Herald of Truth January 1866 - Vol. III, No.1 Page 7, 8

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On the 9th of December, 1865, near Edom, Rockingham Co., Virginia, after a short illness of billious(sic) fever, Sr. Magdalena Shank, widow of Pre. Samuel Shank, and formerly widow of Abraham Beery, aged 59 years, 11 months, and 21 days. Funeral occasion was improved by Bro. Samuel Coffman from Job 16: 22.
D.H. LANDES.

On the 8th of October, 1865, in Stevenson Co., Ill., after about two weeks illness of typhoid fever, Bro. John Lapp, aged 29 years, 5 months, and 5 days. Funeral discourse was delivered by the brethren Christian Schneider, Matthias Eby, and Martin Lapp from Rev. 14: 13. "Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them." We cherish the hope that he has held out faithfully through life's conflicts in prayer and patience, and now enjoys the blessings of eternal salvation. He had one little son, which followed his father to the tomb in five days after the death of the latter, and was buried by his side, aged 8 months and 5 days.
MATTHIAS EBY.

On the 27th of Novbr., in Lagrange County, Ind., of Consumption, Catharine Speiger, aged 22 years, 8 months and 8 days. She died unmarried, and was a member of the Omish Church. Funeral discourse was delivered by the brethren Christian Miller and Joseph Yoder from Rev. 20: 12, 13.
JOSEPH J. YODER.

In Owen County, Ind., our beloved brother, and fellow-laborer, and watchman on the walls of Zion, William Silvius, was buried on the 14th of September, 1865, at Bower's Meeting house, where the funeral sermon was preached by the brethren Jacob Bower and Michael Mishler in German from Rev. 21: 7, He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son;" and in English from I Pet. 2: 25. He left this earthly home with great joy and comfort in the Spirit, to go to happy home prepared for all the saints, where parting shall be no more. The last night of his sojourn here with us, he called his family and friends that were present, and bade them all a joyful farewell, saying that they should meet him in Heaven, that glorious, happy place. His last words were, "My Lord and my God, this is the last night I have to toil and labor on this earth." He leaves a widow, three sons and one daughter, to mourn their loss. We all hope their loss is his great gain.

On Sunday evening, the 24th, at the same place, a little boy named John Holley, falling into the cistern, was drowned. His body was consigned to its mother dust on the 25th, in Mishler's Burying-ground. Funeral sermon was preached in German by the brethren Jacob Bower and Michael Mishler from 1 Cor. 15: 45-47; and in English by the younger brother Elias Mishler from Matt. 18: 2, 3.
ELIAS MISHLER

On the 19th of October, in Elkhart Co., Ind., of typhoid fever, Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and Susanna Blosser, aged 5 years, 10 months, and 15 days. Her parents being at the time of her death, both prostrated by the same disease, the funeral services were deferred till the 10th of December. Funeral address was then delivered by Br. Bear in German, and by the writer in English from Matt. 18: 3.

Weep not for me, my father,
Nor discontented be;
But for yourself much rather,
Labor, to come to me.

Weep not for me, my mother;
From sorrow I am free:
Your cares leave to another;
The Savior cares for me.

Weep not for me, my sister
But good and faithful be,
To meet your Lord and Savior;
And there my face you'll see.

On the 30th of November, in St. Joseph County, Ind., of palsy, Sister Elizabeth, consort of Levi Longenecker, aged 59 years, 3 months and 8 days. A kind husband and family with many friends and relatives followed her remains to the grave on the 1st of December, when a funeral address was delivered by the writer from Phil. 1: 21. She endured her suffering with Christian fortitude and resignation to her Heavenly Father's will. She manifested not only a willingness, but an earnest desire to go to her blessed Savior whom she acknowedged(sic) to be her "best friend." "Consecrate yourselves to the Lord" was the import of her last words of admonition to her family and friends. She was for many years a faithful member of the Mennonite Church.
DANIEL BRENNEMAN.

On the 10th of Oct., in Rockingham Co., Virginia, of consumption after a protracted illness, Catharine Evers (wife of John Evers, Decd.), in the sixty-seventh year of her age. She was troubled with cough for upwards of thirty years, but never was particularly confined to her bed, at least, not long at a time, until the last four weeks that she lived. During those four weeks she never murmured nor complained; but often, very often, expressed a desire to depart and be with Christ. She died in the evening about eight o'clock, her children all standing around her bed. The very last whisper we heard escape her quivering lips, was "My dear Jesus". The morning before she died, as my sister and I were standing by her bed-side, we asked her whether she was ready to go. She exclaimed, "Oh, I am waiting for Jesus, sweet Jesus to come."
She was a consistent member of the Mennonite Church for many years. She was visited by Pre. Coffman, who administered the Sacrament of the Lord's supper to her for the last time, a few days before she died, and also prayed with and for her. Her funeral services were attended by Preachers Coffman and Landes, who spoke appropriately from Job. 14: 1. "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble."
We, her children, mourn our irreparable loss; for she (as all other kind mothers do) did for her children many favors. We trust, that our loss is her gain, and that she is shining brightly with our father, brothers, and sisters in Heaven.
A.M. EVERS

On the 12th of November, at Buffalo, N. Y., Hattie Sophia, only daughter of Jacob and Louisa Lapp, aged 5 years, 3 months, and 23 days.

Weep, parents, o'er the little bier
Which bears away the child so dear:
Weep, for departed joy so brief,
Befitting tears of life's deep grief.

Weep: ease your stricken hearts of pain,
But, weeping, seek not to complain;
For mingled in your grief may be
A mercy-drop of love for thee.

The hand which gives us joys of earth,
May pluck the fairest at its birth
'Tis His who strews our path to day
To take our pleasures all away.

May God be kind in this sad hour,
And give his grace with healing power,
"His will be, done," cause you to say,
"Who took our precious gift away."

Think that, though hid from mortal eyes,
Your darling lives above the skies,
And by the great Redeemer set
Within his priceless coronet.

And while you sorrow o'er the tomb
Which holds her in its silent gloom,
Oh, hear her accents from afar,
"I'm with your God, dear Pa and Ma!"

Inscribed to the parents by M. F. Cram.

On the 13th of November, 1865, in Huntington Co., Pa., of rheumatism and dyspepsia, Bishop Jacob Snyder aged 72 years, 3 months, and 15 days. He was buried on the 15th. Funeral sermon was addressed by Bishop Jacob Grabill in the English Language to a large concourse of friends and relatives, from 2 Tim. 4: 7, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course." He was a faithful shepherd and much beloved by his weeping flock. He is now sleeping in Jesus and resting from his labors, and his works shall follow him.
JACOB HILDEBRAND.

On the 6th of December, 1865, in Lower Salford Township, Montgomery Co., Pa., of Asthma, Pre. John Berge, aged 82 years, 3 months and 13 days. He was buried on the 9th at Salford Meeting House, a large number of mourning friends and relatives, being present. Pre. Henry Neiss delivered an address at the house of the deceased, and Bishop Jacob Kolb at the meeting house. The deceased served faithfully over thirty years in the ministry in the Mennonite Church in Salford; but during the last few years, he was unable to attend meeting. He was troubled for about 25 years with asthmatic affections, so that he could seldom lie in bed through the entire night, being oftentimes necessitated to spend the whole night on a chair. He leaves six children and an aged widow who has for 12 years been unable to walk without assistance, and with whom he lived in wedlock over fifty years. He had chosen, as the text for his funeral and his last words of admonition to his people, the words found in 1 Peter 5:1-11. He endured his sufferings with great patience.
J.0. CLEMENS.

On the 1st of December, in Manheim Township, in the residence of Samuel Leaman, Isaac Longenecker, aged 33 years, 10 months and 9 days. Funeral services, which took place on the 3rd, were attended by a large number of friends and relatives. Preachers Amos Herr and Abraham Witmer delivered appropriate funeral addresses.-VOLKSFREUND.

On the 25th of October, in Lincoln Co., C. W., Jacob Gross, aged 84 years, 11 months, and 3 days.

On the 25th of September; near Jordan, C. W., John Hunsberger, aged 54 years, 6 months and 20 days.

On the 2d of November, 1865, in Richland Township, Cambria Co., Pa., Joseph, son of Tobias Lehman, aged 6 years, 9 months and 21 days. Its body was consigned to its mother earth, on the 3d, when a funeral address was delivered to the consolation of the bereaved parents and friends, by Bro. Jacob Blauch and the writer. It was hard for the parents to give up their dear son, yet they were comforted with the assurance of their Redeemer, according to whose words it is now at rest.
SAMUEL BLAUCH.

Transcribed by Ron Garber, Kansas

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