ROSE was suffering greatly the first time we made her acquaintance but we found there was more than bodily pain trying her, for Rose was longing for peace with God.
The dear child, when in health and strength, had been awakened to a sense of her need as a sinner, and when we saw her, she told us, with eyes full of tears, how she longed to know that she was saved.
About a month afterwards she found the peace for which she sought. She received the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus the blessed gift of eternal life became hers. The peace she had was calm and deep—nothing seemed to ruffle it; her spirit dwelt in the very sunshine of God’s love. Provided with the bare necessaries of life, Rose would exclaim from her bed of pain,
“O, I often think of my comforts, and how wonderful it is that things seem to be sent to me just when I need them.”
The dear child was confined to her bed for more than three months, and was able only to lie in one position, yet the sweet smile of contentment ever rested on her countenance.
“It is so nice that Jesus knows all I have to bear,” she would say.
During her sufferings, our dear young friend found great joy in the texts,
“We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” Heb. 4:1515For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15), and such was the love of Christ to her, that throughout her illness, no murmur was heard to escape from her lips, and her patient gentle spirit was truly an example to all around her.
She liked to look on some large printed texts just opposite her bed,
On another occasion she said, “I do so like that text,
She remarked to a friend that she did wish she could have been the means of bringing someone to Jesus. Very early the next morning she called her mother, and said,
“I am going now, I know it, Jesus is calling me,” then holding out her arms, she said, “Yes, Jesus, I am coming.” Then turning to her father she said,
“You won’t forget, father, it is simply trusting in Jesus. You want peace, settled peace.”
Then about five minutes before her brief life on earth was ended, she said, “Trust Jesus”, as if she wanted to leave that as her last word. She had said to her father a day or two before.
“Dear father, the father who never said an unkind word to me, take me in your arms,” and lovingly he folded his darling girl to his bosom, then she said, “You will have my texts to look at when I am gone.”
May her last loving appeal, “Trust Jesus,” find an answer in many a heart; may her desire be fulfilled that she might be the means of bringing someone to Jesus.
ML 10/16/1927