Page:Signswondersgodw0000wood.djvu/28

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22
Signs and Wonders

an earnest Christian and then we would enter upon the mission work. A few years after this I married Mr. Woodworth.

We settled in the country, and thought by industry and honest toil to gain a little of this world's goods to sustain these physical bodies, but my health failed, and everything we undertook seemed to be a failure. I was away from all Christian influence, and could not often attend the house of God. Often when hearing the church bells ringing, which had been the signal for me to repair to the house of worship, and knowing that I could not go, I would cry myself to sleep. I had one trial after another, and temptations and discouragements beset me on every side. The angel of death came to our home, and after hovering around for a few days he bore away our only little boy, a bright, blue-eyed darling. As he was passing away he looked up and smiled. He looked like an angel, and seemed to say: "Mamma, do not weep for me; I am going to a better world." It almost broke my heart to lay him away in the cold grave; but I could see the loving hand of God and hear Him calling me to build up higher, to set my affections on Heavenly things and not on the things of the earth.

One year had hardly passed by when the angel of death came again to our home and took away our baby Freddy, and at the same time I lay for weeks between life and death. In all this I could see the hand of the loving Father calling me to leave all and follow him. About this time our little daughter Georgie was converted. She was about seven years old. She was a great comfort to me. She loved to talk of the goodness of God and our Redeemer. Many happy times we enjoyed talking together of the beautiful home over the river, where her brothers had gone. I did not think she would leave me so soon to join their ranks and raise her voice with theirs in singing salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever. She was taken sick with that dreadful disease, scrofula, and lingered about eight months. Her sufferings were great, yet she never murmured or complained, but only said it was for her good. She loved to read about Jesus, and the beautiful mansions he was preparing, and the robe and crown that were waiting for her. She would talk to all who came to see her of Jesus and his love, and tell them to meet her in heaven.

She sent messages to her Sabbath School teacher and scholars, and to her friends far and near, to meet her in heaven.