Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-03-25

the preaching since Adam can make death
other than DEATH" We may bow in sub
mission before the shocks which make us
tremble. but it is sophistry to pretend that
we always see divine meaning in the sud
den misfortunes which overwhelm us. This
we can say however, and this we will say
in the words of Job, "Though He Stay me
still will trust Him."
The man whose memory we are met TO
honor filled a large place in this commu-
nitv. He was the last person we should
have singled out as a mark for death
poisoned arrow. God screens us from the
| future. lie holds veil in mercy before
our eyes so that we may not see too far or
too much. This goes to teach us our de-
pendence. This goes TO show us how weak
we are. how much we need to lean on the
infinite strength. If you and l could see
what lies before us it might unht us Tor our
l.dailv duties. and | cannot but think it is
sovereign manifestation of WISDOM that we
do see through glass darkly.
In speaking of DIR. Draper 1 shall not at
tempt an analysis of his character nor in
dulge in the prompted eulogy thoroughly
know he merits. First because | know he
would shrink from such an attempt, and
second because l cannot trust myself. His
life speaks for him; being dead he yet speak
eth, and words can only repeat what is al
ready uttered by the mans own life
DIR. Draper was a man whose very pres
ence carried power with il. He had that
indefinable quality we call personality.
There went with him a latent influence,
strong, sunny and impressive, too subtle
for our logic, but strongly felt. In his es-
say on Character Emerson says, Il have
read that those who listened to Lord Chat
ham felt that there was something finer in
the man than anything which he said.'
So we may say of our friend there was
something about him we felt which out
runs all our words. This is what l call
character. 1t is not gift, not talent,
not genius. 1t is a divine achievement
wrought out in a life held firmly and per
sistently to the pursuit of high aims.
As a citizen DR.. Draper was deeply in
terested in the improvement and develop
ment of our state and national life. He
did not take an active part in practical pol
itics, but he stood for honesty, integrity,
and purity in the affairs of the nation.
He believed in good men, and never allow
ed his allegiance to any party to blind him
to that higher loyalty which we all owe to
truth and justice.
He loved Brattleboro with an ardent,
growing love. He said to me that not
withstanding all the associations and beau
ties of Europe he had rather live in Brat
tleboro than in any other place. He was
wide in his sympathies and rejOiced in ev-
cry improvement which added to the mate
rial, the mental, or the moral advance
ment of the village and people he loved.
He was the advocate of everything good
and helpful; the resOute, unyielding OPP
pOnent of everything evil and degrading
In his chosen profession he was mas
ter, respected by his peers, honOred by all.
He was always seeking to advance his pro-
fession, to enlarge the boundaries of knowl-
edge, to limit and overcome all hindrances
He never rested, as if the ultimate had
been reached, but steadily pursued his
studies and pOndered methods, in the hope
of enlarging his own usefulness and of
winning honor for his profession always
remembering that such results would help
to lift the burden of human pain and sor-
row.
In his views of religion he was an earn
est Unitarian and he held his belief. not
as an inherited legacy, but as a vital and
personal conviction. He was one of the
foremost supporters of this church. A de-
vout worshipper, reverent mind, seeking
always to separate the husk of tradition
from the kernel of faith and to hold that
fast. He believed character is more than
any creed, that Christian is not one who
processes this or that, but one who actual
~ lives the ChriStlike life. Since | knew
him | have seen him steadily growing in
his religious life. More and more he came
TO ma satisfaction in the religion of Jesus
lie was an untiring seeker after truth. al
ways looking for more light to break
out OF Gods unCnding word ALWAYS
ready to obey the heavenly vision and to
let slip the old when something higher was
presented. Across the threshold of his
home and private life | dare not step. OF
his personal friendship | will not speak.
Silence here is more eloquent than speech.
and words We're only a PROCLAMATION. The
tender ties of home life and the strong
| bonds of human friendship are too sacred
to be caught and reproduced in any wealth
of stammering words.
On yonder hillside there stands strong
stone tower. Every summer it lifted itself
higher and higher under DR.. Diapers
guiding hand. Now it stands there unfin-
ished, incomplete, lacking its crown. So
to us 1t seems as if his own rich life was
unfinished, incomplete, lacking its crown
OF years. But perhaps if We could see
with clearer and diviner vision, we should
discover that our judgment is at fault. and
that God counts his life as complete as if
he had lived to lay the last white stone of
character with his own hands.
Seeking in counsel with an intimate
friend to find some word that would imper-
iectly hint the spirit of this mans life,
the friend said it was "singleness of pur-
pose. The undercurrent of our brothers
life seemed always to flow in a food-tide
1t never ebbed, 1t was always onward
zone thing l do; | press toward the
mark. This gave the keynote to his life
and from this strong root of character
Sprang the qualities of his personality
which marked him off from other men and
stamped him as a unique, self-poised man
There is an old story in classical litera-
ture of stole pilot who was caught in n
Wild storm, but he stood courageousIy at
MS post, and with reverence PRAYED Tins
TO the god of the sea: Thou mayest
drown me, O Neptune, or thou mayest
save me; my part is to keep the rudder
true This was DR.. Diapers aim i'm ali
his many-sided life, and that he succeeded
nobly none who knew him can doubt
Dr' Draper would have been the last
man TO claim perfection. He recognized
ms own limitations and was ALWAYS seek
ing to grow in mind and heart. His words
were always modest, and he seemed never
To De conscious of his own power Never
theless | believe it is only Justice TO the
dead and right to the living to honor his
sterling manhood and to commend one who
has fought good fight and kept unspottod
the white banner of life. In recoonizing
ana pralslng the virtues of other men we