Sparksville – Medora, Indiana (1918)
Our ministry there was short as the District Superintendent felt our service was needed in a church called Sparksville in Medora, Indiana. We hardly began to get adjusted, when the deadly Spanish Influenza epidemic rose in America, causing all churches to close their doors. One occurrence has never been forgotten though. Brother Bolender was called on to conduct his first funeral. Thank God some of us can remember when patriotism was the order of the day. World War I had demanded sacrifices at almost every level. Just before this funeral, a young man about seventeen years of age came to Brother Bolender. He said there was a man in the neighborhood who had said he was going to preach the funeral. The boy told Harry that if the man takes over, he would shoot him because no German sympathizer could preach his uncle's funeral. Brother Bolender quietly listened as the boy rehearsed many accusations then finally walked away.
After giving it time to unwind my husband quietly suggested that he be permitted to read a passage of scripture. We were grateful that the funeral proceeded with no further trouble. We were asked after the committal to view the grave of the deceased's mother. On a tall slab right under the name and date, we read this: “Some have children, some have none; here lies the mother of twenty-one.” We were informed that we had just buried the last child.
After giving it time to unwind my husband quietly suggested that he be permitted to read a passage of scripture. We were grateful that the funeral proceeded with no further trouble. We were asked after the committal to view the grave of the deceased's mother. On a tall slab right under the name and date, we read this: “Some have children, some have none; here lies the mother of twenty-one.” We were informed that we had just buried the last child.
