Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-10-20
WEEP OVER BIER
OF SAM JONES
Funeral Services Were Held In
Tabernacle.
TRIBUTES PAID TO HIS MEMORY
slahop Galloway, Judge, Akin and
Others Made Addresses-The Re-
mains Were Brought to Atlanta on
Ens

mains Were Brought to Atlanta on
Friday.
| Gainesville, Ca, Oct. 19.-Liv-
ing, the Rev. Sam P. Jones was
loved with a tenderness that one sees
but once in life time. Wrapped in
the cold arms Of death, this love was
given an expression which was con-
fined to no class or condition, no
| age, color or sex.
Cartersyille, where Sam Jones was
best known, by reason OF the fact
that it was his home, seemed pa
ralyzed by paroxysms of grief which
followed one another In quick sue
cession whenever the name of the
| dead evangelist was mentioned or
when some familiar object reminis-
cent of his was seen.
Even nature was in accord with
the grief of the city The sky was
overcast with banks of dull, threaten
| ing clouds, which seemed a any mo-
ment ready to turn loose the full
flood Of their sorrow. Gainesville
had the silence of the sepulchre dur
ing the entire day. Business was
practically suspended from early
morning and in the afternoon, dur
ing the hours consumed by the me-
mortal services, every store in the
city was closed. Religions for the
once were as one. The Methodist
|
humble Greek, a stranger in a
| strange land. Few spoke save in
| hushed, whispered tones. 1t seems
that the shock of death had tempo
rarily benumbed the faculties of ex-
preston. Knots OF people congre-
gated at each corner, and Caucasian
and negro freely fraternized, their
common grief being a bond which
brought all together and for the time
Obliterated all barriers.
Mentally heroic, magnetic to a de-
gree which drew all men to him,
physically and morally a man mill
tant and unafraid, Sam P Jones
was known to thousands in all parts
of this country.
But one must of necessity have
| lived close to the man to understand
| and be In most perfect sympathy
with him. There was not man,
woman or child in Gainesville who
did not know Sam P. Jones. By
the same token all loved him.
Brilliantly endowed, possessed of
many and divers talents, Sam Jones
was withal one of the least complex
of men-one OF the most easily ap-
| preached and understood once you
knew him. He never thew around
him that atmosphere of mystery and
reserve affected by many mon of ge-
MUS. His plainness, his approach
ability was his pride He never
posed. He could not. He was sim
ply Sam Jones.
Like many direct straightforward
men, the personality of Sam Jones
detied analysis
A pail seemed to have fallen over
Cartersville. Early in the morning
streams Of people from all directions
Wended their way to the Jones resi-
dence. The face of each was apa-
thetic. Each seemed to be struggling
to rid himself Of the certainty that
Sam Jones was dead. Few were able
TO grasp the full significance of the
news which had been flashed over the
wires. Sadly they gazed on the
placid features of their friend, but
still full realization did not come.
The news had been too sudden, too
unexpected. Only the day before the
city OF Cartersville had been plan
ming for a reception to the home
coming evangelist. Gainesville was
only too glad to lend Sam Jones to
the outside world in the cause of
Christianity. but his frequent trips
to other cities and states always left
! a void, and his home -comings were
always the occasions for rejoicing.
| Cartersville was mob the same place
with Sam Jones absent. And now
he had returned, his matchless voice
hushed in death. No more would he
greet them. No more would his
hearty handgrasp be felt
And yet, hundreds felt he was not
dead; that though the icy hand of
the grim Reaper% %had touched his
brow, he lived and forever would
live. Gone he might sbe, but his life
had been such that. death could not
rob him.
1t mad been so fraught with splen-
did achievement that he was not as
other mortals.
Even at the tabernacle, when the
black casket was placed in front of
the platform, this thought seemed
apparent.
Promptly at 2 o'clock the cortege
left the Jones residence and slowly
wended its way to the tabernacle
which Mr.. Jones had built. The
! services were not to begin for half
an hour, but the vast auditorium was
crowded with fully 5000 persons.
| Many were compelled to stand.
On the right hand side were the
white and negro school children of
! Cartersville. On the left were mem
bers of secret and fraternal orders.
Hundreds of negroes were an the
rear. The auditorium presented a
striking contrast with the appearance
of few days before when 1t had Been
lavishly decorated for the reception
planned for DR.. Len G. Broughton
OF Atlanta, on his return from Eu-
rope. Somber black and white
draped the pillars and trusses where
once gay flags fioated in anticipation
Of a happy event.
ministers and laymen from all parts
Of the state.
The honorary pallbearers were: