The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-16
in LAST TRIBUTE
Powerful Funeral Sermon by
DIR. s. s. Estey Sunday.
Impressive Services for the
Late John Macdonald.

More than seven hundred persons
filled the First Presbyterian church
Sunday afternoon for the funeral of
John Macdonald. the Kansas educa-N
tor. and listened to an eloquent eulogy
by DR. Stephen S. Estey
Speaking of the uncompa nioned life
that the grand old man of Kansas"
lived, DR.. Estcy said:
Living here alone, his children far
away in a distant state, John Mac
Donald sometimes has seemed to us
who were his friends to be a lonely
man. But if he was, he never spoke
of it. 1t was never he who asked for
cheer. 1t was always he who gave it
to others. But after all why should
he feel alone when all the children of
the state were his, and every Kansas
town held friends who loved him?''
The son was unable to arrive in
time for his fathers funeral. DIR.
Estey described the quiet ending of
the educators life in his address of
which part follows:
He fell aslecp'-the words well
describe that quiet ending which came
to John MacDonald's life work. To
me there is something very beautiful
and very solemn about that midnight
| going of our friend, without pain or
suffering 1t recalls the death of
Moses, the friend of God, on Nebo' s
|
TO Moses in that lonely hour; but God
was his sufficient minister-and per-
| maps no human hand was worthy to
minister to that great .oul. Aye, and
no voice of them that wept' was
heard in our friends silent chamber
when God touched him and called
him home-no man saw that death
cortege sweeping heavenward, mo
man heard the trampling, or saw the
train go FORTH
He Needed No One.
But he needed 10 human friend in
: that sacramental hour: Tho 1 walk
thru the valley of the shadow of death
Will fear no evil: for thou art with
me- Thou art with me"-they are
the words that picture for me the
sweet and solemn mystery of that mid
night hour in the quiet chamber Tho
OF death will bear no evil, for thou
art with me'-they are the words and
the faith his Scotch mother taught
him, and they voice the faith he lived
by.
What a splendor such a faith in
Gods care for US in life and in death
casts upon life! How it nerves us
both for life and for death. And is
this faith justifiable? Aye, it is
Cicero was right when long ago he
said that there was in all men a
presage of Immortality, and that this
| faith is strongest in the greatest
geniuses and the most exalted souls.
Splendidly has our friend served
his generation. A certain Greek said
to a visitor, 'I will show you the
glory of Greece" and then he took
him to see Scion. their great philoso-
pher. If you will show some visitor
the glory of Kansas you must bid him
| look upon the stalwart men of integ-
rity who have builded this state, and
made it a moral giant among the
states of the Union. Because such mer
as John Macdonald have helped tC
mould her history, Kansas is what
| she is-a leader in all reforms and all
philanthropies. We honor John Mac
Donald here today as a great educator
an upright citizen, a true friend a
sincere Christian. This church, in
which he was for many years a Bible
teacher and faithful member, will
miss his face. No more shall we hear
the voice with the quaint Scotch
brogue which we loved No more shall
we receive. when the Christmas bells
ring, the card with Gaelic words and
the bit of heather, which told us
at the same time of his abiding love
for old Scotland, his true friendship
for us, and his reverent remembrance
of the Christ of Bethlehem. Yet he
himself would be first, if he could
speak to us today, to bid us not mourn
his going to the better land. Had they
been especially penned for John Mac
Donald, not more fifty could Tenny-
sons words have expressed what
believe was our friends attitude
toward life and death than in Gross
| ing the Bar"
quartette of the First Presbyterian
church, composed of Mrs Horace
| Whitehouse, Miss Margaret Gohlke,
Waldo Haywood and Howard Searle.