The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-11-26
3alpaiialr 6azette.
Memorial Sermon on DR.. Lyman.
wEpNEspAT. NoYBMBER o lsal

Memorial Sermon on DR.. Lyman.
The following sermon was preached at Hilo.
by the Rev. E. P. Baker, and is published at
the request of many friends Of the deceased
HILo, Oct. 4th, 1884,
I'd Kings, ID: IA. o.. c. Ny Father, my Father,
the chariot OF Israel and the horsemen Thereof!
Words which come to my lips with an ire
pressibility which really compels the utteance
Of them, as behold the new-inade grave of
the last ministerial, and except Mother Lyman,
Mother Hitchcock, DR.. Wetmore and Mrs
Reed. the last missionary at present living in
Hilo district, Hawaii. -
David Belden Lyman was born at New
Hartford, Conn.,, on the 10Th Of July, 1903,
united with the church in 1921, entered Will
liams College in 1924, graduating from the
same institution in 1928. The date of his
graduating from Andover Seminary, where he
pursued his theological course, was 1881, the
same being also the year OF his ordination at
Hanover, n. H., TO the gospel ministry: of his
union by marriage to Sarah Joiner at Royal
ton, Vt, and of his setting sail from New Bed
ford, Mass, as missionary to the Sandwich
Islands. He reached Hilo July 10th, 1882.
The missionaries already on the island when
he arrived being Messrs. Goodrich. Green and
Dibble. Those were the days when the great
meeting house was standing, near the site OF
the present Court House, and large native con-
gregations assembled to hear the word Of God.
The great revival was even then going on: the
era Of that remarkable religious interest hay-
ing begun as early as 1928. And as soon
after as his knowledge o. the language would
allow, Father Lyman began to preach, make
missionary tours, and do the general work of
Al.
Father Coan, even, and along with the latter,
he still continued to do the work of pastor and
preacher in connection with the Hail Church.
However, seeming to be manifestly called
thereto, he, in 1886 became the founder and
Principal of the HiIo Boarding School for Boys,
devoting himself after this date more especially
to the work of teaching, although for long
years lie continued TO preach more or less un-
til 1874, when, laid aside from active service,
he became to the region where he lived for the
last Ten years Of his life, the venerable Mis-
sionary Father, whose very presence has
seemed to be blessing on earth, and whose
| prayers ] am sure have been power in
| Heaven.
And surveying the career which has Just
reached its earthly terminus and the character,
which always beautiful, has Just been touched
and gilded with celestial glory-the first
things that meet our view are the quiet steadi-
ness, unbroken uniformity and lack of yicissi-
tudos which have all along marked the earthly
life which has just closed.
Father Lyman did his entire life work in
one place, and that place Hilo, Hawaii, and OF
almost one spot, and that spot the grounds Of
the Hilo Boarding School.
Like DR.. Emmons, who began his first pas
torate in Franklin, Mass, continued in it more
than fifty years, and died in the same place
when he had performed his life work, Father
Lyman began his missionary work in Hilo
| Hawaii, continued in that work for about fifty
years, and then ended his days in the same
place where he had toiled and labored. Ht
did not change about from one field to another
he did not rard even, except to do LITTLE
missionary touring on the island Of Hawaii.
and TO 60 TO and from Honolulu. In these
days when "maDy are running to and fro" he
was one who abode in his nest. He did mol
even revisit his native land, during his more
than fifty years absence from 1t, upon foreigr
shore.
Indeed his work as an educator and Princi-
pal Of an important Missionary School, kept
him quite confined to one small spot. His field
was not whole district one hundred miles
long and fifty wide, but the schoolroom not .
hundred feet long and fifty understanding one
single school, and on one single spot, being
properly speaking, the life work of him who
now rests from his labors.
And that this work which he performed
stands out before us SO beautifully uniform and
impressive, there being no break or desultori-
ness discernibe in it:-tliat he, who saw sc
many changes continued on in the midst Of
them, himself mostly unchanged; thus he, who
passing through Boston on his way hither be.
held it city Of 10000 would have beheld it
had he passed through it in going hence up
ward, city of 100000; thus he whose lifetime
has covered the last part of the nineteenth
century-that era Of mechanical inventions
Except at Waiakea Plantation and the HilC
Telephony never saw Railway or Telegraph
in his life-although those appliances are nov
the largest and most important factors of oul
modern civilization; that he whose memory
we revere, has made himself revered in somt
other way than by Striving crying or letting
his voice be heard in the Streets" All this
cannot but remark; cannot but fondly dwell
on, at least for moment, it is so beautiful il
itself, and SO rare thing in these times o
change in which we are living.
Ear from the maddening crowds ignoble strife
His sober wishes never learned to stray,
Along the cool sequestered vale of life
be Kept the even tenor of his way"
A man too, Father Lyman was, singularl,
modest aud difident of himself; he stood mucl
higher in the esteem and good opinion of hi
friends than in his own esteem and good opin
ion. Many kindly and complimentary thing
having been said of him and Mother Lyman
their golden wedding, his simple and self-re
mandatory reply was, that "if one tenth par
of what had been said were true, he ought t
be ashamed of himself that he had not been
better man and accomplished larger results
He took no pains to secure publicity for him,
self or his work; though he did not refuse t.
appear in public when such putting himsel
forward was clearly duty. He was one o
the rare ones of earth, who could work OIL
gladly and joyfully in obscurity. The end hi
endeavors seemed to have in him was charac
ter not reputation, well doing, not mere credi
for well doing. You could depend on hin
always and eyermore; he was more and bette
than he appeared TO be; basket of fruit will
the choicest and best at the bottom and n,
more than an average on top; the eye of tht
observer, certainly in his case, did not aligh
on the choicest and best first. His children
attainments were in bis estimation next t.
naught. He hoped for Heaven at last, simply
as the gift Of Gods free grace. He was sam
who regarded himself as a great sinner, anC
who was prevented from being lost slime
only because through the mercy of God il
Christ, he had become .forgiceR sinner Fathe
Lyman always looked down when he looked a
himself. But worth, real worth, which neve
sounds trumpet before it, is quite sure to b.
followed Tin the person of the results it hal
achieved) by many trumpet voices sounding it
praises; after itself has relapsed into th,
silence of the tomb. "Their works do follow
them" Father Lyman's works follow him.
He is singularly fortunate in leaving thai
behind which proclaims in tones distinct anc
audible TO all that he was one toihng on thu
earth whose bones are now resting beneath it
He might have tolled on and left behind hin
no such monument; his activities passing int,
the realm of invisible character and going t
enhance the glory and augment and sweeter
the praises Of Heaven. AS it is however, BIZ
activities have told on eIth as lueR as Heaven
artist-like he walked on and on in noiseles,
obscurity, but at length, the piece on which ht
has busted himself, is unveiled to the general
gaze, and all admire the high order Of effor
put into it.
For of all the Missionary achievements OF
these islands that now meet our view, the HilC
Boarding School is the one, which more thar
perhaps any other, presents the most uumis.
taxable marks ofpresent prosperity and future
permanence. Very fortunate this institution
has been in its recent management; to Hilo thu
decaying churches all about it from which 81
many redeemed souls have gone up to glory
have been unfortunate in having 10 struggle