Women -- Biography; Women -- Social and moral questions
The labours in which Miss Sieveking now engaged form a deeply
interesting chapter in the history of philanthropy, but they must not
be detailed here. Suffice it to say that her society was attended with
the most blessed results. She at first found some difficulty in
obtaining coadjutors, although she required nothing “beyond sound
sense, a certain amount of bodily strength, and a knowledge of domestic
matters—except love to the cause and a living principle of
Christianity.”
Miss Sieveking’s robust bodily constitution and elastic spirits enabled
her for many years to sustain the pressure of charitable work in its
many branches. But in 1857, her strength began to fail; the physicians
were unanimous in advising a journey to some watering-place, and Soden,
near Frankfort-on-the-Maine, was recommended. In 1858, her active
employments were gradually and with great reluctance given up, and for
many months she had to learn the harder lesson of waiting patiently on
the Lord in weakness and suffering.
On the 1st of January, 1859, she felt so ill, that she took leave of
her servants with the words, “We part in tears, but we shall meet again
with smiles.” Some time afterwards, her physician, at the request of
her nephew, Dr. Sieveking, in London, examined the state of her lungs,
and declared that he found things even worse than he expected; one half
of the lungs was entirely gone, and only so much left as that, with
entire silence and perfect rest, her life might perhaps be prolonged
for a short time. Miss Sieveking thanked him, but remarked that as long
as she was alive, she would act like a living person, and see and speak
to her friends. On the 1st of April, after the reading of the psalm,
“Like as the hart panteth after the water brooks,” she folded her
hands, and said, “My Lord! my Lord!” Her work on earth was done, and
she entered on the higher service above.
In order to conquer the prejudice of the poor people against a pauper
funeral, she had desired to be buried as a poor person; and out of
respect to her wishes, the plain coffin, made of four black boards, was
carried by the two appointed pauper bearers, on the pauper’s bier, to
the churchyard of the parish of Ham and Horn, and set down on the
church path. It was soon covered with flowers and garlands, while a
vast assembly, composed of all classes, flocked out of the city and the
suburbs. Pastor Rautenberg spoke some impressive words, and the
minister of the parish, Pastor Mumssen, uttered the concluding prayer
and blessing. Then, as if from the depths, arose the chant of the
brethren and the children, and amidst the sounds of the doxology and
the apostolic benediction, the coffin was lowered into the vault of the
Sieveking family.
_AMATEUR TEACHING._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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