The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-22

better than he loves himself or he is
not worthy of it, AS this man exposed
himself to the drear and inclement ses-
SON. he was as ready to give his life for
his work as he had been on the field of
battle, amid the hail of bullets and the
cannon's fiery CLEAN. That faithfulness
rs n public officer is without doubt at
the bottom of the reason why you and
are here today"
AS A SOLDIER
Rcv. q. T. Adams, pastor of the Cen
tral Methodist church, was then present
Cd, and spoke Of General Toon's career
as a soldier.
ITO tell he said, "of all the sacri-
fees he made, and all the battles he went
through would he to recall the entire
history Of the noble Twentieth North
Carolina Regiment, initiated at Seven
Pines, sacrificed at Gettysburg and sur
rendered at Appcmattox. Whiio a stu
dent of Wake Forest College, he heard
the call Of his State, and rushed to enlist
as a private soldier"
Mr.. Adams then very fttingly gave a
brief recital OF General Toon's military
career from his enlistment as private
until his promotion for gallantry in the
field to .he rank of brigadier- general
through the successive stages of lieuten-
ant. captain and colonel, to the moment
of his final disabling wound received out
side of Peters sburg, Va. The speaker
read from the war records the reports
speaking of the conspicuous gallantry OF
the deceased on many occasions. and
General r. z. Lees letter to the Secre-
tary of War, especially commencing the
heroism OF the Twentieth North Carolina.
He told an anecdote of a soldier who had
broken his gun in charge. being told by
the General to get another and come on.
Later the soldier overlook him, "3till in
the lead"
He told Of one fight, in which General
Toon received three wounds before leav-
ing the field.
It was all told in beautiful way, and
was listened to with marked attention by
the large crowd.
HIS HOME LIFE.
Mr.. Hubhard then introduced Rev. Iiv-
ingstone Johnson. who told of the Home
Life Of General Toon. He said in part:
Great as hs was as a soldier, efficient
as he was as a public servant I am
yet certain that all who knew him will
say he shone most brilliantly in his home
There are two mistakes people, are
prone to make in regarding public men,
Some are won't TO Lift the veil ard gaza
into the sacred precincts of their homes,
while others make the mistake OF regard
ing them as mere machines of work"
Mr.. Johnson then referred TO the beau
tiful picture of the home life OF the pres-
Gent recently stricken down, so touch
ingly displayed in his last moments He
went on to say that he counted himself
fortunate in knowing something of Cen
eral Toons home life, and spoke OF the
beautiful home on the Lumber River. say
ing 1t was there he first learned to know
him. although he had been thrown with
him great deal before that
when stranger" said Mr. Johnson
Crossed the threshold OF that old-time
Southern home, and received the welcome
Of that oldtime Southern gentleman, he
did not feel that he was a stranger any
longer" 1t was not possible TO re-
main long at that homo without noticing
the consideration with which all the mem
bers OF the household were treated. One
thing Mr.. Johnson dwelt upon was the
tender and affectionate regard in which
knowing the facts would never dream he
vas not the real father.
He was not said Mr.. Johnson. 80
recluse IN the home, he felt that his fam
ily had some claims upon his time Those
of you who knew him best knew that hc
was& charming conversationalist. and
never did this gift appear 10 better ad~
vantage than in his own home He felt
that the best that was in him was to be
given TO his family"
Speaking of his religious life. Mr.. John
son said be was not puritanical. but was
a man who lived his religion every day,
end had happy faculty Of telling Of It
without making it in any way repnlsive.
His love for children, and his compan-
ionship with them were beautifully pic
turod.
AS A CHRISTIAN
Rev w d. Hubbard. General Toons
pastor, then spoke OF him as Christian,
saying in part:
General Thomas Fentress Toon was
Natures gentleman. first met him soon
after his election TO office. and I woll
remember with what warmth and sim
plicity ] was welcomed into his room.
frich 'ftE hiu JILeI ne Ddu pdSSeu tiIIbhSn
the !ira OF the pain OF his long illness.
God took hin, in the most useful and
active part OF his life. He rests from his
labors aud his works will follow after
hin" "
His tenderness, common sense rbi-
guilty. decisiyeness. and modesty were all
beautifully touched upon. The history Of
his Christian life was traced from the
time when 1t began az Wake Forest Col
lege, through the period of war. and then
the peace that followed, TO the Sunday
School work at Fair Bluff and other
places. 10 his election few weeks ago
as deacon OF the Tabernacle Baptist
church.
HE was first of all Christian. OF al
the order in which his life was cast,
his church was first The first ques
tior with him in every undertaking vas:
How does that touch my life as a Chris
tisn?
There is something in a Christian that
makes him more than a man, faith. love,
ond III a strong man like this. something
Of that which we call inlmutability.'
Throughout all his life, Mr.. Hubbard
said. General Toon had retained the SIM
pleity {. his bov's nature. His Chris
tian lirc shone out with the glory Of the