Rev. B. Day's Funeral

Al ihe cl(is' oí a beauttful autuuin day, just as the sim was .nivinu1 iis last tinte ti) the maple leares, and after a year remarkaWe for Ita won(Irous yidil oí iii'ain and fruit, ivas the most nppropriate time that such a man as the late Rev. Benjamín Day could te laid to reet. Hla Ufe had been Hko the year in bleMlOffB, whlle its close was ldke the day in beauty. Wednesday afternoon a large numbcr gathered to gflve the last tokeha of respect to tb doparted. The eervices, wnich were held in the M. E. church, were conducted by Kev. ('. M. Oobeni and ttov. K. B. Pope, oí Coshocton, Oliio. Dr. Studley was unablí' to be present, but a tOUChlng letter from him was read. Itev. Cobern spoko of the pure, transparent character oí the deceased, of his CliristJanity and his power for good. He had never met a man witli whom ho got so well acquainted in so short a time. His lile had been au inspiraüon. Dr. Pope, wlio liad Ktood in that pulpit so many unies, Bpoke oí liow he had been first met by two Benjamins - Benjamin Cocker and Benjamin Day- of how tliey liad 1) 'en suih strong eo-workera together, uach a complement of the oiher. lie recounted a partial list of the oíd familiar faces which liad beon taken away. Beforc many wlio were at that service were born, Bro. Day had been active iu the tninlstry. He had known personally, and liad assisted in creatlng, many of the bishops of the church. Throuííh a long liie-tiinc his besi efforts were for the church of (od. aud to the very last lus thoughts were for its welfare. He had been providentiully brought to Aun Arbor. While 011 his way back from California he had been struik with the beaUty of lower Mlchlgaol, and long before others had realized it, lie had appreciated the future and wide influeiiee of the UnlTersfty oí Michigan. The importance of tliis charge he had so impressed upon the bishops, that one of them, in a conference, a constderable dlstance from here, had dcclared Ann Arbor to be the most important chureh ili all the northwest. Bro. Day's liie had been one of work, of self-sacrifice a.ud of lo ■. He was the father of the church at Ann Arbor. Dr. Pope'fl remarks, althoush entb'ely tmprepared, were remarkably approprlate, touching and bcautiful. The aettokg pall bearera were W. J. Booth, E. B. Hall, T. A. Trueblood. L. D. Wines, C. H. Worden and A. H. Roye. The honorary bearers were Profs. Carhart. Walter and Hudson. J. Austta Scott, Dr. Breakey and Bev. E. Stele. ACTIOS OP THE OFFICIAL BOAHD. At a meeting of the official board of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Ann Arbor, held Oct. 2Oth, 1891, tlLe following memorial was ordered placed on the records as a testimonial of the love in which Brother Benjamin Day was. held by his fellow members of the board, and the church in Whlch he had bo long been a faithful and efficiënt member. It wus also ordered that copies be sent to the family of the dceased, aud furnished to the presa for publicaron: In the death of Kev. Benjamin Day we are made to mourn the loss of one who has long ser ved the ehureh of Ann Arbor and the cause of Christianity with. singular faithfulness, and it is meet that the records of our society attest our common sorrow at the death of our venerable brother, and our sympathy with those who are stricken witU this great affliction. Benjamin Day was lorn in 1807, iu Essex county, N. Y. He wan a son of Rev. Stephen ajul Eüzabeth (Wood) Day. He received a elassical education in an eaatern academy. In 1834 ho was ordained a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. His first charge, in 1832, was at Bloomfield, N. J.. Xewark conference, where lu had a large eongregation. He filled many important pastoral charges in the east. Amoajr them Jersey City, X. J.. and Milford, l'a. lic was presiding eider for eight y(ars, und was very suieossful in his minis1ry, and had a familiar and influentlal acqnaintance with the hlgher authorities of the ehureh and its ministers. He retalned liis membership in Xcwark Conference to the time of his ilath. During the 37 yoars of his connection with the conference, iup to the unie oí his permanent retireinint in 1869, ae was compelled by over work to temporarily leave the miiiistry, to recupérate liis nevex very vlgorouB constifiition. April 6th, 1840, lic marrled Miss Marj Taylor, daughter of Moses Taj lor. of New Jersey. Owing lo ill hoalih lic was ohHgfed to pcjiiiaiiciuiy reelgn active duty In the year üs;9, nul with his wlfe, removed to Aun Arbor, where they liavc stnce lived. Thelr'a waa an ideal happy home, the abode ol Christian hospitality, and trom which raiiiated an ever tvideuing Ohriwtian iul"ill,'i ice. It i.-i but a short time since their niany [rienda asslsted iu celebrating the fiftietn anniversary oí their wedding. He íi'.led nrany Important positions of truisi in the chureh chlefly Ín con(rence relations. He had suifered for maiiy yeara f rom a chronlc bronchlal affection, wliich cuüminuted - after an exposure to e oíd - in pneumonía trom which he dled Oc tobar 17th. Uíh funeral Services were held in the church octolXT l'lst. His last attendance at the church was to deliver au address of welcome In behali of the chureh to our present pastor. Krother Da y exemplified in a marked dcgTee, the beauties of a character, devci(j)cd írom a ciiferíinl, Banguine temperament, with a dlsposition of rare natura] sweetnesü, refined by a devout Chrifitlan faitli. and eultivated by the habitual practice oí the graccM of luiaffectcd piety. In him the elementa were gently and kindly mixed. He waa Intereated and well informed in puiblie affaire, and all that concerned the wellfare ol mankind. H was broad, eatholic, charltabte and consistent. He liad the courage of his eonvictions, and was imiK werving in hia adherence to priiK-ip.es oí right, biut liberal and conclllating in non-esHential forma. His character was vuiique in Loodness. and so rare as to deserve special recognition. It is no dlsparagraent to oi-dinary men, to say that the barest umadorned truth as to the liíe and character ol Benjamin Day, wonid te eulogy applled to the a verán.' of mankind. It is given to buít íew niortals as it was to him, to SO uineonseiously impresa people as to pcceive the spontaneotus respect of all who met him; a feellnj? whlch írev with acinidintanee, lnto admiration. and rtpened lnto veneratíon as years went on. It was a privilege to know him, and his friendship was a benedletlon. In conversation, he lo ved t(i dwell upon the intrrvsts un the church, and bis inind and lieart seemed fllled with the sreat moral and spiritual quistions and liftereeta tliat encompass our humanity. Ín liis last illness he maintained the same uovarying Christian sefenity oí spirit, that characterized his Ufe when taking a more active part in the affaire of men. His lnfluenee for Rood was of the sweet, persunsive kind. that prompts to nobler liie by unconscious example, rather than by pafcept alone. And the memory of his somewhat frail body, with a face which seemed illumined with a halo of Christian faith, and beamed with tender and kindly interest in hunianity. lingers as a pteasant pictuire of our friend and lirothor. The example of sm-li a character cannot bint be an inspiration and a giiide to all who feel the impulse towards a better llfe. To his bea-enved widow, the wlllins;- and abie helpmate In hia long aaid useful lite, and sharer in hit ioys: .-nul to the family and friends mourning a. comnion loss, we offer this testimonial of respectful K.vmpathy. and our aitectionate love for tle memory of one dear to tis all.