Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-03-30

all his mlnistratlOns were those at funerals
Here, az nowhere else, his own Christian
2 heart seemed to pour itself out in faith,
f love and hope. 1t was here, standing at
the very gateway of death, that be seemed
to realize most clearly and to proclaim most
exultingly the glorious doctrines OF the re-
snrrectlOn OF the dead OF the final triumph
Of Christ. in his followers, over all the sins
and ills of the mortal state; and the COM
pletiOn of his joy and their blesseGness in a
perfect and eternal union in his everlasting
kingdom.
DIR. Lord was thorough believer in what
, arc called evangelical views of the gospel :,
and In this faith he both preached and
hVed. A conservative, both by instinct
and training. he stood firmly Z" in the old
ways, and asked for the old paths, where is
the good way, and walked therein :" and
believe may add the remaining words,
and saY OF him that be " found rest for his
soul lie examined the new paths, he
read the new books which profess to point
out the new and better paths. but never
couia discover that he was at all tempted to
Try them. Whether it was that he passed
early through the stage of unrest that most
experience at some time, or whether by
highiy favored experience he e,caped it
altogether, he was less disturbed by modern
queries and cavils than almost all his
brethren In the ministry His most cons
tant hearers cannot remember tho time
when his preaching betrayed any uncer-
tainty, and lack of clear decisive con-
vIction on the great themes of the Cos
pei. Nor did he believe that the
ialth OF the church general had been 80
shaken or dlsquieted MS MANY have claimed
In an essay written in 1867, he said-and
It was brave thing to say In the face of
| It,
on the other: Christianity in all its parts
and relations was never 50 settled and es-
tablished az to-day. Its supernatural
| veritles were never 50 thoroughly estab-
llshed. All the arts and sciences, all litera-
ture and history have been pouring their
proofs into her lap and verifying her state
ments. Nor was religion ever so generally
and absolutely credited in the minds and
hearts OF its advocates" The pulpit of
Bethany Church proclaimed ever the saw
lngs that is faithful and worthy OF all ac-
ceptation that Christ Jesus came into the
| world TO save sinners. There was no hesits-
ton In declaring that men are sinners. that
they need to be saved that Jesus Christ alone
can save them. and that having come into
the world out of love for them he is able
and willing to save them to the uttermost
would not Imply that this has been 4 con-
| u0Terslal pulpit. So FAR a. | know this
| charge has never been brought against it.
But that 1t has been OutspOken. clear voiced
pronounced on all the vital points of theol-
| ogy, and on all the salient issues Of morality,
| those of you who have Ubeyed its teachings
and those who have not. will alike testify.
III those lips to whose accents You have 50
often listened. were once more parted and
there should now issue from them the apos-
tOlic challenge: g take you. nv people,
a r,rn dau tltar | -.
blood Of You all, for | have not stunned to
declare unto all the counsel of Cod" your
hearts would with unanimous voice reply
Yes, beloved pastor, you have been faith
iul to US: you have Kept back nothing that
WAS profitable to us: You have warned US
night and day with tears you have deliver
ed your soul from our blood"
lt would be interesting to speak, if tIme
permitted. of DR.. LDId's very useful la
bOIs outside OF his pulpit and MS parish /;
OF his commanding influence in the councils
aud conventions Of the churches; of his
work TOR the press, especially in connection
with the denOmlnationsl organ, to which
be brought u great accession of strength
and usefslness. As preacher on occa-
sions. at ordinations, installations, dedlca-
tions of churches. and the like, he was
greatly sought after, and highly acceptable |
Among all the ministers of the denOmna- |
ticn IN the State. he was the most marked |
as preacher, and filled the largest place in |
public estimation, both at home and abroad |
Vi DR.. Lords personal and social quail |
ties, it would be difficult to speak without |
entauiasm. lie was a man Who, without |
effort on his part, attached to himself as per-
sonal friends the few best men of all cir
cles of society. lie probably had larger |
constituency OF personal friends among the |
Leading men OF the State. the judges, law
yers,. scholars, doctors, clersymen Of all .
denominations, men of business and of af- |
fairs, than any man whom he has left be-
hind him. Ii in one sense bis frienships
were select In another they were catholic.
lie loved the society of men Ut culture-but
he also liked to refresh himself in the
racier companionship Of strong native
character as he found it in hunters In the
woods, in fishermen by tire Sea, in en- Z ne-
drivers on the railroad In any company /
where he felt ut ease, he took delight IN
putting off the professional dignity which
no nan ordinarily carried better
than he, and throwing himself into
the full tide of social enjoyment.
On these occasions all the richness and
geniality of his social nature found express
sion be was in all playful sallns of wit
and humor, brightest among the bright
he laughed, a. no one but good man and
Christian can laugh. lie was as hearty
and healthy in his recreatlOns a, IN his
labOrs. lie loved the woods and the streams
and the fish therein. He loved the sea And
above all his loves for outward things, he
loved Vermont. 4 native Of New Hamp-
shire. traveller in the iairest regions Of
Europe and III the remote west Of our own
land. he thought this little Green State Of
ours the Jewel OF all the earth. lie would
grow eloquent in talking ut its meadows and
pastures, OF its rivers and brooks, Of It's
mountains and hills and The llttle valleys
that run among them. But still mole, ne
loved the people OF Vermont, their staunch
and true characteristics, the LObie manhood
and womanhOOd which the grace Ui God,
superinduced upon the native character,
has wrought out IN them.
And tins brings us buck again to Dr. !
Lords work here. i'll this church aud this
community for by what he was and what
he did here, he must be estimated This
was his one and only home 1t was here he
garnered up his heart. 10 You he gave his
first youthful affections i'll yonr service he
has expended all the vigor OF his ripe man
hood Once or twIce, perhaps Uituner, he
was induced by the urgent calls of other
churches to debate the question of settling
elsewhere But when he luok,d into the
faces Oi those strangers, and Thought of the
old friends he must leave, the strings which
bound his heart to yours always pulled ~
strongly upon him that lie came back To YOU
and said: with You, the iIIruds ot nv youth,
| will live and die. The Lord do So To me,
and more also II aught but death part me
and You. And 50 You have had the whole
service of this laborIuus and cousecr.tcd
life. Thirty years of coutlnunu. ministry
Ia one church is long period rrckuned 10y
necessary changes and by possible results.
Within that time he has performed IN many I
ot your families all the lniEistHtS which the |
church Oilers To the VAN ~ DIS of htc.
lie has baptized luu lh Infancy, received You
into the covenant OF the church, buIIed :
those who have fallen asleep, blessed you in
marriage, and begun again the same cycle Of
holy mInIstrltlnhs with another generation
IN the baptism of your infant children. Dur
nG tins time three genvrutiuns have been ,
Taught 10y HIM IN the way of IIc- the fathers
md the mothers vino have gone /; You who ,
are now III the strength of your years and a
ihe Youth who are Just stepping ont INTO =
ie. long, happy and usrlul Passionate, II
,hurch greatly favored of Godl And 1t Is !
exceedingly pleasant to he able to say that =
iou have priced your privilege. You do not |,
all that you have enjoyed as You ,
Nil when You come To realize how much you .
nave lost uu' 10 those OF us who knew YOU =
''Ih nv itAN iultItStl, tuilil Ut. I4oIu al
ectIun Tor his people. was their admiration i
md love of HIM. Onr very manifest evl- :,
i,nce ot that feeling Is tins church cdiiice
Jut of proportion 10 your needs and Ia your
wealth compared with churches elsewhere
was your oppression oi the estimate IN
'hch yon held your pastor and 10y Il very
latuInl and beautiful as,ucIauun, of which Ii
ou.nhy not have been conscious. Won rrarri Il
building which Is ,mblematIc OF the man IL
lmNeIL Lofty III proportions, solid III "
tluctnrc, warm III culors, 1t tNpiiics the
Irgcness and strength at ms mInd AMI the /
Ichn,ss at hIs ailrctIons. 1t Iz - noble ~
Ionumeu ut TO his memory but not the no y,
lest II You look i0r tnut You must luvk III
ot around but wiihin. We ATE his glory y
nd his joy yu are has crown oi rejoicing IN u
he dny Of the L,rd Jesus Ii through the Il