The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-01-18

Con. vanderbilt's Last. Hours Sketch
slaas Lie s g
ANe6 81 special fJan. Q 70 he chi.
o g. e. sss 's: q ss1iSs1as seoes,.
Com. vSn1 Tin a. : sev minute -
day aftslHooa s. asesee astser tnaa 1s1aa
chair anl 1akea o n sltl3ng40eGnS 1Aessa
he convosood with HI 4AaiSly end his friend,
Mr.. William Trumbull. AZ ten o'clock h
retired, feeling cem1o!table. AZ teo IN The,
morning he grew s1adenly Horse, and died
Of exhaustion at the hour stated. The Com:
year. He considered it slight local disor-
der, but 1t did not pass away as he expected,
and Slapped his strength from day to day.
- -
A gentleman who was present when Com.
Vanderbilt died, and who has spent much
time with him in the sick.room, gives this
account Of his last hours: He said that on
Thursday last It seemed to him that he was
entering upon death as he had never done
before. He had been in . constant state Of
weakness for the last month, with one or two
periods of rallying. On Wednesday evening
he saw one or two Of his friends, with whom
he talked cheerfully until nearly ten O'Clock,
were with him that he was brighter
than he was in the morning. After the COM
pany went away he conycrsed with Mrs. Van.
der6ilt upon religious subjects very earnest
IL. His faith seemed very great, and he ex-
pressed himself deliberately and decidedly;
never cease to trust Jesus. How could I
ever let that go?" He spoke also Of his
consciousness Of his ignorance In regard to
spiritual things-for instance, the existence
and operations of the Holy Ghost; but his
ignorance did not stand in the way of his
faith. He said he read the Bible, and tried
to understand it as well a. he could, and
whatever it said he firmly believed. About
two a. m. change came again, and at four
he had grown, much weaker. Later in the
morning his children and pastor were cent
for. DR.. Deems arrived about nine o'clock,
and his family arrived . little later. ssi~f:;
The Commodore found great difficulty in
anccs during the last hours If his life. He
took interest in passages of Scripture re-
peated from time to time, and upon one Of
the ladies making suggestion in regard to
singing, he misunderstood her, and nude no
sign Of assent A little later he turned to
his wife and said: ~ thought you would
sing" A few of his favorf;c hymns were
then sung, with pauscs between. The first
hymn sung was "Show pity, Lord; Oh,
Lord, forgive" and the next, "Ncarer my
God to Thee" He showed great interest in
the singing, and even attempted, with his
hoarsc voice, to join in a hymn which
always interested him. 1t was the one
SINNERS. " pao ' and r nssa ssios:
he was SO low, whenever that hymn
was sung, he Invariably tried to join in 1t,
generally adding, ut the close: II am
poor, am needy, weak and wounded, sick
and sOre." DR.. Deems proposed prayer, 70
time it looked as though his strength was
failing SO rapidly that very soon he would
not be able to cxpectoratc, SO that the
friends about him anticipated a struggle ut
the last. Among other things the pastor
prayed that God would be pleased In His
mercy to vouchsafc unto the sufferer an easy
departure out Of his great pain into everlast..
the whole prayer, and, when it was closed
with the bencdictiOn, be repeated with the
minister the words, The blessing Of God
Almighty, the Father, Son aud Holy Ghost"
and his voice then failed him. He after.
ward attempted to speak several times, but
to make himself understood. After
the lapse of some time he turned to his
wife. who was sitting beside him, and his
mind seemed to rccur to the prayer that had
been offered, and he said, "That was good
prayer" These were the last words he ut
tered. Mrs. Vanderbilt replied, "Ycs, be-
cause it expressed just your sentiments
now" He could not speak, but nodded rs.
sent. The obstruction in his throat appar
entity ceased to be painful, and he closed his
mouth for \ few minutes, rs he had been
seen to do by his friends when thinking
closely. Ills eyes frightened, and his mouth
opened, after which, closing his eyes, he
brcathcd quickly few times aud then u.
pircd. ut 1851 o. m.
When Il was known that he had ceased to
exist, deep sobs were heard throughout the
room. Mrs. Vanderbilt was very deeply af-
fected, As were many of those around her.
The grief of the family and friends was
shared by the two faithful female nurses who
have been in att enhance ON the Commodore
for many days and nights during his illness,
and the old ser wants Of the family were also
much affected. Miss Phoebe Vanderbilt, the
Commodore's sister, and Capt. Jacob Van.
derbilt, of Sta ten Island, were not in the
house when he died. They were detained on
Staten Islam d by the illness of Mrs. Egbcrt,
q widowe sister of the Commodore, eighty.
four year. of age, and now lying at the point
of death.
The news Of the Commodore's death had
been SO long ex pected, that it made but little
stir ON Wall street.