The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28 00:00:00

DEAN STANLEY ON THE LATE
PRINCESS ALICE.

At Westminster Abbey on Sunday morning, Dean Stanley
referred to the death of the Princess Alice, taking his text
from the Book of Jeremiah, chapter xv., verse 9 : "She
that hath borne seven languisheth ; she bath given up
the ghost; her sun is gone down while it WA3 yet day."

Dean Stanley said that it was impossible for him
in that ancient sanctuary of the joys and sorrows of
English princes not to say a few words on the mourn-
ful event which, since he last entered those walls,
had cast another and deeper shadow on the day
already heavy with death to the Royal house. The
wife and mother, falling a victim to her vigilant care of
those she loved, the sudden termination of a brilliant
career, and the eclipse of an unclouded brightness
all these thoughts combined to make this event an
almost literal reproduction of the grief which the
prophet felt when he wrote the words of the text.
The lesson they might carry away was twofolS.
First, it was a homely lesson brought before them in
which they could recognise the universality and the
identity of human suffering and of human affection.
They all felt the shock because they all knew what it
was. They knew that the mourners in this case were
mourners like the hnsbands and children throughout
every household in the land. They knew the tears
which flowed from them flowed from the same
fountain of grief which existed in the human
heart. They knew that the same parental love which
created this heartfelt sorrow was the same which
afflicted the homes of every private circle. When
they heard the funeral music—when they heard the
solemn service of the dead—when they- heard
rival statesmen suspending their fierce strife for the
moment ; to render their tribute to that parent's self-
sacrifice ; to the love of the mother for her children;
to the affection of a brother for a mush-loved sister;
it touched them the deeper when they felt it might at
any time come home to their own circle. Their
Christmas homes would not be the less happy if they
brought about the holy tkougbt that their permanent
home was not here, and that a brighter and a better
world than this awaited them. The " fierce light which
beats upon a throne" gave also useful lessons and
opportunies which escaped the attention of other
classe I of men. This was the second lesson conveyed to
them by the matter they were considering. It was not
only that she who was gone had discharged those ordi-
nary dirties which belonged to every wife and mother,
but she was aware of the moral power and the large
responsibilities with which her high position of neces-
sity invested her. The fatly° kindness, the gracious
attention, the wise interest in bsnevolent objects
which would be useful in anyone, were, as she well
knew, intensified in usefulness by coaling from one in
her position. Her rank, her name, were used by her,
not for purposes of self indulgence or pleasure, but for
beneficence and enlightenment. These external ad-
vantages were, as she felt, special talents committed to
her trust for the benefit of mankind, and as such did
she use them.
The "Dead March" in Saul was played on the
organ after the sermon, and the Dean remained in the
pulpit until the solemn theme from the oratorio was
finished.

A SUGGESTION FOR EXPRESS
LETTERS.

The Pall Mall Gazette remarks :—" It is certainly
singular, as a correspondent of The Times suggests
that the American system of expresses and private
messengers is not introduced into this country, In
the United States, as is well known, passengers'
luggage is taken by the express waggons from the rail-
way stations to any part of the city to which the tra-
veller may be going, or sent to any place on the lines
of rail, not only without trouble but without risk. The
messenger plan is, if anything, even more convenient.
By ringing a telegraphic bell the subscriber to a par-
ticular agency obtains the strvi,es of a boy within two
of three minutes, who is at his disposal to deliver
any note that he may &sire to send with despatch,
in such matters as these we are certainly behind-
hand, and the failtire, or at any rate very doubtful
success of the luggage checks in this country. shows
, how dkcult it is to introduce any change. Though
every Englishman who has ever visited the United

States approves heartily of the plan there a3opted,
not a railway company in Great Britain will take it
up,"