Obituary Sophia Heskins daughter of Benjamin Francis

The late Mrs. Sophia Heskins was born February 24, 1784, and was a daughter of that devoted servant of Jesus Christ, Benjamin Francis, who was pastor of the church at Shortwood from 1757 to 1799. There yet remain a few who remember the truly apostolic zeal of Mr. Francis, and the unction with which he preached " the unsearchable riches of Christ." Among the productions of his pen are some of the choicest of those hymns in which Christian truths are beautifully embodied, and Christian feeling most appropriately expressed: " Glory to the Eternal King," " My gracious Redeemer I love," "In sweet exalted strains," &c, &c. Towards the close of his career he was permitted to baptize his two daughters, Catherine Holbrow and Sophia. This happy event took place May 18th, 1798, and at the end of the following year his Master called for him, and he entered into rest.* The elder daughter became the wife of Mr. Thomas Flint, at that time assistant minister at Shortwood, and who, after the decease of his venerable father-in-law, succeeded to the pastorate. He finished his course at Weymouth, where the remembrance of his eloquent and faithful ministrations is still fresh and fragrant with the few of his friends and hearers who yet survive,  Mrs. Heskins, whose removal is now recorded, was united in marriage to Mr. John Heskins in the year 1802. A more suitable and happy connection could scarcely have been formed. Both had been born and nurtured in an atmosphere of piety, and all their early impressions were favourable to the formation of character, which must ever be valuable in the church of God. The writer would love to dwell on the excellences and the high qualifications of his once dear friend and counsellor—a man whose name cannot be mentioned in any circle where he was known without calling up the sincerest feelings of esteem and veneration. From their outset in domestic life, this admirable couple were not only helpmeets to each other in the ways of God, but they were eminently fellow-helpers to the truth. They had the fullest sympathy with each other in all good, and being without a family, they were enabled to give expression to their deep interest in the cause of Christ by unremitted exertions. Mr. H.'s father long held the office of deacon, with honour and usefulness, and the son, in the same office, became yet more honoured and useful than the father. During the later years of Mr. Winterbotham's pastorate, when that eminent servant of God was prevented by infirmity from engaging much in directly pastoral work, Mr. H., released from the cares of business, devoted himself almost exclusively to the service of the church, visiting the afflicted and the poor, with a heart full of love, and with a sound judgment, comforting, counselling, and in every way fulfilling the apostolic injunction, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." At the same time neighbouring churches were often indebted to him for gratuitous and most acceptable ministrations. Mr. H. finished his course October 17th, 1838.*

While giving herself heartily to every good word and work, Mrs. H. was specially devoted to the interests of the young. The Sabbath school was instituted in the year 1802, and from its commencement to the close of her days, it engaged her head, and heart, and hands. For many years, in connection with one who was sooner compelled to retire from active life, but who has not yet been welcomed home, our dear friend superintended the girls' school, and often has the writer' heard the expressions of grateful love from those who, no longer young, could recur with deepest interest to the days when they shared in her attentions, and rejoiced that their children were permitted to come under her care. Mrs. H. was not a person to do anything by halves, nor was she one of those who are guided rather by impulse than by principle —a class of persons whose zeal depends on external stimulants, and on whom no reliance can be placed in a dark and clouded day. She was not fitful, but firm. Her hold on any good cause was intelligent and hearty, and was sustained by reflection and prayer. This was very manifest in every department of Christian service, but especially in the Sabbath school. She never forgot those who had once shared an interest in her efforts and her prayers. In after life she would accost them as often as opportunities occurred. If they had not become followers of Christ, she renewed her attempts to gain their hearts for him. If they were numbered with his people, she had always an appropriate word of congratulation, counsel, or caution. It is impossible for the minister of Christ to know the full amount of usefulness with which his labours have been attended, and the same is true of those who heartily and perseveringly devote themselves * A memoir of Mr. Heskins appeared in the Magazine for February, 1840. to works of faith and labours of love. This will apply to the dear friend of whom we write. But "the day will declare it," that day when all secrets will be revealed, and when the Lord himself will own his servants, and receive them to his glory. Mrs. H. was an habitual and devout reader of the Scriptures, hence she derived her motives and her strength. She could say, "Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart." In her early days she had been taught to prize the word of God, and her love for it increased with advancing years. In the hours of deepest sorrow, when bowed down under the bereaving stroke which left her a mourning widow, she often quoted the lines — "Thy word, which I have made my choice, Shall cheer my darkest hours." When she had attained to ripeness of years and of Christian experience, she was invariably anxious to engage young Christians in the delightful aud profitable work of searching the Scriptures. She did that herself, not simply as a devout person, but with a keen sense of their beauty and fullness, and was ever delighted with such works as served to bring out those features of the word of God which an ordinary reader would scarcely look for. Indeed, while our departed friend cannot he described as a literary person in the ordinary sense of the term, she was a reader and an admirer of good books. Her mind was above the common level, and she discovered its superiority in the class of works which she preferred. And this prepared her to enjoy the conversation of the eminent men who delighted to visit the dwelling where the holy and happy couple resided. There, among others, Chalmers and Hall spent pleasant hours, and left with strong impressions of the Christian worth and dignity of its inmates. Beneath that roof ministers and missionaries ever found a hearty welcome and a congenial home; and our beloved friend was never more gratified than when she could show hospitality in the Saviour's name to the Saviour's friends, and especially to those who lived and laboured to "testify the gospel of the grace of God." It will be inferred from the foregoing remarks, that Mrs. H. was a truly valuable member of the church with which her connection extended over more than half a century. This may be ascribed, in a great measure, to the early adoption of settled views on religion, its doctrines, and its duties. For this she was indebted in no small degree to Mr. Winterbothani's ministry, which she enjoyed without interruption during the twenty-five years of his pastorate. Sound, judicious, talented, in the best sense of the term, as full of the pure gospel as it was free from eccentricity and extravagance, dealing fairly with the whole counsel of God, and rendered attractive by an affectionate manner and by an unusual knowledge of human nature, Mr. W.'s teachings were greatly blessed to the formation of character. The influence of such a ministry on one who was fully alive to its value, must have been considerable; and then her devotional habits, and her earnest and deep regard for the word of God, concurred to establish and ripen her principles. So, with a spirit eminently catholic and loving towards all, she was firm as a rock on every question touching the essentials of the faith. The church was her home, the friends of the Saviour were her friends. She was no trifler with the Sabbath, with the house of God, with the social gatherings of the saints. She had no sympathy with those who talk of profiting by a private reading of the Scriptures, instead of honour ing the ministry of the word or the meetings for prayer; nor did she think that time well spent in whicli other engagements were needlessly permitted to interfere with those of the sanctuary. It has been the privilege of the writer to have his hands sustained, and his heart comforted, by the steadfastness of those who, in advanced years, like our departed friend, were patterns in this respect to the younger members of the flock. And if in such a case we may apply the Almighty's words, " Them that honour tnc I will honour," may we not conclude that the eminence of their piety was the result of God's blessing on their fidelity in this respect, and that their everlasting joys will be proportionably enhanced. In a brief record like the present, it would be improper to attempt an analysis of character, and the writer will only add, that, in connection with the graces which commended her to the esteem and love of her fellow-Christians, Mrs. H. possessed those qualities which all can admire—public spirit as far as it may co-exist with feminine delicacy; a high sense of honour; integrity the most unbending; activity, unshrinking and untiring, in works of general benevolence. She did not deem it necessary to seclude herself from the haunts of men, or to refrain from the enjoyments of social life, or to profess indifference to the beauties and the glories of the visible creation. Her piety enabled her both to enjoy God in all things, and to commend her religion wherever she went. At length, in a good old age, it pleased her heavenly Father to call her to a more exalted fellowship than that which she had loved and enjoyed on earth. After an affliction, not long but very severe and distressing, she died serenely, and was for ever re-united to beloved ones who had gone before to the eternal mansions and to the presence of the Lamb. If holy aud unbroken peace, child-like acquiescence in the will of God, longings after perfect holiness, a loving, grateful, tender spirit, the sweetest and most perfect reliance on the sufficiency and immutability of Christ—if these qualities, in rich and beautiful combination, •prove a soul to be on the very confines of heaven, her sorrowing friends were right when they looked on the worn and faded form with high thoughts of the glory on which she was about to enter. Utterances few but expressive, intimated that all was well. And herein was the grand power of the Cross. At the Cross she became a Christian; near the Cross she lived; the transforming influence of the Cross she had experienced; and in a dying hour the Grots was everything. Often had she sung with delight:— "Oh! the sweet wonders of that Cross On which my Saviour loved and died! Her noblest life my spirit draws Prom his dear wounds and bleeding side!" And when death was laying his cold grasp upon that outer and visible form over which he was allowed to triumph, that "noblest life" in the soul, the pure immortal vitality, defying death and hell, and secure in union to its glorious Head, had only to ascend to the world of life above. She died May 3rd, 1857, but died to live for ever. "Thus star by star declines, Till all arc pass'd away; Ac morning high and higher shines To pure and perfect day j Nor sink those Btars in empty night,
But hide themselves in heaven's own light,'*

* A memoir of Mr. Francis, with the funeral sermon, by Dr. Ryland, attached to it, was published in 1800.
+ An obituary of Mr. Flint will be found in the Magazine for June, 1844.