The Semi-weekly leader., 1910-10-26
hon. B. I. Hobbs Dead
GOV Jas. K. vardaman ID The Issue.


took its fight back to the God who
gave it.
He had been sick less than q
week. But his physician told me
that he felt at the beginning Of his
illness that the end was not far
away.
The disease that took him of
was pneumonia.
In the death Of Mr.. Hobbs the
State Of Mississippi loses one Of its
most potent factors for good.
AS an editor. he was honest.
fearless, intelligent and true.
Deliberate in judgment, slow to
reach conclusions, but when q
stand was taken. he was as firm as
Gibralter and unswerving as truth.
think he approached more near
ly my ideal of the genuine altruis-
tic than any man have ever
known. He loved humanity.
Mr.. Hobbs was very pious man.
Not pious for show or profit.
but pious in heart. He endeavored
to walk in the footsteps Of the Man
Of Gallilee, with the love which
animated the God Man in the home
of Sorrow, and all the righteous
resentment Of his soul against
wrongdoing manifested by Jesus in
the scourging of the thieves from
the temple was his.
| heard gentleman say in speak
ing of Mr.. Hobbs, while looking
into his dead face: "This man has
done more to deter crime and make
men do good and obey the law in
Lincoln county than all the other
men living in the county put to-
gether.' And / said to myself, a
greater tribute could not be paid
to man.
Habit is very influential. 1t is
very potential. Men can get in
the habit of doing good and in that
way avoid the wrong. But Mr..
Hobbs prevented men from doing
wrong, not only by holding over
them the fear of exposure and
prosecution, but by his example he
led them to do right for righteous
ness sake.
/ think he bodied forth in his
life the sublime sentiment express
ed by Markham:
There is a destiny that makes US
brothers,
None goes his way alone.
Ali that we send into the lives Of
others,
Comes back into our own"
The writer feels more deeply the
death of Mr.. Hobbs than almost
any one who is not bound to him
by the close ties of kinship. 10
me his death is not only a personal
bereavement, but a personal loss.
He was my friend in shadow,
and sunshine, through failure and
success. If / ever doubted the
wisdom of doing anything, there is
no man whose judgment / could
rely on more implicitly than his.
/ knew his heart was with me.
/ knew he loved me. And | loved
him in return.
But while the relationship was
intimate, warm and affectionate,
MIR. Hobbs would not have hesitat-
ed to criticise me if / had done that
which his judgment and conscience
disapproved.
Really, his only guiding star was
Truth, and in his intercourse with
men. his chief desire was to be
just.
Though every leaf were a tongue
to cry thou must.
He would not say the unjust thing
was just"
The State has sustained an almost
irreparable loss. His place cannot
be filed.
But the good deeds he has done
will live on his example will be
an inspiration to all Of us.
May the tender mercies Of an
Infinite Father minister lovingly tc
the heart-broken wife and children
who are left for a short while Of
this side of the river.
In the darkest hour Of their sad
dest bereavement they should draw
this consolation their loved one il
at rest.
He made a good fight. he kept
the faith, and now beneath the
shade of the trees in the Realm oi
Peace his soul IS satisfied.
Don't forget that your neighbor,
though he differs from you politi-
callv NAV be lust as honest ia his