The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1898-03-04
THos. Chiffon BUTLER.


heads
At going out, we think, and enter
straight
Another golden chamber Of the
Kings
Larger than this We leave, and
loveiier.
And then in shadow gllmrses dis
connect,
The story, floweT-like, closes thus
its leaves.
The viii OF God is all in all. He
makes,
Destroys, remakes, for His own
pleasure all.p
Thomas Chiffon Butter, after an
illness OF two years With consump-
ton, passed into the Iengthening
shadows OF the valley OF death with
the caImness and rest Of tired
child seeking reposc In sleep. His
death was beautiful with the seren-
ity Of soul from which the sting
Of death had been expelled, and he
met his God without tremOr,with
no forebodings that i'll from that
benign hand betided him. In these
days when some are continually
applying their-aibeIstic snuffers to
the bright tapers Of a Christian
faith, it were well for these dismal
pessimists to witness triumphant
death like that Of Brother Toms.
The writer ia sure that their soph-
istries would have been swept away
like the mists Lefore the bright ev-
idence that shone resplendant from
this young mans face while the
sun Of his mortality was setting.
The marks OF the supernatural
c.lled the new birth were plainly
visible-love, joy, peace, gentleness,
meekness, humility-the soul takes
on no such graees naturally, such
rare exotics do not grow from The
barren soil Of the natural heart,
These are purely and simply fruits
Of the spirit, whose life and nature
are implanted in the soul, and they
come from above.p Oh, infinite
miracle OF grace-the birth of soul
from the chrysalis OF sin and self
into the life where every faculty
has its appropriate latitude, and
breathes diviner breath.
Experiences such as these, aside
from the sanction Of the Word Of
God, bring us again and again to
the insistance OF sudden CONVEX
sions, and any one who may read
these lines who doesn't know the
JOY and peace Of this experience,
we urge you to think Of the exam
pie Of this sketch, whom God or
dered In this community as a mon
ument to His truth. You dare not
close your eyes to this modern mir
acle. Dear friend, believe God, and
let Him witness this truth to your
heart.
Iealled on Bro. Tom at Catletts-
burg some weeks before his death,
and instructed him in the way Of
God as expressed in the Word. He
was an eager and attentive listener
to these things OF weighty concern,
and made the definite promise1hat
he would give himself to sincere
thought upon the subject. This
was not the first serious attention
that he gave to the matter, howev-
or, for learn from one nearOf kin
that he wrote a letter two years ago
during his illness in Pike, to his
brother, in which, commenting on
the bereavement OF their sisters
death, he made the statement that
he woulI be the next, and intended
to prepare himselffor the summons.
SO that, when he came to Louisa
from Catlettsburg a few weeks ago,
he had made some advances in un-
derstanding what he Unjust do to be
saved" His decline was rapid,
and, as physical strength gave way,
the lips moved in earnest prayer,
and on Monday evening, Feb. 18th,
lS9S, while talking TO friends about
heaven, the spirit flooded his soul
with joy, and he shouted Gods
praises until he WAS exhausted.
The glad news came over the wires
to the writer who was at Ashland,
"Tom is saved and wishes to see
you.n Glorious message-it was
known in heaven before it came to
me. Prayers had been answered,
burdens had been removed, and We
could lay away the dust without
regret.
On Wednesday, while the sun
was setting in the west, / was hast
lily summoned to his bedside, and
he requested baptism. l perform
ed the solemn ordinance, and gave
him the emblems OF Christ's body
and blood in the sacrament.
THANK God" said he, call Is now
ready, and | shall go in peace l
shall never be called upon to per-
form a service of this kind IN
der more touching circumstances.
The natural sun flooded the room,
the sun OF Righteousness shone in
Toms face. and family and friends