The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-07-25
MEMORIAL SERVICES
Held at St. James Episcopal Church
Sunday School.

2
a service of a memorial nature took
place, After the opening programl
remarks were made by the Rector,
followed by beautiful tribute to the
beloved teacher, Miss Gladys Hoff-
mann, written by Miss McMillen, the
teacher of the young ladies' class. Her
eulogy is here printed in full, and
was greatly appreciated by the sor-
rowing school. Following it were the
closing service, the lesson and ordi-
nary business being omitted. 1t
was decided that each year the Sun
day school purchase the altar flowers
for the second Sunday in July, it be-
ing the anniversary of her last at
tendance at the school, and that
these flowers should be a memorial
and token of the loving regard of
the school for the one who so long
and faithfully labored for it, and
whose departure from life has filed
all with grief. 1t was suggested that
memorial flowers for other departed
members of the Sunday school be
presented on this day.
Twenty Beautiful Years.
"a few weeks ago when the coins
that commemorated the twenty beau
tiful years of Gladys Hoffmanns life
were deposited in the crystal birth
day vase, the sorrowful thought did
not occur to any of us that 1t was her
last birthday offering to st. James
Sunday school of which she had been
a member since her early childhood
She received all her Sunday school
training in the classes of this school
When she was yet too young to as
sumo the responsibility of class she
began to assist her devoted mother
in the primary work Under this tu-
telage she was trained, and she be-
loved teacher. How many boys and
girls in this Sunday school have been
taught by her the duty of loving God
and keeping His Commandments.
Last Sunday as she sat in her ac-
customed place, in her dress of white,
her shining hair bound with a ribbon
of blue, surrounded by her class of
girls, teaching the lesson of the day,
the lesson of faith and obedience that
Christ taught the waiting people by
tthe Sea of Galilee, and while the
Angel of Death lowered so near, if we
had been intent upon it, it seems We
must have heard the rustic of his
| wings. She was a beautiful picture,
picture that will never fade from
the memory of many who saw her
| that day. She was animated and
happy over the thought of going with
some young college friends to Lake
Christian Association training school
for young women. She spoke to mem.
bers of the Sunday school in an ap-
preciative way of the opportunity that
had come to her, to go to Lake Gen
eva, considering it a privilege. In
this. spirit she accepted and i'm
proved the opportunities that her gen.
erous loving parents made for her
with the aim of attaining to a cult
waited and useful womanhood. 1t is
doubtless true that in getting some
of her girlish belongings in readiness
for this trip the sad accident occurred
that took her young life. Twenty
beautiful years, and the tale of her
earthly life is told.
And now we think of her as one,
Who in her youthful beauty died;
Not in the cold, moist, earth we laid
her,
When the forest cast the leaf,
AS we wept that one so lovely
Should have life so brief;
But it was
When the briar.rose and orchid
Amid the summers glow:
And not unmeet it was, that one
Like this young friend of ours,
So gentle and so beautiful
SnOulu De DuTleu "ltn LneSe HoWelS.
1t has been said that the good die
first and those whose hearts are dry
as summer dust burn to the socket.
This thought of Wordsworth must
have been suggested by some
such crushing sorrow as we feel at,
as it seems to us, the untimely death
of sweet Gladys Hoffman,.
But shall we think of her as dead?
Not so. AS Christian Sunday-school
let it be our prayer that the dear
friends who are so sadly bereft may
be able to say in their hearts
She is not dead, the child of our
affection,
But gone unto that school
Where she no longer needs our poor
protection
And Christ Himself doth rule"
May we all remember that 1t was
only her precious clay that was bur
led with the flowers under the beauti
full forest tree. And may we all think
of her as one who walks in beauty
In Paradise the blest among those |
u,hn bauo tpucbod in faith tho radiant |