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The beauty of this earth is not only found in earth, and skies and seas; it is found in people and in human relationships. Folliot Pierpoint spoke of this in his beautiful hymn that was just played in our midst a few moments ago. The words of that hymn that ring out so prominently for me so often are
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.
While we can enjoy the lakes that look like a mirror in the fall, the snow-capped hills in the winter, or the flowering shrubs in the springtime, the greater joys of life are found in relationships, and Clarence Glover discovered this.
If you traced his life from birth to death, one has to sense that the one word that assumed prominence in his total life was the word family. His early years were never forgotten. They were not easy years. They were years of struggle and hard work, of tilling the soil on the farm of his parents in South Carolina. But he looked back on these years with pride for they were years when his family grew together and he never lost sight of his family from whence he came. His roots meant much to him. His own family, the one that he begot himself, was precious in his sight. I dare say there was not an hour in the day when each of his family members was not thought of by their father. His happiest hours were those that he spent with his family. No grandchild was ever born but what you would think it was the culmination of World War II and that the bands ought to be out and the banners unfurled because there was a new Glover grandchild. He never hesitated to call me and tell me of the newest member of his family. You might say he was foolishly delightful as a grandfather. Oh, what memories his children have of his love, of his attention, and of his support. And Christmas! Well that was the greatest day of the year for him for he had prepared through the months to give the presents to his children and his family. He reminded me of my father, for my father began the day after Christmas to prepare for the next Christmas and to do those things that would bring joy to his family.
Friends were important to Clarence Glover. People were not to be used as stepping stones. They were to be helped to step higher in their life and that was his feeling and he had a sense of calling to make this happen. No one of us here this afternoon knows how many young people he helped to get a start in life, to make a gainful step, to have an education, to get over a hard place. He did this without any publicity. He did it because he believed in people and he loved people. Yes, he enjoyed people. One of his favorite activities was his Men’s Bible Class, a class which he served as president at least two terms. These were his friends. They were not just people who came to the class. They were people he knew and loved, and he enjoyed every minute with them. It should be noted that his friends were not regulated to one class or one color or one place. The people with whom he worked at Commercial Credit were not really employees in his sight. Even though he was Regional Vice-President, they were his friends. And whenever I visited there with him, I always sensed that these were people with whom he worked, not people who worked for him. He was concerned about their future and he cared for them. Furthermore, he even made friends with people who attended Clemson University! Being a rabid Gamecock graduate that might not have been the easiest thing he ever did—to be a friend with a Tiger from Clemson; but he enjoyed thoroughly his banter with Jim Foster and others who attended Clemson and this fall he was especially happy because his team was undefeated. He walked a little more cockily than the rest of us could.
Ah, yes, family, friends and work were all important to him; but let’s not overlook his faithfulness to God and country. Clarence was a true patriot. When World War II broke out he joined the Navy and was in some of the stiffest battles the Navy fought during that war. He was a part of nine invasions. For 38 years he remained a part of the service of his country and he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He believed in America and the American way of life. There was nothing artificial about his patriotism. There was nothing superficial about his love for his country. These were as much a part of his life as his own very breath. If ever a flag was appropriately draped over the casket of a citizen of this country it is so today, for his country counted.
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And in all of this God was not forgotten. He was committed to the principles of the Christian faith. He loved his church and his Sunday school class. Let me share with you something that many of you might not have ever suspected. He believed in prayer. On several occasions he called me and asked me to pray for him or for someone he loved. God was not some far-off entity to Clarence Glover. God was personal. He was one to be talked with.
Too soon he passed from our midst. Yet, what a mark he made. Now he has passed on the torch to us that we most assuredly must carry into the future. His belief in God, in country, in family must be our banners too.
Dr. Edgar H. Nease, Jr.
October 4, 1984
Dilworth United Methodist Church