The Hero of the Humber Part 12

[Sidenote: HIS DECLINING HEALTH.]

To the eye of a stranger, our friend's cheerful countenance and erect form, during the last few years of his life, indicated a robust state of health, giving the promise of a green old age. Such, however, was not the case. His employment as Foreman of the Humber Dock Gates, was very arduous, exposing him to all kinds of weather, day and night, according to the tides, and he found it telling seriously upon his health. His frequent plunges into the water, in storm and in calm, at midnight as well as at midday, in times of chilling frost as well as in times of warmth, sometimes top-coated and booted, and at other times undressed, also helped to sap his naturally strong frame.

[Sidenote: HIS LAST AFFLICTION.]

In a private note he remarked, 'It is with difficulty I can talk, at times, and my breathing is so bad, that I am now unable to address the Band of Hope children. The other night, and after I had been in bed about three hours, I was seized with an attack of shortness of breath which lasted four hours, and I thought I should have died in the struggle. But it pleased the Lord to restore me, and since then I have felt a little better. I now suffer greatly from excitement, and need to be kept still and quiet, but my present situation does not allow me much quiet. In fact, I am afraid, at times, that I shall be forced to leave it, for I think, and so does Dr. Gibson, that the watching, night after night, let the weather be as it may, is too much for me. But I leave myself in the hands of G.o.d, knowing that he will never leave me nor forsake me.'

Dr. Gibson, his medical attendant, wrote the writer thus:--

Hull, _26th Sept., 1867_.

Dear Sir,--I received your letter this morning, respecting John Ellerthorpe, a man well known for many years past, and greatly esteemed by the people of Hull, on account of his great daring, and humane and gallant conduct in saving such a large number of human lives from drowning.

As his medical attendant, I regret to say, that his frequent plunges into the water, at all seasons of the year, and long exposure in wet clothes, have seriously injured his health and const.i.tution.

After the 'Hero's' death the same gentleman wrote:--'Mr. Ellerthorpe had generously attempted to save the lives of others at the expense of abridging his own life.'

Mr. Ellerthorpe knew the great source of religious strength and salvation, and trusting entirely in the merits of Jesus Christ, he found a satisfying sense of G.o.d's saving presence and power to the very last.

He would often say, 'my feet are on the Rock of Ages. I cannot sink under such a prop, as bears the world and all things up.' His affliction, water on the chest, and an enlargement of the heart brought on by his frequent plunges into the water, and exposure to wet and cold, was protracted and very severe. He found great difficulty in breathing and had comparatively little rest, day or night, for five months. Dr.

Gibson said to him on one occasion, 'Mr. Ellerthorpe, you cannot live long unless I could take out your present heart and give you a new one.'

'Ah,' said he, with the utmost composure, 'that you cannot do.' Often after a night of restlessness and suffering he would say to his dear wife:--'Well, I have lived another night,' to which she would reply, 'O yes, and I hope you will live many more yet.' 'No,' he would say, 'I shall not live many more; I feel I am going, but it is all right.'

[Sidenote: HIS TRIUMPHANT DEATH.]

During his last illness he had, as was to be expected, many visitors, but he loved those best who talked most about Jesus. He seemed pained and disappointed when the conversation was about the things of earth, but he was delighted and carried away when it was about the things of heaven. When his medical adviser gave strict orders that visitors should not be allowed to see him, his pale face and lack-l.u.s.tre eyes grew bright, and he imploringly said, 'Do let those come who can pray and talk about Jesus and heaven.'

The ministers of his own denomination, the Revs. G. Lamb, T. Ratcliffe, T. Newsome, J. Hodgson, F. Rudd and others often visited him, and would have done so much more frequently, but for the nature of his complaint and the orders of his medical attendant. Mr. John Sissons, his first cla.s.s leader, Mr. Harrison, his devoted companion and fellow labourer in the work of G.o.d, and others of his lay brethren, frequently visited him, and all testify to the happy state of soul in which they found him. The Rev. J. Hodgson, in one of his visits, found him in great pain, but breathing out his soul to G.o.d in short ejaculatory prayers. His old pa.s.sion for the conversion of souls was strong in death. Mr. Hodgson told him of some good missionary meetings they had just been holding.

'And how many souls had you saved?' was the ready inquiry. 'You will soon be at home,' said Mr. Harrison, during his last visit, to which he replied, 'Yes, I shall, my lad.' During the Rev. T. Newsome's visit Mr.

Ellerthorpe expressed himself as wonderfully happy and anxiously waiting the coming of his Lord. Toplady's well known verse was repeated by the preacher:--

'And when I'm to die, To Jesus I'll cry; For Jesus hath loved me, I cannot tell why; But this I can find, We two are so joined, He'll not reign in glory And leave me behind.'

'Ah,' said the dying man, now rich in holiness and ready for the skies, 'THAT IS IT.' He soon afterwards expired in the full triumph of faith, on July 15th, 1868.

CHAPTER X.

THE HERO'S FUNERAL.

The following account of the 'Hero's' funeral is taken, unabridged, from _The Eastern Morning News_.

[Sidenote: HIS FUNERAL.]

[Sidenote: THE FUNERAL PROCESSION.]

All that was mortal of John Ellerthorpe, 'The Hero of the Humber,' was on Sunday consigned to the grave. Well did his many n.o.ble actions ent.i.tle him to the proud and distinguished t.i.tle by which he was so familiarly known. It may be questioned whether his career has any individual parallel in the world's history. The saviour of forty lives from drowning, during sixty-one years' existence, could not fail to be exalted to the position of a great hero, and the wors.h.i.+p which was paid to his heroism a.s.sumed no exaggerated form, though it was intense and abiding. He bore his honours meekly, and his funeral partook of the character of the man, unpretending, simple, earnest. No funeral pomp, no feverish excitement, but a solemn, subdued spectacle was witnessed. The highest tribute which could be paid to departed worth was accorded to the memory of the Hero of the Humber. Thousands of his fellow-townsmen followed the funeral _cortege_ on its way to the Cemetery, and when the procession reached the last resting-place of the deceased, the number swelled into vast proportions, and a perfect consciousness of the solemnity of the event appeared to influence the conduct of the vast mult.i.tude. The silence was deep, and almost unbroken by any sound save the frequent exclamations of sincere regret. No man, however distinguished, has had more solemn homage paid to him than John Ellerthorpe. There were many features of resemblance in the burial of Captain Gravill, and in the Cemetery, not far from each other, now lie the remains of two men whose moral attributes and actions will ever stand conspicuous in the history of men.

The announcement that the _cortege_ would leave the residence of the deceased at half-past twelve drew many hundreds to the house, anxious, if possible, to obtain a look at that which contained the body of him whose acquaintance numbers of them had esteemed it an honour to possess.

At the time appointed the body was placed in the hea.r.s.e, and the family and friends of the deceased, as they entered the coaches, were watched by hundreds who sympathised in no common degree with their deep affliction and irreparable loss. The coaches were followed by the gatemen of all the docks and others who had been a.s.sociated with the deceased. Mr. Dumbell, the Secretary of the Dock Company, Mr. Dale Brown, Superintendent Dock Master, and Mr. Gruby, headed the procession, thus evincing the deep respect they entertained for Mr. Ellerthorpe.

Contrary to expectation, the procession proceeded to the Cemetery by the following route:--Railway-street, Kingston-street, Edward's-place, Waverly-street, Thornton-street, Park-street, and Spring-bank. It had been expected that the procession would have gone along the Market-place and Whitefriargate, and thence to the place of interment, and the streets were thronged with an anxious mult.i.tude. The disappointment was very great.

When the _cortege_ reached Thornton-street, part of the congregation of the Primitive Methodist chapel at which the deceased had been in the habit of wors.h.i.+pping when in health, joined the procession, and at once began to sing. Nothing could exceed the impression of the scene from this point. As the lowly strains arose tears were trickling down many a hard, rough face, whilst a spirit of holy quietude appeared to pervade others. Few funerals have been characterised by greater impressiveness.

All the avenues at the cemetery were crowded, and hundreds had been waiting or a long time to meet the procession.

The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. George Lamb, for whom the deceased had long cherished a great affection, and it is needless to say the reverend gentleman was greatly affected. The coffin having been laid in the grave, and the burial service having been read, Mr. Lamb spoke as follows, amidst profound silence:--

[Sidenote: REV. G. LAMB'S ADDRESS.]

'We have come here to-day, my friends, to perform the last duties over the body of the dear friend who has pa.s.sed away, we doubt not, to a brighter and a better world. The Hero of the Humber, the man who has saved a large number of human beings from a watery grave, who has made many a family rejoice by his heroism, has himself succ.u.mbed to the hand of death. But, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ he was not afraid to die. I have been frequently comforted as I have conversed with him during his last illness, and have heard him rejoice in the prospect of that hour, and seen his anxiety--yes, his anxiety to leave the present world because he had blooming hope of a brighter and better inheritance. My dear friends, you and I will soon finish our course. The great question we ought to ask ourselves individually is "Am I prepared to die? If my corpse were here, where John Ellerthorpe lies, where would my soul be? Am I prepared for entering the mansions of everlasting bliss?" Many of you know he lived a G.o.dless, prayerless and sinful life for many years, but by the gospel of the grace of G.o.d his heart became changed. He abandoned his evil ways, consecrated himself at the foot of the cross, to be the Lord's for ever, and by G.o.d's saving mercy, he was enabled to hold on his way to the last, rejoicing in the prospect of that hour when he should leave the bed of affliction and this sinful world, to be carried into that clime and those blessed regions where he would be with the saved for ever. That G.o.d can change your hearts, my dear friends. Oh, by the side of this open grave, may some here to-day be yielded to G.o.d; may you now consecrate yourselves and become the saved of the Lord. G.o.d grant his blessing may rest upon the mourning widow and the bereaved family, and that they after the toils of the warfare of earth, may with their dear husband and father be found before the throne of G.o.d. May those who have long enjoyed the friends.h.i.+p of our departed brother be ultimately numbered with the blessed in in the kingdom to come.'

[Sidenote: FAREWELL HYMN.]

Before the mourners departed, the beautifully affecting hymn, beginning with

'Farewell, dear friends, a long farewell,'

was sung.

We may state that most of the s.h.i.+ps in the docks indicated respect by hoisting colours half-mast high.--_Eastern Morning News._

THE END.