THE Vineyard Gazette gives the following interesting facts relative to the life, religious faith, and death, of one of the very first Seventh-day Adventists in our country. We visited her home on Martha's Vineyard, Mass., twenty-five years since, and felt that we were in the presence of one who truly walked with God. It is said that the following statement is by a candid young man, who is not a professor of religion.
J. W.
Died, in Holmes' Hole, Mass., Aug. 26, 1870, widow Sarah Dexter, aged 85 years, 7 months, 15 days.
She was truly a Christian woman and a zealous advocate of the truths of that Book by which we are all to be judged. A warm friend was she to the cause of Christ, having for more than fifty years been a teacher and expounder of the sacred truths contained in that blessed volume,—the Holy Scriptures and word of God.
She was a true believer and supporter of the “Advent cause,” believing that we are living in the last generation this world will ever know, and firmly believing in the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, in all his glory.
Her last testimony to a very dear friend was that her peace was made with God, and she was going to sleep in Christ.
Her faith was that, the living know that they must die, and that the dead know not anything; she also believed in that scripture which says, “The day they die their thoughts perish.”
The above Scriptural quotations allude directly to the intermediate state, or the time between death and the resurrection.
She believed (as many of us do) that from the moment of our death to the moment of the general resurrection of the dead, of the land as well as of the sea, is an undefinable space of time,—the length or brevity of which is to us alike,—one year being as a thousand, or a thousand years as one,—we being asleep in Jesus and entirely insensible to the flight of time—insensible to all things—so to remain until the morning of the resurrection, when the sleeping dead of earth and sea shall come forth by a command issued by our God, and be summoned to appear before him to receive a reward or punishment “according to the deeds done in the body.”
This, then, was the faith of our departed sister,—now asleep in Jesus, awaiting the call of the Master; and at his coming we feel assured that she will receive a crown of life.
For more than twenty-four years she was a zealous observer of the seventh-day Sabbath, commonly known to other denominations as Saturday.
On that day, the house of our sister was always open to friends entertaining a like precious faith, and to all who desired to love and serve God.
She always manifested a desire, an earnest wish for the conversion of souls, and nothing could cheer her more than to hear that another soul had been saved, another friend brought to Christ.
To those young in that faith which looks to Jesus for life and immortality—those who had just started in the way that leads to Heaven, she was indeed a dear friend, a wise, loving, Christian counselor. Jesus was her guide and counselor, and by his word and his doctrine she guided and counseled others. By humble prayer and kindly words, fitly spoken, she did what she could to assist all on their way to the celestial city,—the home of all who truly love and serve the Master. The promise is to those only who continue faithful to the end. Our aged and much beloved sister continued faithful to her last moment. She bore the cross, and when Jesus comes she will receive the crown.
J. H. L.
Holmes' Hole, Sept. 20, 1870.
RECEIPTS
For Review and Herald.
Annexed to each receipt in the following list, is the Volume and Number of the REVIEW & HERALD to which the money received pays, which should correspond with the Numbers on the Pastors. If money for the paper is not due, it must be acknowledged, immediate notice of the omission should then be given.
$1.00 EACH. Eli Johnson 36-1, Mrs J F Coville 34-1, P Sanborn 38-1, P Vosburgh 38-12, S D Heady 36-18, Mrs C J Doty 38-1, Orley Hull 37-17, Lida Upson 39-1, H Sawyer 38-12, E Burditt 38-1, W S Foote 38-1, I S McClure 38-1, S H Hewes 38-1, M T Olds 38-1, M Radabaugh 37-14.
$1.50 EACH. Dearborn Corning 39-12, Mrs C Parker 39-12, W W Parrot 39-1, L F Myrick 39-1, Jane Leamour 39-12, L Hoathery 39-1, N C Bryant 39-12, A Corey 39-12, S D Rogers 39-1, Mrs M Patton 39-1, Horatio Pettit 39-1, J C Middaugh 39-12, L M Johnson 39-12, Mrs I D McClure 39-1, A T Lyman 39-12, Mrs D Briggs 39-12, P Stevens 38-20, F Winchell 39-8, H J Rich 37-12.
$2.00 EACH. H Parsons 39-1, E M Crandall 39-1, M Marquart 38-1, Wm E Newcomb 39-1, R Vickery 39-1, D W Crandall 39-1, R Keck 39-1, T H Risinger 39-1, C S Glover 38-13, Wm Vancill 39-3, Wm L Mosier 39-9, S F Ferris 38-17, A Ramsey 39-1, J S Fisher 37-15, Mrs C Kinney 38-1, G W States 38-8, John Walton 38-1, N Osborn 38-19, B Perkins 37-1, B Haskins 39-14, A Graham 39-1, Mrs J Nesmore 39-10, S S Shirkey 36-1, G Phillips 38-14, L Lowry 39-13, E A Prescott 39-1, C Baker 39-1, S H Maycroft 39-1, A W Nourse 39-1, J Nourse 39-1, J Philo 37-7, M M Blaisdell 39-12, C Wilder 39-1, T Simonds 38-1, T Ramsey 36-22, A Abbey 39-1, F M Davis 39-11, J H Jaquith 39-1, R C McAnley 39-2, Mary Beach 42-1, Mrs A M Eggleston 37-20, M J Pierce 39-6, P Alvord 41-1, Wm Caviness 39-1.
MISCELLANEOUS. J P Hunt $4.00 39-1, M Bardwell 4.50 40-1, J D Nelson 5.00 40-1, A Martin 81c 39-1, L E Martin 2.69 37-17, J C Baker 1.40 37-12, A E Kilgore 75c 38-12, S F Grant 4.00 39-1, J N Wilkinson 5.00 39-1, J Radabaugh 4.00 40-1, T F Cottrell 2.50 39-13, A Carter 4.00 40-1, E W Carpenter 5.00 36-16, G W Fletcher 3.00 38-1, A Cook 4.50 40-2, Mrs J Muddux 2.40 36-19, W Cheever 2.14 38-14, Judge Hayward 90c 38-1, J F Wood 2.50 39-13, D Chamberlain 5.00 39-1.
Books Sent by Mail. F F Camp 15c, M Smith $1.10, J N Loughborough 16.40, W E Stillman 77c, A B Horton 40c, S Mathews 25c, L Turney 25c, M Lull 1.50, S W Hastings 3.85, J Hamer 3.60, W E Price 1.50, John Durno 25c, B F Freeman 3.25, A W Parsons 25c, M A Foulon 17c, B Clarke 35c, D R Leighton 3.95, H M Kenyon 60c, J S Jordan 75c, Jas A O'Bryan 4.40, T Cole 1.00, J L Morris 19c, T Bryant 20c, Thos Gorton 35c, L Chandler 34c, S W Pack 10c, S M Holly 2.00, Sarah L Gove 1.00, J Maddox 60c, J S Fisher 50c, Mrs O A Harvey 40c, T F Emans 60c, D T Bourdeau 50c, Jos Wickson 40c, Mrs H Hervey 50c, S D Heady 10c, J V Himes 15c, I Gibson 18c, A Caldwell 40c, R Vickery 1.00, Mrs P Sanborn 10c, L D Santee 1.58, J H Lonsdale 1.00, W F Featherman 20c, N A St Clair 25c, J F Klostermier 25c, T F Tukesbury 10c, S Honeywell 65c, C H Blood 10c.
Cash Received on Account. P C Rodman $5.00, J N Loughborough 25.00, James Sawyer 5.00, G W Colcord 3.50.
Review to the Poor. J F & L E Klostermier $3.00, Mary J Luke 5.00, F Luke 1.00, S Rider 2.00, S H Maycroft 1.00, J Judson 7.00. A friend 75c, Daniel Andre 5.00.
Michigan Conference Fund. Church at Burlington, S. B., by J H Waggoner $12.50.
General Conference Missionary Fund. Edwin Kraemer $1.00, Philip M Cross (deceased) 100.00.
Western Camp-Meeting Fund. Edwin Kraemer $1.00, S Rider 5.00.
Book Fund. Emily Cromer $1.00, D C Jaycox 1.00, S L Gove 1.00, M Baker 1.00.