The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-08-05
THE BYERS FUNERAL
Remains of 0skaloosa Boy Now
Rest in Forest Cemetery.

| al services for the late Lawrence
Marshall Byers, professor OF law at
he State university of Iowa, and son
IF Major and Mrs. S. II. M. Byers OF
.)es Moines, were held in the First
Presbyterian church of Oskaloosa
Ionday afternoon, the body being in
erred in the Byers family lot at For
st cemetery by the side of his sister,
Helen, who preceded him years ago to
he realms beyond.
1t was especially fitting that the de-
.eased should have been brought
Jack here to his boyhood home for
burial and that the final tributes to
lis life and service should nave been
offered in the First Presbyterian
:hurch, where in his early childhood
le attended Sunday school and first
confessed Christ as his Savior, and
wherein he held his first church mem
)ership. 1t was in the same building
hat the funeral services of his sister
we're held and the desk on the pulpit,
which was embedded and almost com
,letely hidden in the establishment
If beautiful flowers, was hewn from
/ tree in Palestine under which the
wo children used to play, and was
donated TO the church by Major Byers
s a memorial to his daughter Helen.
Did schoolmates and former friends
If the family acted as pail bearers.
The floral display at the church,
orming a solid background on the
Ilatform, was as elegant and elabe-
ate as has ever been, seen in this
ity, the flowers making more than a
wagon load. A shipment of $50
,ounds of floral pieces was received
rom Des Moines Monday morning,
nd an abundance of flowers were re-
:eiyed from friends at Iowa City and
,ther places over the state as well as
n Oskaloosa. Undertaken j. B. Nc
;urdy and three assistants worked
early three hours in arranging the
overs at the church.
The remains, accompanied by the
,arents, relatives and friends, includ-
ng Mrs. Pauline Given Swain of
southampton, England, wife of Colo
ell A. w. Swain, U. S. Consul, and
d. Edmundson of Des Moines, ar
ived in the city via the Rock Island
t o'clock Monday afternoon, the
'uneral procession moving at once to
ne church, where Rev. Alexander Nc
ferran conducted the services. Miss
earle Porter rendered the organ Sc
lished by quartette composed of
frs. Virginia Knight Logan, Miss
Iazel Phillips, Harry Douglas and
clifford Johnson. Rev. McFerran de-
ivered an elegant tribute to the de-
'arted young man, offering as the rea-
on for his being taken away in the
rime of life the sublime thought that
he Creator needs such MEN in Heav-
n. He brought words of comfort and
heer to the bereaved parents whose
GLENN pride in their sons achieve
nents was nearly overcome by their
;rief at losing his companionship
'rief tributes were offered by friends
# the deceased at the special request
4 the family.
Major John F. Lacey offered in a
ew words an expression of the great
oss sustained in the death of Law.
ence Byers. He recalled the ac-
luaintanceship he formed with the
wo Byers children, then six and four
ears of age respectively, when play
ng with them in the mountains of
switzerland, about thirty-one years
go. He told how little then he
bought that at this time he would be
peaking at the funeral of the then
iappy, healthy youth and that his
lister would have preceded him in
Ter departure from this life.
:' His Life at Penn College.
President A. Rosenberger of Penn
'ollege was called upon to speak in
eference to the deceased's life at that
Institution and he responded as fol-
ows:
Lawrence Byers entered the Penn
academy third year course in the
'utumn of 1885. The next year he
vas enrolled in the Freshman class
md continued without interruption
Is student in the college until he
vas graduated therefrom in 1890. At
he time Of graduation he was scarce.
" half way out of his teens" being.
perhaps, the youngest member of the
alumni at graduation.
Being richly endowed with mental
Qualities, his course through college
vas one continued series of successes.
fhe most of his previous life having
been spent in Europe, he possessed a
peaking knowledge of both German
md French, which was of great SER
ice to him in linguistic studies. Not
only did he speak these languages,
but he was also familiar with the
'ich literature of their poets, authors,
)rators and statesmen. Choosing
the classical course in college, with
:est he entered into the study of
Creek and Latin and from them ac-
luired a knowledge of the ancient
classics that proved invaluable to him
n professional life. With youthful
enthusiasm die he enter into all the
activities of college life. Surrounded