The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-06-01
TILLIAM ATKArEHs.


 article to speak of the late William Atwater in regard to his long career as a fellow-citizen and successful business man in this community; that aspect of his life and activity has already been touched upon at length and with suffi- cient accuracy. There remains, how ever, a side, and the most important one, of MT. Atwaters life to be noticed, i. e., his earnest genuineness as a Christian and philanthropist.
 Very early in life MT. Atwater con- nected himself with the Christian church, his name appearing for the first time upon the roll of the old Chapel street church of this city, where | it remained until he removed to Ham den, when he united with the Whitney | vile Congregational church and re- mained worshiper and, as always, an active worker from fifteen to twen> | ty years. During this time MT. Alt water became disgusted with farming because of the necessity of being obliged to employ so much foreign la bor of objectionable character, and con- Sequently removed to New Haven. Upon his removal to this point he, with others, became interested in the | Church of Christ in Court street, occu- pied until quite recently as Jewish synagogue, toward the building of which MT Atwater contributed very largely, and gave very liberally toward sustaining it's activities. Afterward this congregation built or purchased the Third Congregational church, the present Public Library building, and removed to that edifce. MT. Atwater, however, with his usual desire to help where help was most needed, thought this congregation amply able to care l for themselves and cast about for a place where his wealth and personal in | fluence and wise direction might tell the most. At this time there was a struggling but hopeful Christian work being established on Humphrey street, in little chapel now occupied by the Lutherans. Here Mr. Atwater, with his clear insight and admirable self forgetfulness, found a field of Christian activity to his liking, and, when the little band of worshippers had out grown their place of worship, Mir. At water not only connected himself with them, thus adding the weight of his personal influence and wisdom of his counsel, but offered them the lot whereon the present Humphrey street Congregational church stands, valued at about $S,000 This was, of course, gratefully accepted. But then came the question, how was a church to be erected upon it? The little congrega- tion of worshippers could scarcely pay the running expenses of their small church building, what could they do toward the erection of larger one? But Mr. AtWater was of those kind of men, who, when they give a pictures frame it as well. And now came the additional offer of many thousand dol lars more to build the structure upon the lot donated. Without doubt, had it not been for MT. William Atwater the present Humphrey street Congrega- tional church of this city would never have been built; his gifts toward this work aggregating closely toward $20,- 000
 However, MT Atwaters contribu- tions were not confined to this particu- lar work He was one of those who, while believing in home missions be- lieved equally as fervently in foreign missions and let his philanthropy and largeness of heart go out toward all men where help was needed. During all the years of his connection with the church, which, without disparagement to others he was pre-eminently instru- mental in building, those who knew him best stand ready to testify to his
 unceasing liberality to every good cause, within and without the church
 of Christ, and to-day, though he is no longer in person with the church with
 which he was connected at his death,
 by reason of an additional gift a few years ago that church receives from
 year to year his support in sustaining
 it's work and worship. Though dead , he yet speaketh.
 At the beginning of this brief obit- 7 uary, it was said that it was not the object of this article f to touch upon MT. Atwater in his bus
 mess life, only as to his activity as a 5 Christian believer. But it is part of $ his activity in this latter phase of his  3 knew him upwards of fifty years as d !. business man. This gentleman who = has been related to MT. Atwater in a 9 business way this long period of time r said: 'I never knew MT. Atwater in . all his long career as a business man. Q and in the multitudinous transactions
 covering such a period tc l make an enemy. He was al ] ways of those who seek to make the Q rough places of business life smooth and the crooked ways straight. All Q though very successful, he never arous- [ ed animosity in those who were his l competitors" Certainly suck words are splendid testimony against that 5 statement so often heard that a mar cannot be a Christian and at the same
 time a successful business man."
 It Is no part of this article to dwel
 on the beautiful personal character o1
 our departed friend. Those who have , had his gentle presence and gracious in. s fiuence for so many years need no one to tell what he was. For years ht went in and out amongst us, wearing 5 "the white flower of bIameIess life, t and the ornament of meek and quie I snirit '' "On his 1iDS was the law o1