He had known that she was
thoughtful, but was not prepared to find her so full of humble hope
and holy joy. Next day, when urged by a missionary to labor for the
salvation of his family, he replied, "Sarah knows the way to heaven
better than I do. She can teach me far better than I could her."
Their previous strong attachment now ripened into Christian love. He
never felt that his daily bread had been given him, if he had not
knelt with her in prayer, and his heart been lifted up by her
petitions as well as his own. Her mother at first scoffed; but soon
she, too, sought the Saviour; and her younger daughter, whose evil
ways for a time tried Sarah sorely, was also afterwards brought into
the kingdom.
Mr. Stocking used to call her "the best theologian among the
Nestorians," and often said, "If I want to write a good sermon, I
like to sit down first and talk with Sarah, and then be sure that
she is praying for me."
Her attachment to the means of grace was strong. She went to every
meeting, even after she could not reach the chapel without help. Her
emaciated form, her hollow cough, her eye bright with unnatural
lustre, all told that she was passing away, but, combined with her
sweet singing and heavenly spirit, led her companions sometimes to
whisper, as she took her seat in the chapel, "Have we not an
Elizabeth Wallbridge among us?"--"The Dairyman's Daughter," in
Syriac, had just then issued from the press, and was a great
favorite with the Nestorians.
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