Part 28 (2/2)
James H. t.i.tus, of New-York, thus expresses himself in a letter to James S. Gibbons: ”I have ever considered it one of the happiest and most fortunate events of my life, to have had the privilege of an acquaintance with Friend Hopper. I shall always recur to his memory with pleasure, and I trust with that moral advantage, which the recollection of his Christian virtues is so eminently calculated to produce. How insignificant the reputation of riches, how unsatisfactory the renown of victory in war, how transient political fame, when compared with the history of a long life spent in services rendered to the afflicted and the unfortunate!”
Ellis Gray Loring, of Boston, in a letter to John Hopper, says: ”We heard of your father's death while we were in Rome. I could not restrain a few tears, and yet G.o.d knows there is no room for tears about the life or death of such a man. In both, he was a blessing and encouragement to all of us. He really lived out all the life that was given him; filling it up to such an age with the beauty of goodness, and consecrating to the divinest purposes that wonderful energy of intellect and character.
In a society full of selfishness and pretension, it is a great thing to have practical proof that a life and character like his are possible.”
Edmund L. Benzon, of Boston, writing to the same, says; ”You will imagine, better than I can write, with what deep sympathy I learned the death of your good father, whom I have always esteemed one of the best of men. I cannot say I am sorry for his death. My only regret is that more of us cannot live and die as he has done. I feel with regard to all good men departed, whom I have personally known, that there is now another witness in the spirit, before whose searching eyes my inmost soul lies open. I shall never forget him; not even if such a green old age as his should be my own portion. If in the future life I can only be as near him as I was on this earth, I shall deem myself blest.”
From the numerous notices in papers of all parties and sects, I will merely quote the following: The New-York Observer thus announces his death:
”The venerable Isaac T. Hopper, whose placid benevolent face has so long irradiated almost every public meeting for doing good, and whose name, influence, and labors have been devoted with an apostolic simplicity and constancy to humanity, died on Friday last, at an advanced age. He was a Quaker of that early sort ill.u.s.trated by such philanthropists as Anthony Benezet, Thomas Clarkson, Mrs. Fry, and the like.
”He was a most self-denying, patient, loving friend of the poor, and the suffering of every kind; and his life was an unbroken history of beneficence. Thousands of hearts will feel a touch of grief at the news of his death; for few men have so large a wealth in the blessings of the poor, and the grateful remembrance of kindness and benevolence, as he.”
The New-York Sunday Times contained the following:
”Most of our readers will call to mind in connection with the name of Isaac T. Hopper, the compact, well-knit figure of a Quaker gentleman, apparently about sixty years of age, dressed in drab or brown clothes of the plainest cut, and bearing on his handsome, manly face the impress of that benevolence with which his whole heart was filled.
”He was twenty years older than he seemed. The fountain of benevolence within, freshened his old age with its continuous flow.
The step of the octogenarian, was elastic as that of a boy, his form erect as the mountain pine.
”His whole _physique_ was a splendid sample of nature's handiwork.
We see him now with our 'mind's eye'--but with the eye of flesh we shall see him no more. Void of intentional offence to G.o.d or man, his spirit has joined its happy kindred in a world where there is neither sorrow nor perplexity.”
I sent the following communication to the New-York Tribune:
”In this world of shadows, few things strengthen the soul like seeing the calm and cheerful exit of a truly good man; and this has been my privilege by the bedside of Isaac T. Hopper.
”He was a man of remarkable endowments, both of head and heart. His clear discrimination, his unconquerable will, his total unconsciousness of fear, his extraordinary tact in circ.u.mventing plans he wished to frustrate, would have made him ill.u.s.trious as the general of an army; and these qualities might have become faults, if they had not been balanced by an unusual degree of conscientiousness and benevolence. He battled courageously, not from ambition, but from an inborn love of truth. He circ.u.mvented as adroitly as the most practised politician; but it was always to defeat the plans of those who oppressed G.o.d's poor; never to advance his own self-interest.
”Few men have been more strongly attached to any religious society than he was to the Society of Friends, which he joined in the days of its purity, impelled by his own religious convictions. But when the time came that he must either be faithless to duty in the cause of his enslaved brethren, or part company with the Society to which he was bound by the strong and sacred ties of early religious feeling, this sacrifice he also calmly laid on the altar of humanity.
”During nine years that I lived in his household, my respect and affection for him continually increased. Never have I seen a man who so completely fulfilled the Scripture injunction, to forgive an erring brother 'not only seven times, but seventy times seven.' I have witnessed relapse after relapse into vice, under circ.u.mstances which seemed like the most heartless ingrat.i.tude to him; but he joyfully hailed the first symptom of repentance, and was always ready to grant a new probation.
”Farewell, thou brave and kind old Friend! The prayers of ransomed ones ascended to Heaven for thee, and a glorious company have welcomed thee to the Eternal City.”
On a plain block of granite at Greenwood Cemetery, is inscribed:
ISAAC T. HOPPER,
BORN, DECEMBER 3D, 1771,
ENDED HIS PILGRIMAGE, MAY 7TH, 1852.
”Thou henceforth shalt have a good man's calm, A great man's happiness; thy zeal shall find Repose at length, firm Friend of human kind.”
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