The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1918-12-13
PAY TRIBUTE
TO MEMORY OF NOBLE
YOUTH WHO GAVE LIFE
BEAUTIFUL AND IMPRESSIVE
MEMORIAL SERVICES AT CEN
IRAL CHURCH.
SERGEANT THOMAS A. MITCHELL
Addresses Made by Rev. J. M. Robi-
son, Prof. r. L. Harris, Elder o. W..
C. Smith and J. |. Finney Last Sun
day.

services in honor or InOmaS a. MUCH
ell, of the 117th infantry, killed in ac
ton in Flanders, were held at Central
Presbyterian church at Culleoka on
Sunday morning. The large audito-
rum Of the church was filled to its
capacity with friends and admirers
of the young hero, people being pres
ent from as far away as Pulaski and
Athens Ala. A large number were
present from the county High School
from which he graduated and they
contributed materially to the beauti-
full musical program.
Addresses were made by Rev. J. M.
Robson, pastor; by Elder d. W. c.
Smith, who, like the father, of the
honored hero, has three stars on his
service flag; by Prof. Robert l.. Har-
ris, superintendent of the County High
School and former instructor of the
youth, and by ]. IFinney, editor OF
The Herald
The musical program was most
beautiful and inspiring, consisting of a
number of selections by the choir,
solos and a duet the latter being
"When the Blue Star Turns to Cold"
Tribute was paid to the Christian
life and character Of the dead hero
by Elder Smith, who had known him
all his life. He spoke of his manly
character, his devotion to duty and
his clean and lofty life.
Mr.. Smith was followed by Prof
Harris who declared that if all stu
dents were like Thomas Mitchell
teaching would be one continued
pleasure. Fond of life, full of spirit,
a youth of convictions, he was never.
theless an honor to his class and to
his school. He completed the High
School course because of his intense
application and conscientious regard
for duty, within less than the pres
eribed time. He spoke of his lofty
ideals of citizenship, this being illus
trated when he won The Herald medal
for the best essay on the duties and
obligations of good, citizenship. Mr..
Harris was so overcome with emo
ton, that it was difficult for him to
speak of a youth whom he loved and
appreciated as he did this splendid
young man.
The closing address was delivered
by J. ]. Finney, who spoke not only
of the valor and chivalry and devotion
to duty of Thomas Mitchell, but paid
deserved tribute to his splendid OLD
father Mr.. Finney said that to his
mind the darkest hours of the war
where not when the American troops
were performing prodigies of valor on
the Western front and the casualty
list was steadily lengthening, but il
was when the nation entered the war
and its people were so slow to catch
a vision of what that action meant
It seemed, he said, on every hand that
people were praying that the cup
might pass from them. They were
apparently willing that others should
spill blood and spend treasure for
them and theirs, but they were unwin-
ing to contribute their part to the
saving of civilization. In the midst
of this almost universal desire to.
avoid service, Mr.. Finney said, Dr.
Mitchell, father of Thomas, had dedi
Gated his youngest son to the service
of the nation, giving him written per.
mission to enlist although under the
legal age. Not only that, but also
when few days later Thomas volun
teered, he stated that he had We.
another son whom he expected to
serve the nation in arms. This was
all he had. Three sons all freely
given to the service of country and
God and humanity.
Mr.. Finney appealed to the people
to so live in the future, to catch such
svision of service that the death o,
young Mitchell and the countless 9TH
er heroes would not prove a vain
offering. He asked them to live
worthily of the sacrifices that had
ben made for them. The only life
worth living, he said, is a life of SER
vice and devotion to ones fellow
man. Only through such a life could
the people of the community and al
America prove worthy of the stipend
Gus sacrifices that had been made for
them.
In conclusion he appealed for the
old ideals of life that have made the
Anglo Saxon civilization strong and
great. He admonished his hearers
to combat with all their power the /
new fads and fancies of socialism and /
the Bolsheviki, that would condemn
everything because it was old. He 4
denounced the so-called information
llism as sort of free love that would /
destroy the very foundations Of pa