The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-07-11


Funeral of MIR william l.. Bethea.
Mr.. William L. Bethea, who had
been in feeble health quite a while
and who was recently carried to
hospital in Richmond, Virginia, for
treatment, died at the hospital on
last Saturday morning. July 6, 1913.
Two brothers. Mr.. T. w. Bethea and
Mr.. Vic Bethea, were with him at
the time Of his death.
The remains were brought to Dill
lon on Saturday night, rather arriv-
ing in Dillon Sunday morning at $3.50
o'clock.
The funeral services were held at
the Methodist church on Sunday af-
ternoon at 4:3O o'clock, being con-
Quoted by DR.. Watson B. Duncan, as
sisted by Rev S. ]. Bethea, Of Little
Rock. An appropriate programme
Of music was rendered by the choir
with Mrs. J. r. Watson at the or
gan. The famili- hyms, abide
With Me" and jus, Savior, Pilot
Me-" were su Besides these
Face to Face was sweetly sung by
Mrs. John Diebler and Mrs. Watson
rendered beautiful instrumental
selection.
The funeral address was delivered
by DR.. Duncan. The following brief
outline will give an idea of the ad-
dress:
AT time like this we realize how
vain is the help of man. It is best that
we let God speak His own message to
our troubled hearts. for He alone
can sustain us in such an hour as
this. There are three methods of
bearing trouble. The first is the ply
sical way. By this method a man
strives to stand under the burdens
and crosses of life and maintain him
self by mere physical strength. This
method is insufficient for sooner or
later the strength gives way and the
man goes down in the struggle. The
second method is the philosophical.
BY this the man tries to reason him
self into position of endurance. He
says to himself that worry is use
less and the wise course is to adjust
ourselves to life's conditions and
make the best of them. BY thus sim
ply adjusting himself to the burdens
he misses the blessings designed 60
by the afflictions of life.
The thifd method, and the only one
that serves the needs of the human
soul, is the Christian, or Biblical
method. By this we accept the afflic-
lions OF life as a part of the process
for the production of the highest
Type of manhood and womanhood,
and thus we open the channel of our
beings to the heavenly forces that
await entrance into our lives There
are some of the finer traits of
character that are developed only
in the furnace of affliction. There
are some birds that sing only when
the cage is darkened. Much of the
sweetest music of life is produced
by the lowering of the curtains of
sorrow about us.
realizing our dependence upon a
supernatural power at time like
this, we instinctively turn to God.
Just as the needle turns to pole, SO
the heart turns to God in the hour of
tria!. God alone meets the situation
and III His book we find the answer
to all the great and vital questions Of
life. The three great qustions that
men have asked through the CEN
turies are, Whence? Why? Whittier?
Whence came we? Why are we here L?
Whittier are We tending? Gods
word fixes our origin in Him, gives
us to understand that the purpose of
life is the accomplishing His
will. and that after the earthly pro-
baton and preparation we move out
into larger field of service.
| AS We meet here this afternoon
we realize that a quiet, unassuming
Christian gentleman has gone from
us. His record Is made and is known
to you all. No eulogy that 1 could
pronounce would make is otherwise.
Let us hear Gods message and be
comforted. May the God who has
promised to be the father of the
fatherless verify that promise to
these dear children who are now
fatherless and motherless. May
the Divine comfort be given to all
the sorrowing friends"
The pallbearers were E. T. Elliott
j. b. Gibson, J. P. McLaurin, C.
5. Herring, E. K. Hamer. J. r. Reg
an, j. c. Bethea. Morris Fass, J. r.
Watson, N. B. Hargrove and J. L.
Bridgers.
Mr.. Bethea's wife preceded him
to the spirit world about two years
ago. There are four children left
without father or mother-Donald,
Julia. Bertha, and william. These