Volume 31 – 1990 (PDF) - Searching The Scriptures

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tized into Christ. She was a great and powerful influence
upon the lives of all who knew her. She was indeed
the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. If I had
been inclined to follow an evil way of life when I became
a man, I could not have done so because of my love and
respect for my mother and father.
How does a man say good-bye for the last time to his
mother? I thought of my loss: I will hear her words of
wisdom no more. She was a great encouragement to me
in preaching the gospel of Christ. She gave much
support and encouragement to me in the early days of
Searching The Scriptures. She paid for many subscriptions
for the first few years, and continued to read it
thoroughly each month until her death. I will not
receive that encouragement from her any more. And
most of all, I will no longer have the power of her daily
prayers. She prayed for her children and their families
daily, and we all shall miss that. How can I honor her
and memorialize her life and move more than to do and
live as she taught me to do in the Lord — obey her in the
Lord?
I held her cold hands so tenderly as I reflected upon
their warm and loving care throughout my life. I carefully
touched her hair and smoothed her dress about the
neckline and arms. I put my hand upon her brow which
had reflected her suffering and concern the last few
hours of her earthly life. I placed my hand lightly upon
her cheek and softly told that form of frozen clay how
much I loved her. I tenderly kissed her lifeless brow. I
knew she had gone to a much better place, but that
lovely body was where she lived when she was with me.
Never in my life did I doubt her love for me. My four
brothers and I knew she loved each of us in a special
way, yet there was never envy. Never did she do or say
anything that diverted my faith in her or in God. All
who knew her respected her as a faithful, dedicated
Christian whose life was amazingly consistent for the
seventy three years I had known her. I thought of the
time of the death of my father in 1951 and the great loss
I knew my mother suffered at that time. I knelt in
prayer at my mother's knee, as all the family had
gathered at my grandmother's home just before we
went to the funeral of my father. I knew my mother
derived her strength and comfort from prayer and God's
word. That power from God has sustained her for the 38
years she lived without him.
I wrote of my grandmother, Ella Martin Phillips, in
Searching The Scriptures, December, 1971, page 372:
"A thousand precious moments passed in review of my
life as it related to her while I stood and looked upon her
cold, still body which had given so much warmth to me
all through my life... "
"My mother was as a daughter to her. Most of what
she is as a mother, wife, and home keeper she learned
from my grandmother. "
My wife learned how to be a good wife, mother and
housekeeper from my mother. Polly loved her as her
own mother; mother loved Polly as her own daughter.
The influence of my mother's life upon her sons, daughters-in-law,
grandchildren and great grandchildren is
immeasurable. Only eternity will reveal how many
were taught and encouraged to serve God by her life. It
may be said of her: "I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:
and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing. " (2 Tim 4: 7, 8). "Her children arise up,
and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth
her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou
excellest them all" (Prov. 31: 28-29). The last words I
heard from her mother lips as she went into surgery
were: "I love you" Good-bye Mother, I love you so
much.