The record-union., 1898-08-08
LATE BISHOP WINGF|ELD.
MEMORIAL SERVICES AT ST.
PAUL'S CHURCH.
Rev. A. George Pays a Tribute to
the Memory of the Deceased
Prelate.

Yesterday was the ninth Sunday
after Trinity, one of the feast days of
the Episcopal Church. as all Sundays
are, but the altar at ST. PauIs was
draped in mourning The Bishops
throne near by was hung with black
and purple, and the somber notes Of the
organ sounded in the Dead March"
from Saul"
There was a solemn celebration
in honor of the late Bishop Wing
field of the Episcopal Church in this
jurisdiction. After the reading of the
Gospel, Rev. A. George of Fort Jones
following sermon:
THE Lord gave and the Lord hath
taken away; blessed be the name of
the Lord job L., 21.
By the kindness of your rector I have
been asked to preach a memorial SER
mon-to say a few words concerning
our late beloved Bishop, John Henry
Ducachet Wingfield Honored with his
confidence and friendship, / have only
words of eulogy. The more l saw of
Bishop Wingfield the deeper grew my
reverence, and my love for him in
creased The Bishop sent me to Sac
ramento five years ago. and the last
time / was with him he had much to
say of Sacramento and of his plans for
work here when God should give him
health so it seems fitting that in st.
Paul's Church in Sacramento I should
pay my tribute of respect to the late
Bishop.
For awhile it is difficult to realize
that we have lost our beloved Bishop.
For more than two years we had Of
fered daily prayers for his return to
health, and it seemed for awhile as
if our prayers had been granted.
Stricken suddenly, for twelve long
months he simply existed-lived a liv-
ing death-lay helpless in second child
hood, unable to do anything for him
self. BY the wealth of love and care
of a devoted wife, and one who bore a
sons affection, after the lapse of a
year the Bishops reason came back
to its throne, and clothed in his right
mind he sat at the feet of his Savior.
For more than year he was able to
hold conversation, and all who were
privileged to see him were impressed
by his wonderful memory, his wealth
of conversational talent, his unfailing
patience, and inspiring cheerfulness. A
most eloquent preacher in his day of
strength. yet in his day of weakness
and inf1rmity his eloquence was still
put it, during the last two years of his
life he became a most striking and
practical application of his many pre-
cepts, and his conversation was a most
impressive peroration. From that in
valids chamber went forth a powerful
influence for good.
We may all wonder at the struggle
of our beloved Bishop with disease and
decay. For twenty-five years he had
borne the burden of the work of this
jurisdiction. For nearly a quarter of
q century he had battled with the ever
recurring difficulties of the work. What
these burdens, difficulties and disap-
pointments were, few can have any
idea Had not the Bishop been
strong man, in the fullest sense of the
term, he could not have carried on the
battle as he did. The Bishop was a
man among men, and as for taking UP
the work he had counted the cost, and
when the bill was presented he paid
it in full He made no cry when things
went against him, and if he could not
do as he would he was content to do
as he could SO, quietly, patiently,
cheerfully, he bore the burden of his
sorrows and disappointments. Four
times during his episcopate he was in
vited to places of greater honor, with
more leisure and more compensation.
The Bishops character shone out in
the terse way in which he declined
these honors> Being an accomplished
scholar, he used the tongue Of the
learned, and he gave his answer, which,
translated, would read, Very sorry,
but 1t cannot be-"
In the olden days Bishops never
thought of leaving the dioceses to
which they had been consecrated. The
very thought favored too much Of
worldliness. AS a truly married and
mated couple never dream of divorce"
so a Bishop never included the word
translated" in his vocabulary Hav-
ing made a sacrifice to take up the
work in Northern California, the Bish-
op was prepared to make sacrifices to
carry it on. So, when the church
schools at Benicia were in need of
funds he advanced many thousands Of
dollars, that the necessary improve
ments might be made and the schools
go on So, too, a second time he as
sisted the schools when they needed
money. When Grace Church in Sac
ramento was heavily in debt, and the
outlook for its future was very dark,
the Bishop came to its assistance. Sac
riflce was the one word which met the
Bishop at every turn, and he did not
finch from 1t.
And yet no word Of complaint came
from the brave man. He dared all a
man may dare" and did not wear his
heart on his sleeve for every daw
to pick it. UncomplainingIy he shoul-
dered his crosses, neither desiring TO
make a show nor fearing the utter
ances of those who knew not the OBJ
stacles and yet could find fault. With
Sir Roger de Coverly, our good Bishop
knew that church work is slow work.
He realized that he was to lay founda
tons on which others would build. It