St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-02-11

man is living life that is worth liv-
ing, unless he is willing if need be to
die for something or somebody, at
least to die little" He gave his
brain to the church and his soul and
hands and feet. A clergyman of St
Louis said, she did more with his feet
for his church than many of us have
been able to do with our brains" He
entered the homes, sought out the
needy, she went about doing good"
| His spirit of Christian work was
contagious. He made the church fee
that while they had sacred privileges
their opportunities for doing good
were more sacred. His holy zeal had
charm for them, it gained not simply
pathy. "COme," said they one tt
another, ''let us work with this work
man of the Lord" When he had been
in st. Louis ten years Judge Currier OF
his church said, GAS we pass in review
these ten years we may take delight in
what we have done. DR.. and Mrs
GOOdell by their zeal and stirring en-
thusiasm saved Drury college to the
great South west. Within the city we
have established mission schools that
have grown into churches. Many good
works in adjoining states have felt our
benefactiOns Our charities have been
large and numerous. In all these
works and charities DR.. GOodell has
been our Washington" He saved the
church from the perils of idleness by
giving it work to do and leading
the way. The modern church, such
are the various claims of society upon
it's thought and strength, needs not
only the sermon and the comfort of re-
ligiOn, it needs administrative talent
and the man of business as well as the
man of faith. He was not only wise
in ministeriAg but in administering fol
the good of the church. He had a gen
Jus in arranging forces and in giving
every element in his church some work
to do. Looking over that life from the
height of its large accomplishment we
may say and sing, -"W orkman of God
we'll DONE"
This was one side of his character,
the most evident, yet not the most
real. Those who knew him best felt
the charm of his childlike trust. God
was his "refuge," in the divine he
found that well-spring that quenches
the thirst of the holy and true and
good. The Kingdom of Heaven was
within him. His peace was as real as
his power. Only the tender grace of a
soul that trusts in God can steady and
unite the soul as it goes from one COM
passion to another, or bends it's ear now
to the call of the ignorant, now to that
of the poor, now to that of the sufferer.
Dutiesare never we'll done, certainly the
oatS of lifa CON nouar no unitaH in ono
chord, if there is not one act beneath
them all, in them all, before and after
them all, the act of a clear faith in
God. No one can be in a Christian
sense, in all things manly, who is not
also in all things Il little child. Many
restless active workers who in their
deeds of mercy think that they are work
ing with God do notreceive His strength
because they do not make Him their
refuge. 1t was not so much what this
he brought from the secret places of
council for charity. Before the song
that all heard, 600 labor on" there
was another song, without which this
would have been mere sound, "There
is a calm, sure retreat, IT'S found be-
meath the Mercy Seat"
We ask one question, not from curl
Osity, but because we would have this
preacher preach to us still, what was
the secret of his power? st. Paul, the
busy apostle, gives the answer, "the
greatest of these is charity" He was
man large in love. His sympathies
were not studied nor planned,
they were spontaneous. One need
ed no art by which to approach
his soul, touch it anywhere and it
opened of its own accord. Some of us
are interested in others, the poor and
wicked are in a way interesting, some
of us have a professional interest in
men and in the needs of men. His
sympathies were more than interests
and professional obligations, they were
set deep within him and were Il law
unto his nature. His charity united in
II beautiful and useful way the love for
institutions and the love for men. He
seemed to have an intense affection for
institutions, for the church, the mis-
sionary societies, all associations for
good work. He gave himself to them
in real way giving all to each, such
was the genius Of his great heart, but
GHc lON0 G1tG WIS U0SU III NH W6HU OuO
to individuals. He had warm affec
tiOn for all that was personal whatever
its name or dress. Every one felt in
meeting him that he was not their
critic but their friend. do not know
that he was conscious of his own law,
but this was his law, every one whom
| meet deserves my best. He did not
have that patronizing affection, that
said to men, "yOu need me-" but that
more defferential..:.love that said, "you
deserve me, and the best can give
you" Thus his charity appeared at
the table, in social intercourse, in the
passing cOurtesies, in the communion of
worship or duty. Following this law
his charity had one most pleasant and
attractive feature, it not only gave its
best, it called forth what was best
in others. Wise love not only gives
it's best, it cOmpels us to give our best
in return. He was Il man that COM
manded you to think, feel and utter
your best when you were with him.
There are some men,-he was one
who in common conversation make
you feel that life, whatever it's clouds
or storms, is held by the power of a
shining sun, they compel you to think
more clearly and purely than your
habit, and you utter your thoughts
with grace and felicity that surprises
you. He wrought this power in those
whom he met, not by his thought, not
by the warmth of his feelings but by
his soul, by,-I know no better word
for it,-by his clear and earnest charity.
The congregation of the best preach
az are not those who aSSamhla tO hear
him preach, not those who are bound
by the power of his eloquence or the
force of his spiritual conviction, but
those who are gathered about mans |
soul, whom he meets alone, month after