The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-03-24
IN MEMORIAM.
A TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO COL. j. N. HECK.

y tOSNfHNO iHfoOtI " OVLs u ms IlLOhs
An Extract from the Remarks Of Rev.
DIR. Taylor at the Funeral Of the
Late Col. ]. M. Heck, Of
Raleigh, North
Carolina.
Below are few paragraphs from
the long and touching remarks made
at the funeral service of man who
was native of this county and who
has some warm friends in Morgan
town. 1t is just tribute to the
worth of the man. The address is so
beautiful that we greatly regret our
inability to produce it in full.
"How can one, within the limits
of few brief minutes, speak ade-
quately of such life and character
and OF such manifold usefulness as
that of our beloved brother; we can
not weave the whole garland which
we would lay upon his grave. In
these brief and simple services we
can call and offer only few modest
violets, but they will be fragrant
with tender affection.
| need not say in this presence
that man of great public spirit has
gone out from among US. More than
thirty years ago, he came stranger
to our State and your city. What
means it, now that be lies cold and
still in death, that concourse like
this should be gathered to do him
honor in his burial? What is it but
a public recognition of the largeness
of the man, of the extent of his use
fulness, and of the elevation of his
christian character? This largeness
manifested itself in many ways-in-
deed it found expression in all that
he did and said. In his christian
life it was prominently exhibited in
his tender love and sympathy for all
who loved the Lord Jesus Christ.
For nearly quarter of century
have / known Colonel Heck. / sup
pose that there are few men now liv-
ing who have been brought into
closer intimacy with him than my
self. Istand here this evening to
say, that | never heard him speak an
unkind word to any man: and that
/ have never heard him speak, save
in the spirit of love and charity, of
any who are trying to serve their
and his Lord.
He was many sided man. He
had abilities and capacities which
would have made him eminent in
any profession. His mind was en-
dowed with unusual power of analy-
sis, and he went instinctively to the
very heart of a problem. His talents
as an organizer and as leader were
very remarkable His love of and |
thirst for knowledge were very great
He not only kept himself informed |
in regard to all current movements
of thought but showed rare appre
citation of the standard works of En-
glish literature which he had gath
cred in his excellent private library.
A many sided man; loving humor,
loving children, loving flowers, low
ing nature. 0, how he loved nature.
Sometimes while riding with him l
have noticed the enthusiasm with
which he would speak of a sunset or
Il landscape, or point out the sym
metry of a tree
Thirty years ago he consecrated
his life to the service of Jesus Christ
And from that time he used for the
service of his Lord those great and
varied abilities to which | have made
merely passing and unworthy al
fusion. There are many here to day
who will remember how, all through
the years of his more active life, he
always spoke of Jesus Christ as
Master" "The Master" "Our Mas
ter" Hundreds of times have /
heard him thus acknowledge his 10y
atty to his Lord. When he entered
the Kingdom of Heaven. he said. like
Saul of Tarsus, Lord, what wouldst
thou have me to do?" And so long
as he was able to labor, he never
ceased to ask this question. Hence
it was, that his business capacity,
his organizing ability, his power to
influence and lead men, his keen fore
sight, his largeness of mental grasp
and the means which God gave him
all were cheeriully used by him.
as steward, in the service of Him
whom he called his Master.
My brethren, / am not speaking
to you of u perfect man. He had
his struggles and sore temptations;
like you and me he made his failures
he deplored his errors, he bewailed
his transgressions. But some OF us
who knew him well-who knew
somewhat of the inner as we'll as of
the outer life-could tell how,
through hard fightings and painful
wrestIings, his face was still set like
flint toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God. And
those who have known him could tell
how, as Affections and disappoint-
ments and bodily suffering cast their
shadows over his life, he came to de.
pend more and more upon Divine
grace for his assistance. In him
patience wrough. her perfect work
until we would see that in very
truth his path was the path of the
just, growing brighter and brighter
unto the perfect day.