The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-04-12
ERASTUS HOLT.
Abstract OF the Funeral Discourse.
delivered by Rev. II. $. Hu bbard.

ADStTHCt VI TIC II uucTaI DfSCOufsc.
delivered by Rev. II. S. Hubbard.
Ps. oi:l6. With long life will satisfy him and
show him my salvation
The psalmst is speaking in this conncc-
ton of the peculiar favor shown him who
had given himself to God for protection.
He says V. Is and again v. 14-16 Such
honor and gratifcatio. should the accept
ed servant of the Lord have. 1t is not said
uous, perfector satisfactory. That it
never should be subject to vicisstudes, that
loss, disappointment, intolerance, hostility,
and in many cases to premature death,
should never occur, but upon the whole
the greatest favor mayb be looked for upon
those who dwell in the secret place Of the
Most High. As the last great favor he
promises, with long life, &c. Proyden-
tial favors of log continuance shall be his
who humbly trusts God. We might perhaps
define what trust in God is, why that tends
to long life and why 1t has the promise of
long life; but time forbids US to dwell on
these heads and we pass to the case before
us. Here was a man nearly 9S years old,
TO all ntents and purposes centenarian,
born two years after the declaration of in
dependence, receiving as the very first
breath of life an atmosphere Of war. The
gloomy days of Valley Forge were past,
but the Encouragement that rested on the
national cause from the disastrous battles
Of Brandywine, Germantown, Whitemarsh
and the capture of Forts Mercer and Milf
In, was still resting on the country. The
most enthusiastic patriot could not fail to
see, unless special interference of Provi-
dence prevented, that the British with
their German and Indian allies would over
run and subjugate the whole country. The
brilliant battle of Saratoga had been won,
but Great Britain could put another army
into the field larger and better prepared for
conflict; and if the battle of Monmouth,
June 2Sth, IT'S, just previous TO Mr. Hollis
birth, gave little better look to the cause
of liberty, it could hardly be said that its
prospects were flattering. True, Howe
had left Philadelphia, but it was a matter
of expediency, and because he could do
more towards subduing rebels in the coun-
try. The interest and malignity shown by
Governor Tryon and Arnold when they
about this time ravaged the coast of Con-
necticut, awakened at least as intense ha-
tired in the inhabitants of that State,
against traitors and British hirelings. Their
burning towns and outraged inhabitants,
plead resistlessly for force against force,
and if they were not goaded to revenge,
they were at last aroused to the very high
est to secure their independence. These
gave gloom to the whole land Connec-
ticut sympathized with New Jersey and
Pennsylvania in their mutual losses and
damages, and every inhabitant telt the
thrill of hope, or the depression of fetr
that succeeded each victory or each defeat.
Thus for the four first years of his life the
varied tales OF victory or defeat must have
been the topics of conversation in the
kitchen and in the yard lat home or abroad.
AS soon rs peace was restored then came
the agitation respecting the settlement of
national questions, of policy, of finance,
and of commerce, and of war, under the
then articles of confederation and many
and severe must have been those discus
sions. Up to 1889, when the country was
terribly depressed by its war debt, taxes
and restitution, without money and with
out commerce, was it wonder that there
was distrust, and heart burning and incipi-
ent relations. But when time had
allayed the asperity of newly en-
tertained opinion, land when the days
OF distrust, acrimonious discussion,
and restitution were passed, and the
present Constitution was adopted, Mr..
Holt was ~ years of age. One of his in
telligence and enquUng spirit would nat
urally hear, read, mark, and inwardly di-
gest those arguments, and take in many of
those propositions The great lineaments
of his character were well drawn out at
that early period. During all of Washing
tons administrator, from his twelfth to his
twentieth year, he was receiving the rudi-
ments of his education, discussing political
questions, earning his own living, assisting
his parents, endeavoring to earn a little
money by his own devices or by his indus
try. When Washington's death was an
nounced he was twenty-one or twenty-five
years old and he was then well started in
the career of life, When we think of a
mans living to the present day who was
for more than twenty years the CO
temporary of Washington, for more than
fifty the Contemporary of Adams aud JefIer-
son, keenly alive to, all the questions
of administrative policy of those earlier
presidents. We seem, as we come around
his remains, to be stirring up the ashes
of two past generations. We are reminded
by it of the fact that Jacob was the cotem-
porary of Abraham 10 years, and Samuel
the father of Noah for fifty-sX years the CO.
temporary of Adam. How easy thus t.
tranmits.history orally. Mr.. Holt was there
fore living history of Revolutionary
times, and the subsequent period down
thro' the war of 1926, or in fact to 1856
or later, we'll informed on all the principal
events in the history of the nation and
skilled in his defence of, or attack upor
the policy and principles of each admins
tratlon. He was ever active. Endeavor.
ing to devise the best method for himself
he emigrated from Hampton, Connecticut
TO Stockbridge, VT, about 98. This
entire region was new, having been nhab.
tied 10 or 20years, but he decided to make il
his home and he seemed just adapted t.
the state of society at that time, and subse
quently filled large space in the social
and political world in which he moved
On this very day might have been seer
this young man, tall straight, athletic 2;
years of age, with thoughtful face and de
termined gate, marching into Pittsfeld tC
take possession of his hill farm, ant
accomplish there his life work and form
his destiny. But man of his character
a