The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-03-26

sEHnOS PREACHED ny aEy, 9. W. SHIELDS 0,
THE occAsIoH OF HIS FUNERAL.

sEhnoN PREACHED BY REy. G. W. SHIELDS on
THE occAsIOE OF HIS FUNERAL. ~
itis isanobls instinct which prompts Us
TO honor the dead. Humanity joins With re.
ligion In suppressins eli earthly distinctions
and passions at the mouth Of the tomb. -
The mansion may be envied. the hoveI may
be seorned, but The grave IL alike rsyered,
whether il be adorned with sculpt6red mar
BILE or decked with simple flower. 1o's' p
Ityould seem that in the mortal remains
ofs fellow creature We respect, fate that
We know must soon be our own, and. con-
seious Of the worth of q soul, WOO ID do hon.
age esen to the ruined temple in which IL
was sBshrined. seab .rg g aoi., ..6
I Bot when the object ofsuch feelings con.
cenirates in himself the best traits Of our
nature, snd has been conducted by Proyi-
1dence to an eminence from which he illus.
,ttrates them in the view Of multiiudes, the
ordinary cold respect warns to admiration.
snd melts into love. We behold the image
Of our common humsnity reflected and mag.
nifed IN him, ne . cherished ideal. . Death,
which ymakes sacred everything il touches,
throwsa mild halo around HE memory. and
we hasten to bring to his erave--all that we
now have to give--the poor tribute Of our
praises and tears. c gei,rs11g7a so esa
We are assembled. my friends, to perform
such comely though sad duties in honor Of
q man who, within the short life time Of
thirty Eve years, under the combined impul
ses Of humanity and science, has trayersed
nearly the whole Of the planet in its most
ina uccessible places, has gathered here and
there laurel from every walk Of physical
research in which he strayed; has gone into
the thick OF perilous adventure, ,abstracting
in the spirit Of philosophy, yet seeing and
loving in the spirit OF poesy, has returned to
invest the very story of his escape with the
charms OF literature and art, and dying at
length in the morning Of his fame, ia now
lamented, with mingled affection and pride
By his country aud the world. ~
/ Death discloses the human estimate oil
character. That mournful pageant which
for doys past has been vending its way hith.
er, across the solemn main, along our mighty
rivers, throughout cities clad ia hubiliments
Of grief, with the learned, the noble, and
the good minglingin its train, is but the
honest tribute Of hearts that could have no
emotions but respect aud love. To us be.
longs the sad privilege OF at length closing
the national obscquies in his native city, nnt
| ut the grave Of his kindred. Fittingly WI
have suffered his horored remains to repost
a few Pensive hours at the shrine where pa.
! triotism gathers its fairest memories ant
choicest honors. Now, at last, we beal
them,--thsnkful to the Providence BY which
they huve been preserved from mishap and
perl,--to the sacred altar at which he wal
reared. st@at Gro aa &nj 3
do not forget, my friends, the severer
solemnities Of the place and presence.
remind you Of their claim. How empty the
applause of mortals as Wanted in the ear o.
Heaven! How idle the distinctions among
/ creatures involved in a common insignia.
cance BY death and sin! What mockery
the ifmsy shows with which we cover VI
I the realities of judgment and eternity.t The
thought may well temper the pride of oui
grief--yet it need not staupch its flow. No
should but feel that the goodness of that
God, BY whose muni6cent hand his creature
was endowed. had been wronged, didwe moi
pause To- reflect while upon his virtues ant
drop some manly and Christian tears over
his early grave. sa a1. s gs
Elisha Kent kane-a name now 70 be
1 pronounced 10 the simple dignity OF history
WAS oredln the Iap oiscience and trained
10 lhe school oi peril that ne might conse-
crate himseh toa Pnlian'nropic purpose %
which, 30 young ne mas isilen mafyr,--
The story Of MS HE 10 already a hre SIDE
tale' Muitltaees'i 10 aamlr'ag 'ancy' nave
fetraced its ioot prints. Now' 'hat that pre-
career 10 closed ~ DEATH we reeur 70 ~ with
,mournfui iondness. from the daring e.
Ploiis which formed the pas''me Of hl'
youth 70 the lruvsr tasks TO which he ero''
his. developed manhood Though born t'
ease and elegance when but a young stu
dent used 70 academic tastes ana honors' we