The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-31
Body of Gen. A. l.. Williams
Laid to Rest.
Impressive Rites Of Episcopal
Church Observed.
ROSSINGTON SPEAKS.
Old Lawyer Friend Delivers an
Impressive Funeral Grafton.
Loyalty, Devotion and Character
of Gen. Williams Discussed.

| Jams. who died at his summer home,
Mountain View, Colorado, Wednesday
| afternoon. was conducted from the
| family homestead at 1895 FIlimore
street, which has been the home OF the
family for the past 80 years. at 3 O'CLOCK
| today. The ceremony which was con-
| Quoted by Rev. James P. De. b. Kaye
| was the simple and impressive ceremony
of the Episcopal church. The casKGt
| containing the body of Genera! w II
| Jams reposed in the parlor of the edl-
flee which has. been his home Tor SO
many years, buried beneath floral OF
ferings of friends, many OF whom hao
known him for more than quarter VI
Il century.
The music was rendered by quar-
tette consisting of Mrs. George PARK
hurst, Mis-. L. S. Ferry, Harry Prlbple
and Frank Crane. Following the Epls-
copal funeral service Colonel w. n.
Rossington. who has been a lifelong
friend of General Williams spoke orleI-
ly and as follows:
LAS the request, which In such a caSe
amounts to a command, OF the ramily
of our departed friend, am mere 10
say a few words which hope may De
appropriate and worthy, and know
| will be heartfelt and sincere.
LAS we stand by the side OF the
| earthly tabernacle which has peen
| inhabited by the soul of our frlena,
! there is one thought which naturaIIy
| comes to the minds of all, that ne nas
| solved the mystery-the mystery when
lies lust beyond the barrier and can
| only be solved by crossing 1t into m
scrutable inflnity. rms mas Deeh caa,ed
an age of doubt. We have passed
| through a period which might be al
most called the age OF denial. In Isl.
are those in great number sun VIZ no. nv "
| this life and by force or cunning OF
| both get all out of it they cam pc
| cause their souls are so cioggeo WIN
| the mire of this earthly existence tnat
! thew cannot conceive of any mystery
| L. therefore there Is mourning
| to be attained, hoped for, or feared
TT does not require very acute op-
server to see that there Is going on TO-
day among the sons OF men quiet pu1
none the less persistent reVolut lion
against this attitude of barren oispeheI
and faithlessness; the universal elnical
movement of today which Is as resist
lesslv reformatory without being rehg-
ioua as was the Puritan movement in
ENGLAND two hundred and fifty years
lago Myself, enlightened and stlnuldteo
by a faith which none the less needs tne
constant support OF the prayer, i1ou'
| haIieIye helm Thou mine unbelief, can
not doubt that in the realms OF space
our friend lives and it requires no $50 So
stretch of faith to believe that ne llVes
conscious of the love and respect %
those of us he has left behind expressed
here at the side of his coffin today.
..The limitation of the theory OF eVolu-
ton or development as Herbert spencer
called it is being admitted by its adVo-
+ T-ba f1rst records of man show
hin, endowed with all or the iaCuiliee
which he at present possesses Wnlcn uIs
tingIish him from the rest or the animal
creation While our finite reason anu
80. Senses NAV not apprehend the full
argument that supports an 1ndupltdDle
conclusion that we are 10 llVe aseiii -
while we may not be able TO reason II
ont to use the common phrase, we Ger
+ei,Ix can assert that it violates reason
that that power which created the gen
ms of Shakespeare the love OF ST fran
els of Assist, and found an aperture ~
| lot tho light of heaven in upon 1h0
ieaa,,+if,,i imprisoned soul of Helen
Keller should do so only for the pul PoSe
of destroying them as wantonly aLlp u
differently as a child blowing puppie e,
Nature does not work in that way, , ~ -.
1ese the God who guides and dominates
TT was nv exceptionally good 1or-
tune to have lived for tnir .y q
wears in bonds of closest IrleIiuS a.,r
go inta1lectuaI communion with our
departed friend who lies mere III ~
very brief discourse which Is -
scribed to me, I cannot underldhe
enter upon much less fifty discuss tia
ohoracter and his attachments. MS
merits as citizen. or his qudIl51eS as
a man. His professional recoIu go ~
attachments Will be elseWliers oa1ized
a later time appropriately recogIllzeu
bv his brethren of the bar we are
; here mourning him and commenlola.5,
ing him as a father, as prolheI -; 80
| as a friend. I may Win proPl 70
| however refer to what / deem TO De
the two marked and dominant FEATURES
Of his character: First and toremost;
those who have had the hohoI III
good fortune to know MN IN his
| admit that he was exceptlonal III
devotion to his family and his uhWaV-
ering loyalty to his friends ms 800
marked characteristic was ms hael
of oppression, of wrong, OF tedignant
ing, in every form, and an 1noislan.
=. | avowaI of aversion to the oppresso,I
when occasi came for MN 10 sp 81, =
out Connected with this strons q
: tiDathy was his unutterable ana VII" Will
+ eripg contempt for Pharlsees aai ,
shams He was endowed at once WIFI
an unusual clarity of mentai Ni sc1,
and a quick and pregnant We. VII m .n ,l
effectiveIv employed at an times
I AGAINST the oppressOr and the irauu.
: To illustrate: That beautitul .s
~ go =, heart as he did most OF
= Tho eens of English poesy. ana ne
, had phenomenal memory ne
+ subject of the poem IN large Parl' as
Won will remember. was 10 dehounce
a. inmortal verse the crueltieS OF the
critics and reviewers. who 1t was De
Iieved then by his friends had hound
"a yeats to his grave He always re-
= ct+ed n with intense feeling and re-
e roaroher once hearing him repeat his
n favorite verse. his voice qulVer1ne
: with indignation as he went on until
he COnCluQeu MS - 20 80
t ming with tears. He was always fol
d the under deg in the fight. and in his
2 Eradication OF the oppressed against
: tho COMPRESSOR his conduct was otter
V criticised as ouixotic to degree. He
lived a full live in. a generation thai
was full of Inspiration. There wa:
nothing prosaic in life to the man VINO
I had lived through the formative pc
V Rod of the state of Kansas. gener-
r alton Of such life extends indefinite
: Nv the span so far as experience. in