Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-03-29
SOUE LAST WORDS.

ia AAeAxA0AA6 w OAao :" AAO A0 10V W He
To the Congregation Of the First Methodist
Episcopal Church, which is at New Ha-
ven, greeting:
wish to convey to you few words of ad
vice and solemn warning, trusting that they
will not be disregarded.
Once none in all this goodly town had
loftier aims than I; none aspired higher.
Far above trees and towers was uplifted,
delighting in my proud position as overseer
of all the city's affairs. Trade, learning,
wealth, beauty, fashion, tossing elms, bird
flights, student pranks, pomp of military
and civic display; all these and more I
looked down upon, mute but interested OBJ
server. I vibrated at midnight to the clang
of alarm bells, or thrilled with joy when
church bells rang out their call to the faith
full on quiet Sabbath mornings.
Many admired me, few criticised me, and
those who had known me longest loved me
best; they spoke of me with affection, claim
ing me as their own; yea, many who had
known more years than I looked up to me
with reverence. And now they grieve for
me, they Sigh outflow are the mighty
fallenl" and they almost fear that with me
have passed away "the good old times"
dearer rar than any coming days can be.
For I have fallen from my high estate.
Position. power, pride, all are gone-gonel
And the place that once knew me knows me
no more. They lost faith in my stability,
they thought me source of peril to life and
| limb; they regretted the unpleasant task,
but they dragged me earthward to my ruin,
| and went down to their houses, as they
| thought, justified.
But frst they bound me. How soorned
the indignity! Samson like, I could have
| burst those puny bands and dashed myself
| downward to wreck and ruin the Philistines,
but that would not do, I, who brooded over
the doves when they had aocked to their
| windows, and watched the nesting robins in
| the elms.
| It is not true that I leaned toward Congre-
| gationalism. Yale Theological seminary has
Its attractions doubt not, but was not in.
husnced by them. I was somewhat drawn
| toward medicine, was timidly inclined tC
surgery, and felt just little bias toward the
superior style of sacred music that foated
up to me from the churches on the green
bat l was still IN every fibre of my being
| Methodist.
| A Methodist may fall from grace-alas
I have fallen, but the disgrace is not mine.
| I had neighbor once with whom I ex-
changed daily greetings and observations
l on education, city governme ent and religion
and although in everything he was my ops
posite, We were excellent friends. Ny views
were lofty, but narrow; his were broad and
generous. He had been very hospitable In
his better days, entertaining statesmen, war
riors and patriots. Once, but that was before
my time, he had even taken to his heart q
large congregation of homeless Methodists.
During the civil war we were prominent
members of the Home guard, sharing in all
the excitement of those troubled times, but
prevented by the rigidity of our anatomy
from taking an active part in the conflict
| But what sights we saw; what words we
heard; what joy We felt in victory, what
anguish in defeat!
And now he is gone! /, unhappy one, waf
forced to witness his degradation, his long
torture of demolition; had even to see his
mangled remains carted away to serve al
stepping stones, or to be pulverized into
white sugar. For myself, with my aspiring
nature, it is some consolation to know that
shall yet mount upward in tapering points o.
fame.
Now the causes of our downfall were tn,
same. Both suffered from neglect; thu
neglect of our friends. He suffered visibly
and 80 made many enemies among those wht
take only surface views, but was fair ant
stately almost to the last. His faults wer.
exterior; mine wered hidden and unsuspect
ed. As soon as begaE to swerve from
direct line my weakness was discovered, bu
alas! All too late. There was no help fol
me, no bringing me back into the way o
the upright, 80 with much labor and expense
; was cast down and utterly destroyed.
!, What would ask of you is this: 1. d.
not neglect your friends. Watch over them
help them always. If they are weak, offer
friendly brace; If they waver, prop them up
Do it at once, or you may find to your life
long sorrow that the time for strengtheninl
them is past, and all your loving care avail
eth nothing. To be of real service, ali
should be timely; guard. faithfully then th
happiness, the welfare of your friends.
|, 2. Do not wait for your friends to he'll
you; be your own helpers. Trust not to
much to others as have done, for it is i
your power to fortify yourselves, to keep tn
straight course, to discover the hidden dan
ger. Swerve not to the right or leftl Loo
/, upwardl
These are my last words. was once
Your CHURCH STEEPLE.
New Haven, March 18, 1890.