214 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



He inspired us all with something of his own courage and public spirit, and 

 we mourn his loss as friends and as citizens. I have spoken of him as I knew 

 him as a man, as an editor and as a citizen, and I think those of you who 

 knew him, will say that the encomium bestowed upon him when I began is not 

 too laudatory, namely, "that his sins need no mantle of charity and his deeds 

 need no excuse." 



The Secretary read the following letter from the first Secretary of the society : 



Deae Sie, — I am very sorry that I am unable to be with you at this meet- 

 ing to take part in the memorial expressions of esteem and brotherly love for 

 our late friend aud ex-president Jonathan P. Thompson. 



How much this society owes the fact of its existence to-day to him will 

 probably never be known ; in fact, it would be hard to those who in later years 

 have witnessed at our meetings the congregated intelligence, pomologically 

 speaking, of the entire State, to recognize the gathering as of the same organ- 

 ization as the one held in a back room in Luce's Hall, Grand Eapids, ten years 

 ago next April, where he first saw us. 



No one probably, present at that meeting, recognized so fully the labor that 

 would be required to produce from that embryo the ideal society we sought, 

 nor none undertook his share more intelligently or cheerfully than Mr. Thomp- 

 son. His previous experience as a writer for the public press enabled him to 

 most thoroughly understand the need of advertising us to the people in the 

 best manner, and his versatile and willing pen was a powerful vehicle in bring- 

 ing us to favorable public notice. 



Later, as president and secretary, although confined to his room nearly all 

 of the time, and suffering much, no stone was left unturned to bring into our 

 ranks the best fruit-growers from every nook and corner of the State ; and 

 possessing as he did, a wonderful talent in reading human nature, he seemed 

 able to say the right word, at the right time, to the right person, and he 

 always said it. 



Sometimes it seemed to me he was given to favoritism, but when I assailed 

 him upon the subject found myself confronted by his great big heart, and was 

 completely overcome by him, and generally found afterwards that he was really 

 at work for the greatest good for the greatest number. And, while I know 

 nothing of his religious beliefs, nor to what church, if any, he belonged ; yet 

 I feel confidence in his future, when I think that the fate of so kind a brother 

 (he called us all brothers), so good an adviser, and so true a friend, is in the 

 hands of a just God. Respectfully, 



A. T. LINDERMAN. 



Mr. Pearsall said : 



I call to mind the interest in our work and the indefatigable exertion he has 

 made for the advancement of this society that he so much loved. When his 

 disability was such that he could with difficulty walk, yet he would always be 

 at his post, when acting secretary : and we always looked with interest and profit 

 to the productions of his pen; and I am glad that we can call to mind the 

 departed with so much interest, and while we may say "peace to his ashes," 

 we may not forget that a "great man is fallen," and "our loss is most cer- 

 tainly his gain." 



Mr. H. Dale Adams, after calling to mind a number of pleasant incidents 

 connected with his personal knowledge of Mr. Thompson, offered the follow- 

 ing resolutions, which were unanimously adopted by a rising vote : 



