OBITUARY—Our obituary to-day contains the of one of the oldest inhabitants of this place, Mr. H. J. Abington, who came to Ringstead between fifty and sixty years ago, and was the youngest and last surviving son of the late Rev. Leonard J. Abington, who for many years was pastor of the ancient Baptist Church worshipping here. Mr. Abington has followed the business of chemist and druggist and grocer, and by his skill in the treatment of various diseases had attained a wide reputation in the surrounding country, and his loss in this aspect will be much felt. The funeral was on Sunday afternoon, and a large company of mourners followed his remains to the grave, including about thirty of the members connected with the "Loyd Nelson" Lodge of Oddfellows, a fraternity with which the deceased was closely identified, he having filled the various offices connected therewith. A large number of spectators witnessed the last sad rites. In the evening a funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Isaac Near, at the Baptist Chapel, of which Mr. Abington had been a member for over fifty years, and for some time was also a superintendent of the Sunday School. In the course of his sermon Mr. Near alluded in very feeling terms to the deceased, and spoke of the kindly feelings which had existed between himself and the departed founding an excellent and appropriate discourse upon Acts xiii., 36. At the close of the sermon the choir sang very effectively, "Vital Spark." During the service some lines written by the deceased on his 74th and 75th birthdays were read, which revealed his experience and prospects during his long and painful illness. The following were written in great pain on his 75th and last birthday, Oct, 28th, 1883:—
"Thou hast not forsaken me, O God,
now I am oldand grey headed."
"Dear Lord, at thy footstool I bow,
And own thou hast led me till now;
When tempests may beat on my head,
And all earthly comforts art fled,
Afflicted, pain'd, pursued to Thee I flee
For succour and comfort O Jesus to Thee.
Confiding on Thee I would rest,
For all Thy appointments are best;
Enabled to bow to Thy will,
In darkness I'll trust in Thee still;
And waiting that state of eternal repose
To rest on that Breast which with love ever glows."
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