The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-30
THE LATE Mr.. D. q. WORTH
Rsmarks Of Iredell Meares, Esq, ut The
Memorial Meeting Of b Chamber Of
Commerce ON Tuesday Afternoon

Remarks Of Iredell Meares, Esq, at the
Memorial Meeting Of the Chamber Of
ON Tuesday A~fternoen
Among those who made remarks at
the meeting OF the Chamber OF Com
merce on Tuesday afternoon, called to
take action about the death of Mr..
David G. Worth, vas Iredell Meares,
Esq. Mr.. Meares said:
/ would like to add to the tribute
being paid to he honored dead this
incident which has been recalled to me
while listening to the addresses de-
Iivered. l was in a town in South
Carolina more han a yea ago. A num-
Der OF gentlemen were engaged in a
business consultation n the name OF
the firm of Worth & Worth was men,
Toned One OF those gentlemen was
a prominent lawyer Of South Carolina.
He turned to me and remarked that he
did not know the members OF that firm
personally; that he had never seen a
membe of it, but he had been much
impressed for many years with the
fact that he had never known a man
who a ever dealt with this firm who
did not feel the most complete conf
dence in Ii, land, more than that, to have a
kindly regard for it's members. He had
known men who in business had been
obliged to surrender their property in
order to meet their obligations to the
firm, some of them his clients, and he
had been struck with how kindly the
firm dealt with them and how the men
themselves felt, even in their misfor-
tune, that they had not been unkindly
or ungenerously treated.
We know that the deceased was
largely instrumental in establishing the
policy of hat firm. 1t seems to me
that the keynote of his character lay
in his Willingness, his desire, in his
individual dealings not only to do exact
justice, but to do it kindly and gently.
And this morning When witnessing the
beautiful ceremonies at his church. l
recalled reading a recent book OF a
distinguished member Of his own re-
ligious body in which is analysed
1.-THE Mind of the Master" The writer
spoke Of the fact that Christ in His
work seemed to deal not with the
masses, but rather to influence the in
dividuals. He a never failed to
reach individuals. He did not sue
ceed with the masses. The book dWelt
then upon the profound necessity Of the
cultivation of in~dividualism, taking this
as the Masters method, and, in Develop
ing the Christian spirit Of the individ-
ual, he trusted the sweet spirit OF that
development to be transfused into the
masses. The success Of Mr.. Worth
was not the success of a brilliant hero.
1t was not the success of the statesman
who has dealt with great state ques-
lions. 1t was not the success OF the
publicist who has deal with the great
problems of finance and economics. lie
did not essay to influence the multi
f,11Qe no ayartQ6 if over the indlVl0-
ual in the conduct Of his daily life.
He was successful, as a merchant,
through honorable means, and accumu-
lated a large fortune, but his highest
success, apparently his highest aim in
life, was the development Of an emo
bling individual manhood.
He had integrity, but after all integ-
rity is a common attribute Of men; he
had charity, but charity aboundeth; he
had liberality, but We see that in many
men. He had walked upon a high plane
of moral law. Many men, not yet of
his type, do likewise. He was kind,
courteous, considerable, in social and
business life, and ssuIned willingly his
share of public undertakings. These
qualities, too, are possessed not infre-
quently by other men. Strong, resO-
Lutte, just, with a conservative temper
ament and high business capacity, he
Was not III lulS over
many others. But back of these quail
tiles of outward conduct and character,
there was an i~ndividualism in the man
which impressed every one coming in
contact with him with the spirit of a
high-minded n resolute Christian
force within. I can conceive OF a
character possessing integrity, honesty,
uprightness, doing equal and exact
justice in all things, as I can con
ceive a beautiful statue, symmetrical
in it's outlines and chiseled in aesthetic
mould, but presenting to us a feeling Of
GOODNESS. Something is wanting.
Cast upon the statue Of cold marble
the ray Of an afternoon sunset. 1t will
glow with the suffusion of golden light
and entrance the observer with it's
soft and radiant beauty.
The character of the deceased might
have possessed all the virtues Of
which we ave spoken. It would
not have been the character we
today revere. It would nave been the
cold statue of exact virtue. Something
would have been wanting. It is this
something that enveloped the charac-
ter of our dead and loved friend and
relieved it from the colo austeritv of
exact virtues. II it were not that these
virtues were enveloped and sufused
with the glow of a Christian spirit,
Which speaking from within radiated
from his presence, contact and inter-
course, a golden suffusion OF interest,
kindness and sympathy for his fellow
man, We would have admired and re-
spected rather than owed and revered
his life-his influence among us.
It Is not h admiration that the
public pays to a great man who has
occupied great positions and rendered
great public services with which this
community today has paid its respect
to his memory. It is a sentiment e
er and enderer than admiration. It is
the appreciation lovingly paid to one
whose universal kindness has been ex-
perienced and recognized in this COM
munity owe a. long period of years.
And it seems me, sir, that there is
something peculiarly beautiful in the
manner in which his las closing years
have passed and with which the an
nouncement Of his death has been re-
ceived.
There has been no fulsome praiSe of