New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-05-11

I'm MemOriam.
RIcE.-At Independence, Missouri, April sd, George
At meeting of the Youths Mental Inn
provement Club Of Detroit, Michigan, held at
the house of Mr.. William Lambert, on Monday
evening the oath of April for the purpose of
taking into consideration the death of their late
member George Rice, and to make necessary
preparations for his funeral the following reso-
lutions and obituary were adopted.
Whereas, in the providence of God. He has
seen fit to remove our beloved associate and
member of our sociecy from among us one to
whom our hearts have warmed In liveliest affec
ton and highest esteem; one whom we have
ever found worthy of sustaining the first and
highest place in the hearts of his numerous as
sociates and whereas he has held in our
society for the greater part of its sessions the
highest official positions, maintaining them
with all the ability, intelligence, and impartial
interest which ever characterized him as the
true friend and perfect gentleman and
whereas our hearts are sadly filed with the pro-
foundest sorrow for our great bereavement of
him whose place zoe can neuer Jiu and whose
memory We so deeply deplore therefore be it
hes0t0ed, That we unanimously tender to
the Borrowing family of the deceased our
heartfelt sympathies for their bereavement,
and our assurance of sharing the great sorrow
which deprives US of beloved companion and
friend, and them of so noble a son and brother.
RESOLVED, That, in testimony OF our respect
for him, we, the youths Mental Improve
ment Club of Detroit, in which he held for
two years of its organization the position of
president, do attend in a body his funeral, and
Join with the afflicted family our tributes of
grief.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions
be presented to the family in behalf Of the
society.
We, the members of the youths Mental
improvement Club would tender a word of
farewell4in tribute to the memory of the late
George Rice, our companion and ex president
OF our society. It's hard to say "Thy will be
DONE In such time as this, when, but few
days ago, our loved one gfaddened us with his
presence, joined In our pastimes, and shared
our la-ors. He was beloved as only few can
be. And when we recall to mind his natural
ability, his intelligence, his amiability and all
the noble virtues that composed his disposition,
all the good he had done in his short lfe that
he was doing when visited by death, and all he
might have done in future we must acknowl-
edge that the ways of God are mysterious!
Not many months ago he left his home and
good employment to labor in field at Inde-
pendence, Missouri, where, by his kindness
and activity, he did much good in instructng
those who knew nothing He was engaged,
also, In Sabbath school--leadng souls to re-
gard plety and Christianity as essential to life
hereafter; and, after the many cares of the
day were over, he would gather his charge to-
gether and spend his evenings in instructing
them in various ways; and while making life
brighter and happier to those around him,
while working SO faithfully for the good of his
fellow-men, he was called to rest from his la
bors, and earth to mourn. How many hearts
have been filled with the widest grief for his
departure We miss him everywhere. Men
OF learning have competed with him aged
men have sought his counsel young men have
tried to emulate him boyhood has endeavored
to copy him.. All have loved and respected
him. Perhaps such articles as "Our Maya
zine Literature :" "Theores !" "The Negro
and American Literature; - "The Complete
ness OF the Republic" will be remembered as
able contributions to the Ne,O National Era
from him. lie was in manner one of those
quisA unpretending, reserved thoughtful young
men whom we so seldom meet vet with a
mind 80 far superior to many of his associates
that we wonder not that he turned with almost
passlonste love to his books for companion
ship. Yet he gloried L:- snpa-i,- a..
talnments. Was there friend with few advau-
tages yet eager to acquire knowledge, his
hand removed them, and, descending from his
own sphere, would place himself on level
with the unlearned, and as mother leads her
lettering babe with loving hand step by step,
so together they would pore over rough roads
of learning until all difficulties were removed
In the society of which he was president for
nearly the whole time of its organization he
was model of all that was noble and good
and true. dis voice was never heard in anger.
His cool yet quiet responsiveness could still
the utmost confusion, and his kind reasoning
would decide the most exciting arguments
and when he arose to address his charge, all
eyes were raised in quiet satisfaction and the
courtesy and consideration with which he was
regarded testified how high place he held in
the affections of the circle. And now he has
gone! We look in vain for his coming and,
though our hearts seem to break with the sor-
row that has penetrated so deeply therein, and
in our homes even the desolation is felt, yet we
would not recall our loved one to this cold
world of sins We try to look away from our
grief, away from our bereavement, up beyond
the vast confines of earth, amid scenes of heav-
emily bliss, in chimes of more supreme delight
to the waiting one And when we feel that
the privilege is ours to meet him again, we can
say with earnestness unfelt before:
Nearer my God to thee, nearer to thee,
Even though it be a cross that raiseth me-
And now to our loved one we must say fare
we'll!
Gone in thy youth to the home that awaits thee,
Gone where affection can reach thee no
more
Gone to the bosom of Him who redeems thee,
Gone to thy rest on Heavens bright shore.
We shall miss thee when we gather amid
scenes wherein We have loved to dwell and see
no more thy form amongst US. When thy loved
name shall pass from lip to lip, and memories
of thee shall be all that remain of one who was
so much to US, we shall think of thee in the
happy home as one who is free from all the
sorrows and trials of life This shall be an
incentive to lead us on through life in a man.
ner that we meet thee again, and that we may
feel that thou art waiting On heavenly shores
to welcome us home, and that when all of life
is over, when the last tear is shed, when the
last pain is felt when we have prepared to press
the cold rivers of death, we shall meet thee
again, not as We meet in this life, but purified
by suffering, perfected by Immortality, we
enter the blest portals to meet the loved and
lost, and mingle our songs of praise together
in land where parting never can come
Where thou art gone forever by Saviour's par
don blest,
Where the wicked cease from troubling,
And the weary are at rest.
DEMHL BUoKNER, President
ii. THOMPSON, Secretary.
ED. w. HARPER, Elk. Com
III. Il. LAMBERT, Editress
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