George Washington Flowers 
 Memorial Collection 
 
 DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 ESTABLISHED BY THE 
 FAMILY OF 
 COLONEL FLOWERS 
 
MEMORIAL 
 
 OP 
 
 SILAS W. CHAPPELL 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 WILLIAM H. PILE'S SONS. Printers 
 
 1928 
 
THE FLOWLaG COUiCTION 
 
 MEMORTAL 
 
 OF 
 
 SILAS W. CHAPPELL 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 WILLIAM H. PILE'S SOXS, Printers 
 1928 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2014 
 
 https://archive.org/details/nnemorialofsilaswOOunse 
 
MEMORIAL. 
 
 A Mertwrial issued by Piney Woods Monthly Meet- 
 ing of Friends, concerning Silas W. Chappell, a 
 Minister, deceased. 
 
 "They that trust in the Lord shall be a.s Mount Zion, which 
 cannot be removed but abideth forever." (Psalms 125, 
 first verse.) 
 
 In following closely the life work of our departed 
 brother and humble servant of the Lord, Silas W. 
 Chappell, we can but feel the above quotation to be 
 fittingly applicable, being fully persuaded that of him 
 it could be truthfully said, he looked not to the ways 
 of his own understanding, but his faith and confidence 
 were ever in the Lord, ''Whom to know is life eternal." 
 
 Silas W. Chappell was the son of Silas and Elizabeth 
 Chappell and was born First Month 17, 1844, near 
 Belvidere, N. C. During youth he was a sturdy and 
 deeply concerned boy and experienced a change of 
 heart at an early age. Soon afterward he felt that he 
 should bear testimony to the Saving power of the 
 Merciful Savior. Being obedient to this apprehended 
 duty, throughout his long life, he experienced great 
 peace of mind relative thereto. Others in the younger 
 walks of hfe seeing his good works, frequently sought 
 
4 
 
 SILAS W. CHAPPELL. 
 
 his advice, some of these he was instrumental in win- 
 ning over to the cause of Truth. 
 
 Silas lost his father by death, during infancy. This 
 left his mother with the care of several children. She 
 found the rearing of her family called forth much 
 anxiety and toil, with but few of the comforts of life, 
 yet she was ever hopeful and prayerful, striving 
 earnestly to discharge her duty not only in an outward 
 sense, but spiritual as well. Her trust was ever in 
 God to sustain her in her endeavor to train her children 
 in the way of righteousness. To this Christian training 
 Silas often referred with a beautiful degree of apprecia- 
 tion. He attributed much of his success through life 
 to the example and timely advice of a loving and 
 thoughtful mother and as such he desired faithfully 
 to follow in her footsteps. 
 
 He was privileged to attend New Garden Boarding 
 School (now Guilford College, N. C), and endeavored 
 to put into practice the religious as well as the secular 
 instructions received at this place. Silas remained at 
 the old homestead, with his widowed mother, and all 
 through life made this place his home. 
 
 On First Month 18, 1872, he was united in marriage 
 to Elmira J. Boyce, with whom he lived in happy 
 wedlock for fifty-six years and who preceded him to 
 the Great Beyond just one year and twelve days. 
 They reared a family of eight children, all of whom 
 live to testify to the beautiful Christian training 
 received from their loving and deeply concerned 
 parents. In this connection the parents with their 
 
SILAS W. CHAPPHLL. 
 
 5 
 
 dear children experienced the beautiful reality thai 
 ''Godliness with contentment is great gain." One of 
 his daughters says of him, ''Father was strict with his 
 children, but ever administered reproof with the spirit 
 of love and we, his children, remember him only as a 
 kind and loving father, who with dear mother's thought - 
 fulness in lending him a helping hand, was ever mindful 
 to train their children in the admonition and fear of 
 the Lord." She further says, "Many times when there 
 seemed to be no way open for them to accomplisli 
 apprehended duties, most especially when Father felt 
 called out on missions for the Lord, there was a way 
 provided for them and joy and peace of mind were 
 their portion." 
 
 The guidance in judgment and the teaching of the 
 way promised by our dear Lord to the meek and lowly 
 in heart was strikingly exemplified in the life of this 
 dear father. 
 
 Says one of a fatherless family of eight living near 
 him, "He took a father's place in our home, he and his 
 good wife looked after us, always coming to our rescue 
 in time of need. We looked to him as our father and 
 felt free to call on him for advice. He never failed to do 
 all in his power to help us in every way he could, not 
 only from a material standpoint but a spiritual as 
 well. He set a good example for us to follow." 
 
 As Silas advanced in years he became more and 
 more alarmed over the many things to draw the people 
 away from Christ, and his petition often went up in 
 their behalf. 
 
6 
 
 SILAS W. CHAPPELL. 
 
 He was not recorded a minister until past middle 
 age. He occupied this station a little more than 
 twenty-three and one-half years. He ever retained a 
 meek and lowly spirit, preferring others to himself, 
 which won for him the happy possession of the orna- 
 ments relative thereto and which, in the sight of God 
 is of great price. His ministry was ever characterized 
 by words of praise and thanksgiving to his Heavenly 
 Father in whom we believe he delighted to dwell. 
 
 His ministerial labors being mostly confined within 
 the limits of his own Yearly Meeting, very rarely do 
 we have it recorded of him being called to other fields 
 of labor. 
 
 He was faithful in the attendance of all his religious 
 meetings, until within a few months of his death, 
 when his bodily strength so failed him that he was 
 obliged to remain at home. His interest in his little 
 meeting continued to live with him, and he encouraged 
 those about him to faithfulness, in this particular, ever 
 advising that they endeavor to keep up the meeting 
 as long as possible. After being confined to his bed, 
 he would address those about him with the same old, 
 old story, ''Jesus and his love," tenderly instructing 
 each one to accept the blessed invitation of the dear 
 Saviour, who says, ''Come unto me, all ye that labor 
 and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "Take 
 my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek 
 and lowly in heart ; and ye shall find rest unto your 
 souls." 
 
 Once when in the younger walks of life, on passing 
 
SILAS W. CHAPPRLI. 
 
 7 
 
 a farm home one day, Silas felt improssod to cntor, 
 but was rebellious and went on his way. Soon there- 
 after he learned that at that particular time, a person 
 in that home was near death with no one to administei- 
 to her need. This act of disobedience caused hir>i 
 much regret throughout life. 
 
 During the last few days of lingering, prior to his 
 death, so long as strength was available, he continued 
 to praise God for His goodness and unmerited mercy 
 all along life's journey, often expressing the desire that 
 he might peacefully pass away. 
 
 This prayer was answered in a striking manner, near 
 seven-thirty o'clock A. M., First Month 13, 1928, he 
 being eighty-three years, eleven months and twenty- 
 six days old. 
 
 His funeral, a very large and impressive one was 
 held at Snow Hill Meeting-house, on First Month 14, 
 1928, after the manner of Friends, of which branch of 
 the Church he was a life long member and his remains 
 placed in the family burying ground near by. 
 
 We believe his is an inheritance, incorruptible and 
 undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven 
 for those who are kept by the power of God, through 
 faith unto Salvation, ready to be revealed in the last 
 time. 
 
1 
 
N.C 204 299A v. 1 nos,l-g3 
 
 CALL NUMBER 
 
 Vol 
 
 
 Date (for periodical) \ 
 
 
 ■ \ 
 
 204 299A v.l n08.1-23 
 
 
 303286 
 
 m