Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-12-13
CONN UNICATED.
CHARLOTTEsvILLE, VA,
DEC. Is. 1899

Editor of the COURIER Several
weeks have passed since your valued
paper announced the death of its es-
teemed editor. To say that ! was
deeply impressed in contemplating
the sad event, but feebly expresses the
feeling then and since experienced.
do not now recall by whom it
was said that, under the editorial
management of Mr. Crown, the CoU-
RIER could be placed upon the table
of any lady or gentleman in the land.
Its columns were pure. | verify be
leve If there ever was man upon
whom the benediction has fallen.
blessed are the pure in heart" that
man was John .. Crown.
IL Is a pleasure to reflect that such
men have lived. And, pardon me. 1t
is higher pleasure to reflect that,
In the Great Beyond, thew are in
the great enjoyment of that felicity
whose perfection has never entered
the hearts of mortal men 70 conceive.
In his social relations, ina the do
nestle circle. as a neighbor. a citizen.
Il true man IN every sense. the heart
OF our laneuted friend knew no guile.
Perhaps there never was q citizen of
Clarke, either by nativity or adoption.
who enjoyed, ia u higher degree, the
confidence and esteem of those who
knew him. Truly "a good name Is
better than precious ointment and
rather to be chosen than great riches"
Ii was my pleasure, for many years.
to read the columns of the COURIER.
and while its deceased editor welded
a taclle pen, 1t was never used 10 en-
gender strife or bitterness. THE law
OF kindness was in his heart and
sentiments that softened rather than
irritated always found pre-eminence
IN the paper that be loved 90 we'll.
Farewell friend Of other DAYS.
Farewell ties that bound us TO the
happy past.
The gates that have shut him from
our view have opened TO him the
glories of eternity.
The walls of Jasper, the gates of
pearl, the streets of gold, are but
emblems of immortality Of bliss that
await the true, the faithful, the good.
W hen the lilies of the valley bloom
upon his grave, when the hand of af-
fectlon scatters immortelles over the
mound that covers the remains Of our
departed friend, they will but sug-
gest that the mortal has put on i'm
mortality" aud has entered that city
4 whose builder and maker is God.
How the pen Of our departed friend
recalled IN pOrtraitness of the True,
the Beautiful and the Good" His
religion was not of that caste that
made the soul somber, but scattered
ITS Joys 10 bless the world. His life
was benediction. His death a tri-
umph. 1t has seldom been our lot
TO be more touched by reading the
many and beautiful tributes paid %
this excellent man. Ia the highest
sense ne believed in the Brotherhood
Of God and the Brotherhood Of
man"
While many have written and
/ spoken Of the qualities that graced
his public and his private life, it is a
sac pleasure 10 recall, IN this humble
way, the virtues that ever seemed to
have sweet nativity in his heart
The pen that indicted so much for
the good of the county of his adop-
ton Is silent forever, but the inhu-
ence of his spirit still abides.
The poet has beautifully said:
1T can not be that this earth Is man ;
abiding place. 1t can not be that
our life Is cast up like bubble upon
the ocean Of eternity to float a mo-
ment' upon its surface and then sink
into nOthingneSs. Else why is it that
the aspirations that leap like angels
from the temple of our hearts are
forever wandering about unsatis6ed.
why Is it that the rainbow and the
! clouds come over us with IA beauty
that Is not of earth and then pass
away, leaving us TO muse upon their
/ faded lovellness
Nv by Is It that the stars that hold
/ their festival around the midnight
throne are placed so high above the
| grasp Of our limited faculties forever
knocking Us with their unapproacha-
Bile glory
And, finally, why is it that bright
forms of human beauty are presented
to our view and then taken away.
leaving thousand streams of atfec-
ton TO flow back, In Alpine torrents.
upon our hearts,
"Tnere is Il higher destiny than
that of earth.
There Is realm where the ram
bew never fades: where the stars are
spread ont before rs rs islands that
( Slumber on the ocean and where the
beings. that pass before us like shad-
Ows. shall stay IN our presence for
! ,ta,ff-