The Lexington advertiser., 1912-06-21
DR., Huttons Tribute to Alexander

from
duct the funeral exercises ana Wii9 d.
rived but short while before tlle nour !
appointed for the service, seleGteo aS
his text the 25th verse, hrst chapGer,
2nd Samuel, How are the mighty
fallen in the midst of battle; " iona
than, thou vast slain IN thine nigh
places" and Jer. 4S:l7, 'All ye that
are about him bemoan hlm, ana al ye
that know his name, say, HOW Is tse
strong staff broken and the beauti1ui
rod J"
NV Christian friends, | ask your at
+ent;on this morning to the word OF
Cod as found in the second book OF
Samuel | :25, taken in connection with
the prophecy of jeremiah 40:l1.
What more fitting words could oe
found with which to break the hush OF
this crushed and silent assembly tnan
tha lament of the fine soul of David Tor
Jonathan. his friend, when conJolned
with the words of jeremiah the weep
inc nronhet. How are the mighty raj
ien in the midst of the battle All We
that are about him / emoan him, and all
We that know his name, say, How Is
The strong staff broken, and the beauti-
When David felt the shock of the
sudden ending of that LIE MS hearC
breaks forth in the tender ana true
Iamentation, Il am distressed for thee,
nv brother Jonathan; very pleasant
hast thou been unto me; thy love 10
me was wonderful, passing the love Oh
women" Ny brethren, 1t Is hatutal
for the heart under crushing sorrow,
weighted by the sense of loss OF a loVea
one to review character and estlnaIe
conduct. 1t is natural today Tor the
state. the city, the church, the nome
TO think of the fallen and all that ne
has been to them. do not know that
it would be Improbable to arrange
before us the elements of his character
and recount the deeds of the splendid,
beautiful life. ,z,
This wouId he to me in some sense
an easy task. Riding on the dlstant
train, my mind desired to llnger III VHe
thought of the loss that had come IL
the session: Wharton, Power, NasCoL,
Lemly, and now Alexander, Inc near
found kind of satisfaction IN thus IN
tensifying its sorrow in thinking Oh lCs
loss. til ov
It is not my purpose to dwell ,upor
what he has been to you. You Kho"
him. He stood in the sunshine. He
had no occasion to love darkness rather
than light. His deeds were not eVll.
Why should ! try to tell the state
what he has been as a citizen, WheT
from the cradle, in that little cottagtt
on the corner opposite the old church
in Kosciusko, where its birth cry was
given to the sacred spot on the state
house green where its last gasp wa'
heard. that life has been scrutlnlzed
And no indiscretion of youth, rashnes'
of Young manhood, desire of gain, love
of applause, elation in success, or am
bition of soul has ever been found tt
swerve it from honesty Of purpose, in
r tegrity of action, fidelity to trust o
devotion to principle. Great talent
and good training, baptized in unseltlsl
patriotism. have yielded to the stat
their increase. In this fruitful life o
spendlid and noble achievements nj
eve has found tarnish or the shadoV
thereof. Why should | attempt t.
sneak to the city of what he has beel
to it? When his intellect has beel
piven by the architects of her com
merce to plan her prosperity, to secur
her rights and to safeguard her inter
ests, When without the hope of re
ward or the tremor of fear he cham
pioned the cause of right against tn
forces of evil, and with dauntless sou
pressed steadily on, with other nobi
leaders nd faithful followers, until tn
saloon, that defiant enemy of business
home and purity, breeder of poverty
crime and vice, was vanqushed an
from rlfU and state.
Even the little children know tha
he would receive no dollar tainte
with the defense of the sale Of liquor
or vote corrupted by its gift.
He had not only courage to with
stand the wrong, but love to maintain
and foster the right. Young gentlemen
he loved you enough to face the force
of wickedness in your behalf, anG 4
loved you enough to build for you
home in the Christian Association.
Need speak to you Of what he ma
been to the tar? When Cppos!n
counsel reckone1 on the force OF nj
argument and relief on the fairness 0
his methods, when judge and lur
were alike persuaded by the power Q
his reasoning and impressed with tn
honesty of his conclusions, when nun
berleSS widows committed TO MIN Tn
cause of their fatherless little one
and laws on the statute books of Miss
issippi stand as a monument to hi
genius. ...-.
Why should | tell here what he ha
been to the church? When her caus
has been maintained by his liberalits
her brotherhood enlightened by his il
struction, her Session guided by h
counsel the pew will seem so vacaI
without his accustomed presence, tn,
walls still echo with his prayers, ar
noble sires point their sons to him {
one who adorned the Christian profe
sion by humbly following the Lord?
Shall invade the inner circle of tt
home to tell what he has been there
when the memory of his life is the
richest heritage?
Shall we dwell on the mystery {
the mighty falling in the midst of tt
battle?
When the news of the sudden endir
of the life came, David first though
of the character of his dead friend an
unx, SC al