Guardian from London, Greater London, England • Page 25

mm GTXAftMAtt, MAROS 1, 189ft. 340 before, he quietly passed away from a life whioh at its olose is most fitly described by Keble in the well-known Suoh calm old age as conscience pure And self-commanding hearts ensure, Waiting their summons to the sky, Content to live, but not afraid to die. G. R. D.

EDWAED HAMILTON BLYTH. A grave in Margate cemetery olosed yesterday over one who has made no noise in the world, was no party leader, has made, no contributions to literature, nor thrilled large congregations with brilliant sermons, yet was a man whose influence in each place where it was his privilege to minister was deep and powerful, and Hamilton Blyth, an alumnus ol St. Paul's Sohool and of University College, Oxford, was ordained in 1858, and in 1864 went out as an Indian chaplain for threo years. He must have felt that once at least he had a narrow escape, for on one occasion when leading a funeral prooession across the cemetery at Calcutta a fioroe cobra, with extended hood, suddenly reared itself right in front of him. An attack of Asiatio cholera, almost as menacing to his life, caused the doctors to order him back to England, and this attack permanently weakened his health.

He then (1868)became curate at Pulham, when Bishop Tait with his keen insight soon learaed to appreciate his merits. Soon afterwards this prelate succeeded Dr. Longley in the Primacy, and one of his earliest duties was to settle a somewhat acrimonious Churoh dispute at Croydon. Some munificent persons had built St. Saviour's Church, but had not kopt the patronage in their hands.

The first incumbent died in 1869, and the patron refused to appoint their nominee as his successor. But, pressure being put upon him against the man Of his own choice, he compromised tho matter by placing the nomination in the hands of the Arohbishop, who named Hamilton Blyth. He was a High Churchman of the sohool of Dr. Goulburn and the Arohbishop of York, and such he remained to tho uncompromising, and definite, but with no sort of penchant for mere fancy ritual. The disappointed congregation Avore very angry, but in a few months they wore all won to him, ran him for the first school board election, and carried him at the top of the poll.

This, then, was his first inoumbency, and his work was most conscientiously and efficiently dono. So it was at his noxt, the vicarago of Hammorsmith, to which Bishop Jackson, at the suggestion of his predecessors, appointed Mr. Blyth in 1871. Letters AOAV in from membors of tho congregation who still remember his ministrations with devout thankfulness; and it is a touching incident that on the day when ho was seized with his last illness in the middle of tho Sunday service, ono of his old choir boys, who is now a momber of the St. Jude's choir, whon ho was preaching, was struck with tho appearance of his faco, and boldly Avont up and spoke to him.

He found his foars realised, his old pastor was vory ill, and this young man thero and then carried him back to the houso Avhero he was staying, got him to bed and fetched the doctor, whilst all tho mombors of the family wero yet at ohurch. Ono incident of his inoumbeucy of Hammersmith aroso out of tho doath of J. G. Cowan, vicar of St. John's District Church, in whose last illness, by the way, Mr.

Blyth was his most assiduous and comforting miuistor. The latter had to fill tho vacancy, and aftor much earnest prayor ho chose a gontloman who had only become known to him through acting as his Missioner in tho London Mission, Mr. Allen Whitworth. It was a wise choice, as events havo proved. Overwork brought on brain fever, and Mr.

Blyth was ordered to leave London. His parishioners had throughout manifested tho most tondor solioitude for him, ministoring to him once and again;" but it Avas evidont that the doctors wore right, and ho accepted tho incumbency of St. Paul's Church, York-placo, Edinburgh. But the post was not congenial to him. Ho was a strong Episcopalian in a Prosbyterian city.

Ho had a largo congregation, but he yearned for a parish; and it was this feeling which led to his boing recommended to Archbishop Tait as vicar of Margate, when that incumbency foil vacant in .1880. Tho Archbishop took tho rooomrnondation without hesitating. It 5H remarkable to noto that Mr. Blyth rooommonded his successor at Edinburgh, and it was as successful as his provious choico had J. Ridgoway.

At Margate, Mr. Blyth may fairly bo said to havo won tho affections of tbo Avholo town. He trebled his communicants during his incumbency thore, and whon ho loft fivo yoars ago, tho prayers and toars of hundreds followed him. On his death a universal 'roquoBt camo forth from his old parishioners to bo allowed to bury him in tho midst of thom, It was dono yesterday amid a vast crowd of parishioners, Churchmon and Nonconformists of ono mind for the timo being, in reverencing one of beautiful and tender saintlinoss. It was another broakdoAvn of hoalth which induced Archbishop Benson to send him to Saltwood in 1888.

Ho was Avorking thoro happily whon tho ond came. Ho camo to London on tho 11th to preach two sormons for tho 8.P.G., and had taken up his quarters Avith an old friend. In the middle of tho sorvico, as wo havo said, ho was takon ill, was carried back to his friend's home, and thore, aftor elevon days of tcrriblo and unceasing agony, he died. Prayers Avoro offered continually by his bod, and ho askod for favourito toxts and Psalms. Onco ho askod for tho 121st Psalm his friend road it to him.

Whon ho had finished, tho sick man with a look half smiling, half reproving, finished with tbe doxology, as much as saying, "Why did you omit that?" In tho delirium whioh camo on during tho last two days he was almost always making pastoral visits. Peace, peace," ho murmured during tho last hour, and tho sweetest name of all. Tho Archbishop of York and other old frionds camo to visit him, and ho had his seven childron to his bod and blessed them ono by one, charging tho oldest boy to bo faithful in tho ministry for Avhich he is preparing. God grant eternal rest and light to his soul, and comfort and sustain the widow and her seven fatherless childron. W.

B. Another correspondent says that deceased Avas tho second son of tho Rov. G. B. Blyth, vicar of NeAvbald, Yorkshire, one of tho descendants of the Blyths, of Norton Lees, near Sheffield, whoro tho old house (dating from Honry IV.) and "tho Blyth's Chantry Chapol" and tomb in tho parish church aro still remaining of tho past.

In 1887 Mr. Blyth Avas offered, but on the score of failing health doolined, tho thon vacant bishopric of Nassau. His older brother, tho Right Rov. G. F.

Popham Blyth, is tho present Anglioan Bishop in Jerusalem and tho East. CHARLES BROWNE DALTON. (Communicated.) Tho senior Probeudary of St. Paul's, who has just been called to his rest, may well claim somo notice in tho columns of the Guardian, not only because his lot Avas remarkably cast among leading contributors to this journal, but also as having been himself one of the more prominent clergy of that great English Church the interests and principles and advance of which it has beon your object from the first to guard. Charles Dalton, the second son of an Essex vicar, waa born at Kelvedon in 1810, and received MB early education at sohool brought to so low an ebb in those days that he used to declare he was the last left there, though, happily, he lived to witness its gradual revival, and ultimately, sixty-five years after his time, to rejoice in the rise of its numbers, under the head mastership of his own son, to more than 200 boys.

Even, however, in the days of its decadence good teaohing must have been given at the sohool, for when he went to Oxford he obtained a scholarship at Wadham, and a double Second Class in 1833, and was eleoted a Fellow of his college. After taking his degree he was ordained in 1835. He became private tutor to Lord Robert Clinton, and, residing in that capaoity at very intimate with George Selwyn, who, afterwards, when consecrated Bishop, invited him to share his labours in New Zealand. This work, for which he was not then qualified by ministerial experience (though afterwards as assistant-secretary to the S.P.G., and throughout life, most diligent in the oause of Missions) he deolined, by his father's urgent advice; and in 1837, having been ordained priest the year before, he took up that pastoral life in whioh, during forty years, he made so pre-eminently his mark, and did such lasting good. Beginning with Lincoln's-inn, where, as ohaplain, he showed his fidelity to the Church, his zeal towards her members, by carrying on for faithful laymen the daily he was enabled, still holding that post, to gain, as domestic and examiningchaplain to Bishop Blomfield, and as a student on his own account, that enlarged knowledge of men and manners, of Church principles and Church needs, which served him in good stead for the two chief works of his ever active career.

For it was as rector of Lambeth (where Eobert Gregory, his beloved and life-long friend, was ourate undor him) and as vicar of Highgate that he proved himself to be the beau-ide'al of a parish priest. He nover, indeod, forgot, amid tho pressure of external duties, that his own home should be a bright and cheorful abode. Such truly it was: not only during the delightsome years in which he enjoyed the gracious companionship and indefatigable help of his wife (a daughter of Bishop Blomfield), but also in tho sadder times whioh followed, tho vicarage was the happy centre of the social and intellectual life of the place. Moreover, Mr. Dalton exoroised that best kind of charity," which, beginning and deepening at homo," is always ready to aid with practical sympathy all sorts and conditions of men.

But it Avas as a pastor of the flock, as a guide for souls, that he is most thankfully remembered by many from whom letters havo beon recoived since he diod, and who have nover forgotten how he taught them and trained thom, how wisely ho administered rebuke and Avarning, how prudently he kopt knowledge for them in his lips, and how persuasively he drew them on by his lifo. Altogether, ho had peculiar aptness for teaching, alike in Bible readings, in school work, in confirmation olasses, in communicants' meetings, and in thoso dear, woll ordered, truly Scriptural sermons which spoke, week by weok, to tho spirit" and to the understanding also of every ono who had ears to hear. For many of the more secular details incident to tho caro of a largo and growing parish, he had the excellent and over ready support of woll-oduoatod men of business and in his spiritual ministrations ho had the advantage (which, in his loving humility, he constantly recognised) of diligent assistant-curates. But in each caso it was his singular merit to bo able to disoorn and to select, and often to oducate, these helpers. And glad as he was of their counsel and their help, and ready, at times, to forego certain plans which seemed to him desirable, but not likoly to conciliate all his people, he yet nover forgot that he was a man in authority, bound to be truo to the Church, to keep up with tho advancing host, to lead his parishioners forward in faith and duty, and to be ready for every good work.

It was thus that he set on foot the movement, first for the building of All Saints', Highgate, and then for its ondowment as the church of a separate district thus that ho maintained, and got others to maintain, the parochial schools iu a stato of high efficiency; thus that he gave tho impulse, sinco brought to good effect by his successors, for the architectural improvement of St. Michael's; thus, abovo all, that ho persisted steadily in that courso of godly edifying in the faith which availed to persuade mon, sometimes in spite of themselves and their old prejudices, that the full toaching and Catholic Avorship of tho Church, carried out in pationco, brightness, and lovo, is indeod tho more excollont Avay. But all tho Avhilo that ho was exerting himself so vigorously, in his own parish, ho kept up, to a romarkablo extent, his connection Avith tho committees of the great Church the S.P.C.K., the Additional Curates Society (which from tho first OAved much to him), tho Associates of Dr. Bray (for founding clerical libraries in England and tho colonies), and, vory specially, tho Sooiety for the Propagation of the Gospel, which called out all his onorgy and all his wisdom, and in support of whioh ho invited ono colonial Bishop aftor another, to preach or lecturo to his parishioners. It may bo added that during both his incumbencies ho hold tho honourable and responsible post of Rural Dean.

Twenty-four years of suoh multiform labour, following on the eight years of toil in Lambeth (whero ho got the parish church restored), mado it necessary for him at last to relinquish the large activities of tho Christian ministry, and iu 1878 he resigned his charge. Tho noxt four yoars Avoro spoilt with ono of his married daughters at Saffron Waldon, where ho is still affectionately remembered by the poOr whom ho visited, and from 1882 till his death ho resided in the Precincts at Rochostor. About the beginning of this presont yoar ho had a serious attack, from whioh, coming as it did on an enfoobled frame, he novor really recovered, and on the 20th of February ho foil asleep. It scorned very appropriate that the funeral of so faithful and true a pastor should tako placo on St. Matthias's Day.

We can think of him as God's chosen Who hath loarn'd lowliness From his Lord's cradle, patience from His Cross; Whom poor mon's eyos and hearts consent to bless; To whom, for Christ, tho world is loss." On that festival tho last servico, solemn with sweet hymns, was thoughtfully arranged by tho vicar, at St. Michael's, Highgato, tho lesson boing read by the Rov. Edgar Smith, of All Saints', and tho prayers by tho Doan of St. Paul's, who also committed tho body to the grave in the cemetery. As precious as anything to the family band of mourners was tho great company gathored in tho and daughters of former parishioners and neighbours, and representatives of tho much Avidor circle of those to whom their dear friend, long withdrawn from their sight, has not beon out of mind." Of thoso fourteon years of cheered by.tho love of those Avhose privilege it has boon to care for havo beon passod under the shadoAv of an ancient cathedral; and within its venerable walls, himsolf worthy of reverence for tho long patience of a beautiful old age (his very faco, as men said, being a sermon), he found, till nearly the last, daily comfort and joy, rejoicing in the musical services, and chiefly consoled aud strengthened by tho Holy Communion.

Ono who know him well in those days of his increasing weakness Avas greatly struck by the way in which he laid down one power and enjoyment after another," in perfect submission to God's AviU. So at length the end came, and he sleeps in Christ. Of him, surely, as of many in this the best of all generations of the English Church, we may repeat the holy and most hopeful words, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that thev may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." When C. B. Dalton came into residenoe as a scholar of Wadham, his cheery agreeable manner and pleasant smile soon won the companionship of his immediate associates, which ripened into a feeling of deeper attachment as time developed his real oharacter, and ere long firm and lasting friendships were formed with many about him whom he chose as intimates, and who sympathised, with him in tastes and pursuits.

He soon showed that his main purpose in coming to Oxford was to work, and work he did, not in an ostentatious superficial manner, but as one wishing to gain all the good from a University education he could, and thus he attracted the approbation of the tutors and Warden of the College, who, on finding that he had other more sterling qualities, thoroughly respected and trusted him; so that many an undergraduate on first entering into residence was introduced to him by his tutor as a safe guide to follow and look up to. Dalton was always ready after a good morning's work to have a long walk or run with a friend, and there was no person who knew better how to throw off the dulness of a lecture-room and enjoy pleasant, easy talk as he walked, or now and then rode, Ayitb him. He took a double Second Class very high position, although many expected a First in Classics for him). He was soon after appointed privato tutor to a son of the Duke of Newcastle at Eton, where he formed some lasting friendships, amongst othors with Bishop Selwyn, aftenvards of New Zealand and Lichfield, besides obtaining the thorough respect and regard of the Eton authorities, with somo of whom ho continued in firm friendship, co-operating with them in missionary work for the colonies (especially New Zealand) all his aotive life. I pass by, as better knoAvn to others, his work as chaplain at Lincoln's-inn, as secretary at the S.P.G., and as rector of Lambeth, only remarking that I never met one of his congregation or any who knew him in these capacities who did not mention, his name with respect, and some with roveronce, which, expressed or implied that they had derived aid from him in their spiritual life.

Ho left Lambeth with impaired health after eight years' incumbency by the advice of his medical man, and succeeded the Rev. T. Causton at Highgate on his death in 1854. When sottled there his health improved, and, with the same resolute purposo he had from the first shown, his poAver as a parish priest and as a loader amongst the clergy round soon became apparent. His quiet, consistent habit of lifo, his courteous Christian bearing towards others (especially towards thoBe who differed from him), his unremitting attention to the sick and dying, and to other pastoral duties, added to tho preaching of Scriptural sermons carefully composed and earnestly delivered, made an impression on his parishioners which led them to trust and heartily enter on suoh methods as he suggested for influencing usefully the ignorant and thoughtless around them, which again redounded to their own improvement.

It oan never bo knoAvn in this lifo how many who witnessed his pastoral Avork and listened to his solemn pleading from tho pulpit in language studiously culled from Holy Scripture, and spokon with a voice singularly offeotivo, wore recalled from a courso of sin or received their first impressions for an holy life, or were strengthened and confirmed, under God's blessing, in one bogun. The friend who pens these recolleotions of him, and who lived as a parishioner of, his for many years, gratefully acknowledges the bonofits of his ministry to himself and to his children, who had the privilege of attending his Bible-classes. J. B. D.

Whon I first wont to reside in Lincoln's-inn in 1836, my chambers on the chapel stairoaso wero vory near the preacher apartments, which Mr. Dalton, who was thon chaplain, occupied. I soon became very well acquainted with him, which I had not beon at Oxford. His connection (then or soon afterwards) with tho Froros brought him into the same circlo of excollont men, living many of thom in Bedford-square, in which I myself found a kind and hospitablo John and Lady Richardson, tho FreroB, Sir Robert Inglis, and thoir frionds, the Wordsworths and Solwyns. Besides tho advantages offored at Lincoln's- inn to those Avho wished for thom, by tho daily sorvicos Avhich Mr.

Dalton introduced or restored in tho chapel, ho gavo myself and other students of that time (of whom Mr. Sponcer Walpolo, afterwards conspicuous in political lifo, was one) opportunities Of learning much from solf, or by his assistance in various ways. Ho took no little trouble in putting me on tho way to learn Hobrow; and it was not his fault that I did not mako myself mastor of that language. Wo ofton road tho Soptuagint togothor, and ho was a loading member of a society formed for tho study of tho early Greek Fathers, to which the late Canon Burrows, the lato Archdeacon Ady, and the presont, Canon T. D.

Bernard (as woll as mysolf) belonged. But the greatest of all the benefits which wo derived from intercourse with him was that duo to the influence of his own spirit and character; always simplo, modest, and practical. There Avas au unfailing fund of good sonso in him which mado him moderate, charitable, and dispassionate in all his judgments of mon and things, so that, while he syuipathisod with ovory forward movement towards aTiighor standard of doctrino and practice, from whatever quarter it might come, ho did not surrender the guidance of his conscience to any leaders, or suffer himsolf to bo brought undor bondage to any of tho forms or connections of roligious parties. He always preferred tho Church of England to tlio parties within her, and followed her in preference to thom, wliilo fully disposed to do justico to their services in different directions for good. While thoro could not anywhere bo found a man of more genuine piety, a clergyman with a higher souse of tho duties of his offico, or ono moro consistent and activo in thoir performance, ho could not be surpassed, and I think ho Avas not vory often- equalled, in tho equability of his oharactor, tho sound balance of his judgments, find his comploto frocdom from ovory sort of unreality.

No ono could bo brought near to him without feeling him to bo a suro friend and safe counsellor, and tho impression so received was not altered by later oxporionco. S. GEORGE AUGUSTUS MAYO HOW. "Sinco the funeral of Father Lowder, of St. Peter's, London- docks, no such widespread manifestation of grief has boen witnessed in the East-end IIH that whioh attended tho funeral of tho Hep.

George Augustus Mayo How, vicar of Bromloy-by -HoAV." Such is tho testimony of one of tho daily papors, and it is an index to tho deep feeling of sorrow which prevails among all classes for the loss of ono of the most devoted of the clorgy in the oast of London. The East-end knoAvs its truo friends, and ho AVIIS a friend who gave his wholo lifo to promote tho welfare of those among whom ho dwelt. From tho ago of six months till ho died, except Avhen ho Avas at Oxford, whero he graduated and held lys first and ouly curacy, ho know no othor home than Bromley. There ns vicar of St. Gabriel's, to which ho was appointed in 1866, and afterwards as vicar of the parish church, where ho, succeeded his fatbor in 1872, he spent nearly all tho years of his ministry..