be patient, sympathetic, tender; to look for the budding flower and the opening heart; hope always; like God to love always-that is duty.

-Henri Frédéric Amiel.

XXVI

MEMORIAL SERVICES AND TRIBUTES TO THE MEMORY OF DR. AMENT

M

RS. AMENT and her son, William Sheffield Ament, hastened with their precious charge, through the cold days of early January, to Owosso. There a city full of sorrowing friends were to commit him to his mortal rest. Less than a year before these friends had committed the aged mother to her rest, little thinking they would be called so soon to a like sorrow on his behalf.

The burial service was held in the Congregational Church on the 12th of January, in charge of the Rev. C. S. Hanks, for many years the pastor of the church.

There was a peculiar fitness in the memorial services that followed. Four communities upon which his life and work had had a special influence for good were glad to pay their loving respects to his precious memory. The church at Medina held their service upon the Sunday following his interment at Owosso. The pastor, Dr. Kirbye, made a commemorative address. The Dwight Place Congregational Church in New Haven held their service upon the same day, the record of which is given later in the appropriate letter from the clerk of the church. Memorial services were held at Owosso on Sunday the 17th of January. The last and in some respect the most significant was held in his own church in Peking on Sunday, February 14, 1909.

From the Owosso Times of January 22d we select a brief account of the services in his native city.

The members of the Congregational church and society together with many old time friends gathered at the church Sunday evening to honor the memory of the late Dr. William S. Ament, Owosso's most distinguished son. The service was deeply impressive throughout, the words of the speakers carrying a lesson to all which will not soon be forgotten. It was indeed a fitting memorial to a man who was loved and respected not alone by the people of Owosso, but by hundreds all over the country, and across the sea where he gave his life for the cause of the Master. The pastor, Rev. C. S. Hanks, in opening the service said it seemed appropriate that the service should be held and that some of those who had known Dr. Ament during all the years since his young manhood should express their appreciation of him. Mr. S. E. Parkhill was called upon and said: "Of all who called Owosso their home, he knew of none who left his impress upon more of the boys, his playmates, who had become men of the city than did Dr. Ament. Like all strong personalities he was quick to resent an injustice, to defend an absent friend, and the propaganda for which he spent his life."

Mr. J. C. Shattuck was introduced as having been present and having a vivid recollection of his ordination. "Will Ament embodied in his character the essential elements of a successful pioneer-self-mastery, boundless energy, courage, faith, hope and charity. He possessed a wonderful constructive imagination. He clearly saw the great work he was afterwards to perform. He never waited for things to happen―he made them happen. Difficulties and dangers only stimulated him to greater and more determined effort. His life exemplifies the power of an idea. Add to these a cultured and scholarly mind, a simple, natural, unaffected personality, a nature full and overflowing with a generous love for mankind, a big heart and broad in sympathies, a devotion to duty that was simply sublime and we have one of earth's noble men, whom all the world delights to honor." To the foregoing Dr. Hanks added his meed of praise. He spoke very tenderly of the love and affection which Dr. Ament had for Owosso. "Dr. Ament was a great lover, and his life and work, his letters, emphasize the depth of his love and the sincerity of his affection for those

whom he held dear." The secular and the religious press have praised him and Dr. Hanks read an extract from a long editorial in the New York Tribune upon his death.

The pastor of the Medina Church, Dr. J. Edward Kirbye, sent as his share in these memorial services a summary of his address in Medina at the memorial service there. The main portion of that address will be found in the chapter, "A Pastorate in America." Dr. Kirbye refers to many of his letters and their hopeful and beautiful spirit. He closed with the following estimate: "When Michigan enfolded to her breast the silent form of William S. Ament, she received one of her noblest and best sons. He was a foreign missionary but not in a narrow sense, he was a hero, a statesman and an empire builder. The great commonwealth of Michigan never gave the world a man with more heroism, with better ideals and with more ability to accomplish large tasks. When the history of modern China is written, he will have a place with the great men who have wrought nobly and wisely for the redemption of that great empire. His message to us all would be, were he here, 'China must be converted and we must all do our share.'"'

The final memorial services were held in Peking, also upon a Sabbath day. Two services were held, each in the beautiful church which he had seen erected and where he had taught so many congregations the way to that eternal life upon which he had now entered. The Chinese services were held at two o'clock, followed by those for the foreign residents at Peking who wished to honor their companion and friend. It seems appropriate that extracts from the little pamphlet issued in commemoration should find a record in this volume also.

The service in Chinese was held at 2 P. M.

The prin

cipal address was by Dr. Sheffield. The English service was held at 4:30. Dr. Wilder, of Tung-chow, gave a full estimate of Dr. Ament's life and character. The following paragraphs illustrate the kind of man whom his missionary associates admired :

His work was in the main strongly evangelistic and pastoral. He believed in the new birth and was never content unless souls were being born into the kingdom of love under his ministry. A preacher by birth and training, a good speaker of Chinese, his enthusiasm for preaching to the heathen was deep and abiding. The street chapel at Teng Shih K'ou never had a regular paid Chinese preacher, for he was ready to devote his afternoons daily to it, whenever he was at home. His example inspired sufficient voluntary effort by the native Christians to keep the work there going whether he was present or absent. He believed in a "far flung battle line " and distant trips to the country fields. With a statesman's eye he seized on strategic centres for establishing his out-stations. He was unsparing in the use of his own money to open stations when the home Board was unable to develop new work. He had a knack of finding the influential rich man of a given town, or the local bully who tyrannized over the place, or the scholar who led public thought and by winning the respect of these he would gain an open door for the Gospel. In these things he was full of resources. His straightforward nature could not abide the Chinese custom of using middlemen, and he would often astonish friend and foe alike by going to the enemies of the Gospel or persecutors of the Christians and settle matters face to face. While mainly engaged in evangelistic effort he was also interested in other forms of work. He believed in Christian education for the Chinese. He was an active member of the Board of Managers of the Peking University (Methodist) from the beginning and always had a number of protégés in the college of his own mission at Tung-chow, The large part he took in developing the North China Tract Society and his faithful labors for that organization are well known. He was interested in the work for the higher classes and by reason of his knowledge of Chinese literature, etiquette and social forms, he was able to enter into intercourse with them and to do much in breaking down prejudices in higher circles and

building up confidence in all classes. His active mind was constantly delving in the stores of Chinese history and literature. The result was a number of well written articles and many lectures on historic themes. He early saw the advantages of the Christian Endeavor Society in developing the infant church and is known as the "Father of Christian Endeavor in China."1 This great field is the enduring memorial to Dr. Ament. Everywhere he made friends, remembered them and followed them with books and messages. In the lowest and most depraved, he saw the new hope of life. He held on to people when others had given them up, still hoping and praying for the turn to a better life. He leaves to us his work and his splendid example. Let us live as he lived.

Let us turn now from what he did to what he was. Dr. Ament's mind was prompt in action, keen in memory, well developed in imagination and poetic faculties, well stored with classic literary forms and historic events. These qualities, combined with a gift for expression, made him a ready and fascinating speaker. He depended not in vain on his fund of information and on the inspiration of the moment to produce attractive and convincing sermons and addresses. When he squared his shoulders and threw back his head with kindling eye, his audience could expect a mental treat and moral uplift.

The basic element in all his lovable and admirable qualities, as well as the secret of his success as a missionary, can be found in a deep conviction of the reality of spiritual things and a genuine love for God and for men. He was deeply religious, without cant. He admired the mystics among religious thinkers and had a mystic strain in his nature, tempered by a strong sense of the practical. He was thoroughly imbued with the doctrines of the Oberlin school of ethics and theology.

From Dr. Sheffield's address we may extract the following:

Dr. Ament had well rounded out thirty years of constructive work in China, and he has made a mark deep and permanent on the New China, writing his name in the first rank of China's moral and spiritual benefactors. Dr. Ament was a man of rich endowments. He had a body of unusual strength and vigor,

1 Hubbard of Foochow was the founder of the first society and is regarded by the United Society as the founder of the work in China.