p. 541 | OBITUARY by R. D. Benham

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 2, 1880

OBITUARY.

By R. D. Benham

DANKS.—Fell asleep in Beaverton, Washington Co., Oregon, Bro. Augustine H. Danks, of heart disease, contracted in the army during the late rebellion. The disease gradually wore him away, until during the last year of his life his sufferings became so intense at times, that he would wish for death to put an end to them. Not being able for the last six weeks to lie in bed, he usually sat by the fire, or reclined for short intervals on a couch. At last, on the night of October 21, his wife, arising about eleven o'clock to see if he needed anything, found him lifeless on the floor. Bro. Danks embraced the third angel's message about four years ago, mostly through reading. During the last five days of his life he was often at the throne of grace, and earnestly sought forgiveness of God and of his brethren for all past offenses. A funeral discourse was preached by Eld. A. Snashall (First-day Adventist), from Num. 23: 10. He leaves a wife and three children to mourn their loss.

*Another mound heaped 'neath the willow,     Another soul gone to his rest; Now the wind sighs a dirge o'er his pillow,     And night weeps her dew o'er his breast.* *How weary and worn seemed his footsteps,     As slowly he faded away; That form once so strong and so active,     That heart once so happy and gay.* *The light of another home rifted,     Went out with his faltering breath, As slowly his frail bark was drifted,     Far out on the ocean of death.* *How often he longed for the coming     Of death to relieve him from pain, To sleep till the dawn of that morning     When Christ should awake him again.* *At last when that shadow bent o'er him     With all his dim fears and alarms, The scenes of earth faded before him,     And he slept in the fell monster's arms.* *He quietly sleeps on the hillside,     Mid solitude, shadows and gloom; But we hope the first trump will awake him     To burst from the bars of the tomb.*

Salem, Oregon, Nov. 5, 1880. R. D. BENHAM.