“Behold, dividing still the palm of fame,
Her radiant science, and her spotless life.” [217a]
She had already passed the zenith of her celebrity. Providence had repeatedly and recently, called her to tread, in domestic life, the “path of sorrow,” and her religious advantages, however few, had taught her that
“That path alone
Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown.”
“Sweet sometimes,” said she, “are the uses of adversity. It not only strengthens family affection, but teaches us all to walk humbly with our God.” [217b] It is not surprising that she was disposed to cultivate the society of those who could blend piety with cheerfulness, and with whom she might be on friendly terms without ceremony. Such acquaintances she found in Mr. Sloper’s family. Mrs. Siddons, with unassuming kindness, contributed to their amusement by specimens of her powerful reading. She joined willingly in the worship of the family, and maintained the same invaluable practice at her own lodgings.
Just at that time Mr. Sloper was requested to preach a sermon to his own people, [218] on an affecting and mournful occasion—the death of a suicide. Though he keenly felt the delicacy and difficulty of the task, a sense of duty and the possibility of usefulness overcame his scruples. He selected as his text, the impressive sentiment of the apostle, “The sorrow of the world worketh death.”—2 Cor. vii. 10. Mrs. Siddons was one of his auditors. She who had been the honoured guest of royalty, who had been enthroned as the Tragic Muse, and whose voice had charmed applauding multitudes—was seen, in the humble dissenting meeting-house at Beccles, shedding abundant and unaffected tears at the plain and faithful exhibition of religious truth!
Mr. Sloper’s preaching was as powerfully recommended to her by the delightful illustration of christian principles, exhibited in his private character, as by the intrinsic importance of those principles and the simple gravity and penetrating earnestness with which they were announced from his lips. He afterwards procured for her, at her request, a copy of Scott’s admirable “Commentary on the Bible,” which he accompanied with a letter, warmly urging upon her attention the great realities her profession had so manifest a tendency to exclude from her contemplations.
Mrs. Siddons more than once expressed her gratitude for the interest Mr. Sloper had evinced in her eternal welfare; she thanked him, in writing, for the advice he had given her, adding an emphatic wish that “God might enable her to follow it”—a wish which her pious and amiable correspondent echoed with all the fervour of his heart. She returned into the glare of popularity: but a hope may surely be indulged, that the pressure of subsequent relative afflictions, and of old age, were not permitted to come upon her, unaccompanied by the impressions and consolations of true religion. Her elegant biographer, Mr. Campbell, draws a veil over the state of her mind during her last hours, which it would be deeply interesting to penetrate. Would she not then, if reason were undimmed, reflect upon the faithful counsel she received with Scott’s Bible, as being of infinitely greater value than the applause of myriads or the fame of ages?
CHAPTER VIII.
Meeting-house rebuilt—Daniel Delf—Formation of the Beccles District Missionary Society—Bible meetings—Association Sermon—Meetings of ministers—Samuel Archer—Illness of Mr. Sloper—Attacked with paralysis—Letter to the Treasurer of the Suffolk Missionary Society—Second attack—Rev. John Flower—Mr. Sloper resigns—His character—Ordination of Mr. Flower—Death of Mr. Sloper—Tablet to his memory—William Crisp—Enlargement of the chapel—Conclusion.
The dilapidated state of the meeting-house, as well as its inadequacy to the accommodation of increasing numbers, gave rise, in the year 1809, to the design of erecting a more substantial and commodious place of worship. This was accomplished in 1812, at an expense, including the purchase of a small piece of ground, of £2140 18s. 4d. Besides a regular periodical subscription, repeated efforts were made, by those who felt an interest in the work, to liquidate this debt. It was not, however, till 1829, that there appeared a balance in hand. To a society who, as a body, could not boast of opulence, this was naturally a subject of much pleasure. The pecuniary and personal aid of their benevolent minister, had been rendered with cheerfulness and alacrity; and he heartily sympathized with them in the final accomplishment of their design. It was a fit occasion for the exercise of the best social feelings. Mutual congratulations were blended with ardent thankfulness to God; and the account of the various donations and subscriptions were closed with the following memorandum.