Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-06-01
Dead at Ventty-Eo

Dead at Twenty -Four
DEATH OF REV. SIDNEY T. RIsER-IM-
MENsE CROWD AT HIS FUNERAL-THE
ERvICEs-TOUCHING ADDRESS OF REV.
DIR. M'FARLAND.
&C, &C, &C..
A Iar,;e mourning card. draped with
Grape, hung at the gate Of the Lutheran
church Saturday evening. On it was a
notice that the young minister of the
church, who had been for so many days
poised between life and death, had passed
away. 1t said 1.-THE funeral of the late
Rev. S. 7. Riser will take place to-mof-
row at $50 2. M. The last service in the
old church." Mr.. Riser bad died the night
before about 10 O'Clock. There were at
his bedside his devoted mother and sister
and several of tie members of his Church
Council, who lad teen unrt hitting IN
their anxious solicitude for him. He was
a native of South Carolina, twenty-four
years of age. and, though he had temEora-
rily filled the pulpit of DR.. Bowman, OF
Charleston. S. c., the Stanton church
was his first regular charge. He was
graduate Of Newberry, S. C., college, and
he was six years President Of the 7. M.
g. Association of that institution. In
August last lie accepted the call to the
Staunton church, and during his short
service had not only endeared himself to
his congregation, but made large circle
of friends outside of his denomination. He
resided at No. IL Washington street,
where his mother and sister lived with
him.
HIS FUNERAL.
Long before the hour for the funeral
service, the Lutheran church was densely
packed with asympathizing audience, and
it is probable that not less than five hundred
persons finding The building full, had to g o
away. Every available space in the aisles
was utilized with chairs and bench
es. The pulpit and reading desk were heav-
lily draped in black cloth. In one corner
of the church sat number of the smaller
Sunday school children, class of the
charge in which the young pastor always
took a deep interest. The place of the
chorsters was filled by members of the
choir of the First Presbyterian church
Misses McGu ffin and H0tchkiss, and
Messrs. Abby, Timberlake and McFar-
land, with Prof Hamer, their Director
The change was made at the request OF
the Lutheran choir, whose deep feeling Of
affection for the dead minister made them
uncertain whether they could go through
the choral service When the funeral cor
tege entered the church it was headed
by Rev. j. A Snyder of New Market.
President of the Virginia Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rev. 6.
w. Spiggle, Rev. Christian Beard, Rev
V. Il. Stickley, ali Lutheran ministers Of
this county, Rev. Prof. F. Y. N. Painter
of Roanoke College. Rev. James Willis,
Principal Of the Staunton Female Semina
~, Rev. DR.. J. S. Gardner Of the M. E
Church South, Rev. W. Q. Hullihen, rec
tor of Trinity Protestant Episcopal
p church, and Rev. Dr.. D. K. Mcfarland
of the First Presbyterian church. On
front seat, near the head of the coffin, sal
Rev. A. A. Eskridge, the Oldest member
of the Baltimore Conference OF the M. Il
Church, now in his 9lst year. AS the pro
cession entered, the choir sang beautiful
hymn.
The floral tributes on the casket Weri
very beautiful, one being sent by the younl
ladies of the Staunton Female Seminary
and many by personal friends in the con
gregation. Among the latter was broker
tree of white flowers, which was very ap
propriate. The pall-bearers were mem
bers of the Church Council-Messrs. G. Q
Berry, Ell. B. Brown, Charles Prufer, g.
w. Hammond, M. p. Funkhouser, and }
J. Prufer. Two other members of The
Council, Messrs. D. W. Landes and J. A
Wise, escorted the sister and mother @
Mr.. Riser. Another sister, Mrs. Hayes
Of South Carolina, who, with her husband
had arrived toe late to see her brother in
life, was among the mourners.
The service was read by Rev.. j. A
Snyder, aud the sermon, a very able one
was preached by Prof. Painter from thu
text "Oh Lord l know that the way of
man is not in himself. It is not i'll NAL
that walketh, to direct his steps," Th
sermon conveyed the lesson that death
that are inscrutable to the human under
standing, and that apparently take ava
the most active of His servants in th
prime of their usefulness, are wisely OF
dained in the Infinite wisdom of God, an
are for the best even from human poin
of view if we understood them.
REV. DIR. M'FARLAND,
who was with Mr.. Riser but brief tim
before his death, and had most affectin
final conversation with him, and who ha
been requested by the Church Council
make an address, followed Prof. ? aintel
He spoke in substance as follows:
It is with feelings of melancholy plea
ure that, in response to the request of til
Council of this Church, I undertake to sa
some things this afternoon, in connectlo
with this occasion of unusual sadnes
which has brought US together. 1 say III
usual sadness, for so it is. 1t is Que {
those occasions that touch the uniYers;
heart and make US one. The individu;
life-not only that, but the indiVidu;
communicates its flood tides of gri,
as well as of joy. Times when ever
thing is forgotten except the great SO
row that has swept over its life an
blended all hearts in fraternil
of sympathy. One of those times has con
to us to-day in the death of one of God
public servants. The sorrow felt here
day is public as we'll as private sorroy
While our tears are shed in sympathy Fl