(Homell &aui fcrijool Bbrarg m Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924018820005 -Engraved ir/ JjTtn SarSacn. ThUf- *h. a£ <^ In (&0mmtmBtutiim PRIVATE AND PROFESSIONAL VIRTUES WILLIAM ■ FRANCIS, JUDSON, A MEMBER OF THE PHILADELPHIA BAR. Finis coronat vitam. PRINTED FOB PRIVATE DISTRIBUTION. 1870. l'*V PHILADELPHIA: COLLINS, PRINTER. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. SOjtiJIrant Hfrattris %vfosim, Bobn May 12, 1833. Died March 4, 1870. ■ THEr DO NOT DIE, noe lose their mortal sympathy, Nob change to us, althoush they change.. CONTENTS. PAGE Biographical Sketch ....... 7 The Meeting op the Philadelphia Bak .... Recollections of William Feancis Judson, etc. By Bev. Z. M Humphrey, D.D. . Resolutions op Trustees op Calvary Presbyterian Church Obituary Notices ........ 35 61 73 William Francis Judson was born in Philadelphia, May 12, 1833. He was the second son of the Rev. Albert Judson, a clergyman of the Presbyterian Church, who, notwith- standing his own early death at the age of thirty-nine, had attained by his piety and talents a leading position in the profession of the sacred ministry in Philadelphia. To him the church is indebted for the first systematic course of Scripture Questions (now known as the Union Questions), prepared for Sunday Schools, a work which was republished in England, Wales, and Germany, and was the means of giving an impulse to the cause beyond anything which had then been written. His mother was the daughter of the Hon. Oliver Burnham, of Connecticut, for many years a distin- guished member of the Legislature, and Associate 10 Jijdge in the courts of his State, and in early life a soldier of the Revolution. By both father and mother he traced his descent from the ancient families of the Clergy and Colonial Governors of !N"ew England. The Rev. Albert Judson died in 1839, and the direction of the education of the subject of this sketch devolved on his widow. How the duty was performed is best exhibited in the Life we now commemorate. Delicacy to the living forbids this pen to dwell on the rare union of all the best qualities of head and heart which characterized the bereaved widow, and enabled her to superintend the education of her children. It is sufficient to say, that after a studious and ambitious pupilage in various of the academies of Philadelphia, the youth entered the Sophomore Class of the University of Pennsylvania in the year 1850, and that his college career was throughout marked by distinguished scho- larship. He graduated in 1853, having attained the second honor of his class, and delivered the Valedic- tory Address at the Annual Commencement. Of this address the lamented Prof. Heney Reed remarked, that it was the ablest production of the kind ever, 11 within his knowledge, pronounced in the University of Pennsylvania. Immediately on leaving college, he was registered as a Student-at-Law in the office of Henry J. Williams, Esq., where he pursued his novitiate with such ardor and thoroughness, that his talent soon hecame known. During this period his intellectual strength, his zeal, his graces of mind and heart, and his purity of character, secured for him an affection which may well be termed paternal, and won from his distinguished preceptor a respect and admiration which so intensified with the lapse of years, that the pupil, before the culmination and untimely termination of his life, became the trusted professional adviser of his venerable teacher. During his studentship he entered the Law Depart- ment of the University of Pennsylvania, from which Institution, in 1856, he received the degrees of Bachelor of Laws, and Master of Arts. In June of the same year he was admitted to the Bar, beginning his career in the office of Mr. Williams, with whom he was intimately associated in professional affairs. On Mr. Williams relinquishing active prac- tice at the Bar, the conduct of most of his business 12 devolved upon his late pupil, who was wont to attribute his entire success, directly or indirectly, to his eminent preceptor. He never wearied in grateful references to him — his care as a teacher, his model integrity, his kindness of manner, his paternal counsel, his professional assistance, his valuable legal advice. He studied, and not unsuccessfully, to imitate him. In 1861 he removed his office to that of his friend, J. Murray Rush, Esq., with whom he was very frequently associated, professionally, until the death of Mr. Rush, which occurred not long afterward. Mr. Judson", very soon after his admission to the Bar, rose to the front rank of his profession, and notwithstanding his comparative youth, has for several years been recognized as one of its most distinguished members in this city. He was largely endowed with the requisites of success. His powers of Oratory were conspicuous during his college career, and in the forensic arena were evident to all. Fluent in speech, graceful in gesture, self-possessed in manner, and intellectual in appearance, he uniformly commanded the attention of his listeners. His style of thought was clear and 13 forcible, and he at once addressed himself to the reasoning faculties of his hearers, rarely attempting to enlist their sympathies, or excite their imaginations. Perhaps he was somewhat disposed to underrate the gifts of speech, and he certainly disdained to court popularity with juries by elocutionary artifices, pre- ferring, as he said, to convince the understanding rather than play upon the emotions of his audience. Circumstances, too, favored his more especial attention to those branches of the profession in which eloquence is comparatively inessential, and in which a thorough mastery of the Principles, as well as a familiar acquaint- ance with the Precedents of the Law, united in an intel- lect quick to perceive the mutual relations of the two, can alone achieve fame. This combination of faculties was universally con- ceded to him. His was no superficial mind, seizing on the salient features of a question in litigation, and leaving the foundation uncomprehended ; nor were his intellectual qualities of that order which contrives by weaving webs of sophistries, to conceal want of study of the Law, or knowledge of the facts. Combined with a thorough acquaintance with au- u thorities, and a clear understanding of principles, great facility of lucid expression, lie was, as one eminently qualified to judge has said, equal to every occasion, and he never exhibited in the presentation of his cause, want of preparation, or confusion of ideas. His relations with his professional brethren are best attested by themselves. His heart was so large, his generosity so great, his consideration for the feelings of others so thoughtful, his instincts so refined, that the asperities of professional life found no lodgment in him, and he died, not only regretted and beloved by his fellow advocates, but without an enemy. ISFor was the effect of these qualities confined to members of the Bar. They frequently won for him the clientship of those to whose interests he had previously been opposed, and with acquaintance, this feeling often deepened into warm friendship. His clients were chiefly of the class representing the largest material interests in this city, and their con- fidence in his judgment and integrity was unbounded. He was Solicitor for several important Corporations, among others, the Pennsylvania Company for Insur- ances on Lives and Granting Annuities, and he has 15 represented the National Banks of Philadelphia on occasions involving their interests. The Institutions of Benevolence, too, sought his aid, and the Orphan Society of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Bible So- ciety,' and many others, can testify to the cheerfulness with which he gave his time and services, as contribu- tions to the causes of charity and religion represented by them. His profession was the subject of his deepest pride, and when told that his advancing ill-health would necessitate a great curtailment in his practice, his regrets always appeared to be, not for the loss of the additional fame he might have acquired, not for the diminished emoluments, not for the inability to enjoy the social pleasures of life, but mainly, that he was to be denied the satisfaction of elucidating the funda- mental ideas on which he considered the Law to be based, and to the study of which he had devoted the flower of his days. In turning from the professional aspect of his character, to its more personal and domestic phase, 16 the duty becomes a delicate one, for fear of intruding too far into the penetralia of sorrow, yet as the moral excellences of his life gave especial tone to his legal career, as Mr. Clay has happily observed in his comparison of Mr. Jtjdsozst with Mr. Binnet and Mr. "Wharton, so these same Christian virtues shone with greater brilliancy within the sacred enclosures of the Church and the Home, and any analysis would be imperfect without such allusions. Mr. Judson's character was as. pure as sunlight. Every association in which he indulged, every recrea- tion, every professional record proves it. His sense of personal honor was chivalric, in the highest idea of that much misused term. Generous in feeling, scrupulous in avoiding offence, yet magnani- mous in his, forgetfulness of injury, and highly con- servative in his public and political views, he was thoroughly imbued with that indefinable quality which we call tone. He was a gentleman in every particular, in his birth, in his manner, and in feeling. In charity, he displayed the full heart with the open hand, and the kind bearing. The poor never found him too. busy to aid them by his advice, services, or 17 money; benevolent and charitable institutions rarely . appealed to him in vain. His attainments were excellent; as has been said, his mind was one of a somewhat mathematical bent, and he inclined in his reading to those matters that he considered directly affected the interests of his fellow-men, rather than to the poetical or imaginative. He was an excellent and accurate student of history, and constantly regretted that the pressure of profes- sional duties prevented his devoting a portion of his time to the promotion of the Social Sciences, in which he was much interested. He was public spirited, as far as his engrossing legal duties would permit. For a number of years he was one of the Board of Directors of the Public Schools of Philadelphia, and was a member of the Publication Committee of the Presbyterian Church, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and other associate bodies. In the social circle he was ahvays welcome, and his genial characteristics gained him many friends. Fond of society, and well known, not only in select coteries of gentlemen of his own profession, but equally so among the intelligent and refined classes of which 18 Philadelphia :has always boasted, his company was: constantly sought, and his happy and cheerful con-?; versational faculties diffused pleasure wherever, they Were exercised. * . In person Mr. Judson was tall, and of commanding, presence, somewhat . slight in figure,, and rapid and] graceful in movement and gesture. His enunciation". was distinct, and he never hesitated for language. His] countenance was particularly intelligent and noble,; with an eye to command as well as entreat, "a high brow, and a mouth indicating determination and force of character. T He was most fortunate and happy in his domestic relations. As husband, son, and brother, he seemed— - to those partial persons whose infinite felicity it has been, and is, to have known him in those relations-^- absolutely perfect. On the 26th of October, 1865, he married Isabella, daughter of Cyrus "W. Field, Esq., of !New York, who survives to mourn his loss, and to cherish his memory in the character of the two sons he has left fatherless. .-.-■, , The family circle was where he pre-eminently shone ; always cheerful and hopeful, the cares of the world, and 19 of his profession, seemed to rest so lightly upon him as rarely or never to affect, more than in the most transient manner, the joyousness of his nature. His fairest feature still remains to be spoken of. Religion with him, was no occasional investment, to be assumed or discarded at pleasure, or a series of asceti- cisms to be practised ; but it was the rule of his life, interpenetrating every fibre of his moral nature, color- ing every action, governing all impulses, and imparting to him a uniformity of disposition, and a cheerfulness which were unfailing, and the remark of all who knew him. By inheritance and by conviction he adopted the Presbyterian form of faith, and was a member of the Calvary Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. His life was his Religion, they were identical ; his practice of the Christian virtues was the result of the gradual development of Christian principles. His natural temperament being buoyant, the doubts and perplexities which darken many lives, threw no shadow over his. Perhaps his Faith was the most conspicuous attribute of the religious aspect of his character. Not- withstanding his enthusiastic enjoyment of all that makes life attractive, the ultimate fruition of higher 20 and purer pleasures, was a prospect whose clear outline was constantly before him. By degrees his spiritual nature became so perfected, that earthly ills were as nothing, compared with the glory that should be re- vealed, and resignation, with filial reliance on the great Father and on his Son, became his habit. But his Love was equal to his Faith, and he never tired of dwelling on the universality and attractiveness of this Divine principle. Three or four days before his death, he called the attention of one who read to him his favorite chapter of the New Testament, the thirteenth of the first epistle to the Corinthians, to the fact that " Charity is there described as even greater than Hope or Faith. ' And now abideth Faith, Hope, Charity, these three ; but the greatest of these is Charity.' " Something more than three years since Mr. Judsow's brother, a physician, casually discovered in him, what very likely may have existed for a long time previously, an extensive organic disease of the heart, one rendering him liable to sudden death, and one which, if he 21 escaped the catastrophe in that form, was certain greatly to diminish his chances of living any con- siderable number of years. This unwelcome truth was unfolded to him by degrees, to avoid the danger the shock might otherwise have produced. The revelation never appeared to disturb his equanimity for a moment. From that time, he arranged all his temporal affairs so as to be ready at any moment to obey the final summons. Any one might have sup- posed, from his habitual cheerfulness and interest in his daily routine of duty, that he promised himself a long and healthful life, yet he was perfectly aware of the certain issue of his case. Nor was a murmur ever heard from his lips, or aught else than a perfect acquiescence in the will of Divine Providence. The nature of his malady was such, that although occasionally confined to his room, nearly every day found him at the post of duty, and, during the winter just past, he seemed particularly well, having scarcely lost a day from his office. On Sunday, the 22d of January, he attended Church in the morning and in the evening, and on the next day was stricken by one of his severe attacks of pulmonary and visceral congestion, 22 which gradually became so intense, that about the first of March it became evident he could not long survive. On the fourth of March, in complete possession of his faculties, he smiled an adieu to each member of his family, singling them by name, and said, with entire distinctness, "Our Heavenly Father, bless every one — one and all. And now, the Nunc Dimittis." The Nunc Dimittis was read, with the appropriate Collect from the Prayer Book, to each word of which he listened, and between the pauses bowed assent. At the conclusion of the prayer, he raised his eyes to Heaven, and said, " Leave me to God — leave me." These were his last words, and in a few moments there ceased to breathe the most affectionate husband and father, the most loving son and brother, the kindest, bravest, dearest friend, the purest counsellor, the happiest Christian, the noblest gentleman. The ground was thickly covered with snow, and the slowly descending flakes fell gently into his grave — Heaven's purest tribute to his stainless spirit — when the mortal remains of "William Francis Judscxst were forever laid to rest beside those of his father in the Laurel Hill Cemetery, by the banks of the beautiful 23 river that he loved, and in a spot nature has made so lovely as to banish every gloomy association. His life on earth was as pure, peaceful, and happy, as earthly life can be, and his transition to Infinite Purity, Peace, and Happiness, most gentle. "We should not mourn. But, alas ! our mortality asserts itself, and in these ears, till hearing dies, One set slow bell will seem to toll The passing of the sweetest soul That ever look'd with human eyes. COR CORDIUM. PROCEEDINGS MEETING OF THE PHILADELPHIA BAR MARCH 8, 1870. Philadelphia, March 8, 18T0. A meeting of the Bar op Philadelphia was held in the District Court Room, at noon to-day, to express their sentiments upon the death of their late fellow- memher, William Francis Judson, Esquire. Mr. George Junjkin moved that the Hon. "William Strong, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, take the chair, and that Messrs. Harry Gr. Clay and Joseph Gf. Rosengarten, act as Secre- taries. Agreed to. The Chairman said, Gentlemen of the Bar : It may not have escaped yOur attention that during the last few weeks we have repeatedly been 28 called to follow to the grave one and another of our associates. We have mourned the death of those most eminent in our profession, those who had attained its highest honors, who had distinguished themselves by their ability, and by the services and labors of a long life. "We are now called to mourn the departure of one in early life, but one not unworthy to have his name linked with those who have so recently preceded him : one whose memory will long linger in our hearts, for whom we have cherished not only respect and affection, but with whom we have had delightful social inter- course. "William Francis "Jtjdson", whose recent death has caused this assembly, was known probably to all of us. He was in the habit of having until quite recently, social and professional intercourse with us all, and his early, and as it may be termed by some, his untimely death, has deeply affected all our hearts. I do not pro- pose to enter into any analysis of his character, but I may be permitted to say at the opening of this meeting, that I have known him for years, and known him well, and I have learned not only to respect, but to love him. He was a man of remarkable purity of heart ; a man of 29 fine intellectual abilities, of clearness of .conception, of readiness of intuition, and a man of the most conscien- tious fidelity to his convictions, and to every trust that was reposed in him. He labored from his early youth under disadvantages, great disadvantages, which pro- bably would have crushed many of us. He was a man of frail physical constitution. It was necessary for him to guard his powers. He could not throw himself with all the earnestness of soul with which some of us have been accustomed to throw ourselves into the struggles of professional life, lest he should break down upon the spot; and yet with these disadvantages what had he. attained ? He had attained a high rank in the profes- sion. .He was universally respected by its members. He. was sought as a tried and trusted adviser, and probably there is no young man of his age, now liv- ing at our Bar, who has been more trusted by those who have had large interests at stake, than Mr. Judson" has been. He numbered among his clients some of the v most wise of the large property holders of this city, and they were attached to him with an attachment equal to that which any professional counsel ever secured from his clients, and justly, for he was faithful to every 30 trust which, was reposed in him. He was conscientious, as I have said, in the discharge of every duty. He was cautious, he was intelligent, he was industrious; he was devoted to everything which he undertook. I shall not attempt to say more in regard to his professional life. He was not only a man to he admired and loved as one of our professional brethren, but he was charm- ing in social life. He not only cultivated his intellec- tual powers in the study of those branches of science which belong directly to our profession, but he was a large literary reader, and well acquainted with the lite- rary world. He was admirable as a conversationalist. He was a charming companion. More than all this, the chief glory of his character, was his piety. He was a consistent Christian man ; a member of one of the churches of this city. He adorned his profession and was ever ready to devote his cares and his labors, his toils and his energies, to whatever promised to secure the good of his fellow men. He lived a Christian, he has died a Christian, and has left behind him evidence most gratifying to us, and gratifying to those who are members of his family, that he has gone from this sphere of his labors, to higher labors, and higher enjoy- 31 ments above. The death of such a man, my brethren of the Bar, is a loss, a great loss to us, a loss to the community in which he lived, a loss to the church of which he was a member, and oh what a loss to the family of which he constituted the head. Remarks of Mr. George Jthstkin. Mr. Chairman, It has fallen to my lot to have made the acquaintance of Mr. Judson earlier, perhaps, than almost any that I see around me, with a possible exception or two. And I feel it to be a sad duty, as well as a privilege, sir, to appear at this meeting of the Philadelphia Bar, to lay here my tribute of respect to his memory. Twenty-three years ago it was my privilege to make Mr. Jttdsok's acquaintance. He was a lad of twelve or thirteen years of age, and I can remember now, as if it were but yesterday, his bright, I had almost said, beautiful face — because he had that ag we all know, if the term can be applied to a gentleman — his bright, 32 beautiful face, clear eyes, and winning manners, I remember them well. I made bis acquaintance then, and became attached to him, and our acquaintance has run on from that time to this like a river, without the slightest ripple upon its surface. Mr. JuDSOisr was the son of the Rev. Albert Jud- SOK, a clergyman of the Presbyterian Church in Phila- delphia, who died more than thirty years since, himself a young "man, leaving a widow and three children. The responsibility of the education of these children was thus entrusted to the widow who devoted her life to this purpose, giving to each of her two sons a classical education, and when these children attained maturity, and the sons entered into professional life, the mother's cares and efforts, her hopes and fears, met with an abundant return in their success and personal devotion to her interests and herself. Mr. Judson passed through the ordinary academic course, and afterwards entered the University of Penn- sylvania, where he graduated, I think, about 1853, with credit to himself and with honor to his family, being the valedictorian of the class, and exhibiting at that early age powers of oratory, which, if his 33 constitution had allowed, would have enabled him to have taken a very high rank as an orator at this Bar, On his leaving college, it was his good fortune to enter the office of one whom we all love to honor and respect, one of the Masters of his profession, whom I feel happy to see here to-rday— Mr. Hetstit J. "Wil- liams ; and he seems early to have won his affections, as, indeed, he did the affections, I believe, of all with whom he ever came in contact. He received from him those principles of law which enabled him to take the high place which he has occupied in our profession, and steadily to maintain the position. And when Mr. "Williams gradually retired from professional life, he succeeded to some extent to those weighty responsi- bilities which had rested upon his preceptor ; and the result has shown that Mr. Williams was not mistaken in his judgment of the young man upon whose shoulders his mantle had thus fallen. - Mr. Judson" was admitted to the Bar on the 14th of June, 1856, and his course at the Bar has been one of almost unexampled prosperity. Although succeed- ing to these weighty responsibilities of Mr. Williams' large practice, yet he at once took a position in the 34 front rant of our profession ; and, notwithstanding his youth, he has already secured the respect, not only of the business community, but of those who are, perhaps, better judges of a lawyer's qualifications than the community, he has gained and retained the respect of the Judges of the Courts and of his fellow-members of the Bar. I see around me here gentlemen representing all classes of the Profession, and I venture to say, that there is not one of these, or of the whole five or six hundred members of this Bar, who entertained towards Mr. Judson anything but the kindliest of feelings and the highest regard for his ability. We all have our peculiarities, and in the friendly strife of our professional life, in the excitements of the profession, we often say and do things which we our- selves regret, and which create animosities and jars which we would be very glad to have avoided. But I believe it is true of Mr. Judsok, as, perhaps, of no other member of this Bar, that with him this has never occurred. It was one of the beautiful traits of his character, the amenity of manners, the kindliness of spirit, and the gentleness with which he dealt with all his professional brethren. 35 He was in the true and strongest sense of the word a gentleman. You have spoken, sir, of his ability as a Lawyer — being upon the Bench you were in a position to judge of that ability, and your opinion conies to this Bar with weight, and will find a ready response and acquiescence from all of us, in all that you have said. He was eminently a man pure in heart. His charac- ter was a transparent one. His mind was a clear one. !N"ot one of those minds that is one-sided, but a - sound, practical mind, with no one quality in any undue prominence, but all well-balanced. It was symmetrical. A sound judgment, clear, quick per- ception, and, what is of grand importance in a lawyer, he had good sound common sense. These were Mr. Judson's qualities as, I think, you will all bear me witness. * Three years ago his physician, his brother, discovered that he had that fatal disease of the heart which has carried him to his early grave. Within a few months after, his brother revealed the fact to him, and from that day until the hour of his death, our friend has been carrying over him this shadow of impending death. 36 His disease was liable to take him off at any time, and carry him to the grave; yet who ever saw him with anything but a bright cheerful countenance? I marvelled when I learned that this was his disease, that he was thus enabled to bear these responsibilities, and endure these labors, and all with a bright, cheering, smiling face ! But he has gone, as you have said, sir ; and, as to his last end, it was just what we would have expected, and such as we cannot but wish may be ours. He has been called from us, in the very prime of his existence, at thirty-six years of age, and with a future before him which promised to rival that of any who have preceded him in the profession. "We come together her,e, and mourn his loss. I have prepared a minute and resolutions which embody briefly what I esteem to be the opinion of the Philadelphia Bar ; and in which I have endeavored not to be fulsome, and have aimed only to be true. I offer this as the minute to be adopted by this meeting— 37 The Bab of Philadelphia having learned of the death of William Francis Jttdson, Esq., one of their number, and desiring to place upon record their high appreciation of his worth, and of the great loss they have sustained in this sad event, resolve : — First. That in the death of Mr. Judson" they have suffered a sore bereavement, which only they who were in daily intercourse with him can fully estimate. He was gifted with a clear legal mind, which had been admirably fitted for his life work by a classical educa- tion, and a close and careful study and mastery of the principles of the Law. Possessed of winning manners and an admirable address, he brought to his profession every qualification necessary to insure the success which he quickly attained, and which enabled him, so early in life, to command a high position and the respect of all. Had his life been spared, his future career, un- doubtedly, would have been onward and upward in the highest walks of the profession. Second. That in all the relations of life Mr. Judsok commanded the love and respect of all with whom he was brought in contact; and that in his early death the Bar, and the whole community, have suffered an irrepar- able loss. 38 Third. That a committee of seven be appointed to tender to his family our kindliest sympathies, in this, the hour of their sorrow. Remarks of Mr. Henry J. "Williams. Mr. Chairman, I rise to second the resolutions which have just been read. It is long since my voice has been heard in this room, and I did not anticipate that it would ever be heard ,here again, and certainly not on an occasion so sad, as is the present. It seems to me that in the natu- ral course of events, it would have been more appropri- ate that I should have been in Mr. Judson's place, and he in mine. But Providence has ruled it otherwise, and I have a melancholy gratification in paying a brief and imperfect tribute, to the memory of one whom I knew so well, esteemed so highly, and to whom I was so sincerely attached. My first acquaintance with Mr. Judsok was about eighteen years since. He came to me as a student, 39 having finished his collegiate course with high reputa- tion, and on our first interview I was so impressed by the warmth of his manner, the pleasant expression of his countenance, his brightness and intelligence, that I formed a decided opinion that he would become, not only an excellent pupil, but a distinguished member of the Bar. Every succeeding hour strengthened that opinion, which very soon ripened into absolute convic- tion ; that conviction has been perfectly fulfilled. Mr. Judson remained with me three years. He was a careful, laborious, intelligent, and attentive student. Zealous in everything he undertook, he never spared himself, but devoted all his energies to whatever duty laid before him ; and when he was admitted to the Bar, I had the satisfaction of learning from his examiners that they had never known, in all their experience, a young gentleman better fitted to enter upon the prac- tice of his profession. He remained with me after this five years and a half; and only left me at the end of 1861, when he removed to an office two doors from my residence, which he occupied until the day of his death. During the whole of this period our relations were 40 not only intimate, but exceedingly close. He super- intended for me the remains of a practice which had been scattered over the space of upwards of forty years, and which I was desirous of resigning to him ; and in doing so, I felt perfectly sure that I could commit every interest which had been under my charge, with perfect safety, to his care; and the event invariably showed that he fully merited the confidence reposed in him. I have received from many persons grateful acknow- ledgments for having transferred their business, or referred them for counsel, to one who fulfilled all their expectations, both as to his diligence and ability, and who was so agreeable and satisfactory in his intercourse and personal deportment; but never heard from any quarter a whisper of dissatisfaction or com- plaint. To me Mr. Judson was almost a son. My heart must have been cold indeed, if after such constant and intimate intercourse with a young gentleman of his talents, accomplishments, and principles, it had not been filled with strong sentiments of affection and esteem. I felt them both, and I doubt whether there 41 is any one out of his immediate family, who mourns more sincerely than I do, the great loss which has fallen on us all. I need not say a word in relation to the success of Mr. Jetdson's professional career. It has heen already referred to in fitting terms by those who have preceded me ; and it is well known to all his brethren, who can appreciate it much better than I, who have so long relinquished its active pursuit, can possibly do ; but I may say, that in addition to his learning, perseverance, and energy, he possessed a clear and discriminating judgment, and, in a remarkable degree, that most valuable and not very common quality to which my friend Mr. Junkest has so well alluded, a sound and appreciative good sense. As respects myself, I can say with entire sincerity, that in all the transactions in which we have been connected, I have seen nothing to which I could object, but everything to approve and admire. As respects others, those who came to him as his clients, invariably remained with him as his friends. Mr. Judsok was, essentially, a gentleman. His manners were gracious and conciliating, always ready 42 to oblige, and to sympathize with those who were in perplexity or distress. You perceived at once, that his courtesy and kindness were not merely superficial, but were the result of real feeling, and the natural impulses of a warm and generous heart. But Mr. Judson - was not only a lawyer and a gentle- man. He was a sincere, earnest, and devout Christian. The instructions of his admirable mother, to which Mr. Junkist has so gracefully referred, had early impressed upon his mind the inestimable importance of the great Truths of the Gospel. He was deeply imbued with religious feeling, and early in life made a public pro- fession of his faith in his Redeemer. He was an interested, consistent, working Christian. Not satis- fied with a simple profession, he desired to extend in every way within his power the kingdom of that Master under whose banner he had enlisted. He took an important part in all the affairs of his church, and in whatever tended to promote the cause of religion. After the labors of the week, often, as you, Sir, well know, wearisome and exhausting as they are, he found his most satisfactory recreation and repose in the services of the sanctuary, and the instruction of his 43 Sabbath School Bible class. And when his failing health compelled him to give up this latter exercise, he often lamented to me that he had been forced to relin- quish what was to him a most delightful occupation. With such feelings, with such pursuits, and such success, it is not remarkable that Mr. Judson was a happy man. Having made his peace with his Hea- venly Father, he was at entire liberty to enjoy, without apprehension or anxiety, all the numerous blessings which had been vouchsafed him. Happy in himself, most happy in all his domestic and social relations, no one could avoid seeing in his countenance and deportment, that he felt assured that his house was founded on a rock, and that when the rain should descend, and the floods should come, it would not fall. Nor did it. As goodness and mercy had followed him all the days of his life, he was not deserted at its close. He passed through the dark valley, calm and resigned, leaning on the arm of his Saviour, comforted by His rod and His staff, and is now resting in those mansions which He has prepared for those that love Him. He has been cut down, as you, Mr. Chairman, have so well remarked, in the midst of his years ; at an age 44 when to all human appearance he seemed to have before him the prospect of a long career of honor and useful- ness, and I have no doubt if his life had been prolonged, he would have ranked high among those distinguished men, by whom our profession has been ennobled and adorned. But God settles all these questions, and settles them well. Our friend and brother has been taken from us in the maturity of his mental and physical powers, but he has left us an example and a warning ; an example to prove that industry, perseverance, and spotless integrity are the certain elements of success ; and a warning that neither youth, nor health, nor strength, is any pro- tection against the approach of the king of Terrors, and unless we follow in the footsteps of our lamented friend, and prepare in time for the tremendous results of eternity, he will be to every one a king of terrors indeed. 45 Eemarks of Mr. Joseph A. Clay. Mr. Chairman, I do not know that I can add anything to what has been said by those who have expressed the esteem which all of us feel for the character, for the conduct, and for the life of him who has gone before us; but one who knew him so well as I, should not be silent, when a meeting of this kind is called to testify our respect for him. I have never in my life attended a meeting like this, (and I have attended, alas! too many), at which the expressions seemed more heartfelt, more earnest, more touching. If I may be permitted to allude particularly to any one, I must say that I, for one, and we all, I have no doubt, were deeply touched by the simple tribute that has been paid to this man by his venerated preceptor. I have never listened to anything that impressed me more deeply with the high character of the one who has gone, and the deep sorrow of him who survives. 46 As to Mr. Judson himself, I cannot pretend to the length of intimacy which has characterized the ac- quaintance of those who have spoken last, but I have known him for years, and well ; and I think it is a remarkable characteristic of this Bar that while we have had to lament, as your Honor has said, within a few weeks, the decease of three who stood prominent in their profession, in a certain sense their charac- teristics were singularly alike. I think that when we remember Mr. "Whakton, Mr. BnrarEY, and our lamented friend Mr. Judson", we find that they were all characterized in a great measure, though, of course, with individual differences, by the same quality of excellence that seems to mark all men of high standing at our Bar. All were alike men of talent; but there was a remarkable equality in their excellence. "While all were able, there was no very prominent characteristic in their abilities. Their pre-eminence was alike moral. I find that at each meeting that has been held for these gentlemen, the prominence of their moral nature, and especially "of their religious nature, has been singularly brought out, and we all know with what truth, and I wish to say that no greater compliment 47 can be paid to the Bar of Philadelphia, than to find that three of its marked men have passed away with such eulogiums, so thoroughly deserved by them all. As for Mr. JtTDSOisr himself, it seems to me that every- thing has already been said of him, that perhaps, need be said. "We all knew his talents, his kindliness, his gentle feelings, and we all know the weight of his character. I am at a loss to know where to look for any man of his age whose character had such a weight, or made such an impression upon all those who came near him. It is now not more than a month, since I became aware of the true nature of his disease, ' although I have long known that his vitality was impaired. Fre- quently in his visits to the country in search of health, I have met him, and have witnessed, sometimes,' his sufferings, but I never knew what fatal disease was carrying him so certainly to the grave. He knew it well himself, however, and, as has been well remarked, the astonishing ease, the uniform gentleness, the general cheerfulness, that he displayed for years, with this fearful knowledge hanging over him like a cloud, were really wonderful. I think it a most extraordinary 48 instance of what I must consider the power of Divine grace. To think that a man with the sentence of death written in his soul, should go about among us as cheer- ful, as composed, as courteous, and as active even, when his condition permitted, as if in full health, and yet that he should know all the while that he was certainly doomed to an early grave, is marvellous. It is expli- cable on one consideration alone. He had made his peace with God. It is not for me to detail all that I have heard yes- terday of the last moments of our departed friend. The lesson to all who listened to the recital, is one too impressive to be ever effaced. One allusion I must be permitted to make. When, just before his death, he calmly folded his hands on his breast, and said: "It is now time for the nustc dimittis;" it was indeed felt, that the Lord was "letting his servant depart in peace." May we all add, in the words of one whom, I hope we shall imitate in nothing else, " Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." 49 Remarks of Mr. John Gr. Johnson. Mr. Chairman, There are others here who can give better expression to their feelings on this occasion than I, but from the intimacy of my relations with Mr. Judson for the past eight or ten years, I would feel that I had hardly done my duty unless I bore my testimony as to what I learned of him during this close and intimate inter- course. I think what has been already alluded to affords a more striking insight into the most noble feature of character than anything else that could be said. I have a circumstance indelibly engraven oh my memory, which occurred about three years ago, whilst you, Mr. Chairman, were sitting on the Bench, at Nisi Prius. There was a case ready for trial, in which Mr. Judson and I were concerned, for which, intending to conduct it in person, he had prepared himself very closely — one in which he was deeply interested, of considerable importance. I met him, a little late, in the court-room, having been detained in coming from . 50 the country. He came to me and said : " I am afraid I cannot be of much service in this case, but I will sit down and take notes for you." I asked ""What is the matter?" He replied, very quietly, "My brother made an examination last night, and he tells me that I have the heart disease. Of course I must take care of myself now, for though it may not be fatal for years, I am in danger all the time." And knowing, Mr. Chairman, how anxious he was, and always had been, for advancement and reputation in his profession, and that, early in life, filled with this desire, he had studied and worked with diligence, and neglected no possible opportunity of honorable advance- ment ; that he had been encouraged by the favor of his preceptor — which favor was gained solely through his own merits — and by the important practice that was early devolved upon him, to look to the future with the brightest anticipations ; and that he knew there was within him the wherewithal to win a place amongst the leaders of the Bar : knowing all this, and seeing how calmly he noted the intelligence that the fruition of his earthly ambition was unattainable, and that the scroll on which he had hoped to write his name was so soon .51 •to be folded tip forever, I was filled with the highest respect for him as a man. Fortitude like this, illus- trates, more forcibly than anything that can be done, strength of character, -'" Remembering, Mr. Chairman, how often, in the last years of his life, after spending months in preparation, he has been prevented by his disease from using the materials he had so diligently gathered, and has seen .all his labors go for nought, and that he has never been heard to utter a single word of murmur or complaint '; my admiration for him is beyond my power of expres- sion. '. ' The man who can thus bow to the decrees of Provi- dence; who can thus, preserve his spirits, bright and buoyant, whilst his funeral bells are ringing, day and . night, in his ears, is deserving of the greatest praise. ' Had Mr. Judschst's life been spared, he would, Mr. Chairman, undoubtedly have taken and held a very high position at the Bar; for, though not a brilliant man, in one or two important branches of the law he had scarcely an equal, in many he had few superiors, and in all he was above the average. His open, prepossessing countenance, indexed his 52 nature, and attracted to him at once that confidence which his sterling qualities of head and heart eyer retained. He was always, when the day of trial came, no matter how severe, whether his duty consisted in an appeal to a jury, or an argument to the bench, fully prepared. During the years I have known him, I can say that no interest confided to him has ever suf- fered through his inability to fully present or defend it. He was always equal to, and sufficient for, the occasion. "When we reflect how very important those interests sometimes were; how complicated the principles he was obliged to discuss, involving thorough investiga- tion of the authorities, and abstruse reasonings, in saying this, we give him, as a lawyer, that which few can justly claim. He "delayed no man's cause for lucre or for malice;" his honor was more than free from taint, it was beyond suspicion; and to his transparent nature, no suggestion of trickery or chicanery ever came. Though he was a positive man, and struck hard if the occasion required, he made no enemies. All were his friends. It seems hard that when a man has striven so very earnestly for success in his profession, when everything 53 before him promises high profit and fame, after that "first step" has been taken, "which costs so much," and the noble goal we are all so anxious to attain, lies but a short step beyond, he should be stricken down, and that all must go for nothing. It is in view of this, that there comes home to his friends the infinite consolation they derive from their knowledge, that whilst he so lived his life, that as a lawyer he made his mai'k well ; he prepared himself so thoroughly for that other life, in whose brilliant enjoy- ments all of earth's promise and glory fade. By Mr. Judson's death, Mr. Chairman, this Bar has sustained a great loss. v Kemarks of Mr. William H. Browne. Mr. Chairman, I feel it my duty to add a few words in relation to the death of a man whom I have known, respected, and loved for sixteen years. It was my privilege first to meet Mr. Judson in the law office of our venerable friend, Mr. H. J. Williams, in 1854 I was then a mere lad, he a student in the 54 profession, of two years' standing. I had opportunities in that position of knowing his virtues of heart, as well as his mental talents, which many of the profession had no opportunity of observing until they were fully deve- loped in the man. His gentleness of spirit was almost woman-like, and he appreciated delicacy of feeling in others ; he was kind and sympathetic, winning young and old, and meriting alike their respect and affection. And when oil my return from college, I studied law under Mr. Jitd- son", and entered the profession as one of his pupils, I found that the man fully developed, still possessed the same exalted moral principles he had exhibited in early years, and that the rough ordeal of the profession had not in the slightest degree affected his kindness and sym- pathy. I shall always remember the advice Mr. Judson gave me in regard to future practice on the day after my admission to the Bar. He pointed out the noble example of our venerable and beloved friend Mr. Wil- liams, and said: "Here is the evidence that spotless integrity and high principle will make a man noted and respected at the Bar, and will give him success in the 55 profession. It is a false idea that many have, that strategy and finesse are requisite to success in the legal profession. It is not so, and many even learn it to their cost." I have known Mr. Judsok" from that time to the present, and have ever felt that I could call upon him for advice, as I have frequently done, and that the advice would be cheerfully tendered, Mr. JrjDSOisr held a prominent position at the Bar. His death was untimely but he was prepared for it, and it is for us who are left to take a lesson from his career and profit by his example, and to realize that the high principles illustrated in his life, are those best adapted to secure permanent success in the noble profession to which we belong. Remarks of Mr. Macgregor J. Mitcheson. Mr. Chairman, I do not propose to occupy the time of this meeting by referring to the scholarly attainments, the profes- sional ability, the gentlemanly bearing, and the other 56 qualifications which have been so fully and so ably dwelt upon by the gentlemen who have already spoken: — but there was one characteristic in Mr. Jubsojt, which long since impressed itself upon my mind. It was his unselfishness; his magnanimity; his generous consideration of the interests, and the feelings, and the wants of others. He was, sir, as has been said, an orphan. As an orphan, he knew how to feel for others similarly placed: and the unfortunate and unprotected ever found, in Mr. Jitdsok, a self-denying,' a self- devoted, generous friend. I happened to have known him, Mr. Chairman, — and I mention it here with a melancholy pleasure, — in one instance — while acting as counsel for a charitable institution, to have spent weeks and months, nay, I may say years, in vindicating the interests of that charity, — and in recovering for the institution a bequest which was very improperly and very fiercely contested, — without the expectation of the slightest reward except the consciousness of assisting and befriending those who were powerless to help themselves. It has been well said that he was a Christian gentle- man. In saying that, we say everything; for it has 57 been well expressed by the poet that "a Christian is the highest style of man." We feel, we all feel, sir, that in all things he has been faithful unto death, and we may now fervently express the trust that he will receive the crown of life. The Resolutions were then unanimously adopted. A committee consisting of Henry J. Williams, Hon. Joseph J. Allison, Joseph A. Clat, E. Spencer Miller, Geo. Junkin, Morton P. Henry, and Charles H. Hutchinson, was appointed to con- vey the resolutions to the family of the deceased. On motion, the officers of the meeting were added to the committee. On motion, adjourned. The proceedings of the Bar Meeting were transmitted to the family of the deceased, together with the follow- ing communication from the Committee appointed, signed by the Chairman : — 58 Mrs. Albert Judson. Madam: "Will you pardon us for intruding upon the sacredness of your grief to present to you and to his family the enclosed resolutions of the Bar of Phila- delphia in relation to the death of your lamented son, Mr. "William Francis Judson? They evidence the deep feeling of respect and regard entertained for him by his professional brethren during his life, and the sincere sorrow and regret occasioned by his premature decease. Among the large number who were assembled at this meeting many expressed, and every one felt, that his loss was a most distressing one ; for few had risen at so early an age to so high a rank in his profession, and no one was more universally beloved and esteemed. May we venture to suggest to his afflicted wife, who has been deprived of the greatest temporal blessing she could receive from her Heavenly Father; to his mother, who guarded and guided his infancy and his youth, and impressed so faithfully upon his mind the principles of 59 honor and religion which, regulated his life; and to his brother and sister, to whom he was so fondly attached, that the darkest clouds which overhang the servants of the Redeemer are fringed and gilded by the rays of His love and mercy; and that in their most severe and unexpected trial they have had given to them the highest consolation possible in the assured conviction that their husband, son, and brother has only left his earthly home, holy and happy as it was, to enter into one holier and happier still, in the presence of his Saviour and his God. With sentiments of the highest respect, "We remain your obedient servants, (For the Committee), HEfrRY J. WILLIAMS, Chairman. Philadelphia, March 18, 18?0. RECOLLECTIONS WILLIAM FRANCIS JUDSON, WITH EXTRACTS FKOM A SERMON DELIVERED IN CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN CH0RCH, PHILADELPHIA, MARCH 13, 1870. BY Rev. Z. M. HUMPHREY, D.D. The religious character of Mr. Judson always seemed to me remarkably well developed and healthful. Per- haps love and faith were its predominant characteristics. The doubts which oppress some minds familiar with the sifting of evidence seem never to have beclouded him. The light in his heart was always clear and steady. He was charitable and catholic, but sincere in his own convictions. God was to him so much of a Sovereign that His will was always law; so much of a Father that his heart yielded to that will as readily as did his intellect. His cheerfulness in view of life's uncertainties was remarkable. Few could have carried a spirit so elastic through those lingering months which followed the announcement that he was the victim of a fatal disease. "God's time is the best time," he used to say ; and often at the family altar he 64 seemed to place himself, with the most child-like confidence, in the hands of an unerring Father. He would sometimes say no one had more to live for than he ; yet he never troubled himself with the question as to when or how he should die. Discipline was to him a loving chastisement — death an entrance into glory. His habit was to keep the probabilities of his early death out of view in conversation with his friends, because he would make the shadow of coming events as light as possible upon them. And when the event was close at hand, he showed by word and gesture and and shining face that it had no shadow for him. So clearly and affectionately did his faith centre itself upon God as Father and Christ as Saviour, that some of the sentiments of a sermon preached on the morning of the Sabbath succeeding his burial are now incorpo- rated, by the request of his relatives, as expressive of his own habitual thoughts. The text was: "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many spar- rows." (Matt. x. 31.) "This doctrine of Providence is a doctrine of God's fatherhood, and that fatherhood is something more than a poetical speculation. It resolves itself into a personal 65 care. . . . It is fatherhood with a heart in it. You and I are children, and each of us has a child's place in Grod's thoughts and affections. . . . It is a father- hood which recognizes the dignity and the worth of the soul. . . . No Crimson shed upon the petal of a flower or the wing of a tropical bird could ever be so precious as that of a Saviour's blood; nothing of less value than a human soul could have ever required its baptism. "This fatherhood is not only a reality, but it is also a constant fact. It incloses the minutest particulars of our lives. This must be so. "We admit it when we see how blessing or casualty depend upon single words or signals. . . . There was all the severity of logic as well as all the tenderness of love in that declaration^ " The very hairs of your heads are all numbered." . . . But if this be so, we have the broadest and firmest ground for faith in God. ... It may be difficult of comprehension by the intellect; it often is. You must have infrequently attempted the duty of consola- /tion if you have not discovered that the very words by which you would comfort, bring new sorrow to the hearts whose bleeding you would staunch. You sit 66 down by the bereaved and begin to speak of the virtues of the departed — how beautiful was his life; and the first thought of the mourner is: 'How much I have lost!' Each bright tint in the portraiture of the character you are sketching is but a black tint in the picture of desolation which, at the same time, you are unconsciously drawing. You say, 'How well prepared he was to die!' and the echo from the sorrowing is, 'How well prepared he was to live!' You say, 'How happy he must be in Heaven!' and the answer is, 'How unhappy am I without him!' It is a mystery, but precisely here is the ground for faith. God's dealings with us as individuals must of necessity be mysterious ; He has so many to care for, and such entangled and apparently conflicting interests to harmonize. But if we have this solid ground of reason to rest upon: that His care must of necessity extend to every one, and to the minutest particulars of every one's life, we believe, notwithstanding the mystery which envelops us like a cloud when we lift our eyes to see. Faith is not seeing, it is believing. We have evidence that the ground under us is firm. We therefore believe though mystery is all around. 67 "This doctrine is also a ground of filial love and obedience. . . . "We are of value to God not only because of what we are or may become, but also because of what He may effect by our instrumentality. For a man to acknowledge God as a Heavenly parent and to thank Him for His mercies, yet to appropriate them without thought of using them actively in His service is a flagrant inconsistency, an unfilial selfishness. . . . On my return from the cemetery last Monday, in the closing snow-fall of the winter, I passed a man working with no mean skill upon a statue formed out of the adhesive snow. He wrought in haste, yet the statue melted under his hands. A type of the labor of many who spend a life which should be useful in that which scarcely more than amuses the hour. We had left behind us one of God's sculptors. His hands had early lost their cunning. We were tempted to say that his work was but begun. Yet happy they who at the end of life can, like him, joyfully fold the hands from which God has taken the implements of toil, and sure that the abandoned work has been no snow-sculpture, say Nunc dimittis, and so pass up to the eternal reward!" RESOLUTIONS BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Whereas, Since our last meeting it has pleased our Heavenly Father to remove from our number our beloved friend, "William Francis Judson: Resolved, That we hereby record the fidelity, earnestness, and mature judgment which marked his connection with our Board, especially in the discharge of his duties as Treasurer. Resolved, That in his removal we have sustained an irreparable loss, not only in his official relations to us but in the ties of personal friendship which his Christian courtesy inspired. Resolved, That as we mourn over his departure, we yet rejoice in the assurance that he has gone to the inheritance of the just, and that the remembrance of his consistent walk with God will encourage us to emulate his example. 72 Resolved, That we respectfully express to his hereaved family our deep and heartfelt sympathy in this sudden and overwhelming affliction, and that we will remember them in our prayers at the throne of the Heavenly Grace. D. C. McCAMMON, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Calvary Presbyterian Church. Philadelphia, April 5, 18T0. OBITUARY NOTICES. From the New York Evangelist, March 10, 18T0. Philadelphia has just lost one of its best young men, in the death of Mr. "William Francis Judson, a young lawyer of excellent promise, and of the purest character. The son of a minister, he was educated in the faith of his father, and showed the fruit of that faith in a consistent Christian life. He was a member of Calvary Church, and was greatly beloved by its pastor, Eev. Dr. Humphrey. Early trained to study, by his diligence and uprightness he rose in general esteem, and gave the best promise for the future in his profes- sion. Several years since he was married to a young lady of New York, a daughter of Mr. Cyrus "W. Field. Thus he had everything to bind him to life — a happy home, and the fairest prospects of success and of useful- ness. But in the midst of all his plans and his hopes 76 he is suddenly removed, struck down in the morning of his career. In the city where he lived and where he died he was followed to the grave with sad hearts by those who knew him and loved him while living ; and who, now that he is gone, will long cherish his memory. From the Philadelphia City Item, March 12, 1870. This community has sustained a severe loss in the death of Mr. William Francis Judson. He gave more than ordinary promise of a brilliant and useful life. At the early age of thirty-seven, leaving a wife and two children, and a large and lucrative practice, he- has been called to his reward. He studied law under Henry J. "Williams and was admitted to the ,Bar about 1854. Since that time his practice steadily increased, and he attained considerable reputation as an Orphans' Court practitioner. He married a daughter of Cyrus W. Field, of New York, about five years ago. 77 Another notice from the same. Death is attended with peculiar sadness when it bears away the young and the successful — those who are grasping the laurels of reputation and winning the esteem and respect of the public. Upon such a man a dreadful summons has lately fallen. Just in the dawning of his career, surrounded by the blessings of a happy home, devoted to his profession, and rising rapidly to its highest places, it seems to us strange that he should be cut off thus in his early promise. "We will not penetrate the privacy of his domestic life to speak of him as a husband, father, and friend, for what can we say to assuage the grief of that bereft family? but we will lay a chaplet on his grave com- memorative of his ability as a lawyer. The reputation of lawyers is local and evanescent; they leave no per- ceptible footprints on the sands of time, and yet the life of a faithful, honest, able practitioner at the Bar is a life and an experience that is beneficial to us all to meditate upon. Mr. Judson was conscientious, indus- trious, and skilful in the practice of his profession. Apparently not aspiring to the honors attending bril- ' 78 , liant victory, he devoted himself to the theory of the law and its practice in the more congenial equity or semi-equity tribunals, where the advocate appeals to the reason rather than the passions of his hearers. His success was immediate and conspicuous, and at the time of his death he enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. His health had been failing for some months, but latterly he seemed to have regained a large part of his accustomed vigor, and we, who met him in the arena of litigation, hoped that the crisis of his disease had passed. It was not so decreed, and he is no more. His brethren of the Bar will long hold him in honored remembrance. A MEMBEE OF THE BAR. KF 368 J93 135 Author Vol. Judson, William Francis Title Copy Date Borrower's Name