Elizabeth: the Disinherited Daughter: By E. Ben Ez-erArnold, Ebenezer
Religion
Elizabeth: the Disinherited Daughter: By E. Ben Ez-er
Arnold, Ebenezer
Arnold, Elizabeth Ward, 1778-1865; Methodist women -- United States -- Biography
Nor could the holding out of strength and spirits be credited principally
to a good constitution; but while much was due to the pious joy with which
she did all, more, perhaps, is to be laid to what her Yankee friends called
"faculty." Solomon's temple was not more accurately prepared than this
housewife's arrangements for receiving and caring for her meeting guests.
Nor was she less skillful in selecting and directing such youngerly women
from among the guests as she needed for helpers and waiters. Her stock of
aprons was marvelous, and the dispatch with which she equipped her corps
and clothed their ruddy countenances in smiles was only equaled by the
speed with which everything was finished in time for meeting call, and her
"girls" and herself in their places in good time. And whatever woman in
the meeting did not do her part of the praying, speaking, singing, and, on
occasion, shouting too, that woman was not Elizabeth Arnold.
When Zion's hospitable entertainers shall be acknowledged before assembled
worlds, and all their liberality and painstaking in the spirit of their
Master, who fed the multitude, shall be mentioned to his glory and their
credit through his grace, will not the humble name of Elizabeth Arnold be
spoken with the honorable mention of that host of noble, patient toilers
who fed the people, that they might thus detain them under the influence of
Him who stood waiting to feed them with the bread of eternal life?
CHAPTER VIII.
EXTENDS HER LABORS.
After about a dozen and a quarter years the Arnold place lost the meetings
both of the circuit and of the society.
The changes of business and travel left the place quite one side, and
the meetings had been gradually removed to more central and convenient
locations. Mr. Arnold had been called by the church to hold meetings as an
exhorter, and had sought out some destitute neighborhoods as his chosen
field. It was natural and appropriate for his wife to accompany him.
They were both good singers, and had sung together a third of a century.
They were ready speakers and mighty in prayer, and in the quiet way of lay
workers they went from house to house, and to a family in a place they
presented the great salvation in conversation and psalm, and commended the
people to God in prayer.
It was not long before they collected in congregations; and while the
"licensed" exhorter, who really "preached many things to the people in his
exhortations," always led the meetings, the real exhorter followed with
cutting appeals. This destitute region was thus visited occasionally for
several years, and this couple had the honor of being its successful
pioneers in Christian evangelism. In a central position has long stood a
Methodist Episcopal church, and members of its society, fifty years after
these humble labors, acknowledged them in the hearing of the writer as the
means of their salvation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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