Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-09
LAID AT REST.
Last Sad Rites Over Remains
Of James W. Bradbury.
Love and Respect at the Bier Of
the Grand Old Man.
A Notable Funeral Service With Many Dis
inguished Honors.


The last sad rites over the remains
of Augustus honored citizen, Hon.
James Ware Bradbury, We're performed
at the Green street residence, early
Tuesday afternoon. The funeral eXer-
cises were marked by simplicity and
imprcsSiveness, and We're attended by
a large gathering of distinguished men,
and of old friends, neighbors and as
sociatcs. The parlors. library. dining
room and halls were filled to their
utmost capacity by those who came to
pay their respect to the memory of one
whom all had loved and honored Dur
ing the hour of the funeral the banks
and many places of business in the city
were closed, and business quite gen.
orally suspended. While the long pro-
cession wound it's way from the house
to Forrest Grove cemetery the heavy
bell of the Congregational church was
tolled. 1t was a perfect winter day;
mild. with the bluest of skies, and
mantle of new snow as pure as the
character of the honored dead.
The body lay in q black casket at the
south end of the long parlor. with
masses of beautiful flowers upon it
and around it. No lovelier or more
elaborate floral designs were ever seen
in Augusta than We're there. AS one
asleep, all that was mortal of the be-
loved old man lay there, with the win
ter sunlight that came through the
window giinting the silver hair that fell
around his face, beautiful in its sweet
serenity.
At a few moments past l o'clock the
services begun by the singing of the
old hymn beginning:
when | survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of Glory died
The singers We're Messrs. Ward and
Halves. Mrs. York and Miss Robinson,
and the hymn. as was the case with the
others sung later was long a favorite
of Mr.. Bradbury and was sung at his
own request. The quartet and clergy
men We're in the lower hall. Following
the hymn appropriate selections from
the Scriptures We're read by Rev. Nor
man Mckinnon. pastor of the Congre-
gational church, beginning with Il
have fought the good fight; ! have fin
ished the course.'sI have kept the
faith" The selections were well chosen
and well read by the young pastor VINO
has been with Mr.. Bradbury so much
during the past few months. After the
reading, the beautiful Jesus Lover of
My Soul was rendered by the quartet,
and then Rev. Alexander Mckenzie of
Cambridge, Mass, who was pastor of
the old South congregational church
during the sixties. arose and delivered
the funeral eulogy, Quietly he spoke,
with simple language, yet every SEN
tence showed a man Of scholarly at
tainments and rare eloquence just as
surely as every word showed the deep
friendship which had existed between
him and Mr. Bradbury since he came
to this city to accept his first pastorate,
40 years ago. He dWelt little on Mr..
Bradburys public life or his accom-
plishments, but much on the simpli-
city and purity of his life, the nobility
of his character, his int1eXible integrity,
his strong convictions and the grand
, eur of his Christian manhood. The life
of Mr. Bradbury was compared to the
city, the New Jerusalem. which the
Scriptures described as standing four
square to the world. 1t was a life of
perfect symmetry. With its length he
, had nothing to do but to live on. But
in it's purpose and Sympathies he made
it as broad as it was long: and in its
aspirations he made it as high as it
was broad. It's end was peaceful, rest
full. hopeful, crowned with all that
honors old age. Mr.. Mckenzie alluded
pleasantly to his own associations with
| Augusta and his first acquaintance
with Mr.. Bradbury, who was then as
always. such an influence for good IN
! the community. He touched briefly on
! the days when Mr.. Bradbury stood by
his side in building the present Con-
gregational church over the ruins of its
! predecessor. He spoke of the time
/ when his political convictions differed
| from those of many of his nelghbors
| and friends, yet SO sincere was he that
| he never lost a mans respect through
| differing with him. But, said the
! speaker, he was more than citizen,
! a scholar. a lawyer. senator and an
/ amiable man. He was always Christ
ian. and he bore without abuse the
grand old name of gentleman, before
! Gold as before men.
In closing Mr.. Mckenzie drew a
beautiful picture of old age and OF the
passing of his friend from one life &c
the other. There was no interval He
has just gone on and taken his place
| among those he loved VINO have gone
before. and where we shall join him.
| tomorrow. We have not lost MN. me
J best homage we can pay to his memory
is to live as he lived" The beautiful
lines which close TennySOnS ode on
| the Death of the Duke of Wellington
were quoted. and the impressive eu-
logy. graceful. eloquent and strong
through it's simplicity, was ended. The
PRAYER with which Mr.. Mckenzie fol-
lowed the address was equally elo-
uuent and impressive, and the services,
which occupied a little over an hour,
closed with the singing of abide With
Me-
After the services the procession was
soon formed. and proceeded to the
cemetery. Undertaken Knowlton was
in charge of the funeral. while the ar
rangements at the house were carried
out by G. S. HichbOrn. The bearers
we're Judge Putnam and ex-Mayor
Baxter of Portland, Prof. H. L. Chap
man of Bowdoin college. John w.
Chase. Judge w. p. Whitehouse
and Hon. O. d. Baker, representing
the bar, and Deacons ]. r. Townsend
and F. A. Perkins of the Con-
i ., %