From Sister Everett: Life and Death of Elizabeth E. Higgins
By Lucinda H. Everett
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—I feel called upon at this time to give you a short sketch of the life and death of our only and beloved daughter, Elizabeth E. Higgins, and through your columns to distant and scattered friends, if you shall deem proper. She was born July 23rd, 1829, and died July 5th, 1853, aged 24. Her constitution was slender, but her disposition was sweet, and her manners engaging.—From a little child she had many friends and every favor from them was met with the warmest gratitude. Still she needed a new heart, and she was taught to seek it of the Lord. At five years of age she gave her heart to Jesus, and for a considerable length of time, manifested in her life the power of godliness.—She however declined and lost her enjoyment till she was in her thirteenth year, she was then, the second time, awakened and passed through quite a struggle for a few days, but came out very clear and happy. She seemed to possess an ardent desire to do good.—The morning after she found peace, she went through the neighborhood and invited all to come to Jesus.—From that time she never wholly lost her enjoyment, but strove to hold on her way. In the Winter of 1842, she was baptized, and united with the church in North Leverett, Mass., over which her father was then pastor. In about a year from that time, she, with numerous other young friends, heard the first angel’s message: “Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” This message came, indeed with a loud cry, and, for a time, filled our meeting-house with tears and confessions; but many of them when the time passed, turned and ridiculed the idea; but not so with her, and a few others, who loved the appearing of Jesus. In the Fall of 1844, she, with others, of the family, felt it duty to leave the church, and although it deprived her of the society of a large circle of friends, she cheerfully gave them up. There was however one object which was always very dear to her: that was the design of becoming a teacher of the youth. This she also relinquished, although it cost her many a struggle. She found that in order to teach, she must have a popular education, and associate with the popular; and besides, the prejudices of the people in our vicinity were such, that one who would fearlessly proclaim the coming of the Lord, just upon us, and live out the sentiment, would not be a very acceptable teacher. In the Winter of 1852, she heard and embraced the third angel’s message. From that time the brethren who fear God and keep his commandments were very dear to her. O how she longed to be among them. She always had the impression that if she could get into such a company, she should be made whole.—She would often say, how I wish some good brother would come to Iowa. She was, for a few years past, strongly impressed, at times, that she ought to devote herself in some way more fully to the work of the Lord; but circumstances were unfavorable. Her health was very poor, indeed, she was quite sick, much of the time, for three or four years past; still the impression followed her, and I have sometimes thought, had she given herself wholly to the Lord, and trusted him to direct, and strengthen her to do his will, she might now have been alive and well. After we moved to Iowa, she often spoke of there being jewels here to be gathered, and she longed to be in the work. She had a peculiar faculty to interest the young and draw them around her; but she is gone, and what is left undone by her, is undone forever. Her sufferings for a long time were very great; yet she bore them all, I believe, without a murmur. When she found that she must die, she calmly submitted. She wished to have some young ladies called in, and earnestly entreated them to prepare to meet her in the kingdom. To one, who was a Catholic, she presented her Bible, saying, “read it all and obey it through life.” The loss to us is great. We are a lonely family with but few to keep the Sabbath or tell of the coming of the Lord. We need much wisdom and grace; and I trust we shall have the sympathy and prayers of the brethren and sisters who may read these lines. We are waiting to hear what the Lord will speak to us, and what he would have us do. It must be he has some here to be gathered, who will hear his word, obey his commandments and “wait for his Son from heaven!” for his people are to “come from the East and from the West, from the North and from the South, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom. O brethren and sisters, I do entreat of you to remember us in your prayers; for our trials are many, and our strength small. The warfare is ended, the lov’d one has fled,
And she who once cheered us, now sleeps with the dead;
That countenance so beaming, so joyous and mild
Was saddened by sickness, and robbed of its smile;
Yet calmness and patience, that bosom ne’er left,
Until the meek sufferer, of life was bereft.
Ah, Death, cruel monster! say, what hast thou done!
Thou hast taken our loved one, to thy dismal home,
Thy work soon is over, thy wages are won,
Destruction’s thy portion, the lake is thy doom;
Then haste the glad morn, when the dead saints shall rise,
And with the Redeemer mount up to the skies. Iowa City, Iowa, Oct., 1853.