Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1894-09-20
JOSEPH r. FIROR.

"In the Midst of Life, we are In Death"
was truly verified on Thursday afternoon,
September 6, 1894, 10 the death of our
este emed friend and benefaCtor, Mr.. Joseph
FirOr, aged 81 years, 8 months, and 10 days,
at his home 10 Thurmont, FRI de rick county,
Maryland. He was born near Mechanics
town (Thurmon) and connected himself at
an early age with Apples church, afterward
removing his membership to Trinity church,
Thurmont He was constant attendant,
and worked ardently for the advancement Of
the church's doctrine, gave literally and
labored assiduously in the erection Of the
church, and died. as he had lived, beloved
and honored by all. Two years ago last
August, while at work on his farm, his horse
turned suddenly and threw him from the
later, his horse kicked him violently in the
back, leaving the imprint of his shoe, and
the two accidents combined, no doubt, hast.
encd his death; but he was not afraid to
receive the summons, for during his life, lie
had observed that there was not 80 misrepre
sented and abused a parsonage as death, for
some have called death the king of terrors,"
when he might, with less propriety, have
been termed the "terror Of kipgs.' Pane.
gyrics may be bestowed, phllanthrophy por.
trayed, and consolation extended, but all
these will not restore the indulging father,
and devoted husband to the bcrcaycd wife
and dsconsolate children, who are left to
mourn his lrreparable loss, for the heart of q
christian man is little heaven commencing
on earth, where the Omniscient Being set
enthroned, with unrivaled inufluence, every
safety from danger, resource from sterility,
and subjugated passion, IKE the wind aud
storm, fulfilling His word. The poet has lent
his fictions the painter his colors, the orator
his erudition, to portray death rs the grand
destroyer, the enemy the prince Of phantoms,
and Of shades Of darkness. But can he be
called a destroyer, who, for aperishablc state
gives us that which is eternal? Can he he
termed the enemy, who is the best FREUD
only Of the best. who never deserts them at
their utmost need, and whose friendship
proves the most valuable to those who live
the longest? Can he be termed the prince OF
phautoms, aud Of shades of darkness, who
destroys that which is transient and tempor-
aly, to establish that which alone is real and
fixed, And what are the mournful e'cutch.
cons, the sable trophies, and the melancholy
insignia with which we surround him, the
sepu,chral gloom, the moulder,ng form, and
the rapacious wormss These are the idle
fears Of the living, but not Of the dead. The
dark domain of death we all dread TO enter,
but VI should rather dread the ruggedness of
of some Of the roads that leads to it; but il
they are rugged, they are short, and 1t is
only those that are wearisome and long.
Perhaps he summons US too soon from the
feast Of life, be it so: If the exchange be not
for the better, it is not his fault, but our own;
or he summons US late; the call is reprieve,
rather than q sentence. Life is the jailer OF
the soul in this gloomy prison, and its only
deliverer is death what we call life. is n
Journey to death, and what We call death, is
passport to life. True wisdom thanks death
for what he takes, and still more for what he
brings. Let US then, like our friend and
bencfactor,b be ready because we are certa
and calm, because we are prepared. There
is nothing formidable about death but the
consequences of it, and these we, ourselves,
can regulate and control. Though the kind
and loving voice of the Christian father is nc
longer heard, and the vacant chair invites tho
chrystal tears, there is the consoling assurance
that the Omnipresent Father of hosts will
comfort and sustain those that are left, and
eventually unite them in that Heayen Vi
Rest where sorrow and parting is unknown
On Saturday, September Sth, his remains
were taken TO the church he loved SO well IN
life trinity where the funeral rites were
solemnized, after which he was taken to the
cemetery followed by a large concourse o.
relatives and friends. j. l.. X.