Rev. Thomas Walker Tomkies
The subject of this memoir was born in Hanover County, near Ashland, Virginia, January 24th, 1846, and passed to his heavenly home from Tampa, Florida, November 25th, 1921. He was born and reared inˇ a Christian home and was converted when a mere lad. He availed himself of all educational advantages of that early time and prepared himself for teaching in which he engaged for several years and for his life work in the Christian ministry.His call to the ministry was clear and definite and under divine compulsion he gladly gave himself up to preaching the gospel. He felt that divine honors had been conferred upon him and he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. When a young man of twentythree, December 13th, 1869, at Lake City, Florida, he was admitted on trial into the Florida Conference, and from that time until he was released from earthly service, he never turned aside a day from his sacred calling. ˇ
It is an interesting fact that when he was a boy of 17 years he heard and answered his country's call to arms and followed Gen. Robt. E. Lee through two bloody years and when he surrendered with his gallant commander at Appomattox, the war closed with him, and no bitterness was harbored in his heart for his former foes.
Loyalty and obedience to his country prepared him for high service ˇand invincible courage under the captain of his salvation. How gentle he was and yet how brave. He never quailed before any foe. He was a good soldier of Jesus Christ. His ministry embraced the larger part of this conference. His appointments were as follows: Concord Circuit, one year; Fernandina, three years; St. John's Circuit, one year; St. Matthews Mission in Jacksonville, one year; Orange Springs Circuit, two years; Archer Circuit, four years; Newnansville Circuit, two years; ˇLeesburg-Orlando District as presiding elder, four years; Apalachicola station, two years; Sanford station, one year; presiding elder Jacksonville District, three years; Tallahassee District, three years; O'rlando District, four years; Gainesville, one year; Tampa Heights Mission, one year; Fort Pierce, four years; Palmetto Mission. one year; South Boulevard, Tallahassee and Havana, three years; Tarpon Springs, two years; Boca Grande, two years; Manatee, two years; Eighth A venue and Edgewood, Tampa, two years-a grand total of fifty-two years of itinerant service.
His ministry began before there were any modern conveniences. There was no railroad south of Jacksonville-no South Florida-no East Coast-all of the southern part of the peinsula was largely a physical desolation. Many of his appointments were what we call hard ones, involving frequent and long absences from home, and many hardships, sacrifices and small salaries, but none of these things tempted him to secularize and to enjoy the comforts and ease of life. In his fifty-two years what an enviable record he made-what history he helped to write. He helped to lay. deeply and wisely the foundations of Florida Methodism and rear the splendid superstructures thereon, that is our pride and joy today.
Dr. Tomkies married the woman of his choice, Miss Anna Timanus, September, 1874, in Fernandina, Florida, who stood by his side for 47 years, the mother of his sons and daughter, the faithful and devoted wife until the end. She shared willingly his trials and hardships and rejoiced in his triumphs and successes. The noble deeds, privations and sacrifices of the heroines of our Methodist itinerancy, are they not recorded in the chronicles of the skies?
Dr. Tomkies was a true gospel preacher. His sermons were invariably characterized by systematic and orderly arrangement, clear- ness and continuity of thought, and flawless logic and above all by forceful presentation of the gospel truth as to carry conviction to mind and heart. Had they been written they would have been models of sermonic literature.
The literary embellishment was not an end but the means of enforcing the sacred truth. His sermons were always reinforced by the man who was back of them. His stainless reputation and irreproachable character were appreciated by his brethren. No finer spirit ever dwelt among us. His wife says that no brighter jewel ever adorned a home. The characterization of the Holy Spirit of Barnabas is true of our ascended brother. He was a good man, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost and much people were added unto the Lord. The Acts of the Apostles did not cease when St. Luke recorded hisˇ last words. Why not Apostles Wesley, Asbury, McKendry, Marvin, Galloway, Lambuth and Tomkies? Indeed, why not? Dr. Tomkies was a golden hearted man. I have not known a more lovable character. When the Prince of Orange died it is recorded that the children went through the streets weeping. The children loved Brother Tomkies-he always had a smile and a kind word for them. Goldsmith's Village Pastor may have been recorded of our Brother Tomkies:
"Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride,I do not claim any angelic attributes for our glorified brother, but I do claim, and justly, that the excellencies of our holy Christiaity flowered and fruited in his life and ministry abundantly.
And e'en his failings leaned to virtue's side.
But in his duty prompt at every call,
Heˇ watched and wept, he prayed for all.
And as a bird each fond endearment tries,
To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies,
He tried each art, reproved each dull delay,
Allured to brighter worlds and led the way."Billy Sunday in a moment of great inspiration while describing his reception in heaven reached ~ splendid climax when he said that Jesus would say: "Here, archangel, come show Billy to his mansion." Our brother had the ministry of angels here and doubtless in "the land of the unclouded day," arch-angels are his servants. How fully he appreciates today the dying words of Frances E. Willard, who has been appropriately called the uncrowned queen of America, "how beautiful to be with God." He is with God today.
I was with him for several hours and until the end came. As long as he was conscious he held my hand and would not let me leave his bedside. Just before he passed into the reveries of death, I said, "Brother Tomkies now at the close of life is the way clear?" He answered, "Yes, sir." "Have you any fear as you pass down 'into the valley of the shadow of death?'" And he replied, "No, sir." And in a little while, like a tired child upon its mother's bosom, he went to sleep, and the transition was so easy that we scarcely knew just the moment when his spirit was released. I am confident that he found the darkly rolling river of death only a rivulet. "There was no mooring of the bar when he put out to sea."
Submitted by: B. K. THROWER