The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-12-10
THE REV. GEORGE HEILIG.

The intelligence OF the decease of this
active aud successful pastor, though it
may awaken sense of sadness, can hard
ly tail to call up pleasant memories in
many a heart. In our own case the sor-
row that we feel in view of the fact that
we shall see his face in the flesh no more,
is almost lost in the agreeable impres
sious produced by the remembrance OF
his worth and his many personal exeelen-
cies
The ministry of Mr.. Heilig, which in
cluded period of about forty years, was
cotemporary with that of the Rev. Drs.
Demme, Baker, krauth, and the Rev.
Benjamin Keller. With these venerable
fathers his associations had been mos;
familiar and the sympathy Of JOY and Of
sorrow that united them was most init
mate, as together they bore the heat and
burden of the day.
Mr.. Heilig was naturally a gifted man,
and no one could associate with him with
out discovering the originality of genius
about him, the energy of his character,
and the purity of his heart. \ chidlike
simplicity, a cultivated taste, a high re
iuement of manners, a bOundlcss charity,
and an unfailing habit of hospitality made
his presence and his home ever attrac-
tive.
/ Offered to the Lord by the faith of his
parents in infancy, the Offering was &C
cepted and sealed in his baptism, and af
ter the ncediul preparation of heart and
mind, he entered upon the labors of the
ministry of reconciliation in the full Wig
or of his youth. His pastoral care wa:
exercised successfully in large charges il
Cumberland, Montgomery, Monroe and
Schuylkill Counties, Pennsylvania, and /
blessing rested upon his labors, and the
SAVIOR of the knowledge of God was mani
tested by him in every place. Will
H rare personal meekness be had high ap
probation of his Office as minister o
God, Christian sense of the value o
souls aud of the power of the Divine
Word, and though by no means strang
er to the trials of the Gospel ministry
yet he never tainted nor grew weary no
lost his chceriuluess, nor failed to show
the possession of "A heart inspired by tht
hope of the glory Of God.
The apostolic test of fitness to TAX
care of the Church of God was fully me
in him. He ruled his own house well
His home was an abode Of Christian peac
and love, scene of ever generous hospi
tality, where the graces of the Gospe
might be observed in daily exercise, an,
the Churches successfully committed t
his care, by the divine blessings upon hi
ministry, seemed ever to be growing ligh
in the Lord.
Long accustomed to endure hardues
as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, hi
physical strength at last began to yield
and, admonished by growing infrmties
, he withdrew, not long since, from the &C
tive labors of his Office. His children
, trained in the ways of life and eDjoyin:
the blessing Of the Lord which maketl
rich, cheered his declining years by un
failing tokens of filial gratitude and love
and so, surrounded by many externa
comic and with the peace of God il
his heart, he entered into his rest OF
Sunday evening, Nov 22d, at the age o
sixty niue years and seven months
His mortal remains, followed to tn,
grave by large circle of relatives anc
friends, rest in hope, in the beautiful
cemetery of Catasauqua, on the banks 0
the Lehigh. The religious exercises o
the funeral were conducted by the Revs
J. d. Schindel. S. X. Brobst, NJ Rich
ards, c. W Schaeger and &. Earle, pas
tor of the Presbyterian Church in Cata
saqna, with whom the personal relations
of The deceased had been especially in
tima.e.