Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-12-21
A USEFUL LIFE.
Funeral Sermon of Rev. Dr. Apple over
the Late DIR. Higbee.

ulBDec nns niucn oi lNsunR lntercst huu -
here published with few passages omitted:
2Cor. v. Z. "For we know that II the earthly
house OF our tnbernacle,' lor bodily frnmcl DE
dissolved, we have building from Coda house
not made with hands, eternal In the heavens
The hope OF a future life for man after
the dissolution Of tho body, Is ingrained In
our very nature, and IL has been guiding
| light for the present earthly existence IN
all ages and among all people. whether
| we attribute 1t 10 the deepest spiritual IN
| tuitions of our nature, or 10 the surviving
tradition ofa primitive religion, or both
| combined, the fact remains that In all re-
| ligiops tho hope OF Immortality has ever
| pointed man TO an order OF existence be-
| yond tho present.
1t is rs q very intimate and warmly at
| tached friend OF the deceased that at
tempt to voice the general sentiment, IN
| poor and feeble words, In regard 10 his life
| and life-work. would utter no fulsome
| eulogy on an occasion like this when stand
| ing in the presence of death, for know 1t
| would not be the wish of him whose re-
| fined, sensitive nature would shrink from
any such display. There Is such an ideal
| in the life Of every ono and we estimate
| his life by the care and diligence with
which he seeks TO reach II, even though
| there are imperfectioiis and shortcomings
| In every ono of US in this effort and strug-
gle.
DIR. Hlgbee possessed combination OF
more than ordinary intellectual endowment
on the one hand, and ON tho other strong
| idealizng power which verged towards
| the poetic. His intellectual powers were
| cultivated to the highest degree by.
| thorough classical education and contin-
| uous hard study during his maturer life.
| His intellectual attainments were more
| varied and universal than in the case OF
| most scholars. lie was fine mathemati-
| clan, having mastered its most intricate
| abstract departments in the highest
| branches, and ho was also superior lin
| guist, being entirely at homo In the Latin
| and Greek classics, while he also cultivated
the natural sciences, weaving around his
! study of nature the finest artistic concep-
| tions.
This idealizing power IL was that deyel-
| oped in him an Intensity In reaching ailor
| the highest perfection In whatever occupied
| his attention. Along with this there was
| an enthusiasm that made him whole souled
| in all his work, and communicated itself
to the students during the period of his
| life in which he occupied the professors
chair His students readily caught the en-
| thusasm of his own nature, became
| attached to him as their teacher personally
| and at the same time imbibed an enthIsi-
| asic interestin their studies.
With his broad, philosophic grasp he at
once saw that the highest ideal of education
Is not inconsistent with its usefulness, its
| practical importance. In his mind educa-
tion, whether in its higher or lower order,
own exceeding great reward, because it had
to do with the training of immortal souls.
| Above all its earthly uses, which he was
quick to realize and encourage, he never
theloss always held up the education of the
| man. the formation of character, as first and
foremost a good h. itself. above the value
of silver and gold. In this view he grasped
clearly the harmony between education in
its rudimentary forms and its higher form :
in the college and university. They are
| in no sense antagonstic; the one IL simply
| the completion of the other.
DR.. IIigbee performed well the duties OF
his Office. His mastery ability and dill.
gence were seen in all his work. His ster.
ling integrity could not imagine much less
tolerate, any want of honesty in admins
tering the interest of the schools of the
| state, so far as he was able to reach them
| in his supervision.
| But ii was in his character rs ministe,
| of the gospel, both in the Office of pastor
and professor, that his spiritual energies
received their highest exercise. He re
ceivcd the mysteries of grace in humble
| child-like faith, and gave them most effect
i've utterance, whether in the pulpit or il
the professors chair. lie was a speaker o
rare ability, and he was able to eectrf,
his hearers by his incisive, well chosel
words, and by that rare combination o
profound thought and beautiful imagery
There was no boisterous defamation II
| his oratory. From the first words he ut
tered every one fot that he was listening
to one who was master of his subject, ant
that he could not only satisfy the intellect
but also warm the heart
The disparity which he saw between hi
own ideals and their imperfect realization
in our human life and in the movement
| of history, often led him to take u despond
ing view of things. II is so with ever
| prorouud thinker. but especiallv one piftet
, | with lively imagination. Whatever @
good is actualized in their own lives an,
in the movements of history, they see We
far higher ideals that ought 10 be realized
and over the failure 20 realize them the,
, | lament. Such discomfort il praiseworthy v
, | Tho highest genius is often the most de
spondent OF men, restless and dssatisfe
until he has reached his ideal, and this,
au artist, he does realize in his own reall
J | of true art The poets are the sccrs, VIII
in this respect correspond to the prophet
: | of revelation. | emphasize this point, he
cause his nearest friends saw and kney
this artistic tendency, this idealizing powe
in DR.. Higbee, which explained much il
his utterances and in his life that Other
wise could not be properly appreciated.
t There is an ideal for the believer il
| Christ which Is never actualized in thi
, | life, because of the iniirmity of the physica
| constellation and the evil -purirnurr,n mt N
the world: but as death releases the sou
from these impedments to the higher life
: we may believe that this ideal becomes nc
| tualzed after death. The soul princpleC
, | in love, then unfolds its powers In the uey
and better environment, and reaches on
with better promise of success to that per
lection which Is to be fully attained i'm TN
final state in Heaven, The process of edu
cation does not stop at death, but il goe
| forward until tho whole kingdom of rirht
eouspess and glory shall be finally ushere