Methodist Minister Henry Weston Smith
Any mention of Deadwood, South Dakota usually evokes images of gambling and gunfights. Famous personalities such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane made the city synonymous with Wild West adventure and excitement.
But the real hero of Deadwood didn’t play poker. Circuit Riding Methodist Minister Henry Weston Smith, also known as “Preacher Smith,” came to the Black Hills to spread the Gospel.
Sadly, his devotion cost him his life: in August of 1876, Smith was murdered while traveling from Deadwood to the nearby mining camp of Crook City, where he planned to preach.
Smith was just shy of 50 when he died, but he packed a lot of action and adventure into that half-century. He preached, practiced medicine, fought in the Civil War, and participated in the Black Hills Gold Rush, one of the most exciting periods in American history. This bi-vocational minister endured tragedy and hardship while gaining the respect of his contemporaries. Deadwood’s first marshal, the famous Seth Bullock, called Smith, “an earnest worker in his Master’s Vineyard.”
Smith’s story includes plenty of sadness. He was born in 1827, in Ellington, Conn., approximately 1,900 miles from Deadwood. He was the youngest of five children, and, when his father died, Smith probably helped support his mother. He married at age 20, but his wife died just one year later while giving birth to a son.
Smith was still in his early 20s when he entered the ministry, and he soon became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, one of the first Methodist denominations in the United States.
In 1858, Smith remarried. In the summer of 1862, he joined the Fifty-Second Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and marched off to fight in the Civil War. It was a nine-month enlistment, just enough time for him to see action at Port Hudson, Franklin, and Vicksburg.
After leaving the military, Smith returned home to Connecticut and began studying medicine. He became a doctor in 1867, and, sometime afterwards, he and his family moved to Louisville, Ky. Smith practiced medicine while continuing to preach.
In 1874, word spread that gold had been discovered in the Black Hills, in Dakota Territory. Miners began flooding the region. They soon were followed by a motley assortment of gamblers, drifters and adventurers who were looking to strike it rich.
Recognizing that the Black Hills had become America’s newest mission field, Smith headed west.
Smith arrived in Custer City, Dakota Territory, in May 1876. On May 7th, he conducted the Black Hills’ first worship service and preached its first sermon. Thirty men and five women were in attendance. Smith took his text from Psalm 34:7:
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
One of the men in attendance that day was future Deadwood merchant George Ayres, who recorded that Smith’s sermon was “very interesting” and “the congregation paid strict attention … except when there was a dog fight outside.”
Smith knew the real center of action in the Black Hills was Deadwood, approximately 50 miles from Custer City, so he joined a wagon train headed in that direction. It was a three day journey, during which time he got to know the man in charge, Captain C.V. Gardner.
Gardner quickly discovered that Smith was a hard worker and a valuable addition to the party. He reports, “We made our first camp near Hill City, and hardly got the team unhitched until our passenger had built a fire and water provided for the evening meal.”
Gardner also discovered that Smith was in the Black Hills to pursue a higher calling.
When ready, our guest was absent. I looked around and found him sitting on a log a few rods distant, reading. I went to him, and to my surprise found him reading a Bible. After a few words with him, he told me he was a Methodist preacher. I remarked that I thought he was up against a hard proposition.
Smith replied, “Possibly so, but I will do the best I can.”
After arriving in Deadwood, Smith supported himself by cutting firewood and helping build cabins to house the city’s burgeoning population, which, at that time, numbered somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 people. But on Sundays, Smith pursued his passion for preaching. Apparently there was no formal church building in town, so, Gardner reports, Smith usually preached in front of a local drug store.
“He had no trouble securing an audience,” Gardner noted.
While in Deadwood, Smith performed the Black Hills’ first marriage ceremony. He also must have been in town at the time of Deadwood’s most infamous incident, the murder of Wild Bill Hickok at the hands of Jack McCall on August 2, 1876, inside Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon No. 10.
There had been and would be many killings in the camp, but the murder of Wild Bill cemented the city’s place in Western lore.
On Sunday, August 20 – just 18 days after McCall shot Hickok in the back of the head at point-blank range – Smith again preached on Deadwood’s streets. He then prepared to make the nine-mile journey to the mining camp of Crook City, where he planned to deliver a sermon.
Locals say he posted a note on his cabin door that read, “Gone to Crook City to preach, and if God is willing, will be back at three o’clock.” Disavowing the advice of friends, Smith traveled alone.
Unfortunately, he never made it to his destination.
His body was later discovered on a trail in the east end of the valley, a little more than halfway to Crook City. He had been shot once through the chest, but had not been robbed.
Monument to Henry Weston Smith
To this day, the identity of Smith’s killer(s) remains a mystery. Some locals argued that Indians were responsible; others believed that Deadwood’s saloon, gambling hall and brothel owners, angry at Smith for converting their customers, had arranged his murder.
Preacher Smith was buried in Whitewood Cemetery, with one of his parishioners conducting the service. Smith’s body was later reburied in Mount Moriah cemetery, which also is the final resting place for Hickok, Calamity Jane, Bullock, and most other noteworthy Deadwood citizens.
In 1914, the Society of Black Hills Pioneers erected a monument to Smith’s memory. In the 1990s, road construction forced its removal. A new monument, located three miles south of Deadwood, was dedicated on August 20, 1995, exactly 119 years after Smith’s untimely death.
During the ceremony, local historian and attorney Reed Richards read the sermon that Preacher Smith had planned to deliver in Crook City 119 years before.
Sources:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=961
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Weston_Smith
Deadwood.govoffice.com
Matthew 16:21 – From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. (King James Version)
This past Sunday evening (Palm Sunday), Calvary Tabernacle’s pastor, Randy Pate, preached a challenging message titled “Living In the Shadow of the Cross.” Pastor Pate explored Jesus’ itinerary during the last week of his life, asking each of us to consider what was important to Jesus during His final days.
The Gospels record that Jesus performed the following acts during the week prior to His crucifixion on Good Friday:
- Placed a priority on His friends in John 12 and at the Last Supper
- Allowed worship to become a priority at the triumphal entry while putting lethargy and indifference to death (John 12)
- Cursed unfruitfulness, unrealized potential and hypocrisy (Matthew 21:19)
- Preached the signs of the end in Matthew 24-25
- Removed all obstruction to the presence of God when He cleansed the Temple (Matthew 21)
- Remained the servant by washing feet (John 13)
- Prayed in sincerity in the Garden of Gethsemane
- Practiced forgiveness (Luke 23:34)
Pastor Pate reminded us that, in a very real sense, all of us are living in the shadow of the cross. None of us knows how much time we have left on earth. With that in mind, we must ask ourselves, “What are my priorities?”
When you stop and consider, it is amazing how much time most of us waste during the course of a week. Most of us also are quite adept at making excuses for why we aren’t accomplishing our goals or making an impact for the Kingdom of God.
But when you live in the shadow of the cross, it gives you a fresh perspective and renewed energy. You realize that some things aren’t worth worrying over, while other things are worth dying for. You wake up in the morning determined to make a difference.
So this week, as we approach the celebration of Easter, determine to live in the shadow of the cross. Determine what your priorities are, and then go after them with everything you’ve got. I believe it will change our lives.
And in the process, we just might change the world.
The ability to truly listen to other people is a rare skill. Just ask any Junior High teacher and I’ll guarantee you they’ll confirm what I’m saying.
In reality, the ability to truly listen to another person and understand what that person is trying to say is a rare skill among people of all ages.
Listening does have many tangible benefits.
- Better listening can lead to a better marriage. How many times have people blamed the breakup of their relationship on “communication failures?”
- Better listening can help us be better parents. When I was a kid, I didn’t really want to hear a lecture from adults: I just wanted someone to listen to my problems and show a little sympathy. Come to think of it, that’s still what I want.
- Better listening can help you in business. Customers often just want someone who will listen to them and try to understand their problem. I would almost guarantee that a good listener can outsell a good talker.
Most of us want to have better relationships, both personally and in business. But really listening can be difficult.
This morning, during Calvary Tabernacle’s monthly leadership class, we discussed the topic of listening. We’re using John Maxwell’s Developing the Leader Within You curriculum, and today’s lesson contained several valuable insights into the subject.
In Lesson Two, “Leadership is Influence,” John Maxwell offers an easy-to-remember guide to better listening skills. He refers to it as the “Ladder to Better Listening,” with “LADDER” being an acronym for the skills we need in order to listen to and understand others.
LOOK at the speaker. Maxwell says, “Meanings are not in words but in people.” It’s difficult for people to believe that you’re listening to them when you aren’t even looking at them.
ASK questions. Asking the right questions can be the quickest path to gaining understanding.
In his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey gives several helpful tips on this subject when discussing “Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Covey recommends repeating back to the other person what you believe they are trying to say, asking them, “Am I understanding you correctly?”
One note: there is a fine line between trying to be understanding and being obnoxious. Make sure you don’t cross that line.
DON’T interrupt. When I was in my late teens/early 20s, I had a boss who spoke slowly and took a long time to explain everything. In my youthful impatience, I developed the terrible habit of jumping in and completing his sentences for him.
One day my boss got tired of my rudeness and told me I would learn a lot more if I would just let him do the talking. And you know what: he was right.
Maxwell says, “It’s just as rude to step on people’s ideas as it is to step on their toes.”
DON’T change the subject. When people speak, we might not think that what they’re saying is important. But while their subject might not matter to us, it certainly does matter to them.
Attempting to change the subject says to the other person, “What I want to talk about is more important than what you want to talk about.” It also conveys the message that our ideas and thoughts are more important than theirs. It is the height of arrogance.
Check your EMOTIONS. Sometimes it can be very difficult to hide/control our emotions, especially if the other person’s words are hurtful or accusatory. But when we react emotionally to what others are saying – especially if we react with anger or rage – then dialogue ends and the argument begins.
We must learn to control our emotions if we truly desire to listen to and understand others.
Practice RESPONSIVE listening. If we listen but don’t respond, the person who was speaking is going to feel as though we weren’t really listening at all. Or, worse yet, that we just didn’t care about what they were saying.
Maxwell says, “When people feel that their leader no longer listens or responds, they will go somewhere else.”
When it comes to bettering their communication skills, leaders – especially ministers – tend to focus primarily on speaking. But what if we invested an equal amount of work into becoming better listeners? I guarantee our spouses, friends and fellow Christians would appreciate our efforts.
The next time you find yourself in an important conversation, remember to climb the ladder of listening:
Look at the speaker.
Ask questions.
Don’t interrupt.
Don’t change the subject.
Check your Emotions.
Respond in an appropriate way.
At the top of the ladder, you will find communication success.
Section Six of the United Pentecostal Church International’s Illinois District (whew – that’s a mouthful!) will host a Youth Rally on Friday, April 23rd, at Calvary Tabernacle, 1125 Hampshire in Quincy. This evening of youth-centered worship and preaching will begin at 7:30 p.m.
We are especially excited about the evening’s lineup of speakers. Nine young preachers from across Section Six, the oldest of which is just 36, will preach in “tag-team” fashion. Each speaker will have eight minutes to bring the Word. (That’s 72 minutes of preaching, for those of you who are keeping score at home.) It should be fun.
Four of the speakers – Nicholas Dugal, Jimmie Fierge and twin brothers Chad and Charlie Jackson – are from the host church, Calvary Tabernacle. Martin J. Martin and Pastor J.D. McWhorter are from Truth Tabernacle Petersburg; Justin McGee is from The United Pentecostal Church of Virden; and Jake Heil and Christian Anglin are from Mercy Christian Fellowship in Staunton.
I am super-excited about this event. Jimmie Fierge already has promised to pack the house with his Quincy-area relatives, and our friends from across the River at the United Pentecostal Church in Canton, Mo., have asked for an invitation. They’re usually good for a crowd.
All told, I believe we can cross the 200 mark in attendance. I can only remember one Section Six event in recent memory that has drawn that many people. This night could be standing-room only.
Above is a flier that I created to advertise the event. Believe it or not, I used that unparalleled design program, Microsoft Word for Mac, to create the flier. I took the image from one of my favorite sites, CreativeMYK.com. This is one of my first adventures into the world of graphic design, so cut me some slack if you think it stinks.
If you’re from Section Six, please help me spread the word about this event. We want to make this one of the biggest and best rallies the Section has seen in years. Even better, we want people to be filled with the Holy Spirit! Help us pray that God will use this Youth Rally for His glory!
This week Tollie and I had the privilege of ministering at Cornerstone Ministries in Litchfield, Ill., one of the most exciting Pentecostal churches in central Illinois. Pastor Steve Benthal and his assistant, Keith Paris, were on a week-long tour of the country of Israel, so I filled in during the church’s Wednesday evening Bible study and Sunday morning worship service.
Pastor Steve and Natasha Benthal founded Cornerstone Ministries approximately eight years ago, holding some of their first services in a former pet store. Today they have a beautiful building on Historic Route 66, a facility the congregation is quickly outgrowing.
Cornerstone is in the middle of an awesome revival. Approximately 20 people have been baptized in Jesus’ name in the first 11 weeks of 2010, and six have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There were 113 people in worship this morning, and the place was packed. I have preached at Cornerstone on several prior occasions, and this morning I noticed a lot of new faces in the crowd.
Two factors that seem to help drive Cornerstone’s growth are the church’s vibrant Sunday School and youth ministries. This morning, the first few rows of seats were crowded with children and teenagers. The rest of the church is comprised of younger families. Cornerstone has a demographic makeup that is the envy of most congregations.
Cornerstone has many great people who help make their ministries work, including Mike and Dawn Bachman, who work in children’s ministry, and Youth Pastor Chris Kendall. These folks, along with the Benthal and Paris families, have helped Cornerstone grow and prosper in a rural Illinois community.
I apologize, but I don’t have any great photos to share. My mind was preoccupied with preaching, not photography. I also offer a big “thank you” to the Benthals and Cornerstone Ministries for allowing Tollie and I to fill in during Pastor Benthal’s absence.
You hear your name being introduced over the loudspeaker. The Master of Ceremonies turns, smiles in your direction and extends a welcoming hand.
You walk to the podium like a condemned man headed for the gallows. The stage lights shining hotly into your face as a thousand sets of eyes follow your every move. Your legs quiver as fear rises out of your belly and wraps its fingers around your throat. You fumble with your notes. You desperately want to run, but there’s nowhere to hide. You are sure you are going to fail. You are going to embarrass yourself in front of all these people. And they will never forget what a fool you are.
The very thought of public speaking makes some people nearly soil themselves on the spot. I used to be one of those people. But that was a long time ago. At this point in my life, I’ve spoken publicly hundreds (maybe thousands) of times. I’ve spoken three times in the last two days: I taught the Calvary Tabernacle’s young ministers class yesterday morning, preached the Sunday evening sermon, and spoke again this evening.
Am I any good, you ask? Well, I’m probably not going to make anyone forget Demosthenes (or Ronald Reagan, for those of you who don’t know Greek history), but I can get the job done. I’ve even gotten some praise for my speaking ability.
For me, becoming a confident public speaker has taken practice, more than a few embarrassing slip-ups, and a lot of help from God. But there is an easier way (although I would encourage you to incorporate God in the process).
I’m talking about Toastmasters International.
Toastmasters is an organization dedicated to helping people like you become a confident public speaker and a better leader. I joined the Quincy, Ill., club, Gem City Toastmasters, last June. Nine months later I can say it was one of the best decisions I made in 2009. In that short amount of time, I have learned a lot of speaking tips and tricks and become a more confident speaker.
Toastmasters works on a very simple premise: to become a better public speaker, you need to build your confidence by speaking a lot in front of a supportive audience. That supportive audience is your fellow Toastmasters. During almost every meeting, you will have a chance to speak for at least a couple of minutes. You might be one of the features speakers of the day, an evaluator, the Toastmaster of the Day (the Master of Ceremonies), or perhaps you’ll just give a brief response during what are known as “Table Topics.” (Think of a job interview, only a lot more hilarious.)
Does it work? During one of my first meetings, I heard a young lady give one of her first speeches. She clearly was very nervous, and it was apparent that she was practically reciting her speech from memory.
Flash forward to a month or so ago. The same young lady addressed our group, only this time she hit a home run. She was confident, funny and bold. It was a fantastic speech, and her fellow Toastmasters heaped on the praise.
You say it couldn’t happen for you? Why not give it a try? Look up the nearest Toastmaster club online and attend a meeting. Or, if you live in the Quincy area, join the Gem City Toastmasters at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month. We meet at Calvary Tabernacle, located at 1125 Hampshire, and we’d love to see you at our next meeting.
Click here for more tips on improving your presentation skills, courtesy of Inc.com, or read the text of my latest Toastmasters speech, The Power of a Positive Attitude. (I owe John Maxwell of debt of gratitude for supplying most of the materials for this speech.) Or, for more information about what Toastmasters can do for you, watch the official Welcome to Toastmasters video.
Forum at Philippi
One of my favorite Bible study resources is my copy of Zondervan’s New International Version Study Bible. It absolutely is loaded with insights into the Scriptures, as well as interesting cultural and historical notes that shed light on life in Bible times. If you don’t have a copy, you need to get one yesterday.
Oh, and they do have a King James Version Study Bible, for all of you who believe that the letters “N-I-V” stand for “Non-Inspired Version.”
Lately I’ve been using my NIV Study Bible to help me tear apart (metaphorically speaking, anyway) Paul’s letter to the Philippian church. One of the overriding themes of Philippians is joy, and since I could use a little of that right now, I figured it would be a good book to study.
The Apostle Paul and his team of first century metro missionaries, including Timothy, Silas and Luke (the ministry equivalent of the 1927 Yankees), planted the church in Philippi during what is referred to as Paul’s “Second Missionary Journey.” The roots of the Philippian church are found in Acts 16.
Not long after their arrival in Philippi, Paul and his friends were headed towards the banks of the Gangites River for a prayer meeting with believers from the city. On the way, they picked up an unwelcome guest – a demon-possessed slave girl who brought her owners money by fortune telling (Acts 16:16). She followed Paul and his companions, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved (vs. 17).”
The notes on verse 17 in Zondervan’s NIV Study Bible say the title “Most High God” was not used by New Testament Christians in referring to Jesus Christ. Rather, the word “God” in this passage is derived from a generic title that was used by heathens when referring to their deities.
I believe (this is “Jonathan Mohr theology,” so take it for what it’s worth) that the demonic spirit animating this slave girl wanted to discredit the message of the cross by creating a false association between the phony gods of fortune-telling and the God whom the apostles were declaring.
After many days of this nonsense, Paul finally got fed up with her disruptions and decided to introduce her to the real God.
“In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” he thundered.
And Luke reports, “At that moment the spirit left her.”
Anyone can toss around generic religious references and invoke the title “God.” Just listen to normal conversation at the average school or workplace: the title “God” gets used quite often, and usually there’s nothing sacred involved – quite the opposite in many cases, in fact.
But when a Spirit-filled believer utters the name “Jesus,” demons tremble. Slave girls are set free. Business-as-usual comes grinding to a halt. The powers-that-be take notice. And the seeds of a great church are planted.
Speak His name today – the name of Jesus. The highest name of all.
If you haven’t noticed yet, my friend Victor Aghadi left a fantastic comment on my previous post about the shooting at Farm King. Bartlett United Pentecostal Church, where Victor attends, recently hosted evangelist Travis Worthington. Victor reports that Worthington took 20 young people to the mall for evangelism. In one hour, the group secured 15 new bible studies. The following weekend, a group of 18 Pentecostals went to the mall and came home with 14 new Bible studies.
Victor also said a group from Bartlett UPC, including Worthington and his wife, went to Steak ‘n Shake for dinner after one of the services. During the course of the meal they prayed the waitress through to the baptism of the Holy Spirit!
Worthington has posted a photo of some of the members of the group, including Victor. (Victor is second from the left.) On his Web site, Worthington also reports that seven people have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit during the revival.
Macomb, Ill., the community my wife and I called home from 2003-2009, was rocked today by a shooting and subsequent hostage situation inside Farm King, a local farm supply retailer. A nearly six-hour standoff ensued, ending only when the gunman – a 19 year-old male – killed himself.
Ordinarily I wouldn’t mention an incident like this on this site. But since I read that the story was picked up by news outlets in the St. Louis market, I thought I might head off any questions by acknowledging that, yes, I am aware of what happened, and no, I was not in Macomb when it happened.
My employer, Genesis Image Builders, is headquartered in Macomb, and I typically report to our office there at least one day per week. Farm King happens to be one of our clients, and our office is on the same side of town as their store. I have been inside that store on many occasions, both as a shopper and while helping produce television commercials. But not today, thankfully.
While I am saddened that the gunman took his own life, I am happy no one else was injured. When we lived in Macomb, my wife worked right across the street from Farm King. She said one of her former coworkers (who still is a close friend) often shops at the store during her lunch hour – right about the time the initial shooting occurred.
Today, however, we are grateful that our friends were far from the field of fire when the shooting occurred. Meanwhile, the Farm King employees and shoppers who were in the store at the time of the incident are in our prayers.
Kurt Warner speaks during a press conference to announce his retirement from the National Football League. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)
On Friday, January 29, Kurt Warner held a press conference to make it official: the Arizona Cardinal’s quarterback announced he was retiring after 12 seasons in the National Football League.
During that time, Warner put together a very impressive resume: two NFL MVP awards, five Pro Bowls, three Super Bowl appearances, one Super Bowl MVP, and numerous alterations to the NFL record book.
In the past few days, several sports talk personalities have noted that Warner’s greatest football accomplishments are not his eye-popping passing statistics or the numerous awards he has collected. Rather, his greatest achievements have been changing the cultures of two of the NFL’s worst teams, transforming both the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals from perennial losers into football powerhouses.
In 1999, Warner came out of nowhere to lead the Rams to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl win over the Tennessee Titans. Prior to Warner’s ascension to the starting quarterback position, the Rams had been absolutely awful. The team moved to St. Louis in 1995: from 1995-1998, the male sheep posted a 22-42 record. They were the laughingstock of the NFL, the punchline to a joke.
Then Warner took over, and during the next three seasons the Rams went 37-11 and made two Super Bowl appearances, winning one title.
Injuries eventually led to Warner’s exit from the Gateway City. After a short stint with the New York Giants, he resurfaced with another of the NFL’s all-time worst teams: the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals won a championship in 1947, but in the following 51 seasons, the team made the playoffs just four times. During that time they bounced from Chicago to St. Louis to the Southwest, but regardless of where they hung their hat, one thing remained the same: their on-field performance was downright awful.
Kurt Warner gets ready for Super Bowl XLIII against the Pittsburgh Steelers on February 1, 2009. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Then Warner arrived and led the team to two consecutive playoff appearances in 2008-09 and the team’s first Super Bowl appearance at the conclusion of the 2008 season. His final home game with the Cardinals, played just a few weeks ago, was a thrilling 51-45 playoff win over the Green Bay Packers. Warner turned in a nearly flawless performance, completing 29 of 33 passes for five touchdowns.
But what I loved most about this former grocery store stock clerk was his unabashed faith in Jesus Christ and his willingness to publicly proclaim that devotion at every opportunity. That included the moments following his Super Bowl XXXIV triumph, when, on national television, he declared, “First things first, I’ve got to thank my Lord and Savior up above – thank You, Jesus!”
I remember watching that Super Bowl and basking in the glow of the Ram’s amazing win. I also remember that, following Warner’s public profession of thanks to Jesus Christ, player after player followed suit in praising God for their win. My grandfather, a longtime sports fan, commented that the Rams were the most religious professional sports team he had ever seen. It was just another testament to Warner’s influence as a leader on and off the field.
Those who know Warner well say his faith is not just talk. St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz, who covered Warner during the quarterback’s six seasons in the Gateway City, had this to say in his column on the day following Warner’s retirement press conference:
We’ve been exposed to many scandals and scoundrels as of late, and it’s depressing. But even as he left, Kurt Warner stood above the muck. He was the real thing, from the beginning to the end. It was an honor to watch him, and to know him.
