The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-06-18
"GATES AJAR"

"GATES AJAR".
and Recognizes Departed
Friends in Heaven.
Major Charles E. Fulton, q
prom nent and highly esteemed
citizen of Ottumwa, recently May
or of the city, died on the 28th Of
| March, under circumstances Of q
peculiar character. We have the
statement given below with pro-
found interest. We knew Majo-
Fulton, having met him in busi-
ness circles, and knowing as we
do that he possessed sound, prac-
tical mind, we give full credence to
his dying words. He was not a
man to be deluded by a hal ucin-
alton, or be carried away il his
dying hour by religious fancies'-
The following account was written
by friend, who was with him in
! b is last moments, and was origin
ally printed in the Ottumwa Cour-
ier
A fter an hours conversation
with the family Gnd relations of
he late Major c. E. Fulton, was
impressed that your readers, and
the community at large who knew
his every day life, would be inter
ested in an account of his some
what remarkable close.
His disease acting aim ost Who'll
ly upon his nervous and circula-
tory system. left his mind clear
and of its usual vigor to the end
And those who watched by him,
day and night, inform me that
there was no one hour, during his
protracted sickness and intense
sufferings that reason failed or
that his intellect appeared clouded,
About three weeks before his
death, he had given up hopes of
recovery, and conversed freely on
the approaching event, evincing
no fear or dread of death,
and only desiring life for the
sake Of his family, and repeat
edly saying that he faith that had
b. en- his through life was suffici-,
ent for the hour Of death. During
the last days of his life he arrang-
ed his business, and left kind
words Of affection and advice to
his family ani friends, with as
great composure as in health he
ha d transacted the ordinary duties
of life.
In the EARLY part of Sabbath
night, and as early as 2 o'clock of
March %. he recognized the icy
arm of death as they began to
be folded around him, and at four
o'clock had his children brought
and bade them a last farewell,
then summoning his failing
strength uttered the following
prayer
"Oh! Almighty Father, if yet
Thou art God upon earth, and
hast compassion on hum an woe !;
if vet Thou art husband to the
widow and father to the father
less, look in pity upon this my
stricken wife, and fatherless child
rem"
The many words, expressions,
and the prayers of the next two
hours, though recorded, and of
sacred interest to his family, we
must pass over.
At about $40 o'clock he sank
visib;y into the arms of death, all
thinking they had heard the last
whisper from his lips. After lying
thus for some ten minutes, he
aroused with the exclamation,
family uttered: Not unto us, OH.
Father, but unto Thee, be all the
glory. Pausing moment, he ex-
claimed Five millions! His
wife leaned over him said: New
ton, what does he mean? New
ton replied. 'Spirits;' he whisper
ed, Yes that is it. Then followed
the conversation here given, in
the familiar terms in which it was
accurately recorded by the mem
bers of the family, within a few
hours after his death.
His wife then asked, Are they
redeemed spirits! 4! Answer-Yes
Some came yesterday. others just
getting in. His wife then said,
And you darling swell the num-
ber Assented to by Yes. She
then asked, Are they coming to
welcome you home? AnsweT-Yes
Newton asked, Charley, do you
know them? Answer-I know all
that 1 knew on earth. His wife
asked, Do you see Father? An
swer-Which Father p? During
the night and day previous. to test
his failing sight, he had been re-
peatedly asked if he could see
certain persons standing near,
Father Mast was then standing
by the bedside-hence his reply
he doubling whether she meant
spiritual or natural sight). His
wi said, Father Fulton, died six
years ago, Answer-Yes. Ques.
tioa by the same, Do you see little
sister Mary who died long ago in
Virginia ? Answer Yes. She
then exclaimed, Then we do know
each other in Heaven. He turned
his face toward her with a faint
smile expressive of knowledge and
surprise at the doubt. and whis-
pered, Certainly Newton then
asked, Is Heaven then reality
Answer-Yes. His wife then ask
ed, Charly do you see? Answer
Yes. CAT this point victory