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VOL. ZL
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~ OBJIUART. ‘ ~~
Memoir of Mrs* Nancy Nelson.
, Mrs. NELSON, the subject
jpf this Memoir, was a daughter of Col.
Usaac Shelby, the present venerable
Governor of Kentucky, She was horn
December 23d, 1792. Her juvenile
Years were marked witli cheerfulness,
4gf>od nature, and tender affection to her
parents and friends.—-She was married
April 24. 1911, t# the Rev. Samuel K.
kelson, pastor of the Presbyterian
church at Danville.
Previously to her marriage she had
‘SOade no profession of experimental re
ligion. But* shortly after, she was
brought to a deep conviction of her
Heed of pardon through the atoning sa
crifice of Chriet, and of the renovating
influence of the Holy Spirit. To the
means of grace she paid a punctual and
respectful attention. This was succeed
ed by those solemn religious impres
sions which appeared manifestly to issue
In sound conversion and evangelical o
bcdience. In September? 1812 she gave
satisfactory evidence of a gracious
change of heart* and, with pleasnre,
was admitted to the communion of the
church. To relate all the tender cir
cumstances of her case, down to the pe
riod of her dirolution. is deemed unne
cessary, and it would protract this Me
moir to, an inconvenient length. But
*ome of the most important will be no
ticed.
For about the space of three years
before her death, she was a professor
of the religion of Jesus Christ, and ap
peared to be sincerely devoted to the
service of God, ..She manifested great
anxiety to possess all those holy dispo
sitions which characterise the children
of God / and, though at times extremely
fearful oUbeing deceived, ahe was gen
crally favored,with a comfortable hope
of her interest in Christ. She . read
much on religious subjects : but the
Bible was her favourite book. By an
ardent desire of atta ; ning a more full
•nd particular acquaintance with her
own character and state, and of grow
ing m the knowledge of God, and his
Sou Jesus Christ, she was ted* to em
ploy u portion of every day in the case*
ful perusal of the Holy Scriptures. ,To
this pious exercise she invariably atten*
ded, except when prevented by compa
ny or some providential dispensation r
and in those cases she seldom failed to
make up the time, by abridging, her
usual hours of rest. Iter improvement
in the knowledge of divine things was
truly astonishing# and has rarely been
surpassed. This was ths more remark*
able as she was at the same time distin
guished by industry and good econ
in the management of her dotnes
tick affairs. Her visible and rapid pro
ficiency in the knowledge and practice
t>f religion was almost confounding to
persons of longer standing, and of coihe
distinction in the church of Christ#
Mrs. Nelson received the visits of the
clergy with great cordiality and affec
tion, and treated tne friends of the Re
deemer, of all classes, from tl}e highest
to the lowest* with the |nost benevolent
and Christian attention, esfeei&ing them
as the excellent ones of the earth. i She
shared largely in the undissembled
friendship, esteem, and affection of her
in general, add more espe
cially of her female acquaintances. Her
death has inflicted on them a wound
that will not be speedily healed, and left
a chasm m their affections which will
net be easily filled ,
Ihe disease that wasted her mortal 1
ATHENS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1816
strength, aud terminated in her dissolu
tion, was the prevailing lever which
has lately proved fatal to many hundreds
in the western country* About two
weeks before she was attacked by this
violent disease, she appeared to have the
strongest presentiment, that the time of
her departure was at hand. She shed a
Hood cf tears, reflecting, as she said, on
the mournful and bereaved situation of
her husband and little children. She
informed Mr. Nelson that death had, to
her, lost all his terrors', and that if it
should be as she felt confident it would,
she trusted that what would be their
loss, would be her gain-—and then pro
ceeded, with the utmost tenderness, to
make many appropriate remarks res*
pecting the education of their two little
children. Her illness came on shortly
after, and continued about two weeks,
efuring which time h£r patience and re
signation to the will of God in the esti
mation of physicians and friends, could
not be exceeded. From her observati
ons to others it was evident, that from
the first she had not the least expectation
of recovery /though, to spare the feel
ings of her husband, she did not make
this declaration in his presence until the
day before her death. Then, all others
having left the room at her request, she
told him what her apprehentions were,
and requested that he would kneel by
hcq bed side, that their hearts at the
same time might once more be lifted
up to God in prayer, having previously
pointed out oie particular thing as the
subject matter of their joint petition.
During the afternoon her friends flatter
ed themselves, that her disease had in
some abated.—But alas 1 about
sun set, it was discovered that her mor
tal powers were fast sinking, and that
her pulse was faint, and almost imper
ceptible. Her physicians now gave her
up, and disclosed the startling secret to
her husband, who, after recovering from,
the shock which this painful intelligence
gave him, determined to make her ac
quainted with the fact, and take his sor
rowful leave of her while she was yet
in the fall exercise of her reason. (>-
thers having left the room, he composed
himself, and approached to perform the
mournful task, by informing her, that
he now contemplated their speedy sepa
ration, and that night was expected to
terminate her pilgrimage in this world.
After a short pause; she replied With
perfect composure, •* Well husband, we
must submit to the appointments of in
finite wisdom, and, as I have often told
you health, so i. tell you now, I trust
lam prepared to meet the event, come
when it may / and except on your ac
count, I have not a Wish about the mat
ter.;': v v : ; . .. ~n
Such was the agitation arising from
the grief of her affectionate husband,
that it brought others into the room*
Continuing to speak; she said, “ O these
four years ! these four happy years! how
sweetly have We passed them together 1
Our hearts and wishes have indeed been
one.; But, dear husband, do not let “the
recollection of that distress you.. Our
separation will be but short—We shall
soon meet where we- shall enjoy'more
perfect happiness, and part no more for**
ever.*’. With .y the utmost composure
and tranquillity, she turned and addres
sed herself to the surrounding company :
* Wftll, it seems that I am quckly to
leave you all. Y >But I can assure you,
that, for three years past, I , Irave : been
seeking preparation for this hour, and
can now say, / know /if tohomt Have bjs
lieved. Omy friends, look on me, and
mark the value of the precious hope of
the Gospel l You see that I am com
posed, perfectly composed, and have not
one tear to’ shed, even in view of death.
Now, what could reconcile me to part
with my dear husband and precious Tit
tle children with such composure, but
just such an assurance as the Gospel
gives—the blessed assurance of being
forever with the Lord, and soon meeting
them again a i his right hand* You
know I have had nothing to disgust me
with life. Every earthly prospect has
brightened upon me, and I have pad as
many inducements to ifve as any of you :
yet am perfectly resigned, and, exGept
on my der husband's account, have-not
one wish to live* O the glorious supe
riority cf the Christian hope to the
roost Improved and refined human phil
osophy !’* Addressing herself to her
physicians, who were anxiously waiting
on her. 6he said, 14 O Doctors, did you
ever hear of a philosophy that could
give such support as this, in a dying
hour ?” . Then turning to Mr. Nelson,
she said, 4< Husband, will you remember
that I die happy ?—that I tell yon, I
have not only a hope of everlasting life,
but not one doubt about the matter, and
that 1 shall praise Gcd forever for the
hour of our union ; as 1 believe you
have been instrumental in my coming
to know Jesus Christ, in whom I trust
for eternal life l Had it been the will
of God, I would have gladly assisted
you in raising our dear little children :
but the Lord knows what is best—we
have given them away to him.” /'Here
she seemed to be ill an ecstacy. ) “ O
husband, do you not remember - how of
ten we have devoted them to hiih on our
knees ih private, as well as publickly in
baptism ? He will take care of them,
and finally bring us all together into
his blessed family She then in the
most calm and affectionate, manner took
her leave of all in the room - individual
ly, giving to each a judicious and suita
ble exortation in Scriptural language—
and lastly, of her precious little children
and beloved ; husband—charging and
entreating al! around, vis they Would
wish to meet her in heaven, tc be seri
ously and earnestly employed in mak.
»ng their peace with God by securing
an interest in Christ.
After this she appeared quite exhaus
ted, and was thought to be gone. Mr.
Nelson observed that the dear creature
would not have her wish as to the time
of her departure, which was, ; that it
mightbe upon the Sabbath. She had
often told him that she felt more anx
ious about the time than the manner al
her death, always wishing that it might ’
be on tfie sacred day of rest, and had
expressed a pleasing surprise to find an
exact.coincidencc cf sentiment and feel
ing on that subject between her and
the late Mrs-Newell in her last illness.!
It was now Saturday night, and tho’tf
she was gone. An attempt was actual-i
ly made to close her eyes, but she
revived, and lived until eight o’clock
next morning, which wa3 the fourth
Sabbath m August iBIS. * The grief
of her friends* and especially that of
Mr. Nelson was very great. Just be
fore her departure recognizing his voice
amongst i others, she affectionately
demanded, “ Now husband, whf will >
will you weeps when I have assured!
you that I am only going home.* These*
were the last words of this precious dis- i
ciple of Jesus. -Without a groan or a
struggle, she sweetly breathed out <heV
life tnto the hands of.: fret SaviouV-and
her God. •,* Til her, society has lost one
of its brigbthst ornaments; the poor
have lost a benevolent friend ; her ac
quaintances have been deprived of a
pleasing assoaiate ; her servants of a
kind indulgent mistress ; her children
bf a tender mother / her parents of a
beloved daughter ? and her afflicted hus
band, of a loving wife, whose price was
above ;*r s -;>
T This afflicting,providence wasimpro*
yed in a funeral discourse /'which;
through unavoidable circumstances had.
been delayed) delivered, in ;Datinyil]e
churchy the 3d. Sibbath -in ‘December
following by the Rev. TttOMAS C LE
\jAND, from ! Thes* IV. 13, 14, to a
crowded, attentive, and .weeping congre
gation.
Extrait of a letter to the • editor : ‘of the
New-York Evening Posts V : V i
“ WAsatNOToa, Jan. 2T, I§l6.
« c Whatever reports may have gone
abroad to the contrary, Mr. Crawford is
certainly the democratic competitor of
Mr. Monroe, for the presidency, and
the only Competitor who stands any
chance of success. What is more, on
counting votes, he has, at present, rely
upon it, a clear majority. As to-your
Governor Tompkins* whom certain men
endeavoured to push forward, and actu
ally began to talk of him, and to puff
him in a style thit rendered him .ridi
culous to those who know him, Ke is
no longer considered as one that is to
enter the field. It has been thought
the part of yrudence, to drop him, or
to let him down for the vice-presidency
v s , com P r onlise with th»
eo New- York,, end in consideration
of promised their electors for
whoever or whatever candidate the ru
h^ Par -ri, Sh f aIU 5 ree ,? pon in cauc “*
friends of Monroe are busi
ly at work m produce some change in
his favor ; and one of the artifices re
sorted to was the publication that Mr.
Crawford had declined Nothin* i*
more untrue# 6
THE NEXT PRESIDENT.
The rumor at Washington is that Mr#.
Monroe stands but little chanee of sU c’
ceedjng Mr. Madison as President of
the United States, and that the Virgin
ia dynasty iriil become extinct withtho*
present incumbent— -Who will be, or
has been selected as his’ successor* by*
the caucus at Washington, is not ex
actly known, but it is believed Mr*.
Crawford is the man .—Alex. Gazette . -
From the National Intelligencer .
Messrs. Gales If Seaton, ■
i would seem, from representatiotte#
in the newspapers, that I am acting a*
prominent part in the discussions cong
ee rmng the ensuing Presidential elec- *
, tion. , I am extremely reluctant to pre
sent myself before the public in such aa
affair ; but it has become unavoidable#/
It is not strange that a question so in
teresting to the nation, as the election
°* a Chief Magistrate, should.’ at
.time,be the topic of conversation and
: enquiry.. I, however, have in no in»
stance , introduced the subject j nol* *
have I been disposed to take an active
part in any controversy respecting it—
It is true, that,from the period of my
arrival at this place,* I- have -been< fre*
quently consulted in reference to
pretentions of particular individuals
tor the Presidency, by gentlemen; who
from the relations subsisting between
us, had a right to converse with me free*
!y on any political
quence of repeated enquiries from therty
whether Mr. Crawford was to be con
sidered among, the competitors, accom
pained with the desire that his ;view*
should be ascertained, I communicated
to him what had passed*".* He
without reserve* that he did not consider
himself among the ; .mumber -of those
from whom the 1 selection -ought, to
made* and that he was unwilling-to
held up as a competitor for the office v
I have performed no*other part-than
to communicate this declaration fwhich
I was authorised to do) t 6 the gentle
men by whom I was consulted*/'’ *
l Wm. W# 8188.
Washington Feb* K 1816.
• ‘* • • • * *7i
Extract of a Utter from A member of
gross to the Editors of the JoutHatf
dated • ;• . : . i.;/ M.. V; 1
’ Washing*©*, February Ist.
‘ “ On the subject of the Presidential
Election* there is still much manesuv
ring and canvassing gqing on here. A
great-deal more ‘Opposition is now mans,
ifested against Monroe than was a fe*”
weeks past. Crawford is the man whom,
the opposers of Monroe have fixed oft*
as fnost likely to succeed over him—not#
withstanding, Crawford fas far as £
has uniformly disapprobnted tho
pretensions of his ft iends in his behalf*-
and disclaims any desire of being consi
dered a competitor for the office—and
uniformly,speaks of the claims of Col-
Monroe is being of the highest order
that can be found in our .’ government^
I would not insinuate, and do not be*
lieve, that Mr Crawford is guilty of thew
smallest impropriety in this case; but J
will observe, his conduct has been 6ue*
as to raise his popularityy and incres se
the posibility of his beiftg President 0 £
the United States, more than any co?
he could ■ have token. A part pf
Virginians are decidedly opposed’ to’
Monroe, on account of his friends, #
former occasion, having held him XfJJ
opposition to Mr. Madison- Th e £as
tern Republicans, few in DUmbe r j re
..inst Monroe and in Tavor J Craw .
ford—New-York will prefer Carwford
-the federalist, will
pia fed, her pride rising on the
“T-Wj? ®~»}y for Crawford,
and he has acme -otefMt in other —*W
NO. CIV.