Lydia Babcock

DAVIS, THE SETTLERS OF SALEM, WEST VIRGINIA, by Susie Davis Nicholson, Salem, West Virginia, 1992. p. 57, 67

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"The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 14, No 36, p 143, Feb. 11, 1858. At the residence of her father's in Jackson Township, Shelby Co., Ohio, Jan. 20th, in the 25th year of her age, Lydia, Babcock, of delirium, first induced by an affliction of the spine, and hastened to its consummation by intense thought and feeling upon the subject of religion. Sister Babcock was the wife of Jacob Babcock and the daughter of Jacob D. Maxson. She made a profession of religion, and was baptized in the 17th year of her age, but her experience seems not to have been of the brightest character, and this was the principle cause of complaint with her in her sickness. For some weeks past she manifested intense interest in the salvation of her soul, using all the means of grace in her power, in such an earnest manner, as is seldom witnessed. On the last Sabbath but one, before her death, the writer was called upon, long before daylight, to visit her, and found her in extreme anguish of soul, on the account of her unfaithfulness to God and the hidings of his face. The promises and consolations of the Gospel were rehearsed to her, but she refused to be comforted. She met at the home of worship with God's people, where there was conference meeting, but took no part in the exercises until the conference meeting was dismissed, and the minister was just about to commence preaching, when she asked the Church to pray for her, and when the congregation rose from their knees she still remained lowered before the mercy seat. The writer spent the following night with her, endeavoring to comfort her stricken spirit, and under the soothing influence of the Christian religion, she calmed down about 4 o'clock in the morning, when she soon fell into a sweet sleep which she had not enjoyed for many days, from which she awoke in about four hours a raving maniac, and was only partially restored to reason afterwards; but the bent of her mind was all of a devotional character, and though the case is a very afflicting one, we sorrow not as those that have no hope. She leaves a husband and two children, with numerous friends, for she was universally beloved, to mourn her loss. B. C.