The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-15

Rlad to commend It to youHs HoA o0 an example for their emulation.
 ELOQUENT EULoaY
 OF REV. J. F. PURsER. Rev. John F. Purser. pastor of the Baptist Church of Opelika, was the last speaker. He paid splendid trlo- ute to the dead chieftain.
 Mir. Purser spoke as follows, oeep emotion in his voice:
 "A mighty man in Israel has fallen. A statesman full of years and honors has finished the volume of his life-a volume on whose well filled pages there is no blot, where rests no stain: A gallant soldier of the Lost Cause. than whom no worther ever wore the cross of bronze. has attended ms last reunion of the boys who wore me grey and will rest henceforth in the bivouac of the dead. He sleeps with those whose history was made gIori- ous by names not born to die. cit- izen honored and beloved now holds his citizenship in Heaven. huspand who, as the strong support and tender lover even unto death of her who Tn girlhood had trusted to him her all has gone where each must tread the valley of the shadow alone. The home once the abode of joy and gladness, filled with laughter and song. where the honered father surrounded by his lov- ing and dutiful children dispensed a hospitality as free and boundless as the air, is shrouded in sadness and gloom. The press, the thronging peo- pie, and the sable trappings of woe tell that Alabama mourns her Gov ernor. The outpouring of soldier boys and the sad roll beat of muffled drums echo the sorrow for the soldier or duty forever.
 This crowded house, these sad faced men and weeping women eloquently portray opeiika's irreparable loss. This unusual gathering of relatives and family tell of broken ties and lonely hearthstone. would be untrue to myself and do violence to my deepest affections if l did not speak word in loving memory of my friend. Many years have l known and loved him, and my life has been brighter. my as- pirations higher. my horizon broader by reason of this association. have sat beside hisn at the festal board. l have walked with him through onr busy streets, have bowed with him in the house of prayer and wept beside him at the open grave. In all he has ever bnSAA NAC oAhAC ShhNt Ne..NreNb the conscientious, consecrated Chris tian gentleman.
 Victor. Hugo says somewhere that he was & part of every man he had ever known. and so potential Is the fn- huence of one man upon another that this may truly be said of us all How differently, however. are we affected by the good and the bad. The influence of the one withers, blights, blasts. The influence of the other consoles, bright ems, blesses. am profoundly grateful for that part of his life that went into mine. The best gift of God to com munity or a nationSis an upright man. Especially is this true if he Is to be magistrate. statesman. ruler. Such was our dead friend. He sought not his own but the public veal. He never abandoned principle, truth and justice to administer public affairs in the in- terest of the partisan. There were times in his most eventful life that tried mems souls. Dark hours there were, but he never wavered. He ap- preciated, as all great souls do. the honors, Kindness and considerations of his fellow men, But he never saw the moment when he would buy popularity or position by yielding one hairs breadth of his convictions of duty. He was possessed of a courageous soul, and unquestioned fidelity in all the walks of life. The word duty had a deep significance for him. During his last sickness time and again he said to his family, I must do my duty Two days before his death he sent his kinsman to Auburn to meet an en- engagement and deliver an address. The day he breathed his last he urged his son to go to the capital for fear the peoples interest would suffer and was not content until he knew he was gone. If he erred it was by the excess of bravery in his devo- tion to duty. He loved the people who had honored and trusted him, ah, so well.
 Not long before the end came, he was heard to pray: "Oh, Father, if 1t be thy will spare me to my people" He Identified his life with the noblest tn- terest of the State. With his failing health and wasting str ength he toiled to the end to associate the people be- loved with the best interest of man. wind. Dauntless in war, the battle done he became an advocate of peace and good will to all men. He inspired his people with a sense of Justice and was the last man that any corrupt
 
 our frieHASIp social, commercial and political Hife.s But Governor Sanford was a Cffristian--a Christ man. The last time I heard him in public he spoke of Christ, the model teacher. With clear. historical knowledge, won- derful imagination and marvellous skill he presented the methods of that Teacher whose simple words have rev olutionized the thoughts of men and changed the worlds civilization. Those who heard him were again in old Gal flee walking with Christ and his disci- pies beside the sacred sea. He saGv the thronging multitudes and heard again the sweet invitation, Come unto me, I had heard him in great political cam paignR, when the passions of men ran riot I had heard him before his Goun- trymen in the courts of the land, plead ing for his clients life and liberty whose cause he had made his own, but listening that night as he spoke of the theme in hand. I said in my heart samford's greatest greatness Is man fest only when he speaks of his Lord
 Today he has gone from us. No more will we see his familiar form upon our streets or in our public places. Nc more will we hear his voice calling us to perfect manhood, but our loss Is his gain. He has gone from us to enter upon the rewards of the true. the faith ful and the good
 "Out of a land of eommotion,
 Tempest tossed oft as the ocean,
 Dark with the wrecks d-ifting ore
 Into a land calm and quiet.
 Never a storm cometh might 1t, Never a wreck on It's shore.