The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-14
In ennorian
DIR. CHARLES WASHINGTON COLEMAN.


The citizens of Williamsburg. in mass
meeting assembled, desired TO out uLCh
record their estin tie Of the lie ana
character OF the late Or. G. W. CoienG u.
They realize that Elaborate ana st;de.y
resolutions are oft n perfunctory. Jhey
know that the ext .rnai forms q biiek
are but hollow and so emn mocKc rs Cf
woe-not so. viii the actions OF thls meet
ing prove. This is no ordinary occasion.
There rs nothing peTfunCtOry, nothing
newly formal in this gathering. In tLIs
public hail tonight, We are gathered,
many representations Of AL Glasses Oh
our peoipde. We have come together
voluntarily, with mournful pleasure, 70
90 honor TO the memory OF publc
benefactor and phIlanthropist. Ii Is goou
for us 20 be here. 1t IL a sweet cCm'crt
to US 10 mirgle our signs and Our t"ars,
as we recount the noble virtues OF the
beloved physician who has lett NJ.
Nothing so verihes community as a
sorrow which all alike feel, and vf.ch
all alike depore. This may be 10 US
sacrament OF grief Az we sit under the
shadow Of our calamity, as we think
OF the open grave on tnat sad Saobath
eve so lately passed. we realize very
wildly the brotherhood OF man aid the
fellowship of sorrow. Few men lived
such life as Or. Coleman lived. We
ourselves have seen, and our fathers
have told US, how, like his Divine Mas
ter, he went about doing good. Three
=
ness to his philanthropy his gentle
ness, his goodness, his purity of charac-
ter. His memory Will be r proud ira
dition among his people. We desire TO
hand down to our children and to our
children's children the story of his life.
On the walls Of that sacred building or
which he was long an honored watch
man, we desire 10 record his name In
imperishable bronze, so that untrue gen
erations Of our own people, and Of stran-
gers that may come to us to study our
past, may know that here reposes the
ashes Of a man whom n whole commupi-
ty honored, loved, and venerated AS
man, DR.. Coleman had few equals-gen-
tie, frank, pure. magnanimous. he hVed
n life that we may proudly emulate. As
"A citizen he was true ana loyal. 10
serve his native town was one of his
highest pleasures. His love for his
State was keen and ardent. His heart
CLEANED and his eye beamed al the men
ton Of her name. As virginia ,htle-
man. he had no snperiors. AS rhy'i-
clan, he gave his life to us and TO our
fathers before us, his very presence in
the sick-rOom was benedicuon. Pa
tent tender, sympathetic, he mlnlster-
ed lovingly 70 us in our times or SICK
ness and afIlctiou. His was no hreling
service. He was not the paid prac-
utoner but literally and truly, the below
ed physician.
In a yet higher relation than all these.
we gladly treasure his memory. Though
as physician, our deepest esteem. love
and Veneration were called forth by his
humble and unfalllng piety. As Chris
tian gentleman. he was conspicuous IN
our community. No cast, no ostentation
marred the symmetry Of his character.
He did not pray TO be seen Of men. lie
did not love salutatiOns In the ma .kets.
He scOrned Pharisaism and hypOcracy.
Modestly and humbly ne lived mis- Ire
among us. bringing sunshine and conso-
lation into our homes; totally uucon-
scious Of the halo that covered his head
as a crown. The sad news of Dr. Cole
mans death. though not unexpected
brought mourning TO this whole com
munity. 1t IS almost as II there we're one
dead in every house. Since the hfteenth
day OF September a cloud has hung
over this town and county. Yet we
would not wish him back. We you'd
have him to endure n moment longer
the bodily pain that tortured him IN his
last days. We do not understand the
mystery Of his sufferings. in the good
land where rest remaneth for sGch as
he, our dear friend and brother has
learned ere now. why a life so pure was
permitted to end in pain so tedious and
distressing.
In order, therefore to express, IN some
faint measure. our sense Of loss and be-
reavement, we, the citizens of Williams
burr do now adopt and set forth the fol-
lowing preamble and resolutions:
Wheras it t6 has f PLEASED ed o an b h%lsf
friend and fellow-citzen, DIR. Charles
w. Coleman, be ii resolved
That we will try to accept with resig-
nation, the mystery Of his sufferings, and
the deep loss which We individually and
collectively have sustained. That we
tender 10 his bereaved family our heart
felt sympathy in their afiliction.. That
we viii place upon the walls of Bur
ton parish church. where he so long
worshipped, a tablet to perpetuate his
name and his merits. That a copy Of
this paper be sent to the family of DR..
Coleman, and be given TO the Virginia
press for publication.
J. LESLIE HALL.
II. II. JONES,
T. r. WARREN,
w II ROBERTS,