The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-07-01

| called upon 10 point out the "primsl curse,
! ne wonid have found 1t In that condition of
i dlene-s which prepared our nrst parents
10 be the victims OF as losthsome tempter
A. the Serpent must have been. Ia his
4 Of ,ctIcsl philosophy, ain the sweat OF thy
j Drgw shalt thou eat thy bread, was not
-entence 70 doom but mandate to go forth
/ 70 conquer the eartE and 70 achieve tbs
highest purpose VI the human soul En-
crossing occupation and constant antsgo-
/ 1i.n with the obstacles which stood in the
/ Y,y Of great achievements AID enterprises
made Abner Coburn the strong and self
reliant man he was; and sense OF bis
/ SUCCESS and Of the power which that sue
c.-s gave him, we're rewards, the keen zest
aud the enduring satisfaction OF which, no
soul dwarfed Or paralyzed by lie OF aim
| LEI. idleness can ever know. That man
who has found In his occupation, whether
/ in the field, the shop Or the study, con
slant aud Increasing satisfaction, has the
alchemy which while it may not transmit
base metal into gold u prove the elixir
.a!cU viii bring TIE bloom OF perpetual
yputh, turns days, which would otherwise
I "a tedious. into moments Of delight, Ths
man who has disciplined himself until be ia
In .o7e with bis work and by that disci-
/ plfne ma acquired G. fnplete mastery Of his
p19ers, aud Is proudly conscious Of that
3 III. y,
feeling Of ouoyant ex1ltatior, and returns
r 1nueror with a feeling OF ec-tacy
when 10 loiteTer or shlfker CAL ever
know. Aou.r CoDurns life was made up
Of such struggles and triumphs.
In MI. manner VI life, In bis associations
I aud c1nsp.cu3usy 10 the disposition Of his
wealth. GOV. CobGrn showed himself to be
one II tue common people. That arro-
y.pce. - often the oemisa Of strong aud
"a. RI F,f nj fuF
He revereuced the inherent rights Of men
/ - an extent that he was no resPecter OF
uersons lie never showed his superiority
/ ~ placing any badge OF serFitude upon a
/ fellow beng He mad neither coat-os arms
nor q nvery. Inc GROWING evidence of
+ his regard for the masses IS found lu The
/ disposition he has made of lis estate.
Men craving the praise Of those Who are
able to perpetrate d man. name 10 iitera-
/ ture, would have given thousands 10 place
a creation Of ar, iD some center u wealth
spd culture. Not SO with him. He turued
70 the common people from whom he
+ sprang, AID gave his wealth TO promote
+ their temporal and spiritual welfare. 10
open VIDE to the poor the fountains Of
/ knowledge and culture 50 that all who VIII,
: may DRINK, he has given hundreds OF thous-
4uds To do his part - atone the outrage
which for generations had been written
=
thousands until they were hundreds. That
the unfortunate poor may have an asylum,
/ he mas become the Good Samaritan, leaving
a well filed purse to the end that oil aDd
wine NAV be poured into bodies hurt, and
/ minds diseased. Realizing that the ouy
means BY which the infuence OF religious
truth can be made potent n the sparse!y
inhabited portions Of MS own State, IS BY
! the preaching Of the gospel by cultured
and earnest men, whom those living Ia
such localities, cannot support, he wisely
gave tens Of thousands 70 infose new life
] into scores Of lauguishing churches, and TO
/ brea. the bread OF life TO thousands, 40
] might otherwise famish. To bring the be
. nighted in distant and d rk lands, into the
| light Of Christian civilization through the
teaching Of the Word, lie gave nNny
thousands. Not one dollar Tor self-glcYi1-
4 cation. or TO raise monument 70 cause his
4 achievements TO be remembered. Every
i one. of his public requests Is dying tesii-
| mopial Of his sympathy FOR unfortunate
| humanity and bis love FOR the common peo-
| pie.
| The money which GOV. Coburo devoted
/ TO small private charities, to ciothe and
! feed the needy and to relieve and comfort
/ the suferisg, in The aggregate, make
large fortune. In this oenedcent Work,
/ he never sounded 3 trumpet before him,
nor did his left hand know what his hight
i baud did. But for private cash boos in
! which he kept his personal expend lures,
/ we should have no clue to The exteot OF hi.
| bounty Thi. book shows that during the
| last four wears Of his life he gave, in small
| sums. $l4 300 10 relieve the needy and the
! suffering. Mesgre indeed, would this re-
/ cital sppear if ii should be followed by the
reading of few OF the pathetic letters
which the thankful hesrts OF the recipients
1 OF hi. generosity dictated
In the most significant sense OF the term,
| GOV Coburn was Christian. He accepted
the teachings OF revelation as self evident
truths. The precepts OF the gospel were
! written on MS hear, and the Sermon CD tie
! Mount was the law OF his life. The true
secret OF that serenity which character ed
/ his mature years and gave dignity ard
/ power and which sudden disaster did not
/ ruttle must have lad Il seat 10 his uuwlver-
/ ing faith 10 God. He never spoke OF relig-
/ ious topics 10 his every day associates, out
/ they always felt that il his presence
sacred things must be reverenced 10 be
/ courteous 10 him.
| am permitted by the writer to Intro
/ duce a. lust estimate ami tribute 10 the
/ character OF Gov. Coburn, a letter received
from one of his most esteemed friends,
1 few days after his death;
WASHINGTON. d. c.
Saturday.
DRAH COLONEL SMITH:
Your telegram brought
rue sad intelligence. Though long antici-
/ pated, the death of Gov. CoouTn seemed at
last to be very sudden had hoped 10 see
! him once more and sincerely regrette ed that
/ the pressure OF my engagements the past
summer and autumn had deprived me OF
/ the pleasure Of his society and companions
D srh I ha.3 avfi.t H-.a,if for
Governor Coburn WAS altogether re.
markabe man. With only rudmentary
training in early life, be has proved our
/ most liberal and discriminating patron, OF
J classical educ alton. With no gift for pub
/ lie speaking, be has constantly eXerted
/ wise and benehceut influence on public
opinion. He was, if humanity can ever
sttsiu perfection. all absolutely just man in
/ al! his dealings. Aud beyond the severe
demands of justice, he was always kind
sud ever generous to his fellow men. SIN
gularlv quiet and unobtrnsiye, the world
around him had little knowledge OF the
I constant flow Of his charity, OF the nun
beress good deeds which adorned his daily
life.
He was altogether modest and dislised
: everything which ssvored of preteusious
or show. His life was, indeed model Of
simplicity. The large fostune which his
industry and sagscity had enabled, him 10
-, accumulate was, in his own view. "a trust
/ fund" which he held for the benefit of man
kind, and the disposition OF which was
/ With him matter OF conscience. He new
+ er had dollar t waste, but he always had
thousands for worthy cause.
4 In thirty wears OF personal intimacy with
. Governor Coburn, never saw an! thing in
+ his life aud conversation that was not
priseworthy. He was never impatient nor
ri Ia.