[AI translation] I feel that it would be almost easy for me to write an obituary of the kind soul whose broken tent-house we are now sadly surrounding, for there is so much good and beautiful to say about her that we would not have time. There are precious memories in all of our souls which, at the mention of Marian Adam's name, suddenly come alive and radiate a warmth that is good for us. His childhood, his youth, his whole short life and his death are full of so many beautiful lessons that any of us can learn from them with a bowed head. But why should I tell you who he was? We all who knew him know it well enough, and especially those who are now most sorrowful among us know it best. These are only human words, and however much beauty we might tell, we would only tear deeper the wounds of our hearts. In such pain as yours, only the living God can comfort us with His word. And how good that He is not silent, but speaks to us now!Behold, the Word says: "We give thanks to God!" Yes: that is the important thing, right now, right here at the altar, that is the most important thing: giving thanks! And it is precisely to ease the pains that gnaw at our hearts that thanksgiving is so important. The true consolation of a soul begins here: with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, when it fills a soul, displaces suffering. That is why the Lord now warns us to give thanks.
But what is it that we should give thanks for? Our word continues, "We give thanks to God, because we have heard your faith in Christ Jesus." Many of us have heard his living faith in Jesus Christ. It is right, then, that thanksgiving should flow from our hearts for him, for here at the altar we see how much this, that is, living faith in Christ, is a necessary thing in the world. How good is God that he has given him this, the greatest, the most precious, the supreme good. How good that we have no doubt of it! And you, dear brethren, you know, do you not, that a believing parent has not given his child the best when he has brought him up in happiness, kept him out of trouble, placed him in a good position, secured his happiness, but when he has led him to know and receive the salvation that is in Christ. The greatest happiness of a believing parent is to see and know his child as a born-again, converted believer. And God has given you this happiness. Your dear daughter's whole life was a loud testimony to her living faith. With the gentle warmth of her serene heart, she went about everywhere as if an angel had walked among us. Behold, how truly the Word says: "We give thanks to God and to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ always... because we have heard of your faith (his faith) in Jesus Christ, and of the love with which you are to all the saints."
Moreover, our verse goes on to give thanks in this way: we give thanks "for the hope laid up for you in heaven". This is our greatest consolation: this hope. So the blessed assurance of faith is that the life of Adam Marian is not finished, but has now really begun, since Christ suffered for him on the cross, his resurrection opened the gates of heaven for him, his ascension has secured a place for him there. This is the hope laid up in heaven, by which we know that it was not incurable sickness that snatched him from our embracing arms, but the Lord our Saviour came to take him to himself. Surely he needs her there, surely he is ripe for more to be entrusted to her hereafter. His is not a broken life, let us not think of him as a broken rosebud. For can there be a more beautiful, more rounded end, a more fulfilling end to a human life than coming home to the home of his heavenly Father? The Lord has not taken him from you, but has brought him forward to where he calls us all through Christ. It is like a shepherd once tried to lead his flock across a stream of rushing water to the other side. In vain he urged, urged, urged his sheep, but they dared not go against the rushing tide. So he picked up a little lamb, hugged it to him, dipped it in the water and carried it to the other bank. The old men, frightened, threw themselves into the stream with a great roar to follow their little one, and at last they all made it safely to the other bank.
So Marian did not go away, but went on ahead with Christ, to Christ, and there, on the other bank, she is waiting for you, for us, with Christ. For this hope laid up in heaven, a thousand thanks be to God. And in this thanksgiving, though there is still pain, there is no more suffering.
And we are here to tell you, my mourning beloved, that from this day forth we cease not to pray for you, and to beseech you to be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, being strengthened with all power according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and long-suffering, with joy.
Amen
Date: 17 October 1950.