Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-04-01
IN laEMORIAM.
Charles Gregg.

] tlIS dItlCIt, W captain Inas ~
written at the request of my depart.
ed friend
Something over year ago, il
was agreed between us that when
he was no longer numbered with the
living, if | survived him, | should
outline, somewhat, his character
and convictions, as understand
them.
And so | sit down to day to full.
fill that promise, and to lay upon
his new-made grave this garland Of
aflectionate regard this tribute OF
sincere friendship to the nobility OF
his manhood
Many who gathered at. his funeral
to pay homage to his memory knew
him when, in the prime of mani God
and the full flush of health and
strength, he passed to and fro upon
our streets in pursuit of his daily
avocations. Others knew him only
after he had passed life's meridian,
aud was moving slowly down the
shadowy slope that leads to the hal.
lowed sunset of every human exist.
ence, But, whether we knew him
in the vigor of early life, full of
hope and ambition, or later, when
the unequal strife with disease and
adverse circumstances had set a
, sterner seal upon his features, and
changed the quick, firm tread of
health to the slower footsteps of the
respondent and suffering invalid,
all can testify to his genial manners.
his pleasing social qualities, and
his intellectual requirements. Per.
haps of all the friends of his later
years. outside of his little circle of
home loved ones, ! knew him best,
and priced him most, because of
knowing him so intimately Few,
indeed, have been the days and rare
the weeks that | have not heard his
friendly greeting, and passed some
hours in his compauionship
With the frankness born of such
association. he has told me of his
hopes aud fears, his joys and sor.
rows, and of his moral, political and
religious convictions. From such
acquaintance | have formed my
opinion of his moral worth and his
unseliish love of humanity.
No emmy of his, if such exist.
dare question his sterling integrity.
his tender sympathy for the unfor.
tunate, and his manly defense of the
weak ard oppressed. His heart
was always with the ignorant who
were struggling for light, and the
poor who were toiling bravcly but
When the rights of
these were assailed, his indigna.
tion fl 'med into a defense that was
both caustic and aggressive, and he
welded the weapons of intellectual
warfare with skill and vigor that
brought confusion to his ad-
versaries.
lie has been accused of irreligion,
but aver that his religion was as
tender as the touch of charity, ss
firm as the foundations of the earth,
md as broad as his comprehension
If the illimitable universe Hy.
oocracv may scof' at il, bigotry
nay defamc it, superstition may ca
vii at its rniversallstic tendencies.
yet it was not only rational and
but it Was iraternal and hu
True, he did not be-
ieve in a circumscribed personal
Deity, nor an incarnate devil; yet.
re recognized the manifestations of
hat power whose infinitude no hu.
nan intelligence nay measure. but
whose existance few indeed can
honestly pretend to doubt.
He desired a continued existence
,eyond the grave. with enlarged
capacities for good, realizing That
his meant more perfect happiness.
Believing, also, that that power
which had placed him here without
lis knowledge o. consent would pro.
tide what is best in the hereafter,
lie saw the great change approach
ng with a heroism born of the con-
,iction that TO BE will be M worse
han TO HAVE BEEN.
And now. within the narrow con-
ines of his last earthly habit alton.
,ushed in a mysterious silence, and
garlanded with the fragia ant tributes
If loving hands, rests the pulseless
orm of him who, but few days
lgo, W as familiar figure to us all.
Again the inscrutable mystery of ,
ife merging into the more solemn.
,ut no less inexplicable mystery Of
leath, has been repeated IN our
midst.