DR SCHAUFFLER'S LETTER.

LETTER FROM REV. DR SCHAUFFLER.

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"BEBEK, CONSTANTINOPLE, January 15, 1857. "MR RIGHTER-VERY DEAR SIR,-The relation which I sustained to your beloved son, now no more among the 'pilgrims and strangers' of this world, leads me to send you an expression of my heartfelt sympathy with you in your heavy bereavement. Your son was our next-door neighbour, constantly in our family circle, of which he was almost a regular member. In days of sickness he knew he could freely call upon us, as for parental sympathy and care; and in his many and useful labours, he consulted with me as an older labourer in this field. When he left us, he committed to me the records, &c., of the Evangelical Alliance, of which he was the first secretary, and it was my solemn duty to convoke the first committee meeting after his decease to communicate to them the intelligence of our sad bereavement, and to propose the resolutions relative to his death, and the choice of another secretary. Your dear son was beloved by all who knew him, and his usefulness, his zeal for the glory of God and the good of souls, was manifest to all. Even the Greek family with whom he lived (a plain poor family), appreciated his worth, loved him as a member of their household, and served him, especially in days of illness, with a tenderness which shewed that their hearts, not their pecuniary interest, dictated their conduct. I was the more delighted to see this, as it is so rare a thing to get the true, heartfelt affections of this nation. When the news of his death came, our servant girls, returning from

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their humble habitation, remarked, 'They are crying themselves sick over there, because Mr R. is no more.' And so I found them afterwards, sorrowing as for a brother. Perhaps you may improve, some time, an opportunity to send them some trifle of an object as a recognition of their kindness to your dear son. A small thing would be of great value to them, given on Mr R.'s account, and lead them to feel that their humble and unostentatious affection for their friend was appreciated, and encourage them in cultivating the better sensibilities of human nature. You will excuse this suggestion, which is made under the impression that such small gifts are a blessing to him that gives, and to him that receives, far, far beyond its pecuniary value, which in such cases quite vanishes out of sight.

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LETTERS.

We have been in the room of your son to see what he left behind. We find that he lived as 'a pilgrim and stranger on the earth.' There are, however, objects enough that will interest his parents and other friends, and they shall be sent to you faithfully-viz., his remaining clothes, and the articles he made daily or frequent use of, and some curiosities he had gathered. I found three books written full with pencil, like notes by the way, or diaries. I have not examined them, nor shall I do so, as they may contain subjects of a private character. You will receive them unread by any one, if Providence brings the box to you in safety.

"And now, my dear sir, feeling somewhat acquainted with you and Mrs R., from having seen several times your daguerreotypes (now with several others in my keeping), I cannot but express to you that this affliction may be so blest and sanctified to you and your dear family, as that

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you shall, one and all, devote yourselves to the same
Saviour whom your departed son loved and served, and
whom he now beholds and will behold for ever.
I am sure,
no member of your dear family will take it ill, if an old
missionary friend of their sainted son and brother beseeches
them to prepare by faith in Christ for a happy meeting
with the dear one they will never again see on earth, in a
better world, where, those that meet shall part no more,
and those long parted meet again.' 'Be ye also ready:
for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man
cometh.' How happy, if on that day, when the Lord Jesus
shall make up His jewels, you will be found then, none
wanting, an unbroken, undiminished family, never to weep
again! The Lord that gave him grace, grant it to you
all, and thus magnify in you all the riches of His grace.

(

"With kind, sympathising remembrance to Mrs R. and every member of your family, I remain, yours truly, "W. G. SCHAUFFLER.”

LETTERS.

CHAPTER XXII.

TRIBUTES TO HIS MEMORY.

SOME of the tributes which have been paid to the memory of Mr Righter will form an appropriate close to this volume. Those who have read the record of his life, as it has been sketched, will need no further testimony to the strength of affection with which he was regarded by those who were intimately acquainted and associated with him, and to the loss which was sustained by the cause to which he had devoted himself. But it is proper that some of this testimony should be preserved.

The following letter was addressed to the secretary of the American Bible Society, by the Rev. Dr Dwight, one of the missionaries of the American Board in Turkey:

"CONSTANTINOPLE, January 10, 1857.

“MY DEAR SIR,-By the last post, letters were forwarded from this place to New York, and I think one at least to yourself, communicating the deeply afflictive intelligence of the early and sudden departure of our dearly beloved brother and fellow-labourer, and your agent in Turkey, the Rev. Chester N. Righter. I find it impossible to make it appear a reality to my mind, he was so recently among us; was so young, so ardent, and energetic in his

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"

not that he
But we are

work, and apparently so necessary to all the good enter-
prises going forward in this land. But it is, alas! too
true. We shall see his face and hear his voice no more,
nor will he any longer aid us in bearing the burdens of
the day (not night') of toil' in this land. He has been
called to a higher service, and we would
should return to us, if that were possible.
permitted to mourn over our own bereavement, and over
the loss that has been sustained by the good cause here,
in consequence of his removal. And we are called upon
to humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God, and
confess our sins that call for such rebukes and chastise-
ments. We will also pray that He will soon send out
others labourers to take the place of our dear brother, and
of others who have fallen in these whitened fields.

LETTERS.

"6

I hope that your committee will be early directed by Providence to another man, to appoint to fill the place thus vacated. Of its importance I need not speak, except to bear testimony, as one upon the ground, that there is plenty of work for such an agent to do.

"But to return to Mr Righter: I think you will feel
that your loss is a great one.
This is the universal feeling
here in regard to ourselves and this land. We had all
become exceedingly attached to him. He was so kind in
all his ways; so gentle in his spirit; so gentlemanly in
his manners; so active, energetic, and persevering in every
good word and work, and especially in his great work on
which his whole heart was set, of disseminating as widely
as possible, among all classes, the pure Word of God, that
everybody admired and loved him.

"I am personally unacquainted with his parents and friends, but I beg through you to offer them my sincere