[p. 66] the dear man who, by the vote of each church, was to have become their pastor when united was stricken with disease and obeyed the call to come up higher, on November 25, at the age of sixty years. Feb. 9, 1875, the following tribute was ordered to be spread upon the church records:
That we recognize in this death of our pastor and friend the blended truth so grand and yet so sad, that a wise and good man has passed away; and as a religious body and as individual members of the church we would make this as a more permanent record than has yet been permitted us of our grateful and loving appreciation of his worth and work, and of the public and private bereavement that has come to us in his death; and we would make it as the sincere and historical tribute of our hearts to a character that we feel was pure and true, and to services that we know were faithful and acceptable. In mingled sadness and thanksgiving we say, “Servant of the Lord, well done!” As the long-tried pastor of those of us who have been of his immediate flock, and as the dearly esteemed and religious friend and teacher of us all, he has in fidelity proved his mission, and established his memory and work in our hearts; and with our entire community we mourn what seems to us the untimely loss of a valued citizen, an able minister of Christ, and so a most useful man. But in the faith which he cherished so long and clearly, we can also rejoice in the belief that our loss is his gain; and in that faith we would feel his new entreaties from the better land to come up higher, and that we can leave our and his church to the guidance of the Great Shepherd who “doeth all things well,” and that we should “keep on praying” that such faith may enable us, as we believe it has him,To pass through Glory's morning gate
And walk in Paradise.
