At Farina, Ill., March 28, 1883, Mr. John Henry Hull, aged nearly 55 years. He was born at Berlin, N. Y., Oct. 21, 1828, and was the son of Harry and Hannah Hull. He was married to Miss A. A. Potter June 9, 1866. In the Spring of 1869, they moved to Farina, where they have since lived.
His wife was a devout Christian worker, but he had never connected himself with the church, nor been specially identified with church work. But when Eld. Huffman held a series of meetings here last Fall, he became interested, and formed a resolution that he would reform his life. He thought he would try to live right before he made any public profession of religion, for fear that he might backslide, and therefore become a stumbling block to others as others had been to him.
We have had a system of reading the Bible by course, upon which he entered with his wife. He was anxious to be benefited by the truths he found there. About two weeks before his death he asked his wife if she could pray for him if he wished her to do so. He knelt with her while she prayed, and every night after that. About the second night before he died he prayed himself very earnestly, and among the rest prayed that God would keep him from any rash act. He talked of being baptized and joining the church, but could not see that close communion was right, and so deferred it.
It was observed by many that his life was greatly changed during the Winter. So there is much ground to hope that he met with a change of heart. He always had a kind heart, and showed uncommon attachments to his wife. It would seem that from melancholy and some disease of the brain, or temporary mania, or from some other cause, he hung himself in his barn doorway. His death was a terribly sad and solemn circumstance.
The funeral sermon was preached from Prov. 27: 1. "Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth," and it happened to be one that he had pondered over but a short time before. Again we are reminded that we are all tending to the tomb. W. H. E.
