Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-23
ROtarians Hold
Memorial Service
For Father CharIand


For Father CharIand
For the second time this month
the Rotary Club meeting at the Elm
wood Hotel was clothed in sadness.
me frst on account OF one of its
members, the late Colonel Frederic
r. Boothby. and yesterday memorial
services were held for another Ro-
tartan brother who had passed to
the Great Beyond. the Rev Fr Mar
cisse Charland. The main address Of
the meeting was delivered by Asso-
ciate Justice Warren y. Philbrook,
who was a close friend and strong
admlrer OF the deceased Catholic
priest. Judge Philbrook said: 1--WE
are better by having had Father
Charand in our midst for the last
40 odd years. think of two tri-
butes which l wish to pay to this
great lover of humanity. which in
my mind is the keystone to the arch
of memory. The first was his rev.
erence for the law of God, and sec
ond. his respect for the laws of the
country. 1t is hard for a man to
respect one without the other and
for perfect harmony the two must
coincide. but l think that if we
would take religion into our lives it
then spoke on Father Charland and
his interests in the schools and bene-
fits OF education. saying that al
though the Catholic father had es-
tablished two schools in this city in
which he naturally took great pride
and interest he was never unmindful
of the educational advantages of the
public schools. and was always ready
to give them help whenever oppor-
tunity presented itself.
DR.. Thayer gave 4 short tribute,
saying that his life acquaintance
with the Rev. Father had been inter
wished to pay high tribute to his
sterling qualities.
Arthur J. Roberts. president of
Colby College. spoke on Father
Charland as a student of English,
saying that the English language as
accepted and used by many of us
was not satisfying to Father Char
land. who daily Strove to build up
his rhetoric. President Roberts said
that often Father Charland had
stopped him on the street to inquire
into the correct construction Of GER
tain English phrases. He also spoke
of him as a man of wit and humor.
always read for a joke. President
Roberts said that he met Father
Charland a short time ago on the
street and inquired as to his health.
and Father Charland replied that he
had a very bad heart but that he
was willing and not afraid to go. as
he believed there was a better life
waiting for him after death. Presi
dent Roberts said that the express
sion itself was an anchor that we
should strive to hold on to.
DIR. A. Jolly said that Father Char
land had sympathy for all. Catholic
or Protestant. and that he had paid
for the education for from three to
five young men who studied for the
priesthood and that he had been the
financial means of sending several
young boys through school. And
although" said DIR. Jolly. Il mourn
his loss. l rejoice in the monument
that he has built for himself in the
community"
DIR. J. Frederick Hill said. May l
add my tribute to the memory of
this good man. 1t was my privilege
to know Father ,harland intimately
for many years and during that time
I had learned to respect and love
him. His life has been precious
contribution for good in this COM
munity. He possessed all the qualifi-
cations that go to make up an ideal
citizen. Unselfish in every thought
and act. devOtedly concerned with
the welfare OF all who composed the
body polite. unsparing in his
strength even when death crept
close upon him. always charitable
to those who held views contrary to
his own, yet never compromising.
TO me. as l think upon his life and
deeds and recall the substance OF
many personal talks with him. he
exemplified all that was best; and
monument of enduring kindness and
piety. that should be a constant re-
minder of great and good man
who once passed this way"
DIR. DARCY. the next member
called upon. stated that he could
only repeat what had already been
said and that he thought that Father
Charland's life was emblematical of
the Rotary motto: Service Above
Self"
A. +. Cyr, who has been constant
friend of the deceased for - years,
stated that Father Charland's state
when called upon for advice. He
then read u list of invited friends
who were asked by the family to at
tend the funeral and all but three of
these names were Rotarians. Inc
meeting closed by reading Of resolu-
tions by Mayor Leon -. Tebbets.
chairman on the committee, winch
were as follows:
The members If the Rotary Club
of Waterville, in regular meeting as
sembled. pause to pay tribute. brlei
but genuine, to Narcisse Charland.
an Honorary member of this club,
whose sudden death occurred on
Friday, Jan. 10. In the passing OF
Narcisse Charland this club has lost
a member whose presence among us
was counted as rich blessing ana
whose abiding interest IN all tne
work that the club undertook 70 40
was a source of unusual inspiration:
AS a citizen. interested IN all that
worked for the moral uplift of our
people, he stood pre-emincnt. NO
worthy undertaking ever lacked MS
earnest support. and no harmful pol
lev ever escaped his severest con-
domination. His love OF country ana
his efforts in her behalf, in peace
and war. held him up to the young
as a patriotic American citizen. AS
a man he eXemplified in marked
degree all those personal qualities
that are associated with one who
lives four square. Deeply religious.
sane in his judgment on men and
measures. constantly employed IN
deeds of kindness, charitable TO all