Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-04-22

he last farewell
Springs airy zephyrs far and vide
Renew the spell.
Substance Of Funeral Discourse Deliver.
ed at Denmark over the Remains
Of Rev. c. II. Caldwell,
by Rev. E HcEair,
March 80, 1876.
There is prince and great msa fallen this DAY in
Israel. II samuel , eh. IS y
Our mission to the sanctuary Of God,
to-day, is sad one indeed. The large
assemblage before me attest the fact, that
the call which has brought Us together is
no ordinary one. One of the purest men
that ever adorned your community has
passed away, and that eloquent thrilling
voice which, so often, has been heard
from this place iR defence of truth, is
now silent in death. He has ceased from
his labOrs, and has gone mp to mansions
of rest, while his memory still fingers
upon earth, the sweet aroma of a man
who was yenerated and loTed by every
one who knew him.
We take the text, not Ia its original
connection and application, but as the ut
of an impressive fact that an
plies to Us, and that Is keenly felt by all.
II was spoken first by great king, who
deeply felt the Importance aud strict
truthfulness Of every word, though in a
far different sphere of life from the one
in which we move, and, perhaps, with a
different conception of his bereavement.
We shslI, therefore, make no reference
to the original meaning, but speak the
words of the text as our own, and pro-
coed to apply them to ourselves, and to
the solemn and momentous hour through
which we are now passing. We accept
the announcement as ours now, speak it
for ourselves, with intense personsl feel
ing, whilst our minds are altogether oc-
cupied with the dark aud mysterious
Providence that has called us together.
These are indeed, our own words, and no
others that we could utter, would 50 en-
phaticaIly express our individual and
combined estimate of the loss we have
sustained. Seldom, indeed, does it fan
TO the lot Of 4 church or community to be
able to read this portion OF Gods holy
word with the appropriating feeling we
to-day, and with the same conviction of
the startling truth which now sweep over
our minds, and that sadly broods over
every heart. As I read the text, every
one has already said, not in audible
words, but in the whisperings Of your
heart How true, how appropriate, how
weI does it tell what feel to be true,
and how exact is the description of that
pure and sainted spirit now resting in
the bosom Of God! Bereavement, at all
times is painful ordeal, an unwelcome
guest, that comes to the heart unbidden.
1t is an ordeal for which we are never
ready. Death seldom lays his cold hand
upon a victim, that he does not sxtort
wall of sorrow from some stricken heart,
the keenness of which may be softened
by time, but the effect viii be permanent
as life, and not until death relieves yos,
will the scar be erased from the mind.
This is the ordering Of Divine Provi-
dence, under whose gracious hand we
bow; who has so constituted our minds
that we may never cease to think, and
think sadly of our loved ones who have
gone before us into eternity, and who are
never again to meet and mingie with us
on the bleak shores Of time. They can
not come to US, we must go to them. But
in the death of our beloved brother VIC
suffer an unusual bereavement, that is
altogether unlike what any Of You have
ever before suffered.
The same record that pronOunces the
death of man, that has fallen asleep,
throws out its arms, aud gathers away q
husband and father, friend and brother,
a christian and pastor, a minister and
servant Of the Lord Jesus Christ. In his
death, the holiest and tenderest ties that
chord the human heart have been sever
ed, and in the release OF his happy spirit
from earth, family, church and cOmmu-
nifty are alike bathed in tears. 1t is not
strange, therefore, that with feelings Of
no ordinary interest, drawn as they are,
from so many personal relations, we come
to the house of mourning to-day. Ours
are not simply expressions Of sympathy,
but of bereavement. We are not here
because our friends are in trouble, but
because we are in trouble, and our own
hearts have been crushed under the
weight of a common calamity. In fol-
lowing out this subject, have only time
TO give you an outline of his character,
and shall appeal TO you to verify every
statement that ! shall make. FulsOme
praise would be out of place, and OUT OF
harmony too, with the subject in hand.
Truth is all-sufficient, and if we fail to
portray his character, il viii only be be-
cause the whole truth has not been told.
Let US view him simply as man. As
such, he was prince. Nature endowed
him with a high order of intellect, that
was strong, grasping and incisive. He
possessed far more native intellectual
vigor than men usually possess, which
was the underlying basis Of those master
efforts that so often startled and delighted
his hearers. His mind was always clear.
and was endowed with that arraying
power of looking clear through every
subject TO which it was directed. Whal
others saw but imprefsctly, if at all, h'
saw and comprehended at aglanee, ant
took in all of its parts, relations ant
bearings. He did his own thinking, free
and independent, and accepted no conclu
sion till he was perfectly satisfied Of it
truth. No mans dictum was authority
with him. Oftentimes the fields tina
many would not presume to traverse, ol
would regard as beyond their power ant
ken, there his mind seemed to be perfect
ly at home, and delighted to ramble as il
for pleasure or pastime.
He was not only man of extraordln
airy ability but Of extraordinary culture
He was student of the very hishes
I type. His intellectual strength was nev
er dwarfed by Incidence. No talent wa
more conspicuous In his well rounde,
character than that Of application. IL
was 4 close and laborious reader, b,
which be cultured his n,ind and enriche,
his stores Of knowledge with pure an.