St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-05-17
THE LATE PARMLY BILLINGS.

sCOck, anu former gfaOuaC6 OF SC.
Johnsbury academy. was mentioned
last week. The circumstances of his
death, as told by a correspondent of
the Free Press, were these Young
Mr.. Billings, after fatiguing tour in
the mining regions of Arizona, was on
his way home and had reached Chica-
go, where he had planned to spend Sun
day, expecting to start for New York
on Monday. Attacked on Sunday by
a severe chill, he called in medical aid
and seemed for time to be recover
ing, but soon began to sink rapidly
under what proved to be acute Brights'
disease, and died at midnight of Mon
day.
Funeral services were held at Wood
stock on Saturday. After brief pri-
vate service in the library of the Bill
lings mansion, the public service was
held in the beautiful chapel attached
to the Congregational church erected
by Mr.. Billings in memory of his father
huu hiObHOi. n ShOIb iuicIdl huuF0SS,
made up of tender recollection and
Christian sympathy, was delivered by
President Seelye of Amherst, who
said, in part:
L loved this young man, whose light
has so suddenly ceased to shine upon
us, and whose earthly tenement we are
to take to the tomb. He won my af-
lection the first moment | saw him.
And he wound himself around my heart
more and more tenderly and closely
the longer L knew him. And l feel
that my place is one of silence here,
with his dearest ones, while | lament
and utter not word.
Ardent, impetuous, with a wonderful
intensity of life, irksome of restraint,
and sometimes breaking out beyond all
control, like river too full for its
channel, there burned in his soul pas
sion for great things. He was keen, he
was courageous, he was resolute, he
was self-reliant; he had great fertility
of resources he was able to plan large
ly and to execute efficiently. 1 do not
think he was capable of meanness or
anything sordid. He never deceived
me. And l believe that he had in his
soul a sentiment of uprightness and in
tegrity.
While he was in college, he made a
public profession of his faith in Jesus
Christ. 1t was my blessed privilege to
baptize him in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
1t was a great step for him to take.
But he took it of his own accord, SO far
as l ever knew. And [ could not doubt
then, and [ do not doubt now that he
took the step sincerely. For he never
was hypOcritical, he never was preten-
tiOus and though his wonderful exu-
berance of life gave US sometimes soil
citude and sometimes pain, l never
doubted that this act was a sincere eX-
preston of a sincere faith. 1t is won
derful comfort to me in this solemn
hour to remember these things. The
prayers uttered by loving and bleeding
hearts for him have neither been un-
heard nor unanswered, though the
answer has come in a different way
from what we looked for. For Gods
ways are not our ways, neither are his
thoughts our thoughts. If we could
only see the fulness of the divine plan
in respect to him, without whose
ground, and in whose eyes the hairs OF
our heads are numbered, we should
find the fulness of its glory. If we
could only look from that which is
seen to that which is not seen, from
the things which are temporal to the
eternal, we should see that all clouds
are vanished, and we should find our
selves looking up to the clear heavens
and the eternal day.
The Free Press correspondent con
cludes as follows:
| The services at the cemetery were
conducted by President Buckham, wh(
alluded to a remarkable letter writer
by Parmly to dear friend four year
ago, in which he had, in tender ant
prophetic Sabbath evening mood, an
ticipated the present scene, foreseein.
himself laid to rest and sleeping the
years away in this lovely spot, annie
the soft green hills of Woodstock, tn,
Quechee flowing gently at his feet
All this he foresaw and detailed appar
emily WITHOUT any dread of recoil, Sc
renely, cheerfully, as though his faitl
foresaw as does ours, another spring
day on which these kindred and thos
who shall hereafter be gathered T.
them, shall come forth from their grave
and pass on to still lovelier valley, t.
the green pastures and the still water
which await them when this corrupt
ble state has put on interruption, an,
this moral state has put on immOrtali
ty.
Parmly Billings was a youth of rar
gifts and of great promise. He ha
just reached that period in yOun
mans life when, having tried hi
wings in various uncertain flights hith
er and thither, he settles down t
steady, consecutive, patient duty, an
begins the business of life in earnest
He was preparing in accordance wit
his fathers wishes, to wind up til
business at the West, and gradual
take off from his fathers hands som
of his heavy business cares and respOn
sibilities. The stroke which bring
this bright career to a sudden end is
heavy one, which nothing but diVin
grace can tighten. That the grace ma
be bestowed, many sympathizing heart
will devoutly pray.
Academy Notes.
The senior class gave their last re
ception Friday evening in the aeade
my hall. 1t was quite departure fror
the ordinary interview, there being n
"hot coffee" or reference to "sub jur
iors." All enjoyed fine time.-As
rained all day Saturday the ball min
did not go to Lyndon as expected
Mr.. Putney kindly excused the boys
attend the show at the opera houi