IRLF 
 
 9869 
 
 H8M8 
 
 SB 57 312 
 

 
 GIFT OF 
 A. F, Morrison. 
 
JOSEPH HUTCHINSON 
 
JOSEPH HUTCHINSON 
 
 A MEMORIAL 
 
 ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 26, 1910 
 
 BY THB 
 
 UNITARIAN CLUB OF CALIFORNIA 
 

 
 ,P.I?T JOP; 
 
 A.F. r*i. 
 
JOSEPH HUTCHINSON 
 
 In the death of its president, Joseph 
 Hutchinson, the Unitarian Club sus- 
 tains a loss that it keenly feels. His 
 deep interest in its welfare was shown 
 by most assiduous efforts for the success 
 of the meetings during his two terms of 
 leadership. It was no easy task to sus- 
 tain the high traditions of the club and 
 to hold to the standard steadily main- 
 tained during these many years, and no 
 sacrifice was too great, no expense of 
 time or money worth considering, if he 
 could succeed in his efforts. No results 
 can measure endeavor. The many dis- 
 appointments and failures to secure 
 speakers sought, leave no mark and are 
 unregistered, save in the regrets of 
 those who strive in vain, but Mr. Hutch- 
 inson's persistence and determined will 
 overcame difficulties, and many memor- 
 3 
 
 M113086 
 
able meetings were added to the fair 
 record of the Club. 
 
 Joseph Hutchinson was an unusual 
 man, gifted in many ways, and of great 
 capacity for service. Bearing uncom- 
 plainingly a physical infirmity that 
 made draughts upon his strength and 
 equanimity little suspected, by dint of 
 a fine mind and a strong will he com- 
 passed a conspicuous success in his pro- 
 fession, lived a happy and exemplary do- 
 mestic life, and bore a full part in pub- 
 lic affairs, effectively promoting clean 
 politics, social welfare, morality, and rea- 
 sonable religion. He was a natural leader 
 of men and a tireless worker. Whatever 
 organization he shared in found him 
 among its most active members, and that 
 from no desire to be at the front or to 
 attract attention; his interest prompted 
 activity, and his ability resulted in un- 
 sought prominence. In the Common- 
 wealth Club he was the member of his 
 section best fitted to report on the direct 
 4 
 
primary and on methods of taxation. 
 He was well-read on every subject, a 
 thorough student whose opinions were 
 formed on searching analysis and can- 
 did, judicial consideration, and the con- 
 clusions he reached were always clearly 
 and forcibly expressed. 
 
 If in the Chit Chat Club he was to 
 write an essay, he prepared in a manner 
 impossible to most members. His inter- 
 est in his selected subject was boundless. 
 When he was to write on Mazzini he not 
 only read practically all he had written, 
 but all that had been written of him, and 
 then sought further the true Mazzini 
 atmosphere by making a pilgrimage 
 to the land in which he lived and visit- 
 ing the tomb in which he rested. with 
 a resulting monograph widely and 
 warmly commended by those best quali- 
 fied to appreciate. 
 
 With a clear, active and versatile 
 mind, and an intense interest in all 
 things human, Mr. Hutchinson had a 
 5 
 
true sense of humor. He readily saw the 
 ridiculous side of a thing and had a gift 
 of putting it tellingly. He was some- 
 times satirical and always witty. We 
 all recall his felicity in presiding at a 
 meeting and his happy introduction of 
 men and subjects. Occasionally he seemed 
 somewhat regardless of results. He was 
 daring, but he was unconscious of of- 
 fense and would not knowingly wound 
 the feelings of another. He had a vein 
 of critical judgment and was not apt 
 to withhold an unfavorable opinion 
 which he entertained. In his earlier 
 life he was inclined to be severe and to 
 have little generosity of judgment, but he 
 mellowed with age and grew more kindly. 
 His very early youth was rigidly re- 
 strained. His grandfather was an aus- 
 tere Quaker, who, when he heard the boy 
 whistle, would say: "Joseph, will thee 
 never be serious?" We who knew him as 
 a young man thought him quite suffic- 
 iently serious. He seemed burdened with 
 6 
 
a heavy sense of responsibility; there 
 was an absence of joy in his religious life, 
 and he was almost morbidly conscien- 
 tious, but larger experience and ripened 
 judgment brought a sunnier, happier 
 frame of mind. He grew more lenient 
 and trustful. When I found that as su- 
 perintendent of a Presbyterian Sunday- 
 school at Palo Alto he was using a Uni- 
 tarian song book, because he liked the 
 tunes and found the words more in ac- 
 cord with his taste and convictions, I 
 felt he was gaining in humanity what 
 he was losing in strict orthodoxy. 
 
 He found himself at home in this club, 
 and while not by profession a Unitarian, 
 he was in sympathy with all that at 
 its best Unitarianism stands for. When 
 asked to be the president of the club, 
 he wrote : "If the club can stand a rene- 
 gade Presbyterian, and an unsound Con- 
 gregationalist, I am willing to accept." 
 He became a true religious liberal, ap- 
 preciating the good in many varying 
 7 
 
forms, and harboring no narrow preju- 
 dices. His friends were of every shade 
 of belief and doubt, from Catholicism 
 to agnosticism. 
 
 His domestic life was truly happy. 
 He was proud and fond of his high- 
 minded father. For his sister and his 
 brothers his affection was very great, 
 and for his wife and his children his 
 love and care were boundless. Family 
 loyalty was strong, and his home was 
 always first in his thoughts. 
 
 Joseph Hutchinson was a loyal friend. 
 As with hooks of steel he held to those 
 who won his esteem and regard. His col- 
 lege class loyally followed his leadership, 
 and at its last reunion he was called to 
 preside at the dinner and lead them in 
 pleasant paths of old memories and the 
 sharing of life experiences. 
 
 He appreciated the best of everything 
 good literature, good music, the beauty 
 of nature, and the companionship of con- 
 genial friends. He was fond of travel, 
 8 
 
and had seen many lands. He enjoyed 
 much and let the world know it ; his suf- 
 fering he kept to himself. In spite of 
 much that must have tried him, he was 
 uniformly cheerful. Earnest and of a 
 serious purpose in life, his manner was 
 gracious and friendly. 
 
 His assiduity was boundless and the 
 sum of all he did will never be told. 
 Without a doubt, he bore more than 
 anyone knew, and accomplished a very 
 great deal. His services were of a kind 
 that tell in the general result, but are 
 not to be tabulated in figures. He was 
 always ready to do his part with un- 
 stinted generosity. The last professional 
 work done by Mr. Hutchinson was in 
 connection with the charitable work of a 
 church in Palo Alto a gratuitous con- 
 tribution. 
 
 Never robust, it is matter of wonder 
 
 that for so many years he could have 
 
 done so much, and that the time should 
 
 come when the silver chord should be 
 
 9 
 
loosed and the golden bowl be broken is 
 not just cause for surprise. 
 
 He leaves a large, vacant place hi the 
 activities of the community and in the 
 hearts of those who knew his worth and 
 loved him. 
 
 In testimony of our sincere respect for 
 his memory and of our deep sympathy 
 with those near and dear to him, I move 
 a standing vote and a moment of silence, 
 a hale and farewell to one who suf- 
 fered silently and lived truly, a brave, 
 upright, helpful, and lovable man. 
 
 CHARLES A. MURDOCK. 
 
 10 
 
M. Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. 
 
 M113086 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY