St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-07-17

thine house hath eaten me up" Ever
item OF nerve vigor, every acquisition o
mind, all potencies OF heart and sou
were gratefully given to his grand work
Hindered the boon and the burden o
family care, he could the more readily
give his whole time and energy to thu
one calling to which everything wa!
pledged and most perfectly was the VOW
| performed.
On turlough or in the field, in the
mountains or on the plains, rainy season
or dry, the redemption of India was his
sole theme, his constant task.
Every man becomes great who is
wholly given to great cause, and this
totality of conservation is surest proof OIL
intrinsic greatness.
Another note worthy characteristic OF
Bishop Parker was his marvellous indus
try. II must work the work of Him
that sent me" seems to have been his
lifelong motto. Toll with him was not
degraded to task. He took up labor
with a zest and prosecuted it with un-
tagging cheerfulness. On his outbound
voyage he was industriously studying as
best he could the Hindostanni tongue in
which he expected to preach}Iesus to the
men OF India. And from that time on he
was perpetually busy heart and hand
with the books, the leaflets, the period.
Gals, the schools, the mission compounds.
the preachers homes, the churches, col
leges, orphanages, famine-relef Offices,
and all the vast enterprises OF his great
and growing work. Once he said in all
of
general conference of 1896 till Ire-embark-
ed for that of 1900 have not seen
day s vacation. And with him a DAYS
work meant something. Once in the
writer's home he gave a schedule of
Sundays work in Moradabad. An early
morning service, before 7 a. M, a short
sermon and general class, sometimes in
the suburbs of the town, regular church
service in the mid-forenoon, at 2 d.
m. long walk to the center of the city
to visit and aid in Sabbath schools,
sometimes visiting three during an after
noon; league service at 80 and preach
ing at the barracks before the English
soldiers at p. m.
Few men in literary or professional
life average to put in eight hours of real
work per day, and their working weeks
nave many vacations interspersed.
3ishop Parker knew another kind of
abor, wherein scarce day knew less
han eight hours of actual toll, and these
'tten doubled, and on occasion IS hours
'r 20 hours put in with only slight
'ecess for meals. This kind of service, on
and on through years, with little intermis.
hno rI. f. l.. L
81 the sea he was busy as beyond with
he life consuming work for his loved
ndia. In two general conferences where
t was my privilege to sit with him
through the protracted sessions and in
many committee meetings, can hardly
ememb Der of his being absent single
lour from his appointed place. And a
picture that will ever live in memory is
hat of DR.. Parker and wife arm in arm,
With the smile of heaven upon their
aces, walking brisklv to the exposition
building at Omaha or the armorv at
Cleveland, at just about three minutes
before nine.
His labor only ended with his life.
only few hours before his death he was
n consultation with his leading col |
eagues on matters pertaining to the
lnances of the mission. With him to
i've was to labor, life without work was
meaningless to him.
1t is not strange that he scarcely reach |
d his three score and ten when we re-
ect that he put into fifty years of life
more actual service than the ordinary
ard worker gets into seventy. To my
bought it is safe to calculate that Meth
dism in North India is twice as large as
would have been, had Bishop Parker
een only man of average application
nd industry. His example OF prodigious
ctivity has proved a contagion among
il his associates and native helpers, and
he end is not yet. The effect of the
monumental industry of John Wesley
as not spent itself in these 10 years
ince his death. All the ranks of Meth
dism feel its impulse and impact still.
So, l think, it will be with the infant
hurch in India. Generations vet to
ONE will be moulded and inspired by the
crupulous fidelity and phenomenal indus
ry of Edwin w. Parker.
third prominent trait was his almost
perfect unselfishness. Because hetboupht
asst OF himself, he was ready always to
erve Others. And even heather soon
perceived that he came not to be under
stood unto, but to minister. In some
sections and in earlier times the bandits
81 India tried to inhame the people
against the missionaries on the ground
mat these foreigners were among them
only to make gain. But with such |
men as Bishop Parker laboring there for |
years every traducing tongue was stop.
ped. And because OF this commentator
OF the gospel which the American mis-
slonaries carried to North India, that
gospel can never be rooted up. Its
foundation is in that love which never
taileth. And with no thought ofunfavor-
able comparison, and no desire to dis
parage the work ofhundreds ofnoble mis-.
sionaries and native helpers who had
the true spirit of christian sacrifice, it is
not too much to say that this noble
christian altruism which has so marvell-
ously marked the career of our mission
aries and churches in that plague-cursed
tamlne-smltten region is due more to the
words and works of Edwin W. Parker
than to those OF any other man; might
safely say any half score of men.
The world knows little of the kindli-
ness OF that great New England heart
that beat in the breast of this devoted
follower of Him who saved others
though himself he could not and would
not save.
And when the King Eternal shall say
come, sit at my right hand for was
thirsty and We ga We me drin,. 1 ,nnn h.,