The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-13
Rests With MOraVian Fa-
theirs.
Continued from Page Three. }

Francis Nj. Stoddard, able critic and
university professor; Stephen Fl. Thay-
er, poet and eSSayist; Homer Greene.
a writer of pleasing fiction; Charles
Henry Jones, editor and author:
George Lansing Raymond, teacher of
aesthetlcs and writer of text books :;
ana Andrew Carnegie, author of Tri-
uinpnant Democracy, and phlianthro-
plSt III two continents.
ou will do well, it seems to me.
10 cherish the names of the generous
donors who have so graciouSly hon
ofed the memory of a son of North
Carolina
/ have yet another duty to perform.
his associates in the Government
Frlltlng ONCE have commissioned me
TO place this wreath of laurel over the
grave OF their colleague. All honor to
these worthy knights Of the Golden
Rule for in life they did to him as
they would should be done unto them.
and In death they have not forgotten
him.
and now for the man himself John
| Henry Boner was born in Salem in
1845. After various experience he
went TO NeaW York early in the sos
of the last century and thereaf ter
| devoted himself exclusively to literary
work. 1t was while SO engaged that
| first met him and for time we oc,
cupied adjacent desks | found him
always an honorable gentleman, some
| what reserved and rather dignified
| slow to make friends, but when once
| he gave his friendship it was for all
| time.
1T is not for me to laud him, and
| yet his very faults were even virtues,
| for with the true instincts of a gen
| tleman, honor was more to him than
money, and he accepted poverty rather
/ ! IL fl,s
trary to his own conscience. and we
loved him for it. He was gentle and
| kind and tender with women-not
weak or mawkish. but with that in
mate reverence which all true men
| have for their wives mothers and
sWeethearts He bore pain and suffer-
ing with Christian fortitude, and his
! last days were full of sorrow, and yet
! his cheerful optimism continued to the
! last When the end came. rather than
entail trouble on those who had cared
! for him. he simply asked to be laid
away where it could be done with the
| least Inconvenience. He died in
Washington city March 9th, 1903
"Tennyson has written:
For a poet cannot die
And SO, now that we have brought
him back to you. / beg that you will
proudly guard the remains and low
ingly cherish the memory of him who
was ever so loyal to his people and &c
his State. He is with you once more
and. in his own words, l leave him.
Back to the Ola North State.
Back to the place of his BIRTH
Back through the pines collonaded
| gate,
To the dearest spot on earth ~
Following DIR. Benamin's impressive
address Prof William A. Blair, of the
! Wachovia Historical Society who de-
serves much credit for the success OF
| the occasion, read some choice Selec-
tons from the poems of the departed
which moved the entire audience.
The bishop then introduced Cover
nor-elect Robert r. Glenn. saying 1--WE
all love Governor Glenn especially fol
that tender sympathy which gloWs il
his soul toward everyone and every
! thing that is good"
! Governor Glenn remarked that he
was Unexpectedly called upon, but
said he, II cannot resist the tempta-
| ton to add a word in eulOgy of Oul
great North Carolina poet. JOIN
| Henry BOner was a great man. A mar
doesn't need, in order to be great, tC
| be a statesman, an orator, a soldier
| He can be great as q doctor. an edi-
| tor. lawyer, a business man, a poet
|
He had great soul. One moment h
dwells among the Whispering pines,
another his dear hometown of Sa-
lem. and then his State. The Gov
ernor then quoted the poets allusior
to the old Tar Heel State" re-
marking on the proverbal love OF
| North Carolinians for their dear OIL
State. The Governors tribute deeply
| touched the vast audience.
The hymn was announced Lead
| Kindly Light" and as it was sung
one could have heard a pin drop.
Upon the singing of another hymn
Jerusalem. the Glorious the process
sion was formed. led by the home
church cornet band, giving forth sweet
strains of funeral dirges, and bore the
remains through the lovely and almost
sacred cedar avenue. so beautifully de-
scribed by the poet himself, to Gods
Acre. Two thousand people stood
with heads uncovered as the bishops
and DR.. Clewell, pronounced the last
sad rites and the casket was lowered
to the grave.
And so the poets mortal body lies
with his fathers. The soul. we trust.
continues it's sweet minstrelsy.