CENTRAL ILLINOIS OBITUARIES
Surnames O
MANY GATHERED FOR OSBORNE FUNERAL
Services Were Held at Murrayville M. E. Church Sunday - Great Concourse of People There
The funeral of the late James C. Osborne of Murrayville was attended Sunday by an audience that packed the Methodist church and all available space that could be filled with chairs.
First the pastor, Rev. W. H. McGhee visited the house in company with the family and held brief services by the bedside of Mrs. Osborne who most gratefully acknowledged the deed. A special choir consisting of George Coultas, Warren Wright, Mrs. Charles Short and Miss Stella Cunningham sang most effectively "nearer My God to Thee" and "My Faith Looks Up to Thee." A fervent prayer was offered and then the casket was placed in the hearse and taken to the church where the principal services were conducted by Mr. McGhee.
All Children Present.
A remarkable feature of the services was the fact that the surviving children, eleven in number, were all present. One came from Alberta Canada, one from Idaho one from Montana, and Mrs. Hannah Harper, of Coates, Kansas, reached the church just as the services began, having been delayed by a late train which failed to make connection at Kansas City.
The quartet already mentioned sang "Rock of Ages" and "Jesus Lover of My Soul." The pastor read suitable scripture selections and offered prayer and then read the following biography.
Some Life Facts
Mr. Osborne died at his home in Murrayville Friday, Nov. 24, 1916, aged 79 years, six months and twenty-one days. His departure was no surprise to his friends or to citizens generally, for he had been in failing health for a long time, and for a week or more had been confined to his bed.
He was the son of John M. and Mary J. Osborne, born May 3, 1837 in the southern part of Indiana. When only a small lad he moved with his parents to Tennessee. At the early age of 11 he was left to make his own way in the world by the death of both parents, first the mother and then a few years later the father being taken from him. He went to work at $36.00 a year and board. After working for about four years at this rate he determined to go to the then new country of Illinois for the purpose of bettering his condition. Accompanied by a younger brother, John M., he set out for the state which has been the destination of so many ambitious young men. Except for a little ride of a few miles kindly offered them by a farmer who overtook them in the road, the boys, the older of whom was only a little more than 15 years of age, walked all the way from Tennessee to Morgan county. Mr. Osborne often talked of this experience as an encouragement and inspiration to his own children.
After his arrival in this state he made his home for about two years with Mr. Jacob Rimbey in Greasy Prairie and then with Mr. Uriah Rimbey for more than two years. At the end of this period he married Miss Eliza Maria Phillips on February 11, 1857, and they immediately began housekeeping for themselves in the Mt. Zion neighborhood.
This happy union of nearly sixty years has not been broken asunder by the hand of death, thus fulfilling the marriage vow, "to love and to cherish till death do us part." Thirteen children came to bless the home of brother and sister Osborne. They are all living except George Wallace, who died in infancy, and Martha Ellen, who crossed over the river at the untimely age of sixteen. The surviving children are Henry C., John M., Harvey U., James Edward, Wm. E., Mrs. Mary E. Blakeman and Mrs. Julia T. Sullivan, all of Murrayville; Benjamin F., Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Charles W., Bozeman, Montana, Robert M., Jerome Idaho; and Mrs. Hannah T. Harper, Coats, Kansas. There are also 23 grandchildren and one great grandchild and a half sister, Mrs. Nannie Johnson, of Winfield, Kansas.
Mr. and Mrs. Osborne lived and worked on the farm while their physical strength permitted, and then about 21 years ago they moved to Murrayville, where they have since resided. While living with Mr. Uriah Rimbey he learned the plasterer's trade at which he often worked at the seasons when farm work was not pressing.
Joined Church as Boy
Brother Osborne was converted a meeting held at Mr. Zion church by Rev. John C. Sargent. At this time he was about 18 years old, which makes for him more than 60 years of faithful service for the Master. He was ever regular in attendance upon the services of the Methodist church, devout in its worship, and liberal with his means in its support. He contributed to the building fund of the present Mt. Zion church, the old brick church in Murrayville, and the beautiful structure in which we are met today.
Our brother was a good and useful man. Receiving from his parents that heritage which is rather to be chosen than great riches, viz., a good name and God fearing disposition, he has now passed it down unsullied to his own children for their safekeeping. He despised all meanness, lying, and dishonesty of every kind. His word was always to be relied upon and heart and head were given in neighborly kindness and help. The home was the center of his interest and affection, and however far away the duties of the day may have taken him, night always found him within the loved and loving circle.
Servant of God, well done;
Thy glorious warfare's past;
The battle's fought, the victory won
And thou art crowned at last.
A very good discourse followed, well chosen in all respects. A very brief outline is given.
Wife Chose Text
The text chosen at Mrs. Osborne's request was Martha's words to Mary, "The Master is come and calleth for thee." In this, the beautiful 11th chapter of John, we have the story of the illness and death of Lazarus. How precious the words, "Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick." It was dangerous for Him to go back to Bethlehem and His disciples tried to dissuade Him from it. Why He didn't go directly to the house we are not told, but Martha, the energetic one, hastened to meet Him and then followed a conversation which will ring through the ages. "I am the resurrection and the life," and the rest of His words. At the end of it Martha hastened to the house and tells her sister, Mary, that the Master had come and called for her. He came as a loving, sympathetic friend to comfort those dear to Him. How the soul cries out for friendship and comfort in times of sorrow and distress and that deep need of the soul Christ fills completely. He has a feeling for our infirmities; he suffered as we suffer and knows our sorrows. We must regard Him not only as the divine Son of God, but also as our brother, in all points tempted as we have been, yet without sin. We must think of Him as God manifest in the flesh, our Creator, Our Friend and our Brother.
The dear home in Bethlehem, we have reason to suppose, was a haven of rest to the Blessed Master. He loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus; how sweet those words; so when He came they somehow felt He could help them. Martha said in her distress that if He had been there their brother had not died, though even then she said that whatever He would ask of God would be given Him, yet her remarks later showed she hadn't faith to think her brother would be raised from the dead.
How Sympathy Helps
Then follows that sublime, precious, pathetic scene. Jesus hears Mary's sorrowing words, goes with her to the grave and weeps with her. The Immaculate Son of God, Creator of the universe, weeps with the ones He loved. How precious, how blessed, how consoling that divine brotherly sympathy. How often in times of grief and sorrow a tear mingled with ours, a pressure of the hand, a sign, a token of grief and sympathy is better than all else. So all who mourn man know that Christ is near to do the very thing for us we most need.
How wonderful those words, "Thy brother shall rise again." They come to us at all times and in all hours of trouble and sorrow and in the darkest moments we may hear His majestic, tender, loving words. No wonder Martha went to bring her sister word of the Lord's arrival. Had Job heard those blessed words he would not have said, "If a man die shall he live again?" Plat would throw away his books of cold philosophy and if all the children of men could hear them how blessed it would be.
Paul could say at the end that he had fought a good fight, and so our dear brother has ended a long and useful life and has entered the better land to be with Him who he lived and served on earth.
At the close of the discourse the quartet sang "We'll Never Say Good Bye." and then, followed by a long procession, the remains were borne to their last resting place in the new cemetery recently laid out. The bearers were the eight sons of Mr. Osborne - Henry C., John W., James E., Wm. E., Benj. F., Charles W., Robert N. and Harvey U. The beautiful flowers were cared for by four granddaughters, Misses Edna, Gladys and Hilda Osborne and Mary Blakeman.
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