Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-10
Eloquent words of Head of Creighton
Vufveraffv

Versity, was PROFOUNDLY Impressive anu
fervently eloquent. It fell with an evident
weight Of meaning upon the vast congrega-
ton. moved now and then by it's remark
able stress upon true emotions. Father
Bowling said:
Nearly twenty years ago there passed
from earth the gentle spirit Of Sarah Emily
Creighton. the wife Of our dead friend.
consort and 1 spoke words Of heartfelt
sympathy as he turned disconsolately aside
20 give way 70 his pentup feelings of bitter
woe Later on. from the same spot where
/ now stand. where every human JOY. and
sorrow find their expression OF, echo, where
every human aspiration and sacrifice reach
their highest conservation, spoke the last
farewell prayed peace to her ashes, aud
commended to God the guardian spirit of
same as II is today; the thTung of SYM
pathetic friends, the doleful chant which
ringing through the vaulted arches of this
church, these columns draped in black ike
me strong I mans iTamH e., IN ond oiS
to replace them with habiliments of mourn
ing. The candles fiickered, while their
flames mounted upwards like our hopes.
The censers sent up their cloud of incense
like the prayers of the elect Then as now
these windows, their Joint gift, challenged
the light, compelling IL to pay tribute to
the figured glory OF the saints Of God be-
fore entering In. The same sacrifices were
offered up. the same pledges of immortality
we're given, the same proofs of an undying
Christian faith Many of you were here,
though your heads. like mine, have whit
ened since. He was here mourner
who today is here the central figure of uni
versal regret, clad in the solemn majesty
of death. After that day these sacred pre-
cincts, hallowed by such recollections, be-
came doubly dear to him, and his fondest
wish was that he might. after a good end.
with priest present at his dying hour go
forth on his last journey from before this
altar.
EIOauence from Life of Dead.
What shall say to him in your manner
thou good S and faithful ts servant uO He
heeds 1t not. His ears are closed to the
sweet music of human voice Shall we
wealth of suggestion and strength? HIS
eyes closed to earthly sights. Shall
we place in his hands the long roll of his
benefactions? In vain; his hands are
folded on his silent breast and shall re-
spond no more to human touch. His life
ended; and you hear once more the elo-
quent sermon ever preached in silence
by the lips Of the dead: What am to-
day you may be tomorrow"
1t is the misfortune of the wealthy that
their true characteristics are often lost
sight of. because in estimating their lives
and deeds all else Is swallowed up in the
magnitude Of their possessions. Wher-
ever we start out We find ourselves UNI
had, rather than to what they were; the
mind is dazzled by the vast amounts sell
fishly retained or generously given TO
philanthropy and the human element is,
to great extent eliminated. Even the
merit of their charity is largely dimmed
because is,a It Is taken for granted that a
with some Of his riches than those who
possess less, Nothing is more common
He will not miss it," He will have
plenty left" This shows very imper.
feet acquaintance with the springs Of
human action and does not take account
of the fact that few are willing to give
up their riches until the icy fingers of.
death loosen their hold and sign waver-
OF the story Of the young man of the
gospel who came to our Lord and said
possess eternal iifea' He answered.:
keep the commandments" All this
I hSye dc done sI from my youth Then fol
be perfect, go sell all thou hast and
give TO the poor and then come and fol-
young man went away sed. for he had
many possessions He could not bring
h himself ELF to exchange the goods of earth
Merely n steward of God
Our dead friend was far. from being
animated by this sentiment. At any
moment he would have given all he had
life. He valued wealth chiefly as a means
of doing good; seldom will you meet a
a sense of responsibility for the right
use of his wealth. He considered him
self merely steward of God. an almoner
For many years l was associated with
Mr.. Creighton in his works of phiian-
thropy and charity. He treated me with
the indulgence of an elder brother and
gave me such confidence as one man sell
dom gives another. | may modestly
his life. II asked what were his prln-
cipal characteristics. 1 should say that
they are summed up in the statement:
He was a man of faith and heart. He
raised his charity TO the dignity of
supernatural act by founding Il on faith
and the teaching of faith, while he re-
or
Kind by his generosity to his followmen
He believed strongly in the efficiency OF
convent OF Poor Clares, the essence of
whose life is prayer and contemplation.
He believed, steadfastly in the need of
abiding conviction that those in the world
beyond can be helped by our prayers, and
hence he continually remembered the souls
of the faithful departed and for twenty
years had high mass offered for his de-
ceased wife; yet he always thought hur1bly
OF himself. He never set himself up as a
model Christian. He would have ridiculed
the Idea that he was an example for anyone
20 follow. AS he was a man of generous
impulses. so he was a man Of strong and
deep convictions, Of simplicity. Of human
ity' OF chlld-like faith and trust in God
He was wont TO say that he never gave
any considerable sum to charity that he
did not receive much more in return.
II WAS was esSpeS especial IN acts Of charity that
OF his uniform courtesy to rich and poor;
his accessibility his deep interest in suf-
he was severe even towards those who
abused his goodness, and where others
would refuse to give even TO the deserving
lest they might be imposed upon by the UNI
deserving, he hesitated 10 turn away even
the doubtfully worthy, lest he might do an
injustice to those who had a fair claim
on his charity. His thoughts were always
for others When he came down stairs in
the morning and saw the washer woman
In the house he would not sit down to
breakfast until he was sure that she had
had hers, because she had TO work hard
All day. He would walk instead of taking
his carriage TO church, II the coachman
had not been TO mass, or had not taken
MS breakfast. A few days before mis-
death, during lucid interval when he
recognized me, he noticed the nursing sister
by his side, and without thinking of him
SELF, said: Sister so and get something
70 eat; you must be tired, taking care OF
me-" And at once he relapsed again into
Inconsistencies. Even In his deliruim the
thought OF alms-giving was uppermost In
MS mind, for he said to his faithful friend:
| mary, there are two little boys standing
tnerei go TO my pocket and get some change
Ior them. And shortly after he inquired;
I DID you get that change for those two lit
tie boysT' And when assured that his
| Imaginary visitors had been attended 20 he
was satisfied. And this was not a trait OF
recent years; two decades ago, one Christ
mas evening telephoned TO him to INQUIRE
/ now he had spent the day, and this was
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