Kansas University Weekly.
217
The Funeral Services of Bert Serf.
One of the saddest sights to witness is a college funeral, and Sunday afternoon's services seemed doubly impressive, because of the manner in which death came.
The services were held in the parlors of the Eldridge house in the presence of the foot ball players of both schools and the faculty of the University. Rev.Banker opened with a reading from Ecclesiastes. The chapel choir then sang "Remember Now Thy Creator," after which the Rev.Banker spoke as follows:
"In the midst of life we are in death." This truth receives today a striking illustration. Yesterday our young brother was full of vigorous vitality; now he is cold and still before us. Such is death, and how sad it is. Many deaths are less sad. To those who have borne the burden and heat of life's day until tired and worn out, the gathering shadows of life's evening speak of rest. To these, death is not a catastrophe, but a "falling on sleep" for a night of rest. Not so when youth dies. Then there is almost no consideration to mitigate our sorrow. The world has all too few young men clean of limb and sound of spirit, to infuse into life the energy of righteousness; and we scarcely see how we can spare any. When they go only sorrow is left. In this case there is the added element of horror coming out of the fact that he died by an accident, and that right before our eyes. It has profoundly shocked all of us. Strangers, as we are, to you young brethren of Doane college, our hearts go out to you in sympathy. You are here among strangers with your dead, and under circumstances which are almost heart-breaking. But deeper and more profound than those we can think, must be the suffering of that unknown circle of those who loved him, at the head of which stand his father and mother. May the "God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation," sustain them in their awful sorrow.
"Your suffering, my young brothers (members of the foot ball teams) is increased by the fact that the accident which cost a life, was one
growing out of your sport-yours and ours—for we on the side lines are partakers with you. Had it occurred in the course of daily duty, about some ordinary work, we would feel differently about it. But it occurred in a game of foot ball, and though, as all know, wholly accidental, we shudder at it. Yet to my mind it is a fair question if these sports be not part of the real college life. At least they have for a long time been so regarded by most people. The purpose of education is manhood and muscular strength; nervous energy and physical courage are essential parts of complete manhood; and as yet we have found no way of creating and developing them, save by sports in which there is an element of danger. Such has, thus far, been, I take it, the accepted doctrine, and you have only gone in the lines drawn by wise men. You have no cause to blame yourselves. In God's providence the young brother went in this pitiful way and we are profoundly shocked by it. Let us remember that God orders life, work, and play, and rest, and that having used our best wisdom and made our best effort to do the right thing, we are to trust the results to Him.
"And now I commend you to God and the word of His grace. We must all confront Him soon. Perhaps we shall not go so suddenly, but we shall go. He only can prepare us to go—through His dear Son. God grant that your lives now and forever may be entrusted to His keeping, and that He may deal very gently with the broken hearted parents, who, instead of their son, will see only clay. Amen."
When the services were concluded the body was taken from the parlors to the hearse in waiting, Hamill, Foster, Sanderson, Mosse, Fitzpatrick and Whitney, acting as pall bearers. The hearse was followed to the station by 300 students, anxious to show their sympathy and sorrow. The body was accompanied to Hastings, Neb., by Prof. Green, president of the Athletic Association, A. A. Ewart, and Will Reed.