The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-08-16
0 B I T u A r I ES.
Mrs. JOHN A. PRESTON.

Died, July 3lst, 1882, in Lewisburg, W. Va,
at the home of her father, the Hon. Samuel
Price, SALLIE LEWIS, wife of John A Preston,
at the age of 80 years.
We speak of the close of the mortal life of our
fellow men, as death but to one who knows
the truth of Gods word with an absolute GER
talnty, such as no merely human knowledge of
any earthly event can produce and is CONVEX
SAINT with the life, CHI aracter, and death of Mrs
Preston, 1t seems a mockery to speak of her de-
parture from this world, as dying. Rather
would he speak of it as transfer, promotion
of a pure spirit. from the dear services of the
great Kings earthly tabernacle, to the splendor
and glory OF the upper sanctuary. His faith is
confirmed by the contemplation of her death, in
that precious doctrine of the Westminster testi-
mony, In which she was trained from early
childhood and which sounds like a triumphal
shout" The souls of believers are at their death
made perfect in holiness, and do Immediately
pess into glory" and he can think of her de-
Parture from earthly life only as the hour of
her coronation for the presence of the Lord OF
Hosts when the redeemed of the King of Glory
are not only the angels in heaven, but are
kings and priests forever in the temple of our
God. The writer, in this short memorial does
not seek to wipe away the tear of friendship
to calm the grief of sisters hearts to soothe the
sorrow of the gray haired father who misses the
shattered life of an idolzing husband The
voice of Jesus alone can speak peace and com
fort to those whose lives have been made fuller
of blessing by knowing her in any of these re.
lations. He feels that the world needs the help
of the knowledge of such lives and that the
Church OF Christ demands some record of one so
true to Christian duty, and so blessed with the
Saviour's love; and that where the instructive
delicacy and retiring modesty of pure lady.
hood, and still more the deep humility of true
religion have made her less known the obliga-
ton is more imperative to show forth the tri
umphs of her Christian faith
The physician said of her. q have never
known any one, in all my experience meet
death so calmly" A sufferer for one whole
year, she never murmured or complained. For
months before her death she told her sisters she
could not live. That while she would wish to
live for her children's sake vet God would take
care of them; and that while life was dear and
sweet to her because of both the human and the
Savlours love, and the many comforts and
blessings the heavenly Father had showered
upon her pathway, yet it was Jesus will that
she should go, and though she did not wish it.
because to do so would be only selfish, and she
was content.
Months before her departure she called man
of God, the pastor of her church, to her bedside
and dedicated her two little boys, with all her
fathers grandchildren to God in the holv ordi.
nance of baptism.
On the day of her burial I met friend. a
grown man, and as parted from him his hand
frightened and he said, "She was nv Sunday
School teacher" Thus we have the evidence
gathered IN few hurried moments, amid the
haste and rush of our modern life, that though
she had not yet reached middle life the sixteen
| years of her union with the Church of Christ
had not witnessed faithless confession and
the abundant charity of a Christian mothers
example, bore fruit in the daughters affectionate
and unassumlng kindness gentleness, and svm.
pathy for the poor
The five years of her married life had made
her own so much part of her husbands life
that he could not talk with her about their
parting.
One sure test of the worth of her Chris.
tan character and womanhood was fully met
IN her lIie as shown in the remark of friend and
! foe concerning her widowed fathers devotion
to her. I" His life is wrapped up in Sallie. "
lie could not bear to be separated from her.
lie could never consent to her leaving his
home" Yet as he stood at her grave, I saw his
| eye calmly gazing upward as though sustained
and triumphant in the thought Of her eterna1
Joy and the Saviours wisdom and goodness to
himself In giving him such sure and sweet com
| fort in the death of his child
She said when her last hours were drawing
near, Jesus is with me. | have PRAYED foi
strength for my dying hour and it has beer
Iully gwen.
To her father she said, " Yes, 1 am willing t.
CO. My only regret is for leaving you all
her husband says, During the day she was
dying, she was the only one entirely composed
and never for instant manifested uneasi ness
want of confidence, or fear"
Such is the death it is the Joyous and glori
Gus privilege Of the Christian to die. Such +
the precious hope and comfort she may leav,
behind her. Such the memories that maxi
death welcome friend-that make us blush
with shame, In the midst of deepest grief TO
our own bereavement, at our own sel6sbness il
wishing the glorifed one back amid the evil
and stains Of earth-and we write Blessed ar
the dead that die in the Lord" FAITH