The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-05
AT ST. ANsGARIUS'.
Swedish Episcopal Church Had Es-
pecIaI Services.

pec1ak SERVICES.
The largest Swedish Episcopal church in
Minnesota diocese, and ono in which
Bishop Gilbert during his work had taken
great interest, was st. Ansgarius' con-
gregation in Minneapolis, and especially
solemn were the services there yesterday.
where the bishop was known, personally
almost, to every member of the congrega-
ton. Rev. o. A. Tofteen, the rector, read
the service, and spoke briefly in tribute
to the late bishop. The sermon was by
Rev. William Wilkinson, who said, in
part:
Today in sadness we meet to honor
the man who, in the church Of God, and
who by the grace given to him, from
Christ, the great head of the church, has
done noble work in this Western land.
We knew him WELL knew how tireless he
was in good work. how ready in clear
speech, how optimistic in vision, how
swift in action. We knew how exeep-
tional his training had been under tho
great Bishop Tuttle, who sent him to col
lege and to the divinity school, and who
was his lifelong friend, and who will
say the last prayers for Bishop Gilbert
as he Is next Tuesday laid to rest amidst
the grief of men and women who stand
for much. Nay, for most that is best in
this republic. We know how Bishop
Whipple, who for more than forty years
service Is known in the whole EngIish4
speaking world, revered Bishop GilbelS,
whom he had known and loved for more
than a quarter of a century and whom he
hoped would be his successor Today wa
stand in the awful silence and solemnity
OF death, death which came to our leader
IN the press Of lifes work. 1t will be
TWO weeks tomorrow night since l WAS
With Bishop Gilbert at the home OF Rev
IL. p Nichols, in New York city. He
was full OF hope for the future work of
the church In Minnesota; was full OF
gladness at the improved health Of his
wife, when he told us he was confident
would be spared to him many years.
Alas! how little he knew that the shadow
of death was even then upon him. Now
he Is gone, never again to return to uR
or TO his family, who need him so much;
gone at TIME when, In the republic, in
the state. In the church such men as he
are sorely needed. He Is not lost the
souls OF the righteous are in the hands
of God and no evil can touch them He
Is in peace. in paradise. for the souls OF
the just rest there till the Judgment. We
come, not, as those who have no hope to
say goodbye but, not farewell 10 our
bishop, for we walk by faith, not by
light, and SO we know that the day will
dawn when we shall see as we are seen
and when we shall know the reason for
provfaences and for deaths which today
we do not III derstand. But this we know,
that the solemnities of death call us to
prayer, to work, to be circumspect, for
soon to US will come the word: Thou.
too, shalt die and not live We are to
emulate all those whose works have been
Tor the blessing OF men. II we do not
this, their lives for us have been in vain
and ours is unfruitful. The life Of Bishop
Gilbert was one of honor and OF service.
which the church in Minnesota will not
forget or fail to revere-one which Old
men will crown with glory and which old
men will revere" .s.l.s a.- te..-