Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1898-06-02
DEATH OF e. B. CAKE.
He Was Formerly Pastor of the Christ
ian Church in This City and State
Sunday School Evangelist.

He Was Formerly Pastor of the Christ
ian Church in This City and State
Sunday School Evangelist.
In two. and -a-half column article
regarding the death and burial of
Erastus B. Cake, formerly OF this city,
the Decatur (Ill.) Morning Herald
says:
Erastus Buck Cake died at 1 O'Clock
Monday afternoon at his residence, ,51S
West North street. He had been Sc
riously Ill for the past week and for
the past few days his sickness was
recognized by his family as being of
the most serious character, and they
were looking for fatal termination
of his illness. The many friends of
Mr.. Cake, however, did not realize
that he was fatally i'll and consequent
ly were greatly shocked when the an
nouncement was made of his death
He has been in failing health for the
past two or three years, his malady
resulting from imperfect digestion.
During severe coughing spell on
Sunday he ruptured blood vessel and
from that moment he showed signs Of
rapid decline. Until within a short
time before his death, however, he
retained full possession of his mental
faculties and recognized and talked to
the different members of his family.
His mind retained all of its old-time
Vigor until unsciousnesss came, and
from that death. In the last few hours
of his illness he fully realized that
death was but step away but as long
as consciousness remained he was
bright and cherry, ,and conversed freely
with the members of his family. He
became unconscious short time be-
fore his death and the end came al
most imperceptibly.
Mr.. Cake was born near Salem, Co.
lumbia county, Ohio, January %,
1887, and was therefore in the 61st
year of his age.
In 1892 he was called to Decatur to be-
come the pastor of the Christian
church here and held that position for
little more than year. From Dsca-
tur he went to Maysville, KY, and re-
manned in that city for three years as
pastor of the Christian church. When
he retired from there it was against
the wishes of his congregation. The
vote taken on his resignation was
34s against accepting and six for.
While still pastor of the church In De-
catur Rev. Cake became what is COM
monty known as an advanced thinker.
His sermons were full of force and
power, but they did not always cling
to the old established lines and this
fact was not pleasing to portion Of
his congregation, although majority
recognized in him the most effective
pastor that the church had had for
many years. He attracted attention
to the church and to himself and his
sermons were certain to be listened to
by large congregations. He resigned
at MaysviIle, KY, for the reason he
was honest with himself. He had
reached point where he felt that 1t
was impossible for him to preach what
the members of the church wanted and
he was not hypocrite enough to re-
main in the pulpit as their leader
simply for the place or the salary.
There was 80 much in religion that
Rev. Cake felt to be false that he
could no longer fill pulpit in an Or.
thodox church and be true to himself.
After retiring from the Maysville
church he returned to Decatur and
has since made his home here. He
intended to devote himself to politi-
cal work and for time there was
talk of placing him at the head of an
independent church in this city but
the plan did not materialize. Above
everything Rev. Cake was independ-
ent. He reached conclusion by
study and reasoning and having sat
isfied himself that he occupied the
right premises nothing could shake
him from his belief unless 1t was
pointed out that he was in error. He
was ever ready to admit that he was
wrong If proved to him, but he never
abandoned a position once taken un-
less facts were produced to show him
his error. His conclusions were hon
estly reached and honestly held. A
man of his temperament of course was
bound to make himself unpopular
with the unthinking but those who
recognized the fact that he was simply
strivingfor the truth learned to admire
him and his vigorous way of defend
ing his position. He was a man of
generous impulses, ever ready to help
a man deserving of help but hating
shams and hypocrisy, especially when
found under the garb of religion.
There was no such thing as moral fear
in Rev. Cakes composition. Ifhe be-
lieved a thing and had satisfied him.
self that he was right in that belief he
would give utterance to the thought
no matter how unpopular the act
would make him or what the conse-
quence would be.
The Kansas City Star says: Less
than two months ago Samuel w. Bick-
ley, well-known lawyer of Mexico,
stood before the Court of Appeals in
Kansas City and read resolutions
adopted by the Mexico Bar Associa-
tion on the death of his friend, Judge
Macfarlane, Of the Supreme Court.
Last week the same bar passed reso-
lutions on Mr.. Bickley's death.
Elder G. O. Hill, of Montgomery
City, has been appointed Grand
Chaplain of the Missouri Grand
Lodge OF /. o. o. F.
N ID