The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-05-07
FLOWERS And TEARS.
THE FUNERAL OF DONALD DOUGLASS.
Large Assembly OF People In TIC
Methodist tChurcIl...SermOn by the
Pastor Rev. l.. r. Beatty.

Large Assembly Of People I'm the
Methodist ChurcIl...SermOn by the
Pastor Rev. l.. +. Beatty.
Last Sunday afternoon at four o'clock the
body of Donald Douglass, was brought from
the home of his mother to the Methodist
Church.
| At the appointed hour for tho funeral a
large congregation had assembled, because ol
interest in the sad occurrence.
Kind friends contributed the greatest pro-
fusion OF flowers, and the coffin was conf
p!etely covered with the choicest bouquets.
| All the surroundings gave evidence OF tender
consideration for those of our neighbors who
are sorely afflicted.
| Flowers are always beautiful, and flora! Of
ferings are pure indeed, while their fragrance
and their loveliness Is beyond compare. le'
the circumstances under which they are
given has much to do with their value ana
| their significance, Tie rosebud found Oh the
Iappel of the coat of the dead youth, when
had been placed there by loving hands only
few flceting hours before he received the fatal
wound, touched the heart-noL only of him
who wore il but of those who saw 1t after
death-a thousand times more than did all
|
of the coffin. All these flowers on the coi!ii
that held his dead body were trifits, light as
air, com pared with that little rosebud that
ornamcnlcd his coat when his heart was
warm and loving.
| Mr.. Beatty spoke III substance, us follows:
| This community is again under the shock
| of Il great calamity and the relatives o! the
| Jeceascd are unUer the shadow OF Il great be-
We are all here to mourn the untmely de.
parturc CT him who has SO suddenly been cut
| down and TO SympathiZe with Ills lOVcu ones
whom lie has left behind.
| His death cannot be considered otherwise
than as a terrible loss 10 his family. Though
Il youth Of tender years, mere lad, strip
pliug lie had become the prop, the chici sup,
port of the house of his widowed mother and
her iuthcrlesS children.
IL is unfortunate to he stricken down before
one has reached the Threshold or active
manhood--heiOre lite has been begun In ear
nest 1t is still more unfortunate To be sum-
mOncd hence without Il moments warning.
surrounded uS ii is, We are not o!tcn lnrccu
to witness a death more sad. The life OF Don
nald Foster Douglass, oesan January 20. i,om'
May 3rI, $780, BY a hurried calculation IL
will be seen that he had just entered upon MS
sixteenth year. .
OF many years to come. Li:e VAS bright with
promise. But in m uncXl l,ecicd moment
these youthful anticipaLunS were rudeiy
swept away. and he has been di>app1i,ntea,i, IT,.
Under all tie circumstances attending thls
sad event, is II not we'll for us To pause ana
spend moment in serious reflection: Has
God message IN this Calamity for thls peo'
pie? Has lie spoken, and would htIhaNe liz
listen To his voice? Would he havc us elim-
mate nothing which The circumstances oil
this occasion leach b. way oil warning?
For our profit. let Us cnnSier for a Short
while the admonition given in Matthew
yNiy4i: "Be ye therefore also ready, Tor in
such an hour as ye think NOT, the Son OF man
cometh."
sibe for death 10 over'ake us and lind us un-
prrpurrd OF the fearful issues beyond the
grave. In verses preceding the text, at the
coming OF the Son ol man, 1t Is said linen
sha two be in the field; the one shall be
taken, and the other left. Two women shall
be grinding at the mill; the one shall be
taken, and the other lcft.' Thus We see that
when Christ shall come 10 make UP his jew
els, there will bc discri IN ination made be-
tween parties In the same vocl:lonS OF lite, and
in the same homes. Those prepared, Will
hail his coming vii Ii JOY, and wi be received
into everlasting habitations-those unpre,
pared will note his approach with dread
alarm. Observation has proven, that thouS.
andS have received the summons 10 uepal |
this life, who were not oniy unWllhng 10 60
but were totally unprepared for the Juig-
meTt. ;,
Muy we not 60 q step further and say, it is
pro6dtic there are souls in our midst who VIII
die and pass away without having made the
necessary preparation? remember 10 have
said To Il man past mddle-liie, who had not
| confessed Christ, that the probability was he
would never make such Il confession. Was ]
! not right? Are there not exceptionally few
eases WHOEVER become the subjects Of The
| transforming and ienoyalins work Of the
Spirit of God, after sinful habits and opinions
have received the hardening touch OF ma
| turcd life?
Passing heedlessly the dang"r-ssnals which
God places along life's path, rs II Il wonder II
| l,fbh hun nj
| passes yet on 10 dcstruclinn? PoStp0ncincnt
| decreases the chances Tor salvation. Interests
| foreign and Ollentimes alien To our Sp!riiunl
well-being. crySlaizt in the flrmatlOn.o .of ire
| Iiyio character when the highest Interests
OF the soul are neglected or postponed for fu-
ture consideration. In an important sense,
| the rapid pace at which Il man moves for
ward in sin, often precludes the possibility of
reformation.
What causes delay in this preparation for
Chrsts coming? mention only Iew.
| /. With the young there Is tile expectation
! Of long life. That this frequently becomes II
| temptation and snare, Is Il trut.i patent To
every thinking mind The desire for long
| life grows into expectancy and tins In turn,
| without any warrant at all, is somehow con
strucd into an actual promise. Nolwlth.
standing the adnonitions and positive proofs
| to The contrary, how tenaciouSlY does the
young person. hold 10 the opinion that he
has "A long lease upon life, full Of golden OPP
pOrtunitics, and that the auspiciols hour for
seeking Christ has not yet arrived. We may
l
| little graves found siele; we may speak l"
him Of the brcvity and uncertainty ol HE;
| he listens respectfully, and even seriously 1t
may be- but turns away infatuated with Tic
| idea That he belongs 10 the favored few 10
whom long lie is given. How difficult u mat
ter il Is to impress upon the minds Of young
DgOpc tie uuC crtnInty Of lie ana t!ie linpGl-
| tancc of tmely preparation for Crhi!. There
! is always the temptation To delay lhls iinpnr'
! Gnt work while they say, salvation IL 't>ily
obtained and there Is ample Time further on.
y The associations dnl chgnycnicHfS u Uf
often prevent suitable preparation for death.
And when we speak oI these, we do not al
! luue simply to those base in themselves, and
which fall under the ban Of correct %tntll-
! ity Uncse are included us Il matter ui coGrStl
I but we speali particularly OF assOcatrliS hnd
engagements formed or entered mo Wlihout
proper regard for the formation and EcrpciIa-
/ lion Of that which Is highest and best In our
! humanity. r;ot Ill al! iancrS which meet mo
approving smile of the world, or are n1lo 10
bear the test OF its criticism, will help you
and me in the iuliilimrnl of the hsh II lSsloil
To which God has called us. Ana yet, hnw
easy a matter II is. to forget the high purposes
OF life in the associations we torm or engage
menlS we enter. Many have made SlIlpwrrck
at this point, while for l;c sake Hi the pleas.
urrS OF the world, its treasures or short lived
+ llanccs runous in their influence aud ten
dcncy. Fortunate Is that young man, who,
In beginning life, wcds himself 10 appruvtd
ard helpful associations. Sad indeed, Will he
the fate of th..t ono, who, instead of max Ing
the God of his father and mother his God,
prostitutes that which is best within him 10
ignnbe uses.
What con :ulcs The readiness spoken off