Light divine surrounds thy going,
God Himself shall mark thy way,
Secret blessings, richly flowing,
Lead to everlasting day.
Though thy path be long and dreary,
Eagle strength He'll still renew;
Garments fresh and foot unweary
Tell how God has brought thee through.
When to Canaan's long-loved dwelling,
Love divine thy foot shall bring,
Then with shouts of triumph swelling
Zion's songs in rest to sing;
There, no stranger-God shall meet thee,
Stranger thou in courts above;
He Who to His rest shall greet thee
Greets thee with a well-known love.
J. N. Darby.
Monday, March 19
How deeply we felt the solemnity of these closing scenes. Day by day, and night after night, we heard from those feeble lips the communings of his soul with the Father and the Son. His passage from earth to heaven was marked by the finger posts of exalted faith and trust. There was no shadow in the valley—the waters of death did not overwhelm him. The faith of sixty years was active now. The Savior he had loved and served so well was with him to the very end. The heavenly truth that God had revealed to him for his Church on earth, was the stay and comfort of his soul in the passing of his days. One could but say and feel, "Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his.”
Mr. Kelly spoke to us to-day about his funeral. He said, "I have no wish as to where I should be buried at all; the humblest and most unpretentious way of burying me I particularly desire. I think this is all I wish to say with kindest love to my brothers. Mrs. Wreford is concerned that I should have sleep and so I have told you this before." Later on he said to my wife: "The light of my heart is Christ." I said to him: "How do you feel, dear Mr. Kelly?" He answered: "Weak enough to go to heaven." I replied: "I hope the Lord may spare you here for some time yet." He said: "Heaven is my proper place, to be with Christ.”
I told him of the many telegrams and letters that had been sent asking how he was—he sent his love to all. To his daughter he said: "I am practically a dying man." "But dying," she replied, "to you is only going to be with Christ.”
“Surely," he answered.
He sent his love to S. H—with this message:
"Tell him I am sorry I could not give the Bible readings on Daniel where he lives as I have here.”
We heard him say:
“Christ regulates everything for us as believers.”
“I, by grace, stick to Christ. I can never give up Christ for any creature.”
He had bad nights, was delirious at times. It was with difficulty we could get him to take his food.
Tuesday, March 20
On this day his daughter heard him say:
“The saving Lord of sinners, the saving Head of saints.”
He often spoke of J. N. Darby, and always with great affection. He loved to speak of all that he had done for Christ, of his great abilities, and his consecrated life.
He said:.... “In no way forgetting what we owe to Mr. Darby. "To one who called to see him "Farewell! my dear, dear brother.”
Wednesday, March 21
Again:
“I long to depart and to be with Christ; I try not to be impatient. By searching myself up and down I have learned much in my soul by this delay.”
To his grandson: "The true Man, Jack, and the true God. It seems long but it is not long—these are my last words and prayer to ring in your ears forever.”
Broken sentences every now and again fell from his lips:
“Blessing, glory, joy unfeigned.”
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"Simple faith in Christ's own word."
On one occasion he was heard to say:
“The true God is confessed—the false god is denied.”
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His daughter said to him: "How are you this morning?”
"Happy in Jesus," he replied-then after a pause, "Happy in those who are true in Jesus." Another pause, and then: "Still more happy in those who love the Father and the Son; not only those who are good and righteous, according to the truth, but who bear for the love of the truth to the uttermost." Other things he said on this day were:
“I am willing to go now.”
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"I own His righteousness.”
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"Man is sinful and deserves to die. If man receives Jesus and confesses Him, he is righteous through grace.”
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"I am a Christian, I believe in grace as the only hope of the sinner.”
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"Grace help me to die as I have lived for Christ, I ask no more.”
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"God, the righteous God.”
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"I give God thanks for all His grace and truth, but will in no way listen to anything that will forego His truth and righteousness.”
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Being asked by someone if he had any message for his brethren; he answered: "Nothing save this, hoping that they are faithful to live and die for Jesus Christ the Lord, and to hate sin and lying about Jesus.”
Mr. W. P. M—telephoned from B—to know how Mr. Kelly was. I asked him if he had any message to send back. He replied: "I still wait. I wait for the triumph of all life—divine power and glory, over all questions for heaven as well as earth; therefore I wait.”
I said to him, "You may get better.”
He answered, "That is a small thing compared with Christ." Then after a long pause:
“Everything of the highest-supreme.”
Two brothers came from a long distance to see him, they had traveled all night. But his brain was weak and he was very tired, so he could not speak much to them, nor did he see the tears that filled their eyes as they left him.
Thursday, March 22
He was a little better and had had a quiet night. When his breakfast was being given to him he said: "Jesus the food of faith. Jesus also the light and joy of faith.”
After a pause:
“The outer form perishes, divine truth triumphs forever.”
He spoke again to-day about his funeral. He said: "My own opinion is that I should be buried in the place nearest to where I live with the least show, and as little delay as possible.”
His daughter asked him if he would like to be buried at Charlton, and he said: "Yes, if it were convenient.”
He sent this message to Mr. L-: "I die in Christ.”
Often and often would he lift his hands and burst forth into some theme of praise or prayer:
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"All His work, all His efficacy, for such a poor sinner as myself.”
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"The sin is taken away—the sins are borne. He bore it Himself! He bore it for God! God has completely destroyed it, and cut it off forever.”
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I read part of Heb. 13 to him, and later on his daughter read to him John 10:27-3627My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one. 31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? (John 10:27‑36). He emphasized those verses particularly.
I was called up to see him in the night by his daughter Mrs. C., who sat up with him. He was very ill indeed, but after a while rallied again.
Friday, March 23
He saw a brother from our meeting this morning. When he wished him "Good-bye," he pointed upwards and said: "That blessed hope.”
Later, he wished his grandchildren good-bye. Most touching was it to see him open his arms in welcome to them, and as he kissed each one, to hear him utter those precious and tender words of loving blessing and farewell.
It was on this day that he said: "I'VE DONE MY WORK FOR CHRIST. I WANT TO GO. OTHERS WILL BE STRENGTHENED TO DO THEIR WORK, BUT MINE IS DONE.”
Many things he said we could not catch, and some were uttered so rapidly they could not all be copied down. We have done our best to preserve all we could, but in some cases the meaning may not be exactly expressed as he wished, owing to the great difficulty experienced at times in remembering all. I wish to say this, so that there shall not be any difficulty in thus accounting for any sentence that may seem at all involved.
He had a quiet night on Friday.
Saturday, March 24
He uttered many precious thoughts to-day and was much in prayer. Sentences of faith and hope were constantly coming from his lips. With eyes closed and hands uplifted he said:
“Holy, holy, holy, and good.”
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"Oh, the Savior! Maker of heaven, yet the fullest Savior of sinners.”
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"He is wholly perfect... absolutely. Oh! how worthy! How worthy!”
It was beautiful to listen to his reverent voice as he thus spoke of God and Christ. He seemed to be rapt in praise and thanksgiving.
Other things he said were: "Everlasting ruin for all who reject Him. The One who is all, and suffered for all, and who brings in the blessing of the Father and the Son.”
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"He is the Creator... above all, and above all that can be uttered, or all that can be expressed.”
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"We ought to have the mind of Christ whether living or dying. May we meet in His presence.”
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“God be glorified, God be glorified.”
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"God absolute and supreme.”
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"Satan has his snares still for all who do not simply await His coming.”
When he was fed he would often speak, and we could hear him when he was alone for a little, praying and speaking to God and extolling His love and truth.
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Again we heard him say: "My faith is in the Creator—the holy God who died for unholy sinners."
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"All the value for faith is in God and in His Son—all the blessing is in and through God, who never changes.”
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"Beware of the snares of the enemy, and look only to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
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"The holy God who has no tendency to death has come in infinite love to save sinners perfectly.”
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"He that had no sin, He could die and deliver those who were sinners. It is to Him I look. In Him I believe. I own Him alone in this infiniteness of divine life and love.”
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"I own myself a poor feeble sinner entirely dependent on the Father and the Son.”
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"There is nothing so good as the full grace of our Lord Jesus manifested fully and without any restriction in the Savior's teaching... If we find a poor sinner in his sins, that grace is meant to reach the greatest need.”
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"There is nothing beyond Himself in infinite light, love and power.”
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He said firmly:
“I testify to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the alone givers—not only of life eternal, but of divine grace to make it effective....