The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-12-08
Continued from .tJM pd9e.)

States. ne Will pfiuo upoiA tho
nations history, and believed that in its
beginning God laid His hand in majesty up
ON il, and said: "Be thou great, be thou ex-
altei on EARTH But the past did not absorb
him so much as the future. He studied the
vital questions of the day, that he might
know the tendency of events and whittier
they were drifting us. Hopefully he looked
onward to the time when purity, justice, and
the incorruptible right should rule in the
councils of the nation, lifting 1t to the high
destiny prepared for 1t by he providence of
God. A pure citizen, true American
patriot has gone to the Other and better
country.
Study him next as a plttidnttropist: He
was lover of men. Not simply did he re-
leve distress, he felt for il. Not the cold
charity that throws its offering upon the
ground, to be picked up by the despised out
cast; he carried his gift and bestowed it with
II warm heart and loving hand. But philan-
thropy goes farther than gift making. 1t
suffers with and pities a myriad SORROWS
which money cannot relieve. 1t feels for the
iollies, sins and degradation of men. II is
broad IN its charities, tender in its sympa-
thies, and hopeful in its trust of better things
10 be. Ii is a comparatively small thing to
bestow gift. 1t is serious thing TO suffer
with that which is beyond power to relieve.
4 philanthropist has gone from us whose
love Tor men far outreached his power to aid
them. God only knows the inroad which
such a pity has upon q human life. 1t is
hidden from us. We cannot even read il in
the legend of grey hairs and premature age.
It's secret is with God and the soul that
suffers.
Look at him next as christidl. He had
an abiding and an unconquerable faith in
God, and the eventual triumph of his truth.
HIS creed was in the Sermon on the Mount"
Was he Presbyterian? No. Was he Congre-
cationalist? No. Was he Methodist or Bap-
fist? No; none of these, nor any other, as
monopolists of Gods truth. His prayer and
his hope was for christian unity. To this
end his valuable life among US, as christian
has been devoted. II could not be in his
day, but in the years to come his prayer will
be answered. We shall rise to higher ground,
or our mission here will be ended.
But religious belief had other meaning for
him still. 1t was a power in his life. The
strong man was controlled. The vehement
nature was softened into noble restraint
10y it. The imperious will, which nature
gave him at birth, was made to bow in sub
mission to the will of others, and to the
higher will. Instead of carrying havoc on
earth, as such strong natures do when unre-
strained, he scattered blessing and wrought
peace among men. Nothing is so eloquent
as a life. When verbal prayer and uttered
truth are forever hushed in the deep silence,
yet here remains the pure, true, and simple
life of faith which no stiffness, however pro-
found, can ever hush. We claim no perfec-
ton for this life. Man has upon him the
flesh, which is at once his burden and his
temptation. He carries it with him and
yields to il. II is a fall: but fall upon the
knees, which may end in prayer How of
ten upon his knees, in this house have we
heard him plead his unworthiness? How
often too have we heard him breathe his as
piration for the ineffable purity and perfec-
ton into which we believe he has now risen.
Made perfect through suffering. The
strong rock upon the beach of the sea, cleans
ed of its earth and woven into beauty by the
surging waves which ffty-three years of
struggling life had poured upon it. Out of
the mists and shadows of his life, one face
has ever looked steadily upon hinl-the face
Of duty. He had learned TO love il, for it
wore a smile and spoke approval. Duty
was his guide for the present. Faith, his
reliance for the future. Duty brought him
conflict. Faith, at last, has brought him
found him courGgeously struggling onward
10 his duty. In moment the transition
was made 10 the well earned triumph. He
reaps his reward.
Lastly, look at him as nun. He had
the courage of his convictions. He had Il
lofty conception of, and love for the right
and abhorTed the wrong. What 10 him
seemed right and truth, he maintained heroic
ally. We look back To some stalwart char
acter of "a former age. and admire It's TN
yielding strength and inhexible will But
mere has been character as strong. yet more
charitable; as infexibe, yet shorn of its
vigor. His convictions may not have been
always right, for he was fallble: vet who
shall fail To honor the manly spirit i'll which
those convictions have been maintained? If
ne erred i'll Judgment, he yet was Just, for
there can be no injustice that is not sanction
cd by the heart.
One virtue which claims our profoundest
reverence, was his tender love of home.
When the days work was done, his place
was by his own firesde No spot on earth
rvaled that i'll his affection. He was not a
stranger where he should best be known.
His prayer, his love, his hopes. his faithful
presence, never wandered from the charmed
circle of his home. 1t will be home no more
Just as IL has Detll ne uOOrS nave opened
20 let the silent master pass out To his other
home, where he now sleeps in quiet shelter.
The manly presence is gone, but home is no
less n sanctuary-sacred memory remains.
lt SHOULD be more than ever type of
Heaven.
And now loving farewell to this patriot,
philanthropist, christian, noble man. We
shall see his face no more. We have learned
TO rely upon him, and he has always proved
"a strong support. We shall miss him in the
battle which yet remains to be waged. But
God works through large and ample laws of
compensation. He will supply his place.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense.
But trust him for his grace;
Behind frowning providence
He hides smiling face
In the old Abbey of Westminster. in
London, is a marble slab upon the walls,
sacred to the memory of Charles and John
Wesley, which bears this inscription: "God
buries his workmen, but carries on his work.
He has buried noble workman here, but
The work must and will be carried on.
In the confident belief that il is Gods will
for his children, we dismiss this husband,
father, brother. companion, friend. and wise
counsellor TO his reward. The sorrow is for
IS. We do not mourn for him.