STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 143 



say that he has contributed thousands of dollars for these interests beyond 

 the merely business claims of the parish, would be but a tame statement. 

 He has been a most faithful worker, presiding for years at the annual 

 parish meetings, giving dignity and stability to the whole course of things 

 in which he has taken a conspicuous part down to the last days. It is 

 only a few weeks since he brought his cheek to the treasurer for .$500 

 toward the renovation of this house of worship. For fifteen years he 

 was the valued friend of the first pastor of the church, Dr. Codman, and, 

 when death terminated that long and good ministry, he joined in calling 

 his successor — Dr. Means — who, in a pastorate of thirty years, had no 

 firmer supporter nor more generous helper. And when the day came for 

 another to take that place, he entered vigorously into the plans and cor- 

 respondence necessary, signed the call as chairman of the parish commit- 

 tee and greeted me, when I first descended from this pulpit, eiglit years 

 ago, with a cordiality and kindness I can never forget. That old-time 

 courtesy, that delicate consideration, that freedom of conversation on the 

 deepest themes, at all times ; the hours of bereavement and sickness in 

 which we have been drawn peculiarly near to each other — the last Thanks- 

 giving remembrance from his orchard — these will always be among the 

 choicest treasures and best honors of my life. 



He inherited a strong religious bent from his godly ancestry, and was 

 brought up under the old regime of faithful instruction and implicit obe- 

 dience. Around him the most helpful infiuences have always been thrown, 

 in the innermost circle of his life. The prayers of the now sainted women, 

 whom Providence gave him as his wives, have girded him for the toil and 

 confiict of his long day. Nor have his own been wanting. It has been 

 his custom for 34 years to ask a blessing at his meals and gather his fam- 

 ily around him every morning, down to the very last, to hear a portion of 

 the Word of God, to sing some familiar hymn — his favorites being sung to 

 us to-day, the "Sweet Bye and Bye" being his hymn above all others — 

 and then to kneel and seek the favor of God. He invariably offered an 

 earnest petition for a "heavenly inheritance," and that "we may be led in 

 the paths of salvation for Christ's sake." This last was his last petition 

 on the morning of his death. To one of his family he said not long ago : 

 "I tremble when I think of the temptations to which I have been exposed ; 

 but God has kept me from yielding to them." To me he said within 

 a year : "I am sure that my life lias been a selfish one. I do not know 

 that I have ever done anything from the best motives. I have no claim 

 save on the mercy of God. If I am permitted to enter Heaven it will be 

 as a little child to learn Ilis will." 



The greatness, the incomprehensibility of the Deity, were frequently in 

 his thoughts. He said recently that all he could do was to throw himself 

 upon the mercy of God, and that he believed in Christ. In the midnight 

 watches, during the past year, lie has been overheard praying, and onlj'- 

 on the last night of his life he was heard to say, "O Lord, have mercy 

 upon me." 



