The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-02-25
REQUIEM FOR ].
MRS. R. R. PURCELL
Funeral Services For Z much De-
loved and Esteemed Helena
Woman
BULOGY BY BISHOP CARROLL
Vast Array Of Floral Offerings At.
test Regard In Which She =
Wac Held Il

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Helena, Mont. Daily Record:
Funeral services for Mrs. r. R,
Purcell, whose death last Monday
morning created general sorrow
in this city, was held at 10 O'Clock
this morning from the new ST.
Helena cathedral. Requiem high
mass was said by the Rt. Rev. j.
P. Carroll. bishop of the local do
cese, and he was assisted by the
resident priests.
Upon the casket was vast ar
ray of beautiful floral offerings
tributes of respect and love from
friends residing in every part of
the city. The general esteem in
which the beloved woman was held
was also attested by the presence
of hundreds of men and women
during the sad services. At the
close of the mass Bishop Carroll
spoke in eulogy of the departed as
follows:
1--WE cannot stand in the pres
ence of death without experience
ing feeling of sadness. We weep
over the decay of the infant bud
of mortality. The tears come un-
hidden to our eyes when the
strong young man or young wo-
man is cut down in the midst 81
the hopes and dreams of a bright
future. Nor can we repress our
sorrow when the grave claims for
its own the age of the scar and
yellow leaf But death has a
greater, deeper and keener grief
than all these. 1t is the grief which
overwhelms the loving husband
when the wife of his bosom is
snatched away as she is about to
present to him the first living
pledge of their mutual affection
the darling object of their hopes
and prayers. That grief is in our
midst this morning. A mothers
silent form lies before us, bear
ing in her clasped arms the in
FAINT for whose sake she died. To
the husband and father bowed
down with sorrow and to the be-
reaved relatives l offer my Deep
est sympathy and that of the
priests and people of the city of
Helena.
Words Avail Little
But words avail little to soft
Ell the blow which Providence has
inflicted. The only consolation is
the recollection of the Christian
life and death of the deceased. ~
i Mrs. Purcell was humble. HUI
mility she regarded as the basic
virtue of the Christian life. She
sought not to be ranked with the
great and wise, though her hus-
band occupied a distinguished
place among his fellows at the bar
of the state and had been repeat
eddy elected to the highest office
in the Capital city. She eschewcd
society, prefering the quiet of the
home, her simple tastes had made
so beautiful. Her life would not
attract any special attention or
draw forth the applause of the
world. Like clean, placid stream
it modestly wendell its way unobr
served through the pleasant wall
leys beneath the shadows among
the hills. 1t gave forth beauty
and fragrance peculiar to itself
like the modest flower blooming
in some quiet. secluded spot.
TO humility she added holi-
ness. This was evidenced first of
all by her simple faith. She saw
not the clouds and mists with
which questioning reason too Of
ten obscures the truth of religion.
She gazed with keen and steady
eye upon the most hidden myster..
les OF God and Christ. She hest
tated not. With her there was
neither doubt nor shadow Of
doubt. She dwelt above the regions
OF sense and inhaled the pure
fresh breezes of Heaven. The sky
OF her soul was always clears for
faith with her was vision. Well
DO | remember my conversation
with her after the untimely takinE
Off Of that dear sister of hers,
whose brilliant parts and Chrisat
tian character made her a Joy and
an edification to this community.
1T is hard to bear, she said, but
after all God is our Father, and
He does what is best for His
children Her faith seemed to be
as strong as that of Holy Job.
who, in the midst of his affliction.
cried out: The Lord gave, and the
Lord hath taken away; as it hath
pleased the Lord, so is it done:
blessed be the name of the Lord
/ Her Piety.
Another index of her holiness
was her piety, fervent and child
like. How beautiful it is to see
children sitting on the knee of al
good, kind father telling him eyEI1
erything that is in their little
hearts! Such was Mrs. Purcelrs1
attitude towards God. In Him she
always conflded. To Him she all
ways had recourse in her Joys and
sorrows. No Sunday ever fonnd!