The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-05-25
Resolutions of Respect and in Memory
of the Rev. John n. Davis, d. D.,
Superintendent Emeritus of
ST. PaulS n. E. Sunday
School of Oakland


WHEREAS. In the exercise of an all
wise and divine Providence, 1t has pleas
ed Almighty God to call from earth to
heaven the Reverend John NJ. Davis.
superintendent emeritus of our Sunday
school, who departed this life on Satur-
day, the 18th day of May, 1916, full of
years, honors, christian love and lively
hope Of eternal life; and
WHEREAS, This Sunday school. over
which he presided as superintendent for
fortY-one consecutive wears and wherein
1t was his God given privilege to lead
and guide hundreds and even thousands
of souls to the Cross of Christ. now
deem it proper to give a testimonial in
this form of the love, esteem and ven
GRAFTON in which it held him and now
revers his blessed memory; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, By Saint Paul's Methodist
Episcopal Sunday school of Oakland
that we pay tribute to his memory and
honor to his Yirtuous life
Precious in the sight of the Lord is
the death of His Saints. 1t is to them
the most blessed Of experiences. While
the eye of the body slowly closes to the
fading beauties of earth, the eye of the
soul Is opening to the glories that are
to be revealed. In relaxing his hold on
all that life held dear we believe his
spiritual hands held with firmer grasp
OF faith, and closer embrace of love
to the things that are unseen and
eternal in the heavens. While the
outward man perishes, the inward man
is renewed. The day of his death is in
deed better than the day of his birth
Tor, rich with all the accumulated
treasures of spiritual knowledge and
eXperlence-the growth of a whole life
time of discipline-he comes to his last
hour like the mellow fruit that gathers
into itself all the life of the tree, all the
dew and sunshine of summer, and at
last bends and breaks the branches from
which 1t hangs. The death of our be-
loved, departed saint of God is swallow
ed up in victory. Death to him is but
the passing shadow between faith and
sight, hope and full fruition. transient
and transparent as the last filmv cloud
that wells for a moment the sunrise. In
the chamber of death the spirit is re-
leased and finds an open gate to Heaven.
His death Is translation. The unfold
ing Of life whose spiritual character
had its beginning on earth. His dying
is to US like the setting of the sun on a
calm summer evening, which makes
the western sky ablaze with splendor,
and glorifies even the dark clouds that
gather round hi descent. It is like the
changing of the somber green foliage
Of summer into the gorgeous bright
ness of the autumnal hues. investing
even the sadness of death and decay
with heavenly beauty.
Who, on beholding such a marvellous
proof the Transforming ard sustaining
power of grace as we beheId in our
friend, would not eXclaim; Let me die
the death of the righteous, and let my
latter end be like his " The record of
his magnanimous life 'entwine like a run
ming vine around the memory of our
friend and spiritual father. Every
beautiful, unselfsh act is now a per
fumed flower whose fragrance fingers,
a blessing and benediction to those he
loved. He lived we'll He died tri-
umphant. He lived not for selfish gain
but for the glory of God and the good of
his fellow creatures. Though the place
that knows him will know him no more
forever. yet those whom he blessed by
his living will arise and call him blessed,
and the undying moral power of mis-
character and life will continue to pro-
duce lasting influence and impressions
upon mems lives generations to come.
Just as the sunset leaves a long en-
during after-glow in the natural heav-
ems, so will the sunset of his life make
the world fairer and richer because he
lived and died in it.
He faded, like all mortals, as leaf;
but the fragrance of his life still clings
to our memory as the scent of the rose
fingers in its dry, withered leaves.
The singing birds, busy bees, blossom
ing flowers and running brooks were
full of inspiration and suggestion to
him. Gentleness and modesty. with
deep sincerity and honesty of purpose
characterized every act of his life. We
shall ever miss his cheering words. His