Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-11-29
AN IMPRESSIVE OCCASION.

Bridgeport and Rev. Dr. TvvitchelI
of This City.
The funeral services Of the late Mrs.
Rebecca Wheelock Hart, wife of the Rev.
Dr.. D. Burdett Hart, were held at II
o'clock yesterday morning at her late
residence, 26 Ferry street. The house was
filled with Borrowing friends. Rev. DIR.
Phillips of the Church of the Redeemer
read the scriptures, after which @. J.
Bushnell rendered most finely the beauti-
full selection "One Sweetly Solemn
Thought" Rev. DR.. Charles Ray Palmer
of Bridgeport then delivered most feel
ing end appropriate address, which is
given in full below. Miss Hettie Bradley
of the English Glee club of New York sang
in very touching manner favorite song
of Mrs. Harris, "Asleep in Jesus"
Following beautiful words of sympathy
and consolation were given by Rev. Dr..
Twitchell of Dwight Place church, this
city, which will be found below.
The song, "Jesus Lover of My SOUP
was then sung by Miss Hettie Bradley;
following which prayer was offered by
Rev. I. G. Meserve of this city. The song
~ Know that My Redeemer Liveth," was
then given by Mr.. Bushnell. The bene-
diction was then pronounced.
The interment was in the Fair Haven
cemetery. The bearers were: Deacon,
Willis Hemingway; deacon, R. G. Smith:
George 81. Townsend, G. S Bushnell, j julius
@. Gable and L. S. Ludington, all friends
of the deceased.
ADDRESS BY DR.. PALMER OF BRIDGEPORT
A beautiful and useful life has ended.
Divine wisdom planned it and divine bone
icence has accomplished 1t to the last de-
tail. 1t is finished. The earth claims it's
own, the mortal frame; heaven receives its
own, the Rloriaed spirit. We are here for
few moments devoutly and tenderly to
consider what has befallen. What shall
We say one to another7 On the earthward
side of it such an event is Enthusiastically
sorrowful. We cannot make 1t anything
else. We say, she is lovely in death, but
death Is not lovely. We say the suffering
she bore 30 patiently is over, but our
hearts ask why she WAS not spared it. We
say she is better of, but we are not better
of without her. We say che has left a
fragrant memory, but che has gone from
Aos ooV VI eu0 AOu4o 6uS RrACSO nag de-
parted sweetness that can never be re-
newed, brightness that can never be re-
stored, helpful presence that can never
be replaced. The loss we have sustained
no words can mitigate. 1t ia painful and
an abiding reality.
But this earthward aspect of an ended
life like this, so easy to see, 80 distressing
to contemplate, is precisely that from
which Christian faith bids MS look away.
To dwell upon it is to confine our view
within limits which are too narrow, with
in a range which is too short. The higher
one is lifted up from the earth the farther
one can see, but the objects which are
nearest to him grow smaller and smaller
in the same proportion that his outlook is
extended and expanded. So, an elevated
naind, directed toward the eternal world,
sees the precious experiences of this world
in altered relations. They grow insigni6-
can't in comparison with those qrander and
more permanent realities which have been
disclosed. "A life on the earth has ended ives.
but life in heaven has begun. A place
on earth has been vacated; yes, but a high
er place-a place in the house of our father
lis filled. Endeared relations have ceased.
but the bonds which created them are un-
broken. Love never faileth. Useful
services, diffusing benefoence on every
side, are suspended; but because the faith
full servant has been promoted into a
sphere that is far wider, into the exercise
of powers that are far greater, into the
consciousness of work to be done, far more
commensurate with her aspirations. We
miss the light of her smile and the sound
OF her voice and the inspiration of her
cheerful courage, but it is because she has
been called into associations more exalted,
into the fellowship of the gloriie /,
into the blessedness of the saints in
light. This world seems emptier, cold
or and drearier that 90 rich a nature.
that 80 warm a heart, so radi-
ant character, has been withdrawn
from it; and henceforth all that she was,
and all that in the measure of our religion
the beati6e grace of God has made her,
will be just SO much added to the attrac-
tons of that brighter and fairer world be-
yond the vail, toward which we are advanc-
ing in an unresisted march. Hearts throb
and ache with sorrow hero, but yonder a
multitude no man can number bear witness
she has come where hearts ache nevermore
and God hath wiped away all tears.
We have the greater reason to felicitats
our dear friend who has passed on into the
other life, when we remember with what
Kind of service her earthly days have been
filed. The life of a Christian woman is
full of opportunities If she worthily sus-
tanned the relations of daughter sister,
wife and mother, she serves her generation
amply and purchases for herself a good
degree. 1t is my deliberate opinion that
of all stations in the world as we know it,
none gives cultured and loving woman
a larger sphere of usefulness, or a larger
variety of opportunities to serve, than does
that to which Mrs. Hart was called when
she became a pastors wife Had she,
with her intellect and spiritual en-
dowments, with her magnificent en-
ergy and with her warmth and
depth of heart, never transcribed the nat
ursl limits of this sphere, had she been no
more than wife, mother, and the mistress
OF the manse, she would have wrought a
noble work, she would have won shining
crown, and about her bier to-day we might
envy her recompense and catch the echoes
OF the joyful welcome with which heaven
received her. Her husband would praise
her, and her children call her blessed, and
multitudes in the churches that have
known her would hallow her memory and
perpetuate her influence. But I think
with wonder today of what she was en-
abled to add to all this; all the wide
reaching. far-ramifying work she did as an
organizer, promoter of missionary So
c1etles in that department of missi 9nary
enterprise we call woman's work for
women. 1t is beginning to be recognized
on both sides of the sea, in Christian and
heather lands, what an immense force was
called into operation when this work was
initiated; what undeveloped .potencies
there are now, of which this work has
the existence; how mighty
TACT In the worlds evangelization the work
10 likely to become; aud 1t does not task
the memory of some of us to recall it's
beginnings, and to remember how eoutyo-
cal, to say the least, was the encourage
ment they received. 1t would be most
ungenerous to deny our meet praise to
every one of the pioneers of the woman's
boards OF missions, or to claim for any
one OF them crown to which SO many
were entitled; but among them all, them
selves being judges, I feel sure that few
could be mentioned to whom, in Gods
providence, it fell to bear a more import
ant part or to exert a more efficient infiu-
ence In setting this grand work in motion,
and in enlisting Christian women in co.
operative effort in it's behalf. As, in turn
The president of the Philadelphia branch, |
and the president of the New Haven /
branch, and as vice president of the |
board, she has given to the cause |
IN amount of service not to be measured. |
she has written her name indelibly in the |
lls1ory OF ner Time, and set in motion in- |
iuences which have been felt around the
globe.
But this great usefulness was purchased
1t no little cost, it may be said-with the
sacrifice of much that many women value,
With an outlay of strength which has en-
'alled suffering upon herself and self-denial
lpon her family, which has perhaps shortened
ier IRE; Supposlng for moment that this be |
rue Shall we say It was too much that she gave
Q the service Of the king? She seized the oppc :
uIl which offered By the force of her in