{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_31734/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_31734","id":"gutenberg_31734","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31734","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Lawrence, Amos, 1786-1852"],"text":"Produced by Gerard Arthus, Dr. Graeme M. Handisides and\nthe Online Distributed Proofreading Team at\nhttps://www.pgdp.net\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTRIBUTE\nTO\nA GOOD MAN.\n\n\n\n\nEXTRACT\nFROM\nA SERMON\nDELIVERED AT THE\nBULFINCH-STREET CHURCH, BOSTON,\nJAN. 9, 1853,\nTHE SUNDAY FOLLOWING THE INTERMENT\nOF THE LATE\nAMOS LAWRENCE.\n\nBY REV. F. T. GRAY.\n\nBOSTON.\nJOHN WILSON and SON.\n1853.\n\n\n\n\nThe following pages\nare\nRespectfully Dedicated\nto the\nfamily and kindred of the late lamented\nAMOS LAWRENCE,\nby one who would offer a grateful tribute to the\nmemory of him who so well deserved\nthe exalted title\nof the\nPoor Man's Christian Friend.\n\n\n\n\nThe text of the Sermon, from which the following extract was taken, was\nthe seventh verse of the second chapter of Paul's Second Epistle to\nTimothy: \"Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all\nthings.\"\n\nAfter contrasting the views and maxims of the worldly-minded with those of\nthe Christian, and stating the claims of the Young Men's Christian Union,\nthe Discourse closed with the following tribute to the character and\nmemory of one who was the early patron and devoted friend of that Society.\n\n\n\n\nTHE GOOD MAN.\n\n\nAmong the warmest friends of the Young Men's Christian Union was one,\nwhose departure from among us this community has recently been called to\nmourn,--one who was beloved by all who knew him; whose wide, expansive\nbenevolence and Christian charity won the admiration of those of every\nname and sect; who so truly loved the Saviour, and was so truly baptized\ninto his spirit, the spirit of divine and heavenly love, that he became\nthrough it his blessed messenger; so that all rejoiced who came within his\ninfluence, as \"he went about doing good,\" ready to take each believer by\nthe hand, saying, \"One is our master, even Christ, and all ye are\nbrethren.\"\n\nAs we saw him on his errands of mercy, just on the verge of threescore\nyears and ten, how, as his benignant smile beamed upon us, did he remind\nus of \"the disciple Jesus loved;\" who, when so feeble from the infirmities\nof age, could only say, in addressing the people, \"Little children, love\none another\"! That smile, shadowing forth a happy Christian spirit within,\nwas a benediction indeed, when it beamed upon us! May it prove an\nincentive to us, to show our love to God in our love to man, which was the\nwhole tenor of his example; remembering that \"by this shall all men know\nthat ye are my disciples,\" not in any name ye may adopt, or church ye may\njoin, but \"in your love one toward another.\"\n\nLong has it been my privilege to know this good man. In a letter to me a\nfew days before his death, he signed himself \"A friend of long years\npast.\" Yes! he was an old friend to me, and, as I well know, a long-tried\nfriend to the poor, the forsaken, and suffering, as he was also a friend\nto those \"whom the Saviour took in his arms and blessed;\" for he was\nalways ready and rejoiced to do what he could, that the lambs of the flock\nand the children of the destitute might be instructed from the Word of\nGod, \"and made wise unto everlasting life.\"\n\nThis love was seen not merely in kind words and good thoughts, but in\nbenevolent action: he was an active Christian. How did my young heart feel\nthis twenty-five years ago, when among a little band of Sabbath-school\nteachers who were laboring at the northerly section of our city,\ninstructing the children of the less-favored and the poor; at a time when\nour hearts were sad, and almost discouraged; when we were endeavoring to\nawaken a deeper and wider interest, by inviting the parents and friends to\ncome in and see us. How cheerfully, at our invitation, did he come to the\nfirst examination of the school, and encourage us by his presence, his\nwords, and his gifts; and when those little ones, many from the abodes of\npoverty and want, repeated their sweet hymns, how did the tears course\ndown that good man's cheeks, causing him to say, as he pressed my hand,\n\"This is a beautiful sight, and one I cannot witness without tears\"!\n\nNever shall I forget those words, nor the thoughts which at that time they\nsuggested. Is there any thing more delightful (such was our thought) than\nto witness a man engaged in a large and extensive business, a man of\nwealth and influence, coming down and mingling freely and kindly with a\nband of humble Sunday-school teachers,--an act inspiring them with new\ncourage and hope, at a moment when, from the cold indifference and\nopposition then existing towards these institutions, both heart and hope\nhad begun to fail us, and the school itself was well nigh being closed. If\nhe had done nothing else, this humble Christian act should be a standing\nmonument to his memory; for it was from this school, thus encouraged and\nsustained, that arose one of the noblest charities that has ever blessed\nthe world,--the Ministry at Large.\n\nThe interest this good man took in children was constantly manifested, and\ncontinued to the last. Never was he happier than when surrounded by them.\nThere are some among you who may remember seeing him here at the\nanniversary celebration of our Sunday-school, some three years since.\nAfter he had sat for a little time in this pulpit, and gazed at the\ninteresting sight of so many children gathered before him, and listened to\ntheir sweet voices, alternately mingling with those of the orphan and the\nblind who were on each side of him, he said to me, his eyes filled with\ntears, \"This is heavenly; but I must leave you; it is more, I fear, than I\ncan bear, for you know I am a minute man.\"\n\nThis active Christian spirit of love was witnessed by me also last summer,\nwhen that sad disaster occurred by which so many lives were lost on board\nthe ill-fated steamboat, the \"Henry Clay;\" which you may remember was\nparticularly alluded to from this place on the following sabbath. On\nreading that sermon, which was afterwards published, our departed friend\nimmediately called on me and desired its circulation, with the earnest\nrequest that a memorial to Congress might be prepared at once and\nforwarded. When others were seeking and enjoying the sea-breeze and a\npurer air in the country, this good man, notwithstanding the heat then so\noppressive, was engaged in going round, speaking on the subject to the\nmost influential, obtaining their approval; and, though all were saying,\n\"It will avail little, and do no good,\" still did he persevere, unchanged\nin purpose. At the same time he wrote personally to different individuals\nat Washington, preparing them for the memorial, which soon after followed;\nwhen the law relating to steamboats, which had cost so much labor in\npreparation, but which had been lying on the table for months untouched,\nwas at once taken up and passed. The energy, activity, and perseverance\nwhich this good man then manifested, while so many others were indifferent\nto the matter, will never be forgotten.\n\nAnd now perhaps the young among us may inquire, Who was this man, and\nwhence arose those traits of character which caused him to be so\nuniversally beloved and lamented? I answer, that he came to this city,\nmany years since, a poor young man. It so happened that he remained longer\nthan he at first purposed; for he designed only a visit, intending to\nreturn again to his home. He attended yon venerable church soon after he\ncame hither, and heard the eloquent and gifted Buckminster. At once he\nselected him as his minister, and that as his church, and ever after was\npresent, morning and afternoon, when his health permitted. He listened,\nand welcomed to his heart the blessed teachings of Jesus Christ, and made\nit his aim to be his follower, and to \"do good as he had opportunity.\" As\nthis was his great endeavor, his delight was in the law of the Lord, and\ndaily at his fireside the morning and evening incense of prayer rose to\nheaven.\n\nMr. Lawrence was a religious man in every sense of the word, dedicating\nhis time and wealth to the service of God, and the good of his fellow-men:\nhence he was \"not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the\nLord.\" He loved the sanctuary, and its very dust was sacred to him. He\nvisited the distressed, and it was his delight to distribute the gifts\nlaid upon the altar for the poor, personally, to the members of the\nhousehold of faith.\n\nIf you would know the origin of all that he did, which blessed so many\nhearts, which made him the friend of the widow and the orphan, and a\nfather to those who had none to help,--why it is that all around us the\ntears of sorrow are shed,--that every one feels that the community has\nsustained a severe loss, and that the poor and suffering are bereft of a\nbenefactor and friend,--you must trace it to its true source, and say that\nhe was a religious man and true Christian, and that he simply carried out\nand exemplified the holy principles of the gospel. This was its source. In\nthis his benevolence and world-wide charity had their origin. It was this,\nyoung men, which makes his memory so precious, his name so dear, and will\nlong embalm him sacredly in the grateful hearts of hundreds of the\nsorrowing children of men, who will bedew his grave with tears, and rise\nup hereafter and call him blessed. What power did religion impart to this\nbenefactor of his race! What influence did it enable him to exert with the\ntalent entrusted to his care!\n\nBring now before your minds this poor young man going to that house of\nGod, more than forty years ago. He was unknown, a stranger among\nstrangers, seeing around him there the most distinguished men in the\nCommonwealth assembled in worship. He hears the word, and is impressed. He\nresolves to follow out the instruction received, and, in imitation of his\nMaster, to devote himself to doing good to his fellow-men. Forty years and\nover found him faithfully going up to that temple, enjoying its\nprivileges, and gratefully improving its services and rites; till at last,\nwhen the summons came, his spirit, all ready and prepared, gently passed\nto its heavenly home! And who would wish to call him back, that saw the\nsmile on his countenance when within a day's journey of the tomb, which\nseemed to have received new radiance from the spirit-world, upon which he\nwas so soon to enter? Oh, well might we then have said,--\n\n   \"Mark but the radiance of his eye;\n      The smile upon his wasted cheek:\n    They tell us of his glory nigh,\n      In language that no tongue can speak.\"\n\nHow little did this poor young man think, when he first entered that\nchurch, that by fidelity to the truths of Jesus Christ there proclaimed,\nwhen he should pass from earth, grateful hearts, true and sincere\nmourners, would go up thither, and throng its very aisles, that they might\nmingle their tears, and pay their last tribute of respect to him, their\ntrue benefactor and Christian friend! Yet so it was, and as beautiful as\nit was a striking testimony from the community to the excellence and worth\nof a humble, benevolent, and sincere Christian.\n\nWell might the merchant, and those in his employ, cease on such an\noccasion from their labors, and go up to the house of prayer; and well\nthat those who were Judges should cause silence to reign in their halls,\nas they and the great men of the land went up also to that house of\nmourning; for such a life as had just closed on earth was a blessing to\nthis whole community; and God should be gratefully remembered in his\ntemple, for the gift of such a Christian example and character.\n\nAnd it was as beautifully appropriate as it was inexpressibly touching, to\nwitness children gather round his mortal remains, and take their last look\nin his \"Father's House,\" which he had loved so much; and, as they strewed\nbeautiful flowers upon his lifeless form, that they should sing their\nsweet farewell hymn, \"We have lost a father.\" Well, too, was it that\nministers of the different denominations should unite in the last services\nat this good man's funeral.[1]\n\nHow little did he think, years ago, when he first entered that\ntime-hallowed sanctuary, that _that_ would be the last earthly dwelling\nfrom whence he would be borne as he passed to the grave; that the\nplaintive notes of that richly-toned organ, which had so often uplifted\nthe spirit of the sainted Buckminster, would softly breathe his last\nrequiem; and that the funeral toll of that solemn bell would call more of\nthe sorrowing and mourning for him thither than could be gathered within\nits walls! Yet so it was,--a touching tribute to a good man and beloved\nChristian.\n\nOh! may that beautiful character inspire every young man with the holy\nresolve and purpose to live a Christian life,--to be governed by Christian\nprinciples, and the word of God; assured, that in every act of kindness\nand beneficence he shall in no wise lose his reward, and that the memory\nof the good man and the Christian will be blessed and faithfully cherished\nin the hearts of children's children.\n\n   \"Go, spirit of the sainted dead!\n      Go to thy longed-for happy home;\n    The tears of man are o'er thee shed,\n      The voice of angels bids thee come.\n    Though earth may boast one gem the less,\n      May not e'en heaven the richer be?\n    Oh! may we on thy footsteps press,\n      To share thy blest eternity.\"\n\n\n[1: Rev. Dr. Sharp, Rev. Dr. Lothrop, and Rev. Dr. Hopkins.]\n\n\n\n\nWE HAVE LOST A FATHER.\n\n\nThe following original hymn by Josiah A. Stearns, Esq., was sung at the\nobsequies, Jan. 4th, by a choir of young girls from the \"Lawrence\nAssociation of the Mather School,\" while surrounding the last earthly\nremains of their deceased friend.\n\n\nTUNE--\"_Home again._\"[2]\n\n    He has gone--he has gone--\n      To his spirit-home;\n    And, oh! it thrills his soul with joy,\n      In realms of bliss to roam.\n    But we must shed the burning tear\n      To part with him we love;\n    And now for us the world is gloom,\n      Since he has gone above.\n    He has gone--he has gone--\n      To his spirit-home;\n    And, oh! it thrills his soul with joy,\n      In realms of bliss to roam.\n\n    Weeping eyes--broken hearts--\n      Oft he bid rejoice;\n    And homes of woe were full of praise,\n      That heard his loving voice:\n    For oft he soothed poor sorrow's tear,\n      And wept when they were sad;\n    And many were the orphan-forms\n      His generous bounty clad.\n    Weeping eyes--broken hearts--\n      Oft he did rejoice;\n    And homes of woe were full of praise,\n      That heard his loving voice.\n\n    Gentle words--heavenly thoughts--\n      Linger where he trod:\n    And, oh! it was our childhood's charm\n      To hear him talk of God.\n    Then let us ever strive to live,\n      As he, our friend, has done;\n    That we may reach the happy life\n      Which he has now begun.\n    Gentle words--heavenly thoughts--\n      Linger where he trod;\n    And, oh! it was our childhood's charm\n      To hear him talk of God.\n\n    Fare thee well--fare thee well!\n      We around thee weep;\n    But, oh! we love thee, father, still,\n      And angels guard thy sleep.\n    The kind \"OLD OAK\" for us no more\n      Shall sheltering branches spread;\n    And, oh! our hearts are wrung with grief,\n      For he we loved is dead.\n    Fare thee well--fare thee well!\n      We around thee weep;\n    But, oh! we love thee, father, still,\n      And angels guard thy sleep.\n\n\n[2: \"Home Again\" was sung in hearing of Mr. Lawrence by the children\non his last visit to their school, when he was accompanied by Gen.\nFranklin Pierce.]","title":"Extract from a Sermon Delivered at the Bulfinch-Street Church, Boston, Jan. 9, 1853, the Sunday Following the Interment of the Late Amos Lawrence","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":2675}