The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-08-24
FUNERAL Of
]. EDWARDS
A Sermon in Hawaiian
at a Memphis
Hotel.

MEMPHIS, Aug. 10.-Gathered abou
a costly rosewood casket, sixty dark
skinned Hawaiians, Friday morning
weepingly paid a last tribute to Jua1
F. Edwards, the sweet-vofced terror
who died suddenly Tuesday Afternoon
Vat the Windsor Hotel. With boweC
heads and streaming eyes they listeret
| to the last services over the dead, ant
then marched to the station where the
| body was placed on train and soor
| b. gan it's long journey to his native
| home in Honolulu.
| 1t was a strange funeral service tt
] Americans, and many were gathered a
| the undertaking apartments of Taylor
& Norris, while hundreds stood on the
sidewalk and watched the procession
as it slowly wendell it's way to the sta
| ton.
| The services were entirely in the Ha-
waiian language, and were conducted
| by the Rev. B. R. Baker, d. D., ma
| tive preacher, who is accompanying the
Royal Hawaiian Band on it's tour OF
| this country.
ROCK OF AGES IN HAWAIIAN.
DIR. Baker opened the services with a
short talk, in which he briefly referred
to the occasion for the melancholy
gathering An octet. lead by Miss Lei
Lehua, the prima donna of the COM
pany, then sang Rock of Ages" That
well-known song, in the strange Ian
guage of the singers, sounded weirdly
beautiful, and made deep impression
upon the Memphians present.
TT Pa offered a in
the native language, in which he ask
ed for Divine support to the widow and
little daughter in Honolulu, ana a
blessing upon the members of the COM
rany.
Following this the minister read from
the Hawaiian Bible. Matthew 25, the
first to the thirteenth verses.
DIRGE PRODUCES TEARS.
A quartet, composed of B. Jones,
w. S. Ellis, S. Hiram and Y. Kapole
sang the Hawaiian dirge. While not
understood by many of those present,
the sad story was easily understood
III the music. The dirge had marked
effect upon the former associates of
Edwards. AS it began, many leaned
forward, with their heads on their
hands. Then, as the music rose and
fell, the tears began to fall, and before
it was half over nearly every one was
weeping. The singers themselves were
visibly affected. and sustained them
selves with much difficulty.
DR.. Baker followed with short adj
dress. He took as his text Matthew
XIV, 10: Watch, therefore, for We
know neither the day nor the hour
when the Son of Man cometh.''
l..
tongue he reviewed the life of Edwards,
and spoke of his many good qualities.
He then drew his lesson from his death
that was carried out. by the text, urging
his countrymen to live in such man
ner that they would be ready at any
time to meet their maker.
FRIENDS CARESS CASKETS.
After another brief prayei by the
minister, the octet sang in their own
tongue Nearer, My Cod to Thee"
The words of this hymn, written in ev-
cry tongue. seemed to bring out the
elimination of grief. Many who had
been weeping silently then sobbed
aloud, the ladies of the company be-
ing particularly affected. Following
the benediction, by twos and threes
they gathered about the bier. Accord
but they seemed to find satisfaction in
caressing the receptacle wherein their
dead comrade lay, and muttering brief
prayers over his head.
There was considerable delay before
the hearse arrived, owing to a misun-
Outstanding as to the time of the fu-
neral, but the procession finally start
ed at $3.50 o'clock. The pail bearers, A.
r. Cunha, j. L. Ellis, B. Jones, J. Har-
rison, w. Prestidge, w. Schwartz, K.
Kamakau and S. Cohen, bore the cas-
ket to the hearse, followed by the en-
tire company. Then the Royal Hawai-
ian Band gathered in a semi-circle
about the hearse, and under the di-
rection of the regular leader, Captain
Berger. the band rendered the Hawai-
ian dirge.
BAND FOLLOWS HEARSE.
The procession proceeded up Madison
street to Main, and thence south to the
union station. The entire company fol-
lowing the hearse on foot
To the many. thousands who listened
the music on the march was strangely
American. The musicians began with
Nearer, My God, to Thee Then, as
they marched along, in rapid success
sion followed Safe in the Arms of
Jesus THE Sweet By and By"
Lead, Kindly Light and God Be
With You Till We Meet Again" AS
they approached the union station. the
band impressively rendered 1.-The Dead
March in SAUL
AT the station the body was placed
on board a Frisco train. which will con-
vey it to Ell Paso. There it will be
turned over to the Southern Pacific,
which will carry it to San Francisco.
At the latter point it will be placed on
a ship and conveyed to the waiting
wife and daughter at Honolulu. The
entire trip viii consume about three
weeks. ,