Memorial of Mrs. Lucy Gilpatrick Marsh delivered June 22, 1868.Thompson, A. C. (Augustus Charles)
Religion
Memorial of Mrs. Lucy Gilpatrick Marsh delivered June 22, 1868.
Thompson, A. C. (Augustus Charles)
Funeral sermons; Marsh, Lucy Gilpatrick, 1792-1868 -- Death and burial -- Sermons; Sermons, American
Had our deceased friend the weakness--the comparatively pardonable
weakness of vanity? Had the characteristic infirmity of old age come
upon her,--a fondness for recounting earlier or more recent labors and
successes? From what has been said, you who are strangers to her would
hardly expect it, for you have noticed that it is the lighter ears of
grain that hold their heads highest, and wave about most freely. Mrs.
Marsh was a branch so laden with fruit as to hang low; she was clothed
with humility. She sat at the Master's feet. She did not talk about
meekness or modesty,--she illustrated them. Moses probably did not know
how his face shone as he came down from the mount; our friend seemed not
to know how radiant hers was with benevolence; nor how busy were her own
feet in errands of kindness. All agree in testifying that this grace of
humility shed a sweet, calm lustre over all her other virtues. The only
one's faithfulness that she hesitated to speak of was her own; her
uniform estimate of herself was, "I am an unprofitable servant." Who
ever suspected her of vainglory? Who will say that she was not
accustomed to give all glory and praise to God?
This quality was too genuine to admit of a sombre tinge. There seemed to
be no trace of false spirituality. She exhibited a fine combination of
cheerfulness and seriousness. In fact, she had no time for despondency
about herself or others. Heart, lips, and hands were too full of
something else to admit of moodiness.
* * * * *
Mrs. Marsh had often expressed a desire that, if it pleased God, she
might not outlive active usefulness; that she might die in the harness,
might die here amongst us. When two years ago a city missionary in
Boston[Footnote: Deacon Wilder.] died suddenly, she said she would like
to go in the same way. God has substantially gratified her wish.
Now, in all the relations at which we have glanced, and positions as
daughter, as head of a family, as head of a charitable institution, as
private church-member, as a helpmeet for a Christian minister, and as
city missionary, she exhibited the highest order of conscientiousness,
and of consecration to God. Have you ever known one who walked more
nearly in the steps of our Lord and Saviour, one who did less to please
self? Do you recall an acquaintance who appeared to act less from
impulse, or more uniformly from an abiding sense of duty, in all
quietness and steadfastness doing with her might what the hands found to
do? A friend, who has known her intimately for forty years, states,--"I
never knew Mrs. Marsh lukewarm or with a cold heart. Her life has been a
chain of well doing all along, without one breakage."
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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