Boston's Amazing Tribute to His Wife!

The following tribute comes from Thomas Boston in his Memoirs. I credit John Marshall for bringing this so poignantly to my attention from his lecture on Boston (see previous blog post). Before reading this, let me point out two facts which should aid in your reading. 1) Catherine nearly died each time she went into labor, which was 10 times! 2) She died the same year as he records this, so this wonderfully loving word was penned 10 years after she had often been tied to her bed due to an extreme type of dementia, or perhaps even insanity! Knowing these facts cannot but help us to respect this man all the more for writing about his beloved with such glowing praise in spite of her degraded condition!

Thus was I by all-wise providence yoked with my wife, with whom I have now [1730], by the mercy of God, lived thirty years complete; a woman of great worth, whom I therefore passionately loved, and inwardly honoured; a stately, beautiful, and comely personage, truly pious, and fearing the Lord; of an evenly temper, patient in our common tribulations, and under her personal distresses; a woman of bright natural parts, an uncommon stock of prudence; of a quick and lively apprehension, in things she applied herself to; great presence of mind in surprising incidents; sagacious and acute in discerning the qualities of persons, and therefore not easily imposed upon; modest and grave in her deportment, but naturally cheerful; wise and affable in conversation, having a good faculty at speaking, and expressing herself with assurance; endowed with a singular dexterity in dictating of letters; being a pattern of frugality, and wise management of household affairs, therefore entirely committed to her; well fitted for, and careful of, the virtuous education of her children; remarkably useful to the country-side, both in the Merse [area around Simprin, their first charge] and in the Forest [area around Ettrick, where they served for 25 years], through her skill in physic and surgery, which in many instances, a peculiar blessing appeared to be commanded upon from heaven; and, finally, a crown to me in my public station and appearances. During the time we have lived together hitherto, we have passed though a sea of trouble, as yet not seeing the shore but afar off. I have sometimes been likely to be removed from her; she having had little continued health, except the first six weeks, her death hath sometimes stared us in the face, and hundreds of arrows have pierced my heart on that score; and sometimes I have gone with a trembling heart to the pulpit, laying my account with being called out of it, to see her expire. And now for the third part of the time we have lived together, namely, ten years complete, she has been under a particular racking distress; and for several of these years, fixed to her bed; in the which furnace, the grace of God in her hath been brightened, her parts continued to a wonder, and her beauty, which formerly was wont, upon her recoveries, to leave no vestige of the illness she had been under, doth as yet now and then show some vestiges of itself.

Boston himself died just two years later. Oh, that we husbands might imitate such a tender an affectionate heart as he, and our wives hear such praise fall from our lips.  

Happy Valentine's Day!