The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-02-26
SALE WAND KERR.

A deeply interesting account Of this dear
lamb OF the Saviour Told, will be found Oh
the 4th page. It's placed among Household
Words, because it is 80 suitable to be read,
as we hope 1t will be, by parents and children.
We were sitting by the side Of the father,
Rev DR.. 4. E. Kerr, during the sessions OF
our General Assembly in Memphis, III Novem
Der, 1866, when be pointed, from the Modera
tors chair to his beautiful boy, and whispered
mis- earnest hope of living TO hear him preach
the gospel. In 4 few days after he followed
him to the grave There was delightful
hope in his death. that be was taken TO the
higher service Of tue Saviour IN heaven.
Again, during the meeting of our Assembly
in Nashville, while seated 10y TINS oil afflicted
father at the table OF the hotel where We
lodged in the same room, We saw him receive
the telegram informing aim OF the extreme
illness oil the daughter whose death is recorded
in this paper lie Immediately arose, saying,
d" My daughter Is DEAD ~ - IL is the Lord; let
him do as seemeth good III his sig mt and
then straigbJway departed for his home near
Memphis. II should give joy to all Christian
hearts 20 see how the grace OF God can ordan
praise cut Of the mouth Of babes and suck.
lungs. Blessed be his name for such ,rlumphs
Of the Cross, aud happy are the parents, how
ever stricken, whom the Lord thus honors.
About one hundred and thirty years ago
that burning and shining hight of the Ameri
can Church, the great and coed Jonathan Ed
wards afterwards President of the College Of
New Jersey at Princeton, was pastor Of a
church at Northampton, Mass About chat
time began revival of religion Of such extra
ordinary power and extent that 1t attracted a
wide spread notice, even abroad. President
Edwards afterwards published an account of it
in a volume, the reading Of which might now
De the happy means OF promoting other revi-
vals. One of the marked features Of this great
work Of grace, was the number of children
who were subjects OF il. This was considered
in those days very extraordinary thing, as
President Edwards remarks in his book:
1t has heretofore been looked on as a
strange thing when any have seemed 60 be
s3tyingly wrought upon sad remarkably changed
in their childhood; hut now | suppose near
thirty were 70 appearance 20 wrought upon,
,Rsl gesi, ~ a1l fourteen yoaEspi age, and two.
= .s-s ab0at tour
" sss-s5 ss7en mtSr difficulty believed, ( shall
give particular account oft
The child about four years old to whom he
refers was Phebe Bartlett, of whom President
Edwards gives such an interesting account in
the well known Sunday School volume bearing
her name. 1t Is now much more common than
formerly to see very young persons, even in
childhood, profess conversion and be received
into the full communion ofthe Church We have
never been able, in rejecting upon thc subject
to see any reason why far greater things OF
this kind should not be expected aud prayed
for. 1t is, to a large extent, the hope Of the
Church, and we trust the day is NOT far of
when blessed ingathering of the lambs into
the fold will be habituany looked for by pa
rents, pastors and Sabbath Schools. And
when, as in the case of Sallie Ward Kerr, it
pleases the Good Shepherd to fold any Of them
safely in heaven, let parents, children and
kindred who remain yet while below, gather
strength from their departing words, and be
led the more faithfully to wait for the coming
nf thair ord