Our beloved sister, Rose Thiel, has passed away this Monday 12th of November, 2018. At such a time, we would want to commemorate her, and let no hands mar the record of such a loving and unselfish life. She has been a mother, a sister, and a friend, but also, and for many years, an untiring companion in labour for the cause of Christ to her beloved and now surviving husband. A pillar in the house of God, a stay to many a wavering soul, she ever stood as a rock to principle, and her kindness often reminded us of the Saviour’s love; she gave to the church a shining, unforgettable example of what it means to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few and many turn traitors to the cause of truth. Heaven shall remember. No effort was lost, and no tear wasted.

Behind her she now leaves family and friends, brothers and sisters, who will ever cherish her memory, but more importantly, vital and living lessons that we hope will not fail to arouse those slumbering ones still lingering in the valley of decision. It ever was her longing and desire to see souls redeemed, and basking in the consciousness of the love of God. But now, she is the one to rest, and to silently bask in the grave, till the voice is heard that bids her at last arise. O how fleeting is life! But today, regardless, soldier, we honour thee!

And as we lay thee to rest, all quiet and blessed,
We say to thee, with our tears wiped away by the heavenly Guest:

‘Tis well, farewell;
Soon, friend, we see each other again!

—

O beloved, dear and cherished, we hear thee no more, we see thee no more;
What a thought that such an anguish should finally end in such repose.
O dear soldier, side by side we have fought and have battled the foe;
Now, what wonder, down the armour you’ve laid, and you quietly go.
O how we wish we could hear thee some more, and see thee some more;
But our Jesus we see, and He comforts our hearts, and we let it be o’er.

For our grief, t’could be great, for our love did reach far;
And the void that it makes, it makes dim the bright stars.
But our Saviour doth see, and He knows what we can’t;
And He bids us to hear, and believe, and not faint.

No uncontrollable grief shall anymore wear us down;
Only a wonderful thrill will be found on our brow,
That our wonderful Saviour has ascended on high,
And is even now pleading for the sinners we are;
That for us now the judgement is operating through,
And that soon shall God have searched all the living through.

Yea, what a blessed thought thou hast left with us, Rose;
That, all withered as we are, we may blossom and grow;
Yea, grow in our Saviour, though our sins be revealed,
And reach to the holy life that was His when He lived.
Oh, how our hearts are relieved that your soul is received;
How it lightens our pains that your pain is diseased.
For to die in the Lord, ‘tis a blessing indeed;
Let not another say otherwise; we believe.

We believe that the soul who now rests, and her Saviour confessed,
Shall her Saviour soon see, and with Jesus soon be.
That the one who has kept His commandments in truth,
Shall erelong from the Master’s lips hear the words:
Come now, ye, of My Father blessed;
And enter thou into thy Saviour’s bliss.

—

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Sweet Be Thy Rest

1. Sweet be thy rest,
And peaceful thy sleeping;
God’s way is best,
Thou art in His keeping.
O blessed sleep,
Where ills ne’er molest thee!
Why should we weep?
For Heaven hath blessed thee:
Sweet be thy rest.

2. Thy work is done,
Thy sowing and reaping;
Thy crown is won,
And hush’d is thy weeping.
From tears and woes,
From earth’s midnight dreary,
Thine is repose
Where none ever weary:
Sweet be thy rest.

3. Sweet be thy rest;
No more we may greet thee
Till with the blest
In heaven we meet thee.
O union sweet,
That death can not sever!
There we shall meet,
Where sad tears fall never:
Sweet be thy rest.

—

The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall go in peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. Isaiah 57:1-2 (margin).

(Illustration: Red Rose by Ewan Topping, licensed under CC BY 2.0)