The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-21 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

The Rev. Canon Prothero preached both in the morning
and in the afternoon. The morning discourse was founded
on the words, "Thy kingdom come." The preacher spoke
of the realization of that kingdom in the soul as the best'
means of promoting it in this world and preparing for it
in the next; and, describing the individual life as moulded
by the desire to establish the Divine kingdom, he said
"When the records of a truly Christian life are drawn
together at its close, we see sometimes how much the
kingdom of God can be increased by the doings and
labours of a single life. We have seen such a life
closed, prematurely closed, as we, in our ignorance, should
say, when every day seemed to be adding to its power of
doing good, as well as increasing the desire to do it.
Surrounded by all that could make life enjoyable, lifted
above the ordinary cares of life, that noble lady, whose
death all England mourns to-day, has from a child devoted
herself to the relief of the poorest of her people, until she
stood among the first of the benefactors of her day. Who
can measure the amount of good that is done, the advance-
ment of the cause of God, in a word, the existence of His
kingdom, that is effected when one so high of rank'
devotes her time, her influence, her example to works
of benevolence and Christiin love ?" The afternoon
sermon was based on Malachi iii., 1-2 :—" Behold, He
shall come saith the Lord of Hosts; but who may abide
the day of His coming?' The preacher spoke of the
assurances and the hopes which deprived that coming of its
terror, and of the crowd of mourners who found in hope
their only consolation. "At this moment," he added,
"there is one whose grief is great, and for whom the nation
with one voice, wishes to express its sympathy. After seven-
teen years of happy married life her child has closed her
brilliant career of usetulness and charity—on the same day
I on which her noble father breathed his last, amid the loving
I ministrations in which our late Princess then took a promi-
nent part—and on the same day on which her brother, then
lying on the brink of the grave, was given back to his mother.
Truly, this Advent time has witnessed much sorrow in the home
of our queen. May it also bring to her widowed heart the
truest and best consolations of the Christian's hope. But now
, in her newborn grief it must needs be a source of comfort to
I reflect on the useful, honoured, spotless life just closed—
a life which from early days was devoted to ministrations
to the sick, and which never ceased its efforts for the relief
of suffering, wherever it could be found. Even in childhood
I the poor and the sick ever found in her a true and
symyathialug friend ; but at a dying father's bedside
her life may be said to have been consecrated to that
high and biessed calling, which reflcts on all who walk
in it, but perhaps especially on the great ones of the
earth, so much honour and glory and enduring fame. In
times of peace, and equally amid the distracting excitements
of war, the great aim of her life was the improvement of
hospitals, and the alleviation of pain, and the comforting
of the sick; while the improvement of the homes of the
poor was a subject of her care and deepest interest.
Not a hospital or asylum of this great city but has been
visited and inspected for the purpose of carrying back to her
adopted home the latest improvements in aid to nursing and
modern contrivances for the treatment of the sick. And so,
engaged in good work outside her own home—that home was
watched over in the true Christian spirit—the mother's heart
was bent on bringing up her children in the fear and nurture
of the Lord. Her belief was that those who were born to
greatness should be examples of good and virtuous life,
and by their conduct should win and maintain the honours
to which they were born. But while thus every duty of life
was being performed with the eagerness and vigour which
belonged to her character, fatal disease entered her own
home, se,zing with its deadly grasp on every member of her
loved family, and, having taken one dear child, finally fell
on her tired, weakened frame and made an easy prey. In
that devoted attendance on the sick of her own home, not
to be deputed to another, the gallant life sacrificed itself
under the call of duty and of love, To a life so truly
womanly, so unselfish, so devoted, death could be but gain.
For one who so followed Christ my text could have no
terrors. Indeed, to all who so live, or whose aim ia so to
live, though the question, when looked at alone, is calcu-
lated to terrify, it is hopefully answered."