The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-12-07
REMARKS An FUNERAL OF
ROLLIN SYKES. DORSET
NOVEMBER %, 1916

That well done" which the soul Of
the wise man Graves as the crown Of
life's endcayors Is to be spoken in
another world, by One who knows both
the outward life and the deep secrets
of the heart And yet these words
rise naturally today to the lips Of
those among us who have known Dea.
Sykes long and intimately. We are
SURF that he sought ever TO live
worthily Of his high vocation and that
h, did not seek it in vain.
Behind the house on the West road
where he spent the greater part of his
life there is a ledge a hundred feet
high, which we have long called Roll
Inns Ledge, and from the top Of this
ledge one sees the broad meadow and
most of the pasture lend where for
many years he worked as farmer.
The view is one of rare loneliness
whether one sees it in the carly dawn
OF June day when the sun Is just
rising over Crane Hill or in the midst
Of mild day in autumn when deep
hush lies on the brown meadows and
gray hillsides.
II Is not difficult to trace certain
resemblance between this material
landscape, so familiar to Mr.. Sykes,
and the higher landscape Of his own
soul. which includes the ruling motives
and deep joys of his life. Thus we
note that, as the lower landscape was
shut in and guarded by the mountains
of God, so the higher landscape was
perpetually sheltered by the heights
Of Christian faith and love and hope,
bulwarks of the unconquerable spirit
Again, as the material landscape is
beautifed with fruitful fields, which
witness to the ordered and earnest toll
of man, so that other landscape was
teautifed by systematic devotion to
the great ends Of life and by little
aforementioned acts of kindness. We
may note too that, as the lower land
scape owes all its beauty to the light
which falls upon it out of the skies, so
that higher landscape of which we
speak owed its beauty, not to human
culture or to the power that comes
from wealth or high position. but to
that light from on high which gives
wisdom to the mind and grace to the
heart. We may note yet one more
point of resemblance. AS the lower
Landscape is sometimes glorified for a
little space when, over the darkenlng
valley, the mountain crests glow red
in the beams Of the sun which has
sunk below the horizon, so that higher
landscape of the soul was gloritied last
Sunday afternoon when our friend, |
gathering up his failing powers, ex-
claimed TO a young man who was near
him, "The Gospel, the Gospel, the
Gospel is everything This was the
expression Of deep and lifelong
conviction, and we may well regard II
as the last will and testament Of Mr..
Sykes to this church. can not be-
lieve that he would greatly alter these
words If, from that realm to which he
has gone, he were to speak TO us sgain
in the language of earth. With a
clearer view Of the truth and purer
desire for the welfare Of this church
with deeper sense Of the love Of God
and the worth of human soul. | be-
lievc he would still say, THE Gospel
the Gospel, the Gospel is everything
The justification Of this statement is
not far 10 seek The Gospel is every
thing because il leads the soul into
peace through trust in heavenly
Father Surely there is no wisdom
higher than this trust, no joy deeper
than this peace. Blessed are they who
drink daily at the fountains in the
Gospel Of life. For them death is al
ready swallowed up in victory; and as
they 60 forth through the marrow
pass" Of death, they come out upon
the boundless tableland Of eternal life,
10 which our God himself is sun and
moon.
G. II. c.