The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-10-05

"REMINISCENCES Of THE
DR.. JOHN RAY THOMPSON,
LATE Me- HOD|ST MINISTER
| DR.. Geo. G. Wilding in his ad-
dress before the Laymen's Associa-
ton Friday afternoon, on The
! Roaming Sons of West Virginia." in
giving a sketch Of DR.. John Ray
Thompson, once a member Of the
West Virginia NJ. E. Conference, and
president Of the State University,
related a most pathetic story In con-
nection with the last days of that
most remarkable little giant" ora
tor, writer and divine.
There are many people Of West
! Virginia who remember the small
stature, but giant like intellect of
| tnlS remarkable man when he was
pastor of one Of the churches at
Wheeling, at Morgantown, and as
president Of the State University, as
a great orator. From West Viz
glnia he went to one Of the great
churches in New York city and re-
NAMED pastor in some of the lead
ing churches in the east until his
death a few years. since. There
were so many former West Virgin
lans filling high places in that place
they formed a West Virginia society.
or course Dr.. Thompson was a be-
loved member. DR.. w. G. Snod-
grass and DR.. Geo. c. Wilding him.
self were also distinguished men,
bers.
On account Of the great love the
members of the West Virginia So
ciety had for DR.. Thompson, and ap-
preciating his worth without his
knowledge before hand, they pre-
ented him with a gold-headed cane
one day with the inscription on the
head West Virginia Mountain.
GERS That was a good many years
ago. DR.. Thompson appreciated the
cane very much, partly on account
count of the strong feeling he still
had for West Virginia and West Vir-
ginians-his former home and for
mer associates.
| few years since when the much
treasured cane was laid away, and
this great man was nearing his end,
he called a member Of the family
and asked for his cane. They de-
sisted in getting it for him, and told
could not use it. But the Doctor
insisted on having it until they got
it for him, and to their surprise he
laid the cane lovingly by his side in
the bed as a little child would a ia
vorite doll. When the small form
of the great minister was cold in
death and his spirit gone to the
great beyond" the cane from his
West Virginia associates was still
lying by his side, last token Of
respect and love for West Vir&
and West Vjrginians.
xHzGTS&S TW~aazMv~*~"SBgMa
SENATOR SCOTT.
Distinguished among the Republi
can arrivals Is former United State!
Senator y. B. Scott, Of Wheeling
He is stopping at The Kanawha ant
his rendezvous has been crowded
with noted men of the same part;
com plexiOn ever since he arrived
Asked for an interview, the veneer
able statesman who has been identi
fled with every political campaign II
West Virginia for the past fort
years, said there was nothing TO
him to say just now. He admitted
however, that his coming was for tn
purpose Of doing what he can to as
si9t in bringing about conditions tina
will permit the party to start int
the coming campaign with An i'm
pregnable and solid front.
"JuGging from the disposition eS
pressed by the old wheelhorses whom
have encountered since / came,
J, said the former Senator, Il am con
fdent that the meeting will be
love feast Of the kind we used t
1. have when we we're in the minority
when we always had an uphill fig.
r and knew that we had to stand to
gether and work against great odds
Our apDetitites have been whette
that power has been taken away froI