Norwich bulletin., 1913-09-29
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR DR. PRATT
impressive Tributes Voiced For Late Beloved Pastor of Broad way Church - Valued Teacher and Counsellor at Williams CoIlege-Preacher of Unusual Power - His Strong Missionary Spirit-For 20 Years President of Academy Corporation

l led him into the missionary aSsocla- = 1 ton, where for 14 long and exacting l years he served upon the executive l committee. The breadth and compre- l hensiveness of his interest was showed | by the Sub- committees to which he
 was elected. Of these the committee 1 on missions and on support especially | appealed to Dr. Pratt and he served l Tor long time on the first named. In 1 the work of the committee on missions i that among the negroes and highland i CTS of the south particularly attracted i him. He thought and prayed and studied the fields where those whom he | met were charmed with his personality I and his rich and noble manhood.
 l AS an example of Dr. Pratts close 1 sympathy with the work in the south, | the speaker related how he had seen 1 him moved to tears by one of the mel 1 odies he heard sung there by a great 1 chorus of the southern negroes. There was an intense appreciation, too, in the 1 field of his invaluable services on this 1 committee, and his judgment was held l in the highest esteem. He wanted to l help those who had not had chance 1 and to give for them the services of l the best in the race that had had a 1 chance. For him there was no patent
 method for the treatment of these l questions and each was a subject for l Considerate study and differentiating 1 treatment, whether negro or Indian or mountaineer
 1 These proud highlanders especially 1 interested Dr. Pratt, and when the in i sular territory came into our posses 1 sion that the flag was not only the l sign of freedom but also of Christian 1 opportunity, and our first duty lay 1 along the line of Christianizing for l Christian citizenship. In pr. Pratt the l American Missionary association rec 1 ognizes scholar. wise and skilful l administrator, a devoted citizen of ] ~oot oh att i but more than all a devoted and rev. 1 erent saint of Almighty God
 Anthem by the Quartette.
 1 He That Dweileth in the Secret i Place (Hadley). an anthem. was i'm 1 pressively renGered by the quartette. 1 As President of N. F. A. Corporation. l Speaking of the 20 years during 1 which Dr. Pratt was president of the 1 corporation of the Norwich Free Acad- i emy, Principle Henry A. Tirrell said 1 that anyone who sees the truth and 1 helps others to see it is a teacher, and l pr. Pratt had to a peculiar degree the 1 power of clear vision and expression. i He put aside personal views, was calm ] fair and nothing sensational. He had 1 enthusiasm and enthusiasm of the best 1 kind. the kind that counts. He had 1 the calm judgment of a thinker and i the deep perception of a true idealist. 1 With such gifts and rich in educa- ] tiOnaI experiences he was elected pres ident of the Academy corporation in 1 1893 and continued in that office until I his death. He was a power in the l community and gave to the public con- l fdence in the men who administered 1 the affairs of the institution. During l Dr. Pratts presidency the Rcademy 1 received in gifts $335, 1000, and it's pu- ] pils increased in number over 75 per 1 vent, but at no lowering of the stan { dards but with an increase that kept i pace. pr. Pratt believed in no short l cuts to education and the courses of i the school were steadily enriched and ] broadened, His tactfulness, his 1 thoughtfulness and his high standards | made steadily for conservation and l progress. It Was always his belief to i hold fast to that which is good and to strive towards that which is better. i Dr. Pratt stood for the open door of l universal education. The new building, i so long seemingly unattainable, was a l tribute to his faith in the Academy. He was generous, and out of his ] modest means gave to help many de- i serving student. He took pride in our l good name and gave his personal at tentiOn to the institution which Occu- pied so large a place in his thoughts. Even in the last days of weakness he asked often of the Academy. He un l derstood and appreciated and presented i ever a strong and kindly face to those
  1 His was an influence that never fa1le l and that will endure as long as Ac1d- ernF pupils shall enter it's doors
 Letter from North Adams Parishioner
 The tribute Of parishioner from the church at North Adams, Mass, was l presented in a letter which was read by Francis J. Leayens, senior deacOr of Broadway church. who prefaced it with a brief tribute of appreciation. /,F+ +I1,o 1871 to 1876 when Dr. Pratt was pastor at the Congreg ationai church at North Adams She wrote of the instant fla VOrable impression that his bsaring made upon one of the leaders of the 1 church as Dr. Pratt walked down the aisle when he was to preach, before he had been called to the pastorate. 1 This member declared that he was ready to vote for Dr. Pratt as pastor unheard.
 Coming to the church. he captured all hearts and minds at once and prob ably no church was ever more united
 than thls one in a call to a pastor. The church was strengthened by his faith and warm sympathy almost as much as by his preaching. The beauty of his sermons was referred to and the three fold appeal that he made to the aged, to those bearing the burdens Of fife, and to the young as well. His ser mons were borrowed and studied by his congregation He was never sen sational but alWa avs popular and the
 church attendance grew and the gal leries became filled, He prepared care
 fully for the prayer meeting and the
 young peoples meeting and the mum Der that joined the church in that
 pastorate was BOA He carried on a
 class in history and orgamzed neigh
 borhood meetings that were largely at
 tended The New Years sunrise meet
 ing was his inspiration. The letter
 writer referred to Dr. Pratts perfect
 understanding which seemed always to
 lead him to do and say the right thing
 and she gave a number of touching
 incidents of his sympathetic ministra-
 tions in times of sorrow.
 Hymn and Closing Prayer.
 After the reading of the letter the
 congregation united in singing the
 hymn Give Me the Wings of Faith,
 and the closing prayer was offered by
 Rev. Dr. Edwin Knox Mitchell of
 Hartford Theoi ogical seminary.
 The organ postlude, Marche Relig-
 eUse (GuilmanD, concluded the ser vice.
 It is the plan of the church to have
 the addresses delivered at the memo
 rial service issued in printed form.
 pr. Anyeil Seriously III.
 Ann 4 ArbOr Mich Sept 28-Dr.