The Monroe journal., 1916-12-08
Remarks of Rev. Mr.. White nj the
Funeral of Miss Bessie Austin.

, Remarks of Rev. Mr.. White at the
. Funeral of Miss Bessie Austin.
The Lord Jesus himself anticipated
just such a meeting as this which you
are now going through with. II was
, His wisdom then TO give US Those
matchless words in the fourteenth
chapter of John: Let not your heart
be troubled: We believe in God. be
lieve also in me. In my Father
house are many mansions; il il were
not so. | would have told you. / 60
10 prepare place for you. And l 20
and prepare a place for you. | will
come again. and receive YOU unto my
} self; that where l am. there ye may
be also" These words are not mere
ly words of encouragement and ex-
hortation. but words of revelation as
well. for they open the portals OF
Heaven for moment and assure us
OF the Fathers home. He knew bet
ter than any one how often the shad-
ow OF death would be cast across the
path of each one of US and how quick
IL the sunshine could be blotted out
OF our lives by the clouds OF sudden
& SNlAOM anu A0SSs l0uA WIN
mot be stopped and they should not
be today. But this sorrow need not
pierce so deep as to remain in your
souls a gaping wound. and for that
reason Jesus seeks 10 heal the wound;
Peace | leave with you. my peace |
give unto you" Il will pray the Fa-
Their. and he shall give you another
[ Comforter. even the spirit of truth.
/ My dear friends. do not under
stand why Miss Bess should have
been taken from you and your home
and from those who loved her and
those whom she loved in the summer
time of her life. Such characters as
she are too rare in this world. She
was like the sunshine in your home.
bringing JOY and happiness with her.
To give her up is like giving up your
own first born. / pray our Father
that He may truly comfort your
hearts.
To know Miss Bess was TO love her
She always had a cheerful word and
a sunny smile for every one. Hers
was a personality that radiated hap
piness. 1t was her desire to be doing
something all the time for those she
loved.
One of the most beautiful charac-
teristics of Miss Bess was her love
for children. How she delighted in
them and how they loved her. Every
child who was her devoted friend had
felt her loving touch and caresses.
And how she loved the children of
the home and how tenderly she
cared for them. No more beautiful
word could | say Of this lovely young
lady than that little children loved
her. Her memory will ever be green
in their hearts as well as in yours.
And | assure you this is one of the
most beautiful of all christian virtues.
What fight she made to get well.
And what beautiful dream she
treasured in her heart of hearts all
these months of that day when she
should establish her own home with
him whom she loved so tenderly and
deyotedly. The sorrow is deep and
you are bowed down with the grief
of the parting. but let me remind
you that our Lord was a man of sor-
rows and acquainted with grief and
He will comfort your hearts. for He
assures us that our Heavenly Faith
er "doeth all things we'll" There
were many things Paul could not un-
derstand. but he had the faith to say:
"All things work together for good
unto those who love the Lord" May |
your faith be as sublime as that!
Your belief in the eternal goodness OF
God will anchor your souls in the
stress and strain of sorrow, terrible |
and heart breaking as it is. w hit |
tier has expressed this feeling in |
words that are alive with faith, as
sweet as the odor of violets, in his |
poem, The Eternal Goodness"
| know not what the future hath
OF marvel or surprise:
Assured alone that life and death
His mercy underlies.
No offerings of my own | have,
No works my faith to prove;
| can but give the gifts He gave.
And plead his love for love.
ANU ~ DtSlut Nilt oliNll
| wait the muffled oar;
No harm from Him can come to me |
On ocean or on shore.
| know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
| only know | cannot drift
Beyond his love and care.
Her faith in Christ should be and |
| know is the reason for joy in the
midst of your sorrow. Hers was a
simple and abiding faith in Him. And /
today you are beautifully reminded /
of her faith in Him who loved her |
and gave Himself for her by the song |
that was on her lips and in her heart,
the day before she left for the hos
pital, when she was heard singing:
Jesus Is all the world to me
My life. my JOY, my all;
=