The Life And Testimony Of H. Scandrett
Gospel Standard 1859:
Some of the readers of the “Gospel Standard” knew and heard the late Mr. Scandrett, who was for many years the beloved pastor of the church of Christ at Godmanchester, and to them it will be interesting to learn a few particulars of the experience and death of his aged widow, who departed this life on the 25th of August, 1858, aged 91 years. Her daughter has furnished me with a short account of her dear mother, and I think I cannot do better than send it to you almost in her own words. At the same time I would bear testimony to her truly Christian walk and conversation ever since I knew her and have had the privilege of visiting her, embracing a period of more than 14 years. I was in the room at the time of her death, and as I sat by her bedside, and witnessed the peaceful solemn scene before me, my heart’s desire and prayer was, May my last end be like hers. Without a struggle or a sigh she gently breathed her last.
Her daughter says, “It is some time since I heard my dear mother relate the commencement of a work of grace upon her soul. It was, as near as I can remember, when she was about 18 years of age when she was first convinced of sin. At this time she was forcibly struck with these words in the 17th chapter of John’s Gospel: ‘I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine.’ These words sank deep into her soul and caused her great distress. She knew and felt herself to be a sinner in the sight of a holy God, and consequently thought she could not be interested in the Redeemer’s prayer; nay, she felt herself excluded by it.
“From a child she had been accustomed to attend a place of worship, and now she was more than ever diligent and strict in her endeavors to wait upon the Lord. In this state she continued for some years; at times cheered with a little hope, and then again in the old spot, sunk in despondency and wretchedness. The Lord at length, in his infinite mercy, appeared for her, and spoke peace to her troubled soul. It was while hearing a discourse preached from these words in the Song of Solomon: ‘He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.’ This was a never-to-be-forgotten time of love to her, and for some weeks she rejoiced in the Lord as her Saviour. Her doubts and fears were all gone, and indeed she thought she should never doubt any more; but in this she was sadly mistaken, for the dear Lord was about to try the faith which he had in rich mercy bestowed. She was indeed tried, being the subject of doubts and fears for more than 70 years; but the last nine months of her life she was highly favored, and she proved the truth of that word, ‘at eventide it shall be light.’
“Heavy and unexpected trials of a temporal nature came upon her, and, although she was enabled to bear them in such a patient and submissive spirit as to excite the surprise of her friends, yet she herself said she felt such rebellion working within as caused her great distress of soul. This precious promise, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,’ was at this time made sweet to her, and she found by experience the truth of it. This so supported and comforted her that she knew what it was to rejoice in the midst of tribulation. She was especially tried in reference to her family, being the mother of ten children, out of which number only two survived her; yet she was enabled to say with Job, ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’
“For the last six years of her life she was unable to read, as her sight failed, and this was a great trial to her, as she was particularly fond of reading, but no great talker. The Lord’s goodness in measure made up this deficiency, by bringing to her remembrance many sweet portions of the word, and it was really wonderful to hear her refer to different passages of Scripture and repeat them. Even during the last few weeks of her life she would not only repeat various sweet promises, but could for the most part tell me where to find them. About nine months before her death she had a special blessing from the Lord. These words dropped with much sweetness on her soul: ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him.’ (Lam. 3:24.) At this time we thought her end very near, as her bodily weakness was so great, but it pleased the Lord to restore her so far that she was enabled once more to come down stairs. On this she seemed much disappointed, as she said she thought the Lord was about to take her home. After this she experienced great darkness, which lasted many days. She would repeat the words of Job (7:3.): Wearisome nights are appointed to me.’ On one of these occasions I said to her, ‘The Lord will surely appear for you; it is a mercy that you are not quite without hope.’ ‘Oh! no,’ she said, ‘I am not without hope; I know he will come again; but oh! I do so long for his dear presence.’ Often would she exclaim ‘Do, dear Jesus, come, do come and visit me with thy salvation.’
“One day I opened the hymn-book on this hymn, and read it to her: ‘Sweet the moments, rich in blessing.’ ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘that hymn has been so sweet to me since you left me; how remarkable that you should open upon that very hymn;’ and her countenance manifested the inward peace and joy of her heart. After this the enemy was permitted to harass her with the thought that she would live to be a great burden to those about her. I believe this distressed her for some weeks, but the Lord was graciously pleased to deliver her by applying these words to her soul: ‘Although my house be not so with God, yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure.’ I said to her, ‘You cannot but say, The Lord’s will be done.’ ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘come life or death, all is well.’ At another time she raised herself up in bed, and desired to see her grandchildren; she then prayed earnestly for each of them, that the Lord would preserve them from the evils that surrounded them, and that they might be found followers of the Lord Jesus. She then spoke of the goodness of the Lord to her, how he had provided for her temporal wants in a wonderful way, and that goodness and mercy had followed her all the days of her life. She was wonderfully delivered from the fear of death, through which she had all her lifetime been subject to bondage. Previous to her last illness, often would she sigh and say, ‘O! How will it be with me then?’ but I never heard her express the least fear during this affliction. I remarked this to her one day; she said, ‘It is wonderful; it shows the goodness of the dear Lord; I have not the least dread of death.’ After a season of much darkness, the Lord was pleased to visit her again with the remembrance of past mercies. ‘O!’ she said, ‘I have had such a sight of the Lord’s goodness to me in days that are past; things have been brought to my mind that occurred years ago; I feel melted under a sense of his great goodness. O! how the Lord has supported me in such and such a trial.’
“It was sweet to be with her, and behold her while her soul was thus filled with gratitude under a sense of the Lord’s amazing goodness to her, when thus experiencing the truth of these words: ‘And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart.’ The last connected words that she was enabled distinctly to utter were the first three verses of Psalm 103: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul,’ &c. She desired to be raised up in bed at the time when she broke forth in this song of praise: I shall never forget her joyful look; her countenance did indeed betoken the peace that reigned within. This was two or three nights before her death. After this she became exceedingly restless; she appeared to suffer a great deal in her poor body, which it was painful to witness. I believe she continued quite sensible. I said to a friend who stood by her bedside, ‘How I wish she would speak!’ She looked earnestly at me. I said to her, ‘lf you are happy lift up your hand,’ She instantly did so. I then repeated that sweet hymn, ‘Rock of ages,’ as it had many times been very precious to her, and was a great favorite with her. She lifted up both her hands and smiled. From this time she appeared to be quite unconscious. So peaceful and gentle was her departure that we could not distinguish the moment when her happy spirit took its flight.”
W. B.
Godmanchester
H. Scandrett (1767-1858) was a Strict and Particular Baptist believer. She was the wife of William Scandrett, pastor of the church meeting at Godmanchester.
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