The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-09
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G1aIzuInH
a lasting debt of gratitude, is the family
uhich he has left as.
i have now spoken of Mr.. Harter as a
business man and citizen, showing that
in both these relations he performed his
duty faithfully and well, and it only yet
remains for me to refer briefly to his
Christian character; without any such
reference, this hasty sketch of his life
would be incomplete.
Being born in "a wild, and at that time
almost uninhabited portion of Ohio, he
did not enjoy The advantages of that
early religious culture afforded the chill
dren of the present day.
Although sparents were church mem
bers, they were wholly cut off from the
ministnlions of religion, and yet the
pious mother did not fail to SOW in the
! youthful mind Of her son those seeds Of
piety which, after years of waiting, she
had the happiness to see springing up
into fruitfulness. Under what religious
influences he found himself during the
first years of his residence in Canton, |
am not able to tell, but in the month Of
March, lS47 nine years after his mar
riage, and when his children were grow
ing up around him, he was solemnly inn
pressed with the duty and importance Of
uniting himself with the church, and ac-
coldingy was baptized by the Rev. A. j.
Karn, then pastor of the English Luth-
eran Church of this place. He was in-
fluenced to choose the Lutheran Church
as his spiritual home by the fact that this
was the church of his parents, and the
one of which his wife was already a
worthy and active member. When Mr..
Harter united with the church, he did it
with that same honesty and determira-
ton and fxedness of purpose, which
characterized him in his business life.
He was not demOnstrative in his religion,
but always confding and hopeful. Al
though he loved his own church and
clung to it through many discourage
ments, he was not in the least sectarlan
and exclusive in his views, and always
treated with the kindest consideration
and respect, those who entertained senti-
ments and views different from his. His
religion Was very little influenced by
sudden impulses and emotions. 1t was
not Of the tidal kind, which ebbs and
flows alternately, but was gradual
growth which was constantly gaining
new accessons of strength and power
through diligent and faithful use of the
means of grace. Although extremely
modest and retiring in his religious hab-
its, he was always ready TO meet the OBJ
legations of his Christian profession, how
ever heavy the cross which it imposed
upon him. He was always the first man
approached when the church needed
money, and he never refused or hesitated
to give, what he conscientiously cOnsid-
cred his full proportion of the amount
required. He always stood by his pastor,
and with words of encouragement and
deeds of kindness and love, sought to
tighten his burdens and cheer him in his
work. think it can truly be said that
with more than ordinary fidelity he
obeyed the scriptural injunction, BE
dilgent in business, tervent III spirit
serving the Lord"
Such was, in brief the life and Charac-
ter of Isaac Harter, considered as a buSt-
ness man, a citizen, and Christian. How
precious and how blessed is the memory
of such a man; and how bright the eX-
ample which he has left us; and how we
do miss him, now that he is gone to re-
turn to us no more. We miss him from
our streets, in his place of business, in
the church-but oh how his loss is felt
in the circle of his once happy home.
But while we miss him here, and mourn
over our great loss, we must not forget
that what is loss to US is infinite gain to
him, that while we in sadness sing The
dirge of mourning, his voice catches up
the new song of the redeemed, and shouts
the highest llallelujahs of praise,
We feel that such man as this could
hardly be spared from our community
Just now, and sometimes we are almost
disposed to murmur at the ways of Provi-
dence. But we must not forget that Gods
ways are always right and best, and when
in the clear light of eternity we have the
solution of all the mysteries Of the pres
ent life, we will doubtless see some wise
design in this visitation, which we can
not discover now, and which will bring
wildly to view the wisdom and compass
sion of God, even in his darkest and most
trying providences,
Some one has very beautifully ex-
pressed this sentiment in sweet little
poem, which l will read as a most fitting
conclusion of this discourse;
Sometime, when all lifes lessons have been
learned,
And suns and stars forevermore have set,
The things which our weak judgments here have
spurned,
The things Ger which we grieved with lashes wet,
VIII flash before us, and lifes darkest night
AS stars shine most in deeper tints of blue;
And we shall see how all Gods plans were right
And what most seemed reproof was love most
true; .
And we shall see how, while we frown and sigh,
Gods plans go on as best for you and me;
How, when we called, He needed not our cry,
Because His wisdom to the end could see;
And cen as prudent parents disallow
Too much of sweet to craving babyhood,
So God, perhaps, is keeping from us now
Life's sweetest things, because it seemeth good,
And IT, sometimes, commingled with lifes wine,
We find the wormwood, and REBEL and shrink,
Be sure wiser hand than yours or mine
Pours out this potion for our lips to drink;
And II some friend we love is lying low,
Where human kisses cannot reach his face,
Oh do not blame the loving Father so,
But wear your sorrow with obedient grace,
And you shall shortly know that heightened
breath
Is not the sweetest gift God sends his friend,
But that sometimes the sable pail of death
Conceals the fairest boon his love can send.
If we could push ajar the gates of life,
And stand within, and all Gods working see
We might interpret all this doubt and strife,
And for each mystery could find key.
But not to-day Then be content, poor heartl
Gods plans, like lilies, pure and white unfold.
We must not tear the close-shut leaves apart
Time will reveal the calyxes of gold;
And If through patient toll we reach the land
Where tired feet with sandals loosed may rest,
Where we shall clearly know and understand,
think we all Sill say God kneD The BEST
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