The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-02-13
For the A'gis and Intelligence,
DEATH OF JOHN w. COALE.
1.-THE young may die-the old must

John w. Coale one of the Oldest, best kno wn
and most respected citizens of the eastern part
Of Hartford county, died. after about three weeks
illness, at his residence, near Chenille, on Thurs
day. February 5, 1885, in the sSth year of his age.
Friend" Coale was worthy and representa-
tive member of the Society of Friends, and when
the separation occurred in the Society," in 1925 he
adhered to what he regarded as the ancient faith
Of Friends, as it was expounded by their great
leader OF that day, Elias Hicks. Friend Coale
was descended from long and honorable line of
Quaker ancestry, who for many generations con-
stituted the leading families in this section which
was formerly and is still known as Deer Creek.
He was member from birthright OF the old
Deer Creek Friends Meeting, at Darling
ton-lhe present building having been erected
about century and a.half ago-and although he
resided between three and four miles distant
from the Meeting House. 1t was his rule TO at,
tend the meetings twice weekly-Sundays and
Neutrality-suspicious. regard to the weather or to
his occupation as farmer. And even though at
gether, as has often happened in latter years, he
almost always composed one of the number
Forty years and more ago, when we were
young, and for years after we frequently at
tended the sittings of the Deer Creek Meeting
At that time Friend Coale, occupying high seat
am venerable
male and female who surrounded him In the
meeting in those days when the membership was
large have long since departed and entered upon
their rewards. He for several years has been al
most the sole survivor of his early contemporaries
IN the Meeting. and sat alone upon the benches
of his friends, who were goodly men,. For more
than four score years he had listened to the SER
abroad, male and female, whose voices had in all
those years resounded within those venerable
wallis He had twice heard in different years the
eloquent sermons of the celebrated Elias Hicks
delivered in the Deer Creek Meeting But alas I!
the changes of time. The last apple which has
its Companions have fallen, defying alike the
attacks of disease and the frosts and winds of au
tumn, has at last succumbed to the inevitable,
confessed its mortality and fallen to the ground
In compliance with the law which no man can
escape: Earth to earth, dust to dust. ashes to
ashes"
Happily throughout this long, useful and ex-
emplary life our friend maintained good degree
of health and strength, physical activity. and
last illness. He had marked literary tastos-es-
pecially deghting in the study of the English
poets, long passages from whom he could fluent
ly quote from memory; and had his early educa-
tional opportunities been favorable to literary
culture he would undoubtedly have attained
place among men of letters. He was kind-heart-
ed and considerable In all his intercourse with his
fellows, always displaying the manners and using
the language of gentleman, and TO ladies his
politeness and deferential demeanor amounted
to gallantry, which was remarkably sustained to
the very last days of his life. His whole life was
not ony to his feIoW man but to his
God. Notwithstanding his great age, his health
and activity had been so supporting that he
stantly assured his loving and deeply distressed
children that his health would become better after
few days. But finally his true condition was
hours before the extinction of life, in reply to
the anxious inquiry of his son Isaac as to how he
felt. were: II feel that / may not remain with
you many days and ! believe that shall pass
safely into the hands of the Lord" These were
his last words. He then entered into that sleep
which knows no waking. Oh, how comforting
they must be to his sorrowing children, to know
from his own lips, in his very last utterance, that
after so long life filled with cares and troubles,
Affections and unceasing toll, and with disap-
pointments and bitter trials, incident to his long
contact with many of those who would hold us
back from heaven. Oh. how happy the assur-
ance that the goal is attained at last. His wife
preceded him to the grave nearly twenty five
years ago. He leaves six children. four sons and
two daughters. and to them he leaves rich lega.
cy, not in worldly goods. but in paternal love and
anxious care as to their welfare, physical and
spiritual, and an example far above the purchase
by earthly riches. In the years to come
I'VE shall meet, but we shall miss him,
There will be one vacant chair
but the remembrance of his example will always
be with us. to comfort and sustain us In every af-
Fiction. and as finger-board on the highway of
life It will point the road to the lost and weary
traveller. W. s. +.
Darlington, Nd, FEB. 9, 1885,