Baptist History and Heritage – Short Stories About Heroes of the Faith – Spencer Houghton Cone – FUNERAL SERVICE over 4000 in attendance – PART TEN of ELEVEN
Thomas E Kresal December 3, 2019
Baptist History and Heritage – Short Stories About Heroes of the Faith – Spencer Houghton Cone – FUNERAL SERVICE over 4000 in attendance – PART TEN of ELEVEN
On Thursday morning, according to previous arrangements, the Board of Managers, and many of the Life Directors and Life Members of the American Bible Union, assembled at the Bible Rooms at 1 o’clock, P. M.
After a few remarks from the Corresponding Secretary, explaining the object of the meeting, brother Artimage took the chair, and introduced the solemn business of the occasion by a brief and impressive address, when all bowed the knee before the throne, and brother Hopkins, pastor of the Bethesda church led in prayer.
Brother W. D. Murphy read the following preamble and a resolution, which was cordially and unanimously adopted:
“WHEREAS, It has pleased God to take to himself our esteemed brother and President, Rev. Spencer H. Cone, D. D. and
WHEREAS, The First Baptist Church, and the family of our deceased brother have concurred in the arrangements for the funeral services, and invited this Board to unite with them; therefore
Resolved, That we cordially unite in arrangements made, and that we appoint brethren Baker, Judd, Colgate, E. Parmly, and the Corresponding Secretary, a Committee to draw up resolutions expressive of our sentiments of affection and respect for our departed President, and our sense of the loss which we have sustained in his death, and to report the same at our regular meeting next week.”
The meeting then adjourned, and the brethren walked in procession to brother Cone’s residence, where they met many ministers of different denominations, who had assembled to manifest their regard for the deceased.
Prayer was made at the house of Rev. Dr. Hill, Corresponding Secretary of the Home Mission Society.
The procession then formed at the door, and walked slowly to the meeting-house of the First Baptist Church. The coffin was borne by aged men, principally Deacons, who had sat for many years under the ministry of brother Cone. Some disappointment was felt that brother Colgate, (who was the first person chosen for the sad office, but was absent from the city,) was not one of the number.
The bearers were William Hillman, W. Burden, W. D. Murphy, S. Pier, Wm. Cooper, Wilson G. Hunt, Walter McIntosh, and Eli Kelly. The silver plate on the coffin bore the following inscription:
Spencer H. Cone
Died August 28, 1855
Aged 70 years, 3 months, and 20 days
No sooner had the procession entered the meeting-house, than it was crowded to its utmost capacity, and thousands went away from the doors, unable to force an entrance. It is estimated that there were at least four thousand persons within the walls of the church ediiface.
Dr. Church, one of the editors of the Chronicle, commenced the mournful exercises by reading a hymn.
Brothers Briggs, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Brooklyn, read a portion of Scripture. Brother Briggs was Dr. Cone’s successor as pastor of the church at Alexandria.
Dr. John Knox, of the Dutch Reformed Church, led in prayer.
Dr. Farris, Chancellor of the New York University, read the second hymn.
Dr. E. L. Magoon, pastor of Oliver street Church, (of which brother Cone was for many years the pastor,) delivered an address.
Dr. Sommers made the last prayer, and brother A. D. Gillette, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church read the last hymn.
The Rev. Dr. S. H. Cox then closed the services with a few remarks.
Thomas E. Kresal from – S. H. Ford, editor, Repository and Review, 1855, pp. 546-558.
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