A Tribute of Respect.

I have written these lines, but can scarcely realize the last that when I again visit Old Pine Grove church, the happy face of Mr. J. T. Smith will be missing, but at 4 o’clock on June 15th, his soul took its flight into the eternal world of spirits.  He was the eldest son of Mr. G. R. Smith, an esteemed citizen of Gordon county.  He was born Oct. the 1st, 1861.  When he was first taken ill but little danger was apprehended but his sufferings soon became so intense that some fears were entertained as to his recovery.  Let no one think that every duty under love’s command was not discharged and every sacrifice made.  But with duty discharged and every sacrifice made father and mother, brothers and sisters, pastor and friends, with heads bowed, eyes dimmed with tears, hearts all bleeding and torn, sick and faint and yet in hope we yield the body of our loved one to dust and the spirit to God who gave it.  Thank God for the victory through Jesus our Lord.  The subject of this sketch was for two years a pupil of the writer and a close student was he.  In fact he was a young man of rare mental capacities wonderful pleasing manner and such a happy turn of disposition as to attract attention anywhere in every company on first sight, throwing himself into one’s very best heart and affections ere they were conscious of it and more and more so as association lasted to the purest and happiest consequences.  By all was he dearly loved, white and black, old and young.  Of him I write no vain sentence but follow his track and you will find abundant testimony thereto.  Why it is that one so young, so buoyant and so useful should be taken just when he was is more than I can explain.  No more does his beaming face greet us in the Sunday school, in the church or at our singings, of which he was so fond.  But his image still lingers on our minds and the sound of his well trained voice still lingers upon our ears.  May the death of this bright young Christian be a warning to the youth of this community that death is no respecter of person, that he comes to the young man as well as the old man, the high and the low, the rich and the poor, the good and the bad.  To the Christian boys and girls may it bear admonition to be more faithful and fill up the vacancy thus made.  As this death had to be I am glad that God so ordered that I should witness the scene for I have been made to see more powerfully that this grace is sufficient for a thorn in the flesh and with all my heart I can say, farewell friend, pupil and brother, in faith of a reunion in the bright beyond. --- W. M. W.