The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-11-27

-. FiSniAS, pSCdmc pIoloSSOf VI HIS
tory at the State University. She re-
tanned her home at Auburn, but spent
most of the time in Baton Rouge with
her daughter
Her long life was a busy one.
The rearing to maturity and educating
of six children is in itself work of no
Ismall magnitude, and when it was
done so painstakingly, so thoughtfully
as by her the task was all the heavier
J Her church work is noteworthy
She, with small band, mostly of
women, organized in 1874 the First
Baptist Church of Baton Rouge, having
previously conducted successfully for
several years, almost unaided, a mis-
sion Sunday school that formed a
nucleus for those Of Baptist faith in
that city. For nearly ten years, she
was the leader and moral support of
the infant church, bringing it forward
until on her departure it was on the
point of building the present structure.
When she returned after quarter of
a century, she found the church that
she had planted vastly grown, some
Apollos had Watered and God had
given the increase, but there were but
few left to remember her years of
struggle in establishing the church
Most of the members knew not
Joseph" The writer has often won
dered if no feeling of bitterness ever
crept into her heart on seeing that
though the tree had grown and
borne fruit, the tender hand that had
planted it, the eyes that had watered
! it with tears, the unfagging efforts,
the prayerful faith that had sustained
in it's early years, were unprized, for
gotten. If even momentary bitter
ness was felt by her, it was never
spoken. She laid it with her other
sorrows at the feet of her Savior, and
took place in the old church no more
distinguished than that of any other
member, strong, cheerful, helpful. But
where man forgets, God remembers.
She was the writer's teacher in the
little Baptist mission school before
mentioned, and after her manner of
close study of all who came under her
supervision, Mrs. Boyd soon perceived
| the Unsuitable thirst for learning on
the part of this pupil, and was the
| first to direct tireless brain in the
pursuit of knowledge. She carefully
formed literary taste, while impart-
ing spiritual training, and though in
after years, other teachers assisted
her, it was Mrs. Boyd who bent the
twig" She formed the tastes that
have sustained and the aspirations
that have inspired worker in the
worlds vineyard through long and try
ing years How many others she in
spired to higher things, God alone has
| the record Her lips never told the
story. And it may fairly be doubted
whether even in her secret thoughts,
she recounted the list of her benefic-
iaries. Certain it is that she was never
content, except to do good; and with
passion for detail, nothing of helpful
nature to others was too trivial to fail
in receiving her attention She gave
her time so freely to others, that
it was sometimes necessary for her
family to shield her from the importu-
mites of others and their claims upon
her time and purse. For withal she
was so intelligent, so wise, she was in
some respects as trustful as child,
with that otherworldliness that char
acterizes the human saint Therefore
she was sometimes imposedupon A lease
in point is recalled. A bed-ridden widow
long enjoyed Mrs. Boyd's charities in
the shape of packages Of sugar, tea
and other invalidish dainties, bought
with part of the Biblical 1.-THE which
Mrs. Boyd faithfully set aside from her
Income, when the whole was not too
much for her own needs. Mrs. Boyd
helped the widow, and got others to
help her, and every one believed in
her needs. Mrs. was synonym
for aims, but when the writer grew up
and undertook sick-visiting, on the
first visit to Mrs. --, it was disc0v-
cred that she had all along possessed
sufficient income for all her wants!
This was the only weak side of
Mrs. Boyd's character; too quick a
belief in the representations of others
as to their needs. She helped, while
they were yet asking, of what she had,
whether of time, money. hospitality, or
instruction. And yet could gratitude
really be impossible to one who came
into that gentle presence, saw the sweet
face, it's features clear-cut as the finest