Iowa Old Press
Sheldon Mail
Sheldon, O'Brien co. Iowa
Thursday, May 31, 1894
Page 5, Columns 5-6
A SUDDEN SUMMONS.
Ambrose Daw Dies While at Work from Rheumatism of the Heart.
Sheldon people were startled about four o'clock last Thursday
afternoon by an announcement of the sudden death of Ambrose Daw.
Mr. Daw was at work in the yards of F. M. Slagle & Co. piling
lumber which was being hauled to the yards from cars by Thos.
Bloxham and son. He complained of a severe pain near his heart as
Mr. Bloxham arrived with a load and when Tom and his boy returned
to where they had only a few minutes previous left Daw at work
they found him lying on a pile of lumber, dead. Mr. Daw had been
troubled a good deal off and on of late with rheumatism and it is
thought likely that the rheumatism had involved the heart,
causing his sudden death. However, his decease may have been
caused by heart disease.
Ambrose Daw was a few weeks past fifty-four years of age. For a
year past he had been in the employ of F. M. Slagle & Co.,
sucessors to Benj. Jones, for eleven years previous to this for
Mr. Jones and his former partners in business, so that he had
been continuously at one and the same job for about twelve years.
Albert Daw, of Welcome, Minnesota, his eldest son by a former
wife, and Mrs. J. J. Davis, of Waupun, Wis., mother of Mrs. Daw,
were present at the funeral, which occurred Saturday afternoon
from the Congregational Church, at which services Rev. R. M.
Doherty, Episcopal, was the officiating clergyman, in accordance
with the deceased wishes, as they had been made known previous to
his death, he having been an attendant at Episcopal services in
his youth in the old country. Mr. Cumings had been requested to
officiate at this service at a time which Mr. Doherty was out of
town and it was not expected that he could be present.
By request, the sermon which Mr. Cumings had prepared for the
occasion was furnished for publication and appears in print
below. Ambrose Daw was an honest, hard working man, and was as
faithful to his work and his employers as a man could be. He was
well known and people generally respected and esteemed him. His
place will not be an easy one to fill. We tender the sorrowing
family our sympathy.
REV. CUMINGS' SERMON.
The wholly unexpected and instantaneous death of Mr. Ambrose Daw
on last Thursday afternoon suggest some very solemn and practical
thoughts. 1. In a very impressive manner it calls our attention
to the fact that life is very uncertain and death a certainty.
"While in life we are in the midst of death." "For
what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little
time and then vanisheth away." "Life is a short
day." We were all amazed at the report of his death. It was
so sudden and wholly unannounced. He fell at his post without a
moment's warning, like a soldier shot down when no enemy was
thought to be near. With his accustomed fidelity he was about his
work, and was not for God took him.
That very morning I was at the lumber office and he waited upon
me with his usual fidelity and grace. Little did I think that
strong man would fall before night. He left his home after dinner
in usual health little dreaming that he had taken his last look
at his loved ones; but so it was. We little know when we go out
whether we shall come back or be bourne home by sorrowing
friends. Such is life. Strong men toil on year after year,
putting forth their full strength with great prodigality. The
powers of life are strong within them. Little do they think that
much sooner than they are aware the vital forces will be
exhausted and infirmities, old age, and death be upon them. They
toil and live as though they were always going to be strong and
well. They forget that the forces of life are being consumed,
that the evil days must come when the strongest must bow
themselves.
By His word, by events like this, by no means uncommon, God says,
"Do not presume too much on the continuation of health and
the length of life. Remember the days come when toil and power
are impossible. The end of life comes soon." Dangers, seen
and unseen await us on every hand. The merest accident may cut
short our life. We unwittingly overdraw the vital forces, are
much nearer our end than we know. Many a man presuming on twenty,
thirty or more years is in fact near the end of life. He is
consuming his vitality much faster than he is aware. These are
trite sayings, but how many of us go on our way wholly regardless
of the awful truth they contain. Go, to now ye that say,
"Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue
there a year, and buy and sell and get gain; whereas ye know not
what shall be on the morrow." "For what is your
life?" For that ye ought to say: If the Lord will we shall
live and do this or that. God says through this event to every
business man, every toiler, "Be ye also ready for in such an
hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh."
2. This event emphasizes as nothing else can the importance of
making preparations for death. To all, however young and strong,
the days come when productive and earning powers fail. "The
night cometh wherein no man can work." All should begin
their productive years with a systematic plan, strictly adhered
to throughout life, to make provision for old age and death. All
should be provident. They should have an anchor to the leeward.
Every man in business or steadily employed at good wages should
lay by something for a rainy day. Reverse, old age, sickness or
death should find us forearmed. Men are improvident because they
presume on continued health, prosperity and long life. We should
take all due care of ourselves. Many needlessly overtax or
carelessly expose themselves or indulge in habits or excesses
which mortgage their future. Men needlessly work too many hours,
or too fast and hard, and must pay the penalty. Nature is very
exacting and there is no grace with her.
3. This event emphasizes the importance of making moral and
spiritual preparation for death. Life is God's gift. A gift
carries with it obligation on the receiver's part toward the
giver. God should have due recognition from us in all our ways.
That recognition should be given now, today, for tomorrow it may
be too late. Every man needs for his own best good, and that of
his friends and neighbors, that character and life which a
constant, filial relation to God alone can give. No man can
afford, even for his own interests, to neglect God and his
righteousness. We all need the inspiration and help which true
godliness alone can give. We need this now. To delay this
preparation robs this life of its glory. It takes from men the
best dignity and honor. "Our wills are ours, we know not
how; our wills are ours, to make them Thine." To delay this
preparation is to hazard our future existence.
Ambrose Daw was born in Lower Hatting, near Rochester, Kent
England, January 20, 1840. He came to America twenty-one years
ago, to Sheldon fifteen years ago. He was twice married; had four
children by his first wife; was married to Miss Eleanor Davis
Aug. 5, 1883, who with one son survives him. Mr. Daw was an
honest, faithful, industrious man, as is shown from the fact that
he held a very responsible position for the same firm for over
twelve years. He was engineer and yardman for Jones, Parkhurst
& Co. He was kind and genial, very obliging and universally
esteemed. He was a true knight of labor--a man who loved honest
toil, never shirked and was always at his post. In these times of
discontent such a man deserves the highest need of praise.
Honesty and fidelity, coupled with a willingness to toil, were
the talents or capital which enabled him to command and hold a
good job--capital of which any man may well be proud and which in
any times will make him independent. All honor to such a man
dying at his post. His is a fidelity, service and example calling
for a victor's crown. Let the world pause to honor such toilers.
They are the true yeomanry. They are the hope of the nation. They
are the real kings. They are true industrials and commonwealers.
His sudden death was a great loss, not only to his family but to
the community. To his sorrowing wife and children the loss is
incalculable. For them the entire community extends hearty
sympathy. May the consolation of God and his benediction be
theirs.
'Tis strange that those we lean on most,
Those in whose laps our limbs are nursed,
Fall into shadow, soonest lost--
Those we love first are taken first.
God gives us love--something to love;
He leads us; but, when love is grown
To ripeness, that on which it throve
Falls off, and love is left alone.
[transcribed by V.R., January 2006]