The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-09-13
FUNERAL o. 81 THoRsoN.
Friends Pay Tribute to the Memory OF
the Departed Trainman in the
Last Sad Rffss


The funeral Of the late Earl ThOrsOn
was held from the Methodist church
Tuesday morning at 1870. Nearly all
the business housesin town were closed
and the attendance was SO large that
not more than one-half Of the people
could gain admittance.
The Odd Fellows, Of whom the de-
ceased was a member, were in charge
Of the ceremonies and led the process
sion from the residence to the church
and acted as the escort Of honor. AS
| the casket was borne into the church
the organist played sJesus Lover Of
Ny Soul" The pulpit and rostrum
were decorated with wreaths Of flowers
and potted plants, and the coffin was
covered with beautiful floral offerings
from friends, officers and co-workers of
the departed. The train dispstchers'
sent pillow with initial ''I'' worked in
center; Brotherhood Of Railroad Train
men and Brotherhood Of Locomotive
Firemen wreaths with initials of their
organizations worked in the margins.
The Odd Fellows offering was a square
with three links and initials, "F. l. TT
Other friends sent floral offerings of
wreaths, an anchor, and other beauti-
full designs in flowers. The floral Of
ferings of the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Engineers and Order of Railway
Conductors failed to arrive owing to q
mistake in the ordering.
The choir sang as the opening piece
"Abide With Me-" and the scripture
lesson was selected from the fifteenth
chapter of first Corinthians, following
which the choir rendered Lead, Kind
ly Light" After the opening prayer
the choir sang Alice Carey's beautiful
hymn, Nearer Ny Home" arranged
with variations as a funeral anthem.
Rev. Stevens preached the funeral
sermon, taking as a text Psalm 8S:18,
Lover and friend thou hast put far
from me-" He said in part:
SIN the midst Of life's vicissitudes,
its Iabors, its pleasures, its triumphs,
its calamities, we are led to ask as did
the psalmist, What is man that thou
art mindful Of him?' "Man," said
Mr.. Stephens, sis the latest but noblest
creation Of God. He is a king and has
dominion over the works of God. Al
though physically formed out of the
dust of the earth he was, nevertheless
conditioned for Immortality. In men
tai, moral and spiritual nature he was
made in the divine image and therefore
destined for an immortal existence.
physical death may crush out the
life of the body, but the soul survives
the wreck of matter and in our last sad
extremity the Heavenly Father has
regard to the work Of his hands, Jesus
said to his disciples: "a sparrow shall
not fall on the ground without your
Heavenly Father; ye are Of more value
than many sparrows. Fear not
Man is compounded of matter and
spirit, soul and body. He is subject to
disease and death. He, too, must soon |
Ell. or later fall on the ground. But in
the purpose of God the soul shall en-
dure and at the last the whole being
shall be clothed upon with Immortality.
"What is life? Life in our present
state is brief and uncertain and before |
rs lies the inevitable event of death.
But beyond the tomb stretches an end |
less vista. Here We are subject to the
natural limitations of physical exist |
ence, but heaven reveals everlasting |
habitations and an eternal inheritance. |
Biologists inform Us that marine life |
of smallest form has built mountains. |
Here we build for eternity.
"What is death? Death is but the
cessation Of the life of the body, the
separation of the soul from its t. a.
ment Of flesh. We are not strangers 10 |
its presence and unweleome visits. In
general regard it is an enemy, q fell
destroyer, a monster. When this enc
my has wrought all its viii, and worked
all its ruin, our Heavenly Father comes
with gracious comfort and the promise |
Of eternal life. He gave life, and He
viii give life for evermore. Weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh |
in the morning. Heaven, in the divine
purpose, follows the gloom Of death.
"iLover and friend, thou has put far
from me- Bereavement is the common
lot Of al. Death snaps the ties Of
the home-home the most blessed
thing4n life. But God reveals heav-
enly home, where loved ones snail be
reunited and death shall never come.
The lovers and friends put far from rs
shall be brought back again Thy bro
ther, thy sister, thy husband, thy wife,
thy little ones, thy father, thy mother
shall live again"
In referring to the deceased he said
that the railroad men associated with
him spoke in his praise. He vas al