BENTLEY, Annie

BENTLEY

Posted By: Volunteer for IAGenWeb
Date: 1/1/2015 at 17:46:21

Malvern Leader
December 16, 1886

On the Death of Miss Annie Bentley.
Died—In Malvern, Iowa, August 24, 1886, of consumption, Miss Annie Bentley engaged, 17 years and 6 months.

Looking again as I do at the shortness of life, I ask, "What is life?" It is only sands in the hour-glass of time, come into this world, we open our eyes to its beauty, and, like the grass of field, we wither and are gone. Miss Annie Bentley was a lovely little girl. None knew her but to love her. At the of fourteen she gave her heart to Jesus and was baptized by her pastor, Elder A. H. Rhodes. She was a very devoted Christian from this on: often exhorting her young companions to seek an interest in the Savior. She seemed impressed that she would not live long. The first of last April she began to decline in health, physicians were called who advised a change of climate. Her mother then took her to California, put her under the care of the best physicians there and did all that parents could do, but all in vain. The divine flat had gone forth and the hearts of the family grew sadder as day after day they saw the flower of the household fading; but we could not give her up: hope would linger. We said she will not die, God will surely raise her up; but God's way was not our way. Slowly but surely we saw the end approaching.

About a month before she went to her home among the angels, she asked them to come into her room and kneel around her bed. She asked her father to pray after which she prayed herself, earnestly commending them to the watchful care of her Heavenly Father.

She prayed very earnestly for her brothers every evening until her voice was so weak as to cause her pain. She talked often of her willingness to go and be with Jesus. On Friday evening the writer asked her, "Are you willing to give up everything for Jesus?" She had many treasures such as loving hearts had bestowed as tokens of love, and she spoke of her gold watch and chain thinking so much of it as the gift of her brother Lee, and it being her last present, but she said, "I will give it up, yes, I will give up everything for Jesus, "and she did, and yet great joy filled her soul and looking up to her mother she said, "Does not my face look right? there is such brightness in my soul."

On Sabbath afternoon she asked her father to take her out to the well that she might again drink from the dipper, and while in California she would often beg her mother to take her home that she might drink again from her own well. At noon she asked daughter Minnie to open the piano and play and sing for her. She asked her brother Frank to sing with her. Her soul seemed blessed while they sang. Little did they think that before the sun would set that eve she would be singing the new song in the glory land.

At four o'clock the same evening the angels came down with noiseless wings, and without a moment's notice, stole our darling away. Not a pang nor death struggle nor a moan. She went "sweeping through the gates" fit company for the angels.

As a daughter she was ever mindful of her parent's wishes, loving to her brothers are kind and affectionate to her only surviving sister. She was a regular attendant at all the services of her church when health would permit.

A sad and mournful procession, we followed her remains to the church so dear to her in life. Her funeral sermon was preached by her pastor, Elder G. W. Robey, to a very large congregation. Though very feeble in body his soul partook of divine strength. The choir, of which she was a member, sang with much feeling the songs she loved so well.

It was a beautiful spot where they laid her to rest. The sun was just sinking in a golden, flood of light betokening a glorious morrow; beautiful emblem of the resurrection, when this perishing body-shall be raised in glory, The shadows of the trees were lengthening on the grass and every sound was in accord with he 'scene. She left the beautiful home, one she loved so dear, and every spot of that home was bathed in that golden haze so peculiar to the last days of summer and the beginning of autumn. We must say that the father and mother were wonderfully sustained in their sad affliction, and may they realize more than ever the voice of Christ saying to them, "I love thee, pass under the rod."
L, A, RHODES