Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
- John 11:25-26
“As the House conducted its business, the Speaker rose for an item of business when a cry rang out in the House chamber: ’Mr. Adams is dead! Stop! Stop! Mr. Adams!’
“The former president had been about to rise from his seat when he keeled over and was caught by a fellow congressman. Several nearby colleagues rushed to his side, shouting, ‘What’s the matter? Has he fainted?’
“Adams was lifted onto the clerk’s table as the House quickly adjourned. Someone fetched a sofa, and his friends carried him into the Rotunda where the entire Congress gathered around him while five members who were physicians attended him. From the Rotunda, he was carried to the office of the Speaker of the House, where he rallied enough to ask about his wife before lapsing into unconsciousness. A few minutes later he rallied again and spoke his final words: ‘This is the last of earth! I am content!’
“There in the Speaker’s office, John Quincy Adams remained through Washington’s birthday, passing away on February 23.”
- Robert J. Morgan, 100 Bible Verses That Made America
In my recent trip to visit the grandchildren, the oldest of them went with me to Nashville, to sell used books and games. One of the books that I purchased in return was 100 Bible Verses That Made America by Robert J. Morgan. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the birth of the USA, I thought I would do a condensed mini-series on some of these verses, four posts per week for a few weeks – maybe not all 100 verses.
John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) was the sixth president of the United States, but that did not stop him from serving the country. He had just returned from a court case in Boston where he defended an African-American who had been wrongfully accused and mistreated. He remained fit, being known for skinny-dipping in the Potomac River. He had bounded up the stairs to the House to take his seat.
And in some form of poetic justice, he collapsed while serving the government and representing his state of Massachusetts. And then, he did not die the next day, but he held on, dying the day after George Washington’s birthday.
But note his last words. “This is the last of earth! I am content!”
This was not the last of life, just our life on earth. Of course, he was content. He was probably getting a glimpse of the pearly gates and seeing that what he left behind in this world was nothing compared to the next.
As someone who served others in lofty positions, he knew what Jesus was talking about when Jesus said to be the master you must serve.
And what do we all want to hear God say on the Day of Judgment?
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
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