Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-12-10
Mr.. RICHARDSON'S FUNERAL.
RenrLss and Prayer by the Rer.
Henry lizard ReeCher.


Remrhs and Prayer by the Rer.
Henry lizard BeeCher.
If l believed that this man by whose corse
| stand, had broken down the wall. and
plucked tho farest flower in neighbours
garden and he was struck dead for such n
crime, surely, i would say no word here TO day
would offer prayer for the living, but let
silence cover him as with n pail. knew
his services to the country, but | was not
personally acquainted with him. | derive
my Information not from feyeri h para
graphs which fly about, but from true and
high minded men aud women, whose
word is law to me, aud who KIN. W Mr.
Richardson, and knew from the very first
step of that history which had led to this
tragedy, his feelings, his motives and his
actions; with whom he consulted from day
to day, and to whom he laid bare his very
heart, in respect to all the transactions con
nected with this unhappy history. They
bear witness 10 his singular freedom from
deceit, TO his ohildisl frankess, to his truth
md honor, in not only oil the relations of
his life, but in the whole Of this fatal aft c.
ton. Upon such abundant testimony Of
many concurr ng frineds, who well under
stahd human life, and human nature, be-
lieve him to have been upright hat he
was imprudent, that his sympathy carried
b IN into ways which nicer prudence aud
larger war lily wisdom would have es-
chewed, is hardly to be doub ed. Bur, that
consciously violated any law of God. or
any canon OF morality when human society
has thrown around the household. lis most
familiar friends utterly ieny.
When death was drawing meas, aud was
called 10 uuito hun hIr who ROW sits
dcsolate, overwhelmed with multiplied sor
rows, 1 went with alacrity. believed that
she was both legally and morally justified
in separation from n brutal husband, who,
10 excessive and outrageous personal abuse,
had also furnished tina Lone extreme ground
of divorce when just.fes il ID the eyes of
all Ohri tendon. And the facts and truths
are held to be not the less real and morally
justifying because she, for her ch ldren's
sake, and for her own, shrank from the
olious task of revealing and proving the
extreme reasons moving her, AM obtained
n divorce on a representation of a part only
Of the reasons that existed for such sepa-
ration. ".
went often to the throne Of grace du.
ring the anguish of my coun'ry's recent
trial for those men who stood by her most
faithfully, and vowed that they should be
my biotheIs, aud that as long as | lived,
come what might, If they carried them
selves faithfully toward my native land,
Their, they Should never lack a freud 10 me.
There we're two classes engaged in fight
ing that Rebellion those who were In the
| field, and those who kept up the heart and
spirit Of the country at rome. Among the
| latter this man occupied a foremost place,
and did his work nobly aud well. And l
am willing to stand by bis side in this hour
Of darkness aud discepste. For, my friends,
how strange is this hour. Death settles ali
enmities in all ordinary caso'; death req
| onciles bitterest foes, but here Is case
where death creates euemit $, and leaves
no peace even In the grave. The ON In
his strength and in his own Businesses is able
to defebd himself, but no sooner has the
cruel arrow of the hunts nan laid him low
than he is set upon by every Vie thing, ev-
ery earth beetle, every fly, every crawling
worm. Now tina. he is down, flesh flies are
all around about him, and death, that Is
to most men truce 10 cd enmities, Is the
very arrayiDg of the battle against Lin. IL
is u shame, a sorrow, and disgrace that II
should bs so. All the more n, ed is there
therefore that those who knew him, aud
knew that he was pure man, should
Ia this hour stand fearlessly for bis integrl-
ty, and and should not let her who bears
his name 90 down in the darkness and
trouble BY reason of The misspprehensiOn
and ISLANDERS that have fallen upon him
He cares no more for IL Himself, but oh
there are children who bear has name, ther'
is the household which must--loying mucl
suffer much and there are faithfu
friends who are wi Desses Of his integrity
For their sakes We stand here to day, no
az by lelon, but IS with man worthy T.
DO loved. Ia taking my farewell OF thi
+ corpse, believe that take IL ave OF ma
whom one need not To 30 ashamed to cal
friend. Let us unite in prayer.
- - .vav n ,,oYrn
r"A'N" "' NV "~ND """'''"'
! Holy and just Thou art God, Thine ey
pieroes all concealment and all obscur.ty
; Thou can'st read the secrets which are hid
den from men. We must once more dra'
near to Thee, o Thou that givest lber
: In times Of trouble. We hear no voice, W
/, reach out aud find no hand that we ca
touch, yet Thou dost come to us fulhllin
! the promises Thou hast made. BE please
IN d iH GsI PrO that have settled on TSy SCI