Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-06-21

bc NOulu uhht BhIt VI U"u mluu anu
grow thereby intellectually And some OF
heart. and rsed with greatest effect as a
moral and Christian philosopher are lit
tie valued by men of less genius.
The poet Burns, seldom quoted as authori
ty by Christian teachers, was at his tongue 5
end, and from him he derived his seVerest
thrusts at human deprayity, folly and
hypocrisy, as all the highest incentives to
virtue and religion. From Sir Walter Scott,
too, he acquired style of thought and
utterance, which gave momentum to his
own deliyerance on subjects more sacred
than those treated by his author. COwper
was a great favOrte, and for sacred song
Watts had no EQUAL with him. Macaulay
MasSilon and Neander, all contributed by a
careful study Of them to enrich the resour-
ces of his native originality and to re-eniOrce
the philosophy with which be uniolded
sacred truth and carried the convictions OF
men.
The first book he ever owned was gift
from his mother, poem entitled the
Gentle Shepherd :" upon the value of
which. to his mind and heart, he seems to
have placed great emphasis. But his his
torical and biographical reading was quite
extended before his emigration and probably
determined his subsequent career. Mr..
Dougherty, unlike many men of the sacred
office, was eminen'ly q man of affairs. His
knowledge of things was widely diversified.
His sympathies were always with the peo-
pie, and whatever concerned the people con-
cerned him, not merely as a passive behold
er. but a. a personal sharer in the successes
and defeats. the prosperity and adversely.
the joys and SORROWS of the people. The
same independence by which he absolved
himself from the formalities and tho dog
matism of the church into which be was
born, bore him through life free
from all the leading-strings of sect
and party. Always exercising himself
to haye conscience void of offence
toward God and toward man, he aimed to
go straight to the moral centre of all ques-
tinns, regardless of the grooves, the conven-
tionalities, the cant and the platitudes by
which other men seek success. lie was a
natural hater of ritualistic, hollow hearted
form, and most devoted lover of the true,
the beautiful. the good, without the least
regard to the color of the skin that inclOsed
it. OF the level of human life on which it
dwelt. The downtrodden and the oppressed
Of Ireland had no more consistent or out
spoken friend than he. while at the same
time, those pretenders. the Fenians. who
under prctense of loyalty to the liberties Of
Ireland make themselves outlaws in all
countries, and fan the fame Of anarchy and
treason everywhere on British soil, were
objects Of his utter detestation. His respect
for law. a. of divine appointment and
necessity to human society, was profound.
and made him naturally conservative. The
secret plottings of Communists, of Fenians
of all strikers and Jacobins, found no quar-
ter in his mind, while yet his denuncia-
tions Of public wrongs were never withheld.
To oppose these he hesitated not to rank
himself as a radical.
On the occasion Of receiving his Masters
Degree, in the University of Vermont. in
1893. he chose Tor his subject the Wrongs
of Ireland" The soundness, the eloquence
and stirring psthos of that appeal produced
a sensation unlike anything ever heard on a
college occasion before or since, and made
his name to DO remembered by all who heard
1t, while they lived.
Negro slavery was always, in his mind
the mother OF denominations; and while yet
Northern servility to it rendered the aboli-
tionis. an object OF popular dsiavor, Mr.
Dough erty, under the behest of the higher
law to which he always Acknowledged allie
glance. was Outspoken and decided, and
when in later years passengers upon the
underground railroad were en- route for
freedom, they found his house safe asy-
lum. and himself friend that would SOON
or die than betray them.
When called to preach on special occa-
sions, he never disappointed the expeeti-
tons OF the occasion. but always showed
himself a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed. The most remarkable effort OF
his later lie was the annual sermon before
the General Convention held in Rutland,
seventeen years ago, when. with dear
daughter at the point of death, at home.
and borne down with pslernal grief. he
chained the attention OF the crowde audi
ence for an hour with thoughts that breathe
and words that burn. The oldest and
ableSt OF our clergy pronounced the Hort
for originality OF conception,
beauty OF dietiOn. JUNCTION OF sentiment and
power of appeal.
refer to these special efforts not in the
spirit of adula.ion. but to contrast the posi-
ton to which a more ambitious spirit might
have elevated him in the Church. with the
humble 10. in life which he accepted as if
by choice His ambition in life has never
been to shine by the briliancy of his tai
ents. but to be light by bearing witness to
the truth. lle loved truth, and was never
SO happy as when evolving truth. grasping
it with his own mind and making it clear
and practical 10 other minds.
| have known Mr.. Dougherty, not by
personal intimacy, but by reputation and
occasional meeting, moro than 40 years. |
have known the place he held in the esteem
Of the best men and clergy of our church.
ALI the sntecedents, of his birth, education.
early struggles of mind. and
upward progress in personal culture, in
spite of poverty and discouragements, To-
yether with his marked success in mature
life. have conspired to make him one of the
most remarkable men Of his time.
1t is only since January last that have
been brought into close personal intimacy
with him, and my intercourse with him
turing these last weeks OF his life has SEEM
ID to me more like communion with a dis |
spirit than with one in the flesh. |
lis body has seemed to me always like that |
# ghost, while his mind has been like |
hat OF soul inhabiting the spirit world. |
The reality of the man was independent of |
lis shadowy form. When he spoke to me
Ie spoke with the clearness. cheerfulness,
and majesty Of Immortality.
10 clouds obscured his mental vision.
ruth was as sweet to him and as clear to
is apprehension the last interview had
nth him a. when in full strength, and it is
ard to realize now when | enter his home
hat | am no more to hold converse with
be mind that has habitually smiled upon
lie so much like one in state of transfgu
alton. No other mind in all the circle of
~ acquaintance can make the place good
nat he filled in my social life. Mentally
mere has been no giving way with him to
10 last. His faith was an anchor to his soul
Ire and steadfast Immortality was realized
nd a. it were enacted for long time before
is departure. His body was so much a
ladow and 50 transparent. mis- mind SO
uch an immovable solid reality. that in
with him it seemed as il were
yself beyond the curtain and really in the
nd Of spirits. The transition for him was
, easy one. The door was kindly opened
$ hinges gave back no sound of friction,
I'd its close. like the close Of an eye. was
useless. - lie is home at last
REV. Il. wnEELocKs ADDRESS.
ST. Luke's estimate Of Barnabas in Acts
2i-'' lie was a good man and full of
o Holy Ghost and of faith. may well DO
piled to DR.. Dougherty. lie well filled
,wper's ideal OF good preacher"
49, Simple. grave sincere;
In doctrine uncorrupt IN language plain, ,
l
And natural in gesture; much impressed
Himself, as conscious OF his awful charge,
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds
May feel 1t too; afiectionate in look
And tender in address, as we'll becomes
messenger OF grace 10 guilty men"
As minister he had remarkable origin
ty of thought and expression. In the Z
nple direotness of his teachings whatever
taught came from himself. lie spoke of !
ID and spiritual things as one who tells |,
what he knows. and his simple telling
ought us the the reality. His subject was :
,de luminous by his words and our souls
re filled with new sense of God and his '
18th a. We listened.
lie was a man of universal sympathies c
d ever ready kindness towards all mon.
g warm beat OF his heart could not be u
staken. lie was truly man of himself
d by himself. His nature vibrsted to o
Try touch. Wherever he was and in c
Iatevcr company. there he gave himself q
Jolly to the opportunity without u q
ought OF self qualification. and gave with p
t stint his ripe and rich culture to the II
lfare and comfort of others. p