The record-union., 1892-01-27
THE LATE C. 7. WHEELER.
Remarks by the Rev, J. B, SIcox at
the Funeral.
just Tribute to the transformations but
Noble Character of the Deceased
His Deeds of Charity.

marks made by Rev. j. B. Silcox, pastor
ofthe Congregational Church, at the re-
cent funeral Of Cyrus T. Wheeler:
Let me ask you, said the preacher, to
consider for few moments words which
think are especially applicable to this
occasion, found in the sixth chapter OF
he Book of Micah eighth verse: lie
hath showed thee, o man, what IS good,
and what doth the Lord require OF thee
put to do justly, and, TO love mercy, and
% walk humbly with thy God"
Religion, as it is found in the Bible, IS
eminentIy reasonable. The demands
hat our Creator makes on us are neither
arbitrary nor exacting. We are placed
here in this world for little time. We
we're not asked TO be born; we viii not
De asked to die. We are placed here In
his world for time. We stand IN Ger
ain relations to our brOther-man. w e
stand in certain relations to our father
iod. There are duties that we owe to
Jod and duties that we owe to our fellow
men. The requirements OF religion are
3impIe. We are to render to God rever-
ence, and worship and affection. We are
render 10 our fellowmen respect,
Justice, mercy and affection. This is the
sum and substance and essence OF reIlg-
ON. What doth the Lord require Of you
3ut to do justly, TO love mercy and to
walk humbly with thy God? Our reason
and judgment assents to this. 1t IS re-
luired of us simply this: That we strive
% live in harmonious relations with our
Maker, and also that we strive to
i've in harmonious relation with our
.eliOwmen. The only reasonable rela-
.ionship that can exist between man and
lis Maker is that of love. 1t is reason
able that man should love and obey his
Maker, just as it is that a child should
love and reverence and obey its parents.
For the feelings that God entertains to-
ward each of us are the feelings that a
wise father, that loving mother enter
ain toward their children, and just as a
WISE loving father or mother is impartial
n their love and treatment Of their chill
Iren, so the great Father above is impair
-ial in His love toward His fellow crea-
cures. He is no respector OF persons.
We may not love Him, but His love re-
mains unchanged toward US.
Jesus Christ was a teacher Of religion.
he taught religion by his life and by his
lips he taught that mans Maker was a
wise and loving father who desires good
and who does good toward his children.
religion as it was taught by Christ IS eX-
-eedly simple and reasonable. He taught
is 30 call God "Our Father who art in
Heaven; and all that is implied in
Father is in God, our Father. He taught
IS to believe that this world was under
he government Of love. Love rules in
heaven and love rules on earth. Love
rave US our being, love keeps us IN being,
and love welcomes us when we go hence.
We 60 in the presence Of love when we
70 in the presence Of God. Jesus sums
up the whole Of religion in one sentence:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
al thy heart and thou shalt love thy
leighbOr as myself"
That condensed statement of religion
corresponds with our text. what doth
The Lord require of thee but to do Justly,
20 love mercy, and to walk humblY with
by God" This one sentence contains
the essence and soul of true religion. II
strikes the intellect and conscience favor
ably. It harmonizes with our highest con
;eptiOns of duty and goodness. 1t out
ines the elements Of character that make
81 Symmetrical full-Orbed manhood. 1t is
founded on reason, il IS based on right.
All that is highest in our nature declares
hat it would be well for all men to do
Justly, to love mercy, and to walk hum
ply with God. My brothers, the whole
Of religion is in that sentence, for what
doth the Lord require Of you but to do
Justly and to love mercy? Everything
s in it-reverence, justice, mercy, love,
worship, morality, spirituality. Religion
seeks to bring man into harmonious rela-
ion with his fellOWmen, as it also seeks to
brings him in right relation with his God.
The coming of Christ on the earth was
that there might bel good will toward man.
Religion begins on the human side. 1t
hrows its great emphasis on the duties
hat we owe one another. St. James de-
clares that the entire law is fulfilled in one
word: Thou shalt love thy neighbOr."
elsewhere he says that: Pure religion
and undetiled before God and the Father
IS this, to visit the fatherless and widows
n their atfliction, and to keep ourselves
rInspotted from the world" 1t is the
human side that is emphasized. There is
a passage in Jeremiah that presents this
ruth with force and beauty. We are apt
10 overlook 1t, because we get religion
5angled up with creeds and churches and
modes of worship.
HE judged the cause of the poor and
needy. Then it was well with him. Was
not this to know me?'' saith the Lord.
The best evidence that man knew God,
the best evidence that the man was in
sympathy with God, was the fact that he
showed sympathy and extended help to
his fellOwmen in need. And this har-
monies with the teaching of religion.
che disciple who lived nearest to Christ,
and best knew Him, said: "Whoso hath
this worlds goods and seeth his brethren
in need and shutteth up his heart Of COM
passion, how dwelleth the love of God in
hin? He that loved not his brother,
whom he hath seen, how can he love God,
whom he hath not seen 20
These traits Of human kindness toward
men are everywhere commended in the
Bible, and are held up as the highest
proofs Of religion. 1t is the character the
Savior commended in the good Samari-
ian, because the good Samaritan showed
kindness and helpfulness toward a man
IN need. All through the Saviors teach
IngS we find that he emphasized the hui
man side Of religion. In the picture of
Judgment that our Savior drew, He told
us very clearly who would be on the right
hand welcomed Of the father. 1t was
men who had showed kindness to their
tellowmen. 81 was thirsty, and We gave
me drink; l was hungry, and We fed me;
was naked, and ye clothed me. mas
much as We have done it to one of the
least Of these, my brethren, We have done
il unto Me" Christ said they would be
welcomed because Of the humanity of
heir feeling, thought and action.
DO justice and love mercy 1 select
this passage because l think it applies
cry specially TO the character and life of
our brother and citizen whom we will Law
s.way in the grave to-day. The best trib-
ate Of esteem and affection, the most elo-
uuent tribute that could be paid him. is
this large gathering Of citizens at his
crave. j regret exceedingly that nv per-
Sonal knowledge of him does not enable
me to speak OF HIM as he should be spoken
Of. 1t seems that some one should stand
here and give voice to your feelings of
esteem, of respect and Of affection. This
we know of him, can say of him
truly, that in his life among us for all
these years he was man VINO did Justly.
lie loved mercy. Those who have had
business dealings with him viii testify,
IS have heard many private citizens do
in conversation, to his honest and
honorable career. He was just and fair
in his dealings with his fellow-men, re-
tusing to take advantage Of mems weak
uesses. This element of honesty. Of hon
orableness, of justice, of fairness. Of
truth, lies at the foundation of all manly