The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-31

was, ara the spirit snail return unto God
who gave it. Eccl. xii. II
L would not bring sadness into our
morning hour of worship, but rather
fill it with helpfulness and joy. Nor
should we be Indifferent to the sorrows
that ott ers feel, nor unmindful of the
great change to which we all hasten.
The true philosophy of life is to face all
the facts of our being, to try to under
stand them, and to be prepared to meet
our appointed destiny. 1t is not wise
to live ia a world of mortality and not
reflect that we too are mortal nor is it
wise to put off the thoughts of death
to the dying hour. Rather should that
great event be journeyed up to with
open vision and full realization of what
it is and all that it means.
la neighboring church, at this hour,
are being held the funeral services of
an esteemed minister of the Gospel
For quarter of a century DR.. Ryder
filled one of the leading pulpits in our
city. He came here when the city
numbered scarcely hundred thousand;
he lived to see its population increase
to nearly million. Through the years
of its growth and formative life he was
a strong, wise and prudently progress
sive leader. Upon every great ques-
ton that affected it's social welfare, his
voice was heard. The years of his pas
torate covered the period of the REBEL
ion and Of the great fire. When the
Union was in danger, and the country
needed soldiers, he was patriot. When
the city was i'll ashes and the poor need
ed help, he was a philanthropist. Upon
the questions of temperance, and So
cial purity, and an honest ballot, and
the just administration of our munich
pal affairs, his influence was always
cast on the right side.
AS theologian he stood for the Cos
pei of hope, and not of despair. He
was profound believer in the father
hood of God, and in all the great and
far reaching truths to which such a
faith logically leads. He saw the sins
and the sufferings of the world, put he
saw God in Christ and God in man, and
hence could not limit the great work of
the redemption, of the education and
training, of a race of immortal beings
the few years of mans life on earth,
but saw the great process moving on
into the endless years beyond. He be-
lieved that sin brings suffering, but he
believed that the punishments or chas-
tisements of a heavenly Father are not
in wrath, but in love; that they are
corrective; that God judges that he
may teach; and DR.. Ryder believed
that the work of God would sometime
be complete, and that existence would
at last be blessing, and not curse,
to every soul that the living and loving
God permitted to come into being. A
dozen years ago, when my own mind
was trying to find way out of the
mazes Of error, and the cold and heart
crushing beliefs in which l had been
educated, he wrote me that there would
be mo cloud upon Gods great white
throne at last.''
It meant great deal more to stand
for such truths twenty five years ago
than it does now, for then the better
faith and hope were less understood
and more bitterly opposed by the So
called orthodox churches; but now it is
shared by many laymen in all the
churches, and there are very few in
telligent clergymen who have the heart
to preach the doctrine of endless pun
ishment as it was preached when DIR.
Ryder began his ministry. He lived to
see great change come over the think
ing of his age, and he helped make that
change possible. He was a profound
believer in all the great spiritual veri-
ties of religion; he believed in prayer
and in deep religious experience, and
IN holiness of heart and life. The death
of such man is loss to our city and
though not in the active pastorate since
he passed his three-score years, he was
scarcely less valuable to the public in
the many trusted and useful positions
he filled in works of charity and social
reforms. And the death of Or. RYDER
will be felt as loss to other churches
than the Universalist denomination.
There was, perhaps, no minister in the
city more universally respected, and
our hearts are with those who at this
hour gather about his coffin and look
upon the face that for so many years
stood before them in the pulpit-the
eyes now closed and the once speaking
lips silent forever.
Three noble clergymen, Drs. Ellis,
Swazey and Ryder, have recently gone
from our city to the silent land beyond;
and but last week, the venerable AlcOtt
of the Concord School of Philosophy
and his excellent daughter, Louisa,
whose books have made gladder and
better the childhood life of two CONT
nents, passed away from the shores of
time. And from across the sea came
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