Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-01-30
The House Members Pay Tribute.

The following resolution was introduced
by Mr.. Snowden, of this county, in the
Maryland House of Delegates and adopted
by that body recently:
Whereas, Since the adjournment of the
last General Assembly of this State the
House has heard with profound sorrow and
sincere regret of the death Of Hon. John C.
Bentley, Of Montgomery county. who served
with distinction as member of the House
of Delegates Of Maryland during the SEES
sion of 1912; therefore be it
Resolved. That Montgomery county and
the State has lost citizen and servant
who faithfully discharged his duties and
who was honored and respected by his assO,
ciates, and whose genial nature endeared
him to all with whom he came in contact
Resolved further. That as mark of re-
spect to the said deceased, copy of this
resolution be spread upon the Journal and
a copy sent to the family of the deceased.
Delegate Cummings followed the offer
ing of the resolution with the annexed
remarks:
"Mr. Speaker feel that would prove
derelict to my duty of showing proper re-
spect to true and noble friend If failed
to make few remarks upon the resolution
just introduced respecting the death of
Hon. John C. Bentley, who served as Dele
gate from Montgomery county in this
House during the session of 1912.
Mr.. Speaker, believe that we will all
agree that the greatest pleasure that comes
to us during our brief session here springs
from the strong. warm friendships that we
form among our associates, and that no
sadder experience can come to US than to
learn of the death of one of our members.
ut is true that the personnel of the House
changes greatly every two years. and there
are many faces here now that are COM
paratively new to me. yet those who are
here today who served in the previous
House cannot fail to recall the charming
personality of Mr.. Bentley
For many months Mr.. Bentley. resigned
to his fate, bravely and patiently fingered
in the agonies of his last sickness. and
during that period his family and friends
anxiously hoped that the dreaded message
which they feared must come might in
some way be averted. When the final mes
sage came few weeks ago that our friend
and companion had passed to the Great
Beyond. we rebelled against what seemed
a cruel decree. and all our philosophers
failed to keep down the bitter plant that
we sent forth from unwilling hearts.
Why should he 60 at the very time he
was SO useful to his people, so thoughtful
of their needsH
Mr.. Bentley, though 81 years of age.
would have easily passed for a man Of AS
or so. He was not man whose love for
the young had been chilled by advancing
years, but nothing gave him more pleasure
than to enter into their amusements. The
smallest child to the grown-up young man
and woman all loved Mr.. Bentley.
'Mr. Speaker we often worry here over
mOmentous questions. and fear often for
get that
We, too. shall come to that river side,
One by one,
We are nearer its waters each eventide,
One by one;
We can hear the noise and the dash of
the stream.
Now and again through life's deep dream
Sometimes the floods all its banks DER
flow.
Sometimes in ripples the small waves 90.
One by one
Mr.. Bentley has gone from our midst.
He has solved the mystery OF death and
has unravelled that other mystery which
we call life. His manly demeanor fur
nished an example worthy of emulation.
His bright smile is now fond recollection
His cheerful voice is silenced forever, but
remains with US as the memory of sweet
song that has been sung. After life's fitful
fever he sleeps we'll And. Mr. Speaker. If
the man who loves his fellOw-man and
adOrns his daily life with the jewels Of
good deeds and contributes all in his power
to human happiness. to truth, to justice
and to right. finds eternal rest. then our
friend John C. Bentley has gone to that
beautiful city not made with hands. eternal
in the Heavens.