The New York herald., 1872-12-09
THE SECOND STREET M. E. CHURCH.
Horace Greeley-sermon by the Rev.
Henry Aston.

Horace Greeley-Sermon by the Rev.
Henry Aston.
The Rev. Henry Aston, OF the Second street
Methodist Episcopal church tnear avenue C), took
his text last night from Job XIX o5 :-'I know that
my Redeemer liveth." lie said just so soon and
wherever the tidings were received that Horace
Greeley was dead the heart OF humanity was sur
charged with grief and the tongue OF the eloquent
and the pen OF the ready writer sent forth their
utterances OF sorrow and praise. This whole
nation, represented In all its departments from
the President down to the humblest citizen bowed
In rcvcrcnt homage to the memory and in the
presence Of this ilIustrious dead Amid this out
burst Of national praise shall we not pause to
select some salient points from his history for our
emulation
HIS sELF-RELIANCE.
We all can learn from the life Of Horace Greeley
the lesson OF self-reliant energy. The of poor
New Hampshire farmer with scant education
ne came to New York and started a news
paper, failed and failed, until by his persistent
ergy he gained the apex of journalistic fame and.
dying, brought the entire civilized world to mourn
his loss and bow to do him honor. Young men, let
his example inspire you with the same sturdy self
reliant spirit. There Is O law fixed, unalterable
like that OF the Medes and Persans, that man is
placed In this world to work out his own destiny
both for time and eternity. Young men, you are
called upon in the presence OF such life to cast
aside and trampe under foot weak, vacillating
principle of selIreance and you will finally reach
the goal OF honor aud competency. Greeley
was in this m respect IKE Luther who begged crusts
who, when boy, earned his living as bootblack;
like Bunyan, the tinker who cried in the streets,
bier, and afterwards the famous missionary in India
and translator OF the Bible; like wellington, like
Lincoln like Grant. Greeley is worthy to rank
with these master minds in respect to this noble
spirit OF selfreliance Greeley evolving from pow.
erty and obscurity without the prestige OF wealth,
circumstances bend to his will, climbing the Alpine
mountain Of honor until success crowned his en-
in journalistic iame and died covered with honor
greater than can be won by the Presidency of this
glorious Republic.
HIS MORAL HERorsM
Moral heroism In honesty, sobriety, patriotism
are Ster traits OF the great man
Of maddening excitement Of the fire, smoke,
blood. blood and carnage Of the battle aeld
sublimity Of moral heroism, inspiring Its SUBJ
ject to do and dare for God and humanity, forming
cloister or study. The principles of heightened
morality were embedded in his nature, hence not
Or and as they moved on
tOning and inspiring the nation for the time when
it must strike or the shackles Of slavery or 90
under. The nation Is indebted to Mr.. Greeley and
his Tribune under God more tnan to any one man
or force for educating the people and creating the
IHOTdl WHICH pTeSSeu ll0COln 10 sign
the proclamation of freedom. He not only
crushed slavery, but he also boldly denounced in
temperance, dishonesty and dens OF namy. He
has stood by the poor to bless and better their
dition; in word, he was eminently samaritan, q
moral hero.
HIS IMPRESSIVE DEATH.
!. He was not elected to the White House because
there was good man already in it ahead OF him:
ana because many great men have been spoiled
when transferred to positions outside OF their nat
ural sphere. And now, my young friends, learn
this lesson-that In all our defeats and conflicts
and triumphs we need divine helper Hence in
his last hours he turns from all to God and ex-
claims Il know that my Redecmer liveth!" What
subimer words could be given to mortal in the
midst OF earth's desOlatiOns, in the shadow OF
death, on the verge OF eternity
week ago yesterday morning as we opened
our paper to scan the news the first sentence we
read was, "HOrace Greeley is dead" The paper
dropped, the heart was appalled,, and the soul
bowed in grief But how glad were we to read that
he returned to consciousness and strength to say
most clearly and impressively, ~ know that my
Redeemer liveth," and again fell into a stupor and
soon after breathed his last. In conclusion, learn
from this impressive death-frst, the uncertainty
OF lite; second, the insuniciency OF all earthly
things to meet the demands OF our complex ma
ture, and third, the importance OF a preparation
for the future.