St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-05-15
A MEMORIAL SERVICE.
Tcontinued from 1st page. ]

fed, sweet and rich with generosity.
There are different sorts of generosity
One sort will respond upon call. Thi
we're thankful for-we know beforehan
where the case will be cordially received
Another sort does not wait for a cal
1t makes its own call; goes out il
thought and enquiry, traverses the Who'll
neighborhood, or the wide field of life t
find someone who needs something
Had the grandmother Agnes or mothe
Persis been able to look into the CLOSING
years of the century they might have seer
one after their likeness who, in the mids
OF enforced seclusion, sitting much in dark
ness, was not busy bewailing her mis-
fortune, or craving entertainment, but
sending sympathetic thoughts out
every way to find who might need q
touch of cheer, reminder of good will
yea, waking up while it was yet night
to enquire to whom tomorrow's beneiac
lions should go.
Another thing which those devout
foremothers could have recognized, viz.
great modesty, entire Inconsistencies OF
ever having done anything worth men
ton; yes, even a good soul approaching
herself for the Incompetence of her
SSdLNuy wi iCIl lHlLR Z,
or someone unremembered; insomuch
that, if some day little cup of gold
were put in her hand it would bring a
startled look and "Whv, why should they
have done this l cannot see why /"
Quite unconscious OF any such thing as
good fairy godmother" in the midst,
'of hearte right bountifulle."
1t was Of one who abounded in good
works yet all the while distrusting her
self, that Whittier sang
The blessing of her quiet life
Fell on us like the dew;
And good thoughts where her footsteps
pressed
Like fairy blossoms grew"
Some years ago / was called to the old
home in Derry, for one of the six beloved
sisters, known to hardly any of you, had
just fallen asleep AS we sat in the home
of which she had been the presiding spirit
the minister said: you know how
modest Mrs. Parker was, how thought
full OF Others, forgettul of herself. She
knew how to serve, but it was very diff
cult to serve her; almost impossible even
to thank her, she would check us so
quickly. 1t seemed as if she felt that
everybody was made to he in some way
helped by her. After her great sorrow
Of widowhood we saw her rise into a
calmness and comfort that was beauti.
full to see. Deep within were the wells Of
her hidden life which outwardIv was
Towering into all good deeds, till God,
whom we thank for her bene6cent lite,
quietly took her to himself, translated
like so many Others of her kindred"
You might be saying now to me, of
whom, pray thee, did the minister say
this Of her just then departed, or of
one other, better known to US?
| have often been reminded by one Of
the two who were there, that on a sum
.ner evening in 1919, two friends were
stroling among the great chestnut trees
OF the hill field in Derry. One was a lad OF
little experience in life, the other a young
lady OF many charms who was soon to
change her name and her home. Up
spoke the younger, II don't want you
to get married, Aunt Mary" "Why
not " Because you'll want to be with
just one all the while, and | won't have
halt so much of YOU" 1t seems the ap-
prehensions Of the youngster were skill
fully quoted and his full consent oh.
NNi4Sb' VI INV NlIA ulIloldIGG lLSGIl L IHCdII
nothing, though every now and then
pleasantly rallied about it; but it
prompts me to say now what different
st. Johnsbury, if that which was so
toollshIy deprecated then, had not come
to pass. That ielictous union, combin- |
ing nobility of manhood with winning
sweetness of womanhood, meant an
ever charging and outflowing life Pres
emily the old sand bank and tannery
over yonder were transformed into the |
verdure and beauty OF Pinehurst, the |
sunny seat of home life most refined |
and gentle and Astounding with hospi- |
talltles; the town was digni6ed with |
treasures OF literature and art; the COM |
mon lite OF the community was enriched |
with the flow Of kindnesses that were |
spontaneous, untailing, unobtrusive and |
muItltudinous. Why should we not be |
in the sanctuary OF God today, crown
ing the memory Of goodness, thanking
the Father whose heart is the fountain |
of all goodness.
Our words OF approval, as you very |
well know, she would promptly wave |
aside wishing none Of them. But what |
she repeated once to me, of one of her |
own kin, in remembrance of the warmth
of sisterly love, she would, I'm sure. be |
quite willing that ! should now say of
her:
Speak no praise only say
How she loved us; it was for that she was
so dear,
These are the only words that she would
smile to hear"
Rev. Mr.. Chapman followed DR.. Fair
banks with this address:
Among the many duties which fall to
the lot of minister Of the gospel, that
one which he may well approach with
the greatest difidence is public speech
concerning those lives that have been
sealed by death. Death makes common
things sacred. 1t fills common words
with new and high significance. Itcrowns
the truth with brighter aureole. 1t
makes all insincerity and sham more
dreadful. If ever the simple truth is to
be spoken 1t is in presence of this great
revealer-Death. Yet who of us could
bear think of his common faults and fail.
lngs brought to light and talked over be-
fore his fellowmen? Who could bear to
think Of any life dear to him made to live
again in all the minutia of it's circum.
stance before the public eye? Our words
seem so inadequate to comprehend and
include the strangely mixed realities OF
life that we do well to be very chary of
them in our funeral services and to be
content with scripture and prayer-scrip-