Sanford Bishop: “William Cullen Bryant said: So live, that when thy summons come to join The innumerable caravan which moves To that…”

“William Cullen Bryant said: So live, that when thy summons come to join The innumerable caravan which moves To that mysterious realm where each shall take His Chamber in the silent halls of death, Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon, but sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, it has become my solemn duty as dean of the Georgia delegation of the United States House of Representatives to announce and include in the records and proceedings of this august body notice that since we last convened, and specifically, on Friday, July 17, 2020, the Honorable John Robert Lewis, Representative of the Fifth Congressional District of Georgia, our hero, our colleague, our brother, our friend received and answered his final summons from God almighty and at that moment transitioned from labor to reward. The world is a better place because John Lewis spent his life pursuing freedom, justice, opportunity, love, and peace for all of humanity. While he is an icon in the history of America for his courage and his sacrifice in making ``good trouble,'' his enduring humility reflected the true timbre of his character. He inspired us as the conscience of the Congress, and we have all been truly blessed to know, love, and share the life and legacy of this extraordinary human being.…”