Life of John Coleridge Patteson : Missionary Bishop of the Melanesian IslandsYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Religion
Life of John Coleridge Patteson : Missionary Bishop of the Melanesian Islands
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Missions -- Melanesia; Patteson, John Coleridge, 1827-1871
'Oh! my dearest Right Reverend well-beloved Son, how I thank God that it
has pleased Him to save my life until I heard of the actual fact of your
being ordained and consecrated, as I have said more than once since I
heard of it. May it please Him to prolong your life very many years, and
to enable you to fulfil all those purposes for which you have been
now consecrated, and that you may see the fruit of your labour of love
before He calls you to His rest in Heaven. But if not, may you have laid
such foundations for the spread of God's Word throughout the countries
committed to your charge, that when it pleases God to summon you hence,
you may have a perfect consciousness of having devoted all your time and
labour, and so far as you are concerned have advanced all the works as
fastly and as securely as it seemed fit to your great Assister, the Holy
Spirit, that they should be advanced. Only conceive that an old Judge of
seventy-two, cast out of his own work by infirmity, should yet live to
have a son in the Holy Office of Bishop, all men rejoicing around
him; and so indeed they do rejoice around me, mingling their loving
expressions at my illness and approaching death....
'I shall endeavour to write at intervals between this and July mail. It
tries me to write much at a time.
'Your loving Father,
'J. PATTESON.'
The calm of these letters was the pervading spirit of Feniton. With
perfect cheerfulness did the aged Judge await the summons, aware that he
carried the 'sentence of death within himself,' and that the manner
of his summons would probably be in itself sudden--namely, one of the
choking fits that increased in frequency. He lived on with his children
and relations round him, spending his time in his usual manner, so
far as his strength permitted--bright, kind, sunny as ever, and not
withdrawing his interest from the cares and pleasures of others, but
glad to talk more deeply, though still peacefully, of his condition and
his hopes. One thing only troubled him. Once he said, and with tears in
his eyes, to his beloved brother-in-law, Sir John Coleridge: 'Woe unto
you when all men shall speak well of you,' adding to this effect, 'Alas!
That this has been my lot without my deserts. It pains me now!'
But as this popularity had come of no self-seeking nor attempt to win
applause, it was a grief that was soon dispelled. Perhaps if there
was one strong wish, it was to hear of his son's actually having been
received into the order of Bishops, and that gratification was granted
to him. The letters with the record of consecration arrived in time
to be his Whitsuntide joy--joy that he still participated in the
congregation, for though not able to be at church for the whole service,
he still was always present at the celebration of the Holy Communion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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