Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-02-12

world, putting forth every energy to
prolong her days as far as possible,
but when the time of her departure was
at hand she was ready to go "having
desire to depart and be with Christ
which is far better" She had 40 fear
as to the hereafter for she knew in
whom she believed and was persuaded
that He was able to keep that which
she had committed to Him against
that day-even the salvation of her
soul. No one who knew her intimately
will question for moment the fitness
of apprOpriating the words of pre-
ciOus hymn with reference to her. God
grant that they may also be appropri-
ate for you and me when we take our
last sleep:
ASLEEP in Jesus, blessed sleep.
From which none ever wakes to wake;
calm and undistur bed repose
Unbroken by the last OF foes
Asleep in Jesus! Oh how sweet
TO be for such sumber meet
With holy confidence to sing
That death has lost his venomed sting.
Asleep in Jesus peaceful rest
Whose walking is extremely blest
No fear, no woe shall dim that hour
That manifests the Savor's power.
Asleep in Jesus oh for me
May such a blissful refuge be,
Securely shall my ashes lie
Waiting the summons from on high.
In casting about for text in keep
ing with the life of the departed my
mind turned instinctively to Luke 10:
~, and would be satisfied with no
other: But one thing is needfui: and
Mary hath chosen that good part,
which shall not be taken from her. -
| suppose my mind reverted to this
text for several reasons, the first one
being this The Mary spoken of here
is one of the most lovely of all the
characters given in the bible. 1t is
that Mary whose sister is Martha and
whose brother is Lazarus. 1t is that
Mary who when Christ came to her
home did not shut him up in the par
Tor alone while she went out into the
kitchen and got up big dinner as
Martha was willing to do. but she
was one who realized that Jesus came
to her home for different purpose
and she was willing to sit at his feet
and learn of wisdOm's ways. This is
Mary of whom record is made else
where, Mark IA; SO, John y: l-8, that
as Jesus sat at meat in certain house
in Bethany she took IAN alabaster box
of ointment of spikenard very preci-
Gus, and she brake the box and
poured it on head" and wiped His
feet with her hair This was more
than an act of love on her part-it was
an act showing that she perceived that
the death of the master was near at
hand. Christ said of her act against
the day of my burying hath she kept
this" and also "whereSOever this Cos
pei shall be preached throughout the
whole world, this also that she hath
done shall be spoken of for memoir
ial of her." This is the home in which
Jesus loved to be and no wonder when
such loving spirit as that of Mary
was in it.
I am sure that it will not be sacrili-
gious to say that Nora, in some small
measure at least, was like the Mary of
the text. She was lovely girl in the
best sense of that word, a pure and
noble minded woman. Hers was a
rare character-such that does not
bloom in every household. She did
not think that the things of this world
were of first consideration. Her dis
position was not that of Martha but
that of Mary. From child she loved
to sit at Jesus feet, and learning there
His mind it was ever her delight to
conform her will to His. While it was
not given her to break precious ala
baster boxes of ointment on the SaviOr'S
head | am sure that the rich fra GRANGE
of her pure life will abide many years
in this world, and it will become in
creasingly more precious each sue
cnedinr wear to thOSe who were brought
under its influence.
| suppose a second reason why my
mind reverted to this text is:
Because of what it says about the
lone thing needful" and about that
good part which shall not be taken
away from her." Jesus asserts in
the text that Mary had that good
part" need we ask what that is? 1t is
1.-THE one thing needful.' 1t is clear
from the setting of the text that it did
not have reference to any material
thing of this world. 1t was not this
worlds riches, or honors, or pleas
ureS, or loves, or anything of that
kind. 1t is clear that Mary and
Martha alike had these things in rich
abundance. But Mary's attitude
toward Christ indicates that the good
part" was something spiritual, heav-
emily. She had part" in the world
to come. That means that at least
her name was enrolled in the Lambs
Book of Life, that her sins were blot
ted out, that she had culture of soul.
This is manifest both in her ''sit
ting at Jesus feet" and in her an
nOinting Him beforehand for his bury
ing. SO we think the parallel holds
good in some measure with Nora. She
seemed to have an abundance of all
the good things of this world save
one-health. She had all that heart
could wish in the love of father,
mother, husband, sisters and friends
by the score. But in none of them did
she find the lone thing needful."
Could she now speak to us from the
battlements of glory what do you
think she would say was that good
part that shall not be taken away from
her?" Would it not be that which our
Lord and Saviour has to offer to each
one of us-salvation through faith in
his name, the privilege of sonship
with God, the right to enter through
the gates into the Eternal City? OF
what avail are riches, or honors, or
pleasures, or even kinfolks and |
friends in the crisis hour? But faith |
in the Lord Jesus avails. By 1t we
can sweep through the gates. For
says Paul: II am persuaded that