Howard Mooney - Second Speaker at the Funeral Service for John T. Carroll - Oakland, California - March 28, 1957

I Chronicles 22:5; II Timothy 2:1-5. There is a close connection between these two portions of Scripture which we have just read; they are the last words of two very faithful servants of God who lived in days gone by. The charge that each of them left has a very close connection with our experience today. We read of two things that David mentioned he was leaving as a heritage for his son:  a wonderful peace as the result of his warfare, and a wonderful future as the result of his provision. David is known in the Bible as a man of war, valiant in battle. He fought the enemy, and left a victorious peace for the generation following. While he was doing that, he was also making preparation for the future. He knew his son and others following him were young and tender, and he put his best into the preparation so that they would be able to carry on the work after he was gone.

 

Our hearts have been bowed in sadness at the thought of our brother depart­ing from us, yet we rejoice because he has left such a rich heritage for us. Those who have known him the best have known him to be a man of war; truth has always been first in his life. I have been impressed as I have seen him dealing with friend or foe; he always fought for truth. As the Lord's people, we are enjoying a wonderful era of peace as a result of his faithful warfare, and the warfare of our other older brethren in the Work. We can also rejoice in the fact that he found time to prepare for the future.

My earliest recollection of Uncle Jack is when he was in our home. He and his companion were among the first who brought the truth to us. I cannot think of a single visit he made but what the purpose of his coming was to give us a little more with which to prepare for the future. He never left any doubt but that the purpose for which he came was to give us something to help prepare for Eternity. I have appreciated the provision he has also made for me in the work. His attitude toward me was as David's toward his son:  he knew his son was young and tender, and the work was great, and he did all he could to supply him with what he would be needing to carry on that work. I appreciate the fatherly, tender interest that Jack took in me, and in others of my younger fellowservants. So many times he went out of his way to counsel me, take me aside to correct or instruct me. In so many instances, he went beyond the call of duty to help me in this great work, and to fit me for the future. Like David, he prepared abundantly before his death.

I felt that if our brother could rise up and speak to us who follow in the work, it would be the same message which Paul spoke to Timothy, "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." The greatest responsibility of any soldier is to guard that which is committed to his trust. I pray for myself and for my fellowlaborers, that we will be good soldiers of Jesus Christ, carefully guarding and reverencing these things entrusted to us, that we will be able to hand them down unblemished to the generation following.

Sextet:  "Abide With Me"