The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-10-09

LO oooy UPOA No
as a memorial committee of Prospect
Alliance, No. $40, ,Judkins township,
Warren county, NC, to record the deaths
our officers, friends and brothers. :
On the morning of Wednesday, August
29th, at his residence, in the midst of his
family, having been in apparently good
health, without a moments warning, the
angel of death, with an apoplectic stroke,
stopped the current of life, and the spirit
of a quiet, inoffensive man took its flight
to the regions of the unknown, and we
believe, the better land.
VIM. Drew Jones was in his 54th year.
Twenty-Five years ago we knew him on
a stage of action where mems souls were
tried by experience that can lever be
forgotten, yet never be told. Where the
blood of the battle field inspired men to
more deeds of daring, of passion and
patriotism; and where the CHASTITY faces
upturned in death had not the horror
they have for US now in these days, of
peace and home. We knew him then
when danger and the, environments OF
blood and death formed the haw1ess
mirror that reflected the temper and
courage and character of men; and we
got the picture then which ar unbroken
acquaintance since, nor all the external
changes of subsequent time have altered
in phase or feature. The mental endow-
ments of Drew Jones were ordinarily
fair, but his main strength lay in his
moral nature. AS a companion, he was
genial and sociable. AS, a friend he was
sympathetic and self-sacrifcing. In his
relations to other men in a business point
of view he was honest and true, but had
the credulity of achild. The innate SYM
patty and kindness of his heart grew
and expanded under the influence of a
long, practical religion, and his natural
faith developed a positive but rather ex-
~cessive philanthropy which made him
think too we'll of all his fellow men, and
too little of himself. His -Christian view
of human character added strength to his
faith in mans immortality, while a simply
intellectual analysis of the same has often
proved a stumbling block to others. His
kindness aud sympathy for all mankind
was boundless; his confidence in and re-
gard for his friends were fully abundant;
his love for his loved ones was pregnant
with devotion and self-sacrifce,, and his
faith in the reward through Christ for
meekness, charity, love and duty done
appeared complete.
Two days before he died he spent the
night watching at the bedside of a close
nighbor and friend, Richard E. Bobbitt,
Esq. Two days and M night passed
and VIM. Drew Jones was dead, and in
about a week Richard E. Bobbitt, too,
had "crossed over the river and was
resting under the shade of the trees A
brave, honest, true man who all his life
of sixty-fear years had fought evil, loved
good, and worshipped God. We went to
see him, and found him sitting in his
chair, where for ~fve.4weeks he had sat
almost constantly, nursed and watched
and wept over by friends and neighbors,
and the daughter, and the sons, and their
wives, and the dear old wife of his youth
and of his life; while he, strong and
brave, felt (without a murmur) the iron
nerve to culver as he gasped for breath,
knowing, without a doubt, thattth noble
old heart, fighting so laboriously within
its narrow water-bound compass would
soon be engulped il death. Five long,
weary weeks of the Struggling heart and
the gasping breath, knowing by intuition
and advice that the death angel was
lowering over him, expecting all the
while the futter Of his wings and the
TROUGH upon the hearth Pantingf no
chance to lie down; oh, so weary, yet no
.restl Was he appalled? No sign there
of ever came to them that watched at
his side. No sign thereof, or of fear,
since the hour he felt his fate was fixed.
when he said, eff God will that I should
suffer and go, I will bear it." Even to
the last breath, when the life whose 4iv-
ing many will forget, went out on
Thursday morning, September 9th.
R. E. Bobbitt retained his faculties, his
identity and his chief characteristics up
to the end. In all the varying circum-
stances of his life, his courage, his indom-
liable will and the inTulnersble integrity
of his character was manifest His frinnds