Gathering Jewels Part 33

GEORGE O. PHELPS.

UTICA, N.Y., February 17, 1887.

MR. WM. KNOWLES:

DEAR BROTHER--You have laid us under new obligations. On my study table is a picture of the pastor of my childhood--It has been there nearly my entire ministry. You can conceive the influence it is designed to exert over me. Now there will be, if not in my study exclusively, in our house itself, the constant stimulus of such reminders of devotion as these two most welcome pictures.

We are indeed very grateful to you for them; your filial love was strong while they lived, and must be quickened by their death, but if anybody _outside_ of the circle of kindred exceeds our veneration for your parents, _they_ deserve it all. We certainly cannot fail to cherish what has been so well done by the artist, the expression in both pictures is so characteristic. It seems, when we dwell intently upon them and let thoughts come and go at liberty, that the lips must open and pleasant words come from them as in life; but they do speak, nevertheless, and as distinctly, and as affectionately. Oh! that we were more worthy to hear. And that blessing upon yourself, how valuable and hopeful, or encouraging it must be.

I know you will share it with others, and so make a saintly life still reproductive. The world needs nothing so much as _positive Christian character_.

Permit me to say that we are greatly prospered in our work, and have hand and heart seemingly full; but, old Allen Street has _a warm place_ in our affection always. Our united regards.

Affectionately yours,

GEORGE O. PHELPS.

The reader will surely notice the true, touching, and graphic account of their work in the next letter.

UTICA, N.Y., April 8, 1887.

REV. MR. YOUNG:

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER--While my mind is full of impressions concerning the life and work of Mr. and Mrs. Knowles, it is not easy to withdraw the details, and give you any real satisfaction. The very simplicity and humility of their ways and deeds render it impossible to make any adequate ill.u.s.tration--not that incidents are lacking. Why, there are families in the vicinity of Allen Street who could relate incidents by the hour touching the gentle care of Mrs.

Knowles for the needy and sick.

Here her life can never be written in full. "Oh, Mr. Phelps, how sad it is about Mrs. K---- and her little family." "Poor L----, she is going just like her brother, and they don't want me to tell her of our fears." "I have just been to see poor Mr. H----, he cannot live--he doesn't seem to realize it; and then what will become of his family? I have tried so long to get them into the Sabbath-school." "I have just come from Mrs. F---- (a woman of means and Christian charity), who encouraged me greatly in the care of that family where the father is in the hospital." "Mr. Phelps, can you go to No. 12 ---- Street, and see a young man who is sick, and will have to go to the hospital? No friends, and I have been trying to make him comfortable." "Mr. Phelps, can you attend the funeral of a child on ---- Street? It did suffer so much--its mother is on the Island."

These were common to her work, as I now recall them; not sentimental products of imagination, but facts, only lacking the details to make the tenor of her life stranger than fiction. To see her quietly enter some abode of the lowly, her soft and gentle greeting to the housewife engaged in her home duties, the aspect, perhaps, a forlorn one, and hear her words of heart-felt sympathy and encouragement, her solicitude for the little ones, that they might be "trained in the way of the Lord," and that simple, fervent, trustful prayer, which seems so befitting as to excite no repellant feeling; and that parting word which would go straight to the mother-heart. Here is a picture of Christian-following which even Munkacsy could not paint.

The Master reserves some things for future inspection. We have no sufficient canvas for these in such humble, useful lives.

Her faithfulness in dealing with the erring was remarkable; seemingly without fear of man, and yet always full of gentleness.

We had a way of investigating cases appealing for charity. One day a girl, nine or ten years of age, came to the door with a basket asking for something; her mother was a widow and poor, baby sick, etc., etc.

We asked Mrs. Knowles to look into the case. She went to the place given, and at first there was some mistake, or, perhaps, a purposed misdirection; but, nothing daunted by the difficulties encountered, she succeeded in gaining admittance to apartments on the second floor, where, instead of poverty and sickness, she found the mother in the midst of evident comfort, seated at her piano, who at first denied all knowledge of the little charity girl, and was only confronted successfully by the entrance unguardedly of the child herself.

If confusion ever overtook a mortal fraud, in which an active apprehension and deep humiliation were successfully involved; it was then and there in the presence of _holy indignation on fire_. Mrs.

Knowles was simply irresistible in such cases.

Now, dear brother, I hardly know what use you can possibly make of this, but my prayers shall go with your work of perpetuating their memory.

Very sincerely yours,

GEORGE O. PHELPS

The thought that the servants of Christ are praying for us is very cheering in the prosecution of our work.

The facts enumerated in the following letter from Pastor Chambers contain a thousand thoughts as descriptive of what every Christian ought to pray for and strive after, namely, to be, as he expresses it, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.

How expressive in this connection are the words of the apostle, "_Take heed_ lest there be found in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living G.o.d."

NEW YORK, November 9, 1886.

REV. D. MCNEILL YOUNG:

DEAR BROTHER--Your letter informing me of the death of Mr. and Mrs.

Knowles was forwarded to me from Harrisburg, to this city.

I had seen a notice of Mr. Knowles' death in a New York paper, but had not known of the departure of his wife, whose death, under such circ.u.mstances, had a pathos peculiar to itself. Her presence at his funeral, it would seem, was more than her affectionate testimony to their past devotion to each other. It was her unconscious prophecy of their speedy reunion in the presence of Him whom they both loved and served.

You ask me for some information in regard to them, during the time of my ministry in this city. They both ill.u.s.trated the truth of the remark, that "to be useful, it is not necessary to be conspicuous."

Mr. Knowles was "an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile." Gentle and peaceable in spirit, loving the house of G.o.d, rejoicing in the spiritual prosperity of the church, _speaking evil of no man_, a firm friend of his minister, relis.h.i.+ng all conversation upon divine things, frequenting the place of prayer where he was often heard leading the devotions of the people in simple, earnest, Scriptural pet.i.tion, and ever willing to help in Sabbath-school work, or any other form of Christian activity in which he might be of service--he was just such a man as any pastor is glad to have as a friend and helper. He was a ruling elder in the church from the time I first knew him, and in that capacity was one of the first to welcome me to New York. He was un.o.btrusive in all meetings of session, but never failed to give his suggestions on all matters that came before him, but was happiest when it was his privilege as an elder to welcome to the communion of the church those who confessed Christ.

Mrs. Knowles I knew as a warm friend of the church, while at the same time a faithful member of that band of Bible readers whose blessed work is best known by the Divine Master. She enjoyed that service for Christ; she loved to talk about it. Her fidelity and consecration are known to those under whose superintendence she labored; but the results of her devotion are a matter of divine record. May it not be that she has now discovered the real dignity and the glorious consequences of a service which she humbly, yet lovingly followed here, and that in Heaven's high fellows.h.i.+p the faithful Bible reader has a place of peculiar honor?

I can only say, in conclusion, that a church is bereaved indeed when two such Christians are taken from it. The Providence that calls them away should not only stimulate those who remain to a holier activity, but should also elevate our thoughts and affections, and make us the more glad that at the end of our journey, and the cessation of our earthly activities, we will discover the still grander meaning of Christ and Heaven.

Yours fraternally,

GEORGE S. CHAMBERS.

The next letter is from one who materially aided her in helping the necessitous.

November 21, 1886.

REV. DUNCAN MCNEILL YOUNG:

DEAR SIR--Absence from the city has prevented my answering your kind note received only last evening.

I have no statistical facts to give you, relative to our dear Mrs.

Knowles, but I can testify to her interest in her work until the last, her lovely Christian spirit shown under all circ.u.mstances, and her love for her Heavenly Father.

She seemed to me to be supremely happy and content with whatever lot was given her.

I was not able to be with her when she was ill, but was at her funeral.

She must be missed in her field of labor, and I am sure I shall miss her prayers for myself.