The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-02-26
Auusehula aetotas.
FoR THE CENTRAL PREssTrERrAN.
Sallie Ward Kerr.


D., during the twelve months occurring
between the sessions Of the last two Gen
eral Assemblies of the Presbyterian
Church, have been fearful indeed, and
have awakened for him the Gveliest SYM
pathies of good people every where. 1t
will be remembered that he had but just
adjourned, as its Moderator, the sessions
of the Assembly in November, 1866,
when he was summoned to the death bed
of an only son, a youth of extraordinary
genius and promise. Again, in the fol
lowing August, his oldest child, lovely
daughter, in her nineteenth year, fell
victim to the same alarming scourge, the
Cholera, which took away her brother.
Only few days before the converting Of
the last Assembly, DR.. Kerr was himself
suddenly seized of kindred disease, and
for some days was in the most critical
condition; at one period indeed of his
illness was supposed by his physicians
beyond the reach of remedies. His life,
however, was spared and he was enabled,
though in great feebleness, to attend the
Assembly at Nashville, and to open its
proceedings with an able discourse OF up
wards of an hour in length. In few
hours thereafter, with heart still bleed
ing from recent wounds, aud frame
bowed and tottering under the weight of
disease and prostration, he was summon
ed by telegram to hasten home to his
dying child. The next train bore the
stricken parent rapidly on to the scene
of mourning, and when he reached the
house of his brother, Judge B. L. Kerr
at Memphis, on his way out to his plan
tation, the following letter written by his
brother, Dr. John K. Kerr, the attend
ing physician, to his brother in Memphis,
was handed to him:
''BIG UREER, 49,, 7YOU. %, 81,
This morning wrote you of the great
danger into which Sallie had been brought
by Group. 1 now write to say that this
evening at twenty-five minutes of nine
o'clock, she breathed her last. have
witnessed many deaths, but never before
one so glorious as this. Oh sir, if you
could have witnessed it, it would have
done you good to the last day of your
life. How clear were her ideas of the
plan of salvation! What kind and ap-
propriate messages she sent to all her
absent friends, and what astonishing
words of counsel and advice she address
ed to those with whom she was surround
ed The scene is but just over, and as
l write | am bewildered by what have
witnessed. In form, you know, she was
but a child, eight gears old, whilst her
words and conduct showed to what aston
ishing heights of moral and intellectual
truth she had attained. There IS, my
brother, such a thing as dying grace
Who was it that held up the tiny hands
of this little one, as all alone she passed
through the valley of the shadow of
death, enabling her to shout the praises
of Him who has taken away the fear of
the grave and the sting of death ?
But must cease, feeling my utter in
ability to do justice to the exhibitions of
the power of the grace of God we have
just witnessed. You must wait and learn
from those present the full particulars Of
this truly wonderful scene"
With mingled shouts Of joy and tears
of grief the chastened servant of God
read this beautiful and touching story Of
his little Christians triumphant death, and
with many grateful expressions, gIori6ed
a merciful Heavenly Father for the mea-
sure of dying grace vouchsafed his child
in answer to ceaseless prayer offered from
the moment he received the intelligence
of her fatal illness. DR.. Kerr's aflic-
tons, crushing as they have been, have
not been unmixed with comfort, and
were occasions when his Master has era
ciously manifested towards him the price
less assurance of his favor in filling the
sick chamber of his dying children with
his most evident presence, and in taking
the precious lambs to himself in blaze
of glory. Three such triumphant deaths
are rarely witnessed. They each had a
bright and joyous FERTILIZATION of the
coming splendors, and heard the music
of heaven, whilst their souls still linger-
edon earth. And when at length the glad
summons came, without pang or groan,
they sweetly fell asleep in Jesus. Never
could parents more truthfully say than
can the parents of these precious ones,
with the Psalmist, BLESSED be God,
which hath not turned away my prayer,
nor his mercy from me"
The subject of this notice, little SalGe
Kerr, was regarded by all who knew her
as child of uncommon endowments, and
her fondness for reading, and especially