The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-23
REV. B, F. ROGERS.

hhV, b, +, hUGhhSt
Thirty-one years ago last month 1
setl led over church in Wisconsin. 1
had not been in Wisconsin many
months before met Rev. NJ. G.. Todd.
Though ten years my senior, yet he
looked and appeared to be younger than
l was. We were both ordained at the
same service, in August, 1858, Br. L. B.
Mason preaching the sermon, and Br.
Tabor extending the hand of fellow
ship. From the beginning of our ac-
quaintance we were most sincere and
intimate friends. We often met at
conventions, associations, conferences,
and at each others homes, and believe
L knew the man psetty well, and the
pore knew him the more learned to
love him. He possessed qualities of
character that were lovable. He was
very frank, free, open-hearted man;
and so was character very easy to
read and understand; and what he was
one day he was always. His life was
very evenly balanced, and yet some
traits were more prominent than others.
1. He was one OF the most genial,
hearted men I ever knew. He
had a wonderful power of drawing
the hearts of the people to himself and
making them his firm friends. 1t seems
to me that this trait of character, so
essential in minister, was the most
prominent trait in his life. There was
no coldness, no reserve in his manners
or spirit, but he was open hearted, ap-
proachable. affable; 80 that strangers
soon became acquainted with him, felt
at home in his prsssnce, and became
warmly attached - I'm And yet,
while he was thus genial and approach
able, there was certain dignity and
manly bearing about him that won
the respect and confidence of the bet
ter and more cultivated classes. He
never stopped to say or do anything
that was low or undignifed, to win the
friendship of the lower classes, or for
any other purpose whatsoever. He
was above all low jesting, all gross
language, all slang expressions. There
was no vulgarity in his makeup. He
had no desire to be odd to attract at
tention. l never knew of his telling
questionable story; but his bearing
among all classes, in private and in
public, was dignifed, courteous, frank,
pure and noble. And so he made
friends wherever he went, aud friends
who were ardent and lasting.
And 50 when the news came of his
death, all who had known him sorrow
ed most deeply and sincerely. They
felt that sincere and trustworthy
friend and brother had been taken
from them,
2. Another prominent trait in his
character was his sterling honesty and
integrity. There was no littleness, no
meanness, No trickery about him. He
never designed to do even the least
harm to any one, not even to secure an
advantage to himself. But the desire
of his heart was to deal fairly and
squarely with all lnen; to give as much
as he received, to treat every man as a
brother and friend; to carry out, to
the letter, the golden rule.
If he erred at all, it was in judg-
ment, and not in intention or desire.
He wished to be on friendly terms
with all men; and yet he would never
sacrifice principle, or convictions to
gain friends. He was a man of deci6 ed
convictions. He had his views of what
was right and what wrong; what
truth and what error; and what he
believed to be right and true he stood
by. And yet he was no bigot. He re-
spected men for their cow 'ctions. even
though they differed widely from his
own. He believed most religiously in
the doctrines of the Universalist
church; and yet he was always glad to
ofliciate with the ministers and people
of ether churches, and to cooperate
with them in any noble work. But he
could not yield his own convictions of
right and duty for the sake of peace
and harmony.
8. Another prominent charaC teristic
of the man was his fOndness of pleas
antTy. There was a vein of fun run
ming through his nature, and it fire.
quently came to the surface. He did
not believe God called upon us to 60
through this world wearing long, sour
faces. To him nature had a smiling
face. As he read the Christian relig-
ion, it erjoined cheerfulness. And he
believed God made the human soul to
be happy, and even mirthful at times.
And so, he believed in fun, in innocent