The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-09
EDWIN THOMPSON.

When a man of almost ideal excel
lence is permitted to reach very near a
decade beyond the three-score and ten,
we may deal in words of gratitude
rather than in those of lamentation,
when God calls him home. Wequalify
with almost" yet when we reflect on
the character of EDWIN THOMPSON we
are at loss to name solitary excep-
tion to the ideal excellence in that
sanity example. A man who loved
God and trusted in him; who loved
Jesus and sought in all things to be a
worthy disciple; who loved man, attest
ing his love by more than u naff cen
tury of toll for the poor, the weak, the
fallen, the depraved, and for those in
bonds; who, in the doing of good,
thought of all others most and of him
self least; who knew no guile; who
would have starved rather than betray
a human being, or be false to convic-
tion; who made thousands smile, but
never made any one sad; who was
sunny, humorous, cheerful, friendly,
winning; who made every one who
knew him think better of human
nature; such a man, it is to be presumed,
had his foibles, but tell US, who can,
where to look for them; we fail to
identify so much as one.
At the funeral service it was easy to
pay tribate to this exalted character.
At the time it seemed to us that one
might welcome death when such words
could honestly and feelingly be spoken
before the open easket.
We confess a sectarian pride in that
this man was a Universalist. This he
was in belief, in denominational sym
pathy, and in readiness to stand up and
be counted when the champions of the
faith were summoned by call of duty.
Literally intense in his Universalist
convictions, he was no bigot; beyond
most men he blended in one character
two things which rarely go together
liberation and zeal. Our denomination
owes much, very much, to Edwin
Thompson. He was pioneer in the
noble crusade which made the Uniyer-
salist movement embrace the temper
ance and the anti-slavery reforms. To
our whole Zion, in the compelling for
it respect and winning the confidence
of those of other faiths-those who
years ago were on sectarian grounds
bitter in their antagonism-he rem
dered invaluable service.
We have been in the habit of saying
that Edwin Thompson knew all the
great men and that all the great men
knew him. The late Charles Francis
Adams, Charles Sumner, Henry Will
son, William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell
Phillips, Lyman Beecher, Theodore
Weld, were intimate in their acquaint-
ance: and they all loved and trusted
him But yet-mOre to his honor. the
slave knew him "a hated and oppressed
race knew him-the victims of ap-
petite knew him-his sincerest mourn
er5 are the poor and the down trodden.
What a monument Compared there
with what are monumental shafts in
marble or statues in bronze.
Then how c0mpaniOnable. In all
the wears Of our acquaintance, we do
not remember that we ever called him
Mr. Thompson. 1t was Edwin
more likely Ed unless the saluta-
tion was in a mixed assembly. No
formality was needed or wanted. In
these days we note the deaths of
emperoTs, kings, statesmen and mag
istTates, and read long accounts of the
complicated and costly rites. Could
they speak from their tombs they
would coyet the quiet yet magnificent
tributes that were spoken at Norwood
on Thursday of the Fast week.-Edi-
torial in CbriStian Leafier, May 81,