Wilmington journal., 1876-08-04
TheHur,al of Mr. xunge.

The funeral of Mr.. G. H. w. Rung
took place on Sunday afternoon iron
his late residence, on Fifth between
Ann and Nun streets, to the lIuthernl
obnrcb and thence to Oakdale ceme
tarv II was largely attended and th'
corfe0e was one of the largest that ha
over been seen in Wilmington, con
unicrOus in Which was to be seen the
Howard Fire Relief Engine Company
No. /, of which the deceased was {
member. This large attendance o.
citizens at this last, solemn tribute. OF
rasnect TO the memory of worthy
man. was their willing attestation If
tho esteem in which he was held in
this community.
Some time previous to the hour at
which the remains were appointed to
arrive ut the church from the late 1 es-
,dance Of the dcceaBed, all the seats in
that sacred edifice, except those
which were reserved for the family,
their intimate friends, and the "How-
ard Relief" were occupied.
Presently the remains arrived and
were borne up the middle aisle. pre-
ceded by the minister of the church,
the Kov. DIR. Burnheim. The pro-
cession filed up the side aisles, and
when all were seated the minister,
wearing the robes of his sacred Office,
took his place at the reading desk, and
with marked distinctness of enuncia
ton, and with a beautifully correct
emphasis, read from the Old Testa-
ment Scriptures the lesson appointed
by that church to be read on such oc-
casions. Then followed the Lords
Prayer, a hymn. lesson from the New
Testament Scriptures and second
hymn. After which the mi lister as
cended to the pulpit and preached IA
most affecting and instructive sermon
from the text: "IIet me die the de ath
of the righteous. and let my last end
be like his"
Dr. Bnrnheim was noticably affected
with the sad dnty which he was called
upon to perform in giving Christian
burial to a member of his flock who
Was so much esteemed by all who
knew him, and to whom both as pastor
and friend he had for years been bound
with Inks of purest friendship.
The discourse was opened with al
lusiou to the great and irrepsrable loss
which had been sustained by the fami-
ly of the brother whose remains then
lay before him and them. None knew
SO we'll the extent of that loss as the
brothers. widowed life, companion, and
their fatherless children. From thom
the great prop upon which they leaned
for support had been taken. They,
only, could feel the loss of his missing
kindness and love, now gone from them
forever, save only in their affectionate
memories.
But the loss which was entailed in
the death of Mr.. Runge fell not alone
upon his bereaved family, but extend:
ed it's influences much beyond that Its
tie circle which is thus brought to such
poignancy of grief. The church
of which he was an active. upright,
Jealous member, had sustained a great
loss. There were other members who
were aa active, upright and Jealous as
he, but none more so. He was an
officer in the church when the minister
first arrived in this community and
entered upon his pastorate, and he had
remained in office without intermis-
SION from that period up to the period
o. his death, ever ready and willing to
discharge any duty that devolved upon
him for the advancement of religion
aud for the interests OF the church.
But from its councils his voice was
now forever silent.
In his death the community had sus-
tanned loss. The influence Of every
man IN community was more or less
felt for good or for evil. The minister
Gould point to town in North Caro-
lima IN which the man who welded the !
greatest influence i'll it had exercised |
that influence to tho moral injury of
his fellow mon, the evil fruits of which
still existed, although the man
himself was years ago dead. The
minister could point to other towns in
the Sfo{n rhn, ho Of in,
tiuence had exerted themselves in the
interests of morality and piety. AL
though they too were dead and gone
to their final account, yet the good
fruits OF their moral influence still re-
named behind them and would con
"nue to exist and grow as the grain of
mustard seed.
The minister felt that he, both as
c'tlzen and pastor. had sustained q loss.
As pastor be had always found in the
deceased safe counsellor and reliable
aaVlser. As friend he had always
i'nnd IN Mr.. Runge's heart the warm
eSt response to his own affection, and
""eelesC chafms OF cOmpanlOnsh1p.
LII. Bernheim then commented upon
.ne meaning and lessons of the text.
"hen Christ had declared that there |
we're none righteous, no not one" he
1a' ueclased An everlasting truth
Shich still exists and which has
u'er existed, save only with
u0 ever blessed exception of
4'S own Divine Person. The Right
v'uS' ID the'm"aning of the text, We're
"'Se who by faith had accepted
1nrist as the Savior of mankind, and
a"a taken him and his teachings as
."e,r rule of life. which they followed
r'A'ously with humility and prayer.
rom this standpoint the minister
poihted to the blessings which at