Obituary Notices by J. H. Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 10, 1871

Obituary Notices.

By J. H. Waggoner

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

FELL asleep in Athens, Me., on Sabbath, Dec. 17, 1870, Lydia S. Welch, aged nearly 24 years. Sister Lydia was born Feb. 1, 1847. In a severe sickness at the age of eight months, she was struck with palsy on one side, and again at the age of twenty months. At the age of fifteen years she was attacked with fits with which she continued to be afflicted the remainder of her life. With one side shrunken and nearly helpless from infancy, and fits of frequent occurrence, she suffered greatly most of her life.

About ten years ago, she was brought under deep conviction for sin, and continued so for two years, when she was set free in a full and powerful conversion. From that time she had but one object before her; to love and serve God, the thought of which she never lost for a single hour.

In all my observations of religious life I think I never saw the power of the gospel so wondrously manifested as in her experience. A pattern of devotion and patient resignation, she did not even ask for freedom from pain, because, she said, if it would be best for her, God would so order it, and if she should be at ease and in bodily comfort she might become careless and proud. Her simple, child-like trust in God was a lesson never to be forgotten by those who had the privilege of conversing with her, and whose hearts were trained by experience to appreciate her quiet submission in deep affliction.

A few months since her sufferings seemed to have an unusual effect upon her mind, so as to produce, at times, partial derangement. But toward the close of her life her mind became clear, and so continued to the close. During this time she said she had received assurance from the Saviour of her final salvation, after which she strongly desired to rest in death. When told that she was dying, a smile of joy lit up her countenance, and she calmly and quietly fell “asleep in Jesus.” To few, probably, will the resurrection morning present a stronger contrast with the past than to her. The past all the way marked with affliction; the future all light and glory.

Funeral sermon from 1 Thess. 4: 13–18. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” J. H. WAGGONER.