Obituary Notices | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 14, 1882

Obituary Notices.

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.”—Rev. 14:13.

CURTIS.—Died of consumption, at Brandon, Franklin Co., N. Y., Bro. David Curtis, aged fifty-eight years. Discourse by Eld. Quale (Christian). Precious seasons of prayer were enjoyed by Bro. C. during his long sickness, and the gloom of other days gave place to bright hope and a peaceful death. H. W. LAWRENCE.

ORNDOFF.—Died near Valparaiso, Saunders Co., Neb., Nov. 25, 1881, Wm. Orndoff, aged twenty-one years, eight months, and fifteen days. Bro. Willie was faithful to duty. He lived a life of faith in God through Christ, and by it, being dead, he yet speaketh. “He sleeps in Jesus.” Funeral sermon by the writer, from Heb. 11: 4, last clause. H. SHULTZ.

NORMAN.—Died at South Mound, Neosho Co., Kan., Bro. James Norman, in the eightieth year of his age. Upon retiring, he knelt before the bed to pray, as was his custom. While in that position, he fell forward with his face upon the bed, and never rose again. He lingered until the next evening, when he peacefully fell asleep. Bro. Norman was baptized by Eld. Cook four years ago, and since that time has trusted in the blessed hope. Though his faculties were failing, he was patient and submissive, and being weary he has lain down to sleep until the call of the Master. Funeral sermon by Eld. Cameron, Presbyterian minister. L. D. SANTEL.

CECIL.—Died of consumption, in Kellerton, Iowa, March 2, 1882, our sister, Ada May Cecil, daughter of Kinsey and Sarah Cecil, in the twenty-second year of her age. She has been a Sabbath-keeper seven years, and at the time of her death was a member of the Afton church. She will be missed by them, also by the many friends who knew and loved her. She was willing to go, and we trust she sleeps in Jesus, waiting till he shall come to take her home. This thought comforts the mourning parents, brother, and sisters. MARY E. HUGHES.

BURLESON.—Our grandmother, Mrs. Mary A. M. C. Burleson, died of old age in Jackson Co., Miss., Aug. 22, 1881, aged ninety-three years and six months. Her life was pure, and its close beautiful.

She was born in Germany, Feb. 20, 1788. When a child, her parents emigrated to Georgia. Soon after their arrival, they died within two days of each other. In her childhood days, she was much petted by Gen. Washington, on whose knee she often sat.

In 1805 she joined the M. E. Church, and in the same year was married to our grandfather, Aaron Burleson, with whom she lived happily until his death, Dec. 25, 1849. She outlived, by more than a decade of years, all, save one, our mother, of her six children.

The last twenty-three years of her life were spent in total blindness, and the latter half of these years she was so deaf as not to be able to hear anything, except what was directed particularly, and with emphasis, to her. At these dispensations she did not repine, but would submissively say, “The will of the Lord be done.” These afflictions were the more severe as she had ever lived a life of most active industry.

She had all her life been a dear lover of the house of God, and notwithstanding these great infirmities, she wished ever to be found in her place; as she often said, “For example’s sake; not that I can any longer hear either the sermon, the singing, or the prayers.”

In other days, she was well and extensively known by the members of the Georgia and Alabama Conferences; but most, if not all, of those who knew her in her own hospitable home, preceded her to their graves. The Rev. Thomas Sanford, of the Georgia Conference, whose memory was ever most dear to her, was her brother-in-law.

Our grandparents moved from Georgia to Alabama in 1816, and from thence to Three Rivers, Jackson Co., Miss., in 1829, where they sleep side by side, awaiting the resurrection of the just.

Our dear old grandmother’s life was one of deep devotion to God. Her seasons and place for private prayer were never neglected. Long years of use had rendered them indispensable to her, and as long as she was able, leaning upon her staff, in her blindness, and laden with the infirmities of age, she would slowly grope her way to her fixed place of privacy, where she regularly held “sweet converse with the Lord.” There she fervently prayed for her children, as she called us all. When we remember that those prayers ascend for us no more, we are sad, but believe that God still holds them in remembrance. We bless the Lord for the example and memory of such a grandmother, and trust at last to meet her in that “blessed fold,” where “no foe can enter, and no friend departeth thence.” PETER H. CLARK.

MRS. E. C. WILLIAMS.