Rebecca Steward inherited a delicate constitution; but, notwithstanding, the superiority of her intellect so husbanded the physical strength, as to enable her in her mental achievements to compensate for a weak body. Her mind seized upon thoughts with marvelous facility; and religious thoughts were the permeating influence that flowed continually through her life. Her influence has been left upon all who came in contact with her; and her influences were constantly on the side of her divine Master, from whose inspired Book she drew the web and woof of her most remarkable and impressive conversations; and she seemed to have relied implicitly upon the words: "Open thy mouth and I will fill it." Unassuming in all she did; free to give expression to her thoughts; steadfast in faith; with such an abundance of those qualities that adorn humanity, that we cannot enumerate them; she was one of those of whom the world is not worthy; and therefore, God took her from the evil to come.
Dear reader, in the life and character of this beloved Christian woman, we have a most happy illustration of Christian faith and practice.
In it all the Christian graces are seen to shine most conspicuously. I repeat, in her life the Christian graces of faith, hope and charity, or the love of God and humanity, had a most happy illustration.
Go thou and do likewise, and God shall reward thee as He rewarded her.
May the grace of God enable thee so to do, is the prayer of thy friend and brother,
JABEZ P. CAMPBELL.
Philadelphia, Pa.,
August 20th, 1877.
MY RECOLLECTIONS OF Rebecca Steward,
BY PROFESSOR B. F. LEE,
President of Wilberforce University.
Among the persons earliest and dearest in my recollections is she, whose name stands at the head of this article.
In my childhood, I associated her with my highest ideas of perfection; in my youth, I looked upon her as one especially interested in my well-being and well-doing; in my manhood I knew her to be a devoted Christian, who was always anxious for all men to know Christ and to keep His commandments, and I never thought otherwise than that she was praying for my success. This has often stimulated me to perseverence and hope in good works, while it has kept me from many snares.
My aunt had an aptness in dealing with and managing children, which made them feel easy in her presence; rendered her instructions impressive, her society agreeable, her manners attractive, and her authority respectable to them.
She possessed a form, general appearance and features, which would have given grace and honor to any position ever filled by woman; while she possessed a native intellect, which had reached that state of culture in which human life appears to best advantage, and which, had she sought it, would have admitted her to the higher circles of life.
Her ideas of life and things were clear, reasonable and definite; while her appreciation of the worth and object of life was highly philosophic and Christian. She always breathed the purest atmosphere her circumstances and state admitted. It seemed to me that no one could soar higher upon the strength of similar conditions than she. It is one of the finest points in the philosophy of life, to know where to place the lever in order to gain the greatest advantage of the weight, this she seemed to me to nearly always know, and, consequently to carry the burdens of life with comparative ease.