Funeral of Frances Byrd, a School Girl, Held in Payne Chapel
TRIBUTE FROM HER PASTOR
The last victim of the great tragedy was buried this afternoon, when the body of Frances Byrd, a 13-year old school girl, whose home was in east college street. Was lowered into the waiting grave in Speer Spring cemetery, where her family owns a lot.
The service was conducted in Payne chapel at 2 p.m. by the Rev. C. A. McGee, this being the third funeral in connection with the Opera House panic that he has conducted. There was a large attendance of friends of the dead girl. Joseph Sly, Lester Vactor, Vivian Bush, Roy Bush, Howard Walls and Lewis McGee, intimate friends, acted as bearers.
The Rev. C. A. McGee based his remarks on the words of Job: “When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return” (Job 16:23). The pastor said:
“Death is presented in the Scriptures under a variety of figures, as the cutting of the weaver’s thread; passing through a gate; it is called a sleep, and, sometimes, a deep sleep. It is called an enemy. But death is not always an enemy. It may come as your best friend.
“The harvest is sometimes gathered before it is ripe, in order to save it. So God sometimes gathers children home in order to save them. There are many things that are worse than death. Here death is spoken of as the end. Life is a journey; death is the end.
“Notice, first, that this is a strange journey. We have never gone that way. We have been very near. Some of you were very near the valley last Saturday night.
“Notice, second, that it is a solemn thing to die. We realized this on last Saturday night, when so many dear ones were taken away. The awful gloom which stretched her wings over Canonsburg can never be forgotten. Death is solemn because it brings us face to face with Christ – face to face with our life work; face to face with the future, where we must begin an eternity of joy or woe. It is a solemn thing to die; it is more solemn to live.
“Third, it is a sad journey, because we must go alone. We stand by the bedside of dying friends until our feet are almost in Jordan. But there we must say goodbye. It was sad indeed for Frances to have her dear young life crushed out in this manner; away from home; no one to whisper words of encouragement and hope; no mother’s tender hand to administer.