The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-01-26
REV. BAUGH MEMORIAL.
Late Citizen, Pastor and Soldier Hon
ored by Friends and Neighbors.

The members of the First Presby-
terrain church, representative body
of the members of Phil Kearney
Post G. A. r. and goodly number of
citizens gathered at the church Sun.
day morning in special memorial in
honor of the late John M. Baugh,
who for years was pastor of the
church, resident of the city and a
man highly esteemed and beloved as
citizen of Oskaloosa. The service
was remarkable. Mr.. Baugh had for
number of years been retired from
active life and was removed from
the city which formerly knew so
much of his effort and success. Yet
these people met as If by common
accord in service that was marked
by the sincerity of utterance and the
manifest devotion of the congrega.
ton.
The service was presided over by
Rev. Alexander McFerran, pastor of
the church. Following the usual pray.
er and musical service Mr.. McFerran
made explanatory remarks concern
ing The special service and he read
the following letter from Hon. S. H.
M. Byers, of Des Moines.
st. Helens, Des Moines, Jan. IL
Rev. Alexander McFerran, oskaloo,
sa, la. My Dear Sir: We were
much shocked to hear from you of
the death of Dear Mr.. Baugh. He
and | were boys together and in
school together as young men. Be.
sides he was my friend and also my
pastor. had not seen him for
years, but he was always in my mem
DRY as the great, big hearted man !;
the true and the genial friend and
broad minded preacher; the f1owery
orator. 1t seems strange that John
M. Baugh has passed into the be-
yond. But he will find many who
have gone before to welcome him to
the bright land he always saw in his
minds eye. He had the kindest
words and smiles for friends of al.
most any man l ever knew. 1t was a
delight just to meet him on the street
ever cheerful words. John NJ. Baugh
was good and noble man. Who
that knew him right does not lamen:
him! Peace, peace, to our lost
friends ashes.
Sincerely yours,
S. H. NJ. BYERS.
The memorial did not partake of
the stated or formal eulogistic ad.
dress, but number of men, members
of the church who had walked down
the years by he side of John M.
Baugh, who had been his companion,
his friend, his co-laborer in business
life and in church, told of the man
as they knew him, making up SER
vice of deep interest and of lasting
impression and effect. Not one who
sat in the congregation Sunday morn
ing, who had known the man and the
pastor, who was no: moved as if by
his presence there among them.
John o. Malcolm told of his asso-
Citations with the man through a term
of years, as pastor and as close
friend. He characterized him os a
man of distinctive greatness, the
like of whom we may not know
again. Mr.. Malcolm compared him
with other great workers of the local
field and told of the conditions that
surrounded the work of the former
we'll known pastor. He spoke of his
life in the home and said the condi-
lions therein existing were the most
ideal of any he had ever known.
A. p. Spencer, who for the term Of
more than twenty years was mem
Der and an officer of the church, made
a brief address, speaking of incidents
in the church life and his associa-
tion with the man. He had been close
to Rev. Baugh as neighbor, as friend
and as a member of the church. He
gave some insight in.o what and
how much John Baugh had been to
the church, told of sacrifice, of strug-
giles and ambitions and of the work
accomplished. He mentioned the
closer relations that existed between
them and laid Stress upon the ex.
emplary character of the man. Mr..
Spencer was visibly moved at times
during his talk and proceeded with
difficulty.
w. H. Heating, relative of the
late minister and member of the
church, told of Mr.. Baugh's every.
day life, as ne was, man 20 man, and
drew a picture of his influence upon
all people of the community. He was
not alone a man of his congregation,
for his church, but he was a man for
the boys and girls, for all people of
the town. He knew them all. He
knew everybody, their parents, who
they married and who their childrens
children married. His field of labor
in the community was boundless and
the results of his kindly effort OBJ
tain today.
w. r. Cowan, a man who for forty
two years has been at the head of
the Presbyterian Sunday school and
who knew John NJ. Baugh, the sol
der, told of other phases of his char
acter. How he had been reared in
the locality of Oskaloosa and how
he had grown to manhood here among
the people he later lead in worship.