HOUSER. James R.
Source: Paxton Ill Record Thursday 9 Oct 1919
p 1
In the presence of about 200 farming folks and
townspeople from neighboring villages, James R. Houser, an aged farm living a
short distance from Hillsboro, Ind assisted his pastor in conducting his
funeral Sunday afternoon, says a Danville paper. The little church where the
funeral was held is one belonging to a congregation of the United Brethren
faith and stands midway between Hillsboro and the Christian Church, which is
the one consistently attended by Mr. Houser.
Although a member of the New Light Christian Church situated about 4
miles southwest of Hillsboro, Mr. Houser asked what the meeting be conducted in
the United Brethren Church because it is more centrally located in the
community in which he is so well known. It was one of the most unusual
incidents in the religious life of that community. The funeral was held with no
sign of death lingering near. Instead of a corpse there was the living form of
Mr. Houser sitting immediately in front of the pulpit in a chair especially
assigned for him. The only tangible things
which would suggest a ceremony performed for the last rites of the dead was the
mass of flowers contributed by his friends and relatives. These were banked
against the rostrum. The services were interspersed with hymns sung by the
congregation – Nearer my God to Thee – In the Sweet Bye & Bye – and God Be
With You Till we Meet Again, were the songs selected by Mr. Houser. The sermon
was delivered by Mr. Miles Cooper and the text upon which it was based: Prepare
to Meet Your God. Immediately after the
close of Mr. Cooper’s discourse, the aged man, assisted by one of the brethren
from his church arose to the platform and admonished those present to live a
life of faith and of righteousness, saying from the joy of living came only
from faithfulness and righteousness. The obituary in the ceremony was written
by Mr. Houser. It stated that he was born Dec 16, 1844 in Fountain County,
Indiana that in September 1866, he married Frances J. Harding and that to this
union three sons were born: John, Martin and Daniel all of whom are now living.
The closing words of the obituary read: You all know me. Therefore I am willing
that you judge me in this life. But it is not so in the life that is to come
for I prefer the judgment of God far above the judgment of man. The old man, who, considering the ordinary
infirmities of age is in good health, stated at the close of the meeting that
funerals are of little good after death and that he desired his to precede him,
because he “wanted to know for a certainty as to whether he was going to the
kingdom of Heaven.” Before departing from the church those who had listened
attentively to his words following the sermon, met him, grasped his wrinkled
hands and bade him Godspeed and assured him that he was on the right way toward
heaven. Upon Mr. Houser’s death it is understood that Mr. Cooper will complete
the funeral services by conducting a short ceremony consisting of only a prayer
and song at the Houser home. - kbz