Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-10-22
MEMORIAL SERVICE.
EuIoeles Delivered In Randolph on
Col. r. J. KImball.

Inc memorial service IN nOnof OF tn'
late Col. Robert Jackson Kimban wa
held at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon il
the Baptist church, In which the de
/, ceased was wont TO worship when a
his summer home, and which had always
been to him an object OF especial care
A congregation OF fully five hundred
representative citizens assembled to ex'
press by their presence their sense Of
the irreparable loss which the town anc
village of Randolph have sustained In
the death of this noble and devoted son
The pew OF the Kimball family, on the
right Of the main aisle was draped In
mourning and in front OF the pulpit
platform were ferns, hydrangeas, cut
flowers and two beautiful wreaths, one
OF which came from the funeral at New
York and enclosed large cabinet photo
graph OF the deceased. The other was the
gift and the work of II. NJ. Totman
and was very lovely arrangement of white
ehrysanthemums and callas surmounted
by white dove holding in its bill a
long white ribbon on which were en-
broidered in purple the words, "At Rest
A chorus choir of twenty voices under
the direction OF John L. Hutchinson,
rendered the anthem, "He That DWELL
eth,n and the two hymns which were
sung at the service in New York, .Lead
Kindly Light" and "Nearer, My God,
TO Thee" the latter being remembered
as the hymn in which Col. Kim ball Joined
in singing the last Sunday OF his life,
when he attended church in Randolph
just previous to his departure for New
York.
The opening prayer was offered by
Rev. w. A. Dawson, Baptist clergyman
from Burlington, who, in the vacant
pastorshIp OF the church, conducted the
service, and the Scripture lesson from
the burial service was read by the Rev.
Albert Carswell OF st. Johns church.
Rev.Mr. Dawson paid this tribute to Col.
Kimball's memory:-sGod's word COM
mands us to rejoice with them that do re-
joice and weep with them that weep, and
in compliance with that command ! am
here this afternoon as the representative
OF the Baptist church and denomination
to mourn with you, relatives and friends,
over the death OF our beloved Col. Robert
j. Kim ball. Twenty-six years ago when
this Randolph Baptist church was built,
the members were financially unable TO
complete the whole edifice at once and for
time were compelled TO worship in the
chapel. Col. Kimball and his family,
when in Randolph during the summer
met and worshipped with the members in
this little chapel. At the close Of his va
cation season, as he was about to return TO
his home and business in New York, he
informed the church trustees that he had
left 5000 in the bank subject to their call,
which he thought would be enough to
complete the audience room; but IL not,
they could call on him for whatever was
necessary. So this building, in which we
are assembled this afternoon, is literally a
memorial to this good man whom death
has removed from our midst. Two years
ago he and Mrs. Kimban cleared off
floating Indebtedness OF several hundred
dollars and presented to the church new
carpet. Just previous to his death. after
consultation together, they sent for the
chairman of the pulpit committee and
made il possible for the church 10 secure a
stronger man by paying much larger sal
airy than ii has been able to pay for many
years. Well may this church and COM
munity mourn, for the loss Is indeed great,
but what is our loss is his gain, and while
earth is poorer, heaven is richer, because
our friend and benefaetor has gone to be
with the God he loved and served SO well. ="
Rev. Homer White, trustee OF the
Kimball Public library, was the next
speaker, and said in part :-"His browning
gift to us-his dying gift we know il now to
have been--was the beautiful Kimball Pub
lie library building We would that its walls
might stand imperishably, and bearing
his name. But though they may some
time crumble away, in the lapse OF time,
we know that the good influence emanat-
ing from this benefaction will last forever.
The body dies but the soul lives on. The
building which we prize so highly may
fall in ruins. but its spirit, like the spirit
of its founder, will never know decay"
Rev. Fraser Metzger, pastor OF the
Christian church, touched upon the beau
ty OF the inner life, saying -"Behind the
sheen Of every noble mans eulogy there al
ways lies purer light. II is the sealed book,
the unopened record OF any mans life that
most truly betrays his character. We
may tremble before the holy place of many
mems lives for fear our eyes shall look up
on unspeakable sacrilege, but today we
look into few opened pages OF Robert j.
Kimball's Utmost life, reverently but
gladly, and the vision they suggest widens
and widens until earth's horizon is past
and heavens boundless realm alone can
contain our dream. Indeed he wrought
and lived for eternity. Let the world that
is nauseous with selfishness and envy, feel
more and more the influence OF the sweet
fragrance of fellowship and love, as ex-
pressed in such a life as his, and Paradise
shall be regained. He was a good man.
! would add, IL aught there is to add, that
from his fellowship and love for his fell
lowmen, we would say, HE was a true
friend 7 and no man here who looks on
yonder building but must say-'to me and
mine
Rev. G. E. Laid. pastor Of the Cong'l
church. said awhile Others speak OF
other aspects of the life and public services
OF Col. Kim ball, wish to pay my humble
tribute to his splendid manhood. He &C.
cupied high position in society, he was
power in the world OF finance; but back OF
all and above all he was every inch man
a manly man. He was honored and be-
loved because of his large public service
and his open-handed generosity, but
venture to think that not on these rests
his highest claim upon our respect and
honor. There is nothing in all this world
Of ours so supremely worthy Of our hom--
age as pure, strong and noble manhood
and womanhood. 1t is made in the image
Of God In it the divine and the human
mingle. Such was the manhood OF him
" HON we honor today. A manhood rest
ing for its foundation upon the deepest
and most enduring principles OF right |
characterized throughout by
manly virtues and Christian graces, and :