MA, I SHALL BE THE FIRST OF OUR FAMILY OVER YONDER. Asa Hart Alling, eldest son of Rev. J. H. and Jennie E. Alling, of Rock River Conference, was born Dec. 20, 1866, in Newark, Kendall County, Ill.; and died in Chicago, April 19, 1881. He was converted and united with the church at Morris when eleven. His conversion was clear and well defined, and his Christian life eminently satisfactory. He was regularly present at worship, and frequently took part. He would invariably close his prayer by asking the Lord to keep him from bad boys. He assisted cheerfully in the fulfillment of his own prayer, and made choice of the more noble youths of his own age. And while most boys were devoting their spare time to fun and rude sport, he was applying himself to works of benevolence and humanity, and numbers of aged and infirm people living near Simpson church will bear record of the good deeds by his youthful hands. In the public school he took high rank, and led his classmates. For his years he was well advanced. Friday, April 15, he complained of being ill, but insisted upon going to school. He returned in distress, took to his bed, and did not leave it. He was smitten with cerebro-spinal meningitis, and was at times in agony. Through it all he proved himself a hero and a Christian conqueror. Be realized that his sickness would terminate fatally, and talked about death with composure. He put his arms about his mothers neck, and gently drawing her face close to his own, said, Ma, I shall be the first of our family over yonder, but I will stand on the shore and wait for you all to come. He requested his mother to sing for him, Pull for the shore. She being completely overcome with grief could not sing. He said, Never mind, ma; you will sing it after I am gone, wont you? To a Christian lady who came to see him, he said, You sing for me. Sing Hold the fort: She sang it. Now sing Hallelujah: Tis done. He fully realized that the work of his salvation was done, and he was holding the fort till he should be called up higher. He bestowed his treasures upon his brother and sisters. He gave his Bible to his brother Treat; and as he did so said to his father, Pa, tell aunty, who gave me this Bible, that I died a Christian. His last hours of consciousness were rapidly closing. He remarked, Ma, I shall not live till morning; I am so tired, and will go to sleep. If I do not wake up, good-bye; good-bye all. A short time afterward he fell asleep. He was not, for God had taken him. He had reached the shores of eternal life for which he had pulled so earnestly and with success. His funeral was attended by a large concourse of people, who thronged the church. The services were conducted by several of the Chicago pastors, and were very impressive and instructive. We all felt as if we had lost a treasure, and heaven had gained a jewel. -- G. A. Vanhorne
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 13:03:57 +0000
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