The Van Buren press., 1898-02-12
A Beautiful Tribute.

- 1E6@ go
Through the courtesy Of DR.. O. u.
Bourland we are permitted TO publish
the following beautiful tribute 10 a
noble character delivered by his pastor
at the funeral of Mr.. Burr Z. Field, d.
Berlin, Conn.
Twelve years ago. the 9Th Of next
May, Mr.. Field led TO the alter Miss
Mia Bourland. of our city. and the
words below uttered by one who for
years had been in close communion
with the deceased must seem like a sun
beam in the depth of her affection and
the memory of such noble life should
help her bear up under II.
Mr.. Field was one of the eminent
men in his profession. and the numerous
condolences received by the family from
men of national prominence all over the
country showed that his worth was
appreciated and that his death will
prove serious loss in the business
world. though not comparable to what
ii will prove TO his wife and children:
There Is but one feeling | am sure,
/ in the hearts of us all here today.
There is but one great thought which
unites US. making Us one. 1t is the
feeling and thought that we have
sustained an almost unoearable loss.
There is vacant place. yes. not
one but many vacant places in our
| Let a.d his ahearpa from fhagp we
know and feel is our great loss.
| There are vacant posts OF duty
which were always well filed. How
many varied they were? The posts of
great business responsibility Of in
huence in church work Of prominence
in the efforts for good citizenship. The
earnest and conscientious life which
occupied these places has been taken
from US and we feel our loss. But moi
only In the larger and more important
positions do we know that a loss has
come such was the largeness Of his life
and effort that in the smaller places
there is vacancy; in the Sunday
School class, in the Christian Endeavor
Society, and even in the work for the
little ones in the Junior Society, we
have lost his good and true service.
There are vacant places in those
higher realms of life experience
Friendship has lost true friend, Love
and CompaDionship have lost com
rade, earnest and consistent service II
the church has lost a bright example
Christianity has lost a good Christian.
lit is hard to speak in measured
terms of our dear brother earthl,
life, for 1t was an unusually well
rounded out life.
Think of what is good and right
He stood for that.
Think of what Is true and earnest
He stood for that.
Think Of what Is unselfsh ant
noble-He stood for that.
Think of what il tender ant
sympathetic-He exemplitied that
From whatever standpoint we view hi
life, as a business man, citizen,
member Of the church, friend or tn
head of a family we behold one VIII
stood for what was best and true in al
these. To say such of b. K. Field /
not to speak fattery or extravagan
eulogy, but only to speak the sobe
truth.
Eyes, he was rare, good man, an
IL all this in public, as seen only b.
occasional and passing acquaintance
| what was he to those who knew hin
4 best and most intimately
lin the sacred life Of the home, a
the husband to the mother of his littl
ones, as the father Of his children, her
his life is shown in its brightest an
purest light.
"And we have now lost him hoy
can we help mourningf
Yet 1t was no loss to have lived sue
= life. To have lived the life of tru
I son to his parents true husband an
I father, consistent Christian both |
4 the church and in the world, there is
s triumph in such life. Better to hay
lived forty years like that than man
y more in different way.
o lit is glorious thing to have lived
s Christian life and come to
g Christian death.
r. There is a sadness in such a death
y but only because we are the losers onl
= because we miss his love and CON
. partnership.
= But in reality it is triumph, it
s a glory to be able to finish one cour:
thug.
.iAnd let MS look at the whole matte
thns-as triumph for him-as h
:, entrance into the fullness of what WI
80 well begun here. Oh there is 1
n gloom or despair in this. 1t is all fu
of peace and glory, for, having fougl
% his good fight, he laid aside his earth
q life only to enter the heavenly al
n receive the crown of rejoicing from Il
Lord his Saviour and his God.
~ ''Shall this beautiful lesson, Il
= lesson of this true and good life, be 10
"a TO usY May it not be May we imita
il AS he initiated his Saviour and the
we shall be united with him in high
/ life.
LET this be our comforting though
let this be the great comfort of Il
dear ones who have lost him-tl
beauty of his life, the sweet fragran'
lg of his memory and its present fullne
in the presence of God.