· sarah b. upt on. sarah biddle thomson, daughter of peter and rebecca owen thomson, was born in...

S''ET C H

T H E L I F E

SARAH B . UPT ON .

PH ILADELPH IA1883 .

SARAH B. UPT ON.

SARAH B IDDLE THOMSON, daughter ofPeter and Rebecca Owen Thomson , wasborn in the city of Philadelphia on New

Year’s day,1 79 7 .

Her constitution was so frail that itwas only by the most vigilant care thather life was preserved through herinfancy'and in later years she has beenfrequently heard to say that she did notremember one day without pain'so thatearly in the race , began the strugglebetween an unusually clear and vigorousintellect and a physical organizationwhich, though possessed of much elasticity and tenacity, made her throughouther life a prey to frequent and varyingattacks of disease .

4 SKETCH OF T HE LIFE OF

When she was about five years ofage

,her mo ther was removed by death,

and this loss was often alluded to as agreat grief which hung over her childhood

,an ever present influence

,from

which she could not wholly escape .

Intensified it‘

doubtless was by physicalsuffering

, but it left an indelible impresson her character

,exhibited in after years

by the peculiar claim a motherless childwas su re to excite on her sensitive

sympathies . The loss to her, was madeup as much as such a loss can be

,by a

devoted maternal aun t,and'later'by a

beloved second mother,whose care

,

united to that of her aunt,surrounded

her w ith all that affection could supply.

And,belonging to a family group de

scribed by one who “ considered it a

privilege to mingle with them , as “ reli

gious, refined'

and intellectual,her own

bright intellect and sprightly dispositioncould not in such an . atmosphere

,yi eld

SARAH B . UPTON. 5

in any morbid sense to depressing influences . Accordingly

,in the few glimpses

we have of her childhood and early girlhood

,she is pictured as bright and

active, eager for study and for play, and

contending bravely with the headacheswhich would be her persis tent attendants ,notwithstanding the care taken to conquer them by such methods as wereapproved in that day

,but to which

methods,in later life , she ascribed some

o f the suffering to which she was afterwards subj ected . Writes an aunt, aboutthis period Sarah complains so cheerfully of her head

,when she complains at

all , that I hope it is not very bad.

Eldes t daughter of the house,as years

wen t on , the young “ book-worm and“ walking encyclopaedia

,

” as she wasplayfully called, figures also as righthand woman of her delicate mother

,in

the care of younger children,and she it

was who seems to have taken care of

6 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF

them at n ight and through illnessesincident to childhood . To her also, asletters show. would be assigned the pre

paration of the summer home in thecountry for the family

,and her judg

ment appears early to have developedto a degree which made her the specialconfident of all her family

,trusted by

her mother,and the companion

,in his

intellectual pursuits,of her father.

Of her spiritual life at this time,there

is l ittle record,as no diary has been

preserved of any period of her l ife,and

she seems as yet to have written fewletters

,but she frequently in after life

remarked,that

,as a young girl she

loved best of all books— the Bible ofcourse excepted— the lives of the earlyFriends

,and that a “

Journal , new toher

,of one of the Religious Society in

which she had a birthright membership,

was welcomed as a treasure, and eagerlyread in some quiet corner. This was

SARAH B . UPTON. 7

perhaps the more remarkable from thefact that her father kept abreast of thetimes in which he lived

,and the only

restriction put upon her selection ofreading matter, i t would appear, washisremark that if she would read no novelsuntil thirty years of age

,she m ight l'zen

read all she chose . Long afterwards,

when the direction of younger mindsdevolved on her

,she would recur to the

wisdom which preserved for her thehealthful intellectual taste

,that

,uncloyed

by the unrealities and glamour of fiction,

could relish the good and the beautifulin the wide realm of the True

, with apleasure far greater than the feverishexcitement

,called pleasure

,of the dev

otee of imagination—a pleasure whichnever left her

,for even in extreme age

and amid physi cal infirm ities,her m ind

could still grasp the topics of the day,and when at length the hour came inwhich sight and hearing and speech all


failed her,and her only means of com

mun ication with those about her was bymotions

,her physician remarked that

“ every motion was intell igent.”

The earliest written record which hasbeen found of her feelings about thegreat problem of life is contained in aletter to a young friend in the autumn of1 8 204—she writes “ I believe the safestand best path

,in every situation, is to

cast all our care upon a wise and overruling Providence

,who

,we may in faith

believe, orders all things for our benefit .The idea that such an omniscient Poweris constantly watching over us , has oftenbeen consoling to me in - hours when I

have felt dissatisfied with my little usefulness in the world'and the firm persuasion that we are all placed in thesituation for which we are best fitted

,

has often taken the load from my heart,

and made me rejoice in ' an existencewhich before seemed only a burden .

SARAH B . UPTON .

I believe it is quite necessary to ourhappiness here to feel that we are in adegree

,at least

,useful, and if we only

add to the comfort or pleasure of oneindividual

,we may think ourselves fil l ing

a situation in society for which we oughtto be grateful .” Thus , - at twenty- three ,she looked onward, and when , at morethan eighty- four

,on the very verge of

time,the aged pilgrim took a solemn

look backward on her path of l ife, afterits many trials and —provings of faith andpatience

,it was with the same calm tru st

in an overruling Power,that she testified

that “ the endeavor to do right saved agreat deal of trouble

,and secured more

happiness and peace than co uld be gainedin seeking our own gratification

,instead

of waiting on the Lord to find out whatwas right.”

Naturally earnest,and active almost

to intensity, it was her constant endeavorto lay her will at the feet of her Creator

I O SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF

and to wait for H is guidance . True itwas that

She would not have the restless willThat hurries to and fro,

Seeking for some great thing to do ,Or secret thing to know

She would be dealt with as a childAnd guided where to go

True it al so was,that while she would

not “ strain her eyes in the dark,

” as washer wont to say

,yet when the light did

shine out of darkness,her guided activi

ties found many channels of unobtrusiveusefulness and quiet influence

,productive

of more fruit than she herself realized .

Not that she made no mistakes— sheacknowledged many—and her lettersprove that she fel t “ the chaff must beburned with unquenchable fire

,and the

heart purged,before it i s fitted for the

impress of holiness to the Lord . ToH and S . M . W . ,

in 1 8 29, she writesThe state , dear S. , thou describes as

thy allotment this winter, is , I have often

SARAH B . UPTON. I I

thought,peculiarly calculated to deepen

and strengthen ’

the Christian life . Thatis

,if patiently abode under. Then we

do indeed find that patience begets ex

perience and e xperience, hope . And It

is a hope that ‘ maketh not ashamed ,’

even a hope of acceptance with theFather through H is well - beloved Son .

I feel this subject to be very awful , yet Ithink I can say that if there is anythingin which I am prepared to sympathize

,

i t is in poverty and dryness, in feelingincapable of attammg to any good thingin meetings

,and in seasons of private

devotion Ah,I know full well what it

is to feel dead in trespasses and sins,and

though I do not forget that it is the‘ rebellious ’ who are to dwell . in a dryland ,

’ yet I also firmly believe that thesetrials of our faith are permitted for ou rgood, for the purification of our heartsfrom the corruptions of our naturesthat we should have more deeply im

I 2 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF

pressed upon us the nothingness of self,and the dependence we have upon theSource and Fountain of all good, forevery good thought and feeling of thesoul . Let us then have faith in God, andhave it towards ourselves . Let us bel ievethat al l these things shall work togetherfor our good. I have felt

,many times ,

dear S. , when with thee , that heavenlygood was very near thee

,and I have

even felt ready to envy thee,and have

checked the feeling. I -

am Convinced ,fully convinced

,of one thing as it respects

myself,that there is no progress to be

gained without frequent retirement forrecollection and prayer

,without a con

stant endeavor to cherish such a state ofmind as to be able to lift up the heart indesires for preservation in all circumstances and occupations .

“Yes,my endeared friends

,it wil l avail

us nothing to say we are poor and lifeless

,and it seems but a form to open the

SARAH B. UPTON. I 3

Scriptures or to put up a petition toEternal purity and holiness . For I dobelieve we have more need at such times ,to feel after God, if haply we may findH im .

’ We have more need to desIre

preservation when from under a feel ingof good

,than at seasons when our hearts

are warmed by Divine love—and surelythe desire when sincerely felt, or theendeavor when maintained am idst temptation and confl ict

,will find acceptance

with H im who ‘ knoweth our frame ’

and who ‘ remembereth that we are butdust.” I believe that much is lost forwant of an attention to the very gentle

intimations that we are often favoredwith to draw near and worship . As wesit in our social circles

,and in the midst

of our most active employments,have

we not felt do we not often feel theMi leimpressions that, attended to , would gi veabil ity to receive instruction

,if not con

solation and strength . But the Tempter


knows this,and then does he do all that

he can to hinder us by presenting inrapid succession the busy thoughts thatchain us to the world . How necessarythen the prayer

,

‘ Lead us not into temptation , but deliver us from evil —for‘ the thoughts and imaginations of theheart are evil

,and that continually.

’

They are , indeed , in the lines of my ex

perience, the‘ lying vanities ’ which day

by day cheat me of the substantial foodthat the soul needs, to support itsstrength and vigor. I f we had morefaith

,how much less trouble and anxiety

,

how much less care and vexation wouldoccupy and fill up our minds than is nowthe attendant of our daily path, and hasincreasingly of latter times appeared tome to be wanting

,not only 1ndividu

ally,bu t in our poor Society .

Again,to the same friend she writes ,

Well,dear, does the mental world still

continue C louded with discouragements'

SARAH B . UPTON .

Do the trials of l ife and the infirm itiesof our nature oppress thee Ah

,let us

remember that man does not l ive by‘6reaa’ alone , but by every word thatproceedeth out of the mouth of God .

’

This one lesson I have learned by manya season of want

,that the hidden root

of l ife is often as much strengthened andnourished by a patient abiding underpoverty and fasting

,as by the more

sensible enjoyment of that food whichthe fainting soul so ardently craves .Let us then , my beloved friend , cast allou r cares and anxieties with unshakenconfidence upon that all -wise

,overruling

Providence who ordereth all things aright—believing that trials patiently endured

,

blessmgs gratefully received, al l thingsshall work together for good to thosewho love and trust H im .

To H . S . M . W .

“ I want just totell you how much I have enjoyed yourprecious gift to -day

,

* and in feeling thefi p h

1 6 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF

comfort of believing in and possessingso invaluable a treasure, my heart expands with desires that fru it may bebrought forth in proportion to our greatprivileges . Oh my dear friends , I haveneed of great humiliation when I reflecthow far behind I am in every Christiangrace . Yet poor as I feel myself to be,there is such a rich consolation In theevidence of having chosen the serwce

of Christ before earthly gratification,that

it well deserves all we can sacrifice . Theconsolations of the Gospel'Yes , I feelwilling to bear testimony that in deepaffl iction the believer has the assurancethat the judge of all the earth doethwell—in anxiety for the future there isconfidence in an overruling Providenceamid the hurry and bustle of Time thereis the calming influence of the everblessed Spirit. While musing on thesethings my heart felt attracted to you , andI felt sincerely desirous that we may be

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and uncongenial inactivity,and through

periods of comparative i solation in remotecountry scenes

,this influence shone out

conspicuously,to the delight and com

fort of the friends who sought her society,or enjoyed the letters she wrote or dictated to them .

Wrote,in 1 8 76, an active educator of

our’

day :“ I wish to thank thee for thy

last kind letter, for it is truly strengthening to me to be the recipient of thewise counsel which I always feel sure ofgetting, whether I am favored to listento thy conversation , or am honored witha few lines from thy pen .

” Writesanother

,on hearing of her last illness ,

'a man now absorbed in legal pursuits ,and the cares of political office

,but who

in boyhood passed many hours as herguest': “ It is the placid close of abeneficent life . No character has everimpressed me more than hers . Suchblended gentleness and strength I never

SARAH B . UPTON .

knew in any other. I owe much to herexample and precepts

,for which I can

give her no retu rn but my affectionaterespect. From still another, after herdeath

,comes the following : “ It will be

a long time ere we forget the sweet,

placid face , the tender, loving heart, theintell igent conversation

,the overflowing

hospitality,and above all

,the noble

Christian faith and hope and resignationof our dear, departed friend. Herconversation and her letters alwaysbenefited me . They made me feel theemptiness of earthly things

,and the

reality andworth of all that l ies beyond .

”

Surely it can not be other than instructive to those still in the battle of l ife

,to

trace in the record of those who havefought and won that battle

,the secret of

their victory'and , iri view of humanfrailty, to recognize the tru th, that it isno t by might or by power

,but by “ my

Spirit, saith the Lord . Her own con


fessions and the observations of thosewho watched

-

her closely,showed that

she too, was human , and that though theSpl l

‘

l t was willing,the flesh was, at

times , weak . But, in every trial shecam e off

,not only conqueror through

Him that loved her, and never sufferedher to wander far from the leadings ofH is Spirit, but, through H is guidance ,she was enabled to grasp the true purpose of l ife in an uncommon degree,and to discern what to d o,

and what toleave undone .

But,leaving the onlook to the frui t

from the bud and early flower,let us

return to the period in hand . To herfriends , H . and S . W . ,

absent on a summer trip, she writes as follows , underdate 7 mo . 2 7th, 1 830 :

“ Though I donot know where you are

,or whether

my letter will ever reach you,my dear

friends,yet I felt best satisfied to write

a few lines to you by way of remem

SARAH B . UPTON .

brance . I do not feel any better forrather an unprofitable evening, havinghad C . here, saying many odd things , sothat it was difficult to preserve a spiritof seriousness . I could not help contrasting i t in my mind with the quietudeof last evening which I passed with dearS . alone . In the dep th of spiritualexercise there is more true enjoymentthan in any outward communion . Perhaps I should say more true peace

,for I

well know that suffering is often theportion of those whose feet have beenturned into the narrow way . Well , deargirls

,what I wish

,what I earnestly

desire,is that we may not in any way

hinder each other’s progress in thisnecessary work . We , who profess somuch'oh'that we may always remember it', who profess to be guided in allour actions by the unerring Spirit ofTruth

,how ready should we be to

embrace every opportuni ty to seek


Divine counsel,instruction

,or consola

tion .

“Has it become a pleasure to us toturn from outward objects

,however

attractive,to that still

,small voice that

can be heard only when the tumult ofrapid thought has subsided'Or is theconfl ict entered upon with reluctance andfrom a sense of du ty only'Let uspress forward . I am firm in the beliefthat all that is wanting is more faith inthe Light within , and it behooves us topray earnestly for an increase of faith .

I look with an emulous eye to that statewhere the mind is stayed upon this umshaken foundation

,and the billows of

external trouble cannot overwhelm .

Such a state is ineffably lovely,for it is

one of pure and holy communion , inwhich too

,the bands of Christian fellow

ship are strengthened by the powerfuleflfluence of that love wh ich is strongerthan death, and more enduring than any

SARAH B. UPTON. 23

natural tie . May this be our bond ofunion

,my much loved friends'may i t

increase with added years through fleeting Time

,and find

.

its full fru ition,

inEternity. I fear my lines will be ratherill - timed

,but I cannot help it— they come

unbidden Amidst the sublime,the

beau tiful or the grand of the Omnipotent,I trust you will find that enjoyment Iwish you—an enjoyment far surpassingthe thrilling enjoyment that even theworldling can feel . For

,in its all

subduing power,it prostrates all the

faculties of the soul at the footstool ofthe Creator in grateful adoration thatHe has gifted us with powers of perception so exquisite .

”

As to the outward,so far the l ife of

Sarah Thomson appears to have beenabsorbed by home - duties

,and social and

benevolent claims,and her favorite pur

suits of reading and gardening'for booksand flowers would seem to have been

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF

her constant companions from youth toOld age', and though physical sufferingwas often her own attendant

,yet

,when

her health would permit,she was a

'

frequent watcher at the bed - side of herfriends

,an active visitor of prisons , and

a worker among the poor.No one could possess a more keenrel ish for innocent social enj oyment thanshe

,and

,as a young woman

,her fund of

information,her love of humor and her

natural 'ivacity, rendered herone of themost sprightly of her circle . By a NewYork co temporary she was described asbeing

,in those days

,

“ almost l ike aFrench gir in the gaiety of her manner,heightened by her bright, intellectualface

,and dark , curling hair. That curl ing

hair size felt it right to brush as smoo thlyback as possible, and over that nativevivacity she kept watchful guard lest itm ight become frivolity yet she did notstamp it out, and it never left her, but


many of her pupils look back to thatschool with brightest memories

,and some

of them with a reverence,almost intense ,

to the character and influence of itsteacher. And yet this feeling cannot besaid to be universal

,for here and there

she failed to strike the key- note to somelittle mind and heart

,and here and there

She found one— though rarely withwhom probably

,other teachers would

have been equally unsuccessful . Withthe ungovernable no one could be moreinflexible than she

,as one del inquent dis

covered when,in answer to his remark

,

“ I do not love thee,Teacher —she

quietly replied,

“ Never mind,my dear

,

good children always love me Pretenceor conceit could not live near her

,and

so severely would those qualities,or even

a suspicion of them,tax her patience

,

that she was perhaps at times in dangerof using too freely the good s teel ofwhich she was made . Doubtless

,also

SARAH B. UPTON. 2 7

the sharpness of the steel was sometimes felt by pupils of another class , inwhom She discovered strong natu res tobe trained for fields of future u sefulness .And who can tell j ust what part hertraining may have had in fitting some ofthem for the conspicuous spheres of usefulness they now fill

,for numbers of the

children of that day are now,as middle

aged men and women,holding responsi

ble positions'and while, in the qu iet ofher decl ining years

,she followed them

in their careers with l ively interest,her

greatest satisfaction arose from the beliefthat, even more than to minds , to heartsher instructions had been blessed . Longw ill the meek and reverent air with whichshe referred to this on her dying bed beremembered .

“ I do not wish to boast,

she said, “ but I have a blessed hope ofmeeting some to whom my instructionshave been blessed .

” Proof from variouspens might be produced that her labors


were not in vain,but one letter, received

by her in 1 8 78 , will fittingly picture thisperiod of her l ife .

My éeZovea’Teaener and F r iend

Lying awake in my ownquiet room in the early dawn of this morning, my thoughts turned , as they veryoften do , to thee and the many sweetvisions of the past, - and have led me tofulfil an inclination often felt

,to express

once more my feelings of deep love andindebtedness to thee . I have been thinking too

,of my darl ing brother J .

’

s wordsnear the close of his short

,peaceful life,

in expressing the joys of his hope andtrust in his dear Saviour. Next to myown mother

,I owe more to teacher Sarah

Thomson than to any one else .

’ Andso

,in writing once again to ‘

n’ear teacher

Sarah,

’ it seems as though I were writingboth for dear J . and myself, and seemsto bring that happy past very near.

SARAH B. UPTON. 29

I have so often sympathized with theein the years Of Sufferingv

'

vh ich have beenthy portion , and if my loving thoughtscould reach thee

,thou would often feel

that, in spirit at least, I was near thee .

For thou hast always been through allthe years that have passed Since my dearmother placed her little one under thycare , a frequent and beloved guest inmy heart. More than forty years havepassed since then , yet thy sweet counsels ,given in childhood are s till valued , andoften return to cheer the anxieties andstrengthen the faith of my maturer years .Dear teacher Sarah

,I think thou little

knows , how by word and example, andby thy very looks of love and faith, thouworked for thy dear Saviour

,and guided

thy tender lambs to H im , but when thefulness of joy in H is presence shall bethy blessed portion

,and ~ thy dear eyes

shall behold the'ing in H is glory, there,I trust

,thou wilt find many to whom thou


taught the sweet songs of Z ion on earth,permitted, through infinite mercy, to unitewith thee in singing praises

,glad praises

in Heaven . I felt as if I wanted to sendthee a little word of cheer this morning,and I think I cannot better do it than inreminding thee of a morning in that dearInfant School room abou t forty yearsago—a season which is often of dailyremembrance with me

,and of which all

the circumstances seem as clearly definedas if it were but yesterday . Thou hadbeen reading the account of our dearSaviour’s crucifixion so impressively, andas thou concluded

,thou raised thy face

towards thy little ones and with an earnestness of look and manner, which Ihope never to forget— said

,

‘Little chil~

dren , for every one of y ou ,your Saviour

died .

’

“'ery solemn was the perfect stillnessthat succeeded

,and although I suppose

I was but six or seven years old , I re¢

SARAH B. UPTON . 3 1

member the thrill of j oy,solemn joy that

passed through my whole being, and thethought that instantly followed in mymind, What can I do for H im'After alittle pause

,thou said * ‘Now you may

repeat the Hymn to the Martyrs ,” and

from infant voices arose those wordswhich have always since seemed to liftthe thoughts so above mere worldlypleasu re

Followers of the holy Jesus,'one without the camp with H im,

To the joys which ye inherit ,All the glare of earth , how dim ,

’

etc.

'ery often,beloved friend, has the

memory of that morning been a blessingand a help to me , and by it I have beenenabled to help many dear

,anxious

teachers , and encourage them on theirway . I have always fel t that thoseprecious words

,

‘Little children , for everyone of you

,your Saviour died ,

’ havebeen more to me than all the sermons


since listened to, although I do mostfully appreci ate the

i

bIeSSings of clearGospel ministry. I have, as it were, alittle volume of photographic pictures ofthy dear face , as it was in those days , inmy mind

,and can assure thee that it is

very often looked over,and always will

be while memory lasts .“ I have thee standing by the orrery,

and telling us of the wonderfu l revolutions of sun

,moon and stars—and again

stooping over that wonderful 'water'map

,the delight of our childhood days,

showing us how rivers of real wa ter

would run down mountains and flow intothe sea,

—or,by an innocent piece of

flannel,inserted in the crater of our vol

cano, g ivmg us the thought of the terrible

grandeur of a blazmg mountain . AgainI see thee

,with hands quietly folded on

thy Bible,waiting for the active

-

l ittlesp irits to quiet down sufficiently to re

ceive i ts precious teachings -and l have


to s uccumb temporarily, she would beas obedient as a soldier on drill

,to phy

sician and nurse, her habit of calmlyres ign ing consequences to H im whomshe loved, Came to be counted on by herphysician as his surest aid in the effortfor her recoveryy and her sick- room wasa spot where he loved to pause on hisrounds

,for sympathy and intellectual

converse . Not that there were no struggles

,no new lessons to learn and no

failures . Well She knew what it was todescend into the depths, but as wel l sheknew what it was to come up from themwith stones of memorial , because herrel iance was on the unconquered Captain . Probably unconsciously to herself

,

her energies carried her beyond herphys ical powers , and were often the occasion of suffering, for gradually evidencesof disease of the spine and functionaltrouble with the heart appeared

,and

though not at this time perhaps,in any

SARAH B . UPTON .

manner alarming to her friends , yet toher great and permanent discomfort.Her summer - vacations were some

times-

passed among the mountains insearch of health, or, more frequently, atNewport. From the latter resort she

writes in 8 mo . , 1 839 ,to her friend H .

M . W ' “Oh,for more depth

,more

watchfulness,more fervency of spirit'

S incerely do I reciprocate the wish ,beloved friend

,that the tie which links

us may be one of the aids in our heavenward journey

,that we may indeed be

one another’s helpers in the Lord . Butmy own weaknesses and backsl idingsso s tare me in the face

,that the breath

ing of my heart is more for my ownpreservation than for anything else . Iam glad to say my sojourn here hasbeen blessed with more of comfortablefeeling in meeting than for a long timepast, and I can but acknowledge theLord indeed is good . R . sends her love.


I think we both gain strength, and yetwe are nothing to boast of. “We areboth under Dr. E .

’

s care , but I havel ittle hope from man that this poor heartwill ever beat right

,but do not say

anything about it.”

To her friend , A . E . 8 mo . oth, 1 84 1

I received thy beautiful gift and affec

tionate note.

* T hyrequest that I wouldwrite thee once more while I retain myold name, I could no t well resist, thoughI hope when I am far away from Philadelphia and its concerns, thou wilt compassionate me sufficiently in the use ofthy pen for my benefit

,as to give me an

opportunity to answer many a letter,and thou need not then be obliged toread over the old ones . There is however I well know

,a pensive pleasure in

recurring to former days,especially if

the recollection is not linked with anyof those bitter memories

“

which disobedience and painful chastisement will ever

SARAH B. UPTON. 37

imprint on the m ind . Ah'it is farmore sorrowful than the remembranceof the bereavement of beloved friends,where {not has the consoling belief connected W ith it of eternal felicity. Timewill soften the keenness of the anguish,and then there is a sweet and holy feeling which accompanies the recollectionof those we have lost on earth

,and an

earnest desire so to l ive , as to be foundworthy at last of a joyful admittancewithin those pearly gates where theyhave entered before us .

* I have morethan once fel t thankful for thee, mybeloved friend , that thou art favoredwith a secret stay to the mind

,amid the

confl icting feel ings of nature . I wellknow what it is thus to experience theSaviour

,to speak peace to the tumultu

ous waves,and feel them subside at H is

word,into a holy calm . It is those only

FF Referring to the decease of a beloved brother of A . E.

about a month previous.


who are made living witnesses of theomnipotence of H is power

,who can

magnify H is ever blessed name .

“ Bear it in mind,dear A. ,

it is not invain that He gives any one of H is creatures thus to feel his love and mercy'it is H is gracious design to purify andprepare them for H is work

,to stand as

supporters to H is great cause, and Idesire thou may passively submit towhatever H e may require at thy hands .For many

,many years after the world

had lost its brightness to me,I longed

only to be prepared and taken out ofit.

'

Alas'it was the spiri t of rebell ion ,though I saw it not so then . But therecame a change'my eyes were openedto behold how glorious was the Lord ’swork upon earth

,and what a favor .to be

permitted in any way to aid therein .

From that time I have felt n o wish toshrink from the toil or the heat of theday, but a thankful feeling that life was

SARAH B. UPTON . 9

lengthened out,and ability in some

measure given to work while it iscalled to - day.

” I do not speak in anywise boastingly—far from it'I havefallen far short

,and am truly an “ un

profitable servant, but I am desirous toencourage thee thus to feel , and not todwell unprofitably on the dark side ofthe present changing scene

,where all we

love seems of so precarious a tenure .

“ My dear sister is still an invalid ,though a little more comfortable to - day .

Yesterday our poor Samuel dischargeda greater quantity of blood from hisl ungs than ever before . He is now onthe bed

,and very weak .

“We have scarcely had one week thissummer without a nursery

,and added to

all this,my many cares and constant

occupations would , if I were to give mymind to the feel ings

,soon overwhelm

me . How comforting at such seasons,

do the words of our dear Redeemer


often prove Take no thought for themorrow.

’ I find it is best to leave thefuture

,though sometimes such a rush of

painful emotion comes suddenly over meas I would not feel often . It was so in our

'uarterly meeting, when I just thought‘ It is the last'’ It is well there is a firmsupport in the belief that the path beforeme is of Divine appointment.

“ I enclose a paper which I found today among some of mine , which belongsto thy aunt H . R . Wilt thou be kindenough to hand it to her

,and make the

best apology for me thou canst' It isno wonder I lost my wits last spring. I '

have had two letters this week fromDutchess County, and a kind messageof love to our friends in U nion Street.I will insert thine in my next letter'thouhast

,I well know, his sympathy, and thou

mayst rest assured, in weal or woe , of thelove and sympathy of thy grateful andsincerely attached ”

SARAH B . THOMSON .


kindest friend,if I were not disposed to

prefer his society to any other.“ Bu t we shall ofttimes mu tually wishfor some congenial mind to form a pleasing variety. I suppose thy dear motheris just about leaving home again

,and I

can imagine how lonely thou wilt feel ,and how thy sad bereavement will afreshpress. upon thy heart. But my dear A .

,

let not any repin ing‘ feel ing have a place

there, but recur to the soul sustainingsupport that was mercifully vouchsafedin the hour of trial . Havmg the blessedassurance that thy beloved brother iscentered in everlasting felicity

,having

escaped the sorrows and trials of a moreprolonged existence in this mutable state

,

give him freely up,and be thankful thou

hast such a sacrifice to offer. There wasone expression in thy note which hasdwelt ever since upon my mind

,and if I

had then had the time,

'

I should haveendeavored to answer it. Thou said,

SARAH B. UPTON . 43

‘ If I could believe I was one of myHeavenly Father’s C hildren . Ah'mydear young friend

,I have trodden the

same path,and can now look back and

see how much solid comfort I deprivedmyself of by continu ing in this doubtingstate . Yes , there is no substantial peaceor enjoyment til l we feel ourselves thechildren of a reconciled Father and God ,through the medium of a Saviour andRedeemer. And why not bel ieve Hehas done much for thee Thou feels H islove in thy heart— thou

“

art determinedto live for Hi m

,and to seek thy consola

tion from H im alone . T hou areone ofH is dear children

,and thou mayest safely

rely upon H is arm of Divine power tolead thee safely along in the path of life

,

and unhesitatingly accept the comfort ofH is Spirit. My heart goes out towardsthee

,my dear

,with yearnings for thy

true happiness,and earnest desires for

thy enlargement in every good gift.


Having myself tarried too long in thewilderness , I would fain encourage theeto act more wisely

,and use greater dili

gence in making thy calling and electionsuref

’

Of her approach i ng marriage she wroteto her fri end E . E . ,

in 9 mo . 4th, 1 84 1 .

“ It is,and has been

,a low time with me

,

and I should sometimes be ready to conelude there was no good thing left me

,

were it not for the love and sympathythat at seasons springs freshly in myheart towards those who are advocatingthe one great cause . I feel thankful forthis evidence of Divine regard

,as I have

ofttimes been for the friendship and kindness I have experienced from thee andthy dear husband

,which have many a

time strengthened my feeble resolve topress onward through what seemed al

most insurmountable difficulties . Andnow

,when I ‘am about being removed so

far from you , I cannot tell thee how irre

SARAH B. UPTON. 45

pressibly sad I often feel in the thoughtthereof

,till I am again made sensible

that we are mysteriously led into fellowfeeling with each other

,even when far

separated A greater qualification forthis unalloyed union is what my spiritgreatly craves'though well - knowinghow much there is in me to reduce inorder thereto

,I am ready to shrink from

the necessary refinement,knowing some

thing of the ‘ wormwood and the gall . ’

My dearest friend accompanied meto Woodbury to pay a short visit to ourvalued J . and H . W . ,

which was accom

pl ished to our mutual satisfaction . Weafterwards paid a few social visits to myfriends in the city.

The last day of this month is fixeduponfor the eventful one . We shallhave a small , quiet wedd ing. Igreatly crave that covering of spirit atsuch a solemn season as may be recurredto afterwards in seasons of weakness as

46 SKETCH OF T HE LIFE OF

an evidence of Divine support. I trustwe have thy prayers . It i s a blessedthing to have the

“prayers of saints .There is much to feel in leaving home,and my dear father often touches a verytender chord in his remarks about notl iving to see

'

me again .

”

In the year 1 84 1 , she was married toSmith U pton , who took her to his homein Dutchess C o . ,

New York . How she

viewed the great change from her activepursuits in a large city

,to life on a farm

among the picturesque but lonely hills,

east of the Hudson river,near Pough

keepsie, she tells in a letter to H . M . W . ,

dated 1 0th mo . l oth, 1 84 1“ But I hear thee query, How dost

thou feel in thy new abode' I can intruth reply

,very peaceful but I fear not

grateful enough for the many blessingswith which I am surrounded . I amthankful for the nome feel ing that I havebeen favored with , considering the great

SARAH B. UPTON . 47

change it is from the city to a countrylife . And not onlyMa l— the absence ofso many beloved ones towards whom myheart goes out in many a musing hour,and no doubt will continue to do So . Ihave cause to rejoice in finding my newrelatives very agreeable , as the circlehere is so small , that they will be mychief resource for society abroad . Bu twhere shall I find

,my dear H . ,

any onewho will supply thy place to me' I

looked around in meeting and felt indeedthat these are strangers'But, assuredas I am without the shadow of a doubtthat I am here in the ordering of BestWisdom , I rest in the hope that I shallnot long feel thus

,but find in my new

allotment, ability to perform the dutiesthat may devolve upon me . Ah

,my

dear friend,thou knows how important

it is to be found doing our day’s work inthe day- time

,which may be, to some of

us , very short . My mind has been


solemnized this evening under a feelingof the frailty of our existence here

,and

the need we have of Divine aid in performing even our relative du ties aright.I greatly fear for myself

,and crave the

remembrance of my friends on my behalf

,when favored with access to the

foun tain of mercy—and it is so consolingto believe that we can be one another’shelpers in the Lord .

To the same “When in the societyof the excellent of the earth , onethought has often arisen

,whether their

greater attainments would be any barrierto intercourse in another state of existence . We find leere, the more congenialthe souls

,the more intimate the com

munion ,— and there , where there mustbe higher and purer friendship than canbe known on earth

,we might suppose

those who were more alike in their advancement in holiness would be thenearest friends . For we are changed


a young mother, in a burst of grief, declared that heaven would not be heavento her withou t the child which had beentaken from her by death .

* Her realviews on the point might be given in ananecdote she was fond of relating abouta distinguished preacher

,perhaps White

field, who, when asked why he did notexpress his sentiment

,bu t sat silently

,

while it was discussed,replied that he had

been thinking, that if he were permittedto enter the Pearl gates and his friendscame crowding around to welcome him

,

his feeling towards them would be,

Stand back, hide not my Saviour fromme .

But,to retu rn to these first letters

from Upton ia ,

”'as the new abode wasnamed by a poetical relative'. It mightseem strange that

,with new scenes

around her, and at the outset of a newl ife

,her mind should be so filled with the

“ frail ty of our existence,” and thoughts

SARAH B. UPTON. 5 1

of the l ife hereafter'but, in the l ight ofthe events which followed, it would seemthat these feelings might have been morefor others than herself. Only

“

a fewyears remained to the friend to whomthey were addressed—that winter herfather’s feeling that he Should see herno more

,was realized'for he passed

away, and the slow communications , inwinter at that time

,prevented her from

reaching him'and in the summer of1 846 the invalid brother followed to hiseverlasting home .

Later,in this first year of the new life

,

as winter closed round them in the isolated home , she writes again to H . M .

W .

“ I find I must once more try tointerest my friends with self and itsconcerns'for so quietly and with so

much sameness have these short winterdays passed away

,that nothing else

scarcely has occurred than what relatesto the usual routine of l ife—eating and


preparing to eat,a little interval of

sewing or knitting,while my kind hus

band devours some book—a l ittle l ikethy uncle , J . W . and then the nightcometh .

’Tis true,we have had storms ,

grand storms,when the wind seemed con

tending with the earth for the mastery,and now and then a pleasant day . Butwhether it stormed or was bright andsunny

,seemed to matter little to me, for

I have passed the time by the same fireside, well contented for the most, withthe society I found there

,though there

are seasons when my mind dwells so

vividly on the friends left behind,that i t

is almost impossible not to wish some ofthem within reach .

”

Thus she found things,but thus they

did not long remain,and Whittier might

have written of ner that

Homes were cheerier for h er sake,And door-yards brighter blooming'

And all about the soc ial airWas sweeter for her coming'

SARAH B . UPTON . 53

For, though at that time the steam whistlehad not waked the ‘ echos among thosebeau tiful hills

,and

‘

she felt at times theinconvenience of distance from centers ofsupply, yet, while adapting herself withremarkable ease to coun try ways

,and

recognizing what was valuable in them,

she found means to supply deficiencies,

and thus their cheerful,spacious home

soon became the scene of the “ overflowing hospitality ” truly accredited to it.The resources of her “ squ irrel holes

,

as she playfully called them ,were seem

ingly inexhaustible for many a bright andimproving social winter gathering of thegood and the cultivated

,who were scat

tered over the country for miles aroundwhile the summer months did not failto bring a succession of city guests todrive and ramble over the hills , and tobrighten and instruct the neighborhoodwith stores from heart and head , andalso to find in their old time co -worker,


the accomplished country housekeeper.They might have found in her also

,could

they have followed her, the sympatheticfriend and helper, so far as her heal thwould permit, of the poor, the affl ictedand the suffering, to whom her variedstores of information , and her practicalcommon sense were not unfrequently ofgreat advantage . Often would she takelong drives over the hills to supply somesuffering poor one with appliances forrel ief

,out of their reach

,and before

unknown to them .

The fame of her deeds of kindnesswas sometimes the occasion of ratheramusing incidents . One of these whichcomes to mind, was the sudden appearance in her sitting- room , by a S ide en

trance one wintry day, of a figure,robed

in a quaint, old cloak , and with its headwrapped in a silk handkerchief whichnearly veiled the face . Looking up fromher work

,as the figure advanced towards

SARAH B . UPTON . 5 5

the fire, she quietly remarked to theyoung gi rl at her side , Is it a ghost'

”

wi th an effect which sent this latterindividual out of the room to express anoutburst of laughter. Meanwhil e thefigure sat silently by the fire

,entirely in

disposed to give any information as tothe occasion of her vis it. The suspense

,

however,was relieved by the appearance

,

after he had secured her horse,of her

escort,who explained that the old lady

had heard of the good deeds of SarahU pton , and thought she might find ahome for the remainder of her daysunder her roof

,notwithstanding the fact

,

discovered upon investigation,that she

had friends upon whom she had claims'Win ter in those days among those hills

,

was sometimes after the fashion of“ Snow Bound ,

” but oftener the longstretches of cold weather gave goodroads over the frozen snow

,and the

merry j ingle of bells frequently an

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF

nounced the arrival of guests , unex

pected at the time, but who knew theywould find a welcome

,according to the

hospitable custom of the country, withou tspecial invitation .

Railroads being then more than adozen miles distant

,and hotels few and

far between,i t was expected that travel

l ing ministers, or acquaintances, orfriends from a distance , should find en

tertainment at their convenience . Andif sometimes the custom might be inconvenient to the hostess

,her stores were

never- failing, nor yet the comfortablebeds

,in rooms well warmed by bright

wood fires The long evenings of ihtell igent conversation made a varietywhich well repaid the interruption

,and

if it happened that guests would sometimes arrive, cold and hungry at bedtime

,and after servants had reti red

,or

if they must have breakfast an hour ortwo before dayl ight, in order to make a


herself,conducted on the First- day of

the week . But a growing defect i n herhearing brought to a close the work ofinstruction of the young 'by lessons'always so congenial to her. In the longwinter evenings

,however

,when the les

sons were done,there was reading from

instructive l iterary or religious works ,or some animated game , in which allthe grown folks took part

,and on sum

mer days she would, when able, ramblethrough field and forest

,or row with the

children on the lovely little lake whichnestled at the foot of the hills andglistened through the trees in front ofthe house , and sometimes she would say,she thought that a happier home couldnot be found .

Bu t the shadow of ill - health fell moreheavily over her pleasant picture

,and

she thus records her struggle in a letterto her friend M . A . W .

“ Our sympathies have been awakened by hearing of

SARAH B . UPTON . 59

the death of thy brother H ’s wife, and Ido wish to hear how it fares with himand those dear l ittle girls . Who willsupply a mother’s place to them'Aloss they are too young to understand ,but an irreparable one to them

,unless

supplied by some one who feels theresponsibility of caring for and watchingover immortal beings . Ah my dearM . ,I think I never felt it more than I

do now that our children are growingto maturity

,and the accountability of

parents never appeared more weightyand awful . I am sure that thou wilt feelwith me that my deafness has greatly increased . I t occurred suddenly las t summer when I was so sick with erysipelas .I awoke one morning with everythinghushed and still , bu t it was not till someone spoke to me that I was aware ofwhat had happened . I feel now as if itwould not pass off, as I hoped it would,with the disease , and I am trying to be


resigned to perpetual sol itude,but with

my natural temperament,

find it hardto be resigned . I can assu re thee mydwelling has long been in the depths

,

andwith very feeble health it is very easyto look on the gloomy side of things , forI find from experience

,that much of the

comfort of life depends upon the animalsp irits

,and long continued ill - health does

wear upon them . How is Doesshe stil l continue so cheerful through all

,

or does she sometimes find she mustlook higher for help to bear the trials ofa suffering body'Oh'it does seem to

me that those who are favored with anadmittance within the pearl gates arethose whom I envy. But we are toldthese are they who came out of greattribulation

,and have washed their gar

men ts and made them white in the bloodof the Lamb . So , let us be patientthrough the varied trial s and affl ictionsof these dark days

,and seek to know an


entrance into that never ending rest.The friend to whom the above was ad

dressed had herself long been an exampleof patience under the privation of deafness .To Sarah U pton this trial was all the

greater from the fact that her husbandhad also become very deaf. But bothwere enabled to bear the affl iction withpatience and even with cheerfulness

,and

their home continued to be the resort ofmany of the good and the gifted .

To this partial privation of hearingwas gradually added the partial loss ofsight

,and the nerves of ears and eyes

being the seat of the trouble,all efforts

for restoration proved unavail ing. Ofthis added privation she writes , in 1 86 1 ,

to M . A . W . :“ I was sorry to hear ofA .

U .

’

s accident, it was more like me thanher

,for my sight is so poor now that I

often stumb le over things,and last Fall

was knocked down by horses in Pough


keepsie, and hurt a good deal , but mercifully preserved from serious injury. Thehorses came out of an alley and turnedsuddenly round as I was crossing thestreet. Before I crossed, I looked bothup and down the street

,as I always do

,

and saw noth ing in my way . If Providence did not watch over us what wouldbecome of us'I am a firm believerin special Providences , and I doubt notwhen we are favored to enter that life

,

which is exempt from sickness and sorrow

,we shall be enabled to see many

escapes and preservations in this stateof trial

,of which we are not now aware .

“ Instead of going,as I proposed

,to

Philadelphia last winter I had a verysevere illness with Typhoid Pneumonia

,

and was exceedingly prostrated and confined many weeks to bed . I hope , mydear

,thou wilt be able to read this poor

scrawl , my hand is weak and my sightso poor that it is quite an undertaking

SARAH B. UPTON . 63

for me to write a letter. As we near theend of our time here

,it feels to me of

li ttle importance what we have to endure,

compared to a preparation for that bettercountry we aspire to

,and our blessings

are so many,that it is better to look at

them,than at the thorns that obstruct

our path .

”

Well for her,perhaps

,that she could

not see when she wrote the above, thattwenty years were still before her, andthough it soon became necessary for herto dictate her letters , and to be attendedconstantly in the streets

,yet she regained

her wonted cheerfulness,and

,adap ting

herself to the position,her active mind

still found methods for continued usefulness . Her strength too

,was sufficiently

restored to enable her to be the almostconstant attendant of the declining yearsof her husband

,and to watch faithfully

by him through a long and painful illness, to the close of his life in 1 863 .


The loss of a companion so congenial ,religiously and intellectually

,was fol

lowed by renewed physical prostration ,and severe suffering

,which resulted in

the entire loss of one eye . But again ,after months of confinement to darkenedrooms , She rallied

,and again was her

home opened to its various guests .Though firm and unwavering in herown convictions that the principles ofthe religious Society to which she belonged are primitive Christianity, andfirm also in her bel ief that she had beenguided by the Spirit of Tru th out ofconformity to many of the usages of theworld ,

,and also of the usages of many

other Christians,l ike John Woolman , she

could and did say,that she felt “ no nar

rowness as to sec ts and she numberedamong her warm personal friends theearnest and sincere of various denom i

nations,and could love ' all those who

loved the clear Saviour,while not unfre


through all we Shall be kept alive,and

in the end have to acknowledge thatthough all these things seemed againstus, they have redounded to our sanctifi

cation and the glory of H im whom wedesire to serve . Again “ It is nomatter how weak we are the Lord onhigh is mightier than the noise of manywaters ,

’ and when we are ready to say,‘ All these things are against me

,

’ eventhen He may be opening the way for usto some Goshen

,where we shall experi

ence the marvelous display of H is overrul ing providence .

’

Of the works of Christians in theworld at large she read and thoughtmuch, and thus writes to E . Ex:

“Whata deplorable thing is party sp irit in re

l igious communities, and how almost allsects seem to suffer from it in the presentday . Surely

,a shaking is passing over

the religious world,and i t is a comfort

that there remains a rest for the people

SARAH B . UPTON .

of God where they shall all see eyeto eye . Again

,

“We have only to fil lup our daily task of duty, be it what itmay

,while ability is furnished, and either

in doing or in suffering,I find there is a

reward of peace What a mercyit is when we are favored with a rightview of our own individual states, andare made willing to be as not'ting ,

sothat we may be found in our right allotments

,and in the Lord’s favor

,who

,I

am more and more convinced , intendsto lead us back from the lo'heres andlo'theres

,to H imself. Oh for individual

faithfulnessTo the same “ I know of nothingmore cheering in this day of declensionthan to see the children bending underthe Cross—and life is so short that therewill be no time to waste or

,rather there

is none too much allowed to do our day’swork in Tell thy dear childrenfor me

,that it will be a great comfort in


advanced life to feel,that from our early

years we have struggled on in the em

deavor to do our Lord’s will .Though her heart was ever prayerfully with her own branch of the Church

,

and her influence in it could not havebeen lost

,yet, prevented as she was by

physical disabil ities from active outsidework in conjunction W ith Friends , herusefulness for the Master whose serviceshe loved above all things else

,was

doubtless greatest in the social sphere ,and in quiet deeds of charity . Towardsthis end her household arrangements andher disposition of time and strength, wereall directed and continued to be directedafter her beautiful home was destroyedby fire

,and she had

,with her only sister

and her surviving adopted daughter, establ ished herself for the rest of her l ife

- as it proved—in a cottage at Woodbury

,New Jersey, near Philadelphia .

This local ity was selected partly because

SARAH B. UPTON . 69

i t was the residence of the mother- auntof her childhood, now near the close ofher long life

,and it gave the sisters the

enjoyment of her society for her fewremaining days . But

,for sometime

before this fire—which took place inthe autumn of 1 868—a change of residence had been under contemplation ,though she had not been able to see withclearness how to make the change . Andnow,

though her means would have warranted a larger establ ishment

,it was

because she believed that the pointingof the Divine finger was to that cottage,that there she calmly arranged her affairsin the narrowed sphere

,still with an eye

to her accountabil ity'

as a stewardess oftime, strength and possession s .Though thankfulness for the safety

of the l ives and health of her family,and

for blessings left her, so filled her heart

that no murmur escaped her,and she had

said only,as She watched the devour


ing flames : “My beautiful home'” andthough she went unfalteringly throughall the fatigue of the change of abode

,

yet the escape from a burning house atmidnight to find herself in the morninghomeless

,and destitute of nearly every

personal belonging, conducive to comfort

,could not fail to tax severely her

frail s ystem,at seventy years of age

,and

the strain resulted in a long illness whichvirtually terminated active ou tside l ife .

For the future,those only who watched

her closely could know how still wentforth from that cottage home

,and that

Often rdarkened sick - room,substantial

cheer to the struggling poor,material

comforts to friends,and counsel and

intellectual -encouragement to old andyoung

,as many a warm woolen wrap

knitted beautifully by her when shecould only feel

,and not see her work,

’

many books and toys for the l ittle ones,

many a book of reference,or other bright

SARAH B . UPTON .

and useful literature for isolated brainworkers

,could testify. I t was surprising

too,how many people that l ittle house

could hold,when she was well enough

to see her friends,and how many persons

she would think of to whom a sojournwith her would be a refreshment

,and

how brightly often,after a day in bed

she would converse in the evening withsome guest who had passed the day inthe city

,or with the kind friends who

loved to gather around and keep herinformed of passing events of interest

,

and to draw,in return

,on her store - house

of narrative,humor and solid information .

Though she told many a quaint tale oftravel in days of stage coach and canalboats

,and of s ojourns , in the summer

rambles of her you th,at out of the way

mountain Inns,where perhaps the house

was innocent of teacup or goblet, andthe thirsty guest would have a pan ofmilk with a ladle handed him

,yet, unlike


many aged persons,she did not dwell

in , or on the past, but went on with theage, and would laugh as heartily as theyoungest

,at anything really amusing in

the present,and feel as much interest

as any one in the latest book 'if Shethought there ’

was “any bread in it ”'orin the latest discoveries in science . Hermemory had always been remarkable

,

and at eighty was so retentive that shecould learn and repeat long new poems'on her eighty- fourth birthday

,she re

peated to some friends,“ Disappoint

ment,by Frances Ridley Havergal ,

though she had been able to read itonly by the aid of a powerful magnifying glass . Few who heard her repeatanother favorite

,

“ In the Battle ,”

could ever forget it'and so associatedwith her is the little poem , that a sketchof her in these late years

,would be in

complete without it found its fitting placehere


And now you’re disappointed'T he sun has upward climbed

T he dew is off the grasses'And wounded many times,

Heart- sick with varying fortunes,Beat back by cruel foes,

You grasp your sword but lightly,You deal but feeble blows

My brother'oh my brotherTake heart be not dismayed

This is no m im i c warfare,No holiday paradeBy memories of the morning,By hopes which fired you then ,

F ight till the battle closes,Die with the bravest men

Who knows'Perhaps hereafter,When honor calls her rollYou , all your life a private,

May find upon that scrollYour name has long been gravenAnd oh

,how green the palm

That Truth will give lzer heroes ,In heaven ’

s eternal calm—ELLEN M. H . 'AT ES.


But those days and evenings had anend

,and the end drew surely on

,more

and more contracted became the sphereof her activities

,till at length in the

winter of 1 88 1 her own chamber becamethe bound, her hands lost the power tohold longer those skilled knitting needles

,

and even her strong magnifying glassscarcely made clear to her fast dimmingvision

,the Bible in the largest type that

could be found . For years she had beenin the habit of lis tening through her eartrumpet to reading by others— a moderendered practicable by her readinessat catching an idea—bu t now

,gradually

the poor ears failed to make even thatsatisfactory

,and the early months of I 88 1

were passed in learning almost the lastlesson of her l ife—to be idle cheerfullyand well did she perform that task, of allothers the mos t distasteful to her nature .

Sometimes it would seem to the onemost constantly about—her

,that patience


must fail her,and that

,after hours alone

one must find her unhappys—but not so,rather the greeting would be as to theemployment

“

of the day,or of the wel

fare of absent friends,or coming on her

unawares she might be found watchingthe coming

,or the fading daylight

,or

repeating softly to herself some favoriteverses

I go to life and not to death ,

From darkness to life’

s native Sky'I go from Sickness and from pain ,To life and immortality

For toil , there cometh crowned restInstead of burdens, eagle’

s wings'And I

, even I , this life- long thirstShall quench at everlasting Springs'

Or that other, which told, what sherarely expressed

,that the struggle and

the weariness of heart did sti ll press attimes upon he

SARAH B . UPTON.

My'od, it is not fretfulness,That makes me say,

‘ how long'’It is not heaviness of heartThat hinders me in song,

’

T is not despair of truth and right,Or coward dread of wrong.

But how can I , with such a hopeOf glory and of home,

With such a joy before my eyes,Not wish the time were come,

Of years the jubilee,of days

T he Sabbath and the sum'

These years,what ages they have been'

This life, how long it seems'And how can I

,in evil days

Mid unknown hills and streams,But sigh for those of home and heartAnd visit them in dreams'

Yet peace my heart, and hush , my tongue'Be calm my troubled breast ,

Each restless hour is hurrying onT he everlasting rest

Thou knowest that the time thy'odAppoints for thee is best.

7 7


Let faith , not fear, nor fretfulnessAwake the cry

‘ how long'’Let no faint-heartedness of soulDamp thy aspiring song'

Right comes, truth dawns, the night departsOf error and of wrong .

’

—HORAT IUS BONAR .

About the middle of Second month shehad a severe attack of bronchitis

,and

though the disease was overcome,her

powers were exhausted,and she sank

slowly but surely,being unable from

that time to leave her ‘ bed . During theearl ier stages of her illness she remarkedthat She had not seen clearly that it wasto be her las t sickness, that if there weremore work for her to do she should getwell

,if not She should go'bu t she had

a quiet and peaceful mind and was notafraid to die But, as weeks passed on,she began to regard the end as near,and to be earnest to finish the work yetto do for her friends

,while at times it

SARAH B. UPTON. 79

was evident that her mind was occupiedwith a searching retrospect of her ownlife . One day she said that “ a long lifeought to be a fi nz

’

slzed l ife , and to theremark that we thought hers a finishedl ife, she replied, “Not altogether

,I have

made many mistakes,but if they have

been forgiven,it W il l not matter.” Later

it seemed as if she were done with herown past

,and slie said, “Thanks be unto

Him who gives the victory over death ,hell and the grave

,I can truly say I have

no fear of death or the grave .

” Thus,

with a soul at peace,her mind was fil led

with thoughts of “ the glory to be re

vealed,

” and with loving care and concernfor her friends

,and as they came singly,

or in groups about her bed,they received

from her counsel,and blessings which

numbers of them will never forget. Threeof those who thus surrounded her havesince followed to their eternal home, andsome sense of this seems to have been


given to her, for she said,and then re

peated the remark with emphasis ,“ I

feel as if it would not be long beforesome of us meet again .

“Long at her couch death took hispatient stand,

” and with perfect consciousness she watched him do his work

,

and though she expressed her desire togo when it was “ the Lord’s time

,

” shebore every added discomfort or privation with a gentle “ Never mind

,

” or“ No matter. For about two weeksshe took no food

,and when

,principally

to satisfy her friends,she had made the

effort in vain to do so,she said, Tnere

the Lamb shall feed them, and shall leadthem to fountains of living waters .” Andthither

,on the 3d of 7 mo . 1 88 1 , it is

reverently believed by those who watchedher through the dark valley, did He leadher'to that home where there are nomore tears . Long as that life had been

,

and bright as was its close, not exactly

8 2 APPENDI'.

APPENDI'.

Some Friends,feel ing the importance of

early rel igious,

instruction,and anx ious to

promote th is desirab le object, have assoc iatedfor the purpose of establ ish ing a first schoolfor ch i ldren in the ensu ing Fal l . I t is designedfor the ch i ldren of such Friends as may wishto educate “

their offspring in the guarded man

ner so essential to ourwel l - being as a rel igiousSociety . I t is intended that the school shal lbe conducted Cons istently with our principlesand testimonies

,and it wi l l be a ch ief object

to endeavor to insti l l into the tender m inds ofthe pupi ls the “ love of the T ruth as it is in

Jesus.

”Experience has proved that very

young ch i ldren are capable of receiving muchuseful information

,and many improvements

have,of latter t ime

,been introduced in the

manner of imparting knowledge to the infantm ind

,wh ich renders learn ing a pleasurable

pursu it. As the necessary expenses in estab

APPENDI'. 83

l ish ing such a School upon a l iberal plan wi l lbe more than the moderate price of tuitionwi l l be l ikely to supply

,it is hoped that the

propos ition wi l l meet with the cordial supportwith al l those who are interested in the bestwelfare of the youth .

— Tne Friend,8 mo. 6

,1 83 1 .

'FOR T H E FR I END .J

Pnz'

ladelpnz'

a, 9 mo. 28271

,1 83 1 .

T he School Assoc iation of Women Friendsexpect to open their Infant School early in

the T enth month . T he house they have takenfor the purpose is in a central s ituation

,and

has a pleasant play ground adjoin ing . A su itable teacher has been obtained and a carefu lFri end is also engaged as an assistant teacher

,

who w i l l reside in the house,and wi l l extend

a motherly care over the ch i ldren,both during

the school hours and in the interval between

school,to such as may bring their d inners .

Afterwhat has been already pub l ished in T he

Friend,it seems almost unnecessary to add

84 APPENDI'.

that it is hoped parents wi l l so far co - operatew ith the views of the Assoc iation as to clothethe ch i ldren

,they may send

,in Simple attire.

T he terms may be known by appl ication toeither of the following Friends

,who are a

comm ittee of adm ission

CATHERINE W. MORRIS, 56 N. Fourth St .

SARAH B . THOMSON,1 97 Mulberry St.

MARY W. DA'IS,2 78 N . Fi fth St.

MARY WHI T ALL , S. E . C or. Race and 7 1h Sts.

ELIZ ABETH E'ANS , 1 34 S. F ront St.REBECCA ALLEN , 1 80 S . Second St.DEBORAH HOWELL, 148 S. Ni nth St.

· sarah b. upt on. sarah biddle thomson, daughter of peter and rebecca owen thomson, was born in...

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