Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-10-24

"Lol am with you" saith the Lord,
Your safeguard and your guide;
| "Your Saviour stll and happy they
| Who in My love conhde!
| Through every scene OF life and death
This promise is our trust;
| And this shall be our ch1ldren's song
| When we are cold in dust.
| FUNERAL SERVICES BY DIR. STEIN BACK.
| Rev DR. Sfetnback then delivered the funer-
| al sermon. He said that never in all the du-
1 ties or his life had he disch srged duty so
| sad as this one, when he was shout 10 pro-
/ nQunce the funeral sermon OF the dearest
| friend on earth. He was afraid his feelings
| would run riot over his judgment in the at
| tempted discharge OF this melancholy duty,
| and that he would be unable TO discharge the
| important trust satisfactorily TO himself and
| probably TO the audience. DE asked the aid
| Of their prayers of grace in his efforts, and
that the sOlemnity OF the services would be
| sanctined TO God. He then read as the text
| for his sermon forty-siXth verse, first chapter
st. John: "And Nathaniel said unto him:
| Can there any good things come out of Naza-
re b Philip saith unto him: Come and see"
/ Ii was only when We would eltmenate IN the
| life of man some great truth, some great
principle that may De potential in forming
our character and worthy OF our emulation
that contemplation of their lives was Of
good TO them. He thought it better and more
conducive Of good and Interest to sketch the
character OF the deceased brother than 10
preach funeral sermon, in the common
meaning OF that term, upon such an occasion.
There was not perhaps any passage in the
scriptures more expressive Of the de
ceased brothers character than The
one he had quOted-"COme and See"
Rev. l.. c. Ransom was born in Williamson
county, Tennessee, october p. 1881, and died
in this citv at ten O'Clock last Wednesday, Oc-
tOber q, 1874. At c2mp-meetlDg at jackson
Ridge, in mis- native county, october, 1874, he
made a profession of religion and joined the
Cumberland Presbyterian church; snd in
1915 was baptized by Rev. W. y. Fiuney.
Shortly after that he was impressed with
desire to preach the gospel OF Jesus Christ.
He had a struggle between what he cOnsid-
cred his duty ito preach the gospel and the
fear OF trusting himself to the sacred position
without being called by God. The struggle
with himself IN his desire 10 serve God was
struggle which the servants of God often have
and are prepared to appreciate. This strug-
gle lasted three years, but in 1873 he settled
the question by devoting himself TO the Cos
pei mi niStry. October !, lS4N, he was received
as probationer, under the care Of the elder
presbytery. He, however, felt himself totally
insufficient Tor the discharge OF the important
trust God had now put upon him. He was
poor, and his parents were unable to give him
the education which he deemed necessary.
Not deferred by this, however, he worked side
by side with his father titled the fields, as
sisted his parents, and when the evening
with his eye singled out to the i'm
Portant task 70 which his God
had called him, Tit his torch and studied the
work assigned him by the presbytery. In
November, 1873, he entered Motley academy,
Marshall county, Tennessee, under the tuition
OF Rev. n. B. Motley, for whom he ever cher
he speaks oftnis teacher In grateful terms,
and to his pious teachings attributes all the
good and noble qualities that he may possess.
On the seventh OF october, 1850, he was licensed
to preach, and was advised 70 enter the
q ork Immediately and devote himself fully
70 the work of the ministry. They said 10
him: "Go!-preach Christ, never mind the
school now" This, however, he did not do, |
fol he thought he must prepare himself. He
borhoOd; he failed, but does not give the rea- !
son. We are left to infer Tn At he did not have
the means. Not discouraged, however, but |
determined TO go forward and acquire the lit |
erary knowledge he deemed necessary, he |
succeeded through the kindness OF friend |
in entering Cumberland university, at Leb- |
anon, and was there graduated. While a
student there he had charge OF two neighbor-
ing country churches. In April, 1875, he wss |
ordained, and in June, 1855, he was graduated ]
with honor, and Immediately went south on |
missionary tour, preaching TO the destitute |
churches in Alabama. On February g. 1856 we |
md him in his first charge at Selma, Ala
bama, where he remained two ears as a |
faithful labOrer. In ls6y he took charge Of the |
st. Louis Cumberland Presbyterian church, |
properly suost quenty lost TO It's congrega- |
ton. There he labOred earnestly, with the |
prospects OF hnal success, which was prevent /
ed by the war. Leaving st. Louis he became /
cha plain OF the twentieth regiment OF Ala /
bama volunteers, COnfederates States army
In that connection they labored and preached /
together to those brave boys who went down /
to the grave in defense Of what they deemed /
righteous and sacred cause. While in that /
capacity MS LakOrs were HDunQH0LiN blessed,
They should have seen him at Nlcksburg,
standing fearless amid the kissing of she'll and
the rO7rof cannon, he preached to the sol
dierS, and through his lustrumentailty many
brave men were brought from darkness to !
light, and from the powers of Satan 10 God.
IN 1858 he resigned as chaplain, and went TO
sci ma, where be took charge OF a church, and
II the same time edited the Southern Observer
with zeal and ability. In 1866 he took charge
u the Presbyterian church at MurfreesborO,
tennessee, and labored there two years with
signal ability and success. In January, |
sos, he became pastor OF this, the First
cumberland Presbyterian church Of Memphis,
y hose pulpit was draped in mourning, and
smenting the death Of the beloved Davis. A
aborer, a worker in all the important trusts |
observing the interests of his Masters king
lom in all the relations o. life, Rev. l.. =.
Ransom was true and faithful, as a son, a
brother, father, friend, patriot. In sll A.,
hese different relations o. life be met the full
Measure Of man, and conducted himself
ioOly and faithfully. Above all, he was
atthful to his God and to the Immortality OF
Is soul. In these, the nobler and higher at
ributes, must be seen the greatness OF the
nan. OF exalted piety, fun Of christian zeal {
nd fthe holy ghost, he was one whose soul
Ould not rest in form or ceremony, but
ought rest in the spirituality Of God |
situalism had no place for him; ne had no
Se for ceremonies and form, but looked
Trough them and sought communion with
iOd. Religion was TO him grand principle !
hat had Its source in God, and form and cere-
1ony found no lOdgment in his heart. His ,
pirit held sacred communion with God, and
his was the secret OF MS success and his de- / \
otion. He was never idle, but always stimu-
lted with faith, and labored earnestly in the
ause of Christ. Meek and lOwly like his ;
aviour, be had taken the yoke on +
rs shoulder and found rest at the
5ot OF the cross. me eongnesssIOn ml 9gst,
bilst meek and iowly in heart, he was brave
nd fearless in duty. No craven heart was 4
eating in his bosom, and he was ever ready
D stand up for Jesus, to give his reasons for
is hope in Him and TO advocate his Masters
ause, irrespective Of any and ali surround
TIa Fv-na oh rfe Ffarn saFe raaf
aith, that never wilted, but SCARED above
arth and took hold on God under all sur {
DR.. Steinback then spoke Of the |
attn in God which he manifested during the
ellow-fever of last year. He was not aston
shed that he was dead; up TO the time he
anne here he had preached 1901 sermons and
aptized los persons. During his pastorage in
femphis he bad preached 642 sermons, at
ended 1872 funerals, baptized l51 persons, mar
aving made over 1000 in 1870. This was ex-
lusive OF other work. He had attended every
and Sunday-school, and aSso-
iatfon. What remarkable worker was he | .
his fratl constitution. He was a ! 4
lan full OF labor TO have made these pastoral
lists, 70 bestir himself so zealously for the
God of his nOck-what a laoorious life has
his man OF God spent among you In
work caused his death.
ne cold, eheerless night last winter
Dung man, who was on mis- supposed death c
ed, sent for this man Of God, VINO was then
onfned to his couch with a severe cold.
rhen the messenger came for him at the
1idnight he said al must 90" She who
lourns him now SO deeply said he must not <
o. Bat he went out into the Ozark and cheer
rs night, and since then he was never well.
ne death of such man Is a public calamity.
Iemphis has in his death lost q valuable
ran. BE went about relieving the poor and
he distressed. This man Of God endeavored
Y sll within his power to teach the people
Memphis the highest principles OF virtue,
lOraliiy and IeligiOn-and would that Mem | n
his hau a thousand such men. This church
~ the loss most Severely-surely did Il seem ! II
lat this church had been afflicted. Did they :
smember Brother Donnel, who years ago or 70
lnized that church-not the present build
*. but an old house? Brother DOnnsll had -
,ng gone 10 better land, and he saw pres
OF In the audience bat one who was in that
rganizatiOn. Then there was Porter, the cru
lie and his encourager, who wSs sacrificed =
y yellow fever. Next there was the sanity, u
ersuasive Bryan. Then came that man
God, the peerless Davis, whose energy and
al had built the house, aud he, too, was sac-
iced. No wouder the ehurchfwas draped in
lourning, the pulpit fesiooned n Grape, andl /
- hearts OF the congregation bowed do Nn In 4
,rroM, fOr she bad suffered great and an 70
her loss But these humble and faithful q
ION OF God nad not ed ia vain. In Brother al
angonl' : death The ministers have also sus, 90
lined q losS, aud they WOald miss him when N
icy came together, they would miss bis ad- al
ce and his wisdom. he has gone, but gone