Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-09-23

nesses that spoil some lives. That he
was sincere in his home, as loving
husband and father, is not only too
sacred matter to be elaborated here,
but is known to all. I never knew a
busy business man who took more
pride in his nearest and dearest than
did he. He was sincere as friend.
/ had no fear of ever having a misun-
Outstanding as either friend or pastor
with this man. He was above such
petty things. He was more helpful to
his friends than he himself knew.
Sincerity is another word for honesty.
For him to be elected to any trust
meant that it would be we'll perform
ed. He sometimes did that in serving
the public which he knew would hurt
his business. He often spoke to me
and in church publicly, of
his detestation of the practice, too
common in the world to-day, of modi-
flying public duty to the furtherance Of
personal ends. More than once l have
heard men say His word was as
good as his bond" In all the course
of my career | have not had to do
with any man of whom have received
so many unsolicited testimonials
as of him. Life with him had to be
honestly lived. He was ore of the
few who cared for nothing frivolous
or f1ippant. Not that he was of a
solemn and austere turn of mind, but
that he, thought time, strength and mon
ey were worth too much to be frlt-
tered away. He never spared himself,
working beyond his strength with a
zeal that never abated, doing as much
in his life as two Or three ordinary
men. Again, he was true patriot.
His war record shows that. He volun-
teered for service early in the war and
continued till its close, receiving: as
has been seen, rapid promotion. But
he demonstrated his true soldierly
qualities by refusing furlough, and
offers of paying employm ent outside
the army, ending. finally, in his insis-
tence that he be relieved from his work
in the supplies department, where
there was little personal danger, and
be given a musket that he might serve
with the fighting men in the ranks.
And since the war he has stood nobly
by the Grand Army of the Republic,
being the main strength of it's local
body, conducting their services with
and dignity, and teaching
the principles of true patriotism by
both word and deed. Best of all he
succeeded, where some veterans have
not done so we'll, in living brave and
usefulslife as a citizen in these later
days of peace, protesting and fighting
against corruption, fraud, and evil,
standing: for. clean government and
good morals, and expressing hearty
sympathy with many good causes. The
camp fire will know him no more. nor
will his voice be heard in veteran
council. The next Memorial services,
in which he took an honest pride, will
be conducted without him. You veter-
ans will realize next May better than
you do now how much you have lost.
Last of all he was religious. This
is term often misunderstood. Church
and loud talk do not either
make or prove religion. This consists in
fearing God, worshipping him. and in
an honest attempt to live clean moral
life and to do right by ones neigh
bors. In all of these details Charles
w. Wheeler was a sincerely religious
man. Never obtrusive with opinion or
blatant in profession, he did believe
in God. Few ministers find it as
easy to make an honest prayer as did
he. His life was the freest from
things unclean, so far as | can tell, as
any man | know, and he tried to do
Justly by ALL These are the elements
of religion. and he possessed them. or,
rather, they possessed him. That he
should be 2 supporter of the church
followed as assmatter of course. While
never an indiscriminate giver he gave
generously to this church. 1t would
surprise you to know the total amount
of his gifts. What is better he always
insisted that money thus given was we'll
invested. He thought, to his dying
day, that the first duty of any citizen,
after that to his family, was to the
church. He insisted that any letting
down of the efficiency of this institu-
ton would bring certain disaster On
the morals, and responsibility, and
even the prosperity Of the place. What
he has been to US cannot be told. He
was always in his place. When his
last sickness was on him, only three
short weeks ago, he went to service
both morning and evening. For many
years he has been treasurer of the
society, teacher of the Bible class,