The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-07-19
4! = IS
CHURCH !! l / !
LOSS Of ELDER


AA - RAOAO8@0 ~ h00&O Va 80DBOGt
and svenefation, hundreds gAthee6d
yesterday morning ct the Broad
way Presbyterian church In q me-
mortal service for the late Dr.. ].
w. Stewart, the SsnioT elder OF the
church and superintendent emer-
titus Of the Sunday school. whose
death occurred last Friday ct Estes
Park, Colo.
For 80 years superintendent Of
the Broadway Sunday school, DR..
Stewart won the love and, esteem
Of children and young peopls ~
well -. Of the older members Of
the congregation. who Joined in
mutual expression Of their regard.
The service Vas impressive, quiet
and dignihed, In keeping with the
spirit Of him whose memory It hon.
oYed. Details bore out the potent
meaning Of the ceremonial.
The altar was covered with green
fern and gladioli Of mixed eolors.
enriched by southern palms. The
family pew was marked by tall
baskets Of giadioli, and the vacant
seat was eloquent In Its appeal.
Unite in Reverent Prayer.
Among the musical numbers. all
impressive and we'll rendered. one
Of the most effective was The
Dead March in Saul" by Handel.
the congregation standing with
bowed heads in silent prayer while
the plaintive strains were sounded {.
DR.. John McGown Stevenson,
pastor Of the church. paid a beau
tiful tribute in his sermon found In
Genesis, the 25th chapter. NTH
verse: Then Abraham gave up the
ghost, and died in, a good old age,
an old man full Of years; and was
gathered to his people" DR.. Stew
enson said in part:
II felt when thinking Of today's
service that we would like to talk
together as a people over our sad
loss, because no other subject could
claim place in our hearts. And
| while it is somewhat early for q
memorial we shall receive greater
blessing when our hearts are tender
in the sharpness of our sense Of
loss. l know Of no passage in
| Scripture nor any character more
fitting than Abraham from which
F, we may select spiritual values in
keeping with the spiritual worth
Of the beloved one we mourn.
SAT a hasty reading the text
might suggest tautology on the
part of the writer. The three
phrases, died in a good old age,
! AN old man. and full of years
are not synonym. There is no re-
dundance here. 1t expresses some
thing more than longevity. Furth-
er, it is noteworthy that the phrases
are unusual in the Scriptures and
when used are applied to the pre-
eminent figures in holy writ. 1t il
worth while to note the instances
With Reference to Isaac.
| Along with our text these word,
are employed in reference to tn,
calm and contemplative life o
Isaac. Also to the stormy and ad
venturous career of David. the grea
king. Then once more they ar
used in speaking of the great Higl
Priest Jehoiada, whose life wa
crowned with danger, change ant
noble effort, with all the storm
behind him he died at last, full
Of days ~f
| The only other instance in Scrip
ture occurs at the close of the bool
Of Job, that noble epic of the goo'
mans suffering and the gloriou
compensations giving by loyinI
God after the night Of storm in tn
beautiful picture Of restored pros
perity and family Joy. SO Job died
being old and full of days. TIL
suggestion here is not merely lengtl
of days but something above an,
beyond mere duration of time 1t 1
more accurate to read satisfied wit
years instead of full Of years.
| Lies Opportunities Exhausted.
These patriarchs went out wit
the tide satisfied it'll life, its op
portunities exhausted, they had ia
ken full draft from the pure stream
satisfying their SEQ s, leaving moth
ing more to be wished for. Their
was no desperate clinging to tn
world but a glad willingness to lie
; it slip, for they had attained earth
choicest possibilities.
, ''Dr. Stewart passed quietly t
his people, after a brief final i'll
ness of four hours. There is some
thing more than poetic fancy whe
We remember that he left thi
world amid the grandeur of natur,
5000 feet above the sea. One re
calls Browning's 'Grammarian'
Funeral, with this difference ths
the place Of the passing and nc
the burial was in these majesti
heights:
This man decided. =. to
KNOW
Here-here's his place, where
4 meteors shoot, clouds
form, =.
= Hghtnings are loosened,
Stars come and go! Let 10y
break with the storm,
II Peace let the dew send!
j Lofty designs must close in like
II effects:
i Loftily lying.
/ Leave him-still loftier than
the world suspects,
NJ Lying and dyinR.s So