The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-12
TWENTY-THIRD STREET PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH.

larger but for the gloomy. rainy weather, assem-
bled yesterday morning at the West Twenty-tnird
street Presbyterian church to hear the discourse or
its PASTOR the Rev. ii. D. Northrop, on the subject
OF "Death In High Places" After the usual exer-
cses and an impressive prayer the reverend gen.
tleman announced that he HAD obtained leave OF
absence from the middle OF June to the middle OF
September for the purpose OF making trip TO
Europe, and that the Rev. Dr. Chaplin had been en-
gagged for the entire time OF his absence TO minister
to his flock.
He took for his text zcch. XII, 2:-'Howl, FIR
tree for the cedar is fallen because the mighty
spoiled: howl We oaks OF Bashap; for the forest
OF the vintage is come down." He commenced by
saying in explanation Of the foregoing
This Is the mourning OF the tree for the downfall
OF kindred tree. The prophet by an apostrophe
as striking as 1t Is beautiful, Calls for lamehta-
ton at the spelling of the mighty. When the
cedars die let the frs wall for II the stronger are
slain what hope can there be for the weaker Al
though the language Is prophetic and probably re.
ers to the strokes OF death and Judgment destined
to fall upon Jerusalem and the Jewish nation, yet
1t may suitably be applied to
THE DEATH OF CONSPICUOUS MEN,
those tall cedars whose downfall thrills the for-
est and proves the sad raty of the lesser grswths
There have been few occasions in history when
these words--so frequently pronounced IN eulogy
of dead statesmen, and senator's and kings-have
been clothed with greater significance than they
are at this moment. What need Is there OF men-
fairly crowded the columns OF the public pressS
They have fallen like autumnal leaves upon new
made graves
Some men, whose names are on every tongue
are taken or by sudden blow, and there is no
wall OF universal s0rrow-they get In death the
respect they merted in life, and that was very
little. Another dies, and the shock is felt before
any one has time to praise or den0unce him; the
deep instincts and convictions OF the people admit
might lay or his ernine for his shr0ud and q ma
ton might feel only relief at his blessed exit Yet
TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN CHIEF JUSTICES,
as there is in Presidents and congressman. 1t
would be well II all public men could remem,
Der that, after all the praises OF party and
all purchased encomiums, there Is yet an
unerring public opinion, which knows how
to weigh them, and will do 1t mercllcssly,
without tear or favor No such spontaneous ex.
hibition OF respect and sorrow over the death Of
Chief Justice, whose remains are now on their way
to the tomb could he manufactured for the occa-
sion. The people know their man. they know his
worth; they know how great or how little is their
eulogy to-day its great Chief Justice which no
subsequent history can or will ever dare attempt
In such life, such an eminence and such q pub
lc testimony there are lessons which the pulpit
has no right to overlook. And, first, is not some
thing due TO the stock from which man comes
When you know the parcntagc OF some men you
expect more from them than you do IRON others.
Is not character in measure hereditary, as well
as s5rm and feature, disease or longevity When
science has traced-if 1t ever can-the noble con-
nection which links generation with the one pre-
ever supposed men only bear the image OF what
has gone before "He came honestly by It" is q
saying which tells what you think OF mans rela-
ton to ancestry. IL Is the parental hand which
shapes and determines the tree, and when cedar
mains OF the cedar from which it sprung. Shrubs
date from shrubs and oaks from oaks. With weak,
shallow-pated. unprnclpled man Tor father, ana
weak, snowy, chatterbox woman for a mother
who expects much OF the children would vote
TO have them excused. The children are spoiled
because their parents were spoiled before them.
n
ing; II Is not easy to deny the very blood IN his
veins and the noble stock from which he springs.
III God visits the inquites OF the fathers upon the
children, into the third and fourth generations,
there Is no reason why He should not visit the vir
always been. Yet, apart from all exceptions to the
rule, there Is something in the character OF
New England stock worth having, and when we
get man great and good we are not SO much sur
prised as we are II we do not get him
AN OLD NEW HAMPSHIRE FAMILY
may not be bsated with wealth, may Till the hard
soil with brown hands, yet, by high qualities OF
mind and character, may do just what you would
expect may blossom in glorious fashion and give
to the United states Chief Justice, statesman,
The next lesson is the riches which are born OF
poverty, the prosperity born OF adversely the
strength and victory begotten OF trial. AS rule,
nothing to do but to spend it. Make everything
easy for him and let him depend upon hard
have him on your hands. will be sorry you have
him. and Will wonder what In the world you are
going to do with him. And you will never know
what in the world you are going TO do with him
until he gets so as to do something with himself.
Then the difficulty is solved, and you will find what
happy difference there Is between having a
worthless son your hands and having worthy
son on his own hands.
1t Is interesting to mark how
THE TREASURES OF THIS NATION
have been dug IRON lonely places, how the poor
boys have become the merchant princes, how the
lowy have risen 60 ranks Of nobility how the
struggles or youth have betokened the principles
OF manhood; how printer becomes renowned
how m o9y com Dd an eloquent
nothing save a good name and Christian teaching
becomes the pillar OF state, the champion OF
liberty, the greatest flnancier OF modern times,
the chief Justice, pure minded and incorruptibe,
who, II the nation had lost her laws, could have
given her. out OF his own brain and integrity,
better code than she had before.
Another lesson. IL does pay, after all, for man
TO pursue course or action born OF honest con-
greatly In need OF being enforced at the present
time. And when man dies who has taught the
we are bound to tell others that II they would gain
such pure renown they must act with equal hon. |
esty and fidelity.
COOP. UPRIGHT POLITICIAN,
who serves the people WELL deserves to be praised
As much as mean, lowliyed politician deserves to
be damned. Honest conviction integrity which |
cannot be bought, espousng u cause not because
IL Is popular, hut because II is rght-a Willingness
10 stand alone for God and humanity as rock |
stands through storm and calm-thls Is what we |
want, what the young men OF our country need to |
be taught, what they are taught by the life which
lung Its fiery splcndors round the sunset.
Yet does any one suppose that tins Is what we |
always get II there Is one thing mere than |
another Tor which some men have a genius 1t Is
always setting the sails according 10 the wind. |
lou know where to find them II you know where |
20 and the popular current They can be on one |
de OF the Ience the other side OF the fence, or
,stride the fence, dangling on both sides just as
,uts their interests What shuflng and scheming,
wire pulling and manGuvring, crawling and
loube- for God or the devil-any-
hing to get votesl No gospel put TO be on the
ED m nnAv n
How fortunate, then, when we can refer 10
nan who has never been in the market for sale,
whom no man would ever dare approach with q
bribe. You hear loud talk about "men not to be
trusted" about prevalent corruption" about
''scrambng for the spoils," about double deal
ingn and .unprlncipled demagogues." These are
not my phrases. DO they mean nothing, or are
they tile words In which the history OF these times
must finally be written IL has been the curse oil
American noltcS To have men who could be de-