Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-02-04
DEATH OF JOHN PHELPS.

John Phelps WAS we'll known in our
pineries twenty years ago, and for
many years made his home in Wausau.
About fifteen years ago he, with his
family, moved to San J ose, California.
The sad news of his death has reached
Wausau He died on the Doth day of
January, aged 81 years and six months.
He has many old time friends here who
sincerely mourn his death. Dr. Mac
laren, of San Jose, paid deceased the
following glowing eulogy which is tax
en- from the San Jose Daily Mercury
Rev r. F. Maclaren, d. D., of this
city formerly paster of the Second
Presbyterian church, was very close
friend of John Phelps, the well known
and esteemed citizen of this city who
died last Monday morning at his resi-
dence at the corner of Sixth and Reed
streets Dr. Maclaren has not fully re-
covered from his recent illness, and was
unable to attend the funeral of his friend
which was held Wednesday. In order
to express his love and esteem for his
friend he has written the following in
euogy of the deceased:
ut was with great sorrow that | heard
of the departure of John Phelps, my
beloved friend, and that | realized that
| cannot meet him again until the day
dawns and the shadows flee away. 1
am not able to be present in person to-
day at his funeral but | send this mes
sage to bear testimony to the nobility of
character, and to the purity, charity
and kln6liness of his strong manly life.
"a, FThn
tire labor of his career was then over
and he had entered on the beautiful
evening of his life on earth
II have been through the region of
country, in the far North, where for
many years he was engaged in great
business enterprises, and | knew some
thing of its forests, its rivers and its
great lumber camps, aud we have had
many long and delightful talks togeth-
en- of the exciting and romantic events
his life
Il soon found that John Phelps was
one of the noblest of men. He was
rue-hearted and sincere, and without
trace OF hypocracy or deceit lie was
charitable 10 his fellow men, and his
hand was every ready to reach out with
warm grasp to help brother who
was in trouble. His home was refuge
for the poor, and the forsaken, and no
one was ever turned away hungry or
without a kind word of sympathy from
his door.
Il found also that Mr.. Phelps was a
Christian ofthe purest and most sincere
type, although he had never confessed
Christ in the manner usually prescribed
by the churches. His whole life was
constant confession of his faith; and |
i l. ~ ~ a
ed him-for God loves man who real
ly is a Christian rather than one who
merely processes to be one. He had
an exalted ideal of the Christian life,
and in his humility felt himself un-
worthy to bear the Christian name. |
talked with him in regard to his duty to
express and record his love for Christ
! in a manner that none could misunder-
Standard one bright morning, about
| three months ago, he gathered his
| family around him, his children and
| grandchildren, and confessed his faith
| In the Lord Jesus, his Savior, and /
| baptized him in name of the Holy Trim
| ~. This was not a death bed cE,nYer-
| sion.-it was an emphatic decla cation
/ which none could mistake of the faith
| he had cherished for many years. The
home life of Mr. Phelps was wonder
| fully happy and was full OF love aud
/ loyalty and true faith.
He lived with the wife of his youth
/ for more than sixty years and AL those
| wears was one long honeymoon. This
| wife is not altogether widowed to-day
/ for he is not far from her, and he knows
and loves her still, and they are sure to
meet again. And until then God, our
Heavenly Father, will in His great love,
] c,tt..ar, ssarnfo hqr
The example of John Phelps will
still live among rs. He has left a
blessed heritage to his family and to
/ iii who knew him aud loved MIN. And
every once. these can say, from the
depth OF lis heart, as we lay his body in
the grave today
/ .'Grecn be tie turf above thee,
Friesd 10 my better days,
None knew thee but to love thee
Or named thee but to praise
y r. MAcLAREN.
/ San Jose, Jan -, 1902.