Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-17
THE PULPfTON THE GRElFFRL
Abstracts of the Sermons preached in
this City Yesterday on the 5 ssassi-
nation.

uemen Of this city, but theJ were re-
ceived too late for insertion this morning,
owing to the unprecedented pressure Of
matter, telegraphie and other, which the
public at this crisis will prefer.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN cHURoH-sEKMoN OF RRv.
W.H. GOODRICH.
The discourse of Rev. Mr.. Goodrich, at
the First Presbyterian Church, was an elo-
quent and impressive view of the great
calamity the ration has suffered, and
manly presentation of the duties of The na-
ton IN this hour of trial. His text was
from Isaiah ii 22d-"Cease ye from man
whose breath is in his nostrils." Said the
speaker: 1--WE thought yesterday that we
had touched the end of our trisl as a nation.
We thought the rebellion had reached its
limit and had struck its last blow. But
there was a lower deep Of crime. There
were yet the dregs of iniamy to be drunk
by these c0nspirators. Treason having
failed, there was yet assassination. Though
oil was lost TO the revolt, something
was left for hate to do. It could
plunge nation into sorrow. 1t could
wreak its revenge upon the two strong
souls who were the pillars of hope to the
Republic. 1t is no consequence whether
this deed can be traced directly to the lead
ers of the rebellion, how many reasonable
minds were cognizant of it, or whether the
actors were in open allegiance to the Cen
fsderacy or plotted under the rule a free
Government. The act was done in the in
terest of treason, and inspired by the same
spirit which first organized revolt and
which has been shaduwed forth from the
beginning of the rebellion in the malicious
fsrocity which has characterized the course
of the insurgents. Il was useless to specu-
late upon the consequences Of this crime.
1t did not belong to private malice,
but was perpetrated for public
ends. 1t was the last desperate stroke
of men who had failed in every
other effort, and who had nothing to lose
and something possibly to gain by change
and chaos. But in this also they have fail
ed. They have gained nothing but re-
venge. They have eemented the nation
afresh in The unalterable purpose to main
tain this government and this country un-
broken. They have made for the Chief
Magistrate they have slSin, en- eternal me-
mory of honor and sacrifice for righteous
ness while the world shall stand. But they
have not weakened the authority of the
Government, nor shaken its power, nor de-
layed its progress to wardcomplete suprem
acy, The ect is monstrous beyo par
sllel in history, but its consequences are
net to be evil in the end if we, as a people,
meet manfully and religiously the duty Of
the hour. We who have stood the
test of war are not to fslter in
the presence of assassination. It was
| perhaps necessary, said the speaker, that
the whole iniquity of treason should come
out Of this shocking fruit; necessary that
the spirit Of slavery should have this full
and terrible disclosure. But for this We
might never have known the abomination
Il viii nh ich rua hav hnnn dealing
"The first duty of the hour is to put our
| trust efresh in God" The speaker dwelt
upon what he regarded IS the directsgeney
of Heaven in the sad affliction, and sug
gesLed the possible object it is TO serve. He
urged the necessity of confidence in and
| support of the new President whom God
had raised up to the great obligations OF the
office. In conclusion the speaker feelingly
alluded to the reli gious faith and christian
character of Mr.. Lincoln, who, he said, had
sought wisdom from God and had not been
ashamed of Christ, ''before whom we hum
| bly, trust he has appeared, a sinner saved,
a steward trusted with many talents, his
work well done"
/ SERMON AT DETROIT STREET COEGRRG ATIOEAL
CHURCH BY REV. J. A. THONE.
Palm, 46: 10, IL: Be still, aud know that am
God wild b, exalted among the beathen, will
be exalted in the Earth. The Lord Of hosts is with
US the God of Jacob Is our Refuge.
FELLOW CHRISTIANS AND FELLOW COUNTRY
| MEN; What shall say in this hour of ma
tion's woe? Faiu would I stand mute be-
/ fore a calamity so inexpressible, acd so
sudden From the hight ofan unusual joy
how have we been plunged into the depths
of an unprecedented grief. Every loyal
heart bounded with elsdness on Friday (;
greetings and congratulations sped from lip
| to lip; houses of worship resOunded with
national anthems; hagsAOated from steeple-
/ top and mast head multitudes, freed from
i toll and care, and forgetting their own
heart-ssrrow, thronged the streets in holt
day attire troops of children, bearing little
banners, disported in the bright sunshine.
"All went merry" It was high religious
festival; jubilee of patriotism and piety.
| But, alas on Saturday, how dreadful the
| shock How terrible the revulsion. Every
| true American breast was smitten with q
stunning blow. Ah the deadly tidings
mThe President shot through the brain By
an assassin +" ellis life despaired Off"
The report of the fatal pistol is heard, by
| electric dispatch, in every part of the coun-
i trv; and every patriotic home is filed with
| eonsternation snd lsmentation. "The
i President killed % " Mr.. Lincoln assassin
| ated 20 mOur Chief Magistrate gone I"
HOur beloved President" abraham
| Lincoln, the peoples idol" Goods gift TO
tbe nation % F." The best man in the WOrldl"
The honest, the humane, tho humble
great man! !" "The poor mans friend ?"
IThe freeman's fatherP' "The nations
| deliyerer I" Such were the the broken
| calculations which found utterance ss soon
as the spell of silence passed from the
trembling lips of men and women
What shall say now2 Iwho SO lately
| exulted in the achievements of our arms !;
| 1 who but two short days ago in this place
| reioiced, gloried in the midst of the enthu-
siastic and responsive congregation, over
/ the reeeneratiOn and restoration of our flag.
| How shall SO quickly sink from the high
est major strain to the lowest minor, and
tone down my harp strings to the mourn
| fullest of dirges7
| But nature herself sets me the example );
| for lol the brightest of days, smiling sun
nv Friday, is changed, as if by sympathy
| with the nations mourning, into somDre,
| dismal raining Saturday. The heavens,
that the day before sireamed golden sun
beams on q thousand banners, shed tears
of lamentation over the worldwide loss /
BUTT is easier to weep than to utter words.
/ Tears 1ow in place of speech more suita-
BILE to such a SORROW. mourn for millions !;
I mourn with millions, in a common be-
reavemeut. From the lowest slave 10 the
highest statesman, all have lost head /;
| and America has lost her noblest heart.
The man whom God raised from the hum
blest grade of lowest poverty, and reared
| among the common people, and trained in
the school of hardship, and disciplined by
the stern processes of adversity, causing
him to bear the yoke in his youth, throw
ing him afterwards on his own resources,
and thus making of him strong, stirling
specimen of the unadulterated American,
the worthy representative especially of the
great West, the statesman of unpretentious
merit, of transparent honesty, Of pure in
teerity, of sagscity uuexcelled, of piety
unauestioned, the unselfsh, stainless pa
triots, we mourn him dead I--cut down SO
| l.nt;n,nlr in the meridian of his snccasa