The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-30
From the Louisville (Ky.) Commercial.
Tribute to the Memory of Mrs. Mary Bell,
wife of Rev. Samuel R. Wilson, D D.

These lines are written in memory OF Mrs. Mary
Bell, the beloved wife of the Rev. DR.. Samuel r
Wilson, D. d., pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church, Louisville, KY. She was born near Mid
way, Ky., August Sth, 1892 aud died December
18th, 1874, in the 43d year Of her age.
The annals of her religious life exhibit some of
the remarkable methods Of saving grace. Her pa
reniage is one of these. She was the daughter of
Mr.. J. Frank Bell, Ruling Elder in the Presbyte
rian Church at Midway, and the grand daughter
of another Ruling Elder Capt John Wilson, of
Georgetown, Ky. Through the covenants which
these venerable servants of Christ made with God,
Mrs Wilson inherited the promises to believing
parents and their children. In her conversion to
God, ard her life OF holiness these covenant prom
ises were made good.
Next, it should be mentioned that these prom
Uses began to take effect in her early life. In the
twelfth year of her age she was admitted to the
communion Of the church on profession OF her
faith, hope, and obedience 10 Christ Herein was
| fulfilled in her own experience the promise:-
"Those that seek Me early shall find Me-" SO
far as is known, neither she nor her friends ever
had any reason to doubt her true conversion at
that time She leaves as part of her sacred leg
acy to Christian parents a clear example OF the
conversion to God of little children. Aud the
same incident may admonish our pastors and SEES
sons to lay aside the reluctance, too often felt to
open the doors of the fold Of the Good Shepherd
| to he lambs of the flock
A0neo Of tte Instruments which I'D used for her
saIVatioo se'A $3.50 y ;eSHi" o. s'ls ssSiuE
grace. She always ascribed her conversion, 49,
the means used to effect it, to the happy Christian
experience Of younger sister, as she lay dying.
Here we learn chat in that cody and blessed house
! hold child younger than the child that was not
yet twelve years of age had been brought into the
fold in charge of the Shepherd and Bishop OF
souls Aud, still further, in the saving impress
sons which her happy death made on her older
sister, Mary, we iiDd an Illustration of the profound
truth, that in the kingdom of Heaven life springs
out of death, according to the saying of Christ :
eff corn OF wheat fall into the ground and die it
| brngeth forth much fruit.
These incidents in her early training point for
ward to the life of eminent piety aud usefulness to
which God had called her. She entered that call
| Ing and sphere January 30 1852, when she was
married to Dr.. Samuel r. Wilson, and so became
the wife of the pastor of the First Presbyterian
church in Cincinnati. After ner marriage, her
husband held that pastoral charge ten years. =
Thence, after brief interval he was transferred to
the First Presbyterian church in Louisville, which
he has already served ten years.
Most faithfully has she filled, and most besuti-
| fully has she adorned with every sweet and holy
charity that sphere of usefulness in the church OF
God.
Her natural gifts were a sound Judgment. force
of character, quickness of intuition, clear dis.
cernment and womanly dignity, tenderness and
| fortitude. Her education at school had given to
her the advantage of well.traiued and cultivated
mind. She was at home in the best literature OF
| the day, and gave attention to reading In the
| Scriptures, and in the authors who treat OF the
life of God in the soul To thorough knowledge
of the way of salvation, the grace Of Christ added
in her experience the peace with God which at
tends justification by faith. Her faith was both
strengthened and tried 1t was strengthened many
years ago by reading DR.. Malan's tract on the
"Assurance OF Faith" She received an assurance
which rested not on any self-confdence, but Oh a
wonderfully clear idea of divine grace. All dark
ness was dspeled from her mind, so that size never
seemed to doubt any more her acceptance with
Christ. The stated hearers of DR.. Wilson will be
reminded by this incident of the urgency of his
preaching on this precious doctrine OF assurance.
For the trial of her faith we may refer to the
death Of her first born child, SOD. He died OF
diphtheris at the age of six years. While the boy
was dying literally choked to death, this mother
asked him If she should slog for him. The dear
boy knew that she was sweet singer and he said
yes. In a calm, clear voice she sang.
"There is happy land"
while he breathed out his spirit
by the spiritual uiSCipilHe VI neT early auu ma'
surelife shssvsF prepared tor her high calling
She vas true pastors wife. a keeper Of home,
she looked wei to the ways of her household, and
did not eat the bread OF idleuess A prudent wife,
in her tongue was the law of kindness. She was
one of those of whom Lemuel says, The heart OF
her husband doth safely trust in her" Her hus-
band, so well known for his strength of character
and force of will leaned upon her for support, aud
it deeply touched her intimate friends to know that
when she became an invalid she lsmented that she
had but little strength to uphold him in his work.
The aged and the young in the congregations at
Cincinnati and Louisville respected and loved her.
Many that are unknown, even to her friends, now
rise up and call her blessed.
1t pleased God to lead her through much trib-
ulatiOn into the kingdom of glory A severe,
though short, season Of suffering closed the scene
on earth aud gave her entrance into her rest. Ii
pleased Him to put her into the select company oil
whom be says: - | will refine them as silver is re-
fined, and will try them gold is tried 80 that
the trial of their faith being precious than OF
gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire.
might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory
at the appearing of Jesus Christ
She was buried at Spring Grove, near Cincin-
natl, and was laid near her children there, and
amidst the graves of dear friends. The offices OF
religion we're administered by Rev. Drs. T. II.
Skinner aud n. West. A large company made up
of the members of the First Church Louisville, and
the First Church, Cincinnati followed to the grave
the remains of their pastors wife-a sanity wo
man dearly loved in the household Of faith
While they remember her, they will not forget her
four motherless sons. h Z. II.
Louisville, December oath 1874.