articles she knitted and netted These were purchased by her friends, and the proceeds given to the poor Soon after she had penned the above quoted paragraph, too, she copied for the Rev Henry Giles, the once successful Unitarian preacher, a lecture of sixty-five pages, froht had failed, and hisa copyist She also th per the hot suelina went daily to read to an old, bed-ridden lady, as dying of cancer, and living alth continued to fail, and she had several fainting spells, of which, however, she was kept in ignorance But as life's pulse beat less vigorously, her heart seeroarmer, and her interest in all that concerned her friends rather to increase than to lessen She still wrote occasional short letters, and enjoyed nothing socorrespondents In January, 1873, she writes to an old friend:--
”Yes, dear I estee that, as the outer ed in charity, and more and more draards those I love Oh, this love! it is as subtle as the fragrance of the flower, an indefinable essence pervading the soul My eyesight andare both in a weakly condition; but I trust, as the material senses fail, the interior perception of the divine e of God, and that I ht, and apprehend with clearer insight the ”
A few months later, she writes: ”My days of active usefulness are over; but there is a passive work to be done, far harder than actual work,--nanation to the will of God, whatever that ; nay, verily, the song of one by, I used to rejoice as every year sped its course and brought rave has no terrors for me, and death looks like a pleasant transition to another and a better condition, I am content to wait the Father's own time for my removal I rejoice that h I can only look for realization in another life I know of a truth that ress; not into a state of perfect happiness,--that would have no attractions for me; there ression A real, and the circle of absolute perfection a waveless calm, the abstract cipher of indolence But I believe I shall be gifted with higher faculties, greater powers, and therefore be capable of higher aspirations, better achievements, and a nobler appreciation of God and His works”
The sweet tranquillity expressed in this letter, and which was the greatest blessing that could have been given to Sarah Grin influence on all about her She had long ceased to look back, and had long been satisfied that though she had had an ample share of sorrows and perplexities, her life had passed, after all, with ood than evil in it, more of enjoyment than sorrow Her experience had been rich and varied; and, while she could see, in the past, sins coment, idiosyncracies to which she had too readily yielded, she felt that all had been blest to her in enlarging her knowledge of herself, in widening her sphere of usefulness, and uniting her uide, and whose promises sustained and blessed her, and crowned her latter days with joy supreme
CHAPTER XVIII
Sarah Griood health, and was so unaccustoht attack caust, 1873, in the shape of a fainting-fit in the night, she did not understand what it meant For two or three years she had had an occasional attack of the same kind, but was never before conscious of it, and as she had frequently expressed a desire to be alone when she died, to have no huht, as the faintness caratified But not so: she returned to consciousness, somewhat to her disappointment, and seemed to quite recover her health in a few days The weather, however, was extre effects On the 27th of August another fainting-spell caht, and she felt so unwell on coed to call assistance For several weeks she was very ill, and scarcely a hope of her recovery was entertained; but again she rallied and tried tovery weak Writing to Sarah Douglass of this illness, she says:--
”The first teeks are nearly a blank I only re, and that the second day I thought I was dying, and felt calives to those who lay their heads on His bosom and breathe out their souls to Hiher sphere of usefulness and happiness, that it no longer looks to ing into sunlight and joy When consciousness returned toin an ocean of divine love Oh, dear Sarah, the unspeakable peace that I enjoyed!
Of course I was to come down from the mount, but not into the valley of despondency My mind has been calm, my faith steadfast, n ofme to life and finish the work he must have for me to do, either active or passive I am lost in wonder, love, and praise at the vast outlay of affection and hter, and all have been so loving, so patient”
She continued very feeble, but insisted upon joining the fah she frequently had to be carried back to her room Still her lively interest in every one about her showed no dith peres may be quoted from these letters to sho clear her intellect remained, and hat a holy cale, she says:--
”You and I and all who are on the passage to redemption know that Gethseuration I aharateful than for the lessons of humility I have learned in this way”
To another asthe death of a dear child, she writes: ”My whole heart goes out in unspeakable yearnings for you; not, dearest, that you may be delivered from your present trials; not only that youhealth, but that you er than philosophy to sustain you Philosophy hest ive the peace of God which passeth all understanding This is what I covet for you And how can you doubt of immortality when you look on your beloved's face? Can you believe that the soul which looked out of those eyes can be quenched in endless night? No; never! As soon doubt existence itself It is this--these central truths, the existence and the love of God, and the immortality of the soul, which rob death of its terrors and shed upon it the blessed light of a hope which triumphs over death itself Oh that you could make Christ your friend!
He is so near and dear to me that more than ever does he see”
As she complained only of weakness, Sarah's friends hoped that, when the cool weather cath and be as well as usual But though she continued toto e in her condition as the autumn passed and winter came on Thus she continued until the 12th of December, when she took a violent cold She was in the habit of airing her bed every night just before retiring, turning back the cover, and opening wide herOn that day it had rained, and the air was very da that Florence Nightingale asserted that dareat deal, but in answer to Angelina's expressions of anxiety, said she felt no worse than usual But though she still went down to her meals, it was evident that she eaker than she had been On Sunday, the 14th, co to tea, she preferred to re was h worse, but it was not until Tuesday evening, after having passed a distressing day, that she would consent to have a physician called
Everything was done for her that could be thought of, and, as she greorse, two other physicians were sent for But all in vain: it was evident that the su soul, and that a bright New Year was dawning for her in that unseen world which she was so well prepared to enter
She lingered, suffering at tiony from suffocation, until the afternoon of the 23d, when she was seized with the athered about her bed, relieved her as far as it was possible, and saw her sink exhausted into an unconscious state, from which, two hours later, she crossed the threshold of Eternity Her ”precious Nina” bent over her, caught the last breath, and exclaiood and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!”
The gates of heaven side to ad there seelory that strea vanished, and the placid face wore--
”The look of one who bore away Glad tidings fros a peace with it, and Angelina's sorroallowed up in joy that the beloved sister had escaped from pain and infirmity, and entered into fuller and closer communion with her heavenly Father