January 2. She began to complain of her head, and the next day she was wholly confined to her bed. Two days after, she became so weak as to be unable to help herself. On Sunday the 7th she took but little notice. She was then asked, whether she was happy. She replied, ‘Oh, yes, very happy, very happy: Christ very precious to me.’ At another time she was asked, whether she could say, with the Apostle, that she was “ready to be offered up?” ‘Oh yes,’ she said. On Monday, speaking of death as the gate of life, she said, ‘O blessed gate—it is the gate of heaven to me:’ and at another time, ‘Christ is all in all to me.’ On the following morning she had the power of attention, and answered to the prayer of others in a fervent Amen. So she departed in peace and blessedness.
I must now return to the history of Elizabeth Cullingham. Deep and constant was her grief at her father’s death. She sympathized with her family; but she had then the pleasing task of waiting on her mother through her long affliction, and never was nursing more tenderly ministered, or more kindly received than by these two sisters, and their sinking parent. If there was some variety in their form of worship, their feelings were the same. To gratify their mother’s wishes was next to the love of God, the main object with her daughters. With her
‘That constant flow of love, that knew no fall, Ne’er roughened by those cataracts and breaks, That humour interposed too often makes.’
‘The tender office now engage, To rock the cradle of reposing age, With lenient arts extend a mother’s breath, Make languor smile, and smooth the bed of death; Explore the thought, explain the asking eye, And keep awhile _one_ parent from the sky!
But I must suffer Elizabeth again to speak for herself.
What follows was written at the close of the year of sorrow, through which she had just past. ‘Thou, O Lord, hast seen fit to take both my parents from me, but thy word of promise is, “When father and mother forsake thee, the Lord will take thee up.” Enable me, O Lord, to follow my dear parents, as they followed Christ; that when time with me shall be no more, I may have a joyful entrance into thy kingdom, where parting shall be no more known, and every tear shall be wiped from my now weeping eyes. I would desire, blessed Lord, to submit to thy will in these most affecting bereavements. O comfort me with the consolations of thy Spirit, and bring me and my dear brothers and sisters near to thyself. Amidst our many trials may we remember our many mercies. May we be enabled to thank Thee for all. What a comfort not to sorrow as those without hope: but to be assured that through the merits of Christ our dear parents are translated from a body of sin and corruption, to a glorious immortality.’