The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-04-25

lHp l4Nfh' NlNk' ~ l'hSNN' '"'N
been invited by this sad and stricken
family, as pcighbor and u friend, to
speak u few words touching the life and
character ut our deceased brother Frank
Valentine lie was q resident OF your
town for the pUst eight or ten years.
Some of these men whom am now ad-
dn,ssIng were his everyday companions;
aui his sudden Nnd untimcly taking off II
the sincere regret of all who knew hm.
More than once, du"ing the past few
weeks, have We been startled by the an"
nouncement Of the unexpected death OF
some honorrd iellow-ctiAen. Fell disease,
battling the phySiciun's skillful art, has done
It's work: aud once happy families are now
sitting within the shadows of deep sor-
row. IL was not disease, however cruel
and treacheruus In its nature, 1t was not
disease. which has brought overwhelming |
sorrow into this home. A hand that was |
never known to do other than kind and
loving deeds for wife and children, hnnd
whose cunning was spent In making them
happy, and in building up sweet and
affectionate home, in an evil hOur turned
against itself, has done them this great and
ifrcparable wrong.
1t has sometimes occurred that men notori- |
ous in crime, who have lost out of their
souls all fear of God and all regard for their
fellow-men, much to the relief of the COM
munity which they cursed with their hate
full presence, have ended their miserable
career by the one greater crime of self-des-
tructiOn. Let us thank God, for the sake
of these innocent little children, and these
distressed and agoniZed friends that our
brother lid not belong TO that class. In
his earlier days he was member of the
Methodist church, devOut in his personal
habits and sincere in his religious profess
sion. Having lost his father when mere
lad, he was reared by his mother with
kind and affectiOnate sisters as home COM
panions. The influences eXerted upon him
in that maternal home were never forgot
ten. lie was gentlemanly in his bearing,
he was courteous and deferential i'll his
address, he was mild and gentle and oblig-
ing in his disposition. And these same
qualities of manner and department, which
so endeared him to the members of his own
household. made him eminently successful
in his business relations He had the con-
fidence and esteem of his employers; his
numerous customers waited for his coming;
and through his uniform kindness and
faithfulnesS to his engagements he had
built up large and lucrative trade. At
the age of thirty-two years, he was known
as salesman of sterling qualities, COM
manding salary that was ample for all his
wants, and that gave him a fair surplus
with which 10 lay the foundations of COM
ing competency. For eight years he had
been a husband. For six years he had
been hus;..nd and father, the highest
and most solemn relations and at the SAME
. time the most endearing, which mortal man
can assume And these relations were eS'
pecially eudearing to our brother. Thai
such one, thus happily circumstanced
so young i'll years, 50 well equipped Tor
,.-ifl frSt,r n
promise, that such a one should today bt
counted among the dead-among the self
Slain-iS an astounding calamity.
There is nothing to conceal, my friends,
in the death of our brother. The extensive
acquaintance which he had made as busi
ness man and his great personal popularity
wherever he was known, have caused tns
sad story of his violent death to be told b,
the daily papers far and near. l have
right TO believe the men who have hat
business dealings with Mr.. Valentine TO
successive years, when they say that nj
honesty OF intention and his personal lnteg
rity were above suspicion. l cannot ques
tion the truthfulness of their assertion tha
no wrong was meant by our brother Am
bilious as ewas-hopeful-daring and no
always wise in his ventures, they sa!
that he was caught in the wild current o
the prevailing spirit of speculation II
which so many other men have been over
whelmed, and like them he was carried
irresistibly forward to his fate.
The curse of our day and generation. m,
friends. is in the haste to get rich. The dlVin
word declares lie that maketh haste to ge
rich shall not he innocent" and 'Ihey ina
aUiu be rich fall into temptation and
snare" and never was that word so true a
now. Patience has ceased to be virtue Il
Il ,l,,.ra mott
runs riot. The slow ploddiugs of forme
years, in which men were content to go
are only an aggravation to the fortune-seek
er of today These men, who, like ou
brother, are in the rush of trade, who Sc
men getting rich all around them, and VIII
are themselves serving for limited salaries
chafe under their restraints 1t is lmpoSslDl
for us, who lead quieter lives, to underStan
the peculiar temptations which come to tnes
men, to break through all restraint and t
seize some rO>e-cOiored scheme and by
single venture amaSS a fortune in a day
Alas for us, our young men and our Oh
men, are infatuated by this spirit
speculation. The honest ways OF lndustr
are forSaken for the dangerous mghwa
over which the multitudes go. The pa
thence which tolls and the patience whlc
qrditS, sustained by conscience void Q
offence toward God and toward men,
cast aside as something unbecoming thl
rapid aye. There are thousands of home
throughout our land in which blasted repu
tations and ruined lives tell of the cost
sacrifices which are offered to this Moloc
of haSty riches. The young man who lie
in this caSket before YOU, is the latest sac
rifice to the same Unsuitable deity.
There is something pathetic in the stor,
of our friend. Poor himself i'll his earle
life, and obliged TO shape his way by hi
own personal industry, he had felt all tn
disabilities of such career He intende
that it should lie different with his children
Wealth has its amenities, its real attraC
tio,;s and its substantial blessings, and a
that wealth might give to any one he dt
sired for those whom he loved. His friend
tell the truth when they say that his intel
tions were honest. He was sure of success:
and he knew that in the prevailing philo:
ophy success covers up all queStlonabl
means Failure did not dampen his ardol
though some months ago it brought him
more thoughtful state of mind. But III
returning infatuation was greater than III
good resolves to forsake the dangerou
highway. One last venture might reali2
his hope; and hope realized would max
amends for all past failures. II was tn
last venture which crushed out all his fol
mer high spirits; and wild and frenzicd le
him to the final despairing act.
cannot but feel that the lessons whic
this young mans career teaches ought
come home to the hearts Of many who thi
afternoon hear me The amassing
wealth is not the sole business of life
There are streams of substantial happiness
whose source cannot be traced to mines
gold, or deposits of silver. The Interest
of the immortal soul are Of profounde
value than farms and stocks, or merehandis
and houses. Blessed Is the man who
building a home, where wife and childre
gather about him, where wealth aud atfiu
ence come to abide. Thrice blessed Is tn
man who is building Christian home.
may have neither wealth nor afliuence, bu
the presence of Almighty God within tha
home is greater riches than the mines @
Solomon,
have heard 1t said on several occasions
and from sources which attracted my nj
tention, that the brave and manly spirl
brothar N