The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-06
TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD
SERVICES IN MEMORY OF THE LATE
BISHOP KNICKERBACKER.
Bishop Thompson, of Mississippi,
FeelingIy RecOunts His Friends
Career.

Grace Episcopal Cathedral was crowded
last night at the memoria service in honor
of the late Bishop Knickerbacker. The adj
dress was made by Bishop Thompson, of
the Mississippi diocese. The evening prayer
was conducted by Rev. Mr.. Cathell, of Rich
mond, and Rev. Mr.. Stanley, of Terre
Haute. both of whom are young men. COM
paratively, and both have received favor
able mention as candidates for the high
honors which the convention to-day is to
confer, if it should reach a conclusion.
Bishop Thompson said that the news of
Bishop Knickerbacker's death had come up
ON him as a painful shock. 1t seemed a
very little time, he said, since he had been
a guest of the dead Bishop, and he seemed
SO strong, SO stalwart and healthy that
there was no preparation for the sad news.
but, after ALL said Bishop Thompson,
sis it not something to be thankful for that
a man should be taken in the fullness of
power and success rather than to live and
realize the slow decay of vigor; or to have
a consciousness of work done and the work
man not discharged? This is the slow twi-
light of a failing life. Taken while his
mind was yet strong and keen, there was
no cloud to dim the sunset of this splendid
mans last days. Ours is the loss
and his the gain. His was
an exceptional and most marked life. He
had all the virtue of the man who has only
| common tasks to do, but does them with
conscientious care and thus often becomes
more helpful to the race than a man with
| fame. Bishop Knickerbacker had also one
of the most complete and rounded of lives,
one to thank God for. He was SO strong,
so wholesome in all his influence. His
strength was without noise. He had a
grip on things that ought to be done, and
he did them with success. And withal he
was endowed with rare grace of mind and
person. His modesty was a virtue that
| crowned his powers. 1t was with him as
with all great souls, that he would some
times retire within himself in the sacred
halls of loneliness, a shelter as it were,
from the storms and stress of life, and
there he could say, Il am alone and yet |
was the life the Lord gave to your Bishop"
Bishop Thompson then required to the
birth and early life of his late colleague.
| Born, he said, to an honorable family name,
to a good estate, his early environment
was the noble patriotic influences of
iron, he said, in the old Netherland blood
that flowed in his veins, and gave him man
| illness, steadfastness and vaior.
1T is said that the education of a child
| should begin a hundred years before it is
born, but blessed is the man whose educa-
ton began further back than that" the
| speaker continued. THE world has become
| accustomed to sneering at the pretensions
of long descent. The French revolution
1 SIdfIGQ the WORTH DIT lulS pIdCllc6 anu We
have more or less followed the precept; but
now it is a matter of scientific authority
| that the child s education should begin with
l his forefathers. The world is coming now
to understand that the child is the son of
the grandfather as well as of the father.
What he is began in forgotten grandfathers.
| Bishop Knlckerbacker must have early de-
| cided upon the ministry, and the purpose
became a fixity with the steadfastness of
his ancestry. His religious young manhood
was free from cant or pretension.' The
speaker then drew a picture of a human
type too often seen of a youth growing up
without purpose or ambition, resulting in d
failure of life.
1T sometimes happens the Bishop said,
that such a man seeks to become a min
necessary suggests that the previous life
had been a failure. Such men are always
trying for something new, and there have
been instances where they jump from
Jockey to minister. Such men are not men,
but are boys, and we may well rather give
our hearts and hopes and confidence to a
youth of sixteen intent upon the ministry
than to such men. 1t counted well for
Bishop Knickerbacker that he was trained
to meet with failure. There was no un-
certainty in his character. He knew but
one creed. 1t was his lot to, step into such
God.
1T might have been his lot to take up
the work in the many attractive towns on
the silver band of a glorious river in his
native State of New York. 1t might have
been his to begin, his work in the city of
New York. But he his soul swelled with
the words of the Savior, Go We into all the
world He became one of the Christian
pioneers of the great West and lived to
see his work" bloom with success"
The speaker recalled that after the cleo
ton of Bishop Knickerbacker he surren-
dered to him the place of the youngest
bishop, and himself moved up one seat
griniy called the dead line. AS the two
youngest bishops in point of ordination it
frequently fell to them to walk together
in the procession of bishops. Thus their
friendship became strengthened. Bishop
Thompson said that by all tests the dead
bishop had succeeded in every post. When
he came to the diocese of Indiana, a
diocese, he said, that is most trying in
some particulars upon the bishop, he
with courage by shouldering the heavy
iie ea9es a0h msn as Il Found FOE d0P him. L e nfgeF
raises him or depresses him.
Grace of orders" he exclaimed, God
from the altar before which he has felt
the laying on of hands, but without feel
fire from above for time and eternity.
The impress of hands is a form only, but
The speaker said that in bringing Bishop
Knickerbacker to this diocese God had
certainly heard a pure prayer and answered
it. He admonished the congregation to
seek wisdom in prayer, before the election
Of a bishop to-day. at the footstool OF the
eulogy of the dead bishop as a man with
ambition. not for fame or for fortune, but
for honest and useful service to God.
The Election -Da
The Episcopal convention to-day will be
largely devoted, this. morning, to religious
preparation for the chief duty of the con-
vention. There will be a service at z O'Clock
this morning ana the holy communion will
be celebrated at 1880 o'clock Bishop futile
of Missouri. who delivered the discourse al
the funeral of Bishop Knickerbacker, is
here. The convention will, this morning
hear nominations and transact other pre-.
paratory business. The clergymen and lay
members Will separate this afternoon fol-
the purpose OF organizing and voting for Q
l choice Of bishop IL the clergy unite upon .