Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-02-05

send word down to DR.. Trumbull asking
public prayers in his church for their re-
In view Of the near approach of the ami
further consideration Of incidents in DR..
Trumbulls career will be postponed for the
present and some account be given here of
the closing days of his life.
He preached for the last time on Sunday,
January %, 1920, from the text Cat the after
noon service) "There remaineth therefore a
rest for the people Of God" A writer in the
Christian Spectator In the following March
speaks of him on this occasion as preaching
with more than his usual animation and fer
vor, go much increased a. to call forth gen.
eral remark from his audience. On this
occasion he also gave out two Of his favorite
and closing one being "On Jordan's rugged
banks stand"
The reading of this hymn Except the bene-
diction) was the last pulpit utterance he was
to make. There is living to-day one (per-
haps more) of his audience that aftesnoon,
who recall distinctly through all the seventy
years that have interviewed, the impressive
manner in which the latter hymn was read.
Reaching the familiar line, "when ehall
reach that happy place." the venerable man
laid marked emphasis on the pronoun the
while lifting his tear filled eyes to the lofty
ceiling; his audience noted q pause in the
delivery; for an instant the reader uncon-
sciously bent forward, his eyes still fixed as
though the roof had suddenly dissolved, and
beyond in the heavens he caught one feeting
glimpse of the long desire of his soul. A
solemn hush fell on the assemblage. A
strange expression came az q flash upon the
wrinkled face as he repeated again the line,
''when shall reach, the happy place." and
then in subdued voice finished the hymn.
This singular circumstance, in the light of
succeeding events, was deemed providentisl.
He is no where credited by his biographers
with any allusion to 1t, yet none the less It
occurred and may have been the summons to
his death. It would seem as If he so regard
ed. He was taken Ill on the Tuesday follow
ing, the disease rapidly developing into in
Aammation of the lungs. From that time he
began to make preparation for his departure.
The elder Silliman visited and thus writes of
him: IT then heard him speak to this eff
feet: i have always rendered my God-I
have never forgotten HMM my study-in
my family-in my rural labors-on the field
of battle; and doubt not He will support
me in my old age and in DEATH" Noble
wordsl Filter epitaph was never written.
Another writer in The Spectator observes:
"He talked freely about his death and gave
directions concerning his funeral"
Sprague says in his annals: sit now be-
came deeply impressed upon his mind that
the time of his departure was at hand, and
he proceeded to make his arrangements with
reference to that event. On Wednesday,
February 2, 1920, he gently breathed his
last, just after having said: Come quickly.
Amen.'"
Thus closed the days of one who added
honor to his birthplace, godliness to his par
ish, renown to his country and lustre to the
name of Trumbull. The half of his public
service remains yet untold. To his church
in its weakness, to his parish in it's destitu-
ton, to his land in its distress in the hour OF
the revolution, he was strength, support and
relief. Among his fellows he was the peer
of them all, and well was it said at the day
of his death, 'Know ye not that there is q
prince and great man fallen this day in
Israel"
SuEr.DON r THORPE