The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1896-07-16
OBITUARY.

Again the angel of death has visited
us and despite our tears and PRAYERS
wrapped his sombre robe about one of
our best loved ones, and she is gone.
AT her residence in Scotland Neck.
ON the evening of July 18th 1896, after
painful illness of three weeks, Mrs.
Nora E. Kitchin, (nee Shaw quietly
| passed from our midst to await us in a
happier cline
She was only nineteen years of age,
and had been married not quite year.
So young and so full of promise, it was
doubly hard to give her up.
Nora was converted and joined the
NJ. E. Church, South, in Tarboro, at
| the tender age of nine years. From
that time on, her life was one Of COM
| plete conservation to her Lord and his
| church. 1t Is said of her that she ney-
er spoke angrily to anyone that even
in childhood she was never known to
quarrel with her brothers, sisters or
| playmates. Her amiable disposition
and her gentle manners won for her a
warm place in every heart.
Devotedly attached to her young
husband, aud her family ties, she SEEM
ed to dread death oniy for their sakes.
The day before her death she said to
them, II am prepared to die, am not
| afraid, but / hate to leave YOU" She
then tenderly exhorted her husband to
make haste" to meet her in heaven.
| Her loved ones except one brother
| who was unayoldably absent-were all
about her bedside at this time. She
| requested them to sing, but tears chok-
ed utterance and her heart broken hus-
| band replied, Darling, we can't sing"
She did not insist, but lifting her own
weak voice she sang sweetly: "Lord
Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole. :"
She sang this whole stanza and the
chorus, and then as if to complete her
| lies mission, she partially covered her
| face With her hands and in clear,
pleading voice prayed earnestly for
them one by one, and finally for man
kind generally. None were excluded
in her prayer.
That prayer stands before God to-day
in our behalf. May he help us to fully
appreciate it. About three hours be-
fore the end came, she SAID to the dear
| ones gathered about her: II am glad
we are all together" Then she kissed
them all, and like tired child, turned
upon her side and quietly, peacefully
fell asleep.
TO such a pure life, such death was
but fitting climax.
Two Or three months before she was
taken SICK, Nora seemed to have had
premonition Of approaching death, and
to her husband she said: 81 shall not
live with you long" Again, only a
few days before she died, she declared
to her relatives, 81 shall not get WE'LL"
saying she had heard in her sleep, g
sweet voice calling her by name twice.
So strong was the impression that she
awoke.
We know not whether "Our Father"
out of the abundance of his love some
times reveals His intention to take us
hence, but certainly none of us can say
that He never does. So we simply re-
cord the facts leaving others to inter
pref them.
rowing friends we took her remains to
the church where with the solemn
words, 81 am the resurrection and the
life" we slowly advanced to the altar,
while the subdued tones of the organ
greeted us with LUX Benigna." The
choir sang softly, "Lead Kindly Light"
and the funeral service had begun.
From church to cemetery, and there
beside her babe who died only the week
before, with streaming eyes and aching
hearts, we laid our Nora down to rest.
But stop! Did we really bury Nora
Is she buried? Thank God, we may
answer, no! It is true that we lald her
inanimate form beneath the sod. True
that the same dear tace we loved to see,
and the same dear hand we loved to
clasp are inferred, but the immortal
part, the real Nora, could not be thus
confined. God had said to her "Come
up higher" and
"Borne by angels on their wings,
Far from earth her spirit flies,
Finds her God, and sits and sings,
Iriumphlng in Paradise
So faith undaunted, lifts It's fearful
eye and gazing steadfastly upward, pen
etrates the veil of sense, scales the
heights of glory and beholds glorified
spirit.
MAY God comfort the bereaved ones,
and bring them safely home at last
J. r. SAWYER.