Charles Edward Wilkins (1911)
WILKINS, LYNCH
Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:03:25
The Stuart Herald
Stuart, Iowa
Friday, April 7, 1911
Page 2, Column 4Charles Edward Wilkins was born near Geneseo, Ill., on Oct. 6, 1856, and died at his home near Linden, Ia., March 26, 1911, at the age of 54 years, 5 months and 20 days. His parents moved to Iowa when Charles was about nineteen and after a short stay in Audubon county moved to a farm in Adair, near Stuart, Iowa. There he was happily married Nov. 19, 1884, to Miss Annie M. Lynch. To this union were born six children: George Murray, Mary Mabel, Charles Winfield, Arthur Milton, Jeannette Clare and Harry Dean, all of whom together with the wife are living to mourn the loss of a loving husband and a kind father.
In 1894 he bought a farm in Madison county and together with his family worked hard to make their home their own. Later they sold there and bought near Earlham, then near Redfield and in the spring of 1906 moved to their present home.
Always of a sunny disposition he made friends wherever he went and was loved most by those who knew him best.
He was converted in 1893 in the Methodist Episcopal church at Stuart, Iowa, in a revival meeting conducted by the pastor, M. E. Goddard. Together with his wife he joined the Methodist Episcopal church there and was happy in the service of the Lord. They transferred their membership to Mt. Vernon charge, then to Earlham and four years ago to Linden, Ia.
For nearly three years he has faced his disease with the thought that it was incurable and that death must come, yet with a strong will he kept up helping with the farm work, doing what he could, hiding his pain and suffering as much as he could until March 8, when he was taken worse and steadily grew weaker.
He felt that the end was approaching and arranged his business affairs-thus at the end as all through life, still looking to the comfort of his family.
One morning when his body was so weak and tired one said to him, “is it not a blessed thing to know that as these bodies of ours wear out we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens?” and Charlie replied “yes indeed, but I haven’t lived as close to Him these last years as I should, and it’s a poor time for a man to pray when he is in a shape like I am.”
After that when out from under the influence of the sleeping medicine he prayed aloud earnestly for his release “That the silver cord might break and that this bird might fly home this night.”
God spared him to us a few days longer and during that time he said to a brother, “I’ve made many mistakes but it’s alright. I’ve the knowledge that I’m forgiven and I want to pass over.”
Again Saturday morning he prayed for himself and family so connectedly, so earnestly. God heard and answered and after giving him a restful day, a day when his mind never wandered, a day when he visited with and enjoyed the company of his family and his relatives, like unto his happy days when well, God took him as the Sabbath dawned to meet Jesus and the loved ones over there.
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