,,our ,,katie4       ,,published ,,by   
,,the    ,,american ,,tract ,,society1  
#aej ,,nassau-,,street1 ,,new ,,york4   
,,our ,,katie4     ,illustration3 ,she  
taught us how to live1 and--,oh1 too    
high                  ,the price of     
knowledge--taught us how to die4        
,katie was born in ,ireland1 but at an  
early age her parents emigrated to this 
country and settled in ,brooklyn1 not a 
great distance from the ,lee ,avenue    
,sabbath-school4 ,she was one of a      
family of ten children1 of whom several 
were older than herself1 yet from her   
earliest childhood she appeared to be a 
ruling spirit among them4 ,naturally    
quick and apt to learn1 she readily     
adapted herself to the manners and      
customs of the new people she was with1 
and it was her earnest desire that her  
family should do the same4  ,katie was  
not beautiful1 nor even pretty1 but     
there was an earnest look in her large  
dark eyes1 and an expression of         
frankness in her countenance4 ,her      

amiable disposition endeared her to     
every one1 and the influence she        
possessed among both old and young was  
truly surprising4 ,at an early age she  
began to take charge of the younger     
children2 and here her care was like    
that of a mother4 ,she was anxious they 
should learn habits of order and        
cleanliness1 and she used to offer some 
little reward to the one who excelled   
for a certain length of time in these   
virtues4  ,it is related of ,katie1 as  
showing her obliging disposition1 that  
when at home1 it was her custom on every
 ,monday1 the general wash-day1 to      
collect around her all the children of  
her acquaintance1 and amuse and         
entertain them1 to the intense delight  
of their grateful mothers2 for the      
little ones all loved ,katie1 and would 
oftentimes yield to her a more willing  
obedience than to those better entitled 
to receive it4  ,katie's connection with
 the ,sabbath-school began with its     
organization1 her name being the tenth  

enrolled upon the register4 ,and little 
did the ,secretary think1 as he glanced 
upon the little ,irish girl standing so 
timidly before him1 that beneath that   
rough exterior was hidden such a noble  
spirit as was afterwards manifested--nor
 that the humble name then recorded was 
yet to be known throughout the land1 and
 that its sound was to bring tears into 
eyes which never beheld the owner4      
,from the first1 ,katie manifested the  
most absorbing interest in the school1  
which continued unabated till her death4
 ,the second ,sabbath she brought all   
her younger brothers and sisters2 and   
during the entire period of her sojourn 
here1 though the school increased from  
ten to ten hundred members1 there was   
not one more regular and punctual in    
attendance than they4 ,none were more   
entirely devoted to the interest of the 
school than ,katie4 ,it was to her more 
than meat or drink4 ,no weather was so  
inclement as to detain her from any of  
its meetings4 ,there was no clothing1   

however poor and dilapidated1 which     
could not1 under ,katie's skilful       
fingers1 be made to assume an appearance
 of neatness1 at least long enough for  
her to attend ,sabbath-school4 ,is not  
here a lesson for many a richer child   
who1 with every possible advantage1 yet 
seizes upon the slightest pretext for   
remaining absent from her class1        
careless alike of the blessing she      
refuses and the pain she causes an      
anxious teacher4  ,katie was always the 
first one of her class present1 and here
 her sweet disposition manifested itself
 most forcibly4 ,extremely neat in her  
own person1 the want of neatness in     
others annoyed her exceedingly1 and that
 any one should come to school with     
soiled clothing1 or dirty face and      
hands1 was to her almost an unpardonable
 sin2 therefore each new arrival was    
scrutinized most closely1 and the pump  
near the school-room has witnessed many 
and many of her charitable ablutions4   
,she generally carried a small comb in  

her pocket1 which she never scrupled to 
use2 and it was often difficult to      
recognize in the clean-faced1           
smooth-haired child who returned with   
her from one of these cold-water        
expeditions1 the wretched little object 
she had carried out4  ,katie was one of 
our home missionaries1 and a more       
devoted1 faithful one it would be       
difficult to find4 ,her ardent love for 
the ,sabbath-school1 and the instruction
 she there received1 made her anxious   
that others should share the same       
blessing4 ,it appeared to be a rule of  
her life never to come alone4 ,much of  
her spare time was occupied in searching
 through the lanes and hovels for those 
unblessed with religious influence1 and 
bringing them in to the ,sabbath-school4
 ,the locality in which she resided was 
inhabited mostly by the lower class of  
,irish ,catholics1 who were bitterly    
opposed to the cause for which she so   
unweariedly labored4 ,yet1 although the 
difficulties she encountered were       

neither few nor easily surmounted1 she  
was very successful1 and the numbers    
which through her means were added to   
our school were very large4 ,it was her 
custom either to call for them herself  
at their homes1 or else meet them at    
some place she should appoint1 and then 
with her little band to start for the   
school1 taking the pump in her way if   
she thought it necessary4  ,she was     
willing to be placed in any class1 or to
 make any sacrifice the superintendent  
required2 and the welfare of the school 
was always preferred to her own         
pleasure4 ,no teacher ever had ,katie in
 her charge1 but felt that she was      
indeed a blessing to the class4         
,studious and attentive1 she always knew
 her lessons perfectly1 and it was no   
uncommon thing for her to repeat several
 hundred verses from the ,bible and     
hymn-book at one time4  ,her own        
recitations completed1 her attention was
 next given to the other members of the 
class2 and if1 as was too often the     

case1 there were any unprepared with    
lessons1 ,katie always considered it her
 especial duty to assist them as much as
 possible1 finding easy places in the   
,testament or short hymns for them to   
learn4 ,in this way many who would      
otherwise have been totally deficient1  
were enabled to recite a dozen verses   
before leaving the room4  ,her knowledge
 of ,scripture was1 for one so young1   
truly marvellous4 ,every great          
historical event recorded on those      
sacred pages she knew by heart4 ,with   
the beautiful ,psalms of ,david1 the    
sublime prophecies of ,isaiah1 and the  
solemn1 yet mysterious revelations of   
,john1 she was equally familiar2 and on 
being once questioned by a teacher in   
whose class she was temporarily placed1 
where she had learned so much about the 
,bible1 she replied1 ,i learned it all  
in ,sabbath-school4 ,she could commit to
 memory with great facility2 and being  
very fond of reading1 no spare moment   
found ,katie without a book or paper in 

her hands4  ,katie belonged1 for some   
time1 to an ,industrial school in       
,brooklyn2 and the teachers and managers
 bear a willing testimony to the high   
character she maintained while there4   
,diligent1 attentive1 and obedient1 her 
lovely disposition soon rendered her    
here1 as everywhere else1 a universal   
favorite2 while her prompt and efficient
 aid in all the minor duties of the     
school1 made her almost invaluable as an
 assistant4  ,but it is time to speak of
 ,katie's spiritual life2 and short as  
the record must necessarily be1 it is   
yet sufficient to prove that not by     
might1 nor by power1 but by the ,holy   
,spirit alone are we made wise unto     
salvation4 ,when she first entered the  
school1 the ,bible was to her almost a  
sealed book4 ,true1 she was not         
unacquainted with the name of ,christ1  
nor that he lived and died for sinners2 
but beyond the knowledge of this simple 
fact1 she was entirely ignorant4 ,that  
she was personally interested in the    

matter was something she had never      
dreamed of4 ,this life alone occupied   
all her thoughts2 and it was left for a 
,sabbath-school teacher first to open   
her eyes to the necessity of a          
preparation here for the life beyond2 to
 teach her the true significance of that
 sorrowful life which ,jesus led on     
earth1 the thorny crown and the         
agonizing death on the cross2 to show   
her that it was for her sake he         
suffered1 for her sins he was numbered  
with transgressors4 ,it was all new to  
,katie1 something she had never heard of
 before2 and the interest she at first  
manifested became more and more intense1
 as week after week some new truth was  
unfolded1 some new idea gained of the   
great plan of redemption through a      
crucified ,saviour4  ,the influence of  
the ,holy ,spirit upon ,katie's mind was
 like the rising dawn1 not a sudden     
change from midnight darkness to the    
full and glowing splendor of noonday4   
,she could not1 probably1 have given a  

connected account of her experience1 and
 pointed to the day and hour in which   
she first felt the love of ,christ1 nor 
to the moment when for the first time   
she felt the joy of pardoned sin through
 his perfect merits4 ,all she knew was1 
that whereas once she was blind1 now she
 saw2 and she was content4  ,one        
,sabbath a new teacher1 in whose class  
,katie was placed a few months previous 
to her death1 took occasion privately to
 address her on the duty of personal    
religion1 urging upon her the importance
 of giving her heart to ,jesus while in 
her youth4 ,with a bright1 happy smile1 
,katie replied1  ,why1 teacher1 ,i do   
love ,jesus now4  ,well1 ,katie1 ,i am  
glad2 but you must love him with all    
your heart1 so much that you will be    
willing to give up all your own wishes  
for his sake2 to do any thing he        
requires1 however hard it may seem1 and 
to work for him all your life2 and to   
try and grow more and more like him     
every day4 ,this is the kind of love ,i 

mean4  ,katie humbly replied1 ,i think  
,i love him a great deal1 but ,i know it
 is not enough--it is only a little     
child's love2 but when ,i get older1    
then ,i will love him as much as grown  
persons do4  ,only a child's love6 ,the 
teacher's eye grew dim as she remembered
 the words of the blessed ,master3      
,suffer the little children to come unto
 me1 and forbid them not2 for of such is
 the kingdom of heaven4  ,katie seldom  
spoke of herself4 ,deeds1 not words1    
alone spoke of the change within4 ,yet  
her life bore beautiful testimony to the
 profession she made4 ,and what better  
evidence could be required that the love
 she professed was genuine1 than that   
her life daily assimilated more and more
 to the divine pattern which ,christ    
hath given8 ,he himself said1 ,by their 
fruits shall ye know them4  ,as may     
already have been inferred1 ,katie's    
parents were extremely poor1 with a     
large family of small children to       
support2 and the father being out of    

employment much of the time1 they often 
wanted even the necessaries of life1 and
 it was no uncommon thing for ,katie to 
go supperless and hungry to bed4        
,therefore1 as soon as she was old      
enough1 she felt that she must do       
something to assist her parents in      
supporting the family4 ,only one path   
was open to her1 and that was domestic  
service4 ,unhesitatingly she availed    
herself of it4 ,whatever her strength   
was equal to1 ,katie was willing and    
glad to do2 and in seeking a place1 she 
had but one stipulation to make--which  
was1 that she should be allowed the     
privilege of going to ,sabbath-school on
 ,sunday afternoons4 ,some kind friend  
procured for her a situation in ,new    
,york1 where she would have light work  
and high wages4 ,the distance appeared  
to make no impression whatever on       
,katie1 as she asked the usual question1
 ,can ,i go to ,sunday-school every     
week8 ,on being told that it would not  
be convenient to have her absent on that

 day1 no persuasions could induce her to
 accept it4 ,and it was so in every     
instance4  ,though she began service at 
the early age of twelve years1 yet in no
 case did she ever fail of giving       
satisfaction4 ,faithful in the discharge
 of her duties1 active1 and obliging1   
she invariably won the love and esteem  
of all who employed her4 ,but she did   
not change often4 ,with one family1 the 
first she entered1 she remained over    
eighteen months1 and then only left     
because sickness demanded her presence  
at home4  ,she devoted all the wages she
 received to the wants of the family1   
never retaining a penny for herself4    
,once when urged by her mother to do so1
 ,katie replied1 ,yes1 mother1 just as  
soon as the children get fixed up4 ,but1
 poor child1 this seemed a hopeless     
task--there were so many of them1 and   
little shoes will wear out1 little      
frocks will get torn--so that ,katie    
never came home without finding it      
necessary to supply some article of     

clothing4 ,yet she always did it        
cheerfully1 thankful that it was in her 
power to assist at any sacrifice4 ,thus 
this noble girl toiled on month after   
month1 looking for and receiving no     
reward1 save in beholding the happiness 
she conferred at home1 and each day     
studying how she might increase it4     
,surely of her it might well be said1   
,she hath done what she could4  ,about  
six weeks previous to her death1 she    
obtained a situation in a highly        
estimable ,christian family in          
,brooklyn4 ,and here she appeared to    
grow more spiritually lovely1 more      
tender and affectionate in her manner1  
more thoughtful for the comfort and     
welfare of others than ever4 ,the new   
friends with whom she was living had    
lately been called to pass through      
peculiarly severe affliction4 ,one after
 another of the loved voices in that    
family circle had been hushed and silent
 in death1 and yet that dread messenger 
who had summoned them away still        

lingered4 ,the husband and father of    
that stricken band had for a long time  
been ill1 and all felt that in his death
 their bereavement was soon to be       
complete4  ,katie soon endeared herself 
to every one in the house4 ,she was to  
them like an own child1 and as such was 
treated4 ,seeing her destitute          
condition1 they at once furnished her   
with suitable clothing4 ,katie's        
gratitude was unbounded1 and the        
affectionate manner in which she always 
spoke of them showed how truly she      
appreciated their kindness4 ,her quick  
and ready sympathies were awakened as   
she learned of their repeated trials1   
and by every means in her power she     
endeavored to console them4 ,a daughter 
near her own age1 whom they had recently
 lost1 appeared to interest her most    
deeply4 ,she never wearied talking of   
her1 and would frequently say to the    
mother1 ,i am sure ,i shall see and know
 your dear ,r---- in heaven4 ,with the  
invalid father1 ,katie was a great      

favorite1 and when she was not otherwise
 engaged1 he loved to have her with him4
 ,katie would then take her little      
,bible and read to him the sweet        
promises of ,jesus1 or sing some of the 
many beautiful hymns she learned at     
,sabbath-school4 ,her simple comments on
 what she read at once amused and       
interested him1 while her glowing faith 
seemed to quicken and increase his own4 
,who shall say that the ministrations of
 this blessed child were not            
instrumental in lightening his pathway  
to the tomb2 dispelling the doubts and  
fears which cluster round it1 and       
revealing more distinctly the smiling   
face of ,jesus to him who was so soon to
 pass through the dark valley8  ,a      
favorite hymn was the following3    ,i'm
 a pilgrim1 and ,i'm a stranger1     ,i 
can tarry1 ,i can tarry but a night2    
,do not detain me1 for ,i am going   ,to
 where the streamlets are ever flowing2 
,i'm a pilgrim1 and ,i'm a stranger1    
,i can tarry1 ,i can tarry but a night4 

,there the sunbeams are ever shining1   
,i am longing1 ,i am longing for the    
sight2   ,within a country unknown and  
dreary1   ,i have been wandering1       
forlorn and weary4       ,i'm a pilgrim1
 etc4    ,of that country to which ,i'm 
going     ,my ,redeemer1 my ,redeemer is
 the light2   ,there is no sorrow1 nor  
any sighing1   ,nor any sin there1 nor  
any dying4       ,i'm a pilgrim1 etc4   
,illustration  ,katie was soon known to 
every child in the neighborhood4 ,during
 her hours of recreation she would      
gather them all about her on the steps1 
and tell them stories from the ,bible1  
talk about heaven1 or sing with them    
from her hymn-book2 and the eager       
attention which they gave her proved    
that they were well entertained4 ,though
 living now at a distance of over three 
miles from the ,sabbath-school1 yet she 
never failed of being present1 generally
 starting from ten to fifteen minutes   
earlier then was otherwise necessary1 in
 order to stop at home and see that the 

other children were ready1 for ,katie   
would never consent to their being      
absent4 ,to be sure1 she always had the 
whole of them to wash and dress1 but    
that was no hardship1 for she was too   
active to allow of its consuming much   
time1 and in an incredible short space  
she would be seen marching down the     
street with her little band in regular  
order1 teaching them a lesson to repeat 
as she went along2 for in this1 as in   
every thing else1 they depended entirely
 upon ,katie4  ,the last ,sabbath ,katie
 ever passed on earth found her in her  
usual place2 but her sad look attracted 
the attention of her teacher1 who kindly
 inquired the cause4 ,with tearful eyes 
she replied1 ,the gentleman ,i live with
 is very sick2 we do not think he can   
live till next ,sunday4 ,her foreboding 
proved true1 and on the following       
,tuesday he died4 ,then it was that     
,katie seemed almost an angel of mercy4 
,she not only consoled them with words  
of hope and encouragement1 but          

endeavored in every way to relieve them 
of all care or thought1 apart from the  
one great sorrow which overshadowed     
them2 while the delicacy and tenderness 
of feeling she manifested throughout    
this whole trying season1 would not have
 shamed the most fastidious refinement4 
,but at last it was all over4 ,the      
precious dust had been laid in its last 
resting-place1 and now the busy cares of
 life may not longer be forgotten4 ,the 
day after the funeral1 thinking that    
,katie looked pale1 and that the air    
would do her good1 ,mrs4 ,d---- sent her
 out towards evening for a short walk4  
,on her return it was found that she had
 been several miles out of the way1 to  
procure something she knew the          
physicians had ordered for a little     
grandchild of ,mrs4 ,d----1 and which   
they had not known where to obtain4     
,thus was she to the very last          
thoughtful and careful for others4      
,that evening after the rest of the     
family had retired1 ,mrs4 ,d---- and    

,katie remained in the parlor1 speaking 
of the home their departed friend had   
gained4 ,katie then took a small lamp in
 her hand1 and sat down to read4 ,it is 
supposed that1 overcome by fatigue1 she 
fell asleep1 when the lamp slid from her
 grasp to the floor and ignited the     
bottom of her dress4 ,in an instant she 
was enveloped in flames4 ,mrs4 ,d----   
seized a rug and sprang to her          
assistance2 but ,katie1 frightened1 ran 
through the hall into the yard1 where   
she fell4 ,by this time their screams   
had brought assistance4 ,the poor child 
was raised and carried into the house1  
but every particle of her light summer  
clothing had been consumed1 and her body
 burned in the most shocking manner4    
,medical aid was instantly summoned1 and
 every thing possible done to alleviate 
her sufferings1 but it was at once      
perceived she could survive only a few  
hours4 ,katie received the intelligence 
with a smile of joy1 and instantly      
remarked1 ,now ,i shall indeed see your 

daughter1 very1 very soon4 ,she         
requested them to send for her own      
family1 and also for her                
,superintendent1 that she might see them
 once again before she died1 or rather  
hear them1 for her sight was entirely   
destroyed4 ,her mother was soon beside  
her1 and her agony as she beheld her    
child was heart-rending4 ,katie took her
 hand1 saying1 ,dear mother1 please     
don't cry so2 if you do ,i cannot talk  
to you1 and ,i have so much to say4     
,see1 ,i am not crying4 ,oh1 please     
don't4 ,katie then told her about the   
accident1 and how happy she felt in view
 of death2 and said1 ,oh1 mother1 it is 
so blessed to feel that ,i am going to  
be with ,jesus for ever4 ,then1 with a  
clear1 sweet voice1 she sung1    ,my    
heavenly home is bright and fair1   ,no 
pain nor death can enter there2   ,its  
glittering towers the sun outshine1     
,that heavenly mansion shall be mine4   
,i'm going home1 ,i'm going home1   ,i'm
 going home1 to die no more4  ,all      

through those hours of terrible agony1  
not a complaint1 scarcely a groan1      
escaped her2 but words of prayer and    
praise were continually upon her lips4  
,jesus is my best1 my only friend1 she  
said2 he is close beside me now1 and ,i 
know he will not let me perish4 ,again  
she sung this beautiful hymn1    ,rock  
of ages1 cleft for me1   ,let me hide   
myself in thee2   ,let the water and the
 blood1   ,from thy side a healing      
flood1   ,be of sin the double cure1    
,save from wrath and make me pure4      
,could my tears for ever flow1   ,could 
my zeal no languor know1   ,this for sin
 could not atone2   ,thou must save1 and
 thou alone4   ,in my hand no price ,i  
bring1   ,simply to thy cross ,i cling4 
,while ,i draw this fleeting breath1    
,when my eyelids close in death1   ,when
 ,i rise to worlds unknown1   ,and      
behold thee on thy throne1   ,rock of   
ages1 cleft for me1   ,let me hide      
myself in thee4  ,when she concluded1   
there was not a dry eye in the room4    

,perceiving that she was sinking        
rapidly1 the physicians ordered         
stimulants to be administered2 but the  
moment ,katie felt them upon her lips1  
she turned away and absolutely refused  
them4  ,don't you know1 she exclaimed1  
that ,i belong to the ,band of ,hope8   
,but1 ,katie1 urged her friends1 your   
superintendent would give it to you     
himself1 were he here now4  ,well1 when 
he comes and says so1 then ,i will take 
it4  ,but1 ,katie1 you may die before he
 comes1 if you don't take a little now4 
,then ,i will die1 exclaimed the noble  
girl1 but ,i won't break my pledge4     
,she appeared to appreciate every thing 
which was done for her1 and her         
expressions of gratitude were most      
touching4 ,several times she said1 ,oh1 
how ,i do love everybody1 but ,jesus    
best of all2 and then1 with clasped     
hands1 she prayed4 ,and as the words of 
holy trust fell from her lips1 there was
 not one present but felt it was well   
with the child4  ,her mind appeared to  

dwell much on the ,sabbath-school3 ,i   
shall never see it again1 she once said1
 but ,oh1 ,i shall see heaven so soon6  
and then1 in a sweet1 but feeble voice1 
she sang two verses of a favorite hymn3 
,i'm travelling home to heaven above1   
,will you go8 will you go8   ,to sing   
the ,saviour's dying love1     ,will you
 go8 will you go8    ,the crown of life 
,i then shall wear1     ,the conqueror's
 palm my hands shall bear1   ,and all   
the joys of heaven ,i'll share2         
,will you go8 will you go8  ,not a doubt
 or fear appeared to dim the glory of   
her faith4 ,the last hour1 so terrible  
to many1 brought to her only the most   
ineffable joy and peace4  ,fearing that 
,mr4 ,johnson her superintendent would  
not arrive in time1 she left a most     
affectionate message for him4  ,she then
 bade all her friends good-by1 thanked  
them for the care and attention shown   
her1 and entreated them all to meet her 
in heaven4 ,sinking back1 she murmured1 
in an exhausted tone1 ,dear1 ,,dear     

,saviour4  ,mr4 ,johnson now entered1   
but too late1 for it was thought ,katie 
was gone4 ,she lay a few moments longer1
 silent and motionless2 scarcely a      
breath came from these parted lips to   
indicate that she yet lived4 ,suddenly  
collecting all her remaining strength1  
with uplifted hand1 she exclaimed1 in a 
glad1 exultant voice1 ,oh death1 where  
is thy sting8 ,oh grave1 where is thy   
victory8 ,the raised hand slowly drooped
 upon her bosom1 a few fluttering       
breaths1 and ,katie was ours no longer4 
,a solemn silence filled the chamber1   
unbroken by even a single sob4 ,it was a
 season never to be forgotten by the few
 who stood round that lowly couch4      
,what1 ,oh what but the religion of     
,jesus could have stood the test of that
 awful hour8 ,what but his infinite love
 could have enabled her to endure such  
terrible sufferings--to go singing into 
the swelling waves of ,jordan1 and even 
as its billows closed over her1 to send 
back the triumphant cry1 ,oh death1     

where is thy sting8 ,oh grave1 where is 
thy victory8     ,transcriber's ,notes3 
,passages in italics are indicated by   
italics4    ,obvious errors in spelling 
and hyphenation have been corrected     
from the original3        ,page #bj3    
eomments correct to comments       ,page
 #bi3 wont corrected to won't           
,punctuation has been corrected without 
note4