LONDON, Jan. 31 - The Rev. Charles Albert Berry, D.D., Chairman in 1897 of the Congregational Union of England and Wales and First President of the National Council of Evangelical Free Churches, fell dead to-day while conducting the funeral service of a Nonconformist minister, Dr. Tothericks, in the Wesleyan Chapel at Bilston, Staffordshire.
The death scene was extremely painful. Dr. Berry was offering prayer on behalf of the widow of Dr. Tothericks, when suddenly a heavy fall was heard. The whole congregation rose in consternation. Several medical mean who were present ran to the prostrate form, which was quite still, save for a rattle in the throat and a few low moans. The dying man made no sign.
Many ladies fainted. Every possible effort was made to restore consciousness, but life was extinct in a few seconds. When the sad news was announced to the congregation, many persons were moved to tears.
It appears that Dr. Berry had two attacks in the morning, but had told his friends he was better.
Dr. Berry had been suffering for several months from a dangerous illness and had only just resumed his duties. He thought, however, that he had quite recovered his health, and only yesterday informed a newspaper man who asked particulars regarding his life that he would not have occasion to use an obituary notice for many years to come.
The Rev. Charles Albert Berry, D.D., had been pastor of the Queen Street Congregational Church, Wolverhampton, since 1883. He was born at Leigh, Lancashire on Dec. 14. 1852 and received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from St. Andrew University in 1895.
He was pastor of St. George's Road Church, Bolton, from 1874 to 1883. In 1887 he was called to succeed the late Henry Ward Beecher as pastor of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, N. Y. He visited the United States in 1880, 1887, 1891, and 1897 and traveled around the world.
He was invited in 1897 to represent the Arbitration Society in America and to advocate the reintroduction of the Anglo-American treaty. Dr. Berry in this capacity, addressed large meetings in New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, &c., and offered up the opening prayers, by invitation, in the Senate and House of Representatives at Washington.
He was the author of several religious works.
The New York Times
February 1, 1899.