Connecticut western news., 1877-01-05

world, even your faith" And if religious faith infnses living energy, repairs the damages of business toll and anxiety and stays ones feet Tn the ways of truth, up | rightness and peace, it is the sole available | resource when the career is run and the | dying hour comes on. Oh how shr1nks tue world into nothingness how meager seem the objects of a mere worldly life posSesSions, ,honors, sensational enjoyments, when viewed from that dividing line of existence, where one must leave them all | behind. and begins to realize, often, alas ! when It is too late. the souls needs. And how inexpressibly sweet ln that hour when heart and flesh fail" to have God | for our strength and portion foreVer;" 10 | look forward to his biissful presence and remembrance of a religious conversatIon | on the earth, of 8 life animated by the | highest conceivable motives, of honor | paid to God, usefulness to men.
 In our estimate of Mir; Franklin's relig,, l ious state, we stand on this one broad and distinguishing fact through holy baptism | he was made member of Christ's Church, | admitted within the scope of Gods un- changeable covenant; by authoritative act | of God, adopted and signlied to be His child. It is not the province of men to | decide how far the operations of baptismal grace have been efhcacious what remon- strances and restraints 1t has effected; how far it may have been the hidden spring of Olt I on the other hand, what it has had to con- tend with ln individuals, what thwarting influences it has met from evil example in Christians, from wrong discipline, from unwise or inadequate teaching. God alone l knows these various secret clements of every llfe-problem. And therefore, while | the Church teaches that all the baptised should confirm and walk according to the rule of their promises, and duly frequent tho blessed sacrament of Chrlst's Body and Blood, she yet charitably hopes for all her children without discrimination of the vis- lble results of imparted grace. She declares, them blessed. She judges none, but passes all on to the Judgment of Him who knows all hearts, and whose good pleasure it IS that not one of his little ones should per. | lsh."
 I suppose our deceased friend continued through life in the simple faith of his childhood. He respected and cheerfully malntaiEed Christian institutions, openly acknowledging the value of religious be: lief as 8 controlling sociaN element. The outstanding features of his character and conduct: love of truth between man and man, fuithfulness, friendllness, sympathy, | helpfulness, were Christian all but in name. l It Is believed by those who knew hIm most intimately, that the sore affiictlons of the last two years; the loss ot precious | ones gone before to the heavenly rest; the 1 thickenlnG shadows upon earthly things | all were gradually drawing him to the | outward form and the more holy duties of the Christian profession that his painful assurances tof divine mercy, and that he | died in tho comfort of & reasonable, religious and holy hope."
 We would fain bring words of lasting | comfort to her who is the conspicuous l center of this fearful company of bereaved ones, of whom we might say that she has | become illustrious by the multiplied and severe trials that have befallen her, ere | vet her life's morning has risen unto monday. Offerings of tenderest sympathy | round her grief-riYen heart, yearning tO communicate gifts of strength and conso- latloD. Nor are we unmindful that minis | tering splritslare sent forth of God unto the heirs of salvation, suchias came gently to the suffering Saviour's side, and strengthened even Him in the agony and dIsmay of the l hour and power of darkness h Gethsemane Nay, there is mighler resource in the "who is not ashamed to call us brethren" ] though he were the Mighty God, He knows all sorrow, for he has been here; | seen and tasted 1t, and IS able to succor them that are tempted, forasmuch as He, our Friend Brother, Saviour, and Redeemer was himself also tempted. Abide in faith, my sister. Wrap your little one in your | arms, and draw closer, ever closer to the shelter of Jesus side, saying with the meek mother of God lncarnate Behold
 
 according to Thy word."
 | Whom one wanders in desolate places, seeking home, and the shadows of stormy night fall on one's pathway, and conceal have been his way marks,o ones heart sinks | within him; harm seems to turk on every side. One IS ready to cry out of the gloom Il shall perish by the hand of the enemy, | and never see the good land that is very
 far off" But benefcent Providence IS in the night not less than in the day. The morning also cometh. and the shadows
 flee away. and the light of Gods glorious sunshine falls around one to restore hope and peace to, dismayed and stricken hearts. Llfe's day. also has it's nightfalIs of grief and desolatiou. But God is in
 the gloom. And we are not ignorant of Ills ways of sanctifying aflictlon. II
 nave even chosen Thee in the furnace
 the wilderness and THERE will | speak comfortably unto her." Light will break
 upon the darkest pathway of Gods chll- | dren, and through all intervening plooms He bringeth them safe at last to Heaven 8 everlasting light and rest.
 Rest comes at length tho life be long and dreary.
 The day must dawn and darksome night be | pact;
 All journeys end in welcome to the weary, | And heaven, the hearts true home will como | at last.
 Angels of Jesus, Angels of Light, |
 At the completion of the above remarks by the Rev. MT. Whittlesey, and the 5l4th hymn in the Hymnal,
 Art thou weary, Art thou languid, Art thou sore distressed;
 "Come to me" sayeth One, "and coming, Be at rest"
 The service at the house was closed with appropriate prayers. and an opportunity given to the great number present to view the remains, after which they were convey ed to their last resting place, followed by a procession in teams and long procession of railway employees on foot, headed by Road Master John H. Lane.
 The following named gentlemen, all officers of the Housatonic railroad con- pany, were the pail bearers:
 Charles K. Averill, Treasurer.
 Henry 0. Cogswell, Gen'l Freight Agent,
 J. T. Lawrence, Chief Clerk, Bridgeport office.
 George w. Peet, Director and Attorney.
 N. M. Brown, Agent at Bridgeport.
 L. B. Stillson, Conductor.
 P. Bronson, Engineer.
 E. l.. Cogswell, Station Agent at Lee.
 At the grave, after the usual service, the
 officiating clergyman expressed the thanks
 of the bereaved to the many friends, for
 their kindness and sympathy, in this, her
 hour of sorrow.
 The elegant casket was heavily laden
 with lich and chaste floral emblems, placed
 upon it by loving hands. At it's head was
 a very large and very beautiful crown
 placed there by the conductors of the
 road; ane occupying other positions were broken column, an elegant design, by the