Herald of Truth
May 1865 - Vol. II, No.5
Page 39, 40


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Transcribed Text:

On the 5th of April, in Berks Co., Pa., Elizabeth, wife of John Musser, aged 25 years, 7 Months, and 17 days. Her maiden name was Gehman. She was esteemed and beloved in the Church as a faithful sister and leaves a mourning husband and a little daughter.
PHILIP MOSEMAN.

On Thursday Jan. 26th, in Middlebury, Elkhart Co., Ind., of smallpox, Michael Miller, aged 43 years and 23 days. The deceased was a native of Haldimand Co., Canada West; he leaves a wife and seven children to mourn his departure. He was a faithful member of the Mennonite Church, and left the evidence, to his bereaved family, of a future hope and blessedness. He called his family to his bedside and admonished them to fear the Lord and put their trust in Him, telling them not to be concerned for him-that all would be well with him. He was conscious to the last. His remains were buried in the Men. Grave Yard in Clinton township. His funeral sermon was preached by the brethren, John Nusbaum and Daniel Brundage. Text, Jn. 14: 14-20. He was sick nine days, and on account of his contagious disease, the funeral sermon was deferred until the 19th of March.
HENRY MILLER.

What joy and comfort doth it impart to the bereaved family, to have the assurance that the departed one is now free from his affliction, in the heavenly mansions which are promised to al(sic) that do our heavenly Father's will.
A.W.

On the 9th of March, in Mercer Co., Ohio, Bro. Christian Kauffman, aged 78 years, 8 Months, and 13 day The funeral sermon was preached by the writer, on the 9th of April, in the presence of a pretty large gathering, from John 5: 24-29. The deceased brother came, with his family, from Lancaster Co., Pa., in 1836, to Richland Co., O., where he lived about 6 years. From there they went to Mercer Co., where they lived since. The brother suffered, during 8 weeks, great pain from a sore foot and leg, which was the cause of his death. He had a great desire to die and be with Christ. The last words that he spoke so as to be heard and understood were, "Jesus, I commend all to thee," upon which he gently fell asleep.
He leaves a widow and 5 children (as far as known), 3 daughters and 2 sons, to mourn his death.
J. M. Brenneman

On the 14th of Feb., near Edom, in Rockingham Co., Virginia, with slow fever, Joseph Wenger, aged 70 years, 4 mo., and 27 days.

On the ---- of Feb., on Linnville Creek, Sarah, wife of Jacob Rodes, and daughter of John K. Beery. She was buried on the 5th of Feb.

I also saw stated in a letter of Feb. 21st that Pre. Jacob Hildebrand was very sick with slow fever and pneumonia.

Also that Daniel Wenger's son, David, died previous to this time some six weeks. His age I do not know.
DAVID H. LANDIS

Near Jordan, Lincoln Co., C. W., on the 25th of March, of consumption, from which she suffered nearly two years, Agnes wife of Jacob Rittenhouse, aged 27 years and 1 day. She leaves 3 children.

On the 14th of April, in the same place, Isaac High, aged 79 years, 11 mo., and 3 days.
M. F. RITTENHOUSE

On the 10th of March, in Hamilton Co., Ind., Esther, wife of Henry Hildebrand,(age not given). She leaves a husband and numerous friends to mourn their loss. She embraced the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, when young, and died as she had lived, a firm believer in the faith. She was, at all times, ready to give an answer of the hope within her, and to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. How beautiful the admonition, "Remember, thy Creator in the days of thy youth," and how sweet the promise, "they that seek me early shall find me."

On the 21st of March, in Clay Co., Ind., of lung fever, from which he suffered only 5 days, John Holly, aged about 20 years. His funeral sermon was preached on the 9th of April, at the Men. Meeting house, by Jacob Bauer and David Culler from Isaiah 40: 6-8.
GEO. FUNK.

On the 11th of March, in Elkhart Co., Ind., Christina Holdeman, aged 76 years, 3 months, and 10 days; widow of Christian Holdeman, who died about twenty years before her. She seemed to be stout and hearty, continuing at her work as usual until the day on which she died, and took sick but a few hours before her death. She was buried on the 14th. The funeral was largely attended by her friends. She was the mother of 13 children: ten sons, eight of whom are still living, and three daughters; among whom she stayed. She had 119 grand-children, of whom eighty-six are yet living; seventy-two great-grand-children, of whom fifty-five are yet living; making in all two hundred and four, of whom one hundred and fifty-two are still living. She was no doubt, near and dear to them; going from one to the other, as they needed her assistance. We have the hope that their loss is her eternal gain; and if we heed the loud call which God has made to us through her removal, and become truly reconciled to him who gave his life for us, we may rest in the hope and promise, that we shall meet her again on those bright shores, where parting is never known; for we have the hope that God, in taking her from us, has only called her home, to join the angel-throng and enjoy endless glory and happiness. A funeral sermon was preached in the English and the German language.
C. S.

On the 21st of May, in Kent Co., Mich., Leah, daughter of Martin and Susanna Good; aged one year, 10 mo., and 15 days. She was buried on the 22nd in the S. W. Caledonia burying ground, on which occasion a funeral discourse was delivered by Bro. Abm. Detweiler, in the German language, from Matt.18: 1-5.
JOS. W. DETWEILER

On the 6th of April, near Manheim, Lancaster Co., Pa., Pre. Jacob Hostetter, aged 90 years, 7 mos., and 23 days.
On Sunday the 9th, his remains were deposited in his family grave yard and consigned to their final resting place, when the Bishops, John Brubaker and Benjamin Herr preached a sermon appropriate for the occasion, from Heb. 13: 7, 8, to a large audience of friends and relatives (supposed to number a thousand or more), to pay the last tribute of respect to their aged pastor, who served as a faithful preacher about 58 years, and 34 years of that time as a bishop. He always spoke with great eloquence and Christian zeal: with weeping eyes he would address the audience, so that every penitent heart would melt to tears. Often did I see his attentive hearers, with weeping eyes, gaze upon this aged minister as he proclaimed the joyful news of salvation to repenting sinners; and oh, how many hundreds of different ages did he see lowered in the grave, who were younger than himself, whose funeral sermons he preached, but at last, also, the long-wished-for hour arrived, which he awaited with Christian fortitude saying with Simeon of old, "Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the eyes of all people, &c." The deceased brother's field of labor was very extensive. He went forth to preach and to ordain bishops, ministers and deacons, wherever new ones were needed, or where vacancies had occurred. He was ever ready to obey his Lord and Master's will on earth, and now has gone to the mansions above, the believer's rest, where, amid eternal joys, he may glorify God in a more perfect obedience.

"0 when, thou city of my God,
Shall I thy Courts ascend?
Where congregations ne'er break up,
And Sabbaths have no end.

"There happier bowers than Eden's bloom,
Nor sin nor sorrow know-
Blest seats! through rude and stormy scenes,
I onward press you

"Why should I shrink at pain or woe,
Or feel at death dismay?
I've Canaan's happy land in view,
And realms of endless day.

"Apostles, martyrs, prophets there
Around my Saviour stand,
And soon my friends in Christ below
Will join the glorious band."
P.N.

On the 25th of March, in Strasburg township, Lancaster Co, Pa., Sarah Ann, oldest daughter of Bro. Abraham and Sister Mary Hoover, aged 11 years, 1 mo., and 25 days. She was buried on Monday following, on which occasion a funeral sermon was preached by Bro. Amos Herr from 1 Thess. 4:13, 14. On Wednesday previous to her death, she was at school with her comrades and apparently well. When they saw her again she was in her shroud and coffin ready for the grave. 0 dear friends! let this sudden departure be a warning to us all, so that we may prepare to meet her in that land beyond, where there is no more parting.

This little maid has left
Her parents dear behind;
But they need not feel bereft-
In Heaven they can her find,
There she is now so bright,
Where her we long to see;
There she is clothed in white,
Where we all wish to be.
S.J.R.

On the 16th of April, 1865, in Elkhart Co., Ind., of inflammation of the brain, Henry Alvah Kenright, aged one year, 3 mo., and 29 days. He was buried on the 17th at Yellow Creek Meeting House. Funeral addresses were delivered in German and English by Bros. D. Brundage and D. Brenneman from 1 Pet. 1: 24.

On the 17th of April, in Elkhart Co., Ind., after an illness of about eight weeks, Mary M., daughter of Tobias Kreider, aged 12 years, 2 months, and 22 days. She was buried on the 18th at the above mentioned place.- Funeral discourses were delivered in German and English by the brethren D. Brundage and D. Brenneman from Amos 4: 12, and Mark 5: 39.

On the 29th of March, in Paine Township, Somerset Co., Pa., Noah, son of Benjamin Miller,(age not given). The deceased left his wife and his parents about two years ago and entered the army, but shortly before his death he returned home, very sick, and immediately desired to reconcile himself with his Saviour and be admitted into the Church. He was baptized and received into the Church by the writer, who also preached his funeral sermon on the 30th when his remains were consigned to rest. His wife died last summer of consumption.

On the 27th of March, in Conemaugh Township, Somerset. Co., Pa., _______, wife of Tobias Kauffman. Her remains were consigned to rest on Isaac Kauffman's farm, where a funeral sermon was preached by the aged Brother Jacob Blouch.
SAMUEL BLOUGH.

On the 17th March, in Hanover, York Co., Pa., Jacob Baer, aged 73 years, 10 mo., and 14 days. He was buried on the 19th at Menno Simon's Meeting House, on which occasion the brethren Benjamin Hershey, Daniel Shenk and John Hostetter preached from Mark 13: 35-37. Six days before his death he acknowledged that he had not departed from the faith and that he hoped to remain steadfast unto the end. Oh, that we might all be as faithful as he was.
S.K.B.

On the 28th of March, Waterloo Co., C. W., from inflammation of the brain, Elias Reist, son of Joseph Reist, aged 12 years, 3 mo., and 18 days. He was buried on the 30th at Wanners burying ground, where Bishop Hege preached from Jn. 11: 28.

On the 1st of April, in the same place, Susanna, daughter of Christian Groh, aged 4 months, and 18 days. She was buried on Sunday the 2nd, also at Wanner's burying-place, where a large number of people were present, and a sermon was preached in English, from Joshua 2., treating of the passage over the Jordan, and in German from Galatians 4: 4-6, where the subject was our adoption as children.
JOHN BAER.

Transcribed by Ron Garber, Kansas


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