The record-union., 1898-06-16
THE LATE JOHN 7. GRIFFITTS
A TRIBUTE TO HIS WORTH BY
REV. j. b. SILCOX.
Fitting Remarks by the Pastor at
the Funeral Of the
Deceased.

hOnOrS that can be paid to the dead We're
bestowed in manner attesting the
esteem in which he was held in this
community. Besides the large number
of friends present, the members of Sac
ramento Lodge, No. 40, F. and A. NJ.
of the Order of Eastern Star and the
United Workmen attended as organ
izations. The Masonic Quartet-E. a.
Williams B. Wilson, E. Gerrish and
E. F. Ashworth-rendered appropriate
hymns. There were many beautiful
| flower pieces testifying to the love of
old friends, the most elaborate being
that sent by the recent associates and
| ow-employes of the deceased. The
pail hearers were f. c. Atkinson, H.
D. Nash, S. S. Holl, James Popert, A.
b. Chappie and A. Norman. At the
cemetery the Masonic burial service
was conducted.
The services at the home were con-
Quoted by Rev. j. B. Silcox, pastor of
| the Congregational Church, who, after
reading appropriate selections of
Scripture, spoke at some length on the
life and character of the deceased.
Though bereavement by death is COM
mon, he said, yet it is always a new
experience to every heart that feels it.
We are called together again to eX-
press our sympathy with those who
mourn and to pay our tribute of at
fectiOn and esteem to our brother
whom God has called to rest and re-
ward above. Blessed are the dead who
die in the Lord. They rest from their
labors, but their works do follow them.
We do not mourn as those who have
no hope. Death cannot touch char
acter. 1t canot touch love. Love lives
on. and those who have left us are
still ours and we shall meet them
again in that larger, fuller life beyond
the grave. Jesus has assured us of a
Fathers house of many mansions.
Through the gates of death by the grace
of Christ we enter that better life and
home above.
The pastor spoke of the life and char
acter of the deceased. He came to this
city from the East in the early days
of the States life. In all the positions
he had filed. he won the esteem of his
fellow citizens. In manifold ways he
contributed to the betterment of the
social life of the community. He was
forward in temperance work. He did
| much to foster the musical life of the
city. AS President of the Board of
Education, he helped advance the in
tellectual growth of the community.
He was not only an upright. honest
man. but he possessed those finer quail
ties of character that made the truly
Christian gentleman. He was kindly
courteous polite amiable and chival-
rous He brought the sunshine OF a
loving heart into his home and into
social life. He was reared in the
Quaker faith-a. faith that seizes on
J In fro1 }to1 INr, I;<rin
and which blossoms into beautiful
character and consistent conduct. Per-
haps the best summing up of religion
we have is that given by one of the
prophets: What doth the Lord require
of thee but to do justly, love mercy
| and walk humbly with thy God"
Justice mercy, reverence, We're quail
ties that entered into and made beau
tiful the character and life Of our
| brother
l asked a gentleman in my study
this morning who had known our
| brother for many years to give in q
few words his testimony to the life that
has just closed He sat down to my
desk and wrote these words:
Il have known the departed brother
! intimately for twenty-five years AS
citizen, neighbor and friend he has been
known and esteemed for sterling integ-
rity and intrinsic worth 1t has ever
been his province to cherish and pro-
mote peace and goodwill amongst
men. 1t has also been his privilege
tolisten to harmonies that many cannot
hear, and to witness beauties that few
eyes can see. He loved the beautiful
He loved music, and his soul was lifted
and borne away upon the wings of holy
song. He loved flowers. those bright
! beautiful letters with which God has
written His autograph upon the land
scapes of earth. He was always gener-
Gus and llind-hearted His sterling
coed cheer made men better / have
met him in every avenue of Ifo-in
prosperity and in adversity. I have
seen him surrounded by perplexities
which would try the patience of men
! ana 1t gives me great satisfaction to
pay this tribute to his memory: In all
those years, from the lips now forever
silent, L never heard one harsh or un-
kind word. He was always the same
elf-possessed, kind hearted, genial.
gentlemanly John Grifitts-and as
such l shall always hold him in the
kindest remembrance
Dear friends, to live a life that calls
ii
umph. It is worth a mans while to
bear disappointment and trial if amidst
it all he so carries himself that no
harsh word escapes his lips. We give
honor to the warrior who has captured
cities by the might of his sword But
we DO well to remember the truth
taught in the Bible that ''he that ruleth
his own spirit is greater than he that
taketh a city. This our brother did,
and to such are heavens highest honcrs
given. The real worth of a man is
not in what he knows or has done,
but rather in what he is in himself
and in his relations to others.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, Joy.
meekness, patience, gentleness. Such
was the character of our brother who
has gone from our midst. We can saw
of him what Whittier said of another:
Not his the golden pens or lips persua-
sion,
But a fine sense of right.
And truths drectness meeting each occa-
sion
Straight as a line of light.
His faith and works like streams that
ntermingle
In the same channel ran:
The crystal clearness of an eye kept sin
gle
Shamed all the frauds of men,
Men failed, betrayed him, but his zeal
seemed nourished
BY failure and by fall
Still large faith in humankind he cher
And in Gods love for ALL
h. IL