Daily Republican., 1890-04-16
FUNERAL OF REV. JonN sImMoNs.


Interesting Services at Asbury NJ. K.
Charcli-Msmolr Of tho Deceased by
Rev j. u. @. Hanna.
The funeral OF tho Rev. John simmous
took place from the late residence Cf the
deceascd, No. 8l4 West Seventh street.
yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock. I'm.
iertaker John ID. Martin had charge Of
the fuperal aud encased tie remains In q
beautiful silver mounted casket. Ths
deceased lay as II taking Q refreshipu
rest after day's toll. Hs was now tai.
! ing long sleep after the tolls of an
noied HE of eighty years. la his
hand rested q miniature shtaf Of ripe
barley. emblematic Of a fruitful lie.
r!pened into a golden harvest.
Rev. }. d. q. Hama had charge of
th, serv c.s and held = short service at
the house, after which the remaius were
taken to Asbufy N. 3. Church, where =
large audience had gathered to pay their
last resps cts to the dead, assistsd by Pre-
siding Elder W. L. 8. Murray and Rev,
Lr. John SiInnls. Rev. Mr.. Hanna road
the following memoir:
| For the second time In tAis oniereuce
year, year still young, 10 this congrega-
ton called upon to mourn the loss OF one
OF its hohored fathers anil local preach
| ers, u man whose lace aud form, q few
years ago, were familiar to every attend.
ant upon tho services st. this place.
Though he WAS not known intimately by
those who have entered tie church IN the
last lew years, yet by the older members
he vas well known. greatly respected,
and tenderly loved. His lose may not bo
90 perceptb.e TO our church to-day. be-
cause for several years be has not been
able h take his accustomed seat In the
services; yet, when such men die, every
good cause suffers, society mourns, and
the church feels that . stalwart soldier In
God's army has fallen. The ouly con-
ISOLATION W. have, si We view his work
and departure, 10 that the good mans
iphusuco never dies. "Their works do
follow them." In ever wid-uing circles
the power of their earnest words, their
burning thoughts, aud noble endeavors
will be fclt while tims last. SO we be.
lievo our brother, who lies before us,
being dead, yet speakeih.'
The Rev. Johu Simmons, 10 honor
whose memory We are VAthered h-re to.
day, was born At Wilmington, Dsi.,
January 2Sth, 1910, 50 that on lust Janu-
afy hs reached his w h birthday. Thus
he was about two and halt years the
Junior of Brother Chailca Moore, WHO
prectded him = few days 70 the heavenly
city. Brother Simmons was converted
In early life, and for more than sixty
yeas has been = consistent, earnest ioi-
low Of Cnrist and member of tie
Methodist Episcopal Church. He wa.
never married. except to tine church Of
his choice, and his work for God In
which he took great delight. He spent
b buyhood days in WILMINGTON, where
he learned bis trade. and remsinei here
until lie was sbout % years OF age From
here he,removei 10 Pittsburg, where lie
felt divine impression to go foith as D
herald OF the cross. He joined the Con
ference when sbout 3U y-ars of age, was
ordained deacon and elder, and travelled
hard circuits in Western Pennsy lvania,
Ohio snd Virginia. Fifty years ago that
wss frontier work, aud many incidsass
Of his labors In this heroic time are
treasured up by his relatives and friends
OF the church. In that sparsely settled
part of the country in those daJs 1t was
u ride OF mauy hours. for many miles,
On horseback to reach an appointment
Mountains had To he climbed, valleys
outere,l, rivers forded, wild beasts met,
and this must oil ho done for tho pure
love Of the gospel and precious souls.
There was scant remuneration 10 miuis-
ters in these days. AMI Brother 5immons
used TO delight In telling his friends OF
tic perils and hardships tho Methodist
preacher endured Ia this frontier work,
and then have them gue,s what he re-
caived Tor years work la this region.
When they hal made their lowest
pucsses 1t gave him pleasure to see tGelr
surprise, II. he Informed hem that for
whole ytar's work of this character he
received 20 cents. After stverai years Oi
this ronlier work Brother simmons lo-
Gated and returned to Pit,sturg, where
he iollowet his trade aud other employ
mems un II 1868, when he mcved to
Csmde,, n. j., where for time
he ,erved charge. In 1868 he came
back to Winnings ton, maxim his home
with his nephew, Mr.. W w. Simmons,
with whom he I. sided at Warrington
end Edgeunrc, until his death. He at
tached himself to Asbury Church, and
or many years was most useful Ioeal
preacher and faithful memb-r. his
place was always occupied on the right
OF tho preacher, aud he was ever ready
to render to lis pastor any assistance la
his power. He WAS strong III prayer.
and Often at the re- ular preaching SER
vices and IN the social meetings his |
earnest petitions brought an.wers from
on high to many waiting bearts. He
was N clear. acceptable preacher, and |
! ooihu LnCsohgo "
declare In his Master's name. Being an |
elder he WAS most helpful at the sarra-
mental services iu As-irting tho pastor
| and adding interest to that solemn fest.
Brother simmons was ever at mis- post,
| even when great pain resulted from his
efforts to DO pr sent At the sorvicea A
large bore tum5r formed under and in |
front OF bis lett arm that mus. have
been tho St urce OF great agony. He did
mot. no. s@%si.'aa sas mssSs SSs 81 eisss
he was 90 heroica.iy sndurip,i,
But In spite OF that, though, ~ ,pisd . bl
home ten begged him % remaih ..phad
iiom church and thus save his strenpt.c
he persisted In visiting tho urts Of the,
Lord with great regularity as long ss b ,f
was in the city. er
ln disposition Brother Simmons of
gentle In word. mild in actiee, abe. "a ~
Ate to all. In later life his dclig
with the young. and, cuts de :, short
CHURCH asso oeiAtions, he was new, ain. 3,
pleased than wnrn surrounde ia prLr<
group Of boys l6 or II year or. cat,S
| them be had the heart est sy, w.,e RI
al their exploits he was au tun ~ lis.
tener, in their games and "a he
,o0k great p1ss.ssssss .ss un.
coDsc ou'ly moulded their Ives by his
gentle v ;,Js aaa sate..,ori.ory wsris
In the last days vi his lie brother Sim
mons became unconscious OF surrounding
events. lie did not recognize his friends
nor understand their words. SO we