The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-02
In A TOMB OF FLOWERS.
IMPRESSIVE oBsEQUIEs OF REV.
DR.. S. K. ARSON.

The Clergy ana People Pay the Last
Tribute of Respect to the Venerable
Dead-The Funeral Services at Trim
ity Church Attended by Great Con-
sourse-Rsv. DR.. Bowman's Eulogy
Upon the Dead Minister-Dr. DriDps'
Fribute-The Last Rites at the Grave.
The Floral Offerings.
The funeral of the late Rev. ]. S. K Ak
son took place yesterday afternoon at $50
o'clock from Trinity Methodist church.
Although rain was falling heavily for some
time before the hour for the funeral IL did
not have the effect of keeping away the
Of showing their respect ard esteem for the
distinguished dead.
Every seat in the body Of the church was
occupied, numbers stood between the pews
and entrances, and the galleries on both
sides were taxed to their utmost capacity.
The immense congregation was one which
could be measured neither oy creed or color.
Every religious denomination in the city
was represented. and there was quite a
number of colored people in the gallery.
In the sanctuary were Rev DR.. Dripps,
pastor of the Independent Presbyterian
church; Rev. e. E. bowman of Wesley
Monumental church, Rev. T. Fl. Blenus Of
the Christian church. Rev. A. Jones of the
Duffy Street Baptist church. Rev. ]. E. l.
Holmes of the First Baptist church, Rev.
DIR. L. C. Vass of the First Presbyterian
church. Rev. r. Q. Way of the Anderson
Street Presbyterian church, Rev. Robb
White of Christ church, Rev. W. S. Bow
man of the Evangelical Lutheran church,
Rev. A. J. FARRELL of Trinity church and
Rev. j. II. Mather of Marvin Mission.
The pulpitland chandeliers on each side
were heavily draped in mourning, and in
Vulnerable floral tributes were inside the
chancel rail.
THE FUNERAL SERVICES.
The funeral cortege reached the church
at the appointed hour, and as the handsome,
broadcloth draped casket with silver
mountings, and laden with rich foral offer
tngs, wen borne up the aisle by Gen. A r.
Lawton?Col. G. Fl. Olmstead, Joseph Clay,
w. L. Wakelee, d. R. Thomas, George ].
Mills, George G. Freeman and H. NJ. Stod-
dard, the choir. sang, Beyond the Smiling
and the Weeping"
At the conclusion of the hymn Rev. J. z.
l.. Holmes, pastor of the First Baptist
church, offered fervent prayer. This was
followed by the reading of the scriptures by
Rev. Mr.. FARRELL, pastor of Trinity. Dr.
Vass announced the hymn "Son Of Ny
Soul" which was sung by the choir.
Dr. Dripps announced that as a repre-
sentative of another denomination and a
warm personal friend Of DR.. Arson, DR..
Bowman Of the Lutheran church had been
requested to preach the funeral sermon.
DR.. Bowman's culogy was delivered in
deeply affecting manner and it sank deep
into the hearts of his hearers.
DR. BowMAN's EULoGY.
Tho HoiV GariRtt,ras ha1ovad do not T,d,I~o
extensively in the language Of eulogy In re-
gard TO some Of the grandest characters in
sacred history, it is simply said that they
'HUed"-to a certain age-and they died"
Perhaps the most emphatic and expressive
eulogium which inspiration affords Is written
OF Barnabas, the son of consolation OF whom 1t
Is said, He was good man and full of the Holy
Ghost and Of faith" In a somewhat extensive
acquaintance among ministers OF the Word, and
men Of God, in different ecclesiastical relations
from different schools of thought and differ
ent modes OF life and labor. think can say
without 1attery or exaggeration that DR. Arson,
came nearer filling the inspired judgment ap-
piled to Barnabas than any man ever saw.
This is the criticism of his brethren in the
ministry, Of every name and denomination who
have lsbored BY his side for the last forty
years! This is the judgment OF the mutitudes
who have been instructed, comforted and ed
ned oy his public ministrations. This is the
grateful voice that comes to us from the
abode OF sickness, sorrow, bereavement and
poverty. This is the sentiment that is
march and that is entvined with the bridal
wreath This is the confession which truth has
Wrung from the lips of men who fear not God
of the Holy Ghost and Of faith"
That which has always interested the student
OF DR.. AXson's character was its wonderful
symmetry. No one talent rising up or project
ing itself so as to obscure and hide another-no
abnormal brilliancy, clouded and neutralized by
some conspicuous defect as is SO often the ease
with men OF national or world wide reputation.
But every star in the constellation OF his vir-
tues had It's appropriate magnitude and radi-
ance
If there was one characteristic above another.
u was the one that in a minister of Jesus Christ
should dticups be above all others, which was
his humility and his SURPRISING modesty Nor
were these characteristics a maudIin or a sickly
sentiment with him, but his was a humility that
was begotten by the Holy Ghost and cultivated
and developed at the foot of the cross His
modesty was modesty that was sublime in It's
sincerity and unmistakable as to its heavenly
origin.
In illustration of this point recall a couver.
sation with one of my predecessors in this place
the Rev. DR.. Gilber-whe remarked: "How re-
treShing 1t is to see man possessed of a shining
Sttrlonte, ana 70 be utterly unconscious of it
himself. There is your neighbor, DR.. Arson of
savannah often lamented to me that he had
such poor faculty for extemporaneous speak
lug, whilst have always regarded him as the
most ready, fluent. correct and eloquent extern
poraneous speaker have ever heard"
The whole city OF Savannah, in common with
the Independent Presbyterian church, realizes
the fact that a great man has fallen in our spir-
ltual Israel to-day-that a great moral intel
iectual and religious light has gone out in our
midst. But let us not be unmindful of the
priceless heritage which he has left to his
church, and to this entire city. Such testi-
mony as DR.. Arson bore to the truth Of our
holy christianity, and such an illustration of it
as both his life and death afforded cannot fail
of its legitimate fruit.
How many hundreds, yea how many thou
sands in this city are benefited and viii DO
benefited here and hereafter as the result of
his having lived and ministered and died in our
midst.
If may be pardoned for intrudng one per-
sonal thought upon these solemnities, would
wish to say that the cordial welcome, the kind
Endorsement and the sanctified counsel OF this
venerable servant OF God have opened doors OF
usefulness here to me that otherwise might
have remained closed forever. 1t is q sense of
personal bereavement that leads me to ex
claim, my father, my father. the chariot of
Israel and the horsemen thereofr'
The calm and peaceful death of this eminent
minister of Jesus was but the logical scriptural
and legitimate result of the holy life he lived.
How truly Sater's description OF the grandeur
of christians death applies to him:
Death swallowed up in victory.
Earth presents not q spectacle Of equal
grandeur to that of christian who has
power to wrest the dart Of the king
of terrors from his hand on the very
confines OF the eternal world. His calm
but lofty tone is the language of the conqueror
though in the midst of inflrmity, death and
Judgment. 1t is like the last half hour before
sunset in the midst of natures grandest and
most majestic scanarv-vvhan fhera 10 uat =