Ke Kumu Hawaii, Volume II, Number 26, 24 May 1837 — DEATH OF MRS. BETSEY C. LYONS. [ARTICLE]

DEATH OF MRS. BETSEY C. LYONS.

It is painful to noliee the dealh of one who has been faithfully and usēfully eraployed in the vineyard of the Lord. Yet the pain is diminished from the consideration that earthly toils, aud cares, and labors, alloyed with the intirmities of nature, are ended, and labors of a far purer and nobler chaructei commenced. M rs. Betsey Curtis Lyons was born in £1bridge, New York, Jan. 10th. 1813. At tbe age ot' 14 years, she united with the church in that plaee. In the i'all of 1831 she was married to the Rev. LorenZo Lyons, and soon alter left the home of her chiidhood, and the scenes and privileges of her native country, to accompany her husband, as an Sandwich Islands, where sbe arrivsd.th«' r 'following May. particular fiekf to whieh stio wa? deBtined as an associate laboref, was Waimea, on Hawaii. There shc spent five years in the constant and laithlul application of her time and energics to the advancement of the missionary cause. Providence kindly iāvored her with an unusual share of good health, so that she e\perienced but few interruptionB to her work from bodily Infirmities. But the best of health is liahle to fail in an unexpected moment. Suoh was the case with her. On-the first aabbath of last March, ahe visited the house of God. It wa» eommuliion : : |

*etson, and, fro«n her own le«limoiijr 9 1 pe» culiarlj sweet and refreBhing aeam to kmr soul. The ne\t dav she waa Uken sick with a cold, attended with the inflamraatory M>re thtoat. By this sicknesa her «trength was mueh reduced y and her system mueh <Mi(eebled. Eight sabbaths gassed away in< whieh no sanctuary privileges were t)enJ Mueh of this time she spent alone, as there was no sister associated with her, and the < k ares and duties of the station, now great!y increased, occupied the time of her eompanion. Her mind, though often perplexed Mith clouds and darkness, seemed to be making rapid advahces in grace. Alany of hcr lonely hours she devoted to reading the >cri.ptures and devotional books, to self examination, and to secret praycr. She held rommunion with Gpd and heaven. Her sickncss was not such as to eonhne her to her bed. For fhost of the time; she was able to attend to her domestic concerns, yct obliged to suspend all her school opcrations. Opportunity was sought for reinoving to another station, \vith the impression that a change of plaee and circumstanccs might prove beneticial to her health. But such an opportunity, Providence did not deem proper to furnish. About the first ofMav, a vessel was sent to llawaii, to convev the missionnrv famities t > Monolulu, for ihe annual meeiinp. On this Mrs. L. with her and otiurs embarkrd, and in a few liours she found herself 011 llonolulu Mission premises ? amonrr inissionarv friends, and m the bosom ot % a b* l< wed sister wlio had ?ust eome trom th it far dīstant land. tojoiu ' iiei* in the toils andj pleasures of a niissii»na j ! ry life. They met, and Is :might hav<> gazcd with interest upon t!,r» hnfipv m< et!nn. ; They ta'ked together of the thiri£s thev h;ul: "seen and known a!nd ie!t, oi:d of the «ieal-! ings of the Lord to\vards t!iem an l their' fatherVhouse.—They praved together, an<l secmed to cnjoy a Nlie .-heaven unon the J earth. Thoy ihonah*' t!iat f»>r ihem I were reserved manv preci sea- j <son:& Uul so thonght iv»t the S<»vi-reifrn of! the world. Ti.eir r|nei ti:iir was !n:t the bc v irij»-1 ning of another an;l ? r«-it s<*oarati«»n. | In a week a*>or h«-r arriv;«l s!ie w.is ?ittarl:c <1 ; with fhc dia:. h* a. 31ed:c tl ;;i l was em- I p]oyed to stav t l ie f r>i. r of t diseas(% : 'hul lo littJc pt-roose. lt r* d' w.fh an ob-I «♦in?icy whieh n > j?r!cflicme e »uld subdue. | The s. stem was too dr hilitated from her f»r-j m rt r sickm'3.s, to r* sist t:i«* t rce <»f thc new • disorder by whi h it wa- hxailed. Pain and r»!: >wcd jK tr;iin, and on the 14th of!M iy. JB:n, after a -siekness of sevrn days, s'je ex:>ired, aged "SM \cars, and 4 months. | a ß!essed arc the dead who die in the Ijord. >> And that shc died in thc Lord there is strong ovidcnce, both from the manner of her life, nnd the circumstance9 of her death. Hers was a life of meekness, humility, tenderness, bene?olence, faith, decision, enerpra?er f and devotadrfess to God. Her •p«rit of hamility and prayer, she cahried with ber io tb* vcry lhreshhold of the olher

world. Not till the «kh lhe agoniea<fdeatb con)menoeddid abe eeoaelo pfay. When ahe waa opprized of her* approaching diMolution, but a iew houra before it toolt plaee, ehe reeeived the intelligence with perfect composure. But the annouoee- . jn?nt lof aueh unexpected tidinga, added to the ir|fluence of stupifying medicines, aeemed to involve her in douht aod perp}exity concerning her spirituul state. She could not apeak of the glories of the upper world, with tihat confidence and rapture whieh have charact<-rizcd the dying hours of many chris- _ 'ians. eti there is cheering evidence that she hnd thc prcsence of Christ, while passing through death's dark va)ley t and over Jordon's swelling current. While her mwsionary brethren and siMers were around her dying bed, there were seasons of prayer and singiag in whieh she expressed great delight. Passages of scripture were repeated to ber, and by her own request a portion of the last chapter of Doddridge's Rise nnd ProgrcsB, t mbrßcing the prayer of the dving christian, was r»'fld. \\ hen asked, if she had any mefs(ig« loii the native children of her former chargc. she said, "Tell them to repent speedi!y and turn unto God without delav." | or s'imp hours previous to her death, ■ phe \vas nmeli engaged in prayer, somctimes | in a w lii«per, and somctimts lireakk>c otit in ; an aiidilile yoice. In hcr prayers s*l»e eon-ti-9sed her siins and unwortluncss, andtoi>k a j firm huld ol'Cluist. i At one tjme she broke the surrounding ,s!lence l>v rfpcatinjr in a most distinct and j impressive inanner the following stanza. j the mornents, rich in l>les.-ing, | W hieh befor£ tlie cross I spend; ]>if<', a«d heahh and peaee | I'iom tl»e sinner's dying friend." : W hm nn attending sister mctitionod the : thrf«; tōllowiing lines.— "Jrsus ean make a dying bed l soft ai» downy pillows are, j While on his breast 1 lean niy hoa<!,"' i S : e < mphatically addcd the rcmaining line, | "Ai'd br<rathe mv lile out swectly there." ; S!io >vas lieanl uttcring such e\pressions a> j the fi.llo\vi^ig.—"Have mercy on nu;, Oh j l .<-r<-, have inercv on me !<>rmy soul trust< th j in tii<r<>. >'f.t unto us, not unto us, but unto | thy ii'imo/ ()h hlcsscd Savior, receiv<> me 11<> t!:vs< lf, tl|int I may s»p with thee and Ihou w.i:h me. Manifest'thyself unto me as tho U <l«>st not unt<> the worīd. Do thou love m<' t<> aII etfrnity, and may I love thce to all <tcrnitv." (ler soiil seemed dead to things around her, #nd abs ; orbed in tbe things of hcaven. Onelime, after praying most intensely for her son and many others, she roused up as it were from un 'extaBy, dnd casting her eye upon the person«ges about her, she exclaimed, "Oh, I thought I waa in heaven, and that lhese were the heavenly boat; but I have nol got there yet," De»th'B cold «weat wa« gathering over her, and his icy arma were grasping her dia-

in iU coomimM b<WM, tbe dy io* «raggle c««aed. She »we«tly feil ul«ep •ad doubtlew Middenlj «woke «hh4 the jovs »nd emptoyment« of that etenuil S»bbetb whieh remains for tbe people of God. "Bfl ye «lso ready; for in Mieh an hour u ye think not, tbe aoaof m«n eomeih."