*During her illness, she continued perfectly resigned to the will of God. The Thursday after sickening, she became blind, when one of the society coming in, and discerning the distemper ♦to be dangerous, sat down and wept. As soon as she perceived it, she said, “_Dolly!_ What are you doing? Are you weeping for me? Don’t you know, that if God takes me away, it is from much evil that is in the world? I have often looked at your mother, and thought, O that I was but as near glory as her: (she being about fourscore) but now I think I am nearer glory than she is, and shall be in possession of it before her!”
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When she was asked again how she found herself, she answered, “Glory is every moment open to my soul; there is nothing between me and eternal glory, but a few moments more of light affliction.”
At night she called for her father, and said to him, Dear father, you have had many trials and difficulties in the world, and you have many more before you, but fear not, you are in the _way_, the _right_ way; continue in it, and God will bring you thro’ all.”
On Saturday the 21st, about eleven at night, she broke out in an extasy of joyful praise; speaking in the most delightful language for more than an hour together, concerning Jesus and his kingdom. Some that were present on being asked what she then said, answered, we heard words not possible for men to utter; and indeed but little of the conversation could be retained by any of them, they were so overwhelmed with a sense of the presence of God.
Once she was observed to speak in the following manner, “There is never a fiend left now: they are all banished; Jesus has conquered them all for me!” By which it seems, this was her triumph in the last combat she had with Satan.
She then repeated and explained, in a most feeling and sensible manner, many passages of scripture, especially Daniel vii. 9, 10. “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was as the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened,” adding in the end, “O lovely Jesus! Blessed Jesus! Adorable Jesus! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! To God in the highest! On earth peace; good-will towards men.” Thus Christ’s coming in the clouds to judgment, was to her infinitely desirable, and so abundantly was her soul ravished with the _prospect_, that she could not forbear rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
*While in health, she seemed at a loss to consent to the doom of the wicked, but now she said, “O how willing is Christ to save all that come to him? But they who will not come, shall be destroyed, and though I could not for a long time say _Amen_ to the sentence of _impenitent sinners_, yet now I can, seeing how willing God is to save all who will accept of his offered mercy.”
She likewise repeated Revelation xiv. 1, 2, 3, taking particular notice of those words, an hundred and forty-four thousand, in the first ♦and third verses: and said, “A goodly company! And I shall be _one_, and all that have died in the Lord, and all the preachers whom I have loved, (mentioning some of them by name) and I shall see them there; and all the _Methodists_, that are _such indeed_; _they_ shall be there.” May we be _Israelites indeed_, who are so called, and not rest in a name to live while we are dead.
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She again cried out, O precious Jesus! My Beloved is mine, and I am his! He is the _fairest_ of ten thousand, yea _altogether lovely_.¹ O what glory do I see! And all for _me_! How does my soul burn with love to Jesus, who has provided it for me! I wonder that _that_ happiness could have no higher title than heaven.”
¹ Canticles v. 16. These were the words she chose for the text of her funeral sermon.