Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-11-25
TRmurE 10 REV, ,. B. conlEY.
A Friend Speaks OF Him--A Sketch
of His Life.

Pickens dounty, South Carolina, Feb
: ruary I % 1S45, and died at his home
near Salem on November 12,. 1908,
and on the 18th was laid to rest in
Salem cemetery. The funeral SER
vices were conducted by the writer,
in the presence of a large congrega-
tion of sorrowing friends and rela-
tives.
Brother Colley served four years
in the Civil War and was gallant
and brave soldier, who never shirked
duty. Shortly after returning to his,
home in Pickens county after the
war, he joined the Baptist church at
9Central. On December 13, 1866, he
twas married to Miss Elizabeth Sar-
geant, and to their union were born
three girls and two boys. He was
ordained to the Baptist ministry at
the Salem Baptist church on Sep
tember 9th, 1884, and was engaged
in active work as pastor up to the
time OF his death, preaching his last
sermon at Mount Carmel on Novem-
Der Sth. He was taken sick on Mon
day night following and died on
Thursday. At the time of his death
he was pastor of Mount Carmel and
Stamp Greek Baptist churches, in this
county. Bro. Colley was Christian
SShtiShoh, SOhuinc anu SiuSs
never saw one more gentle, more ten
der, with finer powers OF discrimina-
ton between right and wrong. With
tender, sensitive conscience, scru-
pulous regard for the rights of 9TH
ers, loving his fellow-men with a
sincere desire to help them, this SER
want of God easily impressed himself
upon his time and generation, and
drew from every one with whom he
came in contact that splendid appel
lation of Christian gentleman. He
was true man. He had no patience
with the false His high-bred mind
scared to lofty heights, while his
pure soul walked the royal path Of
honor and of truth. One of his
great sorrows was the vain show of
life, the hollowness, the emptiness of
society, the make-believes In every
walk, social, political and moral. He
scorned the impostor and hypocrite,
and not few times in his life did he
scorch them with burning words. To
him true gentleman was the finest
type Of earthly citizenship.
Bro. Colley was q true eXpOunder
of the Gospel Of Jesus Christ, and
there was none more orthodox and
faithful. He did not deal III plati-
tudes, nor high-sounding phrases, nor
did he toll in the meshes of obstruse
science. He had no time to sport
with rhetoric. His language was
plain and easy to be understood. His
mission was too great, too sacred, to
permit him to play with the Word
Of God. 1t was our brothers fond
est dream and the passion of his
soul to hold the Crucified One up to
a serpent-bitten world. But he is
hic chnt nliRn n
scenes of JOY and sadness; his lips
are closed forever to the beautiful
message Of love and warning.
His ideal home was built upon
love. Love was the foundation rock
and love the shining crown. Home
to him meant service, sacrifice, un-
selfish devotion, and his home was
with his wife and children, who were
always first in his heart; so that
his heart was his deeper and sweeter
home. He was fond of good COM
pany, given to hospitality, and enter
tanned his friends royalty. He was
kind to strangers, and carried sun
shine into other hopes and made
other hearts glad with peace. Many
home has been made the sadder
and darker because Of his removal.
The heart-broken wife and sorrow
ing children may we'll weep. They
have just cause for sorrow. The
light Of their home is gone out and
no other one can fill that desolate
vacancy. Yet we shall meet again
where hearts never break with pain
and tears never stain the cheeks. We
shall meet in some fairer cline,
where funerals are no more and fare
wells are never said; where the
flowers bloom. where the sun does
not go down; where the sweetest
notes stir through eternity, and
where every stream is q crystal river.
Then shall we strike hands and
stand with the blood-washed throng.
Till that joyous and unspeakable day,
farewell! l.. M. LYDIA.