Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-11-26
IN MEMORY
OF DIR. SHAVER

The memorial service at St Paul's
NJ. T. church Sunday in memory OF
the late Rev. Joseph b. Shaver, d.
D., was attended by very large con
gregatiun. Rev. Harry Curtin Har-
man, the pastor, preached very efiec-
tive sermon founding his remarks up
on Ephesians, s: 81 He was broth
er beloved and faithful minister of
Jesus Christ -
Rev. Harman began by saying that
there Is no passage Of scripture be
tween the lids of the Bible which
more accurately expresses his estimate
of Dr. Shaver's character than the one
just announced He was both broth
er beloved to all men and a faithful
minister OF Jesus Christ DR.. Shaver
was 35 years an effective minister in
the Methodist Episcopal church. Dur
ing those years he served II different
churches as pastor the average term
of each pastOrate being 2la years.
When he began his ministry the time
limit was two years. Gradually the
limit increased to yeaIs and then 10
> years. the last general conference re
moving the time limit entirely. The
significant fact about DR.. Shayer's
ministry is that he remained with
each church he served the full limit.
his pastorate of Pine Street church,
Williamsport, coming under the un-
limited term He remained in that
church for six years and could have
remained longer had he himself so de
sired.
His ministerial character was the
mutual product of self acquired knowl-
edge, wide reading, a profound knowl-
edge OF men, great wealth of expert
encc and of divine grace. God only
makes preachers, calls them into the
ministry aud always hOnors their CON
scientious and unselfsh devotion to
duty
Dr. Shaver was prominently an
evangelistic preacher. The records of
St Pdul's church show that more peO-
pie were converted and joined the
church under DR.. Shuver's pastorate
of years than under any other pastor
with the exception of one. As pastot
Ia ,uag tI,, m, bn1it of rho 1ou, -
pletest ideal. To him the delicate and
sometimes difficult work of pastoral
visitation was easily and inspiriucly
performed. He was always a welcome
visitor in the homes of his people an I
left those homes better for his having
been there To him mans emotional
nature was aS sacredly divine as his
thought life. He was sympathetic,
gentle, always. In him gcntleness was
a source OF superb strength. He knew
that "A gentle man is always strong
man.
He was "A veteran soldier of the Civil
War, responding early IN the incep-
tion OF that war to his country ; call.
Among his comrades in the army b,
was held in growing esteem. He had
no sympathy for and but little patience
with any sentiment which lacked ap.
probation for the boys i'll blue. Pat
4 yiotism was constituent element
strongly developed in his Christian
character. He belonged to the 47tl
Pennsylvania Volunteers and with hi,
company endured the privations and
hsrdships involved in the natioua
struggle for liberty
He was an ardent Mason and among
the craft of that honorable institution
in this city he was greatly esteemed
and exceedingly popular. He wa,
one of the men who mingled freely
| with his brethren in the work OF the
lodge and in the social functions in.
cident thereto, who always maintain
ed IN the confidence of his brethren
the dignity of his Christian and min
isterial character.
His death was as peaceful anG
triumphant as his life had been usetu
and helpful. Let me die the death Of
the righteous man let my last end bg
like his. -