p. 24 | Sad News From Persia

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 18, 1915

Sad News From Persia

The sad news of the death of Brother and Sister F. F. Oster’s baby appeared in the REVIEW several weeks ago; but we know that Sister Oster’s friends will appreciate reading a letter which she wrote August 5, just after the death of the little one. We quote in part:—

“Last Sunday morning our little darling Winona died. She was so sweet and dear; every one who saw her loved her. She was just eight months old to the very hour. She had never been sick, seemed like such a strong, well baby; but she must have taken cold. The first week of her illness seemed to be just fever and a little disturbance of the stomach. We worked hard, and she seemed to be about over both when she began having pains. She bent her head away back, clinched her little fists so tightly we could not pry them open, and suffered so that sweat stood on her face in drops. She looked so pleadingly at us, as if begging for help. We did all we could, but after five days of that terrible suffering she fell asleep. We helped each other dress her for the last time, and laid her in a rude little coffin which a kind friend made, and I draped it with soft cheesecloth. They took her away to the Armenian cemetery—just a bare hillside covered with piles of stone, each pile marking the resting place of some loved one.

“It seems so hard; we cannot understand it. But God knows best, and we humbly bow to his will. Though our hearts are broken, for our greatest blessing here has been taken from us, yet we look up to God and he comforts us. We are determined to work harder for the people. We are more anxious for Jesus to come than ever before, and at times it seems I can hardly wait until he comes and awakes our little one and gives her back to us.”