LORD IDDESLEIGH : HIS LIFE AND CHARACTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2295, 26 March 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

LORD IDDESLEIGH : HIS LIFE AND CHARACTER.

The following letter, as bearing upon the life and character of the late Earl of Iddesleigh, has been ■■addressed by the Hon. and Rev. John Northcoto to the editor of the Baptist, which has published n sketch of the earl as one of a scries of religious legislators " Dear sir,—As reotoi' of Upton Pyne and a sou of Lord Iddesleigh, I have to thank you for your very kind letter, which is one of the many we have received which prove how truly lie was beloved by all classes and shades of opinion. His real goodness and simple faith made him, indeed, the brother of all earnest people. And he felt that all who agreed with him in a hearty desire to servo God and in a true belief in Jesus our Saviour were fellow-labourers with him in God's vineyard. His faith was, indeed, extremely simple and wonderfully strong. 1 often heard and we have all all often been greatly struck by the simple way he would sav, ' I must do this because it is right.' And if any course was proposed to him which he thought wrong, he would simply put it aside as impossible. He loved his own Church most heartily, but with no bigotry, and was often grieved at errors which he saw in her. He sympathised with the varying modes of belief which he saw in others, but felt that there should never be any feeling but one of brotherly love between true servants of our one Master. The chief thing he detested was hypocrisy, wherever he met with it. He was regular in his attendance at public worship, and used to read lessons in church regularly. He was also most regular in reading family prayers at home. I have always thought l that his piety was too simple for us to call him either a High, Low or Broad Churchman, but I suppose he called himself a High Churchman, or rather would have done so if he had not extremely disliked these names. He is now at rest, but the example of his blameless life and gentle, loving spirit will long be one of the strongest motives to goodness among all who knew him well. His power to forgive injuries was greater than anyone can believe possible in a mere mortal man. And he never would allow his family to speak in anger of those who had done him wrong. Even at the last he was always trying to invent excuses for those who had so bitterly injured him. His heart was very gentle, and when he was wronged he suffered most terribly, but suffering developed in him the true likeness to the Master, and made him more ready to forgive his enemies. He used not only to attend church, but he always used to enter most heartily into every, part of the service. I never saw any man so completely devote himself to prayers and praise 'duriug service. He always joined iu the responses and the singing, and I am sure that he did in heart even more than by voice. The sermons he liked best were always the simplest, and he was never tired of listening to the simple story of the love of God as shown in the life of Christ."