Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-10-21
DEATH OF TIE REV. DIR. CLAIMING

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DEATH OF TIE REV. DIR. CLAIMING.
A great and good man has passed away
from earth. The Rev. DIR. Charming died
at Bennington, in Vermont, on Sunday last.
He had reached that place, in a short excur-
sion, and was there attacked with typhus fe-
yer which soon assumed an alarming aspect,
aud proved fatal after an illness of about
three weeks duration. The community
which has enjoyed the near influence OF his
life and labors, will receive this intelligence
with deep feeling. A sense of gratitude.
that he has been so long spared to us, will
temper the sorrow which is awakened by the
thought of what we have lost Though the
literal value Of his writings will alone secure
them place among the classics of our Ian
guage, this is but secondary merit, when
compared with their higher excellencies,
flowing from deep and pure religious feel
ing, uncompromising morality, and wide
spread sympathy with humanity He WIS,
emphatically, the friend of mankind. To
elevate them, to make them wiser, better,
and happier, TO keep them faithful TO their
higher nature, to wean them from what was
low, TO enlighten them with the beams Of
truth-these were the great objects TO which
he devoted his energies, and for which he
labored indefatigably TO the last. From
these were drawn his constant sources Of
thought and his favorte topics of discourse.
His sympathy with the oppressed was ever
cordial and active, and his efforts in their
behalf untiring. 1t was not merely the pal
pahle oppression of the tyrant or slavehold-
or, against which his eloquence was direct
ed, but the tyranny of debasing passions,
the slavery of sense, the bondage Of sim
All liberty was to him imperfect, where the
spirit of God was not. 1t was this feeling
which gave such persuasive beauty to his
style, and such thrilling music to his voice.
For him to die was gain. 1t was but the
putting off of feeble frame, through whose
many infrmites his spirit sometimes shot a
darkened ray. Ours is the loss (; ours the
sorrow. That light though seen no more
on earth, is not, however, swallowed up in
the Jaws of darkness To have known and
conversed with spirit SO pure and gifted, is
in itself an earnest of Immortality. The
words which he has spoken and have fallen
like good seed upon many faithful hearts,
and are bearing, and are yet to bear fruit
most abundantly. They will serve to rouse
the sluggish, animate the Responding, and in.
spire with courage the faint hearted. His
spirit will live and move among us, and his
. death and life will he alike Impressive
Though passed from sight he has left be-
hind
A voice that in the distance far away
Wakens the slumberng ages"
Boston Courier.
We copy the following tribute to the
memory of DR.. Claiming, from the N. Y
Journal of Commerce:
DIR. Claiming was born at Newport, r. |
: His grandfather was VIM. Ellery, one o
the signers of the Declaration of indie
pendence His father was an eminent mer
: chant Of Newport, of the firm of Gibbs &
! Claiming. His grandfather retained the
| powers of his mind to extreme old age, be
! ing accustomed to read one or more chap
: tiers every morning in his Greek Testamen
: "a practice which he continued until hC
: was upward of ninety years of age. Ill
0 once remarked that if old people would ex
ercise their minds more, they would retail
their intellectual faculties as long as the,
. did their physical powers. DIR. Channin!
S inherited the vigorous intellect of this revor
: ed relative.
, OF the Dr's father we are not particular,
1 iniormnd, but DIR. c. himself, though 70
: many years an invalid, was in early life
4 quite vigorous. Though small in stature
S and possessing light frame, he had muscu
: lar strength, and in college was considere,
an athletic yobng man. He was alse one O
S the leading spirits in his class. During
g part of his collegiate course his friends eS
: pected that he would, on taking his degree
h pursue the study of medicine but his al
tenton was turned to the ministry by tn
If Hollis professor of divinity in Harvard Co
h lege, where DIR. G. graduated. At con
o mencement, when he took the degree {
e A. b.. he had distinguished part, and wa
IS then looked upon by competent judges .
r one of the most promising young men {
sr the day. Soon after he went to Virgins
Of where he resided some time, we believe, as
it teacher. Here he was supposed, by exp
he sure or neglect OF his health, to have unde
ID mined his constitution. He never fully r
G. covered the robust state of health which |
i'll had previously enjoyed
is In 1903, Mr.. Claiming was ordained ov'