157
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Title
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157
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Transcription
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his own words spoken upon the occasion of the death of a long-time friend who was dear to him. "At the table of life we sit with our friends, enjoying their presence, their conversation, their counsel; and it seems to us that this pleasant company must continue indefinitely. And then—one goes into another room, and does not return. His vacant chair reminds us of his absence, and we stare in sorrow at the place where so recently he sat among us. So has gone from us our long-time friend, and so we sit in sorrow that we shall see him no more among us. When we gather again in the places where we were wont to see him we shall miss his genial countenance whose very presence was a benediction. To that other room to which he is gone we ourselves shall go, and there will be gathered again the company of congenial spirits that learned to love each other here. He has gone before and left us here a while, but we shall follow him very soon and find him there awaiting us." No better words or phrases than these could be chosen to describe the deep, burning sadness in the hearts of Dr. Bessey's admirers as he was laid away. The words reveal, in their very simplicity, much of the life and philosophy of our steadfast friend, of our inspiring teacher, of our fatherly associate.
Dr. Bessey's last illness covered a period of four weeks, beginning during the last week of January and culminating in his death on the evening of February 25, 1915. Yes, he is gone, but to have met him was to honor him; to have been taught by him was a priceless privilege; to have been intimately associated with him was a benediction; to have walked with him into the fields and woods and to have received from him a glorious view of the realm of which he was master was to have been led very close to the great throbbing heart whose pulsations will never cease in the breasts of those who sat at his feet until they too shall have passed into that "other room."
RAYMOND J. POOL.
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Rights
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