The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-05-30

IN MEliORIAM.

Entered the realms eternal frn,u fine
Residence oi his laih.r-ln.law, Mr., l.
NhIte, Broukhayru, MIsS, on MAY 25rh.
ie7J, at 1870 P. NJ, Rev. LEANDER =
fIkER, IN hIs Both year.
Mr. Pik'r was buru aud grew almost ia
nanhood near Baton Rungr, La, on his
mothers farm. His mutErr, who sur.
wives him, says of her dpad son. he
was duuinl boy aud always carefully
studied his mothers interest" Tins. iu
chiIdhuod, lie kept as best he could the
| commandment, - honor thy father and
| thy mother" -
Having lost his father in chiIlhood. h,
early learned To depend upon his own ex
ertions aud the promises OF the Father of
The fatherless." These two things con-
lrlbutcd most potentially TO his rcmarka
ole career and will make his memory en-.
during with those who knew him aud felt
the magic power of his cUnscCratrd life.
When about IL years of age he Was
converted and joined the Baptist church.
PrIor To bis conversion lie was "a Catholic
al The stIIctcst sort. Before his cuuvrr-
sion he thoroughly loved the ball room;
but alter that greatest event of his life,
he thoroughly detested the ball room, be-
cause OF It's shares and pitfalls for the in
mocent and unwary. He knew personally
ot its great dangers and warned the
young especially against it with burning
eluquynce.
When about IL years old Mr.. Piker lie
came minister. He was educated part
y at Clinton, Miss, and partly at Jack
son, La. His first pasIurates were in the
rural districts of Iii, native State, Sum
mt and Osyka, Miss, and Amite CIX,
La. lie was everywhere successful to Il
remarkable degree.
Through his unIiring efforts magnifi-
cent brick church was built al Baton
Rouge, La. Into this building he put his
all-abont S25C0, His members wished
to put IA marble tablet bearing his lame
i'll the wall i'll this church. but lie would
not permit it, saying lie had only done
his duty.
December 90, 1as3, Mr.. Piker was mar
rird in the Baptist church of this city to
Miss Belle White. This was one of the
happiest of unions, the fruit of which is
Two bright, handsome little boys who,
with their devoted mother, are left for
little while behind.
After leaving Baton Rouge Mr.. Piker
travelled as an evangelist with signal sue
cess. Then he was pastor successiveIy
at Corinth and Starkville, Miss, and ST.
Louis, Mo. AT the latter place Ills health
failed and he returned to his wile's girl
hood home to enter the home Eternal.
Ii was said of this great man by IA compe-
tent judge, that if 10 of the best minis
trrs in Mississippi md Louisiana were
named Mr.. Plkcr would be one of them.
This servant of God lived right and died
right.
No mortal was ever trucr to friendship
and the right, nor was ever any one
more uncompromising with the wrong.
He seemingly instinrlively went to the
right side of all public questions and
maintained his convictions and cause
with Spartan courage. He illuminated
nniairness and duplicity. Those who
knew him best admired aud loved him
most. He was hard student, ii close OBJ
server, an accurate thinker and speaker, IA
fine logiciau and close rrasoncr. In
short, l.. 5. Plkcr was man of rare at
tainments and he lavishly gave the world
the benefit of all he possessed.
Earth has lost an rminenlly good and
useful man and is thereby the poorer, bnl
Heaven has gained an inhabtant.
j. II. g.
Brcokhaven, May so, l1S9.