Times-promoter., 1909-01-28
In MemOrium,

On the Wednesday before Christ
mas there passed from earth to the
Land of the Morning one of the pur-
est and brightest human souls the
world shall ever-even to the end OF
all time have known-Robert Taylor
McVay.
"R. To, as he was called, was born
March 10, 1882, and died at the Tu-
beicnlosis Hospital in Memphis De-
cember %, 1908, at the age of twenty
SIX years, nine months, and thirteen
days. He was an only child and both
parents had preceded him by several
years to that happier world, leaving
Ghelr boy all alone in this one. When
think OF his sad life, his struggle
against the dread disease destined TO
take from Us thus early one SO brave
and true, so faithful to every duty
when l recall all the noble Qualities
OF his great heart and mind and real
lze what a shining mark he would
have made in the world-could he
just have had health and strength. I
feel that truly "God moves in mys-
terious way'-that is, it seems mys-
terious to us because of our limited
visions. He doeth all things WE'LL
we know that.
When first knew r. T. he was
about thirteen years old. remember
well his entrance into our school that
morning long ago-when all of us
stared so rudely at the new pupil,
and the teacher seemed to doubt that
the shrinking, much embarrassed lit
tie boy was as well advanced as the
books he had brought indicated. NY!
But he was not long in undeceiv-
ing her, for the capacities of his mind
were indeed marvelous-especially in
mathematics was he gifted to an al
most unlimited degree. Nothing in
that line seemed too difficult for his
prodigious intellect to grasp. 1t is,
however, in the many noble attri-
butes of his character that his life
shines most resplendently. R. T.'s
word could always be relied upon
absolutely | don't believe that he
ever told an untruth in his life, or
spoke one unkind word of anybody.
| think he was about sixteen years
old when he joined the Methodist
church at Cockrum, Miss, of which
he was a faithful member as long as
he lived at that place. For two or
three years he was stenographer in
Memphis; and in 1906 he Joined the
Mississippi Avenue Christian Church
of that city, which he attende regu-
larly until his fast-failing health drove
him first to Colorado and then to Tex
as in vain effort to recover that bles-
sing. Filled with the earnest desire
to be buried by his mother in the
cemetery at Olive Branch, Miss.
where on Christmas Day they laid
him. He returned to Memphis Just
two weeks before his death and in
sisted on being cared for in the, hos
pital rather than ia the home of his
relatives-lest he should give them
trouble.
Precious, unselfish Friend! "Thou
hast gone the way of all the earth,u
and shadow lies on our hearts to-
night because Of your going. And
yet we would praise thee, o God
that in thine infinite goodness and
tenderness thou hast Vouchsafed to
US, thy children, one radiant CLEAN
Of light, which breaks in upon the
gloom of our souls and
enables us to look beyond this little
earthly horizon of ours to the dawn
ing of the morning of Heavens ever
lasting day when we shall meet once
more with those whom we love, to
live and love forever in the unchange-
able home of our Father-the bright
of the soul.
Till then, gentle Friend, farewell.
A SCHOOL MATE.
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