The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-20

A L last the long expected mes
"A senger has come. All! how
his footsteps have fingered seeming
ly almost in mockery of this impris-
oned spirits longing for release! At
last this noble life is ended to the
earth. At last its living mission here
is done. At last its tolls, its patience,
its faithful waiting, its sublime re-
pose of faith have their reward. At
last mortality is exchanged for i'm
mortality. The fruition of its life
long hopes, the contamination of it's
abiding faith is attained. At last this
soul, so long bound SO rigidly within
the body's narrow walls, like pris-
oner in an iron cage, is free. And
yet all the while it thus was bound
how truly free it was Such a spirit
nothing can control. 1t may be
4'cribbed and coffined" in a body that
needs not its command, but it reaches
out and gathers to itself rich flowers
and fruits from realms afar. It may
be chained to the earth, but it reach
es to the stars.
What, now, shall we say in these
last memorial words? What better
can we do than recall the events of
his life, and ponder their sugges-
tions7
HIS ANCESTRY.
BARTON FYLER ROGERS was born in
Piermont, Grafton county, N. H.,
July %, 1881. A hardy land this
birth place of his, the home and nur-
ture place of sturdy, loyal men. He
had worthy ancestry. But ancestry
does not make men. There must be
an appreciation of its traditions,
worthy pride in it, appreciation of its
value, gratitude for its advantages,
and purpose to honor its claims.
These Barton Rogers always had.
His father, Charles Rogers, was di-
rect descendant of John Rogers, the
martyr. His grandfather was SER
geant in the Revolution. His grand
mother was a niece of Ethan Allen.
Thus martyrs and heroes on his faith
er's side. Scarcely less heroic and
noble was the descent on his mothers
side. That sturdy combination of
blood on her fathers side, the
Scotch and Irish, which has left
such distinguishing marks where
ever it has flowed; and on her moth
er's side, flowing in her veins were the
life-currents of that wonderfully he
roic woman of New England fame,
Hannah Dustin. Once, when stand
ing beside her statue carved in gran
tie, now resting near the spot where
her heroic deed was done, thought:
What heritage, to have for an an
cestral mother such woman as that
What might not one reasonably look
for from a man through whose veins
coursed such blood as this? John
Rogers, Ethan Allen, Hannah Dus-
tin! What a combination! Religious,
civic, domestic heroism Barton
Rogers was true to his blood. All
these shone in his life, as we shall
see.
He speaks noble words of these
parents of his in brief autobiogra-
ply which he dictated from his help
less couch; tells how pure, noble,
honest, intelligent, reverent, indus
trious they were. How they loved
the religious faith to which he
afterward consecrated his life; and
how faithful they were to it. Forced
to work early in life for his support,
as all his family worked, he learned
to love work and to glory in its ne
cessity then as fitting him for the
after battle. And what worker he
was - tireless, unremitting, while
hand, and foot, and brain obeyed his
will. Why, how alive and active his
brain was while hands and feet were
held! Sitting beside him year ago
he whispered to me, 81 think see
clearer and think deeper than ever
before" And the activity of his mind
seemed to be concerning the vital