Peter PEARCE

Notes:

                   Notes from "Gateway to History; Story of the Pearces" by Peter Pearce Marrett
Mrs. Jane Pearce of Peterborough and morther of Peter Pearce, Esquire of Norwood Circuit, an active and contexionally?-minded Wesleyan, was born in a small sea-port town on the coast of Cornwall, England, called Mevagissey.  Her maiden name was Bond.  It is highly probable that she was favoured from infancy with the advantages furnished by that form of Christianity called Methodism, for which her native country has been so remarkable since the days of Wesley, as she is said to have sxperienced the "peace and joy of faith' as early as her fifteenth year, and connected herself with the society of which she continued a member till the day of her death, during the long period  of sixty two years.  At the age of twenty-nine she married Mr. Peter Pearce, a Wesleyan.  He was a miller by trade and part of his life a mill-owner, in very repectable circumstances.  This worthy couple, with their family, held it among their most cherished recollections of their lives that they had enjoyed the company of preacher, travelling and local, in their weekly visits to this out-lying appointment of the circuit.
     The failure of worldly enterprise and the decay of trade from time, subjected them at sundry times to serious trials; but it was remarked of this good woman that she paid out to those whom she chanced to owe, when due, the last penny, although she knew not shere the next meal for her family might come from.  But pursuing that honourable and Christian course, she was never left to want, ---although the relief trusted for came often only on the last extremity.  Some of these providential interpositions, in the recollection of her children, were among the most extraordinary ever recorded.
     In 1835, the family came to this country and experienced all the vicissitudes usually attended on such an undertaking.  But in all, this steadfast woman maintained her integrity.  Although the writer knew little of her personally, she is remembered by her leader and class-mates as punctual to the means, till age and infirmity prevented; and as one possessed of a clear and active mind and great freedom and appropriateness of language in speaking and prayer.  her course was terminated by a gradual decay of body and mind.  During her last illness, which was short, her mind, during its lucid intervals, dwelt on the subjects embraced in the "ruling pasion", - religion, in connection with herself and family.  Her last and only solicitude was manifested for the safety of an unconverted child.  To her steadfast, religious son, she said, "The Lord will be with you and bless you."  To a son-in-law, with whom she had once some slight misunderstanding, she said, "There was once a cloud between us, but it is now passed away."  When she closed her eyes at any time, she would still affirm, that she could see her departed husband as if waiting to receive her.  She said, "I am going home to heaven."  Thus did she solace herself while going down into the dark valley of the shadow of death.  Two days before her departure, she bacame totally insensible to joy and grief, pleasure and pain.  And on the 20th of Octover, 1861, she fell asleep in Jesus, aged nearly 77.  Surely was may say to God, with Wesley, "In age and feebleness extreme, Thou dost a sinful world redeem".