The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-07-14
FUNERAL OF FATHER pow
ERS.
The Last Sad Tribute of Respect to
One Whom all Hold in
Veneration

The funeral cortege accompanying all
that was mortal OF the late T. z.
Powers, left his residence in upper
Astoria at half-past twelve yesterday,
and arrived at the First Presbyterian
church at half-past one. The church
was filed by large congregation who
testified 10y their fearful presence the
respect they felt for the memory Of
the good old man who By his long
residence here, his earnest action and
Christian spirit had won the lore and
esteem of all. The coffin, a heavy
metallic caslet, covered with flowers,
having been set in front of the pulpit.
Rev. i. V. Milligan uttered short
and feeling prayer, after which the
choir sung the favorite hymn of the
deceased-HJesus Lover of my Soul. "
Tears gushed from the eyes of many
present as the familiar strains Of the
tune filed the room. At It's close
Rev. DIR. A. l. Lindsey, of Portland,
offered a fervent prayer followed by
Rev. j. T. McCormac. who read the
funeral service. Rev. }. V. Milligan,
pastor of the church. in fitting words
of eulogy paid an eloquent tribute TO
the memory of the kind friend. the
jealous advocate, the wise counsellor,
and the steadfast Christian who had
gone to his grave, rich in the posses
sion of well spent life and the sure
heritage of glorious Immortality, and
in the possession Of such plenitude of
affectionate remembrance as is rarely
vouchsafed to any man in comm
nifty. The speaker dwelt at length
upon the admirable qualities Of Father
Powers, his patience. his good intent
and beneficial service to the church,
and read passages from the diary
which he kept during his long sick
ness. These, more especially, the
concluding lines Nritten when the
hand was almost stiIled in death,
were peculiarly affecting. Pass-
ing to a wider theme of thought
the speaker dwelt upon the necessity
~ fNhr1cfaafn .sI.rf H.. 1.~..,, -
death conveyed, the requirements of
the Christian life and the rewards
that 1t assured to those who were
faithful to the end.
He was followed by Rev. DIR. A. l..
Lindsey, pastor of the First Presby-
terian church of Portland, who de-
livered a short and beautiful address
upon the relation of the Christian TO
the State, his position as pioneer,
and alluding to the thinning ranks of
those who are among us with gray
heads and bowed forms, the advance
guard who came here years ago, said in
the name of the pioneers of Oregon
he spoke those words of one who was
himself pioneer, aud al ded in devel-
oping the essential elements of ciyili-
ization in this remote corner of our
country. "Safe in the arms of Jesus
was then rendered by The choir, and
after a prayer by Wm. Wadhams of
Portland, the body borne by Messrs.
w. II. Gray, E. c. Holden, H. Pow
ell, Jno. Brice, VIM. Wadhams and
Carl Hanson, was carried to the dock,
where the steamer conveyed it, to-
gether with the friends and relatives
of the deceased, TO its last resting
place by the sea, where thirty-six
years ago, Mr.. Powers had been or
dained as elder in what was then the
only Presbyterian church on this
coast.
So ends the last act in life drama
of four score years duration, and
though the grave cover all that is
mortal of the old man whom it was
our privilege to call "A friend, yet the
memory of his kindly presence will
nOr soon leave US, and that the end of
life may be as full Of hope and as
bright with promise As was his, is the
most heartfelt wish of all who knew
and loved him in life.