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Report of Sis. Opal
Wilson's Death |
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(Faith & Victory : Nov. 1964) |
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It is with sad hearts for our loss that we acknowledge the departure
from this world of our dear Sister Opal Wilson from the mission
field in Nigeria, Africa. On Sept. 19 a telegram was received from
Bro. Ostis B. Wilson that his wife was very sick. This urgent
request for prayer for her healing was phoned to several
congregations across the country. About three days later another
telegram came to this office from Bro. Wilson that Sister Opal was
critically ill. The church here and abroad went into fasting and
prayer for her recovery. The Lord heard those petitions and saw
those tears. Yet God in His infinite wisdom declined to answer in
the way that we desired, and called her to eternal rest from her
earthly labors at 10 p. m., Sept. 24 after a number of days with
pneumonia fever. She and Bro. Wilson had gotten wet in a heavy rain,
from which she took pneumonia.
This is the second missionary to Nigeria to depart this life this
year. Bro. David Madden passed on April 28, just a few days after
returning to the States. Such occurrences we do not fully understand
and we may be inclined to question why, but we must ever remember
that God is still God and that we are just His children and He can
do as He pleases with His own. Even as Jesus prayed to His Father in
the garden of Gethsemane, "Not my will, but thine be done," so we
must humbly submit to His decrees and willingly trust His infinite
wisdom.
The statement, "Death does not denote defeat," written recently in
this paper by a missionary, still remains true. Death is that
doorway through which every child of God must pass in order to
obtain that final and complete victory.
As each faithful warrior lays down his armor on the mission field,
may the church at large respond to the challenge and fill every
vacant place with a score of volunteers. It is no time to retreat or
give up the fight, but we must review and renew our consecration and
redouble our efforts for the cause of Christ. In past ages the
church has waxed valiant amidst adversities, and it must not fail
now!
When word was received in this country that Sister Opal Wilson was
at rest with the Lord, words of sympathy and offers to help in any
way possible to get her body flown back to California for burial
began to pour in from saints, relatives and friends. As the
financial arrangements were being made, Bro. Wilson was involved in
the very slow and trying process, with delay after delay, in order
to get the body prepared and flown to Los Angeles. Eventually he
arrived about noon, and the body some hours later, at the Los
Angeles airport on Friday, Oct. 2. There he was met by a large group
of sympathizing saints and relatives.
This writer, as well as a number of other out-ofstate individuals,
was constrained by love and mutual concern to make the trip to
California to render whatever comfort and aid we could to the
bereaved family. The many flowers and the large attendance at the
funeral spoke eloquently of the place which Sister Opal held in the
hearts of all who knew her.
As we carried her earthly tabernacle to its resting place on the
green hillside, we knew that Sister Opal possessed a "building of
God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (2 Cor.
5:1).
--Lawrence Pruitt |
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