INCESSANT traveling with lack of many ordinary comforts at his advanced age, began to tell upon the apparently iron frame of the old warrior. Early in the year 1881 he mentions a bad fall sustained in Dundee on one of his visits to Scotland. This proved to have more serious consequences than he at first imagined, heart and lungs being sensibly weakened thereby. He was well past the eightieth milestone of a life pilgrimage where there had been no loitering nor turning aside for ease. Indeed as his journey progressed the speed seems to have been accelerated since we find him actively engaged in teaching, preaching and visiting assemblies on the Continent in 1880. But the " earthen vessel " was beginning to break, and he writes to a dear friend of that period: " I have not been ill, but knocked up and overworked.... I work morning and afternoon as far as I can, and in the evening let the strain go and indulge in the Word and feed on His love."
For a time it was impossible for him to rest at night lying down in bed, but sitting up and propped up he could sleep a little. " I was as low as I could well be, and the bad fall I had at Dundee shook me, I do not doubt, more than I thought. My heart and my lungs were a feeble spring to my body, but this like all the rest is in the LORD'S hand. Last night I did not even sit up any part of the night."
In February 1882, while still very weak from a protracted illness, he wrote to a friend, " I am (through mercy) better: at my age shall never be well, till all sickness is over: but through mercy work half the day."
In early March he was taken to Sundridge House, Bournemouth, the house of Mr. H. A. Hammond one of his friends. Here for nearly two months he lingered in what Bunyan describes as Beulah Land. It is related that he was very cheerful and rejoiced in the LORD from day to day; that he spoke of and prayed for the Church and for " the unity of the testimony " continually. When his friend Dr. Christopher Wolston asked him whether he had any special thoughts in view of death, he replied, " There are three things which I have dwelt much upon: 1. GOD is my FATHER, and I am His gift to His Son.
2. CHRIST is my righteousness.
3. CHRIST is my object in life, and my joy for eternity."
This was on March 9th, soon after his arrival, but on another occasion he remarked: " I can say, though in great feebleness, I have lived for CHRIST. There is not a cloud between me and the FATHER."
Sober words uttered at a solemn time by one at last at leisure to review the course. Truly he could echo with deep understanding the swan song of the great Apostle, " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing."
His last letter to the brethren is typical, and well worth deep consideration; here it is: " MY BELOVED BRETHREN,
" After years of communion in weakness, I have only bodily strength to write a few lines, more of affection than of ought else. I bear witness to the love, not only in the LORD ever faithful, but in my beloved brethren in all patience towards me and how much more, then, from GOD, unfeignedly do I bear witness to it. Yet I can say, CHRIST has been my only object; thank GOD, my righteousness too.
" I am not aware of anything to recall; little now to add. Hold fast to CHRIST; count on abundant grace in Him to reproduce Him in the power of the FATHER'S love; and be watching and waiting for CHRIST. I have no more to add, but my unfeigned and thankful affection in Him.
" J. N. DARBY."
Said and taken down later:
" I do add, Let not John's ministry be forgotten in insisting on Paul's. One gives the dispensations in which the display is; the other that which is displayed.
" I should particularly object to any attack being made on William Kelly.
J. N. D."
At length on April 29th, it was clear to those who watched by him that the end was near, and shortly after, the earthly life of this good soldier of JESUS CHRIST came to its close. He had served the will of GOD in his own generation, and now like a weary traveler fell on sleep, to be with the LORD he had served, and to await with Him and the blessed dead in Paradise that morning without clouds when
" Soul and body re-united,
Thenceforth nothing shall divide,
Wakened up in CHRIST'S own likeness,
Satisfied."
It was on the 2nd May, a gloriously fine spring day, that all that was mortal of John Nelson Darby was laid to rest in Bournemouth Cemetery. A very large company followed his body to the grave, estimated at a thousand. The effect of their approach to the grave has been described as striking. " Every voice was hushed; and nothing was heard but the tread of many feet, almost as regular as the measured tread at a military funeral."
The coffin of polished oak, had a brass plate oil which was engraved:—
John Nelson Darby
Born 18th Nov., 1800
Died in the LORD
29th April, 1882
It was placed on a bier, and by a specially thoughtful arrangement, as the distance to the grave was considerable, as many brethren as possible were enabled to have the privilege of acting as bearers. After a moment or two of complete silence the hymn, " Oh, happy morn," was sung containing the verse:
" The resurrection-morn will break,
And every sleeping saint awake
Brought forth in light again;
Oh, morn too bright for mortal eyes,
When all the ransomed saints shall rise,
And wing their way to yonder skies,
Called up with CHRIST to reign! "
Just as the last note of this hymn died away, a lark rose from the green sward close by, and poured forth its joyous notes. To one, at least, it was in beautiful harmony with the scene. Then with Scripture readings, prayers and hymns the coffin was lowered into its resting place by loving hands of brethren. The service closed with the sung Doxology, so dear to all present,
" Glory, honor, praise and power
Be unto the LAMB forever
JESUS CHRIST is our Redeemer:
Hallelujah I Praise ye the LORD."
So " devout men," " chief men among the brethren " laid his body to rest until the MORNING STAR appears and the shadows flee away. What a moment of rapture that will be, when the glorified MAN of SORROWS shall stand surrounded by the fruit of His soul's travail, the innumerable company of the redeemed at home in the FATHER'S house with their REDEEMING LORD. Of this John Nelson Darby himself sings in The Hope of Day:
" Yet it must be!
Thy love had not its rest,
Were Thy redeemed not with Thee
Fully blest."
So great a company were present from London at the burial that a special train had to be put on in the evening to convey them back.
To-day there stands in Bournemouth Cemetery over that grave (around which now so many other graves of brethren who shared like precious faith and hope are clustered) a memorial stone bearing unmistakable testimony to the departed leader and guide, with this inscription:
John Nelson Darby
“As Unknown And Well Known "
Departed to be with Christ
29 April 1882
Aged 81
2 Cor. 5, 21.
LORD let me wait for Thee alone,
My life be only this,
To serve Thee here on earth unknown
Then share Thy heavenly bliss.
J. N. D.
Of the subject of the present volume, we can truly affirm that if ever man in this or any other age did with his might what his hands found to do in the service of his MASTER, it was JOHN NELSON DARBY. Now he rests from his labors; but his works still follow him, and " the memory of the just is blessed."