T. F. Colbert.
Tribute to His Member (sic) by His Pastor, Rev. W. H. Cooper.

Thomas Frank Colbert, son of John Groves Colbert, was born in Hancock county, Ga., October 31, 1853, and went out of his tabernacle of flesh in Kingston, Ga., to his home above, November 17, 1906.

He was married to Miss Cleo Templeton November 30, 1875. To them were born nine children, five of whom preceded their father to the everlasting city.  His beloved wife and four sons –Groves, Clyde, William and Frank – are still here to mourn his departure.

Brother Colbert was born of the Spirit and joined the Methodist Church in the year 1883.  He was a trusted and most useful officer in the church for about thirty-two years.  He served as class leader, steward and secretary.  Knowing God in the pardon of his own sins, he was ever calling upon his class to seek pardon and peace from God.  No church ever had a more earnest or successful steward.  He never missed a quarterly meeting or failed to see each member on his list unless prevented by sickness.  What a record!  The last time he ever left his home was to attend his quarterly meeting.  He was the best church secretary I ever had.  He gave the King’s business his attention, and knew how to keep a record and a register.  How few ever study this business enough to know it.

His last sickness was of long duration, lasting from February to November.  During this time I was at his bedside often.  We knew he was going away.  He knew he was going soon and talked of it in a most Christly way.  He knew the way home.  He gave me Col. 3:1 for a text from which to preach his funeral selected the hymns to be sung, and appointed the pall bearers.  He did all this without the least emotion or excitement.  He then looked to his faithful wife and said, “I have only one regret, and that is to leave her.”

If any man ever lived up to Col. 3:1, Frank Colbert surely did.  Endowed as he was with more than ordinary intellectual ability, he might have made money and a lot f it.  Any animal in human shape can do that.  Frank Colbert was engaged in making character – a far greater and nobler work.  While many of his fellows in this commercial age were rushing on to fame and fortune, he was rushing on to character in heaven.  It is worth while to live if one can know a few men who act on the idea that the seen things are temporal and perish with the using.  T. F. Colbert made a success of life.

W. H. Cooper.