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ittisccllaurous:REV. w. S. SEDWICK.W. H. Bulkley. Louisville, un earnest I worker iu the Sunday School cause, has written a sketch of the life of the lamented W. S. Sedwick.As Mr. Sedwick was so dearly loved and esteemed by the children of Kentucky, we j * take pleasure in transferrring to our columns the short sketch referred to.The suggestion of a monument to the memory of Mr. Sedwick, will, we are persuaded, meet with a cordial endorsement from thousands of children whose hearts have been made glad by this energetic and wholcsouled friend, who has passed from this, to the better world.Kev. W. S. Sedwick was hern in Zanesville, Ohio. May 24th, 1830. His father, Rev George C. Sedwick, a native of Virginia, was for many years pastor of a flourishing Baptist Church at Paris, Ky.. where the subject of this memoir passed the great er part of his boyhood. His mother was a devoted and active Christian. Our ac-?ount of William in his younger years, is that he was a wild little boy, restless, uu-easy and impatient of restraiut, yet at the same time we learn that he was siugulnrly warm hearted and affectionate. At the age of fifteen, to use his own language he made up his mind that they were little too religious at home, so he bundled up a few clothes and ran away. Our next account | ol him was, that he had reached New Orleans ou a flat boat and was with his older brother George, who was in business in that city. While there George died of yellow fever and to his dying message “Tell my mother 1 died trusting in Jesus, Wil liain always ascribed his conversion. lie soon became home-sick and returned to his father s house, and five mouths after he united with the Church at Zanesville. We find him this early in his religious life consecrating himself to he work of Foreigu Missions. At the age of 21 he had charge of several Uuion S. S. But notwithstanding his labors at home, his heart yearned for the perishing millions in foreign fields, and to go to China was the principle aim of his life. After laboring a time in the Howard Mission in New York City, he became a missionary ot the American Sunday School I nion for Kentucky, and while thus engaged he offered himself to the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions at Boston. They not feeling justified in removing Tim from a field of usefulness to which he was so well adapted, persuaded him to remain. In the Spring of 1864 he began his labors for the Baptist General Association in Kentucky, and continued iu the work to the day of his death, which sad event, was no doubt hastened by his unceasing labors—yet ‘that life is long which answers life's great end.There are many beautiful incidents connected with Mr. Sedwick s last illness which are touching and interesting. Mrs. S. writes :“On Wednesday afternoon he was lying in our bed and as he fell asleep, I went out and left him for a little while. When I returned he was lying on Kimmie's little bed and seemed to be in an intense excitement and trembled from head to foot, I asked, “Why Will, what is the matter?1 Why did you get up and come here? “0, said he, “I hardly know where I am yet.'' He said he awoke iu the greatest excitement—got up before he knew it and fell on to the trundle bed. He had been dream-ing that he was at a W orld's Sunday School 1 Convention and there wa« a great crowd and great interest, and be had been making an address. Just as he awoke they were presenting him with a crown or wreath in token of their regard for him and it so excited him that he trembled for hours.He died in Bardstown, Ky.,Sept. 20th, 1866. “His record is on high.” It ha* been suggested by a friend that probably the 7000 Try readers would lt;*ach like tc contribute AT least a Dime towards erecting a monument to his memory, which shall at the same time keep in mind the value of the Try movement which has already enliatcd readers in fifteen different States, and which might readily and profitably be extended over the whole country.Any such contributions sent to the undersigned will be appropriated to that object. WM.ILBTLKLKY.
Newspaper Details
Shelbyville Shelby Sentinel
Shelbyville, Kentucky, US
Wed, Feb 20, 1867
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Brenda B.
NA, 02 May 2025
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