weak!"

When Esther, my sister, soothingly said:

"Mother, please do not talk so much, it weakens you;" she responded
with:

"The doctor says my day is short!"

Later on, requesting my wife to remove her stockings, she remarked,
"I have got to the edge of the river!" Finally: "Once I was young;
now I am old, and have _never_ been forsaken!" were the last words
of testimony she left those present to bear witness to as she fell
asleep in the Lord.

What a blessed "going" for a life-long, zealous Christian who was
left an orphan when only eight years of age (as seen and recorded
in another chapter), with a rich uncle who would have done anything
for her if she had only married as he desired. What an
encouragement it holds forth to the living to trust everything to
God, and simply follow as He may direct.

Death had no sting or terror for her. She spoke calmly of the last
rites to be observed over her remains, saying she would like to be
buried like "Papa" (father), and asked my wife if the services
would be held over her at the house, or in the church. When
informed that the service would be held in the church, she
smilingly said, "Very well," and cheerfully resigned herself from
earth to heaven.

Her last exhortation to myself was: "Be faithful, humble, meek, and
constantly keep at the Master's feet until He calls you up higher.
Be kind, gentle, and patiently forbearing with your sister." In her
discourse with my sister she was very anxious and urgent that her
daughter would ultimately meet her parents in heaven, for which we
pray. Her faith was great; she had no fear or thought for self; her
great concern was for the heavenly welfare of those around her. She
spoke and acted as if her seat or place in the realm of bliss had
been long secured to her--in that great faith she died, but not
before, in her parting words, she had instructed me, "To gather up
the books and tracts; to see that they were properly distributed,
and that not one sheet be lost, so that the work would go on after
she was gone."

This second source of anxiety having been allayed, she rapturously
extended her hands to meet the angels, and raising herself up in
bed, turned her head and raised her eyes as if to gaze upon the
celestial messengers sent to bear her home, before she said to us: