The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-03
HIS BODY ISAT REST
Impressive Funeral Ser
vice OF ]. H. Afford.
A Great Congregation of Friends at
First Baptist Church Hear Ten
der Tribute to the Christian
Whose Life Was Ended.

A house of worship crowded with a
grieVing congregation, old people, the
middle-agen, young men and
young women, little children, all were
there when yesterday morning at the
First Baptist church the funeral ser
vices of the late j. H. Afford was neld.
The spacious edifice was crowded.
People were there from every walk
in life, for there was deep sorrow for
the loss of the good man who had
fallen Il victim to BynumS pistol.
It was not curiosity that brought The
people together, but it was the pur-
pose in their meeting to do honor TO
the dead. even though his slosed eyes
could not see, his stopped ears not
hear.
There were many beautiful tributes
on the bier Of the dead man. The
senior decon in the church. the
membership sent a pillow of flowers,
the deacons q star. From his West
Raleigh Sunday school class came a
pillow of fragrant flowers, and from
his class in the First Baptist Sunday
school large anchor. From Miss
Eleanor Vass and Mr.. w. w. Vass a
beautiful wreath. These were a few
of the sweet flowers which were laid
above his grave.
Rev. w c. Tyree, the pastor, read
the lesson from the Bible and Rev,
r. S. Stephenson offered a touching
prayer, after which the chorus sang.
Then Dr.. Tyree spoke of the dead,
his remarks being based upon the
words in Genesis. fifth chapter, 224th
verse: And Enoch wolked with God
and he was not, for God took him
1t was a tender tribute that was
paid the dead man. whom the speaker
said was "one of the meekest, purest,
and best OF me. He spoke of the in
f1uence of his life and of the loss sus-
tanned by his death. In speaking of
his untimely taking Off he said;
Our sorrow is great. and our hu-
initiation profound because our city
is under the shadow of a terrible
crime committed in our midst. No
greater calamity can befall a COM
munity than the commission of
great crime like this. Neither plague,
nor scourgc, nor poverty, however
destructive is SO great a disaster or
so great cause for humiliation and
sorrow as the wicked and cruel killing
of this good man. ''Sin is a reproach
to any people" and certainly a sin
like. this. 1t would not be proper or
appropriate and if / know my heart [
have no inclination to arouse or en-
courage any bitter or revengful spirit
ip any heart on this sad occasion. As
followers of the meek and lovely
mics and to pray for prosecutors, we
ought to pray for him who has slain
our brother that God may bring To
him repentance and save his soul.
We should and do feel the pro-
fOundest sympathy for his innocent
relatives, who though innocent must
suffer their part of the consequences
of this crime. But personal revenge.
which is always wrong is entirely diff
hi &c.
moral necessity and sacred obligation.
The responsibility and guilt of crime
rests primarily upon him who COM
mits it but Their is a sense in which
the community itself may share in
this responsibility and guilt. In this
first place this may be true because
the people have brought about the
conditions or allowed the conditions
to develop that encourage the crime.
The frequency of murder and muir
der when there is so little provoca-
ton is, l believe, an alarming sign
that the people do not have a deep
adherence of crime. and do not look
on human life as sacred. The punish
ment of evil doors by human agents
under the authority Of human law is
an ordinance of God. But officers of
the law are creatures of the people
and act as their representatives. When
those who make and execute the laws
against crime allow crime to go un-
punished the people are responsible
in Gods sight. And as long as peo-
pie allow the guilty to go unpunish-
ed the wrath Of God. rests upon them
for God holds them responsible for
the crime "
And then in conclusion Dr. Tyrec
spoke lovingly Of the many virtues Of
the deceased and held up his life as
an example TO be followed
AS the procession passed from the
church the choir sang abide With
Me" and the congregation, passing
out, followed the funeral cortege to