Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-05-07

Observation-Disclosures. Observation-Disclosures.
\. OBITUARY. !.
Observation-Disclosures .s..!.'!..s..s..s.t.:-...
In Loving Remembrance

'S''s.sl.t.s'.s't.'ss.
In Loving Remembrance
Of our dear husband and father,
Lawrence Orr Bruce, Sr., who passed
away May 3, 1918.
One year ago to-day we were cast
into the deepest gloom when our
loving husband and father quietly
and peacefully slipped from our
plane of existence into the Heavenly
Realm. For long time we were
oh! SO sad and desolate, and felt so
helpless without him between us and
the cold world. We had always gone
to him for assistance, advice and
comfort, and he had not once failed
us.
Life seemed cheerless, and we
were disconsolate until it came to us
that this was not his attitude toward
bereavement, nor would he have it
ours. Then we reviewed his life of
love and self-sacrifice. What noble
heritage he has left us!
Our record Of his life begins with
his 10th year, when he carried his
father, the Rev. c. p. Bruce, to the
station to 60 as a volunteer to the
Confederate army. Before the train
came he had prevailed upon his ia
ther to allow him to go in his stead,
as the father could i'll be spared from
his wife and eleven children, he be-
| ing the eldest son. So he joined the
colors and marched away to battle
without even a mothers farewell
kiss, and did not return until after
the surrender. He learned to write
as soon as he enlisted, SO he could
write home.
Although he was not 81 when the
war closed, his father offered to set
him free and give him tract of land
on which to build a home, he having
engaged himself to a neighbor girl.
This offer he refused and worked for
his father for ten years, until all his
brothers and sisters were grown.
He said his parents had been rear
ed in affiuence and could not readily
adapt themselves to the changed con-
ditions. His sweetheart waited for
him, and they were married and
reared and educated q large family.
He set the pace for education in
his community. He was great Sum
lay school worker and was superin-
tendent Of the Townville Baptist
| Sunday school for twenty consecu-
tive years. He was strong advo-
cate Of and contributor to foreign
missions and was an honorary dea-
con Of the Townyille Baptist church
at the time Of his death.
Many poor have celled on him for
help, and many sick and dying for
! prayer, and he always responded.
! But he was in advance Of his age,
and not always understood, but, like
Job of old, he endured persecution
| with meekness. and eventually tri-
umphed over his prosecutors. He was
a striking example of virtue, Of pru-
dence, of valor, Of courage.
His oldest grandson in each fam
| lily are his "namesakes," and de-
scendants yet unborn shall bear his
name and strive to emulate his vir-
tues.
We have preserved his letters, and
| think it fitting to close this sketch
| closed the last letter he ever wrote.
He wrote 1t to his son-in-law, q. G..
Odom, just three days before the be-
ginning Of his last illness.
The extract follows:
"get ready, which I will do
right away. will close. Be good.
Remember you are representative
Of Jesus Christ, and while He repre-
sents you before a Fathers throne
you must represent Him while you
live here in the world. Jesus says:
If you love Me, you will keep my
commandments ! will close. Low
ingly, your Father"
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