Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-05-20
SIMON cAMERON.s GENEROSITY.

SIMON CAMERON,s GENEROSITY.
Tho Old Cameron Homestead Mt MayHOwn
Presented To the Lutheran Congregation.
Harrisburg Telegraph.
A very interesting proceeding took place
in the Lutheran church ut MaytOwn, ON
Tuesday evening, which was attended by
the full conference Of the church, in ses-
sion there, and by the children and people
Of the village. After the transaction Of
some routine business, and singing and
praying, the business specially set apart
for the occasion was brought forward.
Rev. Charles A. Hay, professor Of Get
tysburS Lutheran seminary, arose and
said that he had been selected by Gen. ST.
mon Cameron to discharge y pleasing duty
involving ON his part a reference to one
with whom he had relations as pastor Of
the First Lutheran church at Harrisburg,
Of the most pleasing and profitable charac-
ter, in q spiritual sense, and the presenta-
ton Of property tO the Lutherans Of May
town, the old Cameron homestead Of the
village, to be used as parsonage under
the following conditions: As long ~
it is devoted to tho uses of q parsonage it
was to remain in the possession Of the
trustees Of the Lutheran church Of May
us
twelve months rs parsonage then it was
to become the property Of the East Penn
sylvania synod Of the Lutheran church.
The other condition il that u portrait Of
the late Mrs. Eliza Cameron remain in the
parlOr Of the parsOnage-the owner devils
ing that the parsonage shall constitute
4 memorial of his deceased wife. DIR. Hay
then said that he had preached the funeral
sermon of the deceased lady in whose
memory this magnificent gift was made.
In order to show those present what his
estimate OF the dead lady was, DR.. Hay
read portion Of the serE.On from
manuscript which he had brought
with him. She had ever been faithful in
all her duties rs Christian woman. Her
faith brought forth many good works, and
these were exempliiied by charity, forgive
ness and fOrbearanco. | never, said the
doctor, appealed to her i'm vain in the
name of charity, and she always gave two
fold. What she did was done without Os-
tentatiOn. Hers was u heart never closed
to the suifering-and hers hand always
open to the needy. Her Christianity was
practical in every sense. The church tO
her was i place to prepare for the good
which was to bc done in the world.
During my ministerial service in Har-
risburg she sustained every movement
Of tho church for effort to relieve
the suffering. This was her idea Of
Il Christian life. Her activity never
wearied when suffering needed succOr. Ii
she were in our midst now, and had d word
to say it would be ono Of u practical charac-
ter. She had great admiration for results.
What can you do: What are you doing:
constituted the important question Of life
with her. She cared little for what people
said. Mere words had M weight with her.
She looked for works, deeds of kindness
and charity, works which spread their
benefits to all around her. The
living husband, who erects i memorial
out OF his old homestead to his dead wife,
devOtins it to the practical uses Of tho
church, understands precisely what is
proper to do Us Il tribute to her memory.
The act excmpliiics her life. 1t is what
she would herself do il she were living.
and therefore it il most appropriate that
her portrait should hang on these walls to
cOnsecratc tho place to purity and good
works DIR. Hay spoke at length and
elabOrately Of the traits Of character in
the deceased, rs he knew her, his remarks
impressins all present, particularly the
children, who were greatly interested in
what he said Of the late Mrs. Cameron,
many of whom will doubtless never forget
the beautiful AMI tender manner in which
he spoke of the deceased rs he personally
knew her.
One of the trustees Of the church re-
ccived the deed, with the conditions an
ncxed, of the house from DIR. Hay, thank
ing him kindly for his remarks, AMI,
through him, Gen. Cameron for the gener-
Osity Of the gift. IL would be the great
pleasure Of tho trustees and tho Luthcrans
OF MaytOwn to preserve this gift in the
spirit in which it is made, rs y memorial
Of i deceased lady, who, i'm life, was well
known and highly respected by very
many Of the older people Of MaytOwn.
Her portrait shOul! ever remain where it
now is, invested now with double in
terest, after what her old pastor, DR.. Hay,
had said Of her, words which would en-
dear her memory to every Christian who
visited this spot, now consecrated as her
shrine.
The house is situated in the central
part Of MaytOwn, is u large twO-stOry
brick house, substantially built and sur
rounded by i half to three quarters Of an
acre Of ground, we'll filled with fruit trees,
vines, bushes and shrubbery.
Gen. Cameron lad intended to he pres
ent to participate in the presentation, but
was prevented by urgent business calling
him from Harrisburg on Tuesday. As the
house needs painting, and q few slight re-
repairs \ subscription was taken which
amounted to $115 in cash to do this work.