The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1916-09-01
REMARKS AT The i.
FUNERAL OF EDISON
WOODMAN

We are met together to-day to take
our parting leave of loved one and
friend. He has gone the way of all
the earth; gone into that world where
"None but the Master shall praise,
None but the Master shall blame.
No words of mine can add peace to
his ashes or sweetness to his sleep.
No words of mine can change one
whit the life that he has lived. 1t
speaks for itself in the home he has
built, in the friends he has made, in
the contributions he has made to the
life of the world round about him.
No life is perfect; we all have our
faults and peculiaritites; and doubt
less Mr.. Woodman was not different
from others in this respect. But
surely this is the time when we may
throw the mantle of brotherly love
about whatever flaws there may have
been, and search out the virtues and
the strength of the life of our friend.
1t is not my purpose therefore to laud
or eulogize his name, but simply and
frankly to estimate certain of the
values and graces of his character
and life, which we can gratefully re-
member, and which may be Of benefit
to our lives as we think of them. l
recognize my limitations in this task
because of my small acquaintance
with Mr.. Woodman. Nevertheless
his character is written plainly in the
life of his home and his friends.
And in these places l have read some
of his many virtues.
Mr.. Woodlands going marks the
departure of another of the older
class of citizens, and of the older
type of men, in which this community
has been peculiarly blessed. He re-
presents that class of the older men,
who have fought the battle Of life in
the open and who have therefore be-
come the possessors Of a character
that is open and frank and natural,
unadorned by the superficial niceties
and antifcialities which are more or
less characteristic Of modern life.
He took great pride in having the
best, but the fancies and frills did not
attract him. He was just plain and
substantial in his habits and desires.
The passing of these sturdy men is a
very distinct and appreciate loss to
the life Of today; greater, | some
time fear than we will realize until
the last Of them is gone. Mr.. Wood
mans life was both intensive and eX-
tensive. He enjoyed that sweet and
unusual privilege of being born and
living his life in the same community.
He was spared the heartache of tear
ing himself away from scenes that
were familiar and dear, and he was
given the pleasure of associating a
lifetime with lifelong friends. His
life was not narrowed, however, as it
might have been, for his interests and
sympathies and knowledge were al
ways broader than the measure of his
CEc,iIlu III IllC lciICI years VI HIS lllC
especially, his extensive travels
widened the scope of his life. His
early life had much of thepioneer in
it. Seventy years ago this country
round was covered with the forest
primeval." With his own hands for
the most part he cleared these fer
tile acres of that virgin forest, and he
has seen it grow under the moulding
influence Of his own hand into one of
the finest farms in the county. 1t
gives person just and worthy
sense Of pride to see so evidently the
results of his labors. When he be-
gan to build his beautiful home, he
first had but a few rooms in the
house. And lean-to under which his
horse was sheltered. To these he added
until he possessed all these splen-