The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1873-01-30
Funeral orRev. F. Bruce Davis.


The Death of this estimable gentleman and
worthy divine, casts gloom over the entire
community, and we would delight to give our
testimony to the blamelessness Of his charac-
ter and the earnestness and sincerity Of pur-
pose which actuated his whole career, but
that task devolvss upon older and more suit
able hands.
On Friday at II o'clock, his remains. fol-
lowed by his beareaved family, were borne
to the Episcopal Church, where an immense
throng had assembled to testify their love
and respect for his memory. and the solemn
service for the burial Of the dead, was said
by the Rector.
After hymn had been sung, the Rector de-
livered the following beautiful address which
he has permitted us to publish, atthe request
of many citizens:
M Dear Brethren: Were I to consult
the spirit of our services, should bid You
st once depart to the performance OF tic sad
dnt;es that remain. Whether comment up
ON this sad dispsosstion of Providence will
tend to soften our grief or not--whether 1t
will tend to impress us more deeply or not,
with the instruction which God has merci-
fully given for just such occasions as this. ]
cannot tell. And yet, before We bear this
precious dust to its last resting place. 1 would
pause to recall the teachings of the all-wise
God to remind you of them, that thus we
ma, be the better prepared to stand beside
that grave in faith and hope.
From human standpoint. what an IN
scrutable providence is this Think Of bis
youth Think Of his holy Office! Think of
the rich cndowmcnts with which God had
cited him. fitting him so peculiarly for his
sacred calling His was a spirit full OF
zeal-a heart full of that sweet sympathy that
drew men to him His was faith that was
ld.like-a life thoroughly consecrated to
his Master and His holy cause-a mind ne
yer satisfied with already acquired wisdom,
but eagerly searching after higher attain.
ments in the knowledge of truth. Think OF
the Church, with her hands raised to heaven,
as so recently they we're, praying that her
destitute places might be supplied with Ia
borers. Think Of the parish Of which he
had lust taken charge, where affections had
already gone out to him as their spiritual
guide and counsellor. Of all these things
think, I say; and then stand here and look
upon the sleeper who reposes in his sacred
vestments beneath that coffin lid. There
lie the youth and strength that only yester-
day We rejoiced in, while that spirit, with
all that made it valuable to US, to the world.
to that weeping circle, upon the sanctity OF
whose grief we may not intrudc, to the
Church. has returned to the God who gave it
The human mind, left to itself, gropes
in darkness, and stands bewildered here.
But, blessed be God, the human mind is not
left to itself. The veil is drawn before us,
and our brother has passed beyond the veil
b,.t the Spirit of God-the Truth of God,
tarrics upon this side with us, and tells us
what is beyond And how different are
these teachings from our conceptions!
We call this death!
No, no, my brethren, it is not death
" Whosoever iveth and believeth in Me
shall never die." "He that believeth in
Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live"
al am the resurrection and the life" In
nv flesh shall see God"
Inspired wisdom comes to us today and
interprets, % sweetly, the silence and still.
ness of this christian disciple. He is only
a.leep. says St Paul-only asleep He is
resting, SAYS St. John-resting from his Ia
bors. And God knew. my brethren, a great
dea, better than We could know, when the
dav ought - cease, and the laborcr ought 70
rest.
But again. We think change like this
is opposed to progress We speak Of it as Of
a mysterious agency that blo,s the promise
Of noble destiny And it IS this, ] shall
not saw misunderstanding, it is this forget
fuiness Of the beneyolcnce Of death, that
makes an event ike this appear So strangely
Who can stay the pro.
gress of an immortal nature Especially
when that nature partakos of the life of
Christ. You cannot arrest that progress
here. where all the hindrsnces Of depraved
world aud too suscepti 'le nature are thrown
around MS. And forever mast We cast such
q ,hcor, 70 the winds it. as often as w sand
beside the dead, We read the testimony of
God concerning them. In the lesson from
frst Epistle to the Corinthians, which have ,
lust read. our brothers condition is con-
trasted with yours and mine. Refer to it,
and tell me which has progressed the farther.
All, my brethren he is beyond us now! We
are still bearing the image of the earthl y
he has outgrown that. We are still clothed
with that Aesh and blood which cannot in
herit the kingdom Of God-he has thrown
them from him, and already those incom-
prehensible laws are in operation, by which
the corruptible is putting on interruption,
and the mortal immortality; while We are
only waiting until our change come
Or, take another view, suggested by St.
Paul in this solemn, but consoling service.
Who has progressed the more. the soldier
in the heat, and fatigue and uncertainty of
the battle or the soldier who has won the