The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-02
Tribute To n Distinguished Son 81
Rutland.

III hbnDllB lnt llltllOTN VI lNtN
John Todd ID. ID. honored herself
The funeral Of this godly man has shown
the estimation in which his name was held
by his fellow citizens. The church in which
he preachcd,was packed to OVERLOOKING the
profusion offlowers, the heavy drapery, the
presence of distinguished men, all churches
including even Catholics and Shakers, rep
resented, show the tender affection with
which he was held Outside, closed stores,
flags at half-mast, the quiet hush Of the
streets, tell that godly man has ceased.
For over thirty years has DR.. Todd lived
and labored among this people, and they
have treated him with a tenderness and
love rarely equaled, providing for him with
large-hearted generosity after he had
ceased to be an active pastor; and his love
for them increased with the passing years
and his great desire was to live and die with
his people.
The young ladies of the church, knowing
the peculiar love which DR.. Todd ever had
forf'owers, have for two years past taken
great pleasure in adjoining the pulpit with
them, and to-day have relieved the sombrc
drapery of the church by most elegant rare
flowers, arranged with exquisite designs, in
the finest taste, On the outside of the caskct
were a sheaf of ripe grain and wreath of
laurel, and in his hand he held a palm
branch.
All the details of the funeral were carried
out most admirably by committee of five.
including his deacons- not an easy task
considering the great crowd present.
His portrait, to-day cncirclcd with oak
leaves already tinged by the touch of au
tumn, is placed by the side of his pulpit,
while in letters of gold, above and below.
are the words (the last he ever uttered.)
"Glory" and 'Ecerlasting LOre.' constant
| ~ on his lips in his sickness. In accord
ance with one of his last requests, Rev
Mark Hopkins, ID. D., of Wiliamstown,
was called to preach his sermon, aud his
son, John f., Of New Haven, and three
scns-in-law, were to place him in the
grave.
The sermon of Dr. Hopkins was, of
course, tersc and vigorous. and very sug-
gcstivc. The text taken was from Rev. ID
chapter and 10th verse ''Bc thou faithful
unto death and will give thee crown of
life" The whole theory of Christian life is
contained in these words-that faithfulness,
which, springing from faith, finds its sup
port in things unseen and eternal. First
faith .fdithf ulness, strength of body, talent,
genius and power, qualities which men adj
mre and seek for, is comparatively for Il
few, but faith is for the race. But this
! quality oan ovist only conditions which
men arr not always willing to accept Men
are not willing to yield their will to another
1t is one thing to be an owner or Il propric
tor, bur quite another to be Il servant to
carry ont the others will Men like to be
their own masters, 1t was this faithfulncss
on the part of DIR. Todd that has made him
IA power in the world. He was ordained
forty.sx years ago at Groton, having pre-
viously been connected with the Harvard
Church, when he, with S. +. Morse, was
identified with one of the first Sabbath
schools in the country. In 1889 he became
pastor of the Edwards Church Northamp-
ton, then new enterprise, who also are
mourners to-day, remaining there six
years. A pastorate of about the same time
in Philadelphia, andthen he came up among
tn, Berkshire hills, to live and die beneath
the shadows of the mountains that he al
ways loved so deeply.
He preached his last sermon in Westtlcld
in May, and from that time daily faded, be
ing confined five weeks to his bed. He sui
fered great pain, and when last Sabbath
came he was ready for Rest. In one of his
historical sermons, preached last spring, he
paid a beautiful tribute to his wife, who sur
wives him, who in all the years of their
companionship had been his faithful guide,
his tender counselor, his ready sympathizer
when heavy burdens pressed upon him.
Pitsfield has lost Il man who has given 10
it distinction, for he was widely known il
this and other lands. His "Student's Man
ual," his Lectures to Children" his "ln-
dex Rerum." and numerous other books,
have stimulated and helped thousands toa
more fai hui hoy ife. His person wa
noticeable tall, dignificd, yet delightful A.
a companion and n friend. lie was man
of great industry, always giving special
prominence to preaching, AMI it is no won
der that yearly he went away among the
mountains and the forests to hold commun-
ion with nature, and garner up strength for
future efforts lie wrote 1000 sermons, al
mittedb by profession over 1000 to the church,
baptised 500 children, married 800 couples.
and ofiiciatcd nj 900 funerals. What rec
ord of labor. what an amount OF anxiety
what a wealth, is suggested by these tg-
ures. lie was often called to address lycc-
ums, n iayoritc speaker mt anniversaries, an
active member of the a. Is. {. +. vi al
ways wise, judicious, practical, torcib!e,
His request tor prayers, sent to the
churches in Pittsfeld few weeks before his
death, were peculiarly touching and beau
tiful.
A large number followed his remains Ia
the cemetery, two miles distant, where rest
the bodies of Gov, Briggs, DIR. llnmphrc,
and other good men and here, at the grave.
occurred the most tender, touching scenes
of the day. Ills old classmatc, Rev. II.
n Brinsmade of Newark, \. j., and his
immediate predecessor at Pittsfield. ven
cradle old man, stepped out from the crowd,
and, like an inspired prophet OF old, spoke
in words of winning tenderness to the tear
full throng of the great love of Christ and
tho honor of being permitted TO serve SO