The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1920-01-24

away at the family residence, ISIS
Michigan Avenue, at 1:20 o'clock Sat
urday afternoon, January 10. Trained
nurses were constantly at his bedside
and everything that a loving ard de-
voted wife who had marched by his
side for more than forty-two years
could do as well as the assistance of
a host of loyal members and friends
was in vain; and with a smile upon
his face, conscious of the end and in
the full triumph of the faith of that
God whom he served so acceptably for
nearly fifty years, he went sweeping,
glOriously into the land of eternal
rest.
Rev. Richard Davis was born in
Howard County, Missouri, in 1852 and
at the time of his death was sixty.
eight years of age. He was married to
Miss Nellie Diggs also of Howard
County, February %, 1877, 43 years
ago; no children blessed this union
but am adopted son whom they loved
dearly passed away about eight years
ago. The year following his marriage
Reverend Davis entered the ~itinerant
ministry and his first charge was War
renton, Mo-, and during these forty-twc
years he has served acceptably al
Sturgeon, Montgomery, North Fayette
Glasgow. Mexico, and Sedalia, where
during his pastorate he attended and
graduated from George r. Smith Col
lege after which he served six years
as superintendent of the Sedalia dis
trict; coming from there to Centenniel
Church where he was serving his
twelfth year at the time of his death
Under his pastorate, Centenniel has
developed into one of the largest con
gregation in Kansas City as well as
the leading church of his connection
in the West. Centenniel was formed
by a consolidation of Burns Chapel and
Asbury Chapel nearly twenty years
ago. AT that time Rev. James NJ. Har
ris was pastor of Centenniel but the
consolidation was performed under the
~pastorate of the Rev ]. VIII Jackson
now pastor at Marshall, Mo.
When Reverend Davis took charge
there was a debt of $4,000 90 upon
the church and when he and Brother
Pryor, one of the trustees went down
TO see the la who held the mortgage
upon the church and offered him fouI
hundred dollars as a partial payment
on their long overdue obligations, he
refused to accept, it and CURLY in
formed them that he must have five
hundred dollars by the next day OF
he would proceed to foreclose at once
as he was tired of fooling with them
Reverend Davis and Brother Pryor
left crest-fallen and downhearted and
Brother Pryor said to the pastor, %
don't know what we'll do as | haven
another dollar and / have no idea
where we can get the hundred" Their
Reverend Davis in his quiet unassum
ming way said, Brother Pryor, l have
a hundred dollars that my wife and
have saved which l will let you have
with the understanding that we1l al
work as hard as we car to save oui
church." and he Immediately drew hi:
hundred and went back to the mort
gage holder who was not inclined tC
talk further with them until Brother
Davis laid the money on the table
and said: Here is your five hundred
dollars" the man took it and said t.
Brother Pryor, you've got a real mar
as pastor here now" and then said
You'll have to bring me $4,000 more
in six weeks or I'll foreclose." 1t il
needless to say that Doctor Davi:
raised the 100000 in less time thar
that allotted him; then immediately
put on a rally for a thousand dollars
which netted over $1,100.00 and KEEP
this strenuous financial effort up un
til Centenniel had the glorious priv
ilege in 1916 of seeing their mortgage
burned. Centenniel has grown undel
Reverend Davis splendid pastoratt
from less than three hundred to four
teen hundred active members and Tho
following well known people consti
tute the present official boards:
TRUSTEES
]. Crawford, Brit Laskin, c. Hick
man l. ToIson Raniamfn Java IN n