The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-03-07
STEPHEN Il. MASON.
The LOri Gave, and The Lord Hath
Taken Away; Blessed Be the Name
Of The Lord.

VI luC LUlN-
While the writer Justly feels
his inadequacy for the accomplish
ment Of what he has undertaken
he conrO.t5 himself with know
ing that the garb Of geuuieness is
simplicity. and that she shuns the
labyrinthine paths Of crafty
words.
Let us not discourse but that
our speech be serious. For as
God hath dealt heavily with us
SO are our hearts hsavy. Death
IS IN the world, aud he gives his
solemn warning every day, every
hour, yet we heed him not until
he strikes within the province of
our bosom. and tears from our
heart, Il c one whom we love
best. We have had our warning.
For two months hopeful rela-
tives and friends watched at the
bedside of Mr.. Stephen Mason.
IN August, 1906, Mr.. Mason was
stricken with a malady. which
ietied The most strenuous eff
forts of the local medical
talent. Gradually his condition
became more serious and about
three weeks before Christmas
he was forced to his bed.
At the suggestion Of DR.. c. NJ.
RaineS he left his home for the
Maryland General Hospital in
Baltimore, at which place the
surgeons knife in the hand Of
Or. Dallas Blake revealed that
t was Cancerous liver, which
was rapidly sapping Mr.. Mason's
lie. January p, 1907, he was
brought home from the hospital
,tter an absence of twenty six
days. HIS sisters, his brothers.
his friends watched in turn at his
bedside. DR.. Raines was an ex-
emplar of faithfulness and SYM
pathy. Still there was little he
could do except to relieve the
sufferer temporarily.
The star of Hope for this life
had gone down. Yet in the
galaxy of Christian virtue. there
shone Il more constant and a
brighter one. 1t was the star
which leads men to higher nubier
lives. 1t was the undimmed orb
which Mr.. Mason had kept in
view each day of his life. In tLis
we had great hope. Our hope
was firm and we'll grounded.
Ever as they kept vigil, lower
ebbed the tide of life, and on the
early morn of January 81, 1907
scarce had the midnight passed
- like as bird on tempestuou s
seas hOmeward takes his flight to
leave the boisterous storm, SO
did his soul unloose itself from
trammels of flesh and return unto
God who gave it.
Feb. 7, at Holly Grove Church
the Rev. G. w. Remagen spoke,
only as be could speak Of the
lead. and his words brought COM
fort to the weeping ones. Mr.
Masen's remains were inferred
IN Trinity Church. yard, and the
unusual Concourse of friends WHO
came to drop tear attested to
the high esteem in which he was
held.
He was 34ycars 10 months and
20 days old. He had been a
member of Holly Grove Christian
Church for nearly twenty years.
He was a close student Of the
Bible, and he followered its pre-
.cepts with the best light he could
get on them. Each day with
him was a preparation for death.
Mr.. Mason's disposition was a
most happy one. In calamities
in which the generality of men
would lose temper, hope and all
gravity. Mr.. Mason was happy.
If he had a vice / 90 not recall
it. If he had an enemy: I can
not name him. He had frankness
with modesty. candor with mild
ness and jovility with purity. A
gloomy thought found no com