FAIR, Charles S. (1864-1916)

FAIR

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 1/31/2016 at 13:16:47

Charles Sherman Fair
(Nov 15, 1864 - Sep 14, 1916)

Charles Sherman Fair, son of J. and Sarah Fair was born near Blue Ridge, Missouri, Nov. 15, 1864. He was of a family of ten children and of these, five, together with the parents are living, Dr. J.F. of Trenton, Missouri; D.E. and J.U. both of Gilman City, Missouri; Eugene of Kirksville, Missouri, and Mrs. Cora Van Eaton of Gilman City.
On May 21, 1885, he was united in marriage to Sadie Bagley, who departed this life June 6, 1895. He was again married May 5, 1897, to Myrtle Bloom, to which union was born two children, Pauline and Myron, both of whom died in infancy.
At the age of 18 he was converted and united with the United Brethren church, and in 1887 changed his church affiliation and united with the Christian Union church at Blue Ridge, Missouri. The same year he was given license to preach and was ordained to the ministry in 1889.
For a time he was engaged in the mercantile business in addition to his ministry but in 1892 he gave his whole time to his ministerial work. During the next few years he served some of the best churches in northern Missouri as their pastor until in 1894 he received an urgent call from the Milo charge and served the people faithfully for a period of six consecutive years. For the next five years he served as pastor to various Iowa churches and at the same time did consider able evangelistic work. During the time at Milo he served for five years as cashier of the Citizens Bank and carried away a record of trust and high esteem of all with whom he dealt. During this time he did almost as much preaching as when in regular work. .
Five years ago he accepted a call as pastor of the Christian Union church at Homer and other churches in Indiana, which he served until broken health caused him to spend a year in the west, recuperating. Upon returning from the west he served the churches at Pleasanton and New Hope, Iowa, until two weeks ago when he returned to Indiana to take up his work at his old charge at Homer with the added charge of Rays Crossing.
The last sermon Brother Fair preached was at Rays Crossing, Indiana, Sunday evening, September 10 on the subject "The Destiny of Two Lives" which was a master-piece---a fitting climax to his fire's work. Then without warning Thursday, Sept. 14, while preparing another sermon God spoke to him "Thy work on earth is finished, Come with me for thou hast inherited a crown of eternal life in the heavens. "
Funeral services conducted by Rev. O.J. McMullen were held at Homer, Friday morning after which the body was brought back to Milo where services were held Sunday afternoon, in the Milo church with between 1200 and 1500 people in attendance overflowing the house and filling the yard and street in front of church. The Reverends Thomas, Martin and Dorrell, co-workers with the deceased , each paid his tribute to the life that has passed out, after which the body was interred in the Belmont Zion cemetery.
There were many beautiful floral offerings, some from charges where he had held the pastorate, Rays Crossing and Homer, Indiana; Pleasanton, Milo and New Hope, Iowa; some from intimate friends and relatives whose lives he had touched. Two of these are deserving of special mention, the offering the New Hope, a wheel with a broken felloe, a most beautiful tribute and one, most precious of all, bearing the card, "From Mother's Garden" just a bouquet of roses from Mother's flower garden which he loved so well. The years that this good man lived have been years of usefulness and the record he left is one of highest honor. He was earnest in his efforts to do good; faithful in his services to his God; devoted in his home life; and a friend to everyone. No one having come in contact with Brother Fair will ever forget his words of cheer and his bright sunshiny life, for in talking with him his heart seemed to radiate into your very soul. When his soul departed this world he left a place vacant that cannot be filled. The wheel is broken beyond repair of man and is in the hands of God. Christian Union has lost one of its tried and true men whose very life was in his work and whose sacrifices none of us will ever know; the lonely wife has lost a loving husband; the dear old father and mother of 81 and 79 a noble son; brothers and sister a true brother, humanity, a friend; THE WORLD MAN.
[Copied from an scrapbook of obituaries at the Warren County Historical Society library]