In Independence, N. Y., Jan. 30th, 1873, Martha St. John, relict of the late John C. Bassett, aged 74 years, 4 months and 2 days. Nearly a year before, she had a slight stroke of paralysis, but soon recovered, and spent most of the Summer and Fall visiting her children and friends East. She returned home a few weeks ago in apparently good health, and continued so up to the day on which she died. She was in her chair conversing with a daughter, who was visiting her, when she suddenly ceased speaking, and in a few minutes became unconscious, and died in about eight hours, without a struggle.
She leaves nine living children, all married, all of whom were present at her funeral, excepting the youngest, who was detained at her home in a distant State, by sickness in her family.
Sister Bassett was one of the constituent members of the Seventh-day Baptist Church of Independence, and one of its brightest lights, always, when able, in her place in the house of God. Sister Bassett will long be remembered for her sterling Christian integrity, her generous hospitality and her bountiful charity, which made her a wise and faithful counselor, an agreeable and loved friend, and a free and unostentatious almoner.
The public appreciation of her rare virtues was manifest in the attendance of people from all the surrounding sections of the country at her funeral, which was made the occasion of a faithful sermon by her pastor, from Matt. 25: 10: "And they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut," in which he encouraged Christians to faithfulness, and warned the unconverted to make immediate preparation for admission to the heavenly kingdom, "for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh."
