BLEEKER, Hilko 1873-1920

BLEEKER, MENNENGA

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/28/2016 at 15:30:22

Hilko Bleeker Died On Monday

Hilke Bleeker died Monday, June 28, after an illness of some time. The cause of death is given as quick consumption. Mr. Bleeker had the flu last year and again this year, leaving his lungs in a weakened condition and he succumbed to consumption after an illness of several months.

The funeral was held Thursday at 1 o'clock at the house, Rev. H. C. Bode officiating. Burial was made at the Christian Reformed church west of Wellsburg.

The pall bearers were Siebe H. Meyer, Alle Ertmoed, Dick DeNeui, Claus Hoodjer, John Eilers and Hilko Kolthoff.

Among those present from abroad were Mr. and Mrs. John Rippenthorp and Ben and John Isebrands from Titonka.

Obituary
Hilko Bleeker was born July 11, 1873, at Pekin, Illinois, and died June 28, 1920, aged 46 years, 11 months and 17 days, at the time of his death.

March 30, 1898, Mr. Bleeker was married to Ettje Mennenga. To them 5 children were born, two preceding him in death. The surviving children are Anna, Evert and John, who with his widow, are left to mourn his loss.

He also leaves four brothers and four sisters and his father, to mourn him. Mr. Bleeker was an honest and industrious man, a kind husband and father, and a good neighbor. The bereaved family have the sympathy of all in their affliction.

The four brothers of Mr. Bleeker are Evert, of Spencer, Iowa, and Heye, of Dysart, both of whom were present at the funeral; and Haar, of Lennox, S.D., and George, present address unknown. His sisters are Mrs. Abram Thoren, Mrs. John Temple, Mrs. Pete Muhring, all of Grundy Center and Mrs. Gosso Rindels of Holland.

Rev. Bode based his sermon on Ps 90:12:
"So teach us to number our days, that we may get us an heart of wisdom", and spoke somewhat as follows:

"We live in a time that lays stress upon education. Much of it stands, but in relation to this life. The words of the text looks beyond.

"Who is the teacher? This is important because there are so many heretics. It is better not to be instructed at all than to be told a falsehood. Teach Thou me, a divine teaching is needed. It is true that we are taught daily that we are like grass or even a flower. But who believes that or knoweth the power of Thine anger. We need Him to show how frail we are: that we are dust.

"Who needs the instruction? We ALL need it: Too often we think it is for others and not for us.

"What must He teach us? That we have to die. Die we must. What is it to die? It is not to be annihilated. In itself there is nothing pleasant in it. Those who die in their sins find in it the door to eternal death and punishment. For the believer it is, however, the gateway to heaven.

"In this school of instruction we ask for grace so that we may die the death of the dighteous: a blessed death. We should value the time. Teach us to number our days. There are among them special days. Time is grace but the Lord's days are special grace. Redeem the time and especially on the Sabbath. Number or count the days. To count is where our children start in arithmetic. There are many things which we cannot count. Do you know how many sins you have done? Can you count your blessing? Count your days it says. This is done if we consider them a time of grace; a preparation for eternity; a seedtime for the great harvest.

"If WE stop to think that we have done with the time in the past and how we wish to improve it in the future, it is to live to the Lord; to obtain God's communion and good pleasure; That the days may be a day of grace; That we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling; That we may have a hope that does not disappoint when we must leave the world, and all that is in the world, behind.

"In case such lessons are learned, we become wise. Anyone who does not use the time of grace right will be pronounced a fool. It would be better never to have lived; never to have learned of God and His love. Would you consider it wise to have sacrificed eternal blessings for a few unsatisfied pleasures? To be religious is wise. To lay up treasure in heaven is the greatest wisdom.

"He is willing to be our instructor, but He requires from us the asking. If we acquire this wisdom we will never regret it. The only thing we will regret is that we did not any sooner go to Him to learn how to live that death will be eternal gain.

"In regard to Mr. Hilko Bleeker, we trust that the long illness has been used by his Maker to teach him the high wisdom of applying his heart to wisdom. His last days was a time in which he wrestled with God that He might give him the blessed assurance that Jesus was His Redeemer and this was answered to that even at the door of eternity he wept for you. May all the bereaved be taught by the great teacher until they are made wise unto salvation and you and I also one day be numbered among those who learned in grace the art of dying a blessed death.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 30 June 1920, pg 1