Elijah E. Akers was born May 9, 1856, on
the
head of Big Mud Creek in Floyd County, Kentucky, the
son of
Levi and Nancy Akers, the grandson of the late Elijah
Hall.
He was married to Cynthia J. Rice, the daughter of
Marion
and Hannah Rice, on January 8, 1878, and to this
union were
born thirteen children, ten sons and three daughters.
One
son, Otsey, and two daughters, Parelee and Rushie,
went on
before to welcome dear father home.
He is survived by his wife and the following
children, to
wit: Ben, Marion, Fonce, Med, Pearl, Willie, Fred,
Walter,
Allen and Mrs. Ottawa Boyd. The two daughters
professed a
hope in Christ and joined the Old Regular Baptist
Church
and left good hopes. Otsey, the son, left good hope.
Dear father said he was carried out in a vision by
the
spirit and he saw the Glory World, but a line was
drawn and
he could not go over it then. He called to his mother
and
she came to him and he asked her about some loved
ones that
had gone on, and if they were there and especially if
dear
Otsey was there. She said "Don't you hear the
singing? He
is here and is one of the sweet singers. You go back;
you
can't come now."
So, now we feel father has crossed over the line and
is one
of the number of that company that he heard singing,
and
only awaiting to welcome dear mother and the rest of
us
children who have or will be washed in the Blood of
the
Lamb and our souls made white.
Father was sick for about fifteen months. The last
ten
months he suffered as no one can tell but in all of
his
suffering he was patient, and bore it like a Soldier
of the
Cross. He did not lack care, for our dear mother and
some
of us children and many friends were with him day and
night
to care for him. Mother, your labor will not be
forgotten
by the Lord.
Father was a father any son or daughter should be
proud to
have. We miss him so much, and his counsel through
life
when he was on his death bed I hope will not be
forgotten
by us children. He called all of us to him and gave
us his
last instructions. After he had talked to the last
one of
us. he, by the Grace of his God, shouted praise to
His name
which made us all take courage that he has gone on to
that
home that is not made with hands, eternal and in the
Heavens where he will never have to suffer any more
pains
and where he will not be blind any more.
Father sent for that dear man of God, Elder A. L.
Allen, to
come to see him and when he came he shed tears of
joy. It
was the first time any of us children ever heard him
sing
when Elder Allen began to sing "Must Jesus Bear the
Cross
Alone?" Dad helped him to sing. It made tears stream
from
our eyes to see him rejoice in God, his Savior. He
told
Brother Allen his experience and it was a feast to
him and
to me, his unworthy son, W. L.
Father joined the Regular Baptist Church and was a
strong
believer in salvation by grace and grace alone and
was
baptized by Elder John M. Akers. Father set the time
for
his funeral, May 9, his birthday, his seventy-eighth
year,
and selected the preachers. They are Revs. A. L.
Allen,
John M. Akers, Hayes Maynard and Cola Conn. He
selected his
favorite song, "I Have a Call For You, My
Friends."
On the seventeenth day of June, 1933, while he was
sitting
at the window listening to the preaching at Fred's he
took
worse and we children were called to him at once. He
revived after a time and as Cola continued the
preaching he
shed tears and said "I won't be here long. I am just
waiting." About ten o'clock that night the call came
and we
had to stand by and see him go. He went so easily. We
hope
to meet you, dear dad, in yonder world where we will
part
no more. Mother, don't worry and grieve any longer.
It
won't be long until you will see dear
father.