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444 THE
| Obituaries |
Chipley: At her home in Moorefield,
\V. Va., January 24, li)10, after a brief illness,
Mrs. Elizabeth Chipley, wife of J.
Dixon Chipley, and daughter of Mr.
uranson Bauer, in lier thirty-first year.
An earnest Christian and a devoted wife
and mother.
Billmyer: January 5, 1910, at Ashevile,
N. C., in the 38th years of his age,
Mr. Charles Huyatt Billmyer, for eiglit
een years a member and for eleven years
a deacon of the Shepherdstown, W. Va.,
Presbyterian Church.
Hammond: February 28, 1910, at his
home near Kearneysville, W. Va., aged
GO years, Mr. Thos. W. Hammond, for 40
years a member and for 22 years an elder
and for many years Sunday-school
superintendent of the Kearneysville
Presbyterian Church.
Unseld: March 10, 1910. at his home
ill Shepherdstown, W. Va., aged 61 years,
Mr. Alexander Taylor Unseld, for ten
years a member of the Shepherdstown
Presbyterian Church.
Billmyer: March 19, 1910, at his home
near Shepherdstown, W. Va., aged 66
. years, Mr. Robert L. Billmyer, for 43
years a member and for 11 years a deacon
of the Shepherdstown Presbyterian
Church.
Henry Clay Capell was born in Amity
County, Miss., Jan. 5, 1846, and departed
this life at Mexia, Texas, April 11, 1910.
He made a profession of faith in Bethany
Church, Synod of Mississippi, in 1869.
Who im J ' - ?
...... u.. ciuci a.nu aupurmienaeni oi Sunday-school
in Magnolia and Centerville
Churches. By profession, he was a lawyer,
and at one time was editor of the
Liberty Herald. In 1901, he, in company
with his family, followed his oldest son
to Texas and settled at Mexia. January
11, 1866, he was married to Mis3 Annie
Smylie, daughter of Judge M. Smylie.
Their children were Robert L. Capell,
Mrs. Myra Brand, Eugene J. Capell and
HeRry P. Capell. Mr. Capell was exemplary
in his habits, honored by his fellow
townsmen and his memory is a precious
heritage to his family and friends.
R.
JOSEPH BASS FRIEND.
When the writer of this sketch became
pastor of Drakes Branch Church, in 1893,
the two venerable brothers, Elders William
G. and Joseph B. Friend, were re
garueu uy an as pjliars or strength and
beauty in the church, like the two pillars,
Jachin and Boaz, in the temple of old.
Seven years ago, the older brother, in
the 86th year of his age, was made a pillar
in the Temple of God on high. And
now, "He that hath the key of David,"
has given the younger brother his place
beside the older in the New Jerusalem;
together there, glorious twin pillars in
the Heavenly Temple, with the new name
written on them, they shall go no more
out!
I PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOI
Mr. Joseph Friend entered into his
heavenly rest from the home of his son
near Drakes Branch, Charlotte county,
Va., early Sunday morning, February 27,
1910, lacking less than two months of
being ninety-one years old.
Long and well did this greatly beloved
father in Israel serve his generation;
deep and lasting are the influences and
impressions left by the conspicuous excellence
of his life and character.
As his friend and former pastor, for a
period of twelve years, and as one of the
large number of those who greatly esteemed
and loved him, the writer deems
it a sweet privilege, as well as a pious
duty, to offer this brief tribute to his
memory. Lines must suffice where hearts
demand pages, and the few things here
written concerning his usefulness and
virtues are suggestions of the many not
recorded, and, it is hoped, will give a
just and satisfactory outline of their subject,
and be sufficient to inspire those
succeeding him with the desire to imitate
his character and conduct.
Mr. Friend was born April 23, 1819, at
"Green Level," the ancestral home in
Charlotte county, settled by his grand
iainer, oy virtue or a crown grant rrom
the King of Great Britain, in the year of
1767. Upon the death of his father, he
went, when five years old, to live with his
uncle, Richard Gaines, guardian of his
mother's children, near Charlotte C. H.
Living there until he attained his majority,
in the year 1840, he returned to "Green
Level," where he reared a lovely family,
and built an attractive home, noted for its
refinement and abounding hospitality. In
this happy home he lived continuously for
over sixty years, until the year 1902, when
he moved to the town of Drakes Branch,
near by. There, three years later, he suffered
his fourth like bereavement, in the
death of his most excellent wife, where
upon he went to spend his remaining
years in the home of his youngest son,
J. B. Friend, Jr., whom he had settled on
a part of the "Green Level" estate.
More than the usual amount of sorrow
fen to the lot of this good man during
his long life, but if the Father chastened
him as a well-beloved son, He enabled
him to endure chastening in the spirit
of a son. One of his chief characteristics
was his strong and unwavering trust in
God at all times, and his meek and glad
submission to the divine will. God did,
indeed, show him great and sore troubles,
but it is true also that goodness and mercy
followed him all the days of his life.
During his last five years, he was blessed
with unusual health and vigor. He went
regularly to church, two miles away, visited
his children in distant places, took
a lively interest in everything, and only a
few days before his last sickness rode
horseback over his farm. These last
years exhibited in richest perfection the
mellow rmeness of his ereen and beauti
ful old age, and the mature fullness of
his lovely well-rounded Christian character.
Well endowed by nature in body, mind,
and spirit, Mr. Friefid became under the
forming hand of divine grace one of the
JTH. April 6, 1910.
noblest and best of men. The basal, most
distinctive, and all-pervading element of
his character was godly sincerity; "He
was an Israelite indeed in whom was no
guile." Strictest sincerity and unswerving
rectitude marked his life. With firmness,
courage and decision of character,
he united ereat gentleness and neaeeahlA
ness. In him were beautifully blended dignity
and simplicity, noble manliness and
and simplicity, noble and sweet childliKeness.
Jehovah's description of a citizen of
Zion, as found in the 15th Ps., and our
Savior's characterization in the beatitudes
o. the true subjects of His kingdom apply
well to this godly man. He brought forth
the fruits of the Spirit; he abounded in
the graces of the Christian life, ' the
greatest of which," as described by Paul,
fil'ed thft rhnrflptpr tomnln witii *+?
T.m 1I.O glUI ?
As would be expected of a man of his
character, Mr. Friend was very exemplary
in all the relations and duties of life. As
a citizen he set a high standard, and in
his quiet but forceful way exerted a
strong and steady influence in forming
sound public sentiment, and in giving
high tone ajid character to the community
at large. He was the oldest citizen
of his county, and enjoying the highest
esteem and good will of all the people,
his passing is universally lamented as a
public loss.
Coming In the line of a godly seed and
reared under the most Christian influences,
he was probably a Christian from
his youth, and united with Village Church
and served as a deacon in that church.
Upon the organization, in 1874, of the
Drakes Branch Church; he was made an
elder there and served faithfully to the
end. He is forever specially to be remembered
and honored as the founder of
Drakes Branch Church. Convinced of the
need of a church at that point, and believing
that it would be for the best interests
of religion against the strongly
opposing judgment of many of his brethren
and nearest kindred, he firmly and
successfully led the movement for the
new organization. The after history of
this useful and now flourishing church
fully justifies the wisdom of this course.
This church, so largely the child of his
care and prayers and toil, he loved with
all his heart, and served with all his
might, continuing for these thirty-six
years of its existence to give it most liberally
of his material substance and of his
spiritual energies. The whole communion,
from pastor to smallest child, looked
up to him, and loved him, and now that
the Lord has caught him up, the mourn(ncr
jug vuuiv.u tiics anci uiui, my luiuer,
my father, the chariot of Israel, and the
horsemen thereof."
May his mantle fall on them, and a
double portion of his spirit rest upon
them.
As the head of a family, this patriarchal
man "ruled his house well," and "commanded
his children sifter him In the
fear of God." Never was a father more
honored and loved. "His children arise
up and call him blessed," and his numerous
posterity will ever cherish the good