SISTER S. M. I. HENRY

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 23, 1900

SISTER S. M. I. HENRY

died of pneumonia, at Graysville, Tenn., Tuesday, at 1 A. M., January 16. Her maiden name was Sarepta M. Irish. She was born at Albion, Erie County, Pa., Nov. 4, 1839, and was, therefore, sixty years, two months, and twelve days old at her death. March 1, 1861, she was married to James W. Henry, of New York. He died about the end of 1869; and thus she was left a widow with three children,—the oldest less than eight, and the youngest less than three, years old,—wholly dependent on the promises of God and her own efforts for the support of herself and her helpless family. She bravely met the responsibility, and succeeded triumphantly.

In the sketch of her life published in Miss Willard’s volume, “Woman and Temperance,” we find these excellent words of her own: “I do not remember when I was converted. I was given to God honestly by my parents, and was taught that I belonged to him, and that an obligation of Christian living, binding as a contract, rested upon me. The time came when I chafed under this yoke, and when there was great danger of wreck to my soul on the shoals of skepticism; and had not my father been the judicious man he was, I should doubtless have gone down. But he was a wise man: he never dogmatically stated anything to me; but placing himself at my side in the work of seeking truth, so directed my mind in its processes that I came out on the bright side of an undimmed faith that shines like a great sun in a cloudless heaven to-day and always, no mists having ever been able to hide its beauty from my eyes.”

Her father was a pioneer Methodist minister in Illinois, sent out in 1840. After she became old enough to be away from her mother, her father had her almost constantly with him in his work of the ministry from place to place. Thus her father was her teacher, and the Bible was the text-book in all her studies, until she reached the age of nineteen, shortly after which time her father died; thus she was in sympathy in heart and life with the true principles of Christian education to which God has called Seventh-day Adventists.

As the most of our readers know, she became a Seventh-day Adventist in the latter part of the year 1896. Since that time she has been a constant contributor to the columns of the REVIEW AND HERALD. Early in 1897 God delivered her by his healing power from an otherwise incurable disease of eight-years’ standing, giving her perfect soundness in the presence of all. At the same time he gave her a message for this people and for all; and this message she nobly and powerfully, and in full devotion, delivered until the hand of death was laid upon her.

The Tabernacle was filled with people at the funeral services, Friday evening, January 19, at four o’clock. She was buried Sabbath, January 20, by the side of her father and her mother, at Pecatonica, Ill.

She is at rest; and her work, having been wrought in God, goes on, and will never cease. Rev. 14:13.