Irene Barlow relation of faith, circa 1840

Seventeen years of life were passed in comparitive thought -lessness concerning the all important subject of my eternal destiny, and accountabiity to God as a moral & responsible being. Not that I never thought of these things. When called to stand by the bed-side of a dear friend or bother and witness the last struggle with Death my mind has been impressed with the awful realities of Eternity. And when participating in the pleasures of the world apparently thoughtless and unconcerned, my conscience has told me that all was 'vanity and vexation of spirit,' and I have felt an 'aching void which the world can never fill.' But these impressions were as the 'morning cloud and early dew which soon passes away,' It was not till the winter of 1834 & 5 that I recieved any lasting impressions of the necessity of becoming reconciled to God. The unexpected intelligence of the death of a near and dear friend was I think the means of leading me to more serious reflection upon my condition as a sinner. I felt that had I been called so suddenly from the world I should have had no Savior to go with me through the 'dark valley', and should have been justly condemned to everlasting death. I was convinced