A Good Testimony

"This is the testimony of all the good books, sermons, hymns, and memoirs I read--that God's ways are infinitely perfect; that we are to love Him for what He is and therefore equally as much when He afflicts as when He prospers us; that there is no real happiness but in doing and suffering His will; and that this life is but a scene of probation through which we pass to the real life above." ~ May 26, 1846 entry, Stepping Heavenward

Four Steps to Peace

I have just been to see Mrs. Campbell. In answer to my routine lamentations, she took up a book and read me what was called, as nearly as I can remember, "Four steps that lead to peace."
 
"Be desirous of doing the will of another, rather than thine own."
 
"Choose always to have less, rather than more."

"Seek always the lowest place, and to be inferior to every one."

"Wish always, and pray, that the will of God may be wholly fulfilled in thee."

[Stepping Heavenward, June 15, 1838 entry.]

Faithful First in Little Things

"Then, dear Katy, suppose your first act of heroism tomorrow should be gratifying your mother in these little things, little though they are. Surely your first duty, next to pleasing God, is to please your mother and in every possible way to sweeten and beautify her life. You may depend upon it that a life of real heroism and self-sacrifice must begin and lay its foundation in this little world wherein it learns its first lesson and takes its first steps."

"And do you really think that God notices such little things?

"My dear child, what a question! If there is any one truth I would gladly impress on the mind of a young Christian, it is just this, that God notices the most trivial , accepts the poorest, most threadbare little service, listens to the coldest, feeblest petition, and gathers up with parental fondness all our fragmentary desires and attempts at good works. Oh, if we would only begin to conceive how He loves us, what different creatures we should be!" ~ entry for March 17, 1834, Stepping Heavenward.

[These words of wisdom from Mrs. Cabot to Katy are important words for any young lady of any time period.]

New Year Prayer

"May this prayer, which, under the inspiration of the moment, I can offer without a misgiving, become the habitual, deep-seated desire of my soul. 'Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give--my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength, nights, days, youth, age--and spend them in Thy service, O my crucified Master, Redeemer, God. ..'" ~ Katy, Stepping Heavenward, entry dated January 1, 1853

Real Progress

". . . I do not understand how a Christian can make such slow progress as I do and how old faults can hang on so.

If I had made any real progress, should I not be sensible of it?

I have been reading over the early part of this journal, and when I came to the conversation I had with Mrs. Cabot, in which I made a list of wants, I was astonished that I could ever have had such contemptible ones. Let me think what I really and truly most want now.

First of all, then, if God should speak to me at this moment and offer to give just one thing and that alone, I should say without hesitation, Love to Thee, O my Master!

Next to that, if I could have one thing more, I would choose to be a thoroughly unselfish, devoted wife. Down in my secret heart I know there lurks another wish, which I am ashamed of. It is that in some way or other, some right way, I could be delivered from Martha and her father. I shall never be any better while they are here to tempt me!" ~ From Stepping Heavenward, (entry on her first wedding anniversary, dated January 16, 1838.)

[We see, though, that actually she had made real progress, based on what she wanted at this point in time. Of course, she was wrong about the last one. I do believe dealing with Martha and Father had a good deal to do with her growth in Christ. ` mr]

Note: This is a repeat of a post made May, 2011.

The Day of Small Things

I have learned, at last, not to despise the day of small things, to cherish the tenderest blossom, and to expect my dear ones to be imperfect before they become perfect. ~ Katy, Stepping Heavenward.

[An important lesson for us all. ~ mr]

Mrs. Campbell's Summons

"This had been a Sunday to be held in long remembrance. We were summoned early this morning to Mrs. Campbell and have seen her joyful release from the fetters that have bound her so long. Her loss to me is irreparable. But I can truly thank God that one more 'tired traveler' has had a sweet 'welcome home.' I can minister no longer to her bodily wants and listen to her councils no more, but she has entered as an inspiration into my life, and through all eternity I shall bless God that He gave me that faithful, praying friend." ~ Katy, Stepping Heavenward, May 13,[1852] entry. 

[Oh to have a Mrs. Campbell in our lives. On a personal note, Mrs. Campbell, though fictional, was a great blessing in my life. ~ mr]

Building Material

"Every day brings its own duty and its own discipline. How is it that I make such slow progress while this is the case? It is a marvel to me why God allows characters like mine to defile His Church. I can only account for it with the thought that if I ever am perfected, I shall be a great honor to His name for surely worse material for building up a temple of the Holy Ghost was never gathered together before. The time may come when those who know me now, crude, childish, incomplete, will look upon me with amazement, saying, 'What hath God wrought!' . . ."

~ Katherine Elliott,  January 1, 1841 entry, Stepping Heavenward.

Being a Mother

"Being a mother is an awesome responsibility. It requires spiritual discipline, self-sacrifice, and flexibility. But as a mother, I do not carry this responsibility alone, for God works with me, giving me His strength and compassion when I am weak and tired, blessing both my children and myself. Motherhood may be a demanding life, it is true--but it is also one of great delight, and opportunity to experience God's grace and joy." ~ from Stepping Heavenward

[Dedicated, of course, to all mothers everywhere. And to those who have or have had mothers, and those who desire to be mothers. A blessed Mother's Day to all. ~ mr]

He Leads Perfectly

"You may not understand why He leads you now in this way and now in that, but you may, nay, you must believe that perfection is stamped on His every act." ~ from Stepping Heavenward

Example on Suffering

(Painting by Joseph DeCamp)

"January 15. I have come to another birthday. I am seventeen. Mother has celebrated it just as usual, though I know all these anniversaries which used to be so pleasant must be sad days to her now that my dear father has gone. She has been cheerful and loving, and entered into all my pleasures exactly as if nothing had happened." ~  Katy's journal entry January 15, 1832, Stepping Heavenward

Another example from Katy's mom. More on this at the Scraps of Glory blog.

Katy's Summer With Mother

"I have had a charming summer with dear Mother; and now I have the great joy, so long deferred, of having her in my own home. Ernest has been very cordial about it, and James has settled up all her worldly affairs so that she has nothing to do now but to love us and let us love her. It is a pleasant picture to see her with my little darlings about her, telling the old sweet story she told me so often and making God and Heaven and Christ such blissful realities. As I listen, I realize that it is to her I owe that early, deep-seated longing to please the Lord Jesus, which I never remember as having a beginning or an ending, though it did have its fluctuations." An excerpt from Katy's journal entry of October 1, 1843, Stepping Heavenward.

[What a beautiful testimony of a mother. Katy's mother often puts us to shame. ~ mr]

Katy the Young Bride

I posted a  meditation on the young married days of Stepping Heavenward's Katy at Scraps of Glory. It seemed fitting to put it there today. I want a wide variety of godly influence there, and Mrs. Prentiss is always an integral part of that. Hope you enjoy.

~ mr

Four Steps to Peace

I have just been to see Mrs. Campbell. In answer to my routine lamentations, she took up a book and read me what was called, as nearly as I can remember, "Four steps that lead to peace." 

"Be desirous of doing the will of another, rather than thine own."

"Choose always to have less, rather than more."

"Seek always the lowest place, and to be inferior to every one."

"Wish always, and pray, that the will of God may be wholly fulfilled in thee."

[Stepping Heavenward, June 15, 1838 entry.]

Do We See Plants Growing?

January 1, 1842, Katy went to visit Mrs. Campbell and recorded some of their conversation: [From Stepping Heavenward]

"I have a great many little trials, but they don't do me a bit of good. Or, at least, I don't see that they do."

"No, we never see plants growing," she said.

"And do you really think then, that perhaps I am growing, though unconsciously?"

"I know you are, dear child. There can't be life without growing."

This comforted me, I came home, praying all the way and striving to commit myself entirely to Him in whose school I sit as a learner. Oh, that I were a better scholar! But I do not half learn my lessons, I am heedless and inattentive, and I forget what is taught. Perhaps this is the reason that weighty truths float before my mind's eye at times but do not fix themselves there.

[Can't we all identify in this as we do so much else insofar as Katy is concerned? ~ mr]

Thoughts About Katy's Brother

A few of Katy's thoughts about her brother James:

"I have often thought that she would be a rare woman who could win him; he is handsome and talented and attractive; everybody is fascinated by him, everybody caresses him; and yet he has turned his back on the world that has dealt so kindly with him and given himself, as Jonathan Edwards says, 'clean away to Christ!'" ~ Stepping Heavenward, January 1, 1842 entry

[So it's the latter half of this description which makes him a rare treasure, wouldn't you agree? ~ mr]

Poor Amelia

 "I had made up my mind to it, and I know it must come. I want to see Dr. Cabot. Do you think he would be willing to visit me after my neglecting him so?"

"I am sure he would," I cried.

"I want to ask him if he thinks I was a Christian at that time--you know when. If I was, then I need not be so afraid to die."

"But, dear Amelia, what he thinks is very little to the purpose. The question is not whether you ever gave yourself to God, but whether you are His now. But I ought not to talk to you. Dr. Cabot will know just what to say."

"No, but I want to know what you thought about it."

I felt distressed, as I looked at her wasted dying figure, to be called on to help decide such a question. But I knew what I ought to say and said it:

"Don't look back to the past; it is useless. Give yourself to Christ now."

She shook her head.

"I don't know how," she said. "Oh, Katy, pray to God to let me live long enough to get ready to die. I have led a worldly life. I shudder at the bare though of dying; I must have time."

"Don't wait for time," I said with tears. "Get ready now, this minute. A thousand years would not make you more fit to die."

[~ from Katy's January 20, 1843 entry. It is good she knew what she ought to say to the dying Amelia. I hope each of us will know what to say to any Amelia who may be at death's door or even before such a time.~mr]

Goodbye Charley

Katy's heartfelt reply to Charley after he readily accepted her gracious release from their engagement due to her illness: 

"MR. UNDERHILL:  Sir—The scales have fallen from my eyes, and I see you at last just as you are. Since my note to you on Sunday last I have had a consultation of physicians, and they all agree that my disease is not of an alarming character and that I shall soon recover. But I thank God that before it was too late, you have been revealed to me just as you are—a heartless, selfish, shallow creature, unworthy of the love of a true-hearted woman, unworthy even of you own self-respect. I gave you an opportunity to withdraw from our engagement in full faith, loving you so truly that I was ready to go trembling to my grave alone if you shrank from sustaining me to it. But I see now that I did not dream for one moment that you would take me at my word and leave me to my fate. I thought I loved a man and could lean on him when strength failed me. I know now that I loved a mere creature of my imagination. Take back your letters; I loathe the sight of them. Take back the ring and find, if you can, a woman who will never be sick, never out of spirits, and who never will die. KATHERINE MORTIMER"

[Recorded in her entry of January 1, 1834. May our daughters be wise and recognize a "Charley" if he should make an attempt at their hearts, before  the fact and not after, as in the case of Katy. May they listen to the sound advice of their mothers, which she unfortunately failed to do. ~ mr]

Good Motherly Advice

Mother has just gone. Her visit has done me a world of good. She found out something to like in Father at once and then something good in Martha. She says Father's sufferings are real, not fancied, that his error is not knowing where to locate his disease, and is starving one week and overeating the next. She charged me not to lay up future misery for myself by misjudging him now and to treat him as a daughter ought without the smallest regard t his appreciation of it. Then as to Martha, she declares that I have no idea how much she does to reduce our expenses, to keep the house in order, and relieve us from care. "But, Mother," I said, "did you notice what horrid butter we have? And it is all her doing."

"But the butter won't last forever," she replied. "Don't make yourself miserable about such a trifle. For my part, it is a great relief to me to know that with your delicate health you have this tower of strength to lean on."

"But my health is not delicate, Mother."

"You certainly look pale and thin."

"Oh well," I said, whereupon she fell to giving me all sorts of advice about getting up on step ladders, and climbing on chairs, and sewing too much, and all that.

~ Stepping Heavenward, April 30, 1838 entry.

[Oh, to be one to find something good in everyone and to give such godly counsel to one's daughter. What an example Katy's mom is to us all. And as to the delicate health situation as referenced to by her mother, indeed she was in delicate health, as you'll see Katy was about four months along in pregnancy here, since looking ahead you find she gives birth to her first child some time on or before October 4th. {smile} ~ mr]

Another Lesson Learned

I have had a new lesson that has almost broke my heart. In looking over his father's papers, Ernest found a little journal, brief in its records indeed; but we learn from it that on all those weddings and birthdays, when I fancied his austere religion made him hold aloof from our merrymaking, he was spending the time in fasting and praying for us and for our children! Oh, shall I ever learn the sweet charity that thinketh no evil and believeth all things! What blessings may not have descended upon us and our children through those prayers! What evils may they not have warded off! Dear old Father! Oh, that I could once more put my loving arms about him and bid him welcome to our home! And how gladly would I now confess to him all my unjust judgments concerning him and entreat him for forgiveness! Must life always go on thus? Must I always be erring, ignorant and blind? How I hate this arrogant sweeping past my brother man, this utter ignoring of his hidden life! ~ Stepping Heavenward, April, 1844 entry

[Let me just say this. This entry by Katy caused an explosion of tears from my eyes more than any other in the entire book. I'll just leave it at that. mr]