Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-03-31
ALEXANDRIA VA. MONDAY EVENING NJ ARCH 81 1873

How often he has ministered at the altar on
regular services Of the Sabbath How often he
| has blessed the matrimonial tie! How many
he has baptized and how many buried How
often he has poured the oil OF Heavenly conso-
lation into sorrowing hearts, none can tell The
good deeds of "a veteran in the service OF God
are written 10 more enduring Chronicles than
the tading oues of Earth
His life has been one long sermon both vocal
and practical; seeking to teach men how to lice,
so that they might know how to die. His life
was living illustration Of piety aud goodness
: his death dying illustration Of the triumph
of the soul by faith over the lterrors Of Death.
1t was to be expected that such life as his
had been would be crowned with triumph at
the last
His disease from the first assumed an alarm
Ing phase, and in the midst OF his sutteriugs II
was pitiable to hear him pray for patience; his
Savior had done the same IN the garden vi
.Gethsemane
He received the warming of his approaching
eud with perfect calmness and comp2Surc; Ills
chief concern seemed to be about the Church
he had served so faithfully aad lovod so well.
He struggled against weakness SO as II possible
to keep the "House of God from being closed;
but it was all in vain; the springs of llte were
TOO lceDlC, anu ne ldlu ulHSell uuNu " VIZ.
One of his last and most impressive sermons,
that on the opening of the New Year, was a
sort Of premontion of his coming doom; his
now lifcIcss form is a commentary upon his dis
course on the uncertainty of lille.
When told Of his approaching end, like a
good Christian he set his worldly affairs ID
order.
His brothers, Rev Mcssrs Crane and San
som, administered TO him his last communion
on earth; he spoke to them calmly aud conf.
dently of his great and certain faith he told
them of his perfect peace. His pupil, the Rev.
James S. johnson, was also with him; but the
clouds Of coming death had so ob:curcd his
vision he did not recognize him. Ii was bis
blessed privilege in dying hour to echo a sen-
tment that he had repeated thousand times
over from the Psalms: Mark the perfect man
aud behold the upright for the end of that
man is Peace. "
He fingered for weeks lowering over the
grave, and 6ually, just after the clock had ush-
cred in Ash Wednesday, his pure spirit passed
to ''thc God who gave it.
His last sermon has been preached, his last
battle has been fought: the weary soldier Of
the Cross" has laid down to pleasant dreams
The beati6c vision that they say foatcd
through his mind, may have been the beckoa-
ing spirits or MS OnCe mortar lTlcuuS "HOn nc
had taught to love God, and save their souls
and who had passed on before him.
Like the strains of solcmu music that SO oft
en- eli the sacred tcmple, our memorial is one
of mingled triumph and sorrow; while blessing
God for such life, it sinks into wall ere its
close, at such loss.
Never before could the congregation Of Trim
ity Church enter with deeper tervor into the
solemn peniteutial lessons, than on this Ash
Wednesday 1873.
Turn ye over to me with all your hearts,
and with fasting and weeping, and mourning
LET the Priests, the Ministers OF the Lord
weep between the porch aud the altar
In view of our heavy bereavement
Reso7reI, That we deeply deplore the death
of our late Pastor, Rev. Charles B. Dana, and
tender to his family our sincere sympathles;
As testimony of our respect, we will attend
his funeral in a body, and assist in paying. the
last rites to his remains That copy OF the
above memorial and resolutions be sent to his
family and spread upon our minutes.
JOSEPH d. SHIELDS,
NATcuEz, Feb. 81. Secretary Of Ves'ry.