Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-30
SELECTED.
The Cleveland Mystery-A Faithful Preacher.

Of Mr.. F.. L. Sterling, prominent citizen OF
| Cleveland, whether 10y accident or intended
! violence was not determined. lie was found
early in the morning senseless and bleeding
on the pavement in front of stairway, from
which he might have fallen or have been
pushed off The last time he WAS seen on
the night of the accident, if We remember
the evidence ut the inquest, he was in the
company of gamblers, who were taking base
advantage Of his intoXicati"n. The high
position formerly held by the deceased III
the Episcopaian Church. in society, and III
| the business world. and the noble traits OF
character which not even the vices OF his
later years could wholly obscure, augmented
the impressive lesson of his mysterious end,
which has been the theme of daily conjec
ture and comment by the Western press.
The Rev. DR.. Claxton, pastor of the
church to which he belonged, preached n
sermon on the occasion of his death, which
deserves to be universally read, for its fideli-
ty, its truthtulness, its fitness, and great
power The Cleveland Herald publishes it,
and we take the following extracts:
Beloved frends-it would be II false char
ity-a tenderness which would indeed be II
weakness, not to say chargeable with un-
| faithfulness u God and to man-were | To
seek to cover up the past. Had the history
of the deceased during the past few months
! been hitherto concealed, it would not be
my part to give it publicity. Gladly would
| |, if | dared. initiate those reverent, loving
sons, who, with 4 garment laid on both
their shoulders, walked backwards and COW
cred up their fathers shame. No man in
this community (save. possibly, those near
est Of kim loved f. I. Sterling more than
loved him. None admired more his noble
qualities. None, perhaps, was under great
or obligations to his generosity than myself.
! When DEATH once and again, entered my
household, his brotherly sympathy offered
me not only consolation, but resting place
for the remains of my own loved dead. BY
the graves Of my own children, in his own
| burial place. stood on Thursday last, to de-
posite his remains. Can | speak otherwise
than tenderly concerning him? will speak
as he ifor knew well his heart would have
wished me to speak. God give me grace to
be faithful.
+. I. Sterling was one of the founders of
this church He was, pecuniarly, its larg
est benetactor. lie gave not only his money
but his time, his thoughts, his watchful care
to its well-being. Twelve years ago, under
the ministry of the first Rector of st. Paups,
he protested, in Holy Baptism, to be Christ's
disciple; and the tongue would deserve to be
forever palsed which would charge him
with having made that profession in wilful
hypocrisy. When first knew him, almost
seven years ago, | thought | had seldom
seen his equal in all that makes the high
la
was Il warden of this church; n regular and
faithful teacher in the Sabbath School; an
exceedingly punctual attendant on all the
services of the Sanctuary. His hand Vas
ever open to the cause of Christ, and to the
relief Of His poor.
| found him Just what the venerable
Bishop of this Diocese, who had known
him for twenty-seyen years, described him to
bc--"a most perfectly confidential, and
largc-heartcd energetic man, AZ staunch a
friend is ever was 4 man, wrote the
Bishop, whose mind is one ''of great i'll
fuencc." And on Friday last | received
from this eminent Christian minister lu-
ment from which must read few words:
81 have no heart to write-but to be dumb
except t. say 1T is the Lord in reference
to this most awful death of our poor friend.
What blow Ia YOU aS his Pastor. For
nearly twcnty-seycn years has his house
been my kind and afectonate home, and
never anything but the most generous and
atfectionatc hospitality did receive from
him. and never did see anything in him
inconsistent with his profession rs Il Chris
tan need say no more in his praise
Many of you knew him well; if any knew
him better than myself, he knew more of the
nobeness of his nature. Yet this is the
man whose name has for a week past been
in every mouth; whose sad, sad end we can
never cease to dcpore.
More than two years ago, ~ his pastor,
could not but see aud lament the beginning
of a change in the aspect Of his Christian
character. Business troubles annoyed him
and called him often from his home.
feared that he was forming new and injur
Gus associations Soon his attendance at
| the Communion table became irregular, and
ere long it ceased. At last the fearful truth
was made too apparent that there were
tempters about his steps. Turing him to his
ruin ] shall not recite what took place in
| the repeated interviews between the pastor
and this, his crring brother He ever took
kindly my admonitions and my counsels
lie ingenuousIy, and with selfloathing ac-
know lodged his faults lie wept, prayed.
he resolved, he struggled, he promised, no
tried; but the arch-tempter had many will
ling helpers, watching, laying snares for the
destruction of bod and Of soul.
Where were the men who ought to have
been this our brothers keeper?
God only knows how far he was rcsponsi-
bic; God only knows whether by IL miracle
of grace, in the last hours, after the fatal
injury was received. when, perhaps. seem
ingly unconscious, he So sought Gods mercy
in Christ-so believcd-ind the work of
Gods Spirit was wrought ~ to rescue his
precious soul. That soul is now in the
hands of the Judge of all the earth who will
surely 'do right" Happy is it that man
is not the final judge of his fellow-mortal.
But here | arraign ~ guilty of his death
every man who, knowing his weakness, par
| took with him in that most debaSlng Of
vices, in which only when reason WAS de-
throncd by alcoholic drinks he could stoop
TO indulge, These men-druggsts, saloon
keepers, hotel kcepcrs-who, knowing the
first glass would open the tiood-gates OF evil,
| supplied him with the maddening poison,
must answer to God when lie maketh in
QUESTION for blood: and woe to them if they
dare say with the first murderer, Am | my
brother's keeper"