Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-08-15


bodily presence among us. 1t should
be just as impossible to remain dis
NAL in the thought of his translation.
Sunshine was the essence of his life.
Who that has known him can ever
forget the genial smile. the cordial
greeting? He had one of those rare
personalities that transform every
November into June, that drive away
the autumnal spirit and restore the
midsummer mood. Thinking of him,
let us not say az Longfellow said of
his friend
Something is gone from nature since
he died,
and summer g. not summer nor can
be-
but rather let our thoughts of him
make perennial that spirit of optimism
md of sunshine that Is so lacking in
our day and that is able to surround
us with perpetual summer. Summer
must not be less summer because he
has gone, but more summer because
he has lived, richer and brighter.
His, however. was not the optimism
that disregards the hard facts of life.
It was not the optimism of the fledg-
ling who lives on the uplands, aloof
from all danger and sorrow and toll.
It was the optimism of the strong man
who had stood on the battlefield and
faced the foe; who had seen blood
and wounds and defeat and death; who
had learned the lesson of duty and
faithfulness in the stern discipline of
the worlds most notable war. Yet,
in spite of it all. he could come
through the ordeal with the mistaken
confidence that all things turn out
right in the end, that good ultimately
triumphs over evil, that Gods in His
heaven, alrs right with the world.
It was the optimism of the man who
knows. And when the last foe of all
confronted this man It was charac-
teristic of him to face the enemy with
a smile and say: 4 never felt better
in my life Death can never claim
the victory over such invincible
spirit.
"The President of the United States
has said that the ideal American citi-
Z zen has two characteristics, personal
force and charity Does not the life
of our brother meet this formula? He
was q man of personality, of strong
convictions, in politics, in religion
and in all subjects to which man of to-
day is called upon TO give his thought.
And vet he was tolerant to those OF
opposite views. He could number
intimate friends among all parties and
creeds. But charity means more
[ than tolerance. Every good cause
found in him a helper. He said moth
ing about his private charities, but IN
a casual way knowledge often has
come to me OF families delivered from
distress by his bounty.
Sometimes people say of man
when he is gone that his place in the
community will be filled by another,
that the break in the ranks must ana
u,in no made good. That observation
may he true i'm small sense. but 1t IS
not true in a large sense. 1t is prob
ahly true that one may take up an
others work where he has laid 1t
! down. but no man can take up an
other mans personality. And that
! Ia why we shall miss this man very
sorely. He had unique personality
and il is useless to expect another 10
Z I'll his place. Una,
A man of personality is immortal
IN mis- world because he leaves an I'M
nression that is the eternal heritage
/ ~ his friends. He is immortal IN the
world To come because the character
( no makes his own while here is the
distinguishing mark by which ms
3 friends will know him over there bu,
! tbo character of a man will expand
! and mature in eternity under uiNluS
} guidance and protection. me SOU
/ win retain its identity. but 1t VIII nol
remain stationary. Earth Is TOT 'ne
/ beginning. Heaven is for the com
nletion. Earth is the kindergarten
| Heaven is the University. Goo gave
! our friend many graces OF nina ana
heart Those gifts have not been
B Withdrawn or interrupted by the
! phvsical incident we call death. Ihey
! have only been transferred to larger
| and better field of action, where
they may grow and develop without
the hindrances familiar to earth.
THE passing of this man may well
make us all mindful of our mortality.
He departed with life's tide apparent
| " at the full. Death did not find
him unprepared, yet it is all so sudden
! and it seemed to us he had much still
! to live for. 1t can only signify that
! God does not mean for his children to
fix their dwelling place here, but to
! strive to fit themselves for citizenship
! in the Kingdom of Heaven. Much
! of that citizenship may be acquired
here on earth, since our Lord said,
/ The Kingdom of Heaven is within
! you But surely the time is short.
! Here we have no continuing city. but
! we seek one to come Our days are
! swfter than a post: they flee away;
they are passed away as the swift
| ships Our days are swifter than a
weaver's shuttle "
death is a sudden indiscrminate
visitor to all our homes. 1t takes
away the babe from its mothers
! arms. the youth and maiden at the
portal of life, the man and woman in
their prime, no less than the aged who
stand and wait for it, What are we
to do, then? From the depths of our
| souls we must learn how to say of
God, He is my refuge and my fortress;
my. God; in hint will trust Then
we must prepare, not to die. but to
live. 1t is easy to prepare to die.
! But God calls us to the more difficult
task and says, Prepare at once to
live. Through his son. Jesus Christ,
He says, In my Fathers house are
many mansions there shall be one
flock and one shepherd God will be
all in ALL L am the Resurrection and
the Life. So henceforth may God
help us all to prepare to live.
1.-THE friend for whom we meet to-
day to perform these simple rites of
| offaptiOn Wac wifhoI poOdact N