The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-30
In Memoriam.
W eston r. Gales.

"A
the year, and while earnestly engaged
in the service of the Master, Weston
Raleigh Gales was called home from the
field of his labors to rest. And SO he
that had received five talents came and
brought ether five talents, saying, Lord.
thou deliveredst unto me five talents;
behold, ! have gained beside them five
talents more
His last labors were in Raleigh, where
he reached manhood. These services
were held i'll the Fayetteville Street Bap-
its church, with Bible studies in the
morning at ten o'clock in the Presby-
terian church.
While worn out, though bright and
cheerful STILL a deep cold settled upon
his lungs: and, at last he was forced
to cancel a remaining part of his en-
gagement, and seek recuperation in Mon
treat, where he lived with his wife and
daughter After an illness of two weeks
and five days, in which he was watched
over by his having wife and daughter,
and his devoted sister. Miss Attic f.
Gales, the light of this life faded for
him at the hour of 1880 p M, November
! 20th,, 1892, after the glorious colors of
sunset had departed behind the noun
tains that hold in their embrace the viii
lage which, through his untiring efforts,
had been builded for the love of Christ
and to the glory OF God.
Mr.. Gales was born in Raleigh, n. c.,
May 18th, 1855. His mother was Mary
A Gales, a woman whose life is one of
Christian devotion, and who now sur
wives, and his father. Seaton Gales, a
most gifted and charming man ard
orator. AT the age of sixteen years,
preferring a business training with his
uncle Joseph Gales, to a college course,
he entered his office in New York, and
there spent three years of his life. When
the Legislature of North Carolina
created a criminal court for Wake coun-
ty, he was elected clerk. 1t was at this
time that Mr.. Gales studied law. On the
25th of February, 1873, he was married
to Miss Anna Cowan Strong, daughter
of Hon. George " Strong, judge of the
Criminal Court. After the Criminal
Court had been abolished, Mr.. Gales left
North Carolina, and finally was engaged
as a solicitor in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the
Prudential Insurance Company of Hart
ford. Conn.,, but soon became the general
superintendent for that company for the
State Of Illinois, with headquarters at
Peoria Notwithstanding his great sue
cess with that company, and the prospect
for making money it afforded him, and
notwithstanding the urgent desires of
the company for him to remain in its
service there was a reward to which he
looked, and a service he ardently wished
to esnouse, from which nothing could
turn him. Prior to the year 1886, ard
Immediately preceding his employment
in Cincinnati, the Master, in the silent
watches of the night, appealed to him IN
a way he could neither mistake nor put
aside. Thenceforward his lonSings were
for religious work, and he was not
satisfied to have his love of Christ APP
near only in his temporal work. There
fore ne gave up all worldly prospects
and established mission on Water
street in Peoria, known as Bacon Memo
rial Mission. which, today, continues its
yr,at work in the slums of the city and
among its outcasts.
in the year 1892 Mr.. Gales returned
TO his native State to become assistant
state secretary of the Young Mems
Christian Association; but the work his
heart coveted he was not yet doing. lie
wished to preach the great realities OF
Christianity out upon the highways Oh
life-to reach sinners in their own abid-
ing Dlaces; and with him to wish was
to achieve. During the year 1893 he en-
tered upon the evangclistic field
One of the notices of Mr.. Gales, taken
from a Raleigh paper, is especially ap-
nropriate: HE honorably bears an hon
ored name in North Carolina. and is
personally one of the most popular men
reared in Raleigh. He preached with
rare clearness and sweetness and direct
ness. The gospel he proclaims is the
gospel of love-the love that makes the
world better and brighter"
Quoting from an account given OF his
work in Cape Charles: "Mr. Gales Is
man of solid piety, great zeaiousness,
and seems to be thoroughly consecrated
in his work His preaching is charac-
terized by earnestness, clear and forcible
delivery His style is lucid and plain,
and the simplest can understand him.
While working among the people OF
Western North Carolina, he noticed that
they seemed especially to be in need OF
sniritual help, and therefore they APP
neaIed strongly to him.
tn r~s hon tI1fN