“‘He then spoke on the subject of the “spirit of adoption,” which we have now, and of the final adoption for which we look at the second coming of the blessed Saviour. Last evening he said to Bro. Bosworth:—
“‘Tell them [the brethren] we are right. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh; but they must be patient, and wait for him.’
“‘His mind is still clear and strong on the subject of the conscious intermediate state. He believes that when he shall be absent from the body he will be present with the Lord. He expects that his flesh will slumber in the ground till Jesus comes and bids it rise, when he will be perfected. He never looked for the crown at death, but at the time when Jesus should come in his glory. The intermediate state is not that for which he longs most (though, with the apostle, he thinks it is “better” than this state of toil and sorrow), but the final, the glorified state, when the body shall be redeemed, and made like unto the glorious body of Christ, is the subject of this hope.
“‘For some weeks past, his mind dwelt much on the subjects of the Judgment, the “adoption,” and the new heavens and earth.
“‘Such views of the future glory tended to mitigate the pains of his body, which, at times, were violent.
“‘Happy the spirit released from its clay.’
was one of the hymns in which he was deeply interested during the last four weeks of his life. It was sung by his children, and those who visited him, repeatedly, at his request. It enraptured his soul during his last hours, when he seemed to be absent, conversing with God and Heaven. He often repeated:—
“‘Victory! victory! shouting in death!’
“‘The closing scene finally came. On the 20th of December, in the morning, it was manifest to all that he must soon depart. During the morning he made no particular conversation, but would break forth in expressions like the following:—