La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-03-26

Impressive Memorial Services Held
At the Presbyterian Church
Last Sunday.

tetldu NHuISu last o1pDdtu uotu-
ing, in memory OF Mrs. Fl. o. Van
lnwagen, were unusually impress
sive and largely attended, great
numbers OF her friends filling the
sanctuary. The excellent quartette
choir OF the church rendered suit
able music, the anthem immediate
ly preceding the offering being
peculiarly appropriate aud pro-
ducins a profound impression on
the large audience. The sermon
vas from the words, 81 bowed
down heavily as one that mourneth
lor his mother" Psalm xxxv, IA.
DIR. Coltman spoke tenderly on the
characteristics Of the true Christian
mother, and the duty on the part
OF children in obedience TO them
ds their best earthly friends. In
reference to the deceased we
quote the following from Rev. DR..
Coltman's manuscript, which has
been kindly loaned us:
The beautiful and lovely charac-
teristics of Christian mother,
which | have described so imper-
iectly, were most beautifully illus.
trated in the life Of her, whose
memory we honor to-day. Such
characters as that of Mrs. Martha
Maria Van lnwagen are not often
met with as we go through lie.
They are like the Planets, who's,
superior brilliancy attract and
tasten our attention, as is not pos
,ible with smaller stars. She was
norn at Highgate, VT, on Nov. 90.
1850, and at the time OF her de
cease was but little over AZ years
,t age. On March s, 1866, sh,
was united in marriage to MIR. II
y. Van Inwagen and had she lived
three days longer would have COM
pieted thirty-two years OF married
ilfe, The greater part of which was
spent in the adjoining state OF
Kansas. In this union seven chill
dren were born, of whom five sur
vive and are residents of our city
Early in life she gave her hear,
10 her Saviour and entered into
covenant relations with him in tn,
..Church of the United Brethren, V
IN whose fellowship she continued
until, coming to La Junta in Novem
Der, 1893, she united with this
church and proved herself most
helpful and efficient member until,
on March 5th, her Blessed Master
called her from the conflicts of the
Church Militant, TO the rest and
10Y of the Church Triumphant in
| Heaven.
On entering upon my ministry to
this flock, my first pastoral WISH,
was to the bedside of this now de-
parted Saint. The impression
made upon my mind at that visit
and introduction has been con
! firmed and strengthened by each
succeeding call. In no other sick
room have | so fully realized the
power Of the religion Of Crucihed
and Risen Savior, to sustain and
comfort its possessor under the
physical pains and weakness to
which these bodies OF ours are sub
ject. While the greater part OF
the time size endured the most in
tense pain, no word OF murmur or
complaint was ever heard from her
lips, but in place of these she spoke
lovingly and fervently of the mercies
with which God had blessed her
life, the kind companionship of her
partner in life, the affectionate de-
votion of her children who never
wearied of ministering to her needs,
the attentions of faithful friends
| who cheered her loneliness by their
kind remembrances with flowers
and other tokens of thoughtfulness.
These, with repeated assurances OF
her unfaltering trust in Jesus
Christ as her Saviour and ever
present friend, these were the
topics of our conversations in that