The Newtown bee., 1909-01-08
East0n.
FUNERAL OF MRS DEBORAH
 SULLIVAN.

Mrs. Deborah Staples silliman was laid to rest December 31, 1908,) on the last day of the Old Year in the Union Cemetery of Easton opposite the Baptist church. If she had lived till February 21st she would have been 109 years old. There was a large attendance. Rev. Washington Irving Maurer, Bridgeport, Conn.,, spoke of his personal acquaintance and the principles for which her life stood.
 Rev. MT. Maddock, pastor Congre- gational church, Easton, read the Scriptures and took part in the com initial services in the cemetery. The Rev. Arthur Locke, pastor of the Bap- tist church, Easton of which she was a member, had charge of the services and preached the funeral sermon in regard to which several expressed their approval saying that it was a splendid tribute. Jesus, Lover of My Soul" Nearer My God to Thee" and Rock of Ages" were sung by Mrs. Mallet Sanford, Mrs. Arthur Locke and Miss Grace Williams and Mrs. Arthur Sherwood presided at the piano. After the funeral cortege alighted from the several carriages, the pastor met the casket at the en- trance to the cemetery and read ap- propriate Scriptures as the procession wended its way reverently to the grave. Closing with Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them" With service never to be forgotten by some who were present. -.:
 Rev. MT. Locke read in part:
 "Whither go ye know and the way ye know" John 14:4. -
 There are times when a minister's $ lips may be eloquent with silence as to the future prospects of the depart ed. For when the departed. one has not made confession of Christ nor taken upon themselves the solemn vows of baptism. neither know or ac- knowledge to their own satisfaction that they have been pardoned, sancti- fled and redeemed by the Blood of Christ born from above with the as .urance that God has sent His Spirit into their hearts by whom they can cry Abba Father, 1t Is better to be sl- lent than to be wise above that which those who may be inclined to rest upon slender threads by which to rise to immortal worlds
 But there need be no hesitation in reference to the Home going of the one around whose casket we assemble to pay the last tribute of love today.
 Tn the first years of the nineteenth century Mrs. Silliman, Aunt Deborah, .s we all like to call her, as we all had an heritage of interest and an heritage of love in her. Aunt Deborah assumed the responsibilities of a Christian confession, and they were responsibilities in those days, which involved heart and soul and con- science and life and character in con- stant covenant agreement with her Lord whose footsteps and life she had avowed to follow. Christianity was not popular when she assumed the burdens of the cross Christianity has been so cheapened in these days that great deal of what passes for Chris tldHlly IS UOl CilGlSlldllily anu llld1y are deluded thereby. But it was not so with Aunt Deborah. She had be- come united to her Lord and he that is so united to Him becomes one in Spirit and purpose. He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit"
 This was the apostolic method and is Gods method from start to finish. They first gave themselves unto the Lord and then unto us (the church) by the will of God. It is in this meth cd the anchor holds sure and stead fast and outweathers every storm and trial religious and anti-religious up- heaval and commotion. And this was constantly in evidence in the life of our sister not only in her love for the Bible but in her constant study of it's precious contents and on the eve of her death, a few hours before her de- parture. We endeavored to ascertain some of her favorite passages of Scrip ture and was told by some of the dear ones of the family that two of her most favored chapters which she loved to ponder oft and read and have read to her most frequently were Isaiah 53 and John 14, from which