Herald of Truth - Volume XV, Number 6 - June 1878, pages 107 and 108

A TRIUMPHANT DEATH.

Death has again hurried another victim to the grave. SARAH S. MAST departed this life Saturday April the 20th, aged 31 years, 3 mo. and 27 days. She had for sometime been suffering with heart disease and dropsy, but not seriously until shortly before her death, when apparently the end was fast approaching. She therefore had a telegraph dispatch sent to her friends in Tennessee, stating that she wished to see some one of the family, (her parents and five brothers and sisters live in that state.)

On the same day John Stolzfus sen. and wife took the train at Concord, Tenn., to see their dying daughter, a trip of about seven hundred miles being quite an undertaking for persons of their age-some seventy years. But love is stronger than death, many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it. It was this feeling that occupied their hearts, extinguishing all the thoughts of their long journey.

They finally reached her bedside, yet alive but suffering distress about the heart. The day before their arrival, she said, "The end is near, oh! so very near." She called her children to her bedside, saying they should take another look at her before she died. She bid her friends farewell, spoke comforting words to them of spiritual things, said she was ready and willing to die. Then asked them to lay her hands upon her breast and close her eyes. Then she appeared to be in a trance. She said, "I see the blue sky oh! how clear; now I see my two little sisters (one being her twin sister, but died when a babe. The oldest died before Sarah's birth) and my dear old grandfather whom I loved so well." She spoke of her grandfathers and grandmothers, some of whom she had never seen before, besides many dear friends, she spoke of Christ's face as the first she beheld. She also saw the gate and seemed waiting for it to open but it seemed her time was not quite yet, as she did not then see it open, but we feel confident that she has since passed through the gate of the New Jerusalem, washed in the blood of the Lamb. She commenced the following sentence which she did not complete Oh! the golden--. These things she said as she saw them with her eyes closed. She again revived and seemed troubled that she could not die. Saying there must be something wrong that I cannot die. Then they told her a dispatch has been received that her friends were on the way. She wished them all to pray that she might live to see them, which prayer, through God's great mercy was granted. They reached her bedside while she was yet alive. She lived a few days longer and then left this sorrowful world without a struggle. She at one time asked all them that could pray, to pray that it might be short, and several times exclaimed, oh! how clear. I love my husband, brothers and sisters, but my heavenly Father best of all. She left a husband, Benuel Mast, and three little children. She also left instructions concerning her children that they should teach them to pray.

Funeral discourses were delivered by Daniel Mast and Jno. P. Mast from Phil. 1:21-23. She was buried at the old Mast's burying ground.

ROHRER.-Feb. 4th, in Lancaster Co., Pa., Bro. EZRA S. ROHRER, aged 23 years, 6 months and 4 days. He was yet as a bud just opening to bloom, tender in years, yet he desired to fulfill the ordinances of God, by being baptized and received into the church militant. Buried the 6th in the Mennonite burying-ground at Strasburg. Appropriate remarks were made on the funeral occasion by Benj. and Amos Herr from Ps. 105:15, 17.

FISHER.-March 22nd, near Soudersburg, Lancaster Co., Pa., of heart disease, Bro. JONATHAN FISHER, aged 46 years, 4 months and 2 days. He was a brother of the Amish church. Buried the 25th in Byler's grave-yard. Sermon by Henry Lantz and John Stultzfus, from John 5:28, 29.

WISMER.-March 22nd, in Waterloo Co., Ont., MOSES, son of Moses and Magd. WISMER, aged 10 months and 1 day.

SNIDER.-March 23rd, in same place, ELIAS son of Israel and Veronica SNIDER, aged 4 years, 7 months and 21 days.

LICHTY.-April 29th, in Waterloo Co., Ont., Bro. JOHN LICHTY, formerly of Lancaster Co., Pa., aged 84 years, 9 months and 7 days.

LAIN.-April 23rd, in Westmoreland Co., Pa., Bro. JACOB LAIN, aged 76 years, 11 months and 8 days. Buried the 24th, in the presence of many relatives and friends.

HULL.-April 24th, in Lancaster Co., Pa., DAVID HULL, aged 25 years and 16 days. The deceased while tearing down a barn in Strasburg twp., was struck by a rafter and thrown from the upper part of the building. He was picked up in an insensible condition, but rallied again for a few hours, when death ended his suffering. He leaves a wife and child, who have the sympathies of the entire community.

TWEED.-April 8th, in Providence, Lancaster Co., Pa., WM. TWEED, aged 83 years and 4 months.

STAUFFER.-April 1st, in Providence, Lancaster Co., Pa., Bro. PETER STAUFFER, aged 67 years. He was killed by the cars. There is something remarkable about this sad affair. He was the last brother or male member of his father's family, all of whom met with accidental deaths. He was killed on his birth-day by the train severing one leg and his head from the trunk.

STAUFFER.-April 9th, near Lancaster Pa., suddenly of diphtheria, IDA MAY, only daughter of Abraham and Hettie STAUFFER, aged 12 years and 11 months. She bade all good bye, and said they should not weep for her, but try to be good. She desired that her body should be plainly dressed. May the loss of this loved one lead us all to a genuine repentance, and draw our minds more heavenward. Text: Rev. 3:19.

HERSHEY.-April 8th and 15th, near Leaman Place, Lan. Co., Pa., of diphtheria and scarlet fever, MARY and ELLEN, daughters of Peter and Barbara HERSHEY, aged respectively, 8 years, 2 months and 20 days, and 3 years and 11 days.

RENO.-April 2nd, near Soudersburg, Lancaster Co., Pa., of old age, Bro. DAVID RENO, at the advanced age of 91 years, 5 months and 28 days. The aged brother was of the Amish persuasion, and has been blind about twenty years, yet we hope his spiritual sight was good. Buried the 5th at Byler's burying-ground. Services by Jonathan Kauffman, and Eli Zug from John 11:25, 26.

WENGER.-April 12th, in Fairview, Wayne Co., Ohio, Sister MAGDALENA WENGER, wife of Emmanuel Wenger, aged 45 years, and 27 days. Funeral services were held at Martin's Meeting-house, where many friends assembled to show their love and respect for the deceased sister. The Christian's hope is with the bereaved husband, sons and friends.

LANDIS.-May 7th, near Orrville, Wayne Co., Ohio, of the infirmities of age, Sister MARY LANDIS, aged 80 years 8 months and 3 days. Buried the 8th at Martin's burying-ground in the presence of a large concourse of relatives and friends. Services by C. C. Beery and _______ Irwin, from John 11:25.

HILDEBRAND.-May 11th, near Dayton, Rockingham Co., Va., SUSAN JERUSHA, daughter of Simeon and Christina HILDEBRAND, aged 2 years and 9 months. Funeral services by Samuel Coffman, Daniel and Gabriel Heatwole. Little Jerusha often sang with her little brothers and sisters,

"We're a little pilgrim band,
Roaming through a stranger land,
Some on Canaan's shore to stand,
No more to roam."

FRAME.-May 23rd, in Elkhart Co., Ind., of typhoid pneumonia, Pre. GABRIEL FRAME, aged 40 years and 1 month. He was a minister of the German Baptist brethren, and his church will miss him here. His Christian deportment won for him the kind regards of his brethren and of all who knew him. Buried the 25th. The funeral was largely attended. Services by John Metzler, H. Rule and D. B. Stutzman.

YODER.-March 31st, in Wayne Co., Ohio, of long continued illness, SAMUEL YODER, aged 70 years, 4 months and 26 days. Sermon on the funeral occasion by J. K. Yoder and John Smiley, from John 16:16. A large number of relatives and friends followed him to his last resting place.

GOOD.-April 30th, in Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y., Bro. PETER GOOD, aged 85 years, 6 months and 8 days. He was sick only 3 12 hours. The loss will be deeply felt by his ten children who are left to mourn his death. He was loved by the church of which he has been a faithful brother. Buried May 2nd, where a large concourse of relatives and friends assembled to pay their last tribute of respect. Services in German by John Lapp, and _______ Robeson in English.

MOSER.-May 20th, in Putnam Co., Ohio, of nerve fever, Sister ANNA MOSER, wife of Bish. John Moser, aged 50 years and 26 days. Buried the 23rd, on which occasion services were held by Peter Schumacher and Christian Zimmerman. Text: 2 Peter 1:10-15. The beloved sister was only nine days sick, leaves a husband and ten children whom she earnestly exhorted by be faithful.

Transcribed by Nancy Regan, Washington.