| Memoir of Mrs. Rachel Fielding (1767–1828) |
Rachel Ibbotson Fielding
(1767–1828) died before the Church of Christ was organized in 1830. Yet
few women have had such an influence on Mormonism through her children. Daughter
Mary would become Hyrum Smith's wife and Joseph F. Smith's mother. Joseph would
lead members of the Twelve to England, where they would have great success among
the flocks of Joseph's brothers James and John, and his brother-in-law, Timothy
Matthews.
Virtually all we know about Rachel comes from a tribute ("Memoir")
written by her daughter Ann Fielding Matthews and published in the Wesleyan-Methodist
Magazine of August 1830. However, this article also has a subtext—the
tension between Methodism and the Church of England. Ann's husband was the curate
of Colmworth (Church of England), whereas her brothers James and John remained
in the diverse Primitive Methodist movement their father espoused. (Joseph Fielding
reported that in his old age his father "appeared to be entirely weaned
from that body; in fact, he long lamented its corrupt state" [text],
but that would have been many years later.)
Rachel is a wonderful transitional figure from Calvinism to Primitive Methodism,
which foreshadowed Mormonism. In many respects her own life and the life of
her
daughter, Mary, ran on parallel tracks a generation apart.
(There are several magazines titled Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine in the
Library of the British Museum, which can be confusing. Even after identifying
the right one, it takes two to three days to have it brought out for research—to
my great disappointment. If you plan to research in the Library, make sure you
obtain permission well in advance of your departure for England.) The following
notes from the "Memoir" were taken from a typescript in the LDS Church
Archives, MS 451.
| Timothy
Matthews introductionBlessed u nion of Methodism and Church of England Contributions of Methodism |
To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine, | |||
| In requesting you to
insert in your excellent magazine the following Memoir of my much beloved
and lamented mother-in-law, which has been drawn up by her eldest daughter,
to whom I was united in marriage about eight years ago, I cannot refrain
from embracing the opportunity. Were I to make a supplement to it, I should
have to acknowledge my own conversion, as well as that of very many in my
own parish and elsewhere—some of whom have died in the faith, in the
enjoyment of the blessing of entire sanctification; and many others are
now walking worthy of their vocation—as the blessed result of a union
between Methodism and the Church of England. Indeed, were I to narrate all
that has been affected, under the blessing of God, in my own parish alone,
through this union, and in answer to the prayers of her who "being
dead yet speaketh," I could fill many pages of your magazine: but delicacy
forbides me to say more; though my conscience would not allow me to say
less; having a desire to acknowledge, in some little degree, the debt I
owe, as a Minister of the Church of England, as well as many of my people,
to the doctrine and disipline of Methodism. |
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| Unity of the two churches | Should the insertion of this short preface to the Memoir in any way contribute to the promoting of an increased spirit of brotherly love between the two churches, the will have the desired effect; and that we may join hand in hand in pulling down the strongholds of the common enemy, and advancing the kingdom of our Saviour, is the earnest prayer of your sincere friend and well-wisher, | |||
| T. R. Matthews, Curate of Colmworth | ||||
| Memoir of Mrs. Rachel
Fielding of Honidon, Bedfordshire: by Her Daughter, Mrs. Ann Matthews |
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|
Rachel's birth |
[2] My late dear mother
was born at Halifax, in Yorkshire. In her early childhood she was a subject
of divine impressions. Her relations being of the Calvinistic persuasion,
she soon imbibed the same sentiments; and such an effect had they on her
youthful mind, that she has frequently been heard to say, that she would
gladly have exchanged condition with brute creatures, thinking their state
far preferable to her own, as she did not know but that she was unalterably
destined to endure eternal misery. |
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| Orphan Irreligious |
[Her mother died when
she was 14, father shortly thereafter, had two younger Brothers; an uncle
(medical man) in Denham had no children so he adopted her.] From this time
it appears that she, in a great measure, lost the serious concern which
she had experienced in her earlier years; and though strictly moral, and
admired by the world for her virtues, she became fond of worldly pleasures
and amusements. At this period of her life she took delight in different
kinds of vanity, such as cards, plays, and dress. |
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| Conversion | In the twenty-first
year of her age, as she was one Sabbath-day taking a walk with a friend,
she passed a pious woman on her way to the house of God. Conviction immediately
seized her. She stopped, and exclaimed, "O! how I wish I was like that
woman!" At the time, turning to her companion, she told her she could
not proceed no farther because she did not think it right to spend the Sabbath
in that manner. Her friend tried to prevail upon her to continue her walk,
but to no purpose. |
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| She instantly returned; and, finding it too late to go to her usual place of worship, followed the good woman she had providentially met to the Methodist chapel, where the Reverend Joseph Entwisle preached from "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" The word came with power to her heart. She was deeply convicted of sin; and from that time commenced her journey to the kingdom of heaven. While in the chapel, she seemed involuntarily to say, "This people shall be my people, and their God my God." | ||||
| Conviction
of sin Penitential sorrow |
Through divine grace she was kept in the good way. Having set her hand to the plow, she never looked back. though my dear mother's conviction of sin was deep and powerful, it was not attended by those terrors and fearful apprehensions which have been experienced by many of the people of God in the commencement of their Christian career. It pleased the Lord to deal gently with her, drawing her, as it were, with the cords of love; and she found a satisfaction in penitential sorrow, which far exceeded the which is derived from the "pleasures of sin." | |||
| Temptation
of the theater |
A few weeks after her first setting out for the kingdom, she had to pass through deep waters, being brought into great distress through falling into temptation. Some of her friends entreated her to go with them to the play; and after much importunity she was prevailed upon to accompany them thither. Her distress during the performance was unutterable; and she vowed, that, if she escaped with her life, she would never again enter the doors of a theatre. | |||
| Guilt | This vow she carefully
kept. But, notwithstanding this resolution, so oppressed was she with a
sense of guilt that for some time after she durst not venture to approach
that God against whose light and love she had sinned, not even in contrite
prayer. |
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| Redeemed | For about three weeks she was in great distress, when light again broke in upon her wounded spirit, and she was encouraged to look to him who is long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. She did not, however, till some time after this period obtain a clear sense of the pardoning love of God. | |||
| Marries
John Fielding Methodist lay preacher |
At the age of twenty-three
my dear mother was united in marriage to Mr. John
Fielding of Halifax a local Preacher
in the Methodist Connexion. She was now ready to think that her warfare
was over. In the constant enjoyment of the company of an exemplary servant
of God, and an affectionate husband, she thought she should have no temptations;
that she and her partner should travel hand in hand, without interruption,
on their heavenly journey. |
John was a widower with two living children. | ||
| Prays
before traveling Protect against temptation |
A short time after their marriage, being invited to spend a day in the country, after my mother had prepared for her journey, before she left her room, as was her usual custom, she fell on her knees, and implored the assistance of God, to enable her to watch against sin, that she might not do or say anything that would offend him, or bring guilt on her conscience. | |||
| Experience
of forgiving love Child of God |
As they were returning in the evening, the petitions she had offered up previous to setting out, she felt that her prayer had been answered. At that instant, trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the love of God was shed abroad in her heart, and she could rejoice in his forgiving love: his spirit bearing witness to her spirit, that she was a child of God. From heartfelt experience she repeated those beautiful and appropriate lines:— | |||
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| Content in home town | Her happiness seemed
now as complete as earthly happiness cannot be, and her full cup ran over.
In the possession of as much of this world's good as she desired, in her
native place, surrounded by friends and relations, and, above all, in the
enjoyment of that peace of God which passeth understanding, she had a fair
prospect of a tranquil voyage over the ocean of this uncertain life. |
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| John's
uncle offers farm in Bedfordshire John wants to be a farmer |
This continued about three years; in which time my dear parents were blessed with two sons, when my father's uncle, having several estates in Bedfordshire, for one of which he wanted a tenant, expressed a desire that one of his nephews would occupy one of his farms. My father being fond of agriculture, was induced to undertake the journey in order to see the situation. | |||
| Poor
land Scripture matches Honeydon |
When he arrived, he found it by no means a desireable place in which to take up his abode for life and took his departure as he thought, forever. But, on opening his Bible, he cast his eye upon a passage which appeared so remarkable appropriate, that he could not consider it as the voice of God, in dictating His will that Honidon should be his future residence with a promise annexed, on his compliance. | ¶
Joseph Fielding to Millennial Star
Honidon is also spelled Honeydon on maps of the time. |
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| Rachel averse to moving | Still, he could give his partner no favourable report of the land he had gone to spy; and this circumstance, with a very discouraging description given of it by a servant who had been sent, tended very much to increase my mother's settled aversion to leaving her native place. | |||
| Turns
to Bible for answer Providential call |
After much deliberation, many difficulties arose; amongst the chief of which was my mother's objection; and it was about to be relinquished as impracticable, when my father's attention was arrested by another passage in the Sacred Volume exactly parallel to that he had met with a short time before: and so forcibly was it applied to his mind, that he could now no longer doubt but that he had a providential call to settle in that [3] place. | |||
| John
determined Rachel's trial |
He therefore immediately determined to act accordingly and made preparations for the removal of his family. This was a heavy trial to my mother, who had now to encounter difficulties to which she had hitherto been a stranger. | |||
| 1794
Honeydon |
About the middle of
May, 1794, they arrived at Honidon, where a new scene of things presented
itself. They had exchanged a populous town for a lonely village; a large
and commodious house for a small and inconvenient cottage; a circle of friends
and relations for a place in which every face and character were to them
alike unknown; and the immediate neighbourhood of a Methodist chapel for
a place four miles distant from one. My dear mother was at first almost
overwhelmed with anxiety, and would gladly have returned to Yorkshire. |
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| Providential
mercies Struggle |
But notwithstanding her discouragements and painful apprehensions, it was here that her Christian graces, being put to the trial were proved to be the work of Him who has promised, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." Many times did she in after life, when recounting her mercies, reckon this among the chief of them; although it gave her so much pain, and exposed the family to many disadvantages; and my father's landlord being his only paternal uncle, and his godfather, he had reason to expect from him, at least, kindness and forbearance, instead of which he frequently received from him harsh and severe treatment. Economy, diligence, and frugality, were rendered indispensably necessary in order to the bringing up of a large family. | Though Mary was not born at this time, the transformation of Rachel's trial into blessing was no doubt part of the family's collective memory, which may have supported Mary in her own trials. In addition, "economy, diligence, and frugality" were virtues put to good use in early Mormon history, for which Joseph F. Smith often praised his mother. | ||
| Frugality and benevolence | She greatly excelled
in the management of her domestic affairs. In her, frugality and benevolence
were admirably united. Although she studied economy in all her arrangements,
her compassion was always ready to yearn over the sons and daughters of
afflictions and distress. Her hand and heart were ever open to relieve their
wants, which she often did, to human appearance, beyond her means; but it
was a maxim with her, that whatever is given to relieve the necessities
of the poor, is, if given in a right spirit, lent to the Lord, and that
He can easily take that from us which is withheld from those who are perishing
in want. |
Joseph F. Smith also praised Mary's charitable deeds. | ||
| Frequently, when asked
by her children, "Mother, where is such or such a thing?" she
would pleasantly reply, "O, my dear, it is gone to heaven!"alluding
to the words of our Lord, "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven."
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| Spiritual guide | Nor was it their bodily wants only that she was solicitous to see supplied; but was especially interested in their spiritual concerns. She considered it to be her duty to God and them, to frequent the chambers of the sick and dying, pouring in the balm of consolation to the wounded spirit, pointing those who were seeking mercy to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, or administering the word of exhortation, as the circumstances of the case required. and so much was she beloved, that, on her approach to the humble cottage, she was always hailed by its inhabitants as the messenger of peace. | |||
| Rachel headed the household | As a wife, she took
a large share of the care of her family upon herself; and by so doing left
her husband more at liberty for his religious and pulpit engagements than
he could otherwise have been. It was a constant rule with her, never to
throw any obstacle in the way of his attending his appointments to preach
the word; though he had on many occasions to travel as he had on many occasions
to travel as far as twenty miles from home. It may truly be said of her,
that she was a help-meet for her husband. His temporal comfort and spiritual
prosperity lay near her heart. In her the words of Solomon were verified,
"She did him good, and not evil, all the days of her life." |
With Hyrum often absent on church matters, and then after his death, Mary was also a take-charge head of the household | ||
| Kind
but not physically affectionate nor a cheerleader Love shown by precept, prayers |
As a mother, her worth can never be fully known or appreciated, till that happy day when she shall stand before the throne of God, uttering those transporting words, "Lord, here I am, and the children thou hast given me." Her conduct towards her children was kind, and tenderly affectionate; though seldom manifested by caresses, or ill judged commendations. She knew too well what was in the heart of youth to be excessive in that which so naturally engenders pride and self-approbation. Her love was shown by her precepts, and her firmness in opposing the gratifi[4]cation of every desire which she knew to be prejudicial to their best interests. But, above all, it was manifested in her fervent prayers and supplications at the throne of grace. There she never failed to pour out her heart before God in behalf of those who were "borne of her bone, and flesh of her flesh." … | Not inconsistent with Joseph F.'s descriptions of Mary. | ||
| Fond of reading, especially the Bible | From a child she was
remarkably fond of reading; and has often spoken of Doddridge's "Rise
and Progress of Religion in the Soul," and some other publications,
as having been made a great blessing to her in the early part of her Christian
career. The religious biography, sermons, etc., contained in the Wesleyan
Magazine, afforded her much profitable gratification. But she valued the
Holy Scriptures far beyond all other books. They were to her as her daily
food. From them she drew consolation under the various afflictions and distresses
through which she was called to pass. They were truly as a light to her
feet, and a lantern to her path. Of the Psalms of David, she would often
say, "Whatever state I am in, I always find something situated to it
there," and with reference to the Israelitish kings, and other examples
in the Scriptures, she would say to us, "My dears, you have nothing
to fear but sin. Sin, you see, always brings misery." Matthew Henry's
Commentary and "The Christian Pattern," in its original size,
were by her esteemed as an invaluable treasure. |
Mary taught Joseph to read from the Bible. Her letters demonstrate she was well educated but there are no references to her favorite authors or books. | ||
| Confronted slackards | As a member of a religious
society, she was ever careful to adorn the gospel of Christ, and the church
to which she belonged, by walking worthy of her high vocation; and it gave
her much uneasiness whenever she saw any of the professed followers of Christ
walking disorderly. She had a peculiar method of introducing religious subjects
in whatever company she joined; seldom, if ever, suffering an opportunity
of doing good to pass by unimproved. Many times have persons who were hardened
in iniquity been brought to tears while listening to her affectionate expostulations;
and several who were in heaviness through manifold temptations have been
comforted and encouraged by her tender sympathy, and fervent prayers in
their behalf. … |
Reminds one of Joseph F.'s story about Mary chastizing the receiver of tithes who suggested she need not pay. | ||
| Attended meetings regularly. | It was no trifling circumstance that caused her place in the house of God to be unoccupied; and long will her class-mates, and those with whom for many years she met in bond, remember her fervent prayers, her self abasement, and deep humility. | Mary attended services in the Tabernacle the day before going to Heber C. Kimball's to be nursed for her fatal illness. | ||
| Desired quick death | It
had for some years been her desire, if it were the will of God, to have
a speedy exit out of time into eternity … In this … her request
was granted in an extraordinary manner. She had been for some time prior
to her death evidently ripening for glory. The world possessed no charms
in her estimation comparable to the joys she, through faith, beheld as hers,
when she should have bidden adieu to time; even those pleasures which are
at God's right hand forevermore. |
¶ Joseph Fielding to Millennial Star | ||
| Unknown
illness Physically fit |
The disorder which terminated her valuable life does not appear to be very well understood, even by men of the medical profession. About a fortnight before her decease she was seized with a painful sensation at the heart, while walking; which, though perfectly easy at other times, ever afterwards returned with that exertion. Notwithstanding this, she attended all the means of grace as usual, frequently walking upwards of a mile to our prayer meetings and class meetings at Colmworth; which she had the gratification [5] to see established by her son-in-law, who is the Minister of the parish. | |||
| Attended church | On the Friday evening
previous to her disolution, at our class-meeting, she spoke and prayed in
a manner eminently impressive and encouraging to all present, and on the
last Sabbath of her life, she led the seven o'clock prayer-meeting at the
Rectory; after which, preferring the usual place of her retirement, she
persisted in going home; but returned to church again in the forenoon, where
she received from the hands of her son-in-law the dying memorials of her
Lord and Saviour. |
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| Chest pains | In the evening of the next day she was again on her way to the prayer-meeting when she was seized with a pain at her heart, with so much violence, that she was unable to proceed; and, calling at the Rectory, she spent an hour or two with me and my two sisters, in conversation on spiritual subjects. … | |||
| Ready for death | Our dear mother, after speaking of her pain, said, "If it should be a messenger of death, I am perfectly satisfied. I am quite willing to have done with time." | |||
| Urged children to be more aggressive about religion | Complaining to her of our want of zeal for God, and the salvation of souls, and of our backwardness in introducing religious subjects, she said with an emphasis we can never forget, "You must live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, if you would be useful, and have a word in season for all." | |||
| She reached home without much difficulty, and this night passed away, nothing more particularly alarming having transpired. | ||||
| Another attack | She arose in the morning … [Another mild attack during the day, evening goes to a] divine service at a house in the village; and it was remarked by some present with what animation she joined in the singing. On her return home, the remainder of the evening was spent in reading, prayer, and profitable conversation. [After midnight terrible pain; family sends for doctor.] | |||
| Confident of salvation | She seemed confident that death was very near; and during this severe paroxysm called on all around to pray for her. She also requested to have the psalms for the evening read; and when my youngest sister, who read them, came to the twenty sixth verse of the 73rd Psalm, my mother stopped her and with firmness and strong confidence, repeated it herself: "My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." | |||
| [Timothy, Ann, and
an unidentified sister arrive about 2 a.m. Rachel expresses concern that
they may suffered from exposure.] |
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| Testimony | When asked, "Mother, how do you feel in your mind?" she answered, "O, my dear I feel comfortable! Jesus cannot leave me; no, He cannot leave me after I have served Him so long. I know He is my Saviour," and then added, "I had a glorious manifestation of the love of God in the afternoon, while praying for my children." | |||
| After about two hours the pain abated … | ||||
| Final words, death | About nine o'clock, my dear father, after praying with her, asked her if she still felt her confidence strong. "Yes," she replied, "Jesus is my Saviour. I cannot doubt. … Whenever I have seen anything that has for the moment given me leasure, I have turned from it, and said, 'O! this will not do! My God, and my all; my God, and my all.'" These were, as nearly as can be remembered, her last words. | Rachel died October 15, 1828. She was 60 years old, Joseph Fielding was 31, Mary 27, Mercy 21. | ||
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Matthews' Flock Biographical sketches Home |
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