The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-05-27

!, | pOitutS. anu Tue pay emtus we're hi
! ed with large and sympatheti,
company Of sorrowing friends anC
+ neighbors. The members of the Bal
attended in body The Church
the Ladies Aid Society and th,
Temperance Society were largely
! represented. The body of the de
ceased rested in the parlor, the face
natural, calm and peaceful. The
entire side of the room was banked
with magnificent floral offerings
These beautiful symbols from many
organizations and friends gave some
idea of the loving regard in which
the deceased was he'd in this com.
munity in which she mad spent hel
entire life, life devoted to the ser.
vice of others. The service was con
Quoted by the Rev. NJ. F. Compton
| ID. d her pastor. The choir sang
softly the old hymns so full of com
fort and faith, Nearer my God to
Thee and ASLEEP IN Jesus" Al
the grave they sang abide with
me-" The scripture lessons were
from the ninetieth Psalm and first
Corinthians, Is chapter. DIR. Comp
ton announced as bis text "But
would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which
are asleep: that ye sorrow not, even
as others, which have no hope, y
l Thes. Alb. He SAID in part:
The great Apostle, Paul, has
committed to him the duty of pro
claiming the Gospel, good tidings,
to the heather world, world lost in
sin and filled with despair in the
presence of death. Vast multitudes
accepted the Gospel, and emerged
from the shadow of death, and walk
ed as in a new world in which fear
had given place to confidence, de
spair to hope, and uncertainty to
faith Paul by letter would confirm
their new faith and so in my text he
speaks of the Christian dead.
Concerning our departed God
would not have us ignorant. Instead
of the darkness and despair OF
heathenism, He would have us
know, that death leads to endless
life. So in His word He tells us
how Enoch was translated that he
would not see death; how Abraham
the great Pilgrim Father of Faith
dwet in tents, but sought a City
whose builder and maker is God;
how Moses make choice, suffered
reproach, lived, toiled and sacrl-
feed, having respect unto the RECON-
pense of the reward Many cases
and promises were cited from Gods
word to show we are not left in
ignorance concerning the future life.
Our dead have not been destroy
ed They sleep but continue to
exist. Sleep is not death nor de-
struction; il is rest. They rest from
their labors.
"The Christians sorrow over his
dead is full of hope. We must sor-
row when our loved ones fall from
our side. The Lord wept over the
grave of Lazarus, and Christians
weep over their loss, but it is a sor-
row chastened by faith and cheered
by hope.
"Our deceased sister passed from
suffering and toll to rest and reward
on Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock
May 23rd. While Mrs. Sturgiss had
been in delicate health for the past
two years, and quite i'll for sometime
past, she rallied and seemed much
improved, so that her husband and
relatives were quite hopeful. Her
sudden death was a great shock
On Tuesday she felt much better;
on Wednesday she had lattended
cheerfully to some business connect
ed with the Ladies Aid Society
Fund for the New Church; on
Thursday she showed signs of
further improvement and was able
to 60 down to her meals during the
day.
ION Friday morning she arose and
without help dressed herself and
prepared to accompany her husband
to the breakfast table when without
warning came the fatal stroke. She
fell to the floor Of her room and
never rcgained consciousness. At
two o'clock in the afternoon she
passed away. Her death was the
first break in family of nine chill
dren, all of whom except one reside
IN Morgantown: Mrs. Virginia Da-
Wis, Mrs. t. j. Meeks, Mrs. S. g.
Chadwick, Mrs. Hannah Guseman,
Mrs. j. II, Stewart, Geo. S. Vance
and Robert Vance all of Morgan
town, and j. e. Vance of Columbus,
Ohio.
Mrs. Sturgiss was the daughter of
Mr.. Addison Vance, and was born
in this city April, 14th, 1889.
"On September 22nd, 1863, she was
in marriage to George Goodman
Sturgiss; next September would
have occurred the fortieth ami
versary OF her wedding. During
tn csc forty years Mr.. and Mrs.
Sturgiss have lived in Morgantown
surrounded by relatives and devoted
friends. There are matters too sa-
cred for public speech but all are
unanimous in the declaration that
this was indeed a joining of hands,
and hearts and lives. In thought,
in plan, and purpose they were one
flesh. 1t was perfect union of
hearts and lives. Each unselfishly
and gladly living for the other, their
greatest joy not in being ministered
unto, but in being permitted to min
lister to each other Certainly the
atmosphere of our social life is made
sweeter and purer by such an ex-
ample of an unselfish and beautiful
home life.
Mrs. Sturgiss was life long men,
Der Of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Before she was fifteen years Of age she
had organized Sunday school and
taught the children. This Christian
activity continued all her life. Her
life was given in unselfish service to
Others. She was ever thinking OF,
and trying to help others. Old and
young were m ade to feel that she was
their friend. Her life was fnll of
kindly deeds and gentle acts of chart
ty. She was the friend of temperance
work, taking special interest in the
young. She rallied otkers to the sup
port of the cause, and so cheered the
hearts of the workers.
During the last year her special at
tenton was given as Treasurer of the
Ladies Aid Society to the accumula-
tion of a fund for the New church.
She was able to SO place the funds
that came into her hands that there
was constant increase. One of the