Dorcas M'Cabe

From the Lancaster Gazette.

DEATH OF THE CHRISTIAN.

BY A LADY.

Departed this life, on Friday the 21st of July, 1835, Miss. Dorcas, oldest daughter of the Rev. Sosthenes M'Cabe, of this place aged 21.

"Great is the mystery of godliness."—St. Paul.

Children of time, where is she now?

Methinks I see her brighten'd form

Leaning upon the bosom of

Her God,—smiling and smil'd upon

By saints and angels rob'd in light,—

The heavenly scene before her

Awfully and beautifully

Sublime! Christians! are such your hopes?

What more could mortals ask or have?

What is there more that God could give!

Reader:—

From an aversion in her parents to the possible probability of misrepresentation, we had in some measure concluded not to give the circumstances attending the death of this young lady, to the public—but finding that some who were present on the occasion, insist upon it, we feel that by withholding them we should hardly be doing our duty. We, therefore, present them unvarnished and in their natural colors. Never was there a more affectionate child, and we must say never were there more affectionate parents. Their devoted attention to this their sick and dying child, was such as might well put the blush upon such as have less feeling.

This young lady professed to he a Christian, and could you have conversed with her on that subject, during her last illness, you would have been ready to cry out with the most excellent Paul, impelled by all the sympathetic energies natural to the human or rather the Christian heart,—that "Great indeed is the mystery of godliness!" Could you have seen her while the body was languishing and sinking into extreme weakness, raising her eyes with a more than earthly strength of expression towards heaven, which seemed to say at every glance. "I have a hope which is as an anchor to my soul, both sure and steadfast;" and sweetly and softly breathing the name of the blessed Savior,—if you have the feelings of a Christian, you would, indeed, have rejoiced in God seeing that "he is a present help in every time of trouble."

On the Tuesday previous to her death, she observed to her parents, and other relatives and friends, that she felt she could remain with them but for a short time, believing that in a few moments she should go from them to another and a better world. And she did, after the lapse of about fifteen minutes, apparently die, and seemed to be dead for more than half an hour. Those present closed her eyes, and were making preparations to lay her out, when she revived, and,—O, how shall we describe the scene which then ensued! It is beyond the power of mortals to do it justice. "The Lord has sent me back," she exclaimed, "to tell the wonders which I have seen, and stay a few hours longer on earth: how long. I know not, perhaps till the going down of the sun— perhaps a little longer, I know not. God knows, and it is for some wise purpose known only to himself. O glory! I have seen my Saviour on the cross dying for sinners and for me.— O glory be to God on high! I have seen the heavenly worlds!" Here her countenance changed, and became beautiful beyond the power of description. O reader, could yon but have seen the heavenly animation that then beamed upon that face, and from those eyes! She continued,—"Yes I have seen the heavenly worlds, and the spirits of just men made perfect! O glory! glory ! I saw my grand fathers and mothers there!" Then particularly addressing herself to her aunt, she said,—"I have seen your husband there, and your infant child, a bright angel in the New Jerusalem! O glory! I saw there many others who have gone before, whom I knew! I saw two gates open to receive me ; and the streets are paved with gold; and there are robes and crown? laid up for all that love the Lord Jesus! O glory!" She then called her little cousin to her, kissed, and observed to, her—"You appear to me like a radiant little angel." Then calling and addressing herself to her sister, she said—"My dear sister, I came but to stay a little while with you. Supply me with something to eat and drink. For the last four days I could neither partake of any thing, nor speak above my breath, but now I can do both. Glory be to God! How happy I am!" To her mother she then spoke thus: "O how I love you. You have struggled hard, but there is a crown laid up for you, and also one for papa, and for all that love the Lord!" She then asked for many of her acquaintances, and when those who were present came to her, she "talked much to them, repeating that she had seen the heavenly world, the Savior on the cross, and the glories of the blessed, filling the listeners with wonder and astonishment, and many of them rejoiced with her, and sweetly participating in her spirit, were by those heavenly representations transported almost beyond themselves and the power of reason. When told by her mother that some of her friends whom she asked for, were Ghent and could not be seen, she said—"Then, tell them! Oh, that the whole world could hear!

She desired once more to behold her absent sister, but observed: "Although she is one hundred and sixty miles distant from me, I saw her in the heavenly world with her robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb, as she will be when she gets to heaven! She will go there bye and bye!"

Looking round upon all, present, she said How beautiful you all look! You are all my sisters and brothers!" Then looking out upon the landscape, aha exclaimed:

"O how beautiful every thing appears to me! Glory! glory!" After that until she fell asleep to wake no more, she seemed to be sweetly rejoiced in God her Savior, with that calm resignation or rather expectation, which seemed to say:—

"Pure the joy without alloy,

Whose very rapture is tranquility!"

Her language during her sickness to her father, mother, sister, and aunt, relatives and acquaintances, was most affectingly tender. On Thursday night it was evident that earthly matters were drawing to a close with her, and her evidences of a blessed immortality, continued to be bright and glorious. About 7 o'clock on Friday morning, while she was evidently dying she was heard to whisper: "Blessed Jesus! blessed Jesus! glory! glory!" when she ceased to speak and breathe.