The Portland daily press., 1896-03-04

came to Portland as youn q man and
entered as cleark into q wholesale gro
Gerry house. Here he developed at once
those native mercantile qualities for
which he has grown so conspicuous in
an unusually wide circle of business as
sociations; and by which he has reached
the first rank. His name has grown
familiar to the world of trade in these
years Of honest, upright service, regulat-
ed by a genius that is vouohsafed to few.
Our social life is in gerat part built up
on the foundation Which the leading
spirits in our mercantile life have laid.
The average man has little conception
or the cares and response bilities that en-
ter the life OF the merchant. And such
are the unusual circumstances surround
ing that life in the present age, that we
behold men rising up to meet them in
whom are developed peculiar characters
| tics to meet peculiar exigencies that fill
us with wonder and admiration. There
is the ability to compass the whole field
| of human needs ana necessities, to dis
criminate between the merely fanoied
desires of a day and the really lasting
conditions that shall hold more con-
| slant attention. There is the splendid
genius that shall know low to create out
of hitherto neglected resources, new and
| ever-growin2 values.
| This is prominently an Industrious
| age. Our leaders @are they who can di-
rect industry, controlling the labor of
large numbers of men, providing with
| reaching and wise insight tor the sup
| ply of the many demands that rise 20
naturally out Of human life. The chief
os great business house, successful
manufacturing enterprise, a prosperous
| corporation, is he who possesses peculiar
abilities for leadership. We have today
comparatively little interest, we trust a
decreasing interest in military enter
| in arfa In oil an int
sectional strife. That which we are
proud to SOC is the transferenoe of those
faculties and abilities that give to the
military leader his great success, his re-
nown, his monuments and honors, TO
the sphere of industrial strife Our
! stability as state our reputation as
free people, the safety and happiness of
our family life and religious life, all
/ these blessings Of communal existence,
depend upon the character, genius, ad
ADMINISTRATION of our generals of negoti-
alton and trade The fountain head of
| the prosperity Of city or nation, the
| seal of their usefulness, is in these clear
thinking, wisely -discriminately serious
| business men. Without their help the
| foundations of society could not stand
| for q moment.
These qualities our friend possessed in
an eminent degree. A leader in the in
dustrial life of our city, for nearly 30
y
business houss in New England: unassu-
ming in mis- conduct with his associates,
but possessed of an ability that claimed
| by natural right the admiration of all,
he has been one to increase our city's
reputation for integrity, honor, upright
ness His efforts have enlarged greatly
the standing among the cities of our
state. His enterprise has attracted hither
the attention of many.
| There is worldwide difference be-
| tween merely prosperous man and
whose prosperity comprises tho city and
citizens among whom his home is found.
Success is gratifying in itself. Success
| is glorious. when the personality of him
who succeeds shapes and directs the
growth of the community, becoming one
with it, finding best Interpretation in
| terms of common lifa ennobled Our
friends personality was an honor to our
community. He was one of the most
prominent and active supporters of the
old Mercantile Library Association when
it was in existence ana served as its pre-
sident 70 know what that association
moant at the time Its method and spirit
were SO we'll adapted to certain oondit-
ions of our oity's growth, is to under
stand much OF what is best in our life of
today. Mr. Twitcheli once held the office
of secretary to the Board of Trade. He
was member OF the Ancient Landmark
Lodge of Odd Fellows. He was mem
Der of the Cum berland Club. For many
years he had been respected and hon
ored parishoner ct this First Parish.
A resolution of the Wholesale Grocers'
and Flour Dealers Association of which
thus. SIN the death of Mr.. John @.
Twitchell, the city of Portland has lost
one. OF itsiablest business men, respect
ed citizen, a generous hearted, honest
man. As he lay in his warehouse,
crushed by the terrible fall, an old mer-
chant said with EN- otion: "The best
man on the street is there.
| But there is something besides mere
ability in this world. We admire ability,
though we cannot love 1t. The man who
finds place in the hearts of his fellow
citizens must know how to hold mon
by the power of love. By these who came
nearest to our friend, testimony is borne
to the qualities that make friendship
worth having. To know him intimately
was to love him best. One has spoken
this high word of praise: Everybody
who worked under him, liked him."
Great as is our loss as a city, no words
can express the sympathy we feel for that
family in this hour of bereavement. He
was kind and loving father and bus
band, fond of his home and that quiet,
refreshing influence that only true home
!
his domestic relations, blessed with
faithful loving wife and children. He
was fond of reading wherein he took
great pleasure. He knew the joy of a
most intimate circle of dear friends and
companions. We cannot estimate these
things. They are the foundation stones
of our social structure. We can but emu
merate them. glad to find among us those
who know their meaning, who cherish
their life-giving power, who serve as
examples Of those virtues that give
peace and stability. Here are the proofs
that life is worth living.
There are qualities in our nature that
wait for higher fulfllment. The respon-
sibility rests upon us all. Life gives us
glimpses of heaven, only when heavenly
virtues find expression here. The one
great question to ask is: "How much
Of infnity has man found in this finite
world?" And that means, how much
joy has he found doing good; how much
aspiration for righteousness: how much
devotion to truth. For goodness, truth
and love; these constitute the sphere in
which our several powers and abilities
are summoned to action.
| He who knows them truly, has already
entered upon eternal life and found the
path to heaven.