Morning journal and courier., 1882-12-20
NIiliCrd.

Another t'Mother in Israel' sleeps the sleep in Jesus. On Wednesday morning, Dec. IS, 1882, Mrs Minerva Gum Baird de. parted this life to live with God on high She was born in Milford in the last century, March 29. 1799, and hence had completed the good old age of eighty-three years and nine months. She united with the First Congregational church by profession of her faith in 1881, and hence had been member of it fifty y-one years. Her type of piety may be indicated by the hymns used in the service to day, which were her favorites; Toplady's Rock of ages, cleft for me-" and Cowper's ''There is fountain filled with blood' She was endowed with good mind, that was trained by diligent reading, by study, and by teaching in day schools. Her good sense was manifest in 8 notable manner in the training of her nine children (who are all allve) after she was left widow by the death of her husband, MT. Jonah Baird, in 1853. She taught her children to love both the sanctuary of God and the school house. One son graduated at Yale College and entered the ministry. Another entered college, but left it to serve his country in the army, in which service he now is. Many of you must recall her zeal in the education of her family, and her councils with her pastor toward that end. Before she died she saw them all usefully employed, serving their day and generation, and nearly all of them in connection with the church of Christ. The whole family have laid their fellow men under no common obligation for their work 1 as teachers of youth. Both the father and mother were teachers, and no less than eight of the children have been engaged in the useful and honorable employment of teach ing. Her work as teacher also embraced the Sunday school work. Some of you may remember her as she came on the Sabbath, bringing six at least of her own children, and then taking class in the Sunday school her self. Her example in this regard is con- mended to you all. Children follow where the parents lead. Gods faithfulness to his covenant with the "widow and the fath- erless' is marked in her case. She and her children have verified these promises Cps xviii 5, cxlvi 9, "A father of the fatherless and judge of the widows is God in his holy habitation.'' ''The Lord preserveth tho strangers, he relieveth the fatherless and widow" (Jer xix. H), ',Leave thy father less children, will preserve alive; and let thy widows trust in mel
 Mrs Baird had peculiar attachment for her old home, where her children were born. In fact 1 think all the dwellers in that part of our parish seem to have similar attachment to that neighborhood and to tho people of that locality. Perhaps there is something in the good air from the Housatonic that fans the people in summer, in the healthy winds that sweep down from the Berkshire hills in winter, or some peculiar unity in the families there. For have noticed that you all come together in time of afiiction, and
 
 Or your spirit may be due to the fact that you oveilook in these low grounds, and can see the waters Of the Sound, which by their reminder of their maker keep you from becoming so worldly minded as the tendency is in us all. At any rate, if I had been born in Milford it seems to me that my chosen birth place would have been in Wheeler's Farm. Thus I judge it seemed to our sister, who, while stopping these years past with her daughters, would often say, 'I want to go home, " meaning that sunny spot where she spent her married life. Later she said that '"The church was her only homo shat she had now" And so, fttiagly. her children have brought her remains here where she gave herself away to God where she loved to worship, where these children were baptized that so they and you all might say the last farewels in this sacred place.
 I do not think it wise to praise the dead but her ''works" praise her. I do not need to do it. Her faithfuness as mother is proven by the unfaitering, unfagging devo tion of her children in all these last months of her weakness when as nearly as might be the care of their own infancy has been be- slowed upon the dear mother with unstinted abundance. I am only speaking from actual
 --+inn.
 rf her womans work, kind.
 Hf sons and near
 >~iting .