27 From Grace to Glory 1808

28 - FROM GRACE TO GLORY l808 FOR a long time it had been evident that the separation of Mr. Randall’s soul from his feeble body could only be a matter of a few months at the longest. The most of his remaining days can be regarded as only the last flickerings of a candle in its socket.

Mr. Randall regarded it as a special dispensation of grace that he was able to preach on the first Sabbath of the year, which he did from John 4:24, 26, and 29. The reaction necessitated his keeping his room for a few days. But he recovered strength enough to visit Alton, where he was caught in a violent storm and his return was impeded by snow-drifts. The following transcript is made from his journal of January seventeenth: At the house of God in much feebleness yet the Spirit raised me up to speak from Luke 17:32. A solemn scene. Returned home in great weakness. At the February Monthly Meeting in New Durham, while the brethren were enjoying . a good season at the church, Mr. Randall says: In my home confinement I felt moved to make a new surrender of myself to the Lord. Had I a thousand such souls as mine, I could trust them all with the Lord Jesus. On the last day of February, which was the Sabbath, he was a little better, though very weak. He recorded: Was carried by sleigh to God’s house and spoke awhile, but was so overcome that with difficulty I was gotten home. The matter of his material support during these months of physical decline is worthy of more than passing notice. He was a good financial manager, and during his effective years, by close calculation and economy, from the products of his little farm, and the benevolence of the people whom he served, he had succeeded in comfortably supporting his family. And now that his ability as a breadwinner had failed, it is interesting to note how some of his favorite texts of Scripture had illustration. Among these was: " Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." Also this, " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

Without human prearrangement, people at Sandwich, New Hampton, Portsmouth, and other parts of the State, made up loads of provisions, consisting of everything needful for family consumption, which were delivered at the door of the Randall house, each arriving when its contents was most needed. One of these loads was collected and delivered by two enterprising women who lived many leagues to the northwest of New Durham. When possible, Mr. Randall would be up, studying the Scriptures, writing, visiting, or doing whatever might seem most likely to promote the greatest good. During this last year the burden of his heart, with that of Paul, was " the care of all the churches." As the May Quarterly Meeting approached, though in feebleness and suffering, he prepared his final address to the brethren. It manifests his mental vigor and spiritual devotion, and his abiding interest in all that could make for the welfare of the churches. It is as interesting as it is long, so long that only selected portions can here be given. It is noteworthy that in this last written message he still holds to the simple name-to his heart so dear-baptist. new durham, N. H., May 18, 1808. To the Baptist Quarterly Meeting to hold at Andover, N.H. My very dear Brethren and Friends:

I thank God that, as a disciple of Jesus, I am permitted once more to write you. May the God of grace manifest his presence and power in your assembly and roll the weight of his cause upon your souls. May your meeting together be more than simply to salute each other, rejoice together, pray, praise, preach, and go home happy. It may properly be all this, but it should be more, much more! My dear brethren in the ministry, you are precious in the sight of the Lord, and exceedingly precious to my soul. I know your work is great. I know your trials are many-within and without. You greatly fear that you will not do your work aright and agreeable to the mind of God. You go to it with trembling in view of its greatness and your own weakness. But be not discouraged. The Lord will stand by you and give you strength equal to your day. Only trust in him and he will be all you want or need in every state.

I must here set my seal to this point. I have been in the ministry of God’s word thirty-one years last March, and have ever found him, in every state, all I needed. And bless his wonder-working name, he is that to me at the present moment! His grace is everything in sickness and in health. How wonderfully has that grace been displayed to me during my long, tedious confinement! It has made my prison a palace. I have never had one moment of discontent or impatience. Neither have I thought the time long. But I have had such overpowering manifestations of God’s love that I could not contain them.

I am more and more confirmed in the doctrines which the Lord gave me to preach. I remain strong in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am sitting and waiting for whatever the will of my Father may be, and I know he will do all things right.

Ye ministers of Jesus, how happy is your lot! How glorious your reward! Not only hereafter, but here! Never utter a complaining word. Why, there is no other such a state attainable this side of glory! No state so heavenly as that of a minister of Jesus Christ! What a heaven of heavens it is! How is my soul enraptured when calling to mind the glorious scenes I have enjoyed in my ministry! This is reward enough for wearing out a thousand lives, were they as long as the longest that ever lived.

Cheer up! Cheer up! Ye poor, yet rich; ye weak, yet strong; ye trembling, yet valiant ministers of Jesus. Wear out in the cause and rejoice in the privilege!

Saints, arise, shine! Hold on and hold out! I will soon meet you in glory. Pray for your unworthy brother. I die, your servant for Jesus’ sake, benjamin randall.

During the next five months Mr. Randall was not only confined to his house, but for the most part to his bed. He received many visitors, and religious services were occasionally held at his home, much to the edification of his soul, ready to receive as to impart some spiritual gift. A few hours before his death the Lord gave him strength for a brief space, so that he talked, prayed, and praised God loud enough to be heard in an adjoining room. Then followed a relapse, from which he rallied only enough to whisper, " My soul is full of Jesus. I long to depart." Here his strength failed again, and we may fittingly allow Pope to express, in substance, what he might have said:

Vital spark of heavenly flame, Quit, oh, quit this mortal frame;

Trembling, hoping, lingering, flying"- Oh, the pain, the bliss of dying! The world recedes; it disappears;

Heaven opens on my eyes; my ears With sounds seraphic ring;

Lend, lend your wings; I mount, I fly! 0 grave, where is thy victory?

0 death, where is thy sting? At two o’clock in the morning’ of October 22, 1808, the white soul of Benjamin Randall went out and up. This was on Monday, and the funeral occurred four days later. Rev. John Buzzell, the one chosen to conduct the services, says: " Mr. Randall settled all his temporal concerns, made every arrangement in respect to his funeral, indicated the man to preach the sermon, and ’ planned the order of the procession." The host present at the funeral was as I reminder one of the most largely attended Yearly Meetings at New Durham. Mr. Buzzell announced his text from 2 Timothy 4:7-8 : "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Seventeen ordained ministers were present. Six, the oldest, served as bearers. One walked with the widow. The other ten took their places next to the relatives, as mourners. In the rear of these the local church-members fell into line. Then followed Mr. Randall’s physicians. Next, all civil and military officers present. Finally, citizens in general. These aggregated a very long procession, forcibly reminding one of the event described in Acts 8:2 : " And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him."

Mr. Randall’s wife survived him till May 12, 1826. They had eight children: Robert Oram, Mary Shannon, Benjamin Walton, Margaretta Frederica, Ursula, William, Joanna, and Henry Alien.

There can be no more fitting closing of this chapter than a transcript of a record found in the "Free Baptist Cyclopedia ":

September 14, 1859, the plain marble slab that marked the resting-place of Benjamin Randall was replaced by a beautiful monument of Italian marble, erected by the denomination. Over one thousand persons listened to the impressive religious services at the dedication.

He sleeps amid the beauties of nature. Pleasant fields are all around. The wind in the forest at the southeast chants a requiem; a rivulet southwest glides peacefully along, and all day long the sun rests graciously a upon that hilltop.