L. H. HARDY, North Carolina (Article taken from Signs of the Times) The Late ELDERS C. B. and SYLVESTER HASSELL of North Carolin

(Authors and Publishers of Hassell’s Church History. The following is part of the obituary which Elder Sylvester Hassell wrote of his father, in which he states they both believed in the resurrection of the body.)

At father’s advanced age, his close confinement in 1879 to the preparation of this history gave the finishing blow to his excellent constitution. He studied and wrote on it almost incessantly, feeling that his time was short. It was with him a labor of love, but it was too excessive. For at least six months before his death, he had been visibly failing. His mind dwelt almost entirely upon heavenly things. He earnestly exhorted his brethren to show their faith by their works; to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. The churches that he served were not composed of dead members. Spring Green Church, a year before his death, built a large new house of worship, and Skewarkey meeting-house was being thoroughly repainted during his last illness. The dear brethren and sisters in these churches, as well as his family, feel that they are irreparably bereaved. He preached at Skewarkey for the last time on February 8, 1880. His text, No. 2,096, used on that occasion, was Ephesians iv. 4-6, especially the words, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” He spoke for an hour and a quarter. He preached at Spring Green for the last time on February 22. His text, No. 2,097, used then, was 2 Corinthians v. 1- 4: “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,” etc. He preached for fifty-five minutes. Though not able to travel, he went to the Skewarkey Union Meeting at Conoho, Martin County, February 27, and preached fifty minutes, the introductory sermon, from Hebrews ii. 17, 18: “Wherefore, in all things, it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren,” etc. Thus, his last public discourse was upon the most precious object of his affections – the Lord Jesus Christ. His favorite hymn was, “Thou dear Redeemer, dying Lamb, We love to hear of Thee.”

And through life, his favorite motto, often quoted, was “Jehovah Jireh: “The Lord will provide.” In communion at the Union Meeting on Sunday afternoon, with eyes mostly directed towards Heaven, he dwelt, in strains that seemed almost inspired, upon the sufferings of Jesus for sinners, and upon the Divine and eternal glory of His church. That night (February 29), at brother S. W. Outterbridge’s, he was taken with a severe pain in his right side, proceeding from an enlarged and indurated liver. Nothing could give him much relief. At his request, Hicks’ Farewell (No. 623, Lloyd’s Selection), beginning, “The time is swiftly rolling on When I must faint and die,” was sung. The next morning, he got into his buggy, and his wife drove him home. He obtained temporary relief from the pain with a light dose of calomel. On the evening of Sunday, the twenty-first, he had himself taken downstairs into the prayer meeting room and addressed those assembled most tenderly and lovingly, as though he knew it was for the last time. On the evening of the twenty-eighth, he was also taken there, but seemed to have strength enough only to say, “Sing on.” He kept declining in flesh and strength. His whole nervous and digestive apparatus seemed utterly exhausted and gave way. On March 31, the same pain returned in his right side, and under the repetition of the mercurial treatment, it was one day and two nights before it left him. After that, he had no more pain, but kept weakening to the last. Six physicians visited him, but he was beyond human restoration; God was about to call His aged and faithful servant home. I was by his bedside almost constantly, day and night, for a week. In all his illness, he never manifested the least anxiety regarding his future state. Not a cloud dimmed his prospect of a blessed immortality. A little before the last, he said, “I am passing to a better world. I am going from the land of the dying to the land of the living. To live is Christ, and to die is gain. It is far better to depart and be with Christ than to stay in this sin-deified world. It may be a disadvantage to those he leaves, but it is an advantage to the Christian to die. He exchanges this state of sin and sorrow for the perfect peace and happiness of the paradise of God. There are some things that we do not know, and that we shouldn't know; but there are some blessed things that we do know. We do know that when our earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved, we shall have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. We do know that when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory. We do know that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are called according to His purpose. We do know that though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil; for God will be with us, His rod and staff will comfort us even there. Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Oh, what a good and faithful God! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name. Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him. No other one is worthy of our trust. Others will disappoint your expectations, but God cannot deny Himself – He will be perfectly faithful to all His blessed promises. Love one another. Walk in the way of His holy commandments. Trust in God. Be perfectly resigned to His holy will, which must be done, ought to be done, and is always best. Bury me in a plain wooden coffin, and without display, or ceremony, or preaching, in the simple manner of the apostolic age. I have never engaged in funeral preaching. Just let my friends gather in silence around, when my body is deposited in its last resting place. Bury me at Skewarkey, by the side of my children.”

For almost everyone who called to see him, he seemed to have a special message and some heavenly advice. His family and friends, brethren and sisters, crowded around him, and were loath to lose a single word. He seemed to me a Christian patriarch dispensing his dying blessing to his children. His last words to me were: “The Lord’s blessing and a father’s blessing go with you and yours, my dear son, through life, and bring you to a better world.” His most frequent expression during his illness was, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” On the last day, when he was too weak to say scarcely anything, he often repeated, “All right! all right!” When quite restless and tossing about, towards 12 o’clock Saturday night, April 10, he was asked if he wanted anything, and he said, “Nothing in this world.” He seemed conscious to almost the very last, and about 1 o’clock Sunday morning, without a struggle, a sigh, or a gasp, his spirit quit its mortal tenement and ascended to the bright mansions of rest. A placid and heavenly smile rested upon his countenance. In his last will, written in 1879, he had said, “I resign my body to the dust, from whence it came, and my spirit to God who gave it, confidently expecting a happy reunion beyond the grave.” Death had no terrors for him. He is “Asleep in Jesus! peaceful rest! Whose waking is supremely blest.” Monday, April 12, was a bright, cold day. Several sympathizing friends began soon to gather at my father’s house. At half-past two P.M., the procession started for the cemetery at Skewarkey, a mile distant. Every store and shop in Williamston was closed. Almost the entire population of the town and surrounding country, of all parties and denominations, young and old, rich and poor, black and white, issued forth and respectfully accompanied the remains to the grave. In tearful and almost reverential silence, they gathered around the body of their father and friend and looked for the last time in this world upon the loved features. The coffin was gently lowered into its receptacle by the hands of dear brethren and noiselessly covered with earth. On the morning of the last day, the body thus sown in weakness and dishonor will be raised in power and glory, and rejoin its companion spirit; and the devoted servant of Christ will be welcomed to a blissful and everlasting association with his God. May Divine grace prepare us to follow him to that sinless and tearless state. 

SYLVESTER HASSELL