The Deathbed Scene of Mrs. Rosine Krapf
I was in Nairobi this afternoon meeting with the printer, and with a little time to spare, I stopped in to see if the Kenya National Archives has anything on Krapf, or another missionary I’m researching. It turns out they have an essay on Krapf written in Swahili (I’m led to believe) from the early 1900s. I have to arrange to get access to that. I was thrilled however, to find that they have a photocopy of the letter that Krapf sent to Mr. Richard Waters, Esq., the American Consul at Zanzibar, dated Mombasa, September 2, 1844. What I like about this letter, apart from the rich content of course, is that it brings an intriguing American interest to Krapf’s story … which I hope to pursue one day.
In the rather lengthy letter, (eleven pages of tightly formed handwriting), Krapf gives a detailed description of the deathbed scene of his dear wife, Mrs. Rosine Krapf.
This appears in an appendix in my biography of Krapf, which you can buy here. It would make a great Christmas present.
It was on the night of the 10th of July that my dear partner made me the melancholy communication of her anticipation of her approaching death, which, by the will of God, would compel her soon to take leave of me for this world. Her mind was greatly excited, and she freely vented her feelings and sentiments into the bosom of her husband, who stood weeping at her side. She said that her whole life, in thought, word, and deed, had been spent in selfishness, and that even since converting grace had laid hold of her, many years ago, she had been so remiss in keeping up a living communion with the Lord, that she could scarcely believe He would receive her into the abodes of holiness and glory. Having permitted her for a while to give free expression to her inward feelings, I found that Satan was, in good earnest, at work to eclipse and confuse her constant view of the Lamb of God; and I endeavoured, with hearty sighings for the direction of God’s Spirit, to bring home to her mind the climax of the Gospel doctrine, which is the privilege of God’s true children.
The passages in St. John’s Gospel, 3:16, and his first Epistle, 2:1, &c., recurred forcibly to my mind; and I was enabled, by the grace of God, to explain them to her with cheerfulness; telling her that she should look to Calvary, where stands the document, written in the Saviour’s blood, that He will not condemn a poor miserable sinner writhing like a worm at His feet; that He had long ago procured our salvation by His atonement; so that we need not fear our enemies, the flesh and the devil, nor even reason with them; but leave them alone with Him who has pledged His mercy for all our emergencies of life and death.
While I was thus dwelling on the free, perfect, and allsufficient grace and merit of Christ, as held out in Scripture to contrite and almost despairing sinners, the aridity, darkness, and confusion of her mind gradually disappeared, and heavenly light shone forth in its full radiancy. With tears of joy she exclaimed, “Now I can believe that the Lord has pardoned me; that He will not enter into judgment with me: now I feel His presence, which is so sweet that I have no expression for it.” She shook me by the hand and thanked me cordially for the timely advice given to her. Now she had got around the dangerous rocks of doubt, and the cape of peace and good hope of eternity was clear in her sight.
She then prayed for herself, for her friends at home, for the mission cause, especially for this Mission, and the Imam that God might incline his heart to further the eternal welfare of his subjects. Then she called for the servants and addressed them with decision and force. She told them that she was soon to leave them; but that, from love toward their souls, she was constrained to tell them plainly, that there was no other Saviour but Jesus Christ who could support them in the hour of death, and that their Mahomed could never help them, but would leave them to perish; that therefore they should in time give up their error, and seek for God’s mercy in Jesus Christ.
Having finished this address to the servants, she gave some directions to myself, telling me that I should never forbear speaking to the people about Christ, and His being the only and true mediator between God and man. Though my words might be forgotten, yet they might, at the hour of death, recur to the mind, and be then a blessing to the hearer, Christ of His mercy being able to pardon a trembling, contrite, and believing Mahomedan sinner as well and as easily as He had pardoned herself. Furthermore, she said, I should not spend my time in mourning for her having left me; but should strive in good earnest to fulfil my duty as a Christian Minister, and to work while it is daytime: as to herself, she was happy, and going home to the Upper Canaan, where we should soon meet again. Lastly, she begged me to give her friends a true account of her last moments, and not to describe her in a light incompatible with strict truth.
She charged me specially to tell all her friends that they should be true and sincere in their Christian profession, as there was so much untruth in one’s mind, which the scrutiny of dying moments would bring to light. As to herself, I should tell her friends that the Saviour had looked mercifully upon her, and that she departed as a poor and miserable sinner. Having conversed with her for several midnight hours, being myself harassed by a feverish disposition, and thinking she required rest, I left her alone; but she would not endeavour to rest, saying that her Saviour might come and find her asleep; besides, she found it so sweet to converse with Him in her present happy frame of mind.
In the afternoon of the 10th the fever resumed its former force with increasing vigour, and her brain got so confused that she once arose to leave the house, saying that she wished to go to some place in the country. From that period she spoke little, and that which she uttered was unconnected. On the 12th she continued in the same state. In the course of the evening of that day I was attacked by fever so severely that I was compelled to place her attendance entirely in the hands of the servants. The morning of the 13th found me still confined to my bed; when she, after a severe bodily struggle, was carried off by her Saviour to the better world, where all is bliss and happiness. I heard her frequently call out the name of her beloved mother, whom I then believed to be still alive; but who had fallen asleep in Jesus in November 1843, as I learned from letters which arrived three days after my dear wife’s death. At the same time I received the Funeral Sermon which was preached at her mother’s grave, and which now arrived at the moment when it was best suited to console myself.
On the 14th of July the mortal remains of my dear partner were deposited on the main land, at her own express wish, as she desired, by this arrangement, to remind the pagan Wonicas, who frequently pass the road by her tomb, of the object which had brought her and myself to this country. Thus she wished to be preaching to them by the lonely spot which encloses her earthly remains. The beloved child followed her mother in the night of the 14th, and was buried at her side on the 15th, both now waiting for the glorious day of resurrection on this distant shore. Well, both are gone to their real home. Be it so, the Lord gave them to me for a time; He has taken them again: His name be glorified for ever and ever!
My heart and body wept for many days; and even now, although the first ebullitions of weeping and grief have passed away, I cannot look back to those days of trial and affliction without weeping; but I have experienced what St. Paul writes to the Corinthians. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. I would not wish that the Lord had otherwise dealt with me and my departed family, than He has actually dealt with us, for His stroke is a blessing, and His chastisement is glory throughout.