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REFLECTED LIGHT ----------------------- Near Death Testimonies of Some Old Time Believers ----------------------REV. WILLIAM HERVEY From An Antique Book in Webmaster's Library - Editor Unknown

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"Palms of glory, radiant bright, Crowns that never fade away, Gird and deck the saints in light, Priests, and kings and conquerors they. "Yet the conquerors, bring their palms To the Lamb amidst the throne, And proclaim in joyful psalms, Victory through His cross alone. "Kings their crowns for harps resign, Crying as they touch the chords, Take the kingdom, it is Thine, King of kings and Lord of lords.' "Round the altar priests confess, If their robes are white as snow; 'Twas the Saviour's righteousness, And his blood that made them so." "He had long desired to depart, and to be with Christ, which he knew was far better than to abide in the flesh, but he waited patiently for the Lord's time. " ‘A friend of mine,' continues the Rev. Mr. Romaine, ‘was much with him on the 15th of December, and the discourse turned upon what Christ had done for his soul. Hervey spoke strongly and earnestly of the assurance of his faith . . . The doctor seeing the great difficulty and pain with which he spoke, desired that he would spare himself. "No," says he, "doctor, no. You tell me I have but a few moments to live. Oh, let me spend them in adoring our great Redeemer. Though my flesh and my heart fail me, yet God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever!" He then expatiated in the most striking manner upon these words of St. Paul, I Corinthians 3:22 - 23, "All things are yours, life and death: for ye are Christ's!" "Here," says he, "is the treasure of the Christian. Death is reckoned amongst this inventory, and a noble treasure it is. How thankful am I for death; as it is the passage through which I am to pass to the Lord and Giver of eternal life; and as it frees me from all this misery you now see me endure, and which I am willing to endure as long as God thinks fit; for I know he will, by-and-bye, in his own good time, dismiss me from the body. These light afflictions are but for a moment, and then comes an eternal weight of glory. Oh, welcome, welcome death; thou mayest well be reckoned among the treasures of a Christian. To live is Christ, but to die is gain.'' After which, as the doctor was taking his final leave of him, Mr. Hervey spoke of the great love of God, in Christ to him. He expressed gratitude to him for his visits, though it had been long out of the power of medicine to cure him. He then paused a little, and with serenity and sweetness in his countenance, though the pangs of death were then upon him, repeated those triumphant words --- " Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy most holy and comfortable word, for mine eyes have seen thy precious salvation. Here, doctor, is my cordial. What are all the cordials to the dying, compared to the salvation of Christ? This, this supports me." He found this supporting him in his last moments, and declared it by saying twice or thrice, "precious salvation," and then against the side of the easy chair in which he sat, he shut his eyes and fell asleep. Oh, precious salvation! Mr. Hervey knew that whenever the Lord should call him out of this life, he should be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith; and clothed in this righteousness, he was certain that he should appear at the bar of justice, without sin unto eternal salvation.' " Go To Complete Index - Testimonies of Old Saints