| Show VE THE LATE ELDER E D SIMMONS some particulars relating to the death of the late elder edgar D simmons Si nimons in furkey have already been published As the subject is one or of unusual interest to a large number of people we are pleased to be able by courtesy of elder hintze to give space to the following correspondence which embraces additional dit ional details COTTOM WOOI salt lake county utah march 10 1890 cafor deseret news lewk As brother frederick DI dieterle I 1 terl the fellow laborer of the late elder edgar D simmons Sio amons has written to me respecting brother simmons demise I 1 thought it would berha perhaps be well to blate his letter an and send it to you tor for publication brother simmons has many relatives and friends who would be glad to hear bear full fuh particulars of his death and burial I 1 will briefly state who brother frederick dieterle is he is the stepson of eller elder george grau arau of haifa they are germans german and were among the german colonists col who settled in palestine neither has been here in utah brother grau was baptized by elder jacob and brother dieterle by elder J M tanner both are faithful and honorable members of the church and have done much to assist in forwarding the work of god in turkey furkey and palestine in the spring of 1890 we were in need of missionary help in turkey and brother dieterle was called to go there to preach the gospel he accepted cepter the call cal I 1 willingly and was appointed to labor in when elders smart and simmons arrived they were appointed to labor there also brother smarts health soon failed so he be left and thus brothers simmons and dieterle became companions and so continued until the sad death of the former it would appear from brother dieterlen Die letters that thai I 1 lie I 1 e h had ad formed fond ties of affection and friendship for brother simmons his letter reads as follows turkey feb 6 1890 dear brother chintee A week has hardly passed away since I 1 wrote to you of the illness of our brother and fellow laborer in christ elder edgar D simmons now it becomes my sad duty to apprise you of Us demise which happened the day before yesterday february ath at 2 unlock in the afternoon his illness lasted fourteen days of which the last eight were very painful it was not only a hard time for the deceased b but ut also for me all of which will be fresh in my memory during life the deceased had the smallpox in the highest degree his bis face was full of marks as also his whole body so that after his dc death ath while we washed and dressed him the diseased skin readily peeled off it would have made me happy could our dear brother have survived and again returned to his bis kindred but god has ordered it otherwise and has called him from his bis field of labor to the beyond where sorrows sorrow sare are no mole moie he became so very weak that he could not stand and his voice also became very low and during tho thomast days of af his illness he lost his fl speech yet he understood what transpired around him and also what was asked of him his burial took place yesterday yeste rJay afternoon at 3 in the armenian likely the protestant armenian graveyard close to some american graves I 1 thought it would be necessary to go to the government respecting the grave but brother Ve went to the chief preacher of the protestants to ewe ae about the grave and he said it would not be nece necessary mary alz to apply to the government he also proffered prof feied ed to preach the funeral sermon should we so desire and as I 1 am not so far advanced in the turkish language as to bk be able t to deliver a discourse anti and as brother Ve is only a teacher in the church of jesus christ I 1 accepted the ministers offer he therefore came aud and after the corpse had bad been laid in the coffin he read a portion of matthew from the verse to the end of the chapter he then spoke a little to the congregation during which time he read two more verses from revelations verses 12 aud 13 then he prayed after which we went to 10 the cemetery where we had again to wait owing to the grave being too narrow hence the grave hadjo be widened to admit the coffin here the minister again delivered a as sr s r mon wherein he read revelations 1 I from ath to verses he then prayed and afterwards the grave was filled during this time the minister remained and not until everything was wao completed did he come to shake hands I 1 then thanked him and he request requested edme ome to write his respects to the mother of the deceased the chief points of the discourse so far as related to me by brother lall were these that we should always be ready to depart from this life as we do not know when our moment might come por for proof he referred to the deceased who while yet young was called away from this life he also said that if our dead brother had done right his resurrection and his bis r reward e would be glorious I 1 under stood that the minister also remembered the relatives of our departed brother in his prayer that god might comfort them in the loss of a son and brother As the brother ju just a t passed a w e d away a w a y was w a s a member of the church h u r c h an and d a also 1 so t true r u e t to 0 h bis I 1 a calling he could look forward to a glorious resurrection resurrect iori and relatives and friends could likewise anticipate a joyful reunion if they all remain falih faithful ful this blow strikes hard not only the church but also the relatives or of the deceased we have however to give way to the will of god for what god does is done well dear brother as I 1 do not know the address of the relatives of the deceased dece asea I 1 would ask you to notify them and to give the ministers respects to liis his mother we must now at once either burn or bury the bed and some of the clothes belonging to our departed brother the remainder of his bis effects I 1 will keep until I 1 hear from his relatives as to what I 1 shall do with them I 1 dont feel right well at present I 1 will hardly be able to remain long hence I 1 have written to president teasdale at liverpool that I 1 am awaiting his advice as to what I 1 shall now do in case I 1 should go to haifa I 1 will carry with me brother simmons effects and his relatives may address me there if anything concerning the grave is wanted then they can write to brother may god bod permit brother simons remains to in peace in the grave until the resurrection and comfort his relatives I 1 desire you to extend them my respects and condolence you aud and your family are heartily greeted from your brother in christ F the above abon e shows brother dieterle is a sympathizing friend and ath anin intelligent tell igent young man may god bless and comfort those who are called upon to mourn the loss lose of the departed is my sincere desire P F F V |
