The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1905-11-11
Paul Joseph Meadows.

died of TYPHOID fever at the residence OF
Rev. Harper, pastor OF the Methodist
Church.
Mr.. Editor, it is not the purpose Oh the
writer to unduly praise the young gen.
tleman who, during his short stay
among us, had taught US to highly re-
spect and appreciate his sterling quail
ties; it is merely his desire to do holn-
age TO whom homage Is due. win TINS
end in view the writer has endeavored
TO write of Prof. Meadows precisely MS
impression of him, although 1t Is par
donable, even permissible. and some
times absolutely necessary, to wilfuily
forget the faults and exaggerate me
virtues of the dead. FOrtunaty. 1t Is
not the case in this particular instance
The writer first met Prof. Meadows in
the fall Of the year 'O4, the year he came
to st. Martinville, as assistant principal
to Prof. Donnell. the then principal OF
the st. Martinville High School. Quiet.
modest, reserved, he was not q man to
make an impression Oh mere acquain-
lance. Like a good book, and unlike the
superficial specimen of the human fami-
ly. he was not to be appreciated by out
ward appearances. To fully appreciate
the true worth and noble nature OF the
man. one must needs have known him
intimately. for, being naturally reser-
we'd. he was not of the number who
make bosom free confessions to mere ac-
qnaiutances.
Pope tells rs that worth maketh the
man and want of 1T, the fellow. In this
mercenary age of ours. it does seem as
if we are not agreed as to what worth in
nan really is. There are those OF us
who are inclined to look down with con-
tempt Oh chastity and religious dsvont-
, ness in man. seeming to mistake these
as signs of weakness. effeminacy. OF
even hypocrisy. Measured by this stan
dard, Prof Meadows was wopfully de-
, icisnt in the traits that 81 to make
= man. While some of us look down upon
> the above traits, there are the rest OF u:
Y who would likely add to these qualities
industry and charity and call the mai
who would embOdy these all the high
type of manhood. To say that Prof
Meadows was the embodiment Of thes
virtues is to but mildly express it.
y The historian. speaking reverentiall'
; Of Stonewall jackson. tells US that b.
was man of pious, spotless character
The same author deals at some length
on the nobility, purity, and grandeu
Of Lees charac ter. What this historian
! said OF Lee and Jackson, l feel eau sa
& with equal truth and equal prOpriety o
8 Prof. Paul Joseph Meadows.
MI We are told to be true to Ourselye
first, and then it must follow as the day
the night. we cant be false to any maj
: II Prof. Meadows was anything. he Wa
d true to himself.
# Some one has said that there Is s
d much good in the worst Of us. and 6
"a much bad in tire lest of us that it hard
lybehoOves some Of us to speak i'll Of til
70 rest of us. Prof. Meadows seemed
ID have lived in constant cogDziance ,
)f this fact.
In Ode to Duty we find:
Give unto US made lOwly wise
The spirit of self-sacrifice;
The confidence of reason give
n And. by the light of truth. by bond
man let us live. Prof. Meadows natu
d: was a self-sacri6cing one; he lived
of bOndsman to what he thought was b
a. duty.
es He who from zone to zone guild
of thy certain flight amidst the boundle
at sky,
III In the long way that must 20 alon
r. will lead my steps Alright" Prof. Me
m dow's implicit faith in: He will lie,
es my steps Alright. was a marked chara
r. teristic of the man.
nd "He prayeth best who loveth best ,
a things
an Both great and small, for the dear G
rs who loveth US,
H. He made and loveth ALL"
ID Prof. Meadows seemed incapable
en- hatred and wOald never intentional
his hurt the feelings Of any one.
$50 live. that when they summO
come to join,
of The innumerabie caravan, viii