Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-10-02
)NERAL OF zENO c. Ross.
pREssIyE SERVICES Ar THE
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
u cher disclosures of thN unseinsh
4nd Generous Character OF the De-
eensed-iIIs Interest in Religion
ma HOW IL WINS First Observed.

no greatest public int.rest was
1u6tifested In the passing away Of the
IA Zeno c. Ross by the great congre-
pn who assembled TO do homage to
dead yesterday evening, The
ID Baptist church was filled with
attentive audience who heard with
cntly deep feeling the impressive
>ices conducted by the pastor OF
|@44 congregation. Rev. j. Morgan
'{g4ils.
1--we vases Of flowers were on either
Hlde OF the pulpit and the coffin was
4overed with four beautiful wreaths
a. The cortege entered the. church at
{ended by the members OF the bar in
@body while the choir sang that hymn
who'll has so often brought hope to
~ hearts Of the afflicted:
Como. We disconsolate. where e'er ye
languish."
Then after the reading OF Scripture
lessons Of hope and promise and pray
err. and verses OF the hymn, How Firm
a Foundation the Saints of the Lord"
Doctor Wells opened his sermon with
the Scrlptural reflection, ''Whut man
~ lle that liveth and shall not see
deat1" passing TO a consideration of
tho <rwo-fold. subject of life and death.
<:<1{ men love to live" said he. and
|[Inuing, dwelt on the relation of
an human instinct to the divine pur-
r1tcs which. 1t helped to fulfil. He
e7iQ In charging upon this theme;
al men love TO live. This instinct
se91ps to me to have been divinely I'M
plarted in all men. 1t is universal
gift connected in some way with the
great purposes of God in his far-off
plans. We cannot now understand the
pafposes Of the divine wisdom, for We
see darlely, as through n glass, but by
ami. bye we shall see Him face to face
continuing, he dwelt on the intimate
relation of life and death as 1t appear
ed % the observation OF the natural
man
Then he passed to the Christian view
OF these things. quoting: Though 1
walk through the valley of the shadow
Of denth, yet shall thy rod and thy
stan comfort me-" etc. He related
how talented but disslpated man had
once quoted to him the words OF
Christ, 81 am the resurrection and the
life." as the most wonderful in the
human language, saying that they
could not have been spoken with the
promise which they conveyed by the
lipsfof mere man and conveyed IN
their infinite meaning the truth of the
fnthcr's divinity. Continuing, he
quoted from Job. who had said, In the
inidat of his Affections. Il am yours.
whether in life or in death" and from
Eful. who had declared Thanks be to
God, who giveth as the victoryrr and
from Sir Walter Scott, who in dying
HAD declared his peace on hearing the
prqmise of Scripture. Let not your
heart be troubled
pyelllns upon these scrlptural
tremes, he illustrated how human ma
tliresriews death as an enemy, but the
chfistian with the resignation OF
faith receives II as friend. when the
END comes men say "a. man is dead;'
as1gels say man is born declared the
speoker who then spoke particularly
1H *ne one who had passed away. He
c1Wmented ON his worthy and unself-
|6n character and his usefulness to the
,pns,nunlty and unostentB tlous charity.
Contnuing, he said that It had become
mh tier of particular observation
With him that the footsteps OF men
"erf often directed TO the cross in
ways that had not been thought Of.
lie related how he first met MIR. Ross,
70 whom he mad felt drawn by congen-
laiity OF spirit, and how he had first
discpfered in him n leaning towards
1t was in full consonance
wuhfthe general character of the man
that be had said one day to the min
latEIr after asking how he was getting
On With his church, the First Baptist,
linen IN process OF construction. when
~ithiyou."
.'I will never forget how he said
<fis continued Doctor Wells, FOR 1t
teemcd to me to denote an interest
- iai gion which might grow IN fu-
-urt.eome time afterwafd, about two
<t%r* ago, he met me one day and
3e,A Wen, IT'S almost time l was
leiping the church; 1 will talk with
Ia,x*l,e ABOUT 1t and see what we
.cey or two afterward he met the
ninieler and stated that he and his
WHSpad decided TO give u fixed sum
" ne church' RMS spring and sum
nfr pc seemed to be drawing nearer
a1u mad said TO a brother: 81 would
Join the church IL It were not for the
noior;ety," thus showing his DISPOSE
llon 70 shrink from publicly. He had
<a14 egain 70 friend: when YOU |
c9me4fo live fully as you ought to live |
you Will realize that no man can live
right without religion"
!. re had continued to show a strong
ulspqsi tion toward religion and a short |
nue ago came TO determination to |
Unite with the church. At the time
when sickness came upon him he was
'a.Wzsipng the return OF his wife and |
lt,t$ Inspected 10 join togetHtr.. A little |
cn1lu. Just years old, had come.
nd through her the parents had been |
<raWn nearer.
{, IN death the converted man had
{qn fnal proof OF his Christian faith.
nlinister said he had been think |
R.N the close of two lives which |
H||ttyery much alike. One was Sem |
fooie of Vermont, who in dying |
ecalled the Hines OF the hymn: