The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-09
In MemOriam==The Late
DR.. w. G.. Norman.
Editorial correspondence

day, like Niobe, "all tears. NO preacher
has lived here who gained the esteem
and affection of this people to so large
degree as the wise pastor of Trinity
Methodist church, Rev. William Capers
Norman, whose funeral was held from
Trinity, church this afternoon at O'Clock.
He had left Durham. closing up the
most successful year of his pastorate,
on Monday to attend Conference. He
had served three years with great
acceptability and his return was conf
here early Sunday morning was great
shock to his flock and to the whole city.
When the body reached here Sunday af-
ternoon it was met at the depot by the
whole community which felt itself be-
reaved. 1t was taken to Trinity church
where his friends gazed upon the placid
face, little changed by death. 1t was
afterwards removed to the parsonage and
placed in the library, where the casket
was the centre of the most beautiful AM
exquisite flowers in every shape and de-
sign ever seen in the city. The spacious
church was crowded with sorrowing men
and women. There were few dry eyes il
all the congregation. No one who saw
the sad scene could doubt that the
hearts OF this people were in the coffin
with their dead pastor. They had all
been blessed by his ministration. cheered
by his sunny presence, and helped by
his Cody counsel. There were no rich
and no poor about his bier. All were
poor and in need, and they felt that TIE
church bells would sound mournfully
gathered into the fold of the Better
Land. Old men, who had leaned upon his
strength; sturdy men who had felt that
he had with them a spirit of comrade-
ship; young men and boys, who loved to
be in his company-all these were touch
cd by the loss of one whom they needed
to guide them in right paths. The good
women, always the stay of the church.
could not restrain their tears as they re-
called his good deeds
After the impressive and solemn SER
vice of scripture, song, prayer and culogy
at the church, the long funeral procession
moved to the depot, where with un-
covered heads, the people stood while his
body was tenderly placed on the train
Today the burial will take place at Lex
ington, the native homo of his heart
broken wife and the county of his birth
William Capers Norman was son of
Rev. Alfred Norman. faithful circuit
rider of the old school. He was born in
June, 1S47, while his father was pastor
of Davidson circuit. His wife, who was
Miss Sallie Hargrove, to whom he was
married November 9th, 1877, and two
brothers and sisters survive him. His
brothers are Mr. n. B. Norman, of Rox-
boro, and Mr.. W. F. Norman, of Ken
lucky. His sisters are Mrs James H.
Womack and Mrs. John T. Stokes, of
Reidsville. All were present at the
funeral today, except the brother in
Kentucky.
From his early youth, like
Samuel, he was pure in heart
in, Ac c1na Go no rG
his call to the ministry, so did Capers
Norman, and when he had no longer any
doubt that God had honored him with a
call to preach the Word, he was not dis
obedient to it, but said: Speak Lord;
thy servant heareth.' A call to preach
was to him a call to prepare to preach.
He never entered the pulpit without thor
ough preparation. He did not ever dare
to stand in Gods house without a mes
sage. After preparation for college at
LenoX Castle, Caswell county, he en-
tered Trinity College in 1868, and grad
uated in 1872. Shortly thereafter he
joined the North Carolina Conference
and in the thirty years of his pastorate
preached in only six places. His first
appointment was Wentworth circuit
Rockingham county. He was there three
years, the only pastoratc he ever held
shorter time than four years-the full
limit of his church-except the pastorate
at Durham where he had served three
years when he was given his final ap-
pointment in the heavenly reward which
he had kept always in view from his
early youth. At the close of three years
on the Wentworth circuit he was assign
ed to Person Street (now CentraD church,
Raleigh, where he remained four years,
building up that mission point into
self-sustaining church. 1t was at the
close Of this pastorate, that the we'll
known Aunt Abby House Che friend of
Vance and all Confederate soldiers) who
had been converted under his ministry,
went in person to Wilson determined to