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Death Of The Wicked Contrasted With Death Of The Righteous B. Carradine

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TOPIC and SUBTOPIC: Death Of The Wicked, Contrasted With Death Of The Righteous!

TITLE: Two Death Bed Scenes

We once witnessed the death of a traveling agent who came into the town, where I was located as a young preacher. He arrived a well man, and left it a few days later in a coffin. His young wife, summoned by telegraph, did not arrive in time to see him die, and departed, broken-hearted, the next morning with the body for her stricken home.

I think I never prayed or talked with a sadder man. It was all so sudden, so horrible to him that he had to die, and yet unprepared, that he seemed struck into dumbness, while a frightened, anxious look fairly burned in his eyes.

Propped upon a pillow he would gaze for hours through the open window at the moving leaves of a grape arbor close by. He seemed to be looking far beyond at something, and when spoken to would turn a perfectly despairing glance upon the speaker, and again resume the silent, melancholy, fixed gaze out of the window.

Of course we prayed and talked with him, but no light ever came into his face, and we have always feared he died without hope, as he had lived without Christ in the world.

Very agreeably, by way of contrast, comes back the memory of the death of my singer, Professor R. He had been delirious for days. Standing by his bedside one morning and looking down in his face I said: "Bro. R, do you know me?"

He gave an inquiring look, and called me by the name of a gentleman in Kentucky.

Again I spoke and said: "Bro. R, do you know Jesus?"

Back instantly from the region of unconsciousness leaped the spirit of this faithful servant of Christ at the bare mention of his Lords name, and with face all aglow, and tears running down his checks and voice choking with emotion he cried: "Yes, thank God! Yes, thank God!"

Living Illustrations By B. Carradine.