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C. Hindley, Esq., Rose Hill Terrace,
Brighton.

The somewhat sudden and unexpected death of the Rev. Thomas Hugo on the last day of the year 1876 is now a matter of history.

In Memoriam. The Rev. T. HUGO, M.A. Rector of West Hackney Church. Departed this life, Sunday, December 31st, 1876.

On Christmas Day, before the altar kneeling, Taking that Food by which our souls are fed; Around us all a solemn silence stealing, And broken only by the priests’ slow tread. Yes, he was there, our good and earnest Rector, And firmly strove his weakness to withstand, Giving the cup, he, the pure Faith’s protector— That cup of blessing with a trembling hand. His church, for which he felt such admiration, Was deck’d with flow’rs and evergreens that morn, In praise to Christ, who died for our salvation, And deign’d as a weak infant to be born. Ah! little did we think that happy morning— So truly, bravely kept he at his post— When next a Sabbath came, to us his warning And kind, yet noble, presence would be lost. That solemn sound, which tells of souls departed, Took the glad place of that which calls to prayer, And his loved people, shocked and broken-hearted, Could hardly enter, for he was not there. But when they heard it was his last desire That they should meet at midnight as was said, They met by thousands, mov’d with holy fire, And spoke in whispers of their shepherd—dead. No, no, not dead, but calm in Jesus sleeping; Free from all sorrow, all reproach, all pain: And though he leaves a congregration weeping Their earthly loss is his eternal gain. He loved the weak, and all the mute creation, In generous deeds he ever took his part; At Death, the thrice-repeated word Salvation Showed the firm trust of that true, tender heart. ······ Again we meet: they come his coffin bringing Midst solemn chant, and deck’d with purest flowers, And feel, whilst we his own sweet hymn are singing, The joy is his, the sad rememberance ours. Mrs. HILDRETH.

At the sale of the Hugo Collection, I purchased among many others:—