The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-19
RELIGION AND VALOR.
Brilliant Address at Christ Church, Boston,
by George B, Lorng.
The Days Of Religious Zeal
and Manly Courage.
TRUTH AND FREEDOM.
HerOes---Chauncey, COOpe
Eliot and Lathrop.
Cooper,
REV. DR.. CUDWORTHS ADDRESS.
Home Memories for the Grand Army
Of the Republic.
GEORGE B. LORING'S GRAFTON.

Boston, April IS, 1876.
The following is the grafton OF Hon. George B.
Loring at Christ church to day
FELLOW CrIIzENs:-It seems to have fallen to
my lot, on this centennial year OF the earliest
steps o. the great American Revolution, to dis
cuss those significant and heroic events which
attended the opening OF the conflict, and winch
first gave evidence OF the defiant spirit OF free
dom which characterized the fathers OF the
Republic. 1t is but a few weeks since was
called on to present tue picture Of revolutionary
Salem and to pay tribute to her magnimlty
and her honor, when her zone hundred and
twenty-five pGtfiots declared in written address
that they had common cause with the oppressed
town Of Boston, and would in no way take adj
vantage OF the prohibition OF her trade" and to
summon the attention OF grateful people TO
the brave stand taken by Pickering and his men
Mt the North Bridge, at an hour when British
power was yet considered supreme and Ameri-
cal valor was yet untried. And IN this service
! do indeed rejoice. 1t was the dawning hour OF
great heroic chapter in history, which is
marked by the most brilliant and fascinating
streaks Of light, aud which charms the observer
with the freshness and vigor of uprising day.
The heroes who set the first watch-6res are the
heroes whom we love. We indeed admire tho
majestic march Of great armies and are i'm
pressed with the thunders OF the captains and
the shouting; but now our very hearts move
within US as we contemplate the midnight
march OF the little band which, unaided by
civil power, without an inspiring past or q
supporting present, or even an open
ing future, salIies forth, strong IN itself
alone, to strike the first blow and to set the first
Inspiring example. 1t is SO great and noble to
lead the way that we worship him who does it.
lie who starts forth in a holy cause without fear
OF consequences or hope Of reward is crowned
ut once as the hero or Is cherished as the martyr.
And the simple valor Of the opening conflict as
far outsnines the imposing tumult OF great bat
ties and the glittering pageantry OF victory as
the glory OF the morning rises superior to the
blaze Of MONDAY or the mid light Of the setting
sun. We do indeed rejoice over the dav at York.
town, but we linger around Pickering at North
Bridge, and Parker at Lexington, and Davis at
Concord, and Prescott ut Bunker Hill, and we
listen and listen and listen to the words OF
Quincy and Otis and Adams and wander along
the dark passages Of the town with Dorr and Re-
we're, and climb the mysterious stairways with
the sexton to hang out the signal lantern from
the North church steeple, and muse with ever
new delight upon the thoughts and emotions
witch inspired the heroic actors in these ias-
cinating scenes.
AND so 1T COMES TO PASS
that the event which we have met to comment
orate Is full Of charm and meaning, and arrests
our attention with force which cannot be re-
sisted. The part performed by the community
which hundred years ago occupied the spot
~ Ia
profound interest, equalled only by the deeds
which rendered Marathon and Thermopylm, and
Client, and Burgess and Plymouth the immortal
names for heroism and scf-sacriice. The feeble
ray shed from this church spire on the night OF
April IS, ITS, shone not simply TO warn the mes
Bengers of their duty toward the slumbenng
.-Striots along the road to Lexington and Con-
cord, but 1t streamed across the land as signal
homrevoutionary Boston TO apeople determined
10 be free ALI eady was the town fixed as the
North Star OF freedom in the armament OF
the heavens. Not populous, she was already
great and powerful. Her churches and her
schoolhouses were even then her PRIDE Her
people bad Tor generations manifested q lofty
tone Of character, and had been guided by that
integrity and honesty which has always marked
her career. Her prosperity was universal. Her
popular leaders we're men OF great power. OTIS,
with his flaming tongue; Samuel Adams,
with his deep and untiring courage
and sagacity; John Adams, with his impetuous
impulse; Hancock. with his dignity and deli
ance; Joseph Warren, with bis fresh and vigor-
ous enthusiasm and his manly determination;
Josiah Quincy, Jr., the silver-tongued orator OF
freedom. and Paul Revere, "the great leader Of
mechanics" and the vigiant and sleepless de-
fender OF popular right. Her divines, Chauncy
md Cooper and Eliot and Lathrop, Numbered
hom their pulpits in the cause OF freedom, so
that the enemy said OF them:-"Some OF the
ministers are continually In their sermons stir
ring up TIE people to resistance, an instance Of
which lately happened in this neighborhood,
where the minister, TO get his hearers to sign
some inhammatory papers, advanced that the
signing Of them was material circumstance to
their salvation on which they few to the pen
y. h an eaaerness that sufficiently testified their
belief ID their pastor" or her mechanics
Buckingham eoquently says:-"The Boston
mechanics So general thing. we're the early
aud steady supporters OF the patriot cause. No
temptation could allure them, no threats could
teirlfy them, no tory argument could reach
them. In vain did the loyalists epdsavor TO
tamper with them. They certainly carry all be-
fore them letter says.
AZ THE TROOPS rmcKENEp IN BOSTON
Jcine living in town and some from the country,
Without much thought, accepted the chances TO
work on barracks for their accommodation. It
Nd not. however last long. This morning.