West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-11-23


Gum, of Simpson, Taylor county, this State.
The deceased, while in state of
intoxication, attempted to board the
passing eas5ward-bound 3-o'clock
train at Simpson. In doing so, he
fell under the train, and both his
legs were crushed from his body.
He leaves widow and two youthful
daughters to mourn his death and
loss.
This is runs doings.
The following is a sketch of the
funeral discourse delivered by Rev.
D. Powell, Of Pennington, on the
occasion of his burial, on the fol-
lowing Friday afternoon.
SERMON.
FRIENDS, this is a solemn occa-
sion! We stand in the presence Of
the dead! A friend, a neighbor,
husband, a father lies still in death:
To me this is the most solemn and
impressive hour Of my life-a duty
impresses me [ fear, for it demands
plainness of speech. Trusting in
God, | will speak.
Our text will be found in the
Epistle of James, 4:14-"Xe knooo
not q1hat shalt be on the n1orroU."
The Apostle would have no man
presume too much on future time.
Time is too uncertain for men to
neglect their souls. The Apostle
clearly sets before us the spirit Of
the world when he represents men
as saying, ''To-day or tomorrow we
will 90 into such city, and contin-
uethere a year, and buy and sell
and get gain" We lay our plans
and plot our work for a year or a Sc
ries of years, giving our thought
and our toll to the accumulation of
wealth. We say, tomorrow we will
do this or that. O, how little we
know of that tomorrow Great
uncertainties lie concealed in day,
an hour, yea, in one brief moment.
In their haste to be rich men ne
glect higher and more weighty con-
cerns-they lose sight of heaven
and think only OF earth. What
should be done to-day is left for to-
morrow. But, O, how little we
know what shall be on the morrow.
We should secure the greatest good
to-day. Wednesday morning and
noon Mr.. Gum was alive and well !;
before midnight he was dead. The
tomorrow never came to him.
Thousands have shared the same
fate. The third Sabbath Of last
month (October) [ tried to preach a
funeral sermon in this house. Mr..
Gum was here an attentive and in
terested nearer. To-day we are
called upon to discharge the same
duty for him. O, how little we
know what shall be on the morrow
To-day he is beyond the reach of
this lesson; but we who live may
profit by its teachings.
THE TEXT
I. States our ignorance of to-mor-
row.
II, Impresses us with the impor-
lance of securing great interests
now.
|. Our ignorance Of tomorrow.
If we had no other illustration,
no other proof to offer, here lies
proof enough Here lies one who,
a day or two ago, mingled with you
in all the buoyancy of hope, whose
aspirations after life were equal to
yours he thought not that his end
was SO nigh but in a moment, all
was gone. This noble, manly form
was mangled, bleeding, helpless,
moaning, dying. O, how sudden
Life fingers for few hours and the
soul is gone. Those who looked to
him for solace andsupport, are filled
with sorrow and almost bereft of
hope. Such, my friends, is the les
son for you to contemplate to-day.
Is any one now living in any way
responsible for this? Yes! The
man who tempted and stole from
him his reason-who ministered to
him the intoxicating draught-
who, for gain, barriers in the souls
of men. Upon that man or set of
men rests the blood Of Mr. Gum to-
day! Like the blood Of Abel, his
blood cries from the ground to-day.
AS l looked, yesterday, on the
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