| Henry Overton Wills II |
THE FUNERAL OF MR. H. O. WILLSThe funeral of this deceased fellow citizen took place yesterday, at the Arno's-vale cemetery, and draw together a large number of persons as spectators. The chief part of the burial service was gone through at Highbury chapel, of which the deceased was for many years a prominent member. The chapel was well filled in all parts, and amongst those present were the Revds. H. I. Roper, M. Caston, J. Mackie (chaplain to the infirmary), B. Jenkyn, J. Morris, R. E. May, T. Hind, E.J.Hartland, W. Lucy, S. Hebditch, Knight, J. H. Hinton, J. Larnbert, W. Knox, R. Morris, L. H. Byrnes, Pratt; and Messrs, D. P. Evans, J. S. Badgett, H. Coasham, D. H. Walsh, D. Wyatt, Isaac, Humphries, W. Leonard, F. Morcom, Sherring, Pike, Mack, S. Derham, W. Tribe, S. Smith, A. W. Warreu, Etc., Etc. Most of those present were in mourning, and the pulpit was draped with black. Pending the arrival of the funeral, the organist played the "Dead March" and other suitable pieces. The cortege came to the chapel from deceased residence, Hillside, and the coffin, on being brought into the building, was placed on trestles near the door leading from Cotham-road. The seats on the same side were occupied by the mourners and immediate friends. The service began with the singing of the hymn, "Hear what the voice from heaven proclaims," and the reading of brief but suitable portions of Scripture by the Rev. Dr. Brown, of Cheltenham. | The Rev. D. Thomas then delivered an address. Having spoken of the widely expressed feeling of regret which the death of their dear friend had called forth in the public press and in the social circles of the city, and in other places to which the tidings of his departure had reached, he remarked on the large assembly before him, which might be said to represent those who knew him best and held him in the most affectionate esteem, as an evidence of the high regard in which he was held. By his death, many of those connected with that chapel were called to mourn the loss of a personal friend, and a very true, generous, faithful friend they found him; and many outside the circle of his personal friendship would feel that loss also - for though cut off by deafness from much social intercourse and activity, he retained his strength of character and the freshness of his sympathy, and he could yet serve those persons and those things whom he loved and for which he cared, by the power of his personal influence, and of his example, by his liberal hand and by his prayers. He was an old man, but he had by no means outlived his usefulness. Their loss, however, was gain to him. They could recall with thankfulness the life he lived, for it was alike generous and benevolent, and it was a Christian life. He had his imperfections, but those who were acquainted with him as he was knew that his life, and in the spirit and aim and habitual action of it, was a truly Christian life, and he might add, a life of great Christian activity. |
| Their friend took great practical interest in all political and social questions in which he believed the welfare of his fellow citizens was involved; and he was a man who was all through life manifestly faithful to what he believed to be true and right, and gave his whole soul; to the cause he felt to be the cause of truth and righteousness. But he never sought his own ease, or in any way consulted his own interests that he might please men of all parties, and now that he had passed away from society, his name drew to it the respect of all parties. Remarking that it was in the religious sphere, in the service of Christ and of his Church, that Mr. Wills most delighted and was most accustomed to exercise his activity. Mr. Thomas observed that, from the time when in early life he made a profession of faith in Christ, he was distinguished as a Christian worker. During the early years of his mature life he was a Sunday school teacher, going to the most dark and neglected parts of our city, and there teaching the children of the poor; and at that time, and ever afterwards throughout his life, he was among the foremost in giving efficiency to all services for Christ and for the Gospel. He did this in his own congregation and in other parts, by attending social meetings, and counselling and aiding with a liberal hand needy congregations, and planning and working for the erection of new places of worship. As a great giver, it was observed that his name was familiar in connection with the charitable institutions of the city. But his contributions went much further than that, and when his means became very much enlarged his contributions became correspondingly enlarged. | He aided home and foreign missionary societies; promoted the erection and maintenance of schools, and the building of chapels; helped to sustain feeble congregations and needy ministers. Having remarked on what he did in connection with the erection of Highbury, Redland-park, Clifton-down, and Anvil-street chapels, Mr. Thomas spoke of the incessant demands made on the deceased for benevolent objects, and how generously he gave, yielding to his Christian impulse, and sometimes how lavishly he gave. He gave both labour and money, and also his prayers on behalf of Christian work. Speaking of his spiritual life, Mr. Thomas bore testimony to his being a man of prayer, and said there was never a more earnest attendant at prayer meetings. He then pointed out how he stimulated others to work and pray and give, not only in connection with his own church, but in other churches in the city also. His Christian life and great Christian activity were explained by the simple and strong faith in Christ and His gospel which so markedly characterized him. It was this that made him the happy man he was in his religious experience, and such a blessed man in his Christian life. His strong belief in the supreme importance of man's salvation, and in the gospel as the only instrument of it, explained how it was he devoted himself so fully to the building of chapels and so largely to the spread of the Gospel. He died in the Lord. His name would be cherished with deep earnestness and love by those meeting within those walls and by a great multitude of people elsewhere. |
| Prayer having been offered, another hymn was sung and the service closed. The funeral cortege was then re-formed preparatory to proceeding to the Cemetery. It consisted of a chariot, containing the Rev. D. Thomas and Mr. A. Burleigh, deceased's medical man; a full pinmed hearse, bearing the body enclosed in a shell, lead, and cloth-covered outside; and nine mourning carriages, occupied as follows: - Messrs. H. O. Wills, E. p. Wills, F. Wills, jun., G. Wills; 2nd, Messrs. S. P. Wills, Arthur Wills, Frank WIlls, Chas. Wills, and Graham Wills; 3rd, Rev. H. M. Gunn (London), Mr. G. W. Knox (Sheffield), Mr. F. Wills (Clevedon), and Mr. W. H. Wills; the 4th and 5th carriages contained the pall-bearers, viz, Mr. S. Morley, M.P., Mr. W. Sommerville, Mr. W. Terrell, Rev. Dr. Brown, Rev. U. R. Thomas, Mr. H. Livett, Mr. S. F. Palmer, and Mr. W. P. Sibree; 6th, Messrs. T. Waterman, John D. Weston, C. Godwin, Sparke Evans; 7th, Messrs. J. Evans, M. Whitwill, J. Linton, and G. M. Jackson; 8th, Messrs. Josiah Williams, W. M. Jack, and Rev. J. Trebiloo(minister of Anvil-street Chapel); | and 9th, the deacons of Stapelton-road Chapel. Deceased's private carriage followed, and nearly twenty others belonging to or occupied by Mrs. Olive, Mr. Joseph D. Weston, Mr. H. Brittan, Mr. James Proctor, Mr. T. F. C. May, Mr. W. Sommerville, Mr. E. P. Wills, Mr. W. Terrell, Mr. S. Derham, Mr. D. H. Walsh, Mr D. P. Evans, Mr. E. S. Robinson, Mr. D. Wyatt and friends, Mr. King, Mr. Temple, Mr. W. clark, Rev. S. Hehditch and friends, etc. The funeral proceeded by way of Whiteladies-road and Park-street, through the city, to the cemetery. At many houses and places of business either blinds were drawn or shutters put up in testimony to the respect and esteem entertained for the deceased, and the same feeling caused many to accompany the funeral to the cemetery. The service at the grave comprised a brief reading of Scripture by the Rev. D. Thomas, and prayer by the Rev. U. R. Thomas. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. Foster, of Pembroke-street, St. Paul's. |