Livingston, Irene (Katie) d. 1896

LIVINGSTON

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 12/12/2006 at 21:14:59

Newton (IA) Journal
Wednesday, August 26, 1896

Little Irene Dead
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Livingston have been called upon to give up their youngest child, little Irene, a sweet, winsome daughter, this last week. The disease was diphtheria and death claimed her last Thursday evening.

The precious form was brought to the Newton Union cemetery for interment, Friday afternoon, and the line of carriages that followed the hearse was very long--an unusual sight for a child’s funeral---showing the deep sympathy felt for the stricken parents by a large circle of neighbors and friends.

Irene was only six years old, the darling and pet of the home; but God in His infinite wisdom and love, has removed her to where no care shall touch her, no sin mar, no tears bedim her eyes. The precious jewel is safely gathered, waiting her loved ones’ coming.

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Newton (IA) Journal
Wednesday, November 18, 1896

Memorial Services
At Mt. Zion last Sabbath, Rev. D. Phillips, former pastor of that church, preached the funeral, or rather memorial sermon, of little “Katie”, daughter of Ira and Nettie Livingston. She died last August of diphtheria and the funeral sermon was postponed.

The text was Luke 8-52; “Weep not, she is not dead, but sleepeth.”

Many instructive and comforting thoughts were presented by the speaker, which the congregation and mourning family seemed to appreciate. The relation of sleep to death was shown in a forcible manner. One beautiful thought we remember with great pleasure was the “blessedness,” the “privilege of having a loved one in heaven.” “It brings comfort to the soul, ministers consolation to the stricken heart and beckons us on to a meeting in the better land.”

And if we allow these angels of comfort a dwelling in our hearts, and cherish them in our memory, they will drive out many an evil, lead us past many a pitfall, and give us loving thoughts that lead us into closer relations with our departed loved ones, than we ever dreamed of in our short sighted sorrow; and our hearts are moulded after the potter and we love to associate with their short lives.

Little Katie was dearly loved by all, and her loss is deeply deplored, but such fond thoughts of loving angels about us, make it impossible for us to desire to call her back to this world of pain and sorrow.

A few months before Katie Livingston was taken away, her little playmate, little Katie Coleman, left us to mourn her departure.

Deep grief filled our hearts on account of these losses; yet comfort in thoughts fill our minds as we listen to “Harp strings touched by angle finger,” making sweet music in our souls, so that to our enraptured vision “There is no death.”

Faith, hope, and love binds us to the loved ones of earth and heaven, and justify us using our highest imagination, our deepest sympathy, our most affectionate longings of mind and heart, so we may rejoice when we think of “loved ones in heaven.” T.M.C.