Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-10-15
Memorial service.

wards, D. d, of Chicago.
Memorial Service,
At 2:30 Sunday afternoon the memorial
service OF the conference was held, led
by Rev. O. E. Hager.
The audience joined in singing the
hymn commencing "Servant OF God.
we'll DONE"
Prayer was offered by Rev. s. Wash
burne, of Parkinson.
my days are gliding swiftly by was
sung.
The bishop made appropriate remarks.
The memoir was read by ]. @. Shetland,
OF the committee.
REV. WILLIAM VIVIAN.
William Vivian, the subject OF this
brief sketch was born April 18th 1850,
IN Cornwall, England. His parents
were members of the Wesleyan church,
and like all Cornish Methodists were
earnest and demonstrative IN their
religious convictions and experiences.
1t was their habit to speak and sing and
shout the praises of God. William was
converted when about sixteen years of
age and when only eighteen was licensed
as a local preacher. He surprised his
audiences By the originality and ma.
turity OF his thought and the effective
Mt IS of his delivery. 1t is recorded of
the late Rev. Richard Watson, of Eng.
land, that o. receiving the congratuia-
tons Of his hearers, after Che delivery
of an admirable address in his eighteenth
year, he stated II have been practicing
public speaking many years" and when
inquired OF as to where he had exercised
hia ministry he replied '.In the GLASS
ROOM" Doubtless our departed
brother, Vivian, acquired his junction
and his readiness OF utteranca by q
similar process. Do the members of
our church appreciate the value of the
class meeting IL Its relation to the derel.
opment of workerBP Ia il not with
many an unused arm of power?
Brother Vivian came to the United
States in the year 1874 aud settled in
/! Wisconsin. He entered Garret Biblical
institute in 1880 and filed acceptsbly
and admirably several charges in the
vicinity of Chicago while he pursued
a thorough course Of theological study
After his graduation he came to Dakota
and devoted himself to the work of Che
ministry. he was o polished, able, safe
minister
He wss stationed two years at Plank.
inton, one of the important charges O
this conference, where he iabored with
characteristic zeal, marked ability enc
success. During the second year hif
health failed and at the next session Of
the conference he was stationed at Del
Rapids, in hope that the change might
prove beneficial to his health, but the
hope was disappointed and In October
1886 he went with his family to the foo
hills of California, after which he never
took ministerial work, but preached
when health permitted. The climate
agreed with him. and hoping for COM
| plete restoration he went to San Fern
ando In April 1887. For some time hi
health improved and it was hoped tina
in due course of treatment he might once
more be permitted to engage in the
work of preaching the gospel. But at
the months passed away it gradually be,
came evident that complete recovery wa
impossible.
During the entire period of his resi-
dence in San Fernando he impressed all
who knew him by his patient endurance
| of suffering, his strong faith in God, his
unchanging love for the church OF hil
| choice, his intense yesrning for thu
| salvation of souls and his Joyful hope
OF future ~blesseanees. Towards thu
| close OF his life he suffered intensely a
times, but no murmer escaped his lips
August 26th 1888, he preached his Las
sermon in the church of San Fernando
l E.~-. D. @, q Ho-l kL1, --~
song" He spoke with great earnestaes
and apparent ease. Before entering III,
pulpit he had remarked to his beloved
wife 1T may be my last opportunity I,
preach the gospel The text wa
suggestive aud prophetic. That bril-.
liant discourse wss bis last on earth
His next effort was the 'tnew song
On Friday Aug. 3lst, he was taken will
a sudden and profuse hemorrhage from
the lungs. He believed the end hat
come and reioiced in the prospect o
''gofng home" He expected and de
sired Immediate release from his suffer
ings, bnt contrary to all Indications hi
strength rallied, the tomorrhage cease'
and for some days he seemed to b.
quite comfortable. The improvement
however was only temporary. Frids,
Sept. 7kh. the release came. He wa
conscious to the last and testified to tn,
power Of divine grace to support th
soul in death as we'll as in life. Praise
to the Lord were often upon his lip
and when unable to aPticulate distinctI,
the practical ear OF his wife could detec
the words oft repeated, Our Fathe
which art in Heaven the beginning O
the prayer he doubtless learned ct hi
mothers knee and thus az the CLOSE a
we'll as al the commencement OF hi
earthly life his heart responded to Low
and his last thoughts we're OF mother
God and heaven.
His funeral, conducted by Rev. DR.. f
S. Maclay, was attended by o large an
sympath,zlng congregation in th
Methodist Episcopal church at Sai
Fernando. Devout men carried him I
his burial and deposited his sacred dus
in the cemetery at the base of the Sierr
Madre, to await the resurrection OF til
Just.
"Servant of God, we'll done,
Thy glorious warfare'a past.
The battles fought, the yictors. g won,
And thou art crowned at last
He leaves q devoted wife and littl
child. Their only riches are in the syn
patty of the church and the care OF th
Heavenly Father. He leaves a confer
ence who find II very hard to par
until the dawn of hesven's morning, frol
OUT bright, brave brother in the arm
of the cross, but
How swees it will be in that beautiful land
). 30 free from all sorrow and pain.
With songs on our lips and with harps in o,
hands,
To meet one another sgsin,
Appropriate remarks were made b
Revs. s, Washburn and O. b. CLARK.