The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1918-11-28

Valley FORCES night Of gloom faded
into Yorktown's clOudless day inspired
cur brother in the hour Of mis- enlist
ment il that great national army
that is destined not only to perpetu-
ate upon this continent the right Of
men and nations to live and be free,
but to carry this sacred principle
across the SEES and weave it into
the very warp and wool Of the gov
ernments Of the old world.
Our brother died in an hour when
Americas hopes ran high and its
passion Of victory had burst into
flame-a flame that shall never be
extinguished till the German sword is
broken and the throne Of the Kaiser
has crumbIed into dust. Like most
of our soldiers, he was anxious to
see service abroad, and with his CONF
pany had embarked upon a ship bound
for Somewhere in France" when it
was discovered that he was danger
ously i'll, and he was sent back un-
conscious to the hospital in Hoboken
Doubtless his disappointment was
keen, but he bore it with Christian
resignation and with high courage
and steadfast faith received his or
ders from the Great Commander for
another yoyage-a voyage to that
cover There" from whence no travel
err returns. But we believe that he has
reached a land more beautiful than
"sunny France" a land free from the
wreck and ruin Of war; "a land Of TO-
liage and flowers perennial, where
ceaseless summer smiles
We so believe because he was
soldier of the cross, and as such wore
the armor Of his God with the same
fidelity that he wore The uniform
of his country Upon his profession
Of faith in Christ, he united with the
Presbyterian church, and was faithful
to his VOWS as a Christian. Loyalty
was one Of the strong traits of Broth
en- Rufflns character, and this LOYALTY
was equally exemplified in his devo-
ton to home, his love for his coun-
try and his fidelity to the church
Of his choice. The life that is faith
full in these relationships and that
is thus linked to the Cross is the
life that lives on in a new and richer
experience when its tenement of clay
has returned to kindred dust. Of
The depth and sincerity of Brother
Ruffin's religious convictions, the
chaplain who ministered to him in
his last hours, writes thus to DR..
R. p Walker:
"You will appreciate what mean
when refer to this particular min
istry as a privilege, when tell you
that his response to the word which
| carried to him was one Of the most
cheering experiences Of my life. Many
a young man by whose bedside I
stand while he is hearing the great
summons shows an appreciation and
gratitude that brings me great sat
isfaction. But often | am conscious
Of the fact that what say is falling
upon ears to which it is an unaccus-
toned sound. In this case there was
richness of an experience with God
that was as the deep calling unto
the deep. 1t was as the heart of
man reaching up to his God, with
whom he had long since attuned him
self"
The memory of life that thus
goes out in the beauty of holiness
viii linger like a benediction to bless
and to strengthen the relatives and
the friends who mourn the loss of
one who was faithful in the most
sacred relationships of human life,
that of friend to friend, brother to
brother, son to father and mother,
husband to wife, citizen to his coun-
try, and Christian to his God.
For such character there is no
death. "What seems SO is but trans
ition. This life Of mortal breath is
but the portal to the life elysian."
We know that we shall meet him
again in that day Of Christian reun-
ion on the other shore. We know it
because his soul was in fellowship
with the divine. We know it because
our Saviour has told us SO. We know
it because all Nature proclaims q
resurrection from the grave. As a
great orator has said:
IF matter, mute and inanimate,
though changed by nature into null
titude of forms, can never die, will
| the soul of man suffer humiliation
after it has paid a brief visit, like
a royal guest, to this tenement Of
clay? No! / am as certain that
there is another life as / am that /
live today
To this faith and this hope we
commend those who sorrow because
of the death of our young friend
and brother.
Therefore, be it resolved by the
Bible Sunday school class of the
First Presbyterian Church of Coving-
ton, Tennessee, that this tribute be
spread upon the minutes of our class
and that copy thereof be furnished
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