“A few days later, in the little church, the simple ceremony was performed. The house was filled to overflowing by men, women and children, neighbors and friends—all mourners. With streaming eyes they followed him to his last resting place on earth. His grave was filled with flowers and tears, and dedicated, in sorrow, to love. The dusk gathered softly, the shadows fell slowly—a helper of the poor, of the widow and the fatherless, was gone....
“If it is the noblest epitaph to be written over the grave, that the man who lies there has been active, determined and firm in his principles, and has won notable success while passing through the fire of life without a stain of dishonesty upon his character, then Charles C. Hine lies fairly crowned with that finest laurel of mortality.”—[From memorial adopted by the National Association of Life Underwriters.
“The death of Mr. C. C. Hine removes one of the most conspicuous figures in insurance journalism. Personally, we lose a valued friend, the profession loses an ornament. He was a good editor, a vigorous writer, a clear thinker, and a student. He led a cleanly life. His methods were pure and honorable, and he was a man that every editor of a paper could point to with pride, and say: ‘He is the Patriarch’ of us. His death came as a great surprise. We had always considered him physically strong and likely to live for many years. But then we did not think of the fact that he had lived the prescribed limit of ‘three score years and ten’. It appears that he had been ailing for a long time, and on Saturday, the 16th, he sank quietly to rest. The Insurance Monitor, whose columns he so long presided over, will miss him greatly, and his death will prove a distinct loss, not only to journalism, but to the entire profession of underwriting.
“Monday afternoon, a meeting of the insurance journalists was held in the office of The Weekly Underwriter, and the following minute was adopted:—
“‘The insurance journalists of New York, convened this 20th day of April, 1897, upon news of the death of Mr. Charles C. Hine, unite in testifying their sorrow for their own great loss and in respectfully tendering their sympathy to the bereaved family.
“‘As editor and publisher for nearly fifty years of the Insurance Monitor, he had in all sincerity and with eminent ability wrought well for what he deemed the best in insurance—the best for all. Nor in this way alone, but in very many public addresses, in books and pamphlets of his own, and in contributions to other books, had he labored to the same good purpose. And so he came to be, in fact, as long ago he was affectionately styled, ”The Patriarch“ among us.
“‘He believed in his work, rejoiced in it, was proud of it. To him are all insurance journalists debtors for the high standard of life and labor which he set and by his conduct exemplified.
“‘Called hence in his yet unwithered ripeness of mind and heart, he leaves us the pleasant and heartening memory of one who honored our profession by staunch though tolerant fidelity to his sense of right.
“‘Committee.’
“The Life Underwriters’ Association of New York, at a meeting held last night, appointed a committee which drew up the following minute:—