The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-20
AN IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL.
Charles L. Adams the Actor Buried
Yesterday.

An Eloquent and Pathetic Tribute by Rev.
kfSamueI #. Pearson to the Dead Aetor-He
Fought the Battle of Life Until Overcome
by Temptation. Serve God by Helping
His Children.
There was very impressive funeral
service over the remains of Patrick Kill
day, better known as Charles T. Adams,
the actor who committed suicide here, at
the rooms of S. S. Rich, yesterday morn
Ing. A few of those who met Mr.. Adams
during the last few weeks of his life were
present, but his family has not yet been
heard from.
The ceremony WAS mpressively con-
Quoted by Rev. Samuel f. Pearson.
After reading selections from the
Scripture Mr.. Pearson spoke briefly and
with evident emotion of the dead actor
He spoke of once bright life that had
gone out and the sad closing scenes.
Mr.. Pearson said that God only knows
through what bitter Affections Mr.
Adams passed. That he suffered greatly
there can be no doubt. One by one he
saw the fondest hopes of life perish. His
ambition to succeed had become but a
mookery, and his battle for life too bitter
for him to bear, and SO in moment of
temptation lie yielded and fought no
more.
Mr.. Pearson spoke with pathetic elo-
o,1aDca of tho 10 CT dave nf bo roor ctropd
ed actor, alone here, stranger in a city
of strangers. No wonder thai his mind
gave way at last, and that he committed
an act from which in his better moments
he would have turned with horror.
God whose love goes out to US all
knows how ne was tempted, and how he
yielded. He was all alone. Even during
the days between his attempt to take his
life and the time of his death it was
found impossible TO communicate with
his family. And yet he left near and
dear friends, and hearts will be made sad
when the news of his death reaches his
homo. All we can do now is to invoke
upon him the blessing OF God, and the
comfort of His love.
Regret is useless now, but if only he had
made his dire necessity known aid would
have been given him. The same frater-
nal spirit manifest here would have been
shown then. Mr.. Pearson spoke of the
kindness of strangers to the stricken &C.
tor, and said there is this N uoh to thank
God for, that everything possible was
done to save his life, and that his last days
were at least frightened by the conscious.
ness that he had found friends.
And so the weary body is at last at
rest and the sorrowing spirit is at peace
With God we leave him remembering
that Christ taught us the marvelously
priceless value of the human soul, and
that He taught US how great is the love
of God for us. Not even sparrow falls
to the ground without the notice of our
Father, much less a troubled and sor-
rowing soul.
What an impressive lesson this life
and death will teach us if we but take
the lesson home as we should. 1t should
teach us the necessity of helping those
who are fighting against great odds. We
do not have the ordering of our lives. We
cannot say we will do this. or we will
not do that. We are surrounded and
largely controlled by circumstances. We
all live but we are not all dead, and we
do not and we can not know who will
stand by our side in death. who will rem
der to US the last kindly offices And be-
cause of this let us be helpful to Others,
and in helping others, in assisting His
afflicted ones, we render our best services
to God.
MIR. Pearson concluded with tender
and pathetic prayer, in which he asked
for the blessing of God upon the family
of the dead man when the news shall
reach them of his death, upon all who
ministered to him in his last moments,
and upon his associates in the profession
to which he belonged who did not forget
him in death who would gladly have as
sisted him in life, and whose watchful
and fraternal care did not cease with his
death.
Mr.. Pearson then pronounced the bene-
diotion. The burial was at Forest City
cemetery, in lot purchased for that pur-
pose, it being the wish of his late associ-
ates that he should not sleep in the
strangers lot.
Adolph Bernard, secretary of the New
York Actors Fund.
HJorina