The Death of My Afflicted Wife
“I am the resurrection and the life.”—Jesus. The Death of My Afflicted Wife.
BUTLER.—Friday, November 15, about 3 P. M., the life record of my dear companion, and her long period of over twelve years of great suffering, closed by a second stroke of apoplexy. She passed away without a pang of conscious pain. It so happened that I was all alone with her at the time of her death. For several months past her health had seemed as good as at any time since her sad stroke, only she had great pain at times in her paralyzed limbs. But she had felt quite poorly for a day or two before the end came, though able to sit up most of the time. Of course during all these long years since her first stroke, I have known that she was liable at any moment to have the stroke repeated, with fatal consequences. Yet her death came to me as a great shock. It had been her request, often repeated, that I should write nothing in her obituary notice extensive or laudatory. So I will give but briefly a few facts. Leutha Ames Lockwood was born in Springfield, Vt., April 29, 1826, hence she was over seventy-five years of age at her death. Her parents moved during her early life to Waitsfield, Vt., where her youth and early womanhood were spent. Her parents at that time were devoted members of the Baptist Church. She was converted when about sixteen. There were very few Baptists in that community, and her baptism, which took place before a large crowd of curiosity-seekers, was quite an ordeal for her young faith, she being a timid young girl, and the only candidate. Her parents and several members of the family, herself among them, accepted the Adventist faith under the labors of William Miller and other preachers as early as 1843. She and they began the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath about 1846, even before they heard any Seventh-day Adventist preacher. Elder Joseph Bates came to Waitsfield soon after, and explained to them more fully the truths we all believe. Shortly after, she became acquainted with Elder and Mrs. White. So she was one of the very earliest believers of the faith in which she ever after was a firm believer till death closed the scene. Her parents and mine lived about twelve miles apart in neighboring towns, and were well acquainted as early as 1843. We all moved West nearly fifty years ago. Our marriage occurred March 10, 1859, so we traveled the rough road of life together over forty-two years, and during all that time I never for one moment regretted our union. When I began to preach this message about thirty-five years ago, being absent from home most of the time, the care of our little family of three young children, and the burdens of life fell heavily upon her, and the sorrows of the separation almost broke her heart. But she never murmured, nor sought for a moment to hinder me from what I regarded as a solemn duty; was always a loving, faithful wife and mother, doing her best to make us all happy. But her burdens were heavy, and almost too much for her strength. Not only her domestic duties, but the care of much company and the burdens of large meetings, consequent upon my official life, pressed heavily upon her. Her sad stroke of apoplexy over twelve years ago, after we had been in Florida a little over a year, made her a confirmed invalid. Her right limbs could never be moved by will power after that. Her whole right side was paralyzed. So she has had always to be moved in her chair, lifted to the bed, carried in my arms to the carriage when she rode, and helped in many ways. I felt I could not leave her, and very few women had strength to do all these things for her. So I have stayed by my suffering companion all these years. Her sufferings have been very great, at times almost unendurable. But she bore them with remarkable fortitude. Because of her request I can say but little on this point. Let me, however, say this much: A venerable and intelligent physician, who was providentially near us and attended upon her when first stricken down, and has often visited her since, stated at the funeral, in a few remarks he made, that he never was acquainted in all his long experience with a person who bore all her sufferings with more cheerfulness and heroism than she did. Much of the time she was cheerful, but when her pains were almost unendurable, she could not restrain her feelings. How thankful I am that the Lord mercifully spared her from a single pain at her death. It was a great comfort that we could have with us, after her death, our old especial friends, Elders A. G. Daniells and R. M. Kilgore, and Elder and Mrs. Keck, our near neighbors, who came from the Orlando meeting to be with us. Our neighbors were all very kind, and did all they could to assist us. When the sad stroke came, it almost unmanned me. It made everything seem so dark to me. How could I bear the burdens of life further? My heart was greatly depressed. But our merciful Father has caused this cloud of depression to be lifted, and I can say, from the heart: He doeth all things well. She sleeps in Jesus, resting without a pang of pain. For years she had longed to die. Death had no terrors for her, though early in life she was greatly depressed by them. How blessed the Christian hope! It is inexpressibly precious to me. Soon we shall “meet again, meet ne’er to sever.” DAMSGAARD.—Died at the home of her brother, Anton Helligso, at Webster, S. D., Nov. 12, 1901, Mrs. Christine Damsgaard. Sister Damsgaard was born in Denmark, Nov. 20, 1865. She accepted the Advent Message in 1894, and was a faithful Christian worker up to the time of her sickness and death. She leaves one son, eleven years old, to mourn the loss of a dear mother. Words of comfort were read from Rev. 20:6; 14:13. C. A. BURMAN.