The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-02-19
Gb, on Gurn,r.
TIE REV. GEORGE @. GOODMAN

THE REV. GEORGE @. GOODMAN
Many Of our readers doubtlsss remember
the Rev. Mr.. Cookman, the talented Mosno-
dist minister, who WIS chaplain vi the "
8. Senate, and subsequently, lost In the
steamer President.
The following sketch from the rem'niseen
CO.. OF the Hon. D ii. smith. Pao'isnsu "
Oh. indianapolis Journal. will DO hiihiy 10
ters.tiny % oil who remember tho. eivqoen'
preaching and sterling man.
IL was S.bharh morning. The Last OF the
CITY church L-lls ~as ringing as ! lett my
bsrd,nx houss on Capitol Hill, at Washing.
ton city, for wesle, chapel. IL wss quar-.
terly meeting The preacher had closed bis
sermon when there aru-s At the de~k q slen
der. .,..r. man. abo' Eve feet, dark cum
pI.1ion black hair falling csrelc-sly over
Lis high forehead lean hDny face, wide
n,,ath. r,.und brz..te,l, black coat, with vel
,e, falling CELLAR, blick ust and Ianialoons.
Addressing the cIngrcg,tion. he rah:--
we d.vire To take up small coli elton tor
the relief Of the destitute, worn out Aieth'-
diet preachers and their kmill~ We mp
peal Ia day To the hurts VI tie eongrega
t,on,' and took his scat. A large cpll.etion
was taken up. | whispered To Patrick q.
G.vd of ohio who sat BY me, VITO is
that Don't you know him Ii is Geo.
q. CookmIn.
The next Sabbath | was ut the chapel
again Mr.. Goodman preached. return.
ell satisfied that he WAS no ord,n.ry uan.-|
The Election Tor chaplain oi the senate came
on few days alter, and without the knowl-
edge q: Mr.. Goodman, l privately suggested
his name to the senators arouDd me. The
most OF them had heard him preach. He
was elected chaplain by decided vote over
Ry Mr.. Slicer. against whom there was
not The least objection but We wanted to
bring Mr.. Cookman more prominently bs
fors the puhlic. The next Sabbath he
preached his first sermon in the hall OF the
house. to a very large congregation, from
the iext-'ihe sword OF the Lord and ot
Gideon lie made profound impression
on his hearers that day, which seemed to
INCREASE with every succeeding sermon.
IL Is not my purpose to sk stch the many
sermons Of Mr. Goodman during the time he
wrs chaplain Of the Senate, the most OF
which heard. lie was u clear, distinct
and powerful preacher. The remarkable
clearness Of his mental vision enabled him
10 see and describe whatever he touched 81
ns almost TO make Paul. Silas, Peter, Mark
and John stand before you as no named
them. HIS tone, rs he warmed with his
subject. and the tear stealing down, was ir-
resistible As pulpit orator, take him In
all. he had lew equals and no superiors. that
ever heard. There was no place Tor choir
wh-r, Goodman sang. His v"ice was melo
dy Itself. heard him In senate cham
Der on the funeral occasion OF Senator Belts
OF Connecticut. The chamber was crowded.
The President, departments, foreign minis
ter-, -eratprs and representatives were there
i distinctly remember one oil his figures oi
speech.
AS the human family come upon the
great stage OF life. they find at every iork OF
the road the finger board distinctly pointing
To the grave-to the grave There Is no
Other rOad to travel FROM infancy " old age,
and death, but the rvad that leads to the
grave .
here was not dry eye in the chamber
when he clUssd his sermon Ut one hour, and
sang alone the single verse Vi the hymn
And nu>i this hOdt die
ThI- ~,ll wruught frame decay
Aud must these scii,e limb oi nine
Lie mouIoriing ia the clay
The session of Z ngres was about to clos
upon he administration Of Mr.. Van Buren
The inauyrr ti"n 81 Gen. Harrison Was roon
"a take PLACE. Mr.. Cokman had all his ar
Iangc nrnt- ma ic to visit England ON the
steamer President. Tho first dl-pat ch iron'
the new administration was "a be conhded
20 his charge The next Sabbath he was a.
take leave III the mcmhersot Congry-- In ~
farewell srnon. The day had come. Al
hour before the usual time the crowd was
seen fling the p,,ements Ui the avenue, anC
Pressing ur he hill to the rcpr ssniati't
hall, Which was soon I'll cd 10 OVERLOOKING,
and hundreds un bic To get STATS went away
dis,ppoiuied. Obtained sat Early, h
irunt Of tie clerks desk. John Quincy
Adams sat in iDe speaker schair. iac'ng MIR
CoOkman. The whole space ON the ros'ran'
and step wa filled by senators and repre-
sehtativcs The moment had come Mr.
Goodman. evidently much affected. kneelrd
in "a thrilling pra er. and ro~e with his eye
blinded with tears. His voice ialtered with
SUI pr sod emotion, rs he gave out the
hymn
wsea mar-haled on the nightly plain,
1h- gliieIIng hosts besiud the sky,
One -isS sl.ae Ut all the irain
Cen hx the sinners wandering eye.
Hark! hnIk. To GID the chorus hce. Is,
Frus ever, b.-i, iran ev,r, g.m,
Bot one slVoe, IN Savior speaks,
IL Is the star Ut Bethlehem.
Once oa tie raging seas | rode,
The storm VIE loud The night was dark
The q, ecu yswned, aud rudely blJwed
The winds thai tossed my Sundrring bark
Tho hymn was sung by Mr. Goodman
alone. can yet IN Imagination hear hi
voice, rs il filled the large hall, and the las
sounds, with heir echoes, died away in tn
dome. "
.And I saw great white throne, and hin
that sat ON it. frOm Whose lace tho eir'i
and heaven aed away and there was M
place Tor them.
And saw the dead, small! and great
stand before GUd, and the books we're open
ell aud another book. which Is thu book o
life. ard the dead were Judged out OF thos'
things which were written 10 the books' no
cording "a their works.'
Mr.. Goodman was more affected when h'
paye "a. the TIT. than had ever seen him
before. Hes yeral times psss d his hand
k,rcai.f over his eyes before he bcgan. Ih'
first ssntsocss are irsh "a my recollection
.when Nla.sillon. one of the greatest Dr.
vine. that Franco ever knew. was called u
preach the funeral sermon of the dePsrte1
king. in the cathedral at Paris, before the
rr,rnins king. the royal family, the cham
bars. and the grades. OF France, he tool
with hun q, the sacred desk y ltd, GOLDEN
urn. containing Lock u the hair oi ihs lat
king. IT.. i,nuuens, congregation was sat
Ell. and IN. silence vi death reiyned. Mas
si.i,on ar~s. and held the ltls urn IN TN
fns,rs, bi. hand resting JPN the sacred
cushion. All eyes were int-ntly hxed upon
L.. A.. his hand wns returned Ia thx