THE HOME news
Published «« Fridw .t McCr,, Ark.
WALTER w. RANEY, Ed. and ruo.
Suferiptio" *1.00 P«r T.-irAJ,^
-^rnZ^Tsecond-class mat
ter August 26, 1916, at the post
[Le at McCrory, Ark., under
tlieAct of March 3, 1879.
Friday, Feb. 9, 1917.
Our Father
We have been made sad many
times by the death of some very
close friend and it has been our
duty to write the obituaries of
many but never have we before
realized, as we do now, the ex
treme sadness the bereaved rela
tives had to undergo.
In the death of our dear father,
H. T. Raney, we realize more
fully every hour that next to
mother our one best friend is
gone. It was he w7ho always
advised us to do that which was
right and more than once, in try
ing to impress upon us the pro
priety of telling the truth, has he
said, “Son, if at any time to tell
the truth would cause you untold
troubles, tell it.”
He was an ideal father and ex
ceedingly good to us, notwith
standing we at times would op
pose his wishes or violate his
commands. It is pleasant to re
member that he always entered
his own door with no cloud upon
his brow and no temper in his
heart. There was never a frown
at the table, or at the morning or
evening meal. He was loving
and companionable to us and it is
a pleasure to us now to think that
he was not referred to as ‘‘the
old man.”
Make Home Happy” was his
watch-word and he could always
turn back with consolation and
pleasure over the green spots in
the wilderness of the past. It
was he who always helped us in
time of need, watched our every
move and was most interested in
our success and as the recollec
tions come back to us our eyes
moisten as we realize that all
this is to be no more.
The love and untiring skill of
the conscientious, painstaking
physician were of no avail in try
ln2 to fight back the ravages of
i^ease and to avert the inevit
a le. The great destroyer had
,s signet on his brow and today,
^e who loved him living, mourn
him dead.
Kind friends have lowered all
at remains of our father to his
md resting place, to calmly
aAait the reward of a just God.
And as they covered it with the
sods of earth, may any who
might not have been his friend
also cover with the mantle of
charity his earthly shortcomings,
whate’er they may have been,
and keep bright in the lime light
of memory his many good deeds,
and may we always emulate his
virtues that we may be better
fitted to meet him and our other
loved ones on the other side.
In the presence of such a sor
row how cold and impotent are
words and how doubly deep
would be the grief over the grave
did not the rainbow of Christian
hope span the dark gulf between
time and eternity, and such pure,
bright lives inspire the belief
that there is a better world be
yond, where, free from the cares
of earth, the good and the true
are reunited, “after life’s fitful
fever.” Walter W. Raney.
EXTRACT OF AN ADDRESS
(Continued from front page)
word was as good as his bond; a
man of sterling integrity.
Hartwell Thomas Raney came
up with the civic life of our town
his name being on the petition
asking for the rights of incorpor
ation in 1890. He has held nine
commissions as mayor, most of
his work being done without pay.
He ever-worked not for pay, but
for the common weal. He nut
his life’s blood into the building
of McCrorv. There was not a
selfish drop of blood in H. T.
Raney, who was big of body, big
of heart and pure of soul.
Brother Raney was a staunch
member of Gum Wood Camp No.
108, Woodmen of the World,
which good order will tenderly
bear his body to the grave today
where they, as strong brother
choppers, will lay it to rest, and
later will comfort, in more ways
than one, the weeping ones left
behind. Brothers, may you meet
Brother Raney under the trees
of life in heaven.
r orty-tnree years ago our de
ceased brother was happily con
verted and united with the Meth
odist Church, South, coming out
of a life of sin, but his was a
complete salvation. He was
never the man to give a half
service to anything, so he came
into the church, not to shout re
ligion, but to serve God and his
fellow man. He was not a per
fect man, yea, a struggling one,
in the dark sometimes, but cry
ing out to God and then climbing
up to higher heights on towards
the City of God.
For 21 years he has been an
ordained local preacher of the
Methodist Church, having re
ceived his credentials from Bishop
0. P. Fitzgerald. He was a con
| stant support, a loyal helper and
an abiding friend and aid of his
pastor. He was never the pas- j
tor’s critic, but he would have
stood by him, and did do so, till
death. That great big heart of i
his just took us in the first time
we met him. We could feel his
love and support from the very
beginning. When his pastor
needed a man in the local pulpit,
he was there ready to do that
work, and it was done acceptably,
for he was a man of fervor and
unusual power, power with God
and man. Should the church
need any service, however menial
or however high, Brother Raney
was there to do that with every
power of his being. His means
in a very liberal way, his time it
mattered not how much, his labor
to every drop of blood in him were I
at the call of God and the church
and a lost world.
Tenderly and tearfully his
hands dressed and prepared the
dead for their last resting place
in the grave. The brokenhearted
found a comforter in Brother
Raney. He wiped away tears
from their eyes, brought joy and
comfort into their hearts, and
pointed them to God and heaven.
He earnestly called sinners to re
pentance, pointing them to
Christ their Savior, and multi
tudes has he lead home to God.
There were many at that beauti
ful gate watching and waiting
for him and there will be many
stars shining in his crown in
glory, for he has turned many to
righteousness and they shall
shine as the stars forever and
ever. They will rise up from all
over this country and call him
blessed.
We shall all miss this good
man. His happy face and cheer
ful voice will not be heard again.
One could not feel when blue he
was around. He smiled and we
smiled with him and he drove
the clouds away. We are so
sorry he has gone from us and
our hearts ache again, but he
has left us looking up and for
ward, and the angel of his good
life stands by us today making
us a more holy and happier peo
ple on earth, and pointing us to
the parted heaven and the home
over yonder. We shall all meet
you again Brother Raney, “In
the sweet bye and bye.”
0, wife and mother! 0, chil
dren and loved ones, crying here
today! He was a tender hus
band, so gentle and so kind, a
loving father in whose heart you
found counsel, support and
strength. Heaven has seemed
near you before when you came
beside that dark river of death
and some dear one went over,
but now you hear sweet voices
of loved ones and you hear the
rustle of angelic wings, so near
is heaven, and so good is God.
To the dear loved ones, wire,
daughter and son, all of whom
were at his side when the end
came so peacefully and without
the least struggle, you could not
say good morning to him yester
day when he went away from
you for a time, but he said ‘Good
morning’ in heaven to those who
out-stripped him in the heavenly
race, and in a little while you
will see him again, just a little
while, and he is so happy. We
are all coming home, Brother
Raney, and shall see you again,
0, happy day!
‘Servant of God, well done!
Rest from thy loved employ,
The battle fought, the victory
won,
Enter thy Master’s joy.
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| A Few of the I eading
Lines We Carry in Stock
^ John Deere Wagons,
| Sweet and Pure Flour,
\ McCall Patterns,
| Winchester Ammunition,
| Congoleum Rugs.
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The House on the Comer with Prices on the Square.
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Planters Mercantile Co. f
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