Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-09-29

Delivered by Mr.. G. D. B. Mills, or
occasion of the unwilling of a marble
bust of the late Rev Samuel j. May
on the grounds Of the Syracuse High
School, at Syracuse, N. Y, Sept. goth
1875. The Bust was executed by a
young artist of that city, Miss Isabella
6. Clifford, at Florence, Italy:
MR.. MILLS ADDRESS.
A little more than four years ago we
committed to the keeping of the par
ent dust the mortal remains of cher
ished citizen and friend, the greatest
henefactor our city has ever had A
deep grief fell upon the entire COM
munity when his death became known,
and such tokens Of sorrow have never
followed to the tomb any citizen among
u. public or private, before or since.
GA city in mourning" was the char
auterizaton given me afterwards by a
stranger then present, himself also a
friend. from a distant portion of the
country, Into many household went
a deep, poignant sorrow; aud children
aud youth [ know of families not his,
that wept in iuconsolable grief, as over
the loss Of a parent, counsellor, NEST
loved aud loving friend. Words of
eulogy were spoken in that hour, that
can rarely be justified of any person in
whatever age
-Four years have now gone, bring
ing with them the sure changes and
compensations Time which heals all,
has measurably covered and Scared
these wounds, sending us to other du-
ties, other scenes and other joys. We
come together to-day not to revisit at
all the tomb, not to dwell upon and re-
call the past, simply as past. We
come to consider what may still re-
main most rememberable and abiding
ia that royal life, to take at this dis
lance of our journey in space, a fresh
observation upon the bearing and alti
tude of our star. We come to warm
ourselves again at this fire. to consider
afresh those qualities, which, superior
to death do but shine the brighter as
time recedes; firm and person depart,
and the mortal leaving the perishing,
puts on and is glori6ed in Immortality.
We come, in this view, to pay our rites
of respect and worship to the memoir
of the departed.
The story of Mr.. May life, especial
ly in its more prominent and public
features, has been carefully and ap-
preciatipgly told, and it may seem a
work quite gratuitous that | should,
however. briefly ,refe, to 1t here.
There may be nothing new for an au
dience of his own neighbors, and yet it
all is new; the record is SO honorable,
the facts so living, that they will bear
to: be much repeated without losing
their freshness or life-imparting power.
I can glance only at few of the
points here.
Samuel J. May was citizen Of
long residence among US, giving to our
community more than twenty-five
| years cf the flower of his life. A
teacher Of religion he was, preaching
never any gospel but one of purity, of
conservation, of exalted moral worth
and service; philanthropist Of broad
and universal sympathies, and most IN
sparing self-sacri6ce; an educator,
alive to all the interests of popular in
struction, wise. skilled, devoted, to
whom we of this city are indebted for
the excellent system aud appointments
We now enjoy, far more than We know;
an upright, spotless man, a magnif-
icent benefactor and friend. AS a
philanthropist, lover of his kind, how
brave lie stood for the American slave,
from the beginning, he almost alone,
through reproach, suffering, sacrifice,
and on to the end. At what cost to
himself, he kept this precious fealty,
cost which to his great heart was I'M
counted and naught, none save God
and his own soul can ever know; the
record can not be told. How earnest
" and ~eloquently he plead for the
wronged, the neglected, the degraded
victims of vice; how he maintained
the right of woman to the ballot, and
her claim to equal wages for equal
work with man.
| Happily there was in him fine poise
and blending of almost opposite yet
Indispensable qualities, and rarely,
very rarely, found united in one per-
son. Who, among all the anti-slavery
reformers, so combined sweetness and
firmness, mildness and courage. fine tact,
winsome ways and stern faithfulness as
he? Gentle and tender as child, with
much Of tee womanly qualities in his
nature, he was yet brave as soldier !;
when the need came, firm and strong
as giant to withstand the assaults of
wrong. He thereby had unwonted eff
fectiveness and power. "To keep ten
derness," says Lao Tsze, the Chinese
sage, 81 pronounce strength" tile
who knows the masculine nature, and
at the same time keeps the feminine,