The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-18
MRS. st. John smith.

While it was thought best that no extend
ed remarks should be made at the funeral
service Of Mrs. st. John Smith on Friday
last, 1t was yet felt that something more was
demanded than apassing mention Of her 60
ing from US, and several of her friends have
requested me-not so much because l
chaneed to represent the church which for
several years she attended as because l also
knew and revered her-to write something
concerning her. Indeed it seems not unfit
ing that a few words should be publicly set
forth In commemoration OF a noble wom-
an. Though her life was wholly the life Of
private individual, though she was the
very last person In the world to wish for any
sort of publicity, though her large and gem
erous gifts were given with a kind Of royal
disregard Of their munifcenee, yet today Is
it not dimly recognized that in the death OF
Mrs. Smith Portland loses one Of her finest
and best citizens. Like "the church that
makes Sunday where 1t stands" this
strong. vigorous personality, this living en-
bodiment Of goodness, has stood for many
long years for the JOY and high encourage
ment Of hundreds and hundreds of our peO-
pie, many Of whom will find their lives much
less bright for her vanished presence.
one that made itself felt wherever she
went. She had a wonderful vigor and fresh
ness Of speech that carried life into any con-
versation In which she took part, like a
breath Of clear, good air suddenly brought
into heated room. You felttha she spoke
from her heart and from her mind. A warm,
noble heart, and a mind remarkably acute
and keen. Yet with all this vigor and alert
ness Of thought and speech, do not think
that she was ever unkind. or that she often
made enemies. There was such "a soul Of
goodness back OF all the brightness and
keenness OF her thrust, she was felt so dis
tinctly to be on the side Of all truth and
righteousness that those who knew her best
| placed great faith In her prompt decision and
| clear judgment. In the church, In society,
| in the work OF organized charities, 1t was
| not merely the money which she gave so
generously that lent her power; 1t was the
large wisdom Of her benevolence, and the
| sweet beneyolence of her wisdom which ere
/ ated that spiritual authority which forever
moves men. Doubtless she had strong pre-
iudices, strong likes and equally strong dis
/ likes. Hers was no uncertain character.
But she gave herself unreservedly, with a
| fine disinterestedness to the causes or the
friends she championed with that kind Of
large loyalty and magnanimity that belongs
to all royal souls, and to no smaller natures.
She would never have claimed that her
judgment was infallible, but 1t would be
| hard to see how wrong or cruelty or mean
ness could have stood before her, or could
have sought protection from one so full Of
| kindness and high hearted belief In the pos
sible coming Of
THAT divineIfar OF event
Towards which the whole creation moves"
In her latest years, the only years In which
had the great privilege Of knowing her,
though age, with all its infrmities, was upon
her, she never seemed old. Indeed. one
could not think Of her as old. She was al
ways so young, so eager for the larger truth,
the clearer light. She must have had rare
youtnfulness Of feeling. and she kept herself
young by doing good, by helping young peo-
pie, and those not so young; by being In vi
tai contact with the great life Of humanity,
ioyfully marking its onward course and up
ward movement, and aiding 1t not little, or
great deal, we may believe, In its ceaseless
struggle after perfection.
OF her generosity II must be said that there
was about IL something unique, personal, and
unlike that of others. liz Is commonly re.
marked in our city today that the amount OF
good she did, the amount Of help she gave &c
individuals. and public charities, and gooc
will not be known, because she hardly knew
herself what fine benefcence, what high en-
couragement were hers. She gave with
something OF the largeness Of nature itself
counting 1t as nothing that she had lifted up
some heavy burden from shoulders that were
slowly being crushed beneath its load; that
she had put fresh heart and life into some
feeble and struggling charity which else
might nave failen 10 tno RrOunu. II was ny
to Be made much of; she would not have II
marKed she was only thankful to help ny
tie. Such delicacy. such fine thoughtful
ness were hers. Surely" the readiness Is all :;
and where so many are so unwilling, are
such hinderers, she was so divinely ready
and so willing to help that she did not guess
that there was any special merit
have been richer and fuller for her tarryins
among us.are today darkened by the shadow
of her going hence, while number Of chari
table undertakings which regularly and ir
regularly counted upon her benefence, ant
did not count in vain, to which she gave 81
quietly that 1t was not always known wht
was their benefactor. must seriously suffe
from the withdrawing Of that generous hanC
which now can give no more.
loyal nature. Like most Of the stronges
minds OF our age, she had keenly felt th'
stern discipline of doubt, a solemn question
ing OF the great objects Of the religious life
and In so doing had proved to all who knew
her the truth of Tennyson's great word:
that often There lives more faith In honesl
doubt than In half the creeds." For some
natures faith Is their native element and
home it isIas natural to haye.childlike trusl
as IL Is 10 breathe, Ii was not always so tC
her. But the sound, brave heart Jett whal
the perfect honesty of her mind could nol
always affirm. In serving her Fellow men 10
such high waysin doing the Will as IL was
daily revealed to her faithful spirit the
| doctrine" must have been made plain. IN
the immortal deed is immortality ever MADE
clearer. Those who knew her best and loved
her most. are today far surer Of the eternal
yerities through the spectacle OF her stead
fastness, her simple truth and goodness.
JOHN A. BELLOWS.