REJOICING IN OUR PASTOR'S VICTORY
I deem it a privilege and an honor on this occasion to offer a tribute of love and esteem in memory of our departed Brother and Pastor. The grandest, noblest character of our day, whose life has been, and ever will continue to be, an inspiration for us to follow him, as he followed Christ.
To have known and understood him, as was my privilege for twenty-seven years, and of late years most intimately, was to love and respect him for his noble Christian qualities.
Like the Apostle Paul's, the laying down of his life in the Master's service must have sent up a very rich perfume, and his sacrifice a sweet odor to God.
Eminently chosen of the Lord (Matthew 24:45) to serve the "Household of Faith with meat in due season," and elsewhere (Ezekiel 9:2,11) described as the "man in linen with the writer's ink horn at his side," HE HAS DONE AS HE WAS COMMANDED, finished the work given him to do, and has entered upon his reward, leaving us who remain a noble legacy of privilege in continuing the Society's work.
In this connection I voice the sentiment of the Toledo (Ohio) Class as expressed in a telegram forwarded to the Society on November 1st, as follows: "Greetings! Scriptural consolation; sympathy. We loved our dear Pastor, and keenly feel our loss, but realize our Father doeth all things well. We rejoice in our dear Pastor's victory. His faithful loyalty is an inspiration; and we are determined to cooperate with you in the Kingdom Work with renewed energy."