Obituary Notices | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 8, 1878

Obituary Notices.

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

Died at Knoxville, Iowa, July 27, 1878, Bro. Wm. P. Andrews, aged 39 years and 11 months. He was born in North Paris, Maine, in 1838. In 1855 he, in company with his father's family, removed to Waukon, Iowa, where he has resided most of the time since, except a short stay at Battle Creek, Mich., and at Mount Pleasant, Iowa. About two weeks before his death he was taken with the bilious intermittent fever. A few days later erysipelas set in, which resulted in his death. The deceased was an only brother of Eld. J. N. Andrews, our missionary to Switzerland. He leaves a companion, a daughter, and an aged mother, who deeply mourn their loss.

In the death of Bro. Andrews, the community loses an esteemed citizen, the church a faithful supporter, the family a dutiful son, kind father, and affectionate husband. We laid him away to rest, with the firmest hope that at the first resurrection this family-link will again be united. Remarks by the writer to a large and interested congregation, from Ps. 116:15: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” E. W. Farnsworth.

We commend to the mourning friends in their sad bereavement the sentiment of the following lines:—

“And you shall shortly know that lengthened breath Is not the sweetest gift God sends his friend, And that sometimes the sable pall of death Conceals the fairest boon his love can send. If we could push ajar the gates of life, And stand within, and all God's working see, We could interpret all this doubt and strife, And for each mystery could find a key.

“But not to-day. Then be content, poor heart! God's plans, like lilies, pure and white unfold; We must not tear the close-shut leaves apart, Time will reveal the calyxes of gold; And if, through patient toil, we reach the land Where tired feet with sandals loosed may rest, Where we shall clearly know and understand, I think that we will say, ‘God knew the best.’”

Died of consumption, at David City, Butler county, Neb., July 15, 1878, Eugene E. Hayes, aged 32 years. Returning from school at Battle Creek, Mich., he attended the camp-meeting at Marshalltown, Iowa, in June, 1877, where he was licensed to preach. At this meeting he contracted a slight cold, which finally resulted in his death. In 1878 he received the glorious light of present truth proclaimed by S. D. Adventists through the medium of tracts furnished the writer by Eld. James White. Two weeks ago I was called from my labors at Toledo, Iowa, to attend him. With carefulness he prepared himself for the hour of death. “A long night's rest,” said he, “and then the glorious morning.” These sad hours were precious ones. As we bowed in prayer together for the last time, and asked the Lord to release him from lingering suffering, the blessing of the Lord rested upon us, and he shortly after expired, praising the Lord for his merciful goodness. Discourse by Eld. Davis, Methodist, from Amos 4:12. O. M. Olds.