The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-09-08

that regon-and the sister of John B.
Lyle, one of the most remarkable elders
ever connected with the Presbyterian
church of Lexington. He was noted for
such religious zeal and fervor as we read
of in the memoirs of a Martyr or Nc
Cheyne, and the fragrance of his holy life
fingers still about his old haunts, though
he has been in his grave for more than
twenty years. Another brother is Mr..
Samuel Lyle, a revered elder in the
Timber Ridge church who still survives.
Martha Lyle, in the heyday of her
beautiful and stately girlhood, became
very earnest Christian, and from that day
to the day of her death, she adorned as
not many do the doctrine Of God her Sa-
viour. She was married to DR.. Archi-
bald A. Graham, nephew of Dr. Arch
bald Alexander, in 1S25-and truer,
more devoted wife and mother, could no.
where be found From the earliest peri
cd of her marriage, she gave all the time
and energy and means she could COM
mand, over and above what was given
with fullest and most loyal devotion to
her home duties-to the interests of the
| OAuISh anu the various DeueNOlonU ana
social charities which she helped to plant
in the town of Lexington. She was the
first to move in every good work. Moth
ing OF religious or progressive character
could be inaugurated without her wise
and generous aid and her almost infalli-
bic counsel. Indeed she was the head
and front of all such efforts in the com
munity, and was unusually fertile in de-
vising means for furthering every COM
mendable object that promised anything
for the general good. Her large, liberal
nature was utterly free from any narrow
ing self,m, and she knew no greater 10y
than in spending and being spent for
others. She was sanguine-hearted
buoyant Christian she believed in work
ing with all her might; she revealed in
the pride of sacrifice" and never rested
from her life's crowded work, till the in
firmlties of age compelled her to fold her
busy hands.
The services of the sanctuary were this
devout woman's delight. Whoever might
be absent from them, Mrs. Graham was
not. They were the mamma OF her life
She upheld her pastors hands in every
possible way, and while others might
plead immunity from outside duties on
account Of family ties, she never did. No
poverty appealed to her, and went away
unhelped. No sick bed ever called upon
her IN vain; no home occupations suffced
to keep her soothing and comforting pre-
sence from the house of bereavement
There are multitudes in her old home,
who hold as one of their sacredest recol-
lections, the memory of the tender pres
sure Of the hand and the touching words
of sympathy with which she bent over
them in their first hour of anguish She
herself saw great sorrows in the course of
her long life of eighty years. Four sons
out of her seven children preceded her to
the grave; and not many mothers have
heart that could be SO wrung She never
seemed to recover her sunny cheerfulness
after the death of the first grown son she
lost in the splendid bloom of his young
manhood. But through all grief she held
fast to the noble utterance Of the patri-
arch" Shall | receive good at the hand
of the Lord, and not evil?
For ten years past Mrs. Graham has
resided at Clover Hill" an estate of her
husband, near the Natural Bridge, and
her presence and influence have been
grievously missed from her old church
and home, But in her newer sphere, her;
activities continued up to late period,
and she' still insisted on her quota Of
daily service, instead of availing herself
of that rest which is the privilege of age.
She gradually descended into the valley
of the shadow, and without any actual
illness, touched the border of the food,
and was over, before there could be
word of farewell. She left no dying tes-
timony. What is dying testimony com
pared with such a shining life Of hving
testimony
She passed away one week before her
husband, and thus, in Gods good mercy,
was spared the pangs of widowhood.
Those who knew and loved and revered
her, will always think of her as
~" One of these white souls
Who gives themselves for others all their years
In tireless tasks ofpity."
M. J.P.