Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-12-04
CuMMEMORATION SERMON.
Full Text OF the Sermon on sour Dead''
Delivered by DeY. DIR. WOmRck, at
the First Baptist Church, on
Sunday Last.
The Number and Names OF the Dead
Members of the Church-TOuchiDg
but Graceful Tribute Paid to
Their Memory by the ElO-
quent Pastor.


At the memorial services held at the First
Baptist church, On Sunday last. Rev. b. X.
Womack, pastor of the church, delivered the
following eloquent and apprc pirate discourse
before his congregation:
Mr.. woMACK's SERMON.
These all died in faith, not having received the
promises, but having seen them a ar on, and were
persuaded Of them and embraced tlem, ana con-
fessed that they strangers and pilgrims on The
eaTth.-Heb. XII, 10.
1t is our duty to-day to commemorate our
dead. This task is both pleasant and sad.
We weep and are sad because we have sus-
tanned in their death heavy and almost an
irreparable loss. 1t is always calamity for
a good citizen to die, and more so if he be
genuine christian aud an active member OF
the church. 1t will require years of labor
and toll, Of sowing and reaping, of burden
bearing and prayer, if it ever can be done,
to fill the places that were made vacant by
the recent dire visitation of disease and
death. 1t is we who live that have sustained
the loss. Hence our grief. We weep and
are sad out of pure sympathy with the sor-
rowing members of the families that have
been brought into the low, dark vale Of sad
ness and tears. No one knows, or can know,
the keeDness of the pang of losing by death
faithful husband, a loving wife, an atfec-
tomato child or fond parents, till they have
felt it themselves. But there are. perhaps,
none of US who have not felt that bitter
pang at some time in our life. Hence we
are all prepared to sympathize In some
measure with those who are bereayed. Our
personal knowledge of the dead, of the ties
that bound them to their loved ones, and
knowing how necessary the dead were to the
happiness of the living, to say nothing OF how
much they were needed to protect and care
for those dependent upon them, enable us to
mourn with them in their sad and lonely des-
olatiop, and in some measure appreciate their
double distress. And yet this duty is not
without some pleasant feature. 1t is pleas
ant to call to mind that we numbered among
us persons of such exemplary usefulness, OF
such true merit, of such exalted piety, alike
honorable to religion AMI country. 1t is
pleasant to recount their virtues, repeat their
praises and honor their memory. 1t Is pleas
ant to admire the beautiful, noble and inspir-
ing picture of their lives which they left be-
hind. We thank God for those pictures.
They hang In sacred loneliness on the walls
of memory's gallery, and their brightness and
beauty shall never fade away. 1t is pleasant
to set before US their godly examples that we
may be encouraged to emulate their virtues
and aspire to their reward. During the time
of the recent epidemic we have lost twenty
four of our members, besides large number
were not members of this church. We take
this opportunity thus publicly to condole with
the survivors of our church and congregation
who have been bereaved by the loss of any
member or members of their families, and to
pray the Almighty. who gave and who hath
taken away, who feedeth the young ravens
when they cry, and tempers the winds to the
shorn lamb, to comfort those who weep and
dry away every tear; to bestow upon them
the graces of the Holy Spirit and grant
them the consolation of the religion Of
Jesus Christ. ! must mention the names
of our dead, but can do little more than this.
In some instances | can do no more than men
ton the mere faet-theY are dead. At the
head of the list, as having fallen first, stands
the name of DR., J, c. Rogers, He was a
native of North Carolina, but had been an
honored and useful citizen of this State and
this city for number of years. He was
self made; a man of intellect, good culture,
unusual refinement and a skillful physician
He was christian and a gentleman, than
which higher encomium cannot be paid to
man. Perfectly quiet, most unassumlng aud
remarkably regular in his habits, he secured
an easy competency, and his life was like the
peaceful flow of placid stream as 1t moves
on without a ripple, to its eternal bed in the
great deep. Farewell, thou man of God,
whom we all loved. Rest in peace till the
resurrection morn, and awake to receive thy
crown. Next | mention the name of that
earnest, devout, sensible christian man, our
treasurer, J. f. Russell, his son Willie Rus
sell and Miss Sarah Nelson, who was living
with the family of Brother Russell. Brother
Russell Vas mariner fer many OF his earlier
years; but finally, through the influence Of
his pious and devoted wife, with the blessing
Of God, he was converted and joined this
church, of which he was a Us eful member the
remainder of his lite. Brother Russell
thought it his duty to remain in the city dur
ing the rayages Of the yellow-feVer and serve
his fellow citizens IN soIle useful way. He
passed through the siege of '73 unscathed,
and thought he would be SO fortunate again,
else, no doubt. he bad felt it his duty to save
himself and family by removing from the DIS
trlcts over which lowered The angel of death.
But he fell early in the conflict; fell bravely,
without a murmur, fully conscious Of his
fate. The son soon followed; stricken
side; and ti,eI Miss Nelson.
Thus they passed from earth to heaven;
from bearing the cross to wearing the crown;
into eternal life. An invalid wife and two
little girls remain to mourn their irreparable
loss. God be a husband TO the widow
and father to the fatherless! | now men
ton Mr.. Thomas Chapman and his wife. By
request, special memorial service was held
last Sunday in honor Of them. /, therefore,
will add no word now. | am PANIED to read
the name of Mrs. Willie Fowler. She was a
beautiful, sweet, intelligent and pious young
wife, living in Fort Pickering. 1t seemed to
me no one could know this young ,nDther
and not feel an interest in her, and not love
her. She will be remembered by many of
you as the szzse5 little Willie Townsend who
used to attend this SUNDAY rEGhool. Her
brother, who is no more than eighteen or
twenty years old, was ordained not long ago
as a deacon IL the Chelsea Baptist church.
preached the ordination Sermon, E.y spb;aat
was the " Deaconship." She was present
At the close of the service she came to me
with tears in her eyes, and said: "If l had
heard that sermon before, could never have
consented for brother TO be ordained q dea-
conf" She wept, BELIEVING her BROTHER was
too young to assume such grave responsible
ties. Farewell, sweet Willie we firmly be-
lieve thou art wearing a crown, and forever
free from tears. Ali remember A. J. Owens,
a young man who connected himself with
this church last spring. He acted as usher
for come weeks before the outbreak of fever
1t took him some tune 10 give i4.s Sonssnt to
Join the church, but he was no sooner a mem
Der than he was all interest and enthusiasm
In the cause of religion and piety His
easly life bad been full of vicissitudes
he had passed through la+ny 1r-
deals that were real tests of his char
acter. But every trial only added fresh
tucpCi W AAo Val LUIS 1As - ShCuoJ AClO 1C
lived, was bound 70 euceeed and make an en-
Iiable mark In the world. Whys Only be-
cause he was devoted and determined to give
all MS energies to the highest and MODEST
cause that ever engaged tie MAD 2Gd heart
Of man. He was making rapid and amazing
improvement, and in the short time of his
connection with this church he erected
monument to his memory that fondly hope
will stand for years to come. The Philokal-
lean society, composed of.young persons of
both sexes of this church and congregation,
was originally conceived of and founded by
A. ]. Owens. May it long stand; and may
it become power for intellectual and social
improvement and general goodi George
Beamlsh was born at Brownsville, Ciermont
county, Ohio, on the eleventh day of April,
1859, and was not quite twenty years Of age
at the time of his death. He was baptized
as a member of this church about the first OF
June. He was a printer by trade, and was
connected with the APPEAL, of this city. He
was honest, earnest and pious; he was indus
trious, regular and devoted; he was aspiring,
intelligent and pure. He advised all his
friends to abandon the city, while he resolved
to stay. he did stay, but only to rob the
community and those he loved OF a talented
and useful young man and valued and dear
friend-to find resting place in an untimely
grave. Pocr, GEAR George How | loved
him; and how deep and lively was my inter
est in him! But he cannot be recalled to
live that life and WELD that influence for
vbIoh he sepmed destined He IL ar raet A