The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-15

And with their mild persistence urge
 mans search,
 To vaster issues.
 But his faith and hope did not stop there, for 1t extended to and embraced the love of Him who said. 'I am the res- Grrectlon and the fs ,n~,.ih1d and when he wsi ss knew, Whose music is the gladness of In his home, on these glad Christmas tionalist, with modest simplicity drawing out the reserved. directing and controlling the conversation with ex- quisite skill so to teach the ,e season anS full of wisdom; sparkling with just enough repartee, without the sting. and enlivened with jest without the, taint Good natured. full of pleasant humor. innocent jokes and tricks, he made every thing merry around him.
 But in his home nor at his table could ever be found the Christmas "egg-nog: no other than those things which would be approved by Him in whose honor the day was named found place there. A member of his family told me of his beautiful habit. so worthy of emulation, | that he never failed to Insist that each member of his household should be pres ent at prayer service on Christmas morn ing. It was his custom to hold family | prayer every morning, but this was special prayer. had on every Christmas morning, in which each member Of the | Christ's day. And in that household the day was what its name imparts. Coming to his last Christmas, after the long and fearful fight with death, he was | convalescent.
 At the home of his son. Hon. T. D. | Sanford, in Opelika, he was the first to rise on that beautiful morning with | heart so full of thanks to God for hav- ing spared his life. This last Christmas was not spent materially different from | previous ones. Even in his sickness he I f1aW4n kA without letting any one know. had written | off and ordered prevents for all his chill dren and grandchildren, and others who were dear to him; and did not forget to send the turkeys to the preachers. | And, with the nearing holidays that | home from which he has joined. can but experience new psng Of unspeakap1Ie pie | sadness, to think of never seeing him more nor having the light of his counte- nance and the warmth of his love shine with them again on Christmas day.
 writing of him, so concisely states his strong points of character in the fol- lowing language. that 1 adopt 1t here; thought and feeling and motive. his life stands out in bold relief-a grand, pure, good msn; great in mind and in heart serving his people under = the guiqSSnGe dSnSebt or logical learned, gifted. elo1uent; he was gentle. quiet, modest. generous, self sacrificing, loving. conslderate, ana no @ tor
  | viction If he was in error, but un- swerving and firm as a rock for. right and truth and justice. At home, in his office, in the courts. in public office, al-
 ways the same unassuming, gentle, con
 siderate man. whether dealing with the
 rich or poor the high or low
 | The language of MT. Ingalls, of Benja-
 min IT. Hill seemed as If written of Gov
 ernor Samfard:
 But in the maturity of his powers and
 his fame. with unmeasured opportuni- | achievement 9nnaTpntlX before him, with great designs unaccomplished, surrounded by the proud and affectionate solicitude of a great constituency, the torch beckoned him to depart. There are few scenes in history more tragic than hat protracted combat with death. No man had greater inducements to live. But 1 in the long struggle against the mex | orable advances of an insidlous and nor | tai malady. he did not falter nor repine. He retreated with the aspect of a vic tor and though he succumbed. he seemed | to conquer. His sun went down at noon, but 1t sank amid the prophetic splendors l of an eternal dawn
 As the majestic mountain peak rises | from the valley and towers above the range, so lowered the life of William J. Sanford. Based in the common plain of l human sorrows, human joys and human hopes, day bv day it came to lift itself | up to the shining heights of wisdom and universal love. for his heart was imbued 1 with undying affection for his fellow man | as catholic as humanity. High above the confusing strife for worldly prize, high above the delusive glitter of ambition. high above the misty atmosphere of doubt and dogma, the lofty reaches of | both his creed and his deeds. rested in the serene atmosphere and the clear | eternal sunshine of that Light which | lightens the world.
 If we would but take the life of such men for examples and strive to live up l to them. soon We would come to know | and feel the meaning of On earth peace | good will toward men"