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[ Silence ] [Music] [Music] ♪ Praise Him, praise Him ♪

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♪ Oh, praise His holy name ♪ ♪ And a rising ♪ ♪ And a birth ♪ ♪ Praise the name ♪

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♪ Of the Lord ♪ [MUSIC] ♪ Joyful noise ♪ ♪ Make a joyful noise ♪

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♪ All ye lads ♪ ♪ All ye lads ♪ ♪ Lord, the Lord with gladness ♪ ♪ Come before him with a song ♪

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♪ Glory and the Lord is God ♪ ♪ It is he that hath made us ♪ ♪ And not we ourselves ♪ ♪ We are his people ♪

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[MUSIC] ♪ Of his pasture ♪ ♪ Of his pasture ♪ ♪ Enter into his gates ♪

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♪ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving ♪ ♪ Found into his courts ♪ ♪ His courts ♪ ♪ Enter into his courts ♪

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♪ With praise ♪ ♪ With praise, oh ♪ ♪ With praise ♪ ♪ With praise, oh, Christ give me ♪

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♪ With praise, oh, Christ give me ♪ ♪ With praise on thy fair head ♪ ♪ Be thankful unto him ♪ ♪ Be thankful, be thankful, be thankful, be thankful ♪

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♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ God bless the ancient ♪ ♪ Amen, amen, amen, amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪

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The Old Testament scripture will be read by the Reverend H.S. Smith. May we find comfort in these words from the Old Testament that was given Moses when he was on the mountain, never to come back down anymore. These words are comforting words.

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Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations, even before the mountain was brought forth, for ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.

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For thou turnest man to destruction, and thou shalt return ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight is but as yesterday, And when it is passed, it's just like a watch in the night.

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Thy carers them away as with a flood, and they are as asleep, they are like the grass which groweth up. For in the morning it flurries and groweth up,

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but in the evening it is cut down and withered. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. For thy hath set our iniquities before thee,

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And our secret sins are in the light of thine countenance. For all of our days are passed away in thy wrath. And we spend our years as a tale that is told. We read 10 verses.

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May the Lord add a blessing to you, and may these be comforted. [SILENCE] St. John 14 would be the words of comfort for this bereaved family at this time.

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Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions, and if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I'll come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

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And whether I go, ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, do we know not whether thou goest, and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life. And no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

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If ye had known me, you should have known my Father also. And from henceforth ye know him and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Jesus saith unto him,

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Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father. And how sayest thou, show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, the Father in me?

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The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he dwelleth, he doeth the works. believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the very weight say 11 verses say John 14 may the Lord add his blessing may the

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be a comfort to the bereaved family Oh God, I hope in ages past, I hope for years to come, our shelter from the storm and blast and our eternal home. Beneath the shadow of thy wings, thy saints have dwell secure, sufficient is thine arm alone, and our defense is sure.

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In this hope we come now, Lord, to commend this family to thy care, as thou hast already taken out of this world the soul of one who meant so much to so many. As thou hast already taken her to thyself, keep us in this moment of our grief, that we sorrow not as those who have no hope, but in the assurance that you still alive, that you still run our world,

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May we be comforted in knowing that we too have a better home to which we can go. Give strength to this man of God who shall say words of comfort and may we all join him in the words he says. And may this family always remember that God runs his will and he runs it the way he chooses.

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Help us in this moment as in other moments of our crisis to say, "Thy will be done." We ask it all in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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[ Background noise ] [Music] Magnify the Lord, magnify His holy name. ♪ Oh, he is great ♪

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♪ On his mercy endureth forever ♪ ♪ He is great ♪ ♪ On his mercy endureth forever ♪ He is great and his mercy endures forever and ever.

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(soft music) Magnify Him, magnify Him, magnify His holy name forever and ever, forever and evermore. Magnify Him, magnify Him, magnify His holy name forever and ever and ever. ♪ Oh, how wondrous is thy name ♪

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♪ Heaven and earth ♪ ♪ Thy greatness proclaim ♪ ♪ Every knee ♪ ♪ Should bow ♪

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♪ And every tongue confess ♪ ♪ That Christ is Lord of all ♪ ♪ Heav'nly ♪ ♪ Should bow ♪

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♪ And every tongue ♪ ♪ Confess ♪ ♪ Their cross ♪ ♪ Is more ♪

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♪ Of all ♪ ♪ Magnify Him, magnify Him ♪ ♪ Magnify His holy name ♪ ♪ Forever and ever ♪

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♪ Forever and evermore ♪ ♪ Magnify Him, magnify Him ♪ ♪ Magnify His holy name ♪ ♪ Forever and ever ♪

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Forever and ever, I'll be glorified His holy name. Forever and ever, I'll be glorified His holy name. I'll be glorified His holy name. [ Background noise ]

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>> Father dear, for thee dear Lord, across our bear and I'll go any time, anywhere. I'll not falter for the weight of woe. If you'll lead me, dear Lord, I'll go.

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Not for the frame or name that the world might see, but for the glory be all for thee. Lord, I'll be true. Give me work to do and I'll run all the way for you. Use me Lord, I pray. We are gathered here today to celebrate the life and homegoing of our beloved Sister Virgie

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Carolton DeWitty, one who spent her life in the Master's service, who gave freely of her time, talent, and counsel. She wrote her resolution each day she lived as she went cheerfully to and fro, busy in the service of the Master, busy magnifying the Lord and exalting his holy name.

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For she made a commitment at a very tender age. Thus, to this song she played, "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, and I'll be a sunbeam for him." This was the theme of her life.

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Never in this life did she forget it. For the last Sunday, she rendered music for the children's hour. She remembered her commitment and played "I'll be a sunbeam for him" as the children came down the aisles.

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She longed for a closer walk with God, that he would use her for his glory. Ebenezer Baptist Church is the only church sister duty ever played for him. She loved Ebenezer as a member. She gave a life of untiring service for the up-building of God's kingdom.

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Her life touched every department of the church, not for what she would get, but what she could give to promote the program of the church. We who were privileged to work with her know that ours was an opportunity to learn and to share.

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Her influence for good was far-reaching and what she meant to us is a feeling too weak for words to ever convey. She was a friend, mother, sister, teacher, counselor, and much, much more. Her talents extended not only throughout Ebenezer,

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but throughout the Austin community, the state, and nation. Her love and concern for people won for her respect, goodwill, and affection of those whom she touched or worked with.

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She was dedicated to the cause of Christ. By great courage and by remarkable patience, she established a record of achievement which should serve as a source of inspiration.

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And through her vast knowledge, experience, and strong commitment to serve, she has provided a great and glorious heritage for all of us.

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We cherish the memory of her beautiful life and thank God for sharing her whole life of service with us at Ebenezer. She fought a good fight. Sister DeWitty was a warrior for the Lord and Savior. She stood by her commitment until the battle was won and she did it all through music. We will miss her sorely.

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Because of her many years of unselfish service as a child of God, we the officers and members of Ebenezer Baptist Church in respect to and in remembrance of her offer the following resolutions. Whereas the Lord has called for mortality to immortality,

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our co-laborer in the vineyard of our master, and whereas the church has lost a devout member, and the community a modest and concerned citizen, Resolve that we take pattern from such a life and strive to practice the principles she exemplified,

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and so live that we may join her in that heavenly home where parting will be no more. Resolve further that we note in the records of the church the passing of our sister, and that this resolution be given to the family to whom we express our sincere sympathy. In times of distress, friends offer a hand, but there are burdens they can't understand.

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Till then you need Jesus to carry you through. In every condition, he knows what to do. Humbly submitted, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Reverend Dr. Marvin C. Griffin, Pastor, Valverde C. Phillips, Clerk.

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The Reverend Dr. G.B. Clark, the moderator, is unable to be present and has requested that the St. John Regular Baptist Association will be represented by the first vice moderator, Reverend Ariel Perry. Thank you, Pastor Griffin, and to all of the ministers on the rostrum, and to this beautiful

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family. I speak for the St. John family, and I would like for all of the St. John regular family to stand. All of St. John, thank you very much. The funeral of Sister DeWitty is over. It ended just a few hours ago, and if we would stay here until night, we couldn't add nor

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take from. What we failed to do today, it'll be too late tomorrow. She lived in the musical field. She served this church.

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She served the nation. And then like David, she went to rest. known all over this nation as being a great soul in the field of music. Dr. Clark regret very much that he could not be here. He had to be out of town and

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And it's a little hard for me to say what he would have said. So I just have to tell you what R.L. Perry will say. [INAUDIBLE] This that we have gathered here to witness today

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has come to all of us one way or the other. And there comes a time in all of our lives when we must accept what we have often told others, that God is able. And I believe it.

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As a matter of fact, I know He is able to sustain us in any and all conditions. able, he can even make your enemy behave. He can make your enemy feed you. Amen. And that's why if we can just do what he said to do, pray for him, pray for the enemy, do good unto them that do evil unto you. I think we'll make it all right. Lift up your head

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today and trust God for he is able. And I'm reminded as I go to my seat, out in East Texas There was a young man that grew up in a community. And he finished school in that community and then went from there to college.

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He went out in the Far East. And after finishing his course there And being absent for many years, he said, "I want to go back and see the old home community

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before I leave this world." And there was an old man, an old lady that he cherished so much, he loved them, and they partly raised him.

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He said, "Now when I get back, if it's God's will, before I see anybody, I'm going by to see Uncle John and Aunt Sue. But after 50 or more years,

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the little house where they lived was dilapidated. It got so bad until they had to move out. And when he drove into the community, he made that his first stop.

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But no one was there. So he stood there wondering what has happened. So as he drove out to the road, a young man came by. He said, "Where is Uncle John and Aunt Sue?

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Have they passed?" Said, "Oh, no." He said, "Well, isn't this the place where they lived?" He said, "Yes, but they aren't there anymore."

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He said, "Well, where are they?" He said, "Just get in this road. This is a new road to you now. And go right on up the road on top of the hill and look to your right.

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You will see a brick veneer." He said, "This old house was no longer..." [ Silence ]