Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-11-19
SENTIMENTS OF RESPECT TO HIS
MEMORY.

Loue as well as duty prompts the SER
vice of this afternoon. A mighty
power for good has been withdrawn
from our Sunday School in the death of
Bro. LAW, our Superintendent. With
sad but willing hearts we render this
tribute to his memory.
When but little boy in England he
gave his heart to God, and steadily
grew in grace rs the years flew by I'M
| til, arriving in Iewisburg Aug. 18th,
1854, he became at once one Of the most
efficient teachers in the Sunday School
Of the M. +. Church; not efficient so
much for learning as for the spiritual
turn he ditCdys gave to the lessons and
the impressions for good thus stamped
upon the cOnscienCes of his pupils.
Duty well performed in this humber
station soon led to higher and wider
sphere of usefulness. About the year
1870 into his hands was given the full
superintendent of this Identical Sun
day School. Think of 1t. Twenty-six
years our Superintendent Many of
us grew from childhood to middle age
under his spiritual guidance, and being
thus associated so long with this SANITY
man we learned to love him more and
more. Couldn't help it, We didn't
desire to help it. Such u life is con-
slant benediction. True, during his
administration all of his official actions
did not suit all of us at all times -
| This we mutually knew to be impossi-
BILE in the frailty of human nature -
He didn't expect it of us-we didn t
expect it of him. Yet we loved and
reVered him all the same. How much?
So strongly that not one Of us-teaCher
or pupil-heSitated for a moment to
perform his slightest request or under
take the most arduous duty. Gentle,
yet firm in an unilinching adherence to
principle, he kept his eye ever fixed Oh
the pole-star of his life-DUTY. And
this, with the outpour of the Holy
Spirit which always comes III response
to such an adherence to Christian in.
tegrity, rendered HIM mighty power
among us. Scores-can't we say hun
dreds ?-haye gone out from our School
into the world during all these twenty
six years with his simple yet fervent
appeals for holy life burned into their
memories and interwoyen with the very
more OF their thought. A word fifty
spoken, how good is 1T
In any and every feature of our
Schools work Brother Law was active.
Jealous, and yet very conSiderdte Was
a celebration or any gala.day sug-
| gested? The convenience and dhility
of the mothers at home (those hands
which filled the baskets on such festive
occasions) received quite as much or
more consideration than the children
who enlptied them at the picnic ground.
Thus IT was lie exercised such persua-
slVe power over the parents. If BRO.
Law said so and so it was "dH riahtn
with any of them. Wagons by the
dozen would be on hand at his nod to
carry the joyous throngs of children TO
any point in town or country. Such
things kept up an active interest in the
| school. But where the true value
the Christian character of the man
impressed one most deeply was at the
lngathering of souls for God from
among the Sunday School children
Here his holy zeal burned the brightest.
Truly his will be a starry crown-it
will sparkle with the souls of the peo-
pie OF Lewlsburg and vicinity.
A sad duty now confronts us. Bro.
aw FADED away from us on the morn
ing OF Oct. 18th, 1896. Some one else
is to lead us. Upon whom shall his
mantle fall? Upon whom can it fall
who is sufficient for these things ?'
So complete was the circle of Brother
Law graces-so yaried-that in cast
ing about for his successor we hesitate
long and seriously. The Bible teaches
that al IS acell, " yet it is difficult to
say and feel so in this instance. The
i sprays of evergreen which we, as a
School, threw into the grave Of our
aged Superintendent were tokens that
his memory and his life-work shall con-
tlnue to iiGe i'll our hearts. In his case
the tree has been shaken by the hand of
providence and a fully ripened spir-
ltual fruit has fallen safely into 1.-THE
garner of God"
We unanimously adopt and publish
the foregoing as the sentiments of our
School, and also request that copy of
the same be sent to the widow of our
| deceased brother.