MEMORIAL.

REV. ISAAC P. LANGWORTHY, D. D.

1806—1888.

Albert 1 Flurib.

PUBLISHED BY THE

AMERICAN CONGREGATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

I Somerset Street, Boston.

1889.

REV. ISAAC P. LANGWORTHY, M. D., D. D.

THE death of Dr. Langworthy, who had been in feeble health and gradually failing for some weeks, occurred at his home in Chelsea, Jan. 5, 1888.

It was a rare and in a marked sense a representative assemblage of the denomination that filled the First Congregational Church, Chelsea, Friday afternoon, Jan. 6, 1888, to pay the last sad tributes of respect and remembrance to one whose earliest pastoral labors and life-long solicitude were given to this church the Rev. Dr. Isaac P. Langworthy. His long and fruitful service in connection with the library, the treasury, and the Secretaryship of the Congregational Association gave warrant for the large representation from that body, and his manifold works in connection with religion in Chelsea made it fitting that all the evangelical churches of that city should be represented. Among those present were the Rev. Drs. N. G. Clark, H. M. Dexter, J. A. Hamilton, Alexander McKenzie, Daniel Dorchester, A. H. Plumb, J. W. Wellman, I. N. Tarbox, A. H. Quint, and Rev. Messrs. R. B. Howard, Asa Bullard, Joshua Coit, F. W. Baldwin, D. P. Noyes, S. H. Hayes, and S. P. Cook.

Among the laity present were the Hons. Rufus S. Frost and Mellen Chamberlain, and Messrs. G. P. Smith, Thomas Todd, and W. E. Hodgkins.

After prayer at his late residence by Rev. Thomas Laurie, D.D., of Providence, R. I., the services at the church began at 2.30 P. M. with an appropriate selection rendered by the choir, which comprised Miss Susie C. Gould, soprano; Mrs. Jesse Gould, alto ; and Mr. Waldo E. Pratt. After the opening prayer and Scripture reading, the first address was given by the Rev. Dr. A. H. Plumb, of Boston Highlands, who for thirteen years was Dr. Langworthy's successor in the pastorate of this church. Among other testimonies concerning his predecessor given by this speaker was the following: "For thirty years since leaving his pastorate he has proved, to the grateful satisfaction of his successors, that an ex-pastor can be a good parishioner.

The Rev. Addison P. Foster, D.D., who also had been for a time a pastor of this church, said if there was any one thing in Dr. Langworthy which impressed him it was that he was a man of strong character. There is a sense of grandeur in regarding such a man, with strength and force of character to sustain him through all the sufferings and temptations of life. If there is one thing that is to be admired in these days, it is such a devotion and strength of character. From first to last he showed an undeviating loyalty to principle. He gave his heart wholly to the service of the Lord. He has gone on as a burning and shining light, full of loyalty to principle, loyalty to conscience, and loyalty to God.

The Rev. Dr. A. H. Quint alluded to having been officially connected with Dr. Langworthy in the great work which he did for the Congregational Library. It was twenty-five years ago that he entered upon the service of the Congregational Association, his principal idea being to establish a place where everything would be preserved that should embody memorials of the lives and faith of the Puritans. During his service the library increased from 3,000 to 30,000 volumes. When last year he expressed his intention of retiring from the active work, the Congregational Association expressed by formal vote its deep sense of appreciation of his worth and service.

The Rev. Dr. N. G. Clark expressed the regard and esteem felt for him by the officers of the American Board. The deceased loved the Congregational work and everything that would gather up the records and spirit of the pioneers of Congregationalism. When called to the special work of the Congregational Association he still cherished his love for revivals and reserved the right to labor in that connection. Many a heart first woke to Christian life through the prayers and sympathetic words of the deceased. He was blessed with a long life of service to God.

The Rev. S. P. Cook, pastor of the Third Congregational Church, Chelsea, said that eight years ago he was called to take the care of a young church that had obtained a good foundation under the ministration of Dr. Langworthy. It was a joy and a privilege to look up to him then for affection and counsel as a spiritual father. His pastoral assistance was always generously bestowed. His last word of encouragement to himself was a word of cheer on the glorious privilege of preaching the gospel.

Appropriate words in appreciation of Dr. Langworthy were added