The Burke County news. [volume] (Morganton, N.C.) 1899-1901, 1899-07-21
over the Recent Death of Two Coco
Old Friends.
HE PAYS TRIBUTE TO THEM
Simon Peter Richardson and Henr, B. Plan
lie Speaks Of as the Best Of Ven. -1h.
Old Must Pass AWAY.

nave fallen asleep. They were not
my near and dear friends, but they
were friends to humanity and 1 an
human. knew them we'll and wa,
always pleased with their presence. 1,
Is q good sign when you are glad t
meet even an acquaintsnce-a good
sign for him and /: is a good one 70,
you when your acquaintance meet you
gladly. Simon Peter Richardson min.
istered hero several years and l was
always cheered with his presence and
learned something l did not know. He
was u walking educator. q man of wit
and wisdom and of great philanthropy.
Sometimes he cut to the quick, but hi.
knife was sharp and left no ragged
edges. / recall an incident hat illus.
trated his earnest readiness to reply to
a man who refused a little charity to q
very poor blind M who wished to
go to Atlanta to have DR.. Calhoun re.
move q cataract from her eye. Simon
Peter very earnestly related her con.
dition and her extreme poverty and
said, "Please give me half a dollar.
only half a dollar" The merchantre-
piled, mo, I can't do it. We
merchants are bled to death by these
country people and We have got to
stop. [ tell you, Uncle Simon, We
are bled to death, you must excuse
me-" Simon Peter looked at him as i!
he were amazed. After q brief silence
he said: "Bled are you. Let me show
you something. He took off his lon(
linen buster, then unbuttoned tht
wristband on his left arm, rolled VI
the sleeve and pointing to two Iittl'
scars near the elbow said: 81
long time ago q fool doctor tried t.
bleed me and made those scars. H,
missed the vein and got no blood. bu
the scars are there. / am afraid tina
is the experience O.; a good many PEG
pie who aek . little charity for tn
poor. They get no blood but leave
scar"
We who saw the point smiled audi
bly,. The merchants face reddene'
under the sarcasm. He suddenl
pulled ont the money drawer on,
handed a dollar to the old man, an
said: "uive this to her. I don't wan
any of your scars about me-"
The last year of his sojourn her
Uncle Simon took q vacation and viz
tied his old home on the Pee De
river, in South Carolina. When b
returned he told me exultingly of til
good time be had and about q won
derful revival that occurred j
his old home church-the grea,
est revival he said that b
had witnessed for many year,
"How many converts did you tax
into the church..?" said I. The FIR,
week." said he. I'VE never took in mar
one. bnt We turned seventeen out an
purged the church. After that th
Lord blessed az, and there is many
church in this part Of the country th'
needs the same medicine.
Uncle Simon left his impressio
upon the people in every communit
|. in which be lived. He was az homes
man, q strong man, q man Of convi'
lions. and was perfectly fearless j
maintaining them. Woe to the infd
or sceptic or agonistic who encounter
ed him. Woe to the man who d
clined to go TO church because |
didn't feel the need OF religion. \
doubt We have as good men now, b'
the preachers are rare in any demon
nation who are his equals in convin
ing and converting force. With Pa
he could say, Il have fought q got
fight. have kept the faith"
Mr.. Plants photograph IS befo
! me. What a broad, attractive, b
nan-like face There is nothing
awe or solemnity in his featur
that would intimidate the spproa