Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1909-12-24
Some Thoughts on the Life and Char
acter of Josie Mcdonald.

She was born September 22,
1887, near Cochrane, Alabama.
She first attended the common
schools of the neighborhood, lat
er the high school at Brooks
vile, Miss, and finished from
the |. |. and C.. at about the age
of Is years.
In her early girlhood she pro-
fessed religion and joined the
M. E. church South, and lived a
life consistent with that profess
sion to the time of her death.
She was a girl Of high ideals,
always striving to initiate the
beautiful and true and was
much in the company of good
books, the Bible of course, being
her standard.
She was a proud girl, with an
ambition to make her own way
in the world. She chose the
work of stenographer and as
such was at work in Meridian
when taken sick with typhoid
fever, and after an illness of
eight weeks died at II o'clock p.
m. Dec. 9Th, 1909, at the Matte
Hersie hospital.
She fully realized her condi-
ton and for three weeks before
her death, told her friends she
could not get we'll and said she
felt Safe in the arms of jesus
and asked those around her to
help her sing that song, it being
the one that gave her the most
comfort in the trying ordeal
through which she was about to
pass. She died in the full as
surance of her Redeemer's pres
ence and loving care.
In the victory she won over
death, we see the practical de-
monstration of the truth.
death is swallowed up in vic
tory" 1t prepares us to say,
like one of old, Let me die the
death of the righteous and let
may last eve be like hers"
She was the idol Of her par
ents and the sunshine of her
home. She loved her friends,
and nothing gave her more
pleasure than to make others
happy. Possessed Of a human
nature in common with all man
kind, doubtless she had faults;
yet, during an intimate acquain-
lance of three or four years, [
fail to remember a single one.
Loyal and obedient to parents,
kind and affectionate to all, she
was one of the most admirable
girls | ever met.
Therefore, we should not
mourn for her, for our loss is
her gain. We should look, with
the eye of faith across the river
to see her beckon us onward.
We can say with the Psalmest
she can not come back to US Tut
we can go to her.
Then father, mother, sisters,
brothers, remember we have one
more claim on Heaven than We
ever had before, and one cord
less to bind us to eaarth; for as
our interest in Heaven increases,
:, at@the same ratio It'll weakens on
earth. Change is!stamped on all
material things and we have no
abiding here. In His own good
time He will call us home, then
we can understand why it is that
He chastenth whom He loveth
and scourgeth whom He taketh
to Himself" 1t is doubtless to
purify us in heart and life, to fit
us for His presence that we may
enjoy Him in Heaven with our
loved ones who have gone be-
fore.
Then let us not think the Lord
unkind to us when the brightest
lights of our lives are first to go
out, but rather humbly submit to
His providence for we know He
doeth all things we'll and makes
no mistakes. So let US rather
rejoice for the time will come
when we can realize that be-
reavment and affection are Of
times mercy sent to bring US
nearer to Him to see Him as He
is: Josie is safe in the arms Of
Jesus. F. P. II.