If ever there was a person who truly merited the salutation of being a gentleman and a scholar, it was the Hon. Arnold Adolphus Francis, CBE, QC, JP. Many fine tributes have been paid him since his death in his 89th year on January 25. The Royal Gazette most appropriately hailed him as “A Legend”.Arnold was my lifelong friend, stemming from the days as fellow students of the Berkeley Institute when I was very much his junior. Only last month in features on the late Captain (Eddie Blue) Lightbourne, I cited how we juniors idolised guys like the latter and Arnold for their zest as students and prowess in the extracurricular and sports realm.Our paths crossed in many significant ventures during the succeeding sixty or seventy years. And at the end of it all, I was happy to note that my friend “Steedie” truly “Kept the Faith”.Attending his Celebration of Life Service at St John’s Anglican Church on Tuesday was an imperative for me, as indeed for the hundreds of others who packed the church to overflowing. I said a loud ‘Amen’ when the Priest-in-Charge, the Rev Nicholas Dill cited him as a ‘true nationalist’ and a “proud black Bermudian”.Following are excerpts from the Rev Dill’s tribute to Mr Francis. He began the service by citing Arnold as a very special person.We meet here today to remember with thanksgiving the life of Arnold Adolphus Francis, to comfort one another, and, as each of us will one day pass this way, to hear the message of hope that Christ offers to all who turn to him.Mr Francis, Arnold, Steedie was a great family man and his family have asked that this occasion reflect that, and so, whilst we acknowledge all those who are here from Bermuda’s civic life, members of the Government, the Bermuda Bar and many other dignitaries and special visitors, today we are a family. This is the one kind of occasion where protocol is unnecessary to be established a reminder that we are all on a level playing field when we come to life and death as the good book says, naked we come and naked we go, the Lord gives and the Lord has taken away.Rev Dill went on to say Mr Francis was without a doubt an accomplished figure the words of the Obituary sketch out the basics in terms of the things he has done during his life. But the greatest measure of a man is not what he does but who he is. His family have characterised him as proud, caring, eloquent, traditional, strong, protective, generous, comical loved a good joke, but hopeless in relaying it to others, loved a bad joke even more!Fearless, loyal, who lived for his family and his community, could talk about anything without being judgemental, a disciplinarian, a lover of animals canine more than feline, but also fowl, bunnies, You can see his walk, erect of stature, smartly dressed. He loved to dance and had a coterie of dancing ladies proffering a kiss on both cheeks before stepping out. He had a huge sweet tooth, and abhorrence for lazy speech; a lover of celebrations and if he were out and it was someone else’s birthday he was delighted to join their party with his rendition of happy birthday.He was proud of being a black Bermudian fiercely nationalistic yet also cosmopolitan, having rubbed shoulders with many of the great political figures of the last 50 years or so.Sporty football, table tennis, cricket.A happy man who was contented to the end who enjoyed his creature comforts of home but also liked to be out and about and it was there, just as they were about to begin an afternoon drive, whilst sitting in the car next to his beloved Anne that he died and so began another journey.Mr. Francis was a very correct in speech and bearing. He knew all about proper punctuation. When it comes to life and death there are two ways of thinking. The first sees death as a full stop. And sometimes with an exclamation mark!But for those of faith, who have their trust in Christ, it is merely a comma, a pause in the journey, where the second half is much more glorious and wonderful than that which came before. In the midst of life there is death but in the place of death with Christ, there is life!