Darlington County ScArchives Obituaries.....Courtney, John, Sr. - September 15, 1867
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Larry Noah lrnoah@bigfoot.com November 1997

Church Testimonial by Church Conference March 1868

Sacred to the Memory of Brother John Courtney
 Whereas our venerable Brother & Father in Israel John Courtney senior Deacon
of this church, departed this life on the 15th of September 1867 & has gone 
to his reward above.  And whereas, we feel it befiting that we offer some 
testimonial to his worth & virtue & to the high esteem in which he was held by us.
Therefore: 
 Resolved, That in the life of deacon Courtney, we have an
illustrious witness to the reality & power of the religion of Jesus Christ
our Lord & a high incentive to holiness of heart & purity of life.  Baptised
as just entering the estate of manhood, for near seventy years he maintained
a constant, firm, consistant course of christian faith, patience & love, a
walk excedingly uniform in meekness & humility & a never ceasing, ever
growing zeal in the cause & service of the divine Redeemer.  For a long
series of years the senior Deacon of this church, as Aaron & Hurr held up
the hands of Moses, so it was his delight to hold up the hands of his pastor;
uniform & consistant in attendance upon divine worship, his seat was always
filled, while his heart was always warm, and thus in large degree conduced
to quicken the faith, enlarge the zeal, and perfect the love his brethren &
sisters in the lord.  In contributions to the church, to the cause & to the
needy, he dispensed with liberal hands as God had given him ability.
Heeding the admonition he felt it ever his duty & his privilege to warn, exhort,
rebuke, in love & kindness & with long suffering & doctrine.  Looking forth
upon the great Harvest, he was ever ready to encourage & urge forward those
he deemed possessed of peculier gifts, to the great work of the Gospel
ministry.  Thus he used indeed the office of a Deacon well, purchased to
himself a good degree & great boldness in the that is in Christ Jesus; &
thus, "being dead, yet speaketh".
 Resolved, " That in the death of Brother Courtney we recognize a death of
peace suceeding a life of peace, & entrance upon unalloyed & never ending
peace & hoyes which are full & immortal".
Mark the perfect man & behold the upright for the end of that man is peace"
Resolved

 That we cherish the memory of our departed Brother is sacred & dear to our
hearts, and that a seperate leaf in our church Record be set apart to the
insertion of this humble tribute to his memory, and that a copy be presented
to his family.
 Done in church conference, Saturday before the 4th Lords day in March 1868
        John M. Timmons
         Mod.
S.J. Cannon
 Clerk
                                        (R.R. Brooks (writer)

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