The Portland daily press., 1899-01-19

Home Pastor, Rev. Mr.. Howe--The
Influence of MIR. Dingiey's Chsrac-
ter and His Religious Life.
Lewiston. January 1S.-The funeral
services over the remains of Hon. Nelson
Dingley, Names honored Congressman.
were held in the Pine Street Congregs-
t,onal church at ten O'Clock this morning
with impressive solemnity and attended
by city, state and national celebrities.
The city, and In fact, the entire Con-
al essional district which Mr.. Dingley
represented so ably for eighteen years,
gave the day up to mourning and this
was so much in evidence In and about the
city as with the few hundreds that
listened to the passages from Holy Writ
the sweet familiar hymns, the impressive
prayer and the words of the pastor,
euogistio yet comforting.
Little business was conducted, and eve
ming those who were on the streets spoke
in sadened and subdued tones. Even as
the long procession wound through the
streets over the river and up to the quiet
white shrouded Oak Hill cemetery In Au.
burn, a perceptible hush seemed to per-
meate everything, broken only by the
concord of tolling bells, whose sweet
clamor came bright and cloar ON the
frosty air.
This crowd began to gather on the steps
of the church an hour before tbs services
began, and within few minutes after
the doors were open there was not
vacant seat other than those reserved for
the family, the Congressional party and
the state and city dignitaries.
The floral decorations of the church,
while not elaborate were impressive, the
csnterpiece being reproduotiopEof MIR.
ID ngley's well known writing desk and
was the Offering of the employees on his
newspaper, the Lewiston journal.
The wreath of the President and Mrs.
Mckinley occupied prominent position
as did the bank of flowers from the
governor of MASSACHUSETTS,.
Among the other floral tributes was q
beautiful one from Mrs. Thomas b.
Reed.
The entire center of the church was re-
served for ths invited and distinguished
guests, the front seats being occupied by
the Congressional delegation headed by
Senator Hale and Congressman Boutelle
Behind them was Governor Powers, with
his council and committees of the state
legislature, that of the Senate being led
by p resident Clason, while the House
committee was headed by Speaker Stetson
nc itp
Representatives. from Portland and
Rockland with prominent citizens from
nearly every city in the state, as well AS
the entire city government of Lewiston,
filled up the rest of the. center of the
church, leaving eight seats in front for
the family.
The funeral party entered the church at
ten o'clock, the pail bearers leading, fol-
lowed by the wreath covered casket. alter
which came MIR. howard n. Dingley and
his family. Mrs. Dingley, the widow,
was too much fatigued with the constant
strain of the past three weeks to attend
the public obsequies, u short private SER
vice being held at the house previously.
The pail bearers were: Hon. William
ID. Pennell. MIR. James A. Walsh, Hon.
George G. Wing, MIR. Frank Gutman, JJr.
v. X. Cakes. MIR. a. b. Neatly, Mr.. II.
l.. Pratt and Col Charles A. Osgood.
Chopins funeral marcn was played as
the body was brought into the church,
aud as soon as the congregation WAS
seated Rev MIR. Howe began the services
with "A short Scripture reading. a seec.
tion, wen Under stand" WAS then sung
by the Aeolisn Male Quartette.
Rev. MIR. Howe then pronounced the
eulogv as follows:
Friends and Fellow Citizens: This is
not AN uncommon scene, for, as some one
has well said, "It is the common lot of
man to be born, to live, to die. to be ior-
go item.
And so IL comes to pass that funeral
5 ervice is one with which We are AL
familiar, anu yet the occur. encs is always
a suu one. The shooA Of AIR. DIN 1isy's
unlocked for death, came not alone TO the
members of his devoted family who haa
watched with tender sohcituie by his
Deusiue, but TO the nation in whose ouun-
Gil cham bers he hau Tor SO many years
Teen a conspicuous bguIe
The deceased by the careful develop
nient OF his natural gifts, ms close appll-
cation to pubic auty. his kinuiy spirit
ana noLle nature, won for himself "a large
place IN the hearts Oh mis- tOwnsnen and
IN the esteem OF his cUuntrymen. 1t can
truly he sal. that IL has been the fortune
of but few men in tue history OF this re-
pubic 10 Dc 80 honorou and trusted by
Gneir constituency AS he. 1t remains for
me to speak OF Mr.. Dlngley as he APP
-areu 10 me, ana / speak of him as IA
pastor and IA personal friend. AS stand
nere / can but feel that he who has been
So unex pecteuly taken from Us has been
"a helle r anu teacher to me Father than l
TO him. He loved The mouse of God; he
Delighted in It's services ana ordinances,
anu when present gave thougntfui atten
tlon TO the instructions given, ana joined
Ieyerently 10 every prayer onersu.
And ny his own upright ana consistent