The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-04
GREAT IN LIFE ---HONORED IN DEATH
SOME INCIDENTS IN THE LONG AND
USEFUL CAREER OF THE DEcEAS-
ED PRESIDENT.
Beautiful Tribute to the Memory of
the Hon. Armistead Burt, Late
President of the AbbcvilIe County
RihIe Societx.

Bible Society.
1t was not my privilege to attend the last
meeting of the Abbeville District Bible Socie-
ty, being engaged at that time in holding q
hence the delay in presenting this tribute to
the memory of the late Armstead Burt
Mr.. Burt, whose presence with us on these
occasions was seldom wanting, was born In
Edgcficld District on the 10th day OF Novem-
ber, 1902, and departed this life on the 3Oth day
of October, 1888. This is not the time, nor the
occasion for an extended sketch Of his long
and eyentful life.
by reason of habits of temperance amount
ing ALMOST to abstcmiousnesS, preserving Il
strong physical constitution he was spared to
attain by more than half score of years the
allotted period of mans existence on the
earth, and even in his case may II he truly
said Of this excess of years, "yet Is their
strength labor and sorrow"
1t was surely spectacle worthy of our high
est admiration to see him sin the days when
the keepers Of the house shall trcmble and
the strong men shall bow themselves" fight
ing with heroic courage the battles OF life.
Reduced by the common calamity which be-
fell all OF us, and which bore with peculiar Sc
verify upon the aged, he remittrd not single
duty of life. His philosophical endurance
without murmur was the highest exercise OF
high material qualities of the soul which may
not be inaptly styled the complement OF the
Christians faith, hope and love; and as the
greatest Of these Is love. even so the greatest
OF Mr.. Burrs early life know but little.
Notwithstanding our free social intercourse
almost daily for nearly thirty years, he was
strangely rcticeut in regard TO 1t.
That his early advan tages were few we all
know. He had only an academic education
which was obtained at old Pendlcton. He
went to school though us long as he livcd-not
knowledge which he had acquired, attcsted
the fact that he WAS to the last diligent stu
dent.
with salient and interesting POINTS, 1 shall not
undertake to linn it.
At the annual meeting in July, 1881, rs the
successor Of tfe lamented Judge Thomson, he
became the President OF this Society. We do
all remember the great pleasure, the dell ight
with which lie received this compliment ut
your hands. Some there were who wondered
how 1t could be, that one who had sounded all
the shoalsand depths of high official position.
who had commanded the applause of listen
ing Scnates and who had strobe like giant
upon the very mountain tops OF his NOBLE
profession, reaping at the same time its emo-
uments and fame, could be so elated with this
position, so inferior in the worlds estimation,
TO others that he had so worthlly and COM
plctely filed. The observation OF such had
not gone below the surface. It marked in
deed, the attainment in some degree, of that
profound wisdom which enables its posscssor
to sum up all of the fleeting, vanishing,
empty honors OF this world, "as vanity OF
AS the great and good John Tyler was at the
time OF his death, an overscer Of the pubic
roads of his native county in Virginia; and
as the no less good and great Horatio Sey-
mour died as Chairman of the Board OF COun-
ty Commissioners in Utica, so our venerable
and distinguished friend, esteemed 1t no
mean honor, but rather as the crowning glory
of his useful public life, to be the President OF
this Society. And was this claim without
reason for its support? Was he not Indeed
right?
Look back to July 5th, 1923, and onward
even down to this day, your sixty-third ami
versary-a Noble, n Wardlaw, q Perrin, a
Thomson. a Burt. This is the roll OF your dis
tingulshed Presidents. How our hearts do
burn within us at the bare mention of their
names and the remembrance Of their virtues.
Surely, Mr.. President, this was q goodly fel-
lOwship for him. 1t is q goodly fellowship for
you.
l cannot close this brief sketch Of Mr.. Burts
life without alluding to the wonderful man.
ncr of his death. 1t was indeed mcrciful
Providence that ordered this event Just as he
and familiar association with, and care of Mr..
McI,uflie, during the years of the lattcr's i'm
bccility, that gave him peculiar dread OF that
condition Of dribblng inlirmity. lie coveted
q death like that of Bertram, and often refer
ring to the inevitable event, which awaits us
all, have l heard him repeat from Rokesby
these lines Of "the great wizard Of the
North:
milne be the eve Of tropic sun.
No pale gradatious quench his ray,
No twilight dews his wrath allay;
With disk like battle target red,
He rushes to his burning bed,
Dyes the wide wave with bloody light,
Then sinks at once-and all Is night"
have already said that he remittcd none oil
the duties Of life. This was eXempliticd in a
most striking manner at It's close In the very
article Of death.
Upon the table in his back Office lay an un.
finished brief Of q case for the Supreme Court
on which he had been diligently at work all
day. messenger from the Press and Banner
office came in the middle of the afternoon
| with some proof sheets of the brief TO be cor
rcctcd, and found him reclining upon couch
apparently asleep. With that tender consid
cratcncSS which all were accustomed TO show
| TO him. the boy retired without disturbing the
sleeper. Returning afterwards he was In
stinctively alarmed, for In the presence OF
death there is q stiffness that moves us, a ST.
icnce that Is audible. Captain Perrin whose
Office was hard by was called to come and sec
| what was the matter with Mr.. Burt. ~ was
soon discovered that the silver cord had beer
| iooscd-the broken wheel at the cistern had
mystery There in the presence of no ono
| but God, his soul like that OF Moses or old
from Pisgah' S top, had taken its solitary Hight
| forever. The place OF his sepulchre, unlikt
that of Moses, we know, but what minlstcrins
angel attended him there, whether IT was
Michael or some other, or how he gave his pc
| loved sleep, we know not.
Enough for us, If from the lesson or his life
and especially of his death, VIC may he sc
taught to number our days as to apply oul
hearts ul,to wisdom.
Respectfully submitted.
j. S. COTHRAN,
1<,f(