Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-09-04
SERMON BY REV. {. NJ. BUTLER,
AT the Funeral OF Henry clay.


tiful rod."-Jercmiah 18th chap. I7;h verse
Before all hearts and minds in this
august assemblage the vivid image OF
one man stands-to some aged eye he
may como forth from the dim past as
no appeared in the noighboring city
of his native State, Il little and ardent
youth, full of promise, of ambition,
and of hope--to another he may ap-
pear as in distant Sta,oin tho Courts
of Justice, erect, high-strung, bold,
wearing fresh forensic laurels on his
young open brow.
Some may see him in the earlier
and some in the later stages Of his Gu
recr on this auspicious theatre of his
rcnown; and 10 the former he will
start out in the back ground OF the
past as he appeared in the ncishhor'
ing Chamber-tall. elatc, i'npassion'
ed-with flashing ego and suasive
gesture, and clarion voice--an ac'
knowledged Agnmemnon Hing OF
Men; aud to others lie will again
stand in this Chamber the strong staff
of tho bcwillered and staggering
State, and the beautiful rod, rich with
the blossoms Of genius and of patri.
oic love aud hopc--lhe life Of you'll.
still remainingto give animation,gracc
and cxhausllcss vigor to the wisdom,
the experience, aud the gravity oI'ugc.
To others he may be present as he sat
in the chamber Of sickness, cheerful,
majestic, gentle; his mind clear, his
heart warm, his hope fixed on Heaven,
peacefully preparing for Ills last great
change. TO the memory Of the Min.
lister Of God he appears us the pcni.
tent, humble and peaceful Christian,
who received him with the affection Of
Il father, and joined with him in sol.
emn sacrament and prayer, with tho
gentleness of Il woman, and tho hu-
mili,y Of Il child. "Out of the strong
came forth sweetness How is "thc
strong staff broken and tho beautiful
rod !"
But not before this assembly only
does the venerable image of the de-
parted Statesman this day distinctly
stand. For moro than Il thousand
miles, east, west, north and south, it
is known and remembered that at this
place uni hour neutrality-suspicious.
tives assemble 10 do honor to him
whose fame is now anatiun's heritage.
A nation's mighty heart ,hrobs against
this Capitol, and beats through it,
In many cities banners droop, bells
toll, cannons boom, funeral drapcrics
wave. In crowded streets, and on
surrounding wharts, upon stcambouts
and upon cars, in fields, in workshops,
in homes, in schools, millions Of men,
women, and children, have their
thoughts fixed upon this scene, and
say nournfully to eacl, other, this is
the hour in which, at tho Capital, the
nations representatives are burying
Henry Clay. Buryiny Henry Clay ?
Bury the records Of your counrry's
history-bury the hearts of living
millions-bury the. mountains, the rlv-
ers, tho lakes, and the spreading lands
from sea to sea, with which his name
is inseparably associated, and even
then you would not bury Henry Clay,
for he is in other lands, and speaks in
other tongues, and to other times,han
ours. A great mind, a great heart, Il
great orator, great career have been
consigned to history. She willrccord
his rare gifts of Insight, keen discrim.
inaliou, clear statement rapid combl-
nation, plain, direct and convincing
logic. She will love to dwell on thai
large, generous, magnanimous, open
Iorgiving heart. She will linger with
fond delight OH the records or traai-
lionul stories of an cloqucncc that
was so masterly aud stirring, because
it was but himself struggling to come
forth on the living words because
though the words were brave, aud
strong, and beautiful, and mclodious,
it was felt that behind them there was
soul drawer, stronger, more bcaltl-
lul and more mclodious than language
could express. She will point to Il
career of craftsmanship, which 10 u
remarkable degree stamped itself o'l
the public policy Of the country, and
reached in bcneiiccnl practical results,
the fields, the looms. tho commercial
mar,s, and the quiet homes Of all the
land, where his name was with the de-
parted father and is with tho living
children, and will bc with successive
generations, un honorcd household
word.
| tucl rs Il man the grandeur of his
career But as an immortal, with this
broken wreck of mortality before me,
with this scene as the end Of human
glory, feel that no career is truly
great, but that Of him, WHO, whether
lie 10 illustrioua or obscure, lives to
tho future in the present, mud linking
himself To tho spiritual world. draws
IL L., re. .Ln l.. .l... n,nIiun