Report of Sis. Opal Wilson's Death

Report of Sis. Opal Wilson's Death

(Faith & Victory : Nov. 1964)


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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