The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-02-26
DR.. cARRUrHERs' ADDRESS.


1t is one OF the peculiar excellences of vital
piety that as a tree of righteousness of the
Lords own right hand planting" it is SYM
metrical in its growth and its development.
None therefore who know the power of
godiness' can be surprised that he who
moved so gracefully in the public relations he
sustained during his long residence amongst
US, was in private life consistent with himself.
Without invading the sacred secusion of
domestic life, we run no hazard in affirming
that what William Hosmer Smaller was as a
Christian minister and pastor and in view of
his associates in the school committee he was
also in those endearing relationships which,
more than all others, take hold of the hearts
best and warmest affections He will ever
live in the hearts and memories of surviving
which, when sanctifed and sublimated by
divine grace, illustrate and adorn the profess
sion of Christian discipleship, and instru-
mentally point the way to glory, immortality
and eternal life. But, outside the domestic
circle and in association with those who
knew him as a Christian friend and brother.
the same excellences of character which shone
SO brightly in the narrower circle of the
family diffused their radiance over the more
extended sphere of friendly and fraternal in
tercourse. The root and ground work of his
moral excellence was the religion of the cross.
Natural good qualities there unquestionably
were, but these were uuspeakably elevated
and enhanced by subordination to the princi-
| pies OF religions truth and the power of vital
| godlineSs. None was ever more ready to con-
| fess that "by the grace of God he was what he
was" The faith that trusts implicitly in the
verities OF inspiration-the hope that rests on
the vicarious sacrifice of Christ as the means
of safety from the just desert of sin-the love
of God and, in proof of it, the love of man
| these formed the three fold cord which bound
| him in willing and cheerful obedience to Him
| whom it was his delight to "serve in the gospel
| of His son.
|
| The primary and practical grace of humility
| was conspicuous in his daily life. 1t was vsi-
| BILE, not in the ever questionable habit of self
| depreciation nor in the affected disclaimer of
| what he knew to BE- the actual ingredients of
| his character, but in the absence of all self
glorying, and in the prevailing disposition to
think of others more highly than himself.
Seldom, indeed, in the hours of fraternal in
| tercourse did he otherwise than incidentally
and with obvious unwillingness, allude to
aught in his personal history so as to indicate a
feeling OF self complacency. He was, besides,
ever quick to discern any approach to COM
incubation in the phraseoogy of Christian
brotherhood, and often adroitly gave such a
turn to the designed complimentary suggestion,
as to arrest it in the incpent stage of utterance
He loved to dwell on the excellences of other,
and was often eloquent in the eulogy of those
| good aud great men whom he has personally
known, or whose works had contributed to his
intellectual qualification and spiritual improve
ment. Few men were ever less disposed to
| despise the meagre or depreciate the high
attachments OF his brethren. There were no
sectional or UNCONVENTIONAL boundaries in his
large sphere of observation. He "honored all
men" He loved the brotherhood" He
! was always ready to extenuate the evil and