Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-11


Coolidge.
The funeral of the late Rev. John Nelson, D.
D., of Leicester, took place on Saturday, at the
Congregational church, where he had OBLIGATED
as pastor for nearly sixty years. There was q
large attendance, especially of the older mem
bers Of the congregation. The church was APP
propriately draped in mourning The services,
which were conducted by Rev. A. IL. Coolidge,
associate and successor Of the deceased, and
were Of the most impressive character, began at
twelve o'clock. The body was taken to the
church an hour previous, and large numbers
ayailed themselves Of the opportunity to
take 4 last look at the remains of their VEN
Grated pastor. After the singing of the hymn
GLOW blest the righteous when he dies" the 23d
and 91st Psalms, the 22d chapter Of Revelations,
and portions of the 4th chapter OF ID Timothy
were read by Rev. Mr.. Coolidge, who then gave
a brief address, beginning by stating that 1t
was the express I'd wish Of DIR. Nelson that the
services at his funeral might be very simple,
and that no formal euogy might be pronounced
on the OCCASION Such service, he said, was
peculiarly appropriate, in connection with one
who was himself so unpretending and so beau
tiuy adorned with the grace of humility. In
allusion to the exalted worth Of the deceased
to whom all paid such reyerential homage he
said, whenever we !hink OF him there rises before
us the image of Il completed life, Few have
ever abored so steadily, faithfully and long,
Called Of God in childhood converted at the
age of fifteen for many years the youngest men,
Der Of the Old South church in Worcester,
he early gave his life to God and his gifts
and strength to the Christian ministry. His
life Of singular purity, simplicity, and lowell
ness has been a silent but convincing testimony
to het excellence Of the religion he taught.
After seventy years of Christian devotion, and
sixty of ministerial service, having outlNed
three generations he lays his burden down and
''enters into rest" Receiving to the last the
loving ministrations of her whom he had sup
ported and on whom he had leaned for almost
sixty years, with sanity trust and tranquil
hope che fell asleep
All the members of the council which ordan-
ed him have been long dead. OF those who
were pastors of Congregational churches on
this continent al that time only two are now
as scciated with the churches to which they then
minisiered and 50 far as is known, these are the
only remaining pastors Of this denOl umatiOn in
the country who were tEen ordained ministers
All the members Of the church that welcomed
The deceased at his entrance upon the ministry
in Leicester in 1912, when he was young man
Of twenty-siX, with a single exception, have
gone before him. And of all those to whom he
mmistered, how few are left to mourn his death.
One Of the two living pastors who were settled
before DR.. Nelson. was his classmate, DR.. Storrs,
of
4 rare and beautiful friendship "Were he able
to be here to-day" said Mr. Coolidge,
CHS eloquent lips rather than mine
would more appropriately have given expression
to our love and sorrow and hopes on this occa-
sion" Mr.. c, then read letter from DR.. Storrs,
giving beautiful tribute TO the high, Christian
character and moral and social worth OF his life
long friend.
After prayer by Rev. DR.. Blagden, of the Old
South church, Boston, and the singing of the
hymn "Unye thy bosom, faithful tomb" the
exercises closed when the remains OF the de
ceased were followed to their last resting place |
in Pine Grove cemetery, by 4 long procession Of
mourners
The memorial discourse on the life and charac- |
ter of the deceased was preached yesterday (
cd congregation He took his text from Prov. |
II 80, 'rhe fruit Of the righteous is a tree of |
lile,' &c. He began by saying, at was not
only appropriate but necessary that the services
at the funeral Of the venerable pastor Of this
church should be short and simpl e, and that
any extended review of his life and character
should be deferred until some other occasion.
Our leader has gone before us to take his crown.
His work for us is completed, and he has enter
cd into the rest that rcmaueth to the people of
God. The words Of the text are an cpitome of
his mission and character"
DIR. Nelson was born in Hopknton, Nav 9.
1886, and when he was twelve years Of ace his
father Jonathan NesOn) moved TO Worcester
with his five children and joined the Old South |
church, of which Rev. Samuel Austin ID d. /
was then pastor. AT the age Of eighteen John
entered Williams college, and graduated in 1907,
without n superior in his class, and after teach
ing school, and studying theology for while
with DIR. Austin, he was for short time precep-
tor in Leicester academy, Of which Rev Zeph
aniah Swift Moore, the predecessor of Dr. Mel
son as pastor of this church, was the principal
preceplOr. Mr.. Nelson was then for two wears
tutor in Williams college, after which he re
turned TO Worcester and finished his theological
studies with DR.. Austin, the Strengthened pecu-
mary circumstances of his father rendering it |
necessary for the son TO resort to teaching as n
means Of obtaining money. He began to preach
in Leicester in the fall of 1911, as stated sup
ply, and was ordained and installed pastor Of
the church March H. 1872, his predecessor, Dr.
Moore, having been elected TO a proiessorship in
Dartmouth college.
The settlement of pastor was then a com.
paratively unusual event, and created a wide
sensation. The day was clear and COOL the
slei@hing was excellent, and the whole COM
munity of towns was interested in he event. 1t
is said that by actual count there were twelve
hundred Seighs around the common that day,
and that concourSe of three thousand persons
assembled, but a fraction of whom could of
course euter the church. The sermon was by
his pastor and theological instructor Rev. DR..
Austin. OF all that great assembly how few
have survived the young minister. He was
married soon after his ordination to Zibial
daughter of Abjah BigeOw of Barre who sur
wives him.
Thus at the age of wenty-six years Mr.. Mel
son began his long and useful ministry in
Leicester, which was then town of twelve hun
dred inhabitants. There were then no factories
there, and there were only twenty houses in
what is now the centre village. The Baptist
church in Greenve and the Society of Friends
were the only Other religious organizations in |
the town, The services of the Sabbath on this
bleak hill were conducted without any fire in
the meeting house. There no Sab
bath school, and though evening meet
ings for conference and prayer had
been established short time before by Dr.
Moore, they were still regarded with much sus- |
picion by many of the leading ministers aud
church members. The church numbered co
members, Is of whom were males. They were
all aged people or in mature life. He was the
fifth pastor OF the church, which was organized |
something more than I50 years ago, and his pas
torate covers twoflths olits entire history. The
little church of Go has increased to $50, and
during his ministry 67S persons were added TO
its membership. During the last 90 years he
has shared with his younger associates the care
of the parish, hui for forty years he discharged
all the duties OF the trust Through all those
years he had the partial or entire charge OF the
public schools in town, and was also n faithful
guardian of the academy. His parish was the
whole town, and he was an actor in all the in
tellectual and moral enterprises of the commu
nifty He must have ofliciated ut between
400 and 800 weddings, and at not far
from thousand funerals, while the number
of his sermons amounted TO 1900. He preached
ten ordination sermons, and on various other
extraordinary occasions He was 30 years a
trustee of Leicester academy, 81 years its presi-
dent, for seven years trustee of Williams col
10, from, f.l, bD x,aI fl,u n n