It is with a sorrowful heart that I announce the death of my dear wife. She has gone to rest. She sleeps in Jesus—blessed hope! She died perfectly resigned to the will of heaven. She often repeated, O I love my Jesus. Give me Jesus and you may have all this world. She exhorted us all to be faithful, for she wanted to meet us again where we should never more part. Brother Cornell preached her funeral discourse. His text was 1 Thess. iv, 13-18. It was indeed cheering to the soul stricken to hear the hope of the Christian clearly presented. There were many present who believe not as we do concerning the sleep of the dead, yet many acknowledged it to be truth, if the Bible could be relied on.
This world looked very lonely to me before, but it looks more so than ever now. The glittering things of earth have lost their place in my affections. There is nothing that will satisfy me but one thing; and that is, those that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him; and when he brings them, may I be prepared to be gathered too, into the garner with them, and so ever be with the Lord.
She died October 10th, at 20 minutes past 2 o'clock in the morning, aged 23 years.
"Asleep in Jesus! Blessed sleep,
From which none ever wake to weep;
A calm and undisturbed repose,
Unbroken by the last of foes.104
Asleep in Jesus! O how sweet!
To be for such a slumber meet;
With holy confidence to rest
In hope of being ever blest.
Asleep in Jesus! Peaceful rest,
Whose waking is supremely blest;
No fear, no woe shall dim that hour,
That manifests the Saviour's power.
Asleep in Jesus! Soon to rise,
When the last trump shall rend the skies;
Then burst the fetters of the tomb,
To wake in full, immortal bloom."