Rev. Jonas Ferguson Yerger (1836-1908)

YERGER, GRATER, DAVIS, BAKER, HILLER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 11:58:43

From Story City Herald September 10, 1908 (page 1)

STRICKEN WHILE IN THE PULPIT

Death Comes to Rev. J. F. Yerger in Manner He Wished

Rev. J. F. Yerger died last Sunday evening at Loring, Ia., while conducting quarterly services for the presiding elder. The news came as a shock to the people of this vicinity, where the aged pastor was so well known and loved.

He left Des Moines in his usual good humor, though spells of dizziness to which he had been subject during the past summer led his wife to caution him against overexertion. His last hours were spent in the service which had become an intimate part of his life, and death found him as he had wished, "in the harness."

Rev. J. F. Yerger was born in Montgomery county, Penn., April 27, 1836. Died September 6, 1908, at six p. m., in Loring, Ia., age 72 years, 4 months and 9 days.

He was united in marriage with Ann M. Grater, July 28, 1855; she departed this life December 22, 1889. To this union were born six children, two sons and four daughters, of these 3 have passed to the great beyond.

Mr. Yerger was married the second time to Margaret B. Davis September 17, 1891, who is left to mourn her much loved husband. Other relatives who sorrow are three children, Mrs. Martha G. Baker, Mrs. Aseneth G. Hiller, and Miss Anna Mabel, eight grand-children, one brother and two sisters, and many Christian friends.

Brother Yerger was converted to God in 1861. In a short time he was called to preach and was licensed in the East Pennsylvania conference of the Evangelical association, February 25, 1864. In 1866 he came west and united with the Iowa conference November 23rd of that year. In 1876 he became a charter member of the Des Moines conference, Evangelical association, serving the church of his choice in the ministry until the spring of 1908--forty-four years. During this time he has served two years in the East Pennsylvania conference, and the following places in the two western conferences: Green Castle, 1866-7; Winterset, 1870-1; Iowa Center, 1872-4; Colo, 1875; Vinton 1676-7; Blairstown, 1878-9; Cedar Rapids, 1880-2; Harlan, 1883; Kingsley, 1884-6; Story City, 1887-9; Presiding Elder, 1890-1902; Des Moines, 1903-4; and Story City, 1905-8.

He served the last charge while he was in superannuated relation to the church, and took the work as a supply because the appointed one left this place.

Last spring he located with his wife and daughter in Des Moines. This inactivity was not satisfying to him and a number of times since then he served at Quarterly Meeting occasions. On this mission was he sent to Mount Zion church at Loring, Ia., Sept. 4th to 6th. On Saturday night he preached from the text Neh. 10:39, "We will not forsake the house of our God." The exhortation was strong. Sunday morning, with apparent good spirits, physically and spiritually, at eleven o'clock, he entered the pulpit to deliver his last message from John 15:5. At twelve minutes of twelve o'clock his face began to twitch and his tongue to stiffen, which last fact he mentioned, and then said, "I have always said I would sooner die in the pulpit than anywhere else." He continued to speak for a little while, then turned to the pastor and requested him to continue the sermon. A paralytic stroke had come upon him. The pastor guided him back to the pulpit chair, where he seemed to listen very attentively for a few minutes to the pastor's words on his text. He desired to read the sacramental lesson, but could not rise to do so. His request was, "go on with the service." Finally he was induced to be conveyed to the parsonage. As some of the brethren were carrying him from the rostrum, he said, "Wait a minute. I must administer the sacrament first." He was taken to the parsonage, where he gradually grew weaker and unconscious. At six p. m. he calmly and peacefully passed through the eternal gates, to lay the trophies won at the Savior's feet.

Monday morning his body was shipped to Des Moines, where services were held on Tuesday afternoon, conducted at his own beautiful residence by Rev. J. H. Yaggy. Wednesday morning relatives and friends accompanied the deceased to Story City, where the final funeral services were held in the church, at 1:30 p.m., conducted by the brethren of the Des Moines Conference. Interment was made in the Story City cemetery, where his first wife, a daughter and a grandchild are buried. The departed ran the Christian race, and the last conscious word spoken that anyone understood was, "Jesus." Many say on earth and in heaven, "He started me in my Christian life, and gave me encouraging words."

The Evangelical church was crowded to its utmost capacity at the funeral services yesterday afternoon. The Revs. Yaggy, Day, Worth, Wendell and Alber acted as pall-bearers, and the floral tributes were very beautiful. Rev. Powell of Loring, Ia., preached the funeral sermon. Having been privileged to be with the deceased during his last days on earth, he gave a touching account of Rev. Yerger's life and life-work, taking for his text the devoted words of Paul: "To live for me is Christ, to die is gain." Evidence of the affection entertained towards the dead preacher was plainly visible in the eyes of many in the congregation, which no doubt held a mind-picture of Rev. Yerger's cheery countenance as he went about the duties of his pastorate, never complaining, always ready to do a service, his very presence an incentive to better living. The influence of such a life will be lasting in its effects. Truly, for him to live was Christ, to die was gain! To such the grave has indeed lost its sting and death its victory!