The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1917-05-25
MR.. DIxON'S SPEECH.
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Continued from Page 81
Vancement of the religion which we
profess than has ever been accom-
pl1shed in the past.
Let us erect here a temple honorine
TO God and which will ever stand as
hitting testimonial to our children
and children's children of the faith
that is in us. AS l look around upon
TINS presence l feel as if can read
In the faces of many of you mingled
feelings Of joy and of sadness upon
this occasion, sadness as we recall
many scenes and incidents connected
with the church which has been so
recently torn down. 1t was to this
church that some. as toddling in
fants, came; with father and mother
and sister and brother, to unite in the
services of the church. That family is
now broken and scattered: father and
mother have passed into the Great Be-
You'd; brothers and sisters, if in the
land of the living, are dwelling in far
distant places. Here it was that some
were baptised. Here 1t was that some,
in the full flush and happiness of
young manhood and young woman
hood, came to plight their lives and
their all for the future in the holy
bonds of matrimony. Here we came
to pay the last tribute of respect to
many of our loved ones. Surely the
memory of such scenes that have pass
ed and gone forever can but bring
feelings of sadness.
There is joy at the prospect that we
are to have a new and, / trust, a more
| no nj nd 90
worship where we may unite with the
members of our family and with
friends in the praise and the service
of the Master.
| 1t was on the first day of January,
1871, that DR.. Blanton preached his
torical sermon from the pulpit of the
church so recently removed, in which
he used these words: 81 can not but
look forward little when those of
us who are here today shall also be
gone 1t will be but a short time
when another's voice will herald the
Gospel tidings from this pulpit, and
congregation of strangers will fill these
ipews. The youngest of us will soon
be in our graves, our spirits will be
with our Saviour and the friends who
have gone before us"
How soon have these almost
prophetic words been fulfilled. Were
/ to call the roll of that congregation
that heard those words, how many
could answer? / dare say that the
great majority have Joined the speak
er in that bright world to which they
looked, and are with those happy
spirits to which he referred as having
gone before.
But here / deem it not inappropriate
to refer to a fact which think should
be a matter of thankfulness and graf
itude upon the part of all of us, and
that is that there is still with us one
who was present upon that occasion
and who is the only one Of the Off
GERS then present who is still living,
4 refer to Mr. George w. Davis. For
ninety years he has gone in and out
before the people of this community,
and by reason of his blameless life
and his devotion to duty, to the prin
ciples of right and justice and to the
cause of his Master, has endeared
himself to us and is respected,
loved, honored and venerated by all.
And ] am sure l voice the feelings
and sentiment of all in this presence
when l say we pray that Heavens
richest blessings may rest upon him
and that a divine power may support
and sustain him during the remaining
years of his pilgrimage upon this
earth, and when the end shall coma
and he shall enter into that upper and
better kingdom, that he may receive
from the Master the welcome plaudit,
well done, good and faithful SER
want"
I If, as many believe. it be permitted
to those who have passed beyond the
I: confines of this life, to revisit the
, scenes of their earthly existence, or to
have a care or concern for those whom
they loved and left behind, with what
feelings must these dear departed spir-
it's now look down upon this scene,
J at which so many who were bound to
, them by the ties of blood and affection
are present, and who are now here en-
gagged in this solemn and hallowed SER
vice. And although these eyes can
mot penetrate the veil that hides them
, from our view, and though we call to
them and they answer US not, and
though we stretch out our hands and
. they seem to regard us not, yet who
can we say that these bright
spirits are not looking down
upon us at this time with an abiding
and tender interest? &c.
AS we contemplate such a scene, !
feel as if we were standing in the pres
ence of a mighty host of the sainted
dead If, indeed, there is such a thing
as death. One has beautifully said:
There is no death, but angel forms
Walk DER this earth with silent
tread;
: They bear our best loved ones away,
And we call them dead.
But ever near us, though unseen,
: The dear immortals tread;
For all the boundless universe
Is life; there are no dead"