The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-06-18

III IiOHL anu huhS NPSh H'S N>
rear.
The life of Christian man worthy of
his vocation is battle at best
( The SMILES with which Paul
describes it. are constantly drawn
from the struggles of the warrior and the
athlete. He Of whom / speak contended
valiantly for the faith once del
ivered to the saints, not only
against the natural allies Of Satan,
but against errors which appeared
to be consecrated by the appreciation Of
good men; creeds embedded IN prejudice
falsehood guarded by interests which
the slightest disturbance infuriated. 1t
was war against principalities and pow
ers and spiritual wickednesS in high
places. The little band of disciples that
gathered around him at first, and whom
the world IN derision called by his name,
were Ms literally the "sect everywhere
spoken against as their predecessors in
primitive times.
To effect Il great reformation under
such circumstances; to convince large
numbers of men against theiS will: to or
ganize the believers into II compact and
powerful body; to conquer the re-
spect of the world; these are proofs
OF intellectual ability and moral
force, with which only few
among the children of men have been
gifted. To these qualities, were added
| unfailing courage, II fortltude that noth-
! ing could shake, chivalrous sense OF
| Justice to his opponents, and affection Tor
| his friends second only to his love for the
cause to which he devoted his life. What
higher claims can any man set up to the
character Of a hero?
When we estimate his talents and Vlr-
I tues by the practical results OF Their eA-
crcise we must remember that he
wrought out his success solely by appeals
! TO the hearts, reason and consciences OF
| his felow-men. Others have made AS
deep mark us he did upon the history OF
the race. but nearly all of them were
backed by political power or aided by un-
worthy passions. 1t is easy to account
for their achievements without supposing
them to possess much strength of their
own. Standing behind steam engine,
even weak man may make some pro-
gre>s in removing mountain, but he
who scatterS it abroad with his naked
hands belongs incontcstibly to the breed
of the Titans.
When | speak thus of his merely hu-
man dimensions, do not und, rIaue the
intrinsic power OF the gospel. But the
qualities of mind and heart which glOr-
| ify truth, make the man illustrious in
his personal character. He WAS invinci
bic by virtue, of the divine armor with
which he was clothed; still it is only just
to say that he filed it grandly, wore it
! always, and never sunk under its weight.
The weapon that glittered in his hand
was the sword OF the spirit, but without
the sweep cf that long arm, its celestial
temper would not have been proved.
After crcditing his coadjutors with their
| full share Of the common work he is still
without rival to come near him. Many
of them were tall in their intellectual
stature, but looking through the host, it
/ is neither detraction nor tlattery to say
/ that
"He above the rest,
| In shape and gesture proudly eminent,
/ stood like tower
He was a thoroughly trained scholar,
Il lifelong student, with industry to
which mere idlcnesS would have been
pain. lie never unbcnt from mental ex-
| ertion except in conversation. lie was,
| indeed, most wonderful talker. No
one, think, ever joined him in these
social recrcations without being both in
structed and delighted. His pen was cX-
tremey prolific. His writings are so
| voluminous that we cannot but wonder
! how he found time to accomplish the
mere mechanical labor. Perhaps his
written style had imperiections, but it
never fell below the dignity of his sub
ject, and it was always freighted with
original thought.
As great preacher, he will be remcm-
bered with unqualified admiration by all
who had the good fortune to hear him in
| the prime of his life. The interest which
he excited in a large congregation can
hardly be explained The first sentence
| OF his discourse "drcw audience still
as death, and every word was heard
with rapt attention to the close.
1t did not appear to be eloquence; it was
not the enticing words of mans wisdom;
| the arts of the orator seemed inconsistent
with the grand simplicity of his charac-
ter. 1t was logic, explanation and argu-
ment so clear that everybody followed it
without an effort, and all felt that it was
raising them to the level of superior
/ mind. Persuasion sat upon his lips.
| Prejudice melted away under the easy
! flow of his elocutiOn. The clenching
fact was always in its proper place, and
the fine poetic illustration was ever at
hand to shed its light over the theme.
But all this does not account for the i'm
pressiveness of his speeches, and no
analysis Of them can give any idea of
their power.
For this man, we ask you to keep per-
petual as well as high place in your
memory, and TO think of him always as
one who was endowed with rare intel
lectual faculties, enriched by vast learn
| ing devoted to the faithful service of his
God, and the highest interests of his fel-
low men-upon whose private life no
stain was ever dropped even by accident
/ who working las ever in his great
Tasknaster's eye" was unfailing in the
. performance of all his duties. Not for
his sake do we make this request he is
/ beyond the reach of human praise or
blame but for the sake of the living to
whom his pre-cminent virtues will con-
tinue to speak from the tomb.
/ Here especially, should these things
never be forgotten. l need not remind
You Mr.. President, or the other members
OF the faculty, that this institution owes
/ lts existence to him. He laid its broad
foundation and taught its lofty towers to
rise. As its first president, he started it
on career Of substantial prosperity and
gave 1t the high character which 1t still
maintains. You then have a peculiar
interest IN his representation. Hoard 1t
as II priceless treasure. Be true to his
great name and ! can safely promise that
the large army of his admirers, in every
part Of the country, will be true to you.
conclude, Mr.. President, by repeat
ing the presentation which consigns this
/ ma Il = FrTn n