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Christian Testimony of Sarah Jane (Barnett) Clements (born March 7 1840), Dated Winter of 1860/1861.    Her handwritten testimony was scanned by Boyd Clements.  Greg L Clements typed this Word document from that scan on April 10, 2021.  I added some punctuation that was not in the handwritten document and corrected some misspelled words (I hope I spelled them correctly :)  ).  Sarah had underlined some words and I have put underlining into this Word document.  I had trouble interpreting some words and have added (?? ) notes after those words.  Note....If you read the handwritten document, old English style has two different fonts for the two s letters of a double s.
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My Experience
After deep conviction at the age of about 20 years in the year 1860 in Marcellus New York I gave my heart to God.  Our Pastor came to our house and told me the Lord sent him there and it seemed to me that he did for I had been longing and praying for some Christian to talk with me on the subject of religion.  He sang, prayed, and talked and as he was about to leave the house he says “Now promise me you will make the start for heaven.”  I looked him in the face and said I will, and immediately I felt better, Jesus blessed me.  The ice broken, the will given into, I sought the class meeting, asked for the prayers of Christians determined now to be one.  They knelt down and had a season of prayer for me.  I was blessed, yet not satisfied.  For some three 3 weeks I sought earnestly the witness of the Spirit.  It came a stormy Sabbath.  I could not attend Church (as I lived in the country) so I took Wesley’s sermons and my Bible and went upstairs alone determined there to seek for it with all my heart and not leave until satisfied.  In (?? Greg can’t clearly read the word “In”) reading my Bible and Wesley’s sermons on the witness of the Spirit,  praying and reading my faith fastened upon this promise – What so ever ye desire when you pray, believe that ye receive it and you shall have i t.  I would read and pray, pray and read, with my fingers upon this promise looking up and telling God this was his word and it was sure and steadfast.  It was not man’s promise.  Finally I arose from my knees, sat down upon the bed, my hands over my eyes, burdened and sad, wondering why I could not believe.  For, I knew God’s promises were all right (?? Greg is  uncertain about the word “right”), that the trouble was with myself that I could not venture upon his promises my unbelief was in the way.  All at once with an eye of faith I saw my Savior before me on the cross, my burden and all my sins fell at his feet – all forgiven. O praise the Lord.  I shall never forget as he looked down upon me, his eyes so full of tender pity and compassion, so (???Greg uncertain about “so”) he uttered these words, “Jane thy sins are forgiven thee,  thy faith has made thee whole.”  It was satisfactory.  O praise his name.  He gave me the witness of his Holy Spirit which has been with me ever since.  My burden was all gone and joy and peace filled my heart.  In about three months from that time it seemed to me I must have something more.  I felt God had forgiven all my sins.  I was his child and rejoiced in this knowledge but I felt I was not wholly the Lords and I sought earnestly and prayerfully for this. (The beauty of holiness) written by brother and sister Palmer of New York, now both in heaven, attracted me.  I commenced taking it, it became a great help to me and one day while in my closet, pleading alone with God for this blessing, telling him I would do or give up anything if he would only let me know I was wholly his.   The question came, “Will you return thanks at the Table?”  There I was,  it seemed to me I could not take up this cross and I could not claim the blessing without obeying God.  O what a little thing sometimes keeps us from enjoying the fullness of our God.  I promised my savior then and there in his strength I would do it.  Praise the Lord he gave me victory.  The cross seemed so much heavier because at this time my husband (Greg ‘s note-this would be John Albert Clements who settled in Elmwood in 1868) was unconverted and opposed me,   soon after this, alone on my knees in my parlor, God (gave ... Greg’s addition) me faith to claim the promise.  That if I walked in the light, as he is in the light, his blood cleanseth me from all sin.  Praise his name, he gave me grace to erect the family altar, and my companion and children are now believing in Christ.  O precious Savior he sweetly washes and cleanseth my poor heart.  Glory to his name.

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