The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1910-03-23
MRS. D0RCAS ANDING DAVIS.


and her husband belonged to the
|old set Of people and consequently
there were many friends III their
connection. Her first husband was
Mr.. J. 3. Chiles. After his death
|she married Mr.. Wood Davis. Her
relation to these three families.
Anding, Chiles and Davis, made her
one Of the most prominent mem
bers OF the community and her
funeral was attended BY q very
large congregation. She was
buried at Philadelphia church on
Sunday, March 6. Rev. G. w.
Grafton, Of Union Church. was the
preacher. His subject was Dorcas,
whose record is found in Acts TX :
s2-38 lie said ii substance, as
follows:
You have heard many sermons
on the men of the Bible. Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, Joseph. Elijah,
Daniel and many others. / desire
to revive today the memory of d
certain blessed woman and give her
the place in our affections which
her merits deserve. This woman
might blush II she could hear all
we are saying, but when she knows
we are saying it for Gods glory
sshea would say tell it all. For
nearly 1000 years she has been liv-
ing in the light of Gods throne,
but she was once a sinner, and the
story of her life may help you.
Her name IN the Syriac was
Tabitha. Translated into Greek it
was Dorcas! The meaning of the
name in English is Gazelle. How
beautiful the name Tabitha! How
dignified is Dorcas And the word
gazelle suggests classic grace and
elegance. We know not whether
she was widow or single
woman. If she were a widow she
would know from experience how
to minister to her sorrowing sis
ters. She may have been a single
woman, performing the deeds Of
love without the rewards of love,
and unhampered by ties. qualified
to serve needy ones more effective
ly. But whether the one or the
other she led a sacriicial life. laid
down upon the altar Of duty to
God an angel Of mercy to suffering
and distress. A woman like Dor
ca is a ray Of light in this dark
world. Jesus once said concerning
a woman who broke her alabaster
box of ointment and poured its
contents upon his head wherever
this gospel Of the kingdom shall be
rsached, that which this woman
ha done shall Be told as a
aor la oF her. And Sc when~
ever the Acts of Peter are narrated.
the name Of Dorcas appears. for
their lives were blended together.
though they met for but one brief
moment.
Notice that Luke calls her dis
ciple. This word implies that she
was saved by grace.
When we look at her merits, and
they were very many. one might be
tempted to think that she was saved
by her own Righteousness. But
this was not the case. By nature
she had wicked. sinful heart.
Why was she not like Jezebel or
Athaliah. or cruel Herodias, or
Agrippina, the foul murderess, the
mother Of Nero, or Bloody Mary Of
England? BY nature she had the
same wicked heart that they had.
born in sin and under the wrath
and curse Of God But while they
all went down bearing their load Of
guilt, their lives all stained with
the vilest sins, Dorcas shines like a
radiant star. Why? What causes
the difference? The answer is in
one werd sovereign grace.
Twas grace that led Dorcas to
see that she was lost and ruined
Grace led her to see Jesus as a
savior Grace applied to her the
blood and Righteousness Of Jesus
Christ and gave her a new heart.
Grace sanctified her all through her
career. sustaining her III every
trial and making her life a refiec-
tion Of Jesus Christ. Grace led
her to bear testimony to Jesus by
the sweetness and DIessedness Of
her life ard grace bore her aloft to
the church triumphant. She could
sing in the very spirit Of our own
song,
Amazing grace how sweet the
sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now / see.
Her whole life was monument
Of Cod s grace. rich. distinguish
ling. sovereign grace. Now let us
pause q moment.
have known some women of
marked experience in these old
communities Of CaseyviIIe and
Union Church. Separated slightly
Iby denominations theologies.
| Fundamentally their experience was
the same. Each one was ever
ready to say
I'm q poor sinner and nothing at
al
But Jesus Christ IS my all III all. "
Mrs. Davis was one Of these
women Born within two miles 81
this very spot, she gave all her life
of seventy five years d testimony
/ ia Gods grace. Her father was