CHAPTER VIII.

His Last Hours-Proceedings caused by his Death.

IT has been mentioned that Bishop Dehon attended the General Convention at New-York, in May, 1817. Being so near the residence of his brother and sisters, and of that flock, to whom his early ministry had been devoted, and whom he never ceased to love, he could not resist the inclination to make them a visit. He preached at Newport, and administered the Lord's Supper, happy in an opportunity of again meeting his friends in that comfortable ordinance. Little did they suppose that their joy would so soon be clouded, and that they should see his face no more. Anxious to return to his family, and aware of the hazard of protracting his return, he remained in Boston only a day or two, and, in a few weeks, was again in Charleston. Doubtless, these friends must adore the kind providence which permitted them, at this time, to enjoy his society, and to receive his affectionate farewell. The latter days of his life were most actively employed. At Sullivan's Island, on the last Lord's day (July 27), on which he officiated, he went through the whole service, and also administered the holy communion. In the morning, his sermon was on public worship; in the afternoon, on Colossians ii. 10. "And ye are complete in him ;"* this was one of his favourite discourses, and for a final one, none could be more appropriate.

* See Sermon 46. vol. ii.

Although oppressed more than usually by the heat, in consequence of his having been so recently in a Northern climate, he continued to go from house to house, in his parish, doing good. He made frequent visits to the sick wife of a brother clergyman, and it was in that part of the city, as is generally supposed, that he received the seeds of the fatal pestilence. At her interment, he officiated, and he remained at the grave, for some time, with a countenance which was particularly noticed, and indicated that he was meditating on his own mortality. He announced the melancholy event, to the absent relatives of the deceased, in the following letters:

Letter from the Right Rev. Theodore Dehon to Miss Lavinia Fowler.

"Charleston, July 29, 1817.

He

"My dear young friend,-It is at the request of your sister, and several others of your acquaintance, that I write to inform you of an event in your family, by which you will be called to mourn. God, in his wisdom, has indeed, in every age, called his best children to sorrow. now has seen fit to put your resignation to his will to a severe trial. He requires you to resign your good and beloved mother into his hands. She was taken sick about a week ago, and on Sunday evening her spirit departed, to be, as we trust, with the souls of the righteous-to be with her Redeemer in paradise.

"The loss of this excellent mother is, indeed, a heavy bereavement to you. But you will remember it is God who hath done it; you will consider how you have been privileged in having her so long with you; you will recollect, if to you it is a loss, to her, we have every reason to believe, it is a gain. Yes; with her all trials and sorrows are ended: she rests from her labours. The bitterness of death is passed with her. She is entered into peace. What remains for us who survive, is to bow submissively to that will of the Almighty, which cannot but be good; and to endeavour to follow her excellent steps.

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Separated from your family, this affliction will be to you peculiarly grievous. The physicians have said you cannot come to town. In this necessity, call to your aid the rich consolations which are in your power. Recollect that your Father, your heavenly Father, is with you every where; seek, by prayer, the support and comfort of his Spirit; turn to the numerous passages of consolation and promise in his holy word; meditate upon the right of God to do what he will with his own; look forward to the period when all the good shall be together in the kingdom of God; and God shall there wipe away all tears from every eye. May he be your refuge now, in your distress. If you seek him, he will be found of you, and will sanctify your sorrows to your own benefit, and to the glory of his name.

"I saw your sisters to-day, they have been sick, but are getting better. They beg you to be content where you are, till it shall be safe for you to come to them.

"With much sympathy, and affectionate concern, I am, young friend, very sincerely yours,

"THEODORe Dehon.

Letter from the Right Rev. Theodore Dehon, to the Rev. Andrew Fowler, at New-York.

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· Charleston, July 29, 1817. My dear friend and brother,-How mysterious are the dispensations of the Almighty! You will, before this, have received a letter from Dr. Gadsden, informing you of the melancholy event which has happened in your family. Your dear and truly excellent wife had not been well for some weeks. She kept about, however, until the 20th of this month, when I understand she was taken with symptoms of a fever. It was not in its appearance alarming. She was attended by Dr. Wilson, who, I believe, apprehended no danger. Her illness was mentioned to me by Mr. Muller on Saturday, and I went immediately to see her. She, and indeed all the members of the family, had more or less fever. She did not appear to apprehend

any danger. There was a stupor about her, which your daughter told me was sleepiness. I was going to the island to pass Sunday there, and bade her 'good-bye,' hoping I might find her better on Monday. But he whom she loved and served, and whose dispensations, though dark, are wise and good, had determined otherwise.— When I arrived on Monday, I learned on the wharf, that it had pleased God to take her from among us, between ten and eleven o'clock on Sunday evening; to take her from among us, to be, as our hope is, with the spirits of the just made perfect ;" till he shall raise her body, and invest her with man's primitive glory and immortality. To you, my dear brother, this stroke is heavy. Our tears have fallen for you. But when I call to mind the life of this excellent woman; her faithfulness as a wife, a mother, and a friend; her sincerity and exemplariness as a Christian; her delight in the ordinances of God; and the eminent degree, in which she possessed that ornament of her sex, which is, in the sight of God, of great price; I feel that there is not room to sorrow for her. For what is this voice which was heard from heaven, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Even so, saith the spirit, for they rest from their labours.'

"When I heard the tidings, I went directly to your family. There had been many friends with them to comfort them in their sorrows. I found them availing themselves of the principles they had been taught, and conducting as Christians should conduct. Their earthly father was away, but God, in whose service he had gone, seemed to manifest himself a father to them in this needful time of trouble. Catherine continues sick, and Miss Lavinia is at Pineville, but Mrs. Fabian and your youngest daughter, were able to attend the funeral of their mother, which took place at six o'clock last evening. Her remains (attended by the clergy as pall-bearers) were conveyed to St. Michael's Church, and, after the appointed service,

were deposited by the side of her daughter, in that cemetary. The hymn sung on the occasion was the funeral hymn.

"There seems, my brother, to have been peace in her death. She was easy, I am told, but so oppressed with heaviness, that she did not speak. Mr. Gadsden and Mr. Muller visited her in the evening, and prayed by her. The last words she was heard to say, were 'nothing hurts me.' I have regretted my absence from town that day. But surely nothing could be wanting to her death, who was daily living the life of the Christian; and would, at any time, have been found striving to walk in the commandments and ordinances of God, blameless.'

"That He who hath taken away the desire of your eyes, may fulfil to you, on this occasion, his good promises to his servants, and restore you soon in safety to your family and us, is, at this time, my dear sir, among the most fervent prayers of your sympathizing and affectionate friend and brother, THEODORE DEHON.

"P. S.-I have kept this letter open that I might see your family this morning, and let you know how they are. This postscript is written at your house. Mrs. Fabian is sitting by me, and begs me to desire you not to make yourself uneasy, for they find many friends.' Your children are all better. Catherine is free from fever, and is sitting up. I trust that under the good blessing of God they will all do well.

Perhaps, at this time, he had a persuasion that the stranger's fever, as it is called, would visit him, and that he might be its victim. On the last day of his health, he was at Sullivan's Island, occupied in directing the workmen how to arrange the pews in the Church. The establishment of a Church at this place of refuge for strangers to our climate, and of resort for many of our citizens, in the summer, was a purpose he earnestly desired, and its accomplishment is chiefly to be attributed to his influence