Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-01-26
IN MEMoRIAM.
Tribute to the Memory Of the Late Or.
W. r. Proctor,

Tribute to the Memory Of the Late Or.
w. r. Proeto.
In the passing Of W. T. Proctor.
state agent for the farmers coopera.
ton demonstration work. from the
scenes OF earth. those who knew him
will realize that they have lost one
Of Texas greatest. best and most use.
full men.
As knew him can safely say that
have met his equal or his like In
very few men. With his great mind
and heart and soul literally on fire for
the betterment OF Texas and the up
lift and happiness OF her plain peo-
pie, he absolutely lost sight OF him
self and wrought and thought day In
and day out beyond his physical
strength. The increase OF his oner.
Gus duties In the great work over
which he had charge. and the rapidly
increasing demands that were made
on him from all over the state. and
the many voices that we're constantly
crying to him for all sorts OF help.
drove his wonderful energies with
such force that natures limit was
reached and his great life went out
right In its prime and usefulness and
when the world could most lily afford
to do without him.
Such dispensation Of an Advise
and good Providence are hard for the
finite TO understand. and. perhaps. II
is best for us not to know. neither
would We presume to question. but un.
der such conditions we cannot refrain
from asking. Why is II that death
loves a shining mark? or why Is that
often times (more often than other.
wise) Gods greatest are taken away
from their tasks Of usefulness, tasks
that are needed so much 10 be done,
while others far less worthy are left
with no tasks to perform. with moth.
ing seemingly save to be In the way
OF those who are busy.
No. we will not question this awful
dispensation. cruel though and III.
timed as II seems TO have been, for
we are OF those who believe that his
inscrutable providenees are always
right and his judgment and justice are
tempered with mercy. Believing this
| would say to my fellow workers who
followed him. let US do the only sen.
sible. manly thing. submit In that
beautiful humbleness that is born Of
true greatness. and In this submission
let us remember that while our good
chieftain Is gone the great work that
he had so stupendously planned and
80 wisely laid out will still live and
that Il has been left In our hands TO
faithfully carry on to that grand con.
summation for which he had longed
and OF which he thought and talked so
much. Shall we fail him In this his
fondest hope?
How often has he poured out his
great soul to me In a heart to heart
talk. when there was no one else 10
listen, when he would draw In his I'm.
agination that beautiful picture that
he always called "Dr. Knapp's
Dream" He would say. Il want God
to let me live until prejudice against
the demonstration work is removed
from the minds OF the poor farmers
In whose behalf the work was first
started. Yes. Mr. Buchanan" he
would continue. Il want TO live until
they will all understand me and be
able TO know that my poor heart abso.
lutely yearns for their betterment
and happiness. though sometimes
when appeal to them and receive
no response, and they even 20 so far
as to say unkind things about me,
then grow weary at heart and would
like to take wing and fly away, but
again when think Of the many thou
sands that | have helped, and how
many darkened hours | have helped
to make brighter. when I know that
they are scattered all over Texas who
love me for the enlightenment and
encouragement have given them to
ward n better and HAMMER life. then