The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1912-03-01
Mr.. w. A. Russell was then called

4 Mr.. w. A. Russell was then called
upon and said:
"Mr. President and members of the
board OF trade: think il most appro
pirate that this organization of citizen;
should, as Mr.. Tillinghast so thought
fully suggested. take this action express
i've of our sorrow at the passing of Rev.
Edward p. Butler, who was a member oil
this board and a man whom we all knew
and honored. 1t was my privilege to
know Mr.. Butler quite intimately, and
there is no extravagant stringing OF mere
words when ! say 10 you that he was the
Sweetest-spirited man ever knew.
From newspaper reports following
his death | learned that he was the son
of physician and had his early training
in cultured Christian home. He was
educated at and graduated from the Uni.
versity OF Vermont. He then chose the
profession of the Christian ministry and
spent three years in preparation at Hart
ford Theological School, from which,
also, he was graduated in 1873. From
that time to the day of his death he was
a faithful minister of the Gospel.
"Mr Butler was fitted both in native
ability and scholastic attainment to fill
the most important pulpitS in the land.
This is not alone my opinion, but il was
the deliberate judgment of men emin-
ent in his own profession. And yet, in
spite of this unquestoned ability, he
purposely chose to arrange his life work
that he might enjoy the natural life of
the country, rather than yield 10 the
more ambitious allurementS and neceS-
Sarily more artificial life of the cities.
II was for this reason that he chose viii
lagos for his parish work, and before
coming to Crescent City he served but
two of them-one for Is and the other
for 10 years. In addition to his parish
work, Mr.. Butler served many years as
president of the Connecticut Valley
Chautauqua ASsociation--three years al
ter coming to Florida position he
only relinquished last fall.
"Mr. Butler was a man of intensity hui
name sympalhies; his charity never fail
ed. | remember that one of his favorite
modern poems was The House by the
Side of the Road, and one verse in par
ticular, as he recited il in recent Sun
day evening sermon, impressed me at
the time as being an index to his charac-
ter-his great love for his fellow-men:
Let me live in a house by the side of
of the road
Where the races OF men go by
The men who are good, the men who
are bad,
AS good and as bad as |.
i would not sit in the Scorner'S seat,
Or hurl the Cynic'S ban
Let me live in house by the side of
the road
And be friend to man.
Such man, my friends, did not fear
this sleep of death, or the illimitable
reaches of the StarleSs night He be-
lieved in God, the Almighty and Ever
lasting Father; he had felt His presence
and had heard His voice. He knew
that through the celestial ransom God
kept watch over His children, and that
the love and power of the Heavenly Fa-
Their would not fail him when the hour
of death came. And so, when the sum
mons reached him, it found him ready, |
and he approached his grave like one
who wraps the draperies of his couch
about him and lies down TO pleasant
Dreams
81 thank you, Mr.. President and men,
bers of the board, for this opportunity |
TO pay personal, public tribute to this
gentle spirit who so recently went out
from among us; and if could make one
helpful wish tonight, it would be that
the influence of his kindly life might
linger through the coming years and /
continue to bless this people,"
AT the conclusion of Mr.. RuSSell's re-
marks, Mayor G. T. Graham moved that
the resolutions be adopted by rising
vote. And all in the audience arose.
The board took up the business order
Several new members were elected. |
Mr.. E. H. Williams introduced reSolu-
lions which will be published little
later The resolutions which were
adopted after a brief ad
1ress by Mr.. Williams, urge upon the
County Commissioners the importance
Of the proper up-keep of the hard roads
already built in this section, and called
or the appointment OF special COM
nittee of the board TO present the mat
er before the Commissioners.
The committee on printing reported
hat it had the matter ready and in few
lays would have the work started on
lille 20. page booklet descriptive and il
uStratiug the beauties of Crescent City,
Ind of which there would be $1,000.
There were several matters of minor
Importance discussed.