Part 5 (2/2)

To a Roman Catholic she remarked:

”There are no forms about my religion!”

To her daughter-in-law, my wife, she remarked:

”You have a mother!”

To the young men present she lovingly urged:

”Avoid bad company; learn of Christ; seek to be like Him, little by little.”

To Mrs. ----, who is a visitor, she firmly said:

”You are well liked, and can do a great deal of good; but pray with the people you visit!”

Then at times she would exclaim:

”Oh, I have so much to do; but I am so weak!”

When Esther, my sister, soothingly said:

”Mother, please do not talk so much, it weakens you;” she responded with:

”The doctor says my day is short!”

Later on, requesting my wife to remove her stockings, she remarked, ”I have got to the edge of the river!” Finally: ”Once I was young; now I am old, and have _never_ been forsaken!” were the last words of testimony she left those present to bear witness to as she fell asleep in the Lord.

What a blessed ”going” for a life-long, zealous Christian who was left an orphan when only eight years of age (as seen and recorded in another chapter), with a rich uncle who would have done anything for her if she had only married as he desired. What an encouragement it holds forth to the living to trust everything to G.o.d, and simply follow as He may direct.

Death had no sting or terror for her. She spoke calmly of the last rites to be observed over her remains, saying she would like to be buried like ”Papa” (father), and asked my wife if the services would be held over her at the house, or in the church. When informed that the service would be held in the church, she smilingly said, ”Very well,” and cheerfully resigned herself from earth to heaven.

Her last exhortation to myself was: ”Be faithful, humble, meek, and constantly keep at the Master's feet until He calls you up higher.

Be kind, gentle, and patiently forbearing with your sister.” In her discourse with my sister she was very anxious and urgent that her daughter would ultimately meet her parents in heaven, for which we pray. Her faith was great; she had no fear or thought for self; her great concern was for the heavenly welfare of those around her. She spoke and acted as if her seat or place in the realm of bliss had been long secured to her--in that great faith she died, but not before, in her parting words, she had instructed me, ”To gather up the books and tracts; to see that they were properly distributed, and that not one sheet be lost, so that the work would go on after she was gone.”

This second source of anxiety having been allayed, she rapturously extended her hands to meet the angels, and raising herself up in bed, turned her head and raised her eyes as if to gaze upon the celestial messengers sent to bear her home, before she said to us: ”Be faithful till the Master calls!” then grasping the hands reached out to hers, she was gone--gone from a finite life into heavenly rest!

One or two other items I must note. In looking over my father's papers, I find that he kept a private diary (which forms a part of the contents of this work) of the texts and sermons he heard on the Sabbath, from the year 1858, to the Sabbath before he died, and much significance is given to one he heard you preach from the Book of Jude, 23d verse: ”Hating even a garment spotted by the flesh.” I feel confident that he grew in grace under the Word of Life conveyed to him by you, and a.s.sisted by a close study of his own Bible. In his usual course of reading the Scriptures, he read on the day he was taken sick the 20th Psalm, though not permitted again to drink from the same fountain of Eternal Life, for he was going, unconsciously, to realize the efficacy of the 21st Psalm--a favorite with him--and to receive the crown of gold and life everlasting.

The general remarks of the outside world at the time fostered great interest in the fact of such peaceful ”goings” from earth to heaven of two such worthy Christians, at dates so close to each other.

Neither of them feared death. Both had lived and worked in harmony for the same great end.

Both to be ultimately called up higher in one week and two hours of each other.

WILLIAM KNOWLES.

I desire to supplement the foregoing account of the ”Last Hours,” by stating that when we reached the house of sickness and death, we found her son reading that precious portion of G.o.d's Word, the 14th chapter of St. John's Gospel, ”Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in G.o.d, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you,”

etc. The scene was deeply affecting. Loved ones were gathered around the bedside.

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