THE FLAGLER TRIBUNE
Bunnell, Florida
Thursday, January 10, 1924

 

Friends of Mr. and Mrs. William Hardesty were shocked Friday last to learn of the sudden and unexpected death of Mr. Hardesty, he quietly passing out of this life at about the noon hour on that day.

Mrs. R. V. Williams, daughter of the deceased, who resides at Lake Mary near Sanford, was summoned and accompanied by Mr. Williams arrived Friday evening.

The services were held Saturday afternoon and interment made in Espanola Cemetery.

Mr., Hardesty was 84 years of age and has been confined to his home for several years, but was considered in normal health up to within a few hours of his death. He leaves a widow and one daughter to mourn his loss.

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THE FLAGLER TRIBUNE
Bunnell, Florida
Thursday, January 17, 1924

The fol1owing letter and accompanying article relating to the life and death of William Hardesty are self-explanatory.

Lake Mary, Fla. Jan. 10, 1924
Mr. Harper, Editor,
Bunnell, Fla.

Sir;

Will you please print the enclosed sketch of my father's life and the card of thanks, in the Bunnell Tribune in behalf of Mrs. A. Hardesty and family?

Thanking you very much, I am yours very truly,
MAE A. HARDESTY

William Hardesty was born in Wapello county, Iowa, April 12, 1843 and closed his eyes to earthly scenes January 4, 1924.

He was brought up in the Christian Faith. He had two years at college and taught school for a period of time and then studied for the ministry. In a few years thereafter his line of thought and research convinced him that all incontrovertible facts belonged to the realm of science and everything pertaining to infinity to what Herbert Spencer calls the "Unknowable."

He believed that "'Happiness was the only good, reason the only torch, justice the only worshipper, humanity the only religion, and love the priest."

Free thought presents death as a natural event in the universal order of things and does not attempt, like faith, to deal with and explain the unknown. It knows nothing of a future state of existence and is frank enough to admit it and while not a shield against grief in the presence of death, it is far more satisfactory and consoling than a theology which leaves in doubt the salvation of the dead from eternal torment: Philosophy goes to the limit of human knowledge and no religion can do more in its efforts to console and explain.

My father often quoted the following poem by Robert G. Ingersoll:

"Is there beyond the silent night,
An endless day?
Is death a door that leads to light?
We can not say,
That tongue less secret locked in fate,
We do not know, we hope
and wait."

The evolution from Christianity to Rationalism was but a short step and father died as he had lived for the last fifty years, an Agnostic.”

We take this medium of thanking those loyal people of Bunnell for their kindness to us during our grief.

At such times, human sympathy is met with welcome, and words of consolation of hope and of cheer fall upon the ear of sadness with the pleasure of music.

Mrs. A. HARDESTY and family