Obituary Mrs Price and Mrs Conway 1848

These obituaries for his sisters-in-law appeared in The Baptist Magazine for January, 1849

RECENT DEATHS.

MRS. C. PRICE AND MRS. A. CONWAY.

 

These truly pious and excellent females, born in the town of Abergavenny, were two sisters, daughters of the late Mr. John and Mrs. Elizabeth Harris of Govilon, near the said town. Mrs. Price was the wife of the Rev. Joseph Price, some years ago pastor of the baptist church at Alcester; now of the baptist church at Middleton Cheney, Northamptonshire. Mrs. Conway was the relict of the late Mr. John Conway, tin-plate manufacturer, Pontrhydyrhyn, in the county of Monmouth.

Mrs. Price was the elder sister, and she finished her course on the second day of last May; and Mrs. Conway, the younger, terminated her pilgrimage below on the ninth day of March immediately preceding. They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not far sundered. On the paternal side they were descended from a long line of ancestors in this county, of staunch nonconforming principles, and of the baptist denomination; persons, in their day, that ranked amongst the more influential and respectable connected with their religious persuasion. Their great-grandfather, Mr. John Harry, was minister of the baptist church at Blaunagwent in Monmouthshire, a very old interest. He died in 1737, aged 63. Their grandfather, Mr. Morgan Harry, the son of John Harry, was also a minister at the Blauna, and died in 1746. He was the father of Mr. John Harris of Govilon, and of a posthumous son named Morgan after his father, which son was called to the work of the ministry, studied at the Bristol academy, and became assistant pastor at Llanwenarth, where he honourably ended his days, both as a Christian and a minister about sixty years since. The elder brother, Mr. John Harris, who changed the family name from Harry to Harris, was a man of great worth, both as a citizen and a follower of the Saviour. He was a member and a deacon of the baptist church in Frogmore Street chapel, Abergavenny, from nearly its commencement to the close of his valuable life in 1819, aged 75 yean. Mrs. Harris also, whose praise was in all the churches, and who had been a member of the church at Llanwenarth from her early youth, transferred her communion to the church at Abergavenny, in fellowship with which she happily died in 1835. Her father, the venerable Mr. Caleb Harries, for so spelled he his name, was an assistant preacher, and the highly respectable and revered pastor of the baptist church at Llanwenarth, for about half a century. He died in 1792, aged 77 years.

So paternally and maternally were the two sistcrs, the subjects of this imperfect and inadequate sketch, descended, and in their day and generation they proved themselves worthy of their parents and progenitors.

Some four or five and forty years ago, the sisters opened a ladies' school at Bristol, when Mrs. Price, then Miss Catharine Harris, was baptized at Broadmead, and became a member of the Broadmead church, at that time under the pastorate of the eminent Dr. Hyland. But in 1809 or 1810, they left Bristol, returned to Abergavenny, their native town, and conducted their seminary there. Miss C. Harris, soon after this change of locality, was dismissed from the Broadmead to the Abergavenny church, with which she continued in full fellowship till her marriage, and consequent removal to Alcester. During that interval her career was one of exemplary piety and usefulness. Every way she could, she was prompt to serve and advance the cause of the Redeemer, then in its infant state. The recollection of her lovely countenance, affable mien, superior understanding, holy life, energetic zeal, and sisterly condescension to her inferiors, is still deeply infixed in the minds of the comparatively small number of her once delighted associates that now survive, to cherish sweetly, and with freshness, the remembrance of her distinguished Christian virtues. Nor did she decline or decay in the vigour, value, and lustre of her character and religious profession, as she accomplished her pilgrimage and went down the declivity of life; but her path being that of the emphatically just, it shone more and more unto the perfect day. Her domestic bereavements she pungently felt, yet meekly and patiently endured, knowing that He whose prerogative it was to give, had likewise an undisputed right to take away. Besides, her own personal afflictions for some years prior to her lamented decease were numerous and severe. But she knew whom she had believed, and was fully persuaded that he was able to keep that which she had committed unto him against that day. She felt perfectly satisfied, that however mysterious and inscrutable many of his ways may appear, they were not only righteous, but also kindly designed and wisely ordered. When her flesh was wasted away, and the voice of the heavenly Bridegroom summoned her to go forth to meet him, she, having her lamp trimmed and her light burning, readily obeyed the call, in perfect peace resigned her spirit into his hands, and thus softly languished into life. But having for the last four and thirty years resided at so great a distance from this neighbourhood, and visiting the place only occasionally, the writer considers himself very incompetent to do justice to her worth.

Mrs. Conway, on the contrary, having been three and thirty years a member of the church over which, from its commencement in April, 1807, he has presided, comes more directly and extensively within the range and sphere of his observation. She, and her excellent partner in life, with seven others, were baptized by him, and received into the church, March 19th, 1815. In August, 1821, Mr. Conway, whose health had for some time been precarious, was rather suddenly called away, leaving seven fatherless children, the eldest about ten years of age, and the youngest a little infant, to the charge of his deeply distressed widow. But she was a woman that, on various grounds, rose much above mediocrity. Her strength of mind and abilities were of a high order, her education liberal and paramount, and her mental culture, which had been her pursuit from the early morning of life, placed her far in advance of the greater portion of her sex. Charitable and expanded in her religious views, yet strictly evangelical, she was prepared to make every allowance for obliquities incidental to the perverse influence of popular opinion, educational prejudice, and human infirmity. Nevertheless, she was not this, that, anything, or everything, which now, alas! seems pretty much to become the fashion amongst those even that are loud and clamorous in their profession of dissenting principles. Their easier aping of conformity in habiliments, architecture, and forms of worship, had no charm in her estimation. Her vast reading had familiarized her with history, both secular and ecclesiastical; and she was a fervid admirer of the illustrious founders of dissent, the puritans and nonconformists, who bravely purchased the precious pearl of British freedom, civil and religious, at the expense of all things terrestrial, dear to mortals, yes, of life itself, and whom nothing, either formidable or seductive, could intimidate or tempt to merge their distinctive sentiments and practice into that semi-conformity and nonconformity, which at present place multitudes of our contemporaries, baptists and independents, in the anomalous position of those of whom it is thus recorded: "Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people. Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him."

Mrs. Conway was too decided and elevated in her religious and nonconforming principles, to sympathize and symbolize with this unnatural blending, compromise, and degeneracy. Uniform and consistent in principle, profession, and practice, she, as she believed, spoke. In other words, principle was the basis and reason of practice; and practice was the fruit, illustration, and evidence of principle. As willing to give as to take, she duly appreciated the conscientious scruples of those that differed from her in creed, rituals, and observances. But she felt it a commanding duty to be consistent with her own avowed profession.

The following remarks concerning her valuable character and life, presented by the writer to a large assembly in her funeral sermon, may not be incongruously but befittingly, introduced in this place. Having glanced at the world's fallacious estimate of character, dignity, and worth, and adverted to nature's bountiful gifts in her case, together with her improvement of those bestowments, and her superior literary acquirements, he added, "These, my friends, were not the only - no, not the chief accomplishments of Mrs. Conway. She was a genuine, a thinking, a zealous, a working, a useful, and a hallowed Christian. Not such in name only, not such by education only but such in deed and in truth. Deep and energetic were her cherished feelings of interest in the advancement of the cause of Christ at home and abroad. When, many years since, the ladies of England adopted measures to raise the character, and meliorate the state, of the oppressed and degraded females of India, by means of female education, she soon joined their ranks, and participated in the toils of their noble enterprize. Beneath her auspices, and through her exertions, a Monmouthshire School for female education was originated and was opened in Bengal, and as long as her health and strength admitted, our excellent friend was its untiring advocate and zealous promoter in her native county. Her pen, her influence, and her personal endeavours, were all made subservient to the praiseworthy object.

Singular to observe, this very day three and thirty years, 1 had the privilege to baptize and receive into the church, my highly valued sister, with her alike valued husband; and though residing at the distance of twelve miles from Abergavenny, she continued her membership with us, and generally on ordinance days we enjoyed her truly delighting fellowship.

Just twenty-one years after she joined us, she became a permanent resident of our neighbourhood; and the last twelve years of her life, and of her sojourn with us, were years of much usefulness, and to numbers, of great enjoyment. In her departure, her surviving relatives have indeed lost a friend »nd a counsellor, the church in this place a pillar, the poor a benefactress, our British school, missionary cause, and other interests, a cheerful supporter. But you need not be told the virtues and excellencies of the deceased. You have witnessed them, you have read them in her holy and devoted life.

She went down to the grave under circumstances of dire bodily sufferings. Once in her conflict with the harbingers of death, she said to the writer, 'I want more faith.' Yet her faith and hope firmly grasped the Rock of ages. And having fought a good fight, finished her course, and kept the faith, whilst her happy spirit has joined the spirits of just men made perfect, her body rests on the soft pillows of the sepulchre, till the Lord her Redeemer descends in the clouds, and bids her come away. O that with her, we may be found on his right hand in the day of doom!"

Thus the two loving and pious sisters, Mrs. Price and Mrs. Conway, ran the Christian race, and reached the goal. "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!"

Micah Thomas. Abergavenny, Dec. 8, 1848.

Obituary John Harris 1821

This obituary appeared in the Baptist Magazine in June 1821.
Harris was Thomas's second  father-in-law

Mr. John Harris, of endeared memory, and descended from pious ancestors, was born in the parish of Mynyddyslwyn, in the county of Monmouth, on the 12th of March, 1745. His grandfather, of the same name with himself, and his father, whose name was Morgan Harris, were successively ministers of the Baptist church at Blaune Gwent, in the above county; and after faithfully serving their God and generation, fell asleep in Jesus; the former, December 1737, and the latter, February 1746, aged forty-two years.

The subject of this brief Memoir was the eldest son of Mr. M. Harris. He had a brother of the name of Morgan, a posthumous son, who joined the Baptist church at Lanwenarth near Abergavenny, and afterwards became an assistant minister of that church. This excellent man died on the 6th of April, 1790, in the forty-third year of his age, and was buried at Lanwenarth.

Mr. J. Harris having first availed himself of a good education, went to the metropolis, where he resided, and attended to business for a considerable time. At length returning to his native country, in the year 1771, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Harris, a daughter of the Rev. Caleb Harris, the then sole pastor of the church at Lanwenarth. This venerable and valuable minister of the gospel finished his course with joy, May 27, 1792, aged seventy-seven years.

Thus on all sides our worthy and lamented friend, Mr. John Harris, was surrounded with the excellent of the earth. And we may safely add, that few men, if any, were more felicitous in their choice and lot as to a companion for life, than he was. By Mrs. Harris he had a large family, all of whom, excepting the eldest son, survive him, to deplore the loss of a most tender, kind, and affectionate father. Mr. Harris had the happiness to see five of his daughters become members of different Baptist churches; and his joy on the occasion was great. May they emulate the excellencies of their pious progenitors, and be the constant imitators of them in their devotedness to God!

Our friend having commenced business in the town of Abergavenny, his house became the mansion of kindness and hospitality to the ministers and followers of Christ; and as few equalled him in his munificence, none exceeded him in the justice, honour, and liberality which marked and distinguished his dealings and transactions. He was a man of the most genuine integrity and rectitude; and not less assiduous, accurate, and steady was he in his attendance on the worship of God, than equitable and conscientious as a member of civil society. Nevertheless, singular as it may appear, this good man did not make a public profession of religion till after the Baptist Academy, in 1807, was established in Abergavenny, and, in consequence, a Baptist church was raised and organized there. Though he might be mistaken, and out of the way of his duty, in this omission, yet we doubt not he had reasons which appeared to him sufficiently Important to justify his conduct. On the 12th of July, the above year, in the sixty-third of his age, adorned with that crown of glory which a hoary head found in the way of righteousness furnishes, and in the presence of all bis family, and of a numerous assembly of delighted spectators, he cheerfully descended into the watery grave, and was buried with Christ in baptism. The same day he was received into the little infant church at Abergavenny, consisting then of only ten members; and in a short time after he was elected a deacon of the church.

Nature had endued the deceased with superior capacities, which being matured and expanded by education, reflection, and the knowledge of the world, prepared and qualified him for much usefulness. Hence, contemplating Mr. Harris in his neighbourhood, and as a man that was anxious to do good to all around, we behold him moving in an important sphere, and acting a valuable part. We find him abounding in every labour and office of kindness towards those that needed his sympathy, assistance, and advice. His great condescension to his inferiors in rank, his charity to the indigent, his tenderness lo the afflicted, and his ability and readiness to give profitable counsel in difficult cases, raised him in point of real worth far above his equals, yea, superiors, in worldly affluence. Truly, the breach which the death of such a diameter has occasioned, will not be easily repaired.

Viewing him in his family and amongst his domestics, the affectionate husband, the tender father, and the kind master, present themselves to our attention, in all their endearing and amiable characteristics. And as a friend, his benevolence, affability, and faithfulness, stamped the most pleasing and indelible impressions. All that came into contact with him, were instantly and forcibly struck with the excellence of the man, and could neither conceal their feelings, nor withhold the sentiments of admiration.

But Mr. Harris was the truly pious character, whose heart and life were most unfeignedly and unreservedly consecrated to the service of God; whose delight was in his ways and worship; and whose conduct and conversation redounded to his glory. His solemn regard for the doctrines of divine truth, profound humility before God, deep veneration for his legislative authority, exact obedience to his commands and ordinances, ancient zeal for his cause and honour, and condescending, loving, and engaging deportment in his church, were exemplary and pre-eminent. He was as accessible to the poorest member, as he was to those of superior circumstances and station; and his marked respect and esteem for his pastor, bis friendly visits, inquiries, and attentions when affliction prevailed, together with his unwavering and unshaken fidelity in the day of trial and defection, are still sweet recollections, and cannot be obliterated from the mind of the writer whilst memory and breath remain!" A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Truly such a character was the deceased.

Besides, he was remarkable for his tenderness to those that Inquired the way to Zion, fellow feeling with the tried and distressed, and forbearance towards such as might be overtaken in a fault. Still his benignity and long-suffering never degenerated into sinful connivance, and a disregard for proper and necessary discipline. Whenever he beheld his Saviour wounded in the house of his friends, with him there were great searchings of heart, and he evinced the strongest anxiety for purging out the old leaven of sin. Thus the exalted properties and perfections of mercy and justice, were combined and harmonized in his spirit and conduct. Yet it is not intended nor attempted to hold him forth as a spotless, perfect individual. Our worthy friend had his infirmities, as none in the present state are exempt from imperfections. But so few and venial were they, that they were as soon forgotten as discovered, by those that surrounded him.

Mr. Harris in his person was above the ordinary size, and possessed a noble constitution. His countenance was sweetly placid, and his mien uncommonly dignified and majestic. Though he had arrived to his seventy-fifth year when the summons to call him hence was executed, yet time, the consumer of all things, had comparatively made but a slight impression upon his fine aspect. The hope could not be deemed extravagant, when his family and friends indulged the pleasing expectation that his valuable life might be protracted to a remoter period. But the bourne is fixed, and beyond it mortals cannot pass. And it appears that in his fine fabric the subtle enemy had for some time lain in ambush, and was secretly accomplishing bis undermining operations. His repose at night was greatly impaired, and he frequently complained of inward debility and dejection; but being rather nervous in his feelings, we all flattered ourselves with the fond hope that he supposed his health much worse than it really was. Our calculations, however, were mistaken, whilst his were correct and true. The writer having occasion to pass by his lovely and) friendly habitation the last time he had the pleasure of seeing him, and but six days before his departure, met him in the way near his house. Inquiring how he was he complained of being poorly, but appeared much the same as usual. Affectionately parting with each other, little was it thought by either that this was to be the final farewell on earth: but so it proved, and the remembrance of it still creates a very sensible degree of sorrowful emotion. O my brother, exceedingly pleasant wast thou to me!

The next day, taking an unusual, and something like an ominous leave of his affectionate family, he set off to see two of his daughters, one living at the distance of twelve, and the other of thirty miles from his abode. This was on the Wednesday afternoon, 25th of August, 1819. That evening he seemed tolerably well, and the next day was remarkably cheerful and lively. Proceeding on his journey, he arrived at the close of it comfortably, not expecting that he had reached the scene of conflict with the last enemy. After a short season, finding himself growing unwell, medical aid was resorted to. But, alas! on the following Monday evening, about nine o'clock, the endearing tie subsisting between him and his family and 'friends, was burst asunder, in the rupture of that which united the body and the soul. His happy and immortal spirit escaped from a world of sin and affliction, to the glorious mansions of interminable and indefectible bliss.—And as he had been pious and devoted to God in his life, he was tranquil, composed, and fearless, in death. When asked how he felt, his repeated answers were, "Quite happy! Quite happy !"—" Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace."

Thus on the 30th of August, 1819, expired Mr. John Harris, a great and a really good man; but the loss and chasm which his death has produced, both in the church and the vicinity, have not hitherto been repaired, nor, it is to be feared, soon will be. However, our loss was his eternal gain. Let us be followers of him, as he was of Christ.

Micah Thomas.

Abergavenny, April 11,1821.

Obituary Sophia Thomas nee Wall

The following obituary appeared in the Baptist Magazine in 1829

MRS. SOPHIA THOMAS.

On the 21st day of April, 1829, and in the 74th year of her age, died at Abergavenny, deeply and deservedly regretted, Mrs. Sophia Thomas, wife of the Rev. Micah Thomas, Baptist minister, and Tutor of the Academy in that town. This excellent woman was a native of Herefordshire, and had been an humble, unostentatious, and unblemished follower of the Redeemer during a pilgrimage of forty-three years. She was originally a valuable member of the church at Ryeford, near Ross, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. J. Williams, late of Kingstanley, Gloucestershire, by whom she was baptized; but in the commencement of the year 1807, she and her husband removed to Abergavenny, he being invited and having engaged to preside over the Institution then formed and established there, and still continuing beneath his direction and superintendence. Nor should it be concealed, but to her lasting honour recorded, that the very useful seminary just averted to, owes more to Mrs. Thomas's superior management and wise economy than can easily be calculated. She was truly one of that distinguished class, who fully exemplify the life and character of the virtuous woman, so sublimely delineated by Solomon. Besides, in her religious profession, lowliness of mind, genuine sincerity, sheer integrity, and strong practical attachment to the house and ordinances of God, were prominent features; whilst pompous show and rain parade, and that Pharisaical attracting of human observation and applause, which are the blemishes of numbers in the present day, never deteriorated from her intrinsic worth. And as she prosecuted, so she terminated her religious course; "quietly waiting for the salvation of the Lord."

Her Bible, for many years, had been her daily, intimate, and endeared companion; and with peculiar interest did she peruse different publications, especially the justly admired works of that extraordinary man, Andrew Fuller. Though sometimes tears, indicative of doubt and apprehension, nevertheless of honest piety - snuffed at indeed by the high-notioned and presumptuous - suffused her cheeks, yet, with the illustrious Carey, she could say, "My hope is in his mercy." Leaning on this prop, the only one which even that pre-eminent saint and missionary seems able and disposed to claim, she, notwithstanding her previous fears, met the last enemy with enviable composure, and a countenance unusually and delightfully placid. Thus when the moment decreed by heaven arrived, she, amidst the sympathies of encompassing relations, yielded up the ghost, and softly "languished into life."

On the following Lord's day evening her lamented death was improved by the Rev. David Phillips of Caerleon, from Job. xix. 29. to a numerous audience.

An obscure website here appears to show that Sophia Wall (1755-1829) was born Sophia Pritchard and first married Levi Wall (1754-1800) in 1778. He died in 1800. The first marriage appears to have produced two girls, Mary and Ann.