The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-08-16

ntii the CuOlT cnintctt the 1utntih
"BrRIAL OF THE DEAD.
With i"y shall behold the day
That calls my willing soul away.
To dwell among the ble>t;
For, 10! my great Reicemer's power
t'niOlds the everlasting door.
And points me To his rest
Ev'n now, to nv expecting eyes
The heaven-built towers oi Salem rise:
Their glory survey:
view her mansions that contain
The angel host, a beauteous train,
And shine with cloudless day.
Thi,her. from earth's remOtest end.
10. the resleem'd OF God ascend.
Borne ON immortal wing;
There, cr"wnd with everlasting joy,
In ceasele,> hymns their Tongues employ,
Before tn Almighty King.
Mother ii cities DER thv head
. Bright peace, with healing wings Ou;Spread.
For cvermorc shall dwell:
Let me. blest seat! my name behold
Among thy citizens cnroll'd.
And bid the world farewell
When this was done. Rev. Dr. Curtis de-
liverrd the following sermon:
BELOVED: less than six wears ago the
speaker came to dwell in vonr beautiful
city. and among the notable persons that
attracted his attention, was u man of COM
n,anling presence, in the mature strength
vi his later prime, whose bearing told he
was leader and chieftain born.
As he passed down the street. YOUR
speaker noticed that the ewes Of the aged
men turned and followed him with the
pride oi father for his only son. That
the men who met him saluted him with
reverence; that the humble person who
CREATED him werc replied to with the grace he
would have used in the princely courts;
that the little children who met him chung
about his knees and looked up in his eyes
Z" win his smile; and ere long the speaker
learned that this man Of courteous and
commanding presence was the leader Of all
the material and social influences OF the
city and county, as we'll ~ honored the state
over that whenever any enterprise Tor the
advancement of the material or social in
tiucnces Of the community were to be in
augurated, he was looked to as the leader;
whenever means were either for the aug
nlcnting the propriety of the city business
ar ior the beautiiying and improving the
silent city Of the dead. he was expected to
give more largely that in everything he
Was the foremost man among the people
and they proudly loved to have it so !; thar
in the leadership he had developed three
PECULIAR traits that II native Of the county
wherein he dwclt all his life. farmers
son with only farmers sons
opportunities, he had large sue
cess i'm life; that he had won his way 81
fairly with such manly courage and such
knightly honor Us To avoid any envy ut
his good fortune. That the boys who
were his playiellows, the young men who
were his early friends, rejoiced i'm his pros
perily rs though il had been their own;
/ that whatever enemies Joseph Lafayette
Stephens may have had. they were not
among those who had shared his boyhood
and early manhood.
Another popularity was the strong love
i"r his boyhood home Not all the induce
ncntS of fortune. and they were not i few
not all the wishes of loved ones. and they
were manv could ever. even for brief
period, induce him To count any other
county his home
Still another popularity was his cxcep-
,ional and generous Kindness. Not only
in the Sums given by every prominent,
man I" the greater public charities. hut
also by the largcness Of his private munii-
iccnrr. Yon can hardly meet man who
can not tell YOU of scores al generous
deeds that NE did, AMI which the world
never knew. Let me tell YEA of incidents
that came under my own notice. \ few
wears ago | found need vt u considerable
( sum ,o relieve distressed person
; under circumstances of such .iclicacy that
! I could not publicly seek Tor the sum
! went Ia him and told him. and I had
scarce closed the tale ere the needed relief
was in my hands; and TODAY ! believe
that though he was hot u protested mem-
bcr oi Chri>t'S church. vet. bv his life, he
has won an heritage above.
Sir Knights, YOU know that when hs
Joined your order he vowed Ia
WELD his sword and devote his life rs
II defender OF the faith. ! tell YOU
on the faith Oi a gentleman That just Us
necessary rs is the truth-in defense OF
whic4, Won vowed to WELD your swords
to the welfare OF humanity, So necessary
is the light OF that dawn upon the gloom
ri the night i'm the life to assure human
! faith oi the glOries ri the land ri Bculah
and, a. SIR Knight, the life al the deceased
! Was such rs To assure us that although hs
was not q professed christian. vet. in hi.
| living To the tenets of the Knights TEN
plar faith, he was living the life OF a
I christian.
! AZ priest of God tn his children,
must draw the lesson here taught THAT
the suddenness Of this death is but a warn
ing al our common fate. No one know.
when he NAV fall before the shaft Of death
! and We should ever be watchful for thi.
coming. The new made grave tells Of ar.
other vet unmade. and no man can tel
VIII may be the next, and should warn u,
! all ri our duty. BY SD living We may b,
ever ready ut any moment for his coming
| and need not fear his unheraldcd up
prOach.
| To the stricken relatives and friends
know Oi no earthly consolation In offer