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Whitney Family.
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257
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better; but soon a renewed attack of vomiting and diarrhoea prostrated him again. From this, however, he partially recovered, and he was induced, by an earnest invitation, to come to Maui, to try the effects of a residence at the cool and elevated retreat of Mount Ball, above Lahainaluna. He and his family (wife and daughter) accordingly sailed for Maui, Dec. 1st, and in less than twenty-two hours were at anchor at Lahaina. After getting ashore, he was very feeble, but the next day he was rather more comfortable, and in the afternoon he rode up as far as Mr. Peck's, his old Kauai friend and neighbor, where he spent the night. Early the next morning, he rode up to my house at Lahainaluna. When he arrived, he was quite fatigued, and he was ever afterwards confined mostly to his bed. He now rapidly wasted away under the influence of disease, though his friends generally hoped he would soon begin to mend. He seems to have understood better than they the serious nature of his disorder. Almost a week before his death, he said one morning, 'I am sinking, and if you have anything more to do for me, you must do it during the few remaining days of this week.'
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"On Thursday he said, 'My work here is probably done--and oh that it had been better done! Yet I know that the great aim of my life has been to serve my Lord and Master. I have a strong belief that I shall be saved. I think I may say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, and henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day." Christ is the Rock on which I rest. How can I doubt? I have often thought with pleasure of Bunyan's tall pilgrim, who, as he was crossing the Jordan, looked round on his comrade and said, "Courage, brother: I feel the rock."'
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"On Friday morning, he was distinctly informed that his physician did not think he would recover, and when Mr. Baldwin, who had watched with him the night previous, came to take his leave, he said, 'I am sinking,' to which Mr. B. replied, 'Well, perhaps your work is done, the Lord only knows.' He added, 'Yes, my work is done, and on some accounts I rejoice. What is there worth living for?' He soon requested that he might be left alone with his wife, and commenced with calmness to deliver his dying commands; and as he could not converse long at a time, he repeated the request to be left alone with her several times during the day. Though weak and languid, his mind was vigorous and active, and nothing of importance in his affairs was overlooked. When he had finished giving directions about his temporal concerns, he rallied all the power of his mind to look into the state of his soul. He did not, at first, possess that clear evidence of a personal interest in the Redeemer that he desired, but he thought it was owing to the disease of his body. He said that perhaps he was deceived in regard to his interest in Christ. When he looked to the creature, he saw much imperfection and his hopes were obscured, but when he looked to Christ, all was bright; that there was an infinite fullness in
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