PROFESSOR BEDFORD.

White Ribbon, Volume 23, Issue 273, 18 March 1918, Page 1

PROFESSOR BEDFORD.

“My Father, my Father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof.” Such were the words in which our thoughts clothed themselves when we heard of the accident which cut short the valuable life of Dr. Bedford. We had hoped so much from him in the way of leadership in the days that are to come; had rejoiced that his clear brain would guide us in afc erwar reconstiuction work, had congratulated ourselves that reasoning powers so highly developed, that voice so silver-tongued and persuasive; that soul, with such high ideals, was so entirely one wi h us in our temperance crusade But God had other work for him, and his earthly sun has set while y»*t 'twas glorious noon. Was he wanted among those unseen forces that minister Co our need and inspire us in the fight? Chn he aid us in the fight when freed from the burden of the flesh? These questions we ask ourselves, hut the answer is with God “On earth we see but broken arcs; in heaven he perfect sphere.’ To Mrs Bedford, a White Ribbon sister, we tender our sincerest sympathy. She gave him up to us so much for social service ; she b >re the loneliness so bravely, and now, with equal courage, she is bearing the life loneliness and bereavement. We seem again to hear her words, s’joken only 36 hours before the accident: “I never see my husband; firs# Y.M.C.A., now temperance, and immediately upon his return the ’Varsity opens.” May she walk ever in the golden sunlight of God’s great

love, till she too pass within ihe veil to greet one who was no lost, but only went before. The arti(le below is from the pen of one who knew the I‘ro*c.-s »r, and appreciated his wotk and worth “His strength was as the strength of ten. Because his heart w.»> pure.” The fundamental characteristic of this modern Sir Galahad was purity of intention and purpose. Every gift and gra<e was laid under tribute to a magnificent dream The world is becoming .o ma trial istic and prosaic that it is teas ng to produ< e dreamers Most men can make a table, not every man lias the imagination to conceive the plan of thr house* furnishings Modern e men abound. They arc the sj>eciality of mediocrity. The life force of the race might with advantage be rarified by the inflow of a reasonable amount of what we may call for want of .1 bet'er word enthusiasm. The subject of this sketch was .1 man who always sat on the extreme end of the plank in the* see >aw of the* world's affairs. He c hose 1 the place where his weight would h ive he greatest effect. For dm reason he was regarded with some* suspicion as an extremist, until men were gradually but surely coming to see his transparem y of spirit and feel the reality of his sanity. I)r. Bedford combined the idealism of youth with the practical outlook of the* man if experience. His removal from our midst under such distressing circunis ances is a staggering mystery. Vear> of unremitting toil the toil of study had brought the* knowledge which, combnrd with great natural gifts, fi ted him to become thr recognised leader ol a sane and effective Liberal Part) in this Dominion It is difficult even to imagine the exp’.ar ation of .1 circumstance which removes 3 m.in from the arena of life jus when he has donned the armour, and before he has come to grins with the opponent whom he has challenged. It is true that few men have done so much as he in so short a life, but it is also true th.s‘ his g.fts and acquirements were greater far than the amount of service he has been permitted to render to his day and generation. His qualifications made it possible for him to reach the heights,

and he had barely begun to climb when he was removed from the path. Up to the day of his tragic death his friends and admirers said. “In him gifts and opportunity were destined to meet.” And now God has seen fit to permit the accident which has silenced his brain and closed his lips. We can but say “The Lord gave, and the* Lord hath taken away; Blessed he the name of ithe Lord.” We c.in only conclude that for him God has a sphere somewhere in which he continues to exercise his amazing powers, and for which he has been prepared His efforts and achievements will remain as a challenge* and rebuke to all earnest New Zealanders in the struggle for a new and loftier nationa* life in Che immediate fu’ure. We trust that the power and inspir 1tion of his example will pass into the 1 fibre and feed the life of those who inleft behind to carry on. I* is difficult at this time to analyse his personality and state his characteristics. The blow of his death and ,‘ht glow of his life have at once stupified and blinded his friends. The better and more intimate was the friendship, the 1 more acute is the sense of loss sustained Perhaps the ou standing quality ol this fearless soid'er was his commanding simplicity. He had absolutely no pretentiousness in his nature. He never drew attention by his demeanour. There was not the slighter* trace of vulgar assertiveness, and he was singularly free from the desire for the spectacular. On many occasions one was struck with the absence of assumption which marked his attitude. His power lav in the possession of real rsta e. He carried goods in his shop window, but they were honest samples of the contents within. He suffered for a time —as every min suffers who is loyal to his principles from misconstruction, because his ideals were very high. Hu it is the sober truth that Dr. Bedford was “coming into his own” in the confidence and love of the people 1 . Probably the most permanent work, the most enduring influence of his short hut brill'ant career, was effected in his University classes in Histoiy and Economics. We sus|K*ct that he was qualifying himself to deal with the great economic questions which will inevitably arise after the war, and his absence

will be sorely frk by the Temperance party in this land. The late Profes sor has, however, sown very precious seed in the minds of his IViversity students. He captured them not only by the lucidity of his teaching, bur by the charm of his personality. They began as his scholars; they were fast becoming his disciples. The flower and fruit will appear, un * der the Providence of God, in some man raised and prepared for the day and the hour. It is not my purpose to indulge in reminiscences, but one cannot forbear from remarking upon his power oVcr an audience. 1 heard him fir* in the spacious Town Hall in Auckland, when he held a vast assembly in ftie hollow of his hand for over an hour a 4 he expounded the doctrines and enforced by logic and rhetoric, the principles of the great reform of Temperance, which lay so near his heart. When Dr. Bedford secured his triumphant majority in one of the Dun edin electorates as a very young man. he is credited with giving an evidence of remarkable power of prompt and effec‘ive repartee. Some one in the audience on the night before the election, referring to his youth, called out m a loud voice, “Does your mother know you're out?” The instant reply was flashed back, “Yes! and to-morrow night she’ll know I’m in.” The posibili'ics and likelihoods King ahead of Dr. Bedford were very, very prom sing and now they are blotted out He |>ossessed special gifts and graces whiih peculiarly fitted him for the leading part he was, to all apoearances, destined to play in the days *0 come. We fear that the number of such inen is apparently f w, and yet—who knows ? When Stephen fell, the early Christian Church received a blow, the 9 for* e of which is not realised to-day. But (iod raised up Saul of Tarsus. I)r. Bedford is not dead. He lives, and. better stll, God lives and reigns. There is no room to speak of his service to the various churches and institutions of the Dominion. He was a devoted Methodist and a passionate preacher. By his passing, one of the greatest moral forces in the country has been removed. But we have enough faith in God to believe that another will be raised up to gra*;p the sword, as did King Arthur,

To somr one may this experience come: “In those old days, one summer noon, an arm Rose up from out the bosom of the lake, Clothed in white sami.e, mystic, wonderful, Holding the sword —and how I row’d across And took it, and have worn it, like a king; And wheresoever I am sung or told On after time this also shall be known. Bu: now delay not, take Kxcalibur And fling him far into the middle mere, Watch what thou seost, and lightly bring me word."