The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-01-24
TRIBUTE TO HON.H. 2. CRlS-
MOND
Rev. Or. DiIi's Beautiful Address
Delivered at the Funeral.


'Rauary 10Th, 1903. by Rev. Dr !. 5 /
-. rhe pastor:
l's 3y:3-' My heart was hot within
M; while was musing the fire burned
then spake | with my tongue.
If you choose 80 to style il these words
may torn our text The 3gth Psalm con.
stitutes one of the most beautiful of the
sublime elegies of the Holy Writ upon life /
and death. Tie heart OF the sufferer j. |
rushed tO earth by an affection which
Staggers the sublimest faith The Ian
guage of the Palm is the sorrow iul com
plant of a heart not yet subdue 10 per
iect resignation. Stunned by sudden
sorrOw. the Psalmist il in iust that posi-
ton into which everyone is cast " hen the
.enUervs0 ties vt lite are severed aud VIII
lching heart we look intonu open grave.
Yet ia this pious singer there is a godly
Jealousy lest even n passing shade oi
doubt should dishOnor that God who
eth all things well. and he longs for q
N ght from heaven TO shine upon I he dark
med path. The sweet singer OF Israel
1ad long I.ent up the intense emotions
that struggled for expression Al Il To- tht
burning thoughts and feelings ne could
FOR time give no utterau .. u wa
iumb with silence. held my pear,
ven for good aud my sorrow was stir
lrrss bis emotion he talks aud ppurs out
his bur den to God. My heart was hot
within mt: while was musIug the hr,.
Durned-ihen spake | with my tongue
N he talks with God he is first over
vhelmed with the iraity of human life
Lord mai g me To know mine end aud
the measure of my days. what il il, that
| may know how frGil / am But from
The frailty of life hesoOn turns to the sub
lime hope in an unchancing God. What
wait for. my hopes is in thee" To this
hope he anchored against the rude storm
that had swept him desolate.
Today We are stunned by blow that
has fallen upon this church and cOmmun.
ity. We are ia the presence of IA great
sorrow. As we muse aud the hot fire OF
pent-up emotions burn in every heart il
seems fitting that it find some expression
and we speak with our tongue It l.
my sad privilege to stand in the order OF
this occasion and give some voice. faint
and inadequate though it be- to your
feelings and mine.
Horace T. Crismond was born June
18th. 1919, in Spotsylvania county. and
at the time of his death had passed HE
Odd milestone. Toe 3d day OF March W as
n great anniversary occasion with him
and contributed much to the shaping of
his life, for il marks three important
epochs of his early days. On the :ird day
OF March, 1868. he moved to Fredericks-
burg. and as clerk entered the business
house of J II bradley b Son On the
Bird day of March, 1873, 30 years ago.
he entered into partnership forming the
business firm of Willis X Crismond. On
the 3rd day of March, 1878, he was mar
ried TO Bette Coleman, the beloved wife
who has shared his joys and sorrows.
his struggles and successes.
Along with these dates of that early
period OF his life we must place another
IL came when he had passed his 2Ist
birthday and in the full fledged possession
Of a young mans majority. His life was
before him to make or mar. Then il was
that with that positiveness that was so
characteristic OF the man he gave his
heart and life to Jesus Christ, and on the
9th OF November, 1870, at the hands OF
the beloved pastor, DR.. L. s. Dunaway,
was baptized into the fellowship of the
fredericksburg Baptist church
believe that that event has domino.
ted his life more than aught else, for with
him TO be a Christian meant a deep
heart experience of spiritual religion that
must control every sphere and relation
ship oil life. Time and again he has said
to me: The great thing in life is spirit
ual religion" That his religion was the
guiding force OF all the multiform rela.
tions he sustained is well agreed by
those who knew him best in the different
spheres of life.
View him in his business relations
and he was the Christian mer-
chant. The most important and
characteristic virtue of Christianity
that belongs to the marts OF commerce is
integrity; just, fair and honorable deal
ing. Ii is true OF this man that he, by his
integrity in business dealing, gave the
lie to the saying that a man cannot be
successful in business and always honest.
View him in his relation to the State and
he was the Christian citizen Mr.. Girls
mond believed that man owed n duty
to the Commonwealth in which he lived
and some OF the best service of his life was
rendered for her welfare. His fellow cit
liens valued him in this relation and
twice made him their representative in
the Legislature and thrust upoE him the
still more honorable responsibility as a
member of the recent Constitutional Con
vention. At the time of his death he had
honorable place as an ad visor in those
things that pertain to the veal of our
Commonwealth of Virginia. In this re-
lation his supreme ideal was to render a
service Tor his people along those highest
lines that ought to characterize Chris
tian Commonwealth.
View him in the relation as a member
OF the church and you will find a man as
true and faithful to his duty as a needle
to the pole. The undercurrent OF his
spiritual life found expression in his de
votion to the interests Of bis church Ii
was not seen ia morbid sentimentalities
IN brooding over emotions Of piety. but
ia iabors and tolls and sacrifices. Very
early was his value appreciated by his
brethren. Tor on the 3lst OF August 1876
when only twenty seven years OF age
he was elected treasurer OF bis churcl
and one month later to the still hiphe,
office oi deacon. In these two important
Offices he succeeded Deacon G. W. Gar
nett OF blessed memory. Worthy success
sor to a most worthy and exempIar,
man. la addition to these two honor
able positions, be for over twenty year,
has been the teacher OF large Bible clas,