Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-20
The Late Elias PterpOnt.

His Character and Life COnsIaered by Rev. MT. Lines at St. Pau1's Church Yesterday Morning.
 At St. Paul's church yesterday morning Rev. MT. Lines preached on the subject of ''The
 love of the house of God" taking Psalms 26-
 4 as his text, ''Lord, have loved the habi- tatien of thine house and the place where
 thine honor dwelleth." The preacher spoke
 at length of the way in which the Psalmist
 teaches Christian people to love the house of God. He spoke of the place the parish church has beside the Christian home in the | training of men. Church attendance and the l support of the Lords house do not sum up Christian duty, but they are vital part of it. The character of 8 community is l largely determined by the character of it's church, the way in which 1t is cared for, the respect of the people for it and for its services. The parish church reYerently re- garded becomes an influence for untold good in the community. It is ever as 1t stands
 unused for common purposes, as it points it's
 spire or tower heavenward, as it lifts it's con-
 secrated walls upon the street making
 break in the line of business or the homes of
 men,-ever it speaks silently of better things
 than money making or pleasure seeking It
 stands as protest against low ideas of life,
 selfishness and worldIiness. At times such
 as this present, when the all engrossing de-
 sire for material prosperity lays hold of near
 Iy all men, it's voice seems almost silenced.
 But the voice will be heard at length, per
 haps not until the poverty of what now
 drives men on is revealed, perhaps not until
 in days of calamity and distress men learn
 that there is something better for them to do
 than to eat and drink and die.
 The influence of the parish church is sec-
 ond only to that of the godly home in the
 development of character. The familiar
 prayers, the psalms and hymns binding us
 with the generations gone, the sermons al
 ways enforcing the truth of salvation through
 Christ Jesus and setting forth the faith once delivered, the faith of. the fathers who rest in Paradise, mould and nourish char- acter, enrich human hearts and en- noble human lives. Men come and go, here given to God in holy baptism, here confirmed, here fed from the Lords ta- ble, here trained and instructed; here they come in days of prosperity to give God thanks and in days of sorrow te plead for mercy, hence they are born to their burial. With the very walls of Gods house the most tender and solemn thoughts are associated and it is hard heart which does not feel their power.
 There has just passed from us one who loved the house of God devotedly. There was hardly one among us who could as truly as he take upon his lips the words of our text. He needs not our praises, for he has won the heavenly fathers 'Wel done good and faithful servant and the great masters Come ye blessed children of my father He needs no eulogy here, for his life speaks for him and all are ready to testify to his truth honor and goodness. The Iou nf Ina nf wQ a R1ar0GterI9tio of our departed friend which impressed us alI One of the first officers of this parish and in its service almost continuously to the end, he bore the burdens which were laid upon him without complaint. He did all with ready mind, not trying to find some one else to do his part. As old age came on he did not ask that younger men do his work, but he kept his place to the end. In the service of the church he never seemed to us to grow old. His interest and zeal knew no loss until his final sick ness came. It is the fault of the new generation, but it was not so with him. He wGs full of kindness for the young and for newcomers in the parish. Quietly he went about among us, as father among his children and his voice was ever for peace and kindness. He did much to make good feeling and good will in the parish, how. much ] will not be known until the last day.
 The church in his mind had large mis- 1 sion to people of every class. It was not l society of well-to-do people sslfshly taking | care of themselves. Brotherhood in l Christ was reality to him as him in his place in the church, twice l on each Lords day, upon the week day even- ing, the saints day, in Lent. He was not I among the great majority whose love for the l Lords house is so feeble that they are con- tent with attendance at one service on Sun NR Iakk school of churchmanship than this. Surely all must trace close connection between the life and character which they so. much re- spect and this frequent, regular attendance upon the services of ths house of God.
 He was 8 child of the church, made in her in infancy 8 member of Christ, 8 child of 1 God and an inheritor of the kingdom of I heaven. But few months since, upon his l eightieth birthday, when we thanked him fer what he had done for us, he told us that he owed all he was to the 1 church, and that for all he had done he had | had his pay in full as he went along. Right l nobly before our eyes he tried to pay the | debt he freely acknowledged. This church | has in him been greatly blessed. His sympa- | thies were not bounded by this parish, but his heart was here. We remember well that ! in the days of financial difficulty he remained hopeful No one went beyond him in bring ing the church through her troubles. His name must hold an honored place in her his- tory.
 He walks no more among us, but his works I remain. The best way of showing respect to his memory is in showing love to the church which he so dearly loved, in talk ing up the work in which he was engaged with greater zeal He has gone to his grave in good old age, full of days and honor. We cherish his good example as part of the goodly heritage of this church. It remains that we pray that his spirit abide in us, that God raise up among us more who can like our departed father and friend say put of the depths of the heart, 'Lord, have ovad fhe honsa If khv habitation and the