The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-09
MAJOR MARION NOISE.



Thou wilt be missed. for thy place
will be empty"
These words. used originally, when
David and Jonathan. those fiiends
tried and true. were abous to part,
perhaps for the last time. come vivid
iy before the mind. now that another
frierd. loyal and devoted. has gone
nom us forever.
For I have not come to-day merely
TO speak on behalf Of the commu-
nifty In which our brother was de-
servedly held In cosicuous esteem.
have come as personal friend
VINO respected. admired. yes. who
loved him.
Nor have come to praise him.
OF little use are the words OF praise
Of our friends when we lie
cold In death. 'ris not the words
that our friends weave for us when
we are dead. nor the flowers they
send TO adorn our tomb. but our
lives a. we have lived them that
speak best for us when life Is fed. 'Tis
not the wealth we have amassed.
nor the monuments we have raised,
but the good that we have done that
lives after us. This alone II IL that
keeps us In grateful remembrance,
that makes us 'iive In hearts we
leave behind" Yet duty bids me
speak.
Ny Friends: Everyone who passes
through life and notes Its varying
phases. and especially a minister
who u confronted with many tragic
incident. must gradually become not
indeed heart-hardened. but Injured to
witness great calamities without
shrinking and to speak Of great sor-
rows with calm frmness. But when
think OF the tragedy of this life. I
feel that II needs all the self-con-
troll that I can command. to address
even q few brief words to you with
out ninching.
Az entire community IL rarely
stirred when one OF its members
passes away, Death Is too common an
occurrence to arouse special comment
save among those directly interest
cd. Who was not profoundly touched
when the word was gently whispered
around: Marion Noise 10 dead!
Can we realise even now, that this
brilliant light has gone out, that this
chivalrous soul II no more? There
was no gentler. stronger. manlier
man. Some OF you may have known
him longer. but none OF you knew
him better than I. A good man has
gone from US: q righteous Israelite
has gathered to his fathers and
noble soul has returned to its God.
He will be missed. for his place will
be empty. Such places are not easily
flled.
am not going to refer to his
msny-sided activities. to his patriotic
and pubiic-spirited services which he
rendered to his native State and to
the city of his adoption. These things
are konwn to you all. True to his
heritage, he WIS a worthy son Of
worthy sire--the father king. the
son q prince among men. South Caro-
lima never had more loyal and de-
voted son. nor had Sumter a better
citizen. But I would rather speak OF
Marion Notes.-The man-as knew
him and and az you knew him.
He was a man OF fine intellige nee,
q ripe scholar. a lover Of learning. a
student to the end. From his lips our
English tongue streamed forth In
fluent eloaence; and prose and poetry
were equally the vehicles Of his
thought. For wisdom and discretion,
for practical advice In difficulty, none
could surpass him. He was a man to
trust. to look up to, to follow. As a
companion none could be more genial,
as perfect In his feelings as In his
manners; absoiutly sincere, and
open as crystal.
But best Of all was his loving and
sympathetic heart. "He had a tear
for pity and a hand. open as the day.
for melting charity" There are those
here today. and more who are not
here. who can tell of his generous and
timely help. He seemed to enjoy his
means for the good that he could do
with them. And he did that good
without spark of pride. or vanity.
or thirst for praise; so that those
who were helped by his bounty loved
him more for himself and his own
beauty OF q. character than for his
generous gifts For he gave more