...I desire to offer a grateful tribute to her memory by declaring that no account of my public activities would be complete without placing to her credit much of the good that may have been accomplished.
Endowed with rare intuition and judgment, with grace of mind and heart, a winsome personality, and with a voice that was full, sympathetic and pleasing in quality, all of which she dedicated to the cause to which our lives had been devoted, her ministries to her friends—and above all to her family and home,—are beyond words of mine to appraise.
I desire also to acknowledge my indebtedness to her for a life of nearly half a century of singular happiness and helpfulness in every situation and circumstance during those years.
Elma Miller—for that was the name by which she was known in earlier years,—was one of the fairest among her associates; and it was prophesied by those who knew her that she would be a blessing wherever her lot might be cast. The prophecies were abundantly fulfilled, for she left a trail of blessing wherever she went, in her own land and beyond the seas.
Nor did her kindly ministries cease—even amid her own suffering—until she was suddenly called to join the choir invisible.
The way has been lonely since she left me, but I am content to know that "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
From George C. Stebbins: Reminiscences and Gospel Hymn Stories by Himself. New York: George H. Doran Company, ©1924.
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