It was the intention of the committee of the church to have the parish elect Dr. Bradlee pastor emeritus of the society. The following notice was sent to each member of the society, which was called the Second Unitarian Society in Brookline: To the Members of the Second Unitarian Society in Brookline: You are requested to assemble in the church immediately after the service on Sunday, May 2, 1897, to take appropriate action on the retirement of Dr. Bradlee from the pastorate of this society, and the proposition to elect him pastor emeritus of the society. Per order of the Prudential Committee. APRIL 26, 1897. GEO. P. FURBER, Clerk. This proposition was known to Dr. Bradlee, and was a source of great joy to him. It had been his wish that, when the end of his ministry came, it might be his fortune to sustain the relation of pastor emeritus to the last society over which he had been settled. The day appointed for the conferring of this honor was one day too late. When it arrived, he was gone to the heavenly home. The end of his Longwood pastorate was the end of his earthly ministry. DR. IX. CLOSING DAYS. R. BRADLEE'S service at Longwood was at a close on the 1st of May, 1897. Members of his family and his many friends were glad with him that the end of this pastorate had been so glorious, and hoped that the twilight of his life would be long and peaceful. He rejoiced in the thought of freedom from parish cares, and looked forward to a period of rest. He could not be inactive, and, as was usual with him in times of semi-retirement, was already planning services for others. He was to preach in Salem one Sunday in May as a "labor of love" for his friend, Rev. Alfred Manchester, at the Barton Square Church, and was to officiate in the same church on the 2d of June at the wedding of his namesake, Miss Ethel Bradlee Manchester, and Mr. Frank S. Perkins. He was arranging a meeting of the Harvard Divinity Unitarian Club at his house. On Sunday, May 2, he was to christen his little grandchild, Helen Gay Smith, who was born Dec. 14, 1896, and to whom he was much attached. The service was to be at his house, and several members of the family were to be present. All of the above engagements were very pleasant ones to him. On Saturday, May 1, he was to officiate at a funeral in the church at Longwood, previous to which he expected to go to Boston. He arose and went to his breakfast as usual on Saturday morning, but, after the meal was over, complained of a distress across his chest. The trouble did not yield to simple remedies; and a physician was called, who said it was an attack of indigestion, and recommended a day in bed. Dr. Lyon, of Brookline, kindly took charge of the service at the church; and the patient kept quiet. He seemed tired and exhausted throughout the day. The evening paper was read to him; and at six o'clock, after having experienced a severe attack of nausea, he was resting so quietly that the family went to dinner, leaving him in the care of an attendant. A change in his breathing alarmed the attendant; and hardly was the serving of dinner commenced before the family were summoned, only to see him breathe his last. Without a struggle, he passed into the heavenly life. All the members of the family witnessed his peaceful departure. The physician pronounced the cause of death to be heart failure. It did not seem possible that the change had come. The sad news was at once sent to all who had expected to be present on the morrow to take part in the happy occasion of the christening service. All were sadly shocked at the unexpected news. No one had dreamed that the very day of his release from parish care was to be the day of his translation. The next day was very stormy. The scene at Long |