Sustain & Maintain – Prop – Brace – Uphold

In her time – like ours – Christianity was practiced but not often lived.

As a young girl she attended church services with her parents and often imagined that the deacon looked like a gigantic robin and his singing just confirmed the impression.

She was entertained by the silent and ‘creepy’ way the minister would mysteriously enter and exit the pulpit; she knew he came and went through a door, but her imagination was engaged.  I think she day-dreamed…  a lot.

At first sight…

Then, when she was 21, she saw a new preacher  – a young guy from the country who was only 19 years old – enter that pulpit.  She didn’t approve of the way he spoke – his style was very different from every other pastor.  She was not impressed.

Here’s how she described her first encounter with this young man:

It is a mercy that our lives are not left for us to plan, but that our Father chooses for us; else might we sometimes turn away from our best blessings, and put from us the choicest and loveliest gifts of His providence.

For, if the whole truth be told, I was not at all fascinated by the young orator’s eloquence, while his countrified manner and speech excited more regret than reverence.

Alas, for my vain and foolish heart! I was not spiritually-minded enough to understand his earnest presentation of the Gospel and his powerful pleading with sinners; – but the huge, black satin stock, the long badly-trimmed hair, and the blue pocket handkerchief with white spots… – these attracted most of my attention and I fear awakened some feelings of amusement.

Susannah noticed his clothes (including a hideous blue polka-dotted handkerchief) and countrified appearance – and didn’t take him seriously!   However, he remained at the church she attended and became the pastor.  He drew crowds of people because of his new style of preaching.

A desire grows…

As time went by, she began to realize she wasn’t taking her faith seriously – but rather was leading an indifferent life.  She referred to her faith as “back-sliding” and longed to have a deeper understanding.

She sought help and expressed her desire to friends who worked in the Sunday School. Perhaps it was because they had a close relationship with the new pastor, and told him, this popular young fellow gave Susannah a gift.

The gift from this young pastor was a book – Pilgrim’s Progress – and he inscribed it like this:

Miss Thompson – with desires for her progress in the blessed pilgrimage …

This young preacher had taken the big city they lived in by storm – he became so popular that at each service all the seats were filled.

Susannah filled one of those seats.  And she grew in her faith – her belief in Jesus, and her ability to understand and apply scripture to her life.  To this end she sought to be baptized.

Their friendship also grew.

At the opening of a popular building, they sat together with a group of friends.  He pointed to a passage in a book he was reading and asked her opinion:

The pointing finger guided my eyes to the chapter… “On Marriage” ,

of which the opening sentences ran thus:

‘Seek a good wife of thy God, for she is the best gift of His providence…

and then this young man – a preacher – and friend, whispered into her ear:

Do you pray for him who is to be your husband?

Their love was kindled.

Two months later – they became engaged.

Then an attitude adjusting event occurred in Susannah Thompson’s life…

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To be continued…

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So sorry to lead you on – but the story of this young woman’s life and her support of her husband for the next 40 years, was just too large to tell in one blog post!

Can you guess who this woman was?  (Yes, she’s dead.)

I’ll give you a few clues:

1. She spent her life in England.
2. She had two children – twins.
3. The “fund” she developed still exists today.

So far, we know that she was able to support her husband because she first had the desire to deepen her faith in God, and grew in knowledge of scripture, and in having an understanding of faith.  This faith sustained her supportive attitude all through their marriage.

I’ll continue tomorrow!  (It’s a great story!)