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REFLECTED LIGHT---------------------- Near Death Testimonies of Some Old Time Believers ----------------MISS CAROLINE E. SMELT From An Antique Book in Webmaster's Library - Editor Unknown

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Her faith can govern death, she spreads her wings, Wide to the wind, and as she sails she sings, And loses by degrees the sight of mortal things. As the shores lessen, so her joys arise, The waves roll gentler, and the tempest dies: Now vast eternity fills all her sight, She floats on the broad deep with infinite delight, The sea's for ever calm, the skies for ever bright. --- ISAAC WATTS. "One moment she beholds Herself 'mid weeping mortals, and the next 'Mid seraphs smiling bright; one moment hears The painful sob of sympathising grief, The next the shouts of gratulating joy. With such a change before her could she dread An early death amid the fairest scenes And brightest prospects that the earth presents?" "After being some time silent, she said to Mrs. Smelt 'My mother, let me see you put on the Christian's beautiful robe --- holy submission. You will not be left alone; for the Lord is your friend, and he can be more to you than ten sons or daughters. Your case is by no means a new one. Recollect the trials of your namesake, the mother of our blessed Redeemer. She was called to give up her divine Son; she did so. He died a most cruel and ignominious death. He had none of the temporal comforts which I enjoy; no friends to soothe his sorrows; no bed on which to rest his weary limbs; no kind attendants to administer a cooling draught, to quench a parching thirst: no, he had to drink vinegar and gall. His blessed mother was not allowed to sit by him, as you sit by me, and receive Divine comfort from his sacred lips. Oh, my dear mother, think of these things and believe yourself blessed. Let your faith rise in lively exercise to the sufferings of the Son of God. View him in the garden; go with him to Pilate. See his patient meekness; like a lamb dumb before his shearers, so he opened not his mouth. "He suffered, the just for the unjust, and by his stripes I am healed. He died that we might live. He bore our sins in his own body, he was God over all, blessed for ever, and yet he submitted to the death of the cross, that a perishing world might be saved. When I take a view of his compassionate mercy to sinners, I am lost in wonder. When I see his sacred temples perforated, and encircled with a crown of thorns I am ready to cry out, 'And did my Saviour suffer thus? For whom and for what was he thus afflicted and scourged? In a moment I answer, for me --- poor unworthy me; and not only for sinful me, but for you, my mother, and for as many as will believe in his all sufficient atonement. 'When with the eye of faith, I See my immaculate Saviour extended on the cross, my heart disolves with tenderness and gratitude. I feel humble and submissive, ready and willing to suffer anything, yea, feel happy in being thought worthy to suffer; for, you know, 'Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.' "Her countenance beamed with radiance when she said, 'Farewell, garden, delightful spot for innocent amusement. My infant feet have often trod your walks,' --- and smiling when she added, 'They will never walk them again.' She then listened with apparent rapture to the notes of a little bird, which was perched on a tree near her window, until her soul seemed transported almost to heaven. She soon afterwards desired her mother to bring the Bible to her, and read the one hundred and twenty-first Psalm, the whole of which she was enabled to apply to herself. Mrs. Smelt then read to her some passages in Isaiah. Caroline exclaimed, 'It is the word of God. I feel it in my very soul. Isaiah is a Divine prophet; he is my prophet. "My gracious Lord will not inflict one unnecessary pain. He will enable me to sustain to the very last, every affliction or trial which is necessary to the health of my immortal soul.' Then pointing with her finger to the Bible, she continued, 'What has he said in Isaiah, 43:1-3? . . . These promises fill my heart with Divine joy. I have the most perfect confidence in them, and feel not the smallest doubt of their fulfilment in my behalf. Oh, heavenly Parent, thy tender mercies towards me are not to be numbered, nor can they be conceived.' "Her mother then said to her, 'My beloved Caroline, you are very ill; how are your feelings today? Is your faith as strong in the Lord Jesus as ever; are you as willing to depart, and are your views of Divine mercy as great, as clear as they have been?' She replied with a countenance beaming with Divine love, 'Just the same, just the same. My heavenly Father has never left me; and whether I live or die it will be to the glory of God.' . . . It was soon discovered that her speech began to fail. Her mother took leave of her with great composure. She shortly afterwards fell asleep and never spoke again." "Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep," etc, Go To Complete Index - Testimonies of Old Saints