The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-02-05
Tribute to rev. 7. j. Duncan and
Rev John n. Thompson.
tBy w. UsseryJ

AT no ones request or suggestion d
| pencil some memorial lines for pub
| lie print on the sudden and smultan
eous departure of these two men orabl'
ministers The former, / have known
for about 4 quarter OF century. anc
the latter followed me in the pastorats
about so years ago. 1 suppose there II
no one In our town that had better
acquaintance with them rs ministers
than / had. 1 had frequently been
associated with them IN their clerical
services, especially In funerals.
design referring to them nnder rather
combined view.
They were both men Of striking
peculiarities-and no man is much
J who has not some marked popularity.
And | shall ailude only TO those traits
which were common to both. While
they both differed much from most
: men, yet they possessed several traits
In common.
(al. They were beth earnest men.
This was stamped upon their very
joyed their wit and numor, they were
profoundly solemn and earnest at the
proper time.
far from 1t. They never considered
the consequences nor cared for the
results IF following their convictions.
When duty demanded of them to speak,
they spoke boldly, as they ought TO
speak, whether 10 made friends or toe.
TO-. They made no lofty aims at
eloquence. While they both had fair
orauorical ability one would almost
20 20 . Fnx nh
bur they seemed to put forth no effort
to this end. But on the other hand,
a. times, they almost made their hear
ers nervous with rather brash express
siOns, wnIle the subject matter was
always excellent.
(d). they generally possessed suffi-
Client patience with all men. From
their push and lmpulsiveness, one
would not have believed this. To
illustrate: When Bro. Thompson
preached here last summer. in speaK-
ing Of unbearable christians, who were
annoying to most of people. ne said,
Just wait until God gets through |
with them-bold till he finishes them, |
and You shall admire them. - Bro. |
Duncan also had wonderful patience
and forbearance-I never saw him out
of humor.
lei. Neither of them had any per-
home IN this life; nor did they
seem to desire one. l have heard Bro
Thompson say that he never expected
to have home, and did not thirk that
q preacher ought to have one. And
Bro. Duncan preambulated Middle
Tennessee for years ana years, and
"had no certain abiding place. How
often have they quoted, Here we
have no continuing city, but Geek one
10 come. But now they lnhabit Holy
Home with God. Home Sweet Home
tf) We take both these brethren also
10 be fine humannaturists. Bro. Dun
ian could enter household, cheer
,very heart, and amuse every cnlld,-l
always having something for the old or
The young, the rich or the poor. And
low practical he was In his profession.
have seen HIM enter the house of
handle the coffin Of a pau
,ei, he pail bearer and preacher-snd
present help in every way necessary
But with all this Bro. Duncan never
he'd tears. He was not so constituted.
have heard HIM say that he had no
apacIty or propensity to cry, but
would give so ard soft he could only
~. But now the dear Brother is
'eyond TIE realm of weeping.
If | am character reader, these men, >
hough lamb-like. were In sense :
ion like-not knowing what fear was.
heir bravery, though dormant, was \
ndying. ] could demonstrate, but !
esist.
Pardon one tender refence to Bro ,
thompson. He Otticiated at the mar
iage of our first norm, and at the
uneral of our second born So the mere
1ention OF his name brings many
Melancholy "reminiscences to our
CARTS Ana in such services, he was SO
killed in using the Word Of Comfort as
ne u0faliing remedy for all sorrowlng
carts, bereaved homes and disorder5d
antilles.
Now / have been an observer of he
of this town for 30 years
rom the days of DIR. VIM. Mack down
} date; and | rhlnk that no two men
IL the same length of time. have
robably done more good than Brothers
uncan and Thompson. We remem
er them and love shown for their
orKs seek.
Bat with all their multiplied good
ants and deeds--too numerous TO
entIon In one artlcle--they never
iraded their performances before the
orld. III have exaggerated hope
eir Surviving frienos will forgive.
We tender CUR tenderest sympathies
the bereaved. w. T. USSERY. n,