DEATH NOT THE END.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1915, Page 9 (Supplement)

DEATH NOT THE END.

WHAT A XUR.SE SEES. Death is not the end. 1 know that it is not. I will tell you why I am absolutely certain that it is not. For many years I was a professional nurse, and during that period I witnessed scores of deaths. Just before their breathing ceased a number of those whom I saw die recognised, or seemed to recognise, someone who was invisible to the friends or relatives gathered at the bedside. I have seen a woman who had been in a comatose state for hours suddenly open her eyes and, with a look of glad surprise, stretch forth her hands, as though to grasp hands outstretched towards her, and then, with what seemed a. sigh of relief, expire. I have seen a man who had 'been writhing in agony suddenly grow calm, and with an expression of joyful recognition fasten his eyes on what, to his wife, seemed only vacancy, and, uttering a name in tones of glad greeting, breathe his last breath. They are not, as many believe, merely phantom creatures of their own disordered imaginations on whieh the dying often gaze so gladly just before death tikes place, but ministering spirits who have eome from the realms of spirit life to welcome those who, through the portals of death, are about to enter another stage of existence. I will describe, one of many similar scenes that I have witnessed. It was in a hospital. A girl of seventeen—a good, kind-hearted, spiritually-minded girl—was dying of consumption. A short time before she expired two spirit forms—angels I call them—suddenly appeared, standing near the head of the bed, one on each side of it. They were as distinctly visible to me as were the human occupants of the room. Just before they appeared the dying girl exclaimed, "It lias grown dark; I cannot see anything!" Then she saw them, and a smile, beautiful to see, lit up her face; "I'ou have come to take me away," she cried, ill joyous tones. ''l am glad, for I am very tired." As she held out her hands the two angels extended each a hand, one grasping the girls' right hand, the other her left hands remained outstretched, grasped by smile more radiantly beautiful even than that of the girl who was so soon to find the rest for whieh she longed. She did not speak again, but for nearly a minute, so it seemed to me, her hands remained outsretched, grasped by the hands of the angels, while she continued to gaze at them with the glad light in her eyes and the smile on her face. Her father, mother and brother, who had been summoned that they might be present when the end enme, were weeping bitterly, for they knew that she was leaving them. From my heart there went up a prayer that they might see what 1 saw, but they could not. The angels relaxed their grasp of the .girl's hands, whieh then fell back on the bed. A sigh came from her lips, such as one might give one who resigns himself gladly to a much-needed sleep, and in another moment she was what the world calls dead. But the sweet smile with whieh she had recognised the augels was still stamped on her features. The angels remained by the bedside during the brief space that elapsed before the spirit form took shape above the body in which physical life had ceased. Then they rose and stood poised for a few seconds, on on each side of her who was now like unto themselves. And I saw three angels go forth from the room where, a short time before, there had been but two.