PRE-16-Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Sixteen Funeral Services at Dallas—Closing Services, and Burial at Rushville, Indiana. From McKinney, as already stated, the remains of the departed one were taken to Dallas, and placed in the church, where he had but a short time before so earnestly and successfully labored. On the next day (Lord’s Day), June the 9th, the funeral services took place, which were noticed as follows in the city papers:
“THE LAST RITES.
“FUNERAL SERVICES OF MR. SHAW, SUNDAY MORNING. AN IMMENSE CONCOURSE PAY TRIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY.
“As early as nine o’clock Sunday morning people began to gather within the building where lay all that was earthly of the dead evangelist. The casket was profusely decorated with odorous flowers, while scattered upon the floor beneath it were immense bunches of incense-breathing roses, geraniums, honeysuckles, and clippings from the rarest gardens in the city. On the stand, in the rear, a dozen or more vessels, filled with beautiful plants and evergreens, were tastefully arranged. Crosses, anchors, and other elegantly worked floral designs were strewn upon the lid of the coffin; but none were there more elegant than the crown of roses brought by Mrs. Dr. A. A. Johnston. This was placed near the head, and an open Bible was rested against it. In a line of green letters above the altar, was, ‘Fell at his post,’ underneath which were three large pictures of the deceased; and below the largest—the center picture—was a placard containing his last words: ‘It is a grand thing to rally people to the Cross of Christ.’
“As the minutes sped on, the crowd continued to gather in great numbers, until the large audience-room was packed to its utmost. Chairs were placed in the aisles, and still the immense congregation could not be accommodated. A little before eleven o’clock, Mr. Smith, the organist, took his position at the instrument, and began to send out upon the air, in low and solemn cadence, that sweetest of all sounds in music, ‘Home, Sweet Home.’ As the mournful strains of the voluntary rose, gathered, and fell, the vast audience seemed to realize indeed the full force of the occasion, and strong men wept. Rarely has a more affecting scene been witnessed than that which marked the exercises at this time.
“At eleven o’clock, Elder J. T. Bly, of Knoxville, Iowa, ascended the platform, and began the opening service by reading the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians. The opening song, to music of Mr. Shaw’s own composition, was: ‘If thou, Lord, callest me;’ and, as the organ pealed forth the solemn notes, full many an eye was wet with weeping, and tears of sympathy rolled down the cheeks of strangers as well as those who knew and loved him well.
“Prayer was then offered by Dr. Armstrong, of the Tabernacle. His appeal in behalf of the absent wife and bereaved children was a tearful offering of love and affection. Eloquently, simple, and tenderly pathetic, his words fell with soft and soothing force upon all who heard them. Another of Mr. Shaw’s songs—‘Beyond the dark sea’—was then rendered, and Mr. Bly delivered the funeral discourse. This effort, delivered under trying circumstances, was a masterly one; and when we give a skeleton of it this morning, we feel that, in doing so, we do neither the speaker nor the occasion justice. It should have been heard to be appreciated.
“The text was chosen from Acts xxvi. 8: ‘Why should it seem a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead?’ His subject was ‘The Credibility of the Resurrection.’ He announced that with the resurrection the claims of Jesus and the Bible stand or fall. It is at the door of the sepulcher that hope lingers with the inquiry: ‘Is he here ?’ The angel and the empty tomb echo back, ‘Not here; He is risen.’ God, in the nature of things, made no provision for sin. Therefore, the nature of things can furnish no remedy for sin and its consequences. Science can only discover the difficulty. The herald note of the gospel—the ‘so loved’ is the overture—the arbitrary divine intervention that brings to man the remedy. The revelation of Jesus the Christ is the solution of the great problem of life and happiness. In Him we have the complete harmonization of God and man; therefore the unalterable conditions of life endless, and happiness unalloyed. While Nature and Science walk hand in hand, the revelation of the crucified and risen Savior calls for faith.
“The resurrection is credible—
“1st. God is able to raise the dead.
“2d. The happy result of this revelation upon the lips and character of the laborer, bears testimony, calling out the nobler faculties of his being—faith, hope, and love—assimilating him to the divine character.
“3d. The responsiveness of the resurrection bears testimony—
“a. It responds to man’s desire for life. Job’s question, ‘If a man die, shall he live again?’ is a living question. The vacated tomb says, ‘he shall live again.’
“b. It represents the Christian’s hope of immortality. As the divine nature has permeated his spiritual nature, and molded him into the likeness of the character of the Savior; so in the resurrection shall he be permeated entire—made incorruptible. It responds to the Christian’s aspirations for happiness. Having an approved character, an incorruptible body, he is fitted for happiness to the utmost of his possibilities.
“The denial of the resurrection—
“1st. Ignores the Bible as a revelation from God.
“2d. Converts the mission of Christ into the arch deception of the world. The devil appeals to our carnal nature and promises reward here. Jesus appeals to our spiritual nature and promises eternal reward. If he did not rise again, he has out-generaled the devil as a deceiver.
“3d. Involves the testimony of history. The name Jesus is the great historic name of literature—in Christian literature the greatest. Of Christian civilization—the best ever known in the world’s history.
“CONCLUSION.
“The denial of the resurrection closes the gates of immortality, and the grave of the eternal Sleeper, and reduces man’s existence to a monstrosity. Has God mocked man by imbuing in his nature the conditions to infinite possibilities and aspirations, equal in their measure without any conditions whatever of their realization? ‘Now, is Christ risen from the dead?’ This is our hope.
“Brother Shaw’s work of faith and labor of love closed with the Dallas meeting. We can pass no higher eulogy upon him than to say he needs none. He will ever stand before us in the bold outlines of an earnest devoted life. And while his cold inanimate form lies before us in the stillness of death, we are reminded that the echoes of his warning voice will not die away until they find rest on the farther shores of time. His work will go on. Such a life of faith is reproductive. Among the thousands who have responded to his earnest appeals, many will catch the gospel strain and send it along down the ages. The fact of his untimely death will but intensify that sense of responsibility that underlies every successful Christian life. How inexplicable that one of such rare combination should be called from labor to rest at noontide! May our kind Father, whose providential ways are beyond our view, overrule this sad dispensation to the future and greater good of those left behind.
“After the delivery of the funeral discourse, Mr. Armstrong succeeded Mr. Bly; and, as the tender utterances fell from his lips, the congregation was again moved to tears.
“Mr. Wheat, after making a short address, proposed that the congregation should kneel in a prayer of thankfulness that their pastor, Elder Kirk Baxter, who was with Mr. Shaw the day of the fearful disaster, was spared to them. In this prayer Mr. Armstrong led.
“Mr. Baxter, who was present, but who had to be assisted into the church—the bruises on whose head and left eye were plainly discernible to those in the remotest seats in the church—was requested to tell the congregation how the terrible accident happened. This he did in tones that told he was suffering mental anguish as well as enduring physical pain; but as the account of the wreck has hitherto been published in these columns, we will not reproduce it.
“Over the cold body of Mr. Shaw an appeal was made to sinners to turn to God, and four came forward and united themselves with the church. The hymn, ‘Fallen on Zion’s Battle Field—a Soldier of Renown,’ was sung in conclusion of the services. After the audience was dismissed, a large number of persons pressed forward to view the body.
“The remains continued to lie in state in the church until yesterday morning; when, attended by weeping friends, they were taken to the depot, and sent, on the 7:20 train, under care of Mr. L. D. Myers, to Rushville, Indiana, for burial. So has gone out of life a noble man of God—a gallant warrior from the host of Israel.”
During Brother Shaw’s meeting at Dallas, in one of his sermons, he said: “If I should die while I am here, I want you to send my body to Rushville, Indiana, for burial.” His request was complied with, as above stated; and Brother L. D. Myers, who attended to this kind yet sad office, tells, in the following letter to the Christian Standard, how his mournful mission was discharged:
“Dear Brother Errett:—I returned home from my sorrowful trip to Rushville, Indiana, with the remains of Brother Shaw, last Thursday. I arrived in Rushville on Wednesday, 12th inst., about nine A. M., and found a large assembly of sorrowing friends and relatives of our good brother who met me at the depot. His poor old mother was there, heart-broken, as is perfectly natural, to have so dutiful and worthy a son brought home under such circumstances. But she said, only a few short years and she would join him in the bright beyond.
“His wife, son, and daughter did not arrive for a few hours, having missed connection at Cincinnati. They, too, came with sorrowful hearts; but Sister Shaw was more resigned than I expected to find her. She is a strong-minded, sensible woman, and seemed to be equal to the emergency. For years she has been expecting something of the kind to happen; as he lived, when not in the church house, on the rail. She had almost given him up; or, in other words, he belonged to the church and people. He was always in a meeting. When away from home, engaged in meetings (which was nearly all the time), he delivered two sermons per day, three on Lord’s days, besides two singing rehearsals per day of one-half to one hour each. Then, when he returned home, he entered the pulpit and continued in one grand protracted meeting until called to another point. Remarkable man, never satisfied only when singing or preaching the everlasting gospel of Christ.
“Last winter, while I was corresponding with him with reference to the meeting just ended, I received a postal card from him, urging the members here to hold a prayer service for a week or ten days prior to the meeting, so that when he came he might begin at once, and not have to work a week to commence. Said he, I have no fears of converts if members are aroused to do their duty, winding up the postal-card thus:
“‘Yours with great sticktoitiveness and neverletgoitivemess,’
“‘K. SHAW.’
“From about eight years’ acquaintance with him, I thought that combination of words gave a free expression of the man and his life. But, will return to the narrative of my trip. Thursday, 13th instant, was set for funeral service. The day at hand, it was soon discovered that no building would hold the people; so the remains were taken to Court-house Square. The crowd that gathered there I did not hear estimated, but it was the largest I ever witnessed on a similar occasion. The services were conducted by Brother J. M. Conner. Brother L. H. Jameson, of Indianapolis—that good old veteran in the cause of Christ—delivered the memorial discourse, in which he stated that he was preaching four years before Brother Shaw was born; had known him from boyhood; had been for years side by side with him in the grand work. One feature of his life he wished to emphasize: ‘That in all his (Brother Shaw’s) intercourse with men and women, since he entered the ministry, not one charge was ever brought against his character.’ The speaker continued, ‘What a pattern for his co-laborers left behind to follow!’ Some twenty or more preachers were present, among whom I noticed Brothers J. M. Conner, L. H. Jameson, James Conner, Jr., J. W. Conner, H. R. Pritchard, Jacob Daubenspeck, E. L. Frazee, D. L. Thomas (son of Brother George Thomas, who immersed Brother Shaw), Walter S. Campbell, Jacob Blount, Dr. Jas. Orr, J. W. Ferrell, L. D. McGowen, N. Marlott, Methodist Episcopal, Mr. Hutchinson, United Presbyterian. Nearly all had something to say, praising the life and good work of the man whose lifeless form lay silent before them.
“The H. & T. C. Railroad granted passes to Sedalia, Missouri, and return. There I was met by Brother Ragland, the pastor at Sedalia, and the elders, who rendered assistance to St. Louis. There I was met by Brothers Garrison, Burns, and Renshaw, who rendered valuable assistance to Indianapolis. Thanks to them, also to the brethren at Rushville and Big Flat Rock, in Rush County, for contributions to help defray expense of the journey. Funeral over, I remained with Brother Shaw’s family until Monday morning. Came to Indianapolis; spent afternoon and night with Brother Jameson. Next day came to St. Louis; spent a few happy hours with Brother Garrison and family. At 9:15 started for home; arrived on Thursday; found Brother Baxter still suffering in mind and body, but he thinks he will recover. Thursday night went to prayer-meeting at Commerce Street Church, where Brother Shaw had so recently held such a good meeting. It was the largest and most interesting prayermeeting I ever attended—some of the young converts praying and exhorting in public. Four additions to the church since the meeting. Thus the evangelistic work of our lamented brother goes on. Though dead, his life is before us; and his works, like bread cast upon waters, will be seen many, many days hence. Am trespassing upon your columns, but the request of many brethren and friends, urging me to report through the Standard, is the only apology I have for troubling your columns.
“Your brother in Christ, “DALLAS, TEXAS, June 25. L. D. MYERS.” The following account of the final funeral services is taken from the Rushville Republican:
“MEMORIAL SERVICE AT THE COURT-HOUSE PARK, TUESDAY, JUNE I ~ T H , 1878.
“At half-past ten o’clock there assembled about two thousand citizens of Rush County, in the Courthouse Park, to engage in memorial services to the memory of Elder Knowles Shaw; and the deep solemnity which pervaded the vast assembly, and the sympathy expressed, indicated how highly the deceased was loved and esteemed. No accident has ever happened to a citizen of Rush County that has so filled the hearts of the people with sorrow and sadness as this one. The friends erected a platform and temporary seats for about fifteen hundred persons. Immediately in front of the platform was a catafalque, which was handsomely decorated with flowers and evergreens. At the head was a life-size portrait of the deceased, and near it a card framed in evergreen, upon which was printed the last words of Knowles Shaw: ‘It is a grand thing to rally people to the Cross of Christ.’ The casket was very handsomely decorated with flowers and evergreens, among which we noticed a cross of white roses, an anchor of evergreens and flowers, a beautiful wreath of magnolia blossoms from the Sunny South, furnished by Miss Lenora Norris, besides numerous other floral decorations from other loving friends. The exercises began with a duet, ‘Only a Little While,’ composed by the deceased, and sung by the Misses Norris. The manner in which it was rendered, and the sentiment of the song, left not a dry eye in the vast audience. Following this was the reading of various appropriate passages of Scripture by Elder D. L. Thomas; then a hymn by a very large choir, improvised for the occasion, and consisting of persons from the various churches. Dr. Orr, of Andersonville, followed, with an eloquent prayer. Elder J. W. Conner, of Crawfordsville, recently of Rushville, acted as officiating minister. Short eulogies were then pronounced upon the life and character of the deceased by Elders J. W. Conner, of Crawfordsville; L. H. Jameson, of Indianapolis; Jacob Daubenspeck, of Rush County; Walter S. Campbell, of Fairview; Rev. A. N. Marlatt, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Rushville, and L. D. Myers, Esq., of Dallas, Texas. The exercises at the Park closed with a song from ‘Pure Gold’ by the choir, entitled ‘One by One we Gather,’ when the funeral cortege proceeded to East Hill Cemetery, where the remains were buried. Eight ministers acted as pallbearers.
“So ended the last rites in memory of one who was dearly loved by all who knew him, and who, while in life, labored for the elevation of his race with untiring energy and zeal, and was stricken down in the midst of his usefulness and labor. Surely of such an one we can say, ‘Death is the crown of life.’