DEATH NOTICE, Scearce, 1901, Shelby Co.

DEATH NOTICE OF REV. GEORGE S. SCEARCE
April 24, 1901
Beloved As Man, As Teacher, and As Pastor, His Course Is Run

Shelby Sentinel, April 25, 1901
So. Shelby News, April 25, 1901
Shelby Record, May 1, 1901
(This article was printed in one, or all of the above)

The death of Geo. S. Scearce at his home in Versailles last Tuesday night
caused the most general mourning in two cities, one the home of his
adoption, and the other of his early life and many years' residence.  He
had been ill for over two weeks of pneumonia and it was thought he was
out of danger when the relapse came, and death followed about 12:15 a.m.
April 23 (sic, April 24).  

George S. Scearce was born in this county in 1856 at the home where his
father, Mr. Shelby R. Scearce, died so recently. The child is father of
the man, and what George Scearce was as a man he was as a boy, upright
and moral, studious in his habits and never faltering in his duties. 
After finishing school, he taught school near his home for three
sessions, then entered Georgetown College, from which he was graduated in
'76, the leader of his class, as his college mate, Dr. Yeager, now
president of the college, testified.

After his college course he conducted for twelve years a private school
for boys and girls and part of the time was associated with Rev. B. F.
Hungerford.  During all these years his influence upon the hundreds of
his scholars is impossible to estimate.

His very example, so expressive of purity of thought and deed, was of
incalculable benefit.  His work as school (unreadable), but he felt the
call to enter the ministry.  So in 1895 he entered the Baptist
Theological Seminary, Louisville.  During this course he had the
pastorate, first of the church at Waddy and, afterwards, at Pleasureville
and Bagdad.  In these charges he was more than successful in the ordinary
sense of the word.  His congregation and all that knew him were so
impressed with the zeal and love he had for the cause of Christ that he
had a hold on all the people that few men can gain in a lifetime.  Just
sixteen months ago he was called to the church at Versailles.  Here was a
new field, but the same principle of devotion and same tireless energy in
his work, and the result was the same as before, new friends and new
influences.  Since going to Versailles he has received several better
calls, but declined them because he felt that his work was not done
there.

On the night that he died when he knew that death was near he said to a
friend at his bedside:  "Tonight we conquer by the Grace of God."  If
there was ever a man that was a conqueror from the day of his birth it
was George Scearce.

The pall-bearers were the deacons of his church.

Dr. John R. Sampey in preaching the funeral, said substantially, and
taking the first seven verses of I Timothy for a text:  "Whatever of
eulogy there is to be on this occasion the Word of God must speak it." 
The Dr. then took up the text word by word, and showed how Mr. Scearce
had fulfilled the conditions there laid down for the office of bishop. 
Mr. Scearce had been "blameless" - how important is it that the Christian
minister should be blameless!  "The husband of one wife" - a necessary
condition in days of polygamy.  How necessary are family ties to the
Christian minister to make him properly sympathetic: "vigilant."  Geo.
Scearce lost his life in his vigilant discharge of duty; "Sober" - he was
sober minded; his judgement was of the best; he was always cool and did
things deliberately; "of good behavior, given to hospitality."  Many of
us knew how beautifully this last grace was developed in our brother. 
Without any ostentation whatever he had the knack of making you feel
perfectly at home in his home and his home was a little corner of heaven,
where he and his wife, after 16 years of married life, had not forgotten
that they were sweethearts; "apt to teach".  He taught the Word of God as
few preachers do.  He had taught school for a long time with marked
ability and success; this experience was of great value to him when he
went into the pulpit.  His people here testify that his sermons were
always fresh and left you with something to take away.  You saw the
meaning of the Word of God more clearly, or some problem of Christian
living was nearer a solution than it had been; "not greedy of filthy
lucre".  He knew the value of money; he had plenty of business sense, but
greed did not in the remotest way characterize his appreciation of money.
 Thus the preacher went through the list of qualifications for the office
of bishop, and showed how Bro. Scearce had possessed them all to a very
remarkable degree.

Just about fifteen minutes before death overtook him, Mr. Scearce was
asked for the combination to the little safe in which he kept some
valuable papers.  Mr. Scearce gave the combination without hesitation and
with the utmost clearness.  The preacher took this circumstance, and
using it as an illustration, closed with words something like these.

So as the man to whom the combination of the safe had been given, put his
hand upon the knob, and worked out the combination which admitted him to
the treasure of the safe, so Jesus Christ had laid his hand upon the
heart of Geo. Scearce and death was but the "falling" of the combination
which gave him the real George Scearce of inestimable value and left here
the tenantless body.

The remains reached here at 4:30 p.m. on a special train which brought
the funeral party from Versailles.  The rich floral tributes from his
home and those added by loving friends here covered the pulpit and casket
as it rested in the Baptist church, while friends paid their last tribute
to his memory in the hearing of as large an audience as ever gathered in
the church.  Dr. McDonald first introduced Dr. Yeager, President of
Georgetown College, who told of their college days.  Rev. Ryland Knight,
a scholar and later a classmate in Seminary, then paid a most beautiful
tribute, and Rev. W. E. Bryce concluded the short service at the church. 
The burial then took place at Grove Hill in his family lot.

Submitted by: Polly Menendez 
<bobpolly@zapcom.net> 
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997