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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 19, 1867

Obituary Notices.

Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.

DIED, in Oswego, N. Y., Sept. 18, 1867, of cancer, Betsey E., wife of S. W. Rhodes. Some fifteen years since she embraced the message of the third angel, and zealously lived in harmony with her profession.

Her sufferings were great, especially during the last two years of her life. She bore all with Christian courage and reconciliation. No impatient words escaped her lips. No murmuring nor complaining, though in deep affliction. All was peace and quietness with her. She was indeed a peacemaker. She was devotional, self-denying, cross-bearing, and faithful.

During the last year of her life she conversed freely of death, the grave, and the Judgment. With composure she gave direction in things pertaining to her death, burial, &c. Her reason and judgment continued good to the end of her life.

“Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them.”

All who knew her acknowledged her a practical Christian. She sleeps in Jesus. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.” Blessed with eternal life. Blessed with the enjoyment of all the glories of the new earth. Blessed with seeing God. Amen.

Farewell, for a little while, my dearly beloved, and loving wife.

S. W. RHODES.

DIED, in Fairview, Jones Co., Iowa, Oct. 21, 1867, of hemorrhage of the lungs, after a long and severe illness of congestion, sister Erskine, wife of Bro. N. B. Morton, in the 57th year of her age. She embraced present truth eight years ago when Bro. Cornell was first at the place, and she adorned her profession with a meek and quiet life. She leaves a large family and circle of friends to mourn her loss. The occasion was improved by Eld. J. T. Mitchell in a funeral discourse.

But, alas! the work of death was not yet done in this family. On Nov. 1, she was followed by her youngest child, Louisa B. Morton, 16 months old, of whooping cough and congestion. Here, also, on the 3d inst., a discourse was given by the writer on the subjects of death and the resurrection, to a large and attentive audience.

J. DUNCAN.

P. S. Bro. Morton desires to say through the Review that he has seven children, three girls and four boys, for whom he desires to obtain good, permanent homes among Sabbath keepers, who could give good evidence that they were suitable persons to take care of his children. The girls are the youngest. Those desirous, or willing, to take such children will correspond immediately with N. B. Morton, Fairview, Jones Co., Iowa, as he cannot keep them together long. They are five children.

J. D.

DIED, in Coal Valley, Rock Island County, Ill., Oct. 17, of consumption, my companion, Triphena E. Merriam, in the 59th year of her age. She was brought to the knowledge of the truth by hearing a few lectures from Bro. C. C. Collins, through whose influence the Review has been sent to us, which has been our only means of learning the truth.

H. C. MERRIAM.

DIED, in Racine, Minn., Sept. 21, 1867, Myra E., infant daughter of Joseph B. and Mary Edwards, aged 10 months and 10 days.

STEPHEN PIERCE.

DIED, at Lexington, Rich. Co., Ohio, Oct. 20, 1867, of consumption, Daniel M. Bowles, aged 18 years. His disease was caused by cold contracted during the illness and death of his father last November.

During the tent meetings in Bellville, father embraced the third angel’s message. All the dark clouds thrown around the Bible by the popular teachers of the day were dispelled by Elders Van Horn and Lawrence. He acquiesced in the correctness of the Sabbath question, and being in feeble health, often regretted the delay in organizing a church. But death soon robbed us of that loved one, and destroyed the consummation of his wishes to become a member.

Since the death of my father, my brother, the subject of this notice, with the family, endeavored to keep the commandments of God and faith of Jesus. His health prevented him from meeting with the little church at Bellville, since last Dec., or going forward in baptism, which he deeply regretted. But it did not prevent his prayers and supplications from ascending to his God.

He was constant and unwavering in his devotions; and though racked with pain and fatigued with coughing, poured forth his prayers for the pardon of sin, and that the Lord’s will be done.

The patience with which he bore all his suffering was a true index of his Christian heart. He was so resigned that death had no terror, and the grave no victory. He said, I have prayed many, many times to be healed, but it is not the Lord’s will; so I long to go home. In his last moments he placed his hands on his aching breast as if to stifle pain a moment and exclaimed, “Oh, meet me in a better land!”

Yes, brother we'll meet in a better land, Where sickness the frame shall not wear, Where death shall not enter to sever the band, And no trains to the graveyard repair. Meet you, yes, meet on that sunny shore, Where sorrow and pain shall not be, No farewells are spoken and mourning is o'er, For the grave has no victory. Yes, brother, we'll meet in a better land, Though the sufferer silently sleeps, Though death holds the heart, and palsy the hand, And o'er thee now sadly we weep. Meet you? yes, meet when Jesus shall send The angels his children to bring, Who shall joyfully shout as they upward ascend, O Death, where now is thy sting?

ELLA BOWLES.

Rich. Co., Ohio.