Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-24
FUNERAL eF MIR. KELSEY.

A Large Attendance at West Haven
 Congregational Church Yesterday
 Afternoon - SoleEan Services = Re-
 marks by Rev. MT. Squ1res.
 The funeral of George R. Kelsey took place yesterday afternoon at o'clock from the Congregational church, West Haven. with
 which deceased had been for many years prominently identified. It was day of sad interest in the borough, leading townsman being borne to the silent tomb after years of suffering. There was large attendance Of sorrowing friends included among whom were many from this city and adjacent towns. The Rev. MT. Squires oficiated. Upon the pulpit stood splendid tall calla lily plant In full blossom. There were two beautiful floral pillows at either end of the casket. On one was inscribed, "Rest;" on the other, "Our employer. After reading from the Scrip ture appropriate to the sad hour and the Christians hope of a bright immortality be-
 yond the grave, the choir sang finely a selec- tion, Miss Charles Graham. singing the solo very feelingly and expressiveiy. The pastor then made an address beftting the solemn hour and the deep loss sustained by the township. He said, after six or seven years of suffering, our brother ceased to suffer. If there is light this afternoon, comes across this dark shadow, it is that this patient sufferer has now ceased to suffer; that he is at rest and rests well. Indeed, why should we mourn when pill grim has laid down his staff and finished his pilgrimage to receive 8 crown, or when the soldier lays aside his sword and uniform and
 enters into his commanders presence and is
 crowned with the insignia of victory. It was
 certainly wondrous vitality that enabled our
 brother to resist so long the inroads of dis- esse, which he suffered so many years. The yieor of his physical and mental resources must have been inherited from 8 godly ancestry. He found delight in business. He was fertile in resources, conducting
 his large business even from the narrow con- fines of his sick room. Many would have given up years before and sunk into the grave, Not so with our friend and neigh
 Dor. He bravely fought disease all the way throuoh. trusting in God and persistently
 holding on to life, because he loved to live
 and loved to work. Our friend was success fuI. vet never elated because of success; nor
 was he crushed by disappointments. He
 was, it seemed to me, humble man, not above the men he employed, but associated
 with them and was never above the conditions of toll from which he rose. One of the noblest
 traits of our American character, and man. hood, is that we have 90 many men success. ful to-day, coming out of the same great class, coming from our old New England homes, who admire honor, put their trust in God and labor for the best interests of man. kind. No doubt our brother filled large place in our community. Our people went I to him willingly and freely for advice, help and counsel in public and personal affairs. No one who knew him but knew that in wonder home WAS an example of fortitude and patience which seldom see, and from all of us went out deep sympathy for him.
 Mr. Squire's now alluded in passing to MT. Kelseyis prominence in business activities, and proceeding said: but it is not my puz- pose to detail a career which IS so well known to you all, spoke of him as Chris tian. It was the crowniug act of his life when he associated himself with the church of God, and here he was active in the church, in the prayer meeting, in the Sunday school in the singing and is an official. The pastor further paid tribute to MT. Kelsey's Chris tian character, to his fortitude in suffering. Earthly things were of little moment com pared with the eternal. To-day we forget his faults, for who has not fault and we reverence his virtues. He is gone. The sun shines to-day just as brightly in the heavens. The busy tide of human events
 rolls on, but our brother will not be forgot
 ten. And let us fondly hope that this man
 who fought disease so bravely lives in the
 sunshine of his makers presence. It cannot
 be that his spirit sleeps. God has taken that
 
 ten that the body returns to dust and the spirit to the God who gavea So we trust
 and believe that this spirit has heard from
 it's lord: "Well done good and faithful ser-
 want; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" The choir sweetly sang "Asleep in Jesus, ''
 after which upon announcement from MT.
 Keller, the undertaken, the assemblage viewed
 for the last time the lineaments of the sleep
 CT. The bearers were: Senator James Gra-
 ham and Superintendent w. w. Ward repre-
 senting the horse railroad company, of which
 the deceased was president, Jarvis Kelsey representing the church, F. N. Stevens and Marshall Bassett representing the Cartridge company, and John E. Smith, an old friend, who represented business men of Waterbury.
 The interment was in Oak Grove cemetery. Among others present at the church were: Daniel Trowbridge, D. Goffe Phillips, Deacon Lewis Fitch, Samuel Stevens. l. N. Graham of this city, and Lawyer 0. K. Bush, Don 5. Thompson, Clarence E. Thompson and E. A. Ray of West Haven.