The Portland daily press., 1895-05-21
NO COMMONPLACE EUoLeX
A Wife's Public Tribute to Her Dead Hus
band Over His Grave.

The following unusual, not to say re-
markable, funeral oration was recently
pronunced by Mrs. Turner over the body
of her husband, the Hon. Isaac M. Tur-
ner of Grand Rapids, Mich. who died of
consumption after lingering illness.
There were no other funeral exercises:
81 feel that I must say word here
above the bier of my dead hero, for all
that is best in life / owe to him. While
living he was for all, but, being dead, he
is mine alone. Then would speak for
many of you here were frinds of his,
| and, through him only, friends OF mine.
"You who knew him in his profession
al or public life, knew him to love and
esteem, l know from your presence here;
| but / think that it must have been taat
he was at his hest in his private life. In
his home, with his friends, in his libra
ry, was certainly where he found life's
fullest meaning and highest enjoyment.
| And if in public life he ever found 1t
necessary to he stern or appear harsh yet
| it was his nature to be kind and gentle;
for he was ever lover of little children,
lover and protector OF all domestic
pets, lover of flowers and forests, and
of that gentle mystic mood OF nature of
which his favorite poets sang 40 elO-
quently. Perhaps he did not possess the
technicalities of exact scholarship, yet
he was profound student in many de-
partments of research; he was familiar
with the wide sweep and tendencies of
history, as we'll as with its more partlcu-
lar phases. He was a lover OF the litera-
ture of all ages and nations. 1t was
maxim with him that in knowledge OF
universal literature was to be found the
widest culture.
His Anglo-Saxon blood made him
fearless lover of the truth, and fearless
advocate of the rights of the individual.
With him the human soul in its full
integrity should acknowledge no author
ity either to Church or State, except in
deed in so far as had been mutually
agreed upon for the good OF all. Yet,
claiming this pre-sninent position for
himself, you would not find man more
modest and more considerate for others.
His life was cast upon generous
mould, his love and sympathy were as
wide as humanity. bis interest as wide
found in him true friend and helper,
and he WAS the peer of many upon their
own more limited platform.
He was made of the stuff from which
heroes are made. 1t was ever his lot to
struggle, it was his to endure, and it
was his to attain. To struggle, to en-
dure, to attain: that makes the cycle OF
though his forty-three years seemed all
| too sho
During the fifteen years of our we'd
ded life there has never been a winter
nor a summer gone by, but at the turn
| ing of the seasons l have heard the rust
ling of the robes of the angel OF death.
| The shadow of her wing has been over
US at all times. There has never been n
fond ambition for this worlds fair pros
poets but has been gently snrouded on
her breast. My sorrow is great, but it is
without bitterness, except in so far as
| contrition and remorse will come with
the recollection that might have been
more tender and loving to one whose life
was SO unequally matched with fate.
cannot stand here above the wreck
of so much promise and say that ! be-
lieve that it is the will OF Providence,
| for / do not. God does not will such
heartbreaking things. / can take no
comfort in the platitude that the mys-
teries of Providence are past human un-
derstanding. Humanity itself has been
intrusted with the high problem of
working out it's own salvation, and it is
humanity's part TO see that such incon-
solable things do not happen. Human
ity, by investigation,f fresearch, and effort
must fulfil the destiny stamped upon it's
brow. To base my faith upon the postu-
late that somewhere at some time in the
universe this must be compensated is an
unsubstantial position. for there is no
compensation. There can be none, ex-
cept in SO far as human effort can pre-
vent the happening of such untimely oo-
currences.
"Rut weep not for him, for all has
ended in peace; weep for me and for
mine. If you will; but weep not for him,
for his life went out upon triumphant
lines. No imperial guard ever died at
his post OF duty more nobly than did orr
hero, and pray that his life may still
be hope and inspiration to me, and not
mere memory, however sweet and
sacred that will always be. Weep not for
him. Chant no funeral dirge. Let no
minor strains of woe accompany the
flight OF his spirit. We will not say dust
TO DUST and ashes to ashes, but life to life
and spirit to spirit. Weep not for him.
for say his life has gone out upon trl-
I'M nh nt i N".