“‘The members of this association are profoundly grieved in learning that their brother and friend, Charles C. Hine, has passed out of the mortal into the immortal life, and that they are to see his face no more. He was known to life insurance workers around the world. For a third of a century his was a helping hand to every toiler in the life insurance field. His journalistic work was not perfunctory, but glad and joyous. He believed. He had strong convictions. And he lived to see the little rill of life insurance broaden and deepen into the mighty river. As a writer he was many-sided. He knew the tensile strength of fact as expressed in figures and diagrams; and his work was enhanced in value by a never-ceasing play of humor. As a speaker none who ever heard him will forget him. He was ready, convincing, entertaining, versatile, apt. Living two years beyond his allotted three-score and ten, he seemed in appearance but to have entered upon the Indian Summer of his days. When last with us, but a few weeks since, he appeared to be but little changed from what he was a score of years ago. When the end came he was as a ”shock of corn fully ripe“, ready to be garnered. It was meet and fit that he should go thus swiftly, with the light shining on him from the worlds out of sight, for he had lived his life with such a transfer in view. This association holds out its hand in silence to the sorrowing ones of his household, for whose deeper grief it has the profoundest sympathy.
“Committee.’—[Insurance Record—April.
“It was a good morning for taking a last look. The sun shone forth in cloudless beauty, the air was sweeter for a frost of the night before; there was green grass, and much token, too, of leafage and flower. This is the time of year when the outer world tries hard to tell us of something better than itself. Not a violet or a dandelion by the wayside that does not sing of bloom that shall never fade. A seeming endless repetition of life and death points true to the endless life, the spring time unfading, the friendships that endure.
“The simple ceremonies were held at the little church where the man was best known. There were banks of flowers, and there were streaming eyes. He must have been dear to the children for many of them were weeping as though they had lost a father. The place was crowded. The minister told a simple story of what the life had been on its religious side. Mr. Hine was an earnest Christian worker. He was a helper of others. He had no debate over doctrines. He accepted the truths of Christianity, and practiced what he believed. He was a helper of the poor, of the widow and the fatherless. It was a most pathetic address, out of the heart of a man who felt that the community has suffered an irreparable loss.
“Thus did we get a glimpse of the real life of the man, and take note of the things he lived for. Many, many years we knew him here in the great, babbling town. Like the rest of us, he had his work to do, and he did it with a will. But his heart the while was there in the little church, there with the pastor, the poor, the children.
“It is a benefaction to be buried when life is bursting forth everywhere. The autumn entombment is followed by a cold and dreary winter. It is so hard for those who weep to listen to the sleet against the window, the madness of the storm. And the snow piled up on the fresh tomb, how it chills one to think of it! But now come sunshiny days and calm, sweet nights, and through all the shining stars talk to us, and tell us that our dead were never buried, but journeyed swiftly to worlds more glorious; and we believe what they say. But we hear not the star voices except when there are calm and warmth, and bud and blossom.”—[Charles D. Lakey, in Insurance.
“C. C. Hine was a stalwart figure in whatever walk of life he appeared. His character was sturdy and substantial in its development. Born in New Haven, Conn., in 1825, he early went to the then Far West to try his fortune, and in those rigorous times he laid the foundations for a sound physical and mental manhood. He was successively school teacher, artist, leader in telegraphy, insurance agent and insurance officer. In 1868 he purchased the ‘Insurance Monitor’, the oldest American insurance journal now in existence, and had, therefore, conducted it, as editor and proprietor, for upwards of thirty years. As a writer his style was original, vigorous and entertaining. He had strong opinions and never hesitated to express them. Especially in fire insurance he left his impress upon the thought and practice of the time. He had a peculiar facility in verbal expression, and was often called upon to speak in public upon insurance subjects, his addresses being always acceptable.”—[Insurance Age.
“And so our old friend and ever courteous contemporary, Charles C. Hine, has gone over to the great majority. Although his stay here was longer in years than is the measure of time allotted earthly visitors, his departure is none the less sorrowful to all of us who knew and loved him well for his exemplary characteristics. As editor of the Monitor, and as a comrade in a special field of journalism, we were proud of the cordial relationship that existed without friction or interruption for more than a score of years between C. C. Hine and us. ‘To him’—as Editor Davis well said in the minute adopted at the meeting of insurance journalists—‘are all insurance journalists debtors for the high standard of life and labor which he set and by his conduct exemplified’. But, as Brother Lakey graphically expressed it, in the resolution he prepared for, and which was adopted by, the Life Underwriters’ Association: ‘When the end came he (C. C. Hine) was as a ”shock of corn fully ripe“, ready to be garnered. It was meet and fit that he should go thus swiftly with the light shining on him from worlds out of sight, for he had lived his life with such a transfer in view.’ In adding a word of tribute to the fragrant memory of this good man may we not confidently voice the hope, as we say farewell to him, that peace and joy shall be his share for evermore?”—[Vigilant.
“Personally, Mr. Hine was a most agreeable companion, well informed on a wide range of subjects, an easy and interesting talker, always ready with a good story and, what is somewhat rare among story tellers, as willing to listen as to tell. Everybody liked him, and he had the good word of the people where he had lived. The writer of this well remembers some twenty years ago being down at Peru, Ill., on a case before Squire Underhill, a Justice of the Peace. The trial had drawn together quite a lot of old citizens, and while waiting for a witness a general conversation was indulged in. The writer happening to mention that he had just got back from New York, and insurance being referred to in connection with the visit, the ’Squire’s face lit up and he said: ‘New York—why, that’s where Charley Hine lives; runs an insurance paper down there. Do you know Charley?’ The question being answered satisfactorily, one and another of the old citizens began to tell about when Charley Hine set up the telegraph in Peru along back in 1850, or thereabouts, and what a smart young fellow he was, and so pleasant and accommodating, too. We have no doubt that his acquaintance with Charley Hine helped the learned counsel to win his case, which was not an especially good one.”—[Insurance.