The age-herald., 1901-09-30
TENDER TRIBUTE
 TODR.F|TzS|MONS
Beautiful Memorial Services at
 St. Mary's Church
RICH FLORAL DECORATIONS
Eloquent EuIoeies by Rev. Mir. Adams, Richard F. Johnston and Major Charles WheeIock - ResoIu-
 tions from the Vestry.

The services at St. Mary High lands vest erday at Il o'clock, held in memory of the late rector, the Rev. pr. Owen P. Fitzsimons, were attended by a sympathetic congregation that complete ly filled the spacious edifice.
 Birmingham Lodge of Elks, John W. o'Neill, exalted ruler, and Cyrene Com mandery of Knights Templar, c. E. Me glemry, eminent commander, were pres ent with full ranks, Eulogies were de- livered by the Rev. I. O. Adams of Flu faula, Richard F. Johnston in behalf of the Elks. and Maj. Charles Wheelock in behalf of the Knights.
 The ladies of the church, with delft hands and loving hearts, had dressed the chancel with flowers. The altar cross was wreathed and large punches of flow CTS were placed between the cross and the candeabra. The chancel rail, the high backed chairs, the lecturn and the calendar tablet were garlanded with roses, and between the rail and altar were stands supporting befitting emblems wrought in carnations. A more elaborate or tasteful display of flowers was per- haps never seen in any church in this city. There was no black drapery.
 The liturgical part of the services con- sisted of morning prayer, with certain in- vacations especially suited to the solemn occasion, and music of the church corre- spending to the character of the offices.
 The Rev. MT. Adams, a devoted friend of Dr. Fitzsimons and a member of the Order of the Temple and of the Order of Elks, officiated, wearing over his sur plice a purple stole as an emblem of mourning. He was assisted by the Rev w. J. Page of Atlanta, g. personal friend of the late rector.
 The choir was under the direction of the organist, Henry Taylor Staats, and the music was exceptionally we'll rem dered. First there was an organ pre- lude-Batiste's Communion" This was followed by the professional hymn No 394, and then in proper order the choir sang the Venite in plain chant, Van Bos- kerck's Te Deum in copious chant, hymn No. 674, Nearer My God, to Thee" hymn No. 344, Peace. Perfect Peace," Bucks quartette setting of Lead, Kind- " Light, feCGSblOIld1 ny lili ANo. oao ehho Guilmants funeral march as a postlude. The solo quartette was supported by a selected chorus.
 After the officiating minister had re- cited the prayers he came forward to the front of the platform and read these resolutions which had been adopted by the vestry:
 The Vestry's Tribute. -
 'eWhereas, It has pleased Almighty God to take from us to His own glorious home the soul of our deceased brother, the Rev. O. P. Fitzsimons;
 And whereas, We, the vestry of St. Mary's church, desire to give expression to our love and admiration of him; there- fore, be it resolved,
 "First-That while we bow to the will of God, we are comforted in our sorrow by the knowledge of his pure heart, noble purposes and Christian life. as having won for him home with the God who made him, and with the Saviour whose footsteps he followed
 ''Second-That St. Mary's church has lost a rector whose splendid attainments of heart and mind were ever used to a better and truer life.
 "Third-That we do now bear testi- mony to our love and admiration of him as rector as friend and as a man.
 "Fourth-That we of St. Mary's church have lost a rector whose place in our hearts can never be filled; that the dio- cese of Alabama has lost one of its strongest preachers; that this city has lost a citizen who was ever ready to do his duty and who had the courage of his convictions; that the state has lost one who was ever found In the front of the fight for better government and whose wise counsel was ever appreciat ed
 "Fifth-That we deeply sympathize with each member of his family, and that the secretary be instructed to send a copy of these resolutions to his daughter and father, and that they be read before the congregation, and be recorded in the parish record"
 Rev. MT. Adams EuIogy.
 The minister then delivered sermon in the nature of a eulogy, taking two texts The first was from the third chap ter of Isaiah. Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away the mighty man and the prophet, the honorable man and the counselor, the artificer and the elo- quent orator." and the second was from First Peter, fifth chapter, sixth and seventh verses.
 He spoke impressively and with tender relations with the departed rector, he said, and no one in the congregation had the opportunity of knowing him better than he. A mighty man had been taken away. Dr. Fitzsimons was an honorable man sand he was an honored man and minister. He had been honored of God as His priest and phophet; he had been loved and honored by the parish, by the diocese, by the Masons and the Elks by the people of Birmingham and the Birm- ingham district. Dr. Fitzsimons he said, was a wise and fearless counselor, and he was a man of strong convictions and pure soul While he made no pretensions