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Show FUNERAL SERMON HONORS PROFESSOR Following is the text of a short sermon delivered at the Provo funeral services for Dr. J. Wm. Harrison, Dixie College professor, on Mionday, January 2, by Dr. W. P. Cottam: "Our presence here this afternoon after-noon as a group of sorrowing relatives and friends emphasized once more the uncertainties of life and shows what tricks of fate may befall mortal man to thwart best laid schemes and replace re-place of sunshine of hope with the shadows of despair. "Death is seldom a welcome visitor, and the untimeliness of it on this occasion robs the state of Utah of one of its most promising prom-ising sons the church of a devoted de-voted leader and all of us a rare friend. "Outside - of the immediate family, few shall miss Bill Harrison, Har-rison, as we affectionately called call-ed him, more than I. It was almost al-most fifteen years ago that he left the mines at Eureka and entered the Brigham Young university uni-versity with a major in biology. We became intimate friends from the first month of our acquaintance acquain-tance and our bonds of friendship friend-ship were as profound as those of David and Jonathan of old. We have hiked together in the mountains and deserts of Utah weeks at a time. Out there under the stars of heaven, the windows of our souls were thrown wide open. I knew his hopes, hi' ambitions and listened for hours to his splendid philosophy of life and I am here to testify that a more manly man, a more virtuous and honest gentleman never trod these hills of ours. His was a nature keyed to the finest emotions of life. I have heard him grow eloquent under un-der the enchantment of some sylvan syl-van retreat in our hills give thanks to the God of Heaven who gave him the faculty to enjoy en-joy the denizens of our woods and I have seen him stand speechless over the multi-colored panorama of Utah sunsets. He enjoyed the music of birds, the hymns of saints, and our hills and our halls have resounded to his voice in song and speech. Such was his versatile nature. "Throughout bis life, religion was a basic and guiding force. It was the fundamental motive which prompted him to leave his England home for America. Ani those years of establishment in Utah were filled with sacrifice and grief. But his was a practical prac-tical religion. He never let the hope of Heaven hereafter interfere inter-fere with the di-fovery of one h-re on this earth, lie possessed a rave sence of hum or and a p:er.d:(l oneept of human va 1 -'ies. "The essence of Dr. Harrison's ,ili:!o.-o;.hy of life was contained :r, iirynt's Thanatopsis. I have .ro doubt that his righteous living liv-ing soothed and sustained him :n those bours whrn he felt the -andle-light of life flicker and that he 'wrapp'-d the drapeiy of his couch about, him and lay down to pleasant dreams.' "Unwelcomed, unbidden, my-'erious my-'erious death fed from the even more mysterious stream of life, ! strikes with a ruthless hand. Around this enshrouded, un-':nowr.ble un-':nowr.ble phenomenon of the nn- iverse are burn yearnings and hopes for eternal life. This much we know that ere a fleeting tomorrow to-morrow has passed along our way, we loo will join the innumerable in-numerable caravan of death. And may we so adjust our lives that we may embark with the same serenity as did he whom we honor this hour. "An epitaph written by the great poet Burns on the occasion of the death of a dear friend, is, in my opinion, a fitting tribute to our friend, Dr. Harrison: "An hones) man her" lies at rest As e'er Cod with His imago b'ef t; The friend of m;m. the friend of truth, The friend of age, the guhle of youth. Few hearts like his with virtue warmed, Few heads with knowledge so informed ; If there's another world, he lives in bliss. If there Is none, he made the most of this." "To all that Is mortal of this Chri-tian gentleman, Wiiliam ilarri.-on, scholar, saint, friend. !: bid an affectionate farewell." |