The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-02-28
OBITUARY.

CHARLES WELLS RUSSELL, the Jurtst
the scholar, and the Christian gentleman, ae-
parted this life on Friday, November the cd
His beautiful career on earth Is finished;
leaving its impress, deep and durable, on the
minds and memories of all who knew him. Not
one Of these, we may safely say, has ever known
him to do an act, or to utter word, ineonsist-
ent with tho elevation and purity of his life.
There was nothing mean, or low, or selfish in
his nature. In every relation of lite, whether
as a son, as husband, as a father, or as a
friend, he was indesd more nearly faultiess
than We could have believed possible TO human
nature, If we had not been so long, So intimate
ly, and so we'll acquainted with him. Combin.
ing and harmonizing in his character the most
opposite qualities, we have frequently been at
q loss which the more to admire-his humility
or his heroism his gentleness or his generosity,
his charity 20 all men, or his courage in the dis
charge Of all duties. He hated nothing, except
wrong and he feared nothing, except depar-
ture from right. His SuariteT IN nlodo never
degsnerated into weakness, or wore the appear
ance of anything artificial or assumed II was
indeed, more Of q substance than OF q iorm;
benevolent heart, His fortiter IN re was, on the
other hand, simply calm and dispassionaie ad'
herence TO principle, without the least admix'
ture of the violence of selEassertion. NO man
was ever more free from egotism, or more set.
tied in his convictions of right. Hence rev0'
and turned all things else out of their courses,
failed TO disturb the purpose OF his VIII, or "
cause him TO deviate from the strict hhe vi en- On
scious rectitude Though often and PIoIouhuly
agitated by the trying scenes ana terTlolo sti W.
giles of the revolution, no uRbecoming wofd ever
ESCAPED his lips and no indiscreet or undlgnned
act ever marred the beauty of his conduct:
Surely, the man that 'ruleth his splIit, as ali
the deceased, is greater than he that taketh
city" In unien with moral qualities, so admi-
liz holappai and an wonderfully calm, nr1ls
and equable in their movements he possessed
high and beautiful intelligence, fitting him to
shine as jurist as an advocate, "a a winter VI
prose, and as poet.
The absolute purity Of his public lie Wa, Was
simply a reflex of his private virtues Inc
purest of men in private life, he became IN the
service of his country, the rarest and most won
dcrful of public characterize Sp0tteSS PoHuet'''
From every point of view, indeed, he seemed 20
rise like "A star, serenely beautiful, ABOVE tne
angry elements of the lower world, aru NIL ms
sphere with benign influences. The low am0i'
ton of kings and conquerors was not his. lie
aimed at immortality as well rs they, but ne
preferred its substance in heaven to its shadow
upon earth.
he died as he lived With simple, child-like
confidence in God, he went down the DARK val
ley of the shadow of death, and, without shud'
dering or fear or the least sign of an ostenta-
tious display of courage, he disappeared from
earth How irreparable the loss TO his irlenus
and TO his bereaved family But now lhnnite
the gain to himself! For in the beautiful
words of the poet, THE day of mans death is
the birthday of eternity" We rejoice when
man. child is born into this world OF shadows.
The angels of God rejoice over his birth into a
world OF eternal realities We, i'll the blind
agony of eur grief, mourn the sudden departure
Of CHARLES W. RUSSELL, and call it death
The angels of God hail the glorious event With
seraphic joy and pronounce it life. We deplore
his deliverance from the vain hopes, the vast
decisions, the crushed desires, the innumerable
dangers, and the infinite wrongs of mans sad
estate here below. The angels of God rejoice
| that his course is finished that he has fought
the good fight and won the victory. Hence
forth there Is laid up for him crown OF night
eousness and IAN eternal weight of glory" Nc
sin, 10 sorrow, no signing. and no shadow o.
death, shall ever more disturb his peace. Noth
ing that maketh lie shall ever approach the
throne of his exaltation and glory in the king
dom of God.