Читать книгу Eli and Sibyl Jones, Their Life and Work - Rufus M. Jones - Страница 10

Table of Contents

"I see in the world the intellect of man,

That sword, the energy his subtle spear,

The knowledge which defends him like a shield—

Everywhere; but they make not up, I think,

The marvel of a soul like thine."

Browning.

In 1833, Eli Jones was married to Sybil Jones, the daughter of Ephraim and Susannah Jones.

Susannah was the daughter of Micajah Dudley, son of Samuel Dudley, a great-grandson of Samuel Dudley of Exeter, N. H., the eldest son of Gov. Thomas Dudley, the pilgrim of Plymouth, said to have been descended from the lineage of the earls of Leicester. Both Sybil Jones's parents and grandparents were Friends, and her grandfather and great-grandfather Dudley were preachers of fine talents and high character.

Ephraim Jones was a "noble man" and a strong character. He was often deeply lost in thought, to such an extent that many anecdotes are related of his absent-mindedness which are very amusing. He did not want in vigor of mind, and he was one of the marked men of the town. Some are still alive who remember him as he stood up at quarterly meeting and took his text, "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" He was a man who left a remembrance behind him, and the strength of his life has not been lost. His wife Susannah lived to the good old age of ninety-four, and was loved by all who saw her. "Grandmother Jewel" was her name in her old age. Eli's mother, who was nearly as old, was also named Susannah, and it was a memorable day for the grandchildren when these two grandmothers talked together of the olden time. "Grandmother Jewel" was very deaf, but otherwise she was a vigorous woman as long as she lived, and, ripe with years and blessed with the fruit of those years, she passed from this world a few months before her daughter.

It is told that when Eli Jones visited Sybil Jones with the purpose of asking her to become his life-companion, the latter, not suspecting the weight of his mission, took down the Bible to read a chapter, as was always customary in those days before visitors returned home. On this occasion Sybil Jones opened to the twentieth Psalm, beginning, "The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee, send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion; remember all thy offerings and accept all thy burnt-sacrifices; grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel." The mission was accomplished successfully, and for forty years the lives of Eli and Sybil Jones were linked together by the bonds of deep and pure love, while their aims, longings, and desires were merged into the one purpose of showing to the world that there is a love which transcends all earthly affection, and that God's love is an unbroken canopy which shelters the races of the round globe. Herein was their love continually made more perfect. I may quote as applicable to them the beautiful words of Izaak Walton, written to express the regard between the saintly George Herbert and his wife: "For the eternal Lover of mankind made them happy in each other's mutual and equal affections and compliance; indeed, so happy that there never was any opposition betwixt them, unless it were a contest which should most incline to a compliance with the other's desires. And though this begot, and continued in them, such a mutual love and joy and content as was no way defective, yet this mutual content and love and joy did receive a daily augumentation by such daily obligingness to each other as still added such new affluences to the former fulness of these divine souls as was only improvable in heaven."

Sybil Jones was born at Brunswick, Me., in 1808. Her birthplace was very near the early home of Abel Jones. Only her youngest years were spent here, but she always had a love for her first home, and one of her early poems, written at about the age of twenty-one, speaks of it with fondness.

Her early life was spent at Augusta, "which was the birthplace of those deep religious impressions that formed the motive power of a life pre-eminently consecrated to the service of her Redeemer and the human race." She often felt that the sermons and exhortations to which she listened during her early years were not of such a nature as to bring her to a saving knowledge of the sacrifice and love of Christ. Perhaps too little care was taken in those days to fulfil the Lord's command, "Feed my lambs;" and it is possible that our Society would have been more strongly built up if those good men who preached zealously to edify the Church had done so more effectually by taking the little ones by the hand and pointing them to the Source of satisfying life.

A good Methodist minister at Augusta spoke kindly to Sybil Jones of her highest welfare, and she was very much helped and instructed by him in the way of life. She came to realize that she must be born again, and she accepted Christ, by whom alone she could become a child of God. Her love for the Methodists became very strong, and it was a most humiliating cross to her to obey her father's will that she should show her Quakerism by wearing a Friend's plain bonnet. There is a true anecdote which may properly be told, since it shows what her will was by nature, as we shall see later what power she had when it was in harmony with God's will. She was to attend China monthly meeting with her father, and he insisted that she should wear the "plain" bonnet. His request conflicted very much with her determination, but it was not possible to move him from his purpose. There was no course which could be taken to avoid wearing it, but she put it on bottom side up, and rode with it so from Augusta to China. But she fortunately saw and felt the simplicity and sincerity of Friends, as well as the spirituality of their faith, and she became firmly fixed in the belief that to be a true Quaker was to be a genuine Christian, a faithful follower of Jesus as he and his apostles marked out the road; and I must believe that if we all looked to the same source for light and guidance, and if we strove as earnestly to walk closely in His footsteps as she did, we should have little need of apologies and defences for our simple faith.

In 1824–25 she attended the Friends' School at Providence, and for the next eight years she was engaged in teaching. She felt a deep interest in all that concerned her pupils, and it was the beginning of her efforts to open to the eyes of the young a new world of knowledge, beauty, and truth. One who has taught with a heart in the work will never cease to look upon children with loving eyes; and they were always the especial objects of her regard irrespective of their race or color.

While still a teacher her father took her one day to attend Sidney monthly meeting, across the Kennebec River, about twelve miles from China. Lindley M. Hoag, then a young man, was at the meeting. He felt called to deliver a message to some one in the women's meeting, and an opportunity was given him to accomplish his purpose. He went to the women's side of the house and powerfully and clearly set forth the state of mind of some one present, and with prophetic words he pointed out the future course of this young Friend if she should be fully faithful to her inward promptings. Sybil Jones knew that he was laying open her heart, and she was much moved. When her gift as a minister was acknowledged, and she went out to hold meetings, she found Lindley Hoag present at the first one she attended, and for some time it seemed to her that she could not speak before him; but she overcame the feeling and was well favored to speak. This guidance from ministers who were moved to speak to her case, and the power given to her to declare the condition of others, were strikingly illustrated during her whole life.

During these years of teaching she was much given to writing, and she not only copied many of the poems of her favorite authors, but she composed numerous poems on various subjects, and wrote short maxims for the rule of her conduct and life. It is very striking and touching to see how she regarded the brevity of life, for almost all that is left of her compositions is tinged with thoughts of death and the grave. One poem is written "To Consumption," and she seems to have been impressed with the feeling that her days were to be few, but she hails with joy the beginning of another life and the freedom from the cares and troubles of this present world. After saying how soon "life's sickly dream" will be over she writes—