“‘Mighty to save!’ ‘Oh, I long to be there!’ ‘Victory! victory!’ ‘Shouting in death!’ &c.
“‘He finally sunk down into an easy sleeping or dozing state. Occasionally he roused up and opened his eyes, but was not able to speak, though perfectly rational, and knew us all. He continued to breathe shorter, and shorter, till five minutes past three o’clock, P. M., when he calmly and sweetly gave his last breath. The silver cord was loosed, the golden bowl was broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern; the dust was left to return to the dust as it was, and the spirit returned to God who gave it. Peacefully and happily he died, with his wife, children, and friends, about his bed! I closed his eyes, while all other eyes were filled with tears. It was a solemn scene. While the wife and children and friends were weeping the loss of a beloved relative, I was there to weep the loss of a father in Israel.
“‘The funeral service was attended on Sunday, December 23. The Advent chapel in Low Hampton being too small to accommodate the family, friends, and citizens, who were desirous of attending, Mr. Shaw, pastor of the Congregational church in Fairhaven, kindly offered the use of his large and commodious house. It had been Mr. Miller’s request that the funeral service should be held in the Advent chapel; but this being found impossible, the family decided to have a short service at their residence, to bury the body, and then to proceed to the Congregational house, for the performance of the more public service.
“‘The relatives of the deceased, and a large number of his neighbors and others, assembled at the house at 10 A. M. I read the following portions of Scripture, namely, 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Phil. 3:20, 21; Col. 3:1-3. The choir from the Fairhaven church then sung the hymn commencing with—
“‘Unveil thy bosom, faithful tomb.’
After a prayer, those present took leave of the corpse, and the procession—formed under the direction of Dr. Smith, of Castleton—proceeded to the old family burying-ground, about half a mile distant. The body being lowered into the tomb, the following hymn was sung by the choir:—
“‘Happy the spirit released from its clay,’ &c.
“‘With a last, lingering look, we turned from the tomb, and proceeded with the numerous friends to the meeting-house, to attend the more public service. About one hundred sleighs followed in the procession.
“‘On arriving at the house, I found it densely filled with people, with the exception of seats reserved for the family, and those who had formed the procession. The service was commenced by singing the hymn in the “Harp,” beginning with—