The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-06-01
BALDY ASHBOURNE CAPEHART.
Synopsis of q Memorial Address by
Rev, James Battle Avirett.

fOllOWlHo IS > HopSio VI -AAo nAoA A-
address delivered in st. James church,
Kittrell, by the Rector Rev. James
Battle Avirett, April 3oth, 1899, on
the life and character of the late
Badly Ashbourne Capehart:
As predatory to the Memorial the
Reverend speaker adverted to the
long and strong friendship, running
through a period of nearly half
century, beginning at the Univer-
sity at Chapel Hill in 1852, which
warranted both the tenderness and
pureness with which he spoke.
Quoting from Goethe, the great
German Poet and Philosopher, as to
cultivating the beautiful in life,
enhancing the power OF higher living
in close continuity to high models
he argued that no aspect OF man was
more beautiful than that which bore
the impress of human friendship,
THAT mysterious solder of the soul
which rivets heart to heart and life
to life.'' He illustrated his argument
bv citations from the classics as in
the case of Damon and Pythias and
from the Bible as given us in the
thrillingly interesting history OF
David and Jonathan.
No century, no generation OF our
| race has been or can be without its
multiplied instances of both the need
for and power of human friendship
| and the conclusion reached in this
time OF augmentation is that in
| LOYALTY to the finer forms of friendship
man is constantly presenting the
| divine part of his nature, in that and
because of the fact that this noble
bearing of man as true steadfast
friend is but the reflection of the
great truth that God is Love.
Had our friend lived until the 4th
OF July next he would have been 66
wears old Born in tidewater, N. &.
before the war he was indeed link
of pure gold between the Ante Bellum
and the Post Bellum civilizations.
In the formation of his character, in
which the healthful form of conserva-
tism entered so largely, his was the
good fortune to present those traits
of high regard for law and order,
those peculiarly delicate impresses OF
high and well nigh knightly courtesy
toward woman, that fine type of man.
kind which only belongs to that con-
dition of human life when our fathers
took time on the old plantation to
do thoroughly whatever they ever un-
dertook. Men of his day were posi-
tive in their views upon all subjects
and though as the old German critic
remarked of Sir Philip Sidney, "His
friend would do no wrong-his enemy
would do no right" Mr.. Capehart's
character was such as to challange
the highest respect from all who knew
him well. For over 80 years Vestry.
man of St. James Parish, the greater
part of which he was Senior Warden
and for years he was the painstaking
faithful Lay reader. This large con
gregation attests its appreciation o.
Mr.. Capehart's fine qualities as 8
citizen, while the estimate in which
he was held by those who were his
tenants, both white and black, fol-
many, many years, shows clearly how
just and generous he was. His wa:
the fine product of the old plantation
life of which, alas! we have but toe
little left. which, in disappearing
from among us, leaves the South
much changed-much poorer than il
the better days of the Commonwealth
Railroads multiplied, commerce ener
gized, manufactures in nearly all oul
growing towns, may doubtless giv'
us in the end much of materia
wealth, but for the purest forms o
social life, in which Southern womer
rose to the very zenith of high dutie
and God-inspired privileges, when me,
were very manly in their devotion t.
that type of citizenship which CAV
special glory to North Carolina
thoughtful men, who have been in
structed by the philosophy of history
must prefer the old-fashioned, pa
triarchal plantation life, of which GU
friend, Mr.. Capehart, was SO happy
product.