Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-02-17
Published By re2uest.)
From The Congregational Journal.
The late Rev. Thomas Lcaver,

II The following is the conclusion of the ser
mon preached BY the Rt. Rev. Carleton Chase
Il ID. d., at the funeral ofthe Rev. Thomas Lea
yer, Rector of St. Paul's Church. Dec. %
\ lS47, and which we have been requested "a
insert in the Journal. The tex, was Sam
ue l2 %: i shall 60 TO him bu, he shall
not return 10 mo-" From this and other pas
sages Of Holy Scripture the Bishop cndeavored
to show that Christian friendships will survive
the tomb, and that Christians who are acquaint-
ed with each other, and dear to each other on
Garth, will recognize and embrace each other
with Joy in the kingdom Of Heaven. lie con-
cludcd as follows:
:" meet you here to-day, my brethren, on
al occasion which fills me with grief cannot
express. Though informed some two weeks
since by one of our friends here, that my rcver-
end brother was seriously i'll, and probably
would not be able to resume the discharge Of
his duties for several weeks, i, did not enter
my mind-I fear it did not impress me as i,
should have donc-that there could then b,
upon him sickness unto death.
Judge then of the deep afiliction Of the
stroke, when, in the morning OF the blessed
Redcemcr birthday, a letter was placed in
my hands informing me that after short and
painful illness nature had yielded to the call
from above, and my beloved brother had gone
to his rest. That form of dignity and vigor-
that intellectual and manly countenance, light
ed with the meek smile Of humility. rrbanity,
and christian love-tha, voice, whose accents
were the harmony Of beneyolence and truth
oil laid low; all changed and hushcd in death
All that is left to us is there, in that narrow
tenement and we are about TO commit it as
- earth to earth, ashes TO ashes, dust to
dust"
dear brethren, here isa Bereavement in
deed To the wife of his youth-to the chill !
dren Of their mutual love--to the little i,ock of
members of Christ here fed at the holy table
by his hand-to the youth of his charge accus-
toned TO receive christian nurture from the
mild and instructive words of his lips-and all
the people OF this parish-itls is a cup ofsorrow,
bitter beyond anything ever before dispensed |
10 them by the same divine hand
g But If the afictlon is great, greater still is |
the consolation. Blessed be God, the widow
and the iatherless, and the flock deprived of its
may throw themselves on the prom
lses and securities of that Gospel, through /
whose mercies our dear brother has now enter
I'd into the joy of his Lord and under the
most distressing iantness of heart, and grief of /
spirit, may draw refreshing waters out Of the 4
: wells of salvation"
"My brother has gone to the great rest,
hat remalnelh for the people of God, doubt /
t not. And there, o We redeemed ones Of Il
Jhrist, will We find him! There, in the land
VI pure delight, where saints immortal reign,
will We find him! There, where everlasting
prlng abldes, and never fading flowers walk \
ng in the joy of his Lord and shaking the thirst
4 his immortal spirit at the eternal fountain Of Il
ght and love. There will yo find him. N
'hc word Of our God allows me to assure you,
hat though he will not return 10 you, you viii I.
% TO him. r.
Blessed, happy, inspiring ,hough -
-noueh TO make all trials, and ali sorrows and
IL losses, shrink TO tine small importance Of
ach days ordinary yiclssitudcs and will &c n
ot-thou widowed one, and ye iatherless
abes, and We who are as sheep without q
hepherd, will ye not bear up with lortitude,
nd constancy, and cheerful hope, when your
nth is offered such consolation rs
s. am here this day, dear friends, CHIEF d
lepherd of Christ, to pour out my aiectiOnate t
;mpathes with you, and to show you, while
enjoy it myself, the rich blessed 1
rss OF the promise which assures Us, tha, Il
hen our work is done, we also shall be carried Il
Y angels into Abraham S bosom, and there en- 0
n on renewed communion with our beloved a
lend a
" on have sustained q loss; so have l. r.
o this devoted and well learned brother look
with no common measure Of confidence for !,
fcient aid and cooperation in those active
atlent, and sclt-sacrliicing abors which seem ;.
, indlspensaby necessary TO the rising of the :.
hurch in TINS Diocese. And here | may be :
crmlited briefly TO state some particulars re-
Decting our brother, partly within my own :,
nowledge and official record, and partly de- !,
we'd from conversation incidently mad with "
imsclf .
" The Rev. Thomas Leayer was native of '>
nr tatherland, England; having been born in
ussex on the Odd day Of January, 1915. lie y
as baptized and nurtured in the Church of :
ngland till about the age of ID years when :.
Y the Influence OF circumstance not needing to y
? related, he becam, member ota Church Of :.
le Baptist denomination. y
" In the year 1887, under the ardent desire :"
be useful rs a minister Of Christ, for The V
inversion of sinful men and the training of be. r
eycrs, and IN company with her, the chief .
uuTlltr now Ill your MIDST, NhOm lS Young =:
I'd faithful heart had chosen as the companion VI
his life and labors, he left his country for the d
lrpose of engaging in a Baptist mission ~ ~
nongst the Bahama Islands. lie arrived 70
ere IN SAFETY and entered on his projected la " ~
ms. "
" After two years not finding himself aided ~
ID supported from home. as he had been led ~
expect, he came to the determination to sail '"
r New York, where he had tarried little
ace and made some warm friends on his pas
ge out two years before. Being invited to u
come pastor Of a Baptist Church in Newport / l.
l., he assumed that charge, i'll rightly rec 70
cct the account he gave me, in the year lS- ~
While engaged there, enjoying the con- u"
ence and affection of the people ofhis charge, :,
, providence of God revived the impressions tn
d feelings of his childhood nurture. Doubts ;
tered his mind in relation to the regular Cos be
character and sanction of his existing church IN
atoms. lie plunged more deeply into study ar
IN ever, resolved TO leave no means untried We
gaining a knowledge of the truth touching IN
, Constitution and Ministry of the Church of rls
rlst. The result was clear and strong
lvicton that the truth and duty demanded nc
urn TO the Episcopal form of the church, as oh
me having the authority of Scriptures and -;
mitive integrity. He offered himself for its o'